The Fear Card

November 4, 2007 in Iran, Politics, War by Mardé | 6 comments

Frank Rich today in the NYT online has a good analysis of the Republican presidential campaign strategy. Here’s the key paragraph:

Yet there is nonetheless a method to all the mad threats of war coming out of the White House. While the saber-rattling is reckless as foreign policy, it’s a proven winner as election-year Republican campaign strategy. The real point may be less to intimidate Iranians than to frighten Americans. Fear, the only remaining card this administration still knows how to play, may once more give a seemingly spent G.O.P. a crack at the White House in 2008.

And their fear card may already be paying off:

There are signs that the steady invocation of new mushroom clouds is already having an impact as it did in 2002 and 2003. A Zogby poll last month found that a majority of Americans (52 percent) now supports a pre-emptive strike on Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.


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  1. Michael Eric Berube’s avatar

    Michael Eric Berube on November 5, 2007 at 12:27 pm

    Not all Republicans favour these undeclared, unConstitutional pre-emptive ‘wars’ Marden.
    Ron Paul is on the ticket and actually has a chance (slim, but a chance.) Dr. Paul has been even more consistently opposed to war in the middle east and the supposed War on (of) Terror than any of the front runners in the race for the Democratic Party nomination. We need more Mike Gravels and Ron Pauls and fewer Hillarys and Rudy McRomneys

  2. Mardé’s avatar

    Mardé on November 5, 2007 at 2:30 pm

    Thanks for your comment, Michael. So, you discovered my blog! I have looked at yours in the past and I think it’s a very original blog with some great photos and wonderful stories.

    I kinda figured you might be supporting Ron Paul. It’s amazing how many do, a real surprise for a lot of his mainstream competitors, like as you say, the Rudy McRomneys.

    I agree with you that he is one of the few who tells it like it is in the Middle East and the so-called War on Terror. More power to him!

  3. Michael Eric Berube’s avatar

    Michael Eric Berube on November 5, 2007 at 2:45 pm

    I found your blog looking for information on Kate Smith actually. Believe it or not, there is precious little out there about her and she doesn’t even have a site that I can find. Maybe she’ll have a webspace on the maine.gov server soon? I ended up speaking with her on her cell this morning. Tracey and I cast ballot absentee this afternoon as I’ve got a meeting tomorrow evening and will be in Portland before polls open.

  4. Mardé’s avatar

    Mardé on November 5, 2007 at 2:52 pm

    Oh, very good Michael. Yes, I too hope she gets webspace on the maine.gov server soon, that is, after she beats Ralph Sarty Jr. tomorrow. Good you got to talk to her. I hope you were as impressed as I have been.
    Cheers :grin:
    Mardé

  5. Michael Eric Berube’s avatar

    Michael Eric Berube on November 5, 2007 at 3:06 pm

    Gun ownership is an important topic for me. (Not the only topic of course, but I have a hard time voting for someone who would ignore any part of the Federal or State Constitution.)

    Kate was very forthright with me on the topic and where she stands. I hope that she’ll be as forthright and interested when she’s faced with actual legislation as she’s assured me that she would be. Ralph is going to be tough to beat though. He’s made a lot of friends in Augusta.

  6. Mardé’s avatar

    Mardé on November 6, 2007 at 12:11 pm

    Glad she was forthright with you. Yes, Ralph will be tough to beat. Experience versus youth. But today’s the day, a rainy windy election day. I’m hoping for miracles.