American Politics has just reached a new level of dirty tricks and disinformation, a new plan of political manipulation that reaches into the very computer that you are reading this from. From the land that gave us the attack ad, we now hear word of the Google Bomb.
A well timed and well placed negative link to a targeted candidate, designed to give a would be voter looking for information on a candidate, the worst possible impression possible.
It’s so devious you would have thought that Karl Rove came up with it, but nope, it’s a Democratic blogger’s invention. Launched on Sunday, it has been used to go after select Republican candidates that have rubbed Democrat bloggers the wrong way. Like a flaming war between teens on MSN gone out of control, Democratic bloggers are snapping those keys and hypertext links on a Holy mission of subterfuge.
Not to be outdone, the Republican’s while late to the Google bomb party, have begun their own late October offensive, aligning their forces to get the maximum boom for their googling bucks.
While the bloggers out bid each other for Google ad placement and navigate the links for negative stories, the real back room people suggest that they’re probably wasting their time. No doubt pining for the days of the nasty attack ads or the smear campaign flyers of old, the old hands shake their heads at the time consuming amount of time that the blogging class is dedicating to the goal of digital destruction.
In fact, the new kids on the dirty tricks block just aren’t getting the props they probably thought that they would.
Some of the big thinkers in the Democrats new media department think that the idea of spending this much time trying to sway 1 % of a voting block to go one way or another, isn’t the best use of resources. Not to mention that they probably are only attempting to do what already happens anyways.
Using Republican Virginia Senator George Allen as an example, a scan of the google results for his name after his controversial remarks over race a few weeks ago, found that negative impressions rose to the top of the list anyways. This before the Google bombing strategy was conceived by those Democrat bloggers with apparently too much time on their hands.
As for Google they’re not particularly fond of the idea as well, claiming that anything that goes against the integrity of their brand isn’t something they wish to see. They also point out that the google algorithm is so complex, they sort of doubt that the google bombing runs will really have much success.
As for the bloggers it’s still all systems go. As both Democrats and Republicans, giddy in the belief that they are out to destroy each other, prove that too much time on the computer really is bad for your outlook on life.
From Rock the Vote, to Google the Vote, it’s a whole new era in those smoky backrooms.
Showing posts with label American Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Politics. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Rummy on the Run?
Donald Rumsfeld is running out of friends in Washington it seems. A good number of those in the inner circle of American politics (and many that aren't!) have been suggesting for a while now, that the time may be at hand for the Secretary of Defense to take his leave. It's making for a growing legion of followers that includes retired generals free to speak their minds.
Rumsfeld who is considered the architect of the Iraqi war plan is feeling the heat as things go more awry in the Middle East with each new dawning day.
While George W. Bush refuses to act on the advice, out of a sense of loyalty to the man who can trace his political lineage back to the Nixon era, it’s that same era that might be showing that Rumsfeld may be the wrong man for the job at hand.
The website SF Gate which combines the news resources in the Bay area has put together an interesting piece that details how even Richard Nixon had doubts about Rumsfeld’s potential in the world of military matters. The Gate piece by Robert Dallek of the San Francisco Chronicle, goes on to examine some famous dismissals over the course of American history and the impact that they had on the President of the Day.
It’s a thought provoking examination of the issue and offers the White House a short term solution that at least would give the Bush Administration a chance to get things back on track. Not that they show any indications of accepting any advice from the press these days.
For Rumsfeld it’s just another day of going in to work to see if he can finish out the day, though it must be a tad disconcerting to have someone reach out from the grave to suggest to you that your not up to the challenge.
It makes for a trip to the political ouija board that indicates that the days at your present post may be numbered.
Rumsfeld who is considered the architect of the Iraqi war plan is feeling the heat as things go more awry in the Middle East with each new dawning day.
While George W. Bush refuses to act on the advice, out of a sense of loyalty to the man who can trace his political lineage back to the Nixon era, it’s that same era that might be showing that Rumsfeld may be the wrong man for the job at hand.
The website SF Gate which combines the news resources in the Bay area has put together an interesting piece that details how even Richard Nixon had doubts about Rumsfeld’s potential in the world of military matters. The Gate piece by Robert Dallek of the San Francisco Chronicle, goes on to examine some famous dismissals over the course of American history and the impact that they had on the President of the Day.
It’s a thought provoking examination of the issue and offers the White House a short term solution that at least would give the Bush Administration a chance to get things back on track. Not that they show any indications of accepting any advice from the press these days.
For Rumsfeld it’s just another day of going in to work to see if he can finish out the day, though it must be a tad disconcerting to have someone reach out from the grave to suggest to you that your not up to the challenge.
It makes for a trip to the political ouija board that indicates that the days at your present post may be numbered.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The best ten minute briefing on TV
The Daily Show is mining the mother lode of comedy with the goings on in the world of American politics this week. The scandal that has enveloped the Republican Representative for the State of Florida, Mark Foley has provided no shortage of material for the best writing team on television these days.
What Jon Stewart and his crew put on the air every night must be but a dream for the regular network news shows. Stewart's presentation is fast paced, funny and probably just as informative as the breathless breaking news approach taken by the various news networks in the States.
The first ten minutes of any Daily Show episode probably gives you a very concise bit of information about the hot issue of the day, all while they leave you holding your side from laughing so hard.
This week’s programs have been particularly edgy, as they tackle the Foley scandal and the taking to the lifeboats by the Republicans. The Daily Show frequently exposes the hypocrisy of the political class, doing so in a way that the main networks or cable networks could never do.
They certainly test the bounds of good taste at times, and the material below is truly not for those of a tender young age (unless you’re ready to sit down and explain a lot of things that you might have wished could wait a few years more), but this week’s openings have been hilarious and more to the point, on the money about the scandal that the Republicans probably wish would just go away. Fat chance there.
Here are the Daily Show openings for this week, a collection of material that does much to eviscerate the spin control plans of the politicians before they can even get started.
What Jon Stewart and his crew put on the air every night must be but a dream for the regular network news shows. Stewart's presentation is fast paced, funny and probably just as informative as the breathless breaking news approach taken by the various news networks in the States.
The first ten minutes of any Daily Show episode probably gives you a very concise bit of information about the hot issue of the day, all while they leave you holding your side from laughing so hard.
This week’s programs have been particularly edgy, as they tackle the Foley scandal and the taking to the lifeboats by the Republicans. The Daily Show frequently exposes the hypocrisy of the political class, doing so in a way that the main networks or cable networks could never do.
They certainly test the bounds of good taste at times, and the material below is truly not for those of a tender young age (unless you’re ready to sit down and explain a lot of things that you might have wished could wait a few years more), but this week’s openings have been hilarious and more to the point, on the money about the scandal that the Republicans probably wish would just go away. Fat chance there.
Here are the Daily Show openings for this week, a collection of material that does much to eviscerate the spin control plans of the politicians before they can even get started.
Many observers in the US fear that too many Americans may be taking too much of their information from the satirical shows, while not tuning into the serious news channels with their extensive research skills and seasoned news veterans.
However, you know maybe the folks at the shows like the Daily Show are much more in tune with fact checking and research than their critics at the news channels might like. Take this bit of hilarity from the Fox Network yesterday, which found the perfect solution for the Republicans on this issue.
Yep when in doubt move the scandal ridden subject over to the other political party; it’s truly Machiavellian in its design.
Republicans, all is not lost, just as long as the fair and balanced (though factually inept) friends of Fox have control over the chyron keys!
Monday, October 02, 2006
Hypocrisy, thy name be Foley!
Does anyone really wonder why the political class is held in such low esteem by those who they portend to represent? The latest bit of hypocrisy comes from south of the border with the current scandal swirling around now ex-Florida Representative, Mark Foley, who up until Friday represented the people of West Palm Beach.
Foley, a six term representative of course resigned his seat on Friday after his suggestive comments to a 16 year old male page at the US Congress were reported by an ABC news report. He has since disappeared into the sanctity of an alcohol rehabilitation centre to deal with what he calls his addictions. A place it seems that most public people go to when they suddenly become the focus of the nations attention.
The creepy IM’s and e mails from Foley have provided the firestorm of the internet today, as his resignation and the question of who else knew of his problems came to light late Friday afternoon. There is a very good possibility that the fallout of the Foley file may very well bring down the Republican hold on Congress.
Even more intriguing about this whole scenario is the fact the Mr. Foley was one of the fiercest critics of Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal. It was back in the Clinton witch hunt days, when the Republicans were busy extracting their pound of flesh from the then President. We all remember those halcyon days, complete with lurid suggestions and obvious glee in having cornered the Democratic President. Let’s go back in time and see just what Rep. Foley thought of it all. Courtesy of the Just Ain’t Right blog.
“It's vile," said Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach. "It's more sad than anything else, to see someone with such potential throw it all down the drain because of a sexual addiction."
Now, perhaps Mr. Clinton did not showcase the best judgment and certainly lost a bit of moral authority over that episode. But sheesh, the systematic stalking and creepiness of the Republican representative in his quest for the young 16 year old male pages of the Congress surely must have its own place in hell.
Even more ironic about this is the fact that he was leading the morality charge against the prospect of pedophiles luring children over the internet. He was chairman of the House caucus on missing and exploited children. National Public Radio archives brought up his thoughts on the use of the internet and the exploitation of children from 2002, including this bit of speechifying.
“Where I have to draw the line is using children for the excitement of those more mature people who should know the difference and know better.”
To read his words from then and then examine the scandal that has brought him down today is to leave you to shake your head in wonderment.
Needless to say the Republicans are in full damage control all the while putting as much distance between themselves and Foley. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert calls Foley’s messages vile and disgusting, though the Republicans didn’t see the need to do anything about him when the issue was brought up in 2005.
Now that they’re caught in the glare of Foley’s spotlight they are scurrying, akin to rats we guess, who leave when the light comes on. Where were they when the Representative was working the internet for not exactly educational purposes? Where was the accountability that they so often scream for of others?
Foley was quite obviously wrong with his inappropriate advances, but equally too wrong is the way his party just swept any concerns under the rug. For a party that seems to enjoy standing on that high holy ground of morality, there seems to be a dis-connect between their thoughts and their deeds.
In American politics there is always an October surprise before the November elections. October got a head start on September 30th, but the ramifications of it will carry through for much longer than Election Day.
Foley, a six term representative of course resigned his seat on Friday after his suggestive comments to a 16 year old male page at the US Congress were reported by an ABC news report. He has since disappeared into the sanctity of an alcohol rehabilitation centre to deal with what he calls his addictions. A place it seems that most public people go to when they suddenly become the focus of the nations attention.
The creepy IM’s and e mails from Foley have provided the firestorm of the internet today, as his resignation and the question of who else knew of his problems came to light late Friday afternoon. There is a very good possibility that the fallout of the Foley file may very well bring down the Republican hold on Congress.
Even more intriguing about this whole scenario is the fact the Mr. Foley was one of the fiercest critics of Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal. It was back in the Clinton witch hunt days, when the Republicans were busy extracting their pound of flesh from the then President. We all remember those halcyon days, complete with lurid suggestions and obvious glee in having cornered the Democratic President. Let’s go back in time and see just what Rep. Foley thought of it all. Courtesy of the Just Ain’t Right blog.
“It's vile," said Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach. "It's more sad than anything else, to see someone with such potential throw it all down the drain because of a sexual addiction."
Now, perhaps Mr. Clinton did not showcase the best judgment and certainly lost a bit of moral authority over that episode. But sheesh, the systematic stalking and creepiness of the Republican representative in his quest for the young 16 year old male pages of the Congress surely must have its own place in hell.
Even more ironic about this is the fact that he was leading the morality charge against the prospect of pedophiles luring children over the internet. He was chairman of the House caucus on missing and exploited children. National Public Radio archives brought up his thoughts on the use of the internet and the exploitation of children from 2002, including this bit of speechifying.
“Where I have to draw the line is using children for the excitement of those more mature people who should know the difference and know better.”
To read his words from then and then examine the scandal that has brought him down today is to leave you to shake your head in wonderment.
Needless to say the Republicans are in full damage control all the while putting as much distance between themselves and Foley. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert calls Foley’s messages vile and disgusting, though the Republicans didn’t see the need to do anything about him when the issue was brought up in 2005.
Now that they’re caught in the glare of Foley’s spotlight they are scurrying, akin to rats we guess, who leave when the light comes on. Where were they when the Representative was working the internet for not exactly educational purposes? Where was the accountability that they so often scream for of others?
Foley was quite obviously wrong with his inappropriate advances, but equally too wrong is the way his party just swept any concerns under the rug. For a party that seems to enjoy standing on that high holy ground of morality, there seems to be a dis-connect between their thoughts and their deeds.
In American politics there is always an October surprise before the November elections. October got a head start on September 30th, but the ramifications of it will carry through for much longer than Election Day.
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