Frank Rich: Karl Rove beats the Democrats again

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Frank_Rich_Karl_Rove_beats_Democrats_0617.html

"Karl Rove beats the Democrats again," writes Frank Rich for his weekly column slated for Sunday's New York Times, RAW STORY has found.

Rich notes that even though Iraq has been a "loser" for the Bush Administration, the Republicans have been able to capitalize politically on it since the Democratic Party has been unable to come up with a "stirring narrative that defines their views."

"What's most impressive about Rove, however, is not his ruthlessness, it's his unshakable faith in the power of a story," writes Rich. "The story he's stuck with, Iraq, is a loser, but he knows it won't lose at the polls if there's no story to counter it."

"And so he tells it over and over, confident that the Democrats won't tell their own," Rich continues. "And they don't -- whether about Iraq or much else."

Does this ever get tiring for reporters? Just repeating repub talking points and bending over?:puke:

he's one of my favorites and most times he's right on the money.

"Republicans, again, show us that they have no real plan, just empty slogans and bumpersticker rhetoric. Democrats present plan after plan that fall on deaf ears in the hammerlock that the stale, ineffective Republican Party has on the Whitehouse, the Senate and the House of Representatives"

Why isn't this above the fold in the so called 'liberal media' we keep hearing so much about?

I'm soooo tired of the MSM acting like KKKarl is a god. When will the media get their noses out of Karl's butt? The Dems have plenty to say but when do you ever hear any of it reported in the MSM? All we ever hear is how Karl and the repukes are kicking our butts. Enough already!

asses, we leave the repubs alone. We must be diligent and unforgiving in our push against the * administration.
:toast:

...that the Democrats don't offer a short and concise alternative message to the Administration. Frank Rich is correctly analyzing the political situation. As much as we revel in our prospective congressional gains based on current polling, its an unpleasant truth that voters will rarely replace the devil they know with the devil they don't.

since the Mediawhores and GOP assholes all say they don't have any plans, it must be true.

Frank Rich is full of shit and part of the problem.

Many things may happen and it certainly is possible for the Dems to form a more united front before the elections.

...is the first part of defeating them.

and buys this shit. I think that journalists and reporters are the last to get a clue.

Kerry did not clearly define his position in simple enough terms, and it did not help him at all.

simple to define. But most of the Dems aren't biting. I'm living in a district which is VERY competitive, yet the Dem candidate has such a vague position on Iraq. He won't even admit that it was a mistake to go into Iraq. I don't know -- I think you can be against the war AND muscular, too, by saying the Iraq War has made us less safe. Unfortunately, the Dems aren't willing to leap out and embrace a position that doesn't even have to go as far as Kerry's. But it should be an ABSOLUTE condemnation of the Iraq War AND how it has been executed. Criticizing execution alone is weak.

To defend Kerry in 2004, BTW, the country was in a different place than it is now. In 2004, they just didn't want to know the truth -- still, Kerry did say "Wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place". That pretty much was as far as he could take it in the climate of 2004.

He's also willing to face reality, in this case the fact that the Democrats need to voice something other than the rethugs stay the course strategy.

The recent failure to say a word about Iraq in their "strategy" announced the other day is as clear an indicator of this as anything.

I was talking about most reporters who do not report. That is what I was responding to. I actually think Frank Rich is rather on point most of the time. I should have been clearer.

I hate to agree that Democrats are being out manouevered on this, but it's not written clearly in the 'New Direction for America.' Why can't the leadership come up with a clearly verbalized rebuttal to the Bush cabal's Iraq policy? Playing it down can't be the answer to the biggest issue in the '06 elections.

and is a huge disaster, it shows no prospects to yield benefits to American national interests coming close to its enormous costs in blood and treasure, and we have a concrete plan for removal of American troops within a year's time regardless of whether the Iraqis are 'stepping up' or not."

"Republican's 'Stay the Course' 'Don't Cut and Run' amounts to commitment to open ended occupation (hostile occupation) for decades to come."

"stay the course" with "STAY AND DIE" and "SITTING DUCKS!"

Very simple. Very straightforward. Very short, three itty-bitty syllables that are easy to digest for the dumbed-down, single-syllable, heckuva-job-loving masses who want to sit there and get fed, rather than stopping for a moment to look at what they're actually being given to eat.

They don't want to think. They've been preconditioned for it. It's too much work to do that. Too much work to think of something that might jolt them out of their comfort zones. They've been preconditioned by undisputed YEARS, what is it now? A decade and a half or something that rush limbaugh has been telling them they don't have to think at all. "You don't even HAVE TO think! I'LL do the thinking FOR YOU!" haw haw haw! (See, I'm an entertainer! I'm a comedian, he'll claim. So everybody shrugged him off as just some loudmouth and went on to do something else while he was able to stay and keep at it and expand his power base and then the bad guys had something to jump on and continue building).

We have to start the verbal hammering. Clearly, we don't have many in positions of "power" or "influence" at the moment who'll do this. We don't have the media, either. I'm wondering where the George Soroses and Rob Reiners and David Geffens and the rest of 'em's with the big bucks to buy up media properties - UNTIL WE HAVE OUR OWN NETWORK? Where's Al Gore's Gore-TV? Where is it? We don't even have a pulpit to shout from, let along enough people to do the shouting. As long as the enemy has a good communications system, and we can't infiltrate or start disassembling it, WE are lost. That's one of the first things you do in war. You fuck up your opponents' communication lines. You render them unable to communicate. Then they can't link up, can't strategize, can't get their messages through. THAT is what they've done to us. I think it's reached the point where we almost have to take it to the streets. We have to start playing offense. We have to get John Murtha out there more often, and then repeat-repeat-repeat and catapult HIS propaganda. I've actually seen him get mad. That attracts attention, telegraphs the idea of guts and force all over everywhere, and it's the kind of thing we need MORE of. NOT less.

Democrats, however are waiting to define a narrative until closer to election time I surmise?

a cohesive 5 Point Plan and talk about it on the RARE occassion they get face time on the tube.

But the fucking Mediawhores and GOP Liars say the Dems Do NOT have a plan and Frank Rich and many DU'ers buy the bullshit.

Some Mediawhore (Russert?) confronted Howard Dean with the "Democrats have no plan" bull and Dean then answered with the Democratic 5 point plan for 06... You know what happened next? MEdiawhore proceeded to have 3 or 4 more GOP liars on who all said Democrats have no plan. AFTER DEAN JUST DETAILED WHAT THE DEMOCRATIC PLAN IS.

And Frank Rich and DU'ers just regurgitate the GOP LIE.

:wtf:

a plan for Iraq. The media is making a big to do about that. SOME Dems have signed on to the plan you note, but it's not part of "new direction" mumbo jumbo.

On edit this plan says "NEW DIRECTION FOR AMERICA" Apparently the "AMERICA" part has been missed by the media? http://democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=257236&

However, Rich's point noted above is spot on:

Rich notes that even though Iraq has been a "loser" for the Bush Administration, the Republicans have been able to capitalize politically on it since the Democratic Party has been unable to come up with a "stirring narrative that defines their views."

I agree with you that the MSM has an agenda which is counter to "ours" and that poses a challenge.

Thanks for the post, however Democrats better prick up their ears and listen to Rich and others on this issue or we're going to appear "wishy-washy" again. Bill Clinton had a quote to this effect that made an impression on me. I believe it was in Iowa a few years back when he appeared at the Harkin Steak Fry event? He said "it's better to be ignorant and appear resolute, than to be intelligent and appear weak." That's a paraphrase as I can't find the original quote, but it sums up the issue nicely IMHO.

crutches. Those in office are so afraid of taking a stand, or rocking the boat and upsetting their corporate benefactors that they prefer so sit there mute and defenseless while we get our asses kicked.

Again.

we seem to be the "walking wounded" these days.

You know the Republicans are going to be coming hard and heavy with the "cut and run" phrase this November. Do the Democrats have a good rebuttal? The only person I've seen articulate it is Jack Murtha.

This is what I wrote about here in another thread yesterday. We need a sharp, direct phrase .... an advertising slogan, if you will, that says it all. It's what will get the media and the voters in focus. "Cut and run" was an excellent move by the GOPpies. We need to counter it. Now.

That's already been proposed by many democrats. I'm not sure what this mysterious "story" that dems need to be telling would look like. Someone tell me please. When the dems call for a timetable in Iraq they're referred to as cut and runners by the media and the repubs (try to tell the difference these days). Anyway, that's why I think this whole "they have no story" line is a talking point because democrats are talking but no one in the MSM is reporting it thus how can anyone know the dems story. :crazy:

whoremedia in his bed and he beats the Dems, Again..Big Fucking DUH!

message agree with Rove. That alone makes me barf. I think instead of harping on the line that dems don't have any ideas/stories we should highlight those stories and ideas with every breath. We know them because we're paying attention. We need to call bullshit on Rove's story here. I understand being frustrated but WE are the alternative to Rove's story-not just the elected dems. If someone says the dems have no story-you should reply that they want to focus on security at home, get out of Iraq, take care of the environment and our civil liberties, provide healthcare to those without it etc.... Don't buy Rove's line. I believe that's what he wants.

for the exact opposite of the bullshit set forth by rove so it's easy to name what our "views" are.

rich had a blistering critique of Al Gore in "An Inconvenient Truth" the other week, too. I'm getting tired of this perpetuation of myths.

I know rich has a lot of good print out there but right now I'm pissed at what he's coming up with.

so called "in-cohesiveness" in the Democratic agenda? Dems will define their position on Iraq closer to the election just in case the R's conveniently find Osama in tent inside Iraq.

sadly, agreement that it's likely that the Dems as a party will not mount an effective response to a challenge they should GLADLY take on, and clean the Repubs' clock with.

Go to the House/Pelosi website and look at the "New Direction" plan. You have to go a couple pages in just to see mention of Iraq, and only in very general terms.

Doesn't make as strong and impression as "cut and run". Not by half.

position or narrative please. Can you do it in a concise, simple way that the "average American" can remember and repeat?

I can state the Republican one concisely. "We must stay the course. Dems are cowards who want to cut and run."

attention.

Timetable in Iraq for withdrawal-which is also what the PM for Iraq wants
Security at home
Healthcare for all
Protect women's rights
Restore civil liberties
Control the deficit
Protect the enviroment

just off the top of my head.

It is, and should be, the biggest issue for the campaign IMO.

Now if you question Harry Reid, Howard Dean, Hilary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Harold Ford, Barack Obama, Warner, and a few others about whether they favor a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, will you get the same answer, or close to it, from most?

Reid and Obama I believe they would all agree and have stated that we need to set a timetable for Iraq withdrawal as the Iraqi PM has stated he wants.

...we don't have one.

Unfortunately, DC Democrats don't seem to get it.

many a time.

Perhaps some DU'ers just let those threads sink and hop onto the bullshit threads about how Demcrats have no plan.

Sorry, but at this point I think DU'ers who just keep spouting the GOP bullshit are part of the problem. The Mediawhores are giving GOP'ers the megaphone and it's up to YOU to blast the Democratic Plan out to neighbors and friends etc.

Rich (haha) keeps up the story by perpetuating this lie about Rove being some kinda powerful genius. He didn't beat shit, 5 grand jury trials and we have no idea what he said. Keep it up Richie Rich. No one believes the shit about Rove or Bush. THEY fucked up with Iraq and 911 and Katrina and now they will pay for it at the polls. It will happen.

Optimism!

I believe it is a force like a tidal wave, no way to stop it no matter what one tries. Maybe if they only had to deal with one event, but no they went and soooooo fucked up everything that nobody likes them. 911, Iraq, Katrina are huge disasters that the BFEE has failed miserably to handle. Now they will pay for it, for their arrogance and greed. I happens all the time, all throughout history. Why should America be any different?

a winning message - we won lets bring our men and women home safely.

then ask: why are the republicans prolonging the war and danger to our troops?


Msongs

can you sing?
www.msongs.com/vocalistwanted.htm

Article IV of Articles of Impeachment Against George W. Bush, (a draft by constitutional
attorneys citing 4 strongest charges against the president, this is only 1)

Center for Constitutional Rights

This conduct has included one or more of the following:
He has violated federal law by conducting surveillance of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil without
a judicial warrant...
He has engaged in mass detentions both in and outside of the United States w/o permitting
any judicial review of such detentions.
He has formally declared his intent to violate the laws enacted by Congress by appending a
signing statement" to legislation that asserts, his right to carve out exceptions to legislation
as he sees fit; thereby arrogating to himself legislative powers reserved solely for Congress...

In all of this George W. Bush ha acted in a manner contrary to his trust as president and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice
and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States. Wherefore George W. Bush, by
such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.

Dear Karl, I know you love to frame the debate, well, here's one for you, manifest injury
of the people of the United States, oh, how does that fit your noise machine, that the
dems are always 1 brick shy of a load, it seems that the entire subject of this tome is
the actions of el presidente, George Walker Bush. I am sending one to my senator for
reference.

He needs to stop fellating Rove.

We need to get our message out. Rove's tactics have a brilliant underlying idea: "Keep it simple, stupid!" We desperately need to do that so the average American will understand. That's what the GOPpigs are doing -- and goddamn it, it's working for them. We're not doing it. It's about time we did!

All of the issues in the Democrats "New Direction" plan are fine things but if the they fail to come together in some way on the most important issue facing the country today they are not only irrelevant they are also irresponsible.

They will lose and America will lose what may be the last chance to draw in the reins on an out of control president.

They love the Pukes. Not only because of corporate welfare but because everything the Pukes do is wrong. That often creates death and destruction and misery which make for easy headlines and an abundance of stories to cover without having to dig. They're lazy. They don't want to work yet they want to get filthy rich. Republican incompetence, corruption, and mismanagement facilitate that. It's all about the bottom line.

Stay And Pay

short and sweet, and any moran can understand it.

Murtha gets it.

because you will never let them be heard, let alone over and over with their message...do you ever look in the mirror Mr. Rich ..or the rest of you?? do you give one rats ass about democracy??

see Mr. Rich and the rest of you whores for this white house and rove..its not only our democracy you are pissing on..its your's and your kids democracy..you have totally shit on!

fly

for them.

I can't believe all of the reactionary posts here about Rich being a Rove flack. If you all would take the time and effort to read Rich's work perhaps you would better understand his point here.
Frank Rich is one of the very few journalists with the audacity to take on the corrupt regime - and he has been for many years.
Whether you want to believe it or not, Rove is winning the round on Iraq. And if this keeps up - without any credible opposition from the Dems, Rove will turn around the slide and 2008 will be lost.
But, of course, we're all too busy arguing the merits of various possible candidates, without any consensus, and keeping watch out for phantom indictments.

is making a critical assessment of ineffectual Democratic response to such attacks.