The Bergdahl memes emerge
It became clear as soon as the background information about Bergdahl began coming out that the left would say the right was swiftboating Bergdahl. After all, as I wrote previously here, “swiftboating”:
…has become a synonym for “a political low blow.” And of course, in the eyes of the MSM, it tends to be the province of those nefarious Republicans.
Forget about whether the charges are actually true or not; that’s a minor quibble, hardly worthy of consideration.
In the case of those who criticize Bergdahl for being a deserter or worse, not only are their charges against Bergdahl almost certainly accurate, but the accusers (like Kerry’s, the original Swift Vets) are veterans who did serve honorably in the military, unlike Bergdahl. So the parallel is almost irresistible to the left.
What’s more, it’s one of the few defenses available to them for Obama’s actions in freeing Bergdahl in exchange for the Taliban Five. The Bergdahl affair has been distinguished for being so egregiously awful—so nakedly political, so dangerous, so full of knave/fool possibilities and lies—that even the left is hard-pressed to find a silver lining there.
I’ll make another prediction. If those freed Taliban leaders end up doing something vile, whether it be limited to Afghanistan or whether the harm is directed more pointedly at Americans somewhere else, the people who tie it to Obama’s decision to swap the Taliban for Bergdahl will be accused of using the Willie Horton ploy against Obama.
[ADDENDUM: Apparently I’m not the only one who has thought about the Horton meme in connection with the Bergdahl prisoner exchange: James Taranto has written about it as well.]
I can hardly wait to see Obama’s presidential pardons on his way out. He’s going to pardon people that make Marc Rich look like a saint.
And actually trying the Benghazi meme: Nobody knows the facts yet.
http://www.blackfive.net/main/#
I think the administration was so used to media support they succumbed to hubris and nemesis is next.
“Swift-boating” is a term of distinction to me. I have always applauded those guys had the courage to speak out against the despicable John Kerry, and then take the abuse that was heaped on them by the hordes of media and Democrat thugs.
I hope that Bergdahl’s former comrades can stand the heat. I hope the families of the troops who remained faithful to their comrades, and their duties, continue to speak. When Obama’s goons; e.g. Susan Rice attack them they will infuriate a lot of people.
You had it right the other day, Oldflyer, about the most important issue was the actual trade, the negotiating with terrorists.
On this one, it is so sweet to see the backfire because, and who knows just how much this influenced Obama, it was clearly thought that a benefit of the trade would be the chance to paint Republicans as hero-haters.
Let them attack. It will probably be the lower echelon minions in the media, but let them. Another twist of irony that the Left will defend an Islamist and attack American soldiers. It will help destroy the swiftboat meme.
The left just doesn’t comprehend those arcane military terms such as Duty, Honor, Country.
The left quickly flipped upside down the meaning of ‘swift boating’ just as they turned upside down the words ‘Uncle Tom’. The Swift Boat vets told the truth about Kerry; Uncle Tom was a heroic character in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Or Life Among The Lowly.
Horton: Seems I recall that it was Dukakis’ primary opponent who brought that up. Wikipedia, those well-known right-wing-conspiracists, says this:
“Horton in the 1988 presidential campaign
The first person to mention the Massachusetts furlough program in the 1988 presidential campaign was Al Gore. During a debate before the New York primary, Gore took issue with the furlough program. However, he did not specifically mention the Horton incident or even his name, instead asking a general question about the Massachusetts furlough program.[8]”
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It doesn’t hurt that the “optics” in this are totally going against Obama and his crew. Clean-cut, well-spoken soldiers who served with Bergdahl versus the faces of the Taliban Five. I think most human beings would know which side to line up with in this case.
All criticism of Obama runs up against the twin memes of racial animosity as motivation for the criticism (how do you disprove a negative?) and the assertion that Obama means well, that his intentions are admirable, as they are politically correct.
Since those are the primary factors in the low info voter’s evaluation, the purported ideological goals to which the LIV gives allegiance, only unassailable proof of malevolent intent to do harm by Obama could change minds. BTW, ‘unassailable proof’ extends beyond reasonable doubt to 100% certainty. That said, some will go to their graves before abandoning their support.
Geoffrey I feel you are mistaken in your position that “only unassailable proof of malevolent intent to do harm by Obama could change minds” of LIVs. I suspect the number of people whose minds can be changed by logic w.r.t. Obama at this point is very small. As for the rest there is no amount of logic or proof that will undo what many LIVs consider a source of self-esteem or security, that is, an identification with Obama. I have no idea how to convince a LIV that their god is really the Wizard of Oz.
Bob,
I’m not suggesting that sufficient logic or reason could change the low info voters mind about Obama. All of us have tried that… repeatedly.
I am suggesting that absolute, undeniable proof that he has not only fooled them but is actually an evil man with evil intentions would change the minds of many. That’s because if the proof of malevolence is absolute enough, they either abandon him or abandon the PC memes from which they gain their self-esteem.
Tragically, the chances of this happening appear to be miniscule. Not least because Obama may well believe in the very memes that those who vote for him do, they are in denial as to the very real harm that they create. They are too busily paving the road to hell with their good intentions… to see where the road leads.
I hopefully think the Bergdahl swap is hitting LIVs fairly hard, because they can relate to the grunts he walked out on, probably informed on to the Taliban, and the grunts who had to follow orders and hunt for him, losing several lives. That should hit them; I exclude the Pajama Boy metrosexuals from that group, of course.
Hussein’s already pardoned people from prison. Reminds me of another Hussein.
I have no idea how to convince a LIV that their god is really the Wizard of Oz.
The historically verified way to convince someone that their god is false, is by proving that their god is less powerful than our god.
By killing them and theirs.
Geoffrey Britain, what makes you think that road is paved with any good intentions?