Prometheus 6

Ezra at Pandagon very gently fisks Will Safire…yeah, I know, easy target. One can afford to be polite.

Presumably unaware of the presence of a live microphone, Senator John Kerry, campaigning last week in Chicago, let loose with his opinion of Republicans opposing him as "the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen."

My first reaction — like that of millions of parents and schoolteachers around the country — was to wince at a prominent politician's use of "you know," a halting interjection that has been cluttering the speech of teenagers for years.

Only later, as the rest of the Kerry condemnation sunk in, did I wonder: Was it wise for a candidate for president to characterize Republicans — tens of millions of American voters, including even veterans — as thieves and liars? And if the double slur had been part of a pour-it-on strategy, was it tactically smart to take the low road so early?

Paragraph 3, meet paragraph 1. He knows exactly what John Kerry said. Paragraph 1, could you please enlighten paragraph 3?

"Sure. John Kerry gave his 'opinion of Republicans opposing him as "the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen.'"

Now paragraph 3, what's wrong with what you said?

"Um, I said John Kerry smeared all Republicans instead of the few people John Kerry is actually running against?"

"Good, keep going..."

"I accused him of consciously taking the low road when he was expressing a private thought unaware of a live mic?"

"Also true. Anything else?"

"I took an accidental comment directed at a small group of people and misrepresented it as a political strategy designed to smear half the nation."

"Good, good. Don't you feel better now?"

"Kind of. I also feel like slime though."

"Yeah, not much to be done about that."