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Home Front: Politix
Bush Uses 9/11 Images for Political Gain
2004-03-04
President Bush’s re-election campaign on Thursday defended commercials using images from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, including wreckage of the World Trade Center, as appropriate for an election about public policy and the war on terror. Some families of the victims of the attacks are angry with Bush for airing the spots, which they called in poor taste and for the president’s political gain.
Are they still angry at the Bad Guys who killed their loved ones? The election's going to be about who's best qualified to avenge them...
"With all due respect, I just completely disagree, and I believe the vast majority of the American people will as well," Karen Hughes, a Bush campaign adviser, told "The Early Show" on CBS. "September 11th was not just a distant tragedy. It’s a defining event for the future of our country. ... Obviously, all of us mourn and grieve for the victims of that terrible day, but September 11 fundamentally changed our public policy in many important ways, and I think it’s vital that the next president recognize that."
One candidate does. The other one's so far convinced me he doesn't.
The first three ads, unveiled Wednesday at campaign headquarters in suburban Washington, will run on broadcast channels in about 80 markets in 18 states, most of which are expected to be critical to the election, and nationwide on select cable networks. "It’s a slap in the face of the murders of 3,000 people," Monica Gabrielle, whose husband died in the twin towers, told the New York Daily News for its Thursday editions. "It is unconscionable."
A slap in the face in what way? Did he not care at the time and he pretends he does now? Did he not take action against the perpetrators? Did he appear in public, shed a tear, warn the Bad Boyz to "make no mistake," that they'd be "brought to justice," and then do nothing?
Two of the spots show the destruction at the World Trade Center and include an American flag flying amid the debris. They also feature images of firefighters working through the wreckage. "It’s as sick as people who stole things out of the place," said Firefighter Tommy Fee of Queens Rescue Squad 270. "The image of firefighters at ground zero should not be used for this stuff, for politics."
The reaction to the strike is the only issue I'm concerned about in this election. You can't have any of the other stuff — health care, jobs, care for the elderly, none of that — if we lose the war with the turbans.
The ads do not mention Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, focusing instead on improving Bush’s image after criticism by Democrats in recent months. "I would be less offended if he showed a picture of himself in front of the Statue of Liberty," said Tom Roger, whose daughter perished on American Airlines Flight 11. "But to show the horror of 9/11 in the background, that’s just some advertising agency’s attempt to grab people by the throat."
Good one, too. Expect to see more.
Hughes said the ads are a tasteful reminder of what the country has been through the last three years. "I can understand why some Democrats might not want the American people to remember the great leadership and strength the president and first lady Laura Bush brought to our country in the aftermath of that," she said.
Posted by:Zak

#31  "vote early and vote often"

LOL! Icing on the cake, ed! ;-)
Posted by: .com   2004-3-4 10:46:08 PM  

#30  Thanks for all your praise. The rant burst out in one stream when I read the bury-your-head-in-sand-and-hope-the-monsters-go-away article.

Normally I vote for whoever takes the least from my paycheck and interferes the least in my life. I have Libertarian leanings. But now I care about one issue. I'd vote for Nader if he promised that the first thing he would do is to declare war on Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan to destroy their religious and governmental systems. I'll be damned if I will sit around and watch American cities be vaporized in a few years.

But since the Dems or Nader won't do anything to prevent this, I will send my first ever political contribution to the Bush campaign, and vote early and vote often.
Posted by: ed   2004-3-4 10:23:25 PM  

#29  A trend in the last decade or so has been the "personification" of legislation, e.g., Megan's Law, Amber Alert, the Brady Bill, etc.

There's often some f***-in' politician exploiting some tragedy or heinous act to get his/her mug on camera for votes, many times it's a Democrat. Right now California is discussing "Laci and Conor's Law" to stop future Scott Petersons.

Let's call the war on terror "America's Law"--you kill our innocent citizens and guests and we will destroy the very societies that spawned you. I think that's fair.
Posted by: JDB   2004-3-4 10:12:20 PM  

#28  Harold Schaitberger- AFLCIO. Is that surprising. Since the AFLCIO (which of course only has its workers in mind)is basically a big city Democrat machine, nothing surprises me what comes from them. I wonder though how the members REALLY vote when the time comes. Anyone have a feel for prior elections?
Posted by: dataman1   2004-3-4 9:51:31 PM  

#27  LGF has the rundown on the idiots interviewed:

“It makes me sick,” said Colleen Kelly, who lost her brother Bill Kelly Jr., in the attacks and leads a victims families group called Peaceful Tomorrows. “Would you ever go to someone’s grave site and use that as an instrument of politics? That truly is what Ground Zero represents to me.”
Context, anyone? “Peaceful Tomorrows” is a far-left group of useful idiots, who often show up on stage at International ANSWER rallies, sharing the podium with representatives of groups connected to the very terrorists who murdered their relatives on September 11. I have sympathy for their loss, but absolutely no respect for their naive and suicidal political beliefs.

The article also quotes the head of a firefighter’s group that has endorsed John Kerry. No bias here.

Harold Schaitberger, the firefighter union’s president, said: “We’re not going to stand for him to put his arm around one of our members on top of a pile of rubble at Ground Zero during a tragedy and then stand by and watch him cut money for first responders.”
Posted by: Frank G   2004-3-4 9:28:00 PM  

#26  So Ed, I'm thinking we can count your vote in the "Bush" column?
Posted by: Matt   2004-3-4 9:04:14 PM  

#25  Ed, Bravo and Megadittos!
And Anonymous, my sincerest sympathies on the death of your brother.
I will never forget 9/11 and the 3,000 innocents like him who were slaughtered on that black day.
Posted by: Jennie Taliaferro   2004-3-4 9:02:51 PM  

#24  ed kicks ass! I can only think of one thing - I'll be there for the Grand Opening of MekkaHooters... I think I can even see some featured dancers atop the Big Black Hole of 'Slam... Awesome, ed - Thx!
Posted by: .com   2004-3-4 8:28:27 PM  

#23  ed: the rant of the week - I bow to the master
Frank
Posted by: Frank G   2004-3-4 7:11:51 PM  

#22  snellenr -- Wasn't "well said, ed" the group that sang "I'm Too Sexy?"

No, that "band" was Right Said Fred -- and curse you for forcing me to remember that song :-)
Posted by: snellenr   2004-3-4 6:54:53 PM  

#21  snellenr -- Wasn't "well said, ed" the group that sang "I'm Too Sexy?"
Posted by: Tibor   2004-3-4 6:42:43 PM  

#20  Well said, ed...

I challenge U.S. Rantburgers to watch the beginning of the NBC Nightly News tonight, then call up your local station to complain bitterly about NBC's use of 9/11 images as part of the show's opening graphics!

(Maybe ABC & CBS use them, too -- I haven't the stomach to even watch those "news" programs anymore...)
Posted by: snellenr   2004-3-4 6:02:25 PM  

#19  AMEN ed! Preach on my brother!
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2004-3-4 5:57:34 PM  

#18  Don't hold back, ed. Tell us what you really think!

BTW, I agree with your righteous rant.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2004-3-4 5:16:59 PM  

#17  Well, Senator Kerry, Bush is Bringing it On. Just like you have perpetually asked.
Posted by: eLarson   2004-3-4 5:08:44 PM  

#16  Those images show nothing. American's need to see over and over images of the planes exploding into the World Trade center, the couples leaping hand-in-hand from 100th floor, choosing to die in the fall instead of being burned alive, the bravery of hundreds of men and women rushing into those buildings to save the trapped people. Americans need to know that most of those who were killed in the WTC will never be found, being ground into dust in the force of the collapse.

American's need to see and hear the vile preachings of government holy men exhorting their believers to kill, rape, and pillage the infidels. We need to see over and over the Palestinians and other Muslims celebrating and ululating at the images of the WTC. Americans need to see the videos of Al Queda and Saudi Clergy stuffing their faces and laughing at the images of the WTC inferno and collapse. American need to see the after images of the blown apart and mangled pieces of meat that were human beings in Isreal, Iraq, Turkey, Bali, ... Americans need to see the slaugher, rape, and slavery of Sudanese Christians and animists. Americans need to see the images of Muslim torture, the photos of Afgan Hazaras (Mongol descendants) who were skinned alive by the AQ and Pashtun fighters, the videos of the Arabs slitting the throats and cutting off the heads of their captives in Yugoslavia and Chechnia, and using them as soccer balls. Journalists need to see the video of AQ slitting the throat and decapitating one of their own, Daniel Pearl.

Treat them the same way way they treat the infidels. Make war on them, enslave them, pillage any and all propery, convert any survivors to Christianity. They like bombs? Bomb them into the stone age, bomb them in their homes, bomb them in their mosques, bomb them in the shit holes they hide in. They like slavery, it is well past time for the Southern Sudanese to have their shit shoveled by their Arab Sudanese slaves. They like to destroy churches and synagogues in Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey and Isreal and kill the parishoners, then bomb their mosques at the height of Friday prayers. Any god damned mullah opens his filthy mouth about slaugthering the infidels must have him and his family slaughtered post haste. Arabs want to talk about raising the Muslim flag over the White House? It's well past time to turn Mecca into the world's largest tittie bar.

No, we have seen nothing. We have been shielded, coddled and lied to about the true intentions of our enemies. It well past time for all Americans to open their eyes. If the Democrats don't like that, then F 'em and the donkeys they rode in on.
Posted by: ed   2004-3-4 4:54:36 PM  

#15  If this is the best the Dems can come up with - they are in sad shape. While it probably plays well with rabid bush haters - they won't vote for him anyway. For the rest of the country, it just makes the dems look like they are in denial over 911, which they are.
Posted by: B   2004-3-4 3:18:38 PM  

#14  A good friend and 5 other people that I knew growing up or went to school with died on 9/11. I am confident that they would not be offended by these ads, and would appreciate the President's actions in avenging them. Does anyone recall whether Bubba used his Oklahoma City speech in any commercials?
Posted by: Tibor   2004-3-4 2:15:56 PM  

#13  Ummm, weren't there Americans who died tragically in Vietnam? And I seem to recall that John Kerry might have once (maybe even twice?) mentioned Vietnam--and , egads, even run television ads with photos from the Vietnam war. What a monster!!! Trying to gain political advantage from the tragedy of soldiers killed in Vietnam. Call the FCC!! Politicians must be banned from mentioning historical events relevant to whether they should be elected!! It is too insensitive!!
Posted by: sludj   2004-3-4 2:00:34 PM  

#12  Condolences Anon....Unfortunately I think this country needs to awaken once again to 9/11. The Planes crashing into the towers needs to be shown again on TV to remind those who don't know or who have forgotten what actually happened that day. I know our President hasn't forgotten 9/11. God bless America and George Bush.
Posted by: dataman1   2004-3-4 1:31:44 PM  

#11  Seems to me this is nothing more than another dose of the same ersatz "outrage" the Democrats have been trotting out every time any Republican tries to defend his record or say something positive about what we're achieving. Just like their "outrage" over the aircraft carrier landing. Just like their "outrage" over Bush's Thanksgiving trip to Baghdad. Just like their "outrage" over... well, anything Republican.

I'm ashamed that I ever belonged to the Democratic Party- today's Democrats are revolting hypocrites.
Posted by: Dave D.   2004-3-4 12:50:24 PM  

#10  Anon - please accept my condolences on the loss of your brother.
Posted by: Doc8404   2004-3-4 12:30:40 PM  

#9  Just heard the whinning on ABC's News "On the Half hour". It's how America is lead by it's nose. Talking points, what to think.

Yellow Journalism to me.
Posted by: Lucky   2004-3-4 12:04:38 PM  

#8  God bless America! God bless George Bush!
Posted by: Anonymous   2004-3-4 11:49:12 AM  

#7  So they found two family members (and one fire fighter) out of ??? that took offense? If this had been Clinton or Gore, he would had himself standing at ground zero, a flag in hand (maybe burning), flanked by Firefighters and police. Please, EVERYONE was affected by 9/11 directly or indirectly. So when JF Kerry (who served in Vietnam) touts his ‘band o brothers’ can I be offended because I am a Vet? BTW it does offend me because I know what a FRAUD Kerry’s group is/was. The Dems are desperately trying to take the moral high ground and they have found it ALREADY occupied!
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2004-3-4 11:32:22 AM  

#6  I might add, the implicit assumption in my above post is that the innocents killed in the massacre on 9/11 and the troops who died fighting in Iraq are casualties in the same war. A war which is not even acknowledged by a large minority in this country...

Posted by: mjh   2004-3-4 11:19:00 AM  

#5  This hypocrisy brought to you by the same party that produced the Kucinich ads, which DID display the caskets and names of US servicemen killed in action, and yet nary a peep was heard from the party criticizing those ads.
Posted by: mjh   2004-3-4 11:16:50 AM  

#4  My brother died in tower 2 of the WTC. I will never forget, and I hope the next president never forgets either.
Posted by: Anonymous   2004-3-4 10:58:57 AM  

#3  "I can understand why some Democrats might not want the American people to remember the great leadership and strength the president and first lady Laura Bush brought to our country in the aftermath of that," she said.

Hit the nail onto the trolls head.
Posted by: Charles   2004-3-4 10:42:46 AM  

#2  TROLL ALERT! I have actually seen the ads and they are done tastefully. Commie Dowd chimed that maybe Kerry should show images of caskets coming home from Iraq (that would be tasteless). The Ad is about leadership in a time of crisis, not a sympathy plea. Look at the Ad before you comment, they are done very well. Like it or not 9/11 is part of Bush's legacy, like WWII was part or Rosevelt's and the hostage crisis was part of Carter's.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2004-3-4 10:37:03 AM  

#1  I. for one, am all for him using these images (tastefully done) for his campaign. The election will be a referendum on his handling of the WOT and the aftermath of the attacks, including the economic hit. If Bush had done badly (more attacks on American soil, Iraqi quagmire or mass civilan deaths) it would be thrown in his face every minute of every day by libs and the media. As it is, I think things could hardly have gone better than they have and his message says - "I'm responsible, and will remain so". I'm sure the NYDaily News had to find Dem partisans in the family/survivor ranks to hear complaints and the DNC whining shows how small they are
Posted by: Frank G   2004-3-4 10:36:47 AM  

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