Thursday, September 13, 2007
Giuliani: Against Character Assassination, Still A Stupid Putz
Rudy Giuliani spent time campaigning in Georgia today, and I must say that his message demonstrates a singular lack of understanding of our American democracy, coupled with a liberal dose of hypocricy.
Giuliani is targeting Hillary Clinton for questioning General David Petraeus when he testified to Congress this week. In particular Giuliani finds it offensive that Clinton told Petraeus that in order to believe the Generals outlook on the surge that "you had to suspend disbelief". To Giuliani, Clinton saying that was somehow a personal attack on a four star general. Futhermore, Giuliani tried to link Clinton to the General Betrayus ad run in the N.Y. Times by MoveOn.org. Giuliani is concerned that Clinton's questioning of Petraeus followed the Moveon ad "in a very, very coincidental way."
No freaking duh! The reason the ad was run when it ran was to try to influence public opinion surrounding General Petraeus' testimony to Congress. What Giuliani conspiratorily tags as "coincidence" is actually a very fundamental aspect of American democracy. Congress conducts oversight hearings during which members of Congress (like SENATOR Clinton) question witnesses, and outside groups try to influence public opinion based upon these hearings. It happens all the time and I bet this is the first time that someone has seen the makings of a conspiracy in the process. Would someone on Giuliani's staff please clue him in?
Also, Giuliani needs to learn what is or is not a personal attack. The title of this post is a great example of unseemly and obnoxious character assassination. Hard questioning in a Senate hearing hardly rises to the level of outrage which Giuliani is trying so hard to generate. Senator Clinton flogging a General over a policy which she does not approve of is exactly what one would expect in such a hearing. After all, if Clinton had fawned over Petraeus in a fit of Giuliani like dotage, that would have been a much bigger story than her taking the General to task.
Frankly this entire theme by Giuliani is hypocritical. He is eroding support faster than a sugar cube being flushed down the toilet, and he thinks that attacking Hillary Clinton is his best hope for retaining what support he has left. So he unfairly attacks Hillary for doing her job as Senator, by claiming that she is unfairly attacking Petraeus. Giuliani even tries to unfairly tie her to the Moveon ad through the most transparent and tenuous threads imaginable, making himself look like a total doofus to any thinking person who looks at the issue.
This type of logic might work in the red meat koolaid drinking Republican crowd Giuliani was aiming for, but I just don't think it will play with the rest of the nation.
Giuliani is targeting Hillary Clinton for questioning General David Petraeus when he testified to Congress this week. In particular Giuliani finds it offensive that Clinton told Petraeus that in order to believe the Generals outlook on the surge that "you had to suspend disbelief". To Giuliani, Clinton saying that was somehow a personal attack on a four star general. Futhermore, Giuliani tried to link Clinton to the General Betrayus ad run in the N.Y. Times by MoveOn.org. Giuliani is concerned that Clinton's questioning of Petraeus followed the Moveon ad "in a very, very coincidental way."
No freaking duh! The reason the ad was run when it ran was to try to influence public opinion surrounding General Petraeus' testimony to Congress. What Giuliani conspiratorily tags as "coincidence" is actually a very fundamental aspect of American democracy. Congress conducts oversight hearings during which members of Congress (like SENATOR Clinton) question witnesses, and outside groups try to influence public opinion based upon these hearings. It happens all the time and I bet this is the first time that someone has seen the makings of a conspiracy in the process. Would someone on Giuliani's staff please clue him in?
Also, Giuliani needs to learn what is or is not a personal attack. The title of this post is a great example of unseemly and obnoxious character assassination. Hard questioning in a Senate hearing hardly rises to the level of outrage which Giuliani is trying so hard to generate. Senator Clinton flogging a General over a policy which she does not approve of is exactly what one would expect in such a hearing. After all, if Clinton had fawned over Petraeus in a fit of Giuliani like dotage, that would have been a much bigger story than her taking the General to task.
Frankly this entire theme by Giuliani is hypocritical. He is eroding support faster than a sugar cube being flushed down the toilet, and he thinks that attacking Hillary Clinton is his best hope for retaining what support he has left. So he unfairly attacks Hillary for doing her job as Senator, by claiming that she is unfairly attacking Petraeus. Giuliani even tries to unfairly tie her to the Moveon ad through the most transparent and tenuous threads imaginable, making himself look like a total doofus to any thinking person who looks at the issue.
This type of logic might work in the red meat koolaid drinking Republican crowd Giuliani was aiming for, but I just don't think it will play with the rest of the nation.
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