Stay the course? Don't mock it till you've tried it...
June 30, 2005
Just as the public was turning against the war and the war president; just as Dems were gaining momentum: "Rove managed to link Iraq with 911 again, and to delegitimate the Democrats in the process. And he did it with the Democrats’ help," writes George Lakoff. "Rove achieved this brilliantly – in one sentence!
'Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 in the attacks and prepared for war; liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers.'When the Democrats took the bait, Rove reeled them in. Here’s what he achieved:
- Rove changed the context of discourse, from Bush’s disaster in Iraq, to support for Bush in the wake of 911.
- The Democrats had had the Republicans playing defense; Rove put them on offense and the Democrats on defense."