Wonky Muse

August 14, 2004

The "S" Word

In a cunning twist of Kerry's words, Dick Cheney scoffed:

"America has been in too many wars for any of our wishes, but not a one of them was won by being sensitive...A sensitive war will not destroy the evil men who killed 3,000 Americans and who seek the chemical, nuclear and biological weapons to kill hundreds of thousands more. The men who beheaded Daniel Pearl and Paul Johnson will not be impressed by our sensitivity."

The obvious intent was to portray Kerry as soft on defense, someone who would kowtow to terror. What Kerry actually said to the minority journalists at the Unity 2004 conference was:

"I believe I can fight a more effective, more thoughtful, more strategic, more proactive, more sensitive war on terror that reaches out to other nations and brings them to our side."

Obviously, Kerry's intent was to say there is a better way to combat terrorism and that an arrogant and isolationist policy will not do us any good.

What's pathetic about this is that Bush himself used the word sensitivity in the same conference, according to a press release from the White House:

"Now in terms of the balance between running down intelligence and bringing people to justice obviously is -- we need to be very sensitive on that."

In addition, Bush emphasized the need for sensitivity in a speech in 2001, a concept that he has since thrown out the window:

"Precisely because America is powerful, we must be sensitive about expressing our power and influence. Our goal is to patiently build the momentum of freedom, not create resentment for America itself. We pursue our goals; we will listen to others; we want strong friends to join us, not weak neighbors to dominate. In all our dealings with other nations, we will display the modesty of true confidence and strength."

This is how the Administration plays the game, by putting politics over substance and by treating the electorate like fools who can be distracted by distortions and empty rhetoric.

It only means one thing: they're worried. I smell fear in the air.

posted at 3:52 PM by Wonky Muse

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