First, Frank Rich on Christine O’Donnell and how she and her template Sarah Palin weave attacks against them into a “brilliant cloak of martyrdom.”

They are very good at this.

For a shockingly direct example, see O’Donnell’s latest ad:

And there we have it. “Tired of people smarter than you running the country? Hire me! I’m dumber than a bag of hammers, just like you!”

Anthony Hecht is The Stranger's Chief Technology Officer. He owns no monkeys.

42 replies on “Why We’re Screwed”

  3. @1 The martyrdom is the implication that her past has been misrepresented.

    The disco light drifting slowly behind her is doing her anti-witchcraft claims any good.

  8. She didn’t say anything in that video. Like, nothing. She’s going to do what I’d do if I went to Washington? I doubt that.

  13. not to veer these edifying comments off the rails, or anything, but can someone explain to me why ALL political ads have to say “i am blah blah blah and i approved this message” even when blah blah blah is the one & only person in the ad and talking directly to camera (like this one)? Is anyone gonna think this was taken out of context?
    And another thing… i find it so strange that political ads never state the party affiliation any more (they used to, didn’t they?) Are they trying to fool me into voting for someone from the “other” party?

    Seriously, any help – it’s October, getting inundated with these ads now, and these questions hurt my brain.

  17. I actually think the Teabaggers in the end are going to have a slight positive effect on this great nation of ours in that they’re going to further undermine and delegitimize the Republican Guard.

  18. It’s a brilliant ad, actually. She’s running as a Washington outsider, an everyday Joe. Sure, no one on Slog is swayed (duh), but for her target audience, conservative and untrusting of the media, this ad is perfecto. I once asked a very conservative coworker how he could not think that Palin is an idiot. He said “because she has my values, that makes her intelligent”. That’s it, in a nutshell. They don’t care about the book larnin’, they just want someone who shares their values – who is *like* them.

  19. There is no defense against this incredible ad. This ad is like the Karate Kid’s swan kick. Unstoppable! She need only keep showing this ad and she will win. I’m certain of it because of the numerous excellent qualities of this ad. Too numerous to count. I’m sure you were counting them yourself when you watched. Too many! I can’t count that high.

  20. @18 – Yes, it is brilliant, in the same way that Palin brilliantly spins any attack against her into a win for her. It doesn’t matter if the attack is true, or if the attack correctly identifies her rank hypocrisy and lies, it’s the fact that she’s being attacked (by liberals) that she turns right back around.

    The problem, of course, is that none of this brilliance is in any way coming from her. She’s being used just as much as the people who vote for her. If/when her and people like her are elected, they won’t be able to implement any of their cockamamie ideas, because they’re impractical at best and nonsensical at worst, and they’ll take their marching orders from Dick Armey, the Koch brothers, et al. And we’ll be screwed.

  23. Besides deflecting the (obviously phony) witch controversy, I like the way she more subtly deflects the “nutty religious” controversy. She says that in Washington “she’ll do what you’d do”, which sounds almost (but not quite like) “I’ll do what you my constituents want me to do.” Where instead it could be “I’ll follow my own moral compass just like you would follow yours” (even if her moral compass is pulling in a very different direction than most of the people she is supposed to represent.)

  25. Ah, yes, Sarah Palin spins everything into a win. Win, win and more win, that’s what Palin does. Palin wins every time!

    While I’m waiting for O’Donnel to follow in her footsteps, I’m making a list of Sarah Palin’s wins. Let’s start with the most recent one. It’s hard to recall… when was the last time Palin won an election?

  26. Who really cares who governs Delaware?

    This is a national campaign. She doesn’t need to win or lose. She just needs to run.

  28. You are NOT me, Christine. I have a degree from a school I didn’t lie about going to. I pay my taxes. I don’t place more importance in imaginary gods than in real people living in the real world. I don’t think that Faux News is true and that Sarah Palin is a role model. I think finding educated people to run our country is more important than fighting masturbation. I think gay people are human. Don’t you DARE compare yourself to me. Don’t you DARE even open your stupid mouth again. Ever.

  33. @31—oh, that is so true. I said I’d never vote for W, but you know, if he was running against the likes of Christine I’d have to break my word.

  36. So she’s saying that she’d go to Washington, D.C. and have butt sex, just like me?! I would move to Delaware just to hold her to that.

  38. I think that the Tea Party using women as figureheads is a brilliant move. They are the “new faces” here on the US political scene, so they have gut level cred that they will actually bring change, while they also can coat tail on the strides other women have made to become leaders (like Nancy Pelosi).
    Activating women to vote will be key in these elections, according to Emily’s List, so let’s get em out…on our side! I’m sure there are candidates that can use help.
    Cheers!

  39. Hate the other! Fear the other! I am not the other, I am just like you! I am the only one you can trust, no matter how breathtakingly, blindingly, barking mad I may be!

  42. @28: She’s not running for Governor, but as Senator, but with luck, hopefully the need to point out that distinction will never come up again.

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