Thom Hartmann: History of the October Surprise

[alp227]

Thom Hartmann takes a look at a longstanding tradition in American presidential campaigns -The October Surprise. (Examples being 1968 where the Paris peace talks were hijacked and 1980 with ryde deal between Bill Casey and Iran.)

[sabrina 1]

1. I think LBJ was right, when someone undermines the efforts of a sitting president

to make peace or as happened later, to get US hostages home safely, that IS treason.

The Right has always engaged in these treasonous tactics and they get away with it, because we let them. And each time we let them get away with treasonous activity, they become bolder.

This time, it will most likely be something to do with Iran. It's obvious that the President has made the wise decision not to invade Iran. And I'm sure there are plots to force his hand or to try to make him look weak. I hope we have learned from the past and will not fall for whatever the next 'October Surprise' is going to be. The best way to do that is to expose them. Something that never has been done for some reason.

[magic59]

2. I bet the fascist party will instigate a terrorist attack in October

They are the party of dirty tricks and could care less for our men and women serving our nation. The fascist GOP are home grown terrorists who will do anything for money and power.

[rwsanders]

3. A similar scam was all the homeland security alerts everytime shrub was low in the polls.

This time I understand there are a lot of anti-Obama DVDs being shipped to voters in Ohio. But as far as foreign issues, what about an attempt to stir things up in the Japan, China, North/South Korea battles over the islands? Doesn't seem like it would take too much to stir something there that would disrupt the supply of junk from China long enough to make people here scream.

[malthaussen]

4. It will have to be something that makes us look impotent and foolish

When the violence started in Africa with the US diplomatic missions, I was wondering if we were headed for a replay of the hostage thing. It's almost futile to try to guess what it will be, though, since there is so much opportunity out there. All that is required is for unscrupulous men to act without scruple.

-- Mal

[fasttense]

5. I think the RepubliCONS have already played their October Surprise.

Who do you think funded that trailer on Mohamed for a movie that doesn't exist? The RepubliCONS knew it would stir up the Muslim community and perhaps even create another hostage situation like in Iran. Unfortunately, the strangely coordinated attackers on the embassy in Libya didn't take hostages but resorted to murder instead.

But I don't think of the bushes selection by the Dancing Supremes is an October surprise. That was a planned legal maneuver to steal the election. Mitt can always take the results to the Supremes if he doesn't win. You know the Supremes would put Mitt in as president. The question is will the American people allow it to happen again?

[NoMoreWarNow]

6. I agree about the film

And I just don't know why more commentators have not discussed this possibilty.

As far as what the Ameeican people will take-- probably a lot as long as the media plays everything conspiratorial down like they usually do.

[DemzRock]

7. Johnson should have let it get out about Nixon's interference with the peace process.

It was just a delay. Nixon was destined to being seen as a crook. Except by the insane GOP base who doesn't have any morals except either greed or a twisted misinterpretation of the bible and/or just plain authoritarianism.

[Duval]

8. People take notice

Thom Hartmann is well informed and speaks the truth. I wish his broadcasts could be on MSM, but that's a pipe dream. We have too often kept silent and we have too often allowed our MSM to lie to us.