Bush -- "A chickenshit in every pot. " The candidate for the fearful

[Armstead]

It's clear that a major strategy for the Bush campaign is making Americans afraid -- and then promiusing that Daddy W. will protect them.He is the Candidate of Fear.

For a candidate who supposedly appeals to the Macho Man vote, that is a very paradoxical message.

It basically is saying to people "If you're a chickenshit, vote for me."

It also has the underlying message that, to paraphrase FDR: "The only thing that matters is fear itself." Who cares what else happens with the economy, civil liberties, the basic fabric of society? All that matters is that Our President will protect us.

The Bush campaign is insulting the American with this tactic, whether the American people realize it or not. Bush is basically telling America that we are cowards. We are willing to give up everything for the illusion of safety.

It's possible to acknowledge the uncertainties of the world -- and face them -- without making fear the central fact of life. We ought to be brave enough and resilient enough as a nation to not base our every decision on fear. We ought to have enough damn brains ti realize that we are being played for suckers.

Those macho men and "strong women" who vote for Bush on that basis ought to realize that they are admitting that they weaklings and cowards.

[fdr_hst_fan]

1. Uh, the quote ACTUALLY reads:

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!"

[EST]

2. I think the poster did say "paraphrase"

And I agree-fear is the coin of the realm, these days.

[HootieMcBoob]

7. paraphrasing is

to use your words to present the idea of the original speaker. What he should have said was "...to bastardize FDR..." just nit picking.

[karlrschneider]

3. Uh, armstead did say "paraphrasing"...

:eyes:

[Armstead]

5. Maybe I was too oblique.

I said it was a paraphrase. Perhaps I was too oblique, but the idea was that what Bush is saying the opposite of FDR's message of courage.

[yowzayowzayowza]

4. Exactly,

* is cultivating a coward constituency. ..sickened by this maladministration manipulates my fellow citizens since 9/1.

[Armstead]

6. GW wants to turn yopu into a coward.

I like that phrase. The "coward constituency."

[drdigi420]

8. bush is a pussy and so are his followers

[cthrumatrix]

9. they are brainwashed...no other possibility