He speaks French?

[SStewart 13]

Well, I guess Romnet is toast now.

I just saw the Gingrich attack add on Mitt and it turns out that not only is he a Moderate but just like John Kerry he also speaks French!

OMG!

Well that pretty much does it. Conservatives can forgive a lot but speaking french draws the line.

Dumb move Mitt, how dare you learn a foreign language! Not conservative!

Go back to Paris you french frog!

Onward and Upward!

[Andy9o8 0]

BWAHAHAHA! I saw that, and mused about starting a thread about it; but I'm one of the "usual suspects", so I held off because I'd just be accused of bashing.

Anyhow, the Geico Caveman shouldn't despair - plenty of his brethren vote in elections. This upcoming Tuesday in South Carolina, for example.

[mnealtx 0]

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BWAHAHAHA! I saw that, and mused about starting a thread about it; but I'm one of the "usual suspects", so I held off because I'd just be accused of bashing.

Like this next part, you mean?

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Anyhow, the Geico Caveman shouldn't despair - plenty of his brethren vote in elections. This upcoming Tuesday in South Carolina, for example.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[billvon 2,463]

>I just saw the Gingrich attack add on Mitt and it turns out that not only is
>he a Moderate but just like John Kerry he also speaks French!

And his first name is Willard.

[gher 0]

Um... He served a LDS Mission in France... *facepalm*

[Andrewwhyte 1]

That's always an issue up here during leadership races as well. Oh wait.

[pirana 0]

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Well, I guess Romnet is toast now.

I just saw the Gingrich attack add on Mitt and it turns out that not only is he a Moderate but just like John Kerry he also speaks French!

OMG!

Well that pretty much does it. Conservatives can forgive a lot but speaking french draws the line.

Dumb move Mitt, how dare you learn a foreign language! Not conservative!

Go back to Paris you french frog!

Curious as to how they positioned that fact. Did they really use the fact that the man speaks French as some sort of negative factor, like it was a reason not to vote for him?

If so, that says a lot about the creators of the ad and how they perceive their own supporters; and possibly about the people who would vote for Newt (if they are influenced by such tripe).

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[Trafficdiver 8]

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Well, I guess Romnet is toast now.

I just saw the Gingrich attack add on Mitt and it turns out that not only is he a Moderate but just like John Kerry he also speaks French!

OMG!

Well that pretty much does it. Conservatives can forgive a lot but speaking french draws the line.

Dumb move Mitt, how dare you learn a foreign language! Not conservative!

Go back to Paris you french frog!

Curious as to how they positioned that fact. Did they really use the fact that the man speaks French as some sort of negative factor, like it was a reason not to vote for him?

If so, that says a lot about the creators of the ad and how they perceive their own supporters; and possibly about the people who would vote for Newt (if they are influenced by such tripe).

He's trying, unsuccessfully, to link Mitt to John Forbes Kerry.

[billvon 2,463]

>Did they really use the fact that the man speaks French as some sort
>of negative factor, like it was a reason not to vote for him?

Yes, they did, and unfortunately it's nothing new:
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John Kerry's French connection

By Ben Fritz and Brendan Nyhan
March 24, 2004

Rather than trying to engage in the now-common rhetorical tactic of creating associations with terrorists or dictatorial regimes, some political opponents of Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry are engaged in a slightly more subtle campaign to link him with France, the leading opponent of the war in Iraq, and thereby play on nationalist sentiment. Kerry does, of course, have French relatives and speaks French. But the rhetoric has extended far beyond those near-meaningless facts.

Ever since an anonymous Bush advisor told the New York Times last April that Kerry "looks French," the Massachusetts Senator's political adversaries have attempted to capitalize on anti-French sentiment created by the war and portray him as aloof and opposed to America's interests. While Kerry's perceived decline led to a lull in these comments late last year, his re-emergence as the presumptive nominee has caused these attacks to increase in both volume and intensity.

A handful of conservative pundits initially took the lead in flogging the Kerry-France association. It's been a favorite, for instance, of James Taranto, editor of the Best of the Web Today column on the Wall Street Journal's OpinionJournal.com website. Soon after the Bush advisor's comment last year, for instance, Taranto referred to Kerry as the "haughty, French-looking Massachusetts Democrat" on April 30, a label he has repeated literally dozens of times since. Defending himself from critics of the "French" label, Taranto noted on May 2, 2003 that "Kerry also opposes President Bush's tax-cut plan, apparently favoring a French-style high-tax regime." And on January 16, 2004, he found it worthwhile to quote a Boston Globe report that said Kerry was flying around Iowa during primary season in a "a black, French-made twin-engine six-seater" helicopter.

Radio host Rush Limbaugh has also pushed the line hard, repeatedly referring to Kerry as "French-looking" and mocking him as "Jean Cheri" or "Jean F. Cheri" last fall.

Washington Times editor-in-chief Wesley Pruden completed the triumvirate, playing up the France association, for instance, in his June 20, 2003 column, which began by stating "You have to feel a spot of sympathy for someone who looks as French as John Kerry" and called him the "French-looking senator." He offered similar attacks on six other occasions in 2003.

In recent weeks, as it became clear Kerry would face Bush in November, other politicians and pundits have jumped on the bandwagon. On March 8, after Kerry reportedly said that "foreign leaders" supported his bid to replace President Bush (a quote that the Boston Globe reporter who transcribed it later said should have been "more leaders," the Republican National Committee put out a fact sheet noting that Kerry has a French cousin. While criticizing the cost of Kerry's spending proposals, Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman happened to note that by his calculation, they added up to "more than the economic output for the nation of France." And an unnamed "Republican strategist" was quoted in a Newsweek online column by Eleanor Clift saying, "Before long they'll be calling him Jacques Kerry."

Furthermore, as Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank pointed out, Commerce Secretary Don Evans recently referred to Kerry as a "fellow of a different political stripe who looks French." And House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) has begun speeches with the statement, "Good afternoon, or, as John Kerry might say, 'Bonjour.'"

The language of conservative pundits has been equally aggressive. After his March 5 column called Kerry "French-looking" and his March 16 column referred to the Senator as "Monsieur Kerry," Pruden unleashed a March 19 column entitled "The rage of Paris, but sour at home" in which he called the candidate "Monsieur Kerry" multiple times, said "our French friends regard [Kerry] as more French than American," and stated, "it's not clear how French frenzy, German gaga, Belgian delirium or partisan hysteria in Luxembourg will help Monsieur Kerry and the Democrats at home."

In addition, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Steyn wrote on March 21 that "Kerry sounded awfully like America's first French president" in a recent appearance. New York Sun columnist R. Emmett Tyrell called Kerry "French-looking" in his Feb. 26 and March 11 columns. And in a March 24 column in the political insider newspaper The Hill, Republican pollster Dr. David Hill stated that by claiming America's reputation has declined amongst other countries under President Bush, Kerry was "acting French."

ABC/National Public Radio commentator Cokie Roberts recently told the Palm Beach Daily News, "the new thing is that John Kerry looks French." But this attack is not some "new thing" that just spontaneously popped up; it's the culmination of an aggressive, months-long effort to make the line stick. Sadly, these substance-free attacks are being launched earlier and earlier each election cycle.
==================================

>If so, that says a lot about the creators of the ad and how they
>perceive their own supporters . . .

Agreed. However, it apparently works for conservatives - so democrats may take a crack at it as well.

[Abedy 0]

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Dumb move Mitt, how dare you learn a foreign language! Not conservative!

Our chancellor Angela Merkel, who is a Conservative, speaks Russian (did her doctorate (nuclear physics) in Russia) and English and I bet she also can speak some French since there are photos with her and Sarkozy talking without an interpreter nearby. This isn't considered a disadvantage to her reputation here, though. But I live in Europe

The sky is not the limit. The ground is.

The Society of Skydiving Ducks

[mnealtx 0]

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Agreed. However, it apparently works for conservatives - so democrats may take a crack at it as well.

You say that like they haven't been doing it all along.

In 92 and 96, military experience didn't matter, then in 2000 and 2004 it suddenly became important again once the Dems had a candidate that hadn't split for England to evade the draft.

Spare us the faux 'it's only the Republicans that do it' schtick - that ain't gonna fly.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[billvon 2,463]

>You say that like they haven't been doing it all along.

When's the last time democrats made fun of someone because they spoke French?

[jakee 1,271]

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You say that like they haven't been doing it all along.

In 92 and 96, military experience didn't matter, then in 2000 and 2004 it suddenly became important again once the Dems had a candidate that hadn't split for England to evade the draft.

Different. That's talking about whether certain knowledge and experience is either neccessary, advantageous or inconsequential.

In the big bag of dirty campaigning The republicans are still the only ones who push the idea that certain types of knowledge and learning are actively bad.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[mnealtx 0]

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You say that like they haven't been doing it all along.

In 92 and 96, military experience didn't matter, then in 2000 and 2004 it suddenly became important again once the Dems had a candidate that hadn't split for England to evade the draft.

Different. That's talking about whether certain knowledge and experience is either neccessary, advantageous or inconsequential.

Knowing the French language isn't knowledge?

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In the big bag of dirty campaigning The republicans are still the only ones who push the idea that certain types of knowledge and learning are actively bad.

Really? So, tell us all about the liberal acceptance of creationism, then.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[kelpdiver 2]

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Curious as to how they positioned that fact. Did they really use the fact that the man speaks French as some sort of negative factor, like it was a reason not to vote for him?

If so, that says a lot about the creators of the ad and how they perceive their own supporters;

yes, it does.

here's the ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyFaWhygzjQ&feature=player_embedded#!

It's a longer ad, but the French bit is the punchline, along with more Kerry attacks. It's a bit offensive seeing another draft dodger attack Kerry for being less than American.

[kelpdiver 2]

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Agreed. However, it apparently works for conservatives - so democrats may take a crack at it as well.

You say that like they haven't been doing it all along.

In 92 and 96, military experience didn't matter, then in 2000 and 2004 it suddenly became important again once the Dems had a candidate that hadn't split for England to evade the draft.

Spare us the faux 'it's only the Republicans that do it' schtick - that ain't gonna fly.

I don't recall the Clinton campaign mocking the service of Bush or Dole. I guess despite being a draft dodger, he had a semblance of shame, unlike Shrub and now Gingrich.

I'm not sure why you really want to highlight the hypocrisy of the GOP here. As all of the WWII and Korea vets are basically dying away, the party doesn't have many veterans. There will be some coming along from Iraq/Afghanistan, but not too many.

[mnealtx 0]

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Agreed. However, it apparently works for conservatives - so democrats may take a crack at it as well.

You say that like they haven't been doing it all along.

In 92 and 96, military experience didn't matter, then in 2000 and 2004 it suddenly became important again once the Dems had a candidate that hadn't split for England to evade the draft.

Spare us the faux 'it's only the Republicans that do it' schtick - that ain't gonna fly.

I don't recall the Clinton campaign mocking the service of Bush or Dole.

The campaign? Perhaps not...the media? Absolutely.

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I guess despite being a draft dodger, he had a semblance of shame, unlike Shrub and now Gingrich.

Yeah, you keep thinking that.

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I'm not sure why you really want to highlight the hypocrisy of the GOP here.

Actually, it highlights the hypocrisy of liberals/liberal media....I'm unsurprised it went over so many heads here.

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As all of the WWII and Korea vets are basically dying away, the party doesn't have many veterans.

Replaced by current military veterans.

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There will be some coming along from Iraq/Afghanistan, but not too many.

Yeah, you keep thinking *that*, too.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[jakee 1,271]

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Different. That's talking about whether certain knowledge and experience is either neccessary, advantageous or inconsequential.

Knowing the French language isn't knowledge?

Oh dear Mike. Oh dear. Now concentrate really hard, and see if you can parse that sentence. I'll give you a clue, it's the last 4 words that are important.

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Really? So, tell us all about the liberal acceptance of creationism, then.

What thesaurus do you work from that has acceptance as a synonym for knowledge? Tsk tsk tsk, let's keep those goalposts in one place eh?

Liberals tend to know as much about creationism as republicans. In fact, they tend to know more about it, since they tend to know it's wrong.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[mnealtx 0]

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Tsk tsk tsk, let's keep those goalposts in one place eh?

Yes, lets -
"The republicans are still the only ones who push the idea that certain types of knowledge and learning are actively bad." - jakee, post 13

So, again...lets see those examples of liberals saying creationism is a-ok.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[jakee 1,271]

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It's a longer ad, but the French bit is the punchline, along with more Kerry attacks.

And they're playing French music over the top of the whole thing.

This shit must be just embarrassing for you guys. Is there a way that someone could just repeatedly punch every campaign manager and major news network chief in the face until they agree to start acting like grownups again?

Sometimes the ends do justify the means.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[jakee 1,271]

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So, again...lets see those examples of liberals saying creationism is a-ok.

Not until I see the thesaurus that says knowledge = acceptance, 'cos where I come from that is not how the english language works.

But then I guess that's just my fault for knowing more about it than you.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[mnealtx 0]

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So, again...lets see those examples of liberals saying creationism is a-ok.

Not until I see the thesaurus that says knowledge = acceptance, 'cos where I come from that is not how the english language works.

"The republicans are still the only ones who push the idea that certain types of knowledge and learning are actively bad."

Keep weaseling.

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But then I guess that's just my fault for knowing more about it than you.

Hey, Tone - poke Jake and wake him up, he's evidently dreaming again. Lame stealth PA, btw.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[jakee 1,271]

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Not until I see the thesaurus that says knowledge = acceptance, 'cos where I come from that is not how the english language works.

"The republicans are still the only ones who push the idea that certain types of knowledge and learning are actively bad."

Yeah, thank you for absolutely perfectly illustrating my point. I said knowledge. Not acceptance.

Do you know the difference?

And seriously, just give this one up. You know you're wrong. You've already dropped half of your original objection to my post because you knew it was just too stupid to continue with, it's time to do the same with this half.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[mnealtx 0]

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Not until I see the thesaurus that says knowledge = acceptance, 'cos where I come from that is not how the english language works.

"The republicans are still the only ones who push the idea that certain types of knowledge and learning are actively bad."

Yeah, thank you for absolutely perfectly illustrating my point. I said knowledge. Not acceptance.

Yes, you did - you said Reps are the only ones saying that certain types of knowledge is bad.

The rebuttal, of course, is Dems going off about creationism, which disproves your statement and is what you're so *desperately* trying to tapdance away from so you don't have to admit it.

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And seriously, just give this one up. You know you're wrong.

Oh, you're so cute.

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You've already dropped half of your original objection to my post because you knew it was just too stupid to continue with, it's time to do the same with this half.

Keep dancing!!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[jakee 1,271]

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The rebuttal, of course, is Dems going off about creationism, which disproves your statement

Ahh, so you mean acceptance of teaching creationism as a valid scientific subject. Would've been much easier if you'd just said that.

The answer to that is simple. Teaching creationism as a valid scientific subject would be to deny every ounce of genuine scientific knowledge we have accumulated in the entire discipline of biology.

No one I know, or have seen posting here, would have a problem with teaching creationism in a religion class as an example of religious myth, or even using it as an example of how to spot false pseudo science (though I'd imagine the republicans wouldn't be too happy with that either). But the absurd push to teach creationism as a genuine scientific alternative to evolution is simply one more example of the republican anti-knowledge ethos - because we know that it isn't.

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and is what you're so *desperately* trying to tapdance away from so you don't have to admit it.

Oh Mike, you're both precious and blind. I basically rebutted your argument in post 18.

"Liberals tend to know as much about creationism as republicans. In fact, they tend to know more about it, since they tend to know it's wrong."

But of course you were too weaselly to attempt a reply to that.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?