The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Kos Spins Mass. Senate Campaign: ‘Teabaggers’ Doom Scott Brown?

Posted on | January 13, 2010 | 19 Comments

Jumping in Pools gives this spin a thorough fisking, but here’s just a taste of Kos in whistle-past-the-graveyard mode:

Brown has been caught in a vice. His support from teabaggers was critical to becoming competitive . . .
On the other hand, that conservative support has come at a cost. . . . The teabaggers demand ideological purity, and he’s had to deliver. . . .

That interpretation is nonsense, of course. I hashed this out yesterday: It’s Massachusetts, and Brown’s conservative supporters understand that. Nobody expects Scott Brown to vote like Jim DeMint or Tom Coburn.

Acceptance of the Kos spin requires a false perception of “teabaggers” and other conservatives as rigid, irrational, ill-informed fanatics. It also requires a severe misunderestimation of how broad-based the anti-Obama backlash really is, as Ed Morrissey says: “Democrats in Massachusetts appear demoralized, independents are fleeing, and it’s the GOP that has the energy at the moment.”

At least none of those dangerous “teabaggers” have started shoving around reporters, eh, Kos?

Category: Blogging, Daily Kos, Election, Jumping in Pools, Massachusetts, Politics, Senate

Comments

19 Responses to “Kos Spins Mass. Senate Campaign: ‘Teabaggers’ Doom Scott Brown?”

  1. uberVU - social comments
    January 13th, 2010 @ 4:49 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by rsmccain: @pinkelephantpun Kos Spins #MASen Campaign: “Teabaggers” Doom Scott Brown? http://bit.ly/8rAf7h [] #TeaParty PLZ ReTweet…

  2. Moe Lane
    January 13th, 2010 @ 10:46 pm

    The only thing that we *expect* from Scott Brown is what he’s promised: a vote against health care rationing.

    The Left is just collectively ticked because Martha Coakley promised to not support the health care rationing bill because of its abortion language… and then dropped that pledge like a hot potato the instant that she had to.

  3. Moe Lane
    January 13th, 2010 @ 5:46 pm

    The only thing that we *expect* from Scott Brown is what he’s promised: a vote against health care rationing.

    The Left is just collectively ticked because Martha Coakley promised to not support the health care rationing bill because of its abortion language… and then dropped that pledge like a hot potato the instant that she had to.

  4. Joe
    January 13th, 2010 @ 11:04 pm

    Stacy it is rumored that Meehan, who is a trusted confident of Martha Coakley, once said he admired George Steinbrenner.

    And when Meehan, who works for Martha Coakley, heard these reports he said “Good, he deserves it.”

    Vile ineed.

  5. Joe
    January 13th, 2010 @ 6:04 pm

    Stacy it is rumored that Meehan, who is a trusted confident of Martha Coakley, once said he admired George Steinbrenner.

    And when Meehan, who works for Martha Coakley, heard these reports he said “Good, he deserves it.”

    Vile ineed.

  6. Michael Meehan
    January 13th, 2010 @ 11:19 pm

    Hey, I pushed down that Weekly Standard stooge. He made fun of the NY Yankees, what was I going to do? And who does he think he is asking my boss Martha Coakely questions on wether she is said the Patriots are out of the playoffs. Of course she is not sad, getting to go to Washington D.C. means she can spend more time rooting for the Baltimore Ravens. She is trilled the Patriots lost. I apologized for not hitting him harder, he was just a dirty Red Sox fan. What’s the problem?

  7. Michael Meehan
    January 13th, 2010 @ 6:19 pm

    Hey, I pushed down that Weekly Standard stooge. He made fun of the NY Yankees, what was I going to do? And who does he think he is asking my boss Martha Coakely questions on wether she is said the Patriots are out of the playoffs. Of course she is not sad, getting to go to Washington D.C. means she can spend more time rooting for the Baltimore Ravens. She is trilled the Patriots lost. I apologized for not hitting him harder, he was just a dirty Red Sox fan. What’s the problem?

  8. miles
    January 13th, 2010 @ 11:56 pm

    RSM,

    The world “spin” is too vague for what is being done by the democrats/media here.

    I think conservatives need to start using the phrase, “false-fingerpointing” to describe a tactic that the left is using constantly now.

    For example: Lawrence Auster highlighted a news item from Sweden a few weeks back on his blog. A muslim man shot and killed a Swedish ex-girlfriend and four of her coworkers. The AP story that ran was subtitled, “Shooting raises questions about the right to bear arms in a country where hunting is popular”. Hunters and the right-to-bear arms had *nothing* to do with that story and everybody knows it. The media is trying to suppress the cultural/mass immigration angle with all its might, so under the heading, “Swedish woman shot” (in which they dont tell you that she was killed, and four of her coworkers were also killed), they “false-fingerpoint” to a group that they -wish- for the public’s anger to be unleashed on, falsely blaming them.

    But its more than that. When you hear something that makes you angry, you remember the anger. If you attention is directed at one group in particular when you hear news that makes you angry (gun manufacturers, second amendment enthusiasts) you will probably develop a negative mental attitude towards that group subconsciously for no particular reason. Its despicable, but happening all the time in the MSM now.
    The right needs to identify this practice, give it a name, and call-it-out every time the left employs it loudly. Make them answer for it, and make their supporters see what weasels they are, and alert everyone how they are being duped and toyed with.

  9. miles
    January 13th, 2010 @ 6:56 pm

    RSM,

    The world “spin” is too vague for what is being done by the democrats/media here.

    I think conservatives need to start using the phrase, “false-fingerpointing” to describe a tactic that the left is using constantly now.

    For example: Lawrence Auster highlighted a news item from Sweden a few weeks back on his blog. A muslim man shot and killed a Swedish ex-girlfriend and four of her coworkers. The AP story that ran was subtitled, “Shooting raises questions about the right to bear arms in a country where hunting is popular”. Hunters and the right-to-bear arms had *nothing* to do with that story and everybody knows it. The media is trying to suppress the cultural/mass immigration angle with all its might, so under the heading, “Swedish woman shot” (in which they dont tell you that she was killed, and four of her coworkers were also killed), they “false-fingerpoint” to a group that they -wish- for the public’s anger to be unleashed on, falsely blaming them.

    But its more than that. When you hear something that makes you angry, you remember the anger. If you attention is directed at one group in particular when you hear news that makes you angry (gun manufacturers, second amendment enthusiasts) you will probably develop a negative mental attitude towards that group subconsciously for no particular reason. Its despicable, but happening all the time in the MSM now.
    The right needs to identify this practice, give it a name, and call-it-out every time the left employs it loudly. Make them answer for it, and make their supporters see what weasels they are, and alert everyone how they are being duped and toyed with.

  10. RickS
    January 14th, 2010 @ 12:10 am

    I guess my question would be: who are the teabaggers teabagging? I suppose the answer would have to be the Democrats. Kos must have some experience with it (just look at that freak)and now, apparently, Marth Coakley. Well, I hope she enjoys it.

  11. RickS
    January 13th, 2010 @ 7:10 pm

    I guess my question would be: who are the teabaggers teabagging? I suppose the answer would have to be the Democrats. Kos must have some experience with it (just look at that freak)and now, apparently, Marth Coakley. Well, I hope she enjoys it.

  12. Bay Stater
    January 14th, 2010 @ 12:26 am

    Here’s how the Guardian newspaper in the U.K. explains to the British public who these “Tea Party” people are:

    “A collection of tax-hating gun nuts and single-issue cranks who bombard the White House with teabags.”

    Read the whole thing (as Instapundit says):

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/13/pass-notes-tea-party-movement

    Somebody ought to call them on their ignorance. It isn’t even being partisan; they just haven’t got a clue about the basic facts.

  13. Bay Stater
    January 13th, 2010 @ 7:26 pm

    Here’s how the Guardian newspaper in the U.K. explains to the British public who these “Tea Party” people are:

    “A collection of tax-hating gun nuts and single-issue cranks who bombard the White House with teabags.”

    Read the whole thing (as Instapundit says):

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/13/pass-notes-tea-party-movement

    Somebody ought to call them on their ignorance. It isn’t even being partisan; they just haven’t got a clue about the basic facts.

  14. Joe
    January 14th, 2010 @ 1:53 am

    DRJ at Patterico writes:

    A Washington Times’ reporter asked Barney Frank to comment on the possibility of a delayed certification. Here is my transcript of the audio of Barney Frank’s response:

    REPORTER: Congressman, excuse me, let’s switch gears for a moment and turn to the Massachusetts Senate race that’s going on right now … particularly Scott Brown’s comment that it’s not Mr. Kennedy’s seat or it’s not the Democrat’s seat.

    BARNEY FRANK: Of course not. Whoever said it was? It’s the people’s seat. Of course it is.

    REPORTER: What about the assertion that …

    BARNEY FRANK: We’re the ones who say … I was all for an election, so what is there [unintelligible].

    REPORTER: What about the assertion that if Mr. Brown were to win that Massachusetts would find a way not to certify the election?

    BARNEY FRANK: That is the stupidest thing I’ve been asked in a long time. Who do you work for?

    REPORTER: Washington Times.

    BARNEY FRANK: I’m not surprised. That is insane, the suggestion could only come from a demented right wing source. There isn’t the slightest possibility of it happening—a way of doing it. That is conspiracy theory at its most contemptible.

    DRJ humorously notes: Take that, you demented right-wing conspiracists at the Washington Times and Boston Herald.

  15. Joe
    January 13th, 2010 @ 8:53 pm

    DRJ at Patterico writes:

    A Washington Times’ reporter asked Barney Frank to comment on the possibility of a delayed certification. Here is my transcript of the audio of Barney Frank’s response:

    REPORTER: Congressman, excuse me, let’s switch gears for a moment and turn to the Massachusetts Senate race that’s going on right now … particularly Scott Brown’s comment that it’s not Mr. Kennedy’s seat or it’s not the Democrat’s seat.

    BARNEY FRANK: Of course not. Whoever said it was? It’s the people’s seat. Of course it is.

    REPORTER: What about the assertion that …

    BARNEY FRANK: We’re the ones who say … I was all for an election, so what is there [unintelligible].

    REPORTER: What about the assertion that if Mr. Brown were to win that Massachusetts would find a way not to certify the election?

    BARNEY FRANK: That is the stupidest thing I’ve been asked in a long time. Who do you work for?

    REPORTER: Washington Times.

    BARNEY FRANK: I’m not surprised. That is insane, the suggestion could only come from a demented right wing source. There isn’t the slightest possibility of it happening—a way of doing it. That is conspiracy theory at its most contemptible.

    DRJ humorously notes: Take that, you demented right-wing conspiracists at the Washington Times and Boston Herald.

  16. theCL
    January 14th, 2010 @ 2:33 am

    Does anybody besides the hardened lefties actually take Kos and his ilk seriously anymore? I doubt it. I think they’re just shooting themselves in the foot.

    Personally, I’m an ideologue and darn proud of it! But even I don’t fit the Kos claim of demanding “ideological purity.” That’s nonsense.

    Let them keep throwing up at the mouth with this garbage. The hard left will soon get brushed out of office!

  17. theCL
    January 13th, 2010 @ 9:33 pm

    Does anybody besides the hardened lefties actually take Kos and his ilk seriously anymore? I doubt it. I think they’re just shooting themselves in the foot.

    Personally, I’m an ideologue and darn proud of it! But even I don’t fit the Kos claim of demanding “ideological purity.” That’s nonsense.

    Let them keep throwing up at the mouth with this garbage. The hard left will soon get brushed out of office!

  18. Just Bought My Ticket to Boston : The Other McCain
    January 13th, 2010 @ 9:45 pm

    […] while he stomps Martha Coakley into whiny little liberal smithereens. We’re all teabaggers now! Some quick reads while I’m riding the rails:Who’s A Thunk It? — Sexy nude […]

  19. For Massachusetts, Journalism Reinforcement Arrives : The Other McCain
    January 16th, 2010 @ 9:36 am

    […] […]