Demonstrating how the mainstream media will view criticism of Barack Obama through the prism of past attacks on Democrats they consider illegitimate, Dean Reynolds concluded a Sunday night CBS Evening News story on Barack Obama by suggesting Democrats are well-justified in fearing Republicans will succeed in portraying Obama as “out of the mainstream,'” which Reynolds described as “code for 'unpatriotic'” in forwarding the red-herring, since it has worked “even against those who've received the purple heart.” To make his reference clear, as he spoke viewers saw video from the 2004 campaign of John Kerry.
Reynolds had relayed how Obama has “been mocking suggestions that he's out of the mainstream.” CBS then played a clip of Obama, in a stump speech, repeating the questions about him: “'We're not sure he shares our values.' 'We haven't seen him wear a flag pin lately.' 'His former pastor said some terrible things' and so, you know, 'can we really trust this guy?'”
Next, Reynolds ended his May 4 story from Indianapolis:
But 'out of the mainstream' is a charge Republicans habitually make against Democrats. It's code for 'unpatriotic.' And it worries Democrats that it's been so effective against their candidates in the past -- even against those who've received the purple heart.
Of course, the criticism against Kerry in 2004 was initiated by other Vietnam veterans who doubted he properly earned the purple heart his campaign touted as a qualification over George Bush. And accusing conservatives of charging that liberals are unpatriotic is a common method liberals and some journalists, like Reynolds, use to discredit conservative criticism of the policies espoused -- and values held -- by liberals.
Which legitimate, significant political figure on the right has accused Barack Obama of being unpatriotic?
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
The key thing is that we are
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 19:20 ET by BDThe key thing is that we are still fighting the culture war in the US that began in earnest in 1967.
On one side, (the liberal side) the US is an inherently evil place that can only gain redemption by bending to the international will, increase social spending to the point of income redistribution, and unilateral disarmament.
On this side of the war, US soldiers are inherently thuggish, murderous brutes worthy of protesting aginst. That is, unless they are hapless victims suffering from poverty and lack of social upward mobility.
On the other side of the culture war, you have the traditionalists who see the US as an inherently good country worthy of emulation, and the US military a force for good in the world.
This election will be a referendum on the origins of this culture war.
McCain represents the US as a force for good.
Kerry, Clinton,Obama, etc, represent the US as the evil empire that needs salvation.
But 'out of the mainstream'
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 19:27 ET by bigtimerBut 'out of the mainstream' is a charge Republicans habitually make against Democrats. It's code for 'unpatriotic.' And it worries Democrats that it's been so effective against their candidates in the past -- even against those who've received the purple heart.
Hey Reynolds...if the shoe fits....voters make sure they wear it....
....whenever possible that is...
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
...“even against those
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 11:31 ET by mattm...“even against those who've received the purple heart.”
What Liberals fail to comprehend (or else they are engaged in deception) is that patriotism has nothing to do with military service.
Benedict Arnold himself was a Revolutionary War hero before he turned traitor.
The Dims have a choice --
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 19:28 ET by ThisnThatThe Dims have a choice -- cowtow to the left who hate America; or recognize that the vast majority of Americans truly love this country; want to defend its institutions, culture, and heritage; and have a lot of respect for our military and way of life.
When Dim presidential candidates snub Americans, we call them on it. They simply are not patriotic; instead, their crappy outlook on life doesn't suit the real America.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
Say What?
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 19:56 ET by pbthinkerWhere in hell do all these liberals come up with this code word garbage anyway? Out of the mainstream actually means, out of the mainstream. It means, when Obama is talking to rich liberals, in San Francisco and talks about people being bitter and clinging to their church and their guns, it's not a mainstream thought process. I've known a few unemployed people, in my life, and if they're bitter, it's against their employer who didn't have the foresight to invest in his company to make it competitive. If they're unemployed they're not clinging to their religion, their religion is part of their life. Their guns are what they hunt with. Their guns are what they protect their families with. They're not clinging to them, they just know they have the right to have them, they know where they are, and know when and how to use them. If Senator Obama doesn't know that, he's out of the mainstream not the other way around.
So anyway, Mr. Reynolds, I would guess that, by your comments, you're out of the mainstream also which, if you work for a liberal television network, we can understand. Perhaps the party you're rooting for needs to hear from people that are in the mainstream, do you think you can find any of them in your newsroom? Somehow, I doubt it.
Democrats: Stuck on Stupid since 2000.
This is the same tactic
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 21:05 ET by motherbeltThis is the same tactic they used to equate Obama/Wright to McCain/Hagee.
If there isn't a real connection, they will create one.
I had the same thought as you: out of the mainstream means "elitist"...which actually did apply to Kerry too, LOL.
Obama/Kerry
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 20:05 ET by Semper Fi_USAInteresting that See BS news would make the connection so clear for the voter. A vote for Obama the pacifist is the same as the a vote for Kerry the malingering pacifist.
Perhaps Obama could name Kerry as his candidate for Vice President. Then they can make a point of telling us to abandon these nations we saved, and allow the Taliban, and their ilk of terrorist to butcher the very people we have spilled our blood to save.
America cannot turn our backs on these good decent people we have liberated here in Asia, the very thought is well... UnAmerican!
Kerry Belittles U.S.
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 20:51 ET by nicksmith112Kerry Belittles U.S. Troops
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLuMWiQ6r2o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgWwb5etA_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngjUkPbGwAg
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
ns112, a 3 and 0
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 00:35 ET by upcountrywaterand a home run hit.. open your window and scream.
SWIFTBOAT
The POPE says, GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
IranianUranium<sleep>New/Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO
You know,
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 21:58 ET by DEVILDOCMOMI can assure you my son came home with no purple heart and more "injuries" than john "those who do not study hard and do their homework will get stuck in Iraq" kerry. Of course, my son was not able to sign his own commendations.
My son chose to serve his country with no agenda in mind...
Evening DDC... Your son
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 22:01 ET by bigtimerEvening DDC...
Your son has our endless gratitude from our home.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
DDMOM... You must be very
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 22:03 ET by Clear thinkerDDMOM...
You must be very proud of your son. We are!
"Abstain from McCain"
THANKS! I will let him know...
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 22:46 ET by DEVILDOCMOMhe's a great kid and is adjusting to being home. Even tho' he has been back over a year, there are still moments...either it is Iraq or it is him as a 21yo. :)
Devil Doc Mom
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 09:03 ET by Semper Fi_USAGod bless the Hospital Corpsmen! Ooraw!
Devil Dog
He really loved
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 10:11 ET by DEVILDOCMOMcaring for the Marines and being a part of their storied history.
If the Shoe Fits!
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 21:10 ET by ChasvsHey Dean,
If the unpatriotic shoe fits the Democrats wear it!
If he looks like a Socialist, walks like a Socialist, and talks like a socialist, he just might be a Socialist!
BHO is nothing more than a Socialist. Unpatriotic doesn't even come close Dumb A$$
SWIFTBOATING trumps ANYTHING kerry HAS ever done.
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 21:28 ET by upcountrywaterOf all the words that are out there SWIFTBOATING pisses off the MSM the most... As much as they (msm) can.. they try the old 1984 double think tactic..
As if swiftboating is a LIE...
They make an argument placing SW as some sort of a cheap conservative trap.
...they tried to swiftboat em, but the lefty escaped...
The POPE says, GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
IranianUranium<sleep>New/Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO
Swiftboating
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 08:43 ET by pbanks7To the left it means: Unsubstantiated allegations to discredit a Democrat.
To the right it means: Shouting from the rooftops what the Dhimmicrat-protecting MSM will not cover. And Kerry STILL has not released his military records.
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe.
the Swiftboat thing was Kerry's fault
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 21:43 ET by JnobleIf he hadn't made such a big deal about his Vietnam experience, he wouldn't have invited the trouble that came with it. That was the biggest mistake he made in this campaign.
Yep...I'm glad all his BS
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 21:53 ET by bigtimerYep...I'm glad all his BS since he has been in congress has come back to bite him right where he should be bitten...along with Uncle Ted who aided and abetted Kerry from the beginning of his career to go against the VETS of Vietnam ect...just my opinion.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Code words
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 00:59 ET by CobraMan"But 'out of the mainstream' is a charge Republicans habitually make against Democrats. It's code for 'unpatriotic.'"
Conversely, liberals habitually charge Republics with resorting to the use of code words when making statements regarding the Democrats. That just shows you just how ‘out of the mainstream’ the liberals really are, as Republics do not need to use code words to describe Democrats. Normal, accurate descriptions are all that is needed to denigrate the Democrats as their actions speak for themselves.
If Kerry had actually been
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 01:01 ET by NL207If Kerry had actually been injured in any palpable way to "earn" those Purple Hearts and had all of his purported injuries actually been inflicted by the enemy or at least with the enemy present, the 'un-patriotic' argument would have gotten no where against him. There is at least one thing the common people really don't like: Phony War Heroes.
Change to article title
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 02:31 ET by OrroShouldn't the title of this article be changed to...
Unpatriotic' Works, Even Against Purple Heart-Earning Kerr who's medal is disputed by Vietnam veterans.
Does not have quite the same ring but it is more accurate.
Orro http://www.dragonlasers.com
Democrats are clueless
Mon, 05/05/2008 - 05:44 ET by SGriffisDemocrats can't tell the difference between being out of the mainstream and being unpatriotic - but that's probably because they're both. And earning a Purple Heart, espcecially one for self-inflicted wounds, does not make a person patriotic - John Kerry knows all about that.