My Head Is Spinning -- Bush PR Blitzkreig is ON!!

[Eloriel]

First, I noticed during Hardball last night that it was pretty much an unremitting lovefest from Bob Arnott from MSNBC. And there was even a "pay attention, now, kiddies, there'll be a quiz later" set of point-by-point graphics with voice-over ticking off "positive news" about what's happening in Iraq. It was very blatant (as others have noted) and totally revolting.

This morning, news of a big crackdown on journalists and reporting in Iraq. http://www2.observer.com/observer/pages/offtherec.asp No more bad news from Iraq. In fact, no more news at all, if they can help it. Propaganda, yes. News, no.

And, of course, we ALL know about the new speeded up plan to turn over "control" of Iraq by June or so next year.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=220624

Then there's this bit of totally bizarre news, which IMO can only be considered disinformation (given what we all know about 9-11 financing and other matters):
WP: Iraqis Say U.S. to Cede Power by Summer
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=221178

You could throw in the visit to Great Britain to make the Queen serve as stage prop for some photo ops, I suppose.

I hadn't thought they'd be able to climb out from under the crushing weight of the PR and policy disaster which is the Iraq War. But now I'm thinking maybe they can.

Damn them.

Eloriel

[wtmusic]

1. No, the timing will be perfect

If we're out by June, there will be anarchy by September.

Just a hunch.

[Scott Lee]

5. Yes. Anarchy by September, Civil War within the year.

That's my prediction. And I'll go farther on the limb and say an Islamic State emerges when the dust settles.

[asjr]

14. war

I think you are right. I have always thought that. If the Iraqis do not want "democracy" they won't have it. Shrub has never understood how different their culture is. We can't simply force a way of life upon them. It will be a total mess!

[calimary]

16. The West already tried that and failed miserably. It was called

The Crusades.

[Eloriel]

15. No, no, no. You guys are misled, I fear.

Troops won't be completely OUT of Iraq -- we'll have the ILLUSION of Iraqi control. The fact that troops will remain, and a good many of them, has been made QUITE explicit by all the pundits on the cable chanels. "Ten years" is the longest I heard postulated.

Eloriel

[Cocoa]

19. but they'll be able to ignore it until the election

if not forever.

How often do we hear about what's happening in Afghanistan?

Iraq will be a failed state, but the right wingers will be able to say "but it's better than Saddam" into eternity.

[cthrumatrix]

2. It's buying time...just to get elected....

they can share a plan and silence the news....share all is well and get elected so the lying and corruption can continue

shrub is a puppet ... this is what he is told to do

[Ripley]

3. You left out the CSPAN-Baghdad TV channel.

They're going to completely bypass the US networks and broadcast lies straight from Iraq. Produced by whom I wonder?

[leftchick]

20. What is really ludicrous about the Baghdad tv idea is....

I would imagine they will have to do reports from a studio. It is not like they can stroll down a street in Baghdad and film lots of happy, happy Iraqis. Baghdad is quite different than Basra right now.

[kentuck]

4. Very perceptive Eloriel....

They had the Matthews show planned ahead of this week and they were not going to let any bad news, like the Italians getting blown to smithereens interrupt their lovefest. Even with bombs going off in the background and lighting up the face of Bob Arnot, they continued with their original plan of giving the "real story" about Iraq. It was unreal.

[blm]

6. It was very real...as in the real campaign for 2004.

They have 87 BILLION dollars down payment to keep the WH.

[kentuck]

7. Not counting the untold billions to make our economy look good....

until the election is over...then the deficits will have to be addressed...

[blm]

10. exactly the way I foresee it.

The Dem nominee will have to be as solid as can be on ALL fronts to counter the onslaught of "perceived reality" that will be pushed day after day by this gang and their compliant media.

[Cocoa]

18. "Iraq: the Real Story" was mind blowing

when I first heard about it, I thought oh boy this should be good, but it exceeded my expectations.

At one point, he was asking Peggy Noonan what outcome she dreams about for Iraq when she goes to sleep at night.

And Dr. Bob outdid himself, hanging out with cute little Iraqi kids and talking about how they say their hopes and dreams lie with the Americans.

[jody]

8. Karl Rove's "Circle the Manure Wagons" strategy to elect AWOL?

:hi:

[KoKo]

9. Nothing on cables I saw this a.m. about Saddam/Atta. I think that one, at

least is being put out to smokescreen Bush's disastrous visit to GB.

Did you see David Frum's "NR" piece. I thought it was from the Onion the spin was so funny. The article lowers expectations for Bush's trip and now Newsmax puts out the Saddam article to feed the RW Beast.

Everything hangs on how big the demonstrations are in London..Even if they don't get covered here, people will hear about it one way or the other, because they don't have as much control. Plus BBC World that NPR carries every night will cover it. So much is riding on the demonstrations being large enough to get coverage.....

[rasputin1952]

11. Like most Blitzkriegs though...

this one will run out steam before they know what hits them.

It is up to us to keep constant pressure on them. By 'us" I mean every progressive worth their salt; the slumbering press; and anyone else that can walk, crawl, or breathe. I do believe they are on the ropes and know it. The spin will become a noose, and it is up to us to tighten it.

We can and will prevail...it takes time and effort, but if keep up pressure from many fronts, they will crumble. There are already cracks in the walls, it will not take much to push the walls in.

:kick:

[opihimoimoi]

12. "kicks the wall" Carl Rove will go down in history as

a conniving asshole who has used the W as his puppet. Its all a bad idea this conservatism and they know it. But they plow ahead anyways cause their "mama" told them.

Collective LOLOness is a malady not yet clearly understood.

and it appears contagious too.

Damn.

[PurityOfEssence]

17. Absolutely

This is all just too big. They're good at deceiving, but there's only so much that people can or will stomach; there's a funny trait to "integritude": once lost or questioned, it doesn't come back.

With shifting stories and naked attempts to misrepresent everything from Iraq to the economy, enough people will smell rats, but ONLY if there's a vigorous opposition. It seems like we're going to have a wearing off of the enthusiasm for the economy after the holiday season--there aren't that many enthusiastic consumers--and then we've got a triple-dip recession.

The big point, though is the big point: their naked disregard for truth and cold willingness to feather their own nests.

Having misled enough up to now, their claims will increasingly have to be backed up with undeniable truth, since their word will not be as respected. I don't see how the situation in Iraq will be anything other than some version of chaos that's "heading in the right direction"; that's not enough.

[gulliver]

13. He's doing it again....

Bush is changing to the French/German approach in Iraq and acting like its his own bold idea.

I agree, the spin surge is maddening right now.