The Excuse pResident offered 23 different rationales for the Iraq war.

[ClassWarrior]

Repeat often.

[mopinko]

1. .

[rndmprsn]

2. thow the numbers right back at them

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. who's the flip flopper?

:grr:

[ClassWarrior]

4. Flippety floppity...

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. floop.

:hi:

Kerry should use one of Franken's flippity floppity routines in an ad. I think it would be a HUGE hit...with humor. It would "stick" with the people....we know how short their memories are... That would surely stay with them.

[MsTryska]

16. Good point.....

they may not remember the willie horton ad, but they sure as hell remember the freakin budweiser frogs and the where's the beef lady.



god, we're retarded.

[calimary]

51. ...Easter's on it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy."

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Or maybe it oughta be "keester" - as in "knock him on his..."

[ClassWarrior]

57. You're such a smart-ass...

Ouch! Went right the bottom with that comment. Floooop.

23.

[cthrumatrix]

30. chimp in charge is the flopper

[ClassWarrior]

34. 23, Dude.

[MallRat]

5. A simple number, perfect for constant repetition. Me likey.

I hope it sticks so well that soon we see giant signs at Kerry rallies with nothing more than the number "23" on it.

-MR

[kanrok]

6. It is actually 27 different rationales for war

Here is a link to the thesis of a U of I student named Devon Largio. It is an excellent paper: http://www.pol.uiuc.edu/news/largio.htm

[ClassWarrior]

8. Sure, let's argue about that too.

Cripes. Kerry said 23. It wouldn't matter if he said purple. Let's frickin' stick with it.

23 excuses.

[kanrok]

15. Not arguing. Just thought you might like to have a little information

Stick with 23 if that makes you happy.

[ClassWarrior]

18. Thanks. I'm a bit testy this a.m.

Actually flpoljunkie wants to make a tshirt listing the excuses on the back. I gave him your link. Thanks, and sorry for snapping.

23.

[Dem Agog]

24. Out of 27 rationales, only 23 are ...

Out of the 27 rationales only 23 are directly attributable to the administration, or so says the thesis that is linked here. THAT is why Kerry went with 23, and rightly so.

[ClassWarrior]

25. 23.

[kanrok]

28. Never mind.

[buycitgo]

9. man...does that bring back memories....

I applied to grad school there...poli sci

didn't get in, cause I FLUNKED my last course (Political Systems of the Soviet Union); didn't take the final...there was this girl at Bradley.....

[buycitgo]

11. Mr. Devon guy says that NO junta official ever used the words

"imminent threat"

wasn't there an example somewhere of somebody, Rumsfeld, I think, actually saying it?

I tried finding it, but am no good at that

I thought somebody did

anybody know?

[ClassWarrior]

12. 23 excuses for invading Iraq.

[NewJeffCT]

17. Ari Fleischer

When asked if there was an imminent threat, Fleischer on two occasions said "yes"

Also, I think Rummy did use imminent as well... but, other words used by Admin people included immediate, grave, urgent, 'a threat of unique urgency', etc.

[ClassWarrior]

20. See "Uncovered."

23.

[calimary]

52. And don't forget, Contradicta kept going around telling everybody

"...we've got to have a war!"

[cheezus]

31. linky linky -- enjoy!

http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=24970

[Poiuyt]

46. Ari Fleischer & Rumsfeld

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0206-01.htm

snip -

Ari Fleischer, was asked: "Didn't we go to war because we said WMD were a direct and imminent threat to the US?" He replied: "Absolutely." Mr Bush, speaking in October 2002, said: "The Iraqi regime is a threat of unique urgency."

Also in that month, the US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, said: "Ask yourself this question: was the attack that took place on 11 September an imminent threat the month before or two months before or three months before or six months before? When did the attack on 11 September become an imminent threat? Now, transport yourself forward a year, two years or a week or a month ... So the question is, when is it such an immediate threat that you must do something?"

more

[Dem Agog]

26. 27 rationals but only 23 attributable to the current admin...

From the thesis, page 2:

"The results showed that twenty-seven rationales for the war on Iraq were used at one time
or another, twenty-three of which can be attributed to the administration."

[ClassWarrior]

27. 23.

[ClassWarrior]

29. 23.

[ClassWarrior]

41. How many excuse for Iraq? Say it with me...

TWENTY-THREE!!

Go JK!

[cthrumatrix]

42. thanks.... where is the media coverage on this..?

[ClassWarrior]

43. CBS showed the quote from Kerry this morning.

23.

[SoCalDemocrat]

58. Wow forget the 23 points, read the thesis!

This is a really excellent thesis. Everyone should at least skim through this and look at the charts and points the author is making. Powerful stuff. It really illustrates well how public opinion, Congressional opinion, and the media are all influenced over the course of time based on the nature and frequency of information that is released through the media.

Look how easily a lie was sold to the American public through repetition of messages through the media.

Now apply the lesson of this thesis to other political situations. For example, the number of times the right repeats likes such as Kerry flip-flops, over and over again. Eventually it's picked up by the media, even siezed upon by the media, and everyone begins believing it.

[ClassWarrior]

7. 23.

[buycitgo]

13. 23?

[ClassWarrior]

14. Excuses.

[RollergirlVT]

19. Right 23 different excuses

[ClassWarrior]

21. That's 23. Excuses.

[ClassWarrior]

22. From The Excuse pResident.

[ClassWarrior]

23. Lookee here at the response number...

[cheezus]

32. yep, use the right language. EXCUSES

the excuse president has had 23 different excuses for invading iraq

[ClassWarrior]

33. Good point. When this thread dies, that's the wording for the next.

23 excuses for invading Iraq.

[calimary]

53. Reminds me of that ancient political slogan "23 Skiddoo."

Hopefully bush will "23 Skidaddle."

[ClassWarrior]

35. 23 excuses.

[ClassWarrior]

36. Give me a 2!... give me a 3!... What's that spell?...

23!!

[calimary]

54. 23! RAH!

[ClassWarrior]

37. 20 + 3 =

23!

[calimary]

55. 23! And that ain't no Kiefer Sutherland show, either.

[ClassWarrior]

38. 23.

[calimary]

56. How thoughtful of him. Two over the gambling age.

That means bill "National Scold" bennett can't even object.

[ClassWarrior]

59. Able to drink for two years, but eligible for the draft for FIVE.

[MissMarple]

39. So, I understand there are 23 excuses from George for this war?

23? Ye, gods!

[ClassWarrior]

40. Check the link in post #6.

23 from the administration.

[ClassWarrior]

44. I say "twenty" - you say "three"...

Twenty!

Three!

Twenty!

Three!

(props to Chuck E. Cheese's)

[ClassWarrior]

45. 23.

23.

[ClassWarrior]

47. 23.

[ClassWarrior]

48. 23.

[drdigi420]

49. 23 on a bumpersticker

[ClassWarrior]

50. Yes!!

Thanks Doc!

23.