Saturday, 17 May 2008

Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo: Obama vs Bush/McCain over talking to Iran.

Bill O'Reilly has a habit of saying things in a way that if you were to read it yourself, you'd think it sounded neutral, but Bill O has a way of making it sound anything but.  In this case, it's Obama vs Bush & McCain over the issue of negotiating with Iran.

 

 

Now, for once, I have to give Bill O some credit for doing a very analytical (mostly) memo.  But as usual, Billy's view is pretty much clearly defined even if he doesn't state it explicitly.

There are two key parts of the memo, which highlight Bill's right-wing sensibilities.  The first is sneakily located just after Bill has played clips from both President Bush and the Obama camp.

"...Now this skirmish is important for all of us. The next president will have to fight Islamic fascism, but the battle plan has to be smart..."

This is a Republican talking point all over.  Unfortunately, the Republican strategy of not negotiating with Iran has done absolutely no good.  And comparing negotiating with Iran to the appeasement of the Nazis that was attempted in the run up to the Second World War, which Bush did in his speech in Israel, is not going to aid the poor view that the world holds about America currently and the Bush administration in particular.

The second key part is right at the end of the memo.

"...Now I'm glad President Bush put this on the table, because Americans have to seriously think about this ongoing terror war, which includes Iran.

Lately, gas prices and health care have somewhat obscured the danger we all face from overseas. But now, it's back in play."

This is simply trying to scaremonger us into voting for McCain and not Obama.  The tactic has worked before, but it will not work again.  By saying that gas prices and health care has 'obscured' the danger, it makes it sound like they are distractions rather than current, everyday, everyperson issues that the administration should be dealing with, rather than obsessing over Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Put simply. Bill O wants McCain to win, not because he actually likes McCain and his so-called Straight Talk Express, but simply because McCain is the least worst option in Bill's view.  Compare this to the likes of Dick Morris and Ann Coulter, whose referencing of The Manchurian Candidate, a film about a former POW who was brainwashed in SE Asia by the Chinese, running for President, makes them appear to be somewhat traitorous to their own cause, especially considering who the Republican candidate is this election year.  Hmm, maybe for 2008, we should consider renaming it "The McCainian Candidate"!!!

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