Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Very scary
Here's a perfect example of why Huckabee scares me. 
He's ever so pleasant and seems oh so nice. But, with apologies to people who think he's just a religious guy who's running for president, he's manipulative and fascistic, and, worst of all, judgmental. This photo is from a political advertisement he began running today which is clearly a not-very-subliminal message that's masquerading as a simple holiday greeting. His face is front and center - oh so sincerely - with a window in the background that has some decorations. But let's see, there are only two crossbars showing in the window, the middle ones. Hmm, a cross. Imagine that. And those decorations in the background. Three. Interesting number. Trinity. He's so anti-anything that isn't Christian that it makes me want to sign up anywhere else. He absolutely totally terrifies me. He is the scariest thing that's happened to politics in this country in my memory. I'm sorry to be so loud in my horror about him but even Joe McCarthy was visibly nutty compared to him. This man is much more dangerous because there's not a hint of craziness about him. He's just utterly judgmental, fear-mongering and totalitarian, all cloaked and masked as a really nice guy.
He's ever so pleasant and seems oh so nice. But, with apologies to people who think he's just a religious guy who's running for president, he's manipulative and fascistic, and, worst of all, judgmental. This photo is from a political advertisement he began running today which is clearly a not-very-subliminal message that's masquerading as a simple holiday greeting. His face is front and center - oh so sincerely - with a window in the background that has some decorations. But let's see, there are only two crossbars showing in the window, the middle ones. Hmm, a cross. Imagine that. And those decorations in the background. Three. Interesting number. Trinity. He's so anti-anything that isn't Christian that it makes me want to sign up anywhere else. He absolutely totally terrifies me. He is the scariest thing that's happened to politics in this country in my memory. I'm sorry to be so loud in my horror about him but even Joe McCarthy was visibly nutty compared to him. This man is much more dangerous because there's not a hint of craziness about him. He's just utterly judgmental, fear-mongering and totalitarian, all cloaked and masked as a really nice guy.Labels: fear, judgmentalism, moralism, politics
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| posted by jau at 9:21 AM
DADvocate — at 9:39 PM, December 18, 2007:
jau — at 12:44 AM, December 19, 2007:
DADvocate — at 6:58 AM, December 19, 2007:
Barb the Evil Genius — at 12:28 PM, December 19, 2007:
mkfreeberg — at 10:42 AM, December 22, 2007:
| posted by jau at 9:21 AM
6 more:
DADvocate — at 9:39 PM, December 18, 2007:
At this point, I'm more upset about all the pardons/clemencies he gave as governor. But his overly strong religious leanings bother me too.
But about the commercial, I wonder if it was intentional. I watched it on youtube. It is obviously a bookshelf with some Christmas decorations on it. At the end of the commercial you can see the shelf above at the top of the frame. That doesn't mean it wasn't intentional though, just makes the question harder to answer.
It is so obvious it seems it would have jumped out at Huckabee's PR people if they didn't want it there.
But about the commercial, I wonder if it was intentional. I watched it on youtube. It is obviously a bookshelf with some Christmas decorations on it. At the end of the commercial you can see the shelf above at the top of the frame. That doesn't mean it wasn't intentional though, just makes the question harder to answer.
It is so obvious it seems it would have jumped out at Huckabee's PR people if they didn't want it there.
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jau — at 12:44 AM, December 19, 2007:
Barb - I agree that Hillary and Ron Paul are scary. I guess what alarms me about Huckabee is that his dangerousness is less obvious. I mean, it's quite clear that Hillary is ambitious and driven, committed to getting whatever she wants; and she's phony, poll-driven and like a marionette - that she herself controls. And Paul is so evidentally loony that no one takes him particularly seriously (Andrew Sullivan to the contrary notwithstanding). Huckabee's dangerousness, it seems to me, is that he looks innocuous or even well-meaning and I think, in fact, that he is aggressively neither.
Dad - if you don't think those images are intentional, you need to read "The Medium Is the Message" because even all those years ago, it was known that advertisers *know* what they're doing and intend every blip and flash. And, to be honest with you, granting clemency seems far more consistent with being pro-life than exercising the death penalty. I mean, if life is precious, then life is precious.... Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what happens!
Dad - if you don't think those images are intentional, you need to read "The Medium Is the Message" because even all those years ago, it was known that advertisers *know* what they're doing and intend every blip and flash. And, to be honest with you, granting clemency seems far more consistent with being pro-life than exercising the death penalty. I mean, if life is precious, then life is precious.... Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what happens!
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DADvocate — at 6:58 AM, December 19, 2007:
jau - you're probably right. Vance Packard wrote a good book, "The Hidden Persuaders" back in the 1950's regarding subliminal messages in advertising. It is interesting how the cross image moves behind Huckabee's head as the commercial runs.
As for the pardons/clemencies, I don't mind a death sentence being commuted. But, even the conservatives at Redstate don't like it. If a jury of 12 people convict someone, unless there is evidence of a miscarriage of justice, that conviction should stand. My views on that are a little more complicated than that as I think many drug laws are ridiculous but otherwise that's it.
As for the pardons/clemencies, I don't mind a death sentence being commuted. But, even the conservatives at Redstate don't like it. If a jury of 12 people convict someone, unless there is evidence of a miscarriage of justice, that conviction should stand. My views on that are a little more complicated than that as I think many drug laws are ridiculous but otherwise that's it.
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Barb the Evil Genius — at 12:28 PM, December 19, 2007:
Sadly, at least one person at my church is a Paulbot, so people *are* taking him seriously. What looks loony to one person might not to somebody else.
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mkfreeberg — at 10:42 AM, December 22, 2007:
Wow, that's pretty harsh. I needed one little shove to buy the argument that this is a deliberate thing, and Peggy Noonan provided that. But to slip this one into the "creepy/scary things file," I'd need some more foundation.
It's not that your argument is weak, it's more that for the sake of consistency we'd have to pack that file chock full of other things. Sounding the "fascist alert" when some guy is suggesting we take deep breaths and stop being so nasty to each other...that just bugs me.
Of course, I'm fully aware that I've just articulated exactly the way he wants this to work. I'm not so worried about Huckabee being controlling and judgmental, more about him being a craven kiss-ass. "With all the mud those other guys are slinging around, I'd like to be the one to suggest we take a break and be jolly. Remember folks, you heard it HERE FIRST."
It's not that your argument is weak, it's more that for the sake of consistency we'd have to pack that file chock full of other things. Sounding the "fascist alert" when some guy is suggesting we take deep breaths and stop being so nasty to each other...that just bugs me.
Of course, I'm fully aware that I've just articulated exactly the way he wants this to work. I'm not so worried about Huckabee being controlling and judgmental, more about him being a craven kiss-ass. "With all the mud those other guys are slinging around, I'd like to be the one to suggest we take a break and be jolly. Remember folks, you heard it HERE FIRST."
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