Symbolic Bombers Blow-up Bush & Obama!

Black Swan

Grassroots political symbology (http://www.jstor.org/pss/2130468) is not a new field of study, but only a reflection upon historical incidents that captured the popular mind. Nine months ago Iraqi journalist Mutadhar al-Zeidi threw shoes that circled global communications when they nearly struck former US president G.W. Bush at a news conference (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32853565/ns/world_news-conflict_in_iraqhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32853565/ns/world_news-conflict_in_iraq ). It was the epitomy of a political symbolic incident that drew world attention to the US occupation of Iraq. He was released from prison today.

There was an incident that many K-12 grade school students are quizzed upon when taking US History that occurred in Boston during America’s war for independence. The Boston Tea Party was not a confrontation of arms, but rather a powerful political symbolic message sent to King George III that it was time for change in the colonies (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm.).

Last week congressional representative Wilson interrupted president Obama in the middle of his health care address to a joint session of the US Congress with “You lie!” After throwing his symbolic shoe at Obama, which also circled global communications, it was reported that his reelection coffers have reached a million dollars in the one week since the incident (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/12/wilson.fundraising/index.html ).

Was Wilson’s self-claimed unintentional outburst truly unintentional, or was he a student of historical symbolic incidents who took a calculated risk in the congressional venue to draw attention to himself, hoping to step into the political Republican leadership vacuum, while at the same time fattening his reelection war chest?

Certainly Wilson’s action will not be remembered in US history akin to the Boston Tea Party, or to a lesser extent the shoes that blew up Bush in the Middle East, but Wilson’s action can serve as a point of reflection upon the US political process? If we look deeper under the current news media sensationalism, and the partisan Republican and Democrat parties' hype surrounding the Wilson incident, what does the political symbology of the Wilson incident say about the US American political process today?

c0mpliant

No I don't believe Congressman Wilson is intelligent enough to formulate such a plan. What you're failing to mention here is that his opponent has raised for more capital than he has.

This is another classic example of the Republicans pandering to their conservative base. Sure he has drummed up support from some of the more extreme members of his own party, but he has alienated a lot of support from independents or moderate Democrats and one recent poll suggesting that he has lost support to his Democratic challenger in 2010

Black Swan

c0mpliant wrote: »

No I don't believe Congressman Wilson is intelligent enough to formulate such a plan.

Do you think that Wilson was independent in exercising his judgment (or lack of judgment), and not taking the advice or encouragement of others (whom may have later conveniently denied association after it blew up and became a symbolic incident; or anticipated that it would blow up, but thought it useful to their own agendas)?

Or could it be that Wilson may have read a bit about former Louisiana Governor and US Senator Huey Long, nicknamed the "King Fish," that once proclaimed it was best to be known positively, second best to be known negatively, but worst of all to be unknown? Wilson is certainly known now, whereas before this symbolic incident he was an unknown on the national scene.

c0mpliant wrote: »

What you're failing to mention here is that his opponent has raised for more capital than he has.

I did mention that he may have been taking a "calculated risk?" See OP. Plus, the clock is still ticking, with plenty of time before the campaign and election?

Or could this be yet another attempt to discredit Obama? A variation of the 2008 presidential campaign where McCain-Palin tried to associate Obama with Ayers (Obama was only 8 years old at the time when an adult Ayers was active in violent protest)? "He's associated with a terrorist!" Such an obvious false claim (that spinned and twisted their decades later association on a Chicago charity board), had been debunked on the web and news media, and may have contributed somewhat to the huge difference in funds raised by Obama vs McCain, as well as swaying some of the Independents to Obama? A calculated risk gone bad?

Of course "It's the economy stupid!" maxim was the major factor that swept the Republicans out of the presidency, as well as accounting for many of their losses in both houses of Congress (to a large part)? Plus the seemingly endless two Middle Eastern wars were a second factor, including all the false information that was used to scare the public and congress into attacking Iraq (e.g., non-existent weapons of mass destruction, and bogus claims of association between bin Laden and Saddam)?

The point of the OP was to look under the surface of the media sensationalisation, and the partisan political hype, as well as the apologies of Wilson, when he first claimed that it was a sudden, unplanned, and impulsive outburst (only to change and reshape his story in later press releases)? Did he plan the symbolic incident in advance? Was he encouraged by powerful others? Or was he an unwitting tool of others (and perhaps still is)? Or simply an impulsive and foolish child that burst out his sentiments, and failed to respect the protocols and rules of order, interrupting the person that had the floor, without first appealing to the chair? Or was he akin to a Swamp Fox patriot, willing to cast aside the rules to defeat what he thought was the enemy of the American Dream?

The larger point in the OP was not Wilson-specific, but rather to address the nature of US politics, and if the use of symbolic incidents was one way to influence the electorate?

The "Remember the Maine!" national cry symbolized an incident used to justify the US entry into the Spanish-American War. There was no reliable evidence that suggested the US battleship Maine was sunk in Havana harbour by the Spanish, but that was not how it was played by the news media of the time, or by the political and economic interests that held sway in US government. Admiral Hyman G. Rickover published in his contemporary book, How the Battleship Maine Was Destroyed, that the cause for the Maine sinking was more than likely due to unventilated coal dust in a confined space being ignited, which in turn blew through the bulkheads and set off the magazine that sunk the ship.

A symbolic incident (accident) that was used as a pretext for war?

c0mpliant

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Do you think that Wilson was independent in exercising his judgment (or lack of judgment), and not taking the advice or encouragement of others (whom may have later conveniently denied association after it blew up and became a symbolic incident; or anticipated that it would blow up, but thought it useful to their own agendas)?

That in itself is a good question, we did see many member of the Republican congressional delegation holding up their propaganda during the same speech and Congressman Shimkus walking out of it as well. I believe what happened was that the minority leader(s) may have had a meeting prior to the event and suggested holding up the propaganda to show the discontent with the Presidents' agenda, however I don't believe he was coached by anyone to heckle as he did.

There no such thing as bad publicity is a very old and often wrong maxim. As I had said earlier, this was an extremely obvious pander to the people who interrupted town halls in the exact same way. These are the Republican conservative base, the same people that Palin brought to the booths in November. And while they are noisy and (all too much so IMO)frequently heard, they do not represent Moderate Republicans, Independents or Moderate Democrats who represent the swing vote. Any strategist who tells any politician to play to one group in a way which will play unfavorably with every other group on a National stage, needs to start looking for a different job, because they have no idea about elections. Its not even something that could be seen as standing up for what you believe, because even if it was, it was extremely rude, terribly disrespecting of the Office of the President and of the United States Congress.

On a congressional level, it still makes no sense, because it doesn't get anyone on your side for the same reasons as on the individual level. There is no way, none, there is no way this will play out well in the short, medium or long term for Congressman Wilson, the Republican Leadership or the Anti-Healthcare reform initiative.

In regards your commentary of the broader implications for US politics. Stunts are the only thing that US politics revolves on. Stunts are far easier for people to take in. They're usually short, fast and easier to digest for people (in general not just the US). The evidence for this the lack of policy wonks on television. Yes there are some, Rachel Maddow for example, but they are few and far between. They are vastly out-numbered by the shock TV presenters. Then when you look at the rating of shows, you see that the overwhelming majority of people rather watch shows that are confontational and in your face than want to watch shows that discuss the intricacies and nuance of different policies.

Even this last election was decided on a stunt. Hope and change where what got Obama elected, what's hope? I'm not sure, but its easy to understand, I have hope that we can do better. Change? Yeah a change will be good, everything in the crapper. What will the change be? I'm not sure, but whatever it is it will be different than before!

I'm just saying, give me a campaign of substance, ideas and policy any day of the week over what the US and the rest of the world have developed as democratic election campaigns. 60 second soundbytes shouldn't decide elections but they do and they have for a while.

Black Swan

c0mpliant wrote: »

There no such thing as bad publicity is a very old and often wrong maxim. As I had said earlier, this was an extremely obvious pander to the people who interrupted town halls in the exact same way. These are the Republican conservative base, the same people that Palin brought to the booths in November.

As my Galway Gran would say, "The proof is in the pudding!" So we can armchair guess what will happen after Wilson's symbolic "You lie!" incident before the joint session of Congress last week until 2010 election time? If he gets reelected, then someone bought and ate his pudding; if not, they chose not to eat it (or threw it up)?

c0mpliant wrote: »

I'm just saying, give me a campaign of substance, ideas and policy any day of the week over what the US and the rest of the world have developed as democratic election campaigns. 60 second soundbytes shouldn't decide elections but they do and they have for a while.

Real content? Dream on! Soundbytes rule!

**Now for the latest breaking news!** "Coed found stuffed in pipe chase! California legislature trading sex for influence! Yet another celebrity dies... they're dropping like flies! Fed Chair says recession over, but unemployment still expected to climb."

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c0mpliant

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

As my Galway Gran would say, "The proof is in the pudding!" So we can armchair guess what will happen after Wilson's symbolic "You lie!" incident before the joint session of Congress last week until 2010 election time? If he gets reelected, then someone bought and ate his pudding; if not, they chose not to eat it (or threw it up)?

And when he gets to heaven to Saint Peter he will tell
One more political strategist reporting, I've served my time in hell!

He probably will get elected again, because the public have a short memory, even supporters do.

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

**Now for the latest breaking news!** "Coed found stuffed in pipe chase! California legislature trading sex for influence! Yet another celebrity dies... they're dropping like flies! Fed Chair says recession over, but unemployment still expected to climb."

**Now for an announcement from our sponsor** "Are you suffering from (this pain or illness)? Ask your doctor to prescribe (this drug)!" Picture of smiling adult playing with children, while announcer concludes... Tell your doctor if you feel dizzy, throw-up, pass-out, or die while taking (this drug) immediately!

Ha ha! Too true. Although I thought the news was that the California legislature had stopped trading sex for influence and started selling sex for money. Congresswoman Capps anyone? :P