Friday, May 25, 2007

Scare Tactics


HOW DARE HE?

In a press conference Thursday Bush had the gall to threaten OUR CHILDREN. Speaking about al-Qaida, Bush said

"They are a threat to your children, David," referring to NBC's David Gregory.

The president found this such a useful tool that he used it a second time in the same press conference.

"I would hope our world hasn't become so cynical that they don't take the threats of al-Qaida seriously, because they're real, and it's a danger to the American people," he said in response to a question about the war from Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times. "It's a danger to your children, Jim." (Slate)

To use such SCARE TACTICS the president has sunk to an all-time low. You know when reporters ask politicians about their children and their wrongdoings or their personal life, the are usually admonished that it's none of their business.

Dick Cheney rebuked Wolf Blitzer months ago when he asked about Cheney's daughter becoming a parent. Cheney said, in essence, you're out of line asking.

Well, Mr. Bush, you are completely out of line scaring parents in this country. Scaring your opponents in a debate is the lowest form of persuasion. You should be ashamed.

theteach

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

George Bush is the threat to our children. He's the one who refuses to pull out of Iraq.

World So Wide said...

Very much to the point, Mary!

maryt/theteach said...

Anne, you're perfectly right!

Leon, thanks glad you agree...

Anonymous said...

I can only hope these cheap scare tactics won't work in 2008.

maryt/theteach said...

jm4847 and Leon, We can only hope there will be an end to such tactics by removing the sitting president from office in 2008.

Anonymous said...

P.S. One of the reporters has no children.

maryt/theteach said...

Anonymous you're kidding...that's hilarious!!

raymond said...

If Bush can't use threats then why do liberal-global-warming-activists get free reign to threat up the wazoo about the increasing rise in temperature that is supposedly going to kill us all in the next century or so...

I sure hope we are holding them just as much accountable for "threatening" as we are Bush. Are we? :)

just making sure things are fair,
-raymond

P.S. I too believe that the scare tactic is lame. But I would hate to see a biased in this area, because global warming is the epitome of scare-tactics (whether you believe we are all going to burn or not) to ever hit the airwaves.

maryt/theteach said...

okay raymond you have a point...I do think that the environmental activists are using some scare tactics and I'm trying to be as environmentally correct as I can. but making threats about one's children is unconscionable (sp?).

raymond said...

Technically, Bush was warning about another threat outside of and disconnected from himself. He wasn't actually threatening to take action.

For example, if I tell someone that it is a bad idea to cross the street without looking both ways, I am not threatening them. I am merely telling them it is a bad idea because you can die by not looking both ways. If anything, I am helping that person to better equip themselves for protection.

Technically, that is what Bush is doing. Politically though, he is doing it just as a scare tactic, which, again...I think is lame.

But you have to see the difference between making a threat and warning of one, don't you?

The environmental activist are doing the same exact thing by telling your parents, you, and your children that if they don't start using the right light bulbs and driving the right cars the world is going to continue to heat up. I disagree, BUT...isn't that the exact same thing Bush is doing? Shouldn't they also get reprimanded for "threatening our children"?

Bush said: "THEY are a threat to your children, David."

Environmental activist: "THE WEATHER is a threat to your children, David."

What Bush did is alot better than actual threatening, but still...lame in this context.

Clearly you and I are on different sides of the spectrum politically, but not matter what your stance on the war is and whether or not you believe that Al Qaida is a threat, you can't derive that Bush was threatening our country's children. He was merely pointing out a group of people he believes to be a threat.

all in good converse,
-raymond

maryt/theteach said...

Raymond, threating is easy way to get people to do something you want them to do. I don't think you should even threaten children: Look both ways or you'll get run over. If environmentalist threaten they're wrong too.

Intelligent debate uses good reasons (like we're doing) to convince the other of something.

Anyway even if we're on different sides of an issue or the political spectrum, I think we're both reasonable and intelligent people, right?

raymond said...

Yes, thank you! I appreciate your level headed-ness. I still disagree, BUT...I'll keep reading and try not to poke my opposing head up tooo often. :)

-raymond

maryt/theteach said...

Raymond, feel free to raise your opposing head up as often as you like! :)