Safire: On Phony Toughness

The New York Times ^ | 03/15/04 | William Safire

[Pokey78]

WASHINGTON

Presumably unaware of the presence of a live microphone, Senator John Kerry, campaigning last week in Chicago, let loose with his opinion of Republicans opposing him as "the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen."

My first reaction — like that of millions of parents and schoolteachers around the country — was to wince at a prominent politician's use of "you know," a halting interjection that has been cluttering the speech of teenagers for years.

Only later, as the rest of the Kerry condemnation sunk in, did I wonder: Was it wise for a candidate for president to characterize Republicans — tens of millions of American voters, including even veterans — as thieves and liars? And if the double slur had been part of a pour-it-on strategy, was it tactically smart to take the low road so early?

But perhaps, I thought charitably, Kerry's thumb in the eye was unintentional. It could have been the blurted blunder of a tired campaigner, similar to Kerry's crack, also caught on tape, at Howard Dean when that Democratic primary opponent was riding high: "You can't make 15 gaffes a week and be president."

If his blunderbuss slander of Republicans as "the most crooked, you know, lying group" had been merely the irritated effusion of an exhausted speaker, I reasoned, Kerry would take care of it gracefully. To make lemonade out of his lemon, all he would have to say was something like "I was speaking of the vicious G.O.P. attack machine, not the legions of honest, truthful Republicans whose support I seek — especially those being outsourced by free-traitorous Benedict Arnold companies."

But then something revealing happened. Kerry chose not to brush it off easily. On the contrary, in full macho mode he declared to a news conference that "I have no intention whatsoever of apologizing for my remarks."

Obviously, the day after his overheard slander, the decision was made to strike a defiantly nonapologetic pose. Maybe Kerry-Kennedy-Soros masterminds in Boston passed the word to the candidate: Apologies are for wimps. Don't even think of flip-flopping with an "I meant" — on the contrary, ram "crooked and lying" down Republican throats. Remember the title of Barry Goldwater's book — "With No Apologies." Show you're decisive by refusing to back off anything. John Edwards just proved that nice guys get great press clips but don't win elections.

Such advice is what the best political columnist of the past century, Stewart Alsop, said causes politicians to become "phony tough." To counter the demonstrated tough-mindedness of a war president, Kerry's handlers want their man to strike a pose of toughness in all his rhetoric.

But does a bemedaled veteran — his physical courage proved four decades ago — need to demonstrate a phony toughness today, by defending a silly insult? Evidently the Boston attack machine thought a strident nonapology was necessary to enlist the Deaniacs and "energize the base," to shuck off Kerry's reputation as "nuanced," and the candidate swallowed that advice. Kerry's closest-in aide boasted to The New York Times: "Everything he has said into an open mike has been prescient."

That's not the real John Kerry, a dignified man long steeped in civility. That's a phony-tough John Kerry, obeying instructions to imitate a partisan caricature of George W. Bush.

Helpfully, National Public Radio dug up Bush's vulgar characterization of a Times reporter four years ago, to which Dick Cheney had agreed "Big time." No apology was tendered then, so Kerry thought he could out-nonapologize Bush now — and be seen as even tougher, because Bush had disparaged only one journalist, while Kerry now revels in reviling millions of those crooked, lying Republicans.

Kerry's pollsters apparently told him that his defiant embrace of the nasty crack backfired, and he was being tagged not as deliciously tough but as distastefully negative.

The other night, uncomfortable in his role as the Massachusetts Mauler, Kerry spun around with a gentlemanly "Americans shouldn't have to put up with eight months of sniping," and deplored "personal attacks." Hustling to the high road, Democratic weekend commercials flip-flopped too, enervating the base but calming independents with crocodile tears about "misleading negative ads."

It was, like, I mean, you know, an indirect apology. 

E-mail: safire@nytimes.com

[freedom1st]

I'm sure JF'nK used "you know" because he admired how Hillery always sounds so intelligent using "you know", you know.

[FRgal4u]

The correct tactic for Bush here is to use wit, humor, jokes to dig deep (real deep) into Kerry (his votes, his stance, his flipflops, his non-accomplishments in the senate). Drive the base supporting Kerry nuts and thereby forcing Keery (with his own very dry humor and long winded answers)to fight back. The nastier Kerry looks, the more he will lose in the tiny middle slice of the voting public. If one assume the R base will bascially cancel out the D base this fall, this election will be decided by less than 10% of the middle slice. The question for this middle slice is do you want Lurch be in your living room for the next four yrs or you wanna have the folksy common man who is less stiff for four more yrs.

Wit will go a long way for Bush in this election. His greatest advantage is the ability to sum up complex issues into a single one-liner for the public. The public need not to know HOW you are going to get the bad guys, just say, we are going to get them, no hole is deep enough for them to hide...that's more than enough. Better than the long-winded answers like ok, we will get nato approval, we will get UN approval, we will talk to chiraq, have a summitt blah blah...

[Paul Atreides]

My first reaction — like that of millions of parents and schoolteachers around the country — was to wince at a prominent politician's use of "you know," a halting interjection that has been cluttering the speech of teenagers for years.

When it was played on Fox News, I thought that Kerry was saying "the most crooked...," then pausing to think of something to add, and they guy to whom he was speaking said "I know," during the pause, and John F'n finished with "lying group I've ever seen."

[Reactionary]

I happen to agree with Morris on this issue. Bush should stay positive; the ads should be negative.

I think that strategy is a wise one.

[BluH2o]

I'm sure JF'nK used "you know" because he admired how Hillery always sounds so intelligent using "you know", you know

Hildabeast is best known for her faulty memory ... "I don't remember" or "I don't recall"!

[VadeRetro]

It was, like, I mean, you know, an indirect apology.

Yeah, but sort of like, you know, not admitting anything fer shirrr!

Kerry will not wear well between now and November. He tries to puff out his chest, but he's the American version of a cheese-eating surrender monkey. He's too Euro-poofy for anywhere but Massachusetts.

[BenLurkin]

I miss Jim Healy. He had a battery of sound bites featuring "you know".

[Paul Atreides]

One has to laugh at the notion of John F'n sporting around Boston, in his W-esque yellow barn jacket, khaki pants, and expensive loafers.

[freedumb2003]

But does a bemedaled veteran — his physical courage proved four decades ago — need to demonstrate a phony toughness today, by defending a silly insult?

That's not the real John Kerry, a dignified man long steeped in civility

Does Safire want his phone number? Kerry wasn't "brave" in Nam, he was the victim of an accident. He went there ONLY to curry points to be like his model, the original JFnK.

It is impossible for a gigolo Liberal to be "dignified."

FR has taught me at least 2 things:

1. Homeschooling is good
2. Safire ain't one of us.

[Cicero]

That's not the real John Kerry, a dignified man long steeped in civility.

Say, what?

[Fenris6]

Presumably unaware of the presence of a live microphone

After all the chest-thumping has died down, this is the part I still find disturbing. Does anyone really believe it was accidental? I think he did it on puropse, it fits his character pattern. And thats the problem. He's like a little bitch in high school who doesn't have the guts to challenge you, so he "whispers" it loud enough for you to overhear. What a joke. This man wants to lead America?

Perhaps "all those world leaders" that want him to win will step up and teach him to be a man first. LOL.

[Libertina]

1. Homeschooling is good 2. Safire ain't one of us.
Right on target, freedumb)Safire has been getting snippier and snippier. Good grief, as if the rats aren't enough we've got "our" side joining in. No good deed ever seems to go unpunished... a la Bush, Gibson...

[JulieRNR21]

One has to laugh at the notion of John F'n sporting around Boston, in his W-esque yellow barn jacket, khaki pants, and expensive loafers.

[Verginius Rufus]

I don't understand the comment about Kerry and civility, but I've never met him in person. Maybe he was civil to Safire at a Georgetown cocktail party.

I think Safire was the wordsmith who dreamed up some of the caustic phrases that made Spiro Agnew so controversial when he went on the attack on Nixon's behalf. Dean, Clark, and Kerry have all out-Agnewed Agnew by now.

[WOSG]

"Kerry wasn't "brave" in Nam, he was the victim of an accident. "

I think you are confusing Kerry with fromer Sen Max Cleland, victim of a Vietnam work accident involving his hand grenade.

Kerry was lightly wounded 3 times, AFAIK all from enemy fire.

[Paul Atreides]

LOL! That's a good one.

[MainFrame65]

Safire is one of a group of what I call "Potemkin Conservatives," a false front erected to fool the audience at a distance but unable to pass serious inspection. David Brooks is another good example as he pitches ideological softballs on NPR for the lefties to hit out of the park. I am old enough to remember when CBS radio foisted Kevin Phillips, a recent Bush basher, on its audience as a conservative spokesman in whatever they called their left-right soundbite series several years ago.

They are all over the place, but not hard to distinguish from the genuine article if you listen for a few minutes.

[maro]

Did you read Safire's disgraceful column about The Passion movie?

[JulieRNR21]

Since you liked those.....you might like these that fit his big feet......LOL