Dems Move Closer to McGovern's Losing Formula

Real Clear Politics ^ | 08/09/06 | John McIntyre

[Milhous]

Can you call it a coup when the President resigns?

Call it a virtual coup. Nixon knew how to count the votes of solid Democrat majorities in both Houses.

[Milhous]

That was then, when they had a media we all still believed.

It's not your father's media

. . .

Consumers of news now understand that, as Eastland says, "News is a thing made, a product, and that media with certain beliefs and values once made the news and then presented it in authoritative terms, as though beyond criticism. Thus did Walter Cronkite famously end his newscasts, 'And that's the way it is.' That way, period."

When, after the misreported Tet offensive of 1968 (a U.S. military victory described as a crushing defeat), Cronkite declared Vietnam a "stalemate," he spoke, as Mindich says, to "a captive audience." Nearly 80 percent of television sets in use at the dinner hour were tuned to one of the three network newscasts, and Cronkite had the largest share.

If that had been the broadcast marketplace in 2004, John Kerry would be president: The three networks reported the Swift boat veterans attacks on Kerry only after coverage of the attacks by cable news and talk radio forced Kerry to respond. The networks were very interested in charges pertaining to a Vietnam-era story about George W. Bush's alleged dereliction of National Guard duties -- until bloggers, another manifestation of new, small and nimble media, shredded it.

[tcrlaf]

They also don't have absolute media control over the flow of news anymore, and a Soviet Union financing the most radical of leftists....

While Soros IS financing large parts of the left movement, it's not getting ANYWHERE near the traction of the 60's movements..

Racism and hatred simply doesn't sell as well as free love, free drugs, and no draft...

[Chances Are]

What kind of terms did the left use when the impeachment proceedings against Clinton were in motion?

CA....

[gondramB]

>>What kind of terms did the left use when the impeachment proceedings against Clinton were in motion? <<

Good point but that doesn't mean that an honest historical reflection on the Clinton administration will consider his impeachment to be an attempted "coup." If the majority of the house believe the President has committed a high crime then they have a duty to bring charges, much like a D.A. would on a local level.

There is a very worthy ping list for a daily thread "The Patriot Post -- Founders' Quote Daily." The founder's quote today is particularly good - it sums up our form of government. The President serves at the pleasure of the people, subject to checks and balances - Nixon lost the trust and confidence of the people and their representatives, the house and senate. that's not a coup, that's the constitution.


>>we may define a republic to be, .... a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure for a limited period, or during good behavior."<<

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1680348/posts

[Chances Are]

>>we may define a republic to be, .... a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure for a limited period, or during good behavior."<<

"What kind of government have you given us, Ben?"

"A republic - if you can keep it!"

CA....

[headsonpikes]

Apparently, Karl Rove coached Lamont to victory!

[gondramB]

>>"What kind of government have you given us, Ben?"

"A republic - if you can keep it!" <<

Its hard to believe how resilient this form of government has turned out to be.

[Syco]

True, but the state GOP allowed him to get on the ballot because they didn't think it was at all possible for them to face anybody but Lieberman, and they were obviously quite wrong. True, he's driven by his ego, but that smell of gunpowder is still the aftermath of a classic Republican foot wound.

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[Milhous]

The President serves at the pleasure of the people, subject to checks and balances - Nixon lost the trust and confidence of the people and their representatives, the house and senate. that's not a coup, that's the constitution.

Call it a constitutional coup then if it pleases you. :) It may interest you know that Front Page backed away from their original coup verbiage. Probably too kooky in retrospect for professional political punditry. However the original language better suits my needs so there it stands.

A question of the measure of trust and confidence Nixon lost from the people remains open for me. Of course the solid Democrat majorities in both Houses duly elected by the people acted well within their constitutional authority.

[gondramB]

Disclaimer: we are down to just semantics since it sounds like there is no disagreement on the facts.

To me, a coup (short for coup d'etat) implies a non-legal, sudden overthrow of the current government leadership by elements within the government, usually with the some portion of the military.

[Milhous]

a coup (short for coup d'etat) implies a non-legal, sudden overthrow of the current government leadership by elements within the government, usually with the some portion of the military.

That seems to match wiki's definition:

A coup d'état (pronounced /ku de'ta/), or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government through unconstitutional means by a part of the state establishment,

Although coup remains general enough wiki renders constitutional coup d'état an oxymoron. What the world really needs is a better word to describe how Democrats politically engineered their removal of Nixon. Perhaps putsch provides a better shading. LOL.

[DM1]

" because they didn't think it was at all possible for them to face anybody but Lieberman, and they were obviously quite wrong."

interesting. i did read somewhere that the GOP front bench was weak in CT (having to do with GOP politicians winding up in Prison like Rowland) so other than Jodi Rell who could have run a credible campaign in that state?