The title to this post is true, yet biased. I phrased it that way to make a point. There is an article out by Reuters that
illustrates the power of spin in influencing reader perception. The article is entitled
Victims' Families Press Bush to Pull 9/11 Ads. There is nothing untruthful about those words. However if you read the article, you'll also
read these words:
| New Yorker Debra Burlingame, whose brother Charles was the captain on the plane that crashed into
the Pentagon, said she supports the ads given the current foreign policy climate.
"The ads are very positive," Burlingame, a registered Democrat, said in an interview. "It's a huge issue and to say that President Bush can't talk about
it is preposterous.
"It's not like these images are being used to tear down his opponents, but to point out that this is his top priority."
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Of course, you'll read this, too:
| "As a firefighter who spent months at Ground Zero, it's deeply offensive to see the Bush campaign
use these images to capitalize on the greatest American tragedy of our time," New York firefighter Tom Ryan said at a news conference.
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Here's another one:
"September 11 families say Bush campaign treading on the dead". Seems very odd to me, but if you read that article, you'll see this:
| "It speaks to the truth of the times," said Jennie Farrell, who lost her brother in the attacks.
"September 11 was something beyond the realm of imagination, and George Bush . . . led us through one of the darkest moments in history."
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I applaud giving expression to both sides of an issue. At least these articles do quote detractors and supporters alike. However, their use of
language in the titles reveals their true intent and bias.
Finally, leave it The New York Times to cast aside any pretense of objectivity. Again from the second article:
| The New York Times stepped into the debate Friday, with an editorial that defined the overriding
memories of September 11 as those of heroism and loss.
"Any political candidate who attempts to piggyback onto those emotions deserves to be shunned by the electorate," the Times said.
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Does anyone believe the Times would have published those words if a Democrat occupied the White House? Get real!
George W. Bush has led this country with steadfast, principled resolve through terrible tragedy. He should be able to reflect on that as he makes
his case for keeping his job. The Democrats and liberals in this country can't let that happen. They know Bush will win hands down when the
tragedy and his response to it are placed front and center before the electorate.
I can't know the mind of others, but, in
my estimation, the efforts of the Kerry campaign and the liberal media to keep these ads from touching the hearts of voters is motivated much more by
the desire to win politically than the desire to avoid defaming the memory of the lost. They are the ones attempting to use the tragedy to their
political advantage. President Bush, by contrast, is simply asking Americans to remember the enemy we face, in all its ugly, murderous robes, and to
let him continue the fight against that enemy. In the end, our President and our country are fighting this war, not only for our national security, but
also to honor the sacrifice of those who perished. As Ms. Burlingame so apty stated, it is his top priority.
posted by Scott Elliott at 3:30pm 03/05/04 ::
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