The Billiken's Bluff

The Republican National Convention ended a week ago. I needed some time to digest such an elephantine production before posting on it. I read an article in the Village Voice which confirmed many of my suspicions. There were numerous half-truths, and blatant lies being broadcast out of Madison square Garden last week.



While watching Bush's speech with N. Dot, I was particularly taken aback when Bush cited that homeownership being at an all-time high was evidence that the economy was doing well. That seemed like a particularly easy lie to catch. Of course homeownership is at an all-time high, it increases every year with the population. Every year is a new all-time high. That would be like Bush taking credit for the US population being at an all-time high during his 4 year watch. Rick Perlstein explains:

"The number of homeowners has grown every year on record. Every year is an "all-time high." The relevant number is the rate of growth. In a typical two-year period during the Clinton years—from the second quarter of 1994 to the second quarter of 1996, for example, the percentage of American homeowners went up 1.8 points. In the last eight quarters, under Bush, it went up . . . less than one point. Dick Cheney's claim that the homeownership rate is proof that "the Bush tax cuts are working" is delusion on crack."

(A brief side note- this is a perfect example of why many people discredit anything written in the Village Voice. Perlstein makes a relevant, well-written observation showing just how misleading Bush's homeownership statistics are, but then adds that delusion on crack barb at the end of the paragraph. This alienates many readers. To be fair, The Voice makes no claim of objectivity. But since Perlstein is a better writer, and more well-versed the political process than someone like myself, it would seem to make sense that he should leave the delusion on crack commentary to bloggers like myself.)

Moving right along... Zell Miller, Democratic Senator.



There isn't much that can be said about this Georgia Bulldog that hasn't been talked about this past week. Zell was unreal, surreal. The man provided afiery testimonial for the G.O.P., accused John Kerry of defending America using spitballs, and challenged MSNBC's Chris Matthews to a pistol duel. Perlstein explains how Zell was a bit confused on a few issues:

"Zell Miller claims that, say, John Kerry is "selling off our national security," leaving us to defend ourselves with "spitballs," because he cast a protest vote again an annual defense authorization bill that included funding for the Apache helicopter and the F14 Tomcat. It's just not so—at least not in any way that makes sense politically, considering that the vice president on whose behalf Miller toils is on the record around the same time calling those same systems "unneeded."

A misguided observation, but maybe Zell is just expressing his opinion that not equipping the army with Apache helicopters and F14 Tomcats, is tantamount to arming the forces with spitballs. But Zell wouldn't outright lie, would he? Perlstein shows that in fact, Zell, would:

Zell exhorts, to a standing ovation that lasts 20 seconds, that "today's Democratic leaders see America as an occupier, not a liberator." A Nexis search indicates that Senator Kerry has never been quoted saying that. Nor Senate minority leader Tom Daschle, nor House leader Nancy Pelosi, nor Senate or House Democratic whips Harry Reid or Steny Hoyer; nor Hoyer's deputy whips Charlie Stenholm, Nita Lowie, Maxine Waters. I'll admit at this point I stopped searching. Maybe Miller is referring to the clerk in the House Democratic cloakroom.

In addition to Perlstein's Lexis Nexising, John Stewart's team of video researchers at The Daily Show brilliantly juxtaposed a clip of Zell yelling, "Democratic leaders see America as an occupier, not a liberator" with President Bush speaking at this year's State of the Union Address saying in effect, 'Of course the Iraqi people aren't happy being occupied, who wants to be occupied?'

Comments like these from Zell Miller are particularly frustrating for me (and Jon Stewart) because they can be easily refuted, but many people only remember the lie and don't read the rebuttal and the refutation of the lie.

Part of me does respect just how good the Republicans are at campaigning and public relations. Zell Miller was by far the most venomous of the speakers at the Convention, and he is a Democrat!!! The G.O.P. doesn't even have to do their own dirty work. The best the Democrats could muster for their convention was Ron Reagan Jr. who spoke about Stem Cell Research, while making clear that he was not endorsing either of the candidates. How are you going to have a speaker at your party's convention who refuses to endorse your presidential candidate? It boggles the mind. The Democrats incompetence is astounding. They might as well have former Knicks' general manager Scott Layden run Kerry's campaign.