Some of the best spin ever

This, from Michael Medved, is some of the best spin I've ever read--and it's instructive:

If Obama says he’s not to blame for the state of the country, then he’s conceded weakness and impotence, and if he tries to echo the public desire for new directions, then he acknowledges that his controversial policies of the last four years never worked as intended.

That's Medved's argument for the non-inevitability of Obama's reelection, boiled down to one sentence. But notice how he's pre-shackled the argument:

"[B]lame for the state of the country." Does he acknowledge the creation 4 million private-sector jobs? A positive and far higher GDP? A rescued auto industry? A booming stock market? Greater access to healthcare? The end of a needless and costly war? Naturally, no. Yet those are just a few accomplished factors in the "new directions" he references in the second clause as seemingly unattainable and simply beyond Obama's abilities. Now that's slick.

And then there's this: "[H]e’s conceded weakness and impotence." Again, Medved is devious to the point of rank dishonesty. First, Obama has "conceded" no such thing. But you'll notice that Medved plants the concession clause after his conditional clause that begins with "If." So what Medved does is erect an unestablished premise, and then proceeds to a conclusion as though the premise has been accepted. But there was never a realistic "If."

What's more, let's assume Medved's "weakness and impotence" as facts of Obama's presidential tenure (once we wipe from memory the 4 million jobs, etc etc.). The only remedy? An antidemocratic, unparliamentary, dictatorial "strength" that would put the opposition's obstructionist program out of business.

Now I could argue that that's the sort of presidential leadership that the Michael Medveds of this world secretly desire; furthermore, I could easily spin that case. But I happen to possess, or so I'd like to think, what the Medveds so degenerately lack: a conscience. 

Comments

[Bruce Adams]

The problem for Medved and his ilk is that their candidate can't seem to stay on message about the "state of the country." Instead, he's had to defend a decision to conceal his tax record and picked up the anchor of Paul Ryan's Medicare proposals and wrap the chain around his Willardy neck. I think the weakness and impotence is in the former one term governor of Massachusetts.

[japa21]

The "weakness and impotence" is currently in the entire Republican Party.

And the really sad things is that, as far as "conservative" pundits and radio show hosts go, Medved is actually one of the saner ones. I know, a low hurdle indeed.

[NickT]

Medved always seems like a dreadful idiot whenever I glance at one of his screeds. But then, if I ever talk to a Republican , I recognize the same sneering arrogance, the disdain for facts and reason, the utter inability to debate ideas with courtesy or dignity.

[Beauzeaux]

"notice how he's pre-shackled the argument"

Shackles! You said shackles, you racist poltroon!

Just like that awful Joe Biden who is (alas) very popular with Black voters. How can they not see the splendiferousness of the R&R combo???

[thecommodore]

I heard Medved bring up Obama's admission that he ate dog meat - as a child in Indonesia, where dog meat is served all the time, as well as elsewhere in Southeast Asia - while discussing the joke Obama made about Romney making poor Seamus ride on top of the car during a family outing - which he did as a grown man in America, where humane treatment of all kinds of animals, but especially dogs is highly encouraged.

As if the two are equivilent.

Medved is, by far, the mlst articulate and thoughtgul disseminator of idiotic right wing talking pointa there is.