"The Cult of the Offhand Comment"

The Daily Howler (Bob Somerby) has latched onto a concept that is well worth pondering for awhile: “The Cult of the Offhand Comment.” It’s the big-time media obsession with finding little memes they can use with zero thought to advance a particular “picture” they want to draw about someone. In recent years, it has been mostly Democrats who have been victimized by the practice:

Gore’s “lies” (problems with the truth, or tendency to “exaggerate”): “invented the internet” (which he never said in those words, but rather made a completely accurate reference to his early legislative championing of the internet); “discovered Love Canal” (completely ripped from context: his committee investigating Superfund sites “discovered” the matter as a particularly bad one already in process); the subject of “Love Story” (which was basically true); grew up singing “Look for the Union Label” although the song hadn’t been written yet (it was a joke to a union audience about his commitment to labor). There are at least a couple more.

John Kerry (“Who among us doesn’t love NASCAR?” repeated frequently even though there is zero evidence he ever said it); the wind-surfing; more recently, the absurd quote ripped from context, promoted by Republican oppo research but pandered 24x7 by the big-time media) that he disrespects the soldiers who are “stuck in Iraq.”

John Edwards: the haircut.

Once upon a time, Republicans got nailed for these, too, including George H.W. Bush and his alleged remark (apparently never actually quoted in true context) about supermarket scanners; his supposedly “upper crust Easterner” request for a “splash” of coffee during the New Hampshire primary. Both, of course, promoted the meme of Bush being “out-of-touch” with ordinary people. Certainly Dan Quayle got nailed, too – his alleged misspelling of “potato” as indicative of being out of his depth.

What Somerby wisely points out is that, in this kind of media game of finding the offhand comment as a nugget for repetition illustrating a pre-determined picture, it steers voters far away from political philosophy and policy where Democrats have a tremendous advantage, and towards phony “character” issues like “toughness,” “fun to have a beer with,” etc. Thus, Democrats should be wary of latching onto such stories – like Rudy’s alleged gaffe with the farm couple who supposedly were dumped from a campaign stop because they were not rich enough to derive any benefit from eliminating the estate tax – just because a Republican gets nailed for a change.

Still, though, it’s hard not to dig for sound bytes that illustrate what Republicans really stand for. But first, be sure it’s a story that will stand up, as this one about Rudy may not be. And since there's a First Amendment that means Republicans will be doing it, be ready to pounce immediately when one comes out from their side.