If You're Taking Flak, You Must Be Over The Target

If You're Taking Flak, You Must Be Over the Target

There is a tactic in war and politics to identify and concentrate fire against your most immediate threat. 

Following his stunning victory in last month's Florida Straw Poll, Herman Cain did not slow down.  The Cain Train picked up steam, picked up several more straw poll victories, picked up a bag full of points in state and national polls, picked up several passenger cars full of supporters, and picked up a freight car load of money.  No longer able to ignore the growing Trans-American Rail Tour of the Herman Cain Express, worried opponents from both sides of the political class, plus their companions in the press, are trying to throw a switch and knock the train off-track.  They want to derail Cain's locomotive.

CASE IN POINT:   Wednesday, Sep 28, during an interview on CNN's The Situation Room, Wolf Blitzer asked Hermann Cain, "Why is the Republican Party, uhhh basically, uhhh poison for so many African-Americans?"  

Mr. Cain's response

• "Because many African-Americans  have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view."

Thirty seconds after saying "the Republican Party is basically poison for so many African-Americans," Mr. Blitzer proceeded to chastise Mr. Cain for using "a strong word to talk about your fellow African-Americans....BRAINWASHED?"

Let's compare  their choice of words.  From Merriam-Webster:

 1.  Definition of POISON 

a : a substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism b (1) : something destructive or harmful (2) : an object of aversion or abhorrence 

  2.   Definition of BRAINWASHING 

a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas 2 persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship

 

Wolf calls the Republican Party, at worst, deadly to Africa-Americans; at best, destructive, harmful, averse, or abhorrent to African-Americans.

Herman explains the reason African-Americans think of the Republican Party that way is because, at worst, they have been forcibly indoctrinated to give up some basic beliefs and adopt a different, closed-minded set of ideas; at best, because they have been persuaded by propaganda or been sold on a closed-minded belief.

Wolf's premise is false, biased, and a distortion.  Herman's explanation is responsive, accurate,  and a breath of fresh air in today's one-sided PC environment.

And which person caught flak?  Go figure.

Roger Whidden

The Undecided Delegate

Wesley Chapel, FL