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The Spectacle Blog
In the wake of last November’s defeat in the midterm elections, Democratic strategist Mark Penn, appearing on “Hardball,” suggested that President Obama would need an event like the Oklahoma City bombings to “reconnect” with the American people as Bill Clinton did following the 1994 GOP takeover of Congress. Back then, Clinton cynically (and successfully) associated the anti-government rhetoric of his political opponents with the terrorist attack. This aided his strategy of portraying the newly elected majority as a bunch of extremists, allowing him to come across as reasonable by comparison, and helping to curtail their agenda. Democrats and their liberal allies in the media wasted no time on Saturday, seizing on the tragic Gabrielle Giffords shooting to condemn Sarah Palin, Fox News and tea parties — even, in some cases, before the identity of the shooter was known. It’s their hope to exploit Tucson the way Clinton effectively exploited Oklahoma City. But there are a number of key differences that make it unlikely Democrats will derive as much political benefit from this event.
To start with, taking nothing away from the importance of Saturday’s events, the sheer scale of the Oklahoma City bombing — 168 people dead, a federal building destroyed — was much larger. As a nation, we have seen assassination attempts and shooting sprees before, but the 1995 bombing was completely unprecedented. Prior to Oklahoma City, terrorist attacks were something that happened in other countries, on airplanes, or at high-profile targets (such as the World Trade Center in 1993). Beyond the mass casualties, the shock of Oklahoma City was the idea that white guys would blow up a building in America’s heartland, and thus it set off fears that this was the sort of thing that could happen anywhere. So as horrible as the Tucson shooting was, it’s unlikely to be as transformative.
Also, in the case of Oklahoma City, the fact that there was a clear political motive and that Timothy McVeigh had railed against things like high taxes and bombed a federal building, made it easier for Democrats to portray him as a member of the right wing — however unfair it was for Clinton to point fingers at talk radio. In this case, the mounting evidence shows that alleged shooter Jared Loughner was a mentally unstable individual with no clear ideology or political motives. Though they’ve been trying hard, liberals have not been able to pin him down as “right wing.”
Perhaps most importantly, this time around, Republicans, remembering Oklahoma City, are much more prepared to respond to this horrific event — with Speaker John Boehner’s handling of the aftermath even drawing praise from Nancy Pelosi, according to the Politico. Also, liberals don’t dominate the media like they did back in 1995, where there was no Fox News, conservative blogs or Twitter to push back against the “right-wing hate speech” narrative (including by pointing out things like Democrats’ own use of targeting imagery).
No doubt, there will be political ramifications to this. For some period of time — for the next few weeks or maybe months — elected officials will probably tone down their rhetoric a bit, because any normally controversial comment will be amplified in this current environment. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama gets a brief boost following a high-profile national speech calling on Americans of all sides to come together (whether this will be a stand alone adress or part of the State of the Union). But I don’t think it will have anywhere near the impact of the Oklahoma City bombing.
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More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/01/10/why-the-arizona-shooting-is-un
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Alan Brooks| 1.10.11 @ 11:52AM
Oh good for you! the casualty rate last weekend was merely 10 percent of OKBOMB.
Now you are pleased Obama can't make political capital from Loughner.
Goody gumdrops, Phil.
LiveFreeOrDie| 1.10.11 @ 12:21PM
Of course he's pleased that more people didn't die. Only a slimy asshole like you or the DNC would care about politics in the face of tragic loss and suffering.
Are you still be mad this guy wasn't a Tea Party member?
Bob K.| 1.10.11 @ 1:02PM
Alan,
There were twice as many people murdered at Fort Hood. As long as you are counting, does that make a difference to you?
Alan Brooks| 1.10.11 @ 5:32PM
It appears to make a difference to Philip Klein.
Quartermaster| 1.10.11 @ 6:26PM
But it makes utterly no difference to you. You just want to tally points for the anti-american left.
LiveFreeOrDie| 1.10.11 @ 12:12PM
I'm sure there's a team of writers and political strategists trying to figure out the best way to spin this Obama's direction. They will fail. Using this tragedy for political gain should be scorned and ridiculed. These people have no conscience.
"In this case, the mounting evidence shows that alleged shooter Jared Loughner was a mentally unstable individual with no clear ideology or political motives."
Almost every bit of information points to a leftist ideology, irrelevant or not.
martin j smith| 1.10.11 @ 1:56PM
Anyone who does not believe that the WH was not involved in orchestrating the msm attacks is either a fool or a phoney, Now that we have gotten the essence of the Socialist playbook and now that we have stated how stupid these people are I think it is time to take the next step and that is to go on the offensive against the Socialist Party's attempt to shut us up --which is of course the reason for this exercize
Alan Brooks| 1.10.11 @ 5:34PM
White trash conspiracy-theorizing.
Quartermaster| 1.10.11 @ 6:27PM
Just like Krugman, Matthews, Yglesias, Kos, etc.
Kip Petzold| 1.11.11 @ 1:14PM
This Alan Brooks guy is just perfect.
Democrat strategists are BEGGING for a disaster, like this - hopefully worse by their sick logic. But noticing their sick mentality is considered "white trash conspiracy" thinking.
But when MSM whack jobs blame talk radio, that's not a whacky conspiracy, in his twisted mind.
Who's the clown who blamed it on the reading of the US Constitution.
Only a leftist gets mad enough to kill, just because someone reads the Constitution!! lol
It's a classic case of "projection"!
Thank you, Alan!
You're precious.
Oldefarte| 1.10.11 @ 2:11PM
The left is/will take political advantage of this tradegy BECAUSE THEY CONTROL THE MSM AND HOLLYWOOD. The excrement that they put forth that daily brainwashes our children [and stupid adults] from TV and movies will continuously result in the never ending stream of violence from same!!!!!!!!!!
Owen| 1.10.11 @ 2:15PM
The author needs to get more informed about the Oklahoma City bombing; it was almost certainly an Islamist operation. Read Jayna Davis' book "The Third Terrorist" and you will have little doubt. And no, it's not a crazy conspiracy book; Davis was an investigative reporter for an Oklahoma City TV station and presents a compelling case. The real question raised is why the FBI deliberately refused to consider the Islamist connection.
Alan Brooks| 1.10.11 @ 5:39PM
"And no, it's not a crazy conspiracy book"
It IS a crazy conspiracy book because we know the character portrayed by Ed Asner in 'JFK' was involved as well. Now let's see, was it Guy Bannister-- or Clay Shaw? The illuminati?
Alan Brooks| 1.10.11 @ 6:05PM
Do you think the same people who did controlled demolition at the WTC did the attack in Tuscon?
WJ| 1.10.11 @ 2:27PM
I lived in OKC in 1995. Jayna Davis is almost universally seen as bat sh*t crazy there. Aside from early rumors of mid eastern types catching a plane out of town there has been no substantiation of those charges.
If you had been bombarded with the trial coverage in 1997, you would have little doubt that McVeigh and Terry Nichols were the killers (and you would have little doubt that Jayna is bat sh*t crazy).
Alan Brooks| 1.10.11 @ 6:08PM
Soon Jack Ruby will be disinterred, to be tested for fluoride halogens.
Kip Petzold| 1.11.11 @ 1:17PM
Don't gloat too much, Alan.
Your earlier comments put you in the same league.
lol
Peter| 1.10.11 @ 4:46PM
This says it all:
"Also, liberals don't dominate the media like they did back in 1995, where there was no Fox News, conservative blogs or Twitter to push back against the "right-wing hate speech" narrative (including by pointing out things like Democrats' own use of targeting imagery)."