The race for Duke Cunningham's seat is on, and TPM notes that the National Republican Congressional Committee has launched a particuarly nasty attack ad against the Democratic nominee, Francine Busby.
Here's what the ad says:
“Busby even praised a teacher reported to have child porn, saying he was always willing to lend a hand. That’s dangerous. Liberal Francine Busby. Poor management. Poor judgment. Dangerous.”
Oh my gosh! Busby supports child-porn using teachers?
Well here's what she actually said to a reporter, right after the teacher was arrested:
“He is a teacher who put in a lot of extra time. He was always willing to lend a hand. I was shocked at the investigation.”
The whole story is here.
I am reminded of a book I finished recently, The Last of the Templars by William Watson. I picked it up in a used book store as part of our research for the VSNP -- the Templars are really just a footnote in our story, because the world doesn't need another Templars book, but I figured I'd pick it up. It's actually very good, the sort of intensely lyrical prose I enjoy.
In one passage, Nogaret, who was the Karl Rove of the 14th century, talks with Philip IV about the political use of calumny:
The fact is, that if you go at it hard to defame a man, and malign him; to say all evil of him and above all to lie -- for to take off his reputation leaves him alone before others, but to lie while you do it, that leaves his will paralysed. It bewilders him; it astonishes him; he is dumbfounded; hamstrung; then the fact is, Sire, he is then as much at your mercy as if you had put out his eyes, cut out his tongue, and taken off his hands and feet.
At the time I read this passage, I immediately thought of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
I think calumny is a word we need to re-introduce into the political lexicon, at least as long as it is used as a political weapon we should recognize it for what it is.
| Randy "Duke" Cunningham | GOP | Democrats | Politics | Calumny | History | Books to Borrow |
