Harsanyi: Masters of distraction - The Denver Post

Harsanyi: Masters of distraction - The Denver Post

The mob is furious. And while it hollers on about "killing" bills, Republicans stoke the fury by calling on citizens to "target" races in "battleground" states.

Get it? "Target." The violent intentions are palpable.

Most Americans abhor violence and no serious person has offered excuses or rationalized the actions of the smattering of loons who have threatened politicians who voted for health care reform.

But this campaign of distraction mounted by Democrats meaning to smear millions of Americans involved in legitimate political expression is as transparent as it is distasteful.

The narrative: Fearful underdog Democrats (true if you ignore their notable majorities in both houses of Congress and control of the presidency) are fending off hordes of ferocious, irrational detractors to do what's right.

Democrats insist Republicans must condemn — over and over — this imaginary rise of widespread radicalism. In doing so, they are implicitly accusing Republicans of controlling the aforementioned radicals.

Other Democrats, like Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, went as far as to claim that Republicans were "aiding and abetting terrorism" against Democrats.

Harsanyi is giving Democrats too much credit. He references the "incident" last Saturday at which Tea Party protesters supposedly called black congressional members "niggers" and spit on them. News organizations, including CNN were there and no reporter heard or saw this. Their cameras and microphones did not record it. And yet rather than trust the evidence of their own senses and the evidence recorded on their own equipment, they chose to believe Democrats. No wonder Democrats are so certain they can get away with this strategy.

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/harsanyi/ci_14759474#ixzz0jIaniKMT