Fooled Again?

I have blogged previously on how some on the far left not only refuse to acknowledge any liberal bias in the media, but assert that the press is actually a propaganda mouthpiece for neo-conservative corporate interests. Their rationale is typically that the press won't pick up on their pet issue, such as the Downing Street memo, the K Street Project, or, in the case of the latest email I have gotten, the alleged theft of the 2004 presidential election.

Some guy named Crispin Miller has authored a book entitled "Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election & Why They'll Steal the Next One Too (Unless We Stop Them)" The media is suppressing the book, so claims my friend who made me hip to this, and the only review is on the Baltimore Chronicle's website by an attorney named William Betz. From his review:

Miller hits the nail on the head in describing how Bush supporters, in this instance, and right-wing activists in general, are able to perpetuate their "dirty tricks" and how they are able to justify their activities in their own minds. The key is projection. Like lawless psychotics throughout history, the Busheviks and Republican evil-doers are able to persuade themselves that they are only doing what their opponents always do, are planning to do this time, and will or would do in the future if they, the defenders of liberty, let down their guard. They are right and their opponents are wrong. They are, they truly believe, motivated by higher values, and their opponents, conversely, are motivated by selfish interests. The Bushevik true believers "project" onto anyone who disagrees with them the same qualities and motivations that they themselves possess. Therefore, if the Busheviks are inclined to steal elections or manipulate the vote counts, or suppress the vote, or engage in any kind of election mischief, their justification is that they are only doing what their opponents do--or would do, if they could get away with it. This is the essential justification in the minds of the people who are coldbloodedly destroying this country--to save it.

Now, I know that Christopher Hitchens authored something in Vanity Fair about irregularities in Ohio, and that some hack in Florida claimed the election was stolen, but it seems to me that if there was anything to this, the Maureen Dowds and Paul Krugmans of the world would have tap danced all over it ages ago.

Much of what I've read about the alleged 2004 election theft (like from Greg Palast) centers around Ohio, and how 150,000 votes were somehow switched/disqualified to steal that state's electoral votes and hand the victory to the Republicans. Interestingly, even if this were the case, the complaining parties must really love the Electoral College all of a sudden because Bush was still over 3 million votes ahead of Kerry. I thought they believed the guy who got the most popular votes deserved to win, or is that just if he's a Democrat? I wish they'd make up their minds.

At the end of the day, I am certain there were shenanigans on both sides. I am also certain that if the media is ignoring this guy's book, it has more to do with veracity issues than the absurd notion of a right-leaning agenda.

Comments

[Dave]

"Inherit the Wind..."

There's a really bad joke somewhere in those words about estate taxes and passing gas.

Can't quite put my finger on it tho....