The New and Improved ASZ

Digby addresses "journalistic ethics" - a topic which has quickly become an oxymoron if there ever was one:

For the record: I have no idea if the Killian documents are real or forged or whether they were manufactured in Niger or by elves in Karl Rove's office and nobody else does either at this point. When I wrote that it was a dirty trick, I did so with the ironic preface, "according to the new rules of journalism and truth" and "good enough for GOP government work" which should have been a hint that I was, at the very least, being flip. As far as I'm concerned, this story is now in the permanent realm of conspiracy mongering and I am exercising my right to set forth whatever conspiracy fits my personal political bent. That's the way it's done nowadays, boys and girls. Credibility and intellectual consistency are for losers.

How true, how true.

Once again, the GOP and it's winger hooligans show the way. And we still don't learn. Read my post below on the draft, and pay particular attention to the comments. Notice how we're trying to 'nuance' and 'support' the assertations in the letter.

This is not how it's done, folks. If you've learned nothing else in the past few years, you should understand that fear fucking sells. That's why I picked an issue, refocused the spotlight in the direction where it will have maximum impact (Hey, parents and grandparents! Dubya will SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO DIE!), and made it easy for the shortest-attention-span-least-educated person to understand. Facts? Fuck facts. Let'em spin their own wheels doing the research.

Here's a crash course, taken from the Lee Atwater Memorial Field Manual on Communications:

• Pick an issue.
  
• Figure out how the issue negatively impacts the greatest number of people.
  
• It's George Bush's fault.
  
• Do some bare bones research (five minutes should suffice) to make sure there's a shred of truth to your accusations.
  
• Write your letter.
  
• Now, get a ten year old to rewrite it. Short sentences. Strive to keep your perjoratives two syllables or less. Use My Pet Goat as a style guide.
  
• Open your email program.
  
• Send to yourself - and BCC everyone in your address book.
  
• Print the letter.
  
• Blastfax the letter to every media outlet in the country.

Folks, it's called "viral marketing". And I can't believe the crackers in the GOP are beating us at our own technological game. Get moving

All Spin Zone...Meeting GOP Standards of Truth Since September 20th, 2004.