samuraipanda.com

The following statements are taken out of context, giving reader a misleading view of the intention:

1. We will not have an all-volunteer army – George Bush, October 16, 2004
2. I think all of us have a sense if we imagine the kind of world we would face if the people … shot down the plane over Pennsylvania – Donald Rumsfeld, December 24, 2004
3. Ladies and gentlemen, I am a desperate housewife. – Laura Bush, April 30, 2005

Each of these are quotes taken out of the context of their surrounding speech. They give the reader a misleading view of the speakers intention.  It’s also how I should have written up my comment at Redstate.com.

Apparently I’m blocked from commenting at Redstate anymore. Not that I couldn’t get around it, but they apparently they didn’t like my first, and only, comment post. I did go a bit link crazy, but I felt that it was important that I back up my “out-of-context” examples with more then just “I heard from a friend…”. But it’s their site and their right, so I can’t fault them.

Unfortunately the comment is getting some responses (mostly negative, some neutral, none positive , so I won’t be able to respond to any of them. Here’s a copy of my comment:

“So everything a politician says should be taken at face value regardless of the context? The statement was a continuation of the series of attacks on Bush that preceded the 13 seconds that have been played over and over again. If we wanted to get “down and dirty”, we could accuse Bush of wanting a draft (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rWYeyxEkwo), of the Iraq war being over (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1030-06.htm) of Rumsfeld inditing that Flight 93 was shot down (http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/archives/2004/12/rumsfeld_misspe.html), or George being sexually unsatisfying according to Laura (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4503609.stm). The statement was taken out of context and used to the Republicans agenda just like the Democrats do when this administration refers to “tar babies” (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132×2630040) It was a joke where the punchline got botched. Kerry apologized for the botching. Why is this still a story to you?”

In hind site, I should have done two things differently. First I should have use examples of lines taken out of context instead of links. I also should have re-written the last line to be a bit better phrased or taken out completely.

Since I can’t reply there, I’ll do it here. One of the commenters responded that I didn’t understand “out-of-context”. Actually I do, and I stand by the fact that the 13 seconds of Kerry’s speech that are being replayed over and over again are being taken out-of-context. The lead up to Kerry’s botched joke was a series of attacks on Bush, but taking that out of the story, it looks like Kerry is attacking the troops intelligence. Putting it back in lends credence to the idea that Kerry was trying (and failed) to attack Bush. It would be the equivalent of using Laura Bush’s line “I am a desperate housewife. I mean if those women on that show think they’re desperate, they ought to be with George” to indicate that George Bush is a neglectful husband. It’s taken out of context, just like Kerry’s 13 seconds. But that’s not the eye grabber, so the news stations and pundints aren’t including that as part, hence it is “out-of-context”.

Ah well, I’ll probably keep reading Redstate columns because I find it interesting to read pundents (check out the Huffington Post for some serious pundintry).

Watch this video. It’s the full lead up to John Kerry’s “Troops” joke. The pundits are making it out to be an attack on the troops in Iraq, but it’s really an continuation of an attack on Bush. The problem is that John Kerry botched the punchline. He insulted the troops, albeit unintentionally. As a result, he may have given the Republican leadership the fire they need to get their constituents out to vote. And that’s what they are doing by only showing the last 13 seconds of the above clip. .