pudge's Journal: Meet MoveOn

Hi, we're MoveOn, and we have the wit of a third-grader.

I don't understand.

[Rysc]

Are you referring to the bad attempt at a pun in the subject line?

Re:

[pudge]

No. Nothing to understand. Just saying, this is how MoveOn is introducing itself to many people: as immature morons.

3rd graders.

[Talinom]

If you have to make people think to get your point across you have already lost them.

Re:

[pudge]

But if along the way you make them think you're an idiot, then you've not only lost them, but you'll never get them back.

Re:

[Talinom]

But if along the way you make them think you're an idiot, then you've not only lost them, but you'll never get them back.

You'll have absolutely no argument from me on that. I completely agree. My question has to do with where the stupidity bar is set. Some people set it remarkably low. Others, like you and myself, expect a certain amount of brain power from people.

I think that by politicians and political activists setting the bar lower and lower the expectations of the masses drop to keep up.

I don

Re:

[pudge]

Maybe it becomes normal to other nutters. But you show this stuff to normal people -- people who don't spend their lives online nearly as much as you and I do -- and they are shocked.

I think it will be a lot harder for MoveOn to attract the following of mainstream public figures and so on after this.

Despite all the national criticism

[NeMon'ess]

The national publicity generated would not have materialized without "betray us."

I think the ad has successfully planted the seed of "betrayal" into enough swing voters' minds to have been worth it. Betrayal has powerful negative connotations. I'd guess having it consciously or unconsciously associated with Petreaus and Bush has furthered moveon.org's goals more than it has hurt them.

Re:

[pudge]

The national publicity generated would not have materialized without "betray us."

Sure, but at what cost?

I think the ad has successfully planted the seed of "betrayal" into enough swing voters' minds to have been worth it. Betrayal has powerful negative connotations.

No chance. Americans will, except for the fringe left, categorically reject the notion that he has done anything remotely similar to "betrayal." And MoveOn will be more marginalized than it has ever been in nearly a decade of existnce.