They Get Paid For This, Part I: Atrios

I have kids. They're verging on teenagerdom.

I'm used to arguments that go like this:

ME: "I asked you to put away the groceries".

CHILD: "I forgot"

ME: "Well, it's kinda important..."

CHILD: "OH! So you're saying I'm the worst kid in the world because I accidentally forgot to put away the groceries?"

ME: "No, not the 'worst kid'...oh, knock it off..."

Atrios is one of the big lefty blogs.

And in this piece he employs a form of argument not unfamiliar to any parent.

He starts out:

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage alleged Friday that insurgents have stepped up their deadly assaults in Iraq because they want to "influence the election against President Bush," a statement that drew a sharp condemnation from the campaign of Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry.

The Republican line, of course, is that the terrs would prefer a gutless appeaser like Kerry win the election over a man who's come halfway around the world and killed so many of them and put a huge American force in their midst.

Silly idea, that.

It is apparently the first time that a Bush administration official has linked the escalating violence in Iraq to an effort by insurgents to help defeat Bush in November.No, it's not.

But here' are the parts that resonate with every parent of teenagers:

Look, can we all at least agree on one thing -- if the "I didn't do it" administration is re-coronated, that come November 3, EVERYTHING IS THEIR FUCKING FAULT...

Huh-wha?

Like the likes of Atrios were going to say anything but that?

It's related to this bit here:

Now it isn't just the terra ists, but insurgents in Iraq who are trying to influence our election by killing people. I bet they sit around watching the Sabbath Gasbags before they start shooting, the political junkies that they are.

Or this:

So, that's where we stand. All the bad people in the world have united with a common goal of electing John Kerry. Anything bad that happens, anywhere, anytime, by anybody, happens because somebody is trying to deny George Bush his throne.

Right. It'd have nothing to do with Terrorists figuring their life expectancy will be longer - and their mission easier to accomplish - if John Kerry is in charge.

Which is, y'know, the truth, and a little over half of the United States knows it.

Atrios gets paid to support his blogging.

Posted by Mitch at September 21, 2004 06:06 AM | TrackBack