A recent story in the Los Angeles Times laid bare a Pentagon strategy for getting good press in Iraq: The military has been secretly paying Iraqi newspapers to run articles flattering to the U.S. military.
In this country, the Republican National Committee goes the Pentagon one better. Its strategy? Why pay for the flattering ink when you can get it free?
Indeed, the good offices of the RNC have struck on another way to manipulate information.
Its Web site offers prewritten, ready-for-publication letters to the editor on a variety of fresh topics, from the war to Social Security. And, what a shock, somehow all of the prepackaged voices of the people strongly promote the views of President Bush. A writer can either use the text verbatim or adapt it slightly.
“Check the boxes of up to five newspapers that you would like to write to, fill in the form below and send your letter in support of President Bush today!” the user-friendly site says.
Then type in a ZIP code, and a list pops up indicating publications with the largest circulation and those closest to your location. The “writer” has the option of sending a snail-mail letter or an e-mail to the appropriate destination.
Very slick. And often effective.
Democrats are equally shameless and perhaps share the same software vendor, offering an identical service to their partisans. But they are also a little more savvy in one respect.
They tell supporters: “Most newspapers will only print original letters. Use talking points and sample letters as a starting point for your own message. Letters with a personal angle are always compelling. Ask yourself how this issue affects you and your family.”
And they encourage passing along the tool of phony grass-roots sentiment to friends. “Hi, I just wrote some letters to newspapers using the simple tool on Democrats.org — you can get talking points and letter writing tips, and it makes sending to your local paper easy.” And then the note gives the Web address.
Republicans provide their own writing guidance. “Be Clear and Concise: Keep your letters brief, concise, and to the point. Newspaper editors often edit for length, so try to keep your letter to less than 250 words. State Your Point Early: Be sure to state your main point in the subject line and in the first sentence of the letter. Keep to One Topic” (advice not always followed, keep reading).
Take, for instance, the letter published in the San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Tribune on July 24 from Donna Baker of Morro Bay.
The GOP recommends the following text for a letter to the editor on “Safety & Security:”
“President Bush is committed to keeping the nation strong and secure through strengthening our military, deploying a missile defense, strengthening the NATO alliance and supporting military families and veterans. The President is committed to promoting an independent and democratic Iraq to ensure further stability in the Middle East and the world on the whole.”
Her letter, as published, in part said: “I support President Bush because he is committed to keeping the nation strong and secure through strengthening our military, deploying a missile defense, strengthening the NATO alliance and supporting military families and veterans.”
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Then there was the letter from Julius E. Driver of Chester published Nov. 20 in The Herald of Rock Hill, S.C.
He writes:
“Social Security is sound for today’s seniors and for those nearing retirement, but it needs to be fixed for younger workers–our children and grandchildren.
“The government has made promises it cannot afford to pay for with the current pay-as-you-go system. If we do not act to fix Social Security now, the only solutions will be dramatically higher taxes, massive new borrowing or sudden and severe cuts in Social Security benefits or other government programs.”
The suggested language from the Republican National Committee?
“Social Security is sound for today’s seniors and for those nearing retirement, but it needs to be fixed for younger workers–our children and grandchildren.
“The government has made promises it cannot afford to pay for with the current pay-as-you-go system. If we do not act to fix Social Security now, the only solutions will be dramatically higher taxes, massive new borrowing or sudden and severe cuts in Social Security benefits or other government programs.”
Similar letters have been published in other newspapers across the country.
But hats off to Steve Massaro of Dayton, N.J., who decided to cut and paste a laundry list of talking points to the Home News Tribune of East Brunswick, N.J., on Sept. 6. He even used the proposed headline.
“Fix the broken nomination process: President Bush believes that judges should strictly and faithfully interpret the law, rather than legislate from the bench. He has appointed judges to the federal courts who share his judicial philosophy, and his appointees have been rated the best qualified of any recent administration by the American Bar Association. No nominee to the federal courts of appeals had ever been filibustered prior to the Bush administration, but a minority of Senate Democrats has conspired to filibuster 10 of President Bush’s judicial nominees … “
“Fix Social Security now once and for all: … ” Pick up verbatim.
“Safety and security protect the homeland …
“Build a better tomorrow for our children and grandchildren … “
Good to know that original thought is barely alive and not well.
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