Politics as Usual: 3 am Phone Call

If you've paid attention to politics for longer than this political season, you doubtless remember the brouhaha John Kerry got into for saying he voted for the Iraq War resolution before he voted against it. On its surface it sounds stupid and flip-floppy. And we heard that clip (thanks largely to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and FOX "News") over and over again--out of context.

"Out of context" is an excuse often used by politicians when they're trying to back away from a gaffe. But in Kerry's case, he was only trying to duck an artless statement, not a wrong one. He voted for an early version of the resolution; then circumstances changed; then he voted against the next version. Perfectly rational and understandable, but the sound clip won the battle decisively, and Kerry never lived it down. Because he was wimpy, and we're stupid, apparently.

But look at this, in this election of "change." Susan Rice, a spokeswoman for Barack Obama claims on (little watched) Tucker Carlson's show that neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama are ready for that "3 am phone call." Did she say that? Yes she did. Was it sloppy? Yep. But is it an opening for John McCain to steal the ball, and run down the field with it? Not in context.



The first video shows how it is being presented as a story, and probably how John McCain will use it this fall. The second shows a longer clip, providing context. Stay through to the end. You'll see what I mean.