McCain, Palin invoke live footage of 9/11 planes crashing in RNC video

The Boston Globe has reported that decency and good taste have been abandoned by John McCain, Sarah Palin and the Republican Party after they aired footage of a plane crashing into one of the towers on September 11th, 2001 in one of the videos shown at the Republican National Convention this evening.

From the Boston Globe:

One of the most enduring taboos in American politics, the airing of graphic images from the September 11 attacks in a partisan context, died today. It was nearly seven years old.

The informal prohibition, which had been occasionally threatened by political ads in recent years, was pronounced dead at approximately 7:40 CST, when a video aired before delegates at the Republican National Convention included slow-motion footage of a plane striking the World Trade Center, the towers' subsequent collapse, and smoke emerging from the Pentagon.

The September 11 precedent was one of the few surviving campaign-season taboos. It is survived by direct comparisons of one's opponents to Hitler.

The images that have been used in the past in campaign ads and videos have not been so blatently disrespectful to the families involved, and all Americans for that matter. The actual events have never been shown. Glimpses of the twin towers or planes have been used, yes. But the events of that day as they actually happened? Absolutely not. Those are off limits for political gain. Shame on McCain, Palin and the Republican Party.

Comments

[eggzakt]

Those who cannot perceive the difference between tributes and propaganda are doomed to fall for it again and again and believe whatever they're told. It really isn't completely their fault. They're just not as sophisticated as others. This usually coincides with a blind allegiance to political brand under which they stand.

Many news agencies are calling foul on this one. They are the media. They understand and easily identify propaganda. After all, they create most of it.

The RNC video was created to solicit an emotional reaction for partisan political gain. That would be called propaganda.

I also find it irresponsible for certain factions of America to pretend the attacks were unprovoked and were somehow no fault of America's decisions and policies. I am a patriot, but I also consider myself to be responsible and in possession of perspective. The events being "tributed" here were a decades long build up of cultural collision, motivated by what else, money. It really isn't difficult to understand, which makes it all the more insulting when these factions blame it on them attacking freedom. They aren't so much attacking freedom as they are desperately trying to defend their culture much like an island in an ocean of decaying morals and decadence. They are wrong, but we need to understand their motivations. Know thy enemy.

WrenisPinkle has a good point above. The hypocrisy of banning the "free" media from showing the real cost of this farcical war brings the propaganda efforts into center stage.

Let's all be careful with whom we align our allegiances.

[Ryan T]

No one is suggesting that we forget about that tragic event. Rather we are saying it is an all-time low to air that. Every American was hurt by that tragic day, and to use footage of it to attract more votes is purely shameful.

[Keith]

"A name" was just pointing out the fact that the writer of this article is a moron who just reposted an inaccurate news story. If you are going to comment on a news article, then do your research first.

A name just revealed that this fool didn't know the video was a 9/11 tribute--mabye if he actually watched the RNC. Maybe the Giants game was more important.

I saw the first tower fall in person, had friends die, saw a man die of a heart attack in the street--not having a tribute to these people would be a disservice. "inmemory"--If the reason behind this is for votes, then it gives somewhat of a purpose to all those who lost their lives--helping elect the only man in this race who will do what he can to prevent another attack like it.

[TCSTIX]

I can see why people don't want to remember 911... there is no possible way that a candidate named Barack Hussein Obama who has ties to shady characters involved with terrorism would even have a chance to have won even one primary election right after 911.

I think it's good to be reminded of what happened since it seems SO many have forgotten so quickly. It's sad. I haven't forgotten. There's a reason why we haven't been attacked since and at that time, it would have been hard to believe that we'd go 7 years without another attack.

This election's important. Forget the hype, forget the pageantry and put the right person in as Commander in Chief.

Did you know that President Andrew Jackson (the dude on the $20 bill) was known as "Old Hickory" because he used to carry a cane and pick fights with random people? He was one tough President in a time when the country needed someone with some stones. We're at that same time now. I encourage anyone to read about him - he wasn't perfect by any means (he didn't treat Indians well) but nobody messed with him.

It seems like the crowd that overlooks Obama's lack of experience also doesn't want to remember 911, which makes sense.

-TCSTIX

[the emperor]

Psh, 9/11 is so overplayed. How about a REAL tragedy like the bombing of Pearl Harbor... or maybe graphic imagery an infirmary unit on the frontlines of the Iraqi war and all the soldiers who are suffering due to our revenge upon Iraq for Afghanistan's terrorists.

I bet McCain wishes he had video footage of his POW years. Or at least of his colonoscopy. He needs to invoke empathy in me SOMEHOW... besides the pity I feel for his old-aged ignorance. I wonder if he's ever logged into the "interweb" aka "series of tubes"?

[sleestakslayer]

As painful as it is for those directly affected to view the 911 footage, I think it was wrong for the media to enact the self-imposed censorship of visual media of the event.
I think we need to see those images on a regular basis to keep the hate and anger burning in our hearts.
We should have mobilized at home to create an energy independent system. Seven years have passed and we are nowhere and people have forgotten.

[Mike]

You're right, let's just go along pretending like we don't have any enemies. We can just walk around spouting slogans all day! It will be fun!

[Anonymous]

1. Images are nothing more than a record of the past. To say it is inappropriate to use these images is the same as saying it's inappropriate to remember, recognize, or even speak of the attacks. That's really what liberals who fear the imagery of 9/11 are saying. That would be as ridiculous as it would be deadly. I will never forget!

2. Images of any situation can be taken out of context or used in a distasteful way. Liberals have created a supposed unwritten rule that says politicians, among others, cannot utilize these images to remind people of the threat we still face as well as what happens when we don't face such threats. I will never forget!

3. Images of 9/11 that stir our emotions shouldn't be hidden away, they should be displayed prominently as a constant reminder of what will happen again if we do not remain vigilant and if we do not take the war on terror seriously. Those that want to forget these images and the emotions that go with them are doomed to repeat the mistakes of 9/10. I will never forget!

4. Young adults that don't remember 9/11 need to be exposed to the hatred, determination, and deadliness of our enemies. They need to realize the nature of the threat we are dealing with and what can happen when these threats aren't dealt with seriously. They need to witness everything about 9/11 like everyone else. They will never forget!

5. The liberals and the liberal media are certainly not the authority on what is tasteful and what is not. If the images of 9/11 were used in some comical, lighthearted, or some other clearly dishonorable fashion, that would be very distasteful and Republicans would be the first to denounce it. Short of things like that, if the intentions are good and genuine, there is nothing distasteful about remembering and recognizing what was done to our country that day. I will never forget!

6. There are at least two primary reasons liberals hate the use of 9/11 imagery by Republicans:
A. They don't trust the intentions and believe it is for pure political gain.
B. Even if the intentions were genuine they know it is an effective argument against the failed and weak policies and mentalities they and they're liberal politicians support.

7. In all their false-nobility, the liberal media hides behind all of these excuses to ignore what happened on 9/11, ignore where we were that day and how that made us feel, ignore the hate, ambition, and boldness of our terrorist enemies, ignore the life lost, ignore the loved ones gone forever, ignore the sacrifices made, ignore the countless acts of courage and heroism displayed, ignore the emotion and the sorrow felt, ignore the beauty of our country coming together in a time of need, ignore the bloody lessons learned that day. The Liberal media wants to guilt us all into forgetting all of that, but the images, memories, and emotions are seared in my memory forever and I will never be offended by seeing them! I will never forget!

[Michael Corona]

The whole purpose of this video (and of the attack altogether) is to instill fear in the minds of our society, so that we will back a particular political agenda (in this case, a military occupation in the middle east). FEAR TACTICS! It's a military strategy that has been used numerous times throughout our modern world's history. Look it up, and don't buy into it.

[Trevor]

This is the same BS fear mongering propaganda that got Bush elected a second time. Scared people will do anything they are told. Its the same reason they had those terrorist alert levels. How the hell can you qualify any given day as being more or less dangerous than the next? Terrorist Threat level yellow? Give me a damn break. Fox News and the Bush Administration (and the McCain campaign) will scare you to death to give them power and then they will take away your rights. You only need to look at the last 8 years of failed Bush policies to see what the future will be like if McCain is elected.

Do the right thing this time, America. The world is watching.

[Ross]

Ah Scare Tatics.

[Anthony Lee Rogers]

If you haven't yet taken the time, it will be worth your while.

goto youtube and search for:

911 conspiracy
or
911 explosion
or
911 building 7

I firmly believe the world trade towers were brought down with explosives, and the airplane hit was a distraction. Don't ask me who I think did it, and don't be so quick to make a conclusion like that, but please view the evidence and join the groups of other truth activists.

you won't see this on CNN.

[warren]

This shameless piece of propaganda was not a tribute to the victims of the attack on 9/11.

It was a tribute to McCain and the Republicans that uses the tragedy of 9/11 to get votes and to gin up an attack on Iran.

Another thing is that this event occurred during Bush's watch so the Republicans should take some responsibility for failing to be aware of the threat and preventing the attack in the first place

[Anonymous]

Republicans that use images of 9/11 to remind people of the attacks we endured and the threats we face are not spreading fear. Of all people, Republicans certainly aren't scared of those images or the terrorists that perpetrated the attacks. On 9/11 I saw a country stand up to our enemies, no cower in fear. The only people that 9/11 images strike fear in are liberals because their policies, their ideology, and their way of dealing with our enemies allow such attacks to happen.

[warren]

anonymous wrote: "The only people that 9/11 images strike fear in are liberals because their policies, their ideology, and their way of dealing with our enemies allow such attacks to happen."

So why did it happen on Bush's watch?

[God_od]

Has everyone forgotten that 9/11 happened during the Republican administration?

[dgirl]

Making and airing a "tribute" for 9/11 is not a taboo. Using it for poilitical gain however, is despicable.

[Catten]

What if the dems had used images of returning coffins
"in tribute" to the sons and daughters lost in Iraq?

Really, that wouldn´t be any different right?

[Brian Roberts]

I'm hearing the right-leaning commenters point out that the 9/11 video is fair game. that somehow the images of 9/11 are perfectly fine as a tribute.

What strikes me as hypocritical is that they are the first ones to complain if someone wanted to pay tribute to their fallen son or daughter from the Iraq conflict with pictures of their coffins coming home or their bullet-ridden bodies. Somehow THOSE pictures are offensive, but 9/11 is patriotic.

[Brian Roberts]

TCSTIX? Go ahead and name me any of the "shady characters" that Barrack Obama has "deaings with" and I'll show you VIDEO of Bush and Bush's appointees dealing with the leaders of the countries that gave support to the terrorists that attacked us on 9/11.

I've got the proof to back up my claims that Bush and his administration are dealing with the devil.

What you got? Fear tactics and lies.

How's that workin' for ya?

[Anonymous]

"So why did it happen on Bush's watch?"

There's no denying it happened on Bush's watch and that the view of terrorism changed for politicians of both parties after 9/11.

At the same time, Bush had only been in office for about 9 months while Clinton had been in office for 8 years during which time we endured several al-Qaeda terrorist attacks that went virtually unanswered. Clinton had several opportunities to pursue and attack al-Qaeda and Bin Laden, but only did once, at a time that seemed very convenient for him.

Further, liberals seem to have forgotten 9/11, and any mention of it by Republicans is now considered "fear mongering." Many liberals have re-adopted the 9/10 mentality that the war on terror is a "bumper-sticker" slogan and a law enforcement issue. At best, liberal politicians only pay it lip service at this point.

[Anonymous]

"What strikes me as hypocritical is that they are the first ones to complain if someone wanted to pay tribute to their fallen son or daughter from the Iraq conflict with pictures of their coffins coming home or their bullet-ridden bodies. Somehow THOSE pictures are offensive, but 9/11 is patriotic."

One difference is that the Republicans aren't showing the dead bodies of 9/11 victims or the caskets they were buried in, they are simply showing the attack itself. More importantly, though, the Iraq war was justified and necessary and showing the caskets of dead soldiers while at the same time claiming the war was based on lies and that the soldiers basically died for nothing is completely false and disgusting. How's that work for you?

[Tired of Hate]

If you ever studied Psychology, you would know that the #1 way to change a thought pattern is to do it after a particularly strong shock. The mind shuts down and is very susceptible to outside influence. That is exactly what happened to us after 9/11 -and enabled the Republicans to inject this idea of "war on terror" = patriotism = loss of liberty by the government is good.

Only now are we waking up - but those programmed instructions for some people are still sitting strong. And for those in the audience who may have started to rethink things, reinforce/re-establish the shock.

We will never win the war on terror, just like we will never win the war on drugs. These "wars" are just excuses to spend resources to make the few of society rich, instead of using them to the benefit of all.

[Anonymous]

"If you ever studied Psychology, you would know that the #1 way to change a thought pattern is to do it after a particularly strong shock. The mind shuts down and is very susceptible to outside influence."

Using your "psychology," we'd never be able to defend ourselves from any attack because we are just in "shock," and we aren't really thinking clearly because "our mind shutdown." How's this for some dime-store psychology: the only people's mind that shutdown are those that want to ignore 9/11 and the lessons learned. "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

"These "wars" are just excuses to spend resources to make the few of society rich, instead of using them to the benefit of all."

Tell that to the victims that died on 9/11. People of all walks died that day, and I don't think al-Qaeda was checking yearly incomes before they began their attacks.

[Tired of Hate]

You need to separate the tragedy of 911 from the opportunistic power/resource grab that occurred subsequently. While you and America was mourning the loss of loved ones, the Neocons stepped in and exploited that loss to their benefit, and wrapped their effort in the American flag to hide its real agenda.