The slick switcheroo ads from "Freedom's Watch" (the GOP random patriotic word generator could use a tune-up) noted by The Angry Rakkasan are rife with Iraq/9-11 conflation.
From Veteran:
"They attacked us. And they will again. They won't stop in Iraq."
From Jesse:
"If we surrender now, it's giving the message to terrorists that they can do what they want and get away with it."
"We've already had one 9/11, we don't need another."
From Travis:
"I lost two family members to Al Qaeda. My uncle, a fireman on 9/11, and my husband Travis in Iraq."
"Switching [Congress's] votes now, for political reasons? It will mean more attacks in America."
But is that the extent of their intentional manipulation of public opinion and its expression?
Of course not! Ari Fleischer is on the job, so you know you have to check the underside of your shoes.
All the ads encourage viewers to "Call your Congressman and Senator" and provide a phone number: 1-877-222-8001.
Only that number? It ain't Congress. IraqCampaign.org reports via e-mail that it gets you:
[A]n operator who gives you the White House talking points and asks you to take a survey about the war on terror BEFORE they will connect you with Congress.
Go ahead. Give it a whirl.
Ari Fleischer brings Bush "town hall" screening tactics - come in tell us what you think. First, you need to take a test to see if we agree.
They won't even risk giving people the truth about Congress's phone number. Which, by the way, is (202) 224-3121 for the Senate, and (202) 225-3121 for the House.