Doing the "Denunciation Dance"

As the 2008 political season moves on ... we hear more and more about this group or that group ... this candidate or that candidate ... calling on someone to denounce somebody else. Occasionally we get more than a call to denounce ... we get a call to return campaign contributions donated by a group or individual.

The Missourinet and other news organizations routinely receive these "calls to denounce" from the spin machines set up by the political parties or their surrogates. A recent e-mail I received from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee took offense with an ad being run by the North Carolina Republican Party. The DSCC e-mail sends a message that targets U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) with the caption: "North Carolina deserves better than gutter politics. Tell Senator Dole to stop the offensive ad or return the state party's money."

This DSCC e-mail was only the latest in a long series of "calls to denounce" from both Democratic and Republican operatives. So, I decided to Google these "calls to denounce" and chanced upon "Who Will Denounce the Denouncers?" - a piece written by Jazz Shaw for The Moderate Voice. He invites readers to Google the phrase "Will McCain denounce" and we find McCain is being called on to denounce such people as Rush Limbaugh, Floyd Brown, and Rod Parsley.

Shaw points out that Hillary Clinton is expected to denounce such individuals as Ed Rendell and Mick Jagger.

Barack Obama isn't out of the woods, either, as Shaw indicates Obama is asked to denounce Louis Farrakhan and Ed Schultz.

These "calls for denunciation" come from all over the political spectrum - left and right - and from candidates, parties, publications, and blogs.

And, if you choose to Google further you will learn that this goes beyond the targeting of politicians. We find an example of union workers calling on SEIU activists to denounce the manner in which a union election is being held.

Even the Canadians are part of the "denunciation dance." In September, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney was called on to "denounce Israeli apartheid."

With a little more than six months to go before Election Day ... we will no doubt be treated to dozens, scores, maybe even hundreds of additional calls from candidates, parties, and special interest groups wanting candidates to denounce the words or actions of others.

At what point does the "call to denounce" lose its impact? Certainly, anyone in the public arena who utters certain comments is fair game for the media, political parties, special interest groups, and so on ... But at what point does guilt by association become too much of a stretch ... even for the True Believers?

Well ... time to get back to reading my e-mail. As a reporter I must try to keep track of the latest target of those calling on politicians to put on a pair of dancing shoes and join the "denunciation dance."

- Steve Walsh