# For the love of GOD! Hire a Minister of Propaganda! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 13, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896 "2004-05-13T02:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/1 "2004-05-13T02:52:58Z")
Look, George, I can’t stand you. For a lot of reasons: -I’ve lived in Texas–hated it. You are from Texas, recently, and so already my opinion of you is low. -You are a conservative who would impose his (public) version of morality on me. Bite me. -Your politics and duplicity have divided this nation. \*Slurp my butt. -I don’t blame you for the economy. Shit happens. -When we are at war, you decide to alienate “the immoral” citizens of your own country, further dividing us. For that I should punch out you teeth and feed you my dick. But don’t worry, I promise not to… :eek: But worst of all, for all of your plotting, crony-feeding, war-mongering, sabre-rattling, murdering, sneaking and lying, you have failed us as a leader by not providing us with a Minister of Propaganda to help us understand, in some context however erroneous, what the fuck it is that you are up to! Are we supposed to hate a nationless band of brutal outlaws? OK, I can get behind that. Are we supposed to hate Iraqis? OK, but gimme a reason because we are, after all, going to see some brutal behavior from our own overworked militia–I wanna be able to justify it. A minister of Propaganda would be of SO MUCH USE just now because, you see, some of us thought we were bombing Afghanistan to find OBL–and then there would be peace on Earth. Some of us then thought we were bombing Iraq because…uh…oh yeah, they were helping OBL & crew and/or posed a threat to us with a transatlantic drone laden with Chemical Nastiness. Then we thought our kids were doing bad things to Their kids in a dungeon in Baghdad. And now another kid just had he noggin removed…and some of us think it is related somehow to the prison thing, only it’s been done by…uh…see! I am hopelessly lost! How can I possibly hope to make a clear decision in November if I don’t understand what’s happening? I mean, if things are all this complicated I might not be able, in good conscience, to vote you out of office because, well, jeez! how would your replacement and his cabinet be able to pick up this conflict with any kind of efficiency! If only you had a Minister of Propaganda! Then we’d know the story and we could make a decision. As it is, I may just not vote. I’m so confused. And one more thing: is couscous pasta or what? \*stolen from _Hudson Hawk_ ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/2 "2004-05-13T03:37:52Z")
Brit Hume. Rush Limbaugh. Consult your local listings. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/3 "2004-05-13T03:39:32Z")
Let us not forget Karl Rove. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/4 "2004-05-13T03:43:14Z")
I thought the whole cabinet thought were. Am I wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/5 "2004-05-13T04:07:50Z")
Carl Rove is the _shadow_ Minister of Propaganda. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/6 "2004-05-13T04:41:12Z")
The first rule of Karl Rove is there is no Karl Rove! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/7 "2004-05-13T14:06:07Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > I thought the whole cabinet thought were. > > Am I wrong? Yes. No. Maybe. What? ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/8 "2004-05-13T14:17:00Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Yes. No. Maybe. [I don’t know. Can you repeat the question?](http://www.lyricsdepot.com/they-might-be-giants/boss-of-me.html) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/9 "2004-05-13T14:35:16Z")
Y’know, good idea… and IIRC Mohammed “Baghdad Bob” Al-Sajaf is freelancing these days… ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/10 "2004-05-13T15:33:10Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > -I’ve lived in Texas–hated it. You are from Texas, recently, and so already my opinion of you is low. Hey now. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/11 "2004-05-13T17:27:56Z")
> [@](#): > > -You are a conservative who would impose his (public) version of morality on me. Bite me. George W. Bush, if that’s the person of whom you speak, is no conservative. He’s a Republican, but that doesn’t make him a conservative; the Republican Party has all but abandoned conservative principles. He may call himself a conservative, but he ain’t; that would be just another one of his lies and deceptions. Also, it might be prudent to refrain from making physical threats, no matter how facetiously intended, against the president (or for that matter, _anyone_ in a public venue. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/12 "2004-05-13T17:36:10Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Also, it might be prudent to refrain from making physical > threats, no matter how facetiously intended… Yes. That was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/13 "2004-05-13T18:11:51Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > George W. Bush, if that’s the person of whom you speak, is no conservative. He’s a Republican, but that doesn’t make him a conservative; the Republican Party has all but abandoned conservative principles. He may call himself a conservative, but he ain’t; that would be just another one of his lies and deceptions. > > Also, it might be prudent to refrain from making physical threats, no matter how facetiously intended, against the president (or for that matter, _anyone_ in a public venue. “Bite me” is a threat? It sounds more like an invitation. “Or I’ll bite you!” Now that’s a threat. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/14 "2004-05-13T18:29:37Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > “Bite me” is a threat? It sounds more like an invitation. > > “Or I’ll bite you!” Now that’s a threat. **Uncle** was referring to the proposed dental work comment. I honestly don’t know what possessed me… ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/15 "2004-05-13T19:22:17Z")
There’s nothing wrong with being “divisive”. The divisions were already there. Remember Clinton? What 'bout Reagan? And Lincoln? ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@Engineer\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Dude)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/16 "2004-05-14T12:49:23Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Your politics and duplicity have divided this nation. \*Slurp my butt. > [@athelas](#): > > There’s nothing wrong with being “divisive”. The divisions were already there. Remember Clinton? What 'bout Reagan? And Lincoln? Exactly. It’s called “having a two party system” in America. And it divides America into two, every day, throughout history, regardless of who is in office. So it’s come to the point where even that is Bush’s fault now? :mad: I’m sorry to say that blaming Bush for America being divided politically is just not gonna stick with anyone who looks at things objectively. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/17 "2004-05-14T13:37:31Z")
> [@Engineer Dude](#): > > Exactly. It’s called “having a two party system” in America. And it divides America into two, every day, throughout history, regardless of who is in office. > > So it’s come to the point where even that is Bush’s fault now? :mad: I’m sorry to say that blaming Bush for America being divided politically is just not gonna stick with anyone who looks at things objectively. I think the point is that he explicitly ran with the motto that he was a “uniter, not a divider”. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/18 "2004-05-14T15:25:29Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > I think the point is that he explicitly ran with the motto that he was a “uniter, not a divider”. erm yeah! That was my point _exactly_! C’mon, I can dig a country made of individuals who may or may not agree on everything. But I can’t recall a time when there was so little gray area opinion on anything in which a compromise could be sought. And a leader whose foreign policy amounts to, “You’re either with us or you’re against us” seems to me to be the root of that problem. That. And the little weasel says “nukular.” ---
**Author:** ![Yamirskoonir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c0e974/32.png) [@Yamirskoonir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yamirskoonir)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/19 "2004-05-14T16:12:16Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > And the little weasel says “nukular.” Like, _tubular_! ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896/20 "2004-05-14T16:55:17Z")
Inre the OP: Plus, a Minister of Propaganda would surely be able to spin the living hell outta Berg’s father blaming the Bush administration for his son’s death. Thereby allowing columnists to continue to use the Berg murder as a goad to the US populace, and try to draw attention away from Abu Ghraib. Plus, the whole “Minister of. . .” title is really bitchin’. Many’s the time I’ve wanted to be Minister of Footwear. Or Minister of Bicycling. Hell, the very thought of **me** being described as “Minister” of anything is pretty amusing. Waste [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-hire-a-minister-of-propaganda/244896.md?page=2)