The Politics of Fear in an Election Year

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National security used to be a Republican issue, but this year, both parties are using it--in different ways.  Democrats want to talk about the war in Iraq.  Republicans have escalated their rhetoric from "terrorism" to what they call "Islamo-fascism."  We talk with some of the pollsters and strategists who advise candidates about the language they use to mobilize voters.  How does a single word or phrase reduce a complex set of facts to a simple fable?  Is this year's election all about fear?

Credits

Guests:

  • Frank Luntz - Luntz Research Companies - @FrankLuntz
  • Jeremy Rosner - Democratic pollster and strategist
  • Geoffrey Nunberg - Senior Researcher at Stanford University's Center for the Study of Language and Information
  • Gary LaFree - Director of the University of Maryland's National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism

Host:

Warren Olney