Congressional candidates spread fear of terrorist attacks in bid to gain voters’ support

October 30, 2014 5:00AM ET

by Joshua Eaton (/profiles/e/joshua-eaton.html)

In one frame of the video, a masked fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)brandishes a knife, with a beheaded American journalist just beyond view. In another, theMosque of the Prophet Jonah disappears into a cloud of dust. A crowd of masked gunmenhold Kalashnikovs aloft. Dramatic music plays in the background.

But this isn’t a recruitment video for ISIL. It’s a campaign ad for Allen Weh(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTG3NacV9co), who is running against Sen. TomUdall, D-N.M., in the Nov. 4 midterm elections.

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Republican ISIL fearmongering amplifiesextremists’ message, experts say

Since Aug. 28, when President Barack Obama told reporters, “We don't have a strategy yet”(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NatamqLN2WI) for Syria, ISIL has been a major topicin congressional races across the country. The extremist group controlling a large chunk ofIraq and Syria features in at least 17 campaign ads in 13 races, from New Hampshire toArizona and Alaska. Most have been aired by Republican hopefuls facing Democraticincumbents.

“National security has emerged as one of the top issues in this election, and as with otherissues, Americans are not confident in the competence of the Obama administration tokeep them and their families safe,” Daniel Scarpinato, a spokesman for the NationalRepublican Congressional Committee, said.

Poll numbers bear out that assessment, at least in part. In a Pew Research Center pollconducted in September, 75 percent of registered voters surveyed said that "terrorism"was “very important” for their vote (http://www.people-press.org/files/2014/09/09-12-14-Midterms-Release1.pdf) in the congressional elections. Also last month, a CBS News/NewYork Times poll found that 57 percent of Americans surveyed thought Obama has been toosoft on ISIL (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-obama-tough-enough-in-dealing-with-isis/).

Those numbers shot up quickly this fall as footage of ISIL fighters bheading Westernjournalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff began circulating online. According to AlecTyson, a senior researcher at Pew, ISIL has driven a shift in Americans’ views on howdirectly engaged the U.S. should be in world affairs.

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Above, a campaign ad featuring ISIL video footage, released by the campaign of Allen Weh,U.S. Senate candidate from New Mexico. 

“Relatively high percentages [previously] thought the U.S. was too involved in the world,but ISIL has changed that,” said Tyson. “ISIL is changing the public’s view of how involvedthe U.S. needs to be in the world.”

Now some Republicans are going out of their way to tie their Democratic opponents toObama, who many voters feel has mishandled the situation in Iraq and Syria. That hassome comparing this election with the 2006 midterms, when George W. Bush’s unpopularforeign policy contributed to a Democratic wave that unseated Republican majorities inboth the House and the Senate.

“People are very concerned about their security,” irrespective of party affiliation, saidScarpinato. However, polls show that Democratic and independent voters may not shareRepublicans’ level of concern about ISIL.

One Pew poll found that terrorism was “very important” (http://www.people-press.org/files/2014/09/09-12-14-Midterms-Release1.pdf) to 87 percent of Republicanvoters surveyed, compared with 67 percent of Democratic voters. In another, 82 percent ofRepublicans said they were “very concerned” about (http://www.people-press.org/files/2014/09/9-10-14-Islamic-Extremism-release.pdf) "Islamicextremism" around the world, compared with 60 percent of independents and 51 percentof Democrats. However, rallying their base may be enough for Republicans in theseelections, when many Democrats and independents appear likely to stay home.

“To the extent that it is activating one party’s base more during a midterm that’s aboutturnout, I think Republicans are more focused on this,” Tyson explained.

Many campaign ads focus on the menace ISIL poses to the United States. “America is undera new threat of terrorism,” says one National Republican Congressional Committee ad(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCHCa6KFOoU), aimed at Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Minn.Another ad, from Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who is contesting Sen. Mark Pryor’s seat, warns

that “in the Middle East, radical terrorists are on the march, destabilizing our allies,beheading Americans and crucifying Christians (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuJKO_fa5V8).”

Until recently, many analysts warned that fears about the group attacking the U.S. weremisplaced. At the time, it seemed that ISIL’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was focused onbuilding a caliphate across Iraq and Syria rather than attacking Western countries(http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/9/18/isil-threat-explained.html).

“He wants to redraw the map,” said Imran Khan, Al Jazeera’s Iraq correspondent, who hasreported extensively on ISIL.

But on Sept. 22 in a new ISIL video, the group’s spokesman, Abu Mohammed Ali al-Adnani,calls on its supporters to attack soldiers and civilians in the U.S.(http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/middle-east/isils-war-just-went-global) “This is themoment when a declaration of war was made against the U.S. and its allies,” Khan said.

“ISIL gets their message out, and they want to be talked about. They want to be turned intoa group that strikes fear into the hearts of the American people,” he explained. “Andinadvertently, that’s exactly what the Republicans are doing.”

Wendy Rogers, who’s running for a House seat against Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., hadto cut footage showing Foley and his executioner(http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2014/10/07/wendy-rogers-ad-beheading-fear-pulled-down/16872745/) from a campaign ad after it sparked controversy.But several other ads that show the ISIL fighter who beheaded Foley without showing Foley

‘Relatively high percentages thought the U.S. was tooinvolved in the world, but ISIL has changed that. ISIL is

changing the public’s view of how involved the U.S. needsto be in the world.’

— Alec TysonPew Research Center

“”

himself have not drawn wide criticism. Almost all the ads that mention ISIL use footage offighters showing off captured U.S. weapons, detaining Iraqi security forces or brandishingthe group's flag.

Last week’s other headlines certainly didn’t ease fears about extremism. Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, reportedly a convert to Islam(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/10/muslim-canadians-decry-attacks-amid-backlash-2014102692556982844.html), is suspected of opening fire in the CanadianParliament building (http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/10/22/canada-parliamentshooting.html) after killing a soldier at the National War Memorial. That camejust two days after another man with suspected extremist sympathies ran his car into twoCanadian soldiers in Quebec, killing one.

Both incidents are likely to fan fears of such attacks in the U.S. But as American politicalcampaigns turn fears of ISIL into poll number boosters and attack ads, the group’s ownpublic relations wing is working to shape its image among the American public.

“They know exactly what they're doing,” said Amanda Rogers, a scholar of Middle Easternmedia at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. “They're absolutely brilliant at it.”

ISIL has distinguished itself with media savvy, high production value propaganda andclever use of social networks. It has Twitter accounts, a digital magazine and high-qualityrecruiting videos that feature native English speakers.

According to Rogers, ISIL carefully designs its videos and publications to spread fear andgain recruits. When political campaigns turn those images into ads, Rogers said, they’reamplifying ISIL’s message.

“There is no difference between the political and entertainment, and that is the biggestforce multiplier of all time for ISIL,” she said.

“A selfish politician will take the opportunity to scare you so you get behind him, on allsides,” said Rogers. “[ISIL is] really well aware of how the Western media operates.”

Above, a campaign ad from Tom Cotton, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Arkansas,showing ISIL clips.

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17 Comments

Dan Odell 84 days ago

  0

Elvis Finlayson 108 days ago

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creepy politicians sucking up to skinheads...pat hetic()

What pains me it that the kind of statements used in these advertisements and sloganeering is so...

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  +1

John Wolfram 135 days ago

  +2

Adolf Gentiler 138 days ago

  0

vaishnav111eric 141 days ago

targeted and manipulative. I mean, I know that every political party in the world does this sort of stuff,but when I hear that

“in the Middle East, radical terrorists are on the march, destabilizing our allies, beheading Americansand crucifying Christians.”

I think, well, yeah, SOME of them are Christians, but the rest are Alawaite, Shiite, normal, decent anti-ISSunnis, yaziddi... heck, there a probably a ton of atheists who are too afraid of making waves), in fact,the vast majority of the people killed in Syria and Iraq are probably NOT Christian at all. Can't we justagree that "people" are being crucified? Does it really matter who it is, so long as they're innocent ofanything beyond a perceived apostasy by a bunch of genocidal lunatics?

It's deceitful, because statements such as Rep. Tom Cotton imply that "OUR" kind of people (you know,"Jesus loving, god-fearing decent folk") are the only victims warranting our attention and sympathies.That kind of attitude hardly befits people who claim to hold Jesus Christ in their hearts.()

The 2 primary contributors to the destabilization and radicalism of the Middle East in my opinion basedon the facts presented by Al Jazeera and other balanced sources: #1 U.S. support of Israel, a countrywho's contempt for everything Arab, lying and cheating its way through international attempts to solvethe Palestinian problem. #2 The invasion of Iraq by George W. and his cronies, and the incompetenthandling of the aftermath, creating total political chaos there. With Saddam, if you followed the rulesand kept your mouth shut, you and your family could live in peace (mostly).()

Amazing that a rag tag bunch of desperados can stand up to the best armies in the World()

It is hard to know how much the US reaction to the Islamic State was orchestrated by the corporatemedia. Obama was largely torn between the popular resistance to more war in the Islamic part of the

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  +1

Robert Maiorana 142 days ago

world and where the media was taking public reaction. In this regard, it is hard to remember a war ofthe last decades that the media has not liked. NBC is even owned by General Electric, a major militarycontractor. When the American beheadings were put on youtube, the media went for it like sharks. Thekey question is how close the media is involved with the masters of war in the US military industrialcomplex, the people who profit massively from actions like the current one. The way it played out,Obama was more or less forced to start bombing. The media played up the barbarous actions of theIslamic State so as to make not doing something a crime against humanity and all decency. We shouldnot forget that beheadings are a regular occurrence in Saudi Arabia, and that other things done by theIslamic State happen in African Republics all the time. These equally horrible events rarely meritreporting in the US media.

The difference with the Islamic State is that they immediately connect with the already established USOrwellian enemy of Al Qaeda, something the media knows will set off an immediate alarm in the mindsof virtually all low-information voters and that can be easily manipulated. Also, the Islamic State is avery real threat to Israel and the area's oil resources, which were central to the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Generally the media is more favorable to Republicans, who are always the handmaidens to the militaryindustrial complex, regardless of the morality of the conflict. We should also keep in mind that themedia consistently fails to tell the public the real facts of how, far and away, the largest drain on theirtaxes is the military, thus allowing Republicans to falsely emphasize social programs as the villain.

What we have in America is a 3 way con game where corporations buy the politicians with campaigncontributions and already own the media outright. These 3 entities then swindle the public by nottelling them much about corporate crimes like the fraud of recent foreclosures and by getting the publicto support things like this war that create huge corporate profits. Real security and consumer and smallbusiness interests are only talked about to gather votes and manipulate. Everyone get poorer exceptthe con men, and people's real problems like income inequality and climate change are neglected inthe swirl of misinformation.()

Whoever is in charge, one way or another will act accordingly to what the political and social mood is atthe time. Am I saying Obama would of started a war in Iraq? Possibly, he most certainly would ofreacted extremely like Bush did. People seem to misunderstand that when it comes to how Americaforeign policy works, it's about what we can first get out of it and then second what we could do to help.The short term goal has always been achievable but the long term outcome has not and it keeps usthere wasting our time fixing our mistakes.

We should stop acting like a world police force, because we certainty act like the police that enforceslaw over America. They act like a bully, they get away with murder and they're not hold responsible foranything. We have this great concept that is only touched upon and without real teeth or authority. It'scalled the UN. If we are to continue into the future a UN style coalition is a must and that would

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  +2

rocky_ricoco 142 days ago

  +4

Chris Bayne 142 days ago

  +5

BudWest 142 days ago

  4 replies 0

drastically reduce the role the US plays in the world, because we wouldn't need the "US" as the worldspolice force for hire.()

The Kochian party (republican) is like a broken record, spread FUD at every turn. Facts, who need themthe monsters are coming bringing with them Ebola and the Mexican drug cartels.()

This is standard procedure for the GOP, scare tactics and bigotry. War, for the GOP is seen as a goodthing because their biggest lobbyists, defense contractors, make a tremendous profit off it, and thewealthy Gopper's don't have to worry about losing any of their children. They've been fighting forthousands of years in the middle east, why should we join the tradition. If their wasn't oil there, wewouldn't even know much about it. By the way what ever happened to those girls kidnapped andabused in Africa.()

Okay, but the conclusion you've published reads more like a premise, on a higher level of analysis. Yousaid: "Republican ISIL fear-mongering amplifies extremists' message." However, if (a) ISIS posed a realthreat; (b) people did not appreciate the threat, and (c) the Republicans emphasized the threat; then,rather than fear mongering, some might conclude that they had performed a public service. It's onlyfear "mongering" if the intent included to cause fear, when no legitimate reason for fear exists. Forexample, if a person cries "fire" in a crowded theater, when no fire exists, That represents fearmongering. The thing you should fear is that person; and you have that person arrested. On the otherhand, if a fire really has broken out and a person calls "fire;" then you should get out of the theater andelect that person to the US Senate.()

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john klumpp 142 days ago

  2 replies +4

BudWest 142 days ago

  1 reply 0

john klumpp 142 days ago

OK, Bud. Argument well written and Point well taken. But to your point that "Mongering" ( asin "Selling" ) is to create fear when none should exist, I submit that the GOP approach fitsthat definition. Terrorism, and ISIS by extention, despite the sensationalism of their acts,pose no existential threat to the continued power and dominance of the United States.Terrorism is what it is, a vehicle used to instill fear. And in this case, with the continuedfannning of the flame by republican war (or "Chicken" ) hawks it is succeeding admirably. Noone with any sense can deny the poitical aspect of their efforts. But they are not doing usany favors playing chicken Little to shallow minds.()

Hi John, I totally agree with your conclusion, as long as your premise proves true that ISISposes no legitimate threat to the United States. In a recent post, Ron Paul said: "Canada'saggressive foreign policy is creating enemies abroad that are making the country morevulnerable to attack rather than safer." As a Libertarian, I responded that the West's ongoingsupport of inappropriate political and military intervention in the Middle East, for over thepast 3 generations (or longer) has exacerbated a bad situation. However, given the currentdeclarations by ISIS, regarding their desire to create a world-wide caliphate, I asked him andnow I ask you: do you not believe that sooner or later, Canada and the US, by extension, (asfree peoples) will not ultimately experience increased levels of terrorist violence in our owncountries, regardless of our present military interventionist activities? If no, then we differ inour understanding of the expressed motives of the members of ISIS. If yes, then at whatpoint in terms of "loss of life" should we wait, before we (regardless of political positions oraffiliations) begin to fan the flames of warning, for those with the proverbial "shallowminds."

Please don't misinterpret my position. I desire peace. I also recognize that both Democratsand Republicans employ dogmatic, ideological propaganda to inform their collectiveplatforms and positions -- and that good, bad, or ugly; their respective bases often cling tothose, for a number of reasons. However, sometimes, regardless of rhetorical flame fanning,big fires already exist.()

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  0

Elvis Finlayson 108 days ago

  +1

Damn, our blogs are creating a mutual admiration society! Your reply was terrific, Bud. Let'stalk some more. To wit: I totally agree with your premise that the goal of the ISIS is therecreation of the Caliphate. We differ in our worry that this Caliphate building will creategreater acts of terrorism outsidethe Middle East. I tend to believe the interests of the ISIS tobe internal; no exported acts of terrorism will enhance the creation of the state they arefighting for. A loosely structured group offering nothing but hatred like AL Queda is , to mymind, more dangerous than the ideals of a caliphate at this time. We have been successful indealing with the dangers of Al-Queda but we better figure on playing Whack - A - Mole withthem for a long time to come even though, as I said, I believe they pose no threat to theexistance of the United States. We agree something must be done about ISIS. But we comeat it from different angles. You consider the possibility of increased terrorism as they gainstrength. I don't believe they will export terrorism, but the establishment of the Caliphatethey aspire to reminds me of the path taken by the National Socialists in 1930's Germany. IfISIS are not dealt with now, the world will have to deal with them later. An argument mightbe made that they will self-destruct anyway, but I am not willing to wait to see. I, like you,also desire peace. But even with all the dopey mistakes due mainly to the hubris of our flag -waving jingoists, I believe this ISIS situation provides just cause for the use of military actionincluding "boots on the ground" which we know will be necessary. And the sooner thebetter. Yes, I believe that a big fire exists. I wonder if the propaganda machine will finallyallow the public to understand this reality in mature terms and not just provoke knee-jerkreactions like lapel pins to support our actions in the Middle East..()

You guys are both really good at this comment board thing, just sayin'.

But what I think the central concern of this article is that of the tone and rhetoric of thesestatements, that they're disproportionat ely bombastic in regards to an accurate assessmentof national security. Obviously ISIS and terrorism in general is a threat which will only getworse if left unaddressed, I think that's pretty much universally established. But the waythat the Republican party plays this out... its as though there is a terrorist hiding under everyschooldesk in America and only they see it. It's a bit ridiculous and overstated, y'know?.

Like they're saying it so loudly just to freak us out so that they can be the ones to calm usdown? Maybe. Probably.()

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john klumpp 142 days ago

  +4

Media Propaganda 142 days ago

  2 replies +2

Peter Smith 142 days ago

  +2

John Wolfram 135 days ago

  0

Why is this news ? It is their stock in trade. They scare simpletons with fears of the black vote, Obama'sHealth Care legislation, the Ebola virus, Immigration, Terrroism, Gays, WMD's, and undefined threats to"Our way of life" . But they have not offered a single plan to correct or deal with the problems except tostamp their feet and whine that it is the fault of the Democrats ( Obama's ) administration. All of it. TheirJohnny-one-note mantra bores me.()

Republicans are catering to Paranoid Americans. ISIS is being Hyped across Conservative News Networks. Fear Mongering is generating support for Big Government.()

ISIS is operating in Iraq and Syria. Both countries are thousands of miles away from the USA.Their convoys of armed pick-ups will be stopped by drone missiles. In order to attackAmerica proper their forces have to get on ships and sail through the Navy fleets withoutdetection, so they decide to hijack a hundred planes and re-fuel at Heathrow, then fly acrossthe Atlantic to invade the USA against the mightiest military force in the world. Vegas odds -ISS 20 points over USA.()

At least the "threat" propagated by the politicos and media is based on the reality of whatshappening in Iraq and Syria, as opposed to the totally false justifications for Bush's fearmongering and invasion of Iraq (WMD, Saddam collusion with Al Qaeda etc).()

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