Propaganda Rules of the Bush administration:

1. The truth is whatever you say it is;

Corollary 'A': If you say it enough times it is true by default;

Examples:

"Knowing these realities, America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof -- the smoking gun -- that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud. "

～ George W. Bush, October 7, 2002, Cincinnati, OH

"The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly Saddam can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."

～ Condoleezza Rice, September 8, 2002, Washington, DC

" . . .inaction might provoke the sight of the first mushroom cloud on one of the major population centers on this planet’."

～ General Tommy R. Franks, the chief of the US Central Command, November 12, 2002

Corollary 'B': Obfuscation of the stupid is necessary;

Example:

"You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on."
～ George W. Bush

2. Braggadocio is very effective with the simple minded;

Corollary: Bellicosity is best!

Examples:

“If he thinks he can hide and run from the United States and our allies, he will be sorely mistaken.”
～ George W. Bush in a speech shortly after 9/11, referring to Osama Bin Ladin (over SEVEN years ago)

"wanted, dead or alive"
～ George W. Bush referring to Osama Bin Ladin on 3/20/2003

"bring 'em on"
～ George W. Bush, at a press conference in July, 2003 referring to Iraqi 'insurgents' who have since killed nearly 4000 Americans

Corollary: Cocky strutting and swaggering by a 'War President' impresses the Football watching, gun-toting wannabe Republican base;

Example:

Wearing a suggestive 'codpiece' and landing on an aircraft carrier off the California coast to declare 'Mission Accomplished!" - May 1, 2003

3. If you ignore it, it is not there;

Corollary: If you refuse to verbalize it, it doesn't exist;

Example:

Never saying the word 'recession' means there isn't one, in spite of the worst economic disaster in almost eighty years.


4. Denial is an effective dodge, even when the whole world knows you are lying through your teeth.

Corollary: The use of a supercilious smirk while lying tells everyone you are letting them in on the joke.

Example:

" We must recognize that government intervention is not a cure-all . . .the surest path to that growth is free markets and free people"

～ George W. Bush at the Manhattan Institute 11/12/08 referring to the economic crisis threatening the entire world, brought on by his administration's deregulation of the US financial system on behalf of 'free markets'.