Admitted smearer

They may not be new, but my personal observation is that the terms "smearing" someone or"sliming" someone for political purposes have been used with increasing frequency since about this time last year when the Swift Boat Vets started attacking (a/k/a "smearing" or "sliming" Kerry) and Kerry's people attacked (a/k/a "smeared" or "slimed") back. But one thing has been consistent -- nobody admits to "smearing" or "sliming"; they always claim to be simply pointing out facts.

Billmon, left-wing blogger extraordinaire, has now adopted the title of "smearer" and "slimer" with pride, and in doing so suggests a line of attack on John Roberts.

Blasting Roberts as a corporate lawyer is an excellent smear tactic. People hate lawyers. They dislike and mistrust big corporations. It also conveniently happens to be true -- just as it was literally true that John Kerry is an upper crust Bostonian married to a woman with a fuckload of dough. Sliming Roberts as a corporate lawyer is probably more effective than attacking him for his views on abortion or other social issues, since a.) the paper trail is better and b.) it can be used as a wedge to separate him from some of his socially conservative but downwardly mobile supporters.

Perhaps I should find it refreshing that someone is actually admitting that he is engaging in unfair personal attacks on the "enemy" in order to advance a political agenda. For some reason, I don't.