Masculinity Marketing

Once again, the Republicans are proving the marketing adage, "It's the Masculinity, Stupid."

After branding Democratic calls for troop reductions and withdrawals as weak ("cut and run," "aiding and abetting the enemy," etc.), Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman today came out and said the same thing but with a different spin.

Is Coleman a cut-and-run homo sissy homo bleeding-heart homo? No. He's backing a withdrawal of 5,000 troops by the end of the year "to send a message to the Iraqi government."

See what he did there? He made it about accountability--specifically, someone else's accountability. Coleman's whole spin is that the troops have achieved a great deal, but he's "not impressed with the Iraqi government." Withdrawing troops is therefore a way of saying, "Hey, we're taking your candy away. We're not going to continue to do our part if you don't have the balls to do yours."

And that makes it unwimpy.

Democrats make the mistake of confusing "accountability" for OUR accountability, which means they hate America, love terrorism, believe soldiers are dying in vain and are generally a bunch of whiny quitters.

Remember, Dems, you must, without fail, trumpet the ideals of personal responsibility and accountability. If someone tries to hold you accountable, question their masculinity (via their patriotism) and make the case that you're doing your part, it's the other guys who aren't stepping to the plate.

This is the tactic that separates a flip-flopper from a savvy centrist. And the reason that Norm Coleman will win reelection to the Senate without breaking a sweat.