The Anti-John Duong Mailer

I haven't had time to focus on the Irvine races as much as I'd like, and just now had a chance to read the anti-John Duong mailer sent out by the Los Angeles-based Common Sense Voter Guide.

The Agran crowd is a rough one, and I doubt John Duong was under any illusions regarding the type of campaign that would be waged against him. John works for a decades-old, successful real estate developer with lots of properties -- a target rich environment for an opposition researcher to dredge public records and bring up citations of various kind spanning the years, which can then be served up -- out of context, undifferentiated and unexplained -- in a negative mailer. Mix in an unflattering picture that makes John Duong look like a Vietnamese Tony Soprano, imply he's linked to Asian street gangs -- and voila! you have a real stink bomb.

In response to John Duong's objections, Democratic bloggers have variously sneered that he asked for it or that he hasn't "denied" the charges. Denied? This slate-that-is-not-a-slate charges Duong with more than 1,500 violations and John Duong is supposed to refute each and every one? And is Bridgecreek really responsible for every health violation recorded over the years by every restaurant that has ever leased space from Bridgecreek?

I realize politics is a contact sport. But I'd like anyone to tell me with a straight face that if this mailer had been sent out by a Republican against a Democrat, the Dems wouldn't be screaming "RACIST!" at the top of their lungs. Democratic operatives would accuse the responsible Republican of perpetuating negative stereotypes of Asians, of smearing the kind of immigrant success story "Republicans claim to represent," etc. We've all seen the outrage playbook run enough times to know how it goes.

But when the target is a Republican, the same bottomless wellsprings of outrage fall just yawn and shrug, "He asked for it."

Comments

[Elroy El]

Your argument about the "R" word has no merit since it is based on a hypothetical.

So with a straight face I can unequivocally tell you, you're wrong.

[Alex B-Z]

Just last week I told a Dem blogger he was saying racist things about Tan Nguyen's supporters, and Tan's a Republican.

Of course, I said the same thing about you guys and your comments on Tan supporters.

Either way...you're wrong. But good luck tomorrow.

[Jubal]

Elroy,

I hate to say it, but your "it's a hypothetical" response is juts a dodge.

Alex, what am I wrong about?

[Jubal]

Elroy,

I hate to say it, but your "it's a hypothetical" response is just a dodge.

Alex, what am I wrong about?

[Alex B-Z]

Eh, I was just going along with Elroy

It seemed to me your implication was that Democrats love to attack Republicans for potentially racist comments but wouldn't attack democrats for commenting on republicans in a potentially racist way.

Of course, I could be wrong.

[Jubal]

Alex:

Two days you you made the following vow on TheLiberalOC:

I’m taking a hiatus from posting on all blogs but Liberal OC and OC Weekly’s staff blog, The Blotter.

Of course I'm glad to have you back, but what happened?

And you misconstrued my point, whihc was that if a John Duong were a Democrat and the mailer had been sent by GOPers, the Dems would be lambasting the mailer-senders as racists.

[Alex B-Z]

Ooh. Busted. What can I say, I'm weak. But thanks for reminding me.

[Jubal]

Be strong. Alex...for the children!

[Quang]

the Dems wouldn't be screaming "RACIST!" at the top of their lungs.

No, the Dems and Krom would be screaming "anti-Semitic."
link

[DanC]

I don't think any of us were screaming "racist" when the Madame Mao flier went out which portrayd Krom as queen of the communists.

A good old fashioned blanket denial might have worked for Duong.

[Gustavo Arellano]

You linked the wrong story, Quang. Find the letter to the editor where a Larry lover accused the Weekly of anti-Semitism for going after the Agranistas!

[Elroy El]

No dodge Jubal. Everyone knows it is impossible to prove a hypothetical or a negative.

I could just as easily dismiss your post as so much whining.

[Elroy El]

This post sounds like so much whining, and dare I say it, victimization by a conservative.

[Jubal]

Give me a break.