Using World War III Rhetoric to Win Election.

I just heard Newt Gingrich on Meet the Press claim that the current crisis is more evidence that this is World War III. Basically, Gingrich lists wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, last week's bomb attacks in India, North Korean nuclear threats, terrorist arrests and investigations in Florida, Canada and Britain, and violence in Israel and Lebanon as evidence of World War III. He has been using this rhetoric a few times recently.

In case you don’t know, Newt Gingrich is a major figure in the Republican Party. Even though he has fallen out of favour, his influence is still great. Of course he is not best known for his nuance and subtle analysis but he is really going overboard on this one, I think. Why?

His WWII rhetoric makes sense in the current American political context. He said Bush needs to deliver a speech to Congress and "connect all the dots" for Americans. He was also blunt enough to explain his strategy:

Gingrich said that public opinion can change "the minute you use the language" of World War III. The message then, he said, is, "OK, if we're in the third world war, which side do you think should win?" (The Seattle Times)

Here comes the black and white view again. Not much room for discussion. The fact that that Gingrich he is "very worried" about Republicans facing fall elections may have a lot to do with this strategy of despair - a strategy the Republicans may try use to try to win the mid-terms elections. Hopefully, most Americans are not that stupid.