Bad American

ABC News Blog

The thing that most people don’t notice about the coverage of the tragic assassination of Benazir Bhutto is that it is automatically assumed that the Americans and the American political establishment should ‘do something’ about the state of internal affairs in Pakistan.

It reminds me of a bumper sticker a former co-worker had on her car. An American flag with the slogan: “these colors don’t run - the world.”

But of course it is assumed that what happens in Pakistan is more important to the USA than it is to Pakistan. And the candidates for President back that up with their comments. You’d think Bhutto was assassinated in Midtown Manhattan campaigning for Hillary Clinton.

Huckabee: ABC News’ Kevin Chupka reports: During a press conference Thursday night in West Des Moines, Iowa, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee suggested that after the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the United States should, “have an immediate, very clear monitoring of our border, and particularly to make sure, if there’s any unusual activity of Pakistanis coming into the country.  We just need to be very very thorough in looking at every aspect of our own security internally.”

It’s telling that Huckabee’s first reaction would be typical American paranoia. Oh, it’s all about us or US, isn’t it? And, of course, the assassination of Bhutto automatically means that America may be next. Gotta keep the fear level up at all times to ensure a frightened populace will support the National Secutrity State - Huckabee follows the same script as all the other candidates.

And people lap it up.

More from Huck:

Huckabee also attempted to clarify comments he made earlier about marshal law in Pakistan.  In Orlando, earlier in the day, he suggested that one of the United States’ priorities should be to determine, “what impact does it [Bhutto’s murder] have on whether or not there’s gonna be martial law continued in Pakistan, suspension of the constitution.”

Marshal law having ceased two weeks ago, tonight Huckabee attempted to clear up his gaffe: “And what I said was, and it’s not that I was unaware that it was suspended two weeks ago, lifted to weeks ago.  The point was, continued, would it be reinstated, would it be placed back in –- all the aspects of marshal law have not been completely lifted, even now.  There’s still a heavy hand I think Musharraf has used.”

It’s always fascinating to me that people running for President comment on things on which they have little or no knowledge. But Huckabee can breathe easy - most Americans, similarly ignorant, won’t hold that ignorance against him. After all, look how many people credited Bush’s ignorance with making him ‘closer to real people.’ America doesn’t like egghead elitists - they make large parts of the population feel inferior, such as the letter writer on my post about the health care industry.

Those of you who are old enough remember that was the biggest weapon used against Adlai Stevenson when he ran for president in ‘52 and ‘56. Intelligence is not an asset in American politics, especially on a national level.