John Dickerson, Which Is The 'Rumplestiltskin' Phrase That Will Magically Make Terrorism Disappear?

Ted Cruz thinks Democratic presidential debates are all sweetness and light and softball questions, but last night John Dickerson made a concerted effort to deploy a ridiculous right-wing talking point:

JOHN DICKERSON:

Marco Rubio, also running for president, said that this attack showed– in– the attack in Paris showed that we are at war with radical Islam. Do you agree with that characterization, radical Islam?

HILLARY CLINTON:

I don’t think we’re at war with Islam. I don’t think we at war with all Muslims. I think we’re at war with jihadists who have–

JOHN DICKERSON:

Just to interrupt, he– he didn’t say all Muslims. He just said radical Islam. Is that a phrase you don’t–

As Politico noted,

Clinton, for one, repeatedly used the term “jihadist” instead, going further than even the Obama administration likes. It prefers “violent extremist.”

But when pressed on whether using “radical Islam” was more appropriate, the former secretary of state said it was unwise to “be painting with too broad a brush” because it could alienate allies in the Muslim world

Yes, she used the word “jihadist.” Specifically, she said this:

We need to have a resolve that will bring the world together to root out the kind of radical jihadist ideology that motivates organizations like ISIS, the barbaric, ruthless, violence jihadist, terrorist group.

She also spoke of “jihadi extreme terrorism” and “jihadi radicalism” — and all this beforeDickerson’s question.

Is this really not tough enough talk? Is it really not specific enough?

But no — the right-wing meme is that all terrorism will magically disappear if only quisling Democrats will man up and utter the “Rumplestiltskin” phrase “radical Islam.” Or is it “Islamic terrorism”?Or “Islamic extremism”? It keeps changing.

The point is, it’s meaningless to deploy troops or drop bombs. Killing bin Laden? Fruitless. Blowing Awlaki or Jihadi John to smithereens? Pointless. You have to say MUSLIM MUSLIM MUSLIM. It’s right there in Machiavelli. Or Sun-Tzu.  SOURCE