政争は水際まで (Politics should end at the water's edge.) |
外交・安保問題においては「政争は水際まで」が筋、という言い方をしばしば目にする。
この表現は英語にもある(多分、英語が先か)。
Politics should end at the water's edge.
政治は水際でとどめねばならない。
が、人口に膾炙したのは、最初の冷戦選挙というべき1948年大統領選の際、共和党が綱領に掲げ、現職で民主党のトルーマンが、候補指名受諾演説で対抗して用いたことに拠る。もっとも両陣営とも、言葉だけで行動は伴わなかったようだ。
米政治情報紙『ポリティコ』のベン・スミス・ブログから引いておく。
July 22, 2008
The myth of the water's edge
Andrei Cherny, co-editor of the journal Democracy, sends over some of his research on the origin of the "fairy" tale that American politics at some point stopped at the water's edge, a myth that he says originated in -- and was debunked by -- the 1948 campaign.
The research is from his new book, The Candy Bombers: The The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift and America's Finest Hour, and appearing in Democracy's upcoming Fall issue.
But though he continued to preach it, Cherny says, neither candidate practiced it. A quick search of the Times archive turns up a few sterling examples, and Cherny has many more.
The general thrust: Dewey and Truman openly accused one another of being communist tools.
"The President either does not know of [Communist success in
Truman "has been giving aid and comfort to the enemies of our system," he said the next September.
Truman threw similar charges back at Dewey, as when he said that same month that American Communists had "lined up solidly to help put a Republican President in the White House."
And here's a Times headline from October 26, 1948:
PRESIDENT LIKENS DEWEY TO HITLER AS FASCISTS' TOOL
Says When Bigots, Profiteers Get Control of Country They Select 'Front Man' to Rule
DICTATORSHIP STRESSED
Ah, the good old days.
Cherny also emails that Truman "was introduced at stop after stop by Democratic Representative Sam Rayburn, who would tell the crowd that a Truman defeat would mean war. 'What would our enemies throughout the world think if we replaced our great leader now?'
So, I think, enough with that myth. Not that you can't argue about whether McCain's attack is appropriate; it does, however, seem fairly traditional.
By Ben Smith 09:54 PM