Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Then again, it may not be a slip. Maybe the guy is just ignorant.
In an alley behind a non-descript row of brick buildings on North Speer Boulevard, and on the other side of a large metal gate with armed guards standing in front, Republicans have set up a "war room" in Denver...Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan said the team of nearly two dozen staffers at the opposition headquarters will be "fact-checking" statements made by the Obama campaign and by speakers during the convention.
"Just consider this the Ministry of Truth," quipped Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.
A) That may be the funniest name I've seen in months. B) Someone needs to tell him that the Ministry of Truth in Orwell's book was the place where they crafted lies.
Politics
Comments
Ha ha ha ha ha ha [snort] ha ha ha ha! Double plus good funny.
Posted by: Abby Normal | August 28, 2008 9:49 AM
Why don't the repubs just admit it, and state their party platform up front?
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
Posted by: Blaidd Drwg | August 28, 2008 9:51 AM
Oh, no! Don't tell him: this could be amusing for a long time.
Posted by: Spidergrackle | August 28, 2008 10:20 AM
Wasn't it Hillary Clinton who said that the Bush Administration needed to be told that 1984 wasn't a how-to manual?
Posted by: Lisa D | August 28, 2008 10:26 AM
Wow, that's either scary or hilarious. Maybe both.
Also recall that Winston Smith's job at MiniTrue was editing state media to reflect the political party line of that day.
Posted by: CHV | August 28, 2008 10:28 AM
Psychopaths are insensitive to irony and parody.
Posted by: Bill the Cat | August 28, 2008 10:56 AM
I think he knew what it meant. The neo-cons are familiar with 1984, but unlike the rest of us, they believe it was written as a "how-to" manual.
If published today it would have a yellow and black cover and be called "Fascism for Dummies".
Posted by: GeekCyclist | August 28, 2008 10:59 AM
We have always been at war with Oceana!
Posted by: Taz | August 28, 2008 11:16 AM
Much as I would love for someone to tell them about this, I don't think we can. They might get upset if we do, and as we all know, there's NO FIGHTING IN THE WAR ROOM!
Posted by: larryniven | August 28, 2008 11:18 AM
Guantanamo is the Ministry of Love. See yall there.
Posted by: uncle noel | August 28, 2008 11:39 AM
Gitmo also happens to be the Dept. of Information Retrieval.
Posted by: Dan | August 28, 2008 12:03 PM
My grandfather's nickname was "Dick". My dad's nickname is "Dicky". I always tell people the reason my dad goes by "Dicky" is because he didn't want to be referred to as "Little Dick".
Posted by: Deepsix | August 28, 2008 1:39 PM
American's Safer Than Ever
Dateline Minitrue: Washington, February 24, 2025
In a report released today by the Ministry of Love, acceptance programs instituted last year have allowed more people than ever to embrace the Light of true civilization. Officials say the new facilities opened in Atlanta and New Reagen early last year allowed them to more efficiently handle the many enemy terrorists captured by the Ministry of Peace.
"The enemy envies our prosperity," said Minilove official George O'Brien, "But our enhanced acceptance techniques allow these men and women to see through the heretical lies of their evil leaders. When shown the Truth, 99.4% embrace Christ Our Lord and volunteer to join the struggle against their former leaders."
Officials say the new facilities are so efficient they are looking into shutting down some of the older centers including the very first compound in Guantanamo Bay, a move the Governor of Cuba strongly opposes. [Editor's note: rewrite to express the governor's enthusiasm for being able to use the land to build the state's largest amusement park as a gift to the citizens.]
In other news, the Ministry of Plenty issued it's own report showing the economy is stronger then ever. American's enjoy the highest standard of living of any people in history. Chocolate rations are being reduced to 2 oz.
Strength Through Unity
Unity Through Faith
God Bless America
Posted by: Abby Normal | August 28, 2008 1:50 PM
Are they going to set up a Ministry of Peace?
Posted by: a lurker | August 28, 2008 1:57 PM
Good one Abby :)
Isn't it just shake your head pathetic that they have armed guards in front of their door? As if we needed anymore evidence that the party of Rockefeller and Lincoln has been taken over by paranoiac malcontents the Republicans genuinely believe that, what, that once the Democrats find out they are there they'll descend on them like a crazed mob?
The DNC couldn't care less about them, and they are spending untold amounts to keep two armed men in front of their door 24 hours a day. Then again, if armed mercs are what it takes to make them feel safe, I think they've got bigger problems than a lighter bank account.
Posted by: Julian | August 28, 2008 2:02 PM
Wait a minute, are you saying that they don't hate us for our freedom? That people who volunteer to fly planes into buildings aren't cowards? That the most important test of patriotism isn't a lapel pin? That having your rich, influential daddy get you into the National Guard isn't braver than volunteering for combat in a war? Now I'm all confused!
Posted by: Taz | August 28, 2008 2:18 PM
I'm not sure the comment would technically qualify as a Freudian slip, but in any case it's hilarious. Oh, and while Deepsix implied it strongly in his post, allow me to be the first commenter to point out that Mr. Dick Wadhams has the most unfortunate (and fitting) name in history.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | August 28, 2008 2:35 PM
Argh, Abby. Just watched V for Vendetta again a few days ago, the "strength through unity, unity through faith" line kills me.
Posted by: Andrea | August 28, 2008 2:49 PM
Exactly.
Hmmmmm.
Posted by: David Marjanović | August 28, 2008 3:07 PM
@Taz: Sorry you lost your innocence :-)
Posted by: Deepa | August 28, 2008 3:26 PM
Priceless. But I seriously doubt Dick Wadhams has ever read Orwell or even knows who he is. But he's clearly drunk the bush kool-aid.
Posted by: Keanus | August 28, 2008 5:22 PM
What makes this even more bizarre is that the US doesn't even have Ministries does it? My understanding is that they're all Departments, Agencies or Administrations. Ministry is only used by the UK and some of its former colonies. If he'd come up with it on his own he'd have used Department of Truth or Federal Truth Administration surely?
That means that this guy must heard the term "Ministry of Truth" and decided to use it to sound smart without understanding the reference.
That means he's a pretentious idiot.
Posted by: James K | August 28, 2008 5:53 PM
This has got to be the most accurate statement I have seen any ReTHUGlican strategist make.
Ever.
Posted by: Farb | August 28, 2008 6:19 PM
Psychiatrist: "How did your dinner with your mother go?"
Patient: "Not very well, doctor, I made a terrible freudian slip. What I meant to say was 'please pass the salt', but what came out was 'you ruined my life, you cow'".
Posted by: Alex, FCD | August 28, 2008 7:25 PM
Can you say, "No historical or literary perspective?"
And these same people claim to judge someone's ability to lead?
-head desk head desk head desk et certera-
Posted by: Crudely Wrott | August 28, 2008 8:20 PM
Suggesting that George Bush has consciously modelled his adinistration on 1984 is ridiculous - that would assume Bush had either read the book or seen a movie that didn't star Chuck Norris.
According to J Michael Straczynski, Carl Rove told people working on Babylon 5 that it was the President's favorite TV show.
So Bush's role model isn't Big Brother, it's President Clark. (Clark of course seizes power after his predecessor's assassination and sets up a secret police apparatus named ... The Department of Homeland Security.)
He's probably also especially fond of the episode "The Deconstructuion of Falling Stars" in which the difference is explained between mere RealFact and government-approved GoodFact.
Posted by: Ian Gould | August 28, 2008 8:21 PM
Posted by: James Hanley | August 28, 2008 8:55 PM
Ian Gould: Bush has good taste in Sci fi? Who knew?
In that case Bush fancies himself to be Sheridan in Season 4, prepared to do whatever it takes to bring freedom and peace to the world. Of course what he doesn't understand is that most of the screwed up things in this world are the result of good intentions gone awry, not consciously-directed evil.
That is Bush's biggest flaw, his blindness to his limitations. He too easily believes that good outcomes follow naturally from good intentions. Bush is hardly the only politician to believe this (I suspect nearly all of them do), though he seems to posses this flaw to an unusually egregious degree.
Posted by: James K | August 29, 2008 12:24 AM
Jazz Trumpeter and national treasure , Louis Armstrong ,
was credited with saying "some people don't know and you cant tell them"
Posted by: dennis | August 29, 2008 11:50 PM