Visit The O’Reilly Sucks Blog

Want to see eye-opening views of what Fox News conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly is up to on a daily basis? Visit The O’Reilly Sucks Blog to learn more about the lies, acts of intimidation, abuse of power, biased viewpoints and irrational perspectives of Bill O’Reilly.
The O’Reilly Sucks Blog documents Bill’s dubious history (including the skeletons in his closet). The blog also documents his unbalanced panels that always are stacked with more conservatives (especially since he himself is a conservative in spite of how much he lies about it).
This is an excellent blog to see what O’Reilly is all about.

The O’Reilly Sucks Blog:
http://www.oreilly-sucks.com/

Movement Is On To Stop Harassment By Fox News Conservative Host Bill O’Reilly

Conservative Fox News host Bill O’Reilly has long had a history of being a right-wing advocate (who lies and tries to portray himself as politically neutral). But, a movement is being led by Think Progress and is designed to call out O’Reilly’s corporate sponsors for sponsoring his right-wing partisanship and his aggressive (some would say vicious) methods of attack.

Here is the Web site to make your voice heard against the tactics of intimidation that led Bill O’Reilly to send one of his producers out to harass Amanda Terkel, a 5-foot, 100-pound female blogger who writes for Think Progress: http://thinkprogress.org/stop-oreilly-harassment/.

George Kell: 1922-2009

When I grew up watching the Detroit Tigers there were two play-by-play guys: Ernie Harwell, a legend anyone with much of a baseball IQ knows, was the man on radio while George Kell was the main voice on television. Those were the voices of Tiger baseball for me and now one of those voices has been silenced as Kell passed away this week at the age of 86. I realize now, growing up, I knew so little about how great (truly GREAT) a baseball player George Kell was in his time … long before he entered the broadcast booth and took a microphone to describe the action for my beloved Detroit Tigers for all of those years (many of which were alongside fellow Hall-of-Fame player Al Kaline). George Kell, to me, truly was a Hall of Famer and he will be missed … sorely missed.

Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090325/OBITUARIES/903250409/1129/SPORTS0104/Hall+of+Famer+was+voice+of+summer

Someone Check What NBC’s Chuck Todd Is Drinking

Consider this question for President Barack Obama during a news conference on Tuesday night. The question is from NBC’s Chuck Todd.

TODD: Some have compared this financial crisis to a war and in times of war past Presidents have called for some form of sacrifice. Some of your programs whether main street or Wall Street have actually cushioned the blow for those that were irresponsible during this economic period of prosperity, supposed prosperity that you were talking about. Why, given this new era of responsibility that you’re asking for why haven’t you asked for something specific that the public should be sacrificing to participate in this economic recovery?

So, is Todd really saying that the American people have not sacrificed enough? Maybe he is not familiar with people losing their homes, homeless people living in tent cities, people who can’t afford to eat, people who are without health care, newspapers (and other businesses) shutting down left and right, people losing their jobs, salaries are being cut, benefits are being slashed and on and on it goes. Todd doesn’t think that is enough?

Crooks and Liars:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/chuck-todd-apparently-thinks-americans-hav

CNN’s Ed Henry Tries To Publicly Talk Tough To President Obama … Gets Owned

CNN’s Ed Henry is no different than a lot of these big-time reporters in the elite media (including those members of the media that get an opportunity to question world leaders like President Barack Obama). He wants to show his brothers and sisters in the media that he is tough on world leaders to score points for himself. President Obama was ready and I doubt Henry liked the response he got about why he felt the president was too slow in expressing outrage about the AIG bonuses. The president gave a straightforward answer that caused a bit of a tense laughter in the room.

Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykostv.com/w/001049/

President Obama Just Can’t Win With Some Critics

When President Barack Obama was filling out his NCAA men’s basketball championship bracket for ESPN’s Andy Katz and when he was appearing on Jay Leno he was accused by critics of having too much fun when the nation’s economy (he inherited from the previous administration) is struggling. When he holds a presidential news conference and is business-like then his critics charge that he’s too boring and serious.

Bobby Jindal Selling His Soul To Conservative Base For Potential 2012 Votes … What A Shame

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal certainly is trying to strengthen his position in the conservative base in the Republican Party. He is doing that even at the cost of perhaps selling his soul to the far Rush Limbaugh wing of the GOP. Jindal is trying to get this done by appealing to those who feel like Limbaugh in that they have had to grab the ankles and hope that President Barack Obama succeeds because he is black. Jindal did not say that, but you have to wonder if the thought (or a similar one) was perhaps swimming around in the back of his head waiting to erupt like a volcano (oops).

Said Jindal, as quoted by CNN:
“Make no mistake: Anything other than an immediate and compliant, ‘Why no sir, I don’t want the president to fail,’ is treated as some sort of act of treason, civil disobedience or political obstructionism,” Jindal said at a political fundraiser attended by 1,200 people. “This is political correctness run amok.”

Perhaps Jindal has a short memory and simply has forgotten all those who were accused of being anti-American for their opposition to initiatives of former president George W. Bush. That must have slipped Bobby’s mind while he was trying to raise funds and throw red meat at a conservative base that hates (or, at best, strongly dislikes) President Obama.

Jindal further added that he would “not be brow beaten on this, and I will not kowtow to their correctness. My answer to the question is very simple: ‘Do you want the president to fail?’ It depends on what he is trying to do.”

So, with that, Bobby Jindal officially sold his soul to the far right wing of the Republican base … and he did it for some potential votes in 2012. It appears that Michael Steele now has some company. It is amazing how all these people want our president and our commander in chief to fail all of a sudden. For as much as many liberals and moderates disagreed with President Bush, protested and challenged many of his decisions, I can’t remember nearly this amount of regular people and high-ranking public officials in such an open and almost sinister fashion hoping for the president to fail. I guess D.L. Hughley was right when he said that Rush Limbaugh was the de facto leader of the Republican Party. It appears Gov. Bobby Jindal is now taking his orders from Limbaugh.
Bobby Jindal would be wise to watch his step in the Republican Party. Steele stepped out of line and was lashed pretty good by the de facto leader of the GOP.

CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/25/jindal.defense.obama/index.html

Crooks And Liars Web Site Has More On Bill O’Reilly Producer Stalking Female Blogger

Crooks and Liars put together a solid piece documenting the kind of man conservative talk show host Bill O’Reilly, of partisan and right-wing Fox News, revealed himself to be when he orderedproducer (Jesse Watters) to stalk and ambush 5-foot, 100-pound female blogger Amanda Terkel.

Crooks and Liars:
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/fox-news-ambush-crews-flagrant-abuse

Hypocrite Bill O’Reilly Once Blasted Nas For Being An Inappropriate Speaker At Virginia Tech

Fox News conservative talk show host Bill O’Reilly either has a short memory or the depth and breadth of his arrogance is even more staggering than any of us could have imagined. O’Reilly, this month, sent one of his producers to stalk and blind-side interview blogger Amanda Terkel of Think Progress. The “crime” committed by Terkel was questioning O’Reilly being invited to serve as a guest speaker for an event to raise funds for a rape survivor advocacy group. O’Reilly took offense to his role being questioned and sent his producer, big man Jesse Watters, to stalk Terkel and a group of her friends on vacation for about a couple of hours before cowardly rushing her with questions when he probably suspected her guard was down. But, O’Reilly, seems to have a short memory (it’s a given that he is arrogant with an ego the size of the Pacific Ocean). O’Reilly, however, proved his hypocrisy by forgetting his own attack against rapper Nas for being invited as a guest performer (in a free concert) for students at Virginia Tech.

Here is an excerpt from a MTV.com story:
You can add Nas to the growing list of MCs who have responded to controversial television and radio personality Bill O’Reilly.
During a recent airing of his Fox News show, “The O’Reilly Factor,” the commentator blasted Nas’ free concert for the students of Virginia Tech (see “Nas, John Mayer, Dave Matthews To Headline Free Concert At Virginia Tech”) as an “abomination” and “atrocity.” O’Reilly referred to Nas — or “Nazz,” as the TV host pronounced it — as a “gangsta rapper” and said his lyrics are as “violent as they come,” citing songs such as “Shoot ‘Em Up,” “One Mic,” Ether” and “Made U Look” as his musical history of violence. (The show also displayed some of Nas’ concert footage and videos, plus the scene where Jay-Z gets shot in the video for “99 Problems.”) O’Reilly called Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger “a villain” for allowing Nas to perform.
“Having a rapper who trades in violence perform at Virginia Tech insults the victims, the university and the entire commonwealth,” O’Reilly declared. The Nas controversy has been the topic of several of his shows.

Remember this disgusting comment by Bill O’Reilly about 18-year-old rape victim Jennifer Moore:

Now Moore, Jennifer Moore, 18, on her way to college. She was 5-foot-2, 105 pounds, wearing a miniskirt and a halter top with a bare midriff. Now, again, there you go. So every predator in the world is gonna pick that up at two in the morning. She’s walking by herself on the West Side Highway, and she gets picked up by a thug. All right. Now she’s out of her mind, drunk.

Clearly, Bill O’Reilly is not holding himself up to the same standard he held up Nas to (because O’Reilly has, among other things, a cultural bias, a youth bias, a rap bias and a staggering arrogance). That is the mark of a hypocrite with an out-of-control ego. So, in summary, O’Reilly thinks it’s OK for him to speak at a fundraiser for survivors of rape even though he has made comments about some rape victims indicated they might have brought the crime on themselves due to their own actions and decisions and he was involved in a highly-publicized sexual harassment case. But, O’Reilly thinks its wrong for Nas to put ona free concert for the students of Virginia Tech because he has made some rap songs with violent lyrics and a previous gun charge. But, in Bill O’Reilly’s world … it’s OK for him, but not for Nas. Bill O’Reilly’s list of people he should apologize to just grew by two: Amanda Terkel and Nas. But, it’s a crowded list and Big Bill’s ego is to BIG to concede his mistakes based in sloppiness, arrogance and outright corruption.

MTV:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1569047/20070906/nas.jhtml

Bill O’Reilly Making Sexist And Homophobic Comments?

Take a look at this video captured by Media Matters for America as Fox News conservative host Bill O’Reilly makes sexist remarks about women and a homophobic remark aimed at Rep. Barney Frank, who O’Reilly regularly attacks. He did apologize, but with a sarcastic tone that makes it easy to question his sincerity.

Media Matters:
http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200903230042?f=cf_clips

Interesting Comment From A Self-Proclaimed Socialist On President Obama, Republicans

Bill Moyers had a conversation with a man by the name of Mike Davis (a man who considers himself a socialist). The two discussed a number of topics, but most notably they talked about the notion that President Barack Obama is a socialist. They also talked about the Republicans as well.

BILL MOYERS: And yet, Obama’s only been in office two months now. And there’s this chorus of voices, the “Wall Street Journal” editorial page, conservative talk radio, Fox News, Lou Dobbs, CNBC’s Cramer and Kudlow, all blaming Obama for the bad economy. Are those attacks sticking out where you live in California?

MIKE DAVIS: Well, I mean you know, what could be more absurd than the, you know, the people who brought this country to its knees now being the chorus of dissenters, now representing themselves as the populace? The fact that they’re the ones who have erected the antenna, the lightning rod for popular anger is worrisome because if these bailouts and stimulus fail, if the country sinks deeper into what could be a very long period of stagnation if popular anger is monopolized by the demagogues on the Right, I think you could see a real resurgence of the Republican Party or at least of its most anti-immigrant economic nationalist wing.
This is something maybe not very visible on the national screen. But when you live near the border like I do in Southern California, the southern cities, areas of the Midwest, this has really invigorated what you once would have refereed to as the John Birch Society wing of the Republican Party. The vacuum left by the fall of the Soviet Union has been filled by, you know, good old-fashioned Nativism immigrant bashing.

It is interesting how he points out Republicans whining about budgets and the economy now while they were silent on it during the George W. Bush years. He also talks about the venom that Republicans and conservatives spew when talking about securing the border - the border to the South. Gee, I wonder why they want to secure that border, but do not seem as concerned about the border in the North?

Crooks and Liars:
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/bill-moyers-talks-actual-socialist-h

Is Fox News Admitting It Is Biased Against The Obama Administration?

Fox News has never fooled anyone with its role as the propaganda machine for Republicans and the right wing. That has been fairly obvious during the time Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News channel has been on the air. But, a Think Progress story maybe puts it in a little more context.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/23/fox-vp-opposition/

Amanda Terkel Of Think Progress Exposes Bill O’Reilly Of Fox News For The Liar He is

Fox News conservative host Bill O’Reilly is dishonest far more often than someone with the platform he has should ever be. But, his dishonesty was proven this month with big and toughJesse Watters, one of O’Reilly’s stalker/producer people sneak-attacking and attempting to intimidate Think Progress blogger Amanda Terkel - all 5-foot and 100 pounds of her. O’Reilly claims that he essentially gives all people a chance to come on the show or in some other way defend themselves before unleashing screwballs like Jesse Watters.

As you may know, “The Factor” occasionally sends out producers to confront people who will not answer serious questions about controversial things they do, like judges giving child rapists probation, for example.
Now, some object to displays like these. But we feel they’re a vital tool in holding public servants accountable for their actions, and we do not go after people lightly. We always ask them on the program first, or to issue a clear statement explaining their actions.

It’s interesting he rarely seems to send his producers out to get Republicans or other conservatives on the far right. I guess he neglected to put that in his explanation of his hired stalkers. Apparently, however, O’Reilly never offered Terkel an opportunity to come on the show to explain herself before having Watters stalk her and a group of people she was with before ambushing her at a chosen time like a common thug would do casing a victim.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/23/oreilly-ambush/

Tammy Bruce: We’ve Got Trash In The White House

Anyone interested in what some on the far right wing of the political spectrum think of the first black president of the United States and his family living in the White House. Ask right-wing hater Tammy Bruce, who put the staggering depth and breadth of her cultural ignorance on display during this clip. Bruce, who probably watches reruns of The Cosby Show to learn about black people, sounded idiotic trying to understand cultural issues.

Actually, you don’t have to ask because we have the right-wing extremist’s words right here:

“That’s what he’s married to. …You know what we’ve got? We’ve got trash in the White House. Trash is a thing that is colorblind, it can cross all eco-socionomic…categories. You can work on Wall Street, or you can work at the Wal-Mart. Trash, are people who use other people to get things, who patronize others, who consider you bitter and clingy…”

This is what Bruce thinks of the first black family to be the first family of the United States of America. If you listen to the clip, it becomes evident the hatred (and perhaps even racism) behind Bruce’s words (filling in for another hater, Laura Ingraham). Is it any wonder right-wingers like Tammy Bruce and Laura Ingraham are regular contributors on Fox News?
As I said in an earlier post, people like Tammy Bruce show that many in America still are not ready for a black president in the White House or, as she would put it, trash in the White House.

Think Progress:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/23/tammy-bruce-calls-the-oba_n_178109.html

Right-Wing Tea Party Proves It …

A large number of people on the right wing, as proven by this gathering (March 21) of 4,000 people in Florida, just flat out were not and still are not ready for a black president of the United States of America. Words speak loudly, actions speak louder than words … and words and actions like this speak louder than both.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/23/impeach-protest-obama/

Conservatives Again Try To Link Our Commander In Chief To Osama bin Laden

As we know, our patriotic brothers and sisters (sarcasm) from the Republican Party have been working hard to try and portray President Barack Obama as being “different” and “not really one of us” throughout the campaign and even now into his presidency. How many times have we heard conservatives make the “slip” of confusing Obama with Osama (as in, Osama bin Laden)? At some point, you begin to lose count of all the “slip ups” with the name confusion. It’s all part of an effort to try and portray people of color of being more alike than they are different - terrorist or otherwise. These individuals will attack anyone, even our president and commander in chief (remember when George W. Bush was president and this was considered anti-American?).

Now comes this from Think Progress:
After accepting illegal and unethical behavior for years from President Bush, the right wing has finally come around to advocating for the impeachment of a President. On Sat. March 21, more than 4,000 people gathered in Orlando for a “tea party” protest to denounce what they called “wasteful Washington spending.” The Orlando Sentinel quoted one attendee saying, “They need to shove that bum out,” referring to Obama. The signs that were distributed said “Obama Bin Lyin’ IMPEACH NOW”

It is indeed amazing how much those on the right wing are advocating impeachment and it is especially interesting they fought it the last eight years (for former president George W. Bush). They ignore any lies or half truths from Bush (that led to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and thousands of casualties), but now they want to impeach President Obama after a little over two months (a period in which he has been working to clean up the mess left by G.W. Bush and ignored by conservatives who now apparently believe the current economic crisis started on Jan. 20 … Inauguration Day). This story shows the hatred of President Obama that is more than political … there is a lot more to it and people have to read between the lines to see the hints of racism (anti-black and anti-Arab/Muslim racism) under the surface. I doubt there were very many people of color at that rally.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/23/impeach-protest-obama/

Greg Gutfield Issues A Borderline Gutless Fox News Apology For Insulting Canadian Army

Fox News “Red Eye” host Greg Gutfeld made some ridiculous and disgusting comments belittling the Canadian army. Gutfield, however, true to the Fox News way issues a typical weak apology that smells almost as bad as the original insult. Gutfield, in the Fox News tradition said that his comments “may have been misunderstood.” Huh? Then he continued in The Canadian Press with the typical carbon copy statement that he in no way were meant to disrespect “the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military.”

For review, this is how The Canadian Press documented Gutfield’s insult:

Gutfeld said in the Fox News segment, widely aired on the Internet, that the Canadian military “wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white capri pants.”
“Isn’t this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country?” he said. “They have no army.”

This is not the first uncalled for and insulting thing that Greg Gutfield has said, and it probably will not be the last. And, it’s amazing how so many conservatives and Republicans wonder why the reputation of the United States around the world has taken such a beating. It’s moronic comments like those, from Gutfield, that have hurt us in the eyes of our neighbors around the world.

The Canadian Press:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ggr4I7UpOus3u6NRIRkEGpE1XV3Q

Conservatives Like Fox News Host Greg Gutfield Show Why Opinion Of U.S. Sank During Bush Years

Fox News host Greg Gutfield and his guests had a good old time bashing the Canadian military. This is a perfect example of the kind of rhetoric that has been so damaging to the reputation worldwide of the United States of America during the George W. Bush presidential years. During the previous eight years war-mongering Republicans and conservatives attempted to intimidate pretty much everyone and made fun of or declared an enemy all nations that did not enthusiastically join U.S.-led war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s a truly disgusting clip of video to watch these individuals bashing our great neighbors to the north who have supported us when so many other nations became angered with the arrogance displayed by the U.S. during the Bush-Dick Cheney-Donald Rumsfeldyears. We should be supporting Canada as Canada has supported us. It is worth noting that this is part of the reason so many conservatives were upset with President Barack Obama during the election when he was so roundly received when he went overseas … most notably when he made a stop in Germany. The majority of nations around the world want to be allies and friends with the United States and President Obama gives us a great opportunity to repair the damage done during the last eight years. Repairing those strained relationships will be a challenge with the Greg Gutfields of the world bashing our allies in sarcastic fashion.

Crooks and Liars:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/scarce/how-lose-friends-and-alienate-countries

Fox News Tough Guy Bill O’Reilly Sends Producer Jesse Watters To Intimidate Woman From Think Progress

Fox News conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly, a big and tough guy, sent one of his producers (Jesse Watters) to try and intimidate Amanda Terkel of Think Progress … a self-described 5-foot-, 100-pound woman. Here is an excerpt from Terkel on her cowardly ambush encounter with big and tough O’Reilly’s fellow tough guy and stalker, Watters.

Here is the first excerpt:
This weekend, while on vacation, I was ambushed by O’Reilly’s top hit man, producer Jesse Watters, who accosted me on the street and told me that because I highlighted O’Reilly’s comments, I was causing “pain and suffering” to rape victims and their families. He of course offered no proof to back up this claim, instead choosing to shout questions at me.

The account from Terkel is intriguing as it shows the lengths to which O’Reilly will abuse his platform to exact revenge on anyone he feels has crossed him. This is, of course, full condoned by Fox News which has minimal integrity and questionable journalistic ethics (to say the least).

Here is another excerpt from the Terkel piece:
The main issue remains: O’Reilly should offer an apology/explanation of why, when a woman is raped and murdered, it’s relevant what she was wearing or how much she was drinking. O’Reilly never asked me for a statement nor invited me on his show before sending Watters to harass me. Since I’m a 5 ft, 100 pound woman with an opinion that he doesn’t like, perhaps O’Reilly believes I deserve to be treated this way.

I encourage all to read this piece to get into the unethical and arrogant mind of Bill O’Reilly and to see just how far he will go to attack and attempt to intimidate anyone he feels has crossed him. It’s intriguing to listen to this account of Jesse Watters blindsided this tiny woman. What a big man Jesse Watters has shown himself to be working for O’Reilly. It also speaks to the kind of organization Fox News is running when it condones this sort of cowardly and right-wing biased behavior that is nothing more than a journalistic atrocity and a disgrace to the principles of truth, fairness and accuracy that guide real journalists in small towns and big cities around the world.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/23/watters-ambush/

President Barack Obama Calls Out Former V.P. Dick Cheney On Dishing Out The Hate

President Barack Obama, during an interview on 60 Minutes with Steve Croft, shot back at former vice president Dick Cheney, who tried to say that the country is less safe under the new administration. Now, we know that Republicans and conservatives are going to buy into this concept - with no questions asked - but the real question is how real people view it. First, you have to have real facts and that oftentimes has been difficult to get from Cheney, who took an opportunity during a CNN interview to cheap shot the new administration (virtually unchallenged by the interviewer).

OBAMA: The facts don’t bear him out. I think he is– that attitude, that philosophy has done incredible damage– to our image and position in the world. I mean, the fact of the matter is after all these years how many convictions actually came out of Guantanamo? How many– how many terrorists have actually been brought to justice under the philosophy that is being promoted by Vice President Cheney? It hasn’t made us safer. What it has been is a great advertisement for anti-American sentiment. Which means that there is constant effective recruitment of– Arab fighters and Muslim fighters against U.S. interests all around the world.

As I’ve written many times before, the Cheney concept of intimidating our neighbors (and going it alone in all these wars) around the world has severely damaged the reputation of the United States of America. It is only now that the U.S. is beginning to rebuild bridges between our nation and other nations - bridges damaged by the previous administration. Remember all the resentment toward Obama when he was so well received during trips to Germany and even more recently to Canada? Our Republican and conservative brothers and sisters have been angered by how well liked Barack Obama has been as he has reached out to our friends and our enemies - using cooperation rather than intimidation.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/23/obama-cheney/

Will Republicans Who Criticized President For Being Negative Criticize Judd Gregg?

Sen. Judd Gregg, once a man who almost became a member of President Barack Obama’s team, now is issuing some criticisms. Before reading this excerpt, think back to all the far right wingers like Sean Hannity who bashed the president for being too negative about the economy.

“The practical implications of this is bankruptcy for the United States,” Gregg said of the Obama’s administration’s recently released budget blueprint. “There’s no other way around it. If we maintain the proposals that are in this budget over the ten-year period that this budget covers, this country will go bankrupt. People will not buy our debt, our dollar will become devalued. It is a very severe situation.”

Gregg, known as one of the keenest fiscal minds on Capitol Hill, also told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King that he thought it was “almost unconscionable” for the White House to continue with its planned course on fiscal matters with unprecedented actual and projected budget deficits in the coming years.

“It is as if you were flying an airplane and the gas light came on and it said ‘you have 15 minutes of gas left’ and the pilot said ‘we’re not going to worry about that, we’re going to fly for another two hours.’ Well, the plane crashes and our country will crash and we’ll pass on to our kids a country that’s not affordable.”

I wonder if those Republicans who slammed the president for being too negative will be equally as critical of one of their own who is equating the nation to a crashing plane.

Crooks and Liars:
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/gregg-praises-obamas-team-says-count

President Barack Obama Better Tighten His Game … He Has A Special Challenge

If a Detroit News article is any indication, President Barack Obama might want to be careful challenging at least one Special Olympics bowler, Kolan McConiughey.

MCCONIUGHEY: He bowled a 129. I bowled a 300. I could beat that score easily. He needs to buy a new pair of shoes, a bowling ball and needs to practice every day.

Having seen President Obama bowl that one time (it wasn’t pretty), I can’t help but think my money would be best placed on Kolan McConiughey to take Barack to school … even if the classroom is the bowling alley.

Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090320/POLITICS/903200442/Special+Olympics+bowler++Bring+on+Obama

President Obama Apologizes For Negative Comment About Special Olympics

President Barack Obama, certainly not ready to begin a professional bowling career with what we saw on the campaign trail, was kidded about his skills in the alley by comedian Jay Leno during a taping of The Tonight Show in California.

This is from Bloomberg:
During the taping in Burbank, California, Leno asked Obama if the White House bowling alley had been replaced yet with a basketball court. Obama, who scored a 37 while bowling on the campaign trail and whose bowling skills became the butt of jokes, said that he had been practicing and recently bowled a game of 129.
LENO: No, that’s very good, Mr. President.
OBAMA: It was like Special Olympics, or something.

Not a good comment from the president and clearly he must have known as much fairly quickly. President Obama quickly issued an apology to Special Olympics chairman Timothy Shriver, who accepted the apology. Shriver seemed to have accepted the apology and called it a teaching moment for how words can impact people. That, on Shriver’s part, was well said. Hopefully the president and others will learn from this lesson.

Said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Special Olympics coach and husband of Maria Shriver (Timothy Shriver’s sister), after a meeting with the president:
“I know where his heart is at. He will do everything he can to help Special Olympics. And every one of us sometimes makes a mistake by something comes out of your mouth and you say: ‘Oops. I wish I hadn’t said that.’”

One thing is for sure, President Obama will probably be a lot more careful with his words. We shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells, but this is the world we live in now.

Bloomberg:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aEY45N6mhnQ0&refer=us

Hypocritical Sarah Palin Has Little Room To Criticize The President

For the record, President Barack Obama made a stupid comment (he was joking about his own suspect bowling skills), on The Tonight Showwith Jay Leno, about Special Olympics participants that he apologized for and is being smacked around a little bit for in the media. But, for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (still with delusions of grandeur with respect to possibly running for president), who still seems clueless about much, to try and pile on is stupid and hypocritical on her part. Palin was quoted by The Daily Beast as she responded to President Obama’s comments on Leno:

PALIN: I was shocked to learn of the comment made by President Obama about Special Olympics. This was a degrading remark about our world’s most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world. These athletes overcome more challenges, discrimination and adversity than most of us ever will. By the way, these athletes can outperform many of us and we should be proud of them. I hope President Obama’s comments do not reflect how he truly feels about the special needs community.

Obviously, for political purposes, Palin is beating a dead horse to get every drop of blood out of this issue. However, Palin should worry about her own problems. This woman who held herself up as a mother of a special needs child and as a person who promised to be a champion for special needs children, is playing presidential politics (looking ahead to 2012) with critical money that could go directly to help special needs individuals in Alaska. So, before trying to throw President Obama under the bus for making an ill-advised comment, she should look at how her posturing for the presidential campaign of 2012 is truly impacting special needs individuals in the state of Michigan. Her selfishness and tunnel-vision focus on her own personal presidential ambitions are far more of a problem than the comment made by President Obama on Leno’s show.

The Daily Beast:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-03-20/palin-fires-back-at-obama-for-special-olympics-joke/

Media Matters Documents Media Misleading About Coach K Comment

Members of the media, most notably on Fox News, have taken out of context comments by Duke head men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski about President Barack Obama’s picks for the NCAA Tournament. It was a purposeful distortion of what Coach K said and it was perpetrated by members of the media with a clear bias against President Obama. Members of the media exploited Coach K for their own nefarious purposes.

Media Matters for America:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200903200006?f=h_latest

Megyn Kelly Seriously Needs Help

I truly am not saying this to in any way be funny: Fox News commentator Megyn Kelly may seriously need a psychological evaluation. Her on-air anger issues and irrational behavior are troubling and yet another embarrassing stain on the Fox News name. She clearly has trouble with anger management.

News Hounds:
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/20/megyn_kelly_melts_down_over_acorn.php

Fox News Proves Again To Be Unethical

How does an organization like Fox News condone Sean Hannity purposely (through editing) mischaracterize a quote from someone simply in an effort to smear Barack Obama, the President of the United States and our commander in chief? Where are the journalistic ethics at Fox News? It’s one thing to disagree with someone, but to purposely edit quotes and comments to tell a different story than the originator of the comment intended is disgraceful and a journalistic atrocity. Where are the journalistic standards and ethics at Fox News? I can hear it right now: Sean Hannity (who has a history of telling flat-out lies and half truths) is just a commentator who gives an opinion and (to some extent) entertains. Well, commentators are supposed to deal with fact-based points. Commentators, like good debaters, are supposed to honestly look at the other side’s strongest argument then ethically and honestly confront it with facts that tell a different side. Making up stuff and mischaracterizing quotes is disgraceful.

News Hounds:
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/20/hannity_airs_selectively_edited_clip_of_coach_k.php

Fox News Mischaracterizes Coach K’s Comments To Take Cheap Shot At President Obama

You know something … I should have been able to see this coming after I listened to Duke head men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski’s comments when asked about President Barack Obama’s picks for the NCAA Tournament. When I heard the first part of those comments I thought maybe (just maybe) he was angry or slamming President Obama, but then when you hear the full context you know to crop his words the wrong way is to mischaracterize his statement. Now, in comes Fox News. Guess what Fox News did to try and take a cheap shot at President Obama. Fox News pimped Coach K and his words and used them to launch an attack on President Obama.

First, Coach K’s original comments:
“Somebody said that we’re not in President Obama’s Final Four, and as much as I respect what he’s doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets. Why would I care about that? I love the guy, and I think he’s gonna be great.”

Well, just take a wild guess as to where Fox News might have cropped Coach K’s quote. You guessed it, Fox News cut it just before the part where Mike said: “Why would I care about that? I love the guy, and I think he’s gonna be great.” Now, you expect a level of dishonesty and blind-rage partisanship from the likes of Sean Hannity, but this distortion is coming from supposedly non-partisan anchors (Megyn Kelly sort of debunks that theory by herself). Anyway, News Hounds is again on the subject and documenting the Fox News dishonesty with respect to Coach K’s words.

News Hounds:
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/20/bret_baier_edits_coach_ks_statement_is_there_a_pattern_here.php#more

Fox News Host Megyn Kelly Wipes Her Feet On What Journalists Hold Sacred

Megyn Kelly of Fox News is a train wreck and a disgrace to the tenets of quality journalism that so many of us hold sacred. Kelly, once again proved herself (before a national cable television audience) unstable, irrational, biased and hostile during a segment she hosted with ACORN National Spokesman Scott Levenson. News Hounds has a detailed account of Kelly’s actions and Levenson’s reactions during a heated interview of more than seven minutes on Fox News. If you were to run a clinic on how to smear the good name of journalism, Kelly’s interview with Levenson might be a case study in what not to do as a credible news person interested in telling only the facts and letting the people decide what they want to believe or who they choose to believe. Kelly flat out told lies and made misleading statements for much of the interview and was unwilling to hold her organization (Fox News) to the same standard she was holding ACORN (eight workers are in trouble for voter registration fraud while she was unwilling to hold Fox accountable for the misdeeds of its employees). She threatened, I think twice, to cut his mirophone off and then finally did at the end before she gave a one-sided, unchallenged and biased soliloquy about these supposed horrors committed by ACORN (not eight out of 13,000 individuals, but rather the entire organization in her book). She lacked the courage to offer her side, let him offer his side and then let the viewers decide. Instead, she placed her finger on one side of the scale to tilt the balance. It’s typical Fox News behavior. Biased individuals like Kelly blur the line between objective reporting/interviewing and offering opinion/analysis. One minute she is supposed to be objectively interviewing Bill Burton or Scott Levenson (even though she was biased and exposed as such in both interviews) and the next minute she is on Bill O’Reilly’s show offering strong opinions (strong right-wing opinions). Fox News, I believe, purposely blurs this once-sacred line due to its sharp right-wing ideological mission. If readers are confused by viewing employees like Megyn Kelly giving sharp right-leaning opinions one minute and interviewing people (supposedly as an objective journalist) then they may attribute more credibility to her opinions as being more fact-based than in fact they actually are. So, Fox uses this to fool its viewers (mostly right wingers) into thinking these strong conservative opinions (that start in the morning with Fox and Friends and run through the afternoon, late afternoon and evening through Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren) are more fact-focused and less opinion-based. It’s actually a fairly clever scheme.

News Hounds:
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/20/megyn_kelly_melts_down_over_acorn.php#more

ESPN Hater Digger Phelps Needs A Chill Pill On The Big Ten

It amazes me how much of a hater ESPN college basketball analyst Digger Phelps is whenever the subject of the Big Ten comes up. His blood pressure seems to go through the roof and he appears in need of anger management classes. All week, and even before that, Phelps has been whining about the style of play of the Big Ten (he and Hubert Davis), but that low-scoring and defensive brand of basketball is what prevails in the Big Ten. But, Big Ten teams can and will run up and down the court while still playing that good defense. Ask Michigan’s first-round victim, Clemson. There is some good basketball in the Big Ten, it may not be pretty to watch, but it sure is pretty when you get the win in the end.

Twisted Logic, Starring, Laura Ingraham

Right-wing talking head Laura Ingraham is continuing to play the role of revisionist historian while also engaging in a blame game for her degrading insult of Meghan McCain’s body type.

When conservatives get in trouble what do they generally do?
A. Take personal responsibility and apologize.
B. Give a detailed and honest explanation of what happened.
C. Claim mistaken identity and say, “it wasn’t me.”
D. Blame liberals in general and the liberal, mainstream, drive-by media in specific.

The answer (if you’re Laura Ingraham): D.

CASE STUDY: Laura Ingraham

Ingraham, a hardcore right-wing talk show mouthpiece, was guest-hosting The O’Reilly Factorfor Bill O’Reilly (even though he claims the show is fair and balanced). Ingraham has been getting hammered for her comments about McCain. On Wednesday, while being given a platform by Fox News to defend herself, said:

INGRAHAM: The Obama attack dogs can twist my words, engage in emotional exploitation, and distort my intentions. But they will never, ever, silence me.

So, Laura somehow manages to drag President Barack Obama into her insult of Meghan McCain. It’s the gratuitous shot many conservatives feel they must take at our new president. Now, she did it to be able to assert her theory of this concerted effort from liberals to attack of her. But, she sort of went a step beyond that and developed O.J. Simpson syndrome as she denied she did it (and probably believes her own words).

INGRAHAM: Let the record show: I never called Meghan McCain fat! She isn’t! And as I have repeatedly said on my radio show and on Fox, she is an attractive young woman. If that throwaway comic line highlighted anything, it was Hollywood’s obsession with stick-figure women!

Right, and O.J. has been out on a crusade looking for the real killers all these years, too. In the last sentence, she shifts blame to Hollywood to deflect blame from herself.

Let us examine what Ingraham did say in a mocking voice designed to belittle Meghan McCain:

INGRAHAM: OK, I was really hoping that I was going to get that role in the Real World, but then I realized that, well, they don’t like plus-sized models. They only like the women who look a certain way. And on this 50th anniversary of Barbie, I really have something to say.

Laura Ingraham may not have used the word “fat,” but there can be no question what she said and meant by her words. It’s a shame she lacks the courage and character to just admit her mistake.

Crooks and Liars:
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/laura-ingraham-sez-leave-laura-ingra

Confronted With Racist Definition In Dictionary, Bernard Goldberg Claims It Was Written By Liberals

Bernard Goldberg, allegedly a “media critic” for Bill O’Reilly’s show (March 17), The O’Reilly Factor, was at his conservative worst in defending has-been (if he ever was) comedian Jackie Mason for a racist slur (”schvartze”) used against President Barack Obama (during what was supposedly a joke). Goldberg, as one might expect came essentially to the defense of Mason and then (even more predictably) blamed the liberal media as he attempted to assert that the term wasn’t as racist as everyone else sees it as in the dictionary.

From News Hounds:
GOLDBERG: “Forgive my arrogance. The dictionary is written by some liberal person.”
O’REILLY: “We’re living in a society where anything is uttered about any minority group, Media Matters or somebody else will say you’re a racist. That’s what they do.”
GOLDBERG: “Exactly. That’s an important point.”

Goldberg is so predictable in that he always takes the conservative perspective, blames liberals for everything and minimizes anything even remotely racist. These characteristics, of course, ensure his continued presence on Fox News shows like The O’Reilly Factor. Objectivity to Bernard Goldberg is being equally fair to conservatives and Republicans.

News Hounds:
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/18/bernard_goldberg_complains_about_the_liberal_bias_in_oreillys_dictionary.php#more

Angela McGlowan Seeks Most Favored Negro Status With Defense Of Jackie Mason Stupid Comments

Personally, I could care less about “comedian” Jackie Mason or anything he says - joking or otherwise. Although, in the video he did reveal himself to be defensive and unnecessarily foul mouthed. What I am more curious about is another one of these black conservatives (in this case Angela McGlowan) handpicked by Bill O’Reilly to come on and defend whites and others accused of something racist. McGlowan is basically handpicked to make an appearance and comfort whites accused of doing or saying something deemed racist and to ease other whites who may be made to feel uncomfortable about such an accusation (even if it is not against them). Then, in typical fashion, she uses the same defense people used in the Don Imus case (blame all liberals for attacking, show that black people are bad and have other things that they should be focused on and work to show that it’s no big deal). In the video she speaks often about problems in the so-called black community (as if there is some kind of a white community and it is problem free and everything is great). This is the same defense we hear a lot from people who trash the black community. Jackie Mason is considered a comedian and if he wants to use that kind of language in one of his routines then I (personally) could care less. I get McGlowan’s point that we should not worry so much about what comedians and entertainers are doing (I wonder if she would have that same opinion of rap music). I don’t necessarily disagree with that point. However, for her to take and throw the so-called black community under the bus by emphasizing all these problems, as if they’re exclusive to the black people, is pathetic over the line in my book. She allowed herself to go onto The O’Reilly Factorto be exploited for conservative use. She was brought on there primarily because she is conservative, black and largely agreed with O’Reilly on the issue.

The Gholston Post:
http://simmerdown3.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/angela-mcglowan-seeks-most-favored-negro-status-with-defense-of-jackie-mason-stupid-comments/

Bill O'Reilly Exploits Rihanna Case To Attack Rap Music

Bill O’Reilly, the self-righteous hypocrite that he is, used his platform on Fox News to launch yet another tired and hate-filled attack on rap music. You see, the host of The O’Reilly Factor is trying to blame the abuse suffered by Rihanna on rap music. Although, I am going to go out on a limb and assert domestic violence was around long before so-called gangsta rap music. But, O’Reilly (who like other conservative haters of rap music) feels uncomfortable with rap and my theory is because he feels it is a little too black and it is having a little too much of an impact in suburban white communities across the country. What better way to try and marginalize the impact of rap music than to try and link it to every bit of violence humanly possible. Conservatives like O’Reilly have been doing this for years and for years their efforts have failed as white kids continue to enjoy rap and hip hop in high numbers. Really, if not for white kids, rap and hip hop would not enjoy nearly the popularity it enjoys today. And, (I don’t have the statistics in front of me), but I would venture to say the vast majority of people who listen to rap and hip hop do not actively engage in violence toward other people. This is probably just as true of people who go and watch movies or play video games with what some people would consider violence as a component. Domestic violence is wrong, but so too are misguided efforts to try and blame music and video games for the actions of wrongdoing individuals. O’Reilly and his conservative gang tried to pin domestic violence on music and liberalism … yadda, yadda, yadda. Apparently, to O’Reilly, the abuse excuse is allowed if you are blaming actions on liberalism and/or rap music.

News Hounds:
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/17/bill_oreilly_distorts_lies_about_meghan_mccains_comment_and_smears_rap_music.php#more

President Bush Made Some Mistakes, But …

I’ve offered more than my fair share of criticisms for former President George W. Bush. But, one thing I have always told people about Bush is this: I really do think he was and still is a good man. Now, I disagreed with him on a lot of his policies, but I do genuinely think he was doing a lot of things he felt was in the best interest of the country. I also strongly suspect he was talked into some things that he should have known would not (in the long run) be in the best interest of the country. Unlike former Vice President Dick Cheney, who many people view as a bit of a scoundrel, I think Bush is a good man who truly believes in the quote he issued (below):

Said Mr. Bush:
“He was not my first choice for president, but, when he won, I thought it was good for the United States of America. I want the President to succeed. I love my country a lot more than I love politics…I’m not going to spend my time criticizing him. There are plenty of critics in that arena.”

I believe Bush does mean that when he says he loves his country more than he loves politics. It’s a shame that did not rub off on people like Cheney who continue to fear-monger and encourage people to believe that President Barack Obama is somehow keeping us less safe. His words are dangerous, inappropriate and highly partisan. Unlike Cheney, I do think Bush really cares about this country more than he cares about politics. In this post-Bush Administration era, Cheney has revealed himself to be precisely the kind of bitter, angry, out of touch and partisan politician so many people suspected he was while he was in office. It’s a shame Bush did not have more of an impact on Cheney than Cheney had on Bush. The George W. Bush of 2000, one I liked, barely resembles the George W. Bush of today.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/18/bush-obama-succeed/

Right-Wing Nut Laura Ingraham Still Talking About Meghan McCain

Apparently, conservative commentator Laura Ingraham is bothered by the heat she has taken for her unprovoked verbal attack on Meghan McCain’s body (which LI believes does not measure up to her standards of physical beauty). Ingraham has been taking a lot of heat for her words and she is trying to battle back using the oldest trick in the book (one we all learn in elementary school): It’s OK because other people have done similar stuff (even if she takes it out of context).

Wrote Ingraham on her Web site:
The left’s indignation in this instance is manufactured and totally phony. If any off-the-cuff remark about a woman’s size was condemnable, then where was the outrage when President Obama made a passing reference to Jessica Simpson’s “weight battle” during his Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer? And of course they look the other way when obvious personal attacks are levied against conservatives. Remember when Al Franken was the toast of all media for his book “Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot”? Last month The View’s Joy Behar called him a “fat guy”; and when I was a guest on The View a few years back she ridiculed Ann Coulter and me as “peroxide” blondes on Fox. I laughed it off. If you can’t stand the heat…get out of the punditry business.

This is what grade-school kids tell teachers when busted for doing something they’re not supposed to do. Teachers apply rules fairly (or, at least they’re supposed to) and, if you mess up, you get busted. So, Ingraham went to the grade-school defense. Nice. She also tried to play the left-wing conspiracy card. And by the way, she purposely took comments from President Barack Obama out of context to sneak in a cheap shot at him. He was citing a story that was being run in a magazine, and not launching an attack on Jessica Simpson’s weight. That is highly misleading on Ingraham’s part. This is the same Ingraham who was making fun of Meghan McCain’s figure and mocking her with the stereotypical valley-girl voice. It was disgraceful and unnecessary on Laura Ingraham’s part. It seems that perhaps Ingraham is the one having trouble handling the heat if she is using her Web site to justify her nasty words toward Meghan McCain.

Laura Ingraham aka LI:
http://www.lauraingraham.com/blog;jsessionid=0368A10FC1D53B2AB03B394BCC77182F?action=viewBlog&blogID=916697090071706972

Moronic Steve Doocy Cheap Shots CNN

Fox and Friends is a show that truly proves that anyone can become almost anything … even if you are not qualified, inept and flat-out ill equipped. Steve Doocy, one of the hosts of this underwhelming show, could not resist an attempt to try and cheap shot CNN as he referred to the network as “Communist News Network.” Doocy did this because a former CNN employee (Mauricio Funes) has been elected president of El Salvador. So the intellectually-challenged Doocy (pandering to his hardcore right-wing audience) dropped this little zinger: “I wonder if he is just on a leave of absence from CNN, which, given his political inklings CNN could stand for the Communist News Network.” But, then these morons, still trying to be funny while taking a cheap shot at CNN, appeared to have put on display their own stupidity by mistakenly referring to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as Cesar Chavez. So, if CNN is the Communist News Network … does that make FNC the Fascist News Channel?

Raw Story:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Fox_host_says_CNN_could_be_0316.html

CNN’s John King Punked By Former Vice President Dick Cheney

CNN’s John King gets a lot of air time on Sunday, but he sure did not use it wisely in his disappointing interview with Dick Cheney. He appeared to be sucking up to Cheney and at times appeared intimidated by the former vice president. Arianna Huffington writes an interesting article that poses the question: What if Jon Stewart, instead of John King, Interviewed Dick Cheney? At least we know Jon Stewart has the capability of asking some tough questions, not being so easily (and apparently) intimidated and being well prepared. Hopefully John King will be tougher and better prepared next time he interviews someone of that stature. I would hope it wasn’t a puff piece interview (in the tradition of Sean Hannity interviewing John McCain or Sarah Palin during the campaign of 2008) due to some kind of partisan interest on his part.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/what-if-jon-stewart-inste_b_175503.html

Fox News Article Finds New Way Of Pinning Economy On President Obama

It is amazing the lengths that some people continue to go to try and pin any and all blame for the current economy on President Barack Obama. This article is a prime example of the head-scratching ways Republicans and conservatives in general are trying to manufacture to put President Obama at fault for the economy. Unfortunately, this weak article by John R. Lott Jr. simply does not pass the smell test. It stinks of partisan politics. President Obama can not win this one. If he would have been overly optimistic about the economy then conservatives would have accused him of downplaying the economic woes to save himself. It’s a pitiful attempt by Lott and fails the smell test that offers no solution and pushes forward all kinds of partisan political hate. It’s a perfect article for the Fox News audience.

Fox News:
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/03/16/lott_obama_fearmongering_economy/

Maybe Michael Steele Is A Democratic Operative

The more I listen to Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele talk, the more I wonder about his true mission. Perhaps Chairman Steele secretly is an operative placed in the Republican Party to speak foolishly, create controversy and in general undermine the efforts of the GOP to rebound from what has been a disastrous time, politically speaking. As Steele’s mistakes continue to pile up, maybe Republicans should pause and wonder if he is in fact a Democratic operative who has taken over the Republican Party and risen to the rank of chairman.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/16/steeles-tour-de-force-com_n_175317.html

Meghan McCain To Laura Ingraham: ‘Kiss My Fat Ass’

Conservative haters like Laura Ingraham typically display little conscience when it comes to personal attacks of people. Then, when called out on it, they try to claim it’s “satire.” Generally speaking, satire is supposed to be funny. On that count, Laura Ingraham strikes out without even so much as taking the bat off her shoulders. Laura Ingraham, a frequent contributor on Fox News, is a lot of things, but funny simply is not one of them. Ingraham became angry when Meghan McCain had some criticisms of Ann Coulter (even more of a hater than Laura Ingraham). Ingraham injected herself into the mix and resorted to middle school-caliber jokes about Meghan McCain’s body type (a body type that apparently does not fit Ingraham’s narrow-minded perception of how women are supposed to look). Think Progress had a couple of comments from McCain that were particularly interesting.

McCAIN: What do young women think when I speak my mind about politics and I want to have a political discussion about the ideological future of the Republican party, and the answer is, “She’s fat, she shouldn’t have an opinion. What kind of message are we sending young women? … It infuriates me. I’m a political writer on a blog, and all of a sudden I’m too fat to write?

In Laura Ingraham’s world, if you’re fat you are not allowed to have an opinion. And, if you’re upset for being called fat, then you just need to learn to “chill” and not be so sensitive. In addition to the negative message it sends to young women, it just stinks of childish behavior. But, McCain was not finished as she continued to call out Ingraham for her kindergarten-caliber insult.

McCAIN: When Tyra Banks went on her show in her bathing suit and said, “Kiss my fat ass.” That’s what I feel right now. I’m like “Kiss my fat ass!”

I applaud Meghan McCain for standing up for herself and against people like Laura Ingraham who have little else to bring to the table beyond low-caliber insults. Here is Ingraham’s response.

INGRAHAM: But look the bottom line is it’s rough and tumble out there. You wanna put yourself out there as someone who’s going to redirect the future of the Republican party, and you’re going to have to deal with satire. You’re gonna have to deal with people teasing. You’re gonna have to deal with, you know, sometimes the kitchen gets a little hot! …. You gotta just take a chill pill. … Can I say lighten up or is that offensive too?

Perhaps if Laura Ingraham would have taken the chill pill in the beginning, and kept her nose out of it, then maybe she would not feel the need to have to defend herself from her own stupidity. Sure, you’re always going to have to deal with people teasing, but you have expectations that elementary school-level teasing is left in … well … elementary school. I am not sure it’s an accurate statement to say that Meghan McCain put herself “out there as someone who’s going to redirect the future of the Republican Party.” Based on the close-minded attitude of the Republican Party, the future is looking bleak as the United States of America becomes increasingly multicultural and the GOP looks less diverse by the election.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/16/meghan-mccain-view/

More Fox News Attacks On Meghan McCain

Meghan McCain is discovering just how vicious conservatives within the Republican Party can truly be to one of their own (when an individual is perceived to have stepped out of line). Hopefully this is Meghan’s wake-up call about the party she is involved with … the party of people like hardcore right-winger Laura Ingraham who make fun of McCain’s weight and body type. This is the same party that threw Meghan’s father under the bus after he lost the presidential election and blamed him for everything - including Sarah Palin’s self-inflicted mistakes. John still doesn’t get that he was thrown under the bus, but that is another story. Check out this article to see how some conservatives continue to hammer away at Meghan McCain like a gang of political thugs.

News Hounds:
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/16/meow_meghan_mccain_goes_rogue_and_the_foxettes_claws_come_out.php

Like Mitch McConnell And Other Republicans, Detroit News Editor Offers No Solution … Only Criticism

Like so many Republicans, Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley is quick to point the finger of blame at new President Barack Obama. He is quick to criticize his large budget and the financial bailouts. He is slow, however, to offer any positive solutions other than “tightening the national belt.” Imagine if someone at a news conference asked the president what he was going to do to fix this crisis built up during the last seven years and his answer was: “We’re going to be tightening the national belt.” And, then he left the podium and offered no other solution. You think the media would enthusiastically embrace such a vague and solution-resistant answer? Finley, drinking GOP talking points-flavored Kool-Aid, feeds all the tired Republican stereotypes of Americans becoming lazy welfare-type recipients looking for little more than a handout. Finley does not see this as a way of sparking the economy, getting people to work or beginning to rebuild the infrastructure of communities. No, Finley sees it as Americans becoming some sort of government junkie. In other words, he sees the glass as half empty rather than half full. George W. Bush gets basically a free pass for doing little to get control of a horrific situation until it was pretty much too late. Finley’s columnis all doom all the time with virtually no optimism and razor thin of solutions. “Tightening the national belt” is not as easy as balancing your budget at home. Considering the Detroit News gave a strong endorsement of Sen. John McCain in the presidential election of 2008, we should hardly be surprised by yet another solution-free attack on President Obama while granting a free pass to Republican former president Bush and the GOP in general.

Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090315/OPINION03/903150309/&imw=Y

Michigan State Is In And A Solid No. 2

There was some talk of Michigan State possibly earning a No. 1 seed, but the lost to Ohio State (in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament) probably ended that talk. The Spartans will be a tough out for its opponents. Throughout much of the season, it had been my thought that the Spartans would be a team capable of advancing to the Final Four. To do so, however, MSU will need to get play from Raymar Morgan that is a lot closer to superstar-like. Kalin Lucas is the real deal at the point guard and I am thinking that he is going to have a Mateen Cleaves-like performance. Will it lead to a national championship? It probably won’t, but it is possible if he is on his game and Morgan gives them what he is capable of giving.

Congratulations To Michigan Getting In NCAA Tournament

I was sweating a little bit, but in the end it was nice to see Michigan getting back into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. Wow, I had not realized it has been that long since Michigan went to the Big Dance. Congratulations to Coach John Beilein on having this program ahead of schedule in the rebuilding process. Michigan was very deserving of an NCAA bid. U-M had good wins over UCLA and Duke, a nice win over Purdue, one over Illinois and two good wins over Minnesota (to name a few). I do feel bad for teams like Penn State being victimized by some upsets in some other conferences that took away some of those at-large bids. The NCAA Selection Committee had to make some tough decisions and it seems as though the committee got it right.

Fox News Is Almost Politically Evil With Madoff Comparison To Our Government

Fox News is known for doing the dirty work of the Republican Party, but its effort to link criminal con man Bernie Madoff to our president (our commander in chief) and to members of Congress is beyond reprehensible. When George W. Bush was president, many GOP people called this anti-American behavior. Using a has-been (if he ever was in the first place) hack like Steve Forbes to make the case only damages the credibility of the Fox argument. Fox News, operating on the Republican talking points (try to put the blame for the economic woes on the new administration as quickly as possible while rehabilitating George W. Bush’s reputation). Following Republican talking points, Fox News (lacking in journalistic integrity) tries to draw comparisons between Madoff and Democratic leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Harry Reid and President Barack Obama. It’s right out of the Republican playbook.

Media Matters for America:
http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200903150008?f=cf_clips

Mike Patrick, Dick Vitale And Duke Don’t Mix Well

ESPN college basketball commentators Mike Patrick and Dick Vitale form a nice team. And, when they’re not calling Duke University basketball games, I can stomach listening to them. However, when they’re calling any college basketball game involving Duke, I have to turn the volume down because there is only so much I can take. I found myself gripped by that feeling while listening to the ACC championship game between Duke and Florida State. We all tire of the Duke worship and the worship of head coach Mike Krzyzewski (who has been undeniably successful) and pretty much everything he does. I think Mike and Dick can call a better game without so much fawning over Duke and Krzyzewski. Give Mike and Duke their props, but lets not get so carried away.

Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis Hate On The Big Ten

It amazes me the hate coming from ESPN studio analyst Digger Phelps and, to a lesser extent, Hubert Davis (who was complaining about the low halftime scores of Big Ten contests). These guys continue to hate on the Big Ten because the games within the conference tend to be lower-scoring affairs. This ignores the fact, however, that the Big Ten officials (as pointed out by one of the other analysts) tend to let the games be more physically played and that Big Ten teams tend to have higher-scoring games when they are playing out-of-conference teams. The anti-Big Ten bias is stupid. The Big Ten is the third-best conference in the nation behind the Big East and the ACC. It deserves seven to eight bids to the NCAA Tournament.

NBA MVP Discussion: It’s Still Kobe Bryant … For Now

Reports of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant’s decline have been grossly exaggerated. Supposedly, this was to be the year that LeBron James took over and clearly became the dominant individual player in the NBA. James has done his part, but Bryant’s play has been sensational as well and he has refused to willingly relinquish that title: best player in the NBA. Bryant, in my mind, remains the premier player in the league and the guy you most fear with the ball in his hands at the end of games. Bryantcan make every shot, he can defend, he rebounds and he has learned to get his teammates involved. Then, at the end of the game, it’s Kobe time. LeBron James is right there. It’s Kobe 1A and LeBron 1B. But, Dwyane Wade has crept into the discussion with his tremendous bounce-back season. But, Wade is a bit behind Bryant and James. Things can change, by the end of the season, but right now it’s Bryant, James and Wade … in that order.

Detroit News Article Turns Excitement Into Disappointment In Gary Waters Write Up

I could not help but feel a sense of excitement as I noticed an article in the Detroit News on Gary Waters. Waters is the head men’s basketball coach at Cleveland State University and recently led his team to an NCAA Tournament bid with a stunning upset of nationally-ranked Butler in a nationally-televised game. Waters has rescued Cleveland State from obscurity and led the program into the NCAA Tournament - a notable achievement to be sure. My disappointment came, however, as I read the story and I noticed an omission in the biographical information writer David Goricki presented to his readers. There seems to be a notable gap between Waters’ time at Detroit Mackenzie High School and his time coaching at Eastern Michigan University under Ben Braun. I can only attribute this omission to anti-small college bias. You see, Waters did not play for a “big-time” Division I college basketball powerhouse. Waters did not first learn from a big-time Division I coaching superstar. Gary Waters played for Ferris State University, a Division II school in Big Rapids, Mich. He played for the legendary head coach Jim Wink, who coached the Bulldogs (and successfully so) for decades. Waters learned a lot from Wink, but that must have been insignificant since Ferris is merely a Division II school - insignificant to a lot of the big-time papers. Ask Waters how he feels about Jim Wink (I have as I have interviewed him several times)? You will see a smile come across his face. Had Waters played and coached at Michigan or Michigan State, it would have been all over the article. Had he even played and coached at Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan or Western Michigan you’d have to think that would have been mentioned. Part of the failure of major newspapers is in its willingness to turn a blind eye on the little guy. Now, surely if there was a Virginia Tech-like massacre, surely the big newspapers would descend upon a small campus, set up shop and report it like crazy. Goricki missed the boat. He had a chance to portray Ferris, the place where Waters got his start, in a positive light. Goricki had an opportunity to show the full depth and breadth of a true inspirational story: A young man from inner-city Detroit goes to a small school, climbs the ladder of success and makes it big. Instead, the Detroit News turned a blind eye on one of the most inspirational aspects of Waters story and a blind eye on one of the jewels of the state: one of our precious state universities. That is a shame, and it truly did a disservice to what could have been an even better story.

Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/SPORTS0203/903140468/1133/SPORTS

Puzzling Column Written By Detroit Free Press Writer Drew Sharp

Drew Sharp, a columnist for the Detroit Free Press, is a notorious hater of the Big Ten. In his most recent column, published online March 14, it seems that Sharp’s hatred for the Big Ten so truly clouded his judgment that he was making mistakes, misleading his readers and (quite frankly) contradicting himself. His column is entitled, “Politics skews Big Dance selection procedure.” His basic point seems to be that the Big Ten is whining its way to more bids to the NCAA Tournament than he feels the league deserves. Some experts are speculating that the Big Ten could get as many as eight teams in the NCAA Tournament (including the automatic bid). Sharp is hating on that prediction.

Here is one passage that caught my attention:
The Big Ten doesn’t deserve eight NCAA tournament invitations. No conference does. Nobody warrants seven bids either, because rewarding mediocrity isn’t the mission of the selection committee. Its objective is finding the 65 most deserving teams.

First, the NCAA selection committee does not pick all 65 teams since many of the bids are earned by conferences through automatic bids. The selection committee fills the rest of the tournament field and seeds all the teams, but does not pick all 65. And, if you’re saying that the committee is supposed to pick the “most deserving teams” then what if one of the most deserving teams (to fill the remaining spots in the field) happens to be from one of the power conferences like the Big Ten? He complains about rewarding mediocrity, but what about rewarding (with automatic bids) teams from the small conferences that have no shot in the first round? Is that rewarding mediocrity, Drew?

Sharp later writes:
The Big Ten may get eight teams solely because it whined the loudest, proving that the path to the NCAA tournament is as politically flawed as the route to the Bowl Championship Series championship game.

He never proves how the Big Ten “whined the loudest” to help its cause with the NCAA Tournament. The statement kind of hangs out there with no real factual legs to stand on. Sharp later tries to downplay the strength of the conference because Indiana is so down. It’s still a weak argument. The RPI says differently and the Big Ten is regarded by some experts to be the third-best conference in the nation behind the Big East and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Sharp later writes:
The debate will involve the reduction, if not the flat-out elimination, of the automatic bid for the obscure conference tournament champion. But should the day come when there’s no longer room for the little guy, that’ll be the day the NCAA tournament loses its soul.

He says the tournament should not reward mediocrity by having so many teams from a power conference, but thinks its great that champions from “obscure” conference tournaments get in. He further ads that “should the day come when there’’s no longer room for the little guy, that’ll be the day the NCAA Tournament loses its soul.” He may have a point there, but he sugarcoats the little guy the sneaks out of a weaker conference while slamming the “mediocre” team from a bigger conference that would crush the competition in one of those smaller leagues. I think this is another case of Drew Sharp letting his hated for the Big Ten cloud his ability to objectively write a column. As a result, he ended up with a poorly constructed column that stinks of his anti-Big Ten bias.

Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/article/20090314/COL08/903140323

Detroit News Editor Nolan Finley Calls Out Monica Conyers

I have to admit, I listened to some of aninterview between Detroit radio personality Frank Beckmann and Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers and I could do little more than shake my head in disbelief. The interview was posted in a blog written by Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley. On a personal note, I have mixed feelings about Beckmann. I appreciate his work as a commentator for University of Michigan football, but I could live without his conservative politics. That aside, I was actually impressed with the way he stayed tough during his interview with Conyers (who is tough to pin down and who has a level of aggressiveness that can make a questioner uncomfortable). Here is the Frank Beckmann interview with Monica Conyers right here.

Detroit News:
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/nolanfinleyblog/index.php

WJR:
http://wjr.com/Article.asp?id=1197527&spid=6552

Detroit News Blogger Nolan Finley Seems To Believe In Feed-The-Rich Idea

The return of trickle-down economics. Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley (in a blog entitled: Obama Parses Pork) it appears subscribes to the trickle-down theory of economics: Give money to the rich (typically in the form of tax breaks)and hope that money eventually works its way down to the people who need it most to feed their families, keep their lights on and pay their car notes. Finley uses the tired-old Chicago politics stereotype to imply that President Obama should somehow be familiar with corrupt government and then later takes a shot at Detroit’s government (granted the Detroit City Council is very suspect). But, we went through the trickle-down economics theory with President Bush and look where we are now. It’s time for a new approach. Pork is going to be in most bills (from Democrats and Republicans) of this magnitude and Finley needs to take off his blinders and realize this is big-time politics at work. You want votes and support then you have to give something to get something. All the whining about pork and earmarks oftentimes is laughable. So-called pork projects many times go to help people in communities (in spite of the fake outrage you hear from the opposing party or believers in the opposing party).

Detroit News:
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/nolanfinleyblog/index.php

Some In Detroit Making A Lot Of Demands With Their Hands Out

Some “leaders” in Detroit have their hands out asking for money from the state and neighboring counties (to repair a crumbling and inadequate Cobo Hall) while also demanding to have more say than others who are contributing millions. You can’t have it both ways. If the neighboring counties and the state are coming in to help out then they should have a fair shake at the decision-making table. I can understand how much it hurts to not have Detroit have exclusive or majority say in the operations of Cobo, but these are desperate times and Cobo needs help … Detroit needs help. It may not be a perfect deal (for Detroit), but it is probably the best deal (a $288 million pact) an ailing city is going to get whether some people like it or not.

Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/METRO/903140422

Rest In Peace Mr. Davidson

Bill Davidson was widely considered one of the best owners in all of sports as the owner of most notably the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. He also was owner of (among other things): the Detroit Shock of the WNBA, he Tampa Bay Lightning and Palace Sports and Entertainment(which includes numerous holdings). Mr. Davidson died on Friday leaving behind a tremendous legacy. He treated his players well with state-of-the-art facilities, a private jet for the Pistons (Roundball One) when no other owner was really thinking of it and much more. He was straightforward and honest and was the first owner to win championships in three different leagues with the Pistons, Shock and Lightning. Mr. Davidson also was tremendously generous in his philanthropic endeavors having donated millions of dollars to the University of Michigan (where he graduated) and Wayne State University (where he earned his law degree). Indeed, Mr Davidson, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, will be sorely missed by all those he touched … even if from afar as fans of his teams or as those who attended events at his entertainment venues. What a legacy he leaves as it appears his widow, Karen, will now take over as the face of the empire Mr. Davidson built.

Said Tom Wilson, the president of Palace Sports and Entertainment, to Detroit radio station WWJ:
“There is a huge hole in our hearts tonight,” said Palace Sports and Entertainment President Tom Wilson in an interview on WWJ-950. “This really is somebody that you thought would go on forever. He seemed to have nine lives, and every one of them was jovial and optimistic and positive. He was a forward-looking person. He was a guy who never dwelled on mistakes, he had so much positive energy. He was the most eternal optimist ever.
“It’s an overwhelming presence we’ve lost.”

We will miss you Bill Davidson (1922-2009)

Detroit Free Press (general article):http://www.freep.com/article/20090314/SPORTS03/90313096/Longtime+Pistons+owner+Bill+Davidson+dies+at+86

Detroit Free Press (Karen will succeed him):http://www.freep.com/article/20090314/SPORTS03/90314037

Detroit News:http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/SPORTS0102/903140415/1004

Maybe Meghan McCain Is Precisely What Republicans Need

Meghan McCain made an appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC to talk about a variety of topics … not the least of which was conservative commentator Laura Ingraham’s cheap shot against her because of her body type. McCain had been in the news recently for a variety of topics and Ingraham did not (apparently) like something McCain said and used her platform to bash McCain because she is not as supermodel tall and thin as Laura Ingraham would prefer. But, beyond the ridiculous and useless words coming out of Ingraham’s mouth trashing McCain, I had another thought about Meghan McCain. Perhaps young McCain is precisely the kind of person the Republicans need as the face of the party. Extremists like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity paint a frightening and divisive picture of the Republican Party nowadays. Perhaps more open-minded individuals like Meghan McCain can positively impact a party that has not had a particularly open-door policy.

Here is an excerpt from Meghan McCain’s appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show:

MADDOW: You picked a fight with somebody who’s definitely going to fight back.
MCCAIN: Yeah. Well, if it was, you know, if it was too hot in the kitchen, I’d get out. I know what I’m doing and I know that I’m creating, she probably will respond, she already has, but I’m sure she’ll respond harder, but this dialogue should take place. It should. I think that you know, often times and I think it’s relevant because I am a Republican. I still consider myself a Republican and that’s why it’s relevant because I’m someone within the party.
INGRAHAM (mocking): How long before she totally abandons the Daily Beast and makes it official at the Huffington Post?
MCCAIN: And I think there’s an extreme on both parties and I hate extreme. I don’t understand. I have friends that are the most radically conservative and radically liberal people possibly ever and we all get along. We can find a middle ground.
INGRAHAM (mocking): Ok, I was really hoping that I was going to get that role in the Real World, but then I realized that, well, they don’t like plus-sized models. They only like the women who look a certain way. And on this 50th anniversary of Barbie, I really have something to say.

Extremists on the right like Ingraham, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh make individuals who are more moderate (like Meghan McCain) come across as even more attractive.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/13/meghan-mccains-not-having_n_174734.html

Conservative Commentator Laura Ingraham Trashes Meghan McCain’s Body Type

Right-wing commentator Laura Ingraham apparently had little better ammunition against Meghan McCain than to make fun of her body type. Ingraham, utilizing a troubling stereotype that has long been damaging to the self esteem of young women, mocked McCain because she doesn’t fit Ingraham’s ignorant image of what constitutes physical beauty in a body (apparently tall and skinny).

LAURA INGRAHAM (mocking): Ok, I was really hoping that I was going to get that
role in the Real World, but then I realized that, well, they don’t like
plus-sized models. They only like the women who look a certain way. And on this
50th anniversary of Barbie, I really have something to say.

I may not agree with all of Meghan McCain’s politics, but she looks good and does not have to take a backseat to Laura Ingraham in ANY way, shape or form. “I got to a point where I was like, I just don’t care. You think I’m fat? Fine. I don’t care how much you weigh.” Apparently Laura Ingraham seems to care how much Meghan McCain weighs. Heaven only knows why. Added McCain on Twitter, “To all my girls out there. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about your body! I love my curves and you should love yours too!” Amen!

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/12/ingraham-meghan-mccain/

Bill O’Reilly Exploiting Bristol Palin To Attack Liberals

I am not going to get too much into this because what Bristol Palin is doing in her personal life mostly is her business. But, it almost made me want to vomit as Bill O’Reilly on Thursday’s (March 12) edition of The O’Reilly Factor was exploiting Palin’s relationship troubles as a way to accomplish a few things: 1. strengthen his conservative credentials (while hollowly claiming to be a person who calls it right down the middle), 2. again come to the rescue of Sarah Palin and 3. savor another gratuitous attack on anything and everything liberal. I could not bring myself to watch it all, but apparently he was using some messages that people left on (it appeared) The Huffington Post. I noticed he had The Huffington Post banner up and he was reading some comments left. Apparently Bill O’Reillydoes not read the Fox News comments for some of the vicious right-wing garbage. But, that is another story. It was sad to watch O’Reilly (for self-serving reasons) exploit the relationship troubles of Bristol Palin to use as a platform to attack those on the left side of the political spectrum.

Is Time Magazine Author Admitting Fox News Is Conservative?

Time magazine author Ramesh Ponnuru has an article trying to make arguments as to why conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh is good for the conservative movement. But, during the course of his argument, I ran into this paragraph that was like a stop sign:

Besides, Limbaugh plays a valuable role within conservatism. His show, like Fox
News, is not as high-flown as conservative intellectual journals such as The New
Criterion and First Things. But those publications have small circulations.
Their influence is long-term and indirect. Conservatism needs mass media, too,
to affect day-to-day politics: to jam phone lines; to pull the national
conversation rightward. It needs Limbaugh and the many like-minded talkers
elsewhere on the airwaves. Doubtless they could do their jobs better, as could
the conservative writers who scorn them. But if Limbaugh did not exist,
conservatives would have to invent him. And it would be hard to do — as liberals
have found when they have tried and failed to come up with their own successful
radio shows.

Is this particular passage from the Time magazine article entitled “Why Rush Limbaugh Is Good for the Republicans” a way of bringing to light the heavy conservative slant of Fox News? The Fox News people will attack Timeas being aligned with CNN and for being a left-wing outfit. It will issue all sorts of attacks against Time while trumpeting itself (in phony fashion) as fair and balanced. Considering the right-wing opinions we see regularly on Fox News from Fox and Friends hosts down to other hosts or regulars such as Laura Ingraham, Karl Rove, Newt Gingrich, Megyn Kelly, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Neil Cavuto, Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren … it’s difficult to argue anything but a heavy right-wing bias.

Time:
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1884289,00.html

Michael Fauntroy On The Money About Holder-Obama Disagreement On Race

Michael Fauntroy wrote an online column for Huffington Post discussing the issue of President Barack Obama responding to Attorney General Eric Holder’s comments about the U.S. being a nation of cowards with respect to discussions of racial issues.

Here is an excerpt from Fauntroy’s column:
It seems that Obama doesn’t think race is a big deal. That is an incredible disappointment to some who understand the role race places in American political, social, and economic life and hoped he would use his new position to engage the nation on this continuing issue.

I also expressed the same opinion in a recent blog at The Gholston Post.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-fauntroy-phd/on-race-holder-is-right-o_b_173909.html

Sean Hannity's Show: Isn't It Moronic?

For Sean Hannity’s new theme music for his Fox News solo show, we should do another remake of the old Alanis Morrisette song “Ironic” and call it “Moronic.” One of the sports radio stations in Detroit did a remake of this song and called it “Moronic” and used it for describing the Detroit Lions. That was years ago, and come to think of it … it could still apply.

“Moronic”

An old-school conservative filled with hate
He won a new solo show to make us cry the next day
It’s a clipped toenail in your Chardonnay
His show’s a death row pardon 30 seconds too late
And isn’t Hannity moronic… don’t you think

It’s like hail storm on your wedding day
It’s that bounced check from work when you thought you were paid
It’s that good advice you just didn’t take
Who would’ve thought… it figures

Mr. player hate guy who think he’s so fly
He won’t pack his suitcases and make his show go buh-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take political hate to a new whole height
And as racist cartoons came out about Obama he probably thought
“Well, isn’t this nice…”
And isn’t Hannity moronic… don’t you think

It’s like hail storm crashing down on your wedding day
It’s that bounced check from work when you thought you were paid
It’s that word from the wise you just didn’t take
Who would’ve thought… it figures

Well Hannity has a funny way of player hatin’ on you
When I thought he was callin’ it straight, well, he fooled me too

A paper jam for a meeting and you’re running late
A rich white guy who thinks poor blacks get every break
It’s the poor ole conservative who thinks Bush can’t get a fair shake
It’s meeting the woman of your dreams
And finding out she’s really a dude
Hannity’s moronic…don’t you think
He’s more than a little moronic…and, yeah, I really do think…

It’s like hail storm on your wedding day
It’s a bounced check from work when you thought you were paid
It’s that good advice you just didn’t take
Who would’ve thought… it figures

Hannity has a funny way of sneaking up on you
He has a funny, funny way of praising Bush
All up in his Bush

Conservative Fox News Sunday Host Chris Wallace Soothes Rush Limbaugh

Leave it to conservative Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace to come riding in on a white horse to try and rescue fellow conservative Rush Limbaugh. Here are comments made by Wallace on Sunday as he tried his best (for whatever that is worth) to try and rehabilitate the fractured image of Rush Limbaugh. As might be expected, however, Wallace flopped as pretty much lied and went into revisionist history mode as he attempted to repackage Limbaugh’s words.

WALLACE: I do want to point out though just as a point of information, that Rush Limbaugh says, and I think if you read what he says, he wasn’t saying I want the president to fail. He was saying I want his policies, his agenda to fail and that he disagreed with them and thought they were bad for America.

This is looking at Limbaugh’s words through a conservative prism, as pointed out by Think Progress (which provided a copy of the original words of Limbaugh):

Liberalism is what’s gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don’t care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: “Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.” Somebody’s gotta say it. […] “I hope he fails.” And that would be the most outrageous thing anybody in this climate could say.

Those are the words from Limbaugh right there. We all read and heard them, but apparently Chris Wallace read and heard them differently than everyone else. Ah, it always seems to happen on Fox News.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/index.php

No Surprise President Obama Backs Off Eric Holder Race “Coward” Comment

President Barack Obama is very highly thought of by a lot of people. But, in the end, Obama is a politician - even if some of us want to make him out to be more than what he actually is in the final analysis. He is an inspiring politician, to be sure, but still a politician. I say all that to say this: I was disappointed, though not surprised, that President Obama distanced himself from comments made by Attorney General Eric Holder when he referred to many citizens in the United States as “a nation of cowards” for being unwilling and/or uncomfortable discussing issues of race with open and respectful honesty.

Attorney General Holder’s words (according to the New York Times):
“Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial, we have always been and we, I believe, continue to be in too many ways essentially a nation of cowards.”
It was a very strong comment at the time and actually opened up (even if briefly) a national dialogue on issues of race.

Responded President Obama, as quoted by the New York Times:
“I think it’s fair to say that if I had been advising my attorney general, we would have used different language.”
I think it’s pretty obvious to say that President Obama would have said it far differently and far more politically-correct than Holder said it.

Added the president:
“I’m not somebody who believes that constantly talking about race somehow solves racial tensions. I think what solves racial tensions is fixing the economy, putting people to work, making sure that people have health care, ensuring that every kid is learning out there. I think if we do that, then we’ll probably have more fruitful conversations.”

That is no surprise there. President Obama is in a tricky situation. Clearly, he identifies as being a black man, but he also has to be careful not to come across as too black and risk offending our older friends who may still have difficulty coming to grips with a black man as president and the fast-changing racial dynamics our nation is currently experiencing. President Obama has to be careful what he says about race. Conversely, Attorney General Holder does not have to be quite so careful. Obviously, he has to get in his point about repairing the economy. But, still I agree with Holder that we must become more comfortable engaging in open and honest discussions about racial issues and not run screaming in the opposite direction. Hopefully this is a mild rebuke and it will not lead to a silencing of Holder who showed great courage in sharing an honest opinion.

New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/us/politics/08race.html