Caution To Democrats: Don’t Get Too Happy Over Specter Defection

I know a lot of Democrats are happy that Sen. Arlen Specter has decided to switch from the Republican Party to the Democrat Party. But, be cautious: Sen. Specter is a true maverick. He is apt to go off script at any time and will not be particularly reliable to either party (in terms of his voting record). His defection is more telling of the direction the Republicans are going (to the far right of the political spectrum). Sen. Specter is more of an independent than a liberal or conservative.

Sen. Mitch McConnell Tries To Stir Up Fear Over Defection Of Sen. Arlen Specter

Obviously, it was only a matter of time before one of the prominent Republicans would attempt to use fear as a weapon. Sen. Mitch McConnell, is trying to scare the American people into thinking that the move of Sen. Arlen Specter to leave the Republican Party to become a Democrat is in some way dangerous to the United States.

“I think the threat to the country presented by this defection really relates to the issue of whether or not in the United States of America our people want the majority to have whatever it wants without restraint, without a check or a balance,” McConnell said Tuesday.
“Obviously, we are not happy that Senator Specter has decided to become a Democrat,” McConnell said. “If we are not successful in Minnesota … Democrats, at least on paper, will have 60 votes. I think the danger of that for the country is that there won’t automatically be an ability to restrain the excess that is typically associated with big majorities and single-party rule.”

If Sen. McConnell is so worried then perhaps he should work to make the party more inclusive (to become a party where moderates feel they have a place at the table).

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/28/mcconnell-specters-switch_n_192434.html

Sen. Olympia Snowe Bothered By Republicans’ Move To The Extreme Right

Sen. Olympia Snowe, a moderate Republican, has been bothered by a growing trend of extremism in the Republican Party. Here is an excerpt from a Think Progress story in which Sen. Snowe is quoted:

“I’ve always been deeply concerned about the views of the Republican Party nationally in terms of their exclusionary policies and views towards moderate Republicans,” said Snowe, who has been approached, she said, by Democrats in the past about switching parties.
Specter’s switch to the Democratic Party “underscores the blunt reality” that the GOP is not a welcome place for moderates, she said.

When will the Republicans quit trying to drive away moderate members of its party? The party is looking increasingly hostile toward those who don’t walk in line with what its extremist leaders (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others) believe. A part of me wishes the moderates would stay and take a stand against the extremists. Another part of me, however, realizes that is a losing battle as long as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are the images of leadership and example the party worships.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/28/snowe-specter-moderates/

Michael Steele Attacks Sen. Arlen Specter … Brings Up The Senator’s Mother

As one might expect, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele is on the attack against Sen. Arlen Specter. Specter, a long-time Republican, announced Tuesday that he is switching parties and will become a Democrat. As you might expect, the extremists in the Republican Party now are coming out to attack Sen. Specter and the smears are only just beginning.

Consider this, from Steele:

STEELE: Look, you can tweak my nose and you can step on my toes and you can pull my hair. At some point enough is going to be enough.… Sen. Cornyn went out on the line for this man. For the senator to effectively flip the bird back to Sen. Cornyn and the Republican Senate leadership — a team that has stood by him, who went to the bat for him in 2004 — to save his hide, to me is not only disrespectful, but it’s just downright rude. I’m sure his mama didn’t raise him this way, and it’s a shame that he’s behaving this way today.

Michael Steele has a lot of nerve criticizing anyone for their behavior (especially after those hate-driven, partisan and bigoted tea party protests). Steele has been a train wreck as RNC chair, but this comment attacking a man of integrity, like Sen. Specter, is sad. I have not always agreed with Sen. Specter, but I respected the fact that he went with his conscience. It seems Republicans were OK with Steele until he showed some support for President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan (a move he felt was in the best interest of the country … even though he knew it could hurt him with his conservative base in Pennsylvania).

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/28/specter-steele/

The Myth Of The Inclusive, Kinder And Gentler Republican Party

Sen. Arlen Specter incurred the wrath of the extremist Republicans (his party for so many years) when he had the audacity to support President Barack Obama’s stimulus package. Since then, the hatred directed toward Sen. Specter has been relentless, vicious and indicative of a party that turns a cold shoulder to its moderate members (like Specter and Maine senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins). All three, but particularly Specter, have been verbally attacked nonstop. Sen. Specter, the biggest of the victims, has decided to switch parties and become a Democrat. It makes sense as moderates no longer are welcome in the Republican Party as its umbrella continues to shrink (before long it probably will be the size of one of those umbrellas they put in a fancy drink). Think Progress has a long list of nasty comments that right-wing extremists have made about Collins, Snowe and Specter. It’s sad that this is how they treat one of their own for having the nerve to split with them on an issue. See if you can follow all of the vicious comments that will come out about Sen. Specter in the days to come.
Here is one of the comments Think Progress has compiled:
– Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) told a conservative blogger Specter “cut our knees from under us.” He added that conservatives in the Senate need to aggressively “go after” Specterand other GOP moderates Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME). [The Hill, 2/27/09]

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/28/radical-right-drives-out-specter/

Kent County (Mich.) Republican Bigots Say No To Moderates

It seems the big tent of the Republican party gets a little smaller, and more exclusive, by the day. Republicans in Kent County, Mich. have decided not to welcome Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. Apparently, the governor is simply too moderate to truly be a Republican in the eyes of Joanne Voorhees, chairwoman of the Kent County Republican party. Said Voorhees, ”… hosting the moderate Utah governor would mean abandoning the party’s conservative principles.” It makes you wonder what reasonable person would want to be a part of these kinds of “conservative principles.” More and more, these conservatives are making themselves look like bigots by squeezing out the moderates in their midst.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/29/huntsman-moderate/

O'Reilly Producer Jesse Watters Infiltrates GE Meeting To Complain About MSNBC Bias ... This Is Not A Joke

Conservative Fox News host Bill O'Reilly has an ongoing vendetta against MSNBC and liberal talk show host Keith Olbermann (who, unlike O'Reilly, is more fact-based in his opinions). In an effort to try and intimidate and embarrass General Electric, O'Reilly had one of his top weasel producers, Jesse Watters, to infiltrate a GE board meeting and attempt to sneak attack some executives to satisfy his own nefarious and right-wing agenda.

This is from a Think Progress story:

It's no secret that Fox News host Bill O'Reilly can't stand MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. In fact, when a caller into his radio show had the gall to mention Olbermann's name on air in March 2006, O'Reilly threatened to turn his personal information over to "Fox security." Yesterday, O'Reilly took his rivalry a step further. He sent his top henchman, producer Jesse Watters, to infiltrate the GE shareholders meeting and press executives on why MSNBC has a "leftward political slant."

Right-winger Bill O'Reilly, who lies about being a conservative, complaining about any other media outlet being biased is like the disgraced Michael Vick condemning people for cruelty to animals (it is the height of hypocrisy). Bill O'Reilly is in no moral position to criticize anyone about being biased. O'Right Winger has become a disgrace to real journalism sending these henchmen disguised as reporters out to exact revenge on all people who disagree with him.

Bill O'Reilly is a bigot (shouts down guests who differ from his opinion, has his people stalk those he disagrees with to try and embarrass and intimidate them, has almost exclusively right-wing analysts, only has hardcore right wingers guest-host his show when he is gone, constantly bashes the left and rarely bashes the right and ... on and on it goes).

From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

big·ot (n.)
One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/23/watters-oreilly/

Stanley Crouch’s Beliefs Aside, Thrilla In Manilla Reveals Little New

Perhaps I am a little too familiar with Muhammad Ali, his spectacular boxing rivalry with Joe Frazier and that era of the sport’s storied (if not controversial) history. I watched most of the new HBO documentary Thrilla in Manilla, but was hard-pressed to find much that was new (at least to me) and significant. Now, that is not to say that the documentary was not well-researched and well done. I am not asserting that at all. In my opinion, the documentary was very well done and did a fine job understanding the emotions behind the great Thrilla in Manilla fight between Ali and Frazier. I thought again about the documentary as I read a column written by Stanley Crouch in which he took a fairly aggressive anti-Ali stance.

Now, it’s a fairly lengthy column, but here are a few things that really struck me with this particular piece.

1. Crouch hammers Ali for some of the nasty rhetoric he used against Frazier including referring to him with language that painted him as an Uncle Tom. There is little question Ali went over the line and oftentimes said some cruel things about Frazier that were totally uncalled for - regardless of the period of American history. So, in that sense, nothing new was revealed in Thrilla in Manilla. Interesting about the documentary, however, is that we see a little more from Frazier (getting more of his side of the controversial rivalry) and his son, Marvis Frazier, about the impact the fight and the rivalry had on real people. Believe me, I cringe now when I hear some of the things that Ali said about Joe Frazier.


2. Crouch implies that Ali was not as sincere in his religious beliefs (beliefs that led him refuse induction into the military during the time of the Vietnam War) and that he was only doing what he was told by the Nation of Islam. I think that is a pretty unfair shot that I don’t think the author was ever really able to substantiate (and how could anyone possibly know what truly was in the heart of Ali?). If he was following the teachings of his religion, then how would that be different than any other person following the teachings of their religion?
   
3. Crouch says that the documentary “takes the shine” off of Ali, but I don’t buy into that thought. I don’t know that even some of Ali’s biggest fans think of him as being perfect and without flaw. Ali, like all people, has his strengths and has his flaws. How can you take the shine off of something when the shine is perhaps more a product of this author’s imagination? As I’ve said before, nothing (at least that I saw) in this documentary was breaking news.
   
4. Crouch says that Ali was a race exploiter or race hustler who often referred to Frazier as a “gorilla,” an “Uncle Tom” or as “the white man’s champion.” In many ways those statements ring true (particularly with hurtful language Ali used against Joe Frazier and some other people - language that today (some of it at least) might be called racist if uttered by a white person).


5. Crouch seems to resent the tremendous popularity of Muhammad Ali today.

I could go deeper into this well-written column (even if I disagree with much of what is in it). The author seems to have little use for Ali, the Nation of Islam or any of the Black Power movements of that period of the Civil Rights Movement. I can see why this author might hold those opinions, but to try and put Muhammad Ali up on a pedestal (something we all do that - haters and lovers alike - far too often with our great athletes), just to yank him down from that pedestal, seems a bit over the top to me. It seems the documentary Thrilla in Manilla may have provided an opportunistic platform for Stanley Crouch, who is without a doubt a fine writer, to get off his chest some thoughts he really wanted to express about Muhammad Ali.

The Daily Beast:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-04-18/the-real-ali/full/

Charles Barkley: The Republican Party Just Went Right-Wing Whack Nut Job On America

Former NBA superstar Charles Barkley is never shy about giving his opinion. That was proven once again during a recent appearance he made on Jay Leno’s late-night show.

Said Barkley to Leno:
“Neither party (Democrats or Republicans) is anything to write home about. But the Republican Party just went right-wing whack nut job on America and screwed up the country.”

Later on the show, Barkley had a few choice words for conservative talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

“I mean, you look at this country now, we’ve got all these foreclosures, we’ve got all these people laid off. We should be behind him 110 percent, hoping he’s successful,” Barkley said. “And I just thought it was unpatriotic and basically B.S. for Rush Limbaugh and that idiot Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck and all those idiots to not root for this guy.”

Whoa baby … wait to Limbaugh, the leader of the Republicans, hears this.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/18/charles-barkley-tears-int_n_188527.html

Meghan McCain Gets It … When Will The Rest Of The Republicans Learn?

Meghan McCain is become more and more of a media figure since the end of the presidential election. McCain, more of a moderate Republican, is fighting a tough battle in trying to modernize a party clinging to past glories. She issues a comment, captured by Huffington Post, in which she said “‘old school Republicans’ were ’scared shitless’ of the changing landscape.’” This is old news in a lot of ways and that is part of the problem … older Republicans continue to miss the boat and sink their party deeper into the depths of irrelevance where all they have to cling to is relentlessly and recklessly attacking a president who has been in office less than three months.

McCain added this comment:
“I feel too many Republicans want to cling to past successes,” said McCain. “There are those who think we can win the White House and Congress back by being “more” conservative. Worse, there are those who think we can win by changing nothing at all about what our party has become. They just want to wait for the other side to be perceived as worse than us. I think we’re seeing a war brewing in the Republican Party. But it is not between us and Democrats. It is not between us and liberals. It is between the future and the past.”

We can only hope that the young and more moderate Republicans can wrest control of the party from the old, bitter hardcore conservatives openly rooting for our nation to fail because Barack Obama is president. The old men and women in the Republican party who call themselves “patriots” look less than patriotic as they openly root for our president and the commander-in-chief of our recruits to fail.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/18/meghan-mccain-old-school_n_188636.html

Media Matters Exposes Fox News Right Wing Bias In Protest Coverage

Fox News went nuts covering the tea parties and that was primarily due to the fact that the events were hate fests targeting our president and commander in chief, Barack Obama. But, as I have stated on this blog before, where has Fox News been in previous protests (such as anti-war protests)? Fox News has been inconsistent in its coverage and that was clearly evident as it went overboard and sent nearly all of its on-air “talent” to cover the tea parties live.

From Media Matters:
A Media Matters review of Fox News’ coverage of demonstrations prior to the April 15 tea parties found that the network did not offer similarly promotional coverage of anti-war protests or other demonstrations in support of progressive positions. Instead, the network’s hosts, contributors, and guests often attacked participants in those protests.

As Media Matters points out, not only has Fox News not covered protest events conducted by liberals, it actually has oftentimes attacked such events.

Media Matters:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200904170036?f=h_latest

Conservatives Jump The Gun Attacking President Barack Obama On European Trip

Truly, it amazes me how eager many conservatives are in their efforts to find new and different ways to attack President Barack Obama. It was more than a little funny to watch conservative talk show hosts like Sean Hannity (Fox News) and Lou Dobbs (CNN) eagerly pounce on what they felt like was an opportunity to bash President Obama for what they thought was something he had done wrong. President Obama gave Queen Elizabeth an iPod. It was especially interesting to watch as Fox News worked hard to portray the image that it was a goof by Barack and Michelle Obama (giving the Queen something she already had). But, since the investigative journalism of Fox News is suspect, to say the least, it turns out that our conservative friends in the media had jumped the gun in trying to throw our commander-in-chief under the bus. It turns out the Obamas were giving the Queen an item she had actually requested. Fox News (although a few individuals on CNN jumped on the pile for a few cheap shots as well) neverlets the facts get in the way of a good smear against a liberal. It amazes me to hear words like “outrage” and “embarrassment” about a gift the the president presented to the Queen. Seriously, words like “outrage” and “embarrassment” (in this case) are like killing an ant with a jackhammer. We would or should never expect a correction from an extremist right-wing egomaniac such asSean Hannity or fellow right-winger Lou Dobbs, but that does not mean corrections (perhaps even apologies) are not due.

Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykostv.com/w/001092/

So, Who Are The Real Socialists Here?

MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann has a way of putting his words together in a way that makes you smile - especially when the topic of discussion is Bill O’Reilly. We’ve heard so much talk of socialism and President Barack Obama (mostly by parroting moronswho don’t really know all that much about socialism). Olbermann’s Worst Persons In the World featured Bill O’Reilly (no big surprise there) multiple times.

OLBERMANN: The bronze is shared by two men who we will identify in a moment.
They believe to stop drug use here, we need to adopt a system used in Singapore.
Public man number one says, “now, they have no drug problem in Singapore at all,
because, number one, they hang drug dealers. They execute them.”
Number two, “the market is very thin because when they catch you using, you go away with mandatory rehab. The United States does not have the stomach for that.” So public man number two says, “I think it‘s time we get the stomach for that. I
would dramatically expand testing. I would try to use rehabilitation. I would
make it mandatory.
I think we have every right as a country to demand of our citizens that they quit doing illegal things which are funding, both Afghanistan and in Mexico and Colombia, people who are destroying civilization.”
Who are these dangerous men, proposing these socialistic, invasive, totalitarian measures that are used in some other country called Singapore? Who wants to hang
drug dealers and mandate drug tests and have federal drug rehab centers? Maybe
Barack Obama and Michael Moore?
No, Bill O‘Reilly and Newt Gingrich. Bill apparently went to Singapore on one of his tours of the east, if you know what I mean. And that Singapore, which has had one-party rule since 1959, has censorship and doesn‘t have jury trials.
Our runner-up, a two-fer for Bill-O.
On his own, no Newt requited. Not happy that a Spanish magistrate is investigating possible indictments on war crimes of six ex-Bush administration officials, led his show with an announcement, right from the files of William Randolph Hearst from 1898, “Spain, insulting the USA.”
Well, he knows how to fix that. “So here‘s the deal, Spain. If this—so here‘s the deal, Spain: if this action goes forward, you‘ll be insulting America, implying we are the problem in the terror war. Unless this action is condemned by Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero, then I am not going to that country.”
That will show them! The prime minister should issue a one-word statement, gracias. Say, Bill, if we begin an investigation of these six Bushes in the U.S., will you promise not to go here either? As promised, there‘s a Bill-O two-fer. He also reiterated his delusion about the It Happened to Alexa Foundation, where Bill-O was thoroughly criticized for having the gal to address a fund raiser for rape victims, after twice publicly blaming rape victims, then sending a producer to stalk a woman who wrote a blog post about his hypocrisy.
UPS promptly dropped out as an advertiser in protest of Bill-O‘s victimization of Amanda Terkel of ThinkProgress.org. That‘s not how he sees it, of course. “Far left zealots have attacked a rape victim and her family because they asked me to speak at their fund raiser. Democratic operative John Podesta and NBC boss Jeff Zucker allowed underlings to trash the It Happened to Alexa Foundation, causing Alexa Branchini and her family great distress. Well, now we have some good news. A charity has donated 20,000 dollars to help Alexa‘s cause. And Raptor Technologies, which makes computer software, has donated 15,000.
By the way, Mr. Podesta and Mr. Zucker have donated nothing. One other footnote, disappointingly, the UPS Corporation helped Podesta and Zucker in their evil deed. Check is quite surprised. UPS needs to wise up fast.”
You saw what I did to Spain, UPS. By the way, Jeff Zucker did not make a donation to the It Happened to Alexa Foundation because I did of 25,000. Let‘s see if Bill really cares about the foundation enough to mention that on the air?

Sean Hannity And Rush Limbaugh Protect George W. Bush, Blame Barack Obama

It’s amazing, President Barack Obama has been in the White House barely long enough to know where all the bathrooms are, but conservative talk show hosts like Sean Hannity are blaming him for everything wrong with the United States of America. President George W. Bush was in charge as our economy was nosediving, but conservatives like Limbaugh and Hannity (men who said nothing while Bush and Dick Cheney were running the country into the ground and ruining our reputation worldwide while engaging us in two wars) would have you believe it all happened because Barack Obama was destined to become president. It doesn’t past the laugh test, as Media Matters correctly points out.

Media Matters:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200811120011?f=h_top

Fox News Is In The Tank For Republicans

Isn’t amazing how the so-called facts on Fox News seem to closely resemble Republican talking points about the GOP budget. Is that a coincidence? I doubt it. Media Matters for America has again pointed out yet another example of Fox News using Republican talking points and holding them up as facts. Thank goodness for the cut-and-paste feature. Otherwise, Fox News might be in a little bit of trouble.

Media Matters:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200904010017?f=h_top

Fox News Upset That President Obama Took A Question From Ebony Magazine?

Was Fox News upset that President Barack Obama invited and took a question from Ebony magazine? It sure seems as though the network for conservatives was more than a little unnerved by the fact President Obama took questions from nontraditional members of the press corps … including Ebony. This is an interesting segment because Fox News uses as an analyst the very biased Liz Trotta, who once joked on Fox News about assassinating Obama (when he was a candidate for the White House). President Obama is mixing up the questions and the questioners so that more media outlets have an opportunity to have access to the president - outlets that for years were shut out by elitists in the White House and in the mainstream media. I am trying to imagine a press conference for George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan or George H.W. Bush where a reporter representing Ebony is allowed to ask a question. It seems clear a good number of people are upset (and perhaps uncomfortable) with Ebony being granted this kind of access.

Crooks and Liars:
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/fox-analysts-press-bag-obama-or-just

Bob Schieffer Tries To Label Afghanistan “Obama’s War” … I Don’t Think So

CBS interviewer Bob Schieffer, during an interview with President Barack Obama, tried to label Afghanistan as “Obama’s war.” The war started long before Barack Obama even announced that he was going to run for president. This attempt to label it Obama’s war is nothing more than an attempt to bring heat on the new president and take the burden of responsibility off of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and other Republicans. President Obama is just trying to clean up the mess left by President Bush and Vice President Cheney through support of our troops in Afghanistan as they fight to bring bring terrorists to justice. Schieffer and others may want to tag the current president with it, but the words ring hollow.

Media Matters:
http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200903290008?f=cf_clips

How Do People Like Dick Armey Get Elected To Major Public Office?

Fear mongering Republicans continue to try to play “scary”card against President Barack Obama. The latest to play this card is former Congressman Dick Armey, who is claiming the United States of America has a president who makes him scared for the first time in his life. What a statement coming from a man who had an opportunity to see the administration of George W. Bush up close and personal. Crooks and Liars is all over these words from Armey. The tragic events of 9/11, war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, terrorists becoming inspired with anti-American feelings and more (all during the Bush Administration) did not scare Dick Armey. But, two months of President Barack Obama trying to clean up the Bush-(Dick) Cheney mess (including the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression).

Crooks and Liars:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/dick-armey-first-time-i-have-president-scares-me

Chrysler Not Interested In Supporting Bill O’Reilly

It appears Chrysler is among a growing list of sponsors (being asked to reconsider their support of Bill O’Reilly) to say we’re not interested in supporting The O’Reilly Factor. The people are being heard and now it seems that Bill O’Reilly may be embarking on a damage-control pubic-relations tour to try and rehabilitate himself in the eyes of the national media. He is apparently scheduled to appear on The View and David Letterman.

Think Progress (Chrysler):
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/29/billo-chrysler/

Think Progress (O’Reilly appearances):
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/29/oreilly-the-view-letterman/

Think Progress Issues Progress Report On Bill O’Reilly Intimidation Tactics, Hateful Words

Think Progress has issued a progress report on the movement to hold Fox News conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly accountable for his hateful words directed at rape victims. Think Progress also is working to hold Bill O’Reilly accountable for his tactics of sending reporters out to stalk and ambush people using various methods of intimidation. O’Reilly most notably and most recently used the tactic against Think Progress blogger Amanda Terkel. Read the update and join the movement to hold Bill O’Reilly accountable for abusing our airwaves to forward a narrow-minded and hateful extreme-right conservative agenda.

Think Progress:
http://pr.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/pr20090327/index.html

Inflated Ego … Starring Michael Steele

The more I listen to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, the more I realized the man has an inflated opinion of his position on the national political stage. Perhaps no place was that more evident to me than in a recent Huffington Post article I read. In the Sam Stein article (discussing a CNN interview), Steele talks about how he is done reaching out to President Barack Obama.

STEELE: Look, I like the president personally, even though I think he has got a little thing about me, that I haven’t quite figured out what that is.
CNN: You haven’t spoken to him?
STEELE: No.
CNN: You’ve reach out?
STEELE: Several times, and I’m done.
CNN: So there is no bipartisanship going on there?
STEELE: Not, not that I know of.
CNN: Is there any professional jealousy?
STEELE: Not on my part. What would I be jealous of?
CNN: He’s the president of the United States.
STEELE: I’m chairman of the RNC, so, what’s your point? We both have leadership responsibilities and roles. I’m not equating the two. My point is: you are on your track. I’m on my track. You do your thing. I do my thing.

I suspect there is at least a bit of jealousy on the part of Michael Steele and a lot of Republicans out there who still can’t believe they were thumped so badly in the presidential election by Barack Obama. But, Steele’s last comment seems to indicate he has an inflated opinion of his importance and his role as RNC chair. He seems to be equating it to the role of the president … even though he insists he is not. Besides, why would President Obama want to reach out to Michael Steele? Steele is already helping the Democrats nearly every time he opens his mouth. Barack Obama does not need Michael Steele. Although, Michael Steele’s mouth has been doing plenty to help the president and the Democrats.

CNN:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/29/steele-im-done-reaching-o_n_180429.html

UPS Dumps Bill O’Reilly … That’s What Brown Can Do For You

I must commend UPS for stepping up and doing what is right in discontinuing its association with Fox News conservative hater Bill O’Reilly. O’Reilly has a history of alleged sexual harassment and has said some despicable things about rape victims during his on-air career.

This latest update:
Thank you for sending an e-mail expressing concern about UPS advertising during the Bill O’Reilly show on FOX News. We do consider such comments as we review ad placement decisions which involve a variety of news, entertainment and sports programming. At this time, we have no plans to continue advertising during this show.

This, hopefully, is only the start.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/27/ups-oreilly/

Think Progress Announces Some Positive News: UPS Looking Into Bill O’Reilly’s Disgraceful Actions And Words

This is just in from Think Progress about its campaign to bring to light the hateful rhetoric and bullying tactics of Fox News Conservative talk show host Bill O’Reilly.

In response to our Stop Supporting The O’Reilly Harassment Machine campaign, UPS told us yesterday that it was investigating whether to continue supporting O’Reilly’s show. “We are sensitive to the type of television programming where our messages and presence are associated and continually review choices to affect future decisions,” spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg told us.

Keep up the good work, Think Progress.

For more on the campaign to hold Bill O’Reilly accountable for his disgraceful words and actions, visit: http://thinkprogress.org/stop-oreilly-harassment/.