Powerful Words From Keith Olbermann

This is strong stuff in an increasingly toxic environment in our country.

Behar Was Wrong In Her Language, But Right To Slam Sharron Angle

Joy Behar

Oh goodness has Joy Behar, an outspoken and quite liberal (not that there's anything wrong with that ... obviously) co-host for the popular ABC program, The View, gotten herself in a whole pool of hot water.

Here is one person's description of Behar's comments:

Joy Behar condemned a political ad by Nevada Republican Senate nominee Sharron Angle as fomenting racial divisiveness. The View aired Angle’s latest TV ad on the talk show on Tuesday morning. Looking at the camera, Behar addressed Angle, calling her a “bitch” and concluding that Angle is “going to hell, this bitch.”

Wow, that is way over the top for Behar. While I don't think it is appropriate for that kind of language on television to attack someone (even Sharron Angle), I do see where her anger is coming from - not that it justifies what she said.

Angle's recent add was one that I ripped apart in an earlier blog with this comment:

By watching her ad (showing wholesome white families and dangerous Latinos), you'd think she is running as a segregationist (pre-Civil Rights movement) candidate.

I still think that is an apt description of her racially-poisoned ad.



Still, Behar was wrong for those her language in attacking Sharron Angle. In all honesty, she nearly lowered herself to Angle's lowly level (and that is hard to do).

Sharron Angle Is A Chilling Reminder Of The Pull Of Tea Baggers

Sharron Angle, who actually is in a position to possibly become a U.S. senator, should scare more people than she apparently does as she seeks to unseat incumbent U.S. Senator Harry Reid.

That Angle is as popular as she is in Nevada should send shockwaves up the backs of all people in the U.S.

This extremist, using this racially polarizing advertisement to her political advantage, is just too extreme.

Sadly, there is a chance she could win. If she does, the U.S. needs to pause and take a look in the mirror at the ugliness (Sharron Angle) it could send to such a prestigious body.

By watching her ad (showing wholesome white families and dangerous Latinos), you'd think she is running as a segregationist (pre-Civil Rights movement) candidate.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/25/angle-immigration-latinos/

No Surprise Angle Continues To Play Racial Politcs As Republicans Use Scorched-Earth Plan

It never ceases to amaze me how some people can make it so far in politics with so little of substance to stand on.

When not using Fox News as her personal public relations firm, Nevada U.S. Senate candidate Sharron Angle is left to her own devices (beginning with the usual race baiting).

From Think Progress:

Last month, Nevada senatorial candidate Sharron Angle (R) released an ad that portrayed opponent Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) as being the “best friend an illegal alien ever had.” This month, Angle’s latest racially-tinged ad goes after Reid and his support of undocumented students.

This is no surprise with Angle and Republicans in this 2012 mid-term election. Since Barack Obama was elected president, right wingers have become unhinged.

The right and the far right are in the midst of a scorched earth plan to win back the U.S. House of Representatives and possibly the U.S. Senate.

Their win, with these tactics, comes at the expense of this country. But, that is our country and it has survived worse.

Republicans spend so much time worrying about the government intruding in their lives, but then turn around and obsess about what people they think are "illegal" are getting.

But, if they don't think "illegal" immigrants are real people then I guess what is happening to them doesn't count in the eyes of the far right.

Sharron Angle did approve this message and that is the saddest part.

Once Again, Harry Reid Looks Weak And All Wrong

Sen. Harry Reid has come out against the building of a so-called mosque in New York near Ground Zero.

I've never been much of a fan of Sen. Harry Reid. Frankly, were he not running against a political nut (Sharron Angle) I would be pulling for his opponent (even a Republican).

But, the reality is that conservatives have put in place a female Tom Tancredo, who simply is too absurdly nutty (OK, maybe she is not quite as bad as Tancredo, but that is not saying much) to be a U.S. senator (then again, who knows what the people of Nevada will do when the time arrives).

This all brings me back to the latest disappointment from Sen. Reid:

The office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada issued a statement saying, "The First Amendment protects freedom of religion. Senator Reid respects that, but thinks that the mosque should be built some place else."

Obviously, the man is in a tough political dogfight, but this is ridiculous. The man is coming down on the side of Sharron Angle on an issue that is little more than bigotry enforced through a sort of peer pressure.

How would Sen. Reid feel if someone said, "We support the right of Asians to eat wherever they want, but we just want them to eat someplace else?"

How would Sen. Reid feel if the people of Nevada said, "We support your right to run for public office, but we want you to do it in some other state?"

Once again, Sen. Reid proves weak and unreliable when it matters most. So often Harry Reid is in a position to do positive things and so often he predictably lets us down.

Lastly, here is what Angle had to say about Reid on Twitter: Nice of you to join us, @HarryReid

That tells you a lot of what you need to know about Sen. Reid.

Even When Harry Reid Provides An Opening, Republicans Screw Up

Here is how a Fox News story begins as it analyzes comments made by Sen. Harry Reid about Hispanics and the Republican party:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is taking heat after he told a crowd of supporters Tuesday that he doesn’t know "how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican."

Ah, so let the games begin.

Fox News, with all five minority Republican regulars on speed dial (I am being slightly sarcastic with the number ... slightly), finds one that seems most appropriate to respond: Marco Rubio, who is described by Fox News (leave it to this network to never resist an opportunity to promote one of its own) as "one of the GOP's rising stars."

If you're black, somewhat articulate (Jesse Lee Peterson is an exception that may have been sort of grandfathered in) and willing to say something bad about President Obama, at some point you will find yourself on Fox News.

I digress.

Anyway, here is some of what Rubio had to say, in response:

"You know, Americans of Hispanic descent, you know what the strongest issue there is? That is economic empowerment, upward mobility. There’s only one economic system in the world that that’s possible in, time and again, and that’s the American free enterprise system.

"And the reason why Americans of Hispanic descent should be Republicans is because the Democratic leadership is trying to dismantle the American free enterprise system. The point is he’s wrong."

OK, I was almost with Rubio until he got to the end and he turned hypocrite and tried to use Reid's comments to score political points against the Democrats."

Rubio had the moral high ground and blew it (like George W. Bush after 9/11) by turning the comments of Reid into some sort of opportunity to pull a cheap and ham-handed political stunt.

Rubio, why play politics with it?

Why be so stupid?

Rubio is upset because Reid expresses difficulty in understanding why Hispanics would support Republicans, but then turns around and basically tries to make the case for why Hispanics should not support Democrats and should run with the GOP.

To me, Rubio turned himself into a bit of a hypocrite and looked like just another shallow politician willing to use an ill-advised comment (Reid has had more than his fair share of ill-advised and/or stupid ones during his career) to score political and racial points.

OK, so back to the brief video clip.

No, Harry, you don't need to say more. In fact, please don't say too much more. As far as this issue, you've said enough. Democrats, still, are probably thanking their lucky stars that Reid's opponent, Sharron Angle, is a Tea Party nut. Angle makes Rand Paul look normal ... OK ... maybe not.

Still, with Angle as an opponent, it appears luck continues on Harry Reid's side. If he loses, and Angle wins, then luck runs out for the state of Nevada.

CBS News:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20013321-503544.html

Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/rubio-blasts-reid-asking-hispanics-republicans/