Ali On Being A Black President ... Long Before There Was A Black President

Muhammad Ali's words are quite interesting today.

Allen West's Tirade Against Debbie Wasserman Schultz Is Highly Disturbing

Rep. Allen West clearly is a lot of things, but it would appear that "gentleman" is one title he has not fully earned.

One has to wonder if the state of Florida is big enough for Allen West, his ego and the rest of the residents.

Mr. West would appear to be a man who struggles to find comfort in working across party lines with strong women, like Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who do not simply give in to him. While most politicians are capable of civilized discourse, it appears Mr. West is incapable of that and revealed himself as weak and thin skinned when rather mildly challenged.

This was how Crooks and Liars quoted Politico:

Florida GOP Congressman Allen West this afternoon dispatched a scathing personal email to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, calling her "vile, unprofessional ,and despicable," "a coward," "characterless," and "not a Lady," and demanding that she "shut the heck up."

Wasserman Schultz, in whose neighboring South Florida district West lives, provoked his tirade with remarks after he left the House floor today, in which she responded -- without naming him -- to the Tea Party freshman's support for "Cut, Cap, and Balance" legislation to raise the debt ceiling.

"The gentleman from Florida. who represents thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, as do I, is supportive of this plan that would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries, unbelievable from a Member from South Florida," Wasserman Schultz said, saying the legislation "slashes Medicaid and critical investments essential to winning the future in favor of protecting tax breaks for Big Oil, millionaires, and companies who ship American jobs overseas."

Her criticism of the legislation -- more or less what most Democrats are saying today -- provoked a furious response. West copied members of House Republican and Democratic leadership on the email, as well as his chief-of-staff, Jonathan Blyth.

Come on, tough guy West ... you're supposed to be a grown man. What's next? Are you going to leave a nasty message on her Facebook wall and then block her so she can't reply?

This is weak brother West ... weak. It's almost as if he wanted to tell her to know her place in society, but was too angry and went straight to one-dimensional insults. That is just way too much anger at one time to be excused.

But, here is another pathetic sidebar to this story ... the conservative women rushing to assist West in attacking Wasserman Schultz.

Monica Crowley: "She of the Angry Perm"

Michelle Malkin: "Alan Grayson in Heels ... Anthony Weiner, Only An Octave Higher."

Then, you have the good-ole boys almost irrationally attacking Wasserman Schultz:

Rush Limbaugh: "Debbie Wasserman Blabbermouth Schultz Uses 'Mayonnaise' in Her Hair."

Eric Bolling: "Drives a Machete Into Colonel Allen West's Back As He Walks Off The House Floor."

Yes, these are the same folks (conservatives) who whine any time a person even thinks about saying something even remotely negative about poor Sarah Palin and poor Michele Bachmann.

If West does not want to apologize then that's fine, but he must live with the fact that he looks like a misogynistic bully with anger and issues regarding women.

Rep. West, remember the old Temptations song, "Treat Her Like a Lady."

Maher Comes Out With Race-Based Attack On Kim Kardashian

Bill Maher was at his predictable worst as he used Twitter as a platform to issue what was, by his standards, a fairly standard distasteful attack of Kim Kardashian. One sort of expects that Maher will say tasteless things, but then there are comments that are even bad for his standards (such as his standards are).

It started when Kardashian Tweeted this in response to the verdict in the case of Casey Anthony (you can look it up on your own if you don't know about it):

“WHAT!!!!???!!!! CASEY ANTHONY FOUND NOT GUILTY!!!I am speechless!!!”

Maher, smelling blood in the water, responded as he Tweeted the following:

“Kim Kardashian is upset with Casey Anthony verdict? Ur father defended O.J.! Starting the Kardashian tradition of getting black men off.”

A few thoughts about the original comment and the responses that went through my head:

1. He has probably been looking for an opportunity to unload this kind of comment on the Kardashian women.
2. He perhaps has some underlying issues with the Kardashians and their relationships with black people.
3. He is tired of seeing the Kardashians with guys like Reggie Bush, Lamar Odom, etc... Maybe he wants to see them getting off more guys like Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Bill Mah ... nevermind
   
4. His comment smacks of racism (not that he cares one bit about what anyone things of him ... good, bad or indifferent ... this is how he makes his money).

Interesting Interview With O'Reilly And Rapper Lupe Fiasco

Conservative Fox News talk show host Bill O'Reilly was in the zone as he hosted rapper Lupe Fiasco, who referred to President Obama and all presidents of the United States as "terrorists."

O'Reilly puts rappers on a pedestal to inflate their political influence so he can portray them as too black and too dangerous as he tries to tear them down.

Notice in the interview how condescending O'Reilly is as he talks to his guest. It's not an accident.

As a side note, O'Reilly hosted this segment also to disingenuously appear unbiased by "defending" President Obama against this man referring to him as a "terrorist." I am not buying it and neither should anyone else.

This was a cultural attack by O'Reilly that allowed him to fake a defense of Obama. In a way, it's kind of brilliant on the right-wing host's part.

Source: Color Lines

Right-Wing Audience Laughs At Comparison Of Obamas To Sanford And Son Characters, But Not Pleased With GOP Jokes

Reggie Brown, the man paid to impersonate President Barack Obama, was welcomed with open arms as he made fun of the Barack and Michelle Obama and at one point likened them to Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther Anderson fighting from the old Sanford and Son show (you know ... because black couples are supposed to fight, be loud and act obnoxiously ... black marriages are not supposed to stand the test of time and challenges). Apparently, it was funny to laugh at a black couple fighting, but it was not so funny to hear stereotype jokes of Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and other jokes about GOP presidential candidates.

There were a few laughs with the Romney joke, but it clearly did not go over well with the right-wing audience and right-wing organizers.

Go on Reggie ... I guess you gotta get paid.

Random YouTube Video: A Mormon Explaining How Blacks are Cursed

It is interesting to look at this guy and try to figure out his body language. I hate to get into the Bill O'Reilly body language crap, but in this case it would be kind of interesting to get a feel for what someone thinks is going on with this guy.

Color Of Change Starts Petition To Get Fox News To Dump Fox "Business" Host Bolling For Racial Comments

Dear ColorOfChange.org member,

"It's not first time he's had a hoodlum in the hizzouse."

That's what Fox Business host Eric Bolling said on Friday about President Obama's meeting at the White House with the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo, while photoshopping a gold tooth onto the man's image. Then a photo of popular hip-hop artist Common, who participated in a White House poetry event last month (and was later smeared by Fox), appeared on-screen .¹

It's just the latest from Bolling, who last month accused President Obama of "chugging a few forties" in Ireland.²Bolling's attacks are part of a long history of racially-coded language and stereotypes that Fox uses to create a negative perception of the president.

Please join us in demanding that Roger Alies Chariman of Fox News and Fox Business fire Bolling. If enough of us speak out, it will ensure that Fox's leaders face some public accountability for its consistent race-baiting. It only takes a moment:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/bolling

Fox Business and Fox News continue to be safe havens for commentators who try to whip up race-based fears and peddle racial stereotypes as hard news.

President Ali Bongo currently holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council and was visiting the White House on official business. While Bongo has a troubling human rights record, past U.S. presidents have met with problematic figures for diplomatic reasons or to get them to change their behavior. Hip hop artist Common is a well-educated cultural and charitable ambassador and a talented musician. We doubt that Fox would ever have referred to the White House as a “hizzouse” while George W. Bush, Bill Clinton or any other president resided there.

But on Friday, Bolling seized an opportunity to race-bait. He opened the segment by asking, "So what's with all the hoods in the hizzy?" Later, when a guest challenged him, asking why Bolling was treating the meeting as a social event rather than an official meeting between two heads of state, Bolling said, "How do you know what they did? Maybe they did have s'mores and watch movies. Maybe they watched a basketball game." ³

Such obvious promotion of racial stereotypes is nothing new at Fox.^4,5 In fact, it's what made Glenn Beck's career at Fox News before he took things too far⁶ — a move that eventually cost him more than 300 advertisers and his 5pm show on the network. Beck will leave this coveted time slot vacant at the end of this month, and some observers believe Bolling's over-the-top race-baiting last week was an audition for Beck's spot — his attempt to show Ailes and other executives at Fox that he's up to the challenge of stoking Fox viewers' anger at President Obama in a way fitting of Beck's legacy.⁷

Please join us in demanding that Fox Business Chairman Roger Ailes fire Eric Bolling. Ailes might not care what we think — but he has to care about Fox's public image. If Ailes fires Bolling, it's a step towards accountability. If he refuses, it will make it abundantly clear to the public and the media that stoking racial division is part of Fox's agenda.

Please join us by clicking the link below. And when you do, please ask your family and friends to do the same:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/bolling

Thanks and Peace,

-- Rashad, James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Matt, Natasha, and the rest of the ColorOfchange.org team
June 18th, 2011

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://www.colorofchange.org/donate

References:

1. "Fox's Eric Bolling: Obama Is Hosting "Hoodlum[s]" In "The Hizzouse"," Media Matters, 6-11-2011
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201106110002

2. "Bolling: Obama Was "Chugging A Few 40's" Instead Of Responding To Joplin Disaster," Media Matters, 5-24-2011
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201105240034

3. See reference 1

4. "Tell CNN: Stop echoing Fox's race-baiting," ColorOfChange.org, 7-10-2010
http://orig.colorofchange.org/cnnfox/message.html

5. "An overview: Fox News and its problem with African-Americans," ColorOfChange.org
http://orig.colorofchange.org/fox/summary.html

6. "Call on advertisers to drop sponsorship of Glenn Beck," ColorOfChange.org, 7-30-09
http://orig.colorofchange.org/beck/message.html

7. "Is Race Baiting Part of Eric Bolling’s Fox News Audition?," Media Matters, 6-13-2011
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201106130006

Perfect Example Of An Insincere Apology: Featuring Eric Bolling Of Fox News

I chose this photo of Eric Bolling because of the caption that attacks MSNBC talk show host Ed Schultz. When Schultz made offensive comments about right-wing radio talk personality Laura Ingraham, he offered a sincere apology. He was truly sorry. Eric Bolling is sorry as a human being, but he is not sorry for the racially offensive comments he made in reference to President Barack Obama.

Fox News has a long and well-documented history of hosts and guests making hostile and offensive comments about people of color.

So, when the Eric Bolling (who seems to be auditioning to replace Glenn Beck) started making racially offensive comments about black people it was hardly a big surprise. If he is indeed sort of auditioning for the Glenn Beck role then this kind of racially offensive mentality would be totally expected, if not encouraged.

I am going to start with his apology expressed by this guy Bolling, first:

One editorial note. On Friday, we did a story about the president meeting with the president of Gabon. We got a little fast and loose with the language, and we know it's been interpreted as being disrespectful, and for that, I'm sorry. We did go a bit too far.

"Interpreted as disrespectful" sounds a lot more benign than calling it what it was, in my opinion: "racist." That alone should be indicative of a lack of sincerity.

It almost sounds like he is sorry it is being (not been) interpreted as disrespectful. Does this guy have a heart or a conscience in his body? This man seems as an arctic icecap.

First off, why is this man discussing this topic and using such offensive language on the so-called Fox Business channel?

Now the comments expressed by Bolling. This is an excerpt from News Hounds:

In other words, Bolling is not apologizing for using such offensive language as "It's not the first time (Obama has) had a hoodlum in the hizzouse" or posting a photo of Gabon’s leader with a shining tooth or the repeated use of a banner saying, "Hoods in the House." No, he's apologizing for how that language has been interpreted.

You think he would have said this about George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush or even Bill Clinton? There is no way he would have said this about a white president.

He is flat out not sorry for what he said. It was not his first time making offensive comments and it will not be his last time. He is almost certainly making his case to replace Beck as the host of one of the Fox News hours of hate.

Look, this is a weak, WEAK "apology" from Bolling. It is completely insincere and sounds every bit the part of a man forced to apologize for something he is not the least bit sorry about.

White Rapper Kreayshawn Sparks Controversy With N-Word Issue

Natassia "Kreayshawn" Zolot

The issue of whites and white rappers using the so-called N-word has come into focus again, with a story about Natassia "Kreayshawn" Zolot, a white rap artist.

She uses the word and doesn't much apologize for her use of it - in spite of the fact that she has now found herself knee-deep (at least) in a controversy. One of the general arguments in this case, and as is typical with use of the N-word, one of the primary arguments is that if they (black people) can use it then everyone else should be able to use it.

Here is a comment she recently tweeted about the controversy:

“People are acting so funny OMG lol. I got 200k views, not 200k dollars. WTF YOU WANT FROM A NIGGA. DMX VOICE.”

That comment tells me a few things: 1. She feels passionate about this issue, 2. she doesn't care too much what other people think (at this point) and 3. she is getting a WHOLE lot of marketing value out of this controversy.

A report from News One added this little nugget to the issue:

“In Oakland, Asian people will call Mexicans that. A Mexican will call a black dude that. A white person will call an Asian that. Everyone calls each other that. I feel like that word is used in the low-income community more than anything. I can see if I was some rich crazy trick and I was just saying this because it’s hip-hop,” Kreayshawn said, “I was raised around this. Me and my sisters were all raised around this. People call me that. But personally I’m not flaunting it around.’’

Whether she is flaunting or not is an interesting discussion. One thing is for sure, this controversy is helping Kreayshawn big time.

Honestly, she has the right to use it (like anyone else), but no one has the right to everyone's approval of use of the word. Based on what I've read, she probably has built up some credentials to be able to use it more than some (based on where she is from), but it doesn't mean everyone has to like it. Some do not and will not like it.

It's a controversy and not an easy one.

Weiner-gate Is Pathetic On Many Different Levels

The trouble that Rep. Anthony Weiner finds himself in is sad on so many different levels.

First, we're subjected to the pathetic and disgraceful right-wing blogger Andrew Breitbart gloating about his fetish for photos of Anthony Weiner's penis - disguised as a politically-motivated pursuit. The gloating that far-right extremist Breitbart is doing over having nude photos of Weiner is disturbing on its own. No one wants to imagine how often the excited and happy Breitbart has looked over and carefully examined the photos of Weiner's penis.

On the other hand, it's sad to watch how much Weiner has deservedly fallen from grace for his actions followed up by a weak, weak attempt at a cover up. In hearing some of his initial responses I had little doubt that his story seem farfetched to say the least. Frankly, my first thought was that he was embarrassed and was lying his butt off.

Weiner was emerging as a strong advocate for liberal positions bolstered by his toughness and intelligence.

Now, quite frankly, he has screwed up so bad he is in danger of being forced out of office. As is often the case, it was the cover up that caused more damage than the actual "crime" he is seen as having committed. He has fallen in his self-created mess and now has a lot of work to do to rehabilitate himself.

It won't be easy and it should not be easy.

Fox News Host Says Obama Was 'Chugging A Few 40s'

None of this should surprise us coming from those idiots over at Fox News.

I guess at least they didn't accuse the president of sipping on gin and juice. Obviously they haven't seen the old Snoop Dogg rap in their efforts to describe how they believe black people live.

Common Controversy Makes It Easy To Ask Questions About Racism Regarding Some At Fox 'News'

Common

The whole Fox News-generated overblown controversy regarding the rapper and poet Common is one that I'd like to say I find interesting and surprising, BUT ... I don't.

I'd like to say say that the Fox News hysteria over Common's performance at the White House was strictly related to the network's misguided belief that he is some sort of a gangsta rapper ... or something along those lines.

Frankly, I am not going to go into a long explanation of how ignorant this whole issue is (which is pretty much a given coming from Fox News).

But, I will offer the obvious ... this clearly is racially tinged (even if somewhat coded). Once again, Fox News is taking an opportunity to try and portray President Obama as some kind of black nationalist or racist (or someone who sympathizes with black nationalism or anti-white racism). To normal people, this is utterly ludicrous, but to call most of the people at Fox News normal is to borderline defame real normal people.

This whole issue with Common is largely based on race and trying to portray President Obama as an angry black man who is "not really one of us" to the highly conservative Fox News audience. This is the strategy of people like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Sarah Palin. This is why they attack Common and excuse Ted Nugent.

Hannity, and this is no surprise coming from him, was comfortable with this attack on a black man (that is never a surprise from this man) and a woman running for President of the United States of America.

Nugent's comments were OK, to Hannity, but the Fox News bigots jumped all over Common and took every shot possible at someone who has a high level of integrity and is quite the conscientious man with very positive messages.

Coming from Fox News, this is no surprise ... in fact, it is ironically common.

Tuberville Jumps On The Birtherism Hate Train

Tommy Tuberville

I will get right to the point on the birther comments made by Texas Tech University coach Tommy Tuberville just prior to President Barack Obama release the long form of his birth certificate.

My message is simple: Black recruits, and recruits of color in general, should think twice before signing to play for this man or even letting this man come into their home for a recruiting visit. Is this a man who is truly open minded to what you believe in, culturally and politically? How deep is his hostility toward President Obama? Is this birtherism merely scratching the surface of a deeper hostility. Will Tuberville truly be supportive of you?

This is an excerpt of a story highlighting Tuberville's controversial shot taken at President Obama with far-right talk show extremist Sean Hannity:

Texas Tech football Coach Tommy Tuberville does not subscribe to that theory, which is not to say he isn’t a fan of any conspiracy theory.

Tuberville might need to do his recruiting at Donald Trump rallies after his performance last week on the Fox News show “Great American Panel.” It was there that Tuberville joined in the “birther” chorus, demanding President Obama prove he is an American citizen by showing us his birth certificate.

“As a common American, I just don’t understand why we just go through this,” Tuberville said. “And I think it’s continued to divide the country.”

The show’s host, Sean Hannity, gently tried to steer Tuberville back to the center from whichever precinct of Wingnutville is circled by the most black helicopters.

“By the way, for the record, I think he’s probably born in the United States,” Hannity said of Obama.

The coach was undeterred.

“I don’t know why he wouldn’t just step up and say, ‘Here it is,’ ” Tuberville said. “Obviously, there’s got to be something on there he doesn’t want anybody to see.”

Tuberville has exposed himself as being someone who buys into birther theories and birtherism in general. His message, to people of color, seems to be one of disrespect. As I've stated before, I believe birtherism to be largely rooted in disguised racism.

This is not to say all birthers are racist, however. But, it is to say that birthers hold an irrational anger toward President Obama that is illogical and racially motivated.

Tommy Tuberville seemed mighty comfortable in the presence of Sean Hannity expressing his birtherism and hostility toward our president.

If I were a black student-athlete being recruited by Texas Tech ... the Red Raiders would be scratched from my list. I would rather play for a Division II than play for Tommy Tuberville.

Bill O'Reilly, Barack Obama And Racial Politics

This video is a case of Bill O'Reilly at his racial worst.

In this clip, we see a lot of what makes Fox News (some might call it Fox Views) a hostile network toward President Obama and to black people in general.

In this video, O'Reilly (in early campaign seeking to assist potential Republican candidates who will oppose President Obama) is at his hypocritical and racially-antagonistic worst as he hosts a segment with Amos Brown of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

O'Reilly (stoking racial fears about President Obama) was all too willing to ignore the clear double standard of the appearances of white presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton at Shiloh Baptist Church to slam President Obama for his decision to attend service at Shiloh.

Why were Reagan and Clinton not under fire for their views on the nobility of the country? What is the difference between them and President Obama?

It seems to come back to race. O'Reilly, in his utopian world turns a blind eye and deaf ear to that reality.

Birth Certificate Hysteria Is Hillbilly, Racially-Tinged Politics

Now that President Barack Obama has released yet another birth certificate he has confirmed what rational people already knew: that he was born in the United States of America.

Yes, to all of those behaving with a backwoods political hillbilly mentality, Hawaii is in fact one of the 50 states. For many tea party members, it probably remains a challenge to think of Hawaii as one of our states, but it is in fact part of the U.S.

As I have long predicted, the bigots on the right and the far right have far from been appeased by the release of the second Obama birth certificate.

In fact, many have stepped up their ignorant attacks on President Obama and taken their birtherism to new levels.

This is no surprise. Birtherism is disguised racism. Oh, and if you want proof it is disguised racism, wait for the next wave of attacks on President Obama to heat up: going after his school records and accusing him of being an affirmative action beneficiary as an academic.

You see, it's not about the birth certificate.

It's disguised racism designed to attack Barack Obama as a human being, as a black man and as a man in general.

It was never truly about this piece of paper. The birther nuts are proving that right now as their argument now shifts to "why didn't he release it earlier?" and other foolishness.

Remember, birtherism, for the tea party buffoons and the Republicans is about showing that President Barack Obama is "not really one of us" (whatever that means) and is different from the rest of "us" to their extremist constituents.

West's Hateful Comments About President Obama Are Not Surprising

This is a very good example of why I have an issue with a large number of black conservative Republicans.

Rep. Allen West is all too willing to be used by the far-right element of the political spectrum to say nasty and borderline hateful things about President Obama ... black-on-black crime if you will (in politics).

Rep. West goes on the attack and his fellow conservatives are all too happy to watch him go on the attack while their hands remain clean. This man is a disgrace to his district, but it is his district and if they support his nasty views then that is a stain on the character of his voters.

Here is a little of what West said, as documented by Huffington Post:

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) stood by eyebrow-raising remarks he recently made about President Barack Obama during an interview with Fox News host Greta Van Susteren on Thursday night.

Speaking recently on "The Laura Ingraham Show," West asserted that the president demonstrated "third world dictator-like arrogance" in delivering a speech on the federal budget and government spending.

"I do stand by those words," said the conservative congressman, who was elected into office last November with support from the Tea Party movement. "The truth needs to be said."

"I am sick and tired of this class warfare, this Marxist, demagogic rhetoric that is coming from the President of the United States of America," West explained. "It is not helpful for this country and it's not going to move the ball forward as far as rectifying the economic situation in our country. And I'm not going to back away from telling what the truth is."

In that excerpt, we see a snapshot of so many of the politically hateful things that have been said about President Obama coming out of one filthy mouth for the gratification of a far right that has been mostly hostile to minority voters.

West's words are hateful and disgusting, but they obviously bring comfort to his voters and to the far-right commentators (such as Laura Ingraham) and networks (Fox News) who relish the opportunity to witness black-on-black political crime as they keep their hands relatively clean.

I will leave you with this excerpt from a commentary by Dr. Boyce Watkins:

West being a Republican doesn’t offend me. What offends me is that he is an unintelligent Republican who lacks the kind of class that men like Colin Powell have shown in their disagreements with the Democrats. West doesn’t have to call Obama names; he can simply critique his policies. There is almost nothing insightful or substantive about his remarks about the president, for he simply appears to be basking in the sunlight.

Another interesting thing about political pawns like Allen West and Michael Steele is that their love affair with the Republican Party will be short-lived. Once their usefulness has passed, they will be thrown to the side like worthless political prostitutes, for the need for a black face on racial hatred is what has kept them in business. To some extent, they should send President Obama a thank you card, for they could never get this much attention without him.

Fox 'News' ... I Think Not

Here, we see yet another example of why Fox "News" is really nothing of the kind.

This is a story I read at Crooks and Liars regarding an interview Fox "News" promoted about a so-called indoctrination attempt on the part of a school district. Now, the subject in the interview is positioned as a concerned parent who is upset about what she sees as an inappropriate song being sung by children in the Tennessee school. In other words, this woman (Rachael Proctor) is portrayed as just an everyday mom who saw something that outraged her in school and decided to take a stand.

What Fox "News" apparently failed to disclose, however, is this woman's strong tea party public relations work and her affiliations with the far-right movement.

The Crooks and Liars blog entry is a pretty interesting read that illustrates a small example of the bias of Fox "News" as a media outlet.

Lansing, Mich. Mayor Virg Bernero Destroys Fox News Right Wing Talking Points

Not much to add here other than that I enjoyed watching a mayor from my home state crush a Fox News right-wing slappy making advancing weak Republican talking points.

Colbert Report Calls Out Those Who Wipe Their Feet On The Truth

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Simpson Calls Out Homophobia In Politics

This falls in the category of an "ouch" statement for the GOP as one of its own, Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson, made some interesting statements on MSNBC as documented by Think Progress:

On MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews today, former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY), co-chair of President Obama’s debt commission, railed against the social conservatives in the Republican party. He admonished male legislators for voting on abortion issues and “homophobes” like Rick Santorum who say “cruel, cruel things” about gays and lesbians:

SIMPSON: Who the hell is for abortion? I don’t know anybody running around with a sign that says, “Have an abortion! They’re wonderful!” They’re hideous, but they’re a deeply intimate and personal decision, andI don’t think men legislators should even vote on the issue.

Then you’ve got homosexuality, you’ve got Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We have homophobes on our party. That’s disgusting to me. We’re all human beings. We’re all God’s children. Now if they’re going to get off on that stuff—Santorum has said some cruel things—cruel, cruel things—about homosexuals. Ask him about it; see if he attributes the cruelness of his remarks years ago. Foul.

Now if that’s the kind of guys that are going to be on my ticket, you know, it makes you sort out hard what Reagan said, you know, “Stick with your folks.” But, I’m not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, moral values—while you’re diddling your secretary while you’re giving a speech on moral values? Come on, get off of it.