Glenn Beck Finds A Black Person To Trash President Obama, Other Blacks … How Convenient

It’s always interesting to me how, on Fox News, there seems to be an inordinate number of people of color who are all too willing “ho” themselves out to trash other black people when people like Glenn Beck stand back and keep their hands squeaky clean. I bring this up in response to a rather intriguing entry on Media Matters for America’s Web site about a black woman who was speaking during a discussion led by Beck (who rarely misses out on opportunities to take cheap shots at people of color, but most notably black people).

This show was about what concerns “average Americans.”

If these individuals represent average Americans then that is a sad commentary. Thankfully they do not.

Anyway, here is an excerpt of what Media Matters had:

One of Beck’s guests, an African-American woman named Mary Baker, stated her belief that “in this time in our nation, we should be together,” before lamenting that, “It seems like we’re being so torn apart.” …

Regarding Ms. Baker, she is the author of a recently published editorial entitled, “Why I am no longer an African American,” a piece she mentioned on Beck’s program. The article argues that Obama’s election “has resulted in even more racial division” and that we are witnessing a resurgence of “anti-American sentiments” stemming form “the Black Power Movement, Nation of Islam, or the Black Nationalist Movement.” “The classification of me as an African American,” Ms. Baker writes, “says that although I live in America, my loyalty and allegiance are to Africa.”

Ms. Baker concludes her piece with the following argument:

Is this division amongst us perpetrated by our very own government? It is obvious that the inspiration for the classification of African American has nothing to do with those born of African descent. It is a radical group of Black Americans who hold to the anti-American views of those shared by Jeremiah Wright, Professor Gates, Jesse Jackson, President Obama and many others who came out of the radical Civil Rights Movement.

Promoting the idea that Obama’s election has turned black radicalism and nationalism into the official policies of the United States government is an explicit goal of the current conservative media movement. Stoking racial tensions is clearly a goal as well. And, as usual, the blame is fixed exactly 180 degrees away from where it should be. The promotion of such beliefs is not the work of the White House or MSNBC. Rather, it is Beck who is hyping the specter of race-based policies by invoking the theme of “reparations,” and it was media conservatives who called the president and his first Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, racists. By contrast, it was President Obama who, during his first national speech in 2004, stated plainly and unequivocally, “We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.”

How convenient this black woman named Mary Baker just happened to end up on this show of Glenn Beck’s. It’s a stunning coincidence this conservative black woman comes on to trash all these black people.

If she says she is no longer an African American then I say, “Don’t let the door hit ya where the lord split ya.”

The “radical Civil Rights Movement” she says.

So, civil rights is now a radical concept? The Civil Rights Movement was radical at its time, but for someone to say they see it that way nowadays is beyond disturbing (it’s Uncle Ruckus like … in reference to the self-hating character from the cartoon Boondocks).

Do we seriously have a female Jesse Lee Peterson?

It’s amazing the lives that were lost during the Civil Rights Movement so that people like this could have the right to say the kind of Jesse Lee Peterson-type garbage she is writing. It’s only appropriate she would end up on a show like this with Beck leading the way.

Media Matters:

http://mediamatters.org/blog/200909290030

Writings On The Wall Sends Out Powerful Messages Designed To Confront Hate

The University of Memphis is out in front of what is becoming a popular and important activity on our college campuses these days: Writings On The Wall.

Former Reagan Official Frank Gaffney: Barack Obama Should Be Called The First Muslim American President

As if we needed another example of how some in our country use racial politics to divide us. Along comes a right-wing nut named Frank Gaffney, a former Reagan Administration official, who is once again trying to use race, religion and the politics of fear to divide people. This is one of the primary reasons why the Republican Party is becoming increasingly isolated from the realities of what real Americans are feeling all over this country. Think Progress has a blog up today about some comments Gaffney (an almost legendary figure in moronic conspiracy theories) made during a Take Back America conference last week during which Gaffney (in the presence of some Republican lawmakers) spouted off some of the following garbage as part of a panel discussion on “How to understand Islam.”

GAFFNEY: If Bill Clinton, on the basis of special interest pandering and identity politics, was properly called the first Black American President, on that same basis, Barack Obama should be called the first Muslim American President. […] But there is evidence that a lot of Muslims think he is Muslim. But whether he is or whether he isn’t, the key to me, is is he pursuing that is indistinguishable in important respects from that of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose mission ladies and gentlemen, we know from a trial in Dallas last year, is to quote to destroy Western civilization from within by its own miserable hand. That’s what we need to keep our eye on.

BILL FEDERER: In Islam, if your father is a Muslim, you’re automatically a Muslim. Since Barack’s father, stepfather, and grandfather were all Muslim, the Muslim world views him as Muslim. Mohammad allowed his warriors to say they’re not Muslim to gain advantage and um, but he’s uh, Islam permits you to lie to advance Islam, Saul Alinsky allows you to lie to advance your communist agenda, you can put them together.

WALID SHOEBAT: I came from an American mother, Obama came from an American mother. I came from a Muslim father, Obama came from a Muslim father. […] Did you know that your President knows how to do the call to the prayer in eloquent classical Arabic? […] No one can do this in classical Arabic language unless he grew up and was raised as a Muslim.

These wacko conspiracy theories are designed to scare conservative whites of privilege and conservative whites in middle America into thinking people of color are out to get them and President Obama is their new leader. This is the kind of garbage far too many people believe and champion (this absurd notion that President Obama is a Muslim and this even more idiotic idea that it is a bad thing to be a Muslim/all or most Muslims are terrorists. It’s pure insanity, but it has been somewhat, and sadly, effective with some extremists on the right).

It seems as though these nuts just fall off trees and far too many moderate right wingers pick up the nuts and tolerate them.

The arrogance and bigotry of some of these extremists is staggering.

During the panel, Shoebat advocated entering Arab countries and converting Muslims to Christianity. He also went on a rant about how Muslims in meat packaging plants are contaminating America’s food supply because their hands are unclean.

What is laughable is that they refer to people in other countries as the extremists.

Rush Limbaugh’s Words Inspire Hate Group To Fight For ‘White America’

Far-right talk show host Rush Limbaugh, a veteran hater on the airwaves, might be proud to know his messages of hate and divisiveness have finally touched some people: white supremacists. Limbaugh got this whole thing started when he turned a story about two black kids who beat up a white kid into a hate crime (the local police authorities have not indicated that this attack was motivated by race). Even with no evidence, Limbaugh has been pushing the notion that this was some kind of a racial hate crime. Now, that is not necessarily a bad thing (since people are entitled to reasonable opinions … even the right-wing people who trashed President Obama for coming out in support of Harvard University professor Skip Gates early in that conflict). Famously, Limbaugh had a hate-driven on-air tirade during which he talked about how this is (as documented by Think Progress)  what happens to “white kids” in “Obama’s America.” Limbaugh continued as he proclaimed, “We need segregated buses.”

LIMBAUGH: In Obama’s America, the white kids now get beat up with the black kids cheering, ‘Yay, right on, right on, right on, right on. I wonder if Obama’s going to come to come to the defense of the assailants the way he did his friend Skip Gates up there at Harvard.”

The way Rush sees it, all people of color (he might say “colored people”) stick together.

During that comment, Limbaugh mocked what he seemed to think was the way black people talk, but he seemed to be stuck in the 1970s with his vision of how black people talk.

Still, it’s shocking to hear garbage like this in 2009.

These are the kinds of comments we heard from racial segregationists 40, 50, 60 years ago.

Here is what Think Progress said about the white supremacists marching in Belleville, Ill., “On Saturday, members of white supremacist groups marched in Belleville holding signs echoing Limbaugh’s rhetoric that said, “It was a hate crime.”

Here is an excerpt from the story:

While a police sniper watched from the roof of the police station, 22 members of white supremacist groups, shouted obscenities and made obscene hand gestures. One man, who had a crew cut and wore a black uniform, told the crowd of onlookers, “Wake up white America!”

“We were out there to denounce the violence,” said Belleville resident Jason Bonn, who is a corporal with the National Socialist Movement, a group with a name similar to the Nazi Party of Germany during World War II. Bonn’s group is “fighting for white civil rights.”

While a police sniper watched from the roof of the police station, 22 members

Where are the right-wing moderates standing up to condemn Rush Limbaugh? Can you imagine the outrage that we’d be hearing from Bill O’Reilly if black men like Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton said something like this about segregated busses or this is what happen’s in Bush’s America? Remember the hate that came down on Kanye West when he made his infamous comments about President Bush after the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina?

WEST: I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, “They’re looting.” You see a white family, it says, “They’re looking for food.” And, you know, it’s been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I’ve tried to turn away from the TV because it’s too hard to watch. I’ve even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I’m calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help — with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way — and they’ve given them permission to go down and shoot us!

MIKE MYERS: And subtle, but in many ways even more profoundly devastating, is the lasting damage to the survivors’ will to rebuild and remain in the area. The destruction of the spirit of the people of southern Louisiana and Mississippi may end up being the most tragic loss of all.

WEST: George Bush doesn’t care about black people!

West was blasted in a lot of circles and, to some extent, still suffers from the impact of those words. Farrakhan, Jackson and Sharpton are routinely hammered by men like O’Reilly for controversial things they’ve said (even stuff that is 20 years old or older), yet people like O’Reilly let Limbaugh off the hook for his hateful commentaries.

Think Progress:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/28/white-bus-limbaugh/

The O’Reilly Sucks Blog Chimes In On O’Reilly-Levitt Interview

 This is from Steve at The O’Reilly Sucks Blog:

Florida Law Professor Confronts O’Reilly Over Racism
By: Steve – September 25, 2009 – 10:30am

Dr. Jeremy Levitt, a law professor at Florida University, confronted Bill O’Reilly last night over Fox News role in fomenting racial tensions regarding President Obama. Specifically Dr. Levitt cited Glenn Beck and the network’s role in encouraging the 9/12 protests, which featured an assortment of racist signs.

O’Reilly dismissed the racist right-wing attacks on Obama as part of a fringe group, insisting that an equivalent group exists on the left. He also stated that 10 percent of the nation is racist. Dr. Levitt would not let up, however, telling O’Reilly that “Fox News and the far right have a race deck, and they play the ace of spades every day.”

The 10 percent number from O’Reilly is just made up, and he made it up, a FOX poll showed that 20% admitted to being racist towards Obama, but O’Reilly said he dont believe that, then made up the 10 percent number as what he believes it really is. Earth to O’Reilly, even at 10% that’s 30 million people.

Not to mention, in the past O’Reilly has denied there is any racism against Obama at the protests, when Professor Levitt showed there was. O’Reilly admits it is 10 percent, when the polls show it’s 20 percent, and that number is most likely higher because a lot of people will not admit to being racist, even in polls.

The O’Reilly Sucks Blog:

http://www.oreilly-sucks.com/

Florida A&M Law Professor Dr. Jeremy Levitt Challenges Bill O’Reilly, Fox News On Using Race As A Weapon

Today, I am a big fan of Florida A&M University law professor Dr. Jeremy Levitt, who was on Bill O’Reilly’s far-right show and strongly challenged the conservative commentator as he declared, “Fox News and the far right have a race deck, and they play the ace of spades every day.” O’Reilly didn’t like that too much. Also during the segment, Dr. Levitt went through a bunch of statistics that showed death threats against the president sky high (a 400-percent increase), hate groups (have increased 4 percent) are growing (based on statistics he cited). Clearly, O’Reilly was not quite so comfortable (however, I do give Big Bill credit for inviting the doctor on the show). Credit goes to Dr. Levitt. I don’t know very many people who would have had the guts to go on national television and confront Fox News in its own backyard of bigotry based on its constant use of race to frighten and divide Americans.

O’Reilly frequently shouted down and/or talked over Dr. Levitt, and near the end mostly lied about giving the doctor the last word at the end of the segment and simply lacked the courage to challenge racial flamethrowers Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh (men who seem to frighten Bill). Throughout the interview, Dr. Levitt maintained his composure throughout and never allowed himself to be knocked off course.

Predictably, O’Reilly tried to spin it around as he brought up The New Black Panther Party and Louis Farrakhan to try and highlight racism on the left. Dr. Levitt countered with the Ku Klux Klan and O’Reilly came back by throwing Sen. Robert Byrd, a former Klansmen from way back in the day, under the bus. O’Reilly showed his partisanship right there as he made sure to declare Byrd was a Democrat. Throughout the segment, O’Reilly shouted down his guest, argued with him about everything, tried to dodge anything related to far-right extremists Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

Here is an excerpt from a Huffington Post article that chronicled Dr. Levitt’s visit to the No-Spin Zone:

Dr. Jeremy Levitt, a law professor at Florida A&M University, confronted Bill O’Reilly tonight over Fox News’ role in fomenting racial tensions regarding President Obama. Specifically Dr. Levitt cited Glenn Beck and the network’s role in encouraging the 9/12 protests, which featured an assortment of racist signs.

O’Reilly (like many other conservatives), as Dr. Levitt in essence was asserting, lacks the character to challenge those on the far-right using race to fire up its older, white and conservative base.

Since the segment probably didn’t go as well as O’Reilly wanted it to go, it’s not unreasonable to suspect that Big Bill might come back on a later show and attack Dr. Levitt while he is unable to defend himself.

Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/24/law-professor-confronts-o_n_299350.html

Hateful Conservatives Like Michelle Malkin Dig Their Own Political Graves

Far-right blogger Michelle Malkin has long been an extremist nut who thrives on the hysterical and controversial to earn herself a place on these talk shows as she trashes the leader of our country. Crooks and Liars is on the case.Political hate speech is nothing new for Malkin who, actually, has made a nice career for herself with such talk. Malkin was in the right place at the right time as she made an appearance on the far-right Sean Hannity’s hour of hate on Fox News Wednesday night. The venom was flying all over the place as Malkin started to get her hate on before a national conservative audience on Fox News as she cried about President Obama’s speech before the United Nations.

Predictably, Malkin’s words took a familiar track:

MALKIN: He doesn’t like this country very much.And I think you did a great video tour there of all of his wonderful hits on his “We Suck ’09″ tour, ah, so far. And this latest speech before the United Nations and its cast of villainous characters — it was really a Legion of Doom parade that he dignified with his presence — and he solidified his place in the international view as the Great Appeaser and the Groveler in Chief!

Ha, that was almost clever. Only to the far right can building bridges be considered groveling and less favorable then running roughshod over worldwide neighbors. More and more, Malkin is revealing herself as a hater of America (when it is not run by a Republican). She also reveals herself as an elitist who expects President Obama to go around the world and tell other countries to kiss his ass. President Obama is smart enough to know that our neighbors around the world need to be our friends and they deserve a level of respect that does not come when a president is running around the world like a cocky cowboy telling dumb foreigners they should kiss his feet.

More from Malkin:

MALKIN: With this speech, and over the last eight months with his policies of retreat and surrender, he has solidified his place as the weakest of weak leaders of modern American history. There’s no question about it! They laugh at us! He is a laughingstock.

Uh, I think this truly is projection as Crooks and Liars points out. The real laughingstock are these far-right zealots who seem to become haters of America when there is not a Republican president. The more these hate-driven right wingers continue to spew this kind of venom the more they will see their party shrink as multiculturalism grows stronger and stronger.

Crooks and Liars:

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/malkins-venom-knows-no-bounds-obama

Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Mary Mitchell: White president would never hear ‘You lie!’

Here is an excerpt from a column/blog from Chicago Sun Times columnist Mary Mitchell (“White president would never hear ‘You lie!’”)about President Obama, President Carter and U.S. Heckler Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina.

Writes Mitchell:

Say what you will, but former president Jimmy Carter is too old to lie. At 85, he’s seen the best and worst of human nature.

So, when he says the “You lie!” shouted at President Obama during his address to Congress last week was “based on racism,” he is speaking with wisdom.

The heckler, Rep. Joe Wilson, has apologized to the president, and the South Carolina Republican was formally rebuked by the U.S. House on Tuesday.

However, Carter’s comments echoed what a lot of African Americans are thinking.

Would Wilson have heckled a Reagan, or a Bush or a Clinton while these white men were delivering a speech before Congress?

A lot of people believe that Wilson would have bit his tongue before he hurled an insult at a white president.

Really, it was an unbelievable moment.

Wilson shouted that the president of the United States was a liar before the entire Congress and the millions of people who watched the speech on television.

Think about that.

President George Bush was so wrong about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, he should have been impeached.

People like Rep. Wilson were pretty quiet then.

Maybe they were busy looking for Weapons of Mass Destruction.

For the rest of Mitchell’s article, visit:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/1775458,CST-NWS-mitch17.article

Think Progress Explores Glenn Beck And “The White Culture” Comment

I had wondered what Fox News far right wing hater Glenn Beck meant when he talked about “the white culture” during a rant on the conservative network when he basically called President Obama a racist (ignorantly ignoring the fact that Barack Obama is half white).

Here is an excerpt of what Think Progress has about Beck’s comments about “white culture” as NBC’s Katie Couric tries to figure out exactly what he meant by his “white culture” wording.

In July, Fox News’ radical host Glenn Beck called President Obama a “racist,” saying that he “has a deap-seated hatred for white people, or white culture” — a comment that sparked a successful advertising boycott of his Fox News program. This week in an interview with CBS News’ Katie Couric, Beck said he was “sorry” for the way he “phrased” the claim, but still contended that it’s a “serious question” as to whether Obama is a racist.

During the interview, Couric posed a question from a Twitter user who wanted to know what Beck meant by “white culture” in his attack on Obama. Beck responded by stuttering: “Ummmmm, I don’t know.” He then suggested that he had already answered the criticism on his website, and therefore didn’t want to “make news” by responding to Couric.

“Can you explain what you mean by the white culture?” Couric insisted, “because some people say that sounds kind of racist.” Beck complained that he shouldn’t be the “target” for “asking” if Obama is a racist. Then he turned snarky as Couric persisted with her line of questioning:

COURIC: People just want to know. What is white culture?

BECK: I’m going to see if I can play your game. People just want to know.

COURIC: You know, well, [Twitter questioner] Adrian wants to know.

BECK: That’s good for Adrian.

Conservatives are always so quick to accuse black people of playing the mythical “race card” but so quick to use that against racial flamethrowers like Glenn Beck who use race to strike fear in older, conservative whites. Then, the elitist Beck finishes this portion of the interview by showing a complete lack of respect and disregard not only for Katie Couric, but also for a questioner who just wanted to have this point clarified. Beck is an immature coward who was called out for his comments and did not have the guts to explain himself and his bigoted comments that could be reasonably viewed as racist (particularly with no explanation or any kind of sufficient context).

Imagine if a high-profile black television show host had accused George W. Bush of being racist and said he had a deep-seated hatred for black people or the black culture. People like Beck would have been all over such a person … charging such an individual with playing the so-called race card. Look how viciously Beck and others attacked Van Jones, who said nothing even remotely as controversial as Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh regularly bark out on their shows. Yet, Jones was attacked and demonized by the conservative media (Beck, Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and others).

Good for Katie Couric to challenge Glenn Beck. It’s a shame he didn’t have the character to stand by his hateful comment and instead covered up like a coward.

Think Progress:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/24/beck-white-culture/

Fox News Distorts Innocent Classroom Activity To Attack President Obama, Hint At Anti-Americanism

This is a reach by even the low Fox News standards for objectivity.

Fox News on-air personalities have been whining about President Obama not coming to them and kissing their butts when he made appearances on major television networks, but skipped Fox (which has skipped out on him during a few of his speeches and meetings when other networks covered them). Was that a case of putting financial gain before country? (If Fox can ask these kind of loaded questions then I guess others can, too). But, perhaps part of the reason the president has avoided Fox News is its ongoing campaign to demonize him and hint that he may somehow be anti-American or that supporters of him may be anti-American. The latest from Fox News is a video it has plastered all over its homepage of young school students from B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, N.J., singing songs about the messages they’ve heard from President Obama. But, instead of looking at it as students learning about the presidency and the messages of equality they were actually singing about, Fox News takes it and turns it into the most negative interpretation possible.

Here is the image it put on the Web and (below it) how Fox News described the video:

Here is how Fox News describes the video of those evil messages such as lending a hand, making the country strong, equal work means equal pay and being fair.

Video shows little kids at the B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, N.J., being taught to sing Obama’s praises — have they already learned the Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful and God Bless America?
• VIDEO: School Kids’ Song Praises Obama

The messages below the Fox headline don’t match. The kids, based on those lyrics were not singing the president’s praises, but rather singing about his messages that all good people should embrace. A large majority of the people who are angry are those who just can’t stand that a black man is in such a prominent position and can’t handle the historical significance of his presidency, with positive messages and that people are listening and being moved. None of these people cared about this kind of stuff when Bush was in office or even when President Clinton was in office.

Where were these conservatives when President Bush was going to schools hyping No Child Left Behind and drawing praise from school children?

Now, notice the part where Fox asks if the children have already learned the Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful and God Bless America? This is of course done to again raise the idea of the president and those who support him being anti-American or not having the best interest of the country first and foremost. This is yet another case of Fox News injecting its right-wing bias into what should have been a fair and balanced news story. But, as we know, Fox is neither fair nor balanced its news and is especially unfair and unbalanced when it is reporting on almost anything it feels can portray Barack Obama in a negative light.

I bet none of the right wingers at Fox cared about praise from school children toward President George W. Bush when he was in office or since he has been out of office. No, the bigotry of Fox News is on display only in matters related to President Obama.

Watch the video for yourself. The video is completely innocent. I did stuff like this when I was in elementary school where we talked about national leaders, historical figures and others.

This is just stupid, far-right political hate from conservatives , such as those we see from morning to evening on Fox News, who didn’t (and still don’t) care about praise school kids have given to previous presidents.

Angry right wingers, such as the people who run Fox News, are in full-blown attack mode as they go at President Obama and we still are not even a year removed from Election Day 2008.

This one is weak even by far-right standards (on the YouTube page some nut compares President Obama to Kim Jong il, Fidel Castro, Adolph Hitler and others). These right wingers are overflowing with hate. My goodness, well-known people who speak to elementary school students often are praised with songs or get handmade drawings, paintings or handwritten thank yous. This is weak.

A couple of things:

Oh yea, Fox News also had this bullet underneath the video as more evidence of fear and smear politics:
Is Obama’s ‘Safe Schools Czar’ Unsafe for Schools?

Bush visits George W. Bush Elementary (remember when conservatives had a fit when an elementary school was about to be named for President Obama?):

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2006/10/03/bush-visits-george-w-bush-elementary/

Rep. Steve King Of Iowa Pleased With His Vote Against Aid For Katrina Victims

This article from Think Progress highlights one of the more pitiful politicians in this country.

Rep. Steve King, who is from Iowa and is one of the far-right extremists in the Republican party, has come out with yet another appalling statement that spits in the face of the horrors of Hurricane Katrina and its many victims. While many politicians swell with pride related to the good things they can do to help their country and to help people in need overcome tragedies, this man takes the opposite viewpoint.  Sadly, there are people voting for this disgraceful man who routinely makes outrageous statements and thumbs his nose and what he seems to view as lesser people or dumb people (as far too many people have called the victims of Hurricane Katrina) or morally corrupt people. This is how far too many in our society think of people who they see as beneath them. Some people feel like they can’t be on top unless they’re standing on the neck of someone who is under them. King was one of only 11 members of Congress to vote against the $52 billion aid package (one that was passed unanimously by the Senate).

Here is part of what King said to The Hill as he reveals his proudest moment as a lawmaker:

THE HILL: What vote would you like to redo?

KING: I don’t really go back and re-live that sort of thing. Some of the big votes that I’ve thought about, some of the jury’s still out. And at this point, maybe I’d answer that question another way, probably the singular vote that stands out that went against the grain, and it turns out to be the best vote that I cast, was my “no” vote to the $51.5 billion to [Hurricane] Katrina. That probably was my best vote. But as far as doing something different again, I don’t know.

Think Progress adds this nugget:

 Media Matters Action Network’s Matt Finkelstein writes, “Katrina killed 1,464 in Louisiana alone and uprooted the lives of countless others all over the gulf region. Yet, King says this was his ‘best’ moment in Congress. Not fighting for ‘conservative principles’ like smaller government, lower taxes, or a strong national defense — no, he’s most proud of opposing relief for victims of a catastrophe.”

Nice of Rep. King to spit in the faces of these people who died and/or had their lives and everything they’ve worked for destroyed not once but twice. After spitting in their faces once, voting down this bill, he comes back and spits in their faces again by proclaiming how proud he is to have voted against this relief effort.

Think Progress:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/22/king-katrina/

Sarah Palin Goes Overseas To Bash President Obama, America

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a former candidate for the vice presidency, has gone overseas to Hong Kong to attack our United States of America president, Barack Obama. But, Palin apparently repulsed some U.S. delegates so much that they walked out and commented, but refused to be identified so (apparently) as to not be linked to the new conservative hero. Palin turning people off is nothing new, but her going overseas to attack our president does speak to the kind of person she is and continues to become as the spotlight is attracted to her. It wasn’t that long ago that Americans who were criticizing a president were considered anti-American and thought of as being haters of America.

Here is an excerpt from the Huffington Post story:

HONG KONG — Former U.S. vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, criticized for her lack of foreign policy experience, emerged in Asia on Wednesday to share her views from “Main Street U.S.A.” with a group of high-flying global investors.

In her first trip to the region, the former Alaska governor addressed an annual conference of investors in Hong Kong in what was billed as a wide-ranging talk about governance, economics and U.S. and Asian affairs.

Two US delegates left early, according to AFP, with one saying “it was awful, we couldn’t stand it any longer.” He declined to be identified.

“I’m going to call it like I see it and I will share with you candidly a view right from Main Street, Main Street U.S.A.,” Palin told a room full of asset managers and other finance professionals, according to a video of part of the speech obtained by The Associated Press. “And how perhaps my view of Main Street … how that affects you and your business.”

Palin spoke out against government intervention in the economy. “We got into this mess because of government interference in the first place,” Palin said, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We’re not interested in government fixes, we’re interested in freedom,” she added.

In what could be considered a paid attack, it seems Palin might have been paid for her speech to go to another area of the world to attack the President of the United States of America.

I wonder if conservatives will be attacking Palin for going over and using this platform to engage in partisan politics, attack the president and bring negativity to the U.S. before its worldwide neighbors.

Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/23/palin-hong-kong-speech-im_n_295812.html

Some Conservatives Finally Speaking Out Against Glenn Beck And Rush Limbaugh

Where are the good and strong conservatives who are going to stand up against the race baiting from extremists to the far right like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh? A few brave souls, ones rejecting this racial antagonism, have begun to speak up and demand their voices be heard. Clearly, it’s not easy, but a few of these conservatives are trying to regain control of a Republican party that has been hijacked by the extremists on the far right who are plenty comfortable with a party that not only lacks significant diversity, but oftentimes seems to be running away from it while screaming in fear.

Fox News Beats Irony Into A Painful Submission

Fox News, home to right-wing news and opinion, recently sent out a memo to its people with “standards” in the subject line. As many of you know, Fox has effectively carved out a nice spot for itself in the media as the voice for the conservatives of this country and as media leader of the forces loudly opposing pretty much anything that is proposed by President Obama. But, Fox News is increasingly taking heat for its blatant activism for the causes for people far to the right of the political mainstream. Recently, after being busted leading cheers at what was in essence an anti-Obama rally (packed with tea baggers), the network apparently decided to issue a memo (one that is nothing short of ironic and laughable) to its employees.

From: Sammon, Bill
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 2:25 PM
To: 005 -Washington
Subject: standards

For those of us who have only been at Fox for a relatively short period of time, it’s useful to remind ourselves that, as journalists, we must always be careful to cover the story without becoming part of the story. At news events, we’re supposed to function as dispassionate observers, not active participants. We are there to chronicle the news, not create it.

That means we ask questions in a fair, impartial manner. When approaching interviewees, we identify ourselves, by both name and news organization, up front. We seek out a variety of voices and views. We take note of the scene in order to bring color and context to our viewers.

We do not cheerlead for one cause or another. We do not rile up a crowd. If a crowd happens to be boisterous when we show it on TV, so be it. If it happens to be quiet, that’s fine, too. It’s not our job to affect the crowd’s behavior one way or the other. Again, we’re journalists, not participants — and certainly not performers.

Indeed, any effort to affect the crowd’s behavior only serves to undermine our legitimate journalistic role as detached eyewitnesses. Remember, our viewers are counting on us to be honest brokers when it comes to reporting — not altering –the important events of the day. That is nothing less than a sacred trust. We must always take pains to preserve that trust.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please stop by.

Uh, we have a lot of questions, but we expect few meaningful answers and thus see little reason to stop by.

This is completely and utterly laughable as Fox News regularly spits on these hollow standards Sammon is talking about.

Fear Of A Black President: Conservative Media Drumming Up Racial Fear

Here is a Media Matters for America-produced video that I have published on here before. I am posting it again as I think it has again become relevant in the current political climate.

When you see these videos it becomes a bit easier to put together the puzzle and see the pattern that begins to come into focus.

Bill O’Reilly And The Growing Liberal Menace Broken Down In Video

Bill O’Reilly, the Fox News right winger, has been attacking Media Matters (which calls him out on his lies and distortion with detailed information and documentation such as video, transcripts, Web sites, etc.) and anyone else who disagrees with him. He has demonized George Soros, but turned a blind eye on the man who pays his salary: Rupert Murdoch.

Floyd Mayweather Drops A Few N-Bombs On The Public

Boxer Floyd Mayweather is not exactly what you would consider an introverted kind of guy. The man many people consider to be the best pound-for-pound boxer can create at least as much excitement with his mouth, outside of the boxing ring, as he can with his fists, inside the ring. Mayweather, in an article published by ESPN, had some explosive comments prior to his Saturday night showdown with Jan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

MAYWEATHER: If you’re rich, you’re a rich n—–. If you’re poor, you’re a poor n—-. If you’re smart, you’re a smart n—–. At the end of the day, they still look at me as a n—–.

Oh, no he didn’t. Yes, he did. You know, I can already imagine a good number of people squirming in their chairs as they read those comments.

The 32-year-old Mayweather returned to the ring about two years after defeating Ricky Hatton in what was, at the time, a much-anticipated bout. Mayweather is one of the master’s of using words to promote his fights – even if he causes you to want to watch him to be sure you’re there just in case he loses (as Muhammad Ali used to do back in the day). During his interview (one that you already now know is overflowing with controversy), Mayweather did not let down as he continued elevate the racial DEFCON level.

Here is a quote from Mayweather who compares how he was received in England vs. in the United States.

MAYWEATHER: This country needs to be more positive. We’re already at war. We’re in a recession, we’re at war and we continue to be negative. The fans in the UK showed me more love than in my own country. That’s crazy … Sometimes I’ll sit back, I’ll be in my theater sometimes, and I’ll think: ‘Imagine if I was the same fighter that I am, and I was the same person that I am, and I was from another country. Can you just imagine how big I’d be?

As Field Negro wrote: See, that’s what the white man is talking about; you have a theater in your house, and the rest of us are still watching the wall mounted plasma. So instead of wondering why they look at you as “just another nigger”, kick back in your home theater, break out some popcorn, and slip in that last Ricky Hatton fight.

It would be nice to have a theater, but I am still working up to the mounted plasma.

Did you think Floyd was done there? Come on, now.

MAYWEATHER: But I wouldn’t change my life for nothing in the world. There’s nothing like being young, black and rich. But there are certain things you think about. If Floyd Mayweather was white, I’d be the biggest athlete in America. The biggest, the biggest. I know that for a fact.

I am always intrigued by people when they talk about themselves in the third person.

Back to the subject.

No, Floyd is not done yet as he compared himself to one-time popular boxer Oscar De La Hoya, a man Floyd defeated in a split decision in 2007.

MAYWEATHER: One thing you never hear. You never hear anything negative about Oscar De La Hoya. Anything he do negative, it gets swept under the rug.

Oh goodness … where do I start?

One thing with Floyd Mayweather is sometimes you don’t know if he is in fight promotion mode or if he truly is saying what’s on his mind. With most of these statements, however, I think Floyd is telling the world exactly how he feels about these topics related to race, success, athletes, money, popularity, etc.

I think Floyd is perhaps remembering an older era of the United States. The country has made a lot of progress (although you would be hard-pressed to know that listening to racial right-wing flamethrowers like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Bill O’Reilly and others). This country has really moved forward and continues to break down some of the walls that divide us.

We’re not there yet, but we’re closer than Floyd Mayweather thinks.

ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4478216

ESPN (Jemele Hill column):

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/090918

Crybaby Chris Wallace Still Whining Because President Obama Won’t Kiss His Ass

Crybaby Chris Wallace, of the right-wing Fox News and host of the conservative-leaning Fox News Sunday, was back on the air whining like a kindergartener again because President Obama won’t come on his show. Wallace then goes into the usual temper-tantrum stuff of cheap-shotting the president and the White House like we used to do as kids when we were in elementary and middle school and didn’t get our way. This is what Wallace said as the tears started to flow when he found out he would not get a chance to interview the president, “biggest bunch of crybabies I have dealt with” as Obama made the media rounds for Sunday. Wallace then went on to refer to the Obama administration as being petty and childish. The hypocrisy there is nothing short of stunning considering Fox News enjoys popularity due largely to the right-wing people who flock there and get drunk on the old G.O.P.-flavored Kool-Aid.

Wallace, as he mentally talked himself down off the ledge from his on-air fit, finally cried, “What ever happened to reaching out to all Americans?” Maybe Wallace and his Fox cronies should have thought about that when Fox blew off events the president had that were picked up by the other networks and dismissed it to the right-wing Fox News channel (which has been bashing Obama with reckless abandon).

This is from Think Progress, and it is interesting:

But ironically, later during the panel discussion, Wallace cited a recent report showing that Obama has done more one-on-one interviews than both Presidents Clinton and Bush up this point and wondered if Obama is “overexposed” (despite wanting to interview him on his show). In another bit of irony, Wallace, who has been complaining for the past few days about the snub, accused the White House of being thin-skinned:

WALLACE: Every president is thin-skinned but I wonder whether this administration, this White House has a particular problem with criticism. … Not talking about just us but just the attitude of this White House. Whatever happened to reaching out to all Americans?

By the way, media people are way more thin-skinned than presidents (check out the vendettas Bill O’Reilly constantly wages against anyone in the media who has a beef with him or anyone he does not like).

This adminstration doesn’t have a problem with criticism (it seems Wallace is the one who is more thin-skinned and with a problem based on the amount of crying we’ve heard from him and his crew at Fox News). For example, MSNBC has people like Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan who regularly bash the president, but the network also has balance with commentators who give a different set of views with respect to the president. CNN has Lou Dobbs who regularly trashes the president, but is a reputable organization because it balances its news and offers balanced opinion (something Fox News rarely attempts to do).

Fox News is free to show clips from the interviews the president conducted with other media outlets.

Also, Think Progress added this:

During one of Wallace’s whining sessions this week, another Fox host complained that Obama is skipping out on “the highly rated Fox News Sunday.” But as Media Matters points out, Fox News Sunday is “in dead last, where it has remained pretty much since its inception.”

If Fox News was the only major news outlet that didn’t get the love then that seems to indicate something about Fox News than about President Obama.