Olbermann Apologizes for Remarks about Wendy Vitter Made by Substitute Host
I knew he was reading this site, especially Buck’s comment (fifth one down). Keith doesn’t say so, but the remark was made by substitute host Alison Stewart.
Year: 2007
Political Lightbulb Jokes
From the funny pages of the Sunday Miami Herald:
- How many Republicans does it take to change a lightbulb? Nobody knows, they won’t release the information!
- How many degenerate liberals does it take to change a lightbulb? They never change anything, they just cry over the broken bulb.
- How many third-partyers does it take to change a lightbulb? We’ll never know ….
From “Get Fuzzy,” by Darby Conley
Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Apologizes – For Not Being Homophobic Enough
Remember Jim Naugle, the mayor of Fort Lauderdale who suggested to the city commission that its purchase of a $250,000 robotic toilet for one of the city beaches would go far toward helping curb male-on-male sex in public restrooms? Well, today he apologized, but not to the burgeoning number of gay organizations calling for his ouster:
Naugle apologized for underestimating the problem of men having sex with each other in public restrooms, and urged people to call police to complain when they come upon it. He also said Broward County leads the nation in the incidence of new AIDS cases involving men having sex with men, and questioned whether the county tourism office should be welcoming them here.
“I want to apologize to the children and parents of our community,” the mayor said, “for not being aware of the problem.”
In response to Naugle’s original bone-headed comments, where he noted that he pointedly uses the term “homosexuals” because they are not gay, they’re “unhappy,” an example of what Naugle calls “truth-speech.” gays have created Unite Fort Lauderdale, a coalition calling for Naugle to step down as mayor. In the aftermath of Naugle’s recommendation for the robotic toilet, the group printed up T-shirts with a “Flush Naugle” message.
Naugle issued his apology to the straight community from the steps of city hall, and the following exchange demonstrates the level of discourse in the community:
[Naugle] was flanked by conservative Rev. O’Neal Dozier, who pointed at the lightning and rain and raised his eyebrows to local gay activist Anthony Niedwiecki, whose partner, Waymon Hudson, organized the anti-Naugle group.
“It’s raining on you!” Niedwiecki shouted back.
Quote du Jour
… the American government did not want to face the consequences of peace. It was, after all, one thing to wish for an end to the war and quite another to confront the issues upon which the war had begun. President Johnson had wanted to end the war; so, too, had President Kennedy. But to end the war and not to lose it: the distinction was crucial, and particularly crucial after all the American lives that had been spent and all the political rhetoric expended.
— Frances Fitzgerald (1940- ), from Fire in the Lake: The Vietnamese and Americans in Vietnam, 1972.
Flag Creator Fails to Blackmail City with Rovian Logic
Barnett and his patriotic display
It was only a matter of time, I suppose, until someone co-opted Rovian phrasing to try to make a buck [see update]. A Florida business owner named Barry Barnett designed a yellow flag meant to show support for the troops. Then he tried to emotionally blackmail St. Augustine city officials into purchasing it.
“We’ve got people right now dying (in Iraq),” he said. “How do you think they feel about a community that won’t have the courage to fly a flag to support them?” Barnett said.
Ah yes. If you don’t spend $125 apiece on this junky looking thing I created — and buy one for every city flagpole — you don’t love our troops. Rove himself couldn’t have said it better.
Barnett had more success pedaling his product in nearby Palm Coast, where he lives, along with other cities in Flagler County. St. Augustine commissioners, who developed a strict flag flying policy a couple of years ago after gay pride supporters had the city purchase and display rainbow flags downtown, stood firm.
“We’ve got the red, white and blue up every day,” [Commissioner Errol Jones] said. “And for (Barnett) to suggest that if you don’t fly his flag, you don’t support our troops is ridiculous. He’s taking it to another level.”
Update: When this post was written, I was referencing local newspaper coverage which said Barnett was selling his flags.
The city would have to buy it from Barnett at a cost of $125. He says other cities, including Palm Coast where he lives, and De Land agreed to fly the flag.
Barnett has suggested that St. Augustine would be unpatriotic not to fly the flag.
I apparently missed the later correction, which Barnett has called to my attention.
Barnett took issue with a reference in our editorial Sunday — City should say no to yellow flag — that said he was selling the flags at $125 each. He said he is not selling the flags or making any money from this project. A flag company in Daytona Beach — Bob McGarity Advertising & Flag Co. — will produce and sell the flags after Barnett completes the final design, Rob McGarity, owner, said Monday. We stand corrected.
I have invited Barnett to post further corrections of this record, and look forward to finding out more. In the meantime, we can slam him for his definition of patriotism, but not for any profit motive.
China Introduces New Olympic Sport — Quashing Dissent
In preparation for next year’s Olympic Games, the Chinese are working overtime to rid the country of activists who might prove an embarrassment by expressing dissent during athletic competitions. Potential targets? Topping the list are Christians and non-governmental organizations whose actions would be considered legal in other countries.
‘They are worried about a larger number of things and they are worried about keeping the lid on.’
— Arnold Howitt
— Arnold Howitt
Government spy agencies and think tanks are compiling lists of potentially troublesome foreign organizations, looking beyond the human rights groups long critical of Beijing, security experts and a consultant familiar with the effort said.
They include evangelical Christians eager to end China’s religious restrictions, activists wanting Beijing to use its oil-buying leverage with Sudan to end the strife in Darfur and environmental campaigners angry about global warming.
Now if we could only get Cindy Sheehan added to the list …. Of course, there is a potential public opinion downside to withholding visas and konking protesters on the head or the favored Chinese approach to protesters — run ’em over with a tank. Fortunately, the Chinese are getting high-level, high-value advice from PR consultants:
Scott Kronick, the president of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide’s China operations, said he raised concerns about the way protests might be handled when an official with the Beijing Olympic organizing committee asked him about the possibility of activists disrupting the torch relay.
“I said, ‘People will understand that. That’s the way different groups act. What you need to worry about is what your response is going to be and how you will act,'” said Kronick, whose clients include Adidas, an Olympic sponsor.
Sage advice, indeed, Scott — can you spell conflict of interest?
Beijing was especially alarmed by the Darfur campaigners, who threatened to re-brand the games the “Genocide Olympics” if China does not pressure Sudan to stop the conflict. Catchy name, eh? So China responded with the same tactics it used to disband the once-popular religion, Falun-Gong: infiltration and intimidation.
“They are worried about a larger number of things and they are worried about keeping the lid on,” said Arnold Howitt, who runs crisis-management training programs for Beijing officials at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Like all Olympic hosts post-Sept. 11, China’s security services are concerned about terrorism. Attacks by militant Islamic groups, some of them homegrown, top the list of scenarios the police and the military are preparing for, Chinese and foreign security experts said.
Yet China also faces a plethora of disaffected domestic groups – Tibetans eager to cast off Chinese rule, farmers upset at land confiscations and Falun Gong, a once-popular spiritual movement the government suppressed as a cult. A research institute involved in crisis-planning for the Olympics has looked into possible unrest by unemployed workers, analysts at the think tank said.
Let the games — but not the protests — begin!
Quote du Jour
Americans see history as a straight line and themselves standing on the cutting edge of it as representatives for all mankind. They believe in the future as if it were a religion; they believe that there is nothing they cannot accomplish, that solutions wait somewhere for all problems, like brides.
— Frances Fitzgerald (1940- ), American journalist, author
Poll: Bush at 25% on Job Approval, 23% on Handling of Economy
Among all Americans, 25 percent approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 71 percent disapprove. When it comes to Bush’s handling of the economy, 23 percent approve and 73 percent disapprove.
As usual, these results speak as much to the delusional mindset of a quarter of our fellow citizens as they do to the performance of George W. Bush. By any objective measure, his performance could only be given a big fat goose egg.
Conyers: If Three More Reps Will Support Impeachment, We’ll Proceed
Via the BRAD BLOG — at an appearance hosted by the Progressive Democrats (PDA) in San Diego yesterday, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers signaled a new willingness to proceed on impeaching both Pres. George Bush and Vice Pres. Dick Cheney, according to sources in the room.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s take them out!”
— Rep. Conyers
— Rep. Conyers
In a report on the event posted to the PDA website by Judy Hess, a member of the San Diego chapter who helped organize the event, Conyers opened his remarks by referring to a pro-impeachment banner near the stage:
“What are we waiting for? Let’s take them out!” The room jumped with applause and shouts of approval.
Hess also reported that Conyers said he is seeking additional support for impeachment from his colleagues:
In his remarks, he said he needs three more Representatives to contact him in support of impeachment in order to move forward, with or without Nancy Pelosi.
Radio talk show host Bree Walker was also at the event and confirms Hess’ account, via AfterDowningStreet.com.
In January, at an anti-war rally on the National Mall, Conyers said, “We can fire them,” but when he was asked about it later, he waffled. That could happen here too, but if you support impeachment, this might be a propitious time to let your House member know.
Why Is This Man Smiling?
Pres. Bush recently hosted a Kool-Aid party with a gaggle of rightwing pundits at the White House. Eugene Robinson at the Washington Post put together a round-up of the pundits’ reviews of the president’s demeanor:
National Review’s Kate O’Beirne, who joined the presidential chat in the Roosevelt Room, told me that the most striking thing was the president’s incongruously sunny demeanor … Bush was “not at all weary or anguished” and in fact was “very energized,” wrote Michael Barone of U.S. News & World Report. He was “as confident and upbeat as ever,” observed Rich Lowry of National Review. “Far from being beleaguered, Bush was assertive and good-humored,” according to David Brooks of the New York Times.
Why is Bush so happy? Because he knows he is doing God’s bidding:
One of the more unnerving reports out of the president’s seminar with the pundits came from Brooks, who quoted Bush as saying: “It’s more of a theological perspective. I do believe there is an Almighty, and I believe a gift of that Almighty to all is freedom. And I will tell you that is a principle that no one can convince me that doesn’t exist.”
I think I see where he’s going. God told him to invade Iraq to secure the Iraqis’ oil, I mean, freedom. So blame the failure of the war on God, not Bush.
