Sunday, May 15, 2011
Devolving From the North
The other night was a perfect example of why I personally find Lawrence O'Donnell far more palatable than Keith Olbermann. The dude actually did a segment (and, yes, brace yourself here) that was somewhat complimentary of Sarah Palin. He had a writer on from "The Atlantic", Joshua Green, who had just completed a story entitled, "The Tragedy of Sarah Palin". It was an incredible story that, yes, believe it or not, basically said that Sarah Palin in fact WAS a) a good Governor and b) a maverick who fearlessly took on not just big oil but the entire Republican establishment. It was only after Mrs. Palin got that ridiculous VP nomination (something that she was clearly not prepared for) that the wheels started coming off (and, yes, they absolutely DID come off)..........................................................................................................Now, one could plainly ask here, how much of what happened was because of the way that they, the McCain people, handled her, and how much of it was Mrs. Palin herself; her not being ready for prime-time and/or innate temperament tendencies (at this point, it appears that a fair chunk of it was unquestionably the latter)? Either way, though, I don't find it particularly enjoyable - this act of watching an individual self-destructing like this.........................................................................................................But you do see what I'm saying, right? Olbermann would have NEVER done anything even remotely as idiosyncratic as this.
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35 comments:
Nothing is ever completely black and white but in Palin's situation McCain proved the rumors to me that he is suffering from borderline dementia by picking her for VP.
As much as it surprises the biblethumper in my family I don't hate Sarah, I'm indifferent at best, but it would ultimately serve the interest of the republican party and America if she left the national scene. As a liberal I hope like Hell she runs and gets the nomination.
Palin going from the Governor of Alaska to the Vice Presidential nomination was a clear example of the Peter Principle on steroids. And, yes, I totally/also blame the McCain people for setting her up to fail like this. What were they frigging thinking???
Who is this Olbermann person you reference? Have'nt heard about him.
He's a legend, Russ, but only in his own mind.
Sarah did rise to the level of her incompetence.
I don't hate her though. I'm always looking to make a buck myself.
I just wish that she'd stop bitching about poor old Katie Couric. It's like, "Come on, dude. It's over. Move on."
Will,
The McCain people didn't "set her up to fail", they took an active role in it.
All those "leaks" from campaign insiders have been traced to Nicole Wallace and Steve Schmidt.
They tried to stifle her, give her unrealistic bullshit talking points and then threw her into interviews.
Basically telling her not to be herself and then starting vicious rumors about her in the press in the meantime.
The only thing that kept McCain from winning is the fact that he was on the ticket.
The RNC needs to give that RINO jackass his walking papers and tell him to take his nitwit daughter with him.
Before he picked her, I heard her name come up in a few circles as a possibility.
I figured McCain was too stupid to pick her, but he did and that's the ONLY reason he got my vote.
The lefties kept saying "do you realize she'd be just a heartbeat away from the Presidency?"
I was hoping.
And BB?
You'd better hope you don't get what you wish for.
Mikey used to say that Bush guaranteed that a Republican wouldn't be in the white house for at least a generation.
Zero is rapidly changing that.
By 2012 a liberal may not be in the white house for a generation.
Volt, don't you find it interesting, though - the fact that Mrs. Palin wasn't even remotely a right-winger as Alaska governor? That totally surprised me.......And I really did try to like her. I swear (remember how I defended her against Olbermann?). She just wore me down, dude; "death panels", "palling around with terrorists", etc..
Volt, I doubt you have the capacity to understand this but I consider you an utter moron. Now I actually respect many conservatives voices even though I disagree with them but you are not in that number.
As for Sarah, please do nominate her, I worry about many things but her getting elected president is not one of them. On the other hand with fine examples like you controlling the republican party I do believe she has a small chance of being nominated. The party of Lincoln, Teddy, and Ike has greatly fallen in recent years but I still hold some hope there are reasonable people somewhere in it.
In a way I agree with Volt.McCain's staff treated Palin like crap and she's actually been pretty damn stand up about it.On the other hand I would'nt want her nominated in 2012,nor do I want Romney,Gingrich,Bauchmann,Huntsman,Santorum or Pawlenty nominated.
I'd like to see McCain just go away and take his chunky daughter with him....along with Miss Lindsey Graham....and Joe Lieberman.
Voltron/Rusty: The art of governance in American works best when predicated on balance...a balance between freedom(as the Conservative sees it.) and democracy (as the Democrats see it.) History backs me up...suggest you read up on a great American statesman, Henry Clay. I note with amusement that the pundits on Fox have on several occasions, stated America is "center-right." The irony here is the Conservatives have veered sharply right. America doesnt want or need that...You worship Reagan yet I doubt if he were alive today that he would pass the Idealogical "Purity" test...McCain a "rino?" "Miss Lindsey Graham?" Interesting to watch the spiders devour their own offspring...There is no shame in moderation...
"Moderation" is a way of saying lets move to the left only do it a little bit slower.
Sorry, I don't do "shades of gray"...
Gentlemen, I saw Mrs. Palin on Greta Van Susteren's show last week and she is STILL beating up poor old Katie Couric for that "What do you read?" question. I'm sorry, but that's a level of thin-skinnedness that borders on Nixonian (Clintonian, if you prefer to be bi-partisan). Yeah, she probably got reamed a little by the McCain people early on. But now, as we speak, she purely seems to be her own worst enemy.
Marcus,you're so damn typical,all the same talking points supplied by Media Matters or MoveOn.
"Conservatives have veered sharply right." Now let me guess,you dont think the dems have made a sharp left turn.Another guess,I'd say you are a left wing liberal and are quite happy with your party or perhaps they have'nt gone far enough.
Russ: If I had to label myself I suppose I would consider myself a "Blue Dog" Democrat...which hardly fits your hackneyed discription...Move On/Media Matters talking points? Well I disagree with that...I am not in lock step with Democrats on every single issue...I certainly would like to see more done related to Fiscal matters. If I hit a nerve, I'm sorry...I've seen more than a few good republicans bashed by their own party simply because they weren't Right enough...I call em like I see em...The republican "base" has turned more to the right...this is hardly contraversial and is not worth getting your panties in a bunch.
Marcus,if you in fact consider yourself a "bluedog" you are an endangered species within your own party.The current dem leadership has driven every former so-called elected bluedog from the party.That being so it seems your party is the one that has made a turn towards the fringe.
As for us bashing what you call "good Republicans," I personally dont consider McCain,Graham or Romney good Republicans.....now if you want to talk about Cantor,Christie,Ryan,Haley,Rubio or Daniels....different story.
Russ: Perhaps my brand of democrat is endangered but we shouldn't be. I believe we need to do something about the budget but I believe the cuts have to painful and across the board for everyone...not just restricted to the "safety net."..moreover I don't believe that tax cuts pay for themselves...that is a fallacy. Like or not, we can not reduce the deficit without Budget Cuts AND tax hikes. I dont like foreign intervention and thought Iraq was a HUGE mistake. I tend to be Liberal on social issues in general. I know who you like and dislike for the repubs...Personally I find Daniels the most palatable on your short list.
Russ, in my opinion (and, yeah, I guess that I'm kind of a "blue-dog", too), while some elements of the left (the professional left as Mr. Gibbs called it) have totally gone harder left, I don't think that that's been the case with the Democratic Party in general. I mean, just look at the health-care bill. Obamacare has been labeled by the right as some sort of off the charts venture into socialism, when all it is is a reiteration of what guys like Gingrich, Graham, and even Hatch were espousing back in 1993. What was conservative 18 years ago is now considered socialism. To me, that indicates that the mainstream left hasn't gone harder left but actually more to the center. Yes, the Dems supported TARP, but so, too, did most of the Republicans. As for the stimulus, I agree with you that a lot of that was poorly conceived/executed. But almost 40% of it was tax cuts. How in the hell is that moving hard to the left?
I am with you, Russ, on folks like Olbermann and Maddow being bonkers and all. But it isn't these types of people who are winning the debate (unless, of course, you consider temper tantrums and snarkiness displays winning the debate). They're strictly on the periphery, at best.
I tend to agree with you Will.There is'nt much debate on either cable stations or the MSM.Most viewers know if they want a conservative bent watch FOX,if you want leftwing tune to MSNBC or CNN.A good example happened today..CNN was doing a piece on high level poiticians who cheated on their wives,begining with JFK,yet they failed to mention Eliot Spitzer....just an oversight I'm sure.
I'm a bit of a conservative,so I'm a bit partial to FOX,but in all honesty,other then Beck and Hannity they seem to be way more middle of the road then MSNBC who's whole prime time line up is nothing but bash Republicans with out
any credible opposite point of view.I mean even the most liberal of liberals,if they have a working brain must tire of Howard Fineman and Eugene Robinson.
I know you dont think much of O'Rielly but at least he books guest that disagree with him.The past two days O'Rielly had John Stewart on....now we all know where Stewarts politics lie,but even he does'nt go anywhere near MSNBC.I think thats pretty damn telling.
but even he does'nt go anywhere near MSNBC.I think thats pretty damn telling.
Oh Really?
Another rusty "factoid from the hemorrhoid zone" I see.
Wow,you sure got me there....great detective work sherlock,you're right on the ball....man is my face red.My point was,you friggin twit was that MSNBC will never have a credible guest with an opposing view and FOX has them everyday.
Now,you are dismissed....go back under your rock.
I kind of wish I got MSNBC where I live but then again Rachel Maddow just irritates me. I probably wouldn't watch it anyway. I really just want the damn news and markets without Paul Begala and Alex Castellanos having to debate everything in the name of balance.
go back under your rock.
Unlike you, I don't live under one. ;)
This point-counterpoint thing used to be entertaining......back when Buckley and Vidal/Kirkpatrick and Rowan used to do it. Hannity and Colmes (now just Hannity) - mmm, not so much.
Another post bashing Keith Olbermann? This is getting quite stale. I did a site search on this blog and found 32 anti-Olbermann posts. If you want to read my comments regarding Will's obvious obsession with Mr. Olbermann, please visit my newly erected shrine to Keith Olbermann.
BTW, are you aware that Lawrence O'Donnell is a self-avowed Socialist?
Spammed again! Why does it happen to me here and not on any other blog?
Do you know that Lawrence O'Donnell is a self-avowed Socialist?
As for Keith Olbermann, I believe he is always right, never wrong. He is humble and modest beyond belief. He is kind and big-hearted. Whenever Keith speaks everything he says is the unadulterated truth and should be taken as absolute gospel and never questioned. Keith Olbermann is a God among men. Us mere mortals should bow down and worship him.
For these reasons, and in reaction to Will's relentless bashing, I've decided to erect a shrine to Keith on my blog. How much do you agree with the praises I've heaped upon Keith? Visit my blog and participate in my survey which asks you to rate Keith's awesomeness on a scale of 1-8.
Keith Olbermann is a legend in MY mind.
The scale only goes up to 8?
I couldn't come up with 10 options. Anyway, I just checked, and I don't see that you've taken the poll Will. If you want to know what your 1-8 selections are, you'll have to visit my blog.
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