Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Alan Alda in Chief

I've always considered Howard Dean to be pretty much of an oddball. The fact that the guy did as well as he did in 2004 is absolutely staggering to me. But, I also have to tell you here, what Mr. Dean said several weeks ago on MSNBC might have been his most off-the-charts utterance EVER. He actually told Lawrence O'Donnell (or whoever the hell it was) that the reason he supported President Obama's 2009 "surge" in Afghanistan was to further protect women's rights in that country....Come again!................................................................................................I mean, don't get me wrong here. I'm as pro-women as the next fellow (pro-choice on abortion, supportive of women in the military, etc.) out there. But that, folks, isn't the role of the United States military. I mean, it was bad enough when we had George W. Bush getting us going us going on nation-building and shit. We certainly don't need to be adding NOW caliber policies on top of it.

22 comments:

Jerry Critter said...

Would it have been better if he had said "individual" rights?

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I hate to say it, Jerry, but, no. We just can't be the social workers of the universe anymore (too much blood, too much treasure).

Dervish Sanders said...

His most off-the-charts utterance EVER? Give me a break Will. Other politicans have expressed similar sentiments.

I've always liked Howard Dean.

The role of the military isn't, in my opinion, to wage unnecessary and illegal wars.

Anyway I get it. Will says when it's appropriate for our military to go in, and Will says when it's appropriate for our military to get out... and anyone who disagrees is "crazy" (or "off the charts").

BTW, what does Alan Alda have to do with this?

dmarks said...

Howard Dean... man well known for his bellow of animal rage, and his statement that he hated half the people in this country.

YEAAHHHH!!!!!

Marcus said...

The use of our military should be measured and only when all other options fail. I agree we can't be the policemen of the world. Its time for other to step up to plate.

Dervish Sanders said...

dmarks, I think you need to get your facts straight before criticizing Howard Dean for the so-called (and blown WAY out of proportion) "Dean scream".

Howard Dean says his final "Yeah!" with its unusual tone was due to the cracking of his hoarse voice.

His microphone only picked up his voice and did not also capture the loud cheering he received from the audience as a result of the speech.

In fact people in the actual audience that day insist that they were not aware of the infamous "scream" until they returned to their hotel rooms and saw it on TV. (Source: Wikipedia)

The fact is Dean was yelling to be heard over the loud cheering of the crowd. And since when was enthusiasm considered a bad thing?

Dean never said he hated half the people in the country -- that is an outrageous lie.

dmarks said...

WD: Dean DID scream. The only thing worse than that sound was Laura Ingraham immitating it. None of your long story does anything to refute the fact of his bellow of animal rage.

"Dean never said he hated half the people in the country -- that is an outrageous lie."

Actually, you are lying on this one.

Dean said: "I hate Republicans and everything they stand for", which in our divided country stands for roughly half of the people. At a minimum, depending on what poll you look at, it is 1/3. That's a LOT of people he hates.

Dervish Sanders said...

dmarks: None of your long story does anything to refute the fact of his bellow of animal rage.

A "bellow of animal rage" is a ridiculous and totally inaccurate characterization of his yell. It was enthusiam, not "animal rage". What I posted completely refutes your silly comment.

dmarks: Actually, you are lying on this one.

I am not lying. When Dean said he hated "Republicans" he was referring to Republican politicans, not Republican voters (many of whom are duped into voting against their own best interests).

I also hate what Republican politicans stand for. Dean says what he thinks and tells it like it is... and I admire him for it.

dmarks said...

WD said: "A "bellow of animal rage" is a ridiculous and totally inaccurate characterization of his yell."

Just listen to it sometime. I'm not far off at all. I know what it sounds like, and it sounds like a man blowing his stack.

"I am not lying. When Dean said he hated "Republicans" he was referring to Republican politicans, not Republican voters"

If you link me to a correction showing the context of the time, I will stand corrected. After-the-fact fixer quotations by Dean trying to clean up the mess of his actual quotation won't count.

WD: "many of whom are duped into voting against their own best interests"

Again with such ridiculous arrogance... and complete ignorance. These voters know what their interests are more than you know their interests. I trust Republicans AND Democrats to decide their interests and vote accordingly. Taking the words and intent of these Republican voters who know what they are doing and vote for their interests, it is proven that you have no idea of that which you type.

"I also hate what Republican politicans stand for."

So now it is you who hates half the country. You didn't even narrow it to just the leaders. This really does fit in with your contempt and ignorance the interests of Republican voters (roughly half of the country voting this way in their best interest). At least you aren't in any position of power where you can do any damage with your hate.

Rusty Shackelford said...

Rustys news flash.....remember you heard it first from Rusty.

On the heels of slime ball Edwards and Weiner gate yet another creepy dem crawls out from under his rock.

Rep.David Wu (D-Or)accused of a unwanted sexual encounter with a teenaged girl.

Rusty predicts he'll be gone in a week.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

wd, who else said that we should send 30,000 additional troops into the middle of that grinder, mainly in an effort to protect women's rights? Tell me who they are and I will gladly criticize them, too. I mean, seriously (no, not really), what are we going to do next, invade a country because they don't have gays in the military?............As to whether the Afghanistan war is a legal or illegal war, you really need to talk to Obama on that one.

Dervish Sanders said...

Will (pulling a "dmarks"): who else said that we should send ... troops ... mainly in an effort to protect women's rights?

Who ELSE? I don't think anyone said the surge was a good idea "mainly" for that reason, including Howard Dean. I'm sure Howard Dean acknowledges that it was A REASON, but not the only reason... just the one he personally could get behind.

And Howard Dean NEVER said we should have invaded for this reason (and you KNOW IT). Come on Will, do you seriously believe you can get away with twisting someone's words to this extent?

Will: As to whether the Afghanistan war is a legal or illegal war, you really need to talk to Obama on that one.

These comments of yours where you suggest I talk to president Obama are totally non-serious. We both know a US president would never admit the US illegally invaded a country.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I saw the interview, wd (apparently you did not). And that is EXACTLY what he said, "THE REASON that I supported the surge was to protect women's rights." I'm not twisting anybody's words and I never said that Dean supported the initial invasion because of women's rights. That is a flat-out twisting of MY words.............99% of Americans supported that initial invasion, btw. And even when it morphed into a nation-building enterprise (which I opposed and most of the Democrats in Washington supported - it was the good war, remember?), still the country was mostly behind it. To try to turn this into some sort of partisan issue is a blatant and bald-faced case of political opportunism.

Dervish Sanders said...

Why cap the words "the reason"? The most important word in that sentence is "I". He says he (Howard Dean) supported it for that reason, not that it was the MAIN reason the surge plan should have been carried out.

Will: To try to turn this into some sort of partisan issue is a blatant and bald-faced case of political opportunism.

I disagreed with the invasion. I disagreed with the surge. I know Democratic politicians disagreed with me. I'm NOT trying to "turn this into some sort of partisan issue", YOU ARE.

You're the one who is saying, as a Moderate, you are the one who was right from the beginning.

Will: I never said that Dean supported the initial invasion because of women's rights.

You implied something of the sort when you said, "what are we going to do next, invade a country because they don't have gays in the military?".

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

THE reason, as opposed to A reason, as opposed to ONE OF THE reasons. You really need to read more of Noam Chomsky's linguistics and less of his anti-American sililoquuies.............No, wd, YOU turned this into a partisan scrum when you chose to criticize George W. Bush for not accepting a deal from the Taliban that literally NO OTHER mainstream politician would have accepted.............The gays in the military line was a a joke. But a joke with at least some concern. You know, the whole slippery-slope yada yada argument.

Rusty Shackelford said...

Well,well,well Rep.David Wu (D-OR)
announced his resignation from congress today....Rusty hit that nail on the head.

What is it with this rash of creepy dems.Which one will be next?

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

There are a plethora of creeps on both sides of the aisle, Russ. You can revel in this one but it won't be long at all until wd gets his opportunity.

Rusty Shackelford said...

The sad part is,you're correct Will.But you know I could'nt resist poking him in the eye.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I get that notion from time to time, too, Russ. And, watch, he'll probably come out and defend this guy.

Dervish Sanders said...

Will: he'll probably come out and defend this guy.

Just like Sue (and all the members of her echo chamber) were accusing all Republicans of being racist over policy disagreements, right Will?

Will falls all over himself to stay on Rusty's and Voltron's good side, but he's got no problem suggesting Progressives are total morons. And his guesses concerning what a progressive has or might say sound genuine.

I'm not sure I buy it though. Personally I think there is a lot of truth to what Will's critics say.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I like Russ and Voltron. But I also like Truth and double b (aka, Beach Bum). Like I said, me-bucko, it isn't always about politics with me.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I also like Jerry, RN, John Myste, Heathen Republican, and dmarks.