Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann is still reaping the whirlwind from her comments on Hardball calling Obama’s view anti-American and calling for an investigation of members of Congress for anti-American views. After the comments were widely attacked as McCarthyism, Bachmann denied saying them but the damage appears to have been done in the sixth Minnesota district race. Challenger Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg has experienced an influx of donations after Backmann emergence on the national stage.
Backmann clearly went on Hardball to continue the highly negative attacks on Obama as not being “pro-American.” On the show, when asked directly if she share the view that Obama is anti-American, she stated: “Absolutely, I’m very concerned that he may have anti-American views. That’s what the American people are concerned about.”
After the national outcry, Bachmann went on television to say “I’m not saying that he has anti-American views, that is a misreading of what I said.” The Daily Kos had a field day with the two interviews.
Bachmann also called for an investigation of members with “anti-American views” in the Hardball interview. However, in her later interview, she did not address that statement. Here is the interview.
Bachmann’s comments are unfortunately an example of how, once unleashed by a campaign, these attacks quickly de-evolve into a form of fascistic rhetoric. From Palin’s reference to “pro-American” parts of the country to Bachmann’s call for the investigation of anti-American views, the all citizens should be equally concerned. At best, Bachmann’s comments were irresponsible and worthy of condemnation. At worse, it is a reflection of how politicians have unleashed the scourge of McCarthyism again in this country.
In the meantime, the McCain camp is facing another potential defection of a “Joe-Six-Pack”: Family Guy has portrayed McCain supporters are neo-Nazis. This follows the loss of Homer Simpson. The McCain camp is going to have to close this cartoon gap before it swallows up the campaign. While this was a portrayal of a brown shirt supporting a McCain/Palin button, the possible loss of Stewie (who falls right in the demographic for the campaign) should be alarming. There remain uncommitted characters like Pinky and the Brain who need to be courted. Scrooge McDuck is already leaning toward the campaign but Futurama’s Hubert J. Farnsworth is remained independent.
It is interesting to see these popular shows have gone so openly in favor of Obama — and their impact. The portrayal of the McCain/Palin campaign as a bunch of brownshirts should be no laughing matter for the campaign. Yet, if they object, they seem petty and fighting with cartoon characters.
These type of scenes reinforce a view by the opposing camp and are watched by tens of millions — much like the portray of Palin on Saturday Night Live. The images tend to stick. The result is that few people note Biden’s recent gaffes (as he is not portrayed as subintelligent) but every possible gaffe sticks on Palin.
Thanks, Mike. I may have to change my nick to Buddha Is Blushing. I enjoy your posts as well many of the other regulars I won’t name for fear of missing somebody. š Upon re-reading my last post, however, I shall endeavor to edit a little better before hitting the submit button. It’s a hazard with blogging, an activity I often have to do on the run. Such a knowledgeable and thoughtful room of bloggers deserves perfect grammar and spelling. At a minimum, you deserve a better typist.
I’d also like to thank JT for hosting this forum. A voice without audience is like a tree falling in an empty forest. You’ve drawn quite an interesting crowd, Prof. Turley. That says as much about you as it does about them.
Buddha,
Please let me add my compliments to Mespo’s. You stated what I was trying to convey much more articulately and with considerably more depth. It is truly a pleasure to read your posts on this subject. The inclusion of Saudi Arabia into the list of those deserving punishment is prescient.
mespo,
Thank you, kind sir.
Buddah:
Very eloquent and thoughtful, and it must be so because unlike many posts, I savored every word.
Gino,
Yeah. That’s it.
Jill,
Oh I agree that there are Republicans who haven’t drank the kool-aid. I feel sorry for them. They’ve been thrown under the bus by their own people. You are right and you’ll see by my earlier post that I think liberals are just as guilty of playing dirty politics as anyone. As I stipulated, politics is a rough game. It’s not for the faint of heart.
I have no problem with true conservatives or true conservatism. There are valid conservative stances and on many issues I am indeed conservative in the classic sense of the word. My father and grandfather are/were conservative. Conservative and liberal, despite what the media would lead you to believe, are not polar opposites until men make them that way as a divisive tool. They are merely different approaches to a problem much like a screwdriver and a hammer. Some tools are better for some jobs than others. For example, fiscal conservatism (again, in the classic sense) works well in most instances, but on social issues, money must be a secondary consideration to the common good – a hallmark of liberalism.
The real issue is that those who say they are conservative in the leadership today usually aren’t. The label “conservative” has been co-opted by fascists, pure and simple. Anti-liberal (NOT conservative, but anti-liberal, there is a difference), authoritarian, militaristic, repressive, corporatist war-mongers. My problem is with fascists. Just one scant goose step away from Nazis. They make my blood boil. Greed is a sin in most major religions for a very good reason.
The Grand Old Party has been dead a long time now. In their place is a doppleganger. Their skin is inhabited by criminals who sold out the interests of America to Saudi Arabia and their own greed. These are criminals with a proven track record of violating the Constitution and putting our troops in harms way to make a buck while letting those who attacked us run free. Do I blame the GOP rank and file? To a degree, but some people are more susceptible to propaganda than others. Such is life. That is why you are seeing true conservatives realize the mistake they’ve made and crossing party lines to vote. Those are the ones who are more propaganda resistant or realize that the reality of trickle down economics is more like whiz upon economics. This is a case of the Russian adage being proven true. “A fish rots from the head.” The head in this case is Bush Co., PNAC, lobbyists, big oil (Halliburton, Exxon, et al.), the GOP obstructionist Senators and Saudi Arabia. They all deserve the punishment fitting traitors and enemies of the state. They desire(d) to be kings when in reality they are the lowest of the low. They had/have a stated intent to create a permanent Republican majority. By definition that’s antithetical to the very fabric of democracy.
Well, if I had to name a party affiliation, I’d have to say I’m a Jeffersonian Constitutionalist. The Declaration of Independence is not just an important cornerstone to our legal tradition, but I feel it is one of the most important documents drafted in all of recorded history. No man is my king or master. We went to war with the English to ensure we didn’t have to suffer the arrogance, insanity and/or stupidity of a monarch. I’ll be damned if I’ll roll over to bow and scape for these fascists. I’ll fight to the death rather than be a subject of tyrants, but I’d most rather see the Constitution restored quickly followed by the treasonous Bush administration and their criminal corporate masters being incarcerated and forced to make big rocks into little rocks with a plastic dental hammer for the next 35 years.
curmudge:
“Right, you are,” said the red-faced author.
Yeah, that’s it. Good grief.
I even gave examples.
Then Gino, I guess you don’t understand the difference between good and evil.
Bachman is truly an ignorant person and she is but one of a legion of ignorant politicians that are around these days. They lack historical perspective, are woefully ignorant of the Constitution, fail to understand the philosophical underpinnings of their own religions & philosophies and assume that whoever opposes them are evil. Some of these people are Democrats, but in this era the overwhelming majority are Republicans.
The current conservative era began in the 50’s with Wm. F. Buckley, who founded the National Review with Wm. A. Rusher. Both of them believe in the rule of the elite, though some said Rusher was actually a Monarchist. They founded the conservative movement which eventually took ove the Republican Party. However, they were intelligent people and so realized that an elitist philosophy would not be appealing to most people. The succeeding Conservative theorists began to wrap themselves around “social issues” that could be manipulated to get most people to vote against their own best interests.
In Reagan they found the ideal frontman. He was moderately intelligent and a competent actor, but historically/philosophically ignorant. He married into a Birchite family who changed him politically and was supported for years by the world’s largest defense contractor, GE. He probably was guileless in his new conservative beliefs, but lacking intellectual depth, he talked in cliches. A perfect stooge. In the years since Reagan the Republican Party has recruited many minor league Reagans, intellectually challenged but able to stay on message. Bachman is merely one of many who are too ignorant to even understand the implications of their statements. In my mind this doesn’t relieve them of responsibility, but merely serves to make them easier to understand.
As for Gino, while from the proliferation of your posts I find it hard to believe that you are as politically neutral as you profess, but yes you are correct there are those on the Left who behave just as badly. The difference is in volume and from that perspective the Republicans win hands down.