In the last couple weeks, it has been astonishing to watch Democrats once again abandoning a core principle — in this case the protection of the free press — to excuse another abuse of the Obama Administration. The new talking point for defenders of the Obama Administration is that it is really not that bad to seize the records of journalists or label a journalist a potential criminal co-conspirator so long as they are not actually prosecuted. None however are quite so adamant as Georgetown Professor and MSNBC Political Analyst Michael Eric Dyson who called Eric Holder our “law giver” and “the Moses of our time.” In this case, of course, Moses came down from the mountain and endorsed the killing of any citizen deemed a national security threat, allowed warrantless surveillance, blocked public interest challenges to abuses of power, and attacked the free press. While some of us believe Holder should be fired, Dyson apparently believes Holder should be be beatified.
Here is Dyson holding forth on the miracle that is Holder:
MICHAEL ERIC DYSON, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: I think the attorney general should step down too – off of that plateau where he resides in high principle and whip some head. But he shouldn’t give up his office. What he should understand is he’s the chief law giver of the United States of America so to speak. He’s the Moses of our time, and at least for this administration.
So, yes, some people want to put him outside of the ark of the legal community. That’s just ridiculous. He is the bully, he is in one sense the whipping boy for so much of the frustration of the right-wing. As Joy Reid has brilliantly indicated, their inability to reconcile themselves to the fact they lost the election means that they will be perennially pursuing a person like an Eric Holder. In sense, they perceive him to be the most vulnerable. They attack him. But I think what he has to do is continue to hold fast. I think the president has given strong indication that he will support Mr. Holder, and, therefore, together they should go forward.
And here’s the real problem. The real problem is it’s not against the law to leak classified information. That’s what we need to get into our sights here. That what we need to do is shore up the law. Not figure out how to scandalize the name of Eric Holder or President Obama. Let’s deal with the undergirding legal principles that are not present, and as a result of that figure out a way to get beyond this morass. Otherwise we’re going to repeat this in the next administration and the administration after that as well.
Dyson captures particularly the cult of personality surrounding this president. Not even the protection of the free press is enough to break faith with this president. By the way, last time I check, leaking classified information was a crime so we can move beyond the view that “The real problem is it’s not against the law to leak classified information.” Moreover, in our tripartite system, Holder is not a law giver of any kind. He is supposed to be enforcing the laws given by others — specifically the legislative branch — and of course protecting the Constitution.
As I mentioned in my surprising disagreement with CNN’s Jeff Tobin last night on the Situation Room, no one denies that such leaks can be crimes. It is how they are investigated. There was no excuse for this fishing expedition into the records of journalists. Also, Bashir joins Dyson in mocking the concerns of journalists that the Administration searched these records since the targets were not prosecuted. He laughed with Dyson at the fact that Rosen was described as a potential criminal co-conspirator. It is perfectly other worldly. The free press rests on guarantees of confidentiality. The administration attacked that guarantee and in so doing created a chilling effect on the work of all reporters.
As for Moses, I shudder to think who Dyson considers to be the Messiah that Holder is foretelling . . . but I can guess.
MSNBC has gone from Democrat-leaning news teller as a counter to Fox, to Democrat/Obama apologist. It seems that everything done by the administration is excused and even lauded. Fox makes stuff up. CNN, disgraceful. It’s no wonder Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert shows are so popular. It’s where the government evil clowns regardless of party, get the mocking they deserve.
Dyson reminds me of Professor Irwin Corey.
As for Dyson?
Too much wandering in the desert can lead to sunstroke.
He should probably get that attended to.
Holder is a disgrace to both the profession and the Office of AG by any reasonable Constitutional analysis. The only bar he’s fit to be a member of is baristas (no offense to Starbucks employees).
Pretty much what G Mason said with just a little less shaming and admonishment. Obama and his team did have an unusually strong pitch (for the first term anyway) even though he turned out to be 180 degrees different in his actions than his promised actions. Cut the people a little slack. The psychology of sales and the psychology of propaganda – which are remarkably similar – works. It works even better if you aren’t vigilant and know what to look for in messaging. Sometimes even then it works. Plus take into account that you’re dealing with a party (Obama) who was in fact a baldfaced liar when the rubber met the road. But in general? The man’s actions are as indefensible as any of Bush’s. In some ways, more so. At least Bush has the defense that he was (and continues to be) a literal moron being willingly controlled by puppeteers.
Feyd Rautha,
http://sociology.georgetown.edu/
Most Democrats are nothing more than massive hypocrites just like the Republican voters were when Bush was in office.~G.Mason
1, May 31, 2013 at 6:11 am
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Definition of HYPOCRITE (Merriam-Webster)
1
: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2
: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
— hypocrite adjective
*
We are all made hypocrites by Governance….because we are all independantly so much more than simply party adherents, simple government lackeys, or so closed minded that we aren’t able to regard that others would also have rights to what we would give ourselves license. Laws are basic building blocks of community…and when they do more to harm or tear a community apart, serve only one faction of the community or render it unable to function beyond the fullfilling of those so called ‘laws’, then it has become no longer purposeful and in fact, destructive. And then what?
Professor? of what?
What drives this is race and persona being more important than principles of law. I guess we might fault his upbringing because his Princeton Ph.D. is in religion, and while originally ordained a Baptist minister, he now serves as a sociology professor at a Catholic university. It is only his interest in racism that explains him standing by his two black brothers. I wish someone would take time to explain to this man some principles of liberty and Constitutional law. Unfortunately, the Constitutional law professor he most respects, President Obama, doesn’t seem to have a clue either. What a mess we have.
But it’s for our own good. I, for one, am sooooo glad that Holder and Obama go through so much to keep us all safe. After all, their lack of action against wall street, those who committed torture and those responsible for fast and furious combined their action against free speech, the press, and those dangerous cannabis collectives just shows how much they really care.
I agree with G Mason, history will not treat Mr. O kindly. In 2008 he promised us a new way forward after the GWB years. What we got was the same way forward as the the GWB policies, then adding more egregious actions like justified killing of citizens without due process. Oops, it is a new definition of due process, kill him if the Prez says so. So, Mr. O’s latest speech on targeted killing says he is codifying this policy for future presidents. Please, he can make up his own laws, the next Prez will likewise make up his own laws with no regard for previous actions.
I’m just shocked that Demos are as loyal to a bad leader(?) as Repos are. Not!
Wow, this something right out of the Stalinist playbook. Next thing you know, the President will be referred to as “The Father of the People.”
Holder is no biblical saint. Holder was not sent to save us from bondage and he was not sent by god. Dyson needs to read his bible before he hands out halos.
Dyson thinks this is funny. He is wrong. MSNBC would be hair on fire if this was Bush or Romney. I am a progressive but I don’t think we need to protect people who perform badly.
This entire segment ignored what happened. The view seems to be OBAMA and Holder are holy. Anyone who criticizes them just doesn’t under stand the law or is racist. That is not an informed discussion of the the issues. It sounds like the way in which each issue is analyzed at the White House. “We want to do it. If you don’t like it you just don’t understand or you are a racist. End of discussion. “
Dyson is a bad example of a professor in an Amercian university, and a bad example of a political analyst.
The faux snooze virus is spreading.
Holder is making John Ashcroft look like Ramsey Clark.
The name of the game is: Mengistu (Ethiopia), Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Mobutu (Zaire), Bokassa (Central African Republic), Imin (Uganda), de los Santos (Angola), Jammeh (Gambia) Kagambe (Rwannda), Museveni (Uganda), Mosisi;;i (Lesotho), etc, etc, etc, Obama?
As Stephen Colbert says of Eric Holder’s notion of due process:
“It’s just some [secret] process that you do.”
Erick Holder needs to go. What an embarrassment to the very idea of “law,” let alone its impartial enforcement in the interests of anything other than private profit.
Btw lets be completely honest here. If Obama were white. His support from the left would drop quite a bit. If he were Republican his support would be completely gone and he would be hated.
Race plays a role both ways you know.
If My fellow Democrats wish to play the race card on the opposition to Obama, I shall do so here……Dyson is only supporting Holder and Obama because they are black. I have no doubt.
This is why as a Liberal I am disgusted by what the Democratic party has become.
Most Democrats are nothing more than massive hypocrites just like the Republican voters were when Bush was in office.
Even on here, on these forums, we see Democrats still struggling to condemn Obama for what he is, a massive failure and outright liar. Their complete failure to hold him accountable has only served to strengthen his resolve to continue to betray the Bill of Rights.
Obama is the worst President in modern history. He is even worse than Bush. He is worse than Bush because he promised us he was different than Bush. At least with Bush we knew what we were getting. Obama is a fraud. A snake.
Any Liberal or Democrat that still supports Obama should hang their heads in shame.
What I find to be the most repulsive thing with Obama supporters, is their incredible willingness to completely throw away the Bill of Rights, openly support warfare and repression, as long as Obama is the one leading the charge. Absolutely disgraceful hypocrites.
Where else have we seen people and mindset like this before? Oh yes….
Dyson:
Shore up the law?
…….The Moses is giving the law.
Is the Moses giving unconstitutional laws/actions?
Yes: The Courts must slap them down. Impeach the Moses.
No: Change the Constitution
Have I missed anything?