The Train To Crazytown
Newly disgraced former Congressman Eric Massa appeared on Glenn Beck’s TV show today. For some reason, the rightwing embraced Massa – I guess believing that Massa had the power to hurt the Obama administration. The interview didn’t go as Beck expected (he wanted to bash Rahm Emmanuel the whole time I guess):
“I wasn’t forced out. I forced myself out. I failed,” said Massa. “I didn’t live up to my own codes. I own this. I take full and complete responsibility for my misbehavior. And goodness only knows what allegations they’re gonna throw at me. There’s even new ones today and we’re gonna talk about that.”
“Now they’re saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did,” Massa also said. “Not really grope him. I tickled him ’til he couldn’t breathe and then four guys jumped on top of me. It was my 50th birthday.”
“I should have never allowed myself to be as familar with my staff as I was, I never translated my days in the Navy to being a Congressman,” Massa said.
Well, that’s unusual. Here’s Massa taking responsibility for his behavior:
Here is Massa talking about the rowdy behavior in the Navy:
Apparently Beck apologized to his audience at the end of the show for wasting their time. I assume that means Beck didn’t win this confrontation.
I’ll add more interesting clips as they become available.
**UPDATE**
Tags: Eric Massa, Glenn Beck
It occurs to me that, for the first time in his program’s history, Glenn Beck may actually created sympathy for the Democratic leadership and the Obama Administration, for their having to suffer through Massa’s allegations.
I met and talked with Eric Massa back in 2006 when he was running for Congress the first time, when he lost a gimme election against a scandal plagued incumbent in a Democratic wave year. He railed then against Rahm and Schumer, the DCCC and the DSCC, for not funding his race (and I found it odd that he had an animus towards Schumer and the DSCC since he was not running for Senate!) I had the impression then that he was a combination of Dennis Spivak and Karen Hartley Nagle, a second tier candidate bitter about less than full support from the national party. But there was also a wide eyed tinfoil Heart of Darkness vibe to him even then that made me want to end the conversation as soon as possible.
Looks like that vibe was correct.
A tickle fight?!? A tickle fight?!? Really? That’s an excuse for a 7 year-old peeing his pants, not a Congressman groping a staffer. I think the entire states of New York, New Jersey, and South Carolina need to be put on Double Secret Probation.
Your party
I guess it’s a good thing that Massa recovered what is left of his mind to man up and take responsibility for his issues. Which is probably the thing that Beck was most appalled at — taking responsibility for your own actions has to be a new thing for that show and its viewers.
Oh, David, do you want me to go through the gallery of rogues that is your party? These are just off the top of my head….
Larry Craig
Roy Ashburn
Mark Sanford
John Ensign
Vito Fossella
David Vitter
Jim Gibbons
Mark Foley
Ted Haggard
Jeff Gannon
Jack Ryan
Rush Limbaugh
Bill O’Rielly
Jack Abramoff
Ted Stevens
Tom DeLay
Rick Renzi
Your Party.
A tale of two parties:
One party had a member who was known for harassing interns. He served for 11 years, until one of his victims made some text messages public. His party leadership covered up his behavior.
One party had a member that harassed his staffers. He served for 1 year, until he resigned because of an ethics allegation.
UI, perhaps that is why the knee jerk impulse of most conservatives was to embrace Massa and declare him a hero. Because he just seemed so familiar to them.
no one is embracing Massa, the right is just shining a spotlight on a typical democrat. (and laughing while he lashes out at Rahm)
Phuny, the Right should concentrate shining the light on their own transgressions.
Part One: Some dumbass named Massa who is about to get bounced for ethics violations says he has cancer.
Part Two: He then says that he is getting black balled because he doesn’t like HCR.
Part Three: The entire right wing bullshit industry gets a huge boner and embraces him. Glan Beck books him, Rush says, “Congressman Massa, we’re doing our part here to make it a national story.”
Part Four: He (shockingly) turns out to be just a dumbass.
Part Five: Idiots on blogs say “No one is embracing Massa”
Who would have thought that the scandal of a Democratic Congressman would make the rightwing look foolish. The right did indeed embrace Massa. Here’s a story on Limbaugh from Monday:
Glenn Beck booked him for the whole hour!
You know who came out looking good – Rahm Emmanuel and Steny Hoyer. Rahm looked prescient by not liking Massa in the first place and Hoyer looks like he addressed the problems as soon as he became aware of them. Beck and Limbaugh look like fools.
LOL, Marc Ambinder:
Plus, the media also commented on the odd advertisements of the show (Beck has lost many advertisers and has run 1 month in England without any ads). Beck’s sponsors are Survival Seeds and Gold. Very apocalyptic.
so wait, does Massa have cancer?
That’s unclear, V. He has battled non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in the past, which he used to talk passionately about health care reform. His initial statements implied he was retiring for health-related reasons but he’s not mentioning it now. Very curious.
David Letterman: ‘Top Ten Signs Rahm Emanuel Is Nuts’
10. Every morning takes a leak off the Truman balcony
9. President Obama smokes cigarettes; Rahm eats them
8. Spotted today at Toyota dealership
7. He’s leaving Obama to become a special advisor to Richard Nixon 6. In a fit of rage, he snapped Dennis Kucinich in half
5. Changing his name to Rahm Emanuel Lewis
4. Refers to every cabinet official as “Clarkie”
3. Recently got into heated policy debate with his stapler
2. You mean, besides walking around D.C. naked?
1. Even Andy Dick is telling him to chill
WEll, Phony, it looks like we’ve found a point of agreement. You won’t find many progressives with kind words for Rahm.