Tuesday Open Thread
It’s Tuesday, the day before our next winter storm if the forecasters are to be believed. Tomorrow we all may be digging out our cars again and hopefully we’ll all have electricity this time. So let’s get this open thread rolling.
Greg Sargent at Plumline notices that the new media landscape – Fox as a GOP propaganda arm but still somehow considered a media outlet – is making it really easy for politicians to lie. Yes, even easier than before because now on Fox they only interview each other and never challenge.
One interesting consequence of Sarah Palin’s decision to remain part of the national conversation while refusing to undergo any media scrutiny or cross-examination is that her lying is growing increasingly blatant, casual and even effortless.
Case in point: On Fox News yesterday, Palin explained why it’s okay that Rush Limbaugh used the word “retard” even as Rahm Emanuel’s use of the term “retarded” constituted a firing offense:
PALIN: I didn’t hear Rush Limbaugh calling a group of people whom he did not agree with ‘f-ing retards’ and we did know that Rahm Emanuel has been reported, did say that. There’s a big difference there. But again, name-calling, using language that is insensitive, by anyone, male, female, Republican, Democrat, is unnecessary. It’s inappropriate. Let’s all just grow up.
So Palin’s claim is now that Rush didn’t refer to people he disagrees with by using the R-word. But of course, Rush did exactly that:
LIMBAUGH: Our political correct society is acting like some giant insult’s taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards. I mean these people, these liberal activists are kooks. They are looney tunes.
So Limbaugh did call liberal activists “retards,” as it happens. Maybe Palin’s only objection to Rahm’s reported comment is that he used the term “f–king,” and Rush didn’t?
I’m sure you’re shocked to hear that Republicans are afraid to show up to Obama’s bipartisan health care summit. They claim they’ll come if Democrats scrap a years’ worth of work and agree to adopt the Republican plan.
House Republican leaders raised the prospect “that they might refuse to participate in President Obama’s proposed health care summit if the White House chooses not to scrap the existing reform bills and start over,” the Washington Post reports.
New York Times: “It is not clear that Republicans and the White House are willing to negotiate seriously with each other, and Mr. Obama has rejected Republican demands that he start from scratch in developing health care legislation.”
Tags: Open Thread
I’m thinking the Republicans are running a repeat of the Gingrich shut-down and refusal to pass a budget under Clinton. They are being pretty blatant with this no-no-no-no-no-bwaaa strategy and folks are noticing. The last time the voters figured it out the Republican lost big. If Obama can keep framing them as the obstructionist they are we might all be smiling on November 3rd.
Obama decided to go to the press room, today, lol. Old teacher trick, do something interesting on a day the kids play hooky.
LOL! Gibbs makes fun of Palin by writing his grocery list on his hand:
That was funny. Andrea Mitchell did her spoof yesterday, I think:
Interesting that Chuck Todd reaches for some fake fair and balanced here.
National Review ^ | 2/09/2010 | Daniel Foster
The nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board was just defeated on a cloture vote 52-33. Sen. Ben Nelson (D., Neb.), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D., Ark.), and Sen. Scott Brown (R., Mass.) all voted against cloture.
Since it’s an open thread, just wanted to say that even though I disagree with the majority of opinions here, I hope you all stay safe in the snow. It’s all fun and games until the power goes out.
I hope everyone has ample supplies.
You too, Kaveman. Don’t leave your kave unless there is some sort of bear or saber-tooth tiger in there.
Rachel’s going to name names of R’s who voted against the stimulus but publicly take credit for money coming to their districts. In a few seconds…will Mike make it?
Yes! Mikey made it with a picture that we have posted of him taking credit. OH Yeah!!!
Whooooo! Jackpot!
Just saw that – way to go, Rachel!
There’s a report out now from the Washington Times of all places, showing letters from Republicans privately begging for stimulus dollars while bashing the stimulus in public. The report came from FOIA requests from the department of agriculture.