I once admired Randi Rhodes, the Air America yakker, until her motormouth achieved light speed. About four months ago, she "interviewed" a guest -- someone I very much wanted to hear -- and was so rude that I kept yelling at my car radio: "Shut up, Randi...Shut up, Randi...SHUT UP, RANDI!"
(I've personally known a few women with "talkaholic" issues. All of them were pill-poppers -- except one. That lady came sliding out of the womb yammering; should I outlive her, I fully expect to hear her voice emanating from beneath the sod.)
Now Randi Rhodes has been suspended from Air America for referring to Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro as "whores."
I have mixed feelings about her suspension. She obviously should be allowed to have strong feelings against Clinton, just as I have strong feelings against Obama.
(Despite what many of you prefer to believe, I do not have strong feelings for Hillary, and wish that John Edwards held her current position. You can defend someone against a smear without being crazy about that person.)
On the other hand, Randi's rhetoric went beyond the bounds of decency. Unlike me, she does not speak only for herself; she represents a larger entity. Radio personalities can exercise decorum without mitigating their views. Decency is, for me, optional; for Rhodes, it is mandatory.
Zoom back for the larger picture.
Kos' incessant smear campaign has alienated many of his writers. The progressive blogs have created a wholly unneeded and self-destructive environment of toxicity and hate. Obama surrogates, such as Jesse Jackson Jr., have endorsed and encouraged smear tactics, while their candidate tries to remain cushioned in Bushian aloofness.
There is a reason why Republicans follow an 11th commandment. A primary race so poisonous cannot and should not end in a general election victory. The very concept of "unity" now repulses me: I would rather have carnal knowledge of a porcupine than support someone supported by Rhodes or Moulitsas. If Moulitsas offered a kidney to save my brother's life, I would let my brother die.
I was once an Obama supporter, until the repellent antics of his cult forced me to look twice at the man himself. The Obamabots view Hillary's Bosnia statement as not a trivial matter comparable to Biden's 1988 "plagiarism," but as the worst lie ever. Yet Obama's many lies -- and plagiarisms (the link goes to but one example) -- remain undiscussed within the confines of blogostan left. One cannot even mention the lie he told at the beginning of his senate career, when he said that he would not run for president in 2008.
Because of people like Randi Rhodes, I will never vote again for Barack Obama. Furthermore, this life-long Democrat now hopes for a Republican victory in November -- even if Hillary gets the nomination. That is how thoroughly the left has alienated me. I may agree with their general ideology, but I can't stand leftists on a personal level.
For me, the most important issue in the world right now -- more important than Iraq, more important than global warming -- is to send a message to arrogant, arrogant, arrogant people like Markos Moulitsas and Randi Rhodes: Never do shit like this again. Never again run a smear campaign in a primary.
Pride will always forbid them from admitting in public that they just plain screwed up. Pride will always forbid them from admitting the degree to which they mimic The Free Republic. Pride will always forbid them from admitting that the Mao-like cult of personality they created around the Savior From Illinois was actually a self-defeating tactic.
But in their secret places, power-crazed fools like Moulitsas, Rhodes, Skinner, Marshall and their compatriots must come to understand the permanent discredit they have brought to the left through their disgraceful actions. Perhaps the truth is already starting to dawn on them. (Marshall seems to be coming around.)
To paraphrase Churchill: Limbaugh-ism may be a good starter, but it's a bad finisher.
24 comments:
Randi is an embarrassment. She bashes fellow liberal hosts (like Ed Schultz and Al Franken) and is equally rude to guests and callers. Occasionally Larry King has shows where Rhodes and Schultz debate issues against two conservative radio hosts. Between Randi's rudeness and histrionics, and Ed's slight grasp of the issues, I find myself preferring the conservative hosts. Too bad that hosts such as Rachel Maddow and Thom Hartmann don't get as many listeners as Rhodes and Schultz - they are by far the most knowledgeable liberal talkers.
"For me, the most important issue in the world right now -- more important than Iraq, more important than global warming -- is to send a message to arrogant, arrogant, arrogant people like Markos Moulitsas and Randi Rhodes: Never do shit like this again. Never again run a smear campaign in a primary."
And there you have it. You have lost your way.
How about your own arrogance in even uttering such an absurd statement?
No I haven't. I have found my way.
My way is a path unaccompanied by progressives, whom I have come to despise.
The Democrats MUST lose this election, and the blame for the loss MUST go to Markos Moulitsas, Randi Rhodes, and the Obama campaign. Only then will the party repent of its errors. Only then will Democratic leaders denounce these smug fiends who have rendered it such bad service. Only then will the Democrats return to the principles of clean campaigns.
If the Democrats win this election, then the smear tactics used during this election will be repeated. If the Democrats lose, repair can begin.
I sensed what was going on way back with the media driven worship and share many of our outspoken host's views. Did I miss it or was MSNBC's KO not mentioned?
I have no brother, but I might claim I did so I could feed Markos' kidney to my dog... Sorry maybe over the line there, jk.
I have deleted a lot of bookmarks lately and sought out new horizons. It is troubling to see 'progressives' adopt republican thought processes and tunnel vision.
Remember we can write in any name we want in November - Hillary (if not the nominee), Edwards, Kucinich, etc.
Hey, I was too quick to delete that anon post. Can you give it back? It was the ultimate example of prog stupidity -- including the classic, cliched reference to Hillary the "corporatist" and to the all-powerful bogeyman, the DLC.
Sorry to ask..
Stop pulling your punches, Joe. Tell us you want nine Clarence Thomases also.
If it happens, blame Kos. He reaches millions; I don't. His power to repel people from liberalism far exceeds my reach.
I haven't set up satellite radio yet so I haven't been privy to this woman's show.
I am glad I haven't been hooked into her air time now, because it saves me the time and energy to complain about her and give up my radio service.
She and the other scum seekers are only conderced with being right and their intense drive has them going right wing.
Well they are like Newsweek and MSNBC, they are self destructing by hating another so strongly.
This is the "savior from Illinois's) brand of Uniting our country? Hmmmm.
I agree with you most of the time, but I can't go along with hoping for a Republican victory. I think that would be the worst thing that
could happen. We can't reward these Republicans with 4 more years after what they have done to ruin our country. If they do win in Nov. it will be because the Dems have destroyed themselves. I am afraid if that happens we will never be able to rebuild. Somebody said: "there are two kinds of Republicans,millionaires and suckers". I sure don't want to see these "suckers" in for another 4 years. I'd hate to see Obama get the nomination but compared to McCain he is probably the lesser of two evils. The lesser of two evils is a poor choice but it may be all we have.One more thing in closing-it seems that Randi Rhodes is becoming an Ann Coulter wannabe.
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The deleted comments were just mindless drive-bys by anonymous cowards. I'd be pleased if a truly intelligent enemy were to show up here.
john, I'm a little sorry now that I laid into Randi so harshly.
A correspondent sent me an interesting letter which referred to the strange incident of the "attack" on Randi Rhodes some weeks back. Turns out it wasn't an attack at all. She walked out of a bar, lost consciousness, and awoke with bruises and missing teeth.
All of which MAY be consistent with my theory of substance abuse.
I'm not saying that we have any definite evidence. But the only other people I've known who displayed those behaviors turned out to be pill-poppers.
dermo: I loved Al Franken's show. What I liked was his format -- he had interesting people on the air, and didn't rely on call-ins.
Randi's opening rant used to be great, but then she she would open the lines, and everything went to hell. The callers would be inarticulate and nervous. They would sound like Porky Pig as they tried to complete a thought -- and she would never let them finish a sentence.
I find that sort of radio to be unlistenable.
Management thought she said something "inappropriate" during a nightclub performance...NOT ON THE AIR!
Over reaction on their part!?!
What could she have said? We're now censoring nightclub comics? Where does it end?
If the execs at Air American had one brain to share amongst them, they would have kept quiet.
Nobody except those in attendance would have known, and half of them probably didn't hear what she said over the clinking of glasses.
AirAmerica's mgt statement said the slut was pimped out at an event "on behalf of Air America in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station", so they had the equivalent of a fiduciary responsibility.
Maybe after a good night's sleep, Joe will realize that a Republican victory won't teach the illiterate progs anything, while a Hillary victory will simply prove them ineffectual. More likely, since he likes to mock their tactical incompetence, he's repeating the famous queen sacrifice which 13-year-old Bobby Fischer (as Black!) pulled against Donald Byrne in 1956. No truly chivalrous knight would banish himself from Camelot.
The "queen sacrifice" parallel is cute, but not really appropos.
I'm split. I agree with progressive ideals politically, but I can't stand most other people who share those beliefs. So -- what to do? Either change my politics, abandon politics altogether, or hope that events force progressives to better themselves.
Only a truly shocking event could accomplish that goal. A loss in November might do the job. But the loss alone won't do it -- what is needed, more than ANYTHING, would be for everyone to blame the little tin Stalins who split the left and insulted everyone who did not follow their party line. Once the Moulitsases of this world manage to say the words -- "I screwed up; I should not have run a smear campaign during a primary" -- healing can begin. Until that point of humility is achieved, the Democrats should not attain the presidency.
Joseph said above,"The Democrats MUST lose this election, and the blame for the loss MUST go to Markos Moulitsas, Randi Rhodes, and the Obama campaign. Only then will the party repent of its errors. Only then will Democratic leaders denounce these smug fiends who have rendered it such bad service. Only then will the Democrats return to the principles of clean campaigns."
Joseph, do you have any idea what will happen if Clinton loses this? Really, really deep shit, sir. Worldwide, including wherever you live and wherever I live. If FDR hadn't been elected, what do you think would have happened? There are turning points in history. There are Dark Ages.
Felix Rohatyn, major master puppet-master for Nancy Pelosi and the worst of the Democratic party, wants to "privatize" public infrastructure and have us paying tolls to walk down the friggin' sidewalk, and... (it's too long a list, and visions of people having to dig their own graves before being shot, like... )
Take a deep breath, self.
But even that globalized corporatist fascist wet dream won't happen (or for long, in any historical perspective). It's far worse. They have lost the game. The post-Bretton Woods monetary-financial system has collapsed. And rather than admitting loss, they are more than willing to overturn the whole damn chessboard. Please sir, please. (said in a begging tone) Please.
Gary McGowan
Joseph,
We're both posting at the same time here, and I hadn't seen your comment above when pecking mine out on the keyboard. Seems it would be good if Kos etc. could see the light fast, but also seems unlikely.
Did you hear what Bill Clinton said the other day at the CA thing? Lemmy dig it up...
"What I want to get out of the way is the suggestion that a vigorous debate will weaken the party. Let me remind you that on June 2, 1992, when I won the Democratic primaries in New Jersey, Ohio and California, I was running third in the polls behind Ross Perot and Bush. It shows how much you can attribute to the polls." "So, chill out, and let everybody have their say."
Do you know what he said to the CFR just before the cocksucking in the Oval office story broke? (That's too hard to dig up fast, but do-able if anyone asks)
I just hope my faith is not mis-placed here in the Clintons, whom I know are politicians, but who are the best hope in sight. I do not believe they are fascists. I think Bill has learned a lot.
Gary McGowan
There isn't a self-reflective bone in the kinds of progs you are bashing. The chances of their realizing their part in such an outcome as you hope for is likely nil.
No, it will be the scorched earth tactics of the McCain campaign, or the racism of the American people, or "Hitlery" who is to blame.
It's like the conservatives, so-called, who think whenever they lose, they weren't conservative enough, when the American people don't like conservatism as it exists in this country unless its aims are entirely disguised with lies.
I doubt we can afford another 4 year disastrous presidential term, and survive as the society we have been. I refer to martial law, suspension of the Constitution, mass casualty events to stampede public acceptance, etc.
...sofla
Alas, if the Dems lose, Hillary will be blamed--either for being a bad candidate or for undermining Obama.
--gmanedit
It's very late night here and I am tired, but I want to tidy up a bit:
Lewinski story surfaced Jan '08. Clinton's speech at CFR luncheon was Sept 14, '08. The CFR site has it still. Clinton made proposals, but not boldly, in his way. I think this same day was Starr delivering tons of boxes to Congress--Clinton was under a bit of pressure at the time.
Lots re Russia, Japan, Robert Rubin--good guy for a banker - Upon Rubin’s retirement, Clinton called him the “greatest secretary of the Treasury since Alexander Hamilton.” (You know anything about Hamilton's economics? Lots I could go into.) So anyway the next month, Clinton went along with something else--the wall of money scheme. But they wanted him outta there. Things he was considering were very threatening to the mega-financier scum. Of course they well knew what he was thinking before the CFR speech... He introduces it saying how this has been in ongoing development. besides, the slime knew his every breath.
Well, I dunno if that can be called cleaning up or not! Hope it helps for anyone interested in further research.
I guess the point of this is that Bill and Hillary know more in their collective little fingers about the world than Sen. Obama (who would be scandalized and shot down.. Ah-Ha! The next thing for the blamer to blame?)... if he were to win the nomination. Maybe then the brilliant progressive bloggers would be backing an independent Bloomberg/Schwarzenegger ticket or something, the whole damed mob being fed up with the Democratic party and "politics as usual."
Gary McGowan
Speaking of KOS losing (or not winning) elections for candidates - remember Ned Lamont? The KOS community convinced itself of a Lamont victory, but where is he now?
I think this type of thing has happened with some other candidates, who are never to be KOS-blogged again.
On the flip, I suspect KOS and minions assume all responsibility for Dem success in November 2006.
However, they are mainly a mostly contained echo chamber IMHO. Preaching to their own choir (which we all do I suppose)
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