Weekly Roundup, May 1-7, 2012

by BlueberryT

Wednesday, May 4, 2012

CongresswomanVirginia Foxx

Sunnyjane proves that since you can’t cure stupidity, you might as well make it entertaining!  Congresswoman Virginia Foxx is a case study.  She claims that we have more to fear from health care legislation than from terrorists – huh?  She says that the claim that Matthew Shepard was killed because he was gay is a hoax.  (It pains me to even type that, remembering that horrible hate crime against that poor young man.)  Sadly, this is another example of the “foxx” guarding the henhouse; she is the Chair of the committee overseeing higher education and her views on higher education, student debt and how to fund education represent another example of the GOP placing a person with extreme reactionary views in charge of a key committee.   Then there is her inane story of picking green beans – another GOP absurdity.  Where do they come up with these whack-jobs?

Saturday, May 5, 2012

New Joe McGinniss Interview on Palin

Patrick has stirred the pot again with this post about a recent interview that Joe McGinniss gave to an Australian newspaper.  As is his wont, Joe did not mince words in the interview (“After a while laughter gave way to a numb stupefaction that this brainless, venal, definitely crafty, religious fanatic and self-aggrandising bimbo could have become a powerful factor in national politics.")  He also broached the often-taboo subject of “the mystery of little Trig” – a wonderful title to introduce the topic to those who are not familiar with it!!  "The story she tells of her pregnancy and the birth simply can't be true," says McGinniss who wonders if the "birth" was designed to make Palin the poster child of the Right to Life.  "It would be the most cynical ploy and the greatest hoax ever pulled off in American politics…" 

The post has several interesting updates, including an email exchange that Patrick had with a reporter back in Palingates days.  The reporter dismissed the blog because in his view, it “mixed fact and innuendo freely” and was devoted more to ridiculing Palin than presenting news.  Many here at Politicalgates felt the criticism was unwarranted and deflected attention from the media’s failure to do its job.  Personally, I think the blogs do present a mixture of fact and ridicule – we enjoy having some fun to lighten things up, especially at Palin’s expense – but it is absolutely clear what is factual and what is mockery for the fun of it.  Of all people, Patrick is one of the most rigorous about clarifying this distinction, IMO.  Any reporter worth his/her salt would find the factual content to be clear and well substantiated – or else show where it isn’t.  The facts stand on their own to present convincing proof of the hoax.  I would turn the questions back to the reporter and ask him to report on the factual matters that are beyond dispute, particularly the many discrepancies in Palin’s own accounts.  That is what reporters are supposed to do.  Those who find excuses not to do their job are partly responsible for enhancing Palin's influence and the damage to this country that she has wrought.  In my opinion.  

Some Comments and Links:

Laprofesora952:   Why would I want to vote for a "wild and crazy guy" for president? Are those desirable characteristics in a leader? Does she think that makes him more accessible? I think this only proves that 1) the Romney's don't have a clue what people want in a president and 2) they have nothing substantive to offer voters.

JCos: It's not that conservatives have anything against planned parenthood.  It's just that they're so good at unplanned parenthood.

ProChoiceGrandma:  The RNC hypocridiots who claim to be or represent the "job creators" used a Philippines company located in Manilla to set up their "messaging" call.  The GOP spelling for "fiscal responsibility" is o-u-t-s-o-u-r-c-e.

Psalm023:  I think those who've never been dominated in a guilt-ridden family wouldn't pick up on the vibe, but those who have been victims of psychological abusers KNOW how  subtle guilt thrown back (gaslighting)  in their court turns them to jelly and they just cower to the abuser.   It's easier to cower than to fight back.   And the abuser gets away with it time and time again, unless a community effort comes together and tries to stop the abuse. 

JollyRoger:  The "lamestream media" CREATED Mama Grifter as "hockey mom, just like you." They swallowed whatever Mama Grifter put out there, without bothering to do even the most rudimentary due diligence on it. If the MSM were ever to acknowledge that there is no way in hell that Mama Grifter could possibly have had that baby under the circumstances that she, herself, puts forth, the people who saw the endless MSM hagiography of Mama Grifter following the 2008 Rushpubliscum convention would correctly conclude that the MSM is an organization of stenographers, rather than reporters, and as such are no more reliable as a source of information than Pravda and TASS were.  The MSM is stuck with their creation for as long as she may live. The Trig lie, along with a hell of a lot of other lies Mama Grifter told, will never see the light of day. Because they cannot see the light of day.

Deborah Newell Tornello:  …Even though she is rapidly fading from even the tabloid headlines, this story is about so much more than Mrs. Palin and her merry band of Grifters.  It is, as you have so often said--as many of us have said, including Andrew Sullivan--about the disgraceful behavior of America's so-called journalists.  That most (if not almost all) of our media outlets are now owned by a handful of corporations (cable television, defense contractors, etc.) with clear interests and agendas, tells us why there was so much rah-rah-ing for the photogenic half-term governor and so precious little actual truth-telling.  It does not explain or excuse the shoddy ethics of the journalists themselves, and they know who they are.

BicPent:  There are a couple of comments below where it is suggested that journalists did not want to touch the Palin pregnancy hoax story because "they might risk their careers".  Didn't they, as professional journalists, have a duty to investigate and report on this story and its broader implications?  And now, nearly 4 years later, don't they equally have a duty to report on the story of the failure of the press to do what should have been done?  Just what kind of profession is journalism if professional journalists refuse to do their jobs because it might harm their careers?

CacklingRad:  When lying politicians get away with their lies, it encourages others to lie. Just like when presidents break the law and get away with it (St. Ronny and Iran/Contra, W and the WMD fraud, torture, etc) it encourages those who come after them to think they can get away with anything.  Unfortunately, I don't believe the truth will always out. Many, many truths have been buried in history.

Sunnyjane found this comment from PresidentObama on the War on Women.   

and this “humorous guide to keeping politicalnews in perspective” from Malia Litman.  

Zane1 pointed out this clip of Ann Romney claiming that Mitt is a “wild and crazy guy.”  Funny that at the :37 mark, she tries to debunk the fact that he’s “stiff,” and when she puts her arm around him he is stiffer than a board!  Zane also linked to this about how the originator of Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan now saysit won’t work.  

Older_Wiser found this on the "Myth Rmoney" (love it!) business model.  

and this excellent NYT piece on “American Unexceptionalism.”

Honestyingov linked to Shepard Smith’s comment on politics being “weird and creepy,”  

and to this exchangebetween VP Joe Biden and David Gregory, who was parroting GOP talking points.  

Cheeriogirl pointed out Newt’s comments on Mitt, before he endorsed him.  

Juicyfruityy found this on Gwen Ifill’s reaction to Palin’s announcement aboutevading the questions that Gwen asked. 

Funny (or die) (h/t to O_W).