Several days ago someone on the blog said they were just waiting for the pictures of the people who looked like the biggest idiots or who had the worst signs. In other words, the liberal media has been accused of cherry picking. Perhaps.
At any rate, whoever said that would happen was correct. Here it is:
The misinformation is astounding. What do Americans do to combat this kind of misinformation?
This video is about political perceptions, not the rally. It must have seemed like a good place to dip-stick.
There is no cure for terminal ignorance.
There are easy targets in any crowd… I’d be more impressed if someone was to surface a video of Beck on a candid rant.
What worries me is that people are “rational” in their fear. What has President Obama done to worsen the racial divide? Be biracial????
I was astounded by this comment “there are enough Mosques in NYT, what do they need more for?” Seriously, has anyone noticed how many churches there are? Is this what we do know, decide how many sites of worship are acceptable?
That many people were not aware that Glenn Beck had called Obama a “racist” with a “deep seated hatred for white people” was very interesting. One guy got so irrated he refused to talk to the interviewer.
What the crowd tells me, in so man words, is that they are afraid of losing their country, but to whom are they losing it to? People like me? Am I so scary? I love my country just as I believe they love their country. Do they see that a person of mixed background with a “foreign” name can be in charge and that scares the hell out of them? I get it, it sucks to be in the minority, we see what happens to people when they are odd man out, who would want to lose their power? but guess what, our country is changing and we better figure out how to ensure that the American dream of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” lives on, because the American dream is NOT about color, it is about dreaming of freedom and an opportunity to be a part of a great society.
Beck admitted he said it. I heard him say it. It sort of rolled right off my back when he did it because he says so many things that are inappropriate. I might have commented here at the time. His shows are just a litany at trashing people, especially the president. He has called him a racist, said he wasn’t Christian, imitated his daughters, called him a socialist, gone on a diatribe about social justice to the point of telling people to leave their churches, etc.
And everyone seems to forget about all those things listed above. that is simply the tip of the iceberg.
Someone once asked me to list things he says that are wrong….where on earth would you begin? Like I said…water off a ducks back it happens so often.
So tell me, why wouldn’t we poke fun at someone who has done all those things? Why would we not laugh when people try to elevate him to sainthood?
@ Rod–I agree this video was low hanging fruit, probably one of the easier assignments.
Have you never watched Beck at 5 pm on Faux News? You would probably get to see a candid rant right there.
I would be horrified by the ignorance but I have a friend who is at least that ignorant. She has prepared me. She isn’t allowed to speak politics at dinner. No one wants to hear her she is so ill-informed. She is really frightening. She also hasn’t voted in 30 years. I guess that is a good thing, but it speaks volumes.
@Rod again, it seems you have quite a fan club amongst a few black velvets. Someone sent a bunch of cut and pastes. You are someone’s new hero.
@George S. Harris
Yeah, but in November, we’re going to take care of the symptoms!
Actually, the continued dismissal of the tea-party crowd as “hicks and hayseeds” is exactly what I want. My prayer is that the left continues to believe in their unfailing superiority. Please take this “the right is nothing but idiots” to everyone you know or meet. I’m convinced the outcome will be to your favor. Please, please, please. Oh, and don’t forget racist!! We’re really, really racist, too!
Wow. The liberal fear of the silent, working heartland is palatable – and once again this blog keeps with the DNC/CNN/MSNBC talking points. First, question the size of the crowd (I guess you missed those arial shots), then the diversity of the crowd, then the location, then the agenda – now don’t forget to point out some political banners or tongue & cheek T-shirts, then get on the money and set a new standard for Charitable donations that no charity can meet – and then get back to that boggy man Beck and Beck’s “real” agenda. Toss in a little Adolf just for seasoning. So typical — so expected.
Wait — lets call all these white people stupid and bigoted and see if that works to scare some of them off from associating themselves with patriotic honor, work, self reliance and faith. I mean faith – how dumb can you get. There is no place in government or in the structuring of society for faith anyway. The gap between the redistribution whiners and the heartland has been growing for a long, long time, but the focus now is not Beck’s doing (he is a symptom not the problem) – it is Obama’s – as he has failed to rule from the center and has overtly tried to re-make America into something that it is not nor was meant to be — Europe. This is the Democratic Party and this is what the November election has now come to represent. And every night that shivers-me Mathews, Radical Madcow and Mr. Ed goes after it, the more Democrats lose voters. November canot come soon enough – and I say that in the hope that the Republicans got the message from the McCain vote – do not also betray us again.
[Editor’s note: no one needs to call anyone stupid and bigoted. They take care of that all by themselves.]
I come from the heartland. Last time I visited relatives, it looked like it was sold out to agribusiness and Walmart. Farmhouses are scarce, downtowns are vacant.
Ah, the humorist is here. Finally. I was waiting for my morning laugh. Thanks TP. As we are predictable, so are you. I get to have my morning laugh. You come on and whine about us being evil liberals and msnbc. Life is good.
wowowowowo November is coming. Are you man enough? Obama will still be president and Congress will predictably change. And Frank Wolfe will still represent the 50th. I might not even notice. What is it you all are going to do with a new congress? I hope some good things. Then the democrats can play obstructionist. ah…progress.
Musical chairs begin again and the asses all change seats.
I have never seen so much excitement over…something that happens every 2 years. I hope you all won’t be disappointed. I hope you get Angle and a few other jerks in there. It motivates people. Fights off complacency.
That’s change I can be believe in!
Cindy, is that the economy or just the general trend of the heartland?
Are Montana and Wyoming considered ‘heartland?’ As an east coast elitist (bwaaahahahaha) I have never figured out what heartland is. I always figured a state that doesn’t get hurricanes.
Just wondering, what exactly from the 6 years of Republican control are you missing? the spending? the wars? the lack of transparency? run away greed from wall street? what was it that allowed the first biracial president to be elected again? the county was in such good shape? WHAT days, TP and Slow, are you “harkening” back to?
Moon do not add an “editors note” to my comments as at comment #8 — much less without identifying yourself.
[editors note:AHHH, the joy of being the Blog Mistress 😉 E & M ]
@Moon-howler
yup, funny how they love to talk “about” me, but never really talk “to” me over here… at least directly…
Okay journalism but obviously someone could have a field day at the Sharpton rally too. Plenty of ignorance in America on all political “sides”.
“they are afraid of losing their country, but to whom are they losing it to” I’d guess a lot of them feel, as I do, that the values we grew up hearing (and hearing about from the two political parties) as what we stood for and why we were supposed to be good little citizens who worked hard, paid our taxes, and didn’t ask questions have been abandoned. I think that’s true. I think the Democratic party of 30 years ago would be aghast at a Democratic party that promotes illegal immigrant labor and supports gigantic bailouts for Corporations and banks at the middle class’ expense; I think the GOP would be aghast at the level of spending that Bush 43 undertook. Nobody stands for anything real, the Wizard of Oz (big business) is so clearly visible behind the curtain; of course people are upset.
Moon I hope calling everyone who disagrees with you stupid and bigoted works for you and yours. Cash your DNC checks as soon as possible.
This is an excellent summary of the Democrats’ 2010 election talking points. Very good job. My advice is to stick with these talking points all the way to the end. Remember, blame Bush for everything! I’d explain how Democrats controlled Congress for the last two years of Bush’s administration, and how we didn’t and still don’t like what Bush did, and how we are no fans of neo-cons, but it will never sink in. All I want you to remember is blame Bush, the right is stupid and racist. Just stick with that, and you’ll be just fine. Trust me!
Hold on, Slowpoke. I think that we should all ask ourselves what the Republican Party stands for (in reality) before pulling the lever that way.
I’ve often said taht anyone who voted for Bush twice should acknowledge what terrible judgement they have, and voluntarily agree not to vote again, or at least not for another 10-20 years.
Before anyone falls into this shell game again and pulls the lever for one or another of these intellectually dead and corrupt parties, they should consider dropping out of the two-party way of life and committing themselves to an Independent course.
And yes, I learned my lesson with Obama. He’s horrid. As was Bush. As if America doesn’t deserve better than those two intellectually lazy perpetually vacationing snake-oil salesmen.
Slow,
Once again, please answer the questions. Sincerely, what did you think was so great while the Republicans controlled legislative AND executive?
Elena is asking a serious question, Slow. What did it get you? What happened good that you can sell to us independents? Why are you a Republican? Does that mean you would be happy with McCain and Palin in the White House?
Rick and I will never agree on immigration but we agree on many other things. He is making some good points. When was the last time anyone voted with any enthusiasm? The last time I did was for Clinton. Since then it has always been because who I voted for wasn’t the other guy…locally, state and nationally.
TP, who do you think the ‘editors’ here are? Elena and I are the owners and operators of the blog. You must have a wife who does what she is told. Elena and I don’t function like that.
Don’t you think that is slightly nervy to tell us how to behave on our own blog, just out of curiosity? We are well within our rights putting an editor’s note any where we want to place one.
RickB, I’d like to see a viable third – or fourth – party as well. In the meantime Independents – who probably make up a third of the voting population – will continue to punish or elect our Prez and most of our representatives. Obama’s Democrats will probably be punished in 2012 and the Republicans will be punished in the next cycle as people – dissatisfied and angry at their lack of control over the political process – will inflict their punishment on the worse of two evils.
The video is predictable not just in showing the uninformed yahoos that show up at so many rallies but also in how effective fear-mongering, emails, and talking points are in manipulating voters.
It bothers me that the media buys into it, reports “news” based on the two parties’ talking points.
Obama’s whole health care fiasco, replete with his corrupt deal with the drug industries, was hardly mentioned and not investigated one whit. Leaving most people in ignorance about what he was trying to sell. How hard is it to investigate a deal that’s being advertised out loud?
God knows the bailout is screaming for investigative reporting.
Instead, the two parties have us arguing about whether Obama’s a Christian, whether a mosque in NYC should be built, whether Sarah Palin is intelligent, etc. etc. The old shell game.
The Glen Becks (effeminate whiny maniac) and Barack Obamas (empty suit) and George Bushs (empty suit with pretensions) and Al Sharptons (race-baiting huckster) and Ann Coulters and Paul Krugmans make their bones, while we sell out our childrens’ futures.
Rick, which bank bail out are you referring to? TARP had to happen to free up the cash. That money is being paid back. In fact, many of the banks are free and clear. They had a horrible cash flow problem that the TARP fixed. The govt is actually making money on the payback.
I will never criticize anyone for TARP. Everyone I have ever talked to says that had to happen or we would have gone under.
Censored, too bad we can’t throw both parties out and start over by getting new ones. The new ones owuld get all cruddy soon but maybe for a while they would be ok.
I completely disagree with it. Capitalism is supposed to be about sinking and swimming, not about the government bailing out the wealthy in hopes that some portion of the money will trickle down to the rest of us.
The rich have us over a barrel and they know it. They’re free to speculate wildly with large sums of money because they’re “too big to fail”. So if they make money they keep it; if they lose they get it back. In hopes that the rest of us can get jobs shining their yachts.
You think TARP was a good idea. Now, do you think that both parties jumped on it, leaving us without recourse against it, because :
A. They did considered analysis of pros and cons
or
B. Because it helped their friends and business associates, who own them
The Democratic Party used to scream about the S&L bailout and Neil Bush’s crookedness, but when they took over the White House they couldn’t bail their friends out fast enough.
Luckily we have a “balance of power” so that we could make sure the billions got spread around equally between Republican donors and Democratic donors.
Instead of watching “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?”, we should be concentrating on “Are You Smarter Than an Ad Man?”. Generally, we aren’t. It’s no surprise that people are sold a bill of political goods. We’ve become a herd of cattle ready to gobble up stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, SUVs, taupe paint, garden tubs, skinny jeans/leggings, etc. The MSM gets its bucks from advertising these items and a plethora of other crapola. It should come as no surprise that it won’t offer anything substantive.
Actually capitalism occassionally needs tweaking. You don’t want your country in a full blown depression with all credit frozen because of some political pride kind of thing. Several months ago I posted on TARP. It was very necessary and agreed upon by people from both parties, not that it should matter.
My mentors on this subject were not democrats but Reagan Republicans. (as in close enough to the Reagans to receive a baby give from Mrs. Reagan within the past 5 years.)
I was told in no uncertain terms it had to happen.
I don’t know why some of you all wanted to risk everything just over politics. A full blown depression in the middle of 2 wars would have been awful. And who would have laughed all the way to the bank? Halliburton and the rest of the defense contractors. The rest of us would be eating store brand cat food.
Rick, didnt see your question. I thought TARP was a good idea from the git go but I had a mentor who dealt with finances (not a banker) as a living. He told me it had to happen and explained what was going on. I think it is an even better idea now the feds are making money on it.
I will give George Bush credit for doing a hard sell on it also. I don’t often give him credit. GM will make money for the country also.
Rick, don’t you think it would have been irresponsible on the part of govt, regardless of who was in congress or president, to just let the country flounder into a depression? There are financial vehicles in place that are supposed to prevent that kind of economic disaster from happening.
I don’t want someone else’s misguided political ideologies to jeopardize my financial well-being.
I would trust Paulson and Bernake to make financial decisions but I sure wouldn’t listen to one of these folks who were interviewed on my money matters.
The stop spending rhetoric is just that…rhetoric. I would like those words a little more carefully defined.
Honestly, MH, I could be talked into something like what happened, but only if it were done with real strings attached to ensure more responsible behavior in future. We were rushed into it. It was like a car salesman’s pitch, “you need to act RIGHT NOW or by God there’ll be bread lines around the block”.
@Rick,
I was told that it was pretty much getting to that point. Huge cash flow problem where is was all frozen up and companies weren’t going to be able to make payroll. I also would want those who got rich off the backs of others to pay. There isn’t enough evil to fall on old Bernie.
Actually, it seems like there was just too much unregulated capitalism. All the crappy real estate and mortgage non rules that allowed this to happen.
Email me and I will tell you my source. I don’t want to put it out here in public. Too many people having crap to say on other blogs.
[email protected]
Man, I hate rhetoric (hope, change)!
Hope and change seems to be what you are looking for now but I do thank you for not verbalizing it.
Now, just out of curiosity, if no one spends any money, what happens? Do people go out of business? Do goods and services dry up because no one is buying anything? Just asking.
People need to buy, within their means, to grow the economy.
Interesting question, what if no one spends money. I think we’re going to find out come Jan 1.
So New Left Media scouted out the fattest, most unattractive and inarticulate subjects they could find. How surprising. This video is less a reflection of right-wing racism and ignorance and more a reflection of how the left sees everyone but them.
I doubt that things were as bad as that, that we had to “act now or this deal won’t be here tomorrow and we’ll be in a new depression”. When someone is urgently trying to get you to do something, before you can consider it at length, it’s because it’s not in your interest.
Someone in our government should have ben ready to “walk away from the deal”.
But they didn’t even see this coming. What the heck do they know.
I don’t know, Rick. It seemed like things were running down hill fast. I am not sure what the sense of urgency is now. I will check with my source.
Emma, judging from some of the other video I have seen, it looks like they could have gotten lots worse and lots better. I don’t think appearance is particularly important. They don’t look any different than any other cross-section of America to me.
I think the significance is the wealth of ill-informed ideas that rival the woman who thought Obama was going to pay all her bills. Ignorance knows no political party.
I find it hard to believe the interviewer could not locate a single articulate attendee. NLM was out to make a statement.
Rick,
I don’t disagree with much of what you have said, except for TARP and Stimulus. We were headed for a depression and that never serves any citizen. I agree with the keeping track of what, who,where, when, when it came to taxpayer money being used for TARP etc etc.
Why no tread on interviews from the Al Sharpton “Reclaim the Dream” rally?
@Emma, I saw some articulate folks, I just didn’t agree with any of them. I saw an inarticulate one also and an articulate woman whose husband cut her off mid-stream. That is certainly not hard to find anywhere. And as for fat, that interrupted woman looked like she had anorexia. Attractive, but anorexic.
However, it was the overall misinformation that I found of interest….different people’s perceptions of what is going on in the country. I hate to say it, but I don’t think what they think is all that remarkable. I have heard lots of similar remarks out of people I know.
@hello, I didn’t bother to look for any. Yesterday’s news. Sharpton has been around a long time. I frankly don’t find him news-worthy.
Well, you’re in good company there!
Another perspective…
A Black Man Goes To Glenn Beck’s Rally
@Slowpoke Rodriguez
Taking care of the symptoms doesn’t cure the disease! Never has, never will.