I don't agree with Obama on a number of things, but he's absolutely correct on this...

the corporate/repiglican media should be charged, tried, and convicted of purposeful, criminal fraud committed against the american people. all of them should be rounded up and frog marched out of the protection of their corporate studios. they are just a complicit for the destruction of the once great country called america as is their shitstain fuhrer called bush. they are nothing but corporate sluts whose only word that can be said clearly and without spin is 'next' as they remain bent over, pants down, and holding their ankles as they swish their gaping assholes this way and that. all of these corporate sluts are millionair 'journalists' who have made their evil faustian deals to be among the 'elite media'. how is that swollen lips david gregory, for example, can make two million a year for his 'reporting' and his 'opinions' yet the average teacher of our kids makes about $30,000 ? fuck'um all .......

OMFG, this new rules was priceless

"...Sean Hannity who reported on “no pin-gate” and then had to call a doctor because his fake outrage hard-on lasted longer than 72 hours.”

Oh.My.Holy.Hell.

Hilarious!

I read on another site that Li'l Tucker got lambasted by Bill on this show. True? Anyone have a link?

Thanks.

... breath of fresh air. Thanks for posting this.

I'm kind of disappointed this lapel pin thing didn't escalate. I'd love to see the Repukes upping the ante with ever larger flag pins. Picture Rudy and Romney at a debate with pins the size of license plates tacked to their suits.

Aw, the republicans are just pissed because they realize they have no chance of winning against Hillary, now that the 'social conservatives', aka EVANGELICAL voters, have said " fuck you we're going with an independent candidate". They have to take it out on someone, and Obama... was not wearing a lapel pin after all. The Outrage! The Scandal! The audacity! He must go!

He's right, the flag pin has become inextricably associated with the world's most malevolent idiot. I see a flag pin, I think, "Uh-oh, bushie."

Thank goodness for removable slogan magnets, though, because there are now fewer and fewer of those horrid Support The Troops stickers, which was just an oblique way of saying Support W.

The first flag pins I recall were on the lapels of Richard Nixon and his cronies.
Such patriots ! ! !

I can't remember if it was Jon Stewart or Bill Maher who described bumper stickers supporting the troops as "it's the least you can do ... literally", but lapel pins just seem more of the same. It's as if pinning one on excuses not volunteering to go to Iraq or not donating money to charitable causes or not working to replace the current administration or not even trying to inform yourself about the issues.

Screw it ... wearing a symbol that costs almost $3 ... that's now proof of patriotism.

Bob Roberts @ 21:

I can't remember if it was Jon Stewart or Bill Maher who described bumper stickers supporting the troops as "it's the least you can do ... literally", but lapel pins just seem more of the same. It's as if pinning one on excuses not volunteering to go to Iraq or not donating money to charitable causes or not working to replace the current administration or not even trying to inform yourself about the issues.

Screw it ... wearing a symbol that costs almost $3 ... that's now proof of patriotism.

Some guy over at YouTube, put a comment, in what I believe was all seriousness, "I've got four yellow magnet ribbons on my SUV and a flag in front of my house. I've done my part, what about you?" No shit. He didn't seem smart enough to be sarcastic or funny. You know the type?

woodguy @ 9:

I read on another site that Li'l Tucker got lambasted by Bill on this show. True? Anyone have a link?

Thanks.

No. He got called out on a few issues and pretty quickly went to the old attack the person routine without much rebuttal. Krugman had a few points, but it was obvious that he wasn't a pundit. He was flustered too easily. I'd just say, looking straight at Carlson, Jon Stewart. There were no, ah ha, moments.

But, all that being said, this was one of the better Real Time's in a long time.

This mandatory pin "outrage" is typical of how the Right Wing has to lower an issue to a Neanderthal level of stupidity in order for their minions to 1) Understand it (even if they're only understanding untruths), and 2) Wildly rally around it while breathing heavily through open mouths.

But how about decidedly NON-MANDATORY “Constitution Lapel Pins” for Dem Leaders???

Let Republicans have their stupid flag lapel pins, because pins are lame. That said, I’m proposing an idea for…..yep, a lapel pin. How about encouraging Dem leaders to sport “Constitution Pins” on their lapels? They might appear as a gilded, partially unrolled scroll. This pin, like other pins, is meaningless in itself. But it would quickly become a talking point. Chris Matthews, George Stephanopoulos, Bob Schieffer and others will interview Dems and pop the inevitable question for many weeks, “So I see you are wearing one of the new Constitution pins. Explain what that means to you, and why.” This would be the perfect set-up for what Dems have been yelling anyway: “We have a president who, in his lust for executive power, has repeatedly undermined our nation’s Constitution in a brazen manner we would have never imagined not so long ago. Whether it’s illegally monitoring our citizens’ communications, claims that torture is something other than that, or outing our undercover intelligence agents for political gain, this is not only unacceptable to us, but it goes against the core democratic principals this republic was founded on. IF THE PRESIDENT WON’T DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, THEN WE MOST CERTAINLY WILL.” Etc etc etc. The pins would not only provide a new talking point, but could come to visually symbolize everything that Dems have been passionately yelling about for the past 7 years.

SO, GOOD IDEA?……OR TOTAL BEAVIS & BUTTHEAD? PLEASE LET ME KNOW! THANKS.

CD @ 28:

There is somthing very un Libertarian about his declaration that anyone wearing a lapel pin with a flag on it is an asshole.

Yet somehow this kind of touches on his comment on the hypocrisy of the media complaining about how pre-programmed politicians are while shouting down anybody who doesn't fit a pre-determined set of opinions/character traits.

I trust this wasn't intended as a criticism of Bill for "going against the grain" of Libertarianism, but it does speak to how strongly our opinions/expectations are so dependent on these labels we just throw out (liberal/conservative, party affiliation etc). It shouldn't be this hard to cut through the easy classification.

CD @ 28:

There is somthing very un Libertarian about his declaration that anyone wearing a lapel pin with a flag on it is an asshole.

And i said i was a Libertarian...when?

CD @ 32:

cg @ 29:

CD @ 28:

There is somthing very un Libertarian about his declaration that anyone wearing a lapel pin with a flag on it is an asshole.

Yet somehow this kind of touches on his comment on the hypocrisy of the media complaining about how pre-programmed politicians are while shouting down anybody who doesn't fit a pre-determined set of opinions/character traits.

I trust this wasn't intended as a criticism of Bill for "going against the grain" of Libertarianism, but it does speak to how strongly our opinions/expectations are so dependent on these labels we just throw out (liberal/conservative, party affiliation etc). It shouldn't be this hard to cut through the easy classification.

My understanding of Libertarianism is that it is largely based on the idea of you-can-do-whatever-you-want-to-yourself.

Just so long as you make damned sure no one does a thing for anybody else.

The gov own VA website states the proper way to display a flag. Guess what it says...
Never use it as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery. It should not be used on a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be attached to the uniform of patriotic organizations, military personnel, police officers and firefighters.says nothing about a--hole politicians.

These wingnuts are lightweights. Imagine what the Nazis did to German pols who didn't wear their swasitkas...

The flag has been tarnished by the Republican idiot cult's conflation of the symbol with Bushthink. I have no idea if it will once again be made to stand for the Constitution and real ideals. With none of the pugs' knee jerking, goose-stepping conformity involved.

Herb @ 30:

I have to disagree with anyone who says this was one of Maher's best shows of the season. Maher allowed Tucker to dominate every conversation, talking over everybody. He flooded any point they tried to make with verbal diarrhea.

That's the way Tucker operates, which is why I stopped watching his show a year ago. (Even then, it was only for the final five minutes with Willie Geist [sp?])

After this show, I vowed never to watch another of Maher's shows in "real time," but just wait to read accounts of it here or on other places on the web to see if it's worth catching on a repeat.

Hmmm. I never said "best," I said this was one of the better in a long time. Usually the show goes, crappy monologue, average panel, and great New Rules. This one was, good monologue, average panel and good New Rules. This was the first Real Time in a bit I didn't have to put the TIVO on pause. That was because Maher interjected a bit more than usual. The panel was average fare, right, left, comedy relief. Krugman did not exactly have his words flowing and Behar served well as comedy relief (ugh, I still have nightmares about the time Dana Carvey was on).

Maher gives his guests far to much rope to hang themselves with, because he only pulls the rope in when they are undeniably wrong. Then sometimes another guest interrupts Maher, he lets them go, and the guest only studders half of the truth/other side. He interjects his opinions sometimes after he gives a topic to the panel, but not enough IMO. Like, with the fired USDA's. I agree somewhat on Carlson, but if you think this was the worst (moreover, the one to tune out forever) Real Time you haven't watched it throughout the years.

I always thought that those lapel pins were a bit much......it's the same old shit coming from the wrong side.....phony journalists produce phony news

the media will jump onto any mouth-breatherism to keep the corporate tax cutters in office

The Constitution pins are a gimmick, but gimmicks work in our dummy-downed, simplistic society. Our President and our representatives swear to defend the Constitution of the United States of America NOT the flag. The flag only has meaning when our Constitution has meaning. Since Bush/Cheney, our Constitution has been walked all over. A new heightened focus on our rights as Americans and our form of representative government is needed more than ever! Dr. Ron Paul does a wonderful job in his speeches explaining just how far we've strayed from our Constitutional government.

Buncha pinheads.

Herb @ 44:

Tribute:

Your reply was what triggered my own here on C&L, of course, but it was augmented by several similar comments over on "Television Without Pity."
(http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3115007&st=2655)

That's why I said I would have to disagree with "anyone" who thought this was a good show. I wasn't aiming at anyone in particular, just venting my frustration at a program (there as well as here) that could be better than Maher allows it to be.

Of course, if he just enjoys cat-fights and mayhem, he's got just what he wanted, but not what I enjoy watching.

I understand. I was only meaning the show as a whole, not just the panel discussion. I read a few pages in the thread you provided and I agree on the major points. Maher just lets the person with the loudest voice prevail throughout the discussions. It doesn't matter which side of the fence the person sits on. Carlson did have a point (his broken watch moment) on Paul and liberals who support him.

All of Maher's shows are pretty sub par up until the New Rules. I'm just using good or better as averaging out what his shows are like. Personally, I think all of his show is crap until New Rules. I think his panels would be better if he dropped the comedy guest and had the arguments a little more structured (read: they were structured at all). Maher's taste in comedy most times leaves a LOT to be desired most of the time.

What's wrong with marrying a robot? Laura Bush married a chimp.

What happened? Before I refreshed there were 55 posts, now there are only 52.

[Someone deleted 3 posts entirely, or we are having server issues again-Sitemonitor]

DEAD ON MR. MAHER....DEAD ON

"They'd still be obsessing about the blowjob."

Absolutely genius (and true), Bill.

woodguy @ 9:

I read on another site that Li'l Tucker got lambasted by Bill on this show. True? Anyone have a link?

Thanks.

No, It was disgusting how Tucker was allowed to rant and rave. Bill, Joy and Paul all let him spew like he was an unruly brat.

Hill @ 7:

"...Sean Hannity who reported on “no pin-gate” and then had to call a doctor because his fake outrage hard-on lasted longer than 72 hours.”

Oh.My.Holy.Hell.

Hilarious!

Haha, I second that!