We're kind of accustomed to seeing Jon Stewart pretty much mop the floor with Bill O'Reilly every time he goes up against him on Fox -- even when O'Reilly tries to carefully edit the tapes. And of course, it was no different last night when Stewart took up O'Reilly's challenge to debate him over the latest fake controversy ginned up by the network's smear-scandal mills.
In two short segments, O'Reilly walked through his case, responded to factual charges of hypocrisy with some fairly sad parsing and then, when desperate, with rank "pettifogging," to use a term bandied by both men. Meanwhile, the "Daily Show" anchor's rebuttals were striking because, even in this casual mode on a minor item, he was more persuasive than the vast majority of people who are called on to represent a progressive view on TV.
The highlight came when O'Reilly, the past master of the Wurlitzer propaganda organ, accused Stewart of "pettifogging" the issue -- and then found himself promptly busted for pettifogging himself.
Stewart basically reiterated the points he'd already raised in The Daily Show's own rebuttals of the Fox fakery -- namely, Fox is hypocritical in its criteria for denouncing White House guests, especially given the network's own predilection for hosting people with violent backgrounds.
STEWART: It sounds like what you're saying -- and correct me if I'm wrong because I don't want to be wrong when I'm with you, 'cuz you know I got mad love for you -- that's a rap phrase...
O'REILLY: I got it.
STEWART: Correct me if I'm wrong. What you're saying is, if an artist supports someone that has been convicted of killing a cop, they should not be allowed to go to the White House. Is that a reasonable paraphrase?
O'REILLY: No, it's a little bit more than that.
STEWART: OK, say it.
O'REILLY: I am saying that when a president invites someone, in this case, the First Lady invites someone, the resume has to be put in front of them. And they have to select people who are almost unimpeachable, all right? Because they are getting that honor, to go to the White House. This guy is controversial all day long with this stuff. Not only did he support this cop killer, or celebrate the cop killer, he celebrated another one in Philadelphia!
STEWART: Again, he's celebrating someone he thinks was unjustly -- he's not celebrating --
O'REILLY: Is this Perry Mason we're talking about now? Is this the most brilliant lawyer of all time?
STEWART: Who?
O'REILLY: This Common.
STEWART: Oh. Common. Let me ask you a question. Are you familiar with Leonard Peltier?
O'REILLY: Yes.
STEWART: OK. Leonard Peltier was convicted of killing two FBI agents.
O'REILLY: OK, now we're going out to Wounded Knee.
STEWART: It's similar.
O'REILLY: Oh huh. No it's not.
STEWART: Well, why is it not?
O'REILLY: Because you're pettifogging the issue.
STEWART: It's the exact same thing. It's a guy convicted of killing a law-enforcement official, no? Guess who wrote a song about Leonard Peltier. Bono.
O'REILLY: OK.
STEWART: Guess where he was! [whispers] The White House! [shouts] Boo-yah!
O'REILLY: All right.
STEWART: That's a rap word.
O'REILLY: Did Bono -- ?
STEWART: Yes.
O'REILLY: Did he actually come out and say that he was innocent?
STEWART: I think that's the crux of the song.
O'REILLY: No. I think he was raising questions about it. And, and, the basic theme --
STEWART: Now who's pettifogging? Now I can't even see you! Here you pettifog. No -- that's exactly same!
O'REILLY: OK.
STEWART: Bob Dylan wrote a song about a convicted killer named Hurricane Carter -- he's been to the White House. Why are you drawing a line at Common?
There is a collective outrage machine here at Fox that pettifogs only when it suits the narrative that suits them. This guy is in the crosshairs in a way he shouldn't be. Whether you agree with him or not, or you may think he's ignorant in believing Assadah Shakur is innocent. You may think he's ignorant in believing that Mumia is. But then guess what? Bono can't go to the White House, Springsteen can't go to the White House, Bob Dylan can't go to the White House. You got a lot of people that aren't allowed to sit in the White House because they've written songs about people convicted of murder.
There were also some delicious exchanges in the second half of the interview, particularly when Stewart brought up G. Gordon Liddy:
O'REILLY: OK. So you say, that because Bono, Springsteen, and Bob Dylan wrote songs defending people who were accused of heinous things, that I have to give Common a pass because he did the same thing.
STEWART: No. You have to be consistent with your outrage.
...
STEWART: G. Gordon Liddy, in the Randy Weaver case, after the ATF stormed that facility, right? When he was talking about the ATF, you know what he said on his radio show? He said, if they break down your doors, don't shoot them here [indicates torso], because they're wearing protective gear, shoot for the head.
O'REILLY: Was that before or after Liddy made the gold commercial?
STEWART: [laughs]
O'REILLY: OK, you see, your craziness -- you bring this stuff in.
O'Reilly obviously had no response to that one, because he obviously deflected the point and changed the subject there.
I wonder what would have happened if Stewart had managed to bring up Richard Poplawski -- an actual cop killer who was inspired by, among other people, Fox's own Glenn Beck.
Bet that would have wound up on the editing floor for sure.
was wrongly convicted to correct Stewart.
If Leonard actually did kill those two FBI agents, he did in self defense.
The parade of shady figures that winds its way through every White House is legion. And now Fox is outraged?
Male prostitutes don't count when Rove is snorting coke out of their ass-cracks.
for that image
It's like how Fox was outraged when the Democrats wasted Congress' time by having Stephen Colbert testify about the plight of migrant workers so vehemently that they forgot that the GOP had Elmo (not Kevin Clash, Elmo, wearing a suit) testify in front of Congress.
He was measured, on point, and clear. He's just the best.
I must say I was surprised O'Reilly let him talk without interrupting; O'Reilly surely knew he was beat, but took it like an adult (for once).
My dream continues to be a series of debates with Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, vs. Franken, O'Donnell, Olbermann, etc.
On a side, note, I think Franken is playing things brilliantly; laying low and not doing too many interviews. He'll get re-elected, I believe, as Minnesotans will realize how serious and dedicated he is; after 2014, he'll loosen his belt-straps and appear on more shows. He's going to be a terrific senator if he chooses to continue.
I think O'Reilly not only respect Jon Stewart but he also fears him knowing that Stewart has a powerful influence.
Beyond that I think O'Reilly actually wants to be accepted by Stewart. He's probably the only guy that O'Reilly openly looks up to. He wants Stewart to continue to let him sit at the big kids table with him.
O'Reilly writes for Townhall.com.
Late last year, Townhall.com published the "The 50 Most Dangerous Liberals in America."
Jon Stewart was on that list. So, yes, O'Reilly and other conservatives indeed fear Jon Stewart because he has powerful influence....he tells the truth!
I agree, and that is rather strange. Even Phil Donahue doesn't have the ability to disarm Billy the way Stewart does.
The writing on the wall. He sees the end coming. He wants to pad his future out in public.
He doesn't want to be accosted everywhere he goes for being a lying asshole. For having such a big part in the disinformation and lying to America. He wants people to like him.
Good luck with that Billo.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
What surprised me was that Whoopi Goldberg said she is friends with O'Reilly (maybe she doesn't watch his show). I think a lot of these people meet at the same cocktail parties. Most of them know they are hired performers paid to do a certain schtick. I can see how BillO is a different guy at a private party with a martini in hand (he's probably funny, even though wrong). On the air, he's 100% idiot, but he gets millions for it. Nice gig. (Know what I'm sayin'?)
Anyway, Jon Stewart kicked his ass here. Stewart is not stupid and O'Reilly probably does want Stewart to respect him. Stewart probably is the life of most parties and people flock around him. BillO, much less so, but I'm sure he's also popular at parties.
(We don't live in the elite, connected world.)
far left loon >.<
Franken is a serious politician. He is one of the few who has actually studied his position and it shows. I hope he continues.
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Jon Stewart is disarming and yet overwhelmingly logical at the same time.
O'Reilly looked like a dolt.
Yet I'm sure the FoxHeads will all claim, down to the last wingnut, that O'Reilly was the clear victor against "that silly comedian." People like that surround themselves with such an impenetrable fog of stupidity that nothing short of a nuke could get through it.
"Whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, the Republicans are not the least bit interested in solving it. They are interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it."
Ah mj, you know them well. And that is why bill is comfortable with letting jon on his show.
I think Stewart took a weak tack.
The fact is that this is America and Common, like all Americans, has the right to his beliefs and should not be discriminated against due to his beliefs.
That's the whole story in my opinion.
The fact is that Common has done nothing wrong.
The fact is that the right wing has FAR more dangerous people that Fox supports and wants to elevate to positions where they can make decisions that affect all of us.
They promote people who are anti-science and want them influencing education policy.
They promote people who are climate-change deniers and want to elevate them to positions in the government where they directly influence what we're going to do about it.
The promote evangelicals who want to turn this country into a theocracy.
Frankly, Fox has no room to talk about people who are "vile".
But that's the brilliance of Jon Stewart. He could have tried to do what most other Fox "News" guests try to do, and reorient the discussion to the actual reality of the situation -- but instead he fought them on their own terms (in their own reality) and won.
projection is standard for conservatives
If Jon had stuck with the Liddy line of questioning, he could have really nailed BillO. Even if you concede everything that Common's accused of doing, for arguments sake only, the point is he was invited based on the poetry that he is producing *now*, and the positive message he is giving kids *today*
If we're not supposed to "forgive" people for their earlier thoughts and views, then perhaps Jon could have brought up Rep Peter King's past support for the IRA. That would have got BillO's attention.
The great thing was that Jon didn't have to even mention the real issue - that the selective outrage of the right not just based on politics, it's also based on race. Scary black people! Oh my!
Perhaps Jon should have brought up Ollie North. He's a Fox contributor, and he's defended the Contras.
"he was more persuasive than the vast majority of people who are called on to represent a progressive view on TV."
It is great to have someone like Jon on our side but kind of sad that a comedian is more persuasive.
I guess we have to enjoy the good and tolerate the not-so-good.
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
I think that minimizes what satirical comedians do.
Stewart and others like him take the truth and show the ridiculousness of it. Not the ridiculousness of truth but of certain truths such as why wing nuts should be mocked without mercy.
The recent posting of Al Franken at the 1996 (?) press corps dinner was a perfect example. Near the end he was reading the list of things he couldn't make jokes about. And, Al, just reading the list, had the audience laughing.
I honestly couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. If he wasn't actually reading the list then it was brilliant. If he was reading the list then it was brilliant.
BOOM... Quick fist jab Like (Stewart would do on his show)
Gottsta watch out fer those.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
john mutha F'n stewart
there is a simple logic to denouce the fox noise
you just have to keep your poise
and treat em like little boys
that broke all their toys
rap lingo yo
12XU
Mo' rap, yo. (Courtesy of Tracy Morgan)
I liked it when Billy started his trademark high-volume yelling and Jon laughed and left the table. Billy does this with most of his “guests” – yells and implies that he has control of the mic and will kick them off. Jon didn’t hesitate to make a mockery of that and Billy stopped immediately as if saying “ohhhh please don’t leave….”
Billy knows Jon has the power to make a fool of him. Not being taken seriously seems to scare Billy.
It's Raining Men!!
What is your conceptual, continuity?
Stewart gave Reilly enough room to walk right into that and BOOM!
Goodnight, Frau Blücher
But it bears repeating...O'Reilly understands that Stewart is always a step ahead of him and knows better than to bring that weak ass "I'm going to yell at you if you don't agree with me" bullshit. O'Reilly doesn't respect anyone he disagrees with but he knows, and he knows we know, that he can't hang with Stewart and it's the only reason he shows him respect.
"Banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies." Thomas Jefferson
First, go to billoreilly.com. There is a poll there asking who had the better argument last night, O’Reilly or Stewart. Vote!
Second, in 1991, the “godfather” of gangsta-rap, Easy-E, was invited to and attended a luncheon for George Bush the first while he was still in office. Easy-E apparently admired Bush for going into Kuwait and fighting against Saddam Hussein.
Easy-E dropped out of high school and sold drugs. It is believed he made some $250,000 and used that money to form a record company and start the group N.W.A. This group wrote a song called “F*#$k the Police.” They wrote other controversial songs.
Third, last week, Letterman showed a video clip of Andrew Dice Clay performing at the Kennedy Center for George Bush the first. One of the complaints about Common is that he is a “misogynist.” Many protest Andrew Dice Clay for being a misogynist, a homophobe, and a racist.
Fourth, there is indeed some evidence (or lack thereof) that Shakur Assata did not pull the trigger. And, I find it interesting that last week, when O’Reilly showed a small sampling of the lyrics to that song, those lyrics said “She couldna pulled the trigger.”
This is some of that evidence:
1. One of the troopers involved in the incident has admitted that he lied in the police report.
2. Some expert witnesses for the defense, doctors, claimed that because of the nature of her shooting wounds, she had to have been shot with her hands above her head. Because the injuries involved severing a nerve, they claim she could not have pulled the trigger of the gun.
3. There was no gunpowder residue found on Shakur’s hands.
4. There were none of her fingerprints found on any of the guns involved.
5. Some believe she was a target of FBI COINTELPRO operations, some of which were proven to be illegal. These operations went after “subversive,” “radical” groups, including Communists, Socialists, Vietnam War protesters, the NAACP, and even Martin Luther King, Jr. J. Edgar Hoover also went after Doctor Spock and the lyrics to “Louie Louie.”
6. Assata Shakur, a black woman, was convicted by an all white jury in the 1970s.
Lastly, there is something else I wish Jon Stewart brought up.
In addition to believing in her innocence, Common was protesting Assata Shakur’s treatment while in prison. I read the entire lyrics of that song in question, and it seems to me it is much more about protesting her mistreatment than even proclaiming her innocence.
While in custody, several human rights groups filed complaints about her mistreatment. After investigating these complaints, a United Nations Human Rights group wrote that her mistreatment was some of the worst they had ever seen.
I’m not saying Assata Shakur is innocent. She did have a number of arrests and charges before this murder. But I think Common has good reason to believe she is innocent, and he also has very good reason to be protesting her mistreatment.
Anyway, Jon Stewart rules!!!
Stewart didn’t take the position that Common was correct in his views on Shakur, and rightly so. He pointed out the selective outrage in NOT objecting to the other artists who have written similar lyrics. By not focusing on the validity of the lyrics, but on the artist, he shows that Fox is only interested in like controversies that propel their narrative (i.e Black Rappers are scarwy... and Obama is Black).
If Fox wants to object to Common for his lyrics, fine. But then they must also object to other artists for similar lyrics, or admit hypocrisy. That can’t be defended. It was a good tact.
You're probably right. There's no doubt that FOX expresses selective outrage, constantly. It's O'Reilly; it's Carlson and the other 2 clowns on Fox and Idiots; it's Beck; it's Hannity; etc. etc.
I just thought it interesting that O'Reilly did indeed focus on some lyrics last week, and in those lyrics, Common says that she couldn't have pulled the trigger.
In either case, Jon Stewart easily won that debate last night.
Time after time he shut this moron O'LLIELY down, from the position of the outraged one if I read and heard him correctly, it boiled down to I do not care what you say,I do not care what you want and I sure as hell do not care that you are in charge, What I want and I will have is MY WAY or NO WAY, and I speak for the Ignorant, Intolerant, Indifferent the Hateful and Fearful, period what we say goes and do NOT bother us or me with facts and or Truth it is all about what I say and my backers Want, end of discussion. OOOPS! sorry, Jon you do talk common sense.
...of racist BS from the likes of Bill O'Lilelly. Why Jon would even grace his show knowing that he'd be edited out of context is beyond me. But liberals have to fight the big fight, and Fox Noise is the Goliath in a room of David's looking to get a swing at their hypocritical BS. O'Reilly's diehard listeners will undoubtedly be undeterred by Jon's reasonable explanation of what reality truly is. And that's what Bill is counting on. This is what Fox Noise is all about. The shit they are full of would power this nation for many years to come.
Free Leonard Peltier. This has been going on way to long.
while we're at it.
Well played, Jon Stewart! Game, set , and match to you, I think.
Bottom line, this whole "controversy", just like every other bullshit "controversy" (birth certificate, academics etc) is about nothing more than the color of the skin of the POTUS and his wife.
And if anyone doesn't think so, they are either incredibly naive, or unbelievably stupid, or just downright bigoted if not all 3.
When "those" people see Barack Obama, all they see is a "N-word", nothing more, nothing less.
Freedom Isn't Free, So Stop Whining And Pay Your Taxes.
Mr. Stewart forgot to mention that Mr. O'Really(?) stoked and sanctioned a climate of intolerance on his show that most certainly* led to the murder of Dr. George Tiller. This was a constitutionally protected procedure done by a professional who was ultimately murdered, some might say, by Bill O'Really(?) himself!
(*As long as we're talking about certainty)
-I guess the time will never come for truly logical discourse, I blame religion..
jamming with...Ted Nugent. "Cat Scratch Fever." And, no, Ted didn't use the word "kitty." Stewart played Nugent's violent rants about Pelosi, Hilary Clinton, and Obama. You know, where he talks about inserting a gun barrell...
Of course, FOX would argue that's a personal show and not the White House. Not the same. True, And Nugent is white - not the same, huh?
I've seen some stuff, man. And some thangs...
...that the likes of Bill O'lielly and the rest at Fox Noise are all a bunch of racist A-holes who use their white supremacist bully pundit to further their White supremacist agenda in order to support their racist network. Class warfare has been entrenched within the likes of Fox Noise and this is now surprise.
with someone like Stewart when he, Bill, is unarmed.
“The greatest evildoers are those who don’t remember because they have never given thought to the matter, and, without remembrance, nothing can hold them back,”
So inviting someone to your place "elevates" someone? It pretty much tacitly approves of everything they stand or have stood for and indicates implicit agreement with them. Right?
And Bill invited Jon on his show.
.....then the logic fails - Dylan met Hurricane Carter in jail.
http://whenyouawake.com/2009/01/23/snapshot-b...
The real problem with O'Reilly and his colleagues on Fox is they're too damned chicken to say what they really mean (and want to say), that what bothers them is that there's a
niBlack man in thewoodpileWhite House.... tried to move the goal post, that it was really about a visit to Cuba.
If you need funds to pay for essentials, you have a revenue problem
If you need funds to pay for frivolity, you have a spending problem
Stewart completely eviscerated (go Maddow!) O'Reilly here. I'm always quite likely to side with Stewart in these debates and genuinely think he trumps O'Reilly on every occasion, but this time it wasn't even a contest. O'Reilly usually at least has a point or two to make, though never anything that his network was actually doing, it's always by moving the goalposts and pretending like he was this rational all along rather than having just gone along with the hyperbole and hypocrisy of his colleagues the whole time until Stewart showed up. This time though, he really did not have a leg to stand on. The best he could come up with was Bono "asking questions" about a conviction is totally different to Common not believing in a conviction. That's a low-level Beck move.
I am surprised O'Reilly bothered to have Stewart on, because they had NOTHING to defend themselves with over this utterly pathetic display. I think it is going to be interesting to see if Fox News viewers are actually affected by this, because it seems like it was too fake an outrage to even begin to disguise. Unfortunately, since race is involved, I fear that many Fox News viewers will be a little too eager to buy into it.
the "target" fox viewer is capable of seeing anything beyond conspiracy "theory's",(and I use the term super loosely here), so convoluted they defy any and all logic.
The first casualty of republicanism is the truth.
Party politics are not only undemocratic, they are antidemocratic.
a most inconvenient way of "pettifogging" the whole issue........... how inconvenient for smoke machine O'Reilly's false equivalency meme.
The first casualty of republicanism is the truth.
Party politics are not only undemocratic, they are antidemocratic.
too bad clinton pardoned scumbag mark rich instead of leonard peltier.
just one more example of why i despise politicos of all stripes.
FREE LEONARD PELTIER
Wake me up when he has Rage Against The Machine perform at the White House. *That* would spin some heads...
how many of these damn middle age white folks knew who the hell common was before all of this? before the right wing pr industry gave them their latest fake outrage to pretend to be mad about. for them to call him a thug and a "gangster rapper" (hello 90's) is simply amazing. he is a poet, an amazing mc who is the opposite of a damn "thug". these types of fake, undercover racist "controversies" are so damn old. the people who fall for this need to grow the hell up and use their brains.
these people don't have any understanding that people like common don't come from the suburbs. they didn't live their lives in relative privilege growing up. if he or other people in hip hop talk about violence it is because they saw violence and police repression growing up. empathy is putting yourself in other people's shoes and understanding their journey. outside of this being just another brain dead fake controversy by the right, it is also a complete lack of any cultural sensitivity. it is ignorance on display. more of this any they can write off black folks (if they haven't already) for another generation.
honestly, what do these people think they are getting out of this? another ridiculous, fake, ignorant bogeyman like bill ayers? wonderful. idiocracy.
Keith Olbermann and the fat dude.
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
It's been seven months. And everyone makes mistakes. I don't think Stewart illustrated what he meant when comparing the left and right commentators very well, though I do not think his comparison was accurate anyway. Keith Olbermann tearing into political scandal is not the same thing as claiming the President is a Kenyan anti-colonial communist Muslim who wants to destroy America. Bill Maher calling Bush a war criminal is not the same thing as Palin telling anti-government protesters "don't retreat, reload". That doesn't mean Stewart did not demolish O'Reilly this week.
... anything Common said or did, it was the fact that Fox [read: Hannity] needed someone else to beat up on Obama with.
If you need funds to pay for essentials, you have a revenue problem
If you need funds to pay for frivolity, you have a spending problem
I just wonder what would have happened had Jon brought up, to the "Frank Burns of News", the case of Jim David Adkisson, who in july 2008 entered a Unitarian Universalist Center in Knoxville, Tennessee and opened fire with a shotgun, killing two people. As I recall, he had books by right wingers in his home, including - surprise! - "The O'Reilly Factor", by Bill O'Reilly.
I would have loved to seen that happen. Really, I would.
You know, C&L might learn something from Stewart (stewart might learn something too actually). We love to rail on Fox because of how outlandish they are and because for the most part they disagree with us. However, C&L and the Daily Show also have selected outrage (C&L seriously has selected outrage). Almost all of the `blog-o-sphere` has selected outrage. It's what's so off-putting about this blog and many others. We tend to put the blinders on when we have vested interests. I've been reading c&L for years and although I still come here to see what's being said, I usually leave a bit disgruntled with how selective the criticism can be (and how silly some of it is).
I watched the two vids and honestly have to say (as an avid and unapologetic viewer+fan of the Daily Show & Colbert Report along with their hosts) I didn't see any point in Jon announcing last week he was going on "THe O'Lielly Factor" to debate this with someone as rhetorically dull and dense in logic as Bill (albeit to be fair, he is the most 'moderate' of the Fox pundits and power pimpers, @ least since the rise of Glenda and Klannity on TV & Talk Radio!)...
I want to point out about the point of both left and right wing blogospheres, authors, representatives etc. 'blowing up' and having selective criticism or adversary demonizing is a valid point and people on both sides of the aisle react and comment on political events & people with blinders on away from vested interests, but thats really just human nature and can apply to everyone and everything else if argued coherently.
Fact is, Republicans and right-wing conservatives absolutely dominate TV, radio, and the print media (newspapers & books) and have become increasingly radicalized to the right since the rise and election of Obama and the eight year of substitute hell that was the Bush administration. Yeah they scream about 'liberal' media bias and left-wing educational indoctrination, anti-americanism, blah blah blah but rarely if ever have any convicting evidence or common decency for their claims except to say "you do it too" or "i know i am but what are you?'' The latter puts putative progressives and moderates on the defensive and often in the same web of ad hominem and vague generalization attacks, but if one reads Eric Alterman's excellent 'Why We're Liberals' volume, its really the the vast majority of regular Americans and the world as a whole who have relatively moderate and liberal views both politically and beyond, but lack the self-cofidence and that special interest/corporate finance power that breathlessly emanates the American Right. Yeah, it may lower Democratic cred that two of our biggest icons and info vessels (Colbert & Stewart) are satirists but that honestly shows the disparaging state of our political discourse and electoral intelligentsia (of all political stripes) and how incompetent any IDEOLOGY or DEMAGOGUE in government will have when they fail to focus on the actual issues and provide solutions.
Personally, I love C&L and think it deserves every bit of accolading and awarding it so far gotten (John Amato & David Neiwart are pretty genius grassroots journalists and are taking it back to a point where the employed in this field were actually held responsible for true reporting, regardless of spin); Their "Over the Cliff" book was probably the most brilliant political science brief I've read and doesn't simply summarize an argument along the lines of 'all liberals are stupid//should be killed/tortured/ignored/taunted mercilessly,etc.' which is standard Malkin/Coulter/Beck/Hannity/Limbaugh/O'Reilley fare; as a non-denominational Christian my whole life who believes in tolerance & understanding in word and practice, I can't bring myself to say I agree on the issues with these folks because of how hateful and intolerant they are in EVERY aspect (yes, the democrats have these as well but it just doesn't have the violent/homophobic/racist/misogynistic/narcissistic populist BS flamethrowing trademarked by much of the Republican and Tea Parties of modern day. I don't agree with more than a few issues and tendencies about the Democratic Party and the Left but those things are independent concerns and can often be ignored or better yet, superseded with 'the lesser of two evils' and common sense mindset that is pluralist advantage of liberal philosophy. Which brings me (finally) to the ultimate point...
It is so very telling that this hot air of a shit storm would be started over one of the most open-minded and gifted of hip hop musicians. I'm honestly not an avid Common fan, but he speaks what's real & relevant in his rhymes and music, which is more gratifying than the 'thug'/'gangster'/'misogynist' caricature of crappier mainstream rappers and indecent Faux News smears hurdled on him over a subjective lyric of cop killing and Bush rabble-rousing. As a true, red-blooded American, I don't like assassination innuendo or rhetoric targeted upon any of our leaders or ANYone period for that matter, but that is objectively a de facto playing card & perogative of the Right given the obsessiveness with gun ownership and militarism. All these adjectives more than apply to that low-life, 'white nationalist' Ted Nugent and the hoary screech he calls his discography and unapologetic 'white male opinion' made halfway across the globe in a concert; but I say let the facts speak for themselves when Sean Hannity says ..."but he's my friend" and Huckaberry is rockin' out on guitar to a song that includes such vivid and degrading female genitalia descriptions (the former of which is a colleague and 'former' friend of vehement white supremacist/neo-nazi in Hal Turner but there you go!) Not even worthy of neither Jon's time to retaliate or Fox to make a nuclear helium bomb of it but I'm glad there are people who are more concerned about pointing out flagrant hypocrisy and disingenuous, factually-challenged demagoguery over playing partisan panhandler to either Left or Right (which Colbert & Stewart have the unique position of not being accountable for their views an rhetoric 'cuz their only job is to make fun and make us laugh---@ the 'crooks & liars' in both parties and often that wishy-washy center Americans get caught up in. Does prove, more than anything else that stupidity is not a conceivable virus but it sure as hell spreads and infects like one when reality and logic are short-supplied vaccines (and of course, any rhetorical sin an unabashedly conservative white male does upon their perceived 'foes' can only shrink threefold when committed by a presumably liberal minority in the supremely insular alter-world of Fake Schnoooze, because they are the cream of crop American standard, after all)...
President Obama is like the AHCA his administration miraculously passed: marginally helpful, efficient enough to be built upon, and will only become a uniform disaster if Republicans win 2012 & repeal it (with all the other good he did)!
A great Tennis match! A Battle of the Wits! Fox ratings goes up with Jon, and they know it! It takes a Liberal to score!!
Most everyone likes Jon - He knows what he talking about. We cannot say that for obnoxious Bill! Who thinks
he knows everything!
same ole oreilly bs move along.
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