George Will: What we’re hearing is the liberals’ McCarthyism, which is, when in doubt, blame people for racism.
George Will thinks that daring to point out the racism at these tea parties amounts to "liberals' McCarthyism. If anyone's playing the role of Joe McCarthy, it's Glenn Beck, not "liberals" who are pointing out the racist element to these protests, and all the "table pounding" on your part isn't going to change that.
CARTER: An overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man.
BECK: We have a former president who says, if you’re opposed to the president’s health care, you’re a racist.
LIMBAUGH: The left looks at everything through a racial prism. I’m just -- I’m just -- hey, they hit us, we hit back twice as hard.
PELOSI: In the late ‘70s in San Francisco, this kind of -- of rhetoric was very frightening. And it gave -- it created a climate in which we -- violence took place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANOPOULOS: The debate not coming down as President Obama called for. Let me bring the roundtable back in. I’m joined by George Will, Peggy Noonan, Bob Reich, Ed Gillespie, and Donna Brazile.
And, George, as we -- as we get to this, let me show two magazine covers from this week. First, Time magazine, Glenn Beck, mad man, and the angry style of American politics. And then in the New York magazine coming out tomorrow, there’s the tattooed face of Barack Obama , big headline, “Hate.”
We -- we heard President Obama say he thinks that a lot of anti- government feeling, the idea that the government can’t do anything right, is behind all this. What’s your theory?
WILL: The president’s right about that. What we’re hearing is the liberals’ McCarthyism, which is, when in doubt, blame people for racism. Litigators have an old argument: When the law’s on your side, argue the law. When the facts are on your side, argue the facts. When neither’s on your side, pound the table. This amounts to pounding the table.
I have yet to see evidence, is there -- does evidence even intrude in this conversation? Is there any evidence that these people are racists? I think not.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, George, there’s some evidence that -- not an overwhelming amount of evidence -- that some of -- a small fringe of this movement, clearly there’s some racism. And you don’t have to know the motives of someone’s heart to understand when you see signs, incendiary signs that basically compares him to a witch doctor, an African heathen. We know racism; we don’t have to be told or taught that. That -- that much we do know.
There’s a culture of extremism that has gained mainstream acceptance. And I think the president is absolutely right. When you see it, you have to call it. You shouldn’t duck it. But, on the other hand, you shouldn’t exaggerate it.
This is why we need responsible leaders to denounce it, but more importantly, we need to find a way to have an honest and good dialogue whenever race is a topic so that the president of the United States, which is very busy, does not have to have beer summits all the time.
It's interesting that Will, who likes to think he is careful with his words, says,
"What we’re hearing is the liberals’ McCarthyism, which is, when in doubt, BLAME people FOR racism."
Not:
"What we’re hearing is the liberals’ McCarthyism, which is, when in doubt, ACCUSE people OF racism."
There is a significant difference between them. The first suggests we should not blame people for racism. An interesting idea, George. Please expound.
... they always do the same shit: try to equate the people pointing out the evil deeds carried out by conservatives, with not only being morally equivalent to performing the deed... but actually making the liberals, pointing the conservative hubris d'jour, own it.
In other words: projection, projection, projection....
living..POUND THE TABLE?? without facts, merit, or truth! Think the American people see the edge of racism regardless of political party!
The fringe is being incited to riot by the likes of Limpbow and Beck.. The consequences of this will be for them to bear but should it come to tragedy it will be a very heavy burden indeed! Lies and distortion are part of our heritage but this is incendiary and lays open the hole for the crazies to slip through -justified by beck , limpbow, bachman, boneher, Pence, and the religious right!!
We are teetering on the edge of something horrid..The World will lay it at the feet of the Mccarthy wingnuts above! It can not come back to the Left because our President has disavowed it and so have the majority of American people!
Why does this ass hole get any air time? Did he distiguish himself some how, some where that I'm clueless about?
What a boring, brain dead butt head. I couldn't care less what this homely prick has to say about anything...ANYTHING!!!
got it now?
Someone ought to tattoo "I speak only for rich old white people" on Will's forehead.
Is there any evidence that these people are racists? I think not.
Is there any evidence that you've ever known what the fuck you're talking about? I think not.
Isn't this the same person who wrote a whole editorial pissing about people wearing denim?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
..made up to look like a monkey or hitler or an african tribal witch doctor, nah, that ain't racism. Bringing guns to a town hall meeting with the President racist, oh no, no way. Calling the President a racist who hates white culture, not racist.
Gee, George, what in your perfect little world does? Someone calling you an elitist snob?
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
It's not all or nothing. Some people on the right are out and out racist, that doesn't mean all of them are. Some are just dumb fu*ks.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
say what you will about Will, the man is an expert table-pounder.
OK - he looked better with a bow tie.
... in fact his technique is so refined, you can barely see his hair piece move as he pounds the table with his mighty pimp hand.
... look like racists
... and most definitively quack like racists.
But gosh darn it, if we point out the obvious... it is us libs who are the racists. Ain't that beyotch?
isn't racist, but pointing it out is? I guess with impeccable logic like that I too could be a good Republican.
god damn it george will. just when i thought you had a tiny bit of dignity
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/images/obama...
http://www.geocities.com/perry_peterson_1999/...
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UClBDYefpoE/SoQSv9D...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I'm accusing Will of being an arrogant bastard. Where does he come off with his attitude? Funny but not in a good way that he would bring up McCarthyism considering that Beck has mastered that game.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
It is racism. I don't care what Will says.
... that Establishment interests would much rather have us discuss a relative handful of redneck racists (instead of health care, wars, torture, etc.), George Will's weighing in on the issue should settle that doubt.
Racism can be the shiniest object in their tool box.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
ACORN is the right's new shiny object for the press to chew on. Van Jones was the one before that. The MSM, whether they know it or not, is allowing the lowly pits of Fox news to dictate to them what they should cover.
While Beck is busily brainwashing his viewers, Will is busily blowing smoke out his ass. I guess he has to come to the defense of his racist social buddies.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
... and I don't think they mind in the least.
Drudge rules their world.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Yeah, just that far out fringe and whatnot . . .
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
ok... i am about to bust... inanimate objects BEWARE
people, like glenn beck and limbaugh and hannity (all of the right wing media whores) actually call people communists and socialists. which, Will might be reminded, is exactly what mccarthy was known for (as we all know). yet, instead of calling them out for there, well, mccarthyism, Will wrings his hands and tries to say that pointing out racism is a type of mccarthyism... ok, i can always buy a new monitor... teh stupid.
That the right wing pundit perpetually project historical right wing tactics on the democrats.
E.G.
Calling someone a racist = McCarthyism
Acorn = Brownshirts of the Nazis
Could it be, they have no historical leftist tactics to draw upon?
But they won't dis Jesus . . .
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
through his nose...yeah, I'd say that's racism.
Fabricating birth certificates from Kenya, because the president is black...yeah, I'd say that's racism.
Don't forget, spreading that disinformation and people blindly believing it, based on their preconceptions...yeah, that's racism.
I can't recall anybody protesting Bush or Clinton with those kinds of signs. George, you haven't lived in the U.S. if you can remember ANY president being treated this way.
Okay, so after months of playing 'Barack the Magic Negro' the GOP media is now accusing democrats (and obama in particular) of racism.
After holding up signs, screaming at anyone who disagrees with them, and terrorizing detractors, the GOP media is now accusing democrats of McCarthyism.
After neo-conservatives wanted taxpayer money to be used to build what was referred to as 'a steel curtain' between the US and Mexico, and advocated that the FBI and CIA be allowed warantless wiretapping and the justice department to do away with habeus corpus, the GOP media is now saying that Obama's big government is eventually going to take away our rights.
I tried to be calm, I tried to be fair but....
fuck these people.
when they have shxt on their shirt and you ask why there's shxt on their shirt. they just smear some shxt on your shirt.
Will indeed lives in a bubble of his own making ...
At the "Town Hall Meeting" in Spring Valley, Ca.
george will like most of us understand racism is not easy to reveal "facts". beck and rush have been race baiting because it's known and understood there are people who are racists. for some people who are racists this may be the only way to get their voices heard. when baited it's almost like an acceptance. the come out of the closet if you will and spew their nonsense. if they're racists they will be against anything obama is perceived to be for. this strategy can be used to get simpletons to VOTE/debate against their own best interest(s).TRUST me if a solid health care ins. cost reform bill passes, the RIGHT in the lower to middle class(r) demographic will have their hands out. this is sophisticated dualism to get people to vote against their best interest(s).........all in the name of ignorance and stupidity.
Has any other president ever been asked by elected officials in DC to produce his birth certificate? Why would they ask that of this president and no other? Is it because he doesn't look like any other president? Is it because he's black? Who would question his origin of birth and yet claim to not be racist?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
What we're hearing is the right's (wrong's) McCarthyism (George McCarthy(R) Wisconsin, except on fox where he's (D))
which is, when in doubt, blame people of blaming people for racism.
He was off by just be a few words.
EPN
They would have to open their eyes and "see" but that is pretty difficult for Repukes who have their heads in the sand. They don't want to see their racism they are quite happy with their stupidity and wish everyone to be as stupid.
If not racism it is hypocrisy. Many of the things they are blaming Obama for were done (and a lot worse) during the Bush admin. where was their outrage then? Yeah, I thought so, crickets.
You have yet to see evidence? Try opening your fucking eyes.
Note to Donna Brazile: I became politically active after John Kennedy was assassinated. In all of those years the Republicans have never been honest in their debates about anything. They are for rich, white, business owning, fortune 500, ruling elitist. They are against any sort of power to the people. They don't like democracy very much at all. They fight any sort of help for poor or minority citizens. They use religion as a hammer without any sort of reflection on the actual philosophy. They have been anti union and pro business. They would never get elected if they were honest about what they stand for so they lie and make up more lies to cover the lies they tell.
I think Obama has several things going against him. He's attractive, intelligent, tactful and he's black. The racists are highly pissed that he's black, but having all those other positive attributes really burns their asses.
Will can deny all he wants and accuse the left of anything he wants, but that has nothing to do with reality.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Will is the biggest and proudest fan of Reslug dick licking and lying.
Liberal Mc Carthyism my ass, you bastard. Your fascist party invented the term and used it as a manipulative tool to beat down your opposition. You are one shameless dupe of the fascists.
And WTF is with Donna Brazile? Couldn't she get a bit more pissed off about this jerk's inflammatory remarks? Or is being a polite and underwhelming lapdog what passes for her outrage these days? Jebus H. Christ, it's time to get mad as hell and not take it anymore, not cower in fear of people like Will and Stupidnopolous. Or maybe she's afraid they wont buy her a round at the next Beltway cocktail party.
"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
... (you pseudo-intellectual, wingnut welfare queen) that you blew the metaphor even more than you did Ronald Reagan.
First off: it's not a litigators old "argument," it's a saying, a joke. Understand the difference?
Second, the saying is: when you have the law on your side, pound the law; when you have the facts on your side, pound the facts; when neither is on your side, pound the table. See how that works, Georgie? You need to use the word "pound" in the first two instances or it makes no sense whatsoever in the third.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Without mexed midaphors they have nuttin
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
In the minds of the 'pundits' who wish to provide cover for the embarrassment that is the Republican party and their dim-witted followers, it's not racism until the 'N' word appears. Kinda like, it's not sex until there's penetration .
but it's perfectly ok to call Obama and Sotomayor racists...
damn left wing media
The RWNJ's accuse the left of being "right wing"
Wait a minute - they already have (Nazi).
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Republicans seem to have no trouble using the people in their party as they see fit. Right now with a black man in the white house they feel the need to lead their racist members out to raise some hell and do some very dirty, dirty work for them. Point out ACORN and make a super effort to show that the group is mostly black and can't be trusted for anything. Okay, that gets the gang rolling. Point out mostly black czars in DC and portray them as beings from some scary way of thinking. Be sure and point out the black president is taking over everything in the country and suggest he is going to take the rich white man's money and give it to black people. Yeah republicans, use those racist in your party any way you can to get what you want, not what they need.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
...don't pull your punches or anything. *rollseyes*
"BRAZILE: Well, George, there’s some evidence that -- not an overwhelming amount of evidence -- that some of -- a small fringe of this movement, clearly there’s some racism."
That's some militant rhetoric right there! George Will didn't stand a chance!
Who has no problem with racism - ever?
Racists - they aren't racist so no prob.
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Projecting much?
The poor oppressed racists. Those mean old liberals are just so intolerant!
Liberal McCarthyism,
What's next?
Liberal Republicanism?
.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
trying to keep race out of the debate and the press and some followers kept trying to revert to it. Now the press and some analysts are trying to do the same. Why?
Partly because it is there, for sure. But at least equally because it is explosive to debate and easy to charge.
The more difficult question is why has the right in this country decided facts no longer matter?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Really, I don't see the problem. The white teabaggers and their radio head leaders seem like perfectly reasonable, well educated people. I mean, as long as the white teabaggers and their radio head leaders and coroporate fascists are in charge. Which it is now becoming apparent, is not going to "change". So they might as well just shut the fuck up already.
Hey willy! I know you are, but what am I?!!
Hethinks Donna Brazile is the hired help.
George, if you think you can make your argument stand up, let's compare it to baseball and it's fight against the black and brown man? Let's talk about baseball and how they abuse drugs and cover it all up? Happy to discuss it with you any time. It is not going to make my job any easier having a battle of wits with someone that is unarmed.
gratuitous and minimizing acknowledgement of the rampant racism and rightists' call for violence.
george postures on; it works for the cons: provides distraction from the obvious, rightwing 'loons' and the 'hopeful' violence-enablers in repub party (and compliant media) and serves to de-legitimize the dem presidency and policies.
chaos is the rightwing authoritarians' friend.
as stated by other commenters: there's no responsibility for ill-intent and actions; it's working for them just fine.
Where do you live, on what Planet? Other then defending this shallow nit wit half baked lets keep them scared Spineless Gutless no Back Bone party and Idealogical belief party. Take off the rose colored glasses and see what the World Really looks like (that is if you have mommies permission).
Didn't you know? Only white people AND in particular, white Christians are the only true victims of oppression and raciism in this country (so whines the rabid right wingers)....
WILL: The president’s right about that. What we’re hearing is the liberals’ McCarthyism, which is, when in doubt, blame people for racism. Litigators have an old argument: When the law’s on your side, argue the law. When the facts are on your side, argue the facts. When neither’s on your side, pound the table. This amounts to pounding the table.
I have yet to see evidence, is there -- does evidence even intrude in this conversation? Is there any evidence that these people are racists? I think not.
so wrong on everything again. Only a conservative has the ability to think like mccarthy.
I do agree with his last words "I think not" that has been more than evident for almost 30 yrs george.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_FAJUFutyw
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
McCarthyism was a government sponsored witch hunt on free American citizens which threatened their ability to gainfully be employed by accusing them of communism, a trumped up phony enemy. Calling a racist a racist is not the same thing. It isn't the government doing it. It's the peers to the racists. It's the people who are not racist who are telling the other folk it's time to
MOVE ON.
It's like saying the portions of the public are attempting to censor other portions of the public.
Most definitions define censor (beyond a now now now) as an official or a persons authorized by officials to censor books, plays, movie, music etc.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
with hearing about extremism on the left from Blue Dogs like Reich. Some one really needs to ask George Will and the rest of the dying conservative elite why it is that societies racist elements are always on their side.
The American people want good health care. Call it anything you want, the underlying current is the health care reform and the American people want good health care. It means life and death, literally. I watch this dumbass mentality all through the Bush years and it's starting up again but in the end the people will demand GOOD HEALTH CARE. They will demand it.
In the 80's and 90's this frinking stupidity could take the train off the track but the average joe had good health care. The average joe doesn't anymore and if he does, his adult children just out of high school and college don't. It's a dangerous life living without health care and it's a dangerous life living with inadequate. The American people know what they want and what they deserve. We are the foundation of the structure of this country. We poured the cement. We ran the tracks. We built the cars. We built this nation and we deserve good health care.
Jeanne
so, Obama was in Mpls a couple of weekends ago for a hc rally. that afternoon, i was working as a server at a high-end wedding reception. a group of old, rich, white men were squawking about the downtown traffic due to the rally. one of the men asked, "is Obama still in town?" another guy replies, "i hope he flew back to Africa!"
they laughed.
now, if that was not a racist statement and supportive response, then i don't know what is.
our racism runs deep and so much of it lies in our sub-conscious.
silly for me/us to assume that i/we are not driven by racist motives.
having proudly lived in minneapolis(uptown) i thought the people their were better than that...guess NOT.
Guys like George Will can enjoy their current influence, but he represents a dying breed. His old-school thinking is not the future. His ideas and attitudes do not reflect the America of the future.
Angry old white men like him are losing their grip on power and they do not like it.
He is suppose to be a rock of conservatism, but where was he for the last 8 years when Bush was running up the deficit and how does he explain his free market when it led to the current financial crisis.
These guys would prefer to sweep racism under the carpet than having to deal with it.
His constant quoting of historic facts is exactly that, historic. George Will is a dinosaur.
I doubt this guy gets out of the Beltway bubble much to join the rest of us in the outside world.
Just checked his wiki.
He's lived a pretty sheltered life.
I'm sick of these sheltered bubble boys like him, Brooks and the rest pontificating like they actually know what they're talking about when they comment on things they have NO real life experience with.
Yeah, we've come a long way regarding racism, but there still is a small, but not insignificant percentage of knuckleheads who can't accept a man of African ancestry in the White House.
And be forced to defend other white and privileged people's "non-racist" comments.
How do you defend a crowd of angry whites likening the president to a primitive with a bone through his nose and signs saying he was born in Africa?
Not an enviable spot. But obviously, it doesn't bother him.
We The People REACT to these pathetic pontificators, we are on their turf, we are playing their game, and we lose.
We would do well to remember the words of George Bernard Shaw:
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
This is funny coming from such a race baiter like George Will.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/...
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