Someone not named Taibbi went on television and told the truth. I’m kind of shocked:
This can not be stated enough, and we now have Tapper and Harwood on record that this is nonsense. The rest of the media is still in he-said/she-said mode.
For a while, I’ve been trying to come up with three questions that you could ask anyone and determine if they were a wingnut. Up until now, the list was:
1.) Did we find WMD in Iraq?
2.) How old is the earth?
3.) Was Obama born in the United States?
I may have to add “Is it a bad thing if the President tells school kids to study hard?”
JK
Kudos to John Harwood. Now Hannity, Beck, Limbaugh, Malkin, Glenn Reynolds, and the rest of the wingnuts will take turns assassinating his character and credibility.
Xecky Gilchrist
One are-you-a-wingnut question I’d consider would be “Did Saddam Hussein plan the 9/11 attacks?”
Though that’s not conclusively wingnut, may just be one of the embarrassingly large fraction of Americans who are horribly misinformed (there is a lot of overlap with wingnut there).
feebog
Well, that was refreshing. We need about two dozen more to come out and say the same thing.
John Cole
“Would Sarah Palin make a good President” is another question for the list.
Mr Furious
Awesome.
(He’ll probably get fired for it.)
SGEW
“Did we need to torture suspected terrorists in order to prevent another 9/11?”
freelancer
“For a while, I’ve been trying to come up with three questions that you could ask anyone and determine if they were a wingnut.”
5) Is waterboarding torture?
6) Is torture illegal?
Jonny Scrum-half
It’s refreshing to see someone tell the truth as starkly as that guy did. But, to be fair, didn’t the Obama people give the Republicans an opening by drafting a “lesson plan” that would ask students to write something about how they could help the President?
The whole controversy is still ridiculous, but I can’t believe that someone in the White House didn’t foresee a problem with that “lesson plan.”
Jeff Berardi
I think the anchor’s reaction says it all. In our general public discourse, flatly telling the truth qualifies as “showing no mercy”.
Tom Betz
The dumbest thing in the last 25 years?
I dunno, I’d say illegally invading a third-world country in the Middle East that never threatened us based on a pack of freaking lies gives this latest stupidity a run for its money.
But I’ll grant him that it’s pretty damned stupid.
Violet
Another for the list, although it’s not a question: Just say the words, “President Barack Obama” and look for their body language. Sneers, shudders, eyerolls, etc. are clear giveaways.
Had this happen not long ago when discussing how many presidents have been left-handed. Mentioned “President Obama” and wingnut acquaintance’s eyes rolled back in her head, accompanied by a small sneer and a half-sigh.
Polish the Guillotines
It’s about freakin’ time. Stupid must be called out.
Bill Rutherford, Princeton Admissions
“But, to be fair, didn’t the Obama people give the Republicans an opening by drafting a “lesson plan” that would ask students to write something about how they could help the President?”
Absolutely not.
Sorry, but this whole situation is just infuriating.
Tom Betz
@Johhny Scrum-half — Whichever enthusiastic low-level staffer in the Department of Education wrote those careless words in the lesson plan is probably undergoing some education hirself right now. Let us hope that this will be a lesson for everyone else in the Administration.
General Winfield Stuck
Harwood is a pretty straight laced reporter. Meaning he actually cares about reporters being neutral. So that little scree of GOP fail doesn’t happen too often and it was nice for the bottom line delivery.
Zandar
Gosh, it’s almost like millions of otherwise normal Americans, your friends, your neighbors, your poker buddies, have been transformed into a bloodthirsty mob that believes Barack Obama is not the legitimate President of the United States.
They believe this is a fact.
The Village has seen a glimpse of the endgame of what eventually must happen if these people are correct.
Emphasis on the word “endgame.”
Jackie
@Jonny Scrum-half: You think asking schoolchildren to help the president make schools better is too political? Why?
Ed in NJ
@Jonny Scrum-half:
It’s the single biggest failure of the Obama presidency to date- underestimating the capacity for Republicans to complain about something, and for the traditional media to report it as a viable issue without any mention of the inherent hypocrisy.
licensed to kill time
@Jeff Berardi:
That struck me, too. God forbid you just flat-out call the stupid for what it is.
Violet
@Jonny Scrum-half:
Yeah, that was kind of a stupid move. It would have been a lot harder to criticize if the lesson plan had been about the children setting goals for their future or something along those lines. What the heck is “helping the President” anyway? Carrying his briefcase? Operating his Blackberry? Walking the dog? What does that even mean?
MikeJ
Do I dare look at the comments on youtube for this video? Are there any questions you can ask somebody posting on youtube to determine if they are insane or merely a performance artist?
Dreggas
Time for a new Foxworthy knockoff.
“You might be a wingnut if….”
HyperIon
Actually (wrt going on television and telling the truth) I saw a clip from Countdown that had a chat with Dan Savage that was quite truthful and not over-wrought. Disclaimer: I saw it on the web, not on TV. I’m down to the most basic cable now because it justs costs too much for that BS. KO mostly just listened and asked a couple of not-stupid, not-wiseass questions.
I want to thank you for adding The Stranger to your blogroll (as Dan Savage). Savage Love used to be the only regular read for me in the dead tree edition but the mag also employs other good writers. Yeah, they love to snark and poke fun at righties, etc sort of like Wonkette BUT they also produce serious political commentary. I ALWAYS check out their election endorsements. Dan Savage is a smart guy who is actually quite likable. He is becoming a Seattle treasure.
EnderWiggin
The whole ‘controversy’ reminds me of the what’s the matter with Kansas question, mixed with pure hate.
It’s one thing to hate the President, but the concept of being against anyone saying “work hard and get an education” it just special. I would guess that the overlap between the anti-intellectual crowd and the anti-Obama crowd is high. It’s actually a wonder they send their kids to school at all.
He isn’t spouting liberal talking points at them, he’s just saying get an education. Of course it is getting to a point that saying get an education to these people is the same as saying be a liberal.
It’s sad watching people work hard against their own interest, worse still when it is their own kids.
Evinfuilt
That just brought a tear to my eye, to see honesty in the news. So sad Jon Stewart still has another week off, he’s got some catching up to do with all this President wants kids to go to school conspiracy.
Dreggas
@EnderWiggin:
They do think education is “liberal” why do you think they attack higher education and education in general? Since education (and reality) don’t fit their ideals they say it’s liberal.
HyperIon
@Violet: What the heck is “helping the President” anyway?
That’s what I wondered, too. Perhaps it’s treacly primary school BS along the lines of “How can you help Mommy at home?”
OT but I find it amazing that “treacly” is a word the blog software recognizes…given that it doesn’t know “blog”.
Evinfuilt
@Violet:
I’d rather the President tell lil kiddies all about how good fire arms are, and how they should go out and buy more… Oh and how wonderful supply side economics is. I watched that when I was young and impressionable, and I did it in an Auditorium with the rest of the school.
High School had me watch daddy Bush explain to us how he was going to reform education, nothing about us working harder. Though I do recall in the 80s a video with Arnold at the White House telling us to get fit and exercise.
henqiguai
Any organization hoping to get its material discussed in the (primary schools) classroom will generate a lesson plan. Here in Massachusetts, lesson plans are a requirement for material presented in the classroom. Creating the lesson plan is considered a convenience and service to the individual teachers. Go to any of the organizations’ websites that purport to offer educational material (e.g. History Channel, National Geographic, C-Span).
Dave C
This whole “issue” is quickly becoming the last straw for me. I have all these Facebook friends that are outraged that Obama is going to indoctrinate all their kids in socialism and totalitarianism (not kidding). I think I may just de-friend them all. My capacity to tolerate this unending, stupider-than-the-last-time flow of absolute bullshit is quickly coming to its limit.
strawmanmunny
Harwood used to be at the Wall Street Journal, didn’t he?
BTW, I would like to indoctrinate Monica Novotny(hopefully not being able to spell her name right wouldn’t be a pre existing condition)
bud
You only need one of those 3 questions really. Although, you could determine various levels of dumb fuckery.
1 of 3 incorrect: dumb
2 of 3 incorrect: dumb fuck
3 of 3 incorrect: republican
Dave C
I have a comment waiting in the moderation queue. There were no links, but I did use the word F*ceb00k in it. Could that be the cause?
HyperIon
The thing that really galls me is the bimbo who is SHOCKED, I say, SHOCKED by her colleague daring to say some people are stupid.
It reminds me of the gasps of horror when somebody said “blow job” on one of these shows recently.
licensed to kill time
@Evinfuilt:
I’m old enough to remember President Kennedy had some program where all us kids had to meet some physical fitness test (I forget what it was called). We had to do a hundred situps, climb a rope to the gym ceiling,etc. We thought it was pretty cool.
BombIranForChrist
With just about every utterance from the Leaders of the hard right, i say to myself, “Surely, they have jumped the shark this time”, but somehow, a whole lot of people keep listening to them.
But maybe, just maybe, crap like is finally the shark jumpin’ we have been waiting for.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark
SGEW
@BombIranForChrist:
Don’t you know? There is no shark to jump. There is no “peak.”
The Wingularity is already upon us. Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate.
Tsulagi
Was definitely shooting straight when he said “In a country of over 300 million there’s a lot of stupid people.” Tard outrage over a president encouraging children to stay in school and study hard would seem to indicate they’re actually well beyond stupid.
Speaking of which, here’s another question likely to identify a brilliant “You Betcha” wingnut: “Should we exercise out 2nd Amendment rights to keep government from running health care for our seniors and soldiers?”
Violet
@Evinfuilt:
I’m not saying “helping the President” is a bad thing. I just think in these bizarre days, that kind of treacly (good word!) phrase opens the door to idiocy like is happening now. The White House should be savvier than that. Wingnuts will scream bloody murder at their kid being asked to help the President, but it’s harder for them to be against the kids being asked to set educational goals for themselves. Again. The White House doesn’t seem to have it’s game together. Maybe Barack’s community organizer days are working against him with this sort of thing. He prefers consensus and wingnuts don’t do consensus.
Midnight Marauder
@Jonny Scrum-half:
But, to be fair, didn’t the Obama people give the Republicans an opening by drafting a “lesson plan” that would ask students to write something about how they could help the President?
By that logic, why don’t you just write:
But, to be fair, didn’t the Obama people give the Republicans an opening by running for the presidency?”
burnspbesq
Some marginally sane person has hacked the Atlantic and is posting under Megan McCurdled’s name.
http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/09/you_might_be_a_lunatic_if.php
General Winfield Stuck
OT
I am an a Lawrence Odonnell fan, but he is still wanking today to carry on yesterday about the reconciliation process to pass HC reform/ He claims that every part of the bill is subject to dems needing 60 votes to overcome “countless” points of order. This is only true, I think, on those portions the Parliamentarian rules as non-germaine per the Byrd rule, or budget related. The dems pick the parliamentarian, though they are supposed to be non-partisan and usually are, and much of the bill is actually budget related, and to over rule, it is the minority that makes the POO and has to get 60 votes..
Though admittedly this part is fuzzy to me, but the part on ruling of germainess isn’t and Odonnell should know this having worked as senate finance counsel.
If I am wrong, then so be it. And if so, the RP is useless to beat the filibuster in any way.
PeakVT
Facts are liberal, learning is liberal, thinking is liberal – what’s next? I’m hoping it’s breathing.
WereBear
We may have hit peak; there’s actually pushback happening.
Neal Boortz, not one of my favorite people, was just on MSNBC saying this is stupid, let’s the Democrats say, “What’s wrong with working hard in school?”
Of course, let’s see the Democrats say it before we get excited.
cbear
Question #4: Is it inappropriate to ask your girl to don a wetsuit on the first date?
-or how about a multiple choice question?
Question #5: If Dick Cheney beats an illegal immigrant/Arab to death with a baseball bat on the National Mall in full view of thousands of people, should he:
A) be prosecuted?
B) be handed a fresh bat for the next one he can catch?
C) be given a Medal of Freedom?
Comrade Jake
Wait a minute: Harwood called God-fearing, honest-to-goodness Americans “stupid”? Why? Because they happen to not want their children to listen to a
negrosocialist?!?!I give Harwood a week before he’s forced to apologize on air.
ironranger
I was just beginning to wonder how ridiculous the latest R nuttiness has to get before a few more of the usual tribe of political pundits on tv actually flat out said so. It’s probably just a momentary glimpse of common sense, rare enough to be noticeable but hope it continues. I have no doubt R legislators are going to continue to ramp up the crazy rhetoric. Some wingnut will ask an R congressman at a townhall about the secret stash of 30,000 guillotines that will be used to kill americans for their body parts & the congressman will agree that americans should be concerned. Hell, Michele Bachmann will probably bring it up herself first.
ppcli
@WereBear:
Perhaps we should prepare an “alternative curriculum” for the children of all the people demanding one, along the lines of: “Slack off and drop out.” (Or maybe they can just rebroadcast the classic Sara Palin “winners always quit” speech. And it would have genuine educational value. A lot of Texas kids probably don’t know how to distinguish the cheechakos (sp?) from the sourdoughs.)
bago
@HyperIon: Hey, don’t forget the Holden brothers. Dominic is a pretty great guy.
WereBear
@ppcli: Yes, let’s do a curriculum that encourages them to shut up, listen to authority, be grateful for crumbs, and give up their lives for corporate profit…
Wait, isn’t that what we have now?
Violet
@WereBear:
Been thinking the same thing. There’s definitely pushback now. Peak Wingnut could be upon us. Remember, you can only know it was the peak once you’ve started down the other side. And the screaming on the way down is just as loud as on the way up.
Xanthippas
Now that’s just cold hard truth right there.
Jeanne
I live in Chester County, PA and I just got a voice mail from my kids school about the President’s address. They have received quite a few calls of concern, so now it is up to individual homeroom teachers to decide to show it or not. So my child might or might not see it, but they are difinately not going to participate in any other activities the White House may offer. Now granted I live in a Republican district but we did just elect Sestak, so I am surprised at this.
Leelee for Obama
someguy
We ought to require Republicans who want to reproduce to get a permit to do so, just to keep the numbers of morans at a manageable level. It’d never work because they’d reject the permit process, fail to fill out the forms properly and then go do whatever they want in typical “I got mine” fashion. But a boy can dream…
And werebear – I think it’s really good that kids should listen to Obama. They should have to hear one of his speeches once or twice a week. It’s possible that it not make the genetically doomed offspring of Republican morans any smarter – some children are going to get left behind*- but it sure as hell wouldn’t hurt.
* Yeah, I intended that to be a reference to christer apocalypse porn…
someguy
Stupid html coding on this blog…
Tonal Crow
The GOP are just out to destroy Obama, the Democratic Party, and, frankly, anyone else who doesn’t agree with their plans.
Obama and the Democrats need to begin treating any evidence of GOP bad faith as just that. And when it gets to dingbatshit-insane complaints like these about the President’s address to students, there should be no apologies, because Obama’s done nothing wrong. The response should be:
ppcli
@WereBear:
That’s my point – you’ve described the current regimen exactly. And kids still can’t tell cheechakos from sourdoughs. Sara could set them straight, and not displace any other essential wingnut traits in the lil’ ones.
General Winfield Stuck
@Jeanne:
So am I, to an extent. It is becoming clearer by the day, that just about anything goes with the right wing in their opposition.
We are entering the era of Government By Screaming Wingnut. Or, don’t nobody make any sudden moves, or our sanity gets it.
Boudica
Joan Walsh on “Hardball” today did a great job rebutting some wingnut about the planned Obama indoctrination.
Dr. Squid
How about, “Is it socialism when the government helps a n***** pay for health care?”
demkat620
@Jeanne: You an I are neighbors then Jeanne and I am on the phone with the SD on Tuesday telling them I want my kids to hear from the president. As much as I hated Bush, I would never have pulled this crap. He is the president.
I have had it with these goofy wingers.
Montysano (All Hail Marx & Lennon)
@Jonny Scrum-half:
So every utterance must now be checked for its potential for demagoguery? Fuck that. I’m not willing to dumb down our discourse any further in order to placate people that cannot, and will not, ever be satisfied. As dear HST said: “These swine should be broken, fucked, and driven across the land”.
@Dave C:
I’m cutting several loose as we speak.
JenJen
I watched this earlier today, and my jaw dropped. It was… how you say… refreshing.
Later though, some Tea Party leader (The Teabagger Czar, perhaps?) went up against David Shuster on the same issue, ignored every question Shuster asked, and then told Shuster he’s “totally in the tank for Obama.”
Balance!!
Mark S.
“Do tax cuts pay for themselves?”
“Are black people the real racists?”
Multiple choice:
Barack Obama is a
a) Muslim
b) Communist
c) Fascist
d) All the above
DougJ
What do you expect? It’s John Harwood. He’s consistently good.
He and Ron Brownstein are the only two out of the whole group of them who make sense to me.
General Winfield Stuck
@DougJ:
Double yes to that. They have been my favorites for years. It was a little comical seeing Harwood try an fit in as an anchor a while back. He was gawdawful thank goodness.
steve s
Secession talk! woohoo!
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/limbaugh-guest-secession/
Ajay
He will be forced to apologize or will loose his job.
Delia
@Montysano (All Hail Marx & Lennon):
Yes. I’m waiting for the time Obama happens to glance at the sky on a cloudy day and remark, “Hmmm, looks like rain.” Wingers around the intertubes will screech that he’s praying to Allah to drench the nation in his islamosociofascism.
Tonal Crow
@steve s:
Tonal Crow
@Tonal Crow: Ugh! More WordPress fail!
Rosali
“Should we bomb Iran?”
Irony Abounds
This episode with Obama’s speech to kids may well mark the time that “The Last Best Hope of Earth” finally become “The Earth No Longer Has Any Hope.” Not because it is that major an event, but the fact that a wingnut meme so ludicrous, so devoid of content or truth, and so transparently stupid, has gained this much traction shows the collective IQ of this country has sunk below the level from which it can return to the minimum level required of any great nation.
Speaking of Lincoln (indirectly as it were), after spending a short time refreshing my recollection of his speeches and writings, I am just dumbstruck at how brilliant a person this country produced to lead the country, particularly in comparison to the absolute dredges we suffer through today. It is bad enough that the Republican Party has collectively, by and large, morphed into reality challenged idiots, but even Democrats suck. I honestly believe that Obama is a genuinely intelligent and decent man, but he is not one to take the load on his shoulders and carry it over the finish line. He needs people to provide support, and when you look at Reid, Pelosis, the Blue Dogs and the rest of the Democratic congressional nitwits, that support simply isn’t there. For whatever reason, we can no longer produce great leaders in this country.
oh really
Whenever this happens — a commentator or reporter speaks the simple truth — the MSM interviewer always acts like the commenter has done something extraordinary (showing no mercy?).
What’s extraordinary is how rare it is.
slip
@licensed to kill time:
AAHPER. Still have my award patch stowed away somewhere…
J. Michael Neal
Remember, he followed James Buchanan, who gives Bush II some real competition as the worst president ever.
It is easier to be a truly great president under some circumstances than others, just as it is easier to be an abysmal failure under the same circumstances. My guess is that we’ve had several presidents who could have been as great as Lincoln, but never had the chance. I would also guess that we have a number of politicians today who could be truly great, but we’ll never know.
slag
What I want to know is why John Harwood held back. I believe the correct term for these people is “stupid assholes”.
J. A. Baker
You may have to put a qualifier on that one, John. A lot of the people who would answer “yes” to that question would only answer “yes” if the POTUS in question had a “D” after his/her name.
Mike in NC
grumpy realist
Reminds me of my standard prediction about Saudi Arabia and what will happen after Peak Oil: they will turn back into a nation of date-gatherers and camel-herders because they have not spent the time developing any intellectual capital the country can use to support a first-world economy. (Plus the continuous indulgence in the belief that they can remove half of their population from being serious players in the economy and have no effect.) In short: no oil –> Saudi Arabia’s GNP collapses.
Ditto here–any culture which does not push science and engineering, intellectual development, productivity, hard work, and education will end up on the scrap heap of history–and I have absolutely no sympathy for it. The only economy a bunch of fundamentalist Bible-thumpers would be able to maintain is subsistence agriculture, because that is the only economy that their intellectual capital can sustain, in equilibrium. I hope Bachmann/Palin Overdrive and their cohorts of lunatics like grubbing in the dirt–because with their hatred of education that’s what they’re condemning their kids to down the road.
Leelee for Obama
@grumpy realist: They already remind me of the Children of the Corn, so why the fuck not?
HRA
“But, to be fair, didn’t the Obama people give the Republicans an opening by drafting a “lesson plan” that would ask students to write something about how they could help the President?”
Where is this lesson plan? Is it in the video? Actually, it would have been a far more better request to ask them to write how they could help their community, a neighbor, their school, etc. and it would have trumped that often request for an essay on How you spent your summer vacation. I can still remember the agony I went through trying to write the d@mn thing.
gwangung
“What your country can do for you” is socialistic and welfare queen like. “What you can do for your country” is socialistic and fascist.
Keith G
@Jonny Scrum-half
No, no. That’s silly. Lesson assignments usually include a activity that allows for the student to review and reflect on the “lesson”. In a civics or soc. stds. lesson, the task is often personalized by having the student create an action plan, or in this case write a letter to the Prez.
They were just following best practices. Its just that our little corner of the pea patch has gotten fucking silly. I really hope our country is not as screwed it seems.
trollhattan
That was sweet. “I’m not sure they’re smart enough to raise those kids…” heh, indeedy.
Now, if the preznit were planning on reading “My Pet Goat,” then they might have a point.
steve s
“September 4th, 2009 at 4:47 pm Reply to this comment
Violet
Another for the list, although it’s not a question: Just say the words, “President Barack Obama” and look for their body language. Sneers, shudders, eyerolls, etc. are clear giveaways.”
Yeah. You don’t even need to ask a question. Just say what Violet said, and then wait for what she says, or count the seconds until the word Marxist appears.
skippy
i’m thinking lately that instead of (or along w/) “stupid,” we’ve got to start labeling the repubbbs as drama queens.
where there might be cause for pause in some of the things that have started these faux ‘controversies,’ the gop drama queens have turned them all into some sort of apocalypitic disaster.
fercryininthesink, not every thought about sharing leads to communist gulags. it’s time to point out to the public at large that, unlike the gop, real adults know about “nuance” and “degrees of approach” to any problem.
hamletta
@HyperIon: Bite your tongue! Madame Novatini is not a bimbo! She used to be Keith O’s sole reporter and sidekick, and she did a great job.
And John Harwood rocks the world. The Wall Street Journal op-ed page may be a nexus of the wingularity, but their reporting is top-notch. A friend of mine once explained that your Captains of Industry need no-bullshit reporting, because if they’re looking to outsource your job to Bumfuckistan, they need to know if Bumfuckistan is experiencing political unrest that would interrupt the flow of dough-re-mi.
Tom Betz
@HRA — The revised lesson plan is here:
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/7-12.pdf
I never saw a copy of the original.
Tom Betz
@HRA — My mistake. Apparently, that one wasn’t revised.
This one was:
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/prek-6.pdf
Still looking for a copy of the original version.
Aisha 180
There is that fall back word again when a liberal cannot fathom the truth, or articulate a rational argument. Now we understand why Beck is kicking your collective tails, Such a shame, nice studio, great equipment, well dressed, and still nothing more than More Shameless Mimics.
Aisha 180
Now, how is it so many so well educated liberals resort to profanity and crude language to impress the world with their advanced educations? Every profane comment expressed here could be accurately aimed at either party. The truth of trust for me is, would you share a foxhole with a person, or buy a used auto. Sadly far too many within the beltway fail this test miserably. Our true enemies are those who we elect who fail to listen to the majority, and do as they please. If you choose to make this about race, age, or other equally inane reason then none of us deserve the rewards this nation has to offer.
HRA
Thanks, Tom Betz.
Mike P
@Mr Furious: Yep, cue “elitist leftist media!” chant.