“Watching Laurence O’Donnell right now is like watching an East German newscast just as the Wall was falling.”
Unfortunately, there will still be a lot of rubble to clean up in 2012.
Category Archives: Media Criticism
Neither Can I
This morning, I heard Bill Handel on KFI say that the Arizona law, despite the fact that he liked it, was going to be struck down because it clearly preempts federal law, which has sole jurisdiction over immigration. I will note, for the record, that Bill Handel is often an idiot on the law, at least when it comes to Constitutional issues like this (he may be very good on the real-estate and litigation stuff, what would I know?).
Well, the Judge who is deciding the case can’t understand this argument. And I don’t think it’s because he’s stupid. As the second commenter notes (and far be it from me to sound cynical), we have to take seriously the possibility that the lawsuit was brought for purely political purposes, despite the fact that they have absolutely no legal case. Not to mention the fact that they completely ignore “sanctuary cities,” which do in fact preempt, and even interfere with, federal law, instead picking on a state that is simply helping them enforce it.
Great Moments In Civility
We can have animus and not be enemies, unless it’s guaranteed to trigger an applause break from an adoring studio audience. We should all try to get along and respect each other, unless you just don’t like the other person. Be nice, unless you think being a jerk will get a laugh.
And if you’ve got a problem with that? Well, I think you know the answer to that one:
Go have a nice day for yourself.
Can someone explain to me, again, why we are to look, as a shining beacon for “sanity” (let alone as a “news” source), to someone whose stock in trade is acerbic and historically ignorant cynicism and satire?
[Update a few minutes later]
“Rally To Restore Authority.” What John Stewart really stands for.
Preemption
Ira Stoll has your post-election spin from the Dems, so you don’t have to wait.
Weird Campaign Sign
We were driving through San Anselmo this morning on our way back to LA from Stinson Beach, and I saw a sign that said:
Behar
Water Board
I have to confess that my immediate thought was “Waterboard Joy Behar? Someone after my own heart.” But after seeing several more of them, and realizing that this was the heart of Marin County (where she’s probably a heroine), I finally figured out that someone (else) named Behar was running for the board that oversees local water issues.
It’s Not Just NPR
It’s time to defund the National Endowment for the Humanities. They have a right to debauch history and denigrate our country, and even poison the minds of our youth, but they have no right to taxpayer dollars with which to do so.
Obama’s “Philosophical” Pragmatism
Are Stewart And Colbert Pro-Islamofascist?
…or just ignorant/stupid?
Based on their previous behavior, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Why yes, I’m not as impressed with their supposed intelligence and hipness as I’m supposed to be. Why do you ask?
It’s really a shame, too. I liked Cat Stephens in my youth, before he became a murderous misogynist nutcase. Or at least, I liked his music.
[Update a few minutes later]
Just how much sanity was on the Mall yesterday? A crowd estimate.
[Update a while later]
Here’s sample of the sanity on offer. Note the abundance of leftist projection (e.g. fear mongers, tools of corporations). And this is classic:
“[Barack Obama’s] made some progress, but the dude’s got to dig out of a big hole,” said an Obama voter from Maryland. “We need him to do what he asked us to make him do what he said he was going to do in the campaign.”
Got it.
Dude.
The Failure Of A Thesis
I like this comment in Ron Radosh’s take-down of John Judis:
It would appear that while the American people want a new government, the Democrats would like a new people. Let’s see how that works out.
As another commenter points out, we know how that worked out for leftists in the past, in Germany and Russia. Not to mention Cambodia.
More “Rally To Restore Smugness” Coverage
Jonah Goldberg’s Twitter feed is pretty funny. I like Nick Gillespie’s comment that it’s like a stage show at a water park. I’ll be curious to see how much of a mess they leave. They may be media savvy enough to clean up, though, given recent experience. This sounds about right, too:
Criticize the political content & you’re reminded it was a comedy show. Point out it wasn’t funny & you don’t have a sense of humor. Repeat.
I might have watched, but I think that space settlement is more important. Besides, the Spartan game took up all my multi-tasking capability. And I was at a secure undisclosed (well, unless you went to the SSI web site) location at NASA Ames Research Center, nowhere near a teevee.