Soledad O’Brien on Breitbart’s Bombshell: ‘Where’s the Bombshell?’

Stunned by the idiocy
Wingnuts • Views: 41,553
Video

In this CNN clip, breitbart.com editor Joel Pollak is grilled by Soledad O’Brien in a way I wish more journalists would follow. Instead of just nodding along as Pollak blatantly misrepresents the work of Harvard’s first black tenured law professor, Derrick Bell, O’Brien tells Pollak that he’s full of it, and keeps asking him, “What part of that was the bombshell? ‘Cause I don’t get it.” Beautiful.

It’s almost cute, in a highly dysfunctional way, to see Pollak doing his best to emulate the departed Andrew by turning it into an attack on Soledad O’Brien — and failing miserably.

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264 comments
1 Kragar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:18:06pm

I trust him completely when he says "Don't believe me."

2 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:18:30pm

Soledad is awesome and Joel Pollak is a tool.

3 Iwouldprefernotto  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:19:15pm

Love her.

Watched it twice.

4 Bulworth  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:22:10pm

I guess Soledad didn't get the memo about Always Be Polite and Accepting of Right Wing Guests Or Else They'll Call Us 'Liberal Media'.

6 Sionainn  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:26:31pm

I just read the Dumbest Man on the Internet's take on this interview with Soledad. It was good for a few laughs.

7 allegro  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:26:43pm

Bam! Sent that little shit off to blow his snotty little nose. Great job, Soledad!

8 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:27:15pm

Derrick Bell in 2010 on Racism in the Era of Obama

Youtube Video

Wow. What a radical.

Seriously? Radical?

9 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:28:35pm
10 Our Precious Bodily Fluids  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:28:45pm

LoL, who is this Pollak guy? He sounds like he skimmed the first 3 chapters of "Socratic Questioning for Dummies". And sadly, yes, 90% of American journalists would fall into that highschool-level trap immediately. I wish we had journalists who weren't primarily interested in becoming celebrities in their own right.

11 Michael McBacon  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:35:38pm

I said it was a bombshell because I wanted to scare you into watching!


-Zombie Breitbart

12 allegro  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:35:44pm

re: #8 Gus

Derrick Bell in 2010 on Racism in the Era of Obama

[Embedded content]Wow. What a radical.

Seriously? Radical?

Really. I must be a major radical too since I can find no disagreement with anything he said.

13 Charles Johnson  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:36:45pm

John Podhoretz tried a gotcha on me last night, by the way:

14 Charles Johnson  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:37:15pm
15 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:37:22pm

re: #6 Sionainn

I just read the Dumbest Man on the Internet's take on this interview with Soledad. It was good for a few laughs.

LOL Dim Hoft. Here's a Google cache link of his idiocy.

Gee, who could have seen this coming? The Democrat-media complex is circling the wagons to protect Barack Obama against the latest piece of evidence that shows the president literally embracing some crackpot racialist professor during his years at Harvard.

"Some crackpot racialist professor". Gotta love that Dim Hoft brainpower.

16 Sionainn  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:37:49pm

re: #13 Charles Johnson

John Podhoretz tried a gotcha on me last night, by the way:

[Embedded content]

Ooooh, burn!
/

17 Interesting Times  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:39:14pm
18 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:39:22pm

Critical race theory isn't about white supremacy. It is about how privilege is entrenched to the benefit of whites (though also to the general detriment, including theirs) in the legal system.

And this is true. It is. We can see that in everything from the sentencing guidelines of crack vs. cocaine to the arrest numbers for black drug users vs. white, given that the rate of usage in those populations is actually the same.

19 Charles Johnson  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:39:59pm

I could only find one book by Prof. Bell in my library -- the other one's around here somewhere. The one I have is And We Are Not Saved: The Elusive Quest for Racial Justice.

20 Interesting Times  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:40:23pm

[edit] the other tweet I wanted to link was deleted so won't show up :(

21 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:40:35pm

re: #14 Charles Johnson

This was my favorite:

Pious?

Did you not know he is a racialist!!1??

22 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:42:00pm

re: #17 Interesting Times

Obama knowing Derrick Bell wouldn't be a problem if, instead of being a black scholar and a black president, he were Rick Santorum having dinner with white nationalist, Peter Brimelow.

23 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:43:10pm
24 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:45:10pm

Blech. Time to cross out another actor from my list.

25 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:45:54pm

Critical Race Theory should properly be separated into two parts: the critique and the, well, theory of how to fix the problems.

As with many, many academic works, the critique, I feel, is much better than the proposed solution.

26 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:48:06pm

re: #25 Obdicut

Critical Race Theory should properly be separated into two parts: the critique and the, well, theory of how to fix the problems.

As with many, many academic works, the critique, I feel, is much better than the proposed solution.

Generally easy to find and point out the errors. Having a good and workable solution is the hard part.

27 Kragar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:48:47pm

re: #24 Gus

Blech. Time to cross out another actor from my list.

You can enjoy someone's talents while recognizing they're complete idiots in other respects.

28 Sionainn  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:49:05pm

re: #18 Obdicut

Critical race theory isn't about white supremacy. It is about how privilege is entrenched to the benefit of whites (though also to the general detriment, including theirs) in the legal system.

And this is true. It is. We can see that in everything from the sentencing guidelines of crack vs. cocaine to the arrest numbers for black drug users vs. white, given that the rate of usage in those populations is actually the same.

See, that's the problem with being educated. You learn all these anti-American things like history.

29 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:49:10pm

The B Team is left to keep that Breitbart empire going. Good luck with that.

At this rate, people aren't even going to remember Andrew Breitbart or anything he ever did in two years.

How much you want to bet they're going to forget to renew the domain names?

30 Sionainn  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:49:56pm

re: #29 makeitstop

The B Team is left to keep that Breitbart empire going. Good luck with that.

At this rate, people aren't even going to remember Andrew Breitbart or anything he ever did in two years.

How much you want to bet they're going to forget to renew the domain names?

Shhh, don't remind them.

31 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:51:23pm

Bombshell!

Derrick A. Bell Visited the White House Twice in 2010

[...]

Heritage could not independently confirm that the Derrick A. Bell listed is the same individual who spoke at the rally. The White House did not return a request for comment.

In the video, Obama tells the crowd to “Open your hearts and open your minds to the words of professor Derrick Bell.”

Those words tended to be quite controversial. Bell is widely credited with pioneering the field of Critical Race Theory, a radical school of legal thought that holds that the American legal and political systems are inherently racist.

Recognizing racism now qualifies as radical.

32 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:51:37pm

Joel Pollak's thesis:

Authors: Pollak, Joel Barry.
Title: Barrels and bowheads : transculturation and "alternative development" on Alaska's north slope / an essay presented by Joel Barry Pollak.

Transculturation is a term coined by Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz in 1940 to describe the phenomenon of merging and converging cultures.

Transculturation encompasses more than transition from one culture to another; it does not consist merely of acquiring another culture (acculturation) or of losing or uprooting a previous culture (deculturation). Rather, it merges these concepts and additionally carries the idea of the consequent creation of new cultural phenomena (neoculturation).[1] Ortiz also referred to the devastating impact of Spanish colonialism on Cuba's indigenous peoples as a "failed transculturation." Transculturation can often be the result of colonial conquest and subjugation, especially in a postcolonial era as native peoples struggle to regain their own sense of identity.

In simple terms, transculturation reflects the natural tendency of people (in general) to resolve conflicts over time, rather than exacerbating them. (In the modern context, both conflicts and resolutions are amplified by communication and transportation technology —the ancient tendency of cultures drifting or remaining apart has been replaced by stronger forces for bringing societies together.) Where transculturation impacts ethnicity and ethnic issues the term "ethnoconvergence" is sometimes used...

Transculturation and "alternative development"? Sounds kind of "radical" to me.

33 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:52:20pm

re: #26 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

Generally easy to find and point out the errors. Having a good and workable solution is the hard part.

I wouldn't say it's easy, no. Many of the great philosophical and legal writings have been critiques.

34 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:52:39pm

re: #31 wrenchwench

Recognizing racism now qualifies as radical.

*sigh*

These people really do live in their own alternate reality.

35 Daniel Ballard  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:52:45pm

re: #24 Gus

If I can put up with Sean Penn so I can see Tree Of Life you could go to a good Gary Sinise movie...

36 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:52:49pm

[Link: mediamatters.org...]

The problems with the story stack high. 1) The video has been online since 2008 and snippets of it were included in a PBS special on the '08 election; 2) David Remnick wrote specifically about Obama's speech about Bell in The Bridge and even noted on page 214 that "his speech concluded, he hugged [Bell] in front of a cheering crowd"; 3) The NY Times reported on Obama's praise for Bell at the rally in 2007; 4) Buzzfeed obtained the video and published it yesterday morning, squashing the Breitbart "scoop"; 5) Derrick Bell was a respected academic, an influential figure in the Civil Rights movement, and nowhere near the dangerous frothing radical the Breitbart team would have us believe; 6) Even if Bell were a dangerous radical, they present zero evidence whatsoever that Obama "believed deeply" in Bell's alleged radicalism; and 7) A hug? Seriously?

That's embarrassing enough, but remember: this is BIG Journalism. And when the journalism is this big, you have to go deeper.

...

Breitbart.com editor Joel Pollak went on CNN this morning to defend the story. It didn't go well. Pressed by Soledad O'Brien to explain what the "bombshell" is in the clip, Pollak said "the bombshell is the revelation of the relationship between Barack Obama and Derrick Bell" -- something we already knew.

37 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:54:04pm

re: #34 Lidane

*sigh*

These people really do live in their own alternate reality.

It's old, but it's new again:

You're the racist for saying I'm a racist!

38 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:54:23pm

Joel Pollak cited by "The Militant":

Kaktovik is the major settlement of the Iñupiat Eskimos, who live along the northern coastal plain. The Iñupiat were forced to rebuild the town in the 1950s after the U.S. government destroyed it to make room for a military installation. They fought attempts by the oil companies to set up another local government, the North Slope Borough, and lost. According to Joel Pollak, who wrote "Barrels and Bowheads," an article on the conflicts of native peoples around exploitation of oil resources in Alaska, the Iñupiat "leaders consistently ask that local people be given more power over controlling the pace and extent of development, but their demands are usually ignored by industry and government."

39 iossarian  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:54:45pm

America is perfect.

If you point out imperfections you are a liar and a traitor.

All hail Captain Whitebread, leader of our fair nation.

etc.

40 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:56:42pm

Frozen Out / As the battle over drilling for oil in the Arctic heats up, no one is talking about the rights of those who live there
March 11, 2001|Joel Pollak

Some environmental groups have embraced the Gwich'in in a crass manner, unscrupulously resurrecting old colonial images of the "Ônoble savage" in an attempt to woo the sympathies of a sentimental and largely uninformed public.

Industry propaganda, on the other hand, routinely exaggerates the benefits that oil development has brought to I-upiat communities, never mentioning any of the social problems that have come with development, and never acknowledging that many Inupiat remain wary of development and its impacts on their land and culture.

What is happening in the debate over the Arctic refuge is nothing new. Time and time again in our nation's history, Native Americans have been trampled in the rush to develop the natural resources of the West. In the name of the "national interest," their rights to their lands have been ignored, and their cultures denigrated. They have been isolated from the benefits of development while bearing many of the costs. In recent decades, with the rise of the environmental movement, conservation has also taken its toll, as Native Americans have had to fight to preserve their access to natural resources that they have used since time immemorial.

In the debate over the Arctic refuge, the "national interest" is once again being invoked to both justify development and protest against it, while the rights and interests of Native Americans in the area are being ignored. It is time that we Americans, indigenous and otherwise, stopped allowing this sinister theme in our history to repeat itself. The government and the media must work hard to include the I-upiat and the Gwich'in in any discussions and decisions about the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

An outcome that is suitable to these groups - which is likely to involve some measure of development, and some measure of protection - would probably be most suitable to us all, and would certainly be more socially just than any decision that excludes them.

Joel Pollak is a graduate of Harvard University and is currently a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar studying in South Africa. His undergraduate thesis on the conflicts of native peoples and oil development in Alaska, "Barrels and Bowheads," won Harvard's Thomas Temple Hoopes prize in 1999.

41 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:57:04pm

You reading this?

42 leftynyc  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:58:22pm

I know the freakers are bombarding CNN with calls to have Ms. O'Brien fired so I fired off my own email to her using the CNN website to tell her what a great job she did. For anyone who wishes to do the same:

[Link: www.cnn.com...]

43 DREd  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:58:39pm

Breitbart 2.0 is awful. He's got less charisma than Mitt Romney.

44 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:58:49pm

Looks to me like Joel Pollak could be considered a radical by the very same people he's working for today.

45 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:58:58pm

re: #31 wrenchwench

Bombshell!

Derrick A. Bell Visited the White House Twice in 2010

It's interesting to see the consequences of CSPAN, PBS, etc's new transcript searchable video archives and in this case the White House putting online & making easily searchable, their massive visitor logs. It's a new day for budding conspiracy theorists & smear-merchants.

46 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:58:58pm

re: #24 Gus

Blech. Time to cross out another actor from my list.

As is your right, but I tend to separate actors/musicians' work from their off-work personas and causes, unless it's really over-the-top. If I didn't, my entertainment pool would most likely be kiddie-sized.

47 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:59:18pm

re: #41 Gus

You reading this?

Doesn't sound like the same guy as the one in the video above. I'm not saying it isn't, but that he's on a different mission now, maybe...

48 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:59:26pm

re: #46 talon_262

As is your right, but I tend to separate actors/musicians' work from their off-work personas and causes, unless it's really over-the-top. If I didn't, my entertainment pool would most likely be kiddie-sized.

OK. I already moved on past that.

49 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 12:59:31pm

re: #44 Gus

Looks to me like Joel Pollak could be considered a radical by the very same people he's working for today.

That's unpossible! He's a white conservative. They can never be radical.

///

50 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:00:09pm

re: #44 Gus

Looks to me like Joel Pollak could be considered a radical by the very same people he's working for today.

What always gets me is how miserable these guys look. Is it because he's completely sold out what used to be his ideals? Or does he actually feel like he was propagandized by the left in college and has now shaken the shackles of education free?

51 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:00:10pm

re: #47 wrenchwench

Doesn't sound like the same guy as the one in the video above. I'm not saying it isn't, but that he's on a different mission now, maybe...

Oh it's the same Pollak. I started here where he links to his thesis:

[Link: www.pollakforcongress.com...]

52 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:00:52pm

re: #46 talon_262

As is your right, but I tend to separate actors/musicians' work from their off-work personas and causes, unless it's really over-the-top. If I didn't, my entertainment pool would most likely be kiddie-sized.

I don't object to Sinise's politics anywhere near as much as I object to the stilted dialogue written for 'CSI New York.'

53 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:02:07pm

re: #48 Gus

OK. I already moved on past that.

Excuse me for my late reply...I am at work.

54 Charles Johnson  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:03:02pm

I totally stand by the tweet that Prof. Bell dedicated his life to fighting racism. He did, it's a simple fact.

These low-class wingnut goons cannot take that away from him. He lived an honorable life.

55 lawhawk  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:04:13pm

re: #52 makeitstop

Much bigger issue with David Caruso, whose acting technique involves putting on and taking off his glasses in pensive look.

But having met Sofia Milos (CSI:Miami) and Melina Kanakaredes (CSI:NY) in person, I'd watch the reruns just for them.

56 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:05:46pm

re: #51 Gus

Oh it's the same Pollak. I started here where he links to his thesis:

[Link: www.pollakforcongress.com...]

He's an interesting person. Looks like a libertarian for the most part. Looks like a complete idiot in the video.

57 Kragar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:07:15pm

Obama Super-PAC: Maher’s Words ‘Vulgar And Inappropriate’

“First of all, obviously, some of those things were vulgar and inappropriate and said over the course of years of a comedian’s life,” Burton told MSNBC. “It’s not language I would use or language we would use at Priorities USA.”

Burton then went on to dismiss the suggestion that Maher’s past words about Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann were comparable to Rush Limbaugh’s attacks on Sandra Fluke.

“What the de facto leader of the Republican Party said to sexually degrade a woman who led in a political debate of our time is crazy,” Burton said. “There’s no similarity about what Rush Limbaugh said, lying about the argument that Miss Fluke was making, a law student at Georgetown, and what a comedian has said in the past.”

58 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:07:19pm

re: #55 lawhawk

Much bigger issue with David Caruso, whose acting technique involves putting on and taking off his glasses in pensive look.

But having met Sofia Milos (CSI:Miami) and Melina Kanakaredes (CSI:NY) in person, I'd watch the reruns just for them.

But, see, Caruso and his sunglasses are a highlight for me and my wife. The episode doesn't feel complete unless David does a scene with his shades. :)

59 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:07:50pm

re: #56 wrenchwench

He's an interesting person. Looks like a libertarian for the most part. Looks like a complete idiot in the video.

Transculturation!

Resistance Theory and the Transculturation Hypothesis as. Explanations of College .... Thus, the fate of racial minorities, educational and otherwise, is tied to the ...

60 PhillyPretzel  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:08:29pm

re: #51 Gus
re: #55 lawhawk
re: #56 wrenchwench

And some folks want to know why I like shows like Antiques Roadshow.

61 iossarian  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:08:37pm

re: #59 Gus

Transculturation!

Resistance Theory and the Transculturation Hypothesis as. Explanations of College ... Thus, the fate of racial minorities, educational and otherwise, is tied to the ...

That Joel Pollak sounds like a bit of a racialist to me.

OOGA BOOGA

62 lawhawk  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:08:40pm

re: #58 makeitstop

[Link: www.cracked.com...]

63 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:09:49pm

One Million Moms Drops Ellen Degeneres JC Penney Protest

Mission unaccomplished, conservative group One Million Moms is putting an end to its efforts to pressure JC Penney from dropping Ellen Degeneres as its spokesperson.

In early February, the organization issued a statement on its website castigating the department store for its association with Degeneres, writing, "Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families."

JC Penny issued a statement shortly after, standing behind Degeneres, and now, organization director Monica Cole told One News Now that they're moving on and taking solace in the positive feedback they claim to have received.

64 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:10:02pm

re: #62 lawhawk

[Link: www.cracked.com...]

Yep, that about covers it. We're done here.

(Puts on sunglasses, plays 'Won't Get Fooled Again')

65 lawhawk  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:10:15pm

re: #60 Georgia Tech Aunt

Have I got a story or two about the Keno Bros.

66 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:10:22pm

re: #54 Charles Johnson

I totally stand by the tweet that Prof. Bell dedicated his life to fighting racism. He did, it's a simple fact.

These low-class wingnut goons cannot take that away from him. He lived an honorable life.

QFT.

For some people, facts seem to be never so simple.

67 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:10:37pm

re: #61 iossarian

That Joel Pollak sounds like a bit of a racialist to me.

OOGA BOOGA

Joel Pollak was obviously interested in the topic. He's clearly a radical himself. ;)

In one general sense, transculturation covers war, ethnic conflict, racism, multiculturalism, cross-culturalism, interracial marriage, and any other of a number of contexts that deal with more than one culture. In the other general sense, transculturation is one aspect of global phenomena and human events.

The general processes of transculturation are extremely complex — steered by powerful forces at the macrosocial level, yet ultimately resolved at the interpersonal level. The driving force for conflict is simple proximity -- boundaries, once separating people (providing for a measure of isolation) become the issue of a conflict when societies encroach upon one another territorially. If a means to co-exist cannot be immediately found, then conflicts can be hostile, leading to a process by which contact between individuals leads to some resolution. Often, history shows us, the processes of co-existence begins with hostilities, and with the natural passing of polarist individuals, comes the passing of their polarist sentiments, and soon some resolution is achieved. Degrees of hostile conflict vary from outright genocidal conquest, to lukewarm infighting between differing political views within the same ethnic community.

These changes often represent differences between homeland pons, and their diasporic communities abroad. Nevertheless, obstacles to ethnoconvergence are not great. The primary issue; language, (hence, communication and education) can be overcome within a single generation - as is evident in the easy acclimation of children of foreign parents. English, for example, is spoken by more non-Anglo-American people than Anglo-Americans, making it the current lingua-franca, the worldwide de facto standard international language.

68 Kragar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:10:46pm

SC Dems: Porn And Sex 'Must Be A Big Enough Problem' In The GOP To Warrant A Pledge

Since it is apparent porn and sex must be a big enough problem in the Republican Party to warrant a written pledge to avoid them, I would be very cautious about getting into a small space like a bathroom or a voting booth with a Republican.

With this state facing huge economic, employment and educational issues the state Republican Party is following the lead of Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum and are more worried about what goes on in the bedroom than the classroom.

69 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:11:09pm

Ever since President Obama's election Ann Althouse's blogging has swerved heavily rightward, including a flirtation with Birtherism, but with her being a law professor, I was curious how she was reacting to #huggate:

[Link: althouse.blogspot.com...]

"Breitbart’s Obama Video Is a Total Dud."
Says Brett Smiley at New York Magazine.

I agree. In the video — which appears in long form at the link — Obama is a Harvard Law student introducing a highly respected Harvard Law professor, and he does an outstanding job, displaying the now-familiar charm, and even breaking the tension and getting a laugh from a crowd of protesters that had been displaying a grim, aggrieved demeanor. I am impressed by Obama's mildness and moderation in this video, and I remember very well the controversy that led to Professor Derrick Bell's protest in 1990. I was a visiting professor at Boston University Law School in the fall of 1990, and I used to attend a reading group called "FemCrits" that included BU, Harvard, and other female law professors in the area. I saw and heard plenty of the radical lawprofs of that era, and Barack Obama does not come across as their acolyte. He seems independently well-grounded and perhaps even aloof from the controversy. Obama had just been elected president of the Harvard Law Review, its first black president. That put him in a position where he may have been called upon to do the introduction, and he handles the task with diplomacy and aplomb. What I see in that video is a great and natural politician, not some hardcore radical.

Bolding is mine.

70 PhillyPretzel  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:11:22pm

re: #65 lawhawk
I am sure you do. :)

71 lawhawk  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:11:32pm

re: #68 Kragar

It's all about the wide stance...

72 allegro  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:12:19pm

When my older brother was a little bitty kid, I think in kindergarten still, he would come home from school complaining about another little boy that he just didn't like, a lot. My parents finally asked him what it was about that little boy that he didn't like. He thought and thought and finally answered: "He's facey looking." That term became a family Thing, a description for a person who was unlikable even though we couldn't put our fingers on exactly why.

That was my first thought seeing Pollack in this clip - he's facey looking.

Shallow, I know, but there it is.

73 blueraven  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:14:02pm

A little more in that 2008 PBS Frontline documentary

Barack Obama - Reaching Out to Both Sides


Youtube Video
74 iossarian  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:14:18pm

re: #72 allegro

He's no looker but I won't hold it against him. He has quite enough to warrant opposition on the ideological front.

75 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:14:49pm

re: #63 Lidane

One Million Moms Drops Ellen Degeneres JC Penney Protest

They must have gotten that strongly worded letter from Killgore about how bad organized boycotts are.
//

76 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:15:11pm

The creator of the theory of transcutluralism is Fernando Ortiz who wrote Cuban Counterpoint: Tobacco and Sugar.

First published in 1940 and long out of print, Fernando Ortiz’s classic work, Cuban Counterpoint is recognized as one of the most important books of Latin American and Caribbean intellectual history. Ortiz’s examination of the impact of sugar and tobacco on Cuban society is unquestionably the cornerstone of Cuban studies and a key source for work on Caribbean culture generally. Though written over fifty years ago, Ortiz’s study of the formation of a national culture in this region has significant implications for contemporary postcolonial studies.

Ortiz presents his understanding of Cuban history in two complementary sections written in contrasting styles: a playful allegorical tale narrated as a counterpoint between tobacco and sugar and a historical analysis of their development as the central agricultural products of the Cuban economy. Treating tobacco and sugar both as agricultural commodities and as social characters in a historical process, he examines changes in their roles as the result of transculturation. His work shows how transculturation, a critical category Ortiz developed to grasp the complex transformation of cultures brought together in the crucible of colonial and imperial histories, can be used to illuminate not only the history of Cuba, but, more generally, that of America as well.

77 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:16:04pm

Heh.

78 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:17:30pm

re: #76 Gus

So, this guy probably also knows that he's lying about critical race theory. I mean, really knows.

79 b_Snark  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:17:50pm

Pollack doesn't like Bell because they have competing social theories and Pollack has bought into the RW tactic of attacking the messenger instead of the substance.

80 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:18:31pm

re: #78 Obdicut

So, this guy probably also knows that he's lying about critical race theory. I mean, really knows.

This is in his campaign website:

Joel became a political speechwriter in 2002, and worked for Tony Leon, leader of the opposition in the South African parliament, whose party stresses individual liberties, free markets, and non-racialism. He also earned a master’s degree in Jewish Studies at the University of Cape Town, writing a thesis about the political roles played by Jews and other minorities in post-apartheid South Africa.

81 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:18:44pm

re: #78 Obdicut

So, this guy probably also knows that he's lying about critical race theory. I mean, really knows.

That's the impression I'm getting as well.

82 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:21:29pm

re: #80 Gus

This is in his campaign website:

Tony Leon:

In 1974 at the age of 18 he became an organiser for the Progressive Party, one of the two opposition parties represented in parliament at the time. After this, he qualified as an attorney at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was President of the Law Students' Council and Vice-President of the Students' Representative Council, and became a lecturer in the Law Department in 1986. He has accredited Harry Schwarz and Helen Suzman as his biggest inspirations.[1] In the same year he was elected to the Johannesburg City Council for Yeoville. When the results for the election were released, it was announced that the NP candidate Sam Bloomberg had won. However Harry Schwarz, his political mentor, uncovered that this was untrue, and Leon was declared the winner. He became leader of the opposition in the city council.

Progressive Party (South Africa)

The Progressive Party was a liberal party (deemed "leftist" in the peculiar terminology of the apartheid-era) in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For 13 years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman.[1] It was later renamed the Progressive Reform Party in 1975, and then Progressive Federal Party in 1977.

83 CuriousLurker  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:23:03pm

Being half white & half hispanic, I was thinking about all this "I want my country back" and the racism & birtherism stuff the other day, and now I have a new hypothesis.

I think there's a certain subset of Americans of European descent who have been uneasy with the reality of the racial & cultural demographics in America for some time. They know they can't put the genie back in the bottle, and although that bothered them, they were able to cope as long as the people holding the reins of power also of European descent...one of "them", not one of The Others™.

Enter Barack Obama. They didn't believe he could win. Hell, I didn't believe he could win—I didn't think America was ready for a black President. I mean, their people are still the majority, right? They wouldn't let one of "the others" become President. But it happened, and I think that subset was shocked & horrified, traumatized.

But why? Why did they suddenly feel that their world was ending? I used to think it was some kind of weird white guilt trip, like "Oh some of us treated them badly, now they're going to pay us back." But I don't think that's it. I think maybe it's more about ego, about the belief that Western European culture, and by extension American culture, is superior to all others.

If you look at most third world countries that have been colonized by Europeans, they're a mess. This is blamed on the natives, not on the dysfunctional nature of the colonization. So now those "ethnic" native types are Americans, and one of them is even the President. If those third world-ish non-Europeans can successfully run America what does that mean?

Well, to me, it means great—Americans running America—what a wonderful melting pot we have! But I suspect that to that angry subset it proves they're not special, not superior, not the only people capable of governing a democratic republic and wielding power justly. That kinda sucks if you've spent generations thinking your group is uniquely qualified to be the wellspring of American exceptionalism.

Yeah, I know—tl;dr—blah, blah, blah....

Getting back to work now, heh. ;)

84 allegro  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:23:20pm

re: #74 iossarian

He's no looker but I won't hold it against him. He has quite enough to warrant opposition on the ideological front.

It's not really about looks - someone traditionally attractive can be facey looking too. It's more about the attitude or "vibes" that are projected that give you the feeling that this is just not a person you want to be friends with.

85 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:24:11pm

re: #80 Gus

Weird. They were the anti-apartheid party.

Oh! Maybe Pollack is pissed that Bell doesn't give what he feels sufficient credit to whites who worked for civil rights, and he's pissed off at that.

The appropriate response would be an academic refutation of Bell, not calling him a radical and lying about his views.

86 philosophus invidius  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:24:31pm

The only damaging thing I can see in the video is that Obama can't stop putting his hands in and out of his pants.

87 jaunte  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:25:04pm
88 thatthatisis  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:26:08pm

I'd never heard of Prof. Bell, so I looked him up.
- 1957 - got his law degree (that in itself was amazing)
- 1957 - William Rogers, Assoc Att General for the US, recommended him for Justice Dept, where he was hired and was the first black professional (William Rogers was the Attorney General under Eisenhower and Sec of State under Nixon - obviously a well known radical himself)
- The Justice Dept asked him to resign from either the Justice Dept, or the NAACP. He resigned from the Justice Dept
- At the NAACP, he worked with Thurgood Marshall, later a Supreme court justice
- He sprearheaded the fight of James Meredith to enter the U of Mississippi as the first black student
- He taught at Harvard, Stanford and NYU (all top 5 law schools) and became Dean of the Oregon School of Law.

I don't know whether he's radical or not. But after reading his bio, I think he had a right to be any damn thing he wanted.

89 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:26:36pm

re: #86 philosophus invidius

The only damaging thing I can see in the video is that Obama can't stop putting his hands in and out of his pants.

He probably became electable when Michelle sewed his pockets shut.

/

90 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:26:54pm

South Africa is pretty much a perfect example of how an entrenched white power structure did not give minorities civil rights until they were really forced to or else face the destruction of civil society.

91 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:27:02pm

re: #85 Obdicut

Weird. They were the anti-apartheid party.

Oh! Maybe Pollack is pissed that Bell doesn't give what he feels sufficient credit to whites who worked for civil rights, and he's pissed off at that.

The appropriate response would be an academic refutation of Bell, not calling him a radical and lying about his views.

He might have the foundation to understand it. Although I wouldn't call him an expert. He's obviously attuned to transculturalism and other liberal studies. Unlike him, I wouldn't call this radical. Perhaps deep down inside he finds critical race theory appealing as you seem to hint. Sometimes activists hate the things they once were or still hold onto in private. Such as the closeted gay, anti-gay activist. Or Dave Horowitz who did a complete 180 degrees. You would think then that someone like Pollak would be more empathetic. Which is why I asked earlier, where were you in 1991?

92 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:27:31pm

re: #69 simoom

From her comments section:

Ann Althouse said...

"I thought it was a dud too, until I saw Prof. Ogletree say they hid this in 2008."

Oh, Ogletree is obviously being funny.

Get a grip, people. If something sounds off, think about whether it's a joke.

3/8/12 11:57 AM

---

Ann Althouse said...

"Thing is, even if there was something he said that was overtly radical and weird, well, it was in 1990, he was in law school, and just developing his chops."

Do you realize what student radicals sound like? They do not sound like that!

And his chops were damned well developed already.

This "secret radical" theory is lame.

3/8/12 11:59 AM

93 jaunte  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:28:16pm
94 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:28:31pm

re: #92 simoom

From her comments section:

Oh, Ogletree is obviously being funny.

Get a grip, people. If something sounds off, think about whether it's a joke.

3/8/12 11:57 AM

---

Do you realize what student radicals sound like? They do not sound like that!

And his chops were damned well developed already.

This "secret radical" theory is lame.

3/8/12 11:59 AM

Is that Althouse doing the responses?

95 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:29:39pm

Never mind. Didn't read that right.

96 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:29:47pm

re: #94 Gus

Is that Althouse doing the responses?

Yeah:
[Link: althouse.blogspot.com...]
[Link: althouse.blogspot.com...]

I get the feeling lately that she's starting to get fed up with many elements of the Right.

97 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:30:59pm

re: #96 simoom

Yeah:
[Link: althouse.blogspot.com...]
[Link: althouse.blogspot.com...]

I get the feeling lately that she's starting to get fed up with many elements of the Right.

Nice! Thank you Ms. Althouse!

98 Varek Raith  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:32:50pm

re: #92 simoom

From her comments section:

Oh, Ogletree is obviously being funny.

Get a grip, people. If something sounds off, think about whether it's a joke.

3/8/12 11:57 AM

---

Do you realize what student radicals sound like? They do not sound like that!

And his chops were damned well developed already.

This "secret radical" theory is lame.

3/8/12 11:59 AM

Dammit, I was hoping for a hidden camera video involving Obama, Hulk Hogan and nude wrestling.

Definitely a let down for me.

99 Altermite  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:36:18pm

re: #88 thatthatisis

I'd never heard of Prof. Bell, so I looked him up.
- 1957 - got his law degree (that in itself was amazing)
- 1957 - William Rogers, Assoc Att General for the US, recommended him for Justice Dept, where he was hired and was the first black professional (William Rogers was the Attorney General under Eisenhower and Sec of State under Nixon - obviously a well known radical himself)
- The Justice Dept asked him to resign from either the Justice Dept, or the NAACP. He resigned from the Justice Dept
- At the NAACP, he worked with Thurgood Marshall, later a Supreme court justice
- He sprearheaded the fight of James Meredith to enter the U of Mississippi as the first black student
- He taught at Harvard, Stanford and NYU (all top 5 law schools) and became Dean of the Oregon School of Law.

I don't know whether he's radical or not. But after reading his bio, I think he had a right to be any damn thing he wanted.

doesn't matter worth a damn, but nyu isn't a top 5 law school.

Its barely in the top 6 :p

100 dragonath  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:36:37pm

Ah gee, my paper runs this political cartoonist.

How can anyone see humor in ugly and malicious things? Hate isn't persuasive, it's revolting. No wonder American conservatism is a dying brand. Who would willingly embrace such a misanthrophic worldwiew?

Sometimes, it's worth reading old Pogo comics just to cut through the cynicism.

101 lawhawk  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:39:10pm

OT:
We've kicked around the notion of tipping for food service for a while (especially after that article and subsequent debunking about the so called 1%er giving a less than 1% tip on his bill). Well, Mario Batali settled a big class action lawsuit over tipping at his restaurants (some coowned/managed by Joe Bastianich) to the tune of $5.25 million. The waiters and other staffers alleged that their tips were confiscated - primarily in the form of a mandatory confiscation of 4-5% of the wine sales for the evening.

102 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:40:29pm

Complete article:

Frozen Out
As the battle over drilling for oil in the Arctic heats up, no one is talking about the rights of those who live there
Joel Pollak
Sunday, March 11, 2001

Excerpt:

Industry propaganda, on the other hand, routinely exaggerates the benefits that oil development has brought to I-upiat communities, never mentioning any of the social problems that have come with development, and never acknowledging that many Inupiat remain wary of development and its impacts on their land and culture.

103 jaunte  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:41:47pm

re: #101 lawhawk

Employees were told the money was to cover expenses related to wine research and to cover broken glassware, the judge added. He made no findings on the merits of the case.

Tremendous judicial restraint.

104 jaunte  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:42:22pm
105 wrenchwench  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:43:51pm

re: #104 jaunte

True. They're laughing too much to get any work done. RT @DLoesch: It's a bad day for progressive media.
— Danielle Blake (@DCPlod) March 8, 2012

That reminds me. I should get some more work done...

106 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:44:22pm

Darth Vader...playing bagpipes...in a kilt...on a unicycle.

107 Buck  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:44:45pm

re: #90 Obdicut

South Africa is pretty much a perfect example of how an entrenched white power structure did not give minorities civil rights until they were really forced to or else face the destruction of civil society.

In Apartheid South Africa the entrenched white power structure was the minority. The group lacking in civil rights were the majority.

108 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:45:35pm

[Link: colorlines.com...]

One, Breitbart and his cronies have proven with this stunt—actually, re-proven—that they are deliberate and systematic liars. There is nothing secret about the Harvard protest, Obama’s speech or the WGBH footage. There never has been. All of the utterly banal details of Obama’s utterly banal remarks have been readily available for two decades and were re-visited amid the first election. But like any professional liar, Breitbart knew none of those facts mattered. All that was important was that he scream bloody murder loud enough that someone pay attention to him. That someone, of course, is Fox News, which exists primarily to amplify deliberate lies promoted online by rightwing operatives.

Second, the right’s most professional hit men seem convinced—perhaps rightly—that there’s nothing so scary as a smart black man or a smart woman. With Obama’s remarks themselves proven noncontroversial, the attack has shifted to making Bell as scary as possible—in Shapiro’s words, he’s a “close associate of Jeremiah Wright.” This is a pattern with rightwing media’s anti-academic, anti-intellectual hits. The target always seems to fit a similar profile. Derrick Bell. Francis Fox-Piven. Shirley Sherrod. Heck, even Jeremiah Wright. And remember when Michelle Obama was supposed to be the modern Angela Davis? They seek not just to stir up trouble in contemporary partisan battles, but rather to undermine the credibility of a generation-old shift in the consensus over who’s ideas are valid. Racism is a negative feedback loop.

“Derrick Bell was an intellectual giant in the legal academy,” explains Dorian Warren, a Columbia University scholar and Colorlines.com board member. “Bell established an entire field and genre of legal scholarship examining the undeniably racial foundations of American democracy and law. His scholarship is now the mainstream of legal education—from property and employment discrimination to constitutional law—taught in the very best law schools around the country.”

That’s precisely the kind of outcome Breitbart spent his ugly, dishonest public career trying to undo. Sadly, his work goes on from the grave.

109 dragonfire1981  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:46:30pm

In today's news of the Rush: Limbaugh turns down sponsorship offer from Ashleymadison

But of course, he can't help but be misogynistic while doing so:

"We do not [accept] sponsor companies that help people cheat on their spouses," Limbaugh told listeners on Thursday. "We have not accepted [their offer]. We have never run ads from [them]. We never will."

Limbaugh lashed out at Alexandra Petri, a Washington Post columnist, who wrote that Limbaugh's show had picked up AshleyMadison.com, proving that the show "targets jerks."

"It is an out-and-out lie," Limbaugh said of the report. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

Limbaugh called it a "blatant example of what journalism has become," complete with Petri's "B-I-T-C-H-Y opinion."

You stay classy, Rush.

On another note, I'm surprised he turned them down seeing as how advertisers have been deserting him en masse lately.

110 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:47:05pm

re: #107 Buck

In Apartheid South Africa the entrenched white power structure was the minority. The group lacking in civil rights were the majority.

Good point. It actually shows Bell's thesis in even clearer colors.

111 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:47:39pm
112 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:49:28pm

re: #109 dragonfire1981

In today's news of the Rush: Limbaugh turns down sponsorship offer from Ashleymadison

But of course, he can't help but be misogynistic while doing so:

You stay classy, Rush.

On another note, I'm surprised he turned them down seeing as how advertisers have been deserting him en masse lately.

Thing not mentioned about Petri is that she's a satirist, which Rush claims as his "get out of jail free" card. So not only did he act like a sexist asshole yet again, but also his acted like an ignorant sexist asshole.

113 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:49:43pm
114 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:49:48pm

Holy shit...Soledad is PWNING this horse-jawed fucker.

115 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:51:23pm

re: #113 Lidane

116 BongCrodny  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:51:35pm
Joel Barry Pollak (born April 25, 1977) is an American politician and author. In 2010 he was the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress from Illinois's 9th congressional district,[1] unsuccessfully challenging incumbent Democrat Janice D. “Jan” Schakowsky and lost by a landslide with only 31% of the votes in his favor.

He convinced 4% of the not-insane voting population to vote for him. Bravo, Mr. Pollak, bravo.

117 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:51:47pm

Snob!

118 compound_Idaho  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:52:15pm

re: #101 lawhawk

I have never had to deal with tips as an employer or employee, but this always amazed me. If you do not tip, the IRS still requires employees that normally receive tips to pay tax on the tips they "should?" have received.

If the total tips reported by all employees are less than 8 percent of your gross receipts (unless a lower rate has been approved by the IRS), you must allocate the difference among the employees who received tips. The allocation may be based on each employee's share of gross receipts or share of total hours worked, or on a written agreement between you and your employees. Show the amount allocated in the box labeled, "Allocated Tips", of the employee's Form W-2. Do not withhold income, social security or Medicare taxes on allocated tips since these amounts have not been reported to you buy your employee.

So not only did you screw them out of a tip, they must pay tax on the tip they never received.

119 dragonfire1981  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:52:18pm

re: #102 Gus

Complete article:

Frozen Out
As the battle over drilling for oil in the Arctic heats up, no one is talking about the rights of those who live there
Joel Pollak
Sunday, March 11, 2001

Excerpt:

Industry propaganda, on the other hand, routinely exaggerates the benefits that oil development has brought to I-upiat communities, never mentioning any of the social problems that have come with development, and never acknowledging that many Inupiat remain wary of development and its impacts on their land and culture.

That makes me so angry and heartbroken.

My grandfather (the one who passed last November, I've mentioned him here before) spent his civilian life with the Canadian government as an Ambassador to the Inuit people (the native peoples of Northern Canada, very similar in culture to the Inupiat).

He taught me so much about their culture and history. They're a fascinating people with a wonderfully diverse way of life. I still have several pieces of Inuit art and carvings he gave me, they're fantastic. My grandmother has several more including a sculpture of an Inuit and a Walrus that is absolutely breathtaking.

It's probably difficult to understand, but it's VERY easy to not give a shit about a small group of people living in a desolate and remote region. It's also very wrong. These people deserve to have a say in what happens to them and their future generations.

It really tears at me to see the way native peoples are ostracized and mistreated. These people did NOTHING to deserve this.

120 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:54:36pm

re: #111 Lidane

Wow...the drop in numbers after March 1 (when Breitbart died) is pretty extreme...measuring in the 100s the last three days.

[Link: www.quantcast.com...]

121 Kragar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:55:37pm

re: #112 Targetpractice

Thing not mentioned about Petri is that she's a satirist, which Rush claims as his "get out of jail free" card. So not only did he act like a sexist asshole yet again, but also his acted like an ignorant sexist asshole.

Rush doesn't get satire.

122 BongCrodny  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:57:06pm

re: #100 Beware the Green Dragon!

Ah gee, my paper runs this political cartoonist.

How can anyone see humor in ugly and malicious things? Hate isn't persuasive, it's revolting. No wonder American conservatism is a dying brand. Who would willingly embrace such a misanthrophic worldwiew?

Sometimes, it's worth reading old Pogo comics just to cut through the cynicism.

I knew who you were talking about was before I clicked on the link.

I've seen a lot of conservative cartoonists and more than a few wingnut cartoonists, but this guy scrapes the bottom of the barrel every time.

I miss Jeff MacNelly.

123 Daniel Ballard  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:57:28pm

This is a shocker.

Pat Robertson wants marij. legalized. Too bad he is such a fringe figure outside of the choir.

124 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:57:49pm

re: #108 simoom

[Link: colorlines.com...]

But like any professional liar, Breitbart knew none of those facts mattered. All that was important was that he scream bloody murder loud enough that someone pay attention to him.

And this is precisely why the time of 'Big Media' is quickly coming to an end. Sure, Breitbart could yell loud enough and command the media attention.

Sending a nebbish like Pollak to CNN to try and do what Breitbart did with ease is part of the reason this 'blockbuster' is falling on its face. If Pollak is the best they've got, the House That Breitbart Built is gonna fall hard, and soon.

125 jaunte  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:58:37pm

America's Hugger-In-Chief: More Suspicious Presidential Squeezes

126 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 1:59:55pm

re: #125 jaunte

The next Obama action figure better have HugGrip Action(TM).

127 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:00:05pm

re: #120 darthstar

Wow...the drop in numbers after March 1 (when Breitbart died) is pretty extreme...measuring in the 100s the last three days.

[Link: www.quantcast.com...]

That would explain why they're trying to flog a video that's been on the PBS website for three years as some sort of national scandal.

128 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:00:15pm

re: #125 jaunte

America's Hugger-In-Chief: More Suspicious Presidential Squeezes

HUGGAPOCALYPSE! Oh, the HUGGANITY! HUGGATE!

129 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:00:24pm

re: #114 darthstar

Holy shit...Soledad is PWNING this horse-jawed fucker.

Who's the guy who joined in and asked Pollak what he was afraid of? That guy really knocked a hole in Pollak's position, too.

130 Charleston Chew  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:02:12pm

re: #125 jaunte

America's Hugger-In-Chief: More Suspicious Presidential Squeezes

President Bush also engaged in public displays of affection:

Image: bush-abdulah-holding-hands.jpg

131 jaunte  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:02:19pm

hahahahahaha

[Link: www.breitbart.com...]

132 Charles Johnson  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:03:15pm

re: #120 darthstar

Wow...the drop in numbers after March 1 (when Breitbart died) is pretty extreme...measuring in the 100s the last three days.

[Link: www.quantcast.com...]

That's directly measured too, unlike Alexa. Alexa's not that reliable, but when it shows something like this...

Image: ZZ4CD5E95B.jpg

133 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:04:20pm

re: #132 Charles Johnson

Time for any investors to loot the company and GTFO.

134 allegro  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:05:23pm

re: #125 jaunte

America's Hugger-In-Chief: More Suspicious Presidential Squeezes

Looking at those pics I get the same feeling as I always do when watching Obama and that is that I'm seeing a man who really likes and cares about people. His expression and body language always indicate that he is involved with who he's talking to and interested no matter who they are. He is especially adorable with little kids who he clearly enjoys.

This is the kind of man I want in charge of our military. One who isn't anxious to blow the shit outa people because he's well aware there are real lives at stake.

135 jaunte  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:05:36pm

Quantcast showing a -97% traffic drop: [Link: www.quantcast.com...]

136 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:08:59pm

Black robed tyrants!

137 Charleston Chew  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:09:53pm

re: #131 jaunte

hahahahahaha

[Link: www.breitbart.com...]

The headline should be "CNN's O'Brien Ambushes Joel Pollack By Being More Afro-Cuban Than Name Lead Us To Expect"

Or perhaps more simply, "BOMBSHELL: CNN's O'Brien Also Attended Harvard"

138 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:11:34pm

I see Alan Dershowitz is finally jumping the shark.

139 Kragar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:11:51pm

Santorum: Media Attacks Me Because I Have 'Deeply-Held Religious Beliefs'

Santorum spent most of his time asserting that East Coast liberal media elites "recoil" at anyone like him who not only talks about social issues and faith, but is willing to stand up for them and has "shown where my heart is." The media, Santorum says, seeks to portray him as someone who intends to impose his "deeply-held religious beliefs" on everyone else, when the reality is that it is "people who had my deeply-held religious beliefs who created the opportunity for freedom":

140 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:12:18pm

re: #131 jaunte

hahahahahaha

[Link: www.breitbart.com...]

Oh brother. I'm at a loss for words. What trash.

141 Four More Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:12:28pm

Waiting in line at the DMV.

Kill me now.

142 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:13:20pm

re: #141 Meh.

Waiting in line at the DMV.

Kill me now.

Most DMV stuff can be done online now. What state are you in?

143 Four More Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:14:06pm

re: #142 Learned Mother of Zion

Most DMV stuff can be done online now. What state are you in?

NY. Need to do the eye exam, too.

144 Charleston Chew  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:14:32pm

re: #140 Gus

Oh brother. I'm at a loss for words. What trash.

They seem to constantly be answering the question, "What if Eric Cartman had a website? What would that be like?"

145 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:15:07pm

re: #138 Gus

He already has, some time ago, by saying something like MediaMatters will cost Obama's reelection.

146 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:15:26pm

re: #139 Kragar

Santorum: Media Attacks Me Because I Have 'Deeply-Held Religious Beliefs'

No Ricky, we attack you because you're frakin' nuts.

147 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:15:29pm

re: #132 Charles Johnson

That's directly measured too, unlike Alexa. Alexa's not that reliable, but when it shows something like this...

Image: ZZ4CD5E95B.jpg

Ouch!

148 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:15:50pm

re: #144 Charleston Chew

They seem to constantly be answering the question, "What if Eric Cartman had a website? What would that be like?"

Eric Cartman would have a bunch of Asian web developers at his beck and call.

149 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:17:16pm

re: #131 jaunte

hahahahahaha

[Link: www.breitbart.com...]

She didn't disclose anything! She only Tweeted about his death to 132,060 followers!

Is this like keeping a video that's been freely available on the PBS website for three years a secret?

150 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:18:14pm

re: #145 Creeping Diversity

He already has, some time ago, by saying something like MediaMatters will cost Obama's reelection.

Saw that. Was never really a fan. Also noticed that he's "going after" Media Matter because they don't follow "The World According to Dershowitz."

151 Lidane  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:18:21pm

re: #144 Charleston Chew

They seem to constantly be answering the question, "What if Eric Cartman had a website? What would that be like?"

Except that Eric Cartman would be too busy ranting about hippies and about how much of an asshole Kyle is to notice anything else.

152 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:20:00pm

re: #151 Lidane

Except that Eric Cartman would be too busy ranting about hippies and about how much of an asshole Kyle is to notice anything else.

But Eric would make sure his team of Asian Web Developers had the site in tip top shape, OR ELSE they're all fired! And replaced with another team of Asian Web Developers.

153 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:20:08pm

Right. Soledad O'Brien is a Derrick Bell fan. That still doesn't change the fact that a) this whole "hug gate" thing is pathetic and b) Joel Pollak fell on his face in this interview.

Dumb keeps getting dumber.

154 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:20:37pm

re: #150 Gus

What did he do this time?

155 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:22:00pm

50!

156 Varek Raith  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:22:01pm

re: #141 Meh.

Waiting in line at the DMV.

Kill me now.

Ok.

157 Gus  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:23:04pm
158 allegro  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:23:16pm

re: #140 Gus

Oh brother. I'm at a loss for words. What trash.

From the comments:

By the way, the verbal racial attack by the guest toward Joel Pollack that occurred on CNN was the most vicious and openly bigoted comments I have ever seen on the air. The network needs to apologize for such sickeningly discriminatory comments.

LOLwut? Was he watching the same show we were? Verbal racial attack?

what a racist peice of shit. Gee what a crazy leftie slut, ****

Said with no sense of irony... or class.

159 Kragar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:24:00pm

Santorum Appears on Extremist Talk Show – Love Fest Ensues

160 Varek Raith  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:24:03pm

Senate rejects GOP measure to build oil pipeline

161 Four More Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:24:54pm

re: #156 Varek Raith

Ok.

Whatever you do, don't hug me.

162 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:25:04pm

That's right, I'm 47 years old, married with child and I posted it on my fb:

" It's time we began acknowledging that women need contraception because they like to fuck. "

Deal With it.

I dare you to do the same.

163 Charleston Chew  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:25:24pm

re: #151 Lidane

Except that Eric Cartman would be too busy ranting about hippies and about how much of an asshole Kyle is to notice anything else.

Here's a clip of Cartman from back in 2009 sounding a lot like Limbaugh did in recent days. Prescient.

South Park Video
164 PhillyPretzel  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:25:30pm

OT Two dead in Pittsburgh shooting. Posted page: [Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

165 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:26:04pm

This Is Rush's America, People. Don't Cherish It.

...and pretty soon you wind up with eighth-graders being outed as pregnant to entire school assemblies because they are bad examples to the rest of their classmates...

WTF?

166 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:26:14pm

Emperor Penguin Kitteh

or

Emperor Kitteh?

167 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:26:50pm

re: #163 Charleston Chew

Here's a clip of Cartman from back in 2009 sounding a lot like Limbaugh did in recent days. Prescient.

[Link: www.southparkstudios.com...]

In that episode Cartman was supposed to be spoofing Glenn Beck.

168 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:27:07pm

re: #160 Varek Raith

Senate rejects GOP measure to build oil pipeline

Yeah, I just got told earlier that Obama lobbied several of the fence-sitting Democrats to vote against it. The wingnut telling me this was tickled pink, because he's sure that it can be hung around the necks of those Democrats as gas prices go up.

169 Varek Raith  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:27:22pm

re: #166 ggt

Emperor Penguin Kitteh

or

Emperor Kitteh?

Lol.
The first.

170 simoom  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:27:49pm

[Link: thinkprogress.org...]

New York Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward (R-Albany):

Youtube Video

INTERVIEWER: Do you have a favorite in the presidential race?

SAYWARD: I do not have a favorite in the presidential race, if I had to vote today, I’d vote for Obama.

INTERVIEWER: Really?

SAYWARD: Absolutely… Because I really, truly think that the candidates that are out there today for the Republican side would take women back decades.

171 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:27:55pm

re: #91 Gus

He might have the foundation to understand it. Although I wouldn't call him an expert. He's obviously attuned to transculturalism and other liberal studies. Unlike him, I wouldn't call this radical. Perhaps deep down inside he finds critical race theory appealing as you seem to hint. Sometimes activists hate the things they once were or still hold onto in private. Such as the closeted gay, anti-gay activist. Or Dave Horowitz who did a complete 180 degrees. You would think then that someone like Pollak would be more empathetic. Which is why I asked earlier, where were you in 1991?

I was voting Republican in 1991 I think.

172 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:28:13pm

re: #146 Targetpractice

No Ricky, we attack you because you're frakin' nuts.

Bat-Shit Crazy!!!

Barking Maniac Whacko!

173 PhillyPretzel  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:28:20pm

re: #166 ggt
That is so cute. :)

174 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:28:55pm

Romney likes to have a "full tummy" when he goes to bed...full tummy? What the fuck? I know he's Mormon, but the fucker isn't six years old.

I admit that by the end of the day I am tired, and I mean I always eat something at the end of the day. My favorite is cold cereal, so I try to eat some cold cereal at the end of the day. And I've had a full tummy and a long day puts me right to bed.

He also calls the South an "away game"...yeah, it's tough beating the cross town rivals on their home field...oh, wait...we're all part of the same country you asshole.

175 Varek Raith  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:29:19pm

Image: kitten-pics13.jpg

176 euphgeek  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:29:43pm

So let me get this straight...Breitbart's "mini-mes" are running around trying to prove Obama is a dangerous radical just like people tried to do in 2008 with no effect? And they think that it will work this time? And they also think that they can re-characterize someone who's been in the public eye for the past four years and people will believe them?

177 Four More Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:30:39pm

So I see the Arizona Senate wants to allow docs to withhold information from pregnant women....

I think we've reached Peak Wingnut.

178 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:32:31pm

Your text to link...OMG!

It may be even more cuteness than even I can stand.

179 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:33:44pm

Who's advertising on Rush Limbaugh?

Wow, according to that article, it looks like nobody is advertising on his show. Nothing but freebie PSAs.

If Limbaugh says the Fluke issue isn't hurting him, he's talking out of his ass.

180 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:34:52pm

re: #176 euphgeek

So let me get this straight...Breitbart's "mini-mes" are running around trying to prove Obama is a dangerous radical just like people tried to do in 2008 with no effect? And they think that it will work this time? And they also think that they can re-characterize someone who's been in the public eye for the past four years and people will believe them?

And they've also managed to nuke the Big* sites (and their web traffic) in a botched redesign.

The mini-Breitbart have really screwed the pooch.

181 PhillyPretzel  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:35:07pm

re: #178 ggt
Cute yes. Kosher no. dang. Why do piglets have to look so dang cute?

182 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:35:50pm

re: #181 Georgia Tech Aunt

Cute yes. Kosher no. dang. Why do piglets have to look so dang cute?

I thought Kosher only applied to food --no?

You can still snuggle them.

183 PhillyPretzel  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:36:25pm

re: #182 ggt
True. I will admire the cute picture. :)

184 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:37:23pm

I'm really becoming unglued do to the (sex) issue we are facing right now. I cannot believe the people who have posted their support for Rush on my fb.

How can people be so freakin' ignorant?

185 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:38:05pm

re: #184 ggt

I'm really becoming unglued do to the (sex) issue we are facing right now. I cannot believe the people who have posted their support for Rush on my fb.

How can people be so freakin' ignorant?

Because they find it a comfortable mindset.

186 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:38:40pm

re: #179 makeitstop

Who's advertising on Rush Limbaugh?

Wow, according to that article, it looks like nobody is advertising on his show. Nothing but freebie PSAs.

If Limbaugh says the Fluke issue isn't hurting him, he's talking out of his ass.

I hear he turned down AshleyMadison - probably the most appropriate sponsor he could have, for nobody treats women like a consumable product like AshleyMadison.com.

187 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:39:00pm

What can I say, I'm overwhelmed with cuteness today.

Maybe it's positive Karma to keep me from imploding emotionally.

188 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:39:16pm

re: #186 darthstar

And they treat men as just money-fountains. So it's perfect.

189 Hawaii69  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:39:22pm

As I mentioned in another thread, Jim Hoft seems to be completely losing his shit. He has escalated his war against a commie, democrat, far leftist operative....in the guise of a college kid who made comments that Jim didn't like

I know he's a total hack, but the death of Breitbart seems to have sent him of the deeps end. He is now engaging in a parsonal war with a community college student who posted derogatory comments about Breitbarts death. He just grabbed the kids IP, and e-mail address, and outed him in a post that ranted about the kid misusing school computers. He encouraged his band of bizarre followers to bombard the school with complaints about internet misuse.

The kid has shut down most of his social media stuff at this point. Probably didn't occur to Jim that it wasn't worth totally screwing up some kids life, and maybe endangering him, to settle a flame war. Then again, it probably did. He seems to be vile & childish.

Seriously...you've gotta see it to believe it

[Link: www.thegatewaypundit.com...]

190 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:39:44pm

re: #184 ggt

I'm really becoming unglued do to the (sex) issue we are facing right now. I cannot believe the people who have posted their support for Rush on my fb.

How can people be so freakin' ignorant?

Just reply that Rush was talking about their daughters, and you're surprised they'd be okay with that.

191 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:40:10pm

re: #188 Obdicut

And they treat men as just money-fountains. So it's perfect.

I wish I was a money-fountain.

192 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:41:04pm

re: #187 ggt

Get me some Otterly Adorable pictures please. :)

193 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:41:28pm

re: #188 Obdicut

They do have a catchy slogan, though..."Ashley Madison - because it's your cock after all."

194 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:42:08pm

re: #186 darthstar

I hear he turned down AshleyMadison - probably the most appropriate sponsor he could have, for nobody treats women like a consumable product like AshleyMadison.com.

And AshleyMadison.com got what they wanted - free publicity. Since I'm pretty sure they expected to be rejected and that would be publicity in and of itself.

195 Hawaii69  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:44:09pm

Also interesting is that the Gateway "Pundit" is resorting to more and more ridiculous sources to find ways to ridicule Obama. He regualarly quotes Press TV....official Iranian Government "news" and Russia Times...which is about the same.

Recently, he quoted a bizarre story from a random Turkish news source that said "15,000 Iranian Troops March to Syria!".

Apparently, he didn't bother consulting a map to learn that you must cross Turkey or Iraq to "march" from Syria to Iran. I don't think such an attempt by iranian troops would turn out well for them...

196 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:44:15pm

re: #194 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

And AshleyMadison.com got what they wanted - free publicity. Since I'm pretty sure they expected to be rejected and that would be publicity in and of itself.

They advertise on Sirius' MSNBC channel all the time - and I assume the other news channels (CNN, Fox, etc.) that have advertising...along with GoldLine and other such models of democracy.

197 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:45:01pm

re: #179 makeitstop

Who's advertising on Rush Limbaugh?

Wow, according to that article, it looks like nobody is advertising on his show. Nothing but freebie PSAs.

If Limbaugh says the Fluke issue isn't hurting him, he's talking out of his ass.

He's pretty much burned all the bridges he can. He not only essentially called on his own listeners to boycott the businesses which have pulled their ads, he's also made it clear that any financial hardship on the part of local affiliates due to his ego are not his concern.

I really do wonder how much longer Clear Channel can allow this to go on.

198 Shvaughn  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:47:17pm

re: #197 Targetpractice

I really do wonder how much longer Clear Channel can allow this to go on.

At least until the election.

199 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:47:22pm

I think it's rather amazing that an apparantly large group of people have bought into Rush's Ego Trip. The man is a total narcissist and somehow it's ok because he's "an entertainer."

If a politician or academic were behaving this way, we would hear about all day and night.

200 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:48:57pm

re: #192 ProGunLiberal

Get me some Otterly Adorable pictures please. :)

otterbaby.

201 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:49:05pm

re: #199 ggt

I think it's rather amazing that an apparantly large group of people have bought into Rush's Ego Trip. The man is a total narcissist and somehow it's ok because he's "an entertainer."

If a politician or academic were behaving this way, we would hear about all day and night.

It's not okay because he's an entertainer. It's okay because he's attacking people who don't support the GOP.

202 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:49:18pm

Also, I found out more info about Mr. Ahmad Senussi, the man who is trying to pull Cyrenaica off of Libya:

Little power-hungry snot, isn't he? He actually tried to overthrow a family member to get power at one point. Thankfully, he is quite elderly, so we won't have to deal with his power-hungriness for much longer.

203 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:49:50pm

re: #200 ggt

Yay! It's SO CUTE!!!

I want one for a pet!

204 PhillyPretzel  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:50:43pm

re: #200 ggt
That is cute too but I prefer the cat on 2 paws.

205 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:52:25pm

Limbaugh's new sponsor: Dead Air.
[Link: mediamatters.org...]

206 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:53:11pm

re: #197 Targetpractice

He's pretty much burned all the bridges he can. He not only essentially called on his own listeners to boycott the businesses which have pulled their ads, he's also made it clear that any financial hardship on the part of local affiliates due to his ego are not his concern.

I really do wonder how much longer Clear Channel can allow this to go on.

He's trying to put up a brave face (I saw an article somewhere yesterday where he claimed that losing 50 advertisers was nothing because he has 18,000 advertisers - which is so far removed from reality I can't believe he said it), but if your flagship station is running minutes of dead air where there should be ads, you're in fucking trouble.

The Mays family might bankroll this charade for a while in hopes that some advertisers come back, but they're not going to subsidize this guy's show and honor that $400 million deal for long.

207 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:53:24pm

re: #203 ProGunLiberal

Yay! It's SO CUTE!!!

I want one for a pet!

Yes, they're really cute until they wake you at two in the morning trying to crack a mussel on your chest with a rock.

208 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:53:37pm

re: #205 darthstar

Limbaugh's new sponsor: Dead Air.
[Link: mediamatters.org...]

Sounds exciting. Is it a new game or a movie? /

209 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:54:00pm

re: #208 Creeping Diversity

Sounds exciting. Is it a new game or a movie? /

It's an improvement.

210 Charles Johnson  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:54:12pm

Wow, Alexa's 6-month graph for biggovernment.com is unreal:

Image: ZZ2F22580F.jpg

211 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:54:38pm

re: #207 darthstar

I'd actually sort of find that cute.

212 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:55:00pm

re: #211 ProGunLiberal

I'd actually sort of find that cute.

TMI!

213 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:55:06pm

re: #210 Charles Johnson

Wow. Taking the only successful thing he had and running it into the fucking ground. Way to go, guys.

214 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:55:16pm

re: #210 Charles Johnson

The reverse hockey stick!

"It's not real, it's not real, it's not real!"

215 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:55:33pm

re: #202 ProGunLiberal

I was hoping someone had a comment about this. Something tells me that this little attempt here will fail. Again.

I think calling him a power-hungry snot is justified.

216 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:55:51pm

re: #206 makeitstop

He's trying to put up a brave face (I saw an article somewhere yesterday where he claimed that losing 50 advertisers was nothing because he has 18,000 advertisers - which is so far removed from reality I can't believe he said it), but if your flagship station is running minutes of dead air where there should be ads, you're in fucking trouble.

The Mays family might bankroll this charade for a while in hopes that some advertisers come back, but they're not going to subsidize this guy's show and honor that $400 million deal for long.

My guess about the bold was that he was counting ads run by local affiliates as part of the show's total revenue, even if they're solely ads for local businesses and such. But that's ad revenue that can only keep those stations going for so long. If these ads stay gone for an extended length of time, those affiliates are gonna start to demand action, if not just drop his program altogether.

217 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:56:13pm

re: #210 Charles Johnson

[there was something stupid here]

218 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:56:56pm

re: #217 Creeping Diversity

Ah, OK, Alexa seems to be user-end program, so it's not about the server-end. Sorry.

219 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:57:14pm

re: #215 ProGunLiberal

Also, some people are saying that Sauds and Gulf States are supporting the little ingrates.

220 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:57:27pm

re: #216 Targetpractice

He loses advertisers like Romney loses voters.

221 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:57:42pm

re: #213 Obdicut

Wow. Taking the only successful thing he had and running it into the fucking ground. Way to go, guys.

Maybe they're making sure there's nothing for Shirley Sherrod's horde of lawyers on horseback to loot.

222 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:57:59pm

re: #210 Charles Johnson

Wow, Alexa's 6-month graph for biggovernment.com is unreal:

Image: ZZ2F22580F.jpg

Looks like the only thing that may exist in a few months will be "Big Empty."

/geek moment

223 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:58:11pm

re: #221 goddamnedfrank

She didn't sue the org, she sued two individuals.

224 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:59:00pm

re: #221 goddamnedfrank

Maybe they're making sure there's nothing for Shirley Sherrod's hoard of lawyers on horseback to loot.

They're making sure there's nothing for his widow or kids to liquidate, that much is true. You have to feel sorry for them, for they're screwed by association.

225 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:59:27pm

re: #223 Obdicut

She didn't sue the org, she sued two individuals.

And I'm sure she'll drop that suit now, too.

226 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 2:59:47pm

re: #216 Targetpractice

My guess about the bold was that he was counting ads run by local affiliates as part of the show's total revenue, even if they're solely ads for local businesses and such. But that's ad revenue that can only keep those stations going for so long. If these ads stay gone for an extended length of time, those affiliates are gonna start to demand action, if not just drop his program altogether.

But those ads - the ones run on affiliates for local businesses - don't even make it into Limbaugh's revenue stream. Those ads are sold by affiliate stations and they keep those revenues, while the 'national' ads run on local affiliates pay to Premier Radio Networks.

By referring to the number 18,000, the only thing I could think of was that it was the total of every ad run on every affiliate during a week's run of the show.

He's not making any money on fully half of those ads.

227 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:00:03pm

re: #224 darthstar

Was thinking the same thing, jokingly.

228 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:00:39pm

re: #225 darthstar

And I'm sure she'll drop that suit now, too.

Perhaps not, if only to win the case and get it into the public record that Andy was guilty of libel and defamation of character.

229 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:01:01pm

re: #227 Creeping Diversity

About Sherrod, that is.

230 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:01:59pm

re: #225 darthstar

I don't think so. The business partner is still around, and so is Brietbart's estate.

231 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:02:03pm

re: #228 Targetpractice

Perhaps not, if only to win the case and get it into the public record that Andy was guilty of libel and defamation of character.

He's dead. She can't continue to sue him. Most people will forget it...if there's a co-defendent she can continue to push forward, but I'll bet that guy settles to get his life back.

232 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:02:37pm

re: #231 darthstar

He's dead. She can't continue to sue him. Most people will forget it...if there's a co-defendent she can continue to push forward, but I'll bet that guy settles to get his life back.

Since the suit started before his death, it just falls on his estate. And she also sued his business partner.

233 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:02:45pm

re: #229 Creeping Diversity

About Sherrod, that is.

Sherrod isn't after money. She wanted vindication.

234 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:03:37pm

re: #231 darthstar

He's dead. She can't continue to sue him. Most people will forget it...if there's a co-defendent she can continue to push forward, but I'll bet that guy settles to get his life back.

Her lawsuit automatically attaches to his estate. She can and most likely will continue to sue him with his executor making decisions on his behalf.

235 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:03:46pm

re: #215 ProGunLiberal

I'm astounded someone could be so power-hungry. I mean, damn!! This guy has no loyalty, except to power itself. No loyalty to ideology, no loyalty to institutions, no loyalty to people. Just cares about himself having power.

He would fit right in with the Republican Party of today.

236 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:03:52pm

re: #216 Targetpractice

My guess about the bold was that he was counting ads run by local affiliates as part of the show's total revenue, even if they're solely ads for local businesses and such. But that's ad revenue that can only keep those stations going for so long. If these ads stay gone for an extended length of time, those affiliates are gonna start to demand action, if not just drop his program altogether.

The thing is, most of the stations that run Rush are ClearChannel corporate stations, not independents/competing radio chains; that may not sound like it'll hurt Rush that much, but Rush is a "halo" show for CC stations.

If advertisers are dropping and avoiding Rush like the plague, those local program and sales directors for those CC stations are going to be raising holy hell when this affects the rate cards for the rest of their schedule.

237 freetoken  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:04:44pm

Success is a strange mistress. Compare what happened to Breitbart's website with that of Davy Jones' legacy:

Monkees' Albums Sales Rise 1,265 Percent After Davy Jones' Death

Following the death of the Monkees' Davy Jones on Feb. 29, the pop group returns to the Billboard 200 albums chart for the first time since 2003. 


The Best of the Monkees re-enters at No. 20 with 17,000 (up 7,808 percent according to Nielsen SoundScan) while Flashback With the Monkees debuts at No. 125 with 5,000 (a gain of 252 percent). They were last seen on the Billboard 200 on June 21, 2003, when The Best of the Monkees wrapped a then-five week run.

Collectively, the group's albums sold 29,000 in the week ending March 4 -- a gain of 1,265 percent over the 2,000 copies sold the previous week. In terms of digital track sales, the act's best seller this week is "Daydream Believer," which shifts 39,000 (up 5,346 percent) and debuts at No. 49 on Digital Songs.

[...]

238 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:06:01pm

re: #222 Targetpractice

Looks like the only thing that may exist in a few months will be "Big Empty."

/geek moment

It's also a Stone Temple Pilots song, used in The Crow.

239 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:06:01pm

re: #234 goddamnedfrank

Her lawsuit automatically attaches to his estate. She can and most likely will continue to sue him with his executor making decisions on his behalf.

If the executor is smart, he'll offer a formal apology on behalf of the estate and everyone will move on.

240 Obdicut  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:06:31pm

re: #237 freetoken

To me, what happenes with Breitbart seems like some underling had this 'great idea' that he'd been prevented from implementing and Breitbart's death gave him the opportunity.

241 ProGunLiberal  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:06:55pm

re: #237 freetoken

That's because Mr. Jones produced things of quality that will last for a very long time.

Breitbart produced nothing of worth, and was worth nothing in the end.

242 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:07:21pm

re: #233 darthstar

Sherrod isn't after money. She wanted vindication.

True, but she might wish the discovery process to proceed. We'll see, I guess. If she decided to drop, I think we would have already heard about it.

243 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:07:34pm

re: #239 darthstar

If the executor is smart, he'll offer a formal apology on behalf of the estate and everyone will move on.

And Shirley may suggest that as part of the final verdict, but she's looking for vindication, something that only a guilty verdict could bring.

244 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:11:22pm

re: #239 darthstar

If the executor is smart, he'll offer a formal apology on behalf of the estate and everyone will move on.

It may be too late for that. If I were her I'd keep going until there's a judgment. Not because hurting his widow and family is a laudable goal in itself, but because it sends a message to anyone in the future who might be tempted to follow in his footsteps - that there's no escape, even in death from the wrath and consequences that result from this kind of malicious libel.

245 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:11:47pm

Well, I'm going immerse myself in audio fiction.

Currently, William Gibson's Neuromancer --THE beginning of Cyberpunk.

Orale!

246 engineer cat  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:12:00pm

‘Where’s the Bombshell?’

dint esplode

247 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:12:06pm

re: #236 talon_262

The thing is, most of the stations that run Rush are ClearChannel corporate stations, not independents/competing radio chains; that may not sound like it'll hurt Rush that much, but Rush is a "halo" show for CC stations.

If advertisers are dropping and avoiding Rush like the plague, those local program and sales directors for those CC stations are going to be raising holy hell when this affects the rate cards for the rest of their schedule.

I hadn't even thought of that. Most small-market CC stations run Limbaugh at peak or near-peak hours. If they start losing money because they can't sell their own ads at a premium, affiliates may start dropping the show.

Clear Channel has got a bigger problem here than anyone is letting on.

248 darthstar  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:12:12pm

penguin cam!

[Link: www.ustream.tv...]

249 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:12:33pm

re: #245 ggt

Well, I'm going immerse myself in audio fiction.

Currently, William Gibson's Neuromancer --THE beginning of Cyberpunk.

Orale!

Good (if confusing) read.

250 engineer cat  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:12:52pm

‘Where’s the Bombshell?’

soshalist et my homewurk

251 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:14:12pm

re: #247 makeitstop

I hadn't even thought of that. Most small-market CC stations run Limbaugh at peak or near-peak hours. If they start losing money because they can't sell their own ads at a premium, affiliates may start dropping the show.

Clear Channel has got a bigger problem here than anyone is letting on.

One that is being hushed up, if only to keep Rush from looking "weak" to his fans.

252 freetoken  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:15:22pm

Dr. Hansen's recent TED talk was put online this week. Seems to be generating lots of comments at TED because of the usual harumph-ers:

[Link: www.ted.com...]

253 engineer cat  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:16:40pm

i'd rather losre: #247 makeitstop

Clear Channel has got

i'd rather listen to everclear channels

254 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:18:55pm

re: #253 engineer cat

i'd rather los

i'd rather listen to everclear channels

Everclear: When even Propofol won't do...

///

255 Bubblehead II  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:23:26pm

MSNBC taking fire for having Tony Perkins on so much.

Why Does MSNBC Invite Hateful, Anti-Gay Spokespeople Who Tell Lies on TV to Represent Christians?

Cross posted to the Daily Kos.

Video of the add MSNBC refused to run.

Youtube Video
257 Ben G. Hazi  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:29:10pm

re: #247 makeitstop

I hadn't even thought of that. Most small-market CC stations run Limbaugh at peak or near-peak hours. If they start losing money because they can't sell their own ads at a premium, affiliates may start dropping the show.

Clear Channel has got a bigger problem here than anyone is letting on.

re: #251 Targetpractice

One that is being hushed up, if only to keep Rush from looking "weak" to his fans.

Hence the non-pology Rush issued over the weekend, made through a Premiere Radio press release and not just through the show's website, IIRC. The boys upstairs at Premiere/CC saw that the advertisers were starting to go weak in the knees, so they pressured Rush to put out something to stem the tide.

When that didn't work, you get the passive-aggressive temper tantrum Rush has been on since Monday, blaming everyone but himself for what's being happening, which is rich coming from Mr. Personal Responsibility.

258 makeitstop  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:29:19pm

re: #251 Targetpractice

One that is being hushed up, if only to keep Rush from looking "weak" to his fans.

No doubt.

He's treading a very fine line here. He's gotta front to his dumb-ass listeners, so he cooks up an exaggerated number of advertisers so they'll think losing 50 advertisers is no big deal.

But his national accounts have abandoned him, and he's gone so far as to tell his listeners to boycott the advertisers who have left - and that's not going to endear him when he inevitably goes begging to those advertisers to come back.

The longer he relies on his own bravado to make his listeners think he's still flush, the more money Clear Channel and its affiliates will lose.

I'm thinking the numbers guys at Premier and Clear Channel are freaking out right now as they watch their cash cow take a hacksaw blade to their financial jugular.

259 Targetpractice  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 3:34:29pm

re: #258 makeitstop

No doubt.

He's treading a very fine line here. He's gotta front to his dumb-ass listeners, so he cooks up an exaggerated number of advertisers so they'll think losing 50 advertisers is no big deal.

But his national accounts have abandoned him, and he's gone so far as to tell his listeners to boycott the advertisers who have left - and that's not going to endear him when he inevitably goes begging to those advertisers to come back.

The longer he relies on his own bravado to make his listeners think he's still flush, the more money Clear Channel and its affiliates will lose.

I'm thinking the numbers guys at Premier and Clear Channel are freaking out right now as they watch their cash cow take a hacksaw blade to their financial jugular.

Their cash cow's reliant on his listeners believing he's got anything to apologize for and were actually enraged that he went so far as to make his non-apology. If he makes a sincere plea for forgiveness from Fluke, even going as far as to take time away from the microphone, they might abandon him in droves, if not engage in their own campaign to see him pulled from the air in protest.

CC's gotta decide which is more important: the continued viability of their brand or Rush's ego.

260 Amory Blaine  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 4:25:11pm

Joel Pollack should be viciously attacked across all media at this point. Nip this shit in the bud.

261 Stephen T.  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 6:08:04pm

re: #35 Daniel Ballard

If I can put up with Sean Penn so I can see Tree Of Life you could go to a good Gary Sinise movie...

Are there any good Gary Sinise movies?

262 Stephen T.  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 6:46:34pm

re: #245 ggt

Well, I'm going immerse myself in audio fiction.

Currently, William Gibson's Neuromancer --THE beginning of Cyberpunk.

Orale!

I was just commenting to my wife the other day that the opening sentence of this great book will have no meaning to my seven-year-old daughter once she's old enough to read it.

"The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."

My seven-year-old has never seen a "dead channel". TV snow is a thing of the past. She will also never hear a dial-tone.

263 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Mar 8, 2012 9:03:05pm

re: #24 Gus

Blech. Time to cross out another actor from my list.

I read that as 'polka for Congress' at first, and was thinking, 'now, that sounds cheerful!'

264 spiderx  Fri, Mar 9, 2012 1:00:42am

this Pollak guy is a serious moron.


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