Democrats Don't Let Democrats Endorse FOX News

I actually watched 30 minutes of Hannity and Colmes tonight. It made me physically ill.

But even that was nothing compared to the bile spewing forth from the Hillary supporters and Obama-bashers on the internet.

We have an opportunity for real, progressive change, and supporters of a supposedly Democratic candidate, are legitimizing Fox News talking points.

Usually, people who behave in the manner that these posters are, are rightly ostracized and treated as "concern trolls." The number one sign of a concern troll? They're cribbing talking points - almost word for word - from FOX News.

But this is worse. People who used to be solid Democrats, who have now embraced the far right wing noise machine in order to spread their message of hate and fear against the likely nominee of our party.

It's become clear that many of Hillary's supporters at Daily Kos, and many more at MyDD, would rather destroy the Democratic Party and lose in November, than have Barack Obama as the nominee.

But when asked why, what the reason is, there is no reason.

The most common complaint from Hillary fanatics? Barack Obama would compromise. He would give in. He would let the Republicans win.

They are so committed to this fallacy, that they are letting the Republicans win!

Amplifying the very right wing noise machine constructed to defeat the Clintons to defame a good Democrat and a brilliant public servant.

In the last week, the Clinton campaign found themselves on the defensive when a surrogate made some racially insensitive comments. When she has to defend those comments, she goes on Bill O'Reilly's radio show. On MSNBC, who is it that's defending Geraldine Ferraro? Pat Buchanan.

Well, that should have been a giant clue.

But the last couple of days have been a window into just how far around the bend we've gone. A story that originated on FOX News found its way into every single Hillary diary posted here. Every talking point in those diaries, I heard during that half-hour I could stomach watching FOX News today.

I hope you're happy. You're in bed with the Right Wing Noise Machine now.

•  Tip Jar...

  No offense to Jane Fleming Kleeb, Scott's wife, who is the only sane person on that network. :)

  by ptmflbcs on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:03:26 PM PDT

•  Taylor Marsh and Jerome Armstrong

  are now extensions of the Republican National Committee and Fox News.

  The way they've demonized a congregation of 6000 progressive, Democratic people in Chicago is absolutely disgusting.

  They can go lick John McCain's boots when this primary season is over.

  by Geekesque on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:10:04 PM PDT

  •  Hey Geek... or anyone else who sees this

    comment.

    I have an idea.

    It might be crap and I won't be offended if people don't like it but I figured I'd get it out there.

    That "writers' strike" crap is coordinated from Clinton blogs apparently.

    They're shutting down the conversation because their ideas aren't getting heard, because their ideas are only attacks.

    An Obama supporter in the diaries suggested that we join in the strike, but I don't like the idea for the reasons I said here. Basically I think we Obama supporters, instead of shutting down, instead of writing mad diaries (with which I agree and have recommended tonight, but still) maybe we should spend one day, 24 hours, writing diaries praising Clinton on her accomplishments.

    Not snark, REAL diaries, positive ones.

    The idea is to show 'em how it's done. Since all they can write are attack diaries, or just shut up completely, we need to show them how to write positive candidate diaries. About THEIR candidate.

    What do you think?  

    by indiemcemopants on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:17:57 PM PDT

    •  I think you'd have a hard time...

      Convincing any of us to say a positive word about Hillary after the last two months.

      by ptmflbcs on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:20:49 PM PDT

      •  Oh I know.

        I mean something like, a diary about her time at wellesley and such.

        Nothing like an endorsement.

        We're better than the people who are denigrating the workers' movement!

        by indiemcemopants on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:23:04 PM PDT

      •  I would really like to know exactly

        who was responsible for releasing these Obama pastor tapes to the media. Of course the right doesn't mind taking credit for it, anything to destroy a "liberal". Somehow, I think we would have seen them or the likes of them sooner, just as soon as we saw the secret Muslim emails emerge, if it was the right. Why is there a nagging voice within me saying it is the Clinton campaign? The timing is very suspect, Geraldine Ferraro speaks out about Obama only being where he is because he is black, and then all the outrage, and then the tapes emerge. Also when trying to solve a crime, you always suspect the one who has the most to gain. Now who do you think has the most to gain here?
        Having said that, although these tapes sound very damaging, and they may very well be hate rhetoric, who will examine the full sermon, and find out what came before and after the inflammatory statements.
        I find this so unfair, and when I listen to the right wing rhetoric, I think what the hell can Barack Obama do. He tried to explain, they want an investigation to find out if he is telling the truth when he says he doesn't remember hearing many of these sermons. It is so ironic, for this they want an investigation, an investigation to see if some one's memory is accurate, but never calling for an investigation into going to war based on lies. Or an investigation to see if we actually torture people. They all even balked at an investigation to see what actually happened on September 11, 2001.
        When I see this and think long and hard about it, I am a white woman who has never heard one of Pastor Wright sermons, but I think, what kind of fucked up country do we live in, those who have the ear of American calling for investigations into a candidates memory, but not one call to investigate the most corrupt and incompetent Administration in the history of America.

        by Vera Lofaro on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:48:17 PM PDT

        •  now the media doesn't have to look for...

          Vicki Iseman, McCain's lobbyist ladyfriend, last seen just as that story was hitting the news.

          What's that? They weren't going to follow-up on that? They weren't interested?

          I, too, have that nagging suspicion, by the way.

          by Shahryar on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:02:09 PM PDT

          •  Maybe Spitzer's prostitute will give

            an interview & then they'll have something to report.  Or maybe another blond haired woman will disappear...

            by Fineena on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:06:53 PM PDT

            •  I will put my money on the Spitzer

              prostitute. Now that would pose a real dilemma for the right wing punditry and the Fox news network. What to do, get more shit on the ex Democratic governor, and you know how they like the sex angle, or try to destroy the probable Democratic nominee?  I say we raise $4000.00 buy her services and request her to give he interview, just to see them all squirm.

              by Vera Lofaro on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:14:25 PM PDT

    •  I'm content to let them go suck their thumbs

      over at Mydd.

      Plenty of time to praise Clinton once she's out of the race.  Right now she and her supporters are playing for blood.

      by Geekesque on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:30:50 PM PDT

      •  It's just... weird to me

        that they think this (alliteration, woo!) is actually a GOOD WAY to support their candidate, you know? Just, wow.

        Denigrate workers, make yourself out to be a victim (again) and then threaten to NOT spread vile stuff on Dailykos.

        I've really enjoyed some of the positive Clinton diaries here and have even recommended some.

        But wow.

        by indiemcemopants on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:33:59 PM PDT

        •  I have myself.

          I even recommended some of Alegre's. But I am going to start a project known as the Obama Evening News & Roundup; I might throw in a few things from Media Matters about unfair attacks against Clinton. The problem is that based on today, the media is not our friend. They will butter up Obama and then throw him under the bus.

          by Eternal Hope on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:42:55 PM PDT

    •  Oh, right, the "writers' strike"

      After the regular weekend lull is over and the usual suspects get back to their cubes on Monday, they'll all be back, and it'll just kick off again.  I wonder what they'll have to escalate it to then?  I'm guessing they'll start spamming huge images in every rec'd diary to illustrate that they're being "censored".

      The President is not my master. He is Chief among my servants.

      by DemCurious on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:46:50 PM PDT

      •  it won't last the evening

        as we can already see

        by Shahryar on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:02:54 PM PDT

•  Obama supporter here...

  ...saying "let it go, man."

  Sooner or later, we're going to have to try to come back together.  The more either side throws vitriol, the harder that'll be.

  Just like Obama, just stay above the fray.

  by raqsasim on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:11:24 PM PDT

  •  This ends when Clinton concedes.

    Until then, NO QUARTER for the racist, repuke scum like Taylor Marsh and Jerome Armstrong.

    by Geekesque on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:13:59 PM PDT

    •  it's Obama who will concede

      I think he will lose PA by 30 points after this disaster.  Wait and see --  

      by markusd on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:15:24 PM PDT

      •  Only if there are more racist idiots

        in PA than anyone imagined.

        by Geekesque on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:16:22 PM PDT

      •  Hello?

        Did you read a damn word of this diary?

        No, of course you didn't.

        Go back to watching O'Reilly.

        by ptmflbcs on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:16:29 PM PDT

      •  Newsflash:

        Obama has already whittled the lead from 19 down to about 13-17, depending on the polls. And he broke 50% in national polls, which means that PA could be the only state that Hillary wins. If even that.

        by Eternal Hope on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:39:23 PM PDT

  •  MLK, Gandi

    Other non violent leaders have promoted similar views.

    Some day we want to come toghether and perhaps most of us will and to that end we should work towards--not against.

    For myself I'm wearing as a badge of honor in knowing that we are on the right track which is why they must fight back with these words--it's all they have left.

    Geeze, look at what we've been through these years, being ccalled traitors, unpatriotic, ect, these all have been done because those who did them know we were right and we've proven it.

    Same thing is about to happen right now.

    Ghandi's saying:

    First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win!

    They're fighting us now, next we win!

    by Wary on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:19:28 PM PDT

•  They LOVE Hannity over at hillaryis44! n/t

  by Fishgrease on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:13:15 PM PDT

  •  Mydd too. It was hilarious that a FP'er

    at Mydd bashed Fox News, and the Hillbots over there all rose in unison to defend Fox News.

    by Geekesque on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:15:36 PM PDT

    •  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

      They're lost and cannot find their way! Mind you, it's a very small fraction of the people who voted for or might vote for Hillary in the primaries.

      by Fishgrease on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:18:30 PM PDT

    •  You've piqued my curiosity...

      A MyDD'er attacked FOX News? Must have been Jonathan or Todd, I assume.

      by ptmflbcs on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:19:23 PM PDT

      •  Todd. He then went off on them

        and asked what they were doing on a Democratic blog.

        Of course, it hasn't sunk in that no blog run by Jerome Armstrong will be a Democratic blog once Obama locks up the nomination.

        by Geekesque on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:28:56 PM PDT

•  Obama can't win

  Obama cannot win the Presidency.  His statements tonight that he did not know of Wright's views during the past 20 years of attending his church and having a close friendship are not even close to credible.  Only an idiot could possibly believe that.

  If we nominate him now, we will suffer an historic defeat.  Hopefully we are smarter than that.

  by markusd on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:14:25 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for your concern...

    Get out of here, now.

    by ptmflbcs on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:15:10 PM PDT

  •  Go lick Hannity's boots. eom

    by Geekesque on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:15:53 PM PDT

  •  He didn't say he didn't know "Wright's views"

    Stop spinning.

    He said he didn't hear THOSE statements.

    Prove that he did or leave him alone.

    by elender on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:17:01 PM PDT

  •  .

    

    by Eternal Hope on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:40:17 PM PDT

  •  Wright's views

    Look beyond the sound bites and video snippets. Familiarize yourself with liberation theology and the history of pulpit activism. Get some real information about the church Obama attends and the kind of real change it's brought to lives of people in Chicago.

    Wright has many views, and while I'm only speculating, my guess is that he and Obama have had many charged debates over the years, about the kinds of activism and rhetoric that will be most effective for bringing change.

    That being true, I don't doubt that Obama probably agreed with many of Wright's opinions, and certainly vehemently disagreed with others.

    It's from that kind of debate, from both the points of agreement and points of disagreement, that Barack Obama developed his own views, with his own message.

    And that's what the voters should be looking at and listening to, and weighing as they make their decisions, not Rev. Wright.

    But why am I talking to you? You're just another primary troll, making noise on the internets.

    by BobzCat on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:48:42 PM PDT

•  This is why Democrats don't win elections.

  Yes, this is serious but we've been hysterical over every little thing that comes up.  Whatever is the scandal du jour, it's the "end" of Obama.  Everybody wrings their hands & offers up their advice, criticizes the campaign for not responding soon enough or too soon or not saying the right thing.  No candidate is perfect & they will never do or say everything we ideally want.

  But this time it's worse.  I'm no fan of Hillary but I'd like to think if she was getting slimed by Fox News & all, I'd jump to her defense.  I still remember who is the real adversary & it's the Republicans.  I've made my share of digs at Hillary but nothing close to the behavior of some Clinton supporters here & elsewhere.

  What has happened to you?  Have you forgotten that we're all Democrats & we have common goals.  Has it slipped your mind that the people going after Obama now are the same ones that smeared Kerry & the Clintons before?  Remember the bandaids with the purple hearts at the Republican Convention in 2004?

  Obviously you have forgotten.  It's sad.  Is this the new face of the Democratic party?  I hope not.

  by Fineena on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:38:24 PM PDT

•  It is sad that all our news media

  have played the same video clips over and over all week, first Spitzer, then Ferraro, now Wright. It's not just FOX News, CNN and MSNBC are just as bad. Meanwhile, nothing is said about Afghanistan or Iraq. The fact that "Betrayus" stated the surge is not working got NO coverage or that the Chinese are suppressing the peaceful people of Tibet again, or 2 minutes about Fallon quitting which should scare us all because he was the only person standing between Cheney and war with Iran....my god, what is happening to our government, our country?

  by moose67 on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:46:01 PM PDT

•  I just laugh when I watch it

  As Obama says can't take it too seriously

  by SensibleDemocrat on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:51:18 PM PDT

•  Obama supporter here...but would you please

  clarify this statement:

  The most common complaint from Hillary fanatics? Barack Obama would compromise. He would give in. He would let the Republicans win.

  What did you mean by "compromise" and "give in?"  Compromise about what?  Give in to what?  and in what way would he "let the Republicans win" ... unless you mean that he would simply lose even after giving it his very all?

  I will say, I'm troubled by the level of hostility on both sides here at DK, but especially on the part of Hillary's supporters.  I recognize that level of anger ... I've known it myself in the past, and it usually comes from a sense of powerlessness to control, or even  affect, something that's important to me.  It's not pretty, because you know there's no good way out of that place, that peace will cause you to give up a "piece" of yourself.

  This is probably going to sound like an accusation of racism, and I don't mean it that way, but...

  Is it possible that some of these middle-aged white women (and I'm one of those myself) are just unexpectedly confounded by the thought that they might have to go back and get in line behind the black man?  

  See, that does sound like I'm accusing them of racism, and I'm not...but we all live with some sense of our place in society, not so much a place we've earned or deserve, but just based on the experiences we've had.  If a lot of these supporters are from areas of the country where they have had less experience with successful African American men, they might find themselves feeling disoriented by Obama's success.

  Just trying to find a reason for the out-of-control "discourse" of the past week or two...it's pretty painful to watch.

  by gfre on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:01:50 PM PDT