Shitstorm

Tea Party vs. Two Party

mfinbh — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:10:29 -0500

The American two-party system is fracturing, as both sides are struggling with immense war debt, a crippled manufacturing base, and a Federal Reserve that is devaluating the currency in order to prop up financial institutions that gambled trillions and lost; their bets became our losses as they were “covered by the house”. Progressives have been decrying the centrist wishy-washiness of so many Democrats for years, and there was an outspoken expectation that once the Democrats were in power, new, more liberal parties could emerge to challenge the old-guard Democrats to veer left or be shown the door. The surprise is that the right beat them to it (and here's why that's fine...)

The Republican Party is imploding: many laughed as ½ term Gov. Sarah Palin walked away from her job in Alaska because she felt she could be more effective from outside government. Crazy? Foxy? Blithering idiot? None – and all – of the above; because La Palin has become the camera-ready face of the far right, and in the shallow world of contemporary media politics, that is about all it takes to grab attention (substance be damned).

Thus, the off-year special election in the 23rd congressional district of New York has given us a glimpse of the breakup of the Republican Party, as many of that party’s stalwarts have defected – following the Twittering Palin – to the Conservative Party, which has abandoned its longstanding tradition of simply endorsing the Republican, instead pushing a fairly conventional Republican out of the race. These conservatives mean business, and although they narrowly lost this race, don’t think for a minute that they won’t continue to pursue and fine-tune this method, forcing an ever purer version of the right’s hardcore ideology, previously reserved not for government, but for am talk radio.

Democrats should take no glee in the mess on the right, unless they play it right. It should be seen as a warning bell, because mainstream Democrats will be facing an enormous primary season push to the left in the coming month (with eleven months to go before the midterm elections). This week, MoveOn raised $2 million in pledges in one day to force the hand of the Democratic Party:

(from MoveOn solicitation letter 11/03/09)
"You tell us how much you'd give. Then, we make sure the media, Senate leadership, and conservative Democrats know just how many of us are willing to support a challenge against anyone who blocks reform. Hopefully, none of them actually do it, and health care gets an up-or-down vote.

But if the nightmare scenario happens, we'll encourage viable primary challengers to come forward, and if they do, make sure all of us who've pledged have a chance to support them. In other words, potential primary challengers will know there's a huge group of Americans who are ready to help. And conservative members of the Democratic Caucus will too."

This is an important move for the left, because there is an expressed intent to actively work within the Democratic Party, and that’s the key here. The effect of this effort won’t be the same in every district, and the Democratic Party could begin to rupture just as the Republicans have begun to do.

Where does it lead? Of course both sides would like to inject more ideological purity into their representation, but when there are four or six competing parties or factions, history has shown us that too often the worst hard-liners will win out.

Our currency is being devalued by a Federal Reserve using its power to prop up only the wealthiest investors (most of whom have moved their wealth out of this nation’s currency into high risk international trades), while millions more are going bankrupt and being put out of their homes and their jobs by the very institutions that were saved by the government (homes lost to foreclosure, jobs by the seized flow of credit that is killing small and mid-size companies). Many of the homeless and jobless now marching to the beat of Palin and her media tea party brigade find comfort in hate and scapegoating, worshiping a message of racial, ideological or even sexual purity.

We must heed history’s warnings. Millions of angry unemployed and displaced conservatives, given the direction of a charismatic leader (in today’s environment, probably from the media world), well-armed and hungry for power, can start a civil war. The contemporary American version would take the form of civil unrest and massive, coordinated riots, straining the resources of government authority.

There is activism and there is anarchy. Activism is the only civil approach. Let the Republicans fracture into two parties, but it is critical that liberals fix – and maintain – the Democratic Party, and thus retain a majority that can advance a progressive agenda. We must not allow a party schism to occur in the Democratic Party.

Please Join the conversation at http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/24771

Jake Tapper Tweets

Bob Fertik — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:08:04 -0400

10/1/09

4:00 [tapper] yeah, i didnt have the Grayson quote in front of me. Paraphrased it wrong. Apologies. But Gibbs knew what i was talking about. actual Grayson quote is that GOP health plan is "dont get sick...If you get sick America:...Die quickly." bad paraphrase by me

3:50 [fertik] why did @jaketapper recklessly misquote Grayson? "the Republican solution to healthcare is they want everybody to die?" http://bit.ly/21p66D

3:00 [tapper] Today's Qs for O's WH - Predator attacks, Grayson's charge, Senate Finance Cmte amendments > http://bit.ly/GyzuG

9/18/09

[he blocked me!]

1:16 @bobfertik no, Bob. im not asserting that the intell is wrong. i think given WMD it's a good lesson: how do we know theyre right?

1:05 @bobfertik i think given recent intell agencies' track records, it was an interesting question. no more, no less.

1:04 @bobfertik youre going to hurt yourself jumping to so many conclusions + twisting what ppl say.

12:52 @bobfertik thats the 1st time u asked, not 3rd. intell about Iran's missile capabilities, as referred to in the stories.

12:49 @bobfertik i never said i cited wrong intel. i cited a senator saying intell has been bad, how do we know that this intell is right?

9/16/09

9:20 .@jaketapper do you have any idea about the priorities of voters who elected Obama? do you care? or is your "beat" just 2 please ur boss?

8:49 D bobfertik i dont think of twitter as a place for rudeness or insults. if u want to have a civil conversation, let me know.

8:48 D bobfertik bob, the piece challenges the conventional DC wisdom, but u dont know that bc u didnt see it or read the blog

8:42 why must u bring STUPID to twitter? RT @jaketapper: does POTUS risk overexposure or is this concept an anachronism? http://bit.ly/1DLs

8:40 Our @GMA spot -- does the POTUS risk overexposure or is this concept an anachronism? > http://bit.ly/1DLs

9/11/09

16:11 @jaketapper isn't this more impt than drill? RT @charyl: Gens. Krulak & Hoar on 9/11 Go After Cheney on Torture http://bit.ly/68QeL

15:32 @bobfertik There are some who think, regardless of #mediafail, it was also wrong of Coast Guard to sked a drill so close to Pentagon today.. 15:44 no one said otherwise

15:42 @jaketapper You are breaking Media Law against doubting Sacred Military Commanders (Moveon v. Petraeus). USCG Cmdr ordered drill, not Obama

13:56 (@stevekrak) @bobfertik "Bloodthirsty rightwing attack"? Are you serious? CNN was wrong and retracted - the WH said nothing about the CG decision.

14:28 where is retraction? apology? firing?

13:49 (@bobfertik) Media scorns blogs for lacking editors. But when CNN races to spread LIE without editor demanding verification, Media blames Obama!

13:32 @bobfertik not so. [Gibbs] blamed the media for a panic based on false reports - and i asserted that the reports were in fact false

13:47 @jaketapper why did you give 2 long graphs (and final word) to Obamahaters to attack Coast Guard? Real story is who @ CNN didn't verify 1st?

13:22 @bobfertik As for "validating" -- i didnt cover him until he issued his apology

13:21 @bobfertik u and i have talked about "controversial" before. he prides himself on ruffling feathers. it's not pejorative.

13:28 @jaketapper it's outrageous 4 ABC to label someone "controversial" unless ABC has clear policy on who IS and who IS NOT. Is Bush? Cheney?

13:20 @bobfertik "demanding" response from Gibbs? at a press gaggle, long after i asked about the economy, i asked a q, as did several others.

13:10 @bobfertik Do me a favor, tho -- find me evidence that i ever called for anyone to be fired, or that I disagree

13:19 @jaketapper re: Van Jones, you validated Glenn Beck's smear by demanding response from Gibbs and calling VJ "controversial"
13:23 @jaketapper re: CoastGuard, your story is "Gibbs Plays Blame Game" and validated rightwing Obamahating MFU calling exercise "Irresponsible"

13:05 @bobfertik - and fyi, am deleting those tweets since they were incorrect

13:04 @bobfertik in my haste, i sent something incorrect to u and i want to get u that stuff

13:04 @bobfertik ??? thats just a bizarre thing to say -- where did i "pick a fight with Obama"...

12:30 @bobfertik ??? thats just a bizarre thing to say -- where did i "pick a fight with Obama"...

11:55 @bobfertik i'll say to u what i said to a conservative tweep this morning: dont put words in my mouth and then ask me to defend them

11:52 @bobfertik i will say it again: there is a HUGE diff btwn asking q's about 9/11 and suggesting Bush let it happen to justify a war for oil

9/6/09 Sunday

11:24 (@emptywheel) @jaketapper In any case, reporters recognizing the loss owe citizens a big exposure of Beck's attack on ColorOfChange.

9:48 I think the biggest problem for Jones was that he signed the 9/11 Truther petition. WH didnt know what to say about that.

00:01 Van Jones resigns

9/4/09 Friday

15:28 @bobfertik thats a fair point, i will update

15:18 @bobfertik Bob, Jones was "controversial" back in Oakland. With Dems, like Willie Brown + Gavin Newsom. he embraced it. not judging it.

15:01 the way the WH seems unprepared for q's about Van Jones reminds me of the way McCain camp was unprepared for q's about Palin.

14:25 (@crooksandliars) New at Video Cafe: Hannity Accuses Obama's Green Jobs CZAR Of Being A 9/11 Truther http://bit.ly/ODVgH

12:56 @bobfertik If you click on some of the links ive provided, youll see he's proudly caused controversy with SF Dems like Brown, Newsom

12:53 @bobfertik No, I call him "controversial" because he has connections to 9/11 Truther movement and he's been controversial in Calif. politics

9/3/09 Thursday

15:13 (@stopbeck) Un-fucking-believable: Fox News (not jst GBeck) suggests Van Jones should leave job. They're kidding, right?

Lipstickgate: Anatomy of a Rightwing Sh*tstorm

Bob Fertik — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:56:16 -0400

Update 1: ROTFL! A female McCain advisor used the joke as the title of her book!

Yesterday Barack Obama mocked John McCain's message of change:

"You know, you can put lipstick on a pig," Obama said, "but it's still a pig."

The McCain campaign pounced on that old joke to create a rightwing sh*tstorm, accusing Obama of a sexist attack on Sarah Palin. Huh???

How the hell did that non-sequitur get turned into a sh*tstorm? Glenn Greenwald maps it out.

1. Jake Tapper of ABC News pulls sh*t out of his ass (how the hell does he know what any one person is thinking, let alone any group of people???)

The crowd rose and applauded, some of them no doubt thinking he may have been alluding to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's ad lib during her vice presidential nomination acceptance speech last week, "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

2. Matt Drudge hypes the imagined insult:

3. Rightwing hosts (Sean Hannity) and bloggers foam at the mouth.

4. Rightwing bloggers make it the "most discussed story on the internet"

5. MSNBC puts it on its front page and Morning Joe spews his coffee over it:

Joe Scarborough helpfully explains to Chris Matthews why he repeats every Republican lie:

MATTHEWS: I want to ask you, what will we talk about two days from now?

SCARBOROUGH: Whatever the McCain campaign wants us to talk about, because the McCain campaign is assertive.

Which means you are passive and eat whatever sh*t Republicans feed you.

Rush Limbaugh Plays the Race Card

Bob Fertik — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:40:50 -0400

A few short weeks ago, Republicans manufactured a shitstorm (TM) over Barack Obama's joke about not looking like the guys on dollar bills. In angry tones, they accused him of "playing the race card" and the Corporate Media discussed nothing else for days.

So will the Corporate Media have a shitstorm over Rush Limbaugh's outrageous use of the "race card"?

I think this is a classic illustration here where affirmative action has reared its ugly head against them. It’s the reverse of it. They’ve, they’ve ended up nominating and placing at the top of their ticket somebody who’s not qualified, who has not earned it. […]

It’s perfect affirmative action. And because of all this guilt and the historic nature of things, nobody had the guts to say, well, wait a minute, do we really want to do this?

Update 1: Limbaugh played the race card for a second straight day:

It’s — you know, it’s just — it’s just we can’t hit the girl. I don’t care how far feminism’s saying, you can’t hit the girl, and you can’t — you can’t criticize the little black man-child. You just can’t do it, ’cause it’s just not right. It’s not fair. He’s such a victim.

Update 2: ThinkProgress says Limbaugh has played the race card before:

In March, he declared Obama had “disowned his white half” and “decided he’s got to go all in on the black side.” Last year, he called Obama “Barack the Magic Negro.”

Obama Pulls Ahead of McCain

Bob Fertik — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:06:18 -0400

Our likely nominee Barack Obama now leads John McCain by 2.7% in the RCP Average - an astonishing achievement given the month-long Corporate Media sh*tstorm over Rev. Wright.

This is fantastic news for Democrats because the endless primary has been fairly negative, although not nearly as negative as many pundits and bloggers have claimed.

Exit polls in NC and IN showed a lot of Clinton supporters are angry at Obama, and this is depressing Obama's polls. When Clinton eventually drops out and endorses Obama, that will give Obama's polls a significant boost - possibly adding 5% to his lead.

And then Obama will be able to raise and spend huge amounts of money to go after McCain, while McCain scrounges for pennies.

So if things go smoothly, Obama could pull ahead of McCain by 10% even before the conventions begin. And who do you think will give a better convention speech?

Republicans are already getting desperate. Yesterday they sent Mitt Romney onto CNN to attack Obama, as if anyone in America cares what Romney thinks.

Of course, over at War Criminal Central (the White House), they're reading these polls too. And as Obama's lead grows, the odds of an "October Surprise" attack on Iran grow in direct proportion.

If Democrats want to win in November, Congress should get this ugly issue out of the shadows by holding hearings now on Bush's secret plans to attack Iran.

Tell the FEC to Enforce McCain's Own Law

Bob Fertik — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:23:28 -0400

Imagine if Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama were breaking the law while campaigning - I guarantee there would be a shitstorm (TM) on cable news!

But John McCain is breaking campaign finance laws right now - the very law he wrote!

On Tuesday, Jane Hamsher of FireDogLake filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission and I was proud to sign it.

By his own admission, John McCain is breaking the law. His latest spending report has him $4 million over the limit he imposed on himself when he accepted public financing.

We're not about to let this stand, so on Tuesday we filed an FEC complaint against the McCain campaign (check out the video of delivery to the right). Now we're set for a second larger delivery, on behalf of the thousands of Americans who won't stand by while John McCain breaks the law.

You can sign it too!

Obama Should Convert to Judaism

Bob Fertik — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:04:02 -0400

Faux News is manufacturing a rightwing shitstorm (TM) over Barack Obama's pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., and Democratic "surrender monkeys" are running in terror. Here's TPM reader JB:

The Wright time bomb appears to be detonating, now that the horse race narrative has stalled and the media needs new material. The inadequacy of Obama's response is deeply discouraging. I was very excited about Obama, but I suddenly think Wright is going to deal a death blow to him on the "electibility" front. Michelle Obama's comments and now the man who lead him to Jesus is saying "God Damn America", and all BO can say is "I disagree"? He has to thow him under the bus and then back up over him again, but it does not appear that he will. Not clear it would even help that much, given the depth and length of their relationship. Sad to say, but it's best this happen now rather than in October. As distasteful as her tactics have been, I suddenly think we may be better off in November with Hillary. Wright is cancer.

Gimme a break - in that case McCain's friend John Hagee is a Humvee-penetrating EFP.

But here's a suggestion that would solve both Obama's "pastor" problem and his "Muslim" problem with one stone: he should convert to Judaism!

I know most of us would accept Obama into "the tribe" in a heartbeat.

Update 1: Here's Obama's statement on HuffPo:

I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev. Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It's a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.

Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.

The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.

I think that says everything that needs to be said.

How to Fight Shitstorms

Bob Fertik — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:01:06 -0400

Paul Rosenberg provides a handy summary of recent rightwing Shitstorms (TM).

The latest example is Pete Stark attacking the GOP for opposing SCHIP. Before that it was Moveon.org for criticizing His Holiness General Petraeus, using language his colleagues and troops had used for years. Back in 2006, there was Kerry flubbing a joke about Bush's inept leadership in sending troops to Iraq. (Bush, of course, never mis-speaks.) In 2005, Senator Durbin was attacked for comparing Guantanamo to Nazi or Soviet prison camps. And in 2004, there was Edwards daring to mention that Cheney's daughter was gay--which was appreciated--followed by Kerry mentioning it, which was attacked. And, of course, there was also Moveon.org letting someone's proposed ad comparing Bush to Hitler on their site. These are just a few of the examples that come readily to mind.

These Shitstorms (TM) occur every time a Democrat or progressive exposes the truth about Republicans, whether it's a personal truth (that Bush amuses himself over the debacle in Iraq) or a policy truth (that torture in American-run prisons can be compared to torture in other prisons).

So how do we fight a Shitstorm (TM)? This is what comes immediately to mind for me:

1. Get our Democratic "leaders" to shut up, because they immediately surrender.

2. Send out our best talkers to fire back, starting with Air America Radio hosts and moving on from there.

3. Beat the crap out of them on progressive blogs.

What do you suggest?

Update 1: Georgia10 writes eloquently about the misdirection strategy at the heart of rightwing Shitstorms (TM).

oh, what masters of deflection Republicans have become. A debate about whether to invade Iraq becomes a debate about whether Joe Wilson's undercover CIA wife hooked him up with a sweet junket overseas. A debate on stem cell research becomes a debate about whether Michael J. Fox exaggerates his symptoms. A debate about the right to privacy becomes a debate about whether Terri's blinks were voluntary. A debate on Iraq policy becomes a debate about how mean people are to General Petraeus. A debate about health care becomes a full-blown investigation into the lifestyles of 12 year old Graeme Frost and 2 year old Bethany Wilkerson. A debate about curbing global climate change becomes a debate about how many compact fluorescent light bulbs Al Gore has in his house. A debate about the shameful level of poverty in this country becomes a debate about how much money John Edwards spent on a haircut. A debate about who's qualified to be president becomes a debate about who does or does not wear a lapel pin. A debate about executive accountability becomes a debate about whether Representative Stark hurt Mr. Bush's feelings.
Knowing that they cannot emerge victoriously out of a battle of ideas, Republicans latch on to individuals instead. Public figures and private citizens alike are fair game as the right-wing noise machine turns its cacophony-creating media apparatus in non-discriminating fashion upon any individual, any prey that can serve to distract even for one minute from the utter vapidity of the Republican platform today.

georgia10 recommends Democrats just ignore Shitstorms (TM) and they will go away. Unfortunately that's not how the political media works - if a charge is not immediately and aggressively rebutted, it is treated as valid. After all that's why the Swiftboating of Kerry worked - because Bob Shrum told him not to fight back on the theory it would just go away if he ignored it. That's why Bob Shrum has lost every campaign he's ever run, and why no one would hire him again.

Bush DID Amuse Himself - and the Media! - over Iraq

Bob Fertik — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:52:22 -0400

Republicans are in manufacturing yet another Shitstorm (TM) over Pete Stark's remarks:

"You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement."

Republicans aren't talking about the money - unlimited funds to cause destruction in Iraq but none for our children here at home - but rather about the accusation that Bush is amused by the Iraq disaster.

But guess what - he is! This is Bush on March 24, 2004 - one year and five days after the invasion, when 589 American soldiers had been killed looking for the WMD's he cited as the main reason we had to invade Iraq.

So why was there no Shitstorm (TM) over this appalling "performance"? Because the audience was the very Corporate Media Elite (Radio and TV Correspondents) who create Shitstorms (TM)!

The only person in all of Washington who objected at the time was David Corn of The Nation. That can't be said of either Holy Joe Lieberman or Nanny Nancy Pelosi, both of whom were caught laughing with Bush.

So maybe Pete Stark didn't go far enough - are kids getting their heads blown off for the amusement not just of Bush, but also the entire Corporate Media and all of Congress too?

It's time for Washington to stop condemning those of us (including Pete Stark and Moveon) who have opposed this disastrous and murderous war from the beginning - and time for all of us to condemn Washington.

Moveon.TV

Bob Fertik — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 10:51:59 -0400

For entirely crazy reasons, the biggest news story of last week was Moveon.org's ad in the NY Times.

Was it the biggest news story because Moveon questioned a sacred General? Hardly. American generals have been questioned throughout American history, starting with Gen. George Washington's defeat at Brandywine Creek.

The only reason is because FOX News created a Shitstorm (TM) over the ad.

What is a Shitstorm (TM)? It's when FOX News takes a bullshit topic and turns it into a tornado by pumping it full of bullshit for a major chunk of each news cycle for day after day.

There have been innumerable Shitstorms since FOX went on the air. FOX actually has two going right now - the Moveon ad and the visit of Ahmedinejad to Columbia. If you tune in for any given hour you'll get at least 10 minutes of both.

As I said, the core of a Shitstorm is bullshit. It is always a direct or indirect attack on Democrats and liberals, taking some small "fact" and twisting it to suit their partisan purposes. The most infamous Shitstorms were Al Gore's "sigh" (like George Bush's debate bullshit didn't deserve it?), Howard Dean's "Scream" (which was just Dean yelling over a noisy crowd, distorted for TV by the mic) and John Kerry's "botched joke" (which was an joke against Bush, not the troops), but there have been countless others.

And FOX doesn't end its Shitstorms until its victim is crushed - just ask Gore, Dean and Kerry. (That's why Hillary was so good with Chris Wallace - her laugh made Wallace look like the fool that he is and crushed his attacks.)

So what is the solution to Fox's Shitstorms? We have to fight fire with fire.

Moveon.org must become Moveon.TV

How? I'm not one of those who blithely says Moveon can easily raise hundreds of millions and create its own TV network. First of all they can't, and secondly you can't build a successful business with capital alone - Air America Radio blew through $25 million with little to show for it, and that's just audio on low-wattage AM stations, which costs a whole lot less than TV.

So here's an alternative plan: start with a half hour evening broadcast on Al Gore's Current.tv, and gradually build from there.

Moveon.TV would start with a priceless asset - brand identity. Moveon has always represented idealistic progressive activism, but thanks to George Bush's attacks, Moveon now represents the overwhelming majority of Americans who oppose George Bush.

Moveon.TV would also have a built-in audience of 3 million people. And we're not just any 3 million people - we're the most influential people in America, the people who put Democrats in charge of Congress by beating Karl Rove, George Bush and the vast White House/Republican political machine.

The key to success is terrific energetic TV personalities like Taylor Marsh, Randi Rhodes, Sam Seder, Cliff Shecter, and Nancy Skinner. Give them producers, scriptwriters, editors, and guest bookers. Let them file reports on topics in each day's news and weave them together into a show that has passion, guts, conviction, and a focus on taking action.

Current.tv is already available on many cable networks. Progressives have nothing to watch between Keith Olberman and Jon Stewart, so pick a half-hour between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. and let it roll.

How could it fail?