This is How You Do It (Updated)
Well, well, well, it’s only Monday and yet the faxes have already gone out from Karl Rove’s home office telling all the Right Wing character assassins what their talking points for the week are. TBogg sums it up nicely:
Shorter Bill Kristol:
Barack Obama’s failure to wear sufficient flair should disqualify him from moving into an upper management position.
Yes, this week the Usual Suspects are squalling and wetting themselves over the fact that Obama refuses to ascribe to the skin-deep jingoism of wearing an American flag lapel-pin, modeled here in all its unintentionally ironic glory by Idaho senator Larry Craig on the day of his arrest:
They’ve got some trumped up nonsense about how Obama refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance and so forth and so on. Glenn Greenwald tracks the poison from the site of infection to its spread through the entirety of the body politic:
By far, the most significant pattern in how our political discourse is shaped is that the right-wing noise machine generates scurrilous, petty, personality-based innuendo about Democratic candidates, and the establishment press then mindlessly repeats it and mainstreams it. Thus, nothing was more predictable than watching the “Obamas-are-unpatriotic-subversives” slur travel in the blink of an eye from the Jack Kingstons, Fox News adolescent McCarthyites, and Bill Kristols of the world to AP, MSNBC, and CNN. That’s just how the right-wing/media nexus works.
All depressingly familiar and predictable, yes?
Well, rather than do what just about every loser Democrat in my lifetime has done, from Mondale to Dukakis to John Kerry, and knuckle under and immediately begin frantically sanding away whatever controversial edges of his persona might have drawn fire from the perpetually apoplectic male and female harpies of the Right, by god, Senator Obama has actually stood his ground…and fired back?!
Far more notable is Barack Obama’s response to these depressingly familiar attacks. In response, he’s not scurrying around slapping flags all over himself or belting out the National Anthem, nor is he apologizing for not wearing lapels, nor is he defensively trying to prove that — just like his Republican accusers — he, too, is a patriot, honestly. He’s not on the defensive at all. Instead, he’s swatting away these slurs with the dismissive contempt they deserve, and then eagerly and aggressively engaging the debate on offense because he’s confident, rather than insecure, about his position:
About not wearing an American flag lapel pin, Obama said Republicans have no lock on patriotism. “A party that presided over a war in which our troops did not get the body armor they needed, or were sending troops over who were untrained because of poor planning, or are not fulfilling the veterans’ benefits that these troops need when they come home, or are undermining our Constitution with warrantless wiretaps that are unnecessary?
“That is a debate I am very happy to have. We’ll see what the American people think is the true definition of patriotism.”
In other words, “Bring it, bitches.”
Perhaps (in part) because he wasn’t in Washington in 2002, Obama’s response here is the opposite of all of that. He’s not the slightest bit defensive. To the contrary, he went out of his way to raise numerous examples of why it is the flag-waving Republicans whose “patriotism” ought to be in doubt, if anyone’s should be. Without having to do so, Obama even went and raised the issue which Republicans currently think is their big, bad weapon — warrantless spying on Americans — and used it against them, to argue that spying on Americans is a profound violation of core American political principles, a far more substantive test of “patriotism” than what pretty accessories one wears with one’s clothes.
Yeah!! Hit em once for me, Barack! Thank fucking god someone is finally figuring this out. Rather than dress up in red, white, and blue camouflage and going para-sailing in a duck blind, or rushing over the AEI to insist that he love, love, loves the free market, or running to Joe Lieberman to get Mr. Bipartisan Irritant to provide him some cover from the spitballs and bits of poop being flung by the apes in the Fox News zoo, Barack Obama has (gasp!) stood up to their smear attempt and said, “Your charges have no merit. And if you want to fight, I’m right here, you punks.”
Halle-fuckin’-luia.
Back when I was a wee Theropod and in the third grade, the bane of my life was a kid named James Hagler. He’d been held back a grade so he was bigger than the other kids. He was a classic playground bully. In retrospect, of course, his grubby appearance, stale-smelling, tattered clothes, and constant state of high aggression were all part of the fact that he was growing up in a home with alcoholic parents who really only seemed to notice him when it was time for a beating.
At the time, however, he was my worst enemy and my biggest fear between classes, at recess, and before and after school. One afternoon, my brother was at soccer practice and I was sitting on my violin case reading a paperback copy of Robert Heinlein’s Citizen of the Galaxy while I waited for RexMama to come and collect me.
A filthy-smelling shadow came between me and the sun and I realized that I was all alone, far from the aid of teachers and school officials, and facing James Hagler and two or three of his flunkies. It looked like I was about to receive the beating of my nightmares, which I had gone to great lengths to avoid all year.
“You damn sissy!” said James, kicking my violin out from under me so that my butt smacked hard against the sidewalk, “What the hell are you always readin’ for?”
And before I really even had time to think about it, I stood up and swung my book so that its hard paperback spine sliced through the air and came down with a sharp, strangely resonant “snap!” sound on the bridge of James Hagler’s piggy little nose. He made a muffled sound of pain and twin jets of bright red blood came pouring out of both his nostrils like somebody had turned on a faucet.
The flunkies scattered and James sat down hard on the grass and proceeded to wail and cry noisily, clutching his bleeding nose. I wish I had thought to say something clever like, “Books will take you a long way in life, James!” or something, but I just grabbed my books and violin case and ran, ran, ran as fast as my scaly green legs would carry me.
My mother’s yellow Fiat came around the bend in the horseshoe drive in front of the school and I jumped in, panting.
“Let’s go!” I said, not daring to look over my shoulder at the scene of carnage I had left behind.
“Did you have a good day at school today?” RexMama asked.
“Yeah, it was fine, can we PLEASE JUST GO?!”
I was absolutely terrified that I was going to get into big, big trouble.
I never did. James had big swollen raccoon-like black eyes the next day at school, but nobody ever brought up the incident to me, ever. Not the teachers, not the principal, and certainly not James himself. And he never bothered me again, either.
I think there is a valuable lesson for us all here, thank you very much.
UPDATE: Just as an aside about Larry Craig’s mug-shot. Senator Craig was apprehended attempting to suck the penis of another man, which would mean that his American flag lapel pin would be striking the receiving party’s thigh just to the southwest of that gentleman’s right testicle. What does this really tell us about this Republican senator’s attitude toward his country and the flag that our brave fighting men and women put their lives on the line for every day?
78 Responses to “This is How You Do It (Updated)”
By Betsy on Feb 25, 2008 11:07 pm |
if that’s the worst they have on obama, good!
By madmommy on Feb 25, 2008 11:09 pm |
It has happened. I have been thoroughly assimilated. The very first thing that popped into my brain when I read this article earlier today was the (imagined) voice of a certain 60 foot theropod screaming “pivot and attack, attack, ATTACK!”
I am proud of Obama for calling the BS for what it is. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, as I am sure the attacks aren’t going to just cease.
By Betsy on Feb 25, 2008 11:09 pm |
way to stand up to bullies T!
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:10 pm |
Hi T, hi all. Dollars to doughnuts that James Hagler is probably living in his mom’s basement, eating Cheetos and hanging out at LGF or somewhere similar.
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:14 pm |
LoudounLib said
I bet he’s in jail. I think he was carted off to juvenile hall before we even got out of junior high.
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:15 pm |
TRex said
Hah! Prolly so!
And this post is just so great. Obama’s got it going on.
By Betsy on Feb 25, 2008 11:15 pm |
what’s LGF?
By madmommy on Feb 25, 2008 11:17 pm |
It has been my experience that most bullies collapse like a house of cards whenever someone stands up to them. They are all about fear and intimidation, and that is just not going to play anymore.
By Petrocelli on Feb 25, 2008 11:19 pm |
Excellent story about facing up to bullies, TRex … methinks before this is all over, Rove and Co will get their asses handed to them by Obama … and we’ll watch it on HD … *g*
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:20 pm |
Betsy, Little Green Footballs.
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:20 pm |
And this post is just so great. Obama’s got it going on.
I have to confess that for the first time ever, when I got that photo of him in the hat from my brother today, I thought, “Wow. I’d really like to French kiss that guy.”
I am so ashamed. I’m falling prey to the seductive madness of the Obammunists!
By madmommy on Feb 25, 2008 11:22 pm |
TRex said
He does look kinda cute in the hat.
By Betsy on Feb 25, 2008 11:22 pm |
Oh TRex! He’s gorgeous! But married.
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:24 pm |
Betsy said
I know, I know. I just had never thought about him that way before.
Now I kind of wish I could make it stop.
By Persiflage on Feb 25, 2008 11:24 pm |
I learned the stand up to bullies lesson early in life. Aged about 4, I complained to my father about a little boy who teased and annoyed me at my mother’s tennis group. Jokingly, he showed me how to throw a punch. Next tennis day the kid walked up to me and, with all my puny strength, I smacked the kid in the face. After the crying was over he was suddenly my best friend. I’m told I treated him with distain. Fortunately, I ceased using this technique to acquire friends.
By peanutbutter on Feb 25, 2008 11:24 pm |
Sweet!
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:24 pm |
He is great looking isn’t he? For me, though, it’s the voice. I could listen to him reading the phone book.
By Petrocelli on Feb 25, 2008 11:26 pm |
TRex said
Keep staring at the pic of Larry Craig … that’ll trim yer sails …
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:29 pm |
Persiflage said
LOL Persi!
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:33 pm |
By the way, I still have that copy of Citizen of the Galaxy. It miraculously escaped the blood spurts and lives in a safe, dry corner of my bedside bookcase.
By madmommy on Feb 25, 2008 11:35 pm |
He’s not conventionally handsome, but there is certainly an appeal. He’s not hideous by any means, but no Denzel, either. I think his appeal lies more in his personality and how he comes across. I saw an article today where he said he’d like Will Smith to play him if there were a movie, because Will has the big ears too. A man with a sense of humor, especially about himself, is a good thing.
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:36 pm |
T, your account of slugging James Hagler in the face reminds me of “A Christmas Story”, and Ralphie beating the snot out of that kid in the coonskin cap.
By Mary McCurnin on Feb 25, 2008 11:37 pm |
A similar thing happened to my daughter when she was five. Three brothers were abusing her everyday on the way home from school. They were coming up behind her and swipping the back of her legs with their lunch boxes. One day she saw them coming and smacked one of the kids in the eye with her lunch box. HIs mother brought him over to my house to show me what she had done to her precious little boy. I told her to go fork herself but with adult words.
By may on Feb 25, 2008 11:37 pm |
y’know it’s funny(peculiar)about the features of the roverogue.some
one else,commented a while ago on the wet thread about how he had a certain sulky,round-faced,pouty mouthed look that was common to con-job w/h personnel.kyle somebody-or-other(?).
i reckon he looks just like that sadr feller in the black turban.the one with the militias in Iraq?
evil twins.separated at birth.
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:37 pm |
Agreed, MM — he’s a real person with a lot of character and that “certain something” about him. Will Smith would be a great choice to play him!
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:40 pm |
KKKarl Rove has always looked to me like a sulky, walking intestinal polyp. It’s a look he shares with Denny Hastert.
By peanutbutter on Feb 25, 2008 11:40 pm |
Nah, his looks don’t do it for me…his voice doesn’t do it for me…but that description above? Ooh yeah! Attack, ATTACK, ATAAACK!!!
By peanutbutter on Feb 25, 2008 11:41 pm |
Petrocelli said
Brain bleach!!
By Betsy on Feb 25, 2008 11:41 pm |
TRex said
thanks for the image
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:42 pm |
peanutbutter said
I’ll never forget that “lolpic” of Larry Craig’s mugshots that circulated a while back — the caption was something like “I’m in your stallz, tappin’ mah wide stanz feets”
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:44 pm |
thanks for the image
Just doin’ mah job, ma’am. Vivid and sometimes disturbing mental images, thass mah bizness.
By Betsy on Feb 25, 2008 11:46 pm |
TRex said
no, that is darkblack’s job
By burnspbesq on Feb 25, 2008 11:46 pm |
This is teh funny. Unintentionally so, but still.
Bush predicts GOP will hold White House
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:47 pm |
By madmommy on Feb 25, 2008 11:47 pm |
Karl Rove is the poster child for punk-ass bullies. Just look at him, if you can. It’s well past time for karma to pay him a visit. You just cannot spread that much evil in the world without a payback.
These bully stories are giving me the heebies. We are meeting with the school counselor friday with the little guy’s teacher. She is a bit concerned about his “physical” responses to conflict. He is already bigger than most of the kids his age, and chances are good he will repeat kindergarten and so be bigger still. Add to that the disproportnate shortness of the population here and the potential for playground goon-ness is high.
By Betsy on Feb 25, 2008 11:48 pm |
burnspbesq said
but look what else that man has predicted
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:49 pm |
omg burns, that is so unintentionally funny!
From the article: “When I say I’m confident, I am so because I understand the mentality of the American people,” Bush said.
And this too: “And I don’t want the next Republican president to be lonely,” Bush said. “And that is why we got to take the House, retake the Senate, and make sure our states are governed by Republican governors.”
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:50 pm |
T, great kitteh pic
By Petrocelli on Feb 25, 2008 11:50 pm |
burnspbesq said
The votes might well be rigged, as in 2004 …
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:50 pm |
burnspbesq said
HA HAA HAAAAA HAAAAAA!!!
He’s been letting KKKarl do “The Math” on his paper again.
Dumbass.
By burnspbesq on Feb 25, 2008 11:51 pm |
Wow. It hardly ever gets this big.
(the surf in SoCal, you dirtbags)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-storm26feb26-pg,0,2874390.photogallery?index=6
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:52 pm |
Madmommy, the only thing that I can tell you is that every grade school (and beyond) bully I have ever known was coming from an inadequately loving home environment.
You know what to do.
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:54 pm |
burnspbesq said
Yowza…hang ten indeed!
By burnspbesq on Feb 25, 2008 11:55 pm |
“I’m French — how do you sink I got zis out-rage-ous ak-sent?”
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:56 pm |
I faaaahrt in your generahl dee-raction.
By TRex on Feb 25, 2008 11:57 pm |
And your fozzair smelled of elderberries…
By LoudounLib on Feb 25, 2008 11:58 pm |
TRex said
Can you say that again with the Gallic shrug, and the cigarette?
By preznit giv me turkee on Feb 26, 2008 12:00 am |
TRex said
wonder if McStain & RoveCo have fear of a black hat yet?
By Betsy on Feb 26, 2008 12:02 am |
texteen’s 4th grade teacher called me up cause he was bullying at school. she wouldn’t tell me who or what circumstances. turns out he was only bullying brand-new-step-brother. i told her that this was a DAD call and not a MOM call, but i’d be happy to help if he ever started bullying people he doesn’t live with.
By TRex on Feb 26, 2008 12:03 am |
Heading home, gang.
See you in a bit.
By madmommy on Feb 26, 2008 12:04 am |
T-I think I have found the secret to the little guy’s heart. Every time he does something inappropriate I take away bike riding time. It is his absoloute most favorite thing, zooming up and down the street making vroom-vroom noises. It kills him when I make him come in! He is utterly heartbroken, but I have noticed a difference already. The trick now is to keep up with whatever it is that he is most devoted to, and use it as incentive.
When we were kids we were scared shitless of what would happen to us at home if we misbehaved. We knew without doubt that the trouble we would get into at home would pale in comparison to any punishment handed out at school. Like my mom says, there’s something to be said for fear
By Steve on Feb 26, 2008 12:06 am |
Betsy said
We will see..Rezko trial starts 03/03..The judge is a Bush appointee and worked with Ken Starr during Whitewater and is a former corporate lawyer. She ruled today that the prosecution can talk about the “political” contributions.
We haven’t seen anything yet from the Thugs…If we take back the DOJ, a lot of these a**holes are looking at prison time..a strong motivator not to loose the election.
By LoudounLib on Feb 26, 2008 12:06 am |
T, have a good ride home.
Gotta run, friends, dropping my car off early tomorrow AM to see why the “service engine soon” light came on over the weekend. Hopefully my checkbook won’t take too much of a hit. G’night!
By Petrocelli on Feb 26, 2008 12:09 am |
G’nite all … will have lots of snow to clear tomorrow morning …
By madmommy on Feb 26, 2008 12:14 am |
Night all! Weather is turning tomorrow, it was in the mid 70’s today but much cooler with freeze warnings tomorrow night. I cannot imagine why my sinuses are going berserk!
By burnspbesq on Feb 26, 2008 12:23 am |
Boy, this story annoys me.
I mean, (as Persi would say) Jesus H. Christ on a purple pogo stick. It was the 1970s. Back then, putting the victim on trial was the generally accepted way of defending sexual assault cases. Everybody did it. Every prosecutor knew to expect it. Under the professional standards of the time, it would have been considered unethical for her not to do it. It is completely inappropriate to judge her conduct as a lawyer in the 1970s by contemporary standards. We’ve come a long way since then, as a profession and as a people.
There are more than enough legitimate reasons to not like Hillary, without dredging up this kind of bull.
By Betsy on Feb 26, 2008 12:28 am |
night petro and madmom
By Betsy on Feb 26, 2008 12:29 am |
did i tell y’all about texteen’s tutor? nice, sweet guy who also happens to be a bit of a creationist. he is supporting obama for prez. AAAACCCCCKKKKKKK
By peanutbutter on Feb 26, 2008 12:35 am |
burnspbesq said
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. That’s some good shit he’s got. If I could just locate his supplier…
By Betsy on Feb 26, 2008 12:38 am |
House rejects claim that vote machines failed in Florida race
from AfterDowningStreet.org - Impeach Bush and Cheney Now!
By Lesley Clark, McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — With little discussion, the House late Monday dismissed Democrat Christine Jennings’ claim that malfunctioning touch-screen voting machines in Florida cost her election to Congress in November 2006.
More than 18,000 eletronic ballots in Sarasota County failed to record a vote in Jennings’ race against Republican Vern Buchanan, who won by fewer than 400 votes to replace former Rep. Katherine Harris, a Republican.
By Persiflage on Feb 26, 2008 12:42 am |
burnspbesq said
I can’t remember who said it but it’s true. The past is another country. They do things differently there.
By Persiflage on Feb 26, 2008 12:45 am |
Betsy said
Please tell me he’s not a science tutor.
By TRex on Feb 26, 2008 12:48 am |
400 votes to replace former Rep. Katherine Harris, a Republican.
Oh, now there’s a name I haven’t thought about in a while. I wonder whose pole homegirl is greasing up these days.
By burnspbesq on Feb 26, 2008 12:48 am |
peanutbutter said
Homegrown. You didn’t really buy the story that he spent a month every summer “clearing brush,” did you?
By burnspbesq on Feb 26, 2008 12:50 am |
Oh, yeah. A remake of the music video of Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road,” with George Dubya Boosh in the role of dope-growing protagonist Conway Pattimore. Works for me.
By burnspbesq on Feb 26, 2008 12:52 am |
TRex said
Just be glad it’s not yours. Can you imagine what it must be like waking up next to that?
By TRex on Feb 26, 2008 12:56 am |
Just be glad it’s not yours. Can you imagine what it must be like waking up next to that?
Oh, you know, it could be so much worse. Somebody has to wake up next to Laura Ingraham. And it must suck to have to sleep in a stable.
By TRex on Feb 26, 2008 1:07 am |
Fresh thread!
http://www.iamtrex.com/?p=413
By Terrible on Feb 26, 2008 10:09 am |
LoudounLib said
Too Funny! I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading T’s story!
By Allan Roberts on Feb 26, 2008 10:28 am |
This is the only way to fight and beat these maggots.I’m still trying to figure out why John Kerry didn’t go after the chimpster when the swift boats came to town.Hooray for Obama.When these repukelicans come at you,punch back as hard as possible and don’t stop even if they’re on the ground.I just don’t get it.If the democrats ever hope to get any respect, they have to go for the jugular vein and DO NOT let go,ever,you gutless bastards!!!!!
By DC Madman on Feb 26, 2008 10:53 am |
Little Green Footballs… I don’t know who named that website but it seems appropriate. The name conjures up the image of some bully wannabe kid in grade school flicking boogers at other students. He’s all grown up now and flicking his mental boogers at anyone else that isn’t a booger flicker.
By TRex on Feb 26, 2008 11:43 am |
DC Madman said
Dude, that is so right on.
By missmarple on Feb 26, 2008 12:08 pm |
Wow. It hardly ever gets this big.
(the surf in SoCal, you dirtbags
I’m in Encinitas and drove past Swamis. In all the time I’ve lived here, 60 years, I have never seen anything like it. The waves were absolutely gigantic.
By pathos613 on Feb 26, 2008 12:22 pm |
I don’t ordinarily post comments to blog postings, however this time I will make an exception. Your bully story really struck a chord with me. I too had a similar experience in junior high. After weeks and weeks of continuous abuse by the bane of my existence, Jimmy Griffin, I couldn’t take anymore. After being dumped out of my chair in band practice for the umpteenth time, I turned around and bashed him with my french horn. Repeatedly.
Yeah, we both got suspended for fighting, but it did finally bring to light the weeks of abuse that I had been going through and never again was I bothered by him.
MANY years later, I was on my way to work on the Long Island Railroad platform, and lo and behold there was Mr. Griffin standing not more than two feet away from me. I know he looked over in my direction several times, but the sonofabitch, even then, wouldn’t dare make eye contact with me.
Keep up the good work, sir. I enjoy what you’re doing here, immensely!
By Kynandog on Feb 26, 2008 12:27 pm |
OMFG!! RIGHT ON, DUDE!!
This is the same reason why I fell in love with Howard Dean! Punch the MF’ers right in the nose if they dis you to your face!
By Thisinstead on Feb 26, 2008 11:14 pm |
With Barack, we get a person who has been on the recieving end of shit all his life. He knows the low. This is TOTALLY different from a white female, still welcome at the table of the rich white man.
Barack knows how to deal with bullies on a personal level, not just the political level.
I have a problem with his healthcare and the pay for insurance Bull$hit. I really want universal single payer. I want to OPT into paying into Medicare. I want THAT on the table. I think he will change once he gets into office. I think he is only taking this road during the campaign.
I am now all in.
By Angel Gabrielle on Feb 27, 2008 1:17 pm |
This is precisely why, about a week before “Super Tuesday” I made the choice to back Obama, even tho up until then I had been an Edwards fan. I knew he was going to be teflon coated when it came to the Repub puke, snot and shit that was going to be flung at him.
Yepper, this is how you do it, indeed. You look them dead in the eye and say, “Bring it, motherfuckers, bring on your faux patriotism and I’ll raise you a family values chip. Let’s play.” They do not know what to do with that.
I would have liked to see him call Russert on some of this spew at the debate last night, but I have no doubt that when he is finally officially our candidate, he’ll stomp this dumbassery to death. It is obvious the Corporate MSM knows they don’t have much to go with, they are completely flummoxed that they don’t get to go with all the great Hillary material they’ve been gleefully compiling.
Finally, BO in that cowboy hat… well.. let me tell you, even little old lesbian grandmas can appreciate that. Talk about teh sexy.