"Now some of you say you will never, ever watch me again for the way I treated a congresswoman who I otherwise very much respect. Well, then I respectfully bid you adieu because if you prefer only hearing the interviews that suit you than let me say good-bye to you now because the time's going to come again when I will probably offend you." - Neil Cavuto of FOX News
Michele Bachmann was, in part, created by FOX News and its supportive pundits. What FOX News anchor Neil Cavuto did last week was to remove his support for a creation he "respected" but still termed silly. What he found out almost instantly was that no one at FOX can question - let alone deride - someone like Bachmann, no matter how insipid a political stance she has.
TPM:
The negative feedback was swift and harsh. At the end of that day's broadcast, Cavuto said a "record number of emails" had arrived.
"They go pretty much like this," he said. "'Cavuto, you're a rude ass. If I were Michele Bachmann, I'd have a law against you.' Someone else said, 'Who do you think you are? [Bill] O'Reilly? You're an idiot. Quit blabbering, start thinking.'"
Bachmann Cavuto Overdrive
Even for FOX News, the exchange was testy, with Bachmann (as is always her want), repeating points endlessly, thinking that emphasis would pass for reason. But Cavuto hammered away at his original premise, that the "lawsuit" against Obama spurred on by the Republican party was totally frivolous and a needless waste of time, energy and taxpayer money. Cavuto was anchored in the here and now, while Bachmann was off in Anti-Obama Neverland. The Young Turks (see below) saw Bachmann as a robotic Frankenstein monster unleashed, with Cavuto trying desperately to restrain it, but in the end just saying "you're silly."
Now, calling a monster "silly" may seem silly in itself, especially when FOX viewers have a fondness for Bachmann's brand of "silly." It seemed to many that Cavuto was cutting off his FOX-paid nose to spite his face. But what Cavuto may have done was bring a breath of reality to FOX that was very, very unwelcome: FOX's coverage and support of Republicans on this issue was "silly." FOX's support of Republican agendas was not always right. OMG! FOX News, the ratings king, might be IN ERROR! Cavuto was being blasphemous and apostate!
In retrospect, it's amazing that the emails did not contain death threats.
Tipping Over The Tower Of Misinformation
It has long been understood that ideological news and straight news are two different species, and with FOX News the ideology of the Right is so paramount as to give its sub-banner "Fair and Balanced" a tongue-in-cheek aspect. Hosts like Glenn Beck (formerly at FOX), Sean Hannity and Mike Huckabee who depend upon the "opinions" of Sarah Palin and Ann Coulter veer so much to the right, that even treatment of the national and international political scenes is non-existent: at times it just seems like an Obama bash-fest. But the ideological news of FOX also serves another purpose: it keeps the misinformed public misinformed. In a real sense, Neil Cavuto was also challenging FOX the Misinformer, telling viewers to get past the irrelevance of the Republican (FOX News) Party's actions and "move on" to fix things.
The Price Of Going Rogue
As The Young Turks put it after viewing the heated exchange: "Is this FOX News?" FOX has certainly flirted with conflict involving the Republican Party,* but Cavuto's handling of Tea Party icon Michele Bachmann as a near nitwit was certainly far from it's usual right-wing course. Will Cavuto pay the ultimate price? No. Irate emails must be constant and consistant to have any effect on viewership. Cavuto will only be sacked if it's proven that he's slipped in ratings. Or if he spars again, say, with FOX's other darling nitwit:
*Megyn Kelly once remarked to Karl Rove that his projection over the 2012 elections might just be "something you made up to make yourselves feel good."
"Their problem is themselves. Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Because if that's who they are and they're the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the State of New York, because that's not who New Yorkers are."
Andrew Cuomo decried extremist conservatives in a recent statement and all hell on the Right broke loose.
Sean Hannity Responded:
“I want you to know that and I can’t wait to get out of here,” he said. “I really can’t. I don’t want to pay their 10 percent state tax anymore. I live in the second-highest property-taxed county in the entire country in Nassau County. I can’t wait to sell my house to somebody who wants it. I can’t wait to pay no state income tax down in Florida or Texas.”
So did Glenn Beck and Ted Cruz:
Of course, Hannity's friends far and wide, decried Cuomo's "vile" statement.
"State GOP chairman Ed Cox demanded Tuesday that Cuomo, a Democrat, apologize. Cox accused Cuomo of "poisoning New York's politics with divisive rhetoric at a time when New York needs to be united to address its continuing economic problems."
"Divisive rhetoric" is, of course, something the GOP knows wholeheartedly, since they have enabled Right Wing extremists (aka the Christian Taliban) for years. In fact, after Beck became dismayed at the comments, he said that he might expatriate to another country. Thereafter he had on John Hagee, the pastor who told atheists to take the first plane out of the country. Right Wing Watch: Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is Glenn Beck.
New York's Sigh of Relief
New Yorkers, both City and State, deal with bombast in their own way: while tsk-tsking Cuomo for being so intolerant of narrow minded conservatives, they are breathing a collective sigh of relief. The reaction to Rush Limbaugh's exodus was one of "Thank goodness, now maybe someone with taste will redo his godawful apartment!" so the reaction to Hannity's possible departure was "Let's help you pack, Sean!" Of course, Hannity is not quite as big as FOX News (an admirable target for emigration), but his absence will quiet the skies over the empire state, giving the people a rest from the righteous arrogance they distrust: their conservatism has always been more quiet and moderate, giving them the feel of dignity ... and honesty.
"The governor was making the point that he makes often: New York is a politically moderate state and an extremist agenda is not politically viable statewide," said Cuomo's counsel, Mylan Denerstein. "New York has a long history of electing Democrats and Republicans statewide who are moderate rather than on the extreme ends of the political spectrum. That is an unarguable fact."
Which One?
It's doubtful that Hannity will follow through with his threat, however, seeing that his $20 million-a-year at FOX can't be matched and for that amount, anyone would deal with high state income taxes. After all, $2 million in taxes can't mean much to someone who lives in this:
Hannity's worth is estimated at $35 million, but he won't be able to afford his lifestyle's upkeep on less than that $20 million. So if he does upchuck New York, whither will he go? Both Texas and Florida have way too many illegal immigrants for a staunch Irish-American to feel comfortable. And although Glenn Beck has promised to set up Hannity in his own media fief, it's doubtful that he can guarantee a lifestyle that, to say the least, would be greater than his own. Florida may have Limbaugh, but there have been no offers yet. Nevada? Too much money on casinos and not enough on media. Arizona? Too close to John McCain. Iowa? He'd have to go in as a "start up". Michigan? The ghost of Detroit is too depressing. Hawaii? Think of the cost of all those private jet jaunts!
Alaska! That's it! The state having the smallest population, but the largest land mass and certainly no one to call him an "extreme conservative." He'll be king!
And except for the Mrs. Moosburger, he'll be practically alone!
Thank God.
"We are not fighting against flesh and bone. We are fighting the forces of spiritual darkness. It doesn't matter what people's intent are. I will tell you: that was there for a reason."
Atheist Alert! Both the Pope and Obama want you to know that atheists are actually normal - and moral - human beings!
It must be very cold in hell today. Freezing, actually. Because it's official: atheists can be as good as Christians, meet the pope and possibly go to heaven! There is, of course, much wailing, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments among the echelons of the Christian Right who have been linking all atheists to Stalin and Pol Pot for decades. And the enemies of Catholicism (like Cindy Japan-is-shaped-like-a-dragon Jacobs) will be out in full force to tell the world that the new pope is not a true (atheist-hating) Christian.
Atheists don’t like our happiness. They don’t want you to be happy, they want you to be miserable. They’re miserable so they want you to be miserable. - Pat Robertson
Two incidents: first off, the new pope, Francis I, gave a homily about the duty of everyone to be good, not just Christians, because Christ died for everyone's sins and that killing in the name of God may be the ultimate blasphemy:
“This ‘closing off’ that imagines that those outside, everyone, cannot do good is a wall that leads to war and also to what some people throughout history have conceived of: killing in the name of God. That we can kill in the name of God. And that, simply, is blasphemy. To say that you can kill in the name of God is blasphemy … The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone!
We all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there,” – Pope Francis I
Of course, that statement didn't exactly make some people (like me) forego their suspicions. Doubts still remain; but the statement has substance: it takes on the Christofascist world and lays it on its ear. The bedrock of its righteously arrogant world is its belief that only "believers" will go to heaven because only "believers" can be righteous. The feeling that Christians have cornered the market on goodness is reflected in the practices of hiring only Christians and declaring heretofore unknown "wars" (e.g. the "war on Christmas") to perpetuate the image of persecuted martyrs.
The second incident occurred when Wolff Blitzer's interviewed a tornado victim: when asked by Blitzer if she "thanked the Lord" for her family's survival, she replied: "Actually, I'm an atheist...But we don't blame anybody for thanking the Lord."
Whoa!
This prompted the King of Conspiracy Theorists, Glenn Beck, to immediately smell something foul: "I tell you that was there for a reason." And we don't need a convoluted blackboard pitch to know that he's telling us that Obama is behind it all: the "forces of spiritual darkness" are telling us that atheists are OK people - and they're doing it with a sweet mother and her darling little boy! The effrontery!
The Great and Glorious Reaction
As Leader and First Conspiracy Theorist, Glenn Beck has now given his imprimatur to those who need to react to Francis and the Blitzer incident: "Well, it seems to me.." will emanate from a confused Pat Robertson, Bryan Fischer will fume that Francis is not a real Christian and must be a secret Muslim sympathizer as well, Southern Baptists everywhere will ask "How can you go to heaven if you don't believe in it?" and the rest of the Christian Right will scream "demon-inspired political propaganda!"
The last reaction may be the loudest, since more youth are becoming atheists, causing church pews to go empty as congregations die off. The idea that atheists could be as good as non-believers comes as a slap in the wallet, especially to prosperity gospel preachers.
Poor Joel Osteen.
Think of it: a nation filled with Glenn Becks, Rick Perrys, Pat Robertsons, Cindy Jacobses, Wayne LaPierres, the American Family Association ... and ALL of the NRA. Then think of the rest of our nation...
without them.
In a love-fest ostensibly to demean the nomination of Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary, Glenn Beck and Ted Cruz tipped their hands in their hatred of everyone and everything even slightly liberal. Buried in the total annihilation of Hagel ("In the Middle East, he is on the wrong side!...almost un-American"), Cruz admitted that he had invited Bank of America, Luger and Smith and Wessen to Texas, ostensibly since Chicago mayor Rahm Immanuel asked Bank of America not to deal with the arms manufacturers. The idea of Texas as a fortified country harboring gun manufacturers moneyed by profiteering banks evidently never crossed their minds.
But it was not lost on the rest of America.
They also joked that all people coming from California should take an entrance exam upon entering Texas, since they should understand that Texas has different ideas about "freedom" and what it really means" This is the last bastion of real freedom ...We don't want to turn it into California." They also joked about a wall between the two and lack of security from liberals and their socialist agendas.
Glennbeckistan: aka Independence USA
Glenn Beck has been fostering national paranoia for years - the kind of paranoia that enabled Rowan Williams in his thoughts about righteous assassination of workers at the ACLU and the Tides Foundation. His latest proposal, however, is a self-sustaining Texas enclave called Independence, USA. According to Beck, Independence, USA will be a bastion of freedom - of the marketplace as well as education, parenting, etc. He also states (counterintuatively) that the GAP and Ann Taylor will not be welcome. What he does not state is that various groups will not be welcome either since the Christian Right will reign supreme: in other words, no homosexuals, no welfare moms,and no progressive Christians (especially those who do not carry guns).
In proposing Independence, USA, Glenn Beck is advancing the causes of Texas secession and gun control paranoia.
A Welcome Secession
Unfortunately, the love fest (which also trumpeted an increase in low-paying jobs) did not include the number of people who would be ecstatic if Texas seceded from the Union. The video below may seem like an absurd parody, but it's undeniable that people would be happy to do without: guns, a high execution rate, a lower rate of literacy, televangelists, Southern Baptists ...
and the Texas School Board.
Review for The Revisionaries:
"Just wow. Watching these whacko Texans rewrite their textbooks led by a guy who refuses to believe in evolution because it's crazy talk, but believes that humans hung out with dinosaurs is spellbinding. This might be the best horror film of the year. The best part is that the director simply filmed these fine folks and let them make fools of themselves for two hours. The worst part is that they really did change the textbooks in Texas."
And while new laws have been passed that have weakened the power of the Texas School Board, the damage to Texas as a state within the bounds of reason has been serious: Rick Perry continued the insanity with his Prayer Rally, inviting the likes of Cindy Jacobs and demonstrating an acute disdain for anyone not adhering to radical, creationist Fundamentalism.
Texas secession: it would usher in a wave of asking other states to secede.
Tennessee, what's keeping you?
