Because the real reason you don't like him is that he's smarter than you.
Sept. 5, 2008 New Rule: Republicans need to stop saying Barack Obama is an elitist, or looks down on rural people, and just admit you don't like him because of something he can't help, something that's a result of the way he was born. Admit it, you're not voting for him because he's smarter than you.
In her acceptance speech, Gov. Sarah Palin accused Obama of using his run for the White House as a "journey of personal discovery" -- this from the lady who just spent 10 minutes of her speech introducing her family -- Track, Trig, Bristol, Piper -- for a minute there I thought she was calling in an airstrike.
Karl Rove described Obama as "the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini, and making snide comments about everyone who passes by." Unlike George Bush, who's the guy at the country club who makes snide comments, and then passes out. Now this characterization, of course, was something Mr. Rove just completely pulled out of his bulbous, gelatinous ass, but remember this is America, a land where people believe anything they hear. One of McCain's ads casts Obama as "the one," implying he thinks he's the Messiah. Good, maybe he can raise McCain from the dead.
It doesn't matter to Karl Rove that his country club characterization is fictitious, it's the role that Obama must play if the party of plutocrats is going to win over the little guy. Over and over at this convention we heard about the new put-upon victim in our society, the person in America, like Sarah Palin, who's constantly mocked because they're from a ... small town! Governor Yup Yup's got 'em all riled up about being disrespected.
Barack Obama can't help it if he's a magna cum laude Harvard grad and you're a Wal-Mart shopper who resurfaces driveways with your brother-in-law. Americans are so narcissistic that our candidates have to be just like us. That's why George Bush is president. And that's where the McCain camp gets its campaign strategy: Paint Obama as cocky and arrogant and wait for America to vote him off, like the black guy in every reality show. A black president? Half of Pennsylvania isn't ready for black quarterbacks. Forget Obama, they think Will Smith needs to be taken down a peg.
And finally: As for "country first," you know who's putting country first? I am, by supporting Obama, because a victory this fall for the McCain-Mooseburger ticket would make my job in the next four years very, very easy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1,587 comments:
1 – 200 of 1587 Newer› Newest»They're all in ivory towers with rarefied air. Banging the drum for aggressive taxation of mega estates will separate the Effete from the Elite.
Yeah, Obama is elitist and they aren't. Obama makes it through school and manages to pay off his student loans with money he earned writing a couple of books. McCain marries into 100 million dollars and has the audacity to call Obama "elitist". Now I know what the GOP means when they use that word, they mean someone who IS smarter. Not merely rich.
Hey Bill, wonderful post.
I was watching a video on YouTube regarding McCain by the Amazing Atheist, and he had three links in his comment.
You know that the "90% of the time John McCain votes with Bush?" thing? Well, I wouldn't say it's exactly true, but McCain himself (I think prior to the election) admitted that he voted with Bush about 90% of the time (on Fox News, of course).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uThoBMfcFRc
Bill, I wanted to ask you to address something if you find it worthy, however, I do not know how else to write you.
The Republican party is pro life, and Palin in the extreme cases, i.e. rape. However, at the same time hunting is praised by the party. I have never understood how these two beliefs can co-exist. What makes it O.K. to shoot a four legged animal but not abort an unwanted, unplanned, embryo in its earliest stages? The argument advanced by hunters/republicans is often that these animals would die if left to their own. That there is an over population of deer for example. What about a baby being born into a family that can not take care of it. What if that baby will starve or be mistreated? What if that baby will suffer for at least its first 18 years of life, the child of a drug addict who was impregnated to feed her habit? Further, is it their position that GOD put animals on earth to be hunted? Is this GOD'S plan?
It seems to me that a religious person would not enjoy taking the life of an animal in cold blood, and stand next to the dead bleeding animal with pride and joy. This is the picture of Palin we see. I would like someone to address this. I find it impossible to connect that with their belief that terminating a pregnancy early on is an unthinkable murder.
Oh come now, Bill. You of all people should know that this isn't an election for President of the United States. This is an election for Student Body President. And Sarah Palin is the Republican raised head cheerleader hoping her popularity and good looks will win her votes before people realize she doesn't have a brain.
you said it best yesterday when you were interviewed on cnn...we need to put the run for VP to the side, as it's theoretically irrelevant to the election...it's not about palin or biden, it's about obama and mccain.
just watching her "rile" the crowd while he stands behind her checking out her ass every ten seconds, then aimlessly waving at people in the crowd is more obnoxious now than it was at the start.
i've still yet to hear anything from the GOP other than "DRILL, DRILL, DRILL!"
New Word! If you have a problem saying FU, you can now say Moose You Sarah Palin. Moose You for shooting moose.
Why, just why? Why do so many Americans place such a high premium on the veneer of "family values" over intellect and progress?
http://marktwainispissed.blogspot.com/
Yes, we should keep it to the issues. Such as McCain, who admitedly voted with the great brain trust (Bush) 90% of the time now is a Maverick against the against "The Man". He is suppose to now be the candiate of the common man, look how he dressed at his last speech...just a shirt and baseball cap...Interesting.
Maybe Palin and this new McCain is all part of a new dumbing down of the candiate so he can fit in with all those people who voted for Bush. I am your Guy and I know you made a mistake voting for Bush, but now I am going to CHANGE THiNGS. This is the most dangerous thing for the Democratic party.
When I think of the issue, I think also that 50% of the adult US population cannot read and understand even a news paper like USA Today because the current low literacy rate in the US. Of course they can understand cultural Icons, just like the population in 1984 driven by the propaganda machine of the Ministry of Truth.
The overall population is no different that those of Oceania (1984) as most of the population of the US. The ony thing is we don't have an official "Ministry of Truth" but the population is being fed through the rightwing newsmedia which trickles down to the churches is no different than the "Newspeak" and "Doublethink" in 1984.
The association is that someone who is as well educated as Barack Obama is an "elitist" because he is smart and has a good education and the "Doublethink" that the republicans would portray to the American people that being smart and having a good education from one of the top university in the world is a "BAD THING".
It is just so interesting to see them turn on the propaganda machine (Ministry of Truth, which is actually the Ministry of Lies) on Barack Obama, and those of us who can see this and understand this, it is appalling. But the sad thing is that the average person out there with the limited education we provide in this nation will not undertand these concepts; But then can we as nation be forgiven for their putting Bush not once, but twice in the White House, it is not as though we didn't have a clear indicator that there was something wrong the first term, it is just that no one had the guts to stand up and say so...not even John McCain.
It just seems so very wrong that the average American will now associate an excellent acadmeic record with being "elitist"; Which makes me think, haven't they already won if this is how Barack Obama will be perceived this way be the citizens of the US.
In my best Valley Girl voice...its so doublethink.
you know who
I'm just a small-town blogger and a reader just compared me (angrily) to Bil Maher. Wow! He thinks we are both to be chastised for assuming our audiences are "bright and witty." So I visited this blog and found the post about "plutocrats" to be perfect. Just one question--now that Pluto is no longer a planet, what does that make those guys?
www.annapoliscapitalpunishment.blogspot.com
Hey Bill,
Now the Republicans are promoting change in their campaign. The only change they will be doing is changing diapers..Palin's baby and grand baby and John McCain's depends.
Also, how come BILL O'REILLY and RUSH LIMBAUGH talked about Jamie Lynn Spears for being pregnant at 17 and blamed her parents and poor parenting but Sarah Palin's is a great parent ready to run our country.
McCain and republicans should forfeit their right for people to take them seriously. But then again my fellow americans are just stupid enough to drink the McCain punch since he's now leading in the polls. On a side note,NEW RULE:
Girls who say “LIKE” every other word should be shot. “I was like and he was like”….holy shit, not everything is a fucking SIMILE! Stop comparing everything, the only thing you shoud be comparing is which of my testicles feel better in your mouth.
How can you argue that Obama and his supporters are not elitist when your preferred put-down is that someone who doesn't like him is probably a driveway resurfacer, or Walmart shopper? This is supposed to be an egalitarian society, but I've heard more class-based snobbery from Obama supporters, including you, than I heard in two years living in London, snob capital of the world. There, at least, some people really are aristocrats - not a bunch of two-bit wannabes who think they're superior because Daddy bought them a place at some second-rate Ivy League school.
Bill Maher is the stupidist person on this planet. He has maggotts for brains. He should be fired. He thinks he is gods gift to the media world. He is gods gift to a turd.
Here is a question for Charlie Gibson to ask the Alaskan Governor. “Did you know that your campaign is being advertised on pornographic web sites?”
I have become annoyed that cyber ads are becoming more frenetic. I have gotten over cyber porn spam, which still sneaks through the filters of my Excite email page. And it is rare when I cursor over a banner and click it. However, an email leads me to a porn site that displays a surprising banner ad that leads me to another site I have regarded as my duty to ignore.
The company that sells the banner advertising space calls itself Cybercatinc.com (more specifically, clicks.weselltraffic.com). The websites it places advertising banners are so called adult (also known as porn) sites. One called Pussy.org, which has nothing to do with cats, displayed the ad banner that surprised me – McCain-Palin. One has to admit “that’s maverick.”
Right in the middle of movie thumbnails of naked people doing it for the camera, the smiling faces of the Republican ticket and the words “Country First: Reform-Prosperity-Peace” appeared. Cursor over the banner and click, a new screen pops up, just like the thumbnails, only instead of a page of pornography it’s a page of “politography” (a word I invented for the occasion) – JohnMcCain.com.
Finding John McCain and Sarah Palin on a porn site took me back to early adolescence. I was standing at the news stand looking at some early 60’s girly magazine when I recognized the shoes of a man standing beside me – the Episcopalian Priest Assistant Headmaster of my prep school. But, I digress.
I wonder if HockeyMom’s soon to be son-in-law has seen his future mother-in-law’s face in cyber porn. But, then that begs several questions about the lad, which is not to the point. Did the RNC purchase the ad?
Since we know that Mr. McCain is admittedly an analogue man who barely knows how to use a computer, I doubt if he knows about it. He just approves the ad, not of its placement. If the objective is to appeal to male voters while they are holding their privates, cyber porn banner ads are a lot cheaper than urinal advertising.
teamac
I am a republican from Alaska and just wanted to tell you that I find your comments on Sarah Palins son in poor taste, poor humor, and absolutely tasteless. I hope people quit finding your brand of humor amusing and you drop off the face of television. It can't happen soon enough for me. I thought it would happen after you made that comment about 9/11 but no, there's people out there that still listen to your garbage. You are one sick individual.
I think you've made a great point, Mr. Maher. People with average or less-than-average schooling may have a hard time following Obama. Of course, if it were me, his comments would inspire me to learn MORE about what he is saying; what he has to offer the American people. Alas, it doesn't seem to work this way for the average joe. It's why more people seemed to like the "defeat evil" phrase of McCain's at the Saddleback Church forum, rather than Obama's beautifully reasoned answer on the nature of evil, and whether it could be defeated or not.
I'm learning that a lot of Americans really are mentally limited, and they're the ones who keep voting for actors (Reagan, the Terminator) and the Bush dynasty. Until the majority of Americans are better educated -- which includes becoming open-minded, tolerant, and rational --
we may be stuck with simpletons for leaders.
Thanks for your continued rational, strong, and helpful analyses of politics and American life, such as it is...
Is "culture war" really a different way of saying "race war"? It seems to me that the word UPPITY has been thrown around by Republicans in Georgia quite a bit recently and the McCain camp bragged about how Obama is even pulling some of his campaign resources out of that state. O'Reilly then sent one of his producers to stalk an African-American journalist (Cynthia Tucker) in Atlanta who had liberal leanings and wrote about "We grow good people in our small towns" Sarah Palin. Is this the Republican party's version of the 50-state strategy - to create a racial divide and discourage minorities in urban areas from being involved in the process?
Obama-McCain’s Acceptance Speeches
In the past few weeks we have had to endure through two political speeches that offered the American people nothing more than lip service. Both candidates offered the same political rhetoric of the past with nothing new on how they were going to make change happen in this country. Obama was as expected a smooth orator with no substance and McCain was an old military man telling us that he knows because he has experience.
Neither man was able to identify the specific problems facing our country and only referenced the discontent that all of us have endured over the past eight years.
In the absence of any new or real vision for the future, they took positions that only confirm that with either one of these career politicians as the leader of our country we will be no better off four years from now.
They both mentioned that they would fix the economy, but they did not explain how.
They both addressed the war and the obvious quagmire that we have fallen into in Iraq and Afghanistan, but neither offered clear and precise vision on how to end these wars and more over how to avoid more hostile action with Iran or Pakistan.
They both addressed taxes stating how they would lower them. These promises again are based on the lack of understanding that our tax system is broken and needs to be completely over hauled.
They talked about Social Security in generalities with no provisions of how to keep a bankrupted system from going down the tubes.
They gave us veiled references to understanding that the energy crisis is real but again with no plan of action, other than they’ll look into all the possibilities and see what happens.
They talked a good story about patriotism, but neither one mentioned the United States Constitution as the basis of their campaign. They talked about equality but neither one mentioned anything about fairness. Obama said it wasn’t about him it was about you, and McCain said that he worked for us, yet neither mentioned individual liberty.
The media is having a field day making claims that interprets or spins the news rather than reporting it, and American people treat the election as college football fans cheering for one candidate over another. Do they think this is an election for prom king?
Where have we gone wrong and what can we do about changing the path we are on? For a glimpse of a plan that offers real specific change and a way for you to be empowered as a free American to create that change, see how a simple monthly action by you can make the difference. www.foundationalist.org
Sincerely,
Kenneth Dant
Two things...
mp2008 said, "Well, then shame on you moedawg for not knowing the answer to your own question!"
It's impossible to place shame on moedawg.
alaskandame said, "I am a republican from Alaska and just wanted to tell you that I find your comments on Sarah Palins son in poor taste, poor humor, and absolutely tasteless."
Something can't be poor in taste and tasteless. You're either for the bridge or against it, pick one.
Lame beyond belief.
Bill, either you have been co-opted or you are getting so old that you just don't care.
If you want to earn back your believability I suggest you read what Obama has in mind for your taxes and then make a joke about the republican nominees.
My God, I get so tired of hearing you wimps whine when you don't get what you want.
Linneah: I am not someone with less-than-average schooling and I have no trouble following Obama. Like him, I have a law degree from a good school. I also have two other degrees from reputable schools. The problem with Obama is he talks a lot but says very little. People with "less-than-average" schooling (like yourself, perhaps) think he is saying SOMETHING, because they can't quite understand what he IS saying. Obama may say he understands "the nature of evil", but that sounds pretty much like what Ahmadinejad of Iran thinks, too. They make a good pair. People who love Obama say he is "nuanced". That is another word for waffling for a long time without actually saying anything. Law schools often produce wafflers. Harvard Law produces more wafflers than most law schools.
I agree that many Americans are mentally limited and under-educated and that is why they admire Bill Maher and Barack Obama.
Common sense works. If it sounds like pie in the sky, it probably is. You don't need a law degree to see through those who want you to think "nuance" is an acceptable substitute for what they intend to do. Wake up.
ikate
Glad you can suport McCain the man who is king of the flip flop, and is acting like someone who is showing dementia and is senile; so senile that he actually thinks Sarah Palin would be a great vice president, and he has forgotten his past voting record supporting the Bush regime, 90 percent of the time.
Hey Bill,
My friends and I think your show is awesome HOWEVER, Kerry Washington was TOTALLY out of line!! She never let Scott McClellan or Michael Steele even get a word in edge-wise. WTF? She needed to hear everyone else out before she kept opening her big, famous lips!! Although she IS beautiful and did make a few good points, she was highly inarticulate, RUDE, and hardly let anyone else talk. Your show is dope, keep up the good work but don't let one hyper-opiniated guest control the whole panel. Thanks alot, Heidi and Angela (SF)
Clydene: Flip Flop? And you support Obama, who can't decide whether to say "aaaaaand" or "aaaaaaaaaaand", let alone remember what he voted for and when?
Great Job Bill keep it up!
Bill, you’re so one sided! You’re quick, smart, funny at times. It's a shame you spend you ENTIRE show just bashing republicans. I have no serious faith in anything you say about either party because your extreme hate for republicans causes you to get lost in the bashing. Bash the dems too! Have some respect in the process for whoever you bash. Come on! Leave the 17 year olds alone - your funny, buy it makes you look like you need counseling or anger management classes when you run your self over the cliff! Ya know, you could double your viewer-ship if you become an equal opportunity basher! Get some backbone my friend, be your own man, stop pandering to the extreme leftists that pay your salary. You may want to get your lipstick of their dicks!
Bill,
Please get your facts straight on Palin.
Sarah Info on Factcheck
About Factcheck:
We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels.
The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.
I'm not sure if your researchers are aware of this, but there is a video floating on the internet of a young black man that is claiming to be the real father of Bristol Palin's baby.
Below is the video link; copy & paste into your browser:
http://ec2-75-101-218-88.compute-1.amazonaws.com/
Also the young man has a myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/draftpickhits
I think this might be really news-worthy because what young black man in their right mind would want to get involved in this melee willfully. This young man is stepping up to the plate saying he wants to be involved. The republicans are trying to completely erase him from the picture.
I urge you to view the link, and research the story. This could be a big political obstacle for the republicans, and it could potentially change the outcome of this election!
Renee: And if the father of a child is black, so what? Did you forget that if Obama's mother hadn't found herself pregnant to a black man he wouldn't have been born? The woman whose reputation you seem to want to trash is not married and the identity of her child's father is her business alone. How could it be cause for scandal?
Richard,
Regarding the "facts" on Factcheck, only a very few of the issues were addressed there, and the piece on Palin was written in such a biased manner that I have written a letter of complaint to Factcheck, and Annenberg Foundation. To publish in the tone of voice as written is completely shows no journalistic integrity what so ever, to address only a partial list of the accusations is completely irresponsible. Will you be posting the FULL facts on this blog when they become available?
Perhaps you did not read the article completely before you decided to publish your comment to the blog. I would suggest you read the piece completely before posting your comments, and note the journalistic style with which it is written, or lack there of.
One of the true dangers of someone like Palin is that she ignores the facts. She ignores reports from the US Government regarding global warming and the environment in her own state.
For me, and many of my other friends the "deal breaker" with Palin and McCain is that they would ban abortions even for women who have been raped. No compassionate God and No Country has a right to make a woman carry the product of a rape.
Her other "Two Faced" stands on other issues and her misdeeds in Alaska for us is just more window dressing covering up the core issues of her LACK of character, and the senility that John McCain at 72 showed in the poor selection of a candidate unfit to run this county and be one heart beat away from being the President of the United States. Seriously, did he really have someone look into her background before the nomination?
Bill, Check out the remarkable similarity between Palin and Mrs Pritchard on the PBS/BBC TV series
"The Amazing Mrs Pritchard"
In fact I might suggest you look at having Jane Horrocks (Mrs Pritchard) on your show :-)
Hi Bill, long time fan :) Just wanted to point out that one of the images used in the opening sequence of Alaska poking fun at Palin was in fact, in Aspen, NOT Alaska. Maroon Bells is still in Colorado, I was just there over the weekend LOL.
Thanks for making me laugh.
Anyone asked to donate for the McCain-Palin campaign notice that its called the McCain-Palin compliance fund? If that doesn't tell you what they expect from the American people for the next 4 years I'm not sure what does. Don't believe me check it out https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=NPM2A9KUXS0
From Dictionary.com
Compliance is defined as "the act of conforming, acquiescing, or yielding"
Oh and to those that I notice have denounced Bill Maher and that he should be taken off the air. I think its absolutely funny you are the exact same people that say America is great because of its freedom, but we should stifle those that don't agree with us. Hey if you don't like Bill Maher there are several options you have press the power button, the channel up or down button, read a book (might I recommend the "fag hating bible") or fight the terrorist over there so that we don't have to fight them over here. Oh an by the way its all called satire ever wonder why Bill says "I kid, I kid" all time 1. prevents libel suits and 2. so people understand the implicit nature that its a joke not meant to be taken too seriously.
Oh yes I'm a liberal, as though its a bad thing. Its not! No one can ever point out why it is! Instead I'm relegated to hear ad hominem attacks. The two best are they're dumb and elitist.
Can someone tell me exactly how Obama is elitist compared to McCain?
Keep up the great work Bill Maher
http://demwatch.oldnewsproductions.net/
Ok.. So this is a little off this topic but it is related to the show Friday.
A little background... I'm not a "Crazy Christian". I do have the right amount of God in MY life. I do not go to church but I do believe and I do pray.
LIFE is God's plan. The things we do along the way, the decisions we make are ours to make. Whether they be hits or miserable failures, that is our gamble to make. We can pray, and ask for guidance when things go wrong. We can praise God and thank him richly when things go right, but we can not rely on him to say that WAR or POLITICAL POLICY is His plan. That is like saying I don't have the financials forecast for next year, because I feel next year is God's Plan. Can you imagine walking into a shareholder's meeting with that excuse? You'd be laughed out of the room!!!!!!
Bush, Cheney and their Clones got us into this war... it wasn't God. They have kept us there... it wasn't God. So Mrs. Palin... I ask... HOW and WHO will get us out? I know its not going to be God, and I am pretty much certain it will not be YOU!
McCain has been dubbed McSame and to reflect his and his running mates' relationship with the truth I think Palin merits the new name of Sarah Bin lyin' so for me the ticket now reads McSame and Sarah Bin Lyin'
Last time I checked Bin Laden had no power to take this country to war, muchless to war in a country he isn't even in. He did need to be handled for what was done, but there may have been more efficient ways to do so. Lying to the country, dragging troops and innocent people into war, and using money that is needed elsewhere so much more seems to be the popular thing to do now, rather than the right thing. If not, how did Bush get elected again?
Someone earlier compared this to a High School Homecoming and unfortunately it seems to be shaping up that way. Bin Laden didn't paper our halls. Saddam Hussein didn't steal our mascot. This is larger than that people. Wake up and smell the coffee brewing... thats not weed from the backseat anymore (well maybe it is for you Bill.)
We've got a President running the Country like a High School. First, you've got the dead but let's beat it one more time 9/11 conspiracy theory. I mean come on, can we take a minute before we jump to war. Can anyone say investigation? I'm not saying I believe the theory. I am just saying we have a trigger happy President with NO plan and no signs of one.
Second, before the first initiative is complete, he invades a ANOTHER country due to a RUMOR. A RUMOR?
I hate what happened on 9/11. I have all the sympathy possible for the families and friends of people that lost someone that day. I'm sorry for the whole world honestly, because I sat like everyone else in horror and disbelief, not understanding and not believing that something like that was possible. I would like to make one thing VERY clear. AND YES IT IS POSSIBLE...I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS COMPLETELY. I wish them well and I pray for their safe return daily. I just do not support our President or his agenda.
And Bush Sr. could have taken care of it all with one shot many years ago but he didn't have the balls. We all know he had the terrorist in his sites and couldn't call for a trigger to be pulled. Had that happened we wouldn't be in the mess we are today.
Getting rid of Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11 or weapons of mass destruction. It everything to do with the fact that Saddam had defaulted on the billions of dollars worth of loans from all sorts of sources, not the least of which was the Saudis, which President Bush and his family are tied to the Saudi Royal Family.
Then we also get into the fact that BP (British Petroleum) owned the oil leases for Iraq and there were noises that Saddam was not going to honor them. The fact is that either the French or English have been in some sort of control over Iraq for 60 odd of the last 80 years.
It had everything to do with money...and not Terrorists or WMDs or 9/11, that is just want they told the American people.
EXACTLY...thank you... the invasion of Iraq was all built and sold ON a stack of lies.
Bill...you need to be slapped --- and hard --- for the remark that you made re: Sarah Palin's Special Needs Son, Trig. It was tasteless, not a bit funny, rude, un-caring, sexist, mean-spirited, and just plain un-called-for. Heaven forbid that any one related to you would have a child in the future facing the needs and support that this Child will. I imagine that you would be just as mean and un-caring to your relatives. It just proved to me, and thousands of other like-minded Americans, that you really are the arrogant Ass-Hole that I have always thought that you were. But you will continue to say such things supported by the liberal left-wing Ass-hole Audience that you play to as well as HBO which will continue to broadcast Slimes such as yourself on the air. Guess I won't be seeing you at the McCain-Palin Victory Party on November 4th? Oh,well...more "moose-meat" snacks for me!
You don't think the reason we are in Iraq has anything to do with money or oil? umm I've done research. A lot of it. I've read many books on the subject including the one by the guest on the Bush White House "What Happened", very good read by the way.
I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud that we help countries in need. I'm proud of my right to free speech. That is all part of Democracy. Is it not?
All I am saying is that we do not need to scam and lie to our own people to get things done. That is not a way to gain respect or to gain trust.
Also, how do we look taking care of other countries when we can't even take care of our own properly? I'm not saying we need to stop helping others, but should we spread ourselves so thin?
We stood by and watched the genocide of the Kurdish people in Iraq. It was only when the loans looked like they would never be paid back did we go in and "take over" It is all about money and oil.
But the topic is The Republicans should stop calling Obama elitist.
“WHEN PIGS FLY”
The English Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Wikipedia define the family of swine as follows:
(References to actual people are hypothetical and not intended to offend anyone)
----------------------------------
Pig (John McCain)
• a sturdy short-legged hoofed animal with a broad snout
• a greedy or course person - somebody thought to behave in a discourteous, or brutal manner
• an offensive term that deliberately insults a woman's morality
----------------------------------
Pork (Political Party)
• the meat of the pig
• U.S. government money and jobs awarded by politicians to their supporters or constituents to win their favor, especially when awarded wastefully
----------------------------------
A Pig in a Poke (Sarah Palin)
• something that is bought or obtained without being inspected to see whether it is worth having
----------------------------------
Litter of Pigs (voters)
• offspring - a group of young animals born at the same time from the same mother
• messy state or place - a large number of small pigs that have been scattered around untidily, or are in a place that is in a messy state
----------------------------------
A Flying Pig (an undecided voter)
• pigs capable of flight, or in flight - pigs moving very quickly
• a symbol of an impossible event coming to pass
----------------------------------
When Pigs Fly (an impossible event)
• an idiomatic way of saying that something will never happen
• pigs are heavy animals, without wings, and cannot possibly fly
----------------------------------
Barack Obama was not suggesting that Sarah Palin is a “Pig,” as she is clearly a “Pig in a Poke.” Barack Obama understands that a litter of “Pigs might fly, if they had wings.” He also understands that “With sufficient thrust, Pigs fly just fine,” but pigs cannot get out of the “Pork Barrel” with “Everything but the squeal.”
“It’s as plain as a Pig on a Sofa,” The Republicans are “Trying to make a silk purse out of a Pig’s Ear.” It appears they are “As happy as Pigs in Mud.” Rest assured they are “Sweating like a Pig.” Soon, they may be “Squealing like a stuck Pig.” However, “What can you expect from a Hog but a grunt?”
At the end of the day, “Pigs get fat, Hogs get Slaughtered.” It is time to “Go the whole Hog,” and stop “Casting our Pearls before Swine.”
But let’s just talk plain English so everybody gets it.
Barack Obama “Calls a spade a spade.” It is time to “Let the cat out of the bag” and stop “Reading from the same page” so the American people can see that “All that glitters is not Gold.” It is also time to stop “Crying Wolf” and “Selling Snake Oil.”
“A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.” McCain has dangerously “Taken the bull by the horns,” but “Slow and steady wins the race.” At the end of the day…”What goes around comes around” and “Garbage in-Garbage out.”
“Wake up and smell the coffee” America. Our lives will not change if we keep trying to “Reinvent the Wheel.” John F. Kennedy said, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” So think long and hard about what really “floats your boat”… before you vote.
McCain will “Change” Washington and “Put Our Country first” “WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER” or as they say…”When Pigs Fly.”
Barack Obama – “The Other White Meat”
Truly venomous!
Kudos to you for doing the right thing and supporting Sen. Obama, Bill! Don't worry, he's a brilliant man but he's still human; you'll still be able to bring the funny on him from time to time. Besides, in the meantime there will still be all those Republicans in Congress providing you with material to work with!
here is a video you need to see:
http://www.bossip.com/?s=palin
mp2008 said "...an innocent girl who you don't even know."
Why doesn't she comply with the press and take more questions, if the "girl" is so "innocent?" So far, she has done one giant softball interview with Charlie Gibson - wow.
mp2008, you love posting links, from now on post a link to your ghetto dictionary whenever you feel the need to copy/paste a definition. I want to see the site responsible for poisoning our youth.
Its simple, you don't like Bill Maher, then stop trolling his comment board.
Bitching at him on this board isn't going to get to him, so stop... its pathetic.
Get a job- oh wait you can't because with the state of the economy being the way it is (thanks to the idiot president you love so much) unemployment is up, the worth of the American dollar is DOWN, more AMERICAN's are suffering and being forced to believe that the American dream is just that- a dream.
You clearly see that our country has taken a turn for the worst and yet you continue to support a candidate who plans to "keep us on our course" and has agreed with the same failed policies of a president who lacks the ability to think about anyone but himself; who has shown the most blatant lack of concern for his own citizens over and over and.....
this proves to me that you're like the rats in my lab who continue to go for the cheese even though every time they touch it they get shocked. It could have been a one legged prostitute running against McCain, I would still prefer the prostitute over Bush 3.0
At least the prostitute knows she's a prostitute.
mp2008,
Funny you should link http://www.merriam-webster.com/ because all the definitions you posted "taste" "tasteless" "compliance" have noticeably different definitions on their site.
What I guess I'm requesting, is for you to just post the link to each of your future definitions, that way we can go directly to your BS.
Check out this blog... position supports Bill's concept of "Religiosity" as the major issue in this election. (copy and paste link below to view video w comment)
http://whatelephant.blogspot.com/2008/09/armagettin-outta-here-elephant-self.html
Hi Bill, loved your show! You have a very clear mind.
I read New York Time today, you maybe can make an other wonderful joks for us....
here is the link, New York Time Elizabeth Bumiller talks about the body language and running mates. Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferarro were more formal then, as opposed to how John McCain and Sarah Palin are more comfortable now.
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&vid=efa5ad35-0df2-4179-9e57-ae78991aa7e0
New York Time Elizabeth Bumiller talks about the body language and running mates. Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferarro were more formal then, as opposed to how John McCain and Sarah Palin are more comfortable now.
Hi Bill...
Has anyone noticed that in the RNC's introductory McCain video at the national convention... within the first five minutes of the video...amidst the emotional swell of patriotic music and a montage of chest beating, flag waving, bumper sticker inspiring military photographs of McCain in uniform... there is a JARRING(I literally fell out of my chair) explanation of what allegedly REALLY makes McCain tick...
As the music swells to crescendo, the nostalgic black and white photo slide show abruptly stops and they cut to a picture of McCain's 90 something year old Mom while the announcer says with all apparent sincerity that what drives and shapes today's McCain is NOT his signature military experience or personal suffering at the hands of the Viet Cong...
No, what makes McCain "McCain".... according to the announcer is that McCain is... AND I QUOTE : "at his core...a Momma's boy "....
REALLY ??! A momma's boy ?? Is that really who we need leading the free world ? What happened to being a man's man ??
I could not believe that's how the red meat eating, moose shooting RNC would choose to introduce their nominee... talk about your gender role reversals... so what's McCain going to do then ? Be a "stay at home President" and "sensitive listener" while "Sarah Baracuda" sets out for the new frontier (apparently, Alaska's north slope)toating only two cans of beans which she opens with her teeth and the "good book" (actually titled "Where Babies Come From") so she can bring home the (moose) bacon...fry it up in a pan... and never ever let John forget he's a man..."
Well at least the RNC now has it's ticket and it turns out that it's "GRUMPY and SMURFETTE" (please feel free to plagarize without attribution)... what a pair... (and no,(for the sexist PC hysterics) I'm NOT referring to Palin's only OBVIOUS attributes)... For the record, I'm one of those die hard Hillary Clinton (now die hard Obama)women that the idiotic pandering RNC thinks they are going to recuit...HA!... over my dead moose !
Back to the point a bit ago when people were talking about God's will in the election etc. I always think of Monty Python, when Arthur explains to the peasants how he was made King by the Lady of the Lake. It is funny that people can attribute so much to God and the Calvanist Dogma that God makes all the decisons. And it is a bit elitist to have a moist bint make you king, or president. Maybe we should just get a Lady of the Lake to decide the election...just kidding...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o76WQzVJ434
ARTHUR: How do you do, good lady. I am Arthur, King of the Britons.
Who's castle is that?
WOMAN: King of the who?
ARTHUR: The Britons.
WOMAN: Who are the Britons?
ARTHUR: Well, we all are. we're all Britons and I am your king.
WOMAN: I didn't know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous
collective.
DENNIS: You're fooling yourself. We're living in a dictatorship.
A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes--
WOMAN: Oh there you go, bringing class into it again.
DENNIS: That's what it's all about if only people would--
ARTHUR: Please, please good people. I am in haste. Who lives
in that castle?
WOMAN: No one live there.
ARTHUR: Then who is your lord?
WOMAN: We don't have a lord.
ARTHUR: What?
DENNIS: I told you. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take
it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.
ARTHUR: Yes.
DENNIS: But all the decision of that officer have to be ratified
at a special biweekly meeting.
ARTHUR: Yes, I see.
DENNIS: By a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs,--
ARTHUR: Be quiet!
DENNIS: --but by a two-thirds majority in the case of more--
ARTHUR: Be quiet! I order you to be quiet!
WOMAN: Order, eh -- who does he think he is?
ARTHUR: I am your king!
WOMAN: Well, I didn't vote for you.
ARTHUR: You don't vote for kings.
WOMAN: Well, 'ow did you become king then?
ARTHUR: The Lady of the Lake,
[angels sing]
her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur
from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I,
Arthur, was to carry Excalibur.
[singing stops]
That is why I am your king!
DENNIS: Listen -- strange women lying in ponds distributing swords
is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power
derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical
aquatic ceremony.
ARTHUR: Be quiet!
DENNIS: Well you can't expect to wield supreme executive power
just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!
ARTHUR: Shut up!
DENNIS: I mean, if I went around sayin' I was an empereror just
because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me they'd
put me away!
ARTHUR: Shut up! Will you shut up!
DENNIS: Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system.
ARTHUR: Shut up!
DENNIS: Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system!
HELP! HELP! I'm being repressed!
ARTHUR: Bloody peasant!
DENNIS: Oh, what a give away. Did you here that, did you here that,
eh? That's what I'm on about -- did you see him repressing me,
you saw it didn't you?
Love the "Grumpy and Smurfette" analogy...
Unfortunately, the RNC does get the fact that there were 6 other dwarfs to pick from and Smurfette may have been the only female in the Smurf village, but there certainly were other women they could have chosen from for the VP candidate.
Sorry guys, Palin crashed and burned last night. I was bowled over at the convention and thought Hillary would have tough competition should they ever come face to face. But Palin's a paperdoll cheer leader good at speechifying. What is the Bush Doctrine? Come on! Charlie didn't stumble, she had no clue what it was and attempted to get him to tell her....which he finally had to. God has a plan? Well, I certainly hope she's not consuting him or her when she doesn't know what to do if Isreal decides to attack Iran. Yes, she will be grilled because she does not have a history and it is our duty to know what she would do if faced with certain circumstances. Obama is intelligent, aware, involved and real. Biden is experienced. I could go on but I only have 1000 characters.
Hi Bill, loved your show! You have a very clear mind.
I read New York Time today, you maybe can make an other wonderful joks for us....
here is the link, New York Time Elizabeth Bumiller talks about the body language and running mates. Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferarro were more formal then, as opposed to how John McCain and Sarah Palin are more comfortable now.
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&vid=efa5ad35-0df2-4179-9e5
Nothing to do with this posting....Are there any blog entries by Bill with regards to the Religulous movie or religion in general ? Have never watched him before but will now as I completely agree with his new movie. Really should start a site with his/others views on religion. It is the root of all evil/conflcit in the world today.
Where's your brain? A prostitute? Where is that coming from. Not even Bill Mayher said that. And I do have a job, I've had one for a long time. Your comments on the republicans causing the economy to fail are off base. Or did you forget Nafta, Bill Clinton's little idea. That has sent so many of the former US jobs to different countries. That was a democrat who caused all these problems. And if you didn't get my original gripe, it was about the joke concerning a baby who has no business being the object of someones warped sense of humor. Or do you pick on kids with Down Syndrome. I don't watch Bill Mayher, but I responded to his comment because he stepped over the line. He's nothing to me. If I hadn't heard it on the news, then I wouldn't have gotten on this stupid site.
http://tiff08.ca/filmsandschedules/films/religulous
Hi, Religulous was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival last Saturday. There are some reviews floating around the internet. That is why Mr. Maher said he had to catch a red eye to Toronto...
He was on Larry King promoting the movie, I think you can still download that show from iTunes. You can also view it on the CNN website.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/08/20/lkl.bill.maher.cnn
You can also see clips on youtube.
He also showed the trailer as the intro to his stand up routine at Humphrey's.
I think there was something on his myspace page too
Now that the Pied Piper and his magic flute are FINALLY leaving town... where are his furry, long tailed followers to turn except to scurry behind another cartoon duo that they feel that they can have a beer (and apparently, a mooseburger)with...
Oh, for an electorate that has graduated from the "See Dick Run, Run Dick Run" reading primers and Grimms Fairy Tails...
NO WONDER Laura Bush had to spend so much time on adult literacy programs... too bad she could'nt get "W" to sign up..
What is wrong with women!!!
Sarah Palin for Vice President, please!!! Since when did the second highest office in America become a beauty pageant? We are judging her on her ability to read from a teleprompter and how poise she is under “false” pressure. Everyone says give credit were credit is do, o.k. Congratulation Sarah Palin, as we can clear see, hooked on phonics worked for you. People are worried about, “If we can trust Barack” while Sarah Palin is singing the praises of the Alaskan Indepence Party. Women wake up!! How can you tell you daughters don’t let society dictate who their friends are, what they think of themselves and to not to compare themselves to others but that’s all I hear from women regarding Sara Palin, every comment has been about superficial things. They can’t say anything about her political views because she doesn’t have any. Her job is to amen everything that John McCain says. We want to blame society for our daughters having low self esteem, we claim that they can’t leave up to images they see on TV but we should be blaming ourselves. Apparently the women aren’t practicing what they preach!!! We are picking an image for Vice President!
Tricia
36 year old mother of 2 girls
What is wrong with women!!!
Sarah Palin for Vice President, please!!! Since when did the second highest office in America become a beauty pageant? We are judging her on her ability to read from a teleprompter and how poise she is under “false” pressure. Everyone says give credit were credit is do, o.k. Congratulation Sarah Palin, as we can clearly see, hooked on phonics worked for you. People are worried about, “If we can trust Barack” while Sarah Palin is singing the praises of the Alaska Independence Party. Women wake up!! How can you tell your daughters don’t let society dictate who their friends are, what they think of themselves and you tell them not to compare themselves to others but that’s all I hear from women regarding Sara Palin, every comment has been about superficial things. They can’t say anything about her political views because she doesn’t have any. Her job is to amen everything that John McCain says. We want to blame society for our daughters having low self esteem, we claim that they can’t live up to images they see on TV but we should be blaming ourselves. Apparently the women aren’t practicing what they preach!!! We are picking an image for Vice President!
Tricia
36 year old mother of 2 girls
Tricia, you are right on. Here is the problem.
Unfortunately...we have given too much credit to the intelligence of women in America. Don't get me wrong, there are just as many men.
And...unfortunately many of the women who supported Hillary were supporting her for one reason only - because she is a woman. Democrats believe in equality for everyone so they did not entertain this idea.
The fact is...many of these women don't really know anything about the issues and how the issues affect them.
You see...many of these women are uneducated...single mothers working 2 jobs and too focused on surviving and taking care of their kids to pay attention.
Sadly...many of them have go nowhere minimum wage jobs. They go to work every day and most of their co-workers are women. And contrary to popular belief, most of their bosses are men. They can't afford cable if they even have a TV, or time to watch it, so they listen to Lou Dobbs. They simply see a woman in power as a symbol of change for them.
Senior women...who never went to college or had jobs and did whatever the husband said to do all their life...see Sarah Palin the same way. They just want to see a woman in the white house in their lifetime.
In addition...men in similar situations, minimum wage jobs, uneducated but old enough to vote, voting for her because she is a babe with a gun.
I'm not making this up. I have been out talking to people. They are being exploited and they don't even know it. They don't even want to listen to me because they think I represent taking away their dream of change.
The Republican party knows this. The Republicans, who believe they should have no responsibility for underemployed and uneducated people in American. (as Glen Beck said today, "Why should I have to pay for somebody who can't even get my order right at the fast food drive thru???")
Women bond, even women who don't know anything. They wear 'girl-power' buttons. They are bonding with Sarah Palin for no reason.
What a backwards step for America. What a humiliation for all of us. What a slick trick by the Republicans by capitalizing on the uneducated American women and men that they knew would fall for this.
Sarah Palin is obviously one them. She will go to work eveyday and do what she is told to do. She is already doing it in her interviews.
I am a woman...and shoot me with a high powered moose rifle for saying this...but there is no equality in America this year...and "A woman's right to vote" has, in a sense...become a meaningless privilege...
Bill,
I loved every one of your shows, except for tonight (9/12/08). You focused way too much on Sarah Palin (as opposed to McCain or Obama). Two of your panelists (the "progressives") added very little value to the discussion. I did not agree with the views of the conservative panelist, but at least he was playing his "role" well on the panel.
Focusing on Sarah does not help Obama win. It also is not very entertaining.
I will watch next week, because I love your show.
Thomas Brooks
Author, "A Wealth of Family"
Bill,
You are a sarcastic and unknowledgable millionare and your show is getting worse every year.
Give it a break and find some new subject matter. And don't have Roseanne Barr on the show anymore. She...like you...has no education in economics or business and just got lucky making money because America allows people with talent.....in this case...what used to be considered humor...to make millions...and then become political "experts". Sincerely, Somebody Who Used to Enjoy Your Show and Stopped!
The term "elitist" is a Republican trick box for this uppcomming campaign that sadly many are easily falling into.
Insulting the average American's level of intelligence and social sophistication is not the way to gain votes.
The show today featured Rossane Barr to talk about the "crudeness" of Sahra Palin........are you kidding???
Bill,
If you, Janeane Garofalo and Rushdie did your homework, you would know that John Fund was correct about the Bush Doctrine. There are several definitions to it. It's easy to look up.
Sarah Palin was correct when she asked Gibson, in which respect?! It was a "gotcha" question. Roseanne really didn't help the show at all.
You are attacking someone you just now heard of. How did you and everyone else get so smart in 10 days about her?
The best thing you did tonight is to defend the 4 against 1 in regards to John Fund. You should try a little compassion more often.
forks, don't fight!
Look Anderson Cooper's : KEEPING PALIN HONEST... will help you know your candidate better...
forks, don't fight!
Look Anderson Cooper's : KEEPING PALIN HONEST... will help you know your candidate better...
An other funny one: HUGS VS. HANDSHAKES... CNBC
New York Time Elizabeth Bumiller talks about the body language and running mates. Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferarro were more formal then, as opposed to how John McCain and Sarah Palin are more comfortable now.
New York Time Elizabeth Bumiller talks about the body language and running mates. Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferarro were more formal then, as opposed to how John McCain and Sarah Palin are more comfortable now.
Bill,
Your show tonight (Janeane Garafalo, John Fund, and Salmon Rushdie) was great. Would you consider a short drive out to the Valley to speak with my CSUN Literature and Film students? I know they'd love to hear your thoughts on the election, Iraq, and so on. We could keep this low key, impromptu.
Can I recommend that you significantly cutback on airtime for actors (e.g., Rosanne, Kerry Washington) that add little to the discourse on your show. I think these guests tend to do little more than take cheap shots for cheap applause. I don’t think they add much in the way of original thought or intelligent debate. Indeed, I think these guests take time away from the thoughtful and original discussions that other guests bring. I’m not suggesting you should get Jim-Lahrer-Hour boring on me, but a little less Roseanne, and a little more Rushdie could go a long way. I do not like the idea that certain of your guests get airtime simply because they are already famous, and not because of any value that they add. (I think, after watching you for a number of years, you’re a meritocracy kinda guy and would probably tend to agree with me on this)
Don’t get me wrong – it’s not the case that I disagree with your actor-guests’ political leanings – I think our fiscal and foreign policies have both been reckless (at best), and at least on most social issues, I lean very far left. Instead, what I don’t like is that (1) your actor-guests are boring and unoriginal; and (2) I really believe some guests do no better of a job on your show than an average poly-sci student in an average college freshman seminar would do. I’d simply prefer see more guests with better credentials than “Actor.”
That aside, I do enjoy your show, and I thank you for doing it.
Hi Bill, you make really excellent political points and observations. I am impressed !
I think you are absolutely right, there are several levels of political deception taking place. Actually the Republicans devised a strategy using Palin to make this possible. They put her up on stage with the pregnant daughter and the handicapped child so that she could not be attacked. ...and they make that as a STRONG SELLING POINT TO GET VOTERS it seem work well.....
What a joke that for such an important office the Republicans would use such immature tactics and even more of a joke when one considers that Palin actually used her own family for this purpose !! Sh i t, what a farse !
However, as you say we need to look at the reality of the situation. What would happen if McCain were to die and she was to become President ! God help us all !! If this were to happen the Russians would be very happy and would send all the army over the north pole as soon as possible. I can see them all now on jet skis or dog sleds !! haha
Then to protect the USA from the Russians, President Palin would get on TV with her pregnant daughter and handicapped child and expect the Russians to stop ! HA !
Bill-
I hope you read slate.com because John Fund was right in his comments about the Bush Doctrine and the meaningless of that term spoken without context. My politics are pretty similar to yours, and I think that Fund was really right in his comments about Palin. She's not incompetent, he's just extreme. Frankly, she's about as qualified as GWB was, only she hasn't been supported by huge donors for the last year, which was the only thing that gave W's candidacy "credibility." Just ignore that bitch and focus on McCain. I think that Begala was basically saying the same thing.
The only other thing I'd add is that your panel really ought to have been more respectful to Fund - he wasn't being disingenuous in the least and I think a big weakness of the left out inability to see that the right really believes in their positions, they aren't just "evil" and "liars." It's that dismissive attitude that makes people call the left "elitists." It's got nothing to do with wealth.
Maher is a moron.
Hey Bill, have you read George Lakoff's book "The Political Mind" or caught some of his blog entries. He explains this nonsensical position of why Democrats remain powerless in the face of Republican lies and idiocy. He just makes so much sense, it would be great to have him as guest on your show. Just a thought.
As an Alaskan, I take exception to Bill's comments about Sarah's having 5 kids after commenting that our state has a fairly small population. How in the world are we going to catch up to the population density of other states if we don't have ladies willing to have much more than 2 children?
Some of your comments about her family I find rather offensive; which is something new from my memory of your comedy in the past. With your talent and that of your writers, I'm shocked that you couldn't find a more palatable way of presenting facts you were dealing with.
And keep in mind that while refering to Mrs. Palin as a "milf" may be an amusing way to state how attractive she is, you have to be careful about you deal with married (or attached) women up here - as boyfriends/husbands may turn out as a workmate of mine in the past that chose prison time over the attention his wife got from a guy at a bar.
As an American Woman, I am insulted by the choice of Sarah Palin as the Vice Presidential candidate by John S. McCain III, senior senator from Arizona. Someone with over 20 years of experience at the national and international level.
He has chosen a woman with obviously little education and poor experience to be the second in command and possibly the leader of the largest democratic nation in the world.
He has chosen a woman who has little or no compassion for victims of rape and incest in that she would deny them the choice of an abortion and force them to carry the child of their molester/attacker.
Beyond any other reasons that she does not have the experience or education to lead this country I will not vote for anyone who will take this choice away from women.
Lastly, I am not interested in hearing about the frontier justice that exits in Alaska, where Gov. Sarah Palin feels it is okay to chase an animal with a plane until it is exhausted and shoot it from the plane.
The type of Barbarism that she has shown to rape victims, animals, and even her own daughter it outrageous. She is willing to sacrifice her own daughter, who was not going to marry the father of her child until this nomination for her own selfish goals.
How can we vote for someone who can't even control her own household, let alone put her in charge of the largest democratic nation on this planet.
She is unfit to serve and an insult to all women in this nation, and John S. McCain is also unfit to be our president for selecting someone like Sarah Palin as his running mate.
Education does matter, standing up for the right thing does matter.
I write from the "Heart"land --- not too many years ago, Barak Obama would not even have been admitted to a number of country clubs in this (red)neck of the woods!
Ridiculous, bombastic bullshit is what the GOP is feeding the Republican Serf masses, and our hapless citizens consume these inane insults and untruths, gulping them down hungrily and asking for more --- it feeds into their fears and prejudices, and in their limited sensibilities, it justifies them.
It's like that old Life cereal add. The Republican Serf masses are the Mikeys --- they'll eat anything.
Scary thought is, when I look back at these last 8 years and wonder if the GOP will connive their way into the White House once again --- is this all we deserve as a country? Is it that much of a cultural imbalance --- the ignorant righteous lemmings win out????
"Evil" is right here at home, and it wears its dark suits and comb-overs quite well.
Keep up the good work. Great show last night!
Love the show! It is the highlight of our Friday - we have friends over and it's always lively!! Unfortunately, since the Repubs haven't done anything positive the last 8 years, they threw the American citizens a bone..what's her name. She's a diversion when they have nothing better to offer, an awful diversion. Let's do as Obama is doing and focusing on the real issues, and hammer jm. Heaven knows there is enough material...
Bill, The absolute fact is, if the republicans win by vote of "middle america", it is their children who are killed in war, and their jobs who are lost in this failed economy! If they win, they lose!
Great show and discussion last night!
Just reiterating the request for the transcripts to be back on the website!
Thanks!
Let's get our game on and support Ron Paul for President. He could do for Obama what Ross Perot did for Clinton. make it happen Bill...
To John Fund's comment about debate explanation:
During the debates the moderator will define items like the Bush Doctrine -- not for the debaters (who should be informed on the subject) but for the audience, who may have too much on their mind to remember or who may not know at all until they hear it for the first time from the moderator.
Bill,
You talk about rural America like we're all dumb. Just where do you think your food and drink comes from????? You dumb ucker... you can't grow vegetables, meat and barley for your beer in downtown Manhattan!!! Guess that't what they say about the EXCEPTIONALLY SMART when people say they have NO COMMON SENSE!!!
STUPID BILL MAHR. Thanks for helping more Democrats turn to the Republican Party.
Rural American in Georgia
CNN was founded in Atlanta guess that makes them the Hick Network
hey bill don't get that Michael steel ever again on your show buddy he is so disgusting i know i have to bear with some republicans but not this guy
rural america
As much as it pains me to write this, people like you will taken much more seriously if you learn to spell and get your facts straight.
Mr. Maher is a vegan, and does not eat meat.
He lives in LA, not Manhattan
and he spells his name M A H 'E' R
Unfortunately, like many in your party, you (y'all) don't get their facts straight before shooting off your mouth or being interviewed for national television program.
Sarah Palin is not a world leader by any stretch of the imagination.
She is no Indira Gandhi.
She is no Golda Meir
She is no Margaret Thatcher
She is no Gro Brundtland
She is no Benazer Bhutto
She is no Kim Campbell
and she is no Hillary Clinton
To say that she is ready to lead this nation and is one heart beat away from being the next President of the US is a farce.
Hi Bill
I have just a slogan to illustrate what I think :
"With the Democrats we went on the Moon. With the Republicans we can only go to the hell"
You are among the very few persons that still make me proud of the USA.
Thanks
STeve
Bill, you are a true insensitive asshole! Obama, like YOU, is an ELITIST. Only elitist scum like you would make fun of the NAMES of Palin's kids. Only an elitist and truly insensitive jerk would make fun of a child with Down's Syndrome. You should thank God (if you believe in God) that you are as fortunate as you are - in spite of the misuse of your talents. I used to enjoy your humor - until you lost it in the gutter. Your personal attacks on McCain and Palin belie your intelligence (look up the word). You are a coward using your forum to get personal in your sick attacks on these fine people. Why don't you talk about the issues, pendejo? By the way, why don't you have your LAPDOG staff investigate WHO financed Obama's Harvard Law School education?? Jim from Albuquerque
One more comment....
Mooseburger?
Shows you have no ammunition except for personal insults. AIRHEAD!!!
Jim from Albuquerque
Again, you guys need to get your facts straight. It makes me think that there are a bunch of you right-wingers sitting in some kind of blog underground bomb shelter basement perpetuating the continual nonsense that you believe in. Also, because your statements are so off the mark it makes me think you NEVER watched Real Time or Politically Incorrect.
He did not make a joke out of the child having Down Syndrome. He made a JOKE that the baby looked like John Edwards.
Bill Maher is a self proclaimed atheist. He has said this on the show many times, which leads me to believe you have never watched the show.
Why don't you watch the show and learn something.
To "psycho" One: Your post is proof that you and your ilk missed - and continue to miss the point.
Personal attacks, whether couched in humor (poor humor, at that) or in an overt determination to harm or destroy betray marxist LEFT-wingers' TOTAL FEAR and insanity.
If Bill has to resort to these insults, it proves that he (and you) are impotent little nobodies - like dogs chasing after a fire engine; you will never catch up.
You also missed my point about Bill thanking God for his talent.
I personally don't care if Bill is an atheist. That's between him and his maker.
You need to get out more and look at the potential of a Marxist Caliph like OBAMA running the country. Better brush up on your Arabic
To Kittu:
Michael Steele (get the spelling, ignoramus is his name...
Jim
It is obvious that you don't watch the show, and that is why you got so much of your original post WRONG!
"You should thank God (if you believe in God) that you are as fortunate as you are"
If you EVER watched the show you would know that he is an atheist.
This makes you a LIAR, breaking #9....
While on this topic, why not talk about how John S. McCain broke #7; You shall not commit adultery...None of your RIGHT WING SICKOS talk about the fact that he CHEATED and committed ADULTERY...Oh, but I guess it is OKAY with you guys because She had money.
Jim:
"Marxist Caliph like OBAMA running the country. Better brush up on your Arabic"
The real issue is that you are a Racists, you can't stand that fact that a black man has made it in our society, that he attended one of the most prestigious schools in the world, has become a US Senator and will be the next President of the United States. That is the core issue of your complaint.
Actually you better learn Chinese, they are the ones to watch out for, the own more US dollars than any other country in the world, and one of the few factors keeping our currency afloat is that fact that OPEC still requires payment in dollars instead of Euros..
Also the reason we are getting hot for Iran is because they wanted to start selling Oil to Japan for Yen in 2007. This whole nuclear weapons BS was just because they didn't want to hold on to worthless US currency.
So yeah, start learning Arabic and Chinese. See where your RIGHT WING President has taken us, and we don't want more of the same BS for the next 4 years from his LAPDOG McCain.
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're
"exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American
story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well
grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become
the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter
registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12
years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State A 0
Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become
chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee,
spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a
state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving
on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's
Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
20
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city
council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000
people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000
people, then you're qualified to become the country's second
highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while
raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches,
you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left
your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're
a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education,
including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the
fiber of society.
* If , while=2 0governor, you=2 0staunchly advocate abstinence only, with
no other option in sex education in your state's school system
while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very
responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position
in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner
city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's
values don't represent America's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one
DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to
vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated
the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely
admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
From Deepak Chopra
Obama and the Palin Effect
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/obama-and-the-palin-effec_b_123943.html
posted 4 September 2008
Sometimes politics has the uncanny effect of mirroring the national psyche even when nobody intended to do that. This is perfectly illustrated by the rousing effect that Gov. Sarah Palin had on the Republican convention in Minneapolis this week. On the surface, she outdoes former Vice President Dan Quayle as an unlikely choice, given her negligent parochial expertise in the complex affairs of governing. Her state of Alaska has less than 700,000 residents, which reduces the job of governor to the scale of running one-tenth of New York City. By comparison, Rudy Giuliani is a towering international figure. Palin's pluck has been admired, and her forthrightness, but her real appeal goes deeper.
She is the reverse of Barack Obama, in essence his shadow, deriding his idealism and exhorting people to obey their worst impulses. In psychological terms the shadow is that part of the psyche that hides out of sight, countering our aspirations, virtue, and vision with qualities we are ashamed to face: anger, fear, revenge, violence, selfishness, and suspicion of "the other." For millions of Americans, Obama triggers those feelings, but they don't want to express them. He is calling for us to reach for our higher selves, and frankly, that stirs up hidden reactions of an unsavory kind. (Just to be perfectly clear, I am not making a verbal play out of the fact that Sen. Obama is black. The shadow is a metaphor widely in use before his arrival on the scene.) I recognize that psychological analysis of politics is usually not welcome by the public, but I believe such a perspective can be helpful here to understand Palin's message. In her acceptance speech Gov. Palin sent a rousing call to those who want to celebrate their resistance to change and a higher vision.
Look at what she stands for:
--Small town values -- a denial of America's global role, a return to petty, small-minded parochialism.
--Ignorance of world affairs -- a repudiation of the need to repair America's image abroad.
--Family values -- a code for walling out anybody who makes a claim for social justice. Such strangers, being outside the family, don't need to be heeded.
--Rigid stands on guns and abortion -- a scornful repudiation that these issues can be negotiated with those who disagree.
--Patriotism -- the usual fallback in a failed war.
--"Reform" -- an italicized term, since in addition to cleaning out corruption and excessive spending, one also throws out anyone who doesn't fit your ideology.
Palin reinforces the overall message of the reactionary right, which has been in play since 1980, that social justice is liberal-radical, that minorities and immigrants, being different from "us" pure American types, can be ignored, that progressivism takes too much effort and globalism is a foreign threat. The radical right marches under the banners of "I'm all right, Jack," and "Why change? Everything's OK as it is." The irony, of course, is that Gov. Palin is a woman and a reactionary at the same time. She can add mom to apple pie on her resume, while blithely reversing forty years of feminist progress. The irony is superficial; there are millions of women who stand on the side of conservatism, however obviously they are voting against their own good. The Republicans have won multiple national elections by raising shadow issues based on fear, rejection, hostility to change, and narrow-mindedness.
Obama's call for higher ideals in politics can't be seen in a vacuum. The shadow is real; it was bound to respond. Not just conservatives possess a shadow -- we all do. So what comes next is a contest between the two forces of progress and inertia. Will the shadow win again, or has its furtive appeal become exhausted? No one can predict. The best thing about Gov. Palin is that she brought this conflict to light, which makes the upcoming debate honest. It would be a shame to elect another Reagan, whose smiling persona was a stalking horse for the reactionary forces that have brought us to the demoralized state we are in. We deserve to see what we are getting, without disguise.
OMG! Give me a frickin break!
If Obama had of been "True Presidential Material", he would have put aside his childish and petty grievances AND PICKED HILLARY AS HIS RUNNING MATE!
That and that alone would have guaranteed him the White House!
Even tho it won't happen but, STOP BLAMING PALIN!
We stand for freedom. That is our conviction for ourselves; that is our only commitment to others.
There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction
A man does what he must-in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures-and that is the basis of all human morality.
I know there is a God - I see the storm coming and I see his hand in it - if he has a place then I am ready - we see the hand.
A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.
Quotes from a Smart Man...
John F. Kennedy
If the bickering and name calling were to stop..we just let the Candidates speak - it would be a much better world!
Well, we can sure tell who's the one that has no life! ME!!!
Lighten up guys! Jokes are great, Life is Great but, we can't go on hating each other just because we don't agree!
Bill,
You insult people by saying they call Obama an elitist just because hes smarter than them. *cough*bullhockey*cough*
You used to be fun to watch but now your insults and sarcasm are ridiculous.
Maybe why you don't like Gov. Palin is because she is smarter than you?
Admit that she has some major accomplishments and not 'just a hockey mom'. Until you can do that you're abusing your audience's intelligence.
Democrat for McCain
Obama is the same northeastern NewYork/Boston/Harvard elitism that has been present in the left wing of the democratic party since the late 1950s. Look at Kerry,Robert and Ted Kennedy, Dukakis, Mcgovern,Gore Obama, ect, ect. The names change but the assumtion that they automatically assume the higher intellectual and moral ground remain the same. If he were really sooo intelligent perhaps he should introduce a platform that isnt the same old socialism that the democrats have been regurgitating since 1965. These idiots are trapped in a time warp. Its not 1979, nuclear reactors are safe. Its not 1962, nobody is forced to ride in the back of the bus. Its not 1968, woman are promoted in to jobs in equility, or more, as men. Men even face gross reverse inequities in divorce courts and in cases of child custody. If Obama is sooo smart then why doesnt he acknowledge that socialism eventually lowers everyone's standard of living? If Obama is soooo much more intelligent than why doent he specifically detail any of his intentions? The bottom line is that the liberal democrats are arrogant and elitists because they honestly believe that government programs, decided upon by them and paid for by the people, can actually organize and run an individual's life better than the individual herself. If that is not true elitism then I do not know what is.
People... try to understand this country, any country that would use free labor ie.slavery,to built up it's economical system, would do anything to maintain status quo, ie.the ruiling class...we are all peons. So until you are ready to unite based on our position in life, ie class status, rather than our position in race,religion and/or education we will always be dupe! Ask yourself why these problems in society never seem to go away...They are not going away because of the profit, power and control it yields over most american lives. Final note...please use COMMON SENSE, believe nothing that is printed by the corporate press and media (tv and radio). Beware of those that are now brainwash regarding these issues, just ask them what they read, listen to and watch...their will be a common thread as to the way they gather their infomation. Thanks everyone who took time in reading this!
billy boy u r 1st
Hi Bill,
I've been watching parts of your show on YouTube, and I like it. But in the episode with John Fund, I think you missed the obvious rebuttal of his argument that during the primary debates, when a question about something like the Bush doctrine is asked, they introduce the context for the candidates. It seems obvious to me that they introduce the context not for the candidates, but for the edification of the television-watching public.
I'm not sure your remarks about the 'stupid' or 'dumb' people are really helping much. If somebody feels target by that remark (and how many of your viewers knew about the Bush doctrine before the show?) and is insulted, the rest of your message is less likely to come across. Also, I agree that Obama is smarter than most people, but it wouldn't hurt to add that he's probably smarter than you (Bill Maher) too ;-)
The Sept. 12th show was sweet ass superb. Janeane, my new heroine, ripped the republican apart with surgical precision. Fund even started to reap the dividends as he confessed republican guilt. Right wingers need to have their noses rubbed right in it, exactly like this. Who’s next on the menu? fried Giuliani, sour Krauthammer, Colbert au gratin?
It felt like good sex… for your head.
http://www.lovetoamuse.blogspot.com
I like the copra commentary, but its prosaic nature almost glosses over the very concept that can be illustrated in two words --- we are a country of lazy bigots.
and yes, i too fear that the lazy bigots will continue to win out -- it is the easy way, and that is so american.
and hey, rural american, cause i get it ( i too reside on the northern fringe of the bible belt, the "heart"land ) i view bill as a feisty breath of fresh air. i read posts in my local newspaper all the time that look and sound just like yours. your brand of anger and your eloquence tip you off. open your mind.
let me assure anyone who cares to read this, there are midwest women who get it, and we can't stand the sight or sound of palin, and can barely tolerate who mccain really is, underneath all that can't-touch-me-POW bravado. i am really afraid for our future if the angry old womanizer and his malleable, rovian puppet make it into office.
one ray of hope --- all those polls? it's just the self-limiting fogies who still answer their landlines. i hope the real thing comes out in droves in november.
Bill, in 'Be more cynical' you asked people to be not as cynical as the liars but cynical enough to see through the lies. We need the cynicism and the skepticism to beat the machine here. Everyone is saying that making fun of Palin's incompetence takes the focus off McCain and his bullshit, but we must not lay off her completely. The sheer ridiculous aspect of this election does deserve its share of coverage. I have done that to some extent here (http://democrazy-liberal.blogspot.com/2008/09/palin-in-comparison.html). Do write more Bill. When are you going to appear in NYC?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXYhkPd2Ioc
check out this video
Rescue Me (Dear Mr. President) Barack Obama Song
13,000+ hits in one week.
clydene said...
Sarah Palin is not a world leader by any stretch of the imagination.
She is no Indira Gandhi.
She is no Golda Meir
She is no Margaret Thatcher
She is no Gro Brundtland
She is no Benazer Bhutto
She is no Kim Campbell
and she is no Hillary Clinton
AND....OBAMA IS NOT "JESUS"!!
KimAnn said..
I like the copra commentary, but its prosaic nature almost glosses over the very concept that can be illustrated in two words --- we are a country of lazy bigots.
WELL, WE KNOW WHO THAT COMMENT WAS DIRECTED AT! IT'S FUNNY THAT NO ONE ON THE OPPOSITION HAS EVER MADE A "BIGOTED" COMMENT AGAINST OBAMA! IT APPEARS THE BIGOTRY COMES FROM THE LEFT!
Look Bill. Call me crazy, but what does it really mean to be “PRO LIFE.” Here we have Sarah Palin, a “God fearing” Christian who thinks that a rape victim is evil for having an abortion; but on the other hand it good sportsmanship to pick up a rifle and kill an animal. Are you kidding me! There are dozens of reasons why Mrs. Palin shouldn’t be VP. Don’t know why I choose this reason to talk about but, I do know this woman scares the shit out of me. This is not even funny anymore. This VP pick just goes to show that McCain doesn’t give a shit about the U.S. He just wants to win. McCain has to decide if the is really the legacy he wants to leave behind.
I know this is not the right place for my comment but I have make a point. Call me crazy, but what does it really mean to be “PRO LIFE.” Here we have Sarah Palin, a “God fearing” Christian who thinks that a rape victim is evil for having an abortion; but on the other hand it good sportsmanship to pick up a rifle and kill an animal. Are you kidding me! There are dozens of reasons why Mrs. Palin shouldn’t be VP. Don’t know why I choose this reason to talk about but, I do know this woman scares the shit out of me. This is not even funny anymore. This VP pick just goes to show that McCain doesn’t give a shit about the U.S. He just wants to win. McCain has to decide if the is really the legacy he wants to leave behind.
Well, call me crazy but, what does it mean to be PRO-CHOICE. You want women to have the right to kill a human (no matter what reason) but, you condemn people who hunt.
I'm no hunter but, I understand why they do but, isn't a human life more important. I also understand a rape/incest victims situation and I don't believe Roe vs. Wade will be overturned and women will still have that option. I'm just saying, if you think it's okay to kill a baby....why get so upset over an animal or for that fact, the Death Penalty?
Your saying they can't have it both ways but, aren't you also?
MP2008,
I believe that the answer to your question is this: If animals must be killed for food, it should be done in the most humane way possible. That means, whatever method lessens the pain and makes the act as short as possible. Further, the act itself, I would imagine, would cause a decent person great discomfort. It is completely incomprehensible that a person could enjoy killing an animal and watching that animal suffer and die, and at the same time oppose the termination of an embryo, which could not live outside its mother, is not watched dieing, strapped to a car, eaten and possibly stuffed and hung on a wall. This is murder of the cruelest form. It is the suffering and pain of the animal, along with the joy and pride of the hunter, which are completely inconsistent with the pro life stance in my opinion.
If you "knew" anything about hunting, you would know that the hunter is skilled as to not cause suffering on an animal. That is ridiculous to even think that.
Killing an embryo while in the womb so you don't have to watch it die? Then I guess it "is" a human life.
You're either against "all killing" or "your not". I love animals and I don't hunt but, the sport has been around since creation and it will not change.
It's a No Win situation for both sides and all this crap does not solve "anything".
First of all, you can't really believe that the animal doesn't suffer. Please. As Bill would say, don't be cynical. Secondly, you have pinpointed the problem exactly. Hunting is described by you as a "sport". Just the fact that you describe killing an animal as a sport shows the very point that I have made. Nothing else need be said. You have made my point.
MP2008
You have to be the STUPIDEST AND MOST IGNORANT person I have ever encountered.
They CHASE wolves, bears and other animals from airplanes and helicopters until they are exhausted then they let the hunter down to kill the animal. The last I saw a film on this the animal looked terrified. They don’t kill them for food, they kill them for sport, for their SKIN or their HEAD. That is why many of us tried last year to get the Polar Bear Portection Act passed. THIS IS NOT HUMANE! YOU KNOW NOTHING OF SPORTS HUNTING OR CANNED HUNTS.
SHUT UP.
You published the definition of an IDIOT; perhaps you should go reread the definition before you post again.
For you to equate an abortion with hunting is INSANE.
IT IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS or that of any one else to tell a victim of RAPE OR INCEST that they have to carry the child of their attacker. YOU RIGHT WING SICKO.
YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BEATEN, RAPED AND LEFT PREGNANT! SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE!
YOU ARE A TROLL
YOU SPENT THE LAST TWO WEEKS POSTING GARBAGE. STOP!
I can’t even call you Trailer Trash because that would be insulting Trailer Trash.
Ok, I see that only the Left are allowed to post and watch Bill's show.
So I will stop posting and watching his show.
MP2008
You can't blame the Left wing for YOUR IGNORANCE and STUPIDITY. You can blame your right wing colleagues for not providing you an adequate high school education so you could understand the principles we are discussing.
Your half backed statements about Hunting and Abortion have nothing to do with each other. And WHO ARE YOU to be the judge of what others do with their bodies, I need to understand who died and made you "GOD".
How typically right wing of you to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Yes, stop watching the show; obviously you don't have the capacity to understand the "Big People" topics discussed on the show, because it is beyond your comprehension skills as we can see by the stupid comments you make.
Find some other blog where others will revel in the Stupid and Ignorant comments that you make. Perhaps they will believe your LIES, and you are a LIAR, why don’t you look that word up too.
Don't let the door hit you on the way out...
See, you just did a great job of proving to everyone that there really is an elitist undertone to people who identify as Democrats. The fact that a Harvard education elevates Obama's social status in your mind is evidence enough that your priorities are wrong. Yes he's obviously an intelligent man, and yes maybe he is the best candidate in the election, but if you want to make an argument in favor of Senator Obama then can we stick to the issues? Fact is that all Democratic supporters have done since the nomination of Palin is try to delegitimize her. Are you knowingly comparing a vice presidential candidate to a presidential candidate? Or has your party just found itself so caught up in people's social standing that it can't look any further? I think it's disappointing, to say the least, that the majority of people that vote in this election (from both parties) probably have very little insight into the issues or what each candidate truly stands for. No, instead they will focus on the constant jabs at character, that more often than not are a complete misrepresentation. Truth is that you trivialize these small town people everywhere because those are the people that won the last two elections. But since you are so culturally and socially enlightened with your Ivy league degree and pompous attitude to those "normal" people, maybe you should look in the mirror and realize that you are no better than the words of Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney, because you are just exacerbating the divide.
BM:
by coincidence your initials stand for bowel movement. That's what your show is, a great heaping, steaming pile of shit. And you are the bright yellow kernel of undigested corn that never seems to get any on it.
You are an elitist, all your sanctimonious liberal guests are elitist, so what? Stop trying to convince us that that which we perceive is false. Obama is the least qualified candidate for president the democrats have put up in my lifetime, Biden is a superior candidate to Obama. Roseanne Barr is simply obtuse. "Tax rich corporations?" Economics lesson #1 to your Cornell educated butt: CORPORATIONS DO NOT PAY TAXES!!!! They pass that cost on to the consumer of their goods and services, so the "working man and woman" end up paying that bill. Thanks Rosie!, for so clearly enunciating your scorn for the middle class, in her opinion our tax burden isn't enough. Fucking cow!
C'mon Bill why didn't you correct her when she slipped up? BTW, what was your major at Cornell?
Help Please. In Bill's hbo special 'Victory Begins at Home'...who did the art work for the posters behind him?
xjudson@gmail.com
thanks
I watched about 5 minutes of your monologue this past Saturday and got sick at my stomach. Talk about someone who thinks they are above everyone else. You and your "panel" are alwasy so out of touch with reality, that you have no business even making comments on the current state of affairs. But, when Obama raises your taxes to 50% to pay for my healthcare, I'll be laughing all the way to the bank. It seems that you and many of your "panel" members have done pretty darn well in the last 8years. I'm tired of listening to it. In fact, I don't anymore. Your show is offensive, elitist and your arrogance is suffocating. Maybe if you had some real people on your show instead of a bunch of rich out of touch people you might get a better sense of what is really going on. But, I suppose then you wouldn't be able to create enough controversy to make your show interesting.
CINDY MCCAIN: SHOULD WE BE PROUD? NO WAY
Published on Wednesday, August 24, 1994
© 1994 The Arizona Republic
By Bill Hart / THE PHOENIX GAZETTE
Are you proud of Cindy McCain?
Her husband, Sen. John McCain, is. He said he's ''extremely proud of Cindy's courageous battle to recover from her health problem.''
Gov. Fife Symington is proud, too. He even elevated his emotion to a state duty:
''All Arizonans should be proud and supportive of this remarkable woman,'' he said.
I don't want to be rude, but: Why?
Not, I think, because she's a drug addict and an admitted thief.
McCain revealed this week that she was addicted to pain pills for two years. She also said she stole drugs from an organization she created to provide emergency medical services around the world.
McCain said she started taking pills - eventually up to 15 or 20 a day - in 1989 after surgery left her in pain. She was also bearing the stress of the harsh publicity over the McCains' link to convicted financier Charles Keating Jr.
She said she's remained drug-free since 1992, with one brief lapse.
Hers is a sad tale, but hardly distinctive; addiction and thievery are pretty common these days.
In fact, about one of every four inmates in Arizona's bloated, fantastically expensive prison system is locked up on drug charges. That, by the way, is thanks to mindlessly punitive anti-drug policies supported by officials like, well, like Sen. McCain and Gov. Symington.
But don't worry, Cindy McCain won't go to prison. Prison is for bad people, not for those with ''health problems.''
So. Maybe we're supposed to be proud of McCain simply for admitting her misdeeds.
Maybe. Except that her addiction apparently was something a lot of people knew about and that was likely to become broad public knowledge soon anyway.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration had been investigating, and a former employee of McCain's medical team had filed a lawsuit against her over the issue.
McCain herself reportedly said that her motive in going public was to beat the rumor mill.
So it can't be that either. Should we be proud at the bold way McCain went public?
Don't think so. Guided by an entourage of advisers, McCain cleverly pre-empted bad publicity by breaking the news through a selected handful of media outlets.
She did this only after completing private treatment, and only after reaching an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office that ensured she would not be prosecuted if she entered a diversion program.
So why are we supposed to be proud of Cindy McCain?
Answer: We're not.
Sympathetic, supportive, tolerant - sure. I don't doubt McCain's physical and mental pain, the power of her addiction, the remorse she feels.
But proud? Sorry.
That suggestion, I'm afraid, is the product of ''spin,'' of a careful campaign to deflect public attention away from the awkward facts of addiction and theft, and onto the appealing made-for-TV drama of confession.
A campaign, in other words, to limit the political damage.
It is, once again, the ritualized praising of a celebrity criminal - based upon the murky idea that members of the elite ''suffer'' enough merely by admitting guilt.
To which I say: No sale.
Not that I want Cindy McCain to go to jail. I'm not even sure she should be punished; if we imprisoned all the secret addicts among Arizona's privileged classes, we'd need more prisons than even Sam Lewis could dream of.
I just wonder why we should be praising her while siccing the cops and the media and the child-welfare workers on all the poor Jane Does who turn to crack to cope with their stresses - stresses perhaps worse even than bad press.
I wonder why I couldn't hear our leaders' calls for sympathy and tolerance amid their shouts for heavier weapons and harsher attacks in the War on Drugs.
I wonder about the thousands of noncelebrity wretches struggling alone against alcohol or heroin or whichever ''health problem'' plagues them, ignored if not punished by society.
I wish Cindy McCain well, but I'll save my cheers for them.
MCCAIN'S WIFE LIKELY WON'T BE PROSECUTED
STOLE DRUGS FROM CHARITY
Published on Tuesday, August 23, 1994
© 1994 The Arizona Republic
By Martin Van Der Werf and Susan Leonard, The Arizona Republic
Cindy McCain apparently won't be prosecuted for stealing painkillers from her charity, but the wife of the U.S. senator from Arizona still faces a civil lawsuit filed by a former employee whose tip led to an investigation of her by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The fired employee, Thomas Gosinski, in turn, is being investigated for suspected extortion by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office at the request of McCain's lawyer.
''This is a shakedown,'' McCain's attorney, John Dowd wrote in asking the county attorney to pursue the extortion allegation.
McCain admitted in a series of media interviews Monday that she became addicted to the painkillers Percocet and Vicodin. She said she used the drugs from 1989 to 1992 and acknowledged that she had stolen some pills from the American Voluntary Medical Team, a charitable organization of which she is president.
Gosinski's lawsuit alleges that McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., ordered him to conceal ''improper'' acts and ''misrepresent facts in a judicial proceeding.''
Gosinski, 35, worked as the fund-raising director for the American Voluntary Medical Team from September 1991 to January 1993.
Investigative documents released Monday by County Attorney Rick Romley after a public-records request from The Arizona Republic contain a letter from Gosinski's former attorney, Stanley Lubin, offering to settle the lawsuit for a quarter of a million dollars.
Although the language in the lawsuit is vague, with no mention of drugs, the settlement proposal addressed to Cindy McCain states, ''It is clear that you made it appear that Mr. Gosinski was ordering the drugs, many of which were controlled narcotics, in an effort to hide your personal use of them.''
The letter also states that Gosinski ''has done what he could to keep the sensitive matters from exposure.''
Dowd called the offer extortion, and he asked Romley to investigate. The case is pending.
Lubin said Monday night that his letter was nothing more than a standard settlement offer and that he finds Dowd's actions offensive.
''If Dowd claims my letter constitutes extortion, then he is a flat out liar,'' Lubin said. ''We were trying to settle a potential piece of litigation that would have been very embarrassing and that had substantial merit. I always make that kind of effort to settle out of court.''
Lubin said that he never expected to actually collect $250,000 from Cindy McCain and added that it's common for lawyers to ask for more than they actually expect.
''I made it very clear to Dowd that we were prepared to settle for a lot less,'' he said.
McCain's spokesman, Jay Smith, said that when she refused to settle, Gosinski tipped off the Drug Enforcement Administration, which began its investigation in January.
Smith said the McCains will fight the lawsuit, and there will be no efforts to settle it.
Gosinski refused to comment Monday night.
Refuses interview
Cindy McCain refused to be interviewed by The Republic, but issued a statement saying she began taking painkillers in 1989 after back surgery.
''I occasionally supplemented my supply by taking extra prescription drugs which were obtained by the American Voluntary Medical Team,'' her statement said.
McCain's medical team, founded in 1988, flies doctors to areas around the world where medical help is needed, distributing drugs and performing emergency medical procedures.
McCain told her husband about her addiction in January.
She granted selective interviews about her drug addiction after receiving an ''agreement'' Wednesday that she would not be prosecuted, Smith said.
That agreement was signed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Arizona, which had been investigating the allegations in tandem with the DEA.
Virginia Mathis, chief assistant U.S. attorney for Arizona, said she could not confirm that there was an investigation. However, she specifically denied that McCain had completed a diversion program designed to avoid prosecution. McCain told the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson that she had completed such a program.
The program, called ''deferred prosecution,'' usually lasts 18 months and involves non-violent offenders with no record who are willing to pay full restitution.
Romley's report indicates McCain's drug problem was known by some workers for the charity. Gosinski made jokes about her moods depending on whether he thought she had taken drugs that day, the report says.
According to Romley's records, the team obtained drugs through a doctor who wrote prescriptions using employees' names, including Gosinski's.
Dr. John Johnson, medical director for McCain's charity, told a county attorney's investigator that although he knew it was improper, he had written prescriptions in the names of Gosinski and two other employees of the charity without their knowledge.
He also wrote personal prescriptions for Percocet for McCain, and she had her nanny pick up the presciptions at his home, the investigator reported.
Johnson also told the investigator that McCain kept all of the narcotic drugs in her personal luggage during overseas flights.
McCain said the drugs ''took control of me sometime during the summer of 1992.'' That period was especially difficult, Smith said, because John McCain's Senate re-election campaign ''was heating up, and she had to relive the Keating hearings.''
Keating ordeal
John McCain was one of five senators who were the subject of hearings by the Senate Ethics Committee in late 1990 and early 1991 about their relations with Charles H Keating Jr., former owner of Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, the largest S&L to go bankrupt in the wave of bankruptcies that struck the industry in the late 1980s.
McCain was rebuked by the Ethics Committee for advocating in Keating's behalf after accepting large contributions from him and his co-workers.
Cindy McCain became involved in the investigation because she could not find receipts showing that she and her husband had reimbursed the Keatings for the cost of flying on a corporate jet to a Keating vacation home in the Bahamas. That became a focus of the hearings.
McCain said she quit taking the drugs ''cold turkey'' in the fall of 1992 after being approached by her parents, multimillionaire liquor distributor Jim Hensley and his wife, Smitty, who asked her about her ''erratic behavior.''
McCain said she briefly relied on painkillers again while in the hospital in January 1993 after a hysterectomy. Since then, she has been drug-free, she said in her statement.
Gosinski alleges in his lawsuit that he was fired in January 1993, after being asked ''on numerous occasions'' to ''engage in acts that were improper.''
The acts are not detailed in the lawsuit, but it says that Gosinski ''was responsible for the maintenance of certain sensitive records and the overall operation and integrity of the organization.''
Slander, libel alleged
Gosinski alleges that McCain wrongly terminated him and engaged in libel and slander to keep him from getting another job.
''She has engaged in this conduct in order to gain retribution for his (Gosinski's) refusal to misrepresent facts in a judicial proceeding and to prevent him from providing full and truthful information in a federal proceeding concerning personal matters in which she is involved,'' the lawsuit says.
It is unclear what judicial proceeding Gosinski is referring to in his lawsuit where he alleges he was told to lie. All references to it are redacted from the records released by the county attorney's office.
Kathy Walker, director of operations for the charity, said she heard Gosinski say after a meeting that ''he would blackmail Cindy McCain if he was ever fired,'' according to the county attorney's investigation.
Dowd met with Gosinski on May 4. He and other McCain lawyers repeatedly asked Gosinski to document his allegations, and Gosinski refused.
Gosinski's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. It has been assigned to a judge but is listed as ''not active'' in county court files.
McCain 'wanted to talk'
McCain has wanted to talk publicly about her addiction for weeks, Smith said, but had been precluded from doing so by the U.S. Attorney's Office, who thought their investigation ''might be impeded if she went public.''
Smith denied that McCain's public admissions had anything to do with Gosinski's lawsuit or the possibility that news organizations might break the news of her addiction and drug thefts. However, he said, the news was bound to leak out. McCain entered a treatment program earlier this year at The Meadows in Wickenburg and attends Narcotics Anonymous meetings twice a week.
Percocet and Vicodin contain acetominophen, a non-aspirin pain reliever available over the counter, and artificial codeine, a stronger, addictive, pain reliever.
John McCain issued a statement Monday saying he is ''extremely proud of Cindy's courageous battle to recover from her health problem.''
''In addition to Cindy's serious back pain, I have no doubt that the inevitable ups and downs of my political career have been rough on her,'' he said.
w
CINDY MCCAIN: SHOULD WE BE PROUD? NO WAY
Published on Wednesday, August 24, 1994
© 1994 The Arizona Republic
By Bill Hart / THE PHOENIX GAZETTE
Are you proud of Cindy McCain?
Her husband, Sen. John McCain, is. He said he's ''extremely proud of Cindy's courageous battle to recover from her health problem.''
Gov. Fife Symington is proud, too. He even elevated his emotion to a state duty:
''All Arizonans should be proud and supportive of this remarkable woman,'' he said.
I don't want to be rude, but: Why?
Not, I think, because she's a drug addict and an admitted thief.
McCain revealed this week that she was addicted to pain pills for two years. She also said she stole drugs from an organization she created to provide emergency medical services around the world.
McCain said she started taking pills - eventually up to 15 or 20 a day - in 1989 after surgery left her in pain. She was also bearing the stress of the harsh publicity over the McCains' link to convicted financier Charles Keating Jr.
She said she's remained drug-free since 1992, with one brief lapse.
Hers is a sad tale, but hardly distinctive; addiction and thievery are pretty common these days.
In fact, about one of every four inmates in Arizona's bloated, fantastically expensive prison system is locked up on drug charges. That, by the way, is thanks to mindlessly punitive anti-drug policies supported by officials like, well, like Sen. McCain and Gov. Symington.
But don't worry, Cindy McCain won't go to prison. Prison is for bad people, not for those with ''health problems.''
So. Maybe we're supposed to be proud of McCain simply for admitting her misdeeds.
Maybe. Except that her addiction apparently was something a lot of people knew about and that was likely to become broad public knowledge soon anyway.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration had been investigating, and a former employee of McCain's medical team had filed a lawsuit against her over the issue.
McCain herself reportedly said that her motive in going public was to beat the rumor mill.
So it can't be that either. Should we be proud at the bold way McCain went public?
Don't think so. Guided by an entourage of advisers, McCain cleverly pre-empted bad publicity by breaking the news through a selected handful of media outlets.
She did this only after completing private treatment, and only after reaching an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office that ensured she would not be prosecuted if she entered a diversion program.
So why are we supposed to be proud of Cindy McCain?
Answer: We're not.
Sympathetic, supportive, tolerant - sure. I don't doubt McCain's physical and mental pain, the power of her addiction, the remorse she feels.
But proud? Sorry.
That suggestion, I'm afraid, is the product of ''spin,'' of a careful campaign to deflect public attention away from the awkward facts of addiction and theft, and onto the appealing made-for-TV drama of confession.
A campaign, in other words, to limit the political damage.
It is, once again, the ritualized praising of a celebrity criminal - based upon the murky idea that members of the elite ''suffer'' enough merely by admitting guilt.
To which I say: No sale.
Not that I want Cindy McCain to go to jail. I'm not even sure she should be punished; if we imprisoned all the secret addicts among Arizona's privileged classes, we'd need more prisons than even Sam Lewis could dream of.
I just wonder why we should be praising her while siccing the cops and the media and the child-welfare workers on all the poor Jane Does who turn to crack to cope with their stresses - stresses perhaps worse even than bad press.
I wonder why I couldn't hear our leaders' calls for sympathy and tolerance amid their shouts for heavier weapons and harsher attacks in the War on Drugs.
I wonder about the thousands of noncelebrity wretches struggling alone against alcohol or heroin or whichever ''health problem'' plagues them, ignored if not punished by society.
I wish Cindy McCain well, but I'll save my cheers for them.
MCCAIN'S WIFE LIKELY WON'T BE PROSECUTED
STOLE DRUGS FROM CHARITY
Published on Tuesday, August 23, 1994
© 1994 The Arizona Republic
By Martin Van Der Werf and Susan Leonard, The Arizona Republic
Cindy McCain apparently won't be prosecuted for stealing painkillers from her charity, but the wife of the U.S. senator from Arizona still faces a civil lawsuit filed by a former employee whose tip led to an investigation of her by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The fired employee, Thomas Gosinski, in turn, is being investigated for suspected extortion by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office at the request of McCain's lawyer.
''This is a shakedown,'' McCain's attorney, John Dowd wrote in asking the county attorney to pursue the extortion allegation.
McCain admitted in a series of media interviews Monday that she became addicted to the painkillers Percocet and Vicodin. She said she used the drugs from 1989 to 1992 and acknowledged that she had stolen some pills from the American Voluntary Medical Team, a charitable organization of which she is president.
Gosinski's lawsuit alleges that McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., ordered him to conceal ''improper'' acts and ''misrepresent facts in a judicial proceeding.''
Gosinski, 35, worked as the fund-raising director for the American Voluntary Medical Team from September 1991 to January 1993.
Investigative documents released Monday by County Attorney Rick Romley after a public-records request from The Arizona Republic contain a letter from Gosinski's former attorney, Stanley Lubin, offering to settle the lawsuit for a quarter of a million dollars.
Although the language in the lawsuit is vague, with no mention of drugs, the settlement proposal addressed to Cindy McCain states, ''It is clear that you made it appear that Mr. Gosinski was ordering the drugs, many of which were controlled narcotics, in an effort to hide your personal use of them.''
The letter also states that Gosinski ''has done what he could to keep the sensitive matters from exposure.''
Dowd called the offer extortion, and he asked Romley to investigate. The case is pending.
Lubin said Monday night that his letter was nothing more than a standard settlement offer and that he finds Dowd's actions offensive.
''If Dowd claims my letter constitutes extortion, then he is a flat out liar,'' Lubin said. ''We were trying to settle a potential piece of litigation that would have been very embarrassing and that had substantial merit. I always make that kind of effort to settle out of court.''
Lubin said that he never expected to actually collect $250,000 from Cindy McCain and added that it's common for lawyers to ask for more than they actually expect.
''I made it very clear to Dowd that we were prepared to settle for a lot less,'' he said.
McCain's spokesman, Jay Smith, said that when she refused to settle, Gosinski tipped off the Drug Enforcement Administration, which began its investigation in January.
Smith said the McCains will fight the lawsuit, and there will be no efforts to settle it.
Gosinski refused to comment Monday night.
Refuses interview
Cindy McCain refused to be interviewed by The Republic, but issued a statement saying she began taking painkillers in 1989 after back surgery.
''I occasionally supplemented my supply by taking extra prescription drugs which were obtained by the American Voluntary Medical Team,'' her statement said.
McCain's medical team, founded in 1988, flies doctors to areas around the world where medical help is needed, distributing drugs and performing emergency medical procedures.
McCain told her husband about her addiction in January.
She granted selective interviews about her drug addiction after receiving an ''agreement'' Wednesday that she would not be prosecuted, Smith said.
That agreement was signed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Arizona, which had been investigating the allegations in tandem with the DEA.
Virginia Mathis, chief assistant U.S. attorney for Arizona, said she could not confirm that there was an investigation. However, she specifically denied that McCain had completed a diversion program designed to avoid prosecution. McCain told the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson that she had completed such a program.
The program, called ''deferred prosecution,'' usually lasts 18 months and involves non-violent offenders with no record who are willing to pay full restitution.
Romley's report indicates McCain's drug problem was known by some workers for the charity. Gosinski made jokes about her moods depending on whether he thought she had taken drugs that day, the report says.
According to Romley's records, the team obtained drugs through a doctor who wrote prescriptions using employees' names, including Gosinski's.
Dr. John Johnson, medical director for McCain's charity, told a county attorney's investigator that although he knew it was improper, he had written prescriptions in the names of Gosinski and two other employees of the charity without their knowledge.
He also wrote personal prescriptions for Percocet for McCain, and she had her nanny pick up the presciptions at his home, the investigator reported.
Johnson also told the investigator that McCain kept all of the narcotic drugs in her personal luggage during overseas flights.
McCain said the drugs ''took control of me sometime during the summer of 1992.'' That period was especially difficult, Smith said, because John McCain's Senate re-election campaign ''was heating up, and she had to relive the Keating hearings.''
Keating ordeal
John McCain was one of five senators who were the subject of hearings by the Senate Ethics Committee in late 1990 and early 1991 about their relations with Charles H Keating Jr., former owner of Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, the largest S&L to go bankrupt in the wave of bankruptcies that struck the industry in the late 1980s.
McCain was rebuked by the Ethics Committee for advocating in Keating's behalf after accepting large contributions from him and his co-workers.
Cindy McCain became involved in the investigation because she could not find receipts showing that she and her husband had reimbursed the Keatings for the cost of flying on a corporate jet to a Keating vacation home in the Bahamas. That became a focus of the hearings.
McCain said she quit taking the drugs ''cold turkey'' in the fall of 1992 after being approached by her parents, multimillionaire liquor distributor Jim Hensley and his wife, Smitty, who asked her about her ''erratic behavior.''
McCain said she briefly relied on painkillers again while in the hospital in January 1993 after a hysterectomy. Since then, she has been drug-free, she said in her statement.
Gosinski alleges in his lawsuit that he was fired in January 1993, after being asked ''on numerous occasions'' to ''engage in acts that were improper.''
The acts are not detailed in the lawsuit, but it says that Gosinski ''was responsible for the maintenance of certain sensitive records and the overall operation and integrity of the organization.''
Slander, libel alleged
Gosinski alleges that McCain wrongly terminated him and engaged in libel and slander to keep him from getting another job.
''She has engaged in this conduct in order to gain retribution for his (Gosinski's) refusal to misrepresent facts in a judicial proceeding and to prevent him from providing full and truthful information in a federal proceeding concerning personal matters in which she is involved,'' the lawsuit says.
It is unclear what judicial proceeding Gosinski is referring to in his lawsuit where he alleges he was told to lie. All references to it are redacted from the records released by the county attorney's office.
Kathy Walker, director of operations for the charity, said she heard Gosinski say after a meeting that ''he would blackmail Cindy McCain if he was ever fired,'' according to the county attorney's investigation.
Dowd met with Gosinski on May 4. He and other McCain lawyers repeatedly asked Gosinski to document his allegations, and Gosinski refused.
Gosinski's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. It has been assigned to a judge but is listed as ''not active'' in county court files.
McCain 'wanted to talk'
McCain has wanted to talk publicly about her addiction for weeks, Smith said, but had been precluded from doing so by the U.S. Attorney's Office, who thought their investigation ''might be impeded if she went public.''
Smith denied that McCain's public admissions had anything to do with Gosinski's lawsuit or the possibility that news organizations might break the news of her addiction and drug thefts. However, he said, the news was bound to leak out. McCain entered a treatment program earlier this year at The Meadows in Wickenburg and attends Narcotics Anonymous meetings twice a week.
Percocet and Vicodin contain acetominophen, a non-aspirin pain reliever available over the counter, and artificial codeine, a stronger, addictive, pain reliever.
John McCain issued a statement Monday saying he is ''extremely proud of Cindy's courageous battle to recover from her health problem.''
''In addition to Cindy's serious back pain, I have no doubt that the inevitable ups and downs of my political career have been rough on her,'' he said.
w
CINDY MCCAIN: SHOULD WE BE PROUD? NO WAY
Published on Wednesday, August 24, 1994
© 1994 The Arizona Republic
By Bill Hart / THE PHOENIX GAZETTE
Are you proud of Cindy McCain?
Her husband, Sen. John McCain, is. He said he's ''extremely proud of Cindy's courageous battle to recover from her health problem.''
Gov. Fife Symington is proud, too. He even elevated his emotion to a state duty:
''All Arizonans should be proud and supportive of this remarkable woman,'' he said.
I don't want to be rude, but: Why?
Not, I think, because she's a drug addict and an admitted thief.
McCain revealed this week that she was addicted to pain pills for two years. She also said she stole drugs from an organization she created to provide emergency medical services around the world.
McCain said she started taking pills - eventually up to 15 or 20 a day - in 1989 after surgery left her in pain. She was also bearing the stress of the harsh publicity over the McCains' link to convicted financier Charles Keating Jr.
She said she's remained drug-free since 1992, with one brief lapse.
Hers is a sad tale, but hardly distinctive; addiction and thievery are pretty common these days.
In fact, about one of every four inmates in Arizona's bloated, fantastically expensive prison system is locked up on drug charges. That, by the way, is thanks to mindlessly punitive anti-drug policies supported by officials like, well, like Sen. McCain and Gov. Symington.
But don't worry, Cindy McCain won't go to prison. Prison is for bad people, not for those with ''health problems.''
So. Maybe we're supposed to be proud of McCain simply for admitting her misdeeds.
Maybe. Except that her addiction apparently was something a lot of people knew about and that was likely to become broad public knowledge soon anyway.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration had been investigating, and a former employee of McCain's medical team had filed a lawsuit against her over the issue.
McCain herself reportedly said that her motive in going public was to beat the rumor mill.
So it can't be that either. Should we be proud at the bold way McCain went public?
Don't think so. Guided by an entourage of advisers, McCain cleverly pre-empted bad publicity by breaking the news through a selected handful of media outlets.
She did this only after completing private treatment, and only after reaching an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office that ensured she would not be prosecuted if she entered a diversion program.
So why are we supposed to be proud of Cindy McCain?
Answer: We're not.
Sympathetic, supportive, tolerant - sure. I don't doubt McCain's physical and mental pain, the power of her addiction, the remorse she feels.
But proud? Sorry.
That suggestion, I'm afraid, is the product of ''spin,'' of a careful campaign to deflect public attention away from the awkward facts of addiction and theft, and onto the appealing made-for-TV drama of confession.
A campaign, in other words, to limit the political damage.
It is, once again, the ritualized praising of a celebrity criminal - based upon the murky idea that members of the elite ''suffer'' enough merely by admitting guilt.
To which I say: No sale.
Not that I want Cindy McCain to go to jail. I'm not even sure she should be punished; if we imprisoned all the secret addicts among Arizona's privileged classes, we'd need more prisons than even Sam Lewis could dream of.
I just wonder why we should be praising her while siccing the cops and the media and the child-welfare workers on all the poor Jane Does who turn to crack to cope with their stresses - stresses perhaps worse even than bad press.
I wonder why I couldn't hear our leaders' calls for sympathy and tolerance amid their shouts for heavier weapons and harsher attacks in the War on Drugs.
I wonder about the thousands of noncelebrity wretches struggling alone against alcohol or heroin or whichever ''health problem'' plagues them, ignored if not punished by society.
I wish Cindy McCain well, but I'll save my cheers for them.
MCCAIN'S WIFE LIKELY WON'T BE PROSECUTED
STOLE DRUGS FROM CHARITY
Published on Tuesday, August 23, 1994
© 1994 The Arizona Republic
By Martin Van Der Werf and Susan Leonard, The Arizona Republic
Cindy McCain apparently won't be prosecuted for stealing painkillers from her charity, but the wife of the U.S. senator from Arizona still faces a civil lawsuit filed by a former employee whose tip led to an investigation of her by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The fired employee, Thomas Gosinski, in turn, is being investigated for suspected extortion by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office at the request of McCain's lawyer.
''This is a shakedown,'' McCain's attorney, John Dowd wrote in asking the county attorney to pursue the extortion allegation.
McCain admitted in a series of media interviews Monday that she became addicted to the painkillers Percocet and Vicodin. She said she used the drugs from 1989 to 1992 and acknowledged that she had stolen some pills from the American Voluntary Medical Team, a charitable organization of which she is president.
Gosinski's lawsuit alleges that McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., ordered him to conceal ''improper'' acts and ''misrepresent facts in a judicial proceeding.''
Gosinski, 35, worked as the fund-raising director for the American Voluntary Medical Team from September 1991 to January 1993.
Investigative documents released Monday by County Attorney Rick Romley after a public-records request from The Arizona Republic contain a letter from Gosinski's former attorney, Stanley Lubin, offering to settle the lawsuit for a quarter of a million dollars.
Although the language in the lawsuit is vague, with no mention of drugs, the settlement proposal addressed to Cindy McCain states, ''It is clear that you made it appear that Mr. Gosinski was ordering the drugs, many of which were controlled narcotics, in an effort to hide your personal use of them.''
The letter also states that Gosinski ''has done what he could to keep the sensitive matters from exposure.''
Dowd called the offer extortion, and he asked Romley to investigate. The case is pending.
Lubin said Monday night that his letter was nothing more than a standard settlement offer and that he finds Dowd's actions offensive.
''If Dowd claims my letter constitutes extortion, then he is a flat out liar,'' Lubin said. ''We were trying to settle a potential piece of litigation that would have been very embarrassing and that had substantial merit. I always make that kind of effort to settle out of court.''
Lubin said that he never expected to actually collect $250,000 from Cindy McCain and added that it's common for lawyers to ask for more than they actually expect.
''I made it very clear to Dowd that we were prepared to settle for a lot less,'' he said.
McCain's spokesman, Jay Smith, said that when she refused to settle, Gosinski tipped off the Drug Enforcement Administration, which began its investigation in January.
Smith said the McCains will fight the lawsuit, and there will be no efforts to settle it.
Gosinski refused to comment Monday night.
Refuses interview
Cindy McCain refused to be interviewed by The Republic, but issued a statement saying she began taking painkillers in 1989 after back surgery.
''I occasionally supplemented my supply by taking extra prescription drugs which were obtained by the American Voluntary Medical Team,'' her statement said.
McCain's medical team, founded in 1988, flies doctors to areas around the world where medical help is needed, distributing drugs and performing emergency medical procedures.
McCain told her husband about her addiction in January.
She granted selective interviews about her drug addiction after receiving an ''agreement'' Wednesday that she would not be prosecuted, Smith said.
That agreement was signed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Arizona, which had been investigating the allegations in tandem with the DEA.
Virginia Mathis, chief assistant U.S. attorney for Arizona, said she could not confirm that there was an investigation. However, she specifically denied that McCain had completed a diversion program designed to avoid prosecution. McCain told the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson that she had completed such a program.
The program, called ''deferred prosecution,'' usually lasts 18 months and involves non-violent offenders with no record who are willing to pay full restitution.
Romley's report indicates McCain's drug problem was known by some workers for the charity. Gosinski made jokes about her moods depending on whether he thought she had taken drugs that day, the report says.
According to Romley's records, the team obtained drugs through a doctor who wrote prescriptions using employees' names, including Gosinski's.
Dr. John Johnson, medical director for McCain's charity, told a county attorney's investigator that although he knew it was improper, he had written prescriptions in the names of Gosinski and two other employees of the charity without their knowledge.
He also wrote personal prescriptions for Percocet for McCain, and she had her nanny pick up the presciptions at his home, the investigator reported.
Johnson also told the investigator that McCain kept all of the narcotic drugs in her personal luggage during overseas flights.
McCain said the drugs ''took control of me sometime during the summer of 1992.'' That period was especially difficult, Smith said, because John McCain's Senate re-election campaign ''was heating up, and she had to relive the Keating hearings.''
Keating ordeal
John McCain was one of five senators who were the subject of hearings by the Senate Ethics Committee in late 1990 and early 1991 about their relations with Charles H Keating Jr., former owner of Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, the largest S&L to go bankrupt in the wave of bankruptcies that struck the industry in the late 1980s.
McCain was rebuked by the Ethics Committee for advocating in Keating's behalf after accepting large contributions from him and his co-workers.
Cindy McCain became involved in the investigation because she could not find receipts showing that she and her husband had reimbursed the Keatings for the cost of flying on a corporate jet to a Keating vacation home in the Bahamas. That became a focus of the hearings.
McCain said she quit taking the drugs ''cold turkey'' in the fall of 1992 after being approached by her parents, multimillionaire liquor distributor Jim Hensley and his wife, Smitty, who asked her about her ''erratic behavior.''
McCain said she briefly relied on painkillers again while in the hospital in January 1993 after a hysterectomy. Since then, she has been drug-free, she said in her statement.
Gosinski alleges in his lawsuit that he was fired in January 1993, after being asked ''on numerous occasions'' to ''engage in acts that were improper.''
The acts are not detailed in the lawsuit, but it says that Gosinski ''was responsible for the maintenance of certain sensitive records and the overall operation and integrity of the organization.''
Slander, libel alleged
Gosinski alleges that McCain wrongly terminated him and engaged in libel and slander to keep him from getting another job.
''She has engaged in this conduct in order to gain retribution for his (Gosinski's) refusal to misrepresent facts in a judicial proceeding and to prevent him from providing full and truthful information in a federal proceeding concerning personal matters in which she is involved,'' the lawsuit says.
It is unclear what judicial proceeding Gosinski is referring to in his lawsuit where he alleges he was told to lie. All references to it are redacted from the records released by the county attorney's office.
Kathy Walker, director of operations for the charity, said she heard Gosinski say after a meeting that ''he would blackmail Cindy McCain if he was ever fired,'' according to the county attorney's investigation.
Dowd met with Gosinski on May 4. He and other McCain lawyers repeatedly asked Gosinski to document his allegations, and Gosinski refused.
Gosinski's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. It has been assigned to a judge but is listed as ''not active'' in county court files.
McCain 'wanted to talk'
McCain has wanted to talk publicly about her addiction for weeks, Smith said, but had been precluded from doing so by the U.S. Attorney's Office, who thought their investigation ''might be impeded if she went public.''
Smith denied that McCain's public admissions had anything to do with Gosinski's lawsuit or the possibility that news organizations might break the news of her addiction and drug thefts. However, he said, the news was bound to leak out. McCain entered a treatment program earlier this year at The Meadows in Wickenburg and attends Narcotics Anonymous meetings twice a week.
Percocet and Vicodin contain acetominophen, a non-aspirin pain reliever available over the counter, and artificial codeine, a stronger, addictive, pain reliever.
John McCain issued a statement Monday saying he is ''extremely proud of Cindy's courageous battle to recover from her health problem.''
''In addition to Cindy's serious back pain, I have no doubt that the inevitable ups and downs of my political career have been rough on her,'' he said.
w
By the slim chance Bill Maher reads this...Bill, for years I thought you were one of the few individuals that, at a foundational core, and in simple terms, "got it." A free-minded, critical thinker neither influenced nor fueled by irrational emotion. Who knew the need to have a balance in the world among issues, people, and institutions. Who could take a punch as well as give one. Who would, with style, dignity and humor, with civility, present rational points of view, rationally. I could go on. It is disappointing that you are not only beginning to distraughtingly make that fatal philosophical lean towards one side of a political spectrum, but you have become crude in you manner of communicating your certitudes, and doing so in a non-productive, angry way, to boot. Taking it to this lower level was never like you, in my opinion. Moreover, whether by design or merely by emotional response, you have become increasing demeaning towards the general public, as you state it, “those who don’t know better.” Rationally explain, Bill, who are those people? Are they people who don’t have the level of knowledge that you have on various subjects or are they lost souls who don’t necessarily agree with you. Well, Bill, perhaps now I fall into that “know-not-better” category. What a shame for both of us.
Bill I seldom see you in t-shirts, but I think you would look fantastic in the one found here, as it really illustrates just how scary a Mccain Palin world would be...
http://mccainpalinworld.com/
Bill,
Taxing the rich just causes people to stop being rich. It never helps anyone except government types. They are anti-american.
Even though I supported Hillary - I have to vote for Obama. America - look around. The USA hasn't been in such a mess. The aged statesman who married money and "Caribou Barbie" are the answer. Palin has NO experience to be the VP. She has governed a state with fewer people than Jacksonville, Florida. She was the mayor of a town with approximately 50 employees. This makes her ready to govern the USA if McCain should not make it through his term if elected. That scares the crap out of me.
An analogy might be - Ms. Palin is given a model car to build. She completes in successfully. Now she is qualified to build a Cadillac from the ground up?
This country cannot take 4 more years of Republican leadership. They have had 8 years and things have never been worse in my lifetime. (I am 60) This boat is sinking and the Republicans want to take on more ballast instead of baling out the water.
Bill,
I too am angry that Americans are being subjected to nonstop lies from the Republican machine, however, if the goal is to win over votes for the Obama campaign to “enlighten” the viewers and motivate them to vote -- then please stick closer to the issues. There is so much material to work with – education, environment, war in Iraq, failed Bush policies, McCain voted with Bush 90% of the time and is more of the same, are Americans better off because of the last 8 years? You had John Fund on the run last night when you spoke about the Republican parties perpetual lies about the connection between 911 and the War in Iraq, however, you blew it for moderates and independents alike by taking jabs at Palin’s 17 year old, small town vs. cities, East Coast versus West Coast. You fell into the Republican trap of positioning yourself as the elitist the exact thing Obama is not. Please, I’m a liberal democrat, and live in Los Angeles, however, I grew up in a small town back East, I’m a college graduate, lived abroad, and I’m also a soccer Mom, Christian, environmentalist, etc. -- point being you have an opportunity to reach out to millions of diverse Americans and set the record straight. Obama will benefit all of us!!! No one should have to endure four more years like the past eight. Please stick to the issues and go get ‘um! PS hot topics among other like-minded educated moms: we support separation of church and state; creationism does not belong in schools, while sex education does; believe our government should be based on the constitution as set forth by our founding fathers; global warming is real and we want real action; the aerial gunning down of wolves and bears is barbaric; a clear plan for Iraq and Afghanistan; as well as, a leader who is well educated (Harvard fits the bill) and has the experience – Obama is the clear winner!
Hey, Maher stop being such a douche, the American public deserves more than two men arguing like ten year olds on the play ground. And your whining that someone said YOUR guy was an elitist, woo hoo . I personally think there are bigger issues we should be concerning ourselves with maybe the economy, healthcare, immigration just to name a few.
Bill you and rosana Barr are both idiots. You should not have a talk show. You are a waste of air time
Mike,I agree about staying on the issues that really matter, not just 2 issues that don't deal with our economy, etc.
I also agree with you nsw-nso, wasted air time is a waste of our money.
(oops, I'm in trouble now)
Bill
This lil dude is an amazing personality and talent and did this song and video to provide support for Mr. Obama since he can't vote and also wanted to put a better face on Hip Hop after the ludacris/obama negative rap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wSQ_6SIiCA
Hi Bill,
I've never been so proud of my "Women for Obama" sticker. I've proudly had it stuck to my "elitist" MINI Cooper for well over a year. I'm just sorry that it was initially pasted on my car's boot (yikes! another "elitist" term!) because I supported Obama and not Clinton. Hilary looks like a saint these days, doesn't she? To think I hated her as much as I did during the primary, and she was actually on our side!
I can't really say anything constructive b/c my mind is still spinning by some of these posts. You are a comic who happens to be politically aware, so if you let a little snide comment sneak in (comparing Palin to a "stewardess" - sexist, yes, but a joke for Christ's sake!) so be it. You tell jokes and people like O'Reilly and Limbaugh say things nasty and actually mean it. They aren't comics, they're politically aware assholes, one with a Harvard degree.
Wait? A Harvard degree? What an elitist hack!
If the Republican ticket gave you anything substantial to comment on, you would.
Until that happens, I will patiently wait until the debates when real issues are hopefully tackled and McCain's feet are held to the fire.
ps
I hope Biden makes Palin "cry her Christian faith away"
New word
Palinflate - Palin (empty ambition) + inflate (to enlarge or amplify unduly or improperly)
To dishonestly conflate any mixture of events, persons, issues, ideas or actions into an example for the sake of self-serving comparison and argument.
Useful examples;
Looking at Russian coastline ≠ foreign policy experience
Religious theology ≠ reason or democratic ideals
Lipstick on a pig ≠ woman
P.O.W. ≠ capability to run a country
Killing defenseless grass-eating animals ≠ great hunter
Flag on a lapel ≠ patriot
9/11 ≠ WWII
Surge ≠ victory or mission accomplished
Lie about sex ≠ lies leading to war
George Bush/John McCain ≠ President
Being Vegetarian Shrinks Brain
Becoming a vegetarian could be good for the planet, but it’s bad for your brain. Scientists at Oxford University in England have found that vegetarians are six times more likely to have brain shrinkage than those who include meats in their diets.
The cause could be a lack of vitamins. Vegetarians are more likely than meat-eaters to be deficient in vitamin B12, which is mainly found in meats, and a B12 deficiency is known to cause anemia and inflammation of the nervous system.
Oxford researchers examined 107 people between the age of 61 and 87 using physical exams, memory tests and brain scans. When the same volunteers were retested five years later, those with the lowest amounts of B12 had the most brain atrophy.
Swedish researchers found that being overweight is also linked to brain loss. Women with a BMI (body mass index) that averaged 27 showed brain shrinkage. (A BMI of 25 or over is “overweight” and a BMI of 30 or higher is “obese.”) For every additional point in BMI, brain loss increased by 13 to 16 percent
Can't wait for your film Bill!!!
If it'll be anything like COMING SOON (http://www.comingsoon.cz) we'll all the better for it!
Love ya!
Can't wait for your film Bill!!!
If it'll be anything like COMING SOON (http://www.comingsoon.cz) we'll all the better for it!
Love ya!
Hmmmm?
All Recipients of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Campaign Contributions, 1989-2008
Name Office State Party Grand Total Total from
PACs Total from
Individuals
Dodd, Christopher J S CT D $165,400 $48,500 $116,900
Obama, Barack S IL D $126,349 $6,000 $120,349
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/09/update-fannie-mae-and-freddie.html
Exactly. Nothing else to add except that without you and our fellow Cornell alum Keith Olberman, I don't think I would make it through the election with my sense of humor intact! Thanks!
Bill,
I agree with your stance on McCain/Palin. Palin is a female pawn in the republican marketing machine. Being a female myself, I'm concerned for my gender that she is being touted as the choice of females. I don't know one female (on both sides - demo & rep.) who is supporting her for office.
Bill, I enjoy your show, but I don't like that you have become so pessimistic by saying that "we (the demos) may lose this". That's irresponsible to scream "uncle" at this point. You're in a position to encourage and inspire change. Use your show wisely. Don't play the shock value game. THIS TIME IN HISTORY IS JUST TOO IMPORTANT FOR THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE!
MARY R.-
Hey I support Obama (maybe, still on fence) but wasn't Hillary a female? If Obama were to somehow get rid of Biden in an October surprise and pick Hillary, are women going to love a women being appointed then?
By History of what means?
Mary, It's pretty clear that you don't get out much or know many women. because where i live (santa barbara,ca.) it's about as liberal as a city gets, women on both sides of fence like Ms. Palin,they all might not agree with her views but they respect her for standing up for what she believes in.
I, like Wilber, am on the fence but, I have been discouraged by comments made by other women in regards to Mrs. Palin. Although you may disagree with her policies, in my opinion, it's no excuse for such hateful comments.
I do my own research on each Candidate but, my party is really disappointing me right now and I'm not seeing anything from Obama that makes me secure in him.
I also feel Bill, you appear to be going to the extreme with your jokes.
Ironically, being a former P.O.W. means you have the same track record of winning wars as... France.
Republicans are taking a very strong pro-life position "based on the Bible" that is terrifying me!
THE BIBLE GOD CAN CARE LESS ABOUT THE FETUSES!
The "All Wise God" demands that any jealous husband force an induced abortion on his wife ANYTIME if he suspects that she has been impregnated by another man (Numbers 5:11-31). If the woman survives the poison that she is drinking she is innocent and the fetus will probably survive and God will provide for a live and healthy birth, otherwise she will get sick and abort the fetus. GOD MADE THIS RULE AND HE CAN CARE LESS ABOUT THE FETUS!
What is that Obama can do to protect pregnant women from this kind of Biblical test if the Fundamentalists insist on using the Bible ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN SPECIAL INTERPRETATION?
NO THOUGHT IS EVER GIVEN IN THE WHOLE BIBLE ABOUT SAVING THE FETUS FOR ANYTHING!!!
Under God’s Law the parents of the bride must ALWAYS keep the last period tampon (or "cloth") handy especially on the wedding day otherwise the wedding party might turn into a PREGNANT (fetus inside the womb) BRIDE stoning party!
Deuteronomy 22:20-21 (NIV) If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl's virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you.
Sarah Palin was pregnant when she married Todd (Newsweek pg31 9/15/08). So is her daughter Bristol. In Bible times both of them would have been worthy of being stoned to death “to purge the evil” from among us, BUT GOD CAN CARE LESS ABOUT ANY FETUS!!!
Should we change our date of birth in our certificates to our date of conception “when life begins”?
It is natural for the fetus to move about in the womb of the lady. Does it mean that the fetus is full of the Holy Ghost and has all the US citizen’s rights?
AS A ROUTINE THE BIBLE GOD CAN CARE LESS EVEN ABOUT INFANTS!
Check this prophecy!
Psalm 137:8-9 (NIV) O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us- he who seizes your infants and DASHES them against the rocks.
The Bible teaches that the enemies of God ought to be slaughtered in their infancy when it is easier to get rid of them. Should our soldiers kill all the children in the Babylonian region of Iraq… So the Bush doctrine of helping 6to fulfill Bible prophesies for the Fundamentalist Evangelicals can be realized?
Isaiah 13:16 (KJV) Their little ones also will be DASHED TO PIECES* (*Thy will be done!) before their eyes; Their houses will be plundered And their WIVES RAVISHED…!
Ezekiel 23:20-21 (NIV) There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.
How many sex starved Godly women like that would wish to be ravished? But their children must be DASHED TO PIECES!
AS A ROUTINE THE BIBLE GOD FORCED HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE TO EAT THEIR OWN CHILDREN FOR DINNER!
Leviticus 26:29 (NIV) YOU WILL eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters!
Ezekiel 5:10 (NIV) Therefore in your midst fathers WILL EAT THEIR CHILDREN...*
Jeremiah 19:9 (NIV) I* (*God, NOT SATAN, but GOD!) WILL MAKE THEM EAT THE FLESH OF THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS...
Lamentations 4:10 (NIV) With their own hands COMPASSIONATE women HAVE COOKED THEIR OWN CHILDREN...!
2 Kings 6:26-29 (NIV) As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall he asked her, “What's the matter?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we'll eat my son.’ So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”
With all the gross violence and smut in the Bible will Obama keep the Bible out of our public school libraries?
Romans 15:4 (Saint Paul says) For EVERYTHING that was written in the past* (*Old Testament) was written to teach us* (*New Testament Christians)...
After all the foreplay that the preachers use telling the story about the adulterous woman that was brought to Jesus for stoning she was found to be IN FACT guilty as charged! Jesus asked anyone without a sin to cast the first stone! If Pat Robertson was there I am sure he would have cast the first stone! Jesus probably had a stone in his hand, too because he claimed to be without a sin! When the Jews saw that the issue was getting too gross they left! The terrified adulterous lady may have been pregnant too, but NOT EVEN JESUS CARED ABOUT HER FETUS? She was going to be virtually stoned to death along with the developing fetus inside her womb!
Fundamentalist Christianity today can be as evil as in the Dark Ages or in Colonial America when the Puritan Evangelicals used to hang witches from tree branches on accusation from a Christian neighbor! NO THOUGHT was given to the possibility that any of them mighty have been pregnant, either! Among the first, if not THE FIRST criminals to be sentenced to death in Christian America were witches!
There are so many examples in the Bible that fetuses DON’T COUNT AT ALL!!! Yet… misguided Christians make life miserable to the wretched women in desperate need of an abortion! Hardly any Christian cares to be objective to the facts in science or even in their own Bibles!
SO WHY WAS OBAMA STUTTERING SO MUCH when Pastor Rick Warren questioned him on ABORTION? Was he trying to be politically correct?!
There is plenty more on what the Bible has to say in favor of gays and lesbians and other popular causes... but that is another subject! I was a Baptist Pastor for a while, but I didn't have the necessary dishonesty to pursue a preacher's career based on TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANITY so I dropped out of religion in general. I am giving you verifiable facts in the Bible! NOTHING OUT OF CONTEXT!
OBAMA NEEDS TO BE BETTER PREPARED BEFORE TAKING A VERY SAFE POSITION ON ABORTION... He can be a BIG WINNER not using the Bible for support, but respectfully defending women from the Bible laws of God about stoning women after a trivial sexual "sin" or hard to prove rape without regard for the fetus.
I keep hearing Obama talk about “giving the other cheek” and the Department of Defense. It is nice on a personal level, but it is a very silly example to use it on a NATIONAL LEVEL! I hope that in the next Obama/McCain debate Obama can talk about Jesus teaching that ON A NATIONAL LEVEL if the enemy forces are 2:1 bigger than our forces we better surrender! Jesus NEVER offered any other strategy! Can you imagine all the implications at a battalion level if this Nation goes “Back to the Bible”?
Luke 14:31-32 (NIV) (Jesus says) “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
Is there anybody advising or tipping Obama on what the Bible REALLY says on critical issues not the daily bread that the clergy feed their congregation, but what they cover up!
I AM FOR TOTAL SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE!
Militant Christians mostly Republicans are banded together to protect their territory NOW, but wait until policies begin to favor a particular brand of faith then all Hell will break loose!
"standing up for what she believes in?"
Since when did the White House become the stomping ground for promoting religious beliefs? I still don't understand this!
Separation of church and state.
That hasn't changed.
Please, please, PLEASE candidates (read: Sarah Palin), keep your religious views to yourself and don't shape America around them. Teach your fellow parishoners these views IN church, not on the national soap box. If everyone was properly taught "family values" at home, then there would be less and less abortions in the country. No woman looks forward to that decision, but she should have the right to choose and let her OWN PERSONAL FAITH AND BELIEFS lead her to the right path.
Again, this doesn't belong in our government!!!!!!
BTW Mike, I live in an entire state that is predominately Democratic and no one likes Sarah Palin, her snarling attitude or her political views. She would bring so much more support and grace to her VP campaign by talking REAL issues and less anti-Obama rhetoric. She's a sarcastic, hateful woman and I'm ashamed to share my womanhood with her.
Jennifer....
"BTW Mike, I live in an entire state that is predominately Democratic and no one likes Sarah Palin, her snarling attitude or her political views"
I had to *giggle* at this statement. Palin's "Political Views"...oh, those across the Bering Straits at Russia...Yep, she can see them from Alaska so she has KEEN understanding of the politics of Russia.
The Hoover Institute should move to Alaska so they can have "New Insight" in to the workings of Russia because just like Palin they can "SEE" Russia from where she sees Russia.
We need to get everyone to vote...to stop this insanity.
Hi Bill, you have a very clear mind and a unique eye of woman.
McCain may not a good leader to us, but he definitely has a unique eye on his running mate. I can see Mccine will suffer big pain on this woman since she had a history to betray her MASTERS. She betrayed her former Mayor who she met at the gym who invite her to work for him. After 1 year , she kicked him out of the Mayor's office.
2 years later, she meet the Governor and he ask her to work for him at the Oil&Energy department, 1 year later, she kicked him out of that office. but, I just wonder, why the Governor hug her and said 'are you happy? are you ok? we will do everything to get you elected' ---------this segment in her Bio Review from CNN, FOX and MSNBC.
I am not sure how to edit my previous post to expand a comment based on Obama's remark about "turning the other cheek"...
Jesus was teaching that ON A NATIONAL LEVEL if the enemy forces are 2:1 bigger than our forces we better surrender! Jesus NEVER offered any other strategy! Can you imagine all the implications at a battalion or even an individual level if this Nation goes “Back to the Bible”?
McCain survived as a POW of North Vietnam for almost 6 years. He was a very likeable prisoner. He was hardly traumatized in all that time! He was a good Christian! He must have followed the rules in the Bible about an enemy force bigger and stronger than him. He must have struck a deal with the enemy just like Jesus was teaching to do! So WWJD?
Luke 14:31-32 (NIV) (Jesus says) “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
I suspect that McCain must have kept this Bible teaching in mind...
Hi she is a the BIGGEST GOLD DIGGER.
Some people says she has the GUTS. I think that's very dangerous for who
has the power. Because look what she did, he asking money from The Fed by
BUILDING bridge, then, she play the game cancel it but she kept all the money ,
she got $174 million for 2008 and will have $48 coming for 2009;
for that bridge even she canceled that project but she didn't HONESTLY
RETURN that special money;
in another word she abused that special money and The Fed don't even know if not because this V.P. completion;
$27 million for Wacilla only have 5000 population small town ? what they do? what that for? Do the math my friends....and even more, she left that city debt, is she a good exactive?
$256 million for Government office 2007 earmark ,
$197 million for Government office expense 2008 earmark....
$7.7 million for airport which only have 7 fly every month;
$4 million for SEASCrep stops...
$1.75 million for technology;
$2,4 million for water facility
$600,000 for bus;
TOTAL :$719.85 Million Dollars from The Fed in ONE year
My God, that's just 1 year's Fed money. I'd like to ask : what is next?
dose Alaska functional ?
Bill, I don't know where to post this, since you don't have an email address to comment on your show, so I'll post it here. Maybe you'll read it, maybe you won't...
Last night as I watched a rerun of your Sept. 12 (?) show, I was reminded why I stopped watching you in the first place. My Dad had convinced me to watch, praising your wit, so I gave it another shot. I think I will switch channels next time.
You were talking about cynics and elitists, and in my opinion you are both of those things. You (and Janeane Garofalo) spent the whole night belittling accomplishments of Sarah Palin and attacking her personally as if she were someone who had wronged you in some way. In addition, you take your opinions and present them as fact, counting on either the lack of intelligence or “laziness to think on their own” of your audience to accept them as such. Case in point, your whole case against the competency and preparation of Sarah Palin is based on her request for clarification of the Bush Doctrine during her interview with Charlie Gibson. As informed as you are, you know that there have been any number of axioms labeled as the Bush Doctrine. I can think of 2 or 3 different “Bush Doctrines”:1) Freedom to execute a preemptive strike 2) pursue and fight terrorism throughout the world 3) fight the Axis of Evil, etc. You dwelled on that all night, in an attempt to convince the audience that it proved your opinion of Palin’s capabilities. That seems a little disingenuous to me, and you’re counting on the blind gullibility of your biased audience to accept your opinion of Sarah Palin’s incompetence or lack of preparation as fact.
I don’t know yet if Sarah Palin is up to the job or not. I’m still researching that to make my own mind. However, I don’t automatically dismiss her like you do, nor do I trivialize her accomplishments.
As far as I can tell, she has more Executive Branch experience than Joe Biden and Barrack Obama, combined. She’s been both a Mayor and a Governor, and with responsibilities that neither of the Democratic candidates have ever had. Both of these accomplishments, and the Governorship in particular where she beat the incumbent, cannot be flukes. If you want to belittle these accomplishments because of her town, or her state, go ahead….that is up to you.
One last point I would like to make. Please take note that you and most of your panel participants (at least on the show I watched) spent the whole time belittle-ling and trivializing the very accomplishments/achievements of Sarah Palin that you would be exalting at every opportunity if she were a Democratic candidate. I bet you would use these as a testament to her credentials. Looks pretty transparent to me…
Jorge
well said Jorge well said couldn't agree more
See how well you know your Candidate.
Match-o-Matic 2
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/MatchOMatic/fullpage?id=5542139
Is anybody else going to see Bill in Upper Darby?
http://marktwainispissed.blogspot.com/
If Barack Obama were to apply for a job with the FBI or with the Secret
Service, he would be disqualified because of his past association with
William Ayers, a known terrorist.
If he is elected President he would
not qualify to be his own body guard!
this country is going to hell because of people like bill maher and all his hollywood and liberal friends!!
Bill you're the greatest, a modern day Harry Truman. If I'm not mistaken he once said, "I don't give 'em hell. I just tell the truth and it makes 'em feel like hell." That's what you do and that's why you catch so much flak.
jrive i agree with some of your points!
i'd like to see some of these people that have posted nothing but negative things about palin run for government themselves and then try to belittle their own efforts
oh yeah bill you say nothing but truths like all religious people should just die. that is real smart
Kenneth52 said...
Bill you're the greatest, a modern day Harry Truman. If I'm not mistaken he once said, "I don't give 'em hell. I just tell the truth and it makes 'em feel like hell." That's what you do and that's why you catch so much flak.
PeeWee Herman is more like it.
Ok, I'm taping my ribs and going to be in trouble again but,
PeeWee Herman....Great!..Religulous "will Flop"...
"An American Carol" will out money it.
Angel, at least we know where we are going. McCain/Palin will "wee wee wee all the way to the White House!
FOR ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO BASH BUSH:
Has your house been bombed by Al Queida in the past 8 years?
BUSH IS NOT STUPID OTHERWISE,
YOU WOULD BE "DEAD"!!!!!!!!!!
Also, DEMOCRATS HAVE CONTROLLED "EVERYTHING" SINCE 2006 AND IT HAS GONE TO HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ask Obama how much money he received for the now "broke" Fannie Mae!!!! He was #2 on the list of most money recieved.
I agree with you Bill...Palin is in no way qualified, but then I don't feel that McCain's qualifications are up to par either. Simply being on the earth longer doesn't count!! In fact, it is negative in my opinion. I am a Christian Recording Artist, and thought you would like to know that there are some people who call themselves Christians and are in the true sense of the word. We believe in helping the poor, in not condemning someone for their choice of life, we believe in loving our neighbors as ourselves, and because of this, we are democrats. I am also a homeschool mom...how is that for putting a kink in who people believe are democrats!! I am an avid watcher of your show. Thank you for being so forthright. Blessings...Leah
www.leahlaniergates.com
And a True Christian would "not be Judgmental" or, for that fact watch "Real Time With Bill Maher".
Also, you said you wouldn't "condemn someone for their choice of life"?..
Aren't you judging Palin and McCain?
That's not Christian! It's Just A Democrat!
I am responding to "your" version of a Christian, the "true sense"?
give me a break!
John 3:16 GOES FOR EVERYONE!
Even Bill Maher
Let me make myself clear...I am in no way judging the heart of man, only God can do so. I truly do believe that Palin is a Godly woman, and would probably be someone I would be friends with, but I don't believe she is qualified for the office of VP. I do believe John McCain's age is just one of many issues, but this is not a harsh ugly judgement, it is just what I believe, and I am free to believe this, as you are free to believe that what you do. I also believe that the that I am a CHristian because of what I believe in my heart, and I have chosen the democratic party because I believe it allows me to truly live what I believe in freedom, as anyone else who believes differently than myself, to live their life in freedom. So, to answer your question, no, I do not judge the hearts of McCain and Palin, I am simply making a logical judgement on politics. I truly do believe that there should be a seperation of church and state. You cannot legislate morality. You cannot force the Word of God on people, nor does Christ want people to come to Him because of a law that is made. It is from the heart. Not from a set of rules.
I also like to stay informed, so I watch every political show that I can watch...as well as read. But know that every person has the right to decide in this life, what they believe...as well as you do my friend. God has given every person that right...it is called free will.
Pardon the typing errors..It is late, and I shall retire now.
Leah, point well taken. If only everyone else believed and felt the same way, would be a much better place.
With regard to Obama being smarter than most and your comments of the Rachel Meadow Show on MSNBC today, you verified a rule I have formulated about the up-coming Presidential election: "If you're as smart as O'Bama or smarter, you'll vote for O'Bama; otherwise, you'll vote for McCain." Thanks for the GREAT comments, Bill.
Hey,
They keep describing Sarah Palin as an Pentecostal, and she belongs to the Assembly of God Church. Their Belief is that members of their church are filled with the Holy Ghost, and writhe on the floor and Speak in Tongues. As you can read below only people of low mental ability really believe in speaking in tongues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whpHwKlM_8M
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_of_God
The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit - The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance. (Acts 2:4). The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use. (1 Corinthians 12:4-10, 1 Corinthians 12:28)
Mental illness
As Pentecostalism expanded in the 20th century and attracted the attention of the wider world, psychologists initially thought of glossolalia in pathological terms, thinking that it was caused by mental illness. In 1927 George Cutten described tongues-speakers as people of low mental abilities.[17]
This explanation was effectively refuted in 1969 by a team from the University of Minnesota, who conducted an extensive study covering the United States, Mexico, Haiti and Colombia; they reached practitioners among Pentecostals, other Protestant groups, and Roman Catholics.
Cutten's contentions concerning psychopathology, quoted and re-quoted through the years, have taken on an aura of fact among non-Pentecostal churchmen who are critical of the movement. His assumption that glossolalia is linked to schizophrenia and hysteria has not been supported by any empirical evidence.[18]
Subsequent studies have confirmed this conclusion. A 2003 statistical study in the religious journal Pastoral Psychology concluded that, among the 991 male evangelical clergy sampled, glossolalia was associated with stable extroversion, and contrary to some theories, completely unrelated to psychopathology.[19]
[edit] Not hypnosis
Some kind of hypnosis or trance has often been suggested as the explanation for glossolalia. Much glossolalia takes place in heightened states, whether in Christian or non-Christian contexts.[20] But glossolalia does not require a state of hypnosis or trance. An experiment was conducted in which 12 experienced glossolalists performed with eyes open and without accompanying kinetic activity (such as trembling or shaking) or any residual disorientation.[21] Moreover glossolalia is not only displayed in group situations. The Minnesotan study found that "after the initial experience of glossolalia, most Pentecostals speak with tongues as frequently, if not more frequently, alone in private prayer", including some for the first time.[22] These findings rule out hypnosis.
Speaking in Tongues = Sarah Palin's Church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-1AVQLlJYE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkn1BilNhmc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uytmMjibvPg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qceClV0iPX8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA3jmMrfMvQ&feature=related
McCain stepped to the podium today and started the process of defeating the Democrats. For the record, I am a Democrat and I will be voting for Obama...however, I don't think my vote will win.
Obama needs (perhaps needed) to actually begin to speak of how he would solve the economical problems with specificity. If I was him I'd begin solving them by creating true bi-partisan groups to publicly come up with a plan. Instead...he is simply acting like a Republican campaigner attacking McCain and speaking little in the way of specifics.
Conversely, McCain is firing the head of SEC...created institutes and promising even more plans.
Obama needs to get it and get it fast. Acting like a Republican in 2008 is certain death. And I thought he was smart and different.
Post a Comment