Okay that's just the intellectual snob in me talking. But we've got to talk about Elisabeth Hasselbeck's repeating loop response to torture: "Nancy Pelosi."
EH and her right-wing cohorts are obeying their rule number one: loyalty to ideology trumps all. It doesn't matter if Sarah Palin is an incompetent candidate who doesn't know Africa is a continent. She is right on "the issues" (meaning abortion, period) so we support her. It doesn't matter if Tom Delay is a crook. He is on our side. And it doesn't matter if Dick Cheney is a torturer. Hasselbeck is a good little Republican, and will call it 'enhanced interrogation' and 'legal' and 'good' because she's got to be loyal to the GOP side no matter what. And she will deflect where ever she can by bringing up Nancy Pelosi everytime someone says 'torture.'
Notice how Jesse The Body smacks that down. Clothesline, baby.
But Elisabeth Hasselbeck's mistake is expecting that we on the Left think the same way. That we will rise to Pelosi's defense just because she is on our 'side.'
First of all, Pelosi isn't on our side, she's on HER side, or she would have tried to stop Bush/Cheney with impeachment hearings instead of waiting out their term, consciously and deliberately, for her own party's chance at power.
And secondly, we progressives simply don't roll that way.
Last month, my dad (who reads this blog, thanks) said [in response to this post], 'you're not going to lighten up on Obama, are you?'
Not on torture, no way, Dad.
I guess it's too much, way too much, to ask Elisabeth Hasselbeck to read this article in The Nation, which concludes:
By acquiescing to the cover-up of unpleasant truths in the treatment of prisoners, Pelosi contributed to the betrayal of the ideal of public accountability that is the bedrock of our system of governance, which Congress is charged with protecting.
That's not eating our own, Miss Hasselbeck. "Our own" is the Constitution of the United States, and the rule of law, including international law, for which it stands. It's not something Dick Cheney can pay John Yoo to write IN A FUCKING MEMO to conduct illegal TORTURE to support an illegal war.
And Ms. Hasselbeck? You don't need to shout Mrs. Pelosi's name to defend yourself and your party. Madame Speaker will be sitting right next to you this afternoon at the Torture Enablers' Ladies' Auxiliary Tea. Call her first so you don't wear the same pastel St. John's suit. That would be embarrassing.
Jesse's old finishing move was called the "Body Breaker," and he definitely put a double one on Lizzy right there.
ReplyDeleteGod. Is it okay to mix metaphors and call her a Stepford Nazi?
And my word verification is "wayflug," which has to be good for something here...
hasslebitch gives women a bad name.
ReplyDeleteshouldn't she be leaving soon for maternity leave? I heard part of the clip...how do people tolerate her? It's like she gets paid $5 for every GOP talking point she can spit out. Glad I don't have a tv.
ReplyDelete"Is it okay to mix metaphors and call her a Stepford Nazi?"
ReplyDeleteI may have to steal that one... Just gotta find the right place to use it. lol
I love how the media has worked the conversation off of torture altogether once they realized that the Pelosi story is a hunting expedition into really investigating the true torture stories.
Instead of digging they are now pointing out the hypocrisy in the Rs like Hoekstra having called the CIA liars.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/5/20/733751/-Boehner-admits-CIA-has-lied-to-Congress
"He said these words: "We cannot have an intelligence community that covers up what it does and then lies to Congress."
That’s what Pete Hoekstra said in 2008.
BOEHNER: Pete Hoekstra did say that, and the inspector general at the CIA did an investigation, and it became clear that some CIA operatives did in fact cover this up.
...
BLITZER: You agree that the CIA then lied to Congress?
BOEHNER: I know as much about this case as Pete Hoekstra does, and the inspector general did in fact do an investigation, produced a report, and frankly supported, I think, Pete’s claims."
He said, she said... And everyone backing down from really digging because they didn't think we, on both sides AND especially in the left even if it meant taking down the speaker, would be all in for real investigations and prosecutions.
Mcjoan had the torture bombshell of the day:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/5/20/733812/-Bombshell-Report-Ties-Gonzo-to-Torture,-Months-before-Authorization
I like your style, BG.
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE GOOD!
I'm going to link you for this very fine post.
S
"Our own" is the Constitution of the United States, and the rule of law, including international law, for which it stands. It's not something Dick Cheney can pay John Yoo to write IN A FUCKING MEMO to conduct illegal TORTURE to support an illegal war.
There are reasons we call them wing-nuts (right wing nut jobs).
ReplyDeleteWe are so surrounded by news readers who read whatever they are given and commentators who comment (tate) on whatever they are given. So little critical thinking and real investigating. Thanks goodness for Blue Gal, Rachel and Kieth! (and many more, of course).
Great story, thanks.
Not to mention, she's a huge disappointment as Speaker. She's one of the weakest politicians to ever carry the gavel, in my humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at:
ReplyDeleteI guess it's too much, way too much, to ask Elisabeth Hasselbeck to read....
So many on the far right really just do not get the distinction you're making, that there are principles beyond tribal loyalty.
ReplyDeleteHasselbeck completely ignores major evidence, of course, including Ali Soufan's op-ed, but that's not surprising what with the "reading" thing.
Can the few relatively sane, honest Republicans left take their party over, please?
"And Ms. Hasselbeck? You don't need to shout Mrs. Pelosi's name to defend yourself and your party."
ReplyDeleteHasselbeck: a noun, a verb, and Nancy Pelosi.
On her WORST day, Nancy Pelosi has more integrity than Barack Obama could ever dream of having.
ReplyDeleteWho exactly do you think was responsible for getting the $75 BILLION for foreclosure insurance into the budget? Obama? Right! He had the number at $0. She had to threaten to let the Progressive and Black Caucuses vote with the Republicans to nix it in order to get Obama to take the $75 BN from Wall Street and allocate it as a credit line not even a gift to average homeowners.
Pelosi, Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters and Jim McGovern have been instrumental in beginning a PEACE PROCESS in Colombia with Opposition leader Sra Senadora Piedad Cordoba because Obama/Biden/Gates support the paramilitaries.
Pelosi helped organize Colombia's Coca-Cola bottling workers under AFSCME's flag so they wouldn't be murdered by the paras paid for by Obama's "Plan Colombia."
What exactly about her don't people like? Her appearance? What's that all about? It's fine to make fun, but wowee zowee, at least take the time to know the person and her career. I think she goofed in not letting Conyers, Kucinich and Wexler investigate BushCo, as well, but Obama has literally BEEN George W. Bush.
It wasn't Pelosi who just put GITMO detainees on Perpetual Remand, was it?
I expect to read stuff like this on right wing blogs, it's a trip to read it on an important left-wing blog, well...on a Whole Foods Liberal blog, at any rate.
I was always a little suspicious of Jesse before-when he was better known as an "Libertarian" which for many so called, tends to be republican that likes free speech a teeny bit more than the "regular" repub.
ReplyDeleteWell Jesse has really been impressive to me lately on the talk show circuit. I really liked the way he didn't back down and "play nice" with Cannity. (sorry too many quotes!)
I hope Obama gets some of Jesse's influence!
I was going to do a blog about Jessie Ventura, but you beat me to it! I have some good stuff about DADT on my blog.
ReplyDeleteHasslebeck must feel she has to defend ever Republican position, no matter how ridiculous. Anyone who is intellectually honest, must know what BS this is.
I hope all is well...