How to Discreetly Feed The Beast

[paft.livejournal.com]

Recently, Eric Cantor provided a textbook example of how the GOP has been countenancing (and therefore encouraging) extremist rhetoric while pretending not to countenance (and therefore encourage) extremist rhetoric.

Right Wing Heritage Foundation Speech 5/4/10

Audience member at Heritage Foundation: My question is – and this is something I personally don’t understand…. in light of what Obama has done to leave us vulnerable, to cut defense spending, to make us vulnerable to our outside enemies, to slight our allies. How…what would he have to do differently to be defined as a domestic enemy?”

(Laughter and applause from audience.)



Eric Cantor (smiling, after waiting for the claps to die down) Listen, let me respond very forthright to that. No one thinks that the president is a domestic enemy. (boos) It is important, it is important, it is important for us to remember, we have the freedom of discourse in this country. And the president’s policies, the administration’s priorities, in my opinion, do not reflect the common sense conservative traditions on which the greatness of this country was built…

Here, Cantor makes a statement that’s been demonstrated to be untrue in the seconds before he made it, and is again demonstrated to be untrue by the audience reaction after he makes it.

“No one thinks the president is a domestic enemy.”

No one? Someone just said he did -- and a bunch of other people just applauded him for it.

A “forthright response” would be to say, “No, the president is not a domestic enemy merely because we disagree with his policies.”

But Cantor just couldn't say that. He knew being that "forthright" might have gotten him booed off the stage by those "no ones" who've been incited by the inflammatory rhetoric the GOP has been banking and encouraging for twenty years.

Comments

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

"No one" is clearly "no one serious." And it was a forthright response - those applauding the guy who claimed it or booing Cantor aren't anybody worth noting.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

At least during the 2008 campaign, Senator McCain had the sense to take the microphone from the crazy lady.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

I didn't see anything wrong with Cantor's answer. He said the President is not a domestic enemy. The Left should be satisfied with that. What I DO have a problem with is what he starts saying at 1:55 (ends at about 2:06). It's like he's saying that if the Republicans didn't have the majority, they would be passing incoherent legislation. That's not what people want, and he should have chosen his words more carefully in that respect.

And paft, just a tip: it's probably not gonna be considered plagiarism since you're re-posting something you've already written, but it might be nice if you cited a source since you're pretty much copying and pasting entries from another blog you posted to days ago.

http://torchwood-us.com/2010/05/05/eric-cantor-feeds-the-beast-while-pretending-not-to-feed-the-beast/

[allhatnocattle.livejournal.com]

Is it the way he says it, or what he infers?

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

2000-2008

Heated rhetoric about the president being an enemy of the people, the Constitution, human rights, etc., etc.: The highest form of patriotism, speaking truth to power, keeping it real.

2008-present

Heated rhetoric about the president being an enemy of the people, the Constitution, personal liberty, etc., etc.: Extremism, threatening, probable racism, incipit fascim? Whatever it is, it is double-plus bad.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

So.. you ever gonna treat us to an essay you wrote blaming the Tea Party for the Times Square bomber?

[readherring.livejournal.com]

I'd say that was more of a discreet pander to the beast. Although the net effect might be the same.

[prader.livejournal.com]

“No, the president is not a domestic enemy merely because we disagree with his policies.”

We should have a post on whether or not the President is a domestic enemy. I know it's not how you intended it, but when I read your words put in his mouth "merely because..." I can't help but want to get at the bottom of why the President is a domestic enemy then, if it's not just because we disagree with his policies.

Delusions, insanity

[reality-hammer.livejournal.com]

Recently, paft has been passing off her delusions as snippets of alleged happenings in our universe. This post is merely the latest example of this unfortunate series of events.

[headhouse.livejournal.com]

At this point, do I really even have to point out the double standard behavior you're exhibiting?

Rhetorical question. I notice someone else already has.

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

Relax, they are just taking their country back. To 1850.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

First, "encouraging" is not logically derived from "countenancing".

Second, it's not surprising that you don't understand the joke.

Domestic enemies

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

The idea that someone like Obama can be a domestic enemy reminds me of Nixon' enemies list and the way that the House Committee on un-American activities went on a hunt for domestic "enemies." Yes, there are domestic enemies of the Constitution such as the bonehead who asked the question. When he says "our allies," I wonder which military dictators he refers to. Certainly, he doesn't mean allies of the US, but allies of himself and his narrow minded faction.