Last night the Republicans held their first of two South Carolina debates. Holding a Republican debate in South Carolina on Martin Luther King Day is like organizing a bunny hunt for Easter Sunday. But then I’m sure Martin Luther King Day means about as much to conservatives as Labor Day means for Mitt Romney. These are the people who insisted that President Obama reschedule an address to a joint session of Congress so that Rick Perry could make his debate debut. Of course they wouldn’t think twice about scheduling their debate for Martin Luther King Day. Actually, Martin Luther King Day would be totally appropriate for a thoughtful examination of the issues confronting this country. But that’s the last thing you’re going to see at a Republican debate.
This being South Carolina, the candidates served up huge helpings of raw meat, and of course Newt Gingrich was the head butcher. Juan Williams confronted Newt over comments that were insulting to minorities (video below). Naturally, Newt responded with comments that were insulting to minorities. He literally sneered and rolled his eyes as he responded to Williams, saying “First of all, Juan...” The way Newt said “Juan,” you could almost see him making air quotes with his hands. It was like he was saying “Why don’t you call yourself John like a real American?” (Incidentally Juan, how’s that job at Fox News working out for you? Remember, when he’s not running for President, Newt also works at Fox News. It’s going to be very awkward next time he runs into Juan Williams in the break room.)
Mitt called the super-PAC attacks on his record at Bain “probably the biggest hoax since Bigfoot.” I guess Mitt just lost all the voters who believe in Bigfoot. But then, odds are, those people are already confirmed Ron Paul supporters. When asked if he had been hunting recently, Mitt said that yes, he had been in Montana hunting moose. Then he corrected himself and said he had actually been hunting elk. They’re all the same. You know—the really big varmints. What does Mitt Romney do if he takes down an elk? Does he extract all of its assets and force the elk into bankruptcy?
Today’s Homework | Discuss
Happy MLK Day, South Carolina! Newt doubles down on child labor for poor kids and continues to demonize people receiving food assistance...
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Randi Rhodes; The Dog Whistler
Thom Hartmann: Let The Recall Begin
Monday, January 16, 2012
Thom Hartmann: Stephen Colbert highlights how Citizens United has made a mockery of our democracy
Randi Rhodes: Van Jones on MLK
It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Randi will be back live tomorrow (1/17), Nicole Sandler is filling in today; her guests incude:
Environmental and civil rights activist, co-founder of Color of Change and Rebuild The Dream, and former Obama Administration advisor, Van Jones will discuss Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Rebuild The Dream has organized hundreds of meetups today to celebrate Dr. King and President Obama's call to service and the goal of making our economy work for all Americans.
Jeff Clements, author of Corporations Are Not People: Why They Have More Rights Than You Do and What You Can Do About It on the upcoming second anniversary of the Citizens United decision.
Comedian/activist Lee Camp - who may be best known for calling Fox News a "festival of ignorance" ON Fox News - on the 'We The People' campaign and the viral effort to continue pushing to get money out of politics.
Finally, comedian and actress Maysoon Zayid will talk with Nicole about the role of Arab Americans in America on MLK Day, as the newest large minority group that still has to deal with some of the same issues Dr. King was fighting fifty years ago.
Call Nicole at 866-87-RANDI (866-877-2634)
Nicole’s blog
Today’s Randi Rhodes homework
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Randi’s comedy bit archive
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Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on NBC's 'Meet The Press' from March 28, 1965 - just days after the Selma to Montgomery marches...
Friday, January 13, 2012
Randi Rhodes: Newt Dusting Off The Classics
It’s Friday the 13th, ya bastids!
And its 2012! Today, the superstitious and the Mayans are combining to create the perfect storm of Doom Prophecy. If we can just find a way to link today to the Book of Revelations, we’ve got the Apocalypse Trifecta! This year, there are actually three Friday the 13ths, all occurring within exactly 13 weeks. For the superstitious, it’s the worst thing this side of having to walk through a parade of black cats. The clinical term for fear of Friday the 13th is paraskevidekatriaphobia. Who comes up with these phobia names? They should just call it Fridaythe13thphobia. That’s actually shorter and easy to remember.
Newt Gingrich has begun airing anti-Romney ads that show Mitt in various awkward moments. In one clip Mitt says “I’ve always been a rodent and rabbit hunter, small varmints, if you will.” Varmints, Mitt? You sound like the banker Mr. Drysdale on an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies. Here’s a little advice, Mitt—the term “varmints” doesn’t mesh well with the phrase “if you will.” It’s like saying “pass the grits, my good fellow.” Mitt says “I began when I was 15 and hunted those kind of varmints more than two times.” Wow, more than two times! Since you were 15? Why, that’s almost once every 25 years. What happens, Mitt? Every two-and-a-half decades or so, you just wake up itchin’ to shoot yourself a nice fat muskrat for the stewpot?
Another clip Newt is using shows Romney talking about the infamous “family dog on the roof of the car” story. Well, you knew that one was going to hit the fan... or the windshield, as the case may be. Mitt, you may have managed to hose down the dog and the car back when the incident happened, but poor Seamus is still going to crap all over your presidential run in 2012. Imagine how that poor dog felt on the roof of the car. That’s how each one of us is going to feel if Mitt Romney is at the wheel of the United States. What I’m saying is, if Mitt Romney is elected president, don’t bother putting on clean underwear. They’re going to get ruined anyway.
Finally, Rick Perry is imploring his supporters not to “quit” on him. Sad. Rick couldn’t look more desperate if he was holding a boombox playing “In Your Eyes” over his head.
Today’s Homework | Discuss
Stephen Colbert may run for President of the United States of South Carolina, thanks to Citizens' United and a little help from his pal Jon Stewart...
Thom Hartmann: Is Government by "Hostage Taking" Over?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Randi Rhodes: Hell Hath No Fury
Wow, things are already getting very ugly, and we’re just getting started in South Carolina—which is the environment where ugly thrives. South Carolina is known for its whisper campaigns, where terrible things are said in hushed tones. Well, this time, all those terrible things are going to be said over the airwaves in millions of dollars of purchased airtime. South Carolina is where they spread the vicious lie that John McCain had an illegitimate black baby. They’re going to be saying even meaner things about Mitt Romney. And the worst part is that the things they’re going to say about Romney are all true. This year they’re going to be saying that Mitt Romney has an illegitimate, black heart.
Defending his attacks, Newt Gingrich said he was concerned about the rules of capitalism: “Are they fair to the American people, or are the deals being cut on behalf of Wall Street institutions and very rich people?” Wow. Is Newt angling to become the Republican nominee, or the next head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?
The reason for all of this comes down to the fact that Mitt really went after Newt Gingrich in Iowa, and it made Newt crazy. Really, Mitt, why go after Newt as viciously as you did? Did you have any doubt that Newt Gingrich would quickly implode on his own? Think about it—Newt Gingrich is dangerous, erratic, and unpredictable. Mitt Romney unnecessarily provoked him, and now Mitt has a lunatic attacking him. Do you really want Mitt Romney to be dealing with North Korea? Republican bigwigs say they want to try and talk Newt “off the ledge.” The problem is that Newt isn’t on the ledge. Mitt Romney is on the ledge, and Newt is standing behind him.
Mitt Romney’s talking point has been that all the attacks on how he made his money are being driven by “envy.” Of course, Envy is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Mitt Romney really shouldn’t be bringing up one of them—some of the other Seven Deadly Sins are Greed, Pride, and Vanity. And those are three terms that definitely appear in all opposition research about Mitt Romney. Mitt said “I think it’s about envy.” Essentially, that’s the 8th-grade response to every argument—“Well, you’re just jealous!”
Today’s Homework | Discuss
Conservative messaging guru Frank Luntz is warning Republicans not to defend 'capitalism' by name because it only has 18% support...
Thom Hartmann: Is America a nation in the midst of a class war?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Randi Rhodes: Mitt Wins
Mitt Romney won New Hampshire. I guess that means now he’s going to extract all of its cash, break it up, and sell it off in pieces. Of course Mitt was forecast to win New Hampshire. For Republicans, a forecast of Mitt Romney winning is like getting a forecast of heavy clouds, bitter cold, and a mixture of sleet and snow—they don’t freak out like they would for a hurricane like Newt Gingrich—they just shrug their shoulders and deal with it. Mitt Romney may have gotten 39 percent of the vote in New Hampshire, but he only got a pathetic 25 percent among voters younger than 30. So you better get the nomination this time, Mitt, because the future doesn’t look good. Heck, that’s probably one reason some Republicans are voting for Mitt Romney. They just want him to get the nomination so that he’ll finally stop running.
Ron Paul came in second with 23 percent of the vote. Ron Paul is big among the younger voters. You know what else is really big with young people? Tattoos. Neither of those is a very good indication of strong decision-making skills. Jon Huntsman came in third with 17 percent. He said “third place is a ticket to ride.” If it is, it’s definitely a ticket to ride in coach. And no baggage, please. Newt Gingrich only got 9.4 percent. But Newt won’t stop. He wants to get a lot more than 10 percent—he wants to get revenge. Oh, and Rick Perry got 0.7 percent. That certainly validates Rick’s decision… to quit the race. Too bad he didn’t stick with it. 0.7 percent! Do you know how low of a number that is? If you do, please explain it to Rick Perry.
Republican power brokers are rallying around Mitt Romney. They realize they have to embrace Mitt Romney with all of his flaws... if only because all of his flaws are their flaws. Is this whole process just going to expose and ruin Mitt Romney the way the exposure of his past ruined Herman Cain? Herman Cain was forcing himself on women. At Bain Capital, Mitt Romney was forcing himself on whole companies. At least after an encounter with Herman Cain, a woman could put her life back together with therapy and emotional support. After an encounter with Mitt Romney, companies had no recourse except bankruptcy. And Herman Cain never extracted all of the women’s money, cut them into parts, and sold them off. Well, if he did, that hasn’t come out yet.
Today’s Homework | Discuss
If you always wondered what it would be like if President Obama performed Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way', today is your day...
Thom Hartmann: Are Republicans redistributing massive amounts of money to the top 1%?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Randi Rhodes: Roasting Romney
Today is Election Day if you live in New Hampshire. And if you live in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, today already was Election Day. Tiny Dixville Notch traditionally opens its polls at midnight on Election Day and closes them moments later after everyone has voted. That’s perfect for this year’s Republican primary—everyone just wants to get it over with. In the Notch, among 6 Republican votes cast, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman tied for first with two votes each. Those are the numbers, unless someone demands a recount.
Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul each got one vote. I bet all the voters in Dixville Notch went to a diner after voting, sat around the table, and said “OK... who voted for Ron Paul?” Actually, it would be easy to tell who voted for Ron Paul. When the bill for the meal came, they were the one who wanted to pay in gold. And they could easily tell the Mitt Romney voters—they were the ones who wanted to go to Denny’s, maybe get some bean dip.
Mitt Romney will undoubtedly emerge the winner from New Hampshire. He’s also likely to emerge as a job-killing corporate raider. Republicans are portraying Mitt Romney as a soulless, greedy capitalist. That’s right—Republicans are portraying Mitt Romney as a Republican... to convince Republicans that he’s not right for the Republican Party. Not that any of them would have done anything differently from the way Mitt did it. Mitt just had the opportunity to do it better. And they can’t even complain that Mitt had an unfair advantage. The reason Mitt had the opportunity to do it better was because he was born into wealth and privilege... and that is also pure Republican! I just love seeing Republicans debating business ethics. Up until now, the only debate among Republicans about business ethics was about the best way to eliminate them.
Mitt likes to say that he created a net of 100,000 in his work in the private sector. He must be counting all the illegal immigrant landscapers that he hired using the money he made from laying off American workers. Mitt’s claims about creating 100,000 jobs are “unproven,” which is another term for “made up out of thin air.” Hey Mitt, why don’t you claim credit for something you really did, Mitt... like Romneycare?
Today’s Homework | Discuss
When even Rick Perry is scoring off of you, you know you're having a bad day...
Thom Hartmann: What will be the results of the New Hampshire primary?
Monday, January 9, 2012
Randi Rhodes: My Baloney Has a First Name
If you like football, it was on pretty much continuously this weekend. If you like Republican debates, they were on continuously too. The only difference is that the football teams that were playing changed every half-day or so. The Republican candidates had a debate on Saturday night, and then another first thing on Sunday morning. I’ve heard of continuous debate, but this is ridiculous. It was more of an endurance test than anything else. But then when you think about it, so is being President of the United States. Hey, maybe we should determine who would handle that “3 a.m. phone call” by holding a debate at 3 a.m. and seeing how they handle it. Oh, and don’t let them know when the 3 a.m. debate is going to be—just wake them up with a phone call and throw them all in front of the cameras.
The best moment on Saturday came when Rick Perry actually said he would send troops back into Iraq! So Rick’s going to re-do George Bush’s biggest mistake. Typical Perry—he can’t even come up with an original disaster. Reality check, Rick—the Iraqis don’t want us there. If you “send troops back” at this point, I believe the term for what you are doing is “invading.” You can’t just “send troops back”! First you have to lie about weapons of mass destruction, fix the intelligence, fool the American people, and send Colin Powell to the UN with a vial of anthrax.
The best moment on Sunday came when Newt Gingrich told Mitt Romney to “drop the pious baloney.” Classic! “My baloney has a first name, and it’s M-i-t-t.” Newt, you should know that Mitt would never touch baloney. You should have told him to drop the aged prosciutto. How appropriate—first Newt called out Mitt’s “baloney,” and then Newt ate Mitt for lunch! I’m glad somebody finally called out Romney for being such an insufferable ass. Too bad it was another insufferable ass like Newt Gingrich.
But hey, Mitt is one of you! Romney told a crowd in New Hampshire “I know what it’s like to worry whether you’re going to get fired.” Mitt! Stop trying to be everyman. Frankly, you’re not convincing as any man.
Today’s Homework | Discuss
The pro-Gingrich PAC 'Winning Our Future' has released a trailer for their new mini-flick 'When Mitt Romney Came To Town'...
