And, apparently, prefers neither left nor right. First, on the left, we have Bill Maher, whom I've previously discussed following a Boston Globe op-ed column where he bemoaned the lack of real socialists in power in the US. This time he was espousing the assassination of the current Vice President, Dick Cheney, because in his warped little mind it would "save lives" - I kid you not - and defending those who, like him, felt it would be a good thing under the umbrella of "free speech." It certainly is free speech, and it's also stupid speech. Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, a Democrat, could even see that.
Then there's conservative "bomb thrower" Ann Coulter, on the right, who slipped a snide gay insult into a speech while discussing John Edwards. Jay Tea at Wizbang! tries, and darn near successfully, make the case that both sides have their bomb throwers, and bomb throwers have their purpose in politics. He feels that her rhetoric may be blunt, uncouth and/or incendiary, but looking deeper there is a point that she is making and the point has some merit, or at least presents a viewpoint worth discussion. I don't know. I'm a "high road" kind of guy, and I think it's often possible to win arguments and supporters simply because the other side says more patently stupid things than your side does.
There is one participant in these dramas that I have neither patience with nor respect for, and that is the pontificator who, upon hearing such offending language, immediately steps up to insist that others who didn't make the statement denounce it forthright, otherwise it is to be assumed that you support it. Howard Dean, come on down!
“While Democrats and Republicans may disagree on the issues, we should all be able to agree that this kind of vile rhetoric is out of bounds. The American people want a serious, thoughtful debate of the issues,” the press release read.
"Republicans — including the Republican presidential candidates who shared the podium with Ann Coulter today — should denounce her hateful remarks."
First, nobody "shared the podium" with Ms. Coulter. She was on separately, with her own speech, her own time slot. Were they up there simultaneously he might have a point. Second, this is just as stupid as Mrs. Clinton calling for Barack Obama to denounce David Geffen's comments about the Clintons. Mr. Geffen is an adult. If she's got a problem with what he said she should talk to him, or defend herself.
I am responsible for what I say and what I write. I am not responsible if some idiot writes an irresponsible post on another blog while linking to me. You have a complaint, go to them. Similarly Mitt Romney, Rudi Giuliani, John McCain, Sam Brownback and the others are not responsible for Ms. Coulter's comments. These calls are simply a distraction, a way to get a candidate off message, talking about others weaknesses rather than their strengths.
If it's the responsibility of the Republican presidential candidates to answer questions about what other people not associated with their campaigns have said, then perhaps the Democratic candidates should address Mr. Maher's comments, and pretty much everything uttered by Cindy Sheehan over the last 2-3 years.
Comments