Republicans are justifiably complaining about Sen. Hillary Clinton saying during a speech Sunday in Aspen, Colo., that “I sometimes feel that Alfred E. Neuman is in charge in Washington.” There is plenty to criticize George W. Bush about without comparing him to a cartoon character. Besides, it’s not a new joke. The Nation magazine depicted candidate Bush as Neuman on the cover of its October 26, 2000, issue.
Of course, it should go both ways. Many of the same GOP operatives who are complaining about what Clinton said have themselves said much, much worse things about her and President Clinton.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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29 Comments
As usual, Republicans dish it out and can’t take it. “Well, I never..!” Yawn. Pretty tired stuff, particularly in light of the current ‘Bill the rapist’ meme that’s out there.
But give ‘em credit. They’re expert at milking the phony outrage and portraying themselves as the victim, even as they control all branches of government. Would that the Democrats were as effective at working the refs.
GOP operatives who may have said unkind things about the Clintons are not sitting US Senators claiming to move towards the political middle so they can be the next president like Hillary.
Seems a “few” conservatives love to throw mud . . . but think it’s unfair when it’s thrown back.
For once, I agree with something Hilary said!
What are these “much worse” things said about the Clintons?
Calling Clinton a liar? No that was true.
Calling Clinton an adulturer? No that was true.
The only things I can think of which were said about the Clintons had nothing to do with some silly 2nd grade childish remark like this one…
Just politics as usual. Both the Republicans and Democrats really don’t care what people call them, but they can use it for political advantage by rallying up their base.
I think Hillary should be horse whipped. How dare she insult Alfred E. Neuman like that?
Wrong again as usual, Nathan.
Have you forgotten –Whitewater? Vince Foster’s “murder”? Travel-gate? The Clinton’s “vandalism” of the White House and Air Force One? And who can forget HW’s attack ad of Michael Dukkais as Willie Horton, black rapist/murder?
But compare Bush to a cartoon character? Oh, the shame! The horror!
BTW, Nathan, when are you going to sign up to fight for freedom in Iraq?
Oh, I almost forgot–remember how the right wing accused Clinton of “tail wagging the dog” when he attacked Osama bin Laden with Tomahawk missiles–”he’s just attacking another country to get the focus off Monica.”
Real nice . . .
Mister Twister,
I already signed up.
Well great, you can say hello to my son-in-law. Six years in the Army. Two in Iraq, and he just can’t take it anymore.
The military exists to fight wars and win them.
God Bless your son in the Army.
Better a few cheap laughs than any more expensive disasters!
Jimmy Bisoni said
“GOP operatives who may have said unkind things about the Clintons are not sitting US Senators claiming to move towards the political middle so they can be the next president like Hillary.”
Well, if the issue is what ‘a sitting U.S. Senator’ said, isn’t your fire better directed at Senator John Cornyn’s comments excusing the murder of federal judges?
Well let’s not get our panties in a wad over a few choice words! Hey, this is politics, not tidily-winks. This game is not for the faint of heart or thin-skinned. It is about painting a message with sound bites and colorful descriptions of your political opponent(s).
I remember listening to Rush Limbaugh during the winter of 1993-94. I’ll never forget that, during a frequently played commercial that winter, the “Rev.” Jerry Falwell was hawking a videotape, “The Christian Chronicles,” blurbs played from which accused the Clintons of murder, drug dealing, and extortion in Arkansas (among other things).
Jerry Falwell is most definitely a GOP operative. For many Bush supporters (the old Moral Majority), he’s a spiritual leader of some importance as well as a political leader.
If you ask me – compared to Falwell’s videotape – Hillary’s comparison of President Bush to AE Neuman is pretty darn tame.
I guess I don’t see the big deal. If somebody like Bush leads your party, you’re bound to hear moron jokes.
And if Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy and Kerry lead your party, God help you!
What? Clinton embarrassed the nation, lied about Iraq’s WMD, and created the conditions that led Osama to send him “messages with no words” (embassy bombings in 1998, USS Cole bombing in 2000, and 9/11), and Republicans said bad things about him? Go figure.http://www.retroactiveimpeachment.com
The picture appears to be a likeness of how his mind works, judging by his actions.
Can you imagine this happening in America?
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=817362005
Keep in mind that each “settler” is receiving 1 million dollars of American Taxpayer money for all the “trouble” of moving from land they have no rght to be on in the first place, according to international law. { 8000 settlers…$8,000,000,000.00 }
What is the problem? You Bushies seem to love your bumbling stumbling fool of a President. It is an inherent trait of Republicans to dislike intellectuals.”He is so genuine and plain spoken” How many times have I heard that.”They wanna treat social security like some kinda federal program” G. Bush”The question is, is our children learning?” G. Bush”There’s an old saying. Fool me once…..shame on…fool me twice…..we’re uh not gonna get fooled again.” G. BushBush is a cartoon rich boy spoiled fool. And you Bushies like him just for that reason. So why get your back up? Why not simply retreat back to your old position of being dis-trustful of anyone smarter than you? It makes it easier that way. Bush is an idiot because that is what you wanted.
It seems like anymore, the Republicans are just poised to get their bowels in an uproar. If somebody says or does something they don’t agree with, first, your a traitor, then you’re going to hell. Not so many years ago, the Alfred E Neuman joke would have been just that…a joke. Now, it’s a mortal insult to Conservatives “gift from God”, GW. Republicans just take themselves waaaay to serious. A lot more serious than I do. They’d be a whole lot easier to take if they didn’t spend so much time screeching at the top of their lungs about this or that precieved insult.
It is bad for the country and for the Office of the President of the United States when those who oppose him continually belittle and harass a sitting president, whoever he is and regardless of his party affiliation. It obscures the real issues and cheapens the level of discourse — as predictably exemplified by the usual suspects in some of the above comments. Worse, our enemies are always happy to use those slanders and calumnies in their murderous propaganda.
While I was not a fan of President Clinton, I was appalled at the junkyard dogs that pursued him. I was embarrassed for our country, not so much by what Clinton did (though the womanizing was wrong), but by the media circus that evolved around the revelations. Now I see a steady drumbeat of the same kind of meanness directed at President Bush. Rather than rising above it, the media are always hungry for an opportunity to create another Watergate, or at least to find something bawdy to print; and predatory opportunists are always available to give them dirt and well-turned derogatory phrases.
Too bad the First Amendment can’t realistically distinguish between useful political discourse and muckraking; too bad the media are focused on generating controversy rather than upholding higher standards of civil decency; and too bad parents no longer teach and insist on courtesy, civility, and respect from their children. Instead, too many people converse at our lowest common denominator – a.k.a. sitcoms, “reality” TV, and rap.
When people tear down the president with mean-spirited calumnies, they tear down the country along with him. It is neither right nor rational to claim that “I just hate him,” or “he deserves it,” or “it’s just paybacks for ______ (fill in the blank). It is a colossal waste of time and high level energies, especially when there is real work to be done in Washington.
We even have a good example from the very “Newman” speech, itself. The AP reported (though almost nobody picked up on it) that in Hillary’s “Newman” speech, “She said the United States should remain in Iraq until peace can be maintained by the Iraqi people, saying the mission was part of the ‘long struggle against terrorism’ by the U.S.”
So, the democrat front runner for the next big campaign is AGAIN on record as being far removed from the appeasers, Bush haters, and terror apologists, some of whom camp on these blogs, and all of whom give the party a sleazy image. Sadly, instead of presenting just the factual story, which could lead to rational discussions about our struggle against terrorists, the media choose to play up the fluff and silliness.
We all suffer for it.
Oh come on Ireland! Making fun of the president is a time honored tradition in our country, it part of living in a free society. Quit taking things so seriously, you’ll be a happier person.
Here it is:
http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/3289/
It is bad for the country and for the Office of the President of the United States for Bush to cheapen the office by not adhering to his oath. That shames us all.
Ed, Dude, you shame us all.