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Tag Archives: Wingnuts
Conspiracy Peddler Alex Jones Melts Down – The Daily Beast
Most Americans got their first taste of Alex Jones’s brand of crazy last night on Piers Morgan Tonight, when the CNN host confronted this particular critic, who in turn called the CNN host “a hatchet man of the new world … Continue reading
A Brief History of Wingnuts in America; From George Washington to Woodstock – The Daily Beast
In this exclusive excerpt from the new edition of ‘Wingnuts,’ author John Avlon reminds us that paranoid extremism is nothing new in American politics. If you’re disgusted by the unhinged hyper-partisanship that distorts our political debates beyond reason, here’s some … Continue reading
Right Wing Needs to Stop Crazy Explanations for Newtown Slaughter – The Daily Beast
It’s definitely not too soon to condemn this craziness. The visceral shock of the Newtown school slaughter has provoked a reassessment on gun laws among many on the right—including Joe Scarborough and Rupert Murdoch. But there are still those on … Continue reading
Don’t Fear the Gover – Republicans Wisely Break with Grover Norquist – CNN.com
Who’s afraid of Grover Norquist? Fewer and fewer Republicans, thankfully. In recent days, the declarations of independence from Norquist’s absolutist anti-tax pledge have been coming fast and furious. Add Southern Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Lindsey Graham to the growing list, … Continue reading
Mourdock’s Rape Remark and Extremism – CNN.com
Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock believes that rapes resulting in pregnancy are “something that God intends to happen.” Do you? It’s a relevant question as we enter the last two weeks of this election, because Mourdock’s comments are not … Continue reading
Free Speech, Civility Collide on the New York Subways – The Daily Beast
This Monday, 10 subway stations throughout New York City will be adorned with this welcoming message: “In any war between civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad.” It is paid for by the American … Continue reading
Video Defaming Prophet Mohammed is a Con Job That Pits Fundamentalist Christians and Muslims Against Freedom – The Telepgraph
More than 100 years ago, Mark Twain said: “A lie will go round the round the world while truth is pulling its boots on.” The world received a chilling 21st century update of that aphorism last week, as a plot … Continue reading
US Election 2012: Why Mitt Still Needs to Polish His Sales Pitch – The Telegraph
The Republican Convention in Tampa ended after three days of frenzied networking and made-for-television speeches, all against a backdrop of American flags. This is now Mitt Romney’s Republican Party, even if it is more unified by intense dislike of President … Continue reading
GOP Policy Is the Scandal, Not Just Akin’s Comments – CNN.com
“If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” These were the words that got Rep. Todd Akin kicked to the curb by Republicans, ranging from Mitt Romney to Karl Rove … Continue reading
Disavowal of Mark Clayton Shows Democrats’ Disarray in Tennessee – The Daily Beast
Something really strange happened in Tennessee last week. Democrats elected a fright-wing conspiracy theorist named Mark Clayton to be their U.S. Senate candidate—and the state party prompted disavowed him. It’s fair to say that if this were a Republican Senate … Continue reading
Is It Still Too Soon to Talk Gun Control? – CNN.com
The bodies of the victims are being buried. The court case will continue, without cameras. The horror in Aurora has faded from the front page in favor of Olympic coverage. So it is worth asking, 10 days after the largest … Continue reading
Posted in Columns
Tagged CNN, National Security, New York, President Obama, Wingnuts
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Is Israel-Bashing, Dictator-Backing Charles Barron Heading To Washington? – The Daily Beast
New York City Councilman Charles Barron is the real-life embodiment of the paranoid right-wing fantasy about President Obama: a former Black Panther, a backer of wealth redistribution, and an outspoken admirer of leftist dictators worldwide. But now Barron has risen … Continue reading
Posted in Columns
Tagged 2012 Elections, Elections, National Security, New York, President Obama, The Daily Beast, Wingnuts
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Hyper-Partisanship Dragging Down Nation – CNN.com
It’s not your imagination: Our politics are more polarized than at any point in recent history. That’s the conclusion of a new survey from the indispensable Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. And if you needed more … Continue reading
Posted in Columns
Tagged 2012 Elections, CNN, Elections, Independent Voters, Wingnuts
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Where’s the Outrage Over Republican’s ‘Communist’ Claim? – CNN.com
“I have here in my hand a list of 205 communists …” The ghost of Joe McCarthy’s ulcerous accusations hung over a disturbingly casual comment this past week by U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Florida. When asked by a constituent at … Continue reading
Palin’s SarahPAC Embarrassment: Consultants Are Cashing In – The Daily Beast
The ex-governor and VP pick railed against political consultants at CPAC. But her latest FEC filings show they took millions of dollars from her in the last election cycle. She’s baaaack. Sarah Palin attempted to relaunch her political career and … Continue reading
Rush Limbaugh Scandal Proves Contagious for Talk-Radio Advertisers – The Daily Beast
Rush Limbaugh made the right-wing talk-radio industry, and he just might break it. Because now the fallout from the “slut” slurs against Sandra Fluke is extending to the entire political shock-jock genre. Premiere Networks, which distributes Limbaugh as well as … Continue reading
Despite Sandra Fluke Apology, Rush Limbaugh Advertisers Sign Off – The Daily Beast
If you want to know why Rush is freaking out over the Sandra Fluke fallout, follow the money. Being too extreme has never been a problem for el Rushbo. Appeals to conscience and individual kindness weren’t going to provoke an … Continue reading
Celebrity Gossip Is Making Us Stupid – The Daily Beast
Bread and circuses were what Romans leaders used to subdue citizens for hundreds of years before their civilization’s fall. We have celebrity gossip. It is greedily consumed and takes on the dimensions of real news – banner headlines, magazine covers … Continue reading
Tea Party for the Left? – The Daily Beast
We are living in a time of decentralized populist political movements, fueled by economic anxiety and magnified by social media. As Occupy Wall Street spread into satellite protests this past week, there was an understandable impulse to impose an established … Continue reading
Ugly to Compare Terrorists with Tea Party – CNN.com
The cycle of incitement continued this week as Democrats frustrated with the debt-ceiling deal equated the tea party with terrorists, just weeks before the 10th anniversary of 9/11. It is an ugly and unacceptable comparison, especially coming — as it … Continue reading