More on Coultergeist and Romney and a comparison to a similar event in '04
Coultergeist endorsed Romney at the conference of the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC). That was the same event where Coultergeist gave a speech and said the following:
This reminds me of of something from '04. Shortly before the New Hampshire primary, Wes Clark was endorsed by Michael Moore. At a rally, Moore said that the election would be between the general and the deserter. Moore was referring to Bush. Suddenly everyone was screaming like the world was going to end. Many were calling for Clark to denounce Moore and reject the endorsement. And how did Clark react? He addressed the matter on "Meet the Press" on January 25, 2004:
I wonder if the media and others will make any similar demands on Romney, and if that happens, I wonder how Romney will react.
I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word "faggot," so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.At least three of the candidates distanced themselves from Coultergeist's remarks--McCain, Giuliani, and...Romney? From the New York Times:
Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Mr. Romney, said: "It was an offensive remark. Governor Romney believes all people should be treated with dignity and respect."Wow. Strong stuff from Mitt's spokesman, eh?
This reminds me of of something from '04. Shortly before the New Hampshire primary, Wes Clark was endorsed by Michael Moore. At a rally, Moore said that the election would be between the general and the deserter. Moore was referring to Bush. Suddenly everyone was screaming like the world was going to end. Many were calling for Clark to denounce Moore and reject the endorsement. And how did Clark react? He addressed the matter on "Meet the Press" on January 25, 2004:
MR. RUSSERT: Is it appropriate to call the president of the United States a deserter?Clark could have saved himself a lot of grief if he had rebuked Moore and completely disassociated from him, but instead Clark defended Moore's First Amendment rights while explaining he did not agree with Moore's use of the term "deserter." In other words, Clark chose to back up his proclamations that he believed in the basic rights and freedoms that are the foundation of this country. He chose not to try to impose any limitation on those freedoms as to Moore even though Moore actually did damage to Clark's interests. That choice exemplified why I supported Clark in '04.
GEN. CLARK: Well, you know, Tim, I wouldn't have used that term and I don't see the issues that way.
*******MR. RUSSERT: But words are important, and as you well know under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, if you're a deserter, the punishment is death during war. Do you disassociate yourself from Michael Moore's comments about the president?
GEN. CLARK: Well, I can't use those words and I don't see the issues in that way. But I will tell you this: that Michael Moore has the right to speak freely. I don't screen what people say when they're going to come up and say something like that. That's his form of dissent, and I support freedom of speech in this country, and I would not have characterized the issues in that way.
*******MR. RUSSERT: One of your major supporters uses words like that. Isn't that a distraction?
GEN. CLARK: Well, it's not distracting me, and I don't see any voters out there who are distracted by it. I've talked to people all across this state, and not one single person has mentioned that. I will tell you this about Michael Moore, though. I think he's a man of conscience. I think he's done a lot of great things for ordinary people, working people, across America. And I'm very happy to have his support. He's free to say things, whatever he wants. I'm focused on the issues in this campaign and how to take America forward.
I wonder if the media and others will make any similar demands on Romney, and if that happens, I wonder how Romney will react.
posted by WCharles @ 3/05/2007 04:17:00 PM
6 Comments:
Yep, Michael Moore has been given a free pass to say whatever outrageous things he wants, regardless of the truth, regardless of whether it is polite, regardless of civility and the press's reaction is that it's a free country and he can say whatever he wants. Coulter makes a politically incorrect statement and the press is all over her.
Oh, Moore is a liberal and Coulter is a conservative. I forgot. That makes a difference. Liberal inanities are acceptable but conservative ones aren't.
Can I borrow your tinfoil hat?... I may need it.
First and foremost, my focus is not on Moore or Coultergeist, but rather on Romney and what he is going to do. In '04 Moore did something stupid that hurt Clark's campaign (and believe me, the timing was really bad), and yet Clark decided that if he completely rebuked Moore he (Clark) would not be staying true to what he had declared as his principles. Coultergeist is a vile, loathsome wretch, and I want to see what Romney is going to do. Let's see what his principles are and whether his actions reflect those.
I hardly think Michael Moore has received a free pass. Moreover, what Coultergeist does on a regular basis is beyond politically incorrect. It is designed to insult and ridicule without regard to actual substance or fact. Say whatever you want about "Farenheit 9-11," but the facts alleged in the movie were based on documented facts and reports. He still has a portion of his website that shows all that documentation. His books are also extensively footnoted with citations to his sources. The overall tone of the film and the way it was put together might have been outrageous, but the facts were there. Coultergeist's "faggot" comment was not based on fact. Little of what she ever says is.
Coulter's explanation for her comment was "C'mon, it was a joke," and then she proceeded to insult Edwards again. I seem to recall that not too long ago, there was a certain liberal by the name of John Kerry that got skewered for a comment that was not as directly insulting as Coultergeist's. Kerry tried to explain that it was a joke, and that explanation did not fly. I was among those that skewered him. Kerry--the liberal--got pummeled for his comment, and he deserved it. So much for liberals always getting a free pass while conservatives get treated unfairly.
And do you really want to claim that Coultergeist is a true conservative?
My tinfoil hat is custom fitted, so it would not do you any good. However, if you want one of your own, I suggest you get it from Canada. See this link:
http://www.physorg.com/news91888237.html
Oh boy, sounds like I hit a nerve. Seriously, the principle of free speech should go only so far. I would have been far more impressed with Clark if he had been more forceful in denouncing Moore's comment, instead he seemed to ride the fence giving credence to Moore. Likewise, Romney should distance himself from Coulter in this case. I'm not a fan of any pundit who takes extreme positions and takes nasty jabs at the opposition.
What hit a nerve was the "liberals get a free pass while conservatives don't."
There are indeed limits to free speech. Among those limits are the defamation laws. In any claim of defamation (libel or slander), truth is an absolute defense. Generally speaking, opinion is not actionable. What Moore did in "Farenheit 9-11" was not defamation. What Coultergeist said about Edwards is much closer to defamation. Now, Moore calling Bush a "deserter" was getting close to being slanderous. Then we get into the law on "public figures," but that starts getting complicated and there is no need for that discussion here. The point here is that Coultergeist's comments were not based in fact and intentionally designed to impugn the character of Edwards. That's getting close to being slanderous.
As for distancing from extreme pundits, there is one conservative blogger trying to start a campaign to get conservative groups to stop having Coultergeist speak at their meetings. I'm going to follow up on that story either later today or tomorrow.
Pure hyperbole. Just wanted to make sure you were awake out there. Or maybe it was that -23 degree windchill this morning had me ornery.
Post a Comment
<< Home