Normalizing Crazy

[ProSense]

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Normalizing Crazy

by digby

Glenn Greenwald does a nice job today dealing with yet another example of journalistic double standards, dealing with the predictable excretory spew of Ann Coulter at this year's CPAC vs Howie Kurtz's recent spell on the fainting couch over few anonymous comments that were removed from the Huffington Post. But he highights this comment from Andrew Sullivan which just floored me

When you see her in such a context, you realize that she truly represents the heart and soul of contemporary conservative activism, especially among the young. The standing ovation for Romney was nothing like the eruption of enthusiasm that greeted her. . . .

Her endorsement of Romney today - "probably the best candidate" - is a big deal, it seems to me. McCain is a non-starter. He is as loathed as Clinton in these parts. Giuliani is, in her words, "very, very liberal." One of his sins? He opposed the impeachment of Bill Clinton. That's the new standard. She is the new Republicanism. The sooner people recognize this, the better.

I am very glad that Sullivan finally recognizes this. But Ann Coulter and her vicious tongue has been a huge star on the right since her first vomitous anti-Clinton screed. That was ten years ago. She's been receiving riotous ovations at conservative meetings for years. Rush Limbaugh has been blowing his bile for even longer and he too is a highly respected member of the GOP establishment. The annual CPAC gathering has been selling items like "Happiness is Hillary's face on a milk carton" and "Muslim = Terrorist" bumper stickers like they were going out of style since they started.

This hideous face of the Republican Party has been obvious to those of us who have been paying attention for a long, long time. It is the single most important reason why our politics have devolved into a filthy grudge match.

For a long time liberals were paralyzed or indifferent as the GOP demonized liberalism as the root of every problem and pathology in American society. We were derided as unamerican, treasonous and evil. After the congressional harrassment of the 90's, the partisan impeachment, the puerile coverage of campaign 2000 and the resulting installation of a Republican president under very dubious circumstances, Democrats of all stripes heard both the Republicans and the media smirking at our outrage and telling us to "get over it."

more...

Warning: Please don't feed the wingnuts.

[rubberducky]

1. I am more than a little surprised that no one picked up on her Clinton.....

(Bill) remark. She said he was our first black president..........half white half trash. I was outraged when she said that, but so far I`ve heard no other comments.

[cherokeeprogressive]

2. Unbelievable

Damn Repugs. They're going to have each and every creed, race, religion, and nationality hating us. I've written to the people at CAIR about the bumper stickers. Maybe they'll look into it and make it an issue in the press since no one else seems to care. Would you happen to have a photo of one of the bumper stickers? I'd like to pass it on to the people at CAIR as well. I envision a day when each hateful word uttered by those idiots comes back to haunt them...

[ProSense]

3. CPAC: The Unauthorized Documentary

CPAC: The Unauthorized Documentary.

Watch Max Blumenthal’s outstanding video:

(here)

[ProSense]

4. What Inhofe thinks of himself.

What Inhofe thinks of himself.

An Inhofe gem from last week that we missed: “Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) got the crowd (at CPAC) cheering early in the day. ‘I have been called — my kids are all aware of this — dumb, crazy man, science abuser, Holocaust denier, villain of the month, hate-filled, warmonger, Neanderthal, Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun,’ he announced. ‘And I can just tell you that I wear some of those titles proudly.’”