What If It Came From SNL?

Oh No!

Here we go - again!

They're trying to manufacture another "Pastor" scandal for Barack Obama.

They're trying to say it's another unfair bashing of Hillary.

Father Michael Pfleger, in a guest slot, at the, now infamous, Obama-attended, Trinity United Church, in Chicago, did an over-the-top sermon, mocking Hillary Clinton (it's a matter of interpretation) that has had everyone in a buzz, lamenting that Obama has "another" pastor problem, etc, etc ...

Here the YouTube of it;

Obama's Church: Why Hillary Cried - Father Michael Pfleger



If you can't view it, Melissa, over on Shakesville, one of those in a tizzy over it (and, in general, the misogyny in the campaign) has a transcript;

Transcript from 1:58: I don't really want to make this political, 'cause you know I'm very unpolitical [laughter], but when Hillary was crying, and people said that was put on, I really don't believe it was put on. I really believe that she just always thought: "This is mine." [applause] "I'm Bill's wife; I'm white; and this is mine! I just gotta get up and step into [sic] the plate." And then outta nowhere came: "Hey, I'm Barack Obama." And she said, "Aww, damn! Where did you come from?! I'm white! I'm entitled! There's a black man stealing my show!" [cheers and applause] Waaaaaaaah! [pretends to weep and cry; wipes face with hankie] Waaaaaaaah! She wasn't the only one crying; there was a whole lotta white people crying!"

Okay, what's the problem?

Yeah, he's really into, on a roll, with nothing more than satire.

I speculate, strongly, if this was a Saturday Night Live skit, it would be getting equal play on the cable television programs, but in the manner of praising it, saying how hysterical it was, how sharply satirical it was, and, undoubtedly, leading into the discussions of how SNL was so on top of the campaign.

Here's an earlier example, with SNL veteran writer Jim Downey, on 'Hardball', discussing the "Debate" skit.

Is SNL pro-Hillary?

When the satire is aimed at, and against, Obama, that's okay.

But the Clintonistas, unless it's pure, straight-from-the-heart, adulation and Hillary-worship, it's Hillary Bashing, misogyny, revolting, disgusting, hatred, and dissing of her candidacy, of a woman running for office, blah, blah, blah ...

Obama did the perfunctory distancing and apology.

Yes, there have been low blows and cheap shots leveled at Hillary - and Obama - but everything isn't, and shouldn't be, "Man the Battle Stations".

The Father Pfleger rant was funny, appreciate it for that, just like the above-referenced SNL skit on the debate was funny.

Let funny be funny!

This Father Pfleger thing should be a non-story.

With the big Michigan-Florida resolution coming tomorrow, likely, the Clintonistas will be off, pissing-and-moaning about that, with their crocodile tears and gigantic hankies.


Bonus Hillary Bashing Riffs

Top Ten Cloves: If Hillary Clinton Is A Monster, The Movies That Would Be Made About Her

Tinkerbell Meets Norma Rae - The Daily Kos Strike

"Oh ... THAT Conspiracy ..."

She Was The One She Was Waiting For!

CSI Hillary RFK Gaffe

Emptywheel, over on Firedoglake, has a most interesting post today, a breakdown on how the "scoop" of Hillary Clinton's RFK Gaffe came to be.

No, not the classic, reporter-rushing-into-city-room, all breathless, and then an explosion of reporters flooding the scene, all yelling "Get me rewrite!".

No, not even any shoe-leather was applied.

In fact, as Emptywheel notes, the reporters covering Hillary that day were completely out-of-the-loop, as was the ground-zero, Argus Leader;

So: the NY Post to Drudge to the editors to the reporters actually "traveling" with Hillary ...

Whether or not it was Aravosis or Drudge who decided this comment had to be a story (nice company, Aravosis), it was, at last according to both Aravosis' account, some random guy reading the news who did so--he told them they might have a big scoop. And, ultimately, it was a newspaper reporter watching the live feed of an interview from someplace comfortable who first reported the comments--it was neither the press corp reporters who were traveling "with" Hillary nor editors of the Argus-Leader with whom Hillary was meeting.

The Politico is pouring out its' heart, bemoaning that the scoop wasn't a SCOOP ...

Go read Emptywheel's "A Return to Zapruder in the Live-Stream World", it's a good one ...


Meanwhile ...

Hillary is spending time on the reverse treadmill, wearing belt, with digging tools hanging from it, so she can shovel her way out of this incredible faux paus.

In an article in the New York Daily News, with the headline of "Hillary: Why I continue to run", Hillary is all Mea culpa city, to a certain extent, and back on her soapbox, spinning her unique brand of electoral math, and, of course, gaffe aside, she's still the best candidate out there;

I am running because I still believe I can win on the merits. Because, with our economy in crisis, our nation at war, the stakes have never been higher - and the need for real leadership has never been greater - and I believe I can provide that leadership.

Finally, I am running because I believe I'm the strongest candidate to stand toe-to-toe with Sen. McCain. Delegate math might be complicated - but electoral math is not. Our campaign is winning the popular vote - and we've been winning the swing states we need to get 270 electoral votes and take back the White House: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arkansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Michigan, Florida and West Virginia.

Little Hillary, er, we mean Georgie Stephanopoulous, to the rescue!

And running interference for her, to make sure she has a clear path, gaffe behind her, completely forgotten, was Little Hillary, er, we mean Georgie Stephanopoulous.

While the bigger news coming out of This Week, With George Stephanopoulos was his interview with Turd Blossom, Karl Rove, and Rove stammering and babbling a non-denial denial of his involvement in the Siegalman Case, Little Hillary, er, I mean Georgie, jumped all over Obama Campaign Manager David Axelrod, regarding Hillary's RFK gaffe.

Little Hillary, er, I mean Georgie, pressed, virtually badgering Axelrod, seeking a commitment that the Obama Campaign wasn't going to bash Hillary over her RFK gaffe, repeating himself, repeated asking if the Obama people sent out Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on Hillary's RFK gaffe.

It was embarrassing ... Little Hillary, er, I mean Georgie, seemingly was uninterested in any other campaign news, other then getting Axelrod to say they would leave Hillary alone.

This ABC News post doesn't do justice to the mugging, not even mentioning, other then the show title, Little Hillary, er, we mean Georgie.


And, in the Sour Grapes Department today ...

The Former President;

"Clinton also spoke against bullying superdelegates to make up their minds, saying, "I cant believe it. It is just frantic the way they are trying to push and pressure and bully all these superdelegates to come out. 'Oh, this is so terrible: The people they want her. Oh, this is so terrible: She is winning the general election, and he is not. Oh my goodness, we have to cover this up.'"

"She is winning the general election today and he is not, according to all the evidence," Clinton said. "And I have never seen anything like it. I have never seen a candidate treated so disrespectfully just for running. Her only position was, "Look, if I lose I'll be a good team player. We will all try to win but let's let everybody vote and count every vote.'"

Well, they got a lesson on running a primary campaign, so I suppose, they'll need some extra instruction on losing, with a little class.

Roughly two-weeks left ... If we are lucky ...


Bonus Links

Boy, And We Thought Russert and Williams Sucked

She Was The One She Was Waiting For!

"Oh ... THAT Conspiracy ..."

Three "Must Reads" From Al Giordano

Oh Ronnie, How I Long For You ...

Peggy Noonan, the nation's most prominent Ronald Reagan groupie, takes apart Hillary Clinton today, calling her a liar, chastising her campaign for being heavy-handed thugs and, otherwise, regales at the sliding poll numbers of the intrepid, courageous candidate.

Getting Mrs. Clinton

"That's what the Bosnia story was about. Her fictions about dodging bullets on the tarmac -- and we have to hope they were lies, because if they weren't, if she thought what she was saying was true, we are in worse trouble than we thought -- either confirmed what you already knew (she lies as a matter of strategy, or, as William Safire said in 1996, by nature) or revealed in an unforgettable way (videotape! Smiling girl in pigtails offering flowers!) what you feared (that she lies more than is humanly usual, even politically usual).

But either you get it now or you never will. That's the importance of the Bosnia tape."

That people are now "getting Hillary", not for her policies or record, but because they all know now that she lies.

Quite the hit, coming from little, pining Peggy.

And, possibly, could it be out of a fit of jealousy? Was she blind with rage, lashing out, not at her true target, but the closest person, projecting on to Hillary what she wants to scratch out of the eyes of the other one?

The Garlic, holding our nose, for the benefit off all, jumps into the subconscious mind of Peggy Noonan;

After all, earlier this week, Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain was with HER ...

How dare she embrace McCain, or anyone else.

How can she be so callous, so heartless, so cold, as to not to stay away, and burn candles for dear, beloved Ronnie?

None of these nitwits can hold a lick next to The Great Communicator.

Oh Ronnie, how I long for you ... How I wish your big, broad shoulders were nearby, so I could lay my head on them, feel your heartbeat, hear your soothing voice.

Instead, I have to deal with all this screeching white noise they call a campaign ... I have to watch HER, trot out and slobber all over McCain, like the slutty tart, who bamboozled you away from Jane... Oh yeah, she wasn't looking out for you, not the way I do, anyway ... "

Actually, the best part of Noonan's screed was a passage, written by another (she didn't provide a link), who she credits as a "poster called GI Joe who wrote in to a news blog" (The Garlic, after an exhaustive search, could only find one item with it, from a comment on a Ben Smith post);

"What struck me as the best commentary on the Bosnia story came from a poster called GI Joe who wrote in to a news blog:

"Actually Mrs. Clinton was too modest. I was there and saw it all. When Mrs. Clinton got off the plane the tarmac came under mortar and machine gun fire. I was blown off my tank and exposed to enemy fire. Mrs. Clinton without regard to her own safety dragged me to safety, jumped on the tank and opened fire, killing 50 of the enemy." Soon a suicide bomber appeared, but Mrs. Clinton stopped the guards from opening fire. "She talked to the man in his own language and got him [to] surrender. She found that he had suffered terribly as a result of policies of George Bush. She defused the bomb vest herself." Then she turned to his wounds. "She stopped my bleeding and saved my life. Chelsea donated the blood."

Funny Stuff!

She doesn't, at least yet, want to diss ol' Stumblin-and-Bumblin' John, just in case, and yes, she must know, it's an extremely long-odds stretch, that he actually morphs, or shows, some kind of Reaganesque duende.

Nobody will replace her beloved Ronnie, but she's gotta keep her dance card open.

After all, the McDreamy Mormon, Mitt Romney is still, at least, with a wink-and-nod, in the running as being named VP.

Maybe, just maybe, a girl can fall in love again.


Bonus Links

Ed Kilgore/TPM Café: In Re Peggy Noonan

Deeky/Shakesville: The Lady In Red

"Oh ... THAT Conspiracy ..."

Tinkerbell Meets Norma Rae - The Daily Kos Strike

How many Hillary Clintons does it take to screw in a light bulb"
"Why am I always the first one asked to screw in the light bulb?!"

Why aren't there any ice cubes in Hillary Clinton's house?
Hillary lost the recipe

How do you get Hillary Clinton out of the bathtub?
Throw her a bar of soap

What do you do if Hillary Clinton throws a grenade at you?
You pull the pin out and throw it back at her

How do you know if Hillary Clinton has been using the computer?
There's whiteout on the screen

OMG!

Some Daily Kos diarists have stopped writing!

We've bashed Hillary and Daily Kos diarists are stopping writing!

OMG!

Quick, everyone, start believing in Hillary! ... C'mon, you can do it ... If you start believing in Hillary, the Daily Kos diarists will start writing again ... Believe in Hillary ... That will get them writing again ... C'mon, start believing ... We need everybody to say they believe in Hillary ...We can't let these Daily Kos diaries die! ...

Shout it out and clap your hands - "I believe in Hillary!" ... "I believe in Hillary!" ...C'mon, shout it out ... "I believe in Hillary", "I believe in Hillary", "I believe in Hillary" ... Keep clapping your hands ... "I believe in Hillary" ... "I believe in Hillary" ...


















Feathers are flying out in the big, bad, blogosphere.

A band of 60+ Hillary Clinton supporters, who are Dkos diarists, are in a dither, that all the other kids in the sandbox don't like Hillary, they like the new kid, Obama, and they're kicking sand at the Hillary people.

Well, they're kicking sand at Hillary too, and the Hillary people don't like that very much.

From Alegre, who is apparently leading this "strike";

"I’ve decided to go on "strike" and will refrain from posting here as long as the administrators allow the more disruptive members of our community to trash Hillary Clinton and distort her record without any fear of consequence or retribution. I will not be posting at DailyKos effective immediately. I will not help drive up traffic or page-hits as long as my candidate – a good and fine DEMOCRAT - is attacked in such a horrid and sexist manner not only by other diarists, but by several of those posting to the front page."

(Remember, clap your hands and say "I believe in Hillary")

ABC News spoke with Markos Moulitsas;

UPDATE: I asked Kos himself, Markos Moulitsas, what he makes of all this.

His response: "First, these people should read up on the definition of 'strike.' What they're doing is a 'boycott.' But whatever they call it, I think it's great. It's a big Internet, so I hope they find what they're looking for."

But wait, it gets better.

More from Alegre;

"Until then, I’ll take up the WGA strike motto: "We write. You wrong." when it comes to DailyKos, and say the following to anyone reading this diary right now...

If you're sick of the way Hillary – a good and decent Democrat - has been vilified and attacked... if you've EVER recommended one of my dairies on this or any other site then please join me in this effort. Let's take a stand here and now and tell the world we will no longer remain silent in the face of the sexism, anger, irrational hate, lies and attacks against Hillary. Nor will we add to the bottom line of a site that continues to lead the charge in fueling it."

Hmmm ... I wonder, if Alegre stood on table (well, since this is an on-line thing, she'd have to use a video cam), a la Sally Field, in 'Norma Rae', holding up a handwritten "Hillary" sign, and slowly, Dkos diarists all across the land stopped tapping on their keyboards, until the entire blogosphere (or, their little slice of Daily Kos) fell silent?

(Remember, clap your hands and say "I believe in Hillary)

Oh, boy, this could get really nasty.

Mixing Norma Rae with Tinkerbell ... That could screw things up.

What if Norma Rae goes around and organizes all the little Tinkerbells and they gain concessions, power ...

And part of that is WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IN HILLARY!

That it will be a violation, a crime, if we don't believe in Hillary! ... Oh, Jesus ...

Quick, everybody, stop clapping your hands, stop saying "I believe in Hillary" ... Don't do it .. Stop, immediately ... Stop, please ...Before it's too late!

"I don't believe in Hillary" ... "I don't believe in Hillary" ... "I don't believe in Hillary" ...


Bonus Tinkerbell Links

The MahaBlog: Oh, Please

Joe Gandelman/TMV: Daily Kos “Bloggers’ Strike” Shows Increasingly Bitter Obama Clinton Democratic Rift

Marc Ambinder: Pro-Hillary Writers "On Strike" At DailyKos

BradBlog: Writers Strike at Daily Kos? Try a Readers Strike...

Skippy the bush Kangaroo: writers who support the band rush on strike at skippy

Tom Watson: The Few, the Proud...the Clinton Bloggers


Bonus Bonus

While you're out on "strike", you Pro-Hillary Daily Kos diarists, see if you can come up with a better answer for this, than what your girl came up with ...

Hillary Clinton says Michigan Results are Fair! WTF?


Edward Copeland: A trip down Hillary lane -- 2007 edition, Part I

Edward Copeland: A trip down Hillary lane -- 2006 edition

Top Ten Cloves: If Hillary Clinton Is A Monster, The Movies That Would Be Made About Her

Hillary's Smelling Burning Rubber! Or: The Garlic Was Right - Hillary Has Built Her "Field of Voices"