Bet On The Kid!

Oh boy, forget pay-per-view, this should be on Prime Time, Must-See TV!


Our inaugural Ignorant-Dolt-of-the-Week is up for the fight of her life.


High School Sophomore Challenges Bachmann To Basic ‘Fact Test’ On U.S. Constitution;

In expounding upon the Constitution, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) rarely troubles with reading it. Her musings on the subject have earned her yet anotherPolitifact “pants on fire” award and ensured the employment of fact-checkers everywhere. Now, the Minnesota Independent reports that one American —a high school sophomore — wants to take the Congresswoman head on.

The Minnesota Independent  has the scoop;

Rep. Bachmann, the frequent inability you have shown to accurately and factually present even the most basic information about the United States led me to submit the follow challenge, pitting my public education against your advanced legal education


[snip]


“I, Amy Myers, do hereby challenge Representative Michele Bachmann to a Public Forum Debate and/or Fact Test on The Constitution of the United States, United States History and United States Civics,” Myers wrote, according to a report by City Pages’ Nick Pinto.

Go to their link, to read Ms. Myers full letter.


She could challenge Batshit Crazy Bachmann on the American Revolution as well ... I'll bet this high schooler knew that the Revolution didn't start in New Hampshire.


Please, please God, make this happen!

Under This Mistletoe, An Ignorant Dolt - Mary Matalin

We had hoped to get through the holidays with only the need for a little light dusting.

Much as we would at home, turning the thermostat down if we were to be away a few days, we dialed down, a crank, or two, the Ignorant Dolt detector.

It was, after all, Christmas, and we would have like to think that people could hold it back, contain themselves through the holiday.

Ahh, the lessons that we learn ...

I suppose, though, that now is as good a time as any.

Afterall Mary "Free Scooter Libby" Matalin, long, long ago, established her Ignorant Dolt credentials.

It was sheer laziness on our part, for not fitting her with the Ignorant Dolt Crown and Sceptre, for her bevy of outlandish displays of amazing doltness.

If we were ever to create a statue, a la The Oscar, to bestow upon our Ignorant Dolts, Matalin would, definitely, be up, high on the list, top two, or three, for its' likeness.



And how did Mary "The World Will Come To An End Under Democrats" Matalin put her Ignorant Dolt foot into her Ignorant Dolt mouth?

Mary Matalin claims President Bush ‘inherited’ the September 11th terror attacks

On CNN today, GOP strategist and former Dick Cheney adviser Mary Matalin argued that President Obama is speaking too much about the severe debt, deficits, and economic recession he inherited from the previous administration. Defending her former boss, Matalin charged that President Bush had in fact “inherited a recession” and the September 11th attacks from President Clinton:

MATALIN: I was there, we inherited a recession from President Clinton and we inherited the most tragic attack on our own soil in our nation’s history. And President Bush dealt with it and within a year of his presidency within a comparable time, unemployment was at 5 percent.

Oh no, you didn't really say that, did you Mary?

After all the documentation on how The Bush Grindhouse blew off the Clinton Administrations terrorism work, naturally, because they were too busy planning on how they were going to attack Iraq.

The Commander Guy's vacation, and the ignored PDB?

It may be Mary, that you are such an Ignorant Dolt, they cut you out of the loop.

Rove, or Dan Bartlett, maybe even Andy Card, didn't send you the memo?

The memo that said, since The Bush Grindhouse was out of business, since WHIG was shuttered-up, you couldn't go around making up your own facts any longer.

This is really egregious.

Even he must cringe at having to look at such an Ignorant Dolt as yourself every day ...

It wouldn't surprise me if Gollum divorces you over this.

Newt's New Contract - Buying An Ignorant Dolt Title!

You think they would learn.

Even when we are away from the desk, buried up to our eyeballs with the situation on the Homefront, they can't, no matter how hard they try, sneak past the Ignorant Dolt detector.

It's on, 24/7/365 and no one (deserving), escapes it, as it starts chirping way, like a Geiger Counter at Los Alamos, the second one of them pops up.

This weekend, we need to FedEx the Ignorant Dolt Crown and Sceptre to the former Speaker of the House, the man that put out a Contract On America, Newt Gingrich.



Gingrich’s New Contract With America: ‘Our Commitment Should Be Simple…We’re Repealing’ Health Care

Gingrich reiterated his call for all Republicans to commit to repealing any form of a health care bill that Democrats might pass before the 2010 elections:

GINGRICH: If the left manages to drive through a bill which is opposed by 65 percent of the country on health care, our commitment should be simple — when we get a majority, we’re repealing the whole thing. (applause)

And I want every Democrat who is about to sacrifice their seat for socialized medicine to understand: after you lose your seat, you’re going to lose the socialized medicine too.

I mean, with the job the Democrats are doing at gutting any meaningful Healthcare Reform, it be Newt's workin' up a sweat over nothin', just throwing some chum in the water, for the Flying Monkeys and Teabaggers.

As to "when we get a majority" thing, I wouldn't be holding your breath there, Newt (Heaven Forbid, you pass out, and have to undergo some of that "Socialist" medical treatment, something Bob Cesca was wondering).

And, help us out there, will ya, Newt?

When you go parading on the Faux News programs, wear the Ignorant Dolt Crown, give us a plug.

Senator Bob Corker ... Instant Ignorant Dolt ... And, Flaming Asshole!

Oh yes, he gets Instant Ignorant Dolt status, for sure, but now, he's forcing us to put in some OT, to work a little harder, to figure out all that needs to go into firing up an "Instant Asshole" category.

Corker Impatiently Blows Off Meeting With Sotomayor Because She Was Slowed By Temporary Disability

Last Thursday, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was scheduled to meet with Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Yet when Sotomayor was delayed because of her recent injury, Corker decided that he had more important things to do than to wait around for a potential lifetime appointee who is temporarily disabled:

Sen. Bob Corker blew off his meeting with Sonia Sotomayor last week. Hobbling along with her leg in a cast, she was 10 minutes late and he said he didn’t feel like waiting. “I decided to proceed on to the next meeting,” he told a Tennessee Press Association breakfast in Chattanooga.

Christy Hardin Smith chipped in "Why am I getting that "true colors shining through" feeling here from strutting peacock Sen. Bob Corker ..."

Let us hope Senator Bob Corker doesn't have to go through being inflicted with a disability.

We sure would hate to see anyone ignorantly blow him off ...

If you have time Senator Corker, if you can fit it into your busy schedule, stop by and pick up your Instant Ignorant Dolt (and Flaming Asshole) awards.


Bonus Corker Instant Ignorant Dolt Riffs

Jeff Woods: Corker Blows Off Meeting with Sotomayor

DownWithTyranny: A Handful Of GOP Obstructionists Still Want To Rail Against Sonia Sotomayor-- Just For The Sake Of Being Dicks

Instant Ignorant Dolt Update - Whelan Apologizes

Well, the slingshots are sheathed, for the time being.

IID Whelan raises the white flag;

My Apologies to Publius

On reflection, I now realize that, completely apart from any debate over our respective rights and completely apart from our competing views on the merits of pseudonymous blogging, I have been uncharitable in my conduct towards the blogger who has used the pseudonym Publius. Earlier this evening, I sent him an e-mail setting forth my apology for my uncharitable conduct. As I stated in that e-mail, I realize that, unfortunately, it is impossible for me to undo my ill-considered disclosure of his identity. For that reason, I recognize that Publius may understandably regard my apology as inadequate.

Publius accepts, and The Anonymous Liberal (and John Cole, at Balloon Juice) concurs ...

Though, it appears that Jules Crittendan is a bit jealous, and wants one of those Instant Ignorant Dolt titles for himself ...

We Have An Instant Ignorant Dolt Today - Ed Whelan

Jesus, it's Sunday, for crying-out-loud.

You really have to be working at it, to want it, oh, so badly, to become an Instant Ignorant Dolt on the weekend.

I mean, you have the luxury of five days, to piss all over yourself, and spread your ignorance out, and then kick back over the weekend to bask in it, or to flail away, attempting to explain, or suppress, your shining moment of dunderheadedness.

But Ed Whelan just couldn't wait ... He had to let it explode, to shoot out of the gate, like a geyser of unfettered PartyofNoican bile.

Whelan, who is the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, blogs on the Flying Monkey perch of The National Review, and, also worked in the Bush Grindhouse "From just before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, until joining EPPC in 2004, Mr. Whelan was the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice. In that capacity, he advised the White House Counsel’s Office, the Attorney General and other senior DOJ officials, and Departments and agencies throughout the executive branch on difficult and sensitive legal questions."



Hmmm ... Advised on "difficult and sensitive legal questions."

What was going on in the The Bush Grindhouse from 2001, to 2004?

The building of the lies for the invasion and occupation of Iraq ... The building of the Bush (Cheney) Torture Program ... Illegal wiretapping ... The exposure and outing of a covert CIA Agent ...

Which is where we landed today, with IID Whelan.

We'll let Steve Benen set up, succinctly;

On Friday, publius -- Hilzoy's Obsidian Wings co-blogger and someone I've known for several years -- had a blog post criticizing something National Review's Ed Whelan wrote. As blog criticisms go, the piece was acerbic but hardly outrageous -- Whelan made an observation about judges pondering policy outcomes, and publius referenced a Volokh item that took issue with Whelan's assumptions.

Whelan, publius said, is "a smart guy with outstanding legal credentials," adding, "He just enjoys playing the role of know-nothing demagogue." The same post referenced a quote from Anonymous Liberal, describing Whelan as "essentially a legal hitman."

So, what does our Instant Ignorant Dolt Ed Whelan do?

He writes a post, outing and exposing the identity, and employer, of publius, as well as sending him a pissy email.

Exposing an Irresponsible Anonymous Blogger

One bane of the Internet is the anonymous blogger who abuses his anonymity to engage in irresponsible attacks. One such blogger who has been biting at my ankles in recent months is the fellow who calls himself “publius” at the Obsidian Wings blog.

And, this is a good one, even in his hackery, his moment of Ignorant Doltness, Whelan admits "Well, I’m amused to learn that I was wrong about publius’s lack of legal education."

Then IID Whelan goes on to expose publius, where he works, and hits on him a few more times.

TBogg gets the honors for the most descriptive post on this, saying "Bitter out-of-power wingnut welfare recipient Ed Whelan fucks up explaining a joke, gets called out on it, and then goes Full Metal Asshole ..."

The Anonymous Liberal, who got dragged into this, offers;

Whelan responded by publishing Publius' real identity on the National Review website and sending him an email saying "now who's the hitman, you coward and idiot."

Um, it's still you, Ed, but thanks for proving it.

It's really difficult to put into words just how despicable and childish this behavior is. This is a man who was a Deputy Assistant Attorney General. He's currently the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. And he's acting like a six-year-old.

John Cole, on Balloon Juice, points out a bit of irony, noting "Shameful, but to be expected. I mean, after all, Publius was defending a racist latina! He had it coming. Good thing Whelan heads a group that deals with ethics. That kind of experience could come in handy during a situation like this."

And, publius (we'll stay honoring his nom-de-plume), also responded to IID Whelan, in his sardonic "Stay Classy Ed Whelan";

And to be clear – the proximate cause was that Whelan got mad that I criticized him in a blog post. More specifically, he’s mad that Eugene Volokh made him look rather silly – and he’s lashing out at me for pointing that out, and publishing my name.

[snip]

As I told Ed (to no avail), I have blogged under a pseudonym largely for private and professional reasons. Professionally, I’ve heard that pre-tenure blogging (particularly on politics) can cause problems. And before that, I was a lawyer with real clients. I also believe that the classroom should be as nonpolitical as possible – and I don’t want conservative students to feel uncomfortable before they take a single class based on my posts. So I don’t tell them about this blog. Also, I write and research on telecom policy – and I consider blogging and academic research separate endeavors. This, frankly, is a hobby.

[snip]

All of these things I would have told Ed, if he had asked. Instead, I told him that I have family and professional reasons for not publishing under my own name, and he wrote back and called me an “idiot” and a “coward.” (I’ve posted the email exchange below).

How often have we seen this from the Flying Monkeys of the Right Wing Freakshow?

Have a disagreement with their dogma, they don't defend their position, they personally attack the dissenter, the person with a different opinion, a different point-of-view.

Valerie Plame is, certainly, a shining example of this

So Ed Whelan, you join the clown train of The Garlics' growing roster of Ignorant Dolts.

Just remember to change, frequently, as you piss all over yourself.


Bonus Ignorant Dolt Ed Whelan Riffs

A.J. Strata: A Far Right Tirade At NRO Results In Exposing An Anonymous Centrist Blogger

James Joyner: Outing

D. Aristophanes: douche-bag (n.) - see Whelan, Ed

Kevin Jon Heller: Ed Whelan Outs an Anonymous Law Professor/Blogger

Tom Maguire: I Deplore This

Joe Gandelman: Blogging Ethics: You Strongly Disagree With Me I Expose Your Identity

Brad DeLong: The National Review: Taking the Class Out of Class Warfare: Ed Whalen Edition (Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps?)

Scott Lemieux: Advocate of Arbitrary Torture Shows Lack of Ethics

And, the last word, to Publius - Thanks All

Today's Instant Ignorant Dolt - Joe The Plumber!

On my, we really should have him grandfathered in, as one, colossal, gigantic Ignorant Dolt.

That was pretty clear, the moment the camera first brought him into focus, even before Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain turned him into the 'Bobby", to Mommy Moose's "Annette", during his Mickey Mouse campaign last year.

The wanna-be-plumber/politician, has, innately, the gifts for being a colossal, gigantic Ignorant Dolt.

It's natural to him, warm and comforting ... Like putting on his pants every day ...

And, he keeps insisting on showing us!

‘Joe the Plumber’ on Dobson, theocracy and GOP hypocrites

In a hastily transcribed interview with no apparent rebuttal to his claims, Christianity Today gives Joe an open mike to present his own special brand of right wing conservativism:

[Snip]

In the last month, same-sex marriage has become legal in Iowa and Vermont. What do you think about same-sex marriage at a state level?

At a state level, it’s up to them. I don’t want it to be a federal thing. I personally still think it’s wrong. People don’t understand the dictionary—it’s called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. It’s not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we’re supposed to do—what man and woman are for. Now, at the same time, we’re supposed to love everybody and accept people, and preach against the sins. I’ve had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn’t have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they’re people, and they’re going to do their thing.

That is Joey, protect the children.

Wrap them up, cover them, shield them with your ignorant bigotry.

Digby has a great take on this, and Tas, over on "Comments From Left Field" points out another Flying Monkey who DEFENDS Instant Ignorant Dolt Plumber Joe.

Steve M., from No More Mister Nice Blog, reports the McCain mascot is simply showing off his Right Wing Freak Show diploma;

Wurzelbacher isn't uninformed. He's informed in the way right-wingers would like all of us to be informed -- that is, he gets all his information from wingnut and evangelical sources.

Over at Free Republic, the regulars react to every sign of trouble in the mainstream media, from newspaper shutdowns to downticks in movie box-office receipts, with the phrase "Dinosaur Media Death Watch." The sincere hope on the right is that someday there'll be nothing to read, nothing to watch, nothing to listen to except what Joe the Plumber reads and watches and listens to: basically, Christian radio and talk radio and right-wing Web sites and Fox.

A nation of Wurzelbachers -- that's the goal.

Samuel Wurzelbacker, aka Joe The Plumber... The Instant Ignorant Dolt crown and sceptre is all yours today.

And, we're pretty confident you will proudly carry them well.

Another Instant Ignorant Dolt - Rep Virginia Fox (R-NC)

We are getting to like this.

We did one yesterday, on what we called IID (Instant Ignorant Dolt), awarding the FAA with the dubious title, for the Fly-Over-Manhattan Photo-Op.

With Ignorant Dolts flying out of the chute at sonic speed over the past few months, it was always a tough decision at weeks' end, to determine just which one would receive The Garlic's "Ignorant-Dolt-of-the-Week" title (our last weekly IDOTW winner was Dick Armey)

So, we will endeavor, with these shorter posts, to "pick'em off" as they come flying by.

And today, we've got a royally Ignorant Dolt to hip you to.

We defer to MediaMatters, for the introduction;

Summary: On April 29, 2009, in a speech on the House floor, Rep. Virginia Foxx claimed that Matthew Shepard's death was merely the result of a robbery gone bad. While his killers Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson did rob him, they also admitted that they were well aware of his sexual orientation and pretended they were gay to lure him away from the bar he was in at the time. The most striking feature of the case, of course, is that during the course of a normal, simple robbery, the victim is not generally beaten, tied to a post, and left for dead.

And, as they say in the big show, let's go to the tape;

Rep. Virginia Foxx Dishonored Matthew Shepard's Death On The House Floor



Oh yeah, we should mention that Matthew Sheppard's mother was sitting in the gallery when Rep. Foxx displayed her inner Ignorant Dolt.

Lest you think this was a sudden burst of ignorance from Representative Foxx, Mary Ann Akers, in her WaPo "Sleuth" column, points out;

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) has done it again. Earlier this month she dropped the racially charged term "tar baby" on the House floor ...

Dave Waldman, over on Congress Matters, hits it good, in his "Virginia "Muppet Sweater" Foxx calls Matthew Shepard's murder a hoax";

This is now the catch-all excuse for the opposition of the GOP and their nutbar secessionist allies for everything.

Everything's a hoax. Global warming's a hoax. Matthew Shepard's murder was a hoax. Swine flu is a hoax. The Holocaust is a hoax. The moon landing was a hoax. FDR's success in dealing with The Great Depression was a hoax.

Everything's a hoax to these guys.

Except the war and the WMD! That was real!

Wear the crown well, Rep. Virginia Foxx ... You are today's Instant Ignorant Dolt!

We have an outpouring, a bevy of links, of equally outraged, and astounded, folks.

John Aravosis (DC): Republican congresswoman says Matthew Shepard's murder was "a hoax"

Pam Spaulding: NC Congresswoman Virginia Foxx - evil to the core

Ali Frick: GOP Hysterical Over Hate Crimes Bill Because It Would Protect Gay People

Ernest Luning: Markey to House: Shepard, Zapata ‘two victims of hate crimes in my district’

Glenn Greenwald: Can someone explain to Rep. Foxx the difference between hate crimes and hate speech laws?

The FAA - Instant Ignorant Dolts!

While we have grandfathered certain people into our Ignorant-Dolt-of-the-Week (The Loofah Man, The Cheeseburger That Sweats, among them), we haven't had to instantly, on extremely short notice, drag out the crown and sceptre.

But today, we do, bestowing on the Federal Aviation Administration, for scaring the bejesus out of New York City, and surrounding area residents, today, instant Ignorant Dolt status.

Air Force One Backup Rattles New York Nerves

Updated, 11:59 a.m. | An Air Force One lookalike, the backup plane for the one regularly used by the president, flew low over Manhattan on Monday morning, accompanied by two F-16 fighters, so Air Force photographers could take pictures. But a lack of awareness about the flyover led to the evacuation of several buildings in Lower Manhattan and Jersey City, and perplexed officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and other authorities were inundated with calls from anxious ferry passengers, office workers and residents.

[Snip]

Later on Monday morning, the Police Department acknowledged that it had been notified about the event but said it had been barred from alerting the public. “The flight of a VC-25 aircraft and F-16 fighters this morning was authorized by the F.A.A. for the vicinity of the Statue of Liberty with directives to local authorities not to disclose information about it but to direct any inquiries to the F.A.A. Air Traffic Security Coordinator,” the Police Department said in a statement.

[Snip]

Unaware of the planned exercise, scores of office workers flooded out of buildings, worried about the prospect of terrorism.

“People came pouring out of the buildings, the American Express Building, all the buildings in the financial district by the water,” said Edward Acker, a photographer who was at the building, 3 World Financial Center. “And even the construction guys over by 100 North End Avenue area, they all got out of their buildings. Nobody knew about it. Finally some guy showed up with a little megaphone to tell everyone it was a test, but the people were not happy. The people who were here 9/11 were not happy.”

Incredibly Ignorant Dolts!

Joe Weisenthal: The Government's Rotten Explanation For Terrorizing NYC

Pareene: Airplane Flies Around Manhattan, Scares Everyone

Raw Story: Low-flying Air Force One lookalike freaks out NYC

Zachary M. Seward: N.Y. plane scare: From terrifying tweet to news report — in 4 minutes

IDOTW Update ... New Michelle Bachmann Meltdown!

In case you didn't notice, the Idiots are clamoring - big time - over the Stimulus Package.

Last week, it was IDOTW Brad Blakeman, complaining that Obama wasn't speaking "Presidential", that rather then telling us how fucked we are, he should have sugar-coated it, been more optimistic.

And this week, our seminal Ignorant Dolt of the Week, Michelle Bachmann is at it - again, with yet another, Chernobylesque meltdown;

Michele Bachmann: We're Running Out of Rich People"



Steven D, over on Booman Tribune has more;

Ahhh. I guess she had all her investments with Allen Stanford and/or Bernie Madoff. Still, this was a tough choice to make. However, her only competition was -- herself. Take a sample of some of her other comments:

* ACORN is "under federal indictment for voter fraud," but the stimulus bill nevertheless gives ACORN "$5 billion." [Not true, by the way -- ACORN isn't under any federal indictment and doesn't get a dime under the Stimulus bill.]

[M]any members of Congress have "a real aversion to capitalism." [Because the Communist Party controls Congress, naturally.]

It is continually breathtaking, watching the Republican Party become unhinged.

Bonus Bachmann Batshit Riffs

Avidor - Michele Bachmann: "They've Put Duct Tape Over the Mouths of the Republicans"

Steve Benen: IDIOCY WATCH....

Ken: Confidential to Michele B: Maybe we aren't actually "literally losing our country." Maybe it's just literally falling through the hole in your head?

Our Ignorant Dolt of the Week ... Dick Armey!

Boy, this guy just climbed over everybody to grab the IDOTW title.

He had to bowl over one of the Grand Ayatollah of Ignorant Dolts, the Cheeseburger That Sweats (aka Rush Limbaugh), for his cheerleading for President Obama's failure, which generated a nervous Congressman, Phil Gingrey of Georgia, who at first criticized the radio drug addict, only to come running, waving his IDOTW marker, by begging Limbaugh to take him back into Dittohead Land.

We previously noted Mark Halperin, making a fairly regular stab at being an Ignorant Dolt, and, there was also Glenn Beck, putting his IDOTW credentials on display.

But one guy, just one, lonely, pathetic guy cleared the competitive field this week to say "I want to own, I want to have it coursing through my body, to be one gigantic Ignorant Dolt of the Week."



And, it was none other than the dirty bag former Congressman, Dick Armey.

Appearing on Tweety's 'Hardball' program, facing off against Salon's Joan Walsh, Armey showed, gloriously, how empty and inept the Republican party has become, when he responded back to Walsh's argument about Obama's Stimulus Package.

Transcript courtesy of Crooks and Liars;

Walsh: Who are the income redistributionists?

Armey: Who, what..

Walsh: Who are the income redistributionists?

Armey: Well the biggest income redistributions was a Republican congresswoman, urr. Senator, but Charlie Rangel cracked me up, Charlie said you guys are giving her things that I wouldn't even ask for.

Armey: I don't want to get into that because then the controversy is that Dick Armey is assaulting somebody. There are income redistribitionsts that think they are going to curry favor with a voting blocks in both parties and it's wrong policy whether it comes Republicans or Democrats, it makes no sense. Armey's axiom. Don't let politics define your economics. Don't let politics define anything. Politics is silly, it's inane. Take what amusements you can from them but don't take them seriously.

Walsh: But this is serious business. The economy is a wreck, (Armey laughs) it's been wrecked by the Bush White House and by Republicans in Congress with a lot of help Democratic help, with ( Armey makes more noises and sighs)

Armey: Oh, give it a rest.

Walsh: President Obama, please stop saying 'give it a rest.' Do you have any anything else to say? President Obama has a mandate for change. (Armey laughs again) Your people have stood in his way. They are standing in his way in Capitol hill right now and Rush Limbaugh is making ridiculous statements and Republicans are crawling to him and groveling. That's the state of our economy and our world right now Rep. Armey and it's sad.

Armey: I'm so glad that you could never be my wife because I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you every day.

Walsh: Well, wow that makes two of us sir, that was really an outstanding comment...

Armey: Look ma'am, you're talking like a paid political hack making your political points.

Walsh: Am I sir?

Armey: Are we going to talk seriously...

Walsh" No, I actually care about social justice, I care about jobs, I care about the economy.

Take a look.



"I'm so glad that you could never be my wife because I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you every day."

Was he drunk?

What the hell kind of counterpoint is that?

Now, we have long known the kind of scumbag that Armey is.

He rode in on during the Gingrich Revolution, and was one of Newt's top boys, and Source Watch credits Armey "as the main author of the Contract with America"

In the past, he lobbed the gem of calling Congressman Barney Frank, "Barney Fag", and Armey further burnished his Flying Monkey, NeoNitWit stature;

"In September 2008, while commenting about Barack Obama's name, Armey stated that it could "give people concerns that he could be or have been too much influenced by Muslims, which is a great threat now."

Oh yeah, he also supported the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians.

"I'm so glad that you could never be my wife because I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you every day."

Yeah, that really rings in as constructive discourse, one of those alternative ideas the Republicans claim to have, to get our economy back on track.

A barroom taunt.

Joan Walsh, on her own blog, recounted and responded to this ignorant outburst rather sympathetically.

Ironically, there's a quote attributed to Armey;

Politics will sooner or later make fools of everybody.

In Armey's case, he's had the handicap of, not sooner or later, but constantly, 24/7, all-the-time, being a incredible fool

Added to that, for this past week, Dick Armey can also boast of being The Garlic's "Ignorant Dolt of the Week".


Bonus Armey's An Asshole Riffs

The Raw Story: Former GOP leader accused of sexism against liberal editor in chief

Steve Benen: YOU DON'T KNOW DICK...

Glenn Greenwald: Dick Armey and post-partisan harmony

Digby: Dick

John Cole: Armey’s Axiom: Don’t Take Me Seriously

Taylor Marsh: Self-Important Gasbag Alert

Blue Gal: Dick Armey, Love Muffin

Mustang Bobby: Sphincter of the Day

Jane Hamsher: Hey, Have You Heard the One about Joan Walsh and Dick Armey?

Soy Califa

Well, lessons continued to be learned, as we have had a difficult time climbing off the DL.

A few days of "feeling pretty good" does not a full recovery make.

Not to mention the mandatory tasks that get carried on, regardless of status, on-or-off the DL.

Rather then push it, and we do have our Ignorant Dolt of the Week lined up (we'll endeavor to post that tomorrow), we post the legendary Dexter Gordon, on the kind to tune you would expect, or want to hear, on a Saturday evening.

Enjoy!

Soy Califa - Dexter Gordon




Visit the Dexter Gordon Website

Our Ignorant Dolts of the Week ... Judie Brown and the American Life League!

While The Wasilla Whiz Kid, in her latest installment of "I Wuz Robbed", drew attention, that certainly put her in the room for IDOTW.

And, with The Bush Grindhouse shutting down, we could also have considered, as part of rousing farewell, The Commander Guy, and his Shadow President, Dick Cheney (or Keyser Soze, as we pointed out the other day).

However, much like larger-then-life idiots, such as Bill O"Reilly, Rick Santorum, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, we can, pretty much grandfather them, to the level of Grand Ayatollah of Dolts.

It's just a given.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made a strong case for grabbing the IDOTW title, over his strategy on dealing with the seating of Senator Roland Burris.

We all know that Reid used to a boxer, so it was a surprising revelation that he also graduated from Clown College, as well.

But no, our Ignorant Dolts of the Week came charging down the pike, in full, rampaging, Flying Monkey fury, certainly to the pleasing smiles from the Queen of the Flying Monkeys, Michelle "Stalkin" Malkin, who had her own irrational tizzy having to do with donuts.

The American Life League, led by Judie Brown gets the IDOTW crown and septer this week, for their comparison of a Krispy Kreme marketing promotion to abortion.



Yeah, I know, pretty, way-the-fuck, out there, not assuming they had their optic nerves banged around by a spoon.

The American Life League, according to Wikipedia, is "One of the largest pro-life organizations in the United States, according to their website, American Life League, or ALL, opposes all forms of abortion, birth control, embryonic stem cell research, and euthanasia. Its current president is Judie Brown and its headquarters are in Stafford, Virginia.[1]

And their mission;

American Life League, which claims to have 300,000 members, aims to persuade Americans and Catholics about its views on abortion, birth control and euthanasia. ALL is involved with issues pertaining to the sanctity of life, with an emphasis on abortion. American Life League describes itself as "pro-life—without exception, without compromise, without apology." ALL's mission is to end all forms of abortion without any exceptions for the life and health of the woman, rape, incest, fetal abnormality, viability, or IVF. According to its president, "Abortion is never necessary to save a mother's life."[2]

SourceWatch also adds that "ALL also opposes health insurance coverage of contraceptive medications"

So, I hear you cry, what the hell does any of this have to do with Krispy Kreme donuts?

Enter, the election, and forthcoming inauguration of Barack Obama



Krispy Kreme Celebrates the Freedom of Choice on Inauguration Day ...Customers Can Enjoy a Free Treat at Participating Stores Nationwide

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) is honoring American's sense of pride and freedom of choice on Inauguration Day, by offering a free doughnut of choice to every customer on this historic day, Jan. 20. By doing so, participating Krispy Kreme stores nationwide are making an oath to tasty goodies -- just another reminder of how oh-so-sweet "free" can be.

Sound like a pretty good deal, if you like Krispy Kreme donuts.

Now, here is a American League Press Release, written by Katie Walker;

"The next time you stare down a conveyor belt of slow-moving, hot, sugary glazed donuts at your local Krispy Kreme you just might be supporting President-elect Barack Obama's radical support for abortion on demand – including his sweeping promise to sign the Freedom of Choice Act as soon as he steps in the Oval Office, Jan. 20.

[Snip]

Just an unfortunate choice of words? For the sake of our Wednesday morning doughnut runs, we hope so. The unfortunate reality of a post Roe v. Wade America is that "choice" is synonymous with abortion access and celebration of 'freedom of choice' is a tacit endorsement of abortion rights on demand.

Now be honest, when you read the line from Krispy Kreme, about picking up a free donut - of your own free choice - you immediately stopped thinking about the glazed treat, and went straight to being consumed about abortion, right?

Katie Walker, Judie Brown, and the rest of the Flying Monkeys that make up the American Life League, might have actually had their heads outside of their asses, if, say, Krispy Kreme was running abortion clinics in their back rooms, if they announced that a certain percentage of every donut sold went towards the local abortion clinic, or, if they handed out discount coupons for contraceptives in every dozen donut box.

As you could see, it wasn't, it isn't anything remotely in the same universe of any of those actions.

Now, I'm all in on the First Amendment, people can say anything they want ... No Problemo.

However, when you come out with shit like this ... Jesus, your Freedom of Speech Rights are well intact, but you really dilute your message and come off as First Class Whack Jobs!

Emily Douglas, over on The Reality Check points out;

Best comment on the Miami New Times blog: "if they were abortion donuts, i don't think i'd want one. i assume they'd be taking them out of the oven way too early."

Only thing missing in this picture, to make it complete, is to have William Donohue running around, decrying someone is making a Jesus Christ out of Krispy Kreme donuts.

I mean, it is really an enormous stretch, something that would even challenge Elastic Man, to take a marketing promotion, with a common phrase, and build a abortion protest around it.

Since he does have a sense of humor, and the Obama Team certainly wouldn't mind making some more money off the Inauguration, President Obama should, in the middle of his Inaugural Speech, stop, hold up a glazed Krispy Kreme and announce that he has "exercised his Freedom of Choice today"

So, The Garlic, sans any Krispy Kremes, excersises its' Freedom of Choice today, for Judie Brown, Katie Walker and the American Life League, crowning (and no, that isn't anything do with being pro-life, as in a birth, the baby "crowning") them all Ignorant Dolts of the Week.

Bonus Abortion Donuts Riffs

Steve Benen: MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT DONUTS....

Wonkette: Free Abortion Donuts On Demand!

Amanda Marcotte: Sanctity of Donuts Day

DougJ: Why does Krispy Kreme hate America?

Our Ignorant Dolt of the Week ... RNC Hack Chip Saltsman!

Jesus, you really had to be, overtly, strenuously, going-out-of-your-way, knocking people over, to garner the IDOTW title - during Christmas Week!

I fully expected to come up with a goose egg for our "Ignorant Dolt of the Week" honoree this past week.

I mean, everyone is on the down low, chilling out for the holiday.

Even MSNBC had given most of their Big Dogs time off, and running their venerable Doc Block pap.

It was time to kick back, chow down on the leftovers, and wait to zombie-out in front of TNT's marathon showing of 'The Christmas Story'.

So, if you thought you could sneak a big Christmas-wrapped dollop of racism under the ol' tree, you screwed the pooch.

And that is exactly what RNC Hack Chip Saltsman did.

Who is Chip Saltsman, other than a full-grown adult that continues to call himself "Chip"?

Chip Saltsman, via Wikipedia, "has served as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, senior political advisor to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and manager of Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign".

You remember the former Majority Leader, don't you?

Frist, also being a doctor, had the uncanny ability to make medical diagnosis via videotape, and was a deft player in the stock market, miraculously, selling his stock in a company, coincidentally, just before the stock crashed.

Mike Huckabee campaign?

Please ...

No, our IDOTW Chip, is one of those Republican hacks, and he's mounting a campaign to become Chairman of the Sarah Palin Party, err, we mean the other dying one, the Republican's.

He even has a cheesy website up, touting himself as the next hero, the guy with the juice to pull the party out of the ashes.

Leadership has impacted every milestone in American history. Looking forward at the opportunities ahead and examining the lessons learned from the past, it is apparent to all that now is the time for new leadership within the Republican National Committee.

Now there's someone with some serious vision, such prescience.

You just got your asses kicked in the Presidential Election, and your party is hemorrhaging seats in Congress, but you cut through all that and make the call for "new leadership".

Duh!

So, as a warming gift, a little trinket to get his name in front of the potential other hacks who would want this particular hack to be running the show, "Chip" handed out a little gift bag.

From 'The Hill';

RNC candidate Chip Saltsman’s Christmas greeting to committee members includes a music CD with lyrics from a song called “Barack the Magic Negro,” first played on Rush Limbaugh’s popular radio show. Saltsman, a personal friend of conservative satirist Paul Shanklin, sent a 41-track CD along with a note to national committee members.

“I look forward to working together in the New Year,” Saltsman wrote. “Please enjoy the enclosed CD by my friend Paul Shanklin of the Rush Limbaugh Show.”

A closet Dittohead?

Maybe a Gold Level Dittohead, the friend-of-a-friend, who has actually worked with ...

Or is Chip just one of the Flying Monkeys that lives in that alternate universe and believes, as Barry Crimmins used to call him, "the cheeseburger that sweats", actually is a great mind, and spews out pearls of wisdom?

You know, because the former drug addict Limbaugh passes it off as harmless parody, than that is what it must be, not that a majority of the rest of the country would think it to be vile racist slander.

Because that's what Chip is claiming, as he actual defends the "gift".

Please, RNC members, elect this guy to lead your party!

Having Chip with a direct hand in the national campaign of Sarah Palin in 2012.... Priceless!

And, look, he already has another endorsement.

He can proudly post to his website - during Christmas Week, mind you - Chip Saltsman, The Garlic's Ignorant Dolt of the Week!

Go get'em Chip!


Bonus "Chip-in-Mouth" Riffs

Michael Shear: RNC Rivals Discuss Racial Song; Would-Be Chairman Who Sent CD With Parody Blames Media

Steve Benen: RNC CHAIRMAN 'APPALLED' BY 'MAGIC NEGRO' CD...

Robert Stein: GOP Goes South But Obama Doesn't

Bob Cesca: Rush the Magic A-hole

Our Ignorant Dolt of the Week .... President-Elect Barack Obama

Yeah, you read that right.

Fully, we didn't expect for The Big O to pop up on our IDOTW radar until after he took office, perhaps due to some gaffe, or other, in the First 100-days, or some major policy mess down the road.

And we held out over the weekend, waiting, hoping, some other twit would come along, proving themselves IDOTW-worthy.

Dick Cheney, going on his victory tour, blabbing away about torture and stomping on The Constitution like he had dipped into the Christmas punch a little to much is in a league all by itself.

And that's part of the whole, on-going Bush Legacy Project, which we anticipate tackling between now, and when The Bush Grindhouse folds its' tent next month.

No, the choice of super-evangelist Rick Warren, for the Inaugural Invocation, rings the IDOTW bell for Obama.

And, it was just two-weeks ago, Rick Warren was our IDOTW!

First-and-foremost, and going with the whole "change" thing, we thought this bright, Ivy Leaguer would have looked at this aspect of the Swearing-In Show, remembering our thing about "the separation of church and state" and announced that he was going to run another one of those "I'm From Kansas" videos, to warm up the crowd, or maybe a new one, a montage of the history of the country, building up to a cacophonous crescendo, right to the exact moment, cutting in live, of Obama and Chief Muckity-Muck Roberts hitting their marks, Obama lying his hand down on the bible, with the backdrop of red, white and blue fireworks.

But, no, we get the Saddleback carny entering, stage right ... Make that entering, stage extremely far right, continuing his hustle of the networks, that he's the Big Cheese Bible Thumper these days.

And the networks are buying it, as we've heard, more than a few times, of Warren being referred to as "America's Pastor" which, I guess, is kind of like when the Dallas Cowboys were "America's Team", expect we drop the busty, scantily-clad cheerleaders for the Purpose Driven hustler.

If the Right Wing Jesus Freaks are in the middle of some kind of Hatfield-McCoy war, on who God is whispering to, let'em fight it out, but maybe, they can do in that infamous Saddleback Cone of Silence.

With Obama giving Warren center-stage, on his own, mega-big day, that seems like a pretty big chip to be tossing into the pot.

As, with the inclusion of Warren on Jan. 20th, he's kicking the LGBT supporters away from the table.

After all, comparing homosexuality to incest and child molestation, like, that wouldn't be offensive to anyone.

Yeah, Yeah ... This is the "reaching across the aisle" thing ... "Bipartisanship" ... Of sitting down with our enemies and talking, working through to find common ground ... Blah, Blah, Blah

It's really great that our next president likes to mix it up, that he's not afraid to step in shit, and then, clean his own shoes ...

But, Rick Warren?

America's Pastor? ...

Please, Shoot Me!

Last week, on Countdown', Keith Olbermann talked with Rob Boston, of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Boston summed it up with a killer line;

Well, Warren, to me, is—he has a great P.R. machine. And he has people thinking he‘s a moderate, but he‘s really just Jerry Falwell in a Hawaiian shirt. And we don‘t need that again. You know, with the sort of passing of the guard of some of the old religious right leader, some of them have died, others of whom are sort of in semi-retirement, a lot of us are hoping for a more moderate religious voice to come to bear. And we‘re not getting that.

Jerry Falwell in a Hawaiian shirt ...

Well, whether or not President-Elect Barack Obama wears Hawaiian shirts, he's wearing The Garlic's "Ignorant Dolt of the Week" crown.

And both these guys are big-time, PR-savvy ...

Can't we see a "schedule conflict" or, some other excuse pop up, knocking Warren out-of-the box?

C'mon Guys! ... Get a glove! ... Get in the game, here!


Bonus Obama-Warren IDOTW Riffs

YouTube - Warren: The Bible says that God puts government on earth to punish evildoers

YouTube - Rick Warren Endorses Prop 8

YouTube - RIck Warren on gays, their immaturity and desire for multiple partners

Brilliant at Breakfast: Sorry, President-Elect Obama, you blew it big time with this one

Attytood: R-E-S-P-E-C-T...find out what it means, Barack

Joe Sudbay (DC): Rick Warren is a major fail and a total affront

Blue Texan: In a Surprising Development, Barney Frank Objects to Incest Accusations

Joan Walsh: Disappointed by Rick Warren

Mike Madden: How the hell did Rick Warren get inauguration tickets? Barack Obama knows liberals are upset he picked the conservative evangelical preacher to pray at the inauguration. And he doesn't care


Late Breaking

Think Progress: Warren’s church removes anti-gay statements from website

John Aravosis (DC): Rick Warren pulls anti-gay language from his Web site

TowleRoad: As Obama Bakes, Rick Warren Controversy Simmers

Pam Spaulding: Lowery, Rhue speak out on Warren debacle; Saddleback homophobe to keynote at King Memorial Service