I'm not a fan of Chris Matthews (look through the archive of Daily Howler for reasons why I'm not) but occasionally he does something I can get behind. Like today, for instance, when he lambasted Rep. John Campbell (R-CA) for cosponsoring a bill requiring presidential candidates to prove they are US citizens (something they already have to do.) Matthews was not having any of this fellow's bullshit, and repeatedly called him out on pandering to the "wacko wing" of the Republican party. It was fantastic.
I was going to look for the video but I see that Think Progress has already linked and summarized it. Take a look.
It really is amazing that this level of insanity has such a mainstream megaphone. Sean Hannity is promoting this conspiracy. So is Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh.
And while Hannity's fellow Fox News anti-intellectual Glenn Beck worries about stuff like imaginary progressive "brownshirts" having intimidated Wal-mart into developing a green line of products (rather than assuming like a sane person that Wal-mart found doing so to be profitable) an actual fascist has gone out and killed because his hatred for America's first black president was legitimized and rationalized in part by his belief in the Birther conspiracy since it gave him an excuse to believe that Obama is not a "real American."
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4 comments:
By pushing the Birther bullshit, Hannity and R. Limbaugh are actively encouraging and hoping one of their brainwashed followers (a.k.a. Right Wing Extremists) will attempt to assassinate Obama.
I think that Hannity and Limbaugh are able to disassociate themselves - in their own minds - from the sort of hate that is generated by such a conspiracy theory.
Also: not having the abilit to read others minds, I would not dare to attribute murderous intent to someone without some direct evidence of it.
Like this, for example.
Well, you are being quite rational, but rationality is not what the Fox Propagandists aim for, their entire screed is an invective designed to convince their viewer/listenership into the idea that Obama is destroying America literally.
Of course, they unlike the kindly old meek man of god you cited, are not brazen enough to call for death. Instead they must merely plant the seed and hope an unhinged Right Wing Extremist comes along to reap the harvest.
Of course, I could be wrong and this is a get out the vote drive for 10 and 12.
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