The Angry Left
I don’t have the credentials necessary to go to the actual convention, but according to folks I’ve talked to it’s been low energy in the Xcel Energy Center and a not-exactly-packed house. Indeed, President George W. Bush didn’t even bother to show up in person to deliver the following bizarre smear about how “If the Hanoi Hilton could not break John McCain’s resolve to do what is best for his country, you can be sure the angry Left never will.”
The analogy between American liberals and Vietnamese Communists is extremely offensive. As is the analogy between criticizing McCain’s policy ideas and subjecting him to physical torture and imprisonment. As is the imputation of bad faith — that right and left can’t just disagree about what’s best for the country, but rather in Bush’s view the left is self-consciously pushing a bad-for-America agenda. And last, of course, it’s not the “angry left” that’s brought institutionalized torture and indefinite detention to the United States of America. Joe Klein says “the most striking thing about the evening was what was missing: even the slightest wisp of substance.”
81 Responses to “The Angry Left”
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September 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Dear Matt,
I can haz Bristol & Levi gossip? Perhaps, some juicy videos of conventiongoers telling us what they really think of having a teen romance upstage the candidate?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:04 am
Didn’t Dana Perino say just the other day that Bush has “class”?
I watched many hours of the Democratic National Convention and don’t remember hearing insults hurled at the Republican party members. It is possible to respect the opinion of another group of Americans even while disagreeing with them.
This is kind of a recurring theme among the Republicans. McCain’s “celebrity” ad is not insulting to Obama. Most people would like to be a celebrity. It is insulting to Obama’s supporters. The ad suggests that Obama’s supporters are awed by his celebrity. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many Obama supporters and they generally have good knowledge of his policy positions on at least some issues they care about.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:06 am
I’ll never know until I try!
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:08 am
You have called the conservative movement fundamentally malign. Isn’t this suggesting bad faith? I guess you aren’t president so there is a different standard.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:26 am
how do you not have credentials?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:29 am
Is it just me, or is Dubya looking more and more like Red Buttons? Can anyone but Reagan face the cruel maelstrom of the presidency and not come out looking like a physiognomic wreck?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:29 am
So true about bad-faith.
Even WE don’t think most of the Righties are consciously attempting to Fuck the Country over, we just believe they are either greedy assholes, or ignorant nutballs.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:30 am
Guess matt wasn’t angry enough
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:32 am
i found the use of “angry” a little suspect.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 am
Seriously dude, you make the exact same nonsensical claims about the right that Bush makes here about the left. I know you think it’s different because you are of course correct about policy and he is wrong about policy. . .but how can you possibly find that offensive in good faith?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:36 am
Re Joe Klein’s comment ““the most striking thing about the evening was what was missing: even the slightest wisp of substance.”
————-
The EVENING?
How about the last 8 years?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:42 am
Oh, come on. It’s just part of the game. As a sometimes angry leftist, I can honestly say there is nothing that puny-minded authoritarian baboon George Bush can say that is capable of “offending” me. There is simply no time in politics for hurt feelings and offended sensibilities. Stop saying “Owww” and just hit back.
You might start by pointing out that George Bush is a war criminal, and an anti-American defender of torture who has clearly violated his oath of office. Future generations around the world will mention Guantanamo in the same breath as the Hanoi Hilton. Bush is an utter embarrassment, and a filthy stool of a president that Americans are on the belated verge of excreting and flushing away.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:43 am
Does Joe Klein realize that you can’t say it was a very effective night in your opening sentence and then–accurately–point out all the ways it wasn’t?
They have two more days to figure out how to sell McCain to the base and to swing voters at the same time. I’m not so sure they can.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:57 am
uh you rightist do all notice that Matt isn’t speaking from the stage at the Democratic convention?
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:04 am
Who cares what that fuckwit war criminal thinks? The GOP clearly doesn’t.
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:06 am
Am I the only one who sees the irony in this? In the 2000 South Carolina primary wasn’t it Rovian surrogates who accused McCain of having broken under Vietnamese torture, committed treason of various kinds, and of having gone insane from the POW experience and thus ineligible to lead?
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:35 am
Well, it’s a useful lesson: it doesn’t matter how much you try to moderate the tone of your blog, you’re still the “angry left”. Might as well go for broke.
Sarah Palin Hates America!
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:37 am
(As for those whining about Matt’s description of the right… the ‘hypocrisy’ doesn’t exist if Matt’s right about the right, and Bush is wrong about the left.)
(Which is, of course, the case.)
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:43 am
Bush has pushed many people over the cliff. He has killed over 600,000 Iraqi civilians (many more than Sadam ever dreamed of), and killed thousands of US soldiers, and drove many millions into refugee camps. He made the decision for oil… and now, finally, we are, as a nation, finally coming to the conclusion that we really don’t need oil at all. Bush’s legacy is the stark reality of his actions, that he has decided to kill so many so that oil companies can gorge on profits before Bush leaves office. And now, via this Republican Convention, Bush and the Republicans are pretending that it never even happened!!!
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:06 am
The American right certainly takes self-righteous self-pity to a new low. Their own stuff-ups are always somebody else’s fault.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:50 am
Here’s video: Lieberman melts down on MSNBC and all-but-admits Palin is unqualified for the presidency.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHQ8PIjKhz4
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:02 am
you mean the people McCain keeps hiring ? yes.
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:44 am
Seems the right was able to break his resolve; is 2nd/3rd choice Palin best for the country? The substance of the evening was anti-abortion. Perhaps Bush doesn’t get that we’re angry at him.
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 am
I’m from the left and I’m angry and the GOP is a party of gangsters whose talking points are merely the distractions of moving air around.
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:11 am
I have to say I don’t see this as a smear as such. It’s just an anti-liberal rallying cry (that’s all the Republicans have left to hold them together, after all), with a noun-verb-POW twist. I doubt Bush thought he was making an analogy in the way you do.
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:17 am
Quite right. After 8 years, you’d think we’d all understand that Bush doesn’t grasp the meaning of the words he utters in public.
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 am
What Bush said was fine with me. The Vietnamese communists didn’t break McCain, but they defeated the United States of America, which was a pretty cool accomplishment in historical perspective. We, the Angry Left, actually live here so we’re not really interested in defeating the USA (now there’s a news flash for you!), but we are interested in defeating the greedhogs and assorted scum who have been running it into the ground for the last eight years. I’m not entirely unhappy to be related rhetorically to the Vietnamese communists who kicked an imperialist superpower out of their country.
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:53 am
I don’t like defending Bush, but this has forced it: “President George W. Bush didn’t even bother to show up in person.”
Remember how just a few days ago a huge natural disaster was predicted? Thankfully, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. But I’ll give Bush a little credit for at least seeming to be concerned with it this time. I guess that disqualifies me from membership in the angry left though..
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
The funny thing is that over the past 28 years a number of Republican groups have gotten used to seeing the GOP President address them only through a televised speech….historically those were the most extreme and marginalized sub-species of Republican…the Right-to-Lifers et. al. Is the GOP now so marginalized and extreme that the President doesn’t want to be seen with them?
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
In case I can’t find this info when I turn to the Times and the Post, how many people attended the counter convention?
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:18 am
I find it amusing that McCain, Bush, Thompson, Lieberman, etc., are all telling us that they can’t change Washington on their own. They need Sarah the Reformer from Alaska to go in and change it for us.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:27 am
they didn’t ?
so, when he signed confessions saying that he was a war criminal, he meant it ?
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:32 am
When George Washington’s doctors bled him to death, they weren’t trying to be fundamentally malign on purpose, but they did kill him. The GOP has acted much the same way.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:33 am
so, when he signed confessions saying that he was a war criminal, he meant it ?
This can’t be emphasized too much. (Hyperbole) McCain wasn’t just a POW: he was a POW who cooperated with his captors. Quite a bit. Bush simply (as usual) makes up alternate history.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:37 am
Ironies, large and small, too many to list completely:
<ulAlready noted, the POW praise when it was a smear 8 years agoThe Vietnam vet praise when, 4 years ago, they were mocking a vet’s wounds with band-aidsThe disaster imagery (not just 9-11 and hurricanes — a rescue worker spoke about the I-35 bridge collapse)when it always seems to be Republican leaders who fail to prepare for, and sometimes respond to, disastersSomeone praised McCain for adopting a child, when that child was used for the “black baby” smear of 2000Ridiculing the use of a teleprompter while using a teleprompterGiant Tortured McCain on the screen, graphic descriptions of the torture, when . . . you know. This one is beyond wordsWhat else?
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
Sorry about that. I guess HTML styles are not allowed, after all.
Here:
Ironies, large and small, too many to list completely:
– Already noted, the POW praise when it was a smear 8 years ago
– The Vietnam vet praise when, 4 years ago, they were mocking a vet’s wounds with band-aids
– The disaster imagery (not just 9-11 and hurricanes — a rescue worker spoke about the I-35 bridge collapse)when it always seems to be Republican leaders who fail to prepare for, and sometimes respond to, disasters
– Someone praised McCain for adopting a child, when that child was used for the “black baby” smear of 2000
– Ridiculing the use of a teleprompter while using a teleprompter
– Giant Tortured McCain on the screen, graphic descriptions of the torture, when . . . you know. This one is beyond words
– What else?
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
You have called the conservative movement fundamentally malign. Isn’t this suggesting bad faith?
It’s not suggesting bad faith at all. It’s suggesting malignancy.
You know, I used to have some residual respect for the GOP, and for American conservatism. No more. Your brains have turned to mush from having to rationalize absolute crap for years and years.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
The Republicans have committed to an anti-media, anti-”elites” campaign, and will take every opportunity to be outrageous and offensive, hoping to goad the Democrats into overreaction, to which the GOP can respond with outrage and try to force Obama to be defensive about his supporters’ more heated rhetoric.
This technique has distracted enough voters in the past. Have the Obama, DNC and Democratic congressional campaign operations figured out how to combat it effectively? Let’s hope they aren’t counting on facts (economy, energy, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.) and “ENOUGH!” to make the sale for them. That should be sufficient, but probably won’t be.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:53 am
George W. Bush, Sept. 2, 2008: “If the Hanoi Hilton could not break John McCain’s resolve to do what is best for his country, you can be sure the angry Left never will.”
John McCain (on 60 Minutes) Oct. 12, 1997:
Sen. McCAIN: I m–made serious, serious mistakes and did things wrong when I was in prison, OK?
WALLACE: What did you do wrong in prison?
Sen. McCAIN: I wrote a confession. I was guilty of war crimes against the Vietnamese people. I intentionally bombed women and children.
WALLACE: And you did it because you were being tortured…
Sen. McCAIN: I…
WALLACE: …and you’d reached the end of the line.
Sen. McCAIN: Yes. But I should have gone further. I should have–I–I never believed that I would–that I would break, and I did.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:02 am
Another interesting thing is that the godless commies in what is now the very poor country of Viet Nam like visiting Americans, and the people in the country bear no ill will againsdt the Americans who bombed them.
I understand it is a very beautiful area, and the tourists from the US are very welcome.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:16 am
“The analogy between American liberals and Vietnamese Communists is extremely offensive”
I hate to be petty, but I agree: the analogy is offensive–to the Vietnamese Communists.
After all, unlike American “liberalism” which fears its shadow, the Vietnamese “Communists” were a pretty principled and durable bunch that withstood the colonial aspirations of the French, Chinese and Americans.
Those guys had some stones and never gave up. And, utlimately emerged as the victors mind you, even after the loss of two million Indochinese citizens.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:28 am
The Republican movement is fundamentally malign and never operates in good faith. The Democratic movement is totally different. Sure there are some corrupt politicians and the usual pandering, but the core of the movement is much more honest. And we’re talking about the base here. Not irrelevant fringe elements. If you want to have this debate, fine, but nobody here is afraid to have it.
But this post was about the problem of the contrast in the way that Bush is allowed to talk about the “Angry Left” with how the Democrats are allowed to talk about the Republicans. Remember how Obama’s ‘bitter’ comments showed how out of touch he was? That was a national news story. But Bush can compare a third of the voting population to communist torturers and it isn’t even worthy of mention. It’s your liberal media at work.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I find it offensive that Bush thinks you have to be part of the “Angry Left” to be pissed off about the last 8 years. I guess the 2/3rds of the population that can’t stand him have become the “Angry Left”.
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:57 pm
While not in any respect a McCain supporter I respect his service and applaud his guts.
Lets now consider how long the craven Bush would have lasted in similar circumstances. I believe it sould have had to been measured in nano-seconds.
Of course there was never much danger of him being tested because while McCain was flying A-6 Intruder missions over North Vietnam, George Bush was cowering in Texas and Arkansas or Alabama or wherever else cowards cower.
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
The Vietnamese Communists tortured prisoners.
Q: Which party is more likely to torture.
A: The Angry Right Republicans.
McCain wouldn’t hold to being waterboarded for very long.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I love being unilaterally and disparagingly labeled by the President of the United States (look ‘em up George). What an honor and privilege. We’re gonna miss ya, dub. Great “Angry Left” stuff at http://www.cafepress/Angry_Left by the way. These guys work so fast. I love it.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Oops! Sorry; the address is http://www.cafepress.com/Angry_Left.
Forgot the “dubya, dubya, dubya” how ironic!
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
OK, Sorry, I got it wrong again!
It should be http://www.cafepress.com/Angry_Lefties
Sorry. I feel downright presidential.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Is anyone surprised by this douch bag anymore? He is going to give the American people one final sean hannity without the crisco before he leaves.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Hey – where did the post go?
“If the Hanoi Hilton could not break John McCain’s resolve to do what is best for his country, you can be sure the angry Left never will.”
Well, since the Hanoi Hilton did break his resolve, just how sure are we supposed to be, Dubya? I’d say since McCain responded to smears about his family and child by hugging the guy that did it, his resolve wouldn’t stand a chance against an Angry Divorce Lawyer, much less the Angry Left.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Why is Bush’s comparison “offensive”? North Vietnamese General Giap credited the American Left Wing anti-war movement with the Communist’s victory in Vietnam.
What’s offensive about the comparison when you examine the factual history?
And quoting Joe Klein is just the icing on the cake; Klein is one of the biggest anti-American leftists living today.
September 3rd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Future generations around the world will mention Guantanamo in the same breath as the Hanoi Hilton.
Really? Is this a real website or some kind of National Lampoon thing?
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Just what IS the difference between Vietnam Communists and the US Democrat (demcong) party?
I can’t think of any.
Both hate America.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:47 pm
The Hanoi Hilton did break John McCain though.
McCain was broken. Of course, his resolve wasn’t broken by torture, but by enhanced interrogation techniques that Senator McCain has himself endorsed.
So, I’m rather unimpressed with McCain’s time in the NVA’s hands.
He broke and wrote anti-american propaganda for the NVA while under mild pressure, nothing more than what a fraternity puts new brothers through during hazing.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
oops…sorry about the failure to close those tags.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:18 pm
And her speech at the convention was venomous. What a condescending way she has about her. And they say the Left is angry …
September 4th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Wow! The US killed 600k Iraqis. Who knew? Millionaires Bush and Cheney went to war and killed thousands so their rich friends could get richer. Who knew? Bush went to Yale and Harvard but he’s really an almost illiterate moron. Who knew? It’s pretty cool that the Vietnamese beat the Americans. It’s like an inspirational story from the Olympics almost. I just didn’t know these things.
Pretty soon you people writing these things will have to have the power in this country. You’re just so sharp and not gullible. I’m sure you’re familiar with classical, Keynesian and supply side economic theory; and you know how pleasant things were in southeast Asia after we lost to the plucky Vietnamese; and if given a choice between a year at Guantanamo and a year at the Hanoi Hilton you’d in your heart of hearts know that there isn’t really any difference. Best of luck; I’m just going to keep reading and learning.
September 4th, 2008 at 3:07 am
um, do you really not know that bush wasn’t there because of the hurricane? sigh, i can’t wait for this election and all the various intellectual dishonesty to end.
September 4th, 2008 at 3:55 am
The fact is that the aptly described “angry left” never misses an opportunity to lend aid and comfort to America’s enemies whether those enemies be fascists, communists, or Islamic terrorists.
The angry left always gives the benefit of the doubt to those who would impose their own “ism” on the United States. They see the United States as an evil, and would rejoice in its destruction (which they hope to bring about).
The angry left is so short-sighted that it has not thought through the consequences of America’s destruction. For one thing, no more Bill of Rights. While the angry left would rejoice in the demise of the Second Amendment Right to keep and bear arms, one wonders how they would feel about the demise of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion when they are forced to face and pray to Mecca five times daily…
The angry left is very short-sighted and very anti-American. That is why it must be exposed.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:01 am
Universal loving leftists who would never stoop to denigrating a leftist totalitarian mass murderer.
“Chimpy McBushitler”, as he is so lovingly called by the “Loving Left” could not be describing anything like an unloving left.
There could not possibly be the existence of a reality to term “Angry Left”. That couldn’t possibly exist.
It must be a dreamed up lie by the Right wing crazies, who incidently have destroyed various Socialist regimes like the National Socialists, Marxist Socialists and other totalitarian Socialist Utopias, along with their Buchenwalds, Sachsenhausens, Siberian, and Kolymar Gulags.
Loving Leftists never shout down rational discourse. Oh No. They never intimidate with massed crowds shouting inane slogans. Oh No.
They never liquidate their opponents nor send them to “re-education ” in delightful vacation retreats called Death camps or Gulags. Oh No.
They never say “Peace or I’ll KILL you”. Oh No.
“Chimpy MCBushitler” had it all wrong.
Reality Check: If the Shoe Fits, Wear It.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Yeh, yeh, I know I just made this up, but that’s what we’re paid to do. It’s the Alinsky/Goebbels big lie thing that Barack perfected as a community organizer.
September 4th, 2008 at 5:29 am
Dear Matt,
The Left isn’t angry any more. I just saw Palin’s speech. Now they are terrified, and well they should be.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Matt,
Even though I am not a supporter of the President and I did vote Democrat in 2006, our esteemed President has a point and I think the comparison is right on the mark. The “angry left” remind me very much of a marxist movement, and in this nation assuredly, some sort of violence would be necessary to achieve their ultimate means — hence, communism. Funny that you call it a smear though — you obviously must be a member of the crew. Have fun crying in November because the GOP has my vote this time.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:28 am
“The analogy between American liberals and Vietnamese Communists is extremely offensive.”
I find it offensive that, as masked angry leftists smash windows and attack police outside the convention hall, you’d have the gall to say that. The Left is violent, fascist and, as demonstrated amply over the past week, willing to engage in the slimeyest of means if it serves their ends. Comparisons to the worst of Soviet era excess seems apt.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:33 am
—these complaints show why obama should have agreed to weekly discussions–they could have gone from saddleback to and environmental green organization to planned parenthood or wherever–and had sincere 3 dimensional discussions so that people could really figure out what the differences are between the two parties and which one rep them the most—
–no one can say they haven’t noticed the insults from the democrats–mcsame–is an insult–it isn’t true and it is meant to capitalize on bush’s approval rating–it is an simplistic one liner that is an insult to the intelligence of the public–discuss the issues
–then the houses comments—the houses belong to mccain’s wife–ps women have the vote too–kerry had 5 houses–and kerry was better prepared for the presidency because he had seen active duty–well then mccain is the only man for the job
–obama does not rep the majority of americans–he is far too much of a socialist–he’d be 20 points behind if the media weren’t so in the tank for the guy that they keep covering up for him–they are acting like a propaganda machine–ie 4 guests on a show and all them democrats—come on!!!
–the left is so spoiled they are annoyed that for a few nights the republicans can talk directly to the public
–and no one on either side can defend what the media has done to palin–it puts the feminist movement back 100 years–the kids have a father–and who ever asks if a man can be a decent parent and a public servant at the same time
–I never thought mccain would get the nomination and I never thought the republicans had a chance (for the sake of the economy alone and business I hoped we wouldn’t end up with the reid pelosi obama trio) but I am starting to think mccain has a chance because the left has gone totally over board(ex people have actually criticized the downs baby being on TV) which makes people have a 2nd and 3rd look
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