Thursday Open Thread

Filed in National by on January 27, 2011

Welcome to your Thursday open thread. It’s looks like we got a real snowstorm, folks! Did any of you experience the thundersnow? So, besides the weather, is anything else on your mind?

In case you missed it, here’s Christine O’Donnell on Good Morning America discussing Obama’s State of the Union address. I have no idea why they are asking her opinion.

My favorite part is when she accuses Obama of stealing from Tea Party candidates, including herself. Delusions of grandeur much, Christine?

Disgraced preacher Ted Haggard is in the news again. He did an interview with GQ and said the following:

“I think that probably, if I were 21 in this society, I would identify myself as a bisexual.”

Let us never speak of this again.

Slacktivist has an interesting take on the mindset of anti-abortion activist and why they try so hard to link themselves to abolitionists.

That bogus abortion/slavery analogy is one that I used to find compelling and reassuring. It was a frequently invoked analogy in the evangelical community. We found it inspiring, but not because we knew much of anything about the actual abolitionists, slave or free. And not because we knew anything much at all, for that matter, about abortion. The inspiration didn’t come from any perceived historical accuracy or from the logic of an argument from analogy.

What was inspiring was being told that we were on the right side of the great moral struggle of our time. That claim didn’t have to be accurate or true or logical. It wasn’t meant to appeal to accuracy or truth or logic. It’s an emotional appeal. It’s the thrill that comes from being told that you are part of a great epic struggle — that even without ever really doing much of anything you will be looked back upon by future generations as a hero.

Just assent to the proposition, cast your reliably partisan votes, attend the occasional photo-op vigil and learn to frown disapprovingly at the designated people. Do these things and you can regard yourself as being Harriet Tubman’s equal in virtue, courage and commitment.

The function of the abortion/slavery analogy, in other words, is fantasy role-playing. It’s a game of make-believe, of dress-up and pretend.

Others have noticed how often conservatives compare themselves to important times and figures in history. I’ve been highly amused by the Sussex Co. GOP leadership fight simply because the stakes are so small compared to the rhetoric of the people involved. Same mindset?

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Opinionated chemist, troublemaker, blogger on national and Delaware politics.

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  1. The same people who fought the anti-slavery battle were the same ones that got pro-life laws passed in every state. After civil rights it became the next project along with state by state sufferage.

  2. Obama2008 says:

    Others have noticed how often conservatives compare themselves to important times and figures in history.

    This is the rhetorical device “appeal to authority.” The GOP astroturfers used to be the religious right who invoked the authority of God. When that stopped working, the wealthy elite then sent out the teabaggers, who invoked selected Founding Fathers, and other moral figures from America’s past (but only certain ones).

    The appeal to authority is useful when the facts are not on your side. It can help sway the weak-minded. When voters are nearly evenly divided on an issue, you don’t have to convince everybody – only a percent or two.

  3. The Straight Scoop says:

    RD, can you clarify? Slavery ended in 1865, abortion wasn’t at the forefront until about 100 years later. So when you say “the same people,” what are you referring to? Even if you’re talking about a group of people based on creed or political affiliation, those groups’ ideologies evolved over a 100-year period.

    Basically, I don’t understand how it’s “the same people” when you’re talking about a 100-year gap between the two issues. I think it’s a hell of a stretch to link abolition to abortion that way.

  4. Jane says:

    I have refused to watch the O’Donnell video. I just can’t stomach her. I am beyond disappointed in George S and ABC for this.

    But I did go to the GMA website and post a ‘what were you thinking’ comment. I was happy to see that there were many comments and virtually all were of the apoplectic variety. There was also a huffpo post that had hundreds of similar comments. Very entertaining.

    I know it’s small and petty of me to enjoy this outpouring of, let’s call it ‘disdain’, but this sort of thing relieves my anxiety that she could somehow, someway actually exert influence on a national level. That thought is enough to keep me up at night!

  5. Newshound says:

    Here’s an excellent and in-depth look into ‘Palin fatigue.” This reporter actually counts the times various cable news channels and specific hosts talk about Palin.

    http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sarah-palin-msnbcs-obsession-75184

  6. Newshound says:

    Btw, did anyone catch one of O’Donnell’s classic patronizing, yet narcissistic comment she made to George S.? She used the same exact tactic when she appeared on the Dan Gafney show, when she was questioned by Wolf Blitzer at UD and when she was interviewed on WDEL by Rick Jensen.

    What is it that she does? She ingratiates herself upon the host or interviewer by telling him or her wow much she respects them and how they are not like ‘other’ hosts or interviewers.

    Example: “George, your not like some of the other commentators, I respect your analysis…” Yada, yada, yada. She did the dame thing with Gafney when Gafney started to grill her on her unprofessional swipes at Mike Castle. “Dan, I’ve always respected you. You were one of the few people who endorsed me back in 2006…you’re one of the very few media personalities in Delaware who gets it…” Yada, yada, yada. With Blitzer as he asked her some difficult question that she doesn’t like: : “Wolf, yada, yada, yada…”

    Except while on the Jensen show, when asked a question she did not like and/or Matt Moran did not approve of, she directed her manager to call an O’Donnell lawyer and threaten, yes Threaten WDEL with a lawsuit! That finally had to ‘walk-back’ their statement and apologize to WDEL. Wow!

  7. Obama2008 says:

    Christine is a born manipulator.

  8. anon says:

    Oh Gee Christine, the president was listening to the teabaggers and in particularly you Christine? Broadband is a problem for the baggers? Huh, these fools don’t understand how many home business’s can be utilized if people had access. The gilded age of the 1920’s is back and the baggers are still protecting corporate america with their trillions unspent and never will be. If corporations cared about america they would be hiring people but that would mean Obama would look good. Republicans where are our jobs?

  9. Jason330 says:

    “That claim didn’t have to be accurate or true or logical. It wasn’t meant to appeal to accuracy or truth or logic. It’s an emotional appeal.”

    How much do I love that the first comment in the thread is some Dumbass wingnut reveling in anti-accurate, anti-logical emmotion?

    So fucking much.

  10. anon says:

    WDEL Rick Jenson promotes booze. Rick must be having a hard time getting listeners on Thrusdays. All the drunks can tune in and get a buzz just thinking about liquor. This is a terrible waste of the public airways promoting alcoholism. Anyone else have a problem with that?

  11. timefortruth says:

    Good thing that faux-patriot organizations in Arizona are taking care of immigration.

    http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-minutemen-murder-20110126,0,4235852.story

    How brave and proud they must be of taking out 9-year olds.

  12. Joe American says:

    Hmmmmm…

    Then what does this say about Democrats?

    http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/943531/

  13. Joe American says:

    By the way, that story is hardly representative of conservatives, Republicans, the Tea Party, or anyone else on the right.

    But it is amazing the high percentage of convicts who register Democrat when given the chance.

  14. MJ says:

    And it’s amazing the number of imbeciles who register republican.

  15. ….and MJ delivers the smackdown

  16. socialistic ben says:

    ebaumsworld? you used in your argument a link to EBAUMSWORLD? what are you in 10th grade? …. and also in 2000? Hold on, let me pop over to Liquidgeneration and get W’s mug shot.

  17. cassandra_m says:

    I hope you guys leave this kind of cuisine to conservatives.

  18. cassandra_m says:

    One of my favorite candidates from last season gets the Mindmap treatment from WHYY’s new news project, Newsworks.

    Congratulations, Jim!

  19. socialistic ben says:

    is anyone watching LAst word? I decided to give lewy a chance….. he got himself into a 12 way debate with 2 rabbis over the holocaust…. poor bastard.