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(17,199 posts)2/21/14
by ERIC BOEHLERT
It's too soon to tell whether Ted Nugent's noxious career as a conservative pundit reached a tipping point this week, but the moment he called in sick to CNN and backed out of a scheduled interview with Erin Burnett as Republican politicians denounced him might soon be seen as a flash point for the fading rock star and the incendiary brand of hate rhetoric he's been cashing in on for years. It might also be viewed as a key stumbling moment for the conservative media, which have been unable in recent years to establish any sort of guardrails for common decency within the realm of political debate.
Increasingly reliant on bad fringe actors like Nugent to connect with their far, far-right audience, the conservative media have built up Obama-bashing personalities who no longer occupy any corner of the American mainstream. Yet Nugent enjoys deep ties with Republican campaigns all across the country. When those ties receive media scrutiny, they cannot be defended.
National Rifle Association board member Nugent found himself at the center of a campaign controversy this week when he was invited to two public events for Texas Republican Greg Abbott, who is running for governor. Of course Nugent, a former Washington Times columnist who now writes for birther website WND, recently called President Obama a "communist-nurtured subhuman mongrel" and has a long and vivid history of launching vile attacks on women. (He's called Hillary Clinton a "toxic cunt."
Following waves of condemnations for the association, and a torrent of critical media coverage, with reporters and pundits wondering why a gubernatorial candidate would voluntarily campaign with someone who spouts "insane and racist talk," as CNN's Jake Tapper put it, Abbott claimed he wasn't aware of Nugent history of racist and misogynistic comments. If so, Abbott's campaign staff is utterly incompetent. (The "subhuman mongrel" comment, unearthed last month by Media Matters, was highlighted by a number of outlets at the time, including on MSNBC.)
read more: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/02/21/ted-nugent-and-how-the-conservative-press-cant/198167
napkinz
(17,199 posts)February 21, 2014
by TODD J. GILLMAN
WASHINGTON - Ted Nugents racist rant against the president has put Texas Republicans in a bind especially Attorney General Greg Abbott.
So far, Abbott has resisted pressure to repudiate Nugent for calling Barack Obama, the nations first black president, a subhuman mongrel. Others have put distance between themselves and Nugent.
Thats Ted Nugent.
Anybody thats offended sorry, but thats just Ted, said Gov. Rick Perry, shrugging off the uproar Thursday morning after speaking to a group of Texans in Washington. I dont take offense, no.
Hours later, his tone shifted.
That is not appropriate language to use about the president of the United States, he said on CNN, even as he reiterated that the idea that Ted Nugent has said something outrageous shouldnt surprise anybody.
Indeed, no one whos paid attention over the years would be shocked to hear sharp and even offensive language from the gun-loving rocker. But subhuman mongrel goes beyond his usual. Its a phrase heavy with ugly history, invoked by Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan to justify genocide and segregation.
read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20140221-ted-nugent-rant-puts-texas-republicans-in-a-bind.ece
sheshe2
(83,746 posts)The embraced him, he is theirs. Lock Stock and Fucking Barrel.
Thanks for the graphics, napkinz. Eye opening to be sure!
napkinz
(17,199 posts)jsr
(7,712 posts)billh58
(6,635 posts)his constitutional right to free speech, and he is a responsible gun owner. To the right-wingers he is a poster boy American patriot, and a role model for the NRA. If only more white kids would follow his example we could solve the "race" problem in this country in short order.
This message brought to you by the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and approved by the Koch Brothers.
If absolutely necessary -
napkinz
(17,199 posts)by Alexa Ura
Feb. 22, 2014
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis on Saturday joined Texas Democratic Party leaders in criticizing Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott for campaigning with controversial rocker and conservative firebrand Ted Nugent.
This isnt about some aging rock star way past his prime that simply needs to go away, Davis said during her remarks at the Texas Democratic Women Convention in Austin. This is about Greg Abbott. Its about his character, his judgment, his values when he stands on a stage next to someone like that and refers to him as his blood brother.
Abbott, the likely Republican nominee for Texas governor, came under fire after he was accompanied by Nugent at two campaign events in North Texas this week. Nugent is known for a history of making inflammatory and offensive statements, including recent remarks in which he referred to President Obama as a sub-human mongrel.
read more: http://www.texastribune.org/2014/02/22/davis-abbotts-character-questionable-after-nugent-/