Union Leader Compares Palin to Joe McCarthy

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Wall Street Journal

By Melanie Trottman

Labor official Richard Trumka launched an unusually harsh verbal assault on Sarah Palin Thursday, and he did it in her own backyard of Alaska.

The AFL-CIO president accused Palin of resigning as governor to avoid accountability – “so she wouldn’t have a record that could be scrutinized” – and said she had turned her back on her home state.

“She seemed like a decent person, an outdoorswoman. . . And then things got weird. After she tied herself to John McCain and they lost, she blew off Alaska. I guess she figured she’d trade up. Shoot for the national stage,’’ Trumka told an AFL-CIO convention in Anchorage.

Trumka didn’t stop there. He said some of her language, such as “Don’t retreat . . . reload,’’ was “close to calling for violence.’’ He said her use of the phrase “union thugs’’ was “poisonous.’’ And he compared Palin to Joseph McCarthy, the former Republican senator from Wisconsin known for claiming the federal government had communists in its ranks.

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/08/26/union-leader-compares-palin-to-joe-mccarthy/

[BeHereNow]

1. "Close to calling for violence" ?????

As I recall, there were some acts of violence shortly after her hate rant.
BHN

[saigon68]

5. She's not as pretty as Joe McCarthy

She also needs to shave closer than he did.

[misterkhalil]

20. She's an idiot who resorts to emotion and violence when logic fails her agenda

Her cross-hairs and "target" gig surely inspired hate speech and vandalism, not sure violence though.

When you think about it, however, she does tend to air on the side of "revolution" and overthrowing of evil Liberals. Obviously, this translates into violence for the common person.

[AlbertCat]

49. she does tend to air on the side of "revolution"

"AIR"? What... to freshen it up?

I think you mean "err".

[joeglow3]

33. That is a bit of a stretch.

When talking about football teams in college, people always say certain teams "re-load." Are they calling for violence? This is a common phrase meaning you continually identify new players and maintain your current level.

Palin provides PLENTY of fodder for people to avoid this kind of an idiotic stretch.

[SacoMaine61]

36. No stretch at all

I would be astounded to learn that Mrs. P intended to imply anything other than the reload of a shotgun. She clearly fancies herself a gun-toting defender of all that is lacking in critical thinking. What better response to being faced with the prospect of having to actually provide thoughtful commentary than to shoot those posing the question?

[crim son]

39. BTW, SacoMaine61,

I see you've been around a while. Nice to see you joining in the fray!

[SacoMaine61]

62. Thanks crim son

SP just burns my biscuits. I curse John McCain regularly for unleashing that dimwit on America. We deserve a massive apology.

[AlbertCat]

50. Mrs. P intended to imply anything other than the reload of a shotgun.

Indeed. The phrase's early appearance was accompanied with a map with opponents' states marked with cross hairs!!!

[SacoMaine61]

61. Merely a coincidence...

Pow-pow, wink-wink. (I'd add a winking smiley but I don't want to besmirch it's reputation by associating it with her tic.)

This smiley is for you :toast:

[crim son]

38. Agreed w/SacoMaine

Palin is directly associated with guns and shooting to kill and her followers will no more mistake her meaning than football fans will mistake the meaning of "That's a fumble!"

[valerief]

40. Football is violent. Shooting people is more violent. nt

[BeHereNow]

42. Stretch this... (facts are so troublesome, I know.)

"On Monday, two bricks -- one marked with the words "Palin"
and another "Maverick" -- shattered glass in the office,
which still has plywood from a previous attack a week ago,
Waak said. Police are investigating the early morning incident."

http://www.examiner.com/people-in-denver/palin-brick-thrown-at-democratic-headquarters

BHN

[bergie321]

46. It was a combination

Of the words "reload" and her website with crosshairs on "vulnerable" Democrats that made her connotation quite clear.

[Canuckistanian]

48. Coming from Palin and her ilk

"Re-Load" is not a metaphor - it's a strong suggestion as to a course of action.

We're not talking about college football players here - these ADULTS play for keeps.

[BeHereNow]

2. K&R by the way... n/t

bhn

[cilla4progress]

3. I think Trumka has hit it on the head...

evil, pure evil. I've been analogizing her (and her kind) to Nazis, despots, but McCarthy is right -- a true American villain.

How long did it take America to wake up to McCarthy? I'm assuming we will wake up to these nutcases at some point..right?

[oldhippydude]

8. what scares me

is that the Nazis now have a house organ...wwith that Reich wing sound machine who's going to say "have you no shame sir?"

[NewJeffCT]

22. Even if somebody says it

it will be almost impossible to get the same level of traction as it did almost 60 years ago. There were basically 3 TV networks, not hundreds like now.

[LiberalAndProud]

55. KO has been known to say it.

When Murrow said it, he had a much wider audience.

[AlbertCat]

51. pure evil.

No....

Palin in pure insensitivity. Pure megalomania. Pure opportunism. Pure ignorance. Pure stupidity. She says stuff that might go over in the boondocks of AK, but has no idea the innuendos or consequences such local colloquialisms might have in the populated, civilized world. She's as unthinking as to the future as her teenage mother of a daughter. Pure.... Cluelessness.

Naturally, innocent people suffer as she stumbles through the real world irresponsibly unaware.....

[BEZERKO]

4. Sarah Palin is a piece of work,

and anoying as hell!

[liberal N proud]

6. Worse

Palin will say whatever it takes to get her name on the front page.

[SkyDaddy7]

7. Exactly! Palin is a nobody Alaskan redneck who...

did what somebody had to have told her to do so that she could make as much money as she could before the American Public caught on to just how utterly stupid she really is!

However, that does not apply to those in the Republican Base who thinks she was sent from GAWD to combat the Evil Secular Agenda!

[savalez]

37. She is, "Sarah The Plumber."

[zbdent]

9. that's elevating Palin and insulting McCarthy ...

and I'm not complimenting McCarthy.

[Frisbee]

23. Agreed...

McCarthy was evil, not evil AND stupid.

[Turborama]

10. K&R Is there a video?

If so, it needs to be uploaded and turned viral.

Thanks for posting, Omaha Steve.

[Shining Jack]

11. K&R

Can't stand her.

[Hubert Flottz]

12. Joseph McCarthy your ass...

She's more like Ma Barker!

[Ikonoklast]

35. Wrong!

Ma Barker had ethics.

[Hubert Flottz]

41. At least Ma Barker liked her children!

Clouse Barbie?

[BurtWorm]

13. Trumka's language here is like American poetry. Beautifully brutal. No punches pulled.

:applause:

I wish Democrats would speak like that.

[cilla4progress]

28. That's my point...

Dems need to step it up. I hate to say -- I'm a little disappointed in Obama in this regard. Bad advisors. Turn Joe (Biden) loose.

[dhill926]

32. hit the nail on the head...........n/t

[LynneSin]

14. That's an insult even to Joe McCarthy!

As vile as he was that guy had more of a clue than Palin ever had

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. Mr. Trumpka, Palin's language was inciteful long before she and Grandpa lost.

Her rallies were despicable. Racist. She didn't blink an eye when attendees shouted "kill him," or "he's a terrorist." Her references to guns and unapologetic embrace of Dr. Laura should be enough. This woman doesn't care if her words or actions lead to someone getting hurt, race riots or whatnot. Sarah only cares about Sarah. Yes, even to the point that she would use her own children to gain sympathy from the American public.

[colorado_ufo]

24. Dingdingdingdingding!

We have a winner!

[xchrom]

16. lol! i do love me some trumka. nt

[DirtyDawg]

17. The only reason...

...Palin quit the Guv's job was that she was, at least, smart enough to realize that there were enough stupid people out there that she could influence enough to get somebody to pay her a bunch of money for the privilege...and the only reason Bill Kristol and his ilk plucked Palin out of Juneau while they were on that right-wing cruise a few years ago, was that she at least 'looked' doable.

[BetterThanNoSN]

21. she looked doable...

...but if doing a stewardess looking, beauty contestant speaking woman is your thing, have at it. Her ugliness is much, much, deeper.

[cilla4progress]

29. You mean a puppet --

someone they could manipulate for their ends; like GWB.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Good for Trumka!!

:applause:

[newtothegame]

19. Why does she even care about some crazy ex-governor?

We all agree she's a cancer to conservatives, so why do we obsess so much about her?

[colorado_ufo]

26. Because she is in the public eye

and still influences a substantial number of "the uninformed." Enough where she can get paid $100,000 for a speaking engagement.

Yes, she is everything you say, but she is still dangerous, and not keeping an eye on her is a big mistake. Sarah is abysmally ignorant, totally selfish, and has NO conscience, but she is very manipulative AND very smart, a quick learner with NO scruples. We ignore her at our peril.

[newtothegame]

30. Not sure about the "smart," or you're very much in the minority here. She's a "bimbo bitch" on DU.

[hay rick]

45. Sarah in the public eye is a good thing.

She isn't converting anyone. She is preaching to the RW choir- and sounds like an ass. The constant publicity which is showered on her serves to help expose and impeach the whole brain-dead Tea Party tripe.

[Omaha Steve]

25. Politico's version

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=367x28181

[Ishoutandscream2]

27. If the foo shits

He accurately described her. Except she never seemed to be a decent person...

[Uncle Joe]

31. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Omaha Steve.

[Stuart G]

34. K and R I agree also

[BeHereNow]

43. "Religious Leaders Denounce Sarah Palin and Fox’s Hate Speech"

http://www.politicususa.com/en/palin-hate-speech

"Forty different Catholic, evangelical, mainline Protestant, Jewish and Muslim leaders and scholars came together to release a statement condemning the hate language of Fox News, Sarah Palin, and Newt Gingrich as it relates to the so called Ground Zero mosque, “Fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric only undermine treasured values at the heart of diverse faith traditions and our nation’s highest ideals.”

Anyone hear this report on Faux news?
Didn't think so...
BHN

[lunasun]

54. the report is right

To create disunity for political gain, with no regard for the consequences to our nation is almost criminal.
It is hate speech plain and simple
We must unite against them.
= good for these leaders to speak out
do not let them declare sieg heil!

[BeHereNow]

57. Too late.

The window was closing ten years ago.
Many of us tried to sound the alarm.

We were ridiculed and called "conspiracy theorists."

We'll see "who called it" very soon now.

BHN

[pleah]

44. K&R

[Capitalocracy]

47. Palin was happy to hear it

as soon as someone explained to her who Joe McCarthy was.

[Wednesdays]

52. K&R

:kick:

[JonBenet Ashcroft]

53. Top 5 parallels: Stalin / Palin

1. Both considered "backwater hicks" from a "backwater state" (Russia's Georgia, U.S.'s Alaska)

2. Both ridiculed for their speaking voice (Uncle Joe avoided public speaking for fear of giving away his Georgian "hick" accent)

3. Both written-off as too-ridiculous to be successful in seizing power

4. Both considered good-looking for a politician

5. Both failed artists (Stalin a failed wanna-be poet, Palin a failed wanna-be sportscaster)

6. Both sparked the passions of a minority mob

7. Both obsessed with power at any cost

8. Both shocked the majority who had written them off with ridicule

9. Both from a state with "secessionist" movements

10. Both willing to identify "domestic enemies" to be targeted as leverage for their own power

[FMBM]

56. Really, how useful are comparisons....

like this? They are beginning to be come tiresome... Someone is like Hitler, someone else is like Pol Pot, and still someone else is like an Argentine General... When really, they are not alike at all... Shouldn't we use the brain power required to develop an honest analysis where Ms. Palin is wrong (should be easy) and and propose the correct counter argument? We would be better served in the arena of ideas...

[BeHereNow]

58. And where do you propose the "honest analysis" will be broadcast?

The "arena of ideas" is closed, in case you hadn't noticed.

Welcome to DU.

BHN

[FMBM]

59. Thank you... It seems to me...

the arena is open here... with 160+ K registered... that ain't chickenfeed. A sound idea will take hold here and spread... We just hear so many comparisons, they lose purchase... Ms. Palin is not stupid, not irrelevant, she is just wrong on some issues... let's engage her head-on and win in the arena of ideas...

[BeHereNow]

60. You are correct- the arena IS open here!

However, we are a very small minority of critical thinkers
and researchers amidst a sea of ignorant and apathetic fellow
citizens; cajoled and encouraged by a multi national corporate media
which has very successfully blocked any and all news from reality.
Hitler would be so very envious of the consolidation and use of
technology and media to control the masses.

Good night and good luck.

BHN