Molly Ivins: Fear and Loathing in America

[Dudley_DUright]

Among the more amusing cluckings from the right lately is their appalled discovery that quite a few Americans actually think George W. Bush is a terrible president.

Robert Novak is quoted as saying in all his 44 years of covering politics, he has never seen anything like the detestation of Bush. Charles Krauthammer managed to write an entire essay on the topic of "Bush haters" in Time magazine, as though he had never before come across such a phenomenon.

Oh, I stretch memory way back, so far back, all the way back to -- our last president. Almost lost in the mists of time though it is, I not only remember eight years of relentless attacks from Clinton-haters, I also notice they haven't let up yet. Clinton-haters accused the man of murder, rape, drug-running, sexual harassment, financial chicanery and official misconduct, and his wife of even worse.

For eight long years, this country was a zoo of Clinton-haters. Any idiot with a big mouth and a conspiracy theory could get a hearing on radio talk shows, "Christian" broadcasts and nutty Internet sites. People with transparent motives, people paid by tabloid magazines, people with known mental problems, ancient Clinton enemies with notoriously racist pasts -- all were given hearings, credence and air time. Sliming Clinton was a sure road to fame and fortune on the right, and many an ambitious young right-wing hitman -- like David Brock, who has since made full confession -- took that golden opportunity.

more...

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=15681

[elfwitch]

1. Just love Molly!

I think Molly is great.
She keeps up the good fight.
:toast:

[LostInAmerica]

2. Molly is a national treasure!

And her new book is out today. Gotta get it.

Still, I don't take Molly's liberal "wusses" approach to questioning Bush. I'm a frothing, red-faced, fist-pounding Bush-despiser of the first f***ing order! Care to join me?

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Sign me up

I have been calling them righties chickenhawk spring time
cowards, they hate it

[Martin Eden]

10. I never used to be a hater...

...until Bush and his neocon henchmen exploited the tragedy of 9/11 to implement their PNAC imperialism and radical domestic agenda.

As they lied to Congress to extort war powers, manipulated the public through fear and propaganda, and did so draped in the flag with God on their lips while they launched shock & awe against a country that hadn't attacked us, my dislike for the man and opposition to his policies turned into hatred and zeal to bring these criminals down!

[camero]

11. I knew this was going to happen

the moment I saw those planes hit the Twin Towers. It was just the excuse he needed to grab unbridled power.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. GO MOLLY, she is great

as usual

[caledesi]

5. You go girl! Molly hits the nail on the head again!

[ewagner]

6. She's right you know

One of the basic articles of faith in our liberalism is to be open-minded. Being so, we tend not to get too terribly pissed off even when we should. Having said that however, there is nothing worse, or more vindictive, than a liberal who has been pushed too far; who has been lied to one too many times, who sees this administration's "bipartisanship" exposed as the lie it really is.

Molly is also right when she says that the right is much better at hating and just down right meanness than we. That is perhaps the irony of all ironies for it is the right who have "branded" christianity as their own and yet it is the liberals who actually practice honesty, compassion and charity.

Molly is a national treasure.

[Dudley_DUright]

7. I agree E

It is important to be open minded, but not so open minded that your brains fall out. Of course, it does not take much of a brain to see what damage Bush is doing to our country (and the world) and to want to see him sent back to his pig farm in 2004.

[maha]

8. I love Molly Ivins. n/t

[spooky3]

9. thanks, Dud. Great column, Molly.