Howard may Gallop On, but Greenberg is full of Horse Shit.

[Pacifist Patriot]

Paul Greenberg begins his column, Howard Dean Gallops On, by referencing a recent Fox News interview with Dick Cheney. He includes the Cheney quote, “So far, I think he’s probably helped us more than he has them. That’s not the kind of individual you want to have representing your political party. I really think Howard Dean’s over the top.” While decrying Governor Dean’s lack of civility in American politics, Mr. Greenberg conveniently leaves out additional remarks made by Cheney in the same interview in which the Vice President stated, “I’ve never been able to understand his appeal. Maybe his mother loved him, but I’ve never met anybody who does. He’s never won anything, as best I can tell.” Cheney’s remarks are not only uncharitable and juvenile, they are deliberate lies since anyone paying scant attention to politics is aware that Howard Dean has been elected governor of Vermont and chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

I find it interesting that Mr. Greenberg parenthetically observes “Does anybody else get an interview with the administration’s top guns?” when noting that Fox News interviewed Dick Cheney. Such a statement only lends credence to Howard Dean’s reaction when he refused to comment based on Fox being a propaganda arm of the Republican Party rather than a legitimate news medium. I also noticed that Mr. Greenberg insists on referring to Howard Dean as Dr. Dean rather than Chairman Dean or Governor Dean as customary etiquette practice dictates. I believe this choice to be a deliberate attempt to emphasize disdain for Gov. Dean’s presence in politics rather than acknowledging his accomplishments in the medical field; a rather immature, if subtle, tactic.

Mr. Greenberg’s column continues to unravel which each successive paragraph. He claims that describing the Republican party as “pretty much a white, Christian party” isn’t the savviest thing for Dean to have said in a country full of white Christians. I’m wondering exactly which modifier is the insult. Is it Republican, white or Christian? According to the Pew Research Center, 82% of people who identify themselves as Republicans are white and Christian. Over 95% of elected Republicans fit this description. Although Mr. Greenberg quotes Ken Mehlman, the Jewish GOP national chairman in his column and mentions Colin Powell, Condi Rice and Alberto Gonzales, he misses the point completely although just two paragraphs earlier he accurately quoted Dean who clearly said, “pretty much a white, Christian party,” which according to statistical evidence is a true statement.

Mr. Greenberg also takes issue with Dean’s comment that a lot of Republicans “have never made an honest living in their lives,” but fails to provide full context in which Governor Dean was insulting Republican leaders not rank and file voters. Given the lies we’ve been told by the Bush administration and the ongoing controversy surrounding Senator Delay, there is certainly some question in my mind as to the honest living these Republicans are making.
I continue to be both amused and dismayed by the cognitive dissonance required on the part of Republican apologists criticizing a behavior their own party has perfected. Is Mr. Greenberg unfamiliar with Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter who spew venomous epithets at Democrats and other liberals on a routine basis? Mr. Greenberg would do well to familiarize himself with the following examples of civility in American politics.

· “I think one of the great problems we have in the Republican Party is that we don't encourage you to be nasty. We encourage you to be neat, obedient, loyal and faithful and all those Boy Scout words, which would be great around a campfire but are lousy in politics.” – Newt Gingrich, R. GA

· "If George Bush loses the election, Osama bin Laden wins the election," –Aat a Canadinan County Republicans meeting in which he said a vote against the re-election of President Bush is like supporting Adolph Hitler during World War Two. Or supporting Osama bin Laden now. – Tom Cole, R. OK

· She was "putting on an act" by associating the Confederacy with slavery: "The War Between the States was about independence, about self-determination, about the right of a people to break free of a government to which they could no longer give allegiance. How long is this endless groveling before every cry of 'racism' going to continue before the whole country collectively throws up?" – Pat Buchanan, former White House advisor to Republican President Richard Nixon, July 28, 1993 after Sen. Carol Moseley Braun blocked a federal patent for a Confederate flag insignia.


· "Liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers. Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 and the attacks and prepared for war." The Democratic Party made the mistake of calling for "moderation and restraint" after the terrorist attacks. "Conservatives saw what happened to us on 9/11 and said we will defeat our enemies. Liberals saw what happened to us and said we must understand our enemies. No more needs to be said about the motives of liberals." – Karl Rove, Republican political operative June 22, 2005.


In the 2000 presidential primary, Governor George Bush used reprehensible push polling tactics in South Carolina to slur Senator McCain by implying he had an illegitimate child. In the 2004 presidential campaign, Senator Kerry’s honorable military record was disputed by a series of ads sponsored by sympathetic Republicans; claims since refuted by Navy Department records. During this same campaign, Kerry denounced a MoveOn.org ad questioning Bush’s Texas National Guard service despite questions that linger to this day regarding Bush’s actual whereabouts. Mr. Greenberg concludes his column with the phrase, “Dr. Dean makes even Dick Cheney look warm and cuddly. And he just won’t stop.” This is rich considering Cheney’s comment to Senator Patrick Leahy when he suggested Senator Leahy, “Fuck yourself,” in Senate chambers on June 22, 2004.

Certainly Democrats can be as acerbic as Republicans when engaging in the rhetoric of partisan politics but at least they freely own up to their bitterness and do not pretend they are above such behavior. Republicans would do well to stop whining and pretending this repartee is anything other than business as usual. The phony victim stance merely renders the posturing and bluster ridiculous.

More importantly than the tone, however, is the content. Democrats Joe Biden, Steny Hoyer and John Edwards may disagree with the manner in which Howard Dean chose to express himself, but no one can deny the truth of his statements. The Republican party of today is indeed pretty much a party of white, Christians which is a shame given their historical roots. As for the “honest living” comment, Mr. Greenberg covers this pretty well. Given the erroneous content, insulting implications, disrespect for a two-party system and disingenuous conclusions within this column, I think we have compelling evidence of what constitutes an “honest living” for this Republican syndicated columnist.


----

I'm sorry I cannot find a link to Greenberg's original column. If anyone can find it, please post it.

[patdem]

1. Here is a link...Thanks for this post...these people are truly AMAZING!

http://www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/subcategory.jsp?catid=1096

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. Weird. I see that it's dated 6/23, but that's not the column I read

in my paper this morning. The first sentence of the column I'm referencing says, "Dick Cheney let the word out during a recent interview with Fox News." I wonder if it will be on Greenberg's site tomorrow.

[kentuck]

3. They only criticize those folks that are a threat to them....

When they criticize you, that means you are doing a good job! Dick Durbin, are you listening?

[FreedomAngel82]

8. I agree

I've noticed that with them. If they kick, scream and whine about something you've done it's the right direction. All the democrats in DC should take a hint!

[EC]

4. Well, the fact that they are trying to make the Democrats

dump Dean, tells me, he's making progress and they are beginning to run scared. I saw this during his presidential campaign too, I knew they were afraid of him...and what did the Dem's do in the primaries? They fell for it and dumped him...Kerry is a good man, but I sometimes think they would have had a harder time smearing Dean with anything else, other than the crazy man routine.

[Pacifist Patriot]

5. I agree. I think it is an excellent sign that they are attacking Dean

and trying to sow the seeds of discontent. Like you, I hope no one listens this time.

[wicket]

6. kick

:kick:

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. Thanks. I amended it when I blogged it.

I added the following sentences to the end of the second to last paragraph.

"In truth, this is indicative of genuine concern on the part of the Republicans and a positive sign for the Democrats. If Howard Dean were not a threat they would never dignify his remarks with a response let alone an indignant and crass rebuttal."