Anyone listen to John Danforth on Franken's show?

[Marr]

He's been getting alot of coverage this week for writing a book that's supposedly critical of the Bush Administration. As a former Republican senator, his comments are being touted as indicative of some larger change in public opinion, comparable to Murtha's.

God, what an ass that man was. He droned on and on about how we need to move to the "center". He, of course, defined himself as occupying the center, but then proceeded to praise Clarence Thomas as being a great judge, and said the present polarized state of American politics can be blamed on Democrats and Republicans equally.

He said both parties play to their base, and suggested those bases should be marginalized in favor of the "center". The Republican base, said Danforth, are the right-wing Christian fundamentalists. The left wing base, which is (according to Danforth) equally deserving of being marginalized, is "the labor unions, the teachers' union, etc."

THAT'S supposed to be the center? If so, I say we stay polarized.

[Cosmocat]

1. WTF ...

is with these people and the gall darn teachers unions ??? I mean, for the every loving son of god, if you want ANY group of people supported it is freakin teachers ...

[AX10]

2. There is no such thing as a sensible Republican.

Chaffee is a right wing enabler. John McCain is a right wing enabler.
Lindsay Graham is a right wing enabler!

[xxqqqzme]

3. nope, sorry - stream Hartmann

Glad I missed danforth - thanks for the report.

[Marr]

4. Where do you stream Thom Hartmann from?

I love that guy's show but I have trouble finding it.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

20. I know it seems unbelievable but...

http://www.thomhartmann.com/

[BOSSHOG]

5. I'm glad danforth was on

Thanks to 15 minutes on franken, danforth is no longer the sweet little docile peace and love person he has made himself out to be (at least in my liberal veteran mind.) He is no less a menace then bill frist.

That's why I appreciate Franken. He often airs such persons and exposes (accidentally or not) the reasons I would choose not to follow them.

My opinion of danforth changed exponentially in the last hour.

[tblue]

7. Sounds to me like Rove got to him

before he went on the air. Ve hav vays....

From what I'd heard, it didn't sound like his book was gonna be about Dem bashing, but then I haven't read it, so what do I know?

[Pirate Smile]

10. Me too. I kind of liked the guy ( or at least thought he was decent).

He was horrible.

My opinion changed enormously also.

What a bummer for the poor crowd sitting there. Danforth just seemed to drain the energy out of the room completely.

[Pirate Smile]

6. Ugghh. I'm sorry to say that I did hear it. It reminded me of the

idiotic type of balance the media has sometimes used when one side is ridiculous, lying and caught red handed yet they must evenly report things by showing something from the other side that is in no way comparable.

He was terrible.

He seems to think he can't criticize the RW'ers without saying the other side is just as bad. Jack, sometimes things aren't equal and it is OK to point that out.

It was painful to listen to and you could tell Al knew it.

[tridim]

8. I turned it off after he said we need to move to the center..

and Franken didn't have anything to say about it.

The center is made up of people who don't give a crap about anything. They don't deserve to be pandered to by either party.

[tblue]

11. WE are the center

Everyone else is far right.

Danforth gave us Clarence Thomas who gave us George Bush (FL 2000). So the good Rev. Danforth is responsible for this monster, this coward that we have empowered (to paraphrase Eminem).

[peacetalksforall]

17. "The center is made up of people who don't give a crap about

anything".

Bingo!! I think you're right. I never thought of it that way. Thanks.

No raised concern. Trusting in fools. Don't rock the boat.

On a bell curve, I could never be in the center with people who trust our regimes' leaders. They continue to rape, plague, steal, lie, and kill. The center appeases the killings and endorses everything else.

The situation is dire. Our right and extreme right is so dangerous that they have created another curve at their extreme end.

DLC is center. Nothing gets said or done. And too many or our Dem leaders are DLC and center or to the right.

[etherealtruth]

9. Danforth IS a conservative ... he doesn't claim to be anything different

He is not an insane conservative (think neo-cons, the Chimp and his cabal ...). While I don't agree with him on many, many issues, I do appreciate a saner, more moderate voice on the other side of the aisle.

My disclaimer: The last time I heard Danforth speak was when he was interviewed by Terri Gross ... he didn't sound insane at all (conservative yes) ... He was really pushing his party to distance themselves from the religious (nut)right wing of the party

[Pirate Smile]

12. Were you listening? If you weren't and are just basing your opinion

on your previous encounters with his interviews, etc. then you missed what we are reacting too.

I had viewed him the same way you describe in your comment. After listening to him on Al's show, I don't view him that favorable anymore.

[etherealtruth]

13. That's why I put in my disclaimer ....

What did he say that was different than his previous positions.

I am saddened if he's become a right-wing "nut" vs. a sane person I disagree with.

[Pirate Smile]

14. I don't think he became a RW nut. It was odd and hard to describe.

It was just disappointing because before I had the same view of him as you describe.

It isn't that big a deal. Perhaps he just had a bad day.

Edit to add - Rove and Bush haven't made anything worse, both sides are equally bad. It was a bizarre equivalency he kept parroting and some glorified view of the middle that doesn't really exist.

It was just disappointing. I didn't hear much wisdom. He sounded like a politician who didn't want to offend other Republicans which seems weird considering the book he is promoting. :shrug:

[etherealtruth]

18. Hmmm ...

Thanks.

I would have expected him to be enraged by the Chimp's acceptance of torture, the continuing deaths on all sides in Iraq ... It really is too bad, if he's "sold his soul."

I appreciate your description. Again, thanks for taking the time to describe the interview.

Ooooh, oooh: HAPPY TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY:)

[Vincardog]

15. I am tired of hearing how WE need to move to the center. Every step we

take brings us further to the RIGHT.
The the right moves the line further to the right.

When the (p)Resident wants to legalize torture and illegal unconstitutional wire taps; that is too damn far to the right.


Who the hell is stand up for the LEFT?

By todays standards NIXON was a LIBERAL.

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. If Danforth is claiming the center, it only indicates how far right

we have gone.

He has always been conservative - not batshit religiously insane conservative, but solidly Goldwater Republican conservative. Before the religously insane took over, he would have been off to the right, and balanced by a dem off to the left. Now there is no more left and he only sounds reasonable in comparison with Santorum and Frist and Allen.

[annabanana]

19. "The middle of the road"

[JHB]

21. IIRC, Danforth was Thomas' chief sponsor/advocate for the SC post

Yep, I was right:

From 1974-1977 Thomas was Assistant Attorney General of Missouri under then State Attorney General John Danforth. When Danforth was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976 Thomas left to become an attorney with Monsanto in St. Louis, Missouri. He returned to work for Danforth from 1979-1981 as a Legislative Assistant. Both men shared a common bond in that both had studied to be ordained (although Thomas was Catholic and Danforth was ordained Episcopalian). Danforth was to be instrumental in championing Thomas for the Supreme Court.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Thomas