Newsweek's Meacham: Dems have 'irrational hatred of Bush'

[edbermac]

Following MSNBC's January 31 coverage of the Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union address -- delivered by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) -- Newsweek managing editor Jon Meacham referred to "the base" of the Democratic Party as "the people who have an almost irrational hatred of George W. Bush." After Kaine's speech, Hardball host Chris Matthews asked Meacham if Democrats are "afraid because of divisions within their own party over policy to make a clear statement" in opposition to Bush's Iraq policies. Meacham responded that "they're afraid because the people who get elected president, who are Democrats, are centrist governors." He added that "they have a very hard time ... keeping the left wing of their party happy, which is the base; and they're the very active people. They're the most vocal people. They're the people who have an almost irrational hatred of George W. Bush." Meacham equated this "almost irrational hatred" with "the way the hard right in the Republican Party had an irrational hatred of Bill Clinton." He added: "I mean some things never change."

MATTHEWS: And here, the Democrats had a fellow come on tonight and say -- this is how strong he got -- "Are the president's policies the best way to win this war?" That's it. That was the criticism. Are they afraid to take on this president on his central, signature issue of the war in Iraq?

MEACHAM: Well, I hate to say it, but I do think that -- that response illuminates a good bit of the Democratic problem right now, which is that there is not been a powerfully articulated critique of this president. And there is a -- there's much to critique, obviously.

MATTHEWS: Are they afraid because of divisions within their own party over policy to make a clear statement?

MEACHAM: I think they're afraid because the people who get elected president, who are Democrats, are centrist governors. And I think that they have a very hard time playing to the -- keeping the left wing of their party happy, which is the base; and they're the very active people. They're the most vocal people. They're the people who have an almost irrational hatred of George W. Bush in the way the hard right in the Republican Party had an irrational hatred of Bill Clinton. I mean some things never change.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200602010004

Actually, I think it's a very rational hatred...:sarcasm:

[Caution]

1. One word: Hillary

Want to talk about irrational hatred some more?

[YOY]

8. Another Word: Bill

n/t

[JeffR]

2. Yep

Illegal war
Warrantless wiretapping
Katrina response
Record deficits
Stolen elections

I'm just not rational...
:argh:

[kentuck]

5. Yep...

totally irrational....No reason to hate Bush or what he has done, as if there is a difference?

[JeffR]

10. Let's all say it together

Sunny nobility, sunny nobility, sunny nobility...

[emulatorloo]

19. tweety did not go along w this -- newsweek shill pure and simple

in fact, this person was sent away quickly -- and post SOTU on MSNBC for the most part was quite negative.

[JeffR]

21. I'm grasping at straws these days

Looking for anything to convince me the whole planet hasn't gone crazy. This is something, I guess.

[n2doc]

3. Hatred of W- It's not just for democrats anymore!

There are a fair number of conservatives who speak about bb brain in tones of hatred. Anybody who hates what he and the neocons have done to this country will feel pretty strongly about them.

[shance]

4. Bush/Cheney wrote the blueprint for irrational hatred against all others.

They are racist, hate women, and are totally irrational.

When they call us irrational, they are saying the truth is irrational.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. I can't find anything to disagree with here

it reminds me of the right and Clinton..maybe a bit more rabid, however. But that's politics: a rearrangement of hatreds.

[wtmusic]

11. I'll disagree with the idea that theirs was equally rational

Impeachment for lying about a blowjob vs. violations of federal wiretapping laws? Not even close.

[BurtWorm]

16. I agree with you, wt. I don't think it's irrational or hatred, exactly.

Hatred does not describe the repulsion I feel for the symbolic head of a movement to crush American democracy and freedom. It's too weak a word.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

25. I don't know what the word is, either

but I recognize it from the Clinton term.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

23. I'm not arguing rational or irrational, just the level of hatred.

[dennis4868]

24. what exactly did Clinton do.....

that he should be so personally hated? Who diod he kill? When did he lie to congress about the cost of the medicare bill? When did he out a CIA agent? When did he take a dump on the constitution?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

26. You miss my point

I'm not saying it was justified..I'm just saying it existed. The Right despised Bill Clinton. Absolutely despised him.

[dennis4868]

29. you are missing my point.....

I am trying to say that the hatred from the right of Clinton was irrational hatred. Our hate is certainly not irrational!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

30. I guess you missed my post 23. HOW COULD YOU?

LOL

I had put aside the whole concept of irrational/rational and was just saying it existed.

Personally I think all hatred is irrational.

[wtmusic]

7. Either that, or...

the RW has an irrational disregard for his trampling of the Constitution.

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. Irrational hatred? I haven't seen any calls for assassination.

At least not from the left, even the "hard left." Plenty of right wing nut jobs have declared war on liberals though. Quite literally.

[Loge23]

12. It's not just Dems

All kinds of folks hate this administration.
Any rationally thinking individual wuold almost certainly hate them!

[CJCRANE]

28. Meacham should've been asked to name one country

where * isn't hated or ridiculed.

[Ksec]

13. Yea, its not like hes earned that hatred or anything...

Millions of people now living in poverty since he took over. Corruption in the party of the rich at levels never before seen. Tax cuts for those rich , while we tumble into poverty... Nah. No reason for all that hatred.

[tularetom]

14. I don't waste my time "hating" anybody

However I do have nothing but contempt for bush's incompetence, lying, and failure to do his job.

I also have contempt for Newsweek and its repeated attempts to categorize bush opponents as wild eyed fanatics. Meacham, Evan Thomas, Michael Isikoff, Fineman - have you ever seen a more pathetic group of pub apologists?

[Drewskie]

35. Yea on fox news... (nt)

[quiet.american]

15. What about Bush's irrational hatred of "libruls"?

Not a word about this, ever.

[ananda]

17. Lol

So we're supposed to love and respect the ones who lie
and kill?

I don't think so.

But I'm rational.

[BushOut06]

18. I would say Bush has a very irrational hatred of the Constitution

But that's just me...and about a few million other Americans ;)

But hey - don't let me speak for anyone :)

[cyclezealot]

20. Saw the SOTU with an Ann Arbor peace group last nite.

Yeah. Sure felt like hatred and it felt good. but, the taunts when the dictator spoke his lies. sure sounded well informed and rational to me. Some times there is cause for harsh feeling. Like the Quakers in Miami. But groups like that don't hate, even when faced with illegal arrest like Cindy Sheenan.
don't think we are hated by these racist thugs. call Tom Delay's office and attempt to argue with their staff.

[dennis4868]

22. over 2,000 americans dead in Iraq....

because of a lie....nuff said!

[Straight Shooter]

27. What's irrational is anybody who would support bush.

It totally defies logic on all counts. It goes against every instinct for self-preservation and the desire for a better life for oneself and one's children.

Let's talk about irrational, such as ridiculous questions like: MATTHEWS: Are they afraid because of divisions within their own party over policy to make a clear statement? Has bush ever made a clear statement yet, other than "Bring 'em on"?

edit: and furthermore, Matthews is irrational because he can't discern the difference between concern over the path of our party, and being afraid of so-called divisions.

[LynnTheDem]

31. Ain't nuthin' "irrational" about it. bush EARNED my hatred.

After watching far too many of my friends being buried six feet under for bush's illegal war of aggression.

Besides, I hate stupid MFers just on principle.

[sandnsea]

32. I have a rational hatred of Bush

What's irrational is not recognizing that the idiot who fucks up everything he touches should be regarded with anything but hatred.

[dchill]

40. ME TOO!

But I'm also developing a 'rational hatred of Meacham' - and everyone else in the media who continues to give Bush the benefit of a doubt on anything. Even real ostriches would have pulled their heads out of the sand by now.

[mitchum]

33. No, I have a very cold, reasoned, and rational hatred of him

[Gregorian]

34. Hatred for Clinton is irrational. Hatred for Hitler is rational.

Only an idiot could confuse those.

Clinton left Bush a golden egg. Trillions in cash.

Not many Jews have a liking for Hitler. And like Hitler, Bush is creating a hell on earth for millions of people.

A picture is worth a thousand words-

[EFerrari]

36. Step away from the Tweetie. It will add years to your life. n/t

[guidod]

37. Hey Meacham!

I HATE BUSH AND I'M NOT AFRAID!!!!! DICKWAD!

[Vinca]

38. I think Meacham's a major Bible thumper which might explain

his irrational view of the entire situation. Fundies of a feather stick together.

[DoYouEverWonder]

39. Actually, I'm very rational

about hating Bush.

[Skittles]

41. there is nothing irrational about my hatred for that evil piece of shit

it is a NORMAL human reaction