Did you hear Steve King (R) after Colbert spoke to the committee?

[sinkingfeeling]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/24/colbert.house.immigration/index.html?hpt=T2

"Maybe we should be spending less time watching Comedy Central and more time considering all the real jobs that are out there -- ones that require real hard labor and ones that don't involve sitting behind a desk," said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

"If we did we'd realize that every day ... Americans perform the dirtiest, most difficult, most dangerous (jobs) that can be thrown at them."

Many of these workers, King said, "would prefer the aroma of fresh dirt to that of the sewage of American elitists who disparage them even as they flush."

[City Lights]

1. I suggest that Steve King go flush himself. nt

[LiberalAndProud]

2. It would seam that King was well prepared for Colbert's appearance.

King rehearsed this gem well before Colbert even arrived in DC.

Nothing like fingers in the ears, lalalalalalalala politicians.

[blondeatlast]

10. Of coursae he came up with that line extemporaneously; he was just so very inspired!

It's cynics like you that have brought America down.

(Do I really need the dripping red thingy?_

[blondeatlast]

3. Or the aroma of blood, sweat, tears, and grease...

oops, all those jobs went to Mexico.

[Gman]

4. When was the last time King got his hands dirty?

and I'm not talking about digging in his backyard.

[uncommon]

8. "Well listen here son, I'm from IOWA - 'we' know about corn pickin' and blah blah blah..."

What a load.

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

25. Probably when he cleaned his gun last month.

And by "gun", I mean "ridiculous Israeli military weapon that he uses to shoot racoons for fun"

[frylock]

48. when his hand slipped wiping his shit-ass?

[Warpy]

5. Jaysis! Talk about projection!

Hard working people don't disparage each other, no matter how disgusting their jobs are. What we disparage are scumbucket employers who sit behind desks in air conditioned offices who send the jobs overseas or look for illegal aliens to hire so they can stiff them on wages.

Hey, Steve, you guys in the expensive suits are the real enemies out there, not people who pick up trash or work in sewage treatment facilities or clean up old people in nursing homes.

[uncommon]

6. They really consider themselves something other than "Americans" don't they? He sits at a desk

disparaging workers who sit at desks.

Fuck you Steve (and I don't mean Colbert).

[Brickbat]

7. Yes, yes -- Americans DO peform these jobs. With safety regulations, good pay, and insurance.

[valerief]

9. Uh, is King trying to imply that Colbert was making fun of the migrant workers?

Let's hope "the stupid" doesn't "take".

[blondeatlast]

11. Too late, I've already seen tath meme on DU. nt

[Hello_Kitty]

18. What's going to "take" with American voters

Is that a rich liberal elitist is calling them lazy.

Someday progressives are going to figure out that our talking points on immigration are insulting as all fuck.

[Hello_Kitty]

12. Colbert's stunt was stupid and divisive.

I fucking KNEW this was how the repukes were going to respond and their response will resonate with Americans. I never ceases to amaze me how clueless and tone-deaf progressives are on this issue. Oddly enough - "Americans are a bunch of lazy slobs who shun hard work" - isn't a persuasive talking point. Who knew?

[valerief]

14. Yeah, but just think what Colberts FANS will do!!!!!! nt

[Brickbat]

15. It's been hitting me wrong the last few days as well.

A made-up talk-show host testifying before Congress? What the?

[uncommon]

21. Did you miss the part of the segment where Chu brought up the previous appearances of Elmo and

Clint Eastwood?

And those were requested by Republicans.

[Brickbat]

22. *Shrug*

I'm annoyed by many things.

[valerief]

28. He's a REAL talk show host with a lot of fans to whom he can bring this issue. nt

[Brickbat]

30. I wonder if that's it.

Maybe I'm fed up that the only thing that can get people excited anymore is a satirical talk-show host testifying before Congress. Because damn, what does that say.

[treestar]

55. Why would anyone change their mind because they like his show?

I agree with him and never watch his show.

On the other hand, because I thought a comedian was funny would not mean they could change my mind on a serious issue.

I suppose he is there because he took the job, but you'd think they'd want someone with more long term experience on the subject.

[valerief]

58. He will bring the issue to their attention because of his show. nt

[peacetalksforall]

44. Stephen Colbert is an intellectual whose profession is comedy. You don't see

through hypocricies the way does, then deliver it without using Jackie Mason meanness, content and delivery.

Colbert is brilliant, he is a citizen, he is a citizen who cares or he wouldn't be in that and on that show. He has the media and a method for unravelling the truth of crap that someone is always trying to push into our brains.

He had already been working on this project and was invited.

I haven't seen it yet, but for me, he is brilliant enough to handle it right. In Colbert I trust.

The country is living a lie about immigrant workers. Anyone who can contribute to sense and logic is who we need.

[blondeatlast]

19. I bet you did. nt

[Hello_Kitty]

27. So, fellow Arizonan, are you enjoying this election season?

Looking forward to Dems getting our clocks cleaned in statewide and legislative races because the brilliant and compelling message that we have to counter SB1070 is "they do jobs Americans won't do!"

[alfredo]

29. No matter what was said or who said it, the Reps would

find a way to slander them, even to the point of lying about what was said.

[Hello_Kitty]

36. But there's no reason to play into every stereotype about liberal elitists.

I mean, Jesus Christ.

[alfredo]

50. Those who don't get it probably won't vote for us anyway.

[TonyMontana]

31. It's SATIRE

[Hello_Kitty]

35. It was STUPID.

Fucking handing Republicans a talking point about clueless out-of-touch liberal elitists.

[TonyMontana]

41. No sense of humor whatsoever

[Hello_Kitty]

42. Whatever.

I don't find poverty tourism played for yuks to be funny but YMMV.

[treestar]

53. That's never said

The point is usually that Americans have higher ambitions and can get a better job. In a good economy, that's true. Mexicans aren't so fortunate if they are poor, and they want those jobs.

No one says Americans are lazy, we are just luckier, better educated, etc.

[Hello_Kitty]

59. "Jobs Americans won't do" is an accusation of laziness in any economy.

It's a pointed attack on the most vulnerable socio-economic caste of U.S. citizens, who just don't get pissed on enough, apparently. Poor Americans aren't luckier and better educated, but they are a convenient scapegoat for both conservatives and liberals.

[Junkdrawer]

54. DU is amazing. I can come here and find *someone* who will attack...

just about anything progressive and defend just about anything right wing.

[Hello_Kitty]

60. What am I defending that's right wing?

A living wage?

Safe working conditions?

An end to exploitation?

[Missy Vixen]

61. Colbert's been trending on Twitter all day

I'm guessing You Tube and C-SPAN's servers are getting pounded as well.

He didn't do this for the assholes who think they'll use it to make political points.

He did this for his viewership, the 18-30 year olds who get their news from "Colbert Report", according to PEW. They aren't old enough to know who Cesar Chavez was. Stephen is. He wants to make sure they know, too.

The rebuke of the Bible verse he quoted should send a cold shiver down the spine of the faux Republican "Christians", too.

He called them out. He did a great job of it. No matter what they say, they look stupid, and he wins. After all, his entire reason for doing this was to get younger people to realize that the strawberries and oranges they buy in the produce department get picked by a person, not a machine, and their plight is shameful.

[Hello_Kitty]

62. But he never once attacked the people truly responsible for their plight

The greedy corporations and hypocritical cheap labor Republican politicians. Colbert's mockery was reserved for ordinary American workers and consumers. Based on what I saw, his young audience won't be taking away the message that we must improve working conditions on American farms. They're learning that we must increase the number of visas for migrant farm workers (who are a small percentage of the undocumented workforce) because working class Americans are lazy slobs. If he's trying to teach his young audience a lesson, it's that farm work is supposed to be horrible and that brown people from parts South of us are supposed to do it for poverty wages.

[Enrique]

13. I take it he's not a fan? n/t

[KansDem]

16. Wow!!! I wonder what corporate lobbyist wrote that for him!

I'm sure they were "prepared" for the Colbert appearance...

[Vinca]

17. Uhhh, doesn't King's job involve sitting behind a desk?

The dirtiest job he has is running his mouth.

[chelsea0011]

20. I'm sure Colbert's writers will not be laying down after King's comments

It will be fun next week watching them take him apart.

[southernyankeebelle]

23. Did we really expect anything different from the republicans? No they have no compassion unless its

welfare for corporations and the rich. This country is going backwards to the 19th century. We democratics seem to be losing. I feel we are loosing because our representatives and also on the dole with corporations. We are getting screwed by both parties.

[Vincardog]

24. Thank GAWD that The Racist bigot is going to be redistricted out of office.

[alfredo]

26. He also said that Eskimos can do without fresh fruits and

vegetables, so why can't the rest of us. Of course the Eskimos get their vit C from the raw or lightly cooked skin and blubber of whales and fish. They have had centuries to adapt to their climate and diet.

[uncommon]

33. It was a joke.

If they didn't want a hear a few, they shouldn't have invited a comedian.

[alfredo]

49. Are you sure king was joking about that?

[Nikki Stone1]

32. "the dirtiest, most difficult, most dangerous (jobs) that can be thrown at them." Where's OSHA?

Or has that been thoroughly gutted too?

[uncommon]

34. Isn't it the case the farms are exempt from a lot of the safety etc laws that protect workers?

I remember always seeing exceptions for farm workers on those OSHA posters when I worked in restaurants and retail.

[Nikki Stone1]

37. That statement wasn't referring to farms.

That's why I asked about OSHA.

[Hello_Kitty]

38. They're exempt from minimum wage and child labor laws. eom

[mrcheerful]

39. Funny how these scum talk about jobs American's won't do except for the fact Americans do these jobs

when they get decent wages and not garbage wage paid to teens living at home while on summer vacation. Anyone who has worked the fields know one of the ways migrant workers can earn a living off bean picking is their whole family works with them, from grandpa down to the 10 year old grand kid then they pool their wages for the good of the family. When they run out of field jobs the legal migrant workers then go on welfare, hell they pay their taxes they are entitled to get government help between picking seasons. Just more Republicons with their Americans won't do hard work crap, based on what republicons themselves won't do for a wage, look no farther then O'D to see the real grifters of America.

[Hello_Kitty]

47. Actually, it's a bunch of Democrats saying it right now. Right here on DU.

Catapulting every right wing cheap labor lobby bash-the-poor talking point they can get their hands on. And feeling oh-so-smug and self-satisfied about it.

[Mr. Sparkle]

40. Maybe Steve should be spending less time watching Fox noise.

Trying to shutdown government and acting like an extremest.

[Edweird]

43. I like Colbert but on this issue he's completely wrong.

[Hello_Kitty]

57. It's the limousine liberal/country club Republican position. eom

[TexasObserver]

45. King is an idiot, even for a Republican congressman.

He's in the top five percent of GOP morons. He distinguishes himself with the dumb things he says.

[TZ]

46. Coming from someone who probably has never so much as lifted

a fingernail in manual labor this is an incredibly stupid statement. I have no doubt he's a far worse elitist than anyone he puts that label on

[spanone]

51. lighten up francis

[Jefferson23]

52. This from the man who spews more raw sewage from his mouth

than most politicans.

[Initech]

56. Frank Zappa was right: they hate to be laughed at.