Politico comment section offers window into the dark soul of today's right wing

[Jennicut]

March 12, 2010 9:06 am ET by Eric Boehlert

I usually avoid trying to make any larger connection, or draw any type of conclusions, based on posted comments online. Most often written anonymously, they certainly tend to be angry and combative and at times downright offensive. Readers can essentially post whatever they want and never be held accountable. Plus, because of the sheer volume of comments, it's difficult for host sites to monitor them all.

Everybody knows online readers from every corner of the political spectrum write all kinds of crazy stuff, day in and day out, which is why I generally just ignore posted comments, and rarely highlight them.

That said, the comment section thread connected to a recent Politico article about how Sen. Harry Reid's wife and daughter were seriously injured in a Washington, D.C. area car crash, was -- even for a online veteran like myself -- just jaw-dropping.

What was so stunning was the sheer, unadulterated hatred that conservative readers tapped into so they could mock and heap scorn on Reid and his injured family, and to wish that Reid's body had been mangled as well. To see this stuff published on a mainstream news site like Politico is also disturbing.

The GOP Noise Machine long ago turned the vitriol way past 11 when it came to trying to dehumanizing their political opponents. And if people want a glimpse into the dark soul of today's right wing, then keep reading.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201003120014

I know sometimes we do this, but really, that is essentially because people like Rush and Rove and Cheney are not decent human beings to begin with and already treat people like trash. But Harry Reid, while being one of my least favorite Dems, is not on their level of evil. And when someone's family gets hurt, it just seems like bad karma to post crap like what was on Politico. Totally not surprised though. RWers have very little feelings and empathy for others. Even I felt for Tony Snow's family when he died of cancer. For most conservatives, it is easier to feel hatred or nothing for their fellow human beings. It makes it easier for them to agree with and promote policies that hurt others. If you don't have to feel and can shut yourself off, then you don't have to care.

[joeybee12]

1. Oh yeah, I stopped going to Politico because of this..at first it was amusing, teh stupid

But in reality it's scary.

[Joanne98]

2. Celebrating Reid's family's accident. They're human scum.

This was the second comment posted under the Politico article about Reid's injured wife and daughter:

Quick, get Rahm out of the shower and send him over there--They might need poking!

This was the third:

Reid's a Mormon, so he probably has spares

And that was just the beginning:

Personally, we don't give a d*mn. If Reid had been in the car too, we'd call that the cherry on the sundae of our day.

And:

A pity Harry wasn't in the car.

And:

Its to bad it wasn`t him instead.

And:

too bad harry wasn't driving the car, with that hag pelosi riding shotgun, love to see her face go splat.......what goes around comes around, keep being socialists....

And:

Too bad it wasn't Queenie Botox Pelosi's demise. KARMA: It WILL Get You!!

And:

If Reid gets his way your family could die in the street for all he cares. Don't give me this crap about respecting his family because I can assure you he doesn't respect yours.

And:

Maybe the creep Seedy Reidy realized his campaign needed some sympathy.

And:

KARMA.........KARMA........KARMA.....Ain't it *Magical*????

And:

... ashes,ashes and they all fall down.......

And:

What goes around comes around....

And:

Poor idiot Ried ,wife and daughter in an accident, right before he accidently destroys the USA. Oh thats right he`s doing it on purpose.

[ericgtr]

5. I will say that I had a peak at freerepublic yesterday and most were sympathetic

and well wishers to the Ried family. Just to be fair.

[villager]

3. Rightwingers are dead inside -- that's what allows them to pursue the policies they do

The massive dysfunction of the American system is that we somehow imagine they have a valid role to play in the political process...

[Jennicut]

4. Exactly. They have no feelings left for anyone else. They are dysfunctional human beings.