Maddow Slams Palin's Use of 'Blood Libel' - Before Talking with WaPo Scribe Who Used it in '08 Campaign
Unfortunately for liberals, airbrushing history is so much tougher these days, what with Google and long memories and all.
Here's MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Wednesday disparaging Sarah Palin for her condemnation of liberals' kneejerk "blood libel" against conservatives in the wake of the Tucson shooting (audio) --
MADDOW: Also, for the record, blood libel is not a generic term. It is not a tough, vivid way of saying, don't say that mean thing about me! Blood libel is a specific historic thing. Maybe the best, less said about that the better, though.
More conveniently for Maddow and ilk, the less said the better about previous allegations of "blood libel" beyond its historical origin as a calumny against Jews.
[Video below page break]
In the embedded video, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson appears on Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" in October 2008 to discuss the allegation, later recanted, by a white McCain campaign volunteer that a black man robbed her and carved a "B" on her cheek. Here's the relevant exchange between Olbermann and Robinson at 2:15 in the clip --
OLBERMANN: Put if you would for me this narrative, the initial claim, the fact that it's not true, in some racial/historical context for us.
ROBINSON: The historical context is simple. It is the blood libel against black men concerning the defilement of the flower of Caucasian womanhood. It's been with us for hundreds of years and, apparently, is still with us.
Oddly enough, Robinson's previous reference to "blood libel" never came up when he chatted with Maddow on Wednesday, as can be seen on the segment in its entirety here.
Robinson isn't the only frequent Maddow guest to allege "blood libel" entirely removed from its historical origins in anti-Semitism. So has New York Times columnist Frank Rich, on Oct. 16 2006 while referring to former GOP congressman Mark Foley. Here's what Rich wrote, as cited by Jim Geraghty over at NRO's Campaign Spot (along with a dozen other examples, including Robinson's) -- --
The moment Mr. Foley's e-mails became known, we saw that brand of fearmongering and bigotry at full tilt: Bush administration allies exploited the former congressman's predatory history to spread the grotesque canard that homosexuality is a direct path to pedophilia. It's the kind of blood libel that in another era was spread about Jews.
Can't tell you how much I look forward to Maddow telling Robinson and Rich during their next guest appearances to refrain from such Palinesque ignorance in the future.
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Comments
To Mr Maddow
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 12:43pm.
So sorry the gender reassignment surgery failed.
while Rome burns...
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 12:53pm.
The country is financially hurting. Unemployment is devastating personal finances and government finances and the media clowns think this blood libel statement is something the country cares about?
We'll see how long the Lefty media can keep flapping gums about something the couintry cares absolutely nothing about when next week the Republicans begin to dismantle the obama agenda.
Well, maybe not the country....
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 1:40pm.
...but the 207 people watching his show are interested.
I swear
Submitted by Hoosier Conservative on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 12:55pm.
whenever liberals talk they hear a whooshing sound in their head - they don't even comprehend the meaning of their talking points - only way to explain how they contradict themselves so much
But "Teabagger" was an OK
Submitted by rwesley2.0 on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 12:57pm.
But "Teabagger" was an OK term for all you lefties to use. You brushed off the assertion that it was a homosexual slur. Hypocrisy much?
Maddow is so gay.....
Submitted by Barack_must_go..... on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 1:08pm.
Maddow is so gay.....
Barack_Must_Go.....
well...
Submitted by humanzee on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 1:45pm.
They got worked up into a frenzy and started flingling baseless accusations around. When the facts came out, they'd found that they've made complete morons out of themselves.
Another mishandled tragedy for Obama and the liberals...
1) they attack Sarah Palin and then she counters in epic style. Blood libel. She delivers the KO punch and they go down and they start whining the sissies. They weren't expected Palin to counter with that. She hit the nail right on the head.
2) the Memorial makes Obama look like an ass hat. The left wing media has been trying to spin it but the damage is done. In front of millions of people, they made a mockery out of a tragedy. He's laughing and grinning it up as Arizona college students cheer at him with fanboy/fangirl zeal.
Did you see how confused Daniel Hernandez looked? The poor guy is still traumatized and then they put him on the spot. It was uneasy seeing him fidget in his seat. A solemn occassion turned into a tacky political circus event.
Obama's administration is a disaster.
"Memorial" service was appalling
Submitted by Jack Coleman on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 2:44pm.
That conga line was the last straw. And when you grab your free T-shirt, don't forget to register to vote!
Copy and paste, cached pages
Submitted by Ashrak on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 1:54pm.
Copy and paste, cached pages and screenshot software, combined of course with a population which is absolutely fed up with being spoonfed utter idiocy by Establishment media, is destroying the longstanding powerstructure and indoctrination techniques employed by the political left to support and enable the march toward a communist/socialist revision of this once free nation.
Currently, we see articles like this mostly, but the real deal blows the lid when the half-hour comparison videos of "this" right next to "that" become as common as these exampling articles are becoming today. These articles, these transcripts, and the video evidence they often contain are the truth that the pressure within the cooker is indeed building to dangerous levels for the most dishonest "reporters" among us.
I have long been contemplating when the embarrassment would finally set in with these "journalists". I would like to thank all the folks at NewsBusters and MRC who are providing the best vehicle delivering that very package. At some point, the Rachels and the Kieths and the Eugenes and the Chriss of the world will have no choice but to take delivery, and ownership, of them.
Well said, Ashrak
Submitted by ant on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 2:24pm.
I think the establishment press knows in it's heart that the balance of power and knowledge is returning to the people where it belongs and this creeping perception of their loss of influence is what has them foaming at the mouth.
If Obama had and class or common sense he would..
Submitted by richard on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 3:03pm.
....have hushed the crowd immediately, with a gentle reminder that, "We are all here for a solemn memorial, so please hold your applause and shout outs." Kinda shows how he reacts, or better yet, non-reacts to any intense situation, doesn't it? My thought at the very first applause was, what's wrong with these clowns. Dismissing them as just college students doesn't cut it. No wonder our country is so efd up, and these are supposed to be our future leaders!
What else can we expect from
Submitted by Barack_must_go..... on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 4:36pm.
What else can we expect from the narcissistic Ass Clown? It's never his fault, no matter who, what, where or when, it's always someone else..........and for pretty much two years now, he's gotten away with it.
I have a theory.....it's a black thing. Some, mostly on the left, subconsciously discount ( handicap ) everything he does ( screws up ) reflexively.
They'll deny it's because deep down inside they're all just racist, bigoted bastards, who do not believe a black man measures up as president, but then every single lame street media outlet will spend days on end dissecting and reinterpreting ( spinning ), ad nauseum, what he actually meant, as opposed to what he himself stated........ALWAYS.
I have never before in my lifetime ever witnessed this kind of queer, abhorrent behavioural phenomenon, especially not where the president of the United States of America is concerned......can anyone else explain to me WHY?
Barack_Must_Go.....
Hello-o-o!
Submitted by rammingspeed on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 3:10pm.
Only liberals are allowed to use metaphors. What about that don't we understand?
Fact is no one cares about
Submitted by Free Thinker on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 3:21pm.
Fact is no one cares about Sarah Palin using a common phrase to aptly describe how the leftist media has unfairly treated her. The media mothpieces have had to manufacture a non-controversy in an attempt to not have to admit the effectiveness of her speech or the fact that she has come away from this tragedy stronger after the same press that seeks to destroy her made her a victim through its own disgusting behavior by disgracefully inserting her into the story to begin with. I mean, how is that for karma?
Sarah Palin Is Right About
Submitted by stratman on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 3:27pm.
Sarah Palin Is Right About ‘Blood Libel’By SHMULEY BOTEACH
Boteach is an Orthodox Rabbi.
No one owns the phrase "blood libel". Likewise, no one owns the words "holocaust" or "lynching". To think otherwise is arrogance and/or ignorance. We may initialy associate these words with certain groups, but it would be a gross diservice to history and fact to fail in appropriately identifying others outside our modern sensibilities as victims of these obscenities as well.
Nicely played, Strat
Submitted by Blonde on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 3:53pm.
Judaism rejects the idea of collective responsibility for murder, as the Hebrew Bible condemns accusations of collective guilt against Jew and non-Jew alike. "The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him" (Ezekiel 18).
I wasn't overly thrilled about her use of the term "blood libel" when I first heard it, but again, she's used a very short turn of phrase to call a thing by its real name, rather than to allow the media to shape and puff and euphamize. Palin has once again reframed the debate (and liberal lies, a la "death panels") in conservative ideations and phraseology.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Metaphorically Speaking...
Submitted by stratman on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 4:54pm.
Palin gets the media fairies to dance on the head of her pin.
The media are stalkers. Palin is a hunter.
What da hell is Gene doing
Submitted by donabernathy on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 4:05pm.
using the term Blood Libel .... the Jooos have had that term copywrited for a thousand years...don't he know the term for his people is "it's a lynching"
roflmao