Update: Rush Reads From Item
Rush Limbaugh read the first two paras of this item during his first half-hour today, citing "our buddies at NewsBusters." Thanks, Rush! Audio here.
If a supremely prominent Republican who was John McCain's chief surrogate had gotten into an angry confrontation at a campaign event, do you think the broadcast networks would have promptly let us know his interlocutor was African-American?
I do. But none of the broadcast network's morning news shows, at least during this morning's crucial first half-hour, disclosed the African-American identity of the man with whom Bill Clinton got into just such an argument yesterday in Ohio.
Not a word of any incident whatsoever at GMA or the Early Show, at least during the first half-hour. Today did mention that Clinton "showed his temper . . . after an Obama supporter tried to disrupt his speech in Canton," but nothing about the man's identity.
View video here.
I learned the identity of the man, Robert Holeman [shown here illustrating how Pres. Clinton allegedly gave him a little "pop" in the face], by watching today's Morning Joe. MSNBC is of course part of the NBC News operation. But the cable show's audience is a small fraction of its broadcast parent's.
View video here.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Last night I got an email from one of our embeds [Ed.: and Bill's campaigning is increasingly resembling a war zone] saying that Bill Clinton was wagging his finger, poked his finger, actually hit a guy, and then we got an email an hour or two later saying he was shouting at a pro-life [inaudible] --Mika Brzezinski rode to Bill's defense.
WILLIE GEIST: This is the first incident here; this is just video, you can see, he's in Canton, Ohio. Apparently during his speech where he was campaigning for his wife there was this person, a pro-Obama person, sort of heckling him during the speech. He got up in the guy's face there on the rope line.
SCARBOROUGH: Look how close he is to the guy's face!
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Maybe he's talking to him!Cut to clip of Robert Holeman.
GEIST: There's the [finger] point, there's the Clinton point.
BRZEZINSKI: I don't get the issue.
GEIST: Now as far as whether or not he made physical contact, it doesn't appear there's a whole lot of evidence that that actually happened, the guy says "I think he might have hit me in the face." Let's listen to the man's account of his confrontation with Bill Clinton.
ROBERT HOLEMAN: The president became very angry, he was very irate. And this is what I could see: they're about to lose. When you're losing you become almost uncontrollable; you're not able to talk clearly or illustrate your -- so all this name-calling, it's like the bully in the yard, he can't have his way, he can't get nothing done. He got very heated, I think he even hit me in the face with his hand, to back me up a little bit, but I, I, the Secret Service got him off me real quick. I noticed that! But he did give me a little pop. That was OK because I understand his tenacity for his wife.Joe Scarborough got off the line of the morning.
SCARBOROUGH: I thought the Secret Service was supposed to protect people from striking the president! In this case the gentleman says the Secret Service pulled the president off [him].So again: same set of facts, but in Pres. Clinton's place, a very prominent Republican backer of John McCain. What are the odds none of the broadcast-network morning news shows reveal the interlocutor's African-American identity?
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Macaca
February 18, 2008 - 10:25 ET by allanfI looked at the video. I think the guy is trying to cause another Macaca incident.
He said "I think the President even hit me in the face". It looks like Clinton was just pointing.
Could be. Not saying
February 18, 2008 - 10:27 ET by Mark FinkelsteinCould be. Not saying Clinton touched the man, but again, if instead of Clinton it had been an extremely prominent GOP McCain supporter, don't you think the networks would have let us know Holeman's African-American identity? None of ABC, NBC or CBS mentioned that this morning.
Clinton as GOP
February 18, 2008 - 10:34 ET by allanfMark,
The situation is similar to the George Allen Macaca incident.
If a Republican, including McCain, acted Clinton did in this instance, it would be run on nearly a closed loop on the networks followed by "can he survive" analysis.
The man who confronted Clinton was a provocateur. He was giddy with delight in the interview. Clearly he wanted to cause trouble. After George Allen, a Republican candidate cannot afford to take the bait.
In spite of the ex-Prez's
February 18, 2008 - 11:05 ET by motherbeltI agree with allanf. In spite of the ex-Prez's obviously inappropriate behavior, how could someone not be sure whether a finger pointed in his face had actually touched him? You poke your finger your finger into my face (not pointing) I guarantee you I won't "think" you might have done it. I will know. And I woulnd't forget it when I was recounting the incident to someone else.
(As many mothers have said: It's always fun until someone loses an eye...)
As much as I dislike Clinton, that's a sleazy tactic to use, to get that out there without actually making the accusation of physical contact.
And yes, Mark, I agree 100% that if it were a Republican, the words "African-American heckler" would have been foremost in the report.
Agreed, but he would not be
February 18, 2008 - 14:26 ET by JerryAgreed, but he would not be referred to as a heckler. He would be "a concerned African American citizen..". The headline would probably read: "Shades of Katrina, GOP Shows Disdain for Blacks Once Again"
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
Mika just did a story on
February 18, 2008 - 10:27 ET by motherbeltMika just did a story on that 5 minutes ago on MSNBC....nothing said about the race of the "heckler." Not even much about the heckler at all. In fact, the whole gist of the story was on the former Prez....the fact that he has not actually campaigned in more than 10 years, is unused to people disagreeing with him (she and her guest said he's used to people nodding and clapping at everything he says, and "here's $800,000.).
Yeah as usual, it was all about Bill.
PS It's about to come on again...they're billing it as him taking on a supporter of Obama (is that supposed to be a hint that he's black? LOL) and "his role in his wife's campaign."
MB: Mika's clearly playing
February 18, 2008 - 10:28 ET by Mark FinkelsteinMB: Mika's clearly playing defense, but credit Morning Joe for playing the Holeman tape more than once this morning.
I didn't see "Morning Joe"
February 18, 2008 - 10:30 ET by motherbeltI didn't see "Morning Joe" today. Just turned the TV on a few minutes ago.
delete double.
February 18, 2008 - 10:55 ET by motherbeltdelete double.
Bills finger is on the flush handle of the toilet for Hillary...
February 18, 2008 - 10:29 ET by Six String SpiffAnd I couldn't be happier! Well, actually I could. If McAmnesty wasn't the Nominee. God that burns me.
Islamic Religious Services Will Be Held at the Firing Range At 0800 Daily.
Bill's finger is on the
February 18, 2008 - 10:50 ET by motherbeltBill's finger is on the flush handle....
Which brings up my and RJ's speculation that subconsciously, he really doesn't want his wife to win.
I've said, all along, that his posture is his right hand pumping a fist in the air for her, while his left hand sprinkles sand into the gears (or sugar into the gas tank).
I know he has a reputation for his temper and overwrought sense of prosecution, but is he so far gone that even his wife or her campaign can't control him?
Or is this another ploy to play HRC as the "victim wife" who deserves the Presidency as a reward for "what she has to put up with"?
Looks like an escalation of
February 18, 2008 - 10:38 ET by dscottLooks like an escalation of the political black ops to me. Now we have a new standard of trying to provoke a reaction from the candidates. I hope McCain's handlers are influential enough to keep him away from these types of encounters as he is known to be a hot head. It's so easy to bait an excitable person.
Lord Sidious / Darth Vader 2008 Long Live the Empire! Come to the Dark Side, it is your Destiny.
!
February 18, 2008 - 12:00 ET by dervish"black ops"? Heh.
Phony Clinton-mania Has Bitten the Dust
February 18, 2008 - 11:01 ET by third eyeThere has to be some point when Billy-C looks around and realizes that its not 1992 anymore and high school history textbook writers might be watching. And believe me, said textbook writers are vindictive people.
In defense of BJ Clinton.
February 18, 2008 - 11:15 ET by Missouri ConservativeThat guy who interupted his speech was being obnoxious as hell. Shouting "Obama!" while Clinton was giving a speech, and then telling him to his face that the "race was over" and Hillary should just get behind Obama now.
Don't get me wrong, that kind of behavior is extremely unbecoming of an ex-president, or any other public figure, but if I were in that situation, I would be extremely irritated at that guy.
"women and minorities hardest hit"
Bubba's temper tantrum
February 18, 2008 - 11:47 ET by HG AbrahamsonOOPS!. Meant to comment that since the beast has got the bent one on a short leash during the campaign, he ain't gettin no strange/ That's why he's so testy!
Difference of opinion is what makes a horse race.
→ Muy Delicioso
February 18, 2008 - 11:51 ET by Cool ArrowDon't really care at this point whether this is intentional or accidental on the part of ol' BJ Clinton.
It's just great theatre to watch. At every turn this Rhodes Scholar makes a spectacle of himself to the detriment of his darling wife.
♣ a seal
Simply more race-baiting from the cult of Obama
February 18, 2008 - 13:00 ET by krendlerYou can bet this guy Holeman went there with the specific intent of
causing a scene (see a lot of libs play this game, e.g., the idiot at
Kerry's Tazer speech). And he *thinks* Clinton might have even hit him
in the face? Sorry, but if someone hits or touches you on the face,
you *know* it.
If there should be any backlash, it should be against Obama and his cult.
I
wouldn't be too gleeful about the Clintons continually being painted as
"racists" or "playing the race card" by the Obama camp and media
surrogates. McCain is going to be subjected to the same type of
race-baiting sleaze and a lot worse if Obama becomes the nominee.
People like Frank Rich aren't even bothering to wait for McCain to make
a "racist" remark or use magical "racially loaded code words" (like
Clinton did by calling Obama a "kid"). They're simply going to do the
broadbrush thing: Republicans are all racists - c'mon, everyone knows
it - and McCain is guilty by association.
Expect exactly this
type of conduct from Obama supporters when McCain hits the trail.
They'll try to cause some incident to that shows "old, bad, racist
white man pointing his finger at person of color who was simply trying
to ask a question."
Bill Clinton being Bill Clinton
February 18, 2008 - 23:08 ET by djm159Bill and Hillary Clinton have always pandered to blacks. Has anyone ever seen a Clinton in a predominantly white church? That was a rhetorical question and of course the answer is no. Now we see that Bill Clinton panders as long as the blacks are maintaining the plantation mentality and doing just what massa' says. The DNC plantation is far reaching and the blacks better tow that barge or Clinton will unleash the venom we saw this time. This should be an interesting campaign season.