"The opening of a trapdoor and the sudden snap of a hangman's noose at dawn yesterday brought an extraordinary end to a political era in Iraq." -- Opening line from The Guardian's report of the execution of Saddam, Dec. 31, 2006
"Senator Clinton never gave a second thought to opening the trap door beneath her fellow Democrat." -- Bob Herbert of the NYT, Confronting the Kitchen Sink, March 8, 2008 [emphasis added in both citations].
When Bill O'Reilly, in an impromptu response to a phone caller's question, said that he didn't want to "lynch" Michelle Obama, critics on the left from Media Matters to Keith Olbermann were outraged. Star Jones condemned O'Reilly's statement as "racist, unacceptable and inappropriate on every level."
When Kelly Tilghman of The Golf Channel thought she was being funny when she said the only way for competitors to stop Tiger Woods would be to "lynch him," Al Sharpton threatened to picket her employer unless she were fired. Tilghman wound up serving a two-week suspension.
So how will people -- from Hillary Clinton to the guardians of political correctness -- react to Bob Herbert's line? Are hanging metaphors suddenly acceptable when used by pundits of the left? Will Herbert claim he used the trap door image only to suggest that Hillary wants to make Obama suddenly disappear? What if a conservative pundit had said he'd like to open a trap door beneath Obama? Odds his explanation along such lines would be accepted on the left?
Upon further reflection, it's hard to see Herbert's use of the trap door metaphor as standing for the relatively innocous notion of making someone suddenly disappear rather than the more sinister hanging one.
Consider the context in which Herbert used it:
More serious was Senator Clinton’s assertion that she was qualified to be commander in chief, and that John McCain had also “certainly” crossed that “threshold,” but that the jury was still out on Mr. Obama.
In other words, if a choice on national security had to be made today between Senators Obama and McCain, voters — according to Mrs. Clinton’s logic — should choose Senator McCain.
That is a low thing for a Democratic presidential candidate to do to a rival in a party primary. Can you imagine John McCain saying that Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney or even the guitar-strumming Mike Huckabee might be less qualified than Hillary Clinton to be commander in chief? It couldn’t happen.
But Senator Clinton never gave a second thought to opening the trap door beneath her fellow Democrat.
So Herbert says that Hillary has done a "low thing" by suggesting Obama is unfit as Commander in Chief, and that that this constitutes "opening the trap door" beneath him. But Clinton's accusation is not something that could possibly make Obama suddenly disappear. No one doubts that Obama, with a virtually insurmountable lead among elected delegates, will remain in the campaign to the convention. So it's difficult to see Herbert's comment as meaning other than that Hillary intended to do Obama serious harm.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Noose Metaphor
March 8, 2008 - 09:08 ET by Cool ArrowMaybe Herbert watched "Lonesome Dove" before writing his story.
But it's understandable since he's referencing the Clinton Plantation.
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political delegates
March 8, 2008 - 10:39 ET by docbI am increasingly interested in the thousands of "YOU OWE ME'S" that the clintons set up for her run for the presidency. Gov. Rendell's wife was given a judgeship by clinton and many campaign debts have been wiped out by the clintons and their bundelers --like Vilsek.
Bill Ricardson has been bludgeoned by the clintons because of his 2 appointments but has resisted their whining and blackmail. Bclinton pardoned 140 felons and disreputable people on his last day, including Marc Rich whose wife has contributed a couple hundred thousand to his various causes and her campaigns. The world knows how they fight with knife attacks and meat cleavers but what about this blackmail issue? it is like the difference between hard and soft money...soft money is almost impossible to track.
These are just examples of the old politics that much of America wants to end...If they[clintons] get away with this it will be a bitter pill to swallow and the enthusiasam that is apparent will receed into the morass of the scandalous '90's.
ANYBODY TRACKING THE 'You Owe Me's'??????
»→ docb
March 8, 2008 - 10:46 ET by Cool ArrowThere was a guy on Hannity & Colmes last night insisting we call them "political delegates".
NB would do well to snag a list of these "political delegates" in case we need to follow their upward movement after the election.
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Those last-day Clinton pardons
March 8, 2008 - 10:48 ET by sarcasmoDeeply angered the partisan Democrat friends I know at the time. IMO it almost certainly led to their early Obama support, almost a decade later. For the record, I've not been particularly impressed with the pardon record of any US President during my lifetime, but Clinton was clearly the worst of the bad.
JMR
A corruption-story the TV media will-not cover.
»→ Pardon me
March 8, 2008 - 10:58 ET by Cool ArrowStar Date 2012.
President Hillary Rodham Clinton pardoned Norman Hsu explaining it was a language mixup.
"He was lonely, but I did not tell him to Manipurate the Election", Clinton said.
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Well, of course he can do
March 8, 2008 - 09:25 ET by motherbeltWell, of course he can do it! Not only is Herbert a liberal, he's a black liberal...so he can say whatever he wants.
Blacks and liberals can make references like that, because everyone knows they don't mean it in racist way. Just like everyone "knows" that every time a conservative mentions a noose, he is thinking of 1850's Alabama, and a black man being hanged for looking at a white woman.
<sarc>
You got it!
March 8, 2008 - 12:06 ET by heldmywAnd personally, I find the "Race of Perpetual Victimhood" as offensive a notion as "The Religion of Perpetual Outrage".
Neither should get a pass.
Sorry. This is Earth. Our motto is "Life is Not Fair".
Mr. Finkelstein. With
March 8, 2008 - 09:30 ET by RovinMr. Finkelstein.
With all due respect to Newsbusters, I think this one's a "stretch".
Rovin
I've been hangin' on for
March 8, 2008 - 09:32 ET by Jack BauerI've been hangin' on for someone to make that comment. Thanks dude.
Gallows humor, Jack? But,
March 8, 2008 - 13:04 ET by JerGallows humor, Jack?
But, seriously, Mark does seem to be really reaching on this one. If Herbert had said Hillary was making Obama "walk the plank", would it imply she wanted to cause him serious harm? Who knows, she could be referring to walking the plank on a slave ship. Just about any statement can be twisted into an outrage with a fertile imagination. This was indeed an innocuous metaphor.
Jer
Ba-DUM-bum!
March 8, 2008 - 09:34 ET by motherbeltBa-DUM-bum!
Bill O'Reilly did Lynch the Press....along with the New media
March 8, 2008 - 10:10 ET by JayTeeTHis just out today, by Bill O'Reilly . . . and he wasn't subtle
I think the New Media is taking over the Presidential Campaigns
excerpts . . .from article above. . .
In the debate last week this bias was clear . . . . . Russert and his mate Brian Williams did not put Barack Obama to the same test . . . Millions of Americans, including the Saturday Night Live gang, witnessed that. And so, last Saturday, SNL skewered Russert and Williams, mocking their bias toward Obama. The devastating satire got major play on the Internet and cable news programs.
And isn't it pathetic that
March 8, 2008 - 10:24 ET by motherbeltAnd isn't it pathetic that the MSM ignore criticism from their peers, and even the people whose coverage they are slanting outrageously, but take to heart what comes from SNL?
It goes to show you, parody is a pretty powerful weapon.
It proves that they can ignore criticism, but not ridicule.
Political Correctness
March 8, 2008 - 11:17 ET by iveseenitallPolitical Correctness is a one way street favoring the "liberals". It has stifled the truth and hurt the nation. The free speech guaranteed by our Constitution no longer exists in many cases. Any number of words in our language are now "outlawed". A "monkey" is no longer an animal, is it? Of course its our own fault, the fault of rampant "liberalism" which sees homophobia, racism, sexism, etc. in almost all public discourse. Moreover, ignorance is bliss. Don't be "niggardly" with your money. Ah,ha---a racist! Gotcha! Sad.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Water hose = racism
March 8, 2008 - 11:22 ET by Mica the MagnificentPretty soon HGTV will not use the words 'water hose' anymore. It will be referred to as a 'water dispensing device.'
»→ Good point Mica
March 8, 2008 - 11:25 ET by Cool ArrowAnd Firemen will have to go back to bucket brigades. Wouldn't want to scare anyone whose house is on fire.
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Perception Rules . . . both ways
March 8, 2008 - 11:34 ET by JayTeeThe recent futile attempt by the MSM to push "McCain's Temper" as an issue, via the weak Air Plane impromptu conference, was an attempt to push the "Temper" perception.
But, SNL and the internet, also pushed a perception . . . . MSM is in bed with Obama and Michelle.
MSM lost the Temper perception (they will try again) and the Internet/cable/Fox news WON the "Obama Bias" perception.
Lets see if Tim Russet can wash this off Brian Williams Back, and Vice Versa. They got Nailed, NATIONWIDE.
Pretty soon HGTV will not
March 8, 2008 - 13:28 ET by motherbeltPretty soon HGTV will not use the words 'water hose' anymore. It will be referred to as a 'water dispensing device.'
They've already done away with "slave" ...you can't say someone worked like a slave to get the job done, or use the old "I slaved over a hot stove to get this meal on..."
And how about that DC councilman that had to resign for using the word "niggardly"?
Ann Coulter was right (paraphrasing): It's impossible to argue with liberals, because they keep expanding the list of things we're not allowed to say.
»→ yes, motherbelt
March 8, 2008 - 13:36 ET by Cool ArrowAnd the reference to "slave" and "master" in connecting disk drives was also decried.
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Will Male and Female Plugs, connections, be next ?
March 8, 2008 - 13:49 ET by JayTeeNah, Electricians and Plumbers are not politically correct people, especially on the Job.
A "monkey" is no longer an
March 8, 2008 - 12:38 ET by motherbeltA "monkey" is no longer an animal, is it?
Only if it's "a monkey posing as a newscaster" -Keith Olbermann on Chris Wallace interviewing former President Clinton.
Keep the hits coming, MB
March 8, 2008 - 12:40 ET by BlondeYou are on a roll today.
Are you sure Keith wasn't referring to himself?
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Consider these facts.
March 8, 2008 - 12:31 ET by coffee260Consider these inconvenient truths.
Not Even Close
March 8, 2008 - 12:59 ET by JoelCTSorry Mark. I enjoy your columns, but to compare talking about lynching a black man or woman to opening a trap door beneath them, which has always been a metaphor for a blind sneak-attack, just doesn't wash.
Perhaps you should read a little history on what was involved in real lynching, especially in the early part of the last century, before you compare anything to a lynching. It is an ugly, violent, horrible thing, and I think the word should just be removed from our vocabulary except when referring to historical events. I like watching Bill O'Reilly, but he knew exactly what he was saying when he used the word in reference to Michelle Obama, who I personally cannot stand to listen to. Bill knew people would trash him for saying it, which would allow him to trash those people on his show for trashing him for saying it. There are many words he could have used, including the word I am using here, such as "I don't want to trash Michelle Obama for this..." and it would have meant the exact same thing. I do not recall Bill ever using the word "lynch" when referring to a white person, which kind of backs up his use of the word as intentional.
»→ Joel
March 8, 2008 - 13:04 ET by Cool ArrowWhen they hanged horse thieves back in the old west, was it because they mistook them for Black men?
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Not Trapped
March 8, 2008 - 13:21 ET by JoelCTCA, contrary to what Hollywood constantly portrays, most Old West towns never wasted good wood building a gallows, complete with a trap door, to hang someone. Hollywood uses the building of a gallows to build tension, not for a historical perspective. Fort Smith had a big gallows built that allowed them to hang I think six people at the same time.
In many towns there was merely a 4x4 which stuck out from the front or side of the jail, and they would hang the person from that.
Horse thieves usually just got a tree branch.
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-oldwest/OldWestHanging-500.jpg
I'm having some problems finding the relevence of your comment to mine. I hope this covers it.
»→ Joel
March 8, 2008 - 13:34 ET by Cool ArrowNor was an elaborate platform erected for the lynchings to which you refer. The procedure was identical.
My point is simply that "lynching" is not a black thing.
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I takes a Good Day to build a Gallows of wood
March 8, 2008 - 14:19 ET by JayTeeThis allows Hollywood to Film the ptential hanging Drama simultaneously while the Grips and Crews Build the gallows, thus having parallel time lines and saving money on the use of expensive Actor Union members.
Typically, Gallows in the Hollywood West were NEVER used, as the Hero escaped or was Rescued before he could be hung.
This happen so often, that some gallows were used over and over in Hollywood movie sets, such that only the "Sound bite" of hammers hitting nails echoing thru the holding cell were needed for the Illusion of the Gallows.
No Trees or Horses were killed during the writing of this comment.
Joel, my point is the double
March 8, 2008 - 14:51 ET by Mark FinkelsteinJoel, my point is the double standard. A conservative columnist who said he'd like to open a trap door under Obama would be . . . hung ;-)
Doubt it. "Trap door" is
March 8, 2008 - 17:49 ET by balboaDoubt it. "Trap door" is pretty innocuous, no matter who says it.
Much ado about nothing.
A conservative columnist
March 8, 2008 - 20:52 ET by JerA conservative columnist who said he'd like to open a trap door under Obama...
That's not even the correct context of Herbert's statement. I think you're off the "mark" on this one. [And I have acknowledged that there are cases of excessive racial sensitivity--Trent Lott/Strom Thurmond, for example.]
Jer
opening a trap door beneath
March 8, 2008 - 17:08 ET by motherbeltopening a trap door beneath them, which has always been a metaphor for a blind sneak-attack,
And that's the point, Joel. Because it was said by a liberal, about a liberal, that's the way it was taken by the MSM. As an innocent metaphor. Had it been a conservative who said it, all the "code word" implications about blacks and hangings would have been assumed, etc. and whichever candidate the speaker of said metaphor was connected to would have been hounded to denounce and renounce and distance himself from the remark, and to fire the speaker.
With all due respect, mb
March 8, 2008 - 20:44 ET by JerWith all due respect, mb...baloney.
Jer
It's Growing
March 8, 2008 - 14:07 ET by rammingspeedThe poison of political correctness and its attendant hypocrisy is growing and sickening the very system it hopes to overtake. People are more aware every day of these examples from the Left, and people hate it.
Fanatics are always the last to see their demise, and that they themselves are responsible for it.
Let's see if someone like
March 8, 2008 - 15:40 ET by bigtimerLet's see if someone like Novak wrote this it would be all over the news media...screaming at the top of their lungs...
The hypocrisy is and has been obvious for years, but especially more so now with Obama running, this is maddening at times to me, but is what is more maddening is the fact that anytime or anywhere a person with an 'R' behind their name or a conservative of any kind says something like this, the msm gets on them, they immediately get out there and apologize, over and over again....
For me it is our own fault for not standing up to this BS long ago...example Trent Lott....I was ready to muffle his mouth with all of the apologies...the right side of the aisle is as much to blame for being spineless and standing up for themselves when nothing they said was intentionally made to hurt anyone anywhere, they just let the msm hang them willingly.
Here is an example from one of my favorite congressman, I just wonder if he apologizes for this, I would be surprised if he does, but I wonder what McCain will do....
You know, bt, this nonsense
March 8, 2008 - 17:11 ET by motherbeltYou know, bt, this nonsense in politics has gotten way out of hand. Why should McCain all of a sudden have to take a stand on everything that every other Republican says?
Not only McCain...even Clinton or Obama shouldn't have to be questioned about and respond to every utterance of a Democrat.
They say enough stupid things on their own to answer for; none of them should have to be reponsible for the the entire party.
mb... I agree. I just
March 8, 2008 - 17:25 ET by bigtimermb...
I agree.
I just wonder when McCain is going to stop doing it...
I heard this morning on one of the networks that he denounces what Hagee said regarding the Catholics...conveniently after the Texas primary and his endorsement from McCain.
time will tell...but I am not holding my breath...I am glad to hear about 20 minutes ago that King is not taking what he said back and standing by his statements...I am glad for that and didn't think he would either...he is one of my favorite congress-critters.
For those who don't know what I am talking about who may come here later I have a link to what the ordeal is over Steve King (Iowa) in an above post.