I don't begrudge Obama supporters a celebration. After eight years in the presidential wilderness and an election that was, yes, historic, it's natural to whoop it up.
Even so, if Frank Rich were an NFL player [willing suspension of disbelief required], his end-zone dance of a column today would earn him a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Annotated excerpts:
Let's start with the headline: "It Still Felt Good the Morning After."
One of the less appealing traits of some folks on our side, IMHO, is to insinuate that people on the other are gay. So let me preface this by stating that I'm not suggesting that about Rich, twice-married and with two children [insert "not that there would be anything wrong with that" disclaimer here.] Even so, there's something kind of yucky [technical term] about that headline.
On the morning after a black man won the White House, America’s tears of catharsis gave way to unadulterated joy . . . The festive scenes of liberation that Dick Cheney had once imagined for Iraq were finally taking place — in cities all over America.
"Liberation"? How dark a view of America did Rich harbor that he sees the defeat of John McCain as more meriting celebration than the overthrow of a brutal, homicidal dictator?
For eight years, we’ve been told by those in power that we are small, bigoted and stupid.
What? I thought it was Democrats, from Jack Murtha to Obama himself, who were telling us that. Recall that among the things our president-elect said those bitter Pennsylvanians were clinging to was "antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment."
Let’s defend Hispanic-Americans, too, while we’re at it . . . [A] black presidential candidate won Latinos — the fastest-growing demographic in the electorate — 67 percent to 31 (up from Kerry’s 53-to-44 edge and Gore’s 62-to-35).
Francisco Rich: Gran Defensor de Los Latinos! Do people really have to vote for the candidate of Rich's choice to remove his doubts about their racism?
The second most persistent assumption by both pundits and the McCain campaign this year — after the likely triumph of racism — was that the culture war battlegrounds from 2000 and 2004 would remain intact. This is true in exactly one instance: gay civil rights. Though Rove’s promised “permanent Republican majority” lies in humiliating ruins, his and Bush’s one secure legacy will be their demagogic exploitation of homophobia. The success of the four state initiatives banning either same-sex marriage or same-sex adoptions was the sole retro trend on Tuesday.
Note first Rich's unseemly dancing on what he perceives as Rove's political grave. Consider also the utter condescension implicit in Rich's remarks towards millions of Americans: people didn't vote against gay marriage and adoption out of sincerely held belief, but because they were the mindless victims of "exploitation" by Republicans.
Finally, and most tellingly, this: "For all the attention paid by the news media and McCain-Palin to rancorous remembrances of things past, I sometimes wondered whether most Americans thought the Weather Underground was a reunion band and the Hanoi Hilton a chain hotel. Socialism, the evil empire and even Ronald Reagan may be half-forgotten blurs too."
Rich might make light of domestic terrorists, and laugh off the symbol of the heroism of John McCain and many others. But enemies foreign and domestic will always be with us, and, fortunately, so too heroes. As for socialism, we forget it at our peril, and might well have cause to be reminded of it during the coming four years. Finally, if Ronald Reagan is a blur to Rich, that's only because his legacy continues to streak across the sky, a comet that will make its return.
So have fun for now, Frank.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.





















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Frankie need to reel it in...
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:03 ET by HeavyChevyhis fraud of a prez is already screwing up and his butt hasn't even touched the oval office yet. All this gloating is going to come back with a vengeance once the American public see Obama for what he really is...not a messiah but another cheap suit politician with the gift of gab.
"9 out of 10 doctors agree that flag burning is the number one killer of liberals."
Frank Rich
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:09 ET by GeneralAlRich and his comments only go to show why it is imperative to annihilate the liberals in the future. Their life is dedicated to lies and deceit. Just as they have put all countless false propaganda about Bush, Cheney, and conservatives for the last 16 years, we will be inundated with relentless "good press" about the annointed one for as long as he holds the office [Hopefully, not more than 4 years!]. We may think the sucking up was bad during the election but wait to the Messiah is crowned King in January! I'm sure that if Frank Rich has anything negative to report, it will be the countless Bush-Cheney-Rove stories that he has been compiling for the last 8 years! He won't want them to go to waste!
Of course Rich says this.
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:18 ET by Dave DOf course Rich says this. He's the guy that said he thought the press was pretty even this election. (Said on Imus a couple of days before the election.)
Jeez, Mark, I had hoped I
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:21 ET by motherbeltJeez, Mark, I had hoped I wouldn't have to start the day with coffee and duct tape!!
Socialism, the evil empire and even Ronald Reagan may be half-forgotten blurs too."
At our peril.
[Rove's] and Bush’s one secure legacy will be their demagogic
exploitation of homophobia. The success of the four state initiatives
banning either same-sex marriage or same-sex adoptions was the sole
retro trend on Tuesday.
Yes, Frank, that's just SO last century!!
I find it interesting that Rich credits Obama with the "miracle" of white people voting for him!! Don't the people who voted for him deserve any credit, Frank?
Well either way, we've proved that we're not racists by electing Obama...not that that means racism is dead in America, mind you, but electing the first black President proves...uh....something, but we're still racists, you see.....
I need more coffee. And another round of duct tape.
»→ Racism is over
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:29 ET by Cool ArrowI think we can all celebrate the end of racism in America.
We've worked hard to overcome it for years and we've finally done it.
Stay in school, work hard, and you can do anything.
Where's my slavery reparations check?
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:44 ET by Red JeepThen maybe the end of racism will be near.
»→ You missed it Jeep?
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:50 ET by Cool Arrow80 Acorns and a mewl?
You trying to tell me you never got it?
Funny! ...Sad too, but true.
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 08:04 ET by Red JeepBut I thought it was 40 acorns....
»→ You're right
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 08:12 ET by Cool ArrowKeep chipping away at it and we're all square.
The end of racism? We've
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:24 ET by GrannyGrump42The end of racism? We've elected a man who soaked himself for 20 years in the theology of hatred, bigotry, and racism espoused by Rev. Wright. And his supporters saw nothing wrong with Wright.
We will see attempts to incorporate Wright's racism into public policy.
»→ Yes, granny
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:30 ET by Cool ArrowRegardless of how he got there, all that matters is that he got there.
The first Catholic President's inauguration took place under a cloud of stolen votes and reluctance of Republicans to challenge the tactics of the corrupt Chicago Machine.
Tell me any door is shut, and I'll point to my President and reply: "you were saying . . .?"
MLK Would Be Crying About This!
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:28 ET by ChasvsBut no in the way these Racist dumb f*cks like to speak about!
MLK's DREAM was that people would be judged "By the content of their charater, rather than the color of their skin".
Obama was elected based on the COLOR of his skin! If anyone had judged him on his Charater, he'd still be a racist community organizer and NOTHING MORE!
Yes, MLK is crying, but for the Loss of his DREAM, not it's attainment!
BHO can go straight to HELL with his Racist and Marxist Buddies!
GOD SAVE Our Country!!!
»→ I doubt it Chasvs
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:41 ET by Cool ArrowThe ascension of a black man to the highest office in the world is no small feat. The notion that candidates with perfect pasts and unquestionable morals exist in any significant number is quickly dispelled every four years.
McCain and Obama were no exceptions.
I think Dr. King would be happy with the progress of America in Civil Rights. He may have some problems with the lack of diverse opinion among African Americans, though.
Take the Blinders OFF!
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:54 ET by ChasvsYou just compared Barack Obama to John McCain?
Read BHO's books and see for yourself what a self-absorbed racist, marxist ass he is!
The CHARACTER issue is ALL that matters when it comes to our leaders and BHO FAILS the test of Honest Integrity!
Show me ONE person he has politically allied himself with that is NOT a Socialist, Marxist, or Racist!
There are NONE!
Chasvs
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 10:08 ET by Mark FinkelsteinI've noticed that on a number of occasions you've used questionable language in your posts. Please keep it clean here.
»→ No blinders
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 10:14 ET by Cool ArrowWe will have a black President.
I don't like the guy America chose, and obviously neither do you.
But I'm not going to say the election is lacking in a sense of History just because he doesn't fit into some preconceived apologetical notion you, or I may hold.
Just one? Colin Powell?
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
Hey, Frank, guess what?
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 07:34 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsHey, Frank, guess what? You're all for nature and all things natural, aren't you? Homophobia is 100% natural. Just ask Mother Nature, she's a homophobe. She made people heterosexual for a reason.
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
Predictions
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 08:16 ET by kilrodThis was credited to a writer. I snoped it and could only find "undetermined" but am passing it along since it will be interesting to see how much, if any, (hopefully, none) of it comes to pass....
Within the next two years, 2011:
1). Strict new gun laws will be enacted even though he promised he would not.
2). The phrase 'In God We Trust' will be removed from all currency.
3). He will back away from his pledge to Israel and leave them to the wolves of Islam.
4). Hillary Clinton will be named to the Supreme Court.
5). Tax rates will return to their highest levels in 30 years.
6). The capital gains tax will be at least double current levels.
7). Retired Army General Wesley Clark will be named Secretary of Defense. This is the General who was fired for 'integrity' issues.
8). The borders will be 'basically open' to all comers ... especially those from the Middle East and South America.
9). Amnesty will be granted to all illegals now in the U.S. regardless of status or even gang members (MS-13).
10). The war in Iraq will be brought to an abrupt end and the results will be tragic and the consequences to our military will be devastating
(GRINS) kilrod
Remember, only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
People like Rich see no
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 08:32 ET by MidAmericaPeople like Rich see no real enemies abroad. He thinks the greatest enemies the country faces are some of its own citizens. Of course it's because him and his liberal ilk MUST have power and control and that makes Joe the Plumber a worse threat than Bin Laden.
The Museum of Dead Journalism
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:04 ET by GothampcNext on our tour of what killed journalism is Frank Rich. Rich wrote mediocre theater reviews for the NY Times. Since he wasn't very good at that (he liked Madonna in Speed the Plow), he was promoted to writing political opinion. His editors thought he was such a genius that they designed a special "pay-to-read" online section called NY Times Select. Seeing as how nobody wanted to pay for his opinions, they had to dismantle that section. Currently, Rich is writing for the New York Times, a paper that has seen a huge decline in readership and stock price tumble over the last two years. Rich is currently a member of the Fawn Over Obama Club (FOO).
FOO
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:10 ET by AgnosticDoes that make NBs the Foo Fighters?
http://www.foofighters.com/
>Let's start with the
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:20 ET by GrannyGrump42>Let's start with the headline: "It Still Felt Good the Morning After."<
Well, at least he's admitting we got f***ed.
Brent is correct.
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:33 ET byMark,
As for socialism, we forget it at our peril, and might well have cause
to be reminded of it during the coming four years. Finally, if Ronald
Reagan is a blur to Rich, that's only because his legacy continues to
streak across the sky, a comet that will make its return.
The comet is Obama. You do realize what your Boss said, correct?
Here's the transcript...(bold highlights for emphasis)
From the November 7 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom:
In summary, he claimed that President-elect Barack Obama "ran as a
Reaganite" and "won over ... the public as a fiscal
conservative."
Do you agree with your Boss?
Übercon
"Yes, We can!" President-Elect Barack Obama
Rich may be right about the stupidity of Obama supporters
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 09:57 ET by katiejaneI sometimes wondered whether most Americans thought the Weather Underground was a reunion band and the Hanoi Hilton a chain hotel. Socialism, the evil empire and even Ronald Reagan may be half-forgotten blurs too."
It probably is a reflection on many of the people who voted for Obama that they don't have any concept of history beyond who won the last Amazing Race or American Idol contest. That quality in people should not be something that gives him any pleasure.
There's a very simple
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 12:15 ET by SATerpThere's a very simple explanation for Rich's column: He's an idiot.
Sad
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 13:32 ET by rammingspeedFrank Rich is an embarrassment. He is anti-intellectual, for all his education and brain power. That hermetically sealed tube of New York liberalism is a coffin for reasonable thinking.
Sorry about the insinuation
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 14:06 ET by ArminiusBut Rich himself has written about how he enjoyed going to musicals as a child with his mother. His prominent lisp is also quite suspect.
And let's not forget that Arianna Huffington had children with a gay man.
I have no respect for Rich. However, if he were honest and came out of the closet, I'd have a little respect for him.
That's flimsy evidence in my
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 15:03 ET by Mark FinkelsteinThat's flimsy evidence in my book, and for that matter, I've seen him on Morning Joe a number of times and never noticed anything about his voice. But let's assume you're right. So?
Let's have a vote
Mon, 11/10/2008 - 17:00 ET by ArminiusHere is a video of Frank Rich on Letterman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ11EYn2x4I
I say he has a prominent lisp. What do others say?
Fron NY Times Movie Critic to Expert on Everything
Sun, 11/09/2008 - 20:14 ET by New Jersey ConservativeSo the people have spoken- "Frank you can't get married".