WaPo's Marcus on Rick Perry: 'He's Like Monty Python's Parrot - He's Not Dead Yet'
Remember all that talk about returning civility to political discussions following Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' (D-Ariz.) shooting in January?
Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus clearly doesn't, for on ABC's This Week Sunday, she said of Texas governor Rick Perry's presidential candidacy, "He's like Monty Python's parrot - he's not dead yet" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, HOST: But whether it's a referendum on the president or not, do you think that the candidate will be Romney? Or do you think it'll be Perry?
MARY MATALIN: George makes a very good point. We are in a very sliver of a phase here on the debates. If you go to the states, go to the board, you go to Perry's other strengths. He's raised over $17 million in under 50 days. You go to Iowa, South Carolina. He has very strong on-the-ground operations. He has state senators, state reps, county chairmen. He has Christie supporters, Romney supporter, former Romney, Pawlenty supporters. He's solid on the ground in all the states. Even in New Hampshire, he's got the former GOP state chairman.
JONATHAN KARL, ABC: Yeah, I mean, there's this sense that Perry is done, that this is all inevitable.
MATALIN: No way.
KARL: Certainly the White House believes that. The White House is going at Romney right now. And watch this. They will do this, because it's an unfair fight right now. Romney is defending himself against these attacks from his Republican opponents. The White House sees this as the time to define Romney, but it's crazy to count out Perry. He's got more money in the bank right now than Romney. He's got far more organization than Herman Cain. The national polls don't mean anything. In those early states, with the exception of New Hampshire, he's looking strong. So we'll see.
RUTH MARCUS, WASHINGTON POST: I'm sorry. Go ahead.
AMANPOUR: No, go ahead.
MARCUS: Perry, I agree. He's like Monty Python's parrot - he's not dead yet, and for all the reasons that you said.
For those not getting the joke, one of Monty Python's famous sketches from the '70s was a man trying to return a dead parrot to a pet shop while the owner of the store humorously insists the bird is just "pining for the fjords."
Comedy aside, would Marcus make such a joke or it be considered acceptable if directed at a Democratic candidate for president?
Wasn't this exactly the kind of talk liberal media members like Marcus were apoplectic about in the weeks following the Giffords shooting?
Why is it acceptable when said of a conservative?

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Comments
you gotta know...
Submitted by Rackie on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 3:19pm.
these lefty loons are not clever enough to come up with snark attacks on their own
I am confused again.
Submitted by The Vet on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 3:21pm.
There is the reasons Mr. Sheppard listed and then there is the fact that it just wasn't funny. The parrot in the Monty Python sketch was clearly expired, it had met its maker, definitely deceased. But the talk around the talk was that Gov. Perry was still in the running. And yet, Miss Marcus says "I agree", then moved to the parrot point. What was she trying to say there? Who was she agreeing with? Is she even aware the parrot in the sketch had bleedin' demised?
Wow. Streeeeeeeetch. First
Submitted by balboa on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 3:26pm.
Wow. Streeeeeeeetch.
First off, this analogy doesn't work because the parrot _was_ dead, so this makes no sense.
Second, every time someone mentions death or something being in dead in reference to a political candidate is not grounds for playing the ol' "what happened to civility?" card.
Plus it is boring.
Submitted by The Vet on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 3:38pm.
No one mentioned Mumia, Asata, or the ceased to be Troy Davis. Must be a lonely day for you huh?
Yes, bal, wrong analogy: the bird WAS dead.
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 4:44pm.
Even the guy with the dead parrot on his shoulder would have been off-base. It also WAS dead. The appropriate analogy would have been this one from Monty Python
I also don't think this was a matter of "incivility." At least I didn't take it that way.
I just think Marcus is an idiot who was trying to be funny and didn't know what she was talking about. She just remembers hearing something about Monty Python and a dead parrot that wasn't.
But I'm sure she thought she was being witty and cool.
I thought of a different scene
Submitted by ThatDude on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 4:48pm.
I thought of this scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SwNXQMoNps
Though I can't seem to find the full clip where the relative quotes take place. Not to spam, but here's the exchange.
CONCORDE: Uh, I'm-I'm not quite dead, sir.
LAUNCELOT: Well, you shall not have been mortally wounded in vain!
CONCORDE: Uh, I-I think uh, I could pull through, sir.
LAUNCELOT: Oh, I see.
CONCORDE: Actually, I think I'm all right to come with you--
LAUNCELOT: No, no, sweet Concorde! Stay here! I will send help as
soon as I have accomplished a daring and heroic rescue in my own
particular... (sigh)
CONCORDE: Idiom, sir?
LAUNCELOT: Idiom!
CONCORDE: No, I feel fine, actually, sir.
LAUNCELOT: Farewell, sweet Concorde!
CONCORDE: I'll-uh, I'll just stay here, then, shall I, sir? Yeah.
For Ruth
Submitted by Hog_Flambe on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 3:30pm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTBOWg45OU0
Blame it on Noel :o)
pushing the meme...
Submitted by dmacleo on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 3:32pm.
gotta agree with others, this was a stretch.
while I hate to give a pass I kind of got to here.
with that being said...you guys serve a valuable service (and I thank you) and please don't take this comment as a criticism.
moved
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 4:36pm.
moved
It was a funny line. And
Submitted by mitchflorida on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 4:40pm.
It was a funny line. And Perry is done . .
It's down to Romney and Cain.
Perry is stupid.
I'm curious...
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 4:50pm.
Does anyone think I'm being uncivil and/or hateful for saying I think Obama is like Westley here?
"Mostly dead"
I think liberals make enough really hateful comments about conservatives, without a hint of humor and it's not necessary to get upset about clumsy attempts at humor like this.
Now don't go referencing my
Submitted by ThatDude on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 4:53pm.
Now don't go referencing my favorite movie!
Westley: Why can't I move? Why am I up against this wall?
Fezzik: You've been mostly dead all day.
Good evening Dude
Submitted by cocodrie on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 5:20pm.
I just hope you have the right answers for the old man the bridgekeeper.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR IS A RACIST!!!
Submitted by Phryj1 on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 5:20pm.
She thinks Herman Cain can't get the nomination. Gee, I wonder why that is?
IT'S BECAUSE SHE'S A RACIST!
At least, according to Garofalo-Olbermann-Maher "logic" she is.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
I disagree that it's a stretch in the sense of being
Submitted by gmaniac1 on Sun, 10/16/2011 - 6:35pm.
hypocritical. The reason is if some conservative made a similar death reference about Obama you can guarantee the lamestreamers would be all over this. Again, you have to take into account what this site is based on, liberal bias vis-a-vie hypocrisy. We have to call them out on their own b.s. every single time regardless of what the slimy liberals trolling on here think.
Perry and Gingrich Have The Resumes and Cain the Spirit
Submitted by Avitar on Mon, 10/17/2011 - 11:16am.
Romney has a failed state administration on his resume that may go bankrupt in the middle of next year.
WaPo's Marcus is going to ignore the failures and Romney's support being capped at less than 30% because WaPo is not a serious news organization. They are a serious political organization and will report talking points against Herman Cain or anyone else who have the support of the Republican rank and file.
Journalistic Stupidity
Submitted by AdrianVance on Mon, 10/17/2011 - 1:18pm.
The lefty journalists will never catch on that they are destroying the media in which they write and perform. They are too stupid to get it. They will not be missed.
The Two Minute Conservative at http://adrianvance.blogspot.com has political analysis, science and humor. Now in the top 3% on Kindle.