In the declining glossy-paper pages of Time magazine, columnist Joe Klein suggests that our national character and the passage of socialist health care expansion are inherently linked. (Insert here: every time Anonymous Joe makes claims to "character," remind everyone of how he lied for months about his authorship of Primary Colors.)
Near the end of the piece, he decried "demented" speakers at town hall meetings, and engaged in wishful thinking:
The Republicans could well find that their recalcitrance and ugly misinformation are a millstone in the next election.
But it is also possible that the Limbaugh- and Glenn Beck–inspired poison will spread from right-wing nutters to moderates and independents who are a necessary component of Obama's governing coalition.
According to the polls, Obama has lost 20 points among independents in recent months. It would be a good thing if the President's speech turns the tide, and the remainder of this historic debate is conducted on higher ground, but I'm not sure that it will. As the man [Obama] said, it is a test of our national character ... in more ways than one.
Perhaps the passage where Klein caused the most (unintended) humor was his line suggested it was fatuous to think the president surrounded himself with socialists and communists, except for that Van Jones guy, who was foolishly obvious about it:
Indeed, as the meeting continued and the tone disintegrated, it became apparent that a majority of the audience thought the President of the United States was some sort of subversive, surrounding himself with czars and self-declared communists (like Van Jones, the now departed environmental aide who once, in a foolish fit of pique, did declare himself a red).
Klein's notion that socialism = national character came directly from President Obama's speech to Congress. Klein gushed that "he proceeded to lay out the elements of health-care reform that he considers essential. He did this clearly, concisely, using language that was mostly jargon-free — a triumph of speechwriting on this mind-numbing issue."
But Klein also liked that it smashed conservatives in the mouth:
It was also a fighting speech. Obama called the talk of death panels, started by the disgraceful Sarah Palin, "a lie, plain and simple," which drew explosive applause from the Democratic side of the aisle. He promised to "call out" those who told lies about the plan, a powerful threat when it comes from the President.
Finally, it was a moving speech that addressed an aspect of health-care reform that is often forgotten — the moral responsibility that we have toward our fellow citizens — by reminding the Congress of who Ted Kennedy was and why this was so important to him. The President made health-care reform a national-character issue, which is precisely what it is.
It's mind-boggling that liberal pundits (ahem, Mark Shields) would love the "fighting speech" and then still shamelessly claimed it was an attempt at bipartisanship.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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Klein - TIME
September 13, 2009 - 16:19 ET by DeskpilotKlein's Lost Everyone Interest Now
Talk Is My Excrement
Doesn't BHO always have somewhere in his curent and past campaign that "NOW is Our TIME!"?
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read it in English, You're welcome - Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN (Ret)
A Jewish Anti-Semite?
September 13, 2009 - 19:05 ET by allanfKlein has moved into Noam Chomsky territory and is one of the few Jews to receive an admonition from the Anti-Defamation League or ADL.
In fairness, he has also criticized Catholics.
Perhaps Joe Klein is the quintessential angry white liberal?
How you show the way ...
September 13, 2009 - 16:20 ET by 10ksnookerIs there anything that stops Time magazine from giving their workers socialist healthcare right now?
Don't you get tired of hearing these pointy heads whine?
All of this vitriol
September 13, 2009 - 16:44 ET by richb313All of this vitriol reminds me of an episode of West Wing. The West Wingers were on thier high horse about gun control when the token conservative charecter pointed out that all of this talk only proved that these very same liberal West Wingers did not like the people who they said they were trying to protect.
It is the very arrogance of these know-it-alls that always gets my blood boiling. I think they were actually onto something on West Wing when they let that "you don't like the people" statement slip out.
deleting double post
September 13, 2009 - 17:37 ET by richb313Whoops.
Another would-be Goebbels...
September 13, 2009 - 16:57 ET by wnaegeleSigh!
"Finally, it was a moving
September 13, 2009 - 17:09 ET by ckc1227"Finally, it was a moving speech that addressed an aspect of health-care reform that is often forgotten— the moral responsibility that we have toward our fellow citizens"
I do not have a moral responsibility to fund the health care of fellow citizens who choose to spend their money elsewhere, many of whom likely earn more than I do.
awesome
September 13, 2009 - 17:15 ET by katainkentbad mouth the churches and church going citizenry, which actually engaged in true charity work and then use the government taxation system to systematically squeeze the populace by force for entitlement programs and when people can stand no more - you call them immoral.
awesome.
national character
September 13, 2009 - 17:25 ET by konoIf Commandant Obongo is going "to 'call out' those who told lies about the plan", he should call himself out first for all the whoppers he's spun about it.
As for passing socialist health care being a test of our character as a nation, Obongo is right, assuming the character he wants the nation to play is a suicidal socialist.
Klein is swine, plain and simple.
Joe Klein/Time the slime magazine
September 13, 2009 - 17:31 ET by NotFondOfLibsI am looking forward to the day this putrid excuse for a journalistic publication goes out of business. There is no price I would pay for this fishwrap.
Seriously, who cares what Joe Klein thinks anymore?
September 13, 2009 - 18:04 ET by lsudolemiteWe all know Time and Newsweek have long ceased to be actual news publications and have become just two more liberal opinion journals (like we really need two more), so why is it any surprise that an ultra-lib like Klein conflates universal health care with morality?
WHO CARES...
September 13, 2009 - 18:18 ET by danybhoySo our "national character" has nothing to with protecting freedom & liberty around the world? How about supporting humanitarian work internationally? Developing most of the medicines & medical practices that save millions? No character in producing more & poluting less then any major world power in history, either?
It's all about socialized medicine? My @$$ it is, it's all about control, leftists have always been about controling the population & breaking the human spirit. If Joe Klein does'nt understand that freedom is the solution to the human condition, he's dumber then I thought.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
THE Joe Klein??
September 13, 2009 - 18:22 ET by kefkaTHE Joe Klein??
moral obligations
September 13, 2009 - 19:10 ET by cajun2I believe BHO equated that with "paint a wall". I was taught that a test of characer involved, not what a man says, but what he does.
This one lies with no hesitation, denegrates those who dissent. Yea, character.
Is it just me, or
September 13, 2009 - 19:44 ET by FastEddoes klein look like the long lost brother of Fidel??! a commie leader and a lead commie paper - not much of stretch, or stench.
Proud member of the MOB - Move Over Barack, we want our country back!
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
I watched
September 13, 2009 - 22:10 ET by pbthinkerI watched the Chris Matthews show today, not knowing the Nora O'Donnell would be the hostess. Talk about a real Obama supporter, the only difference between Nora and Chris is she has to be more careful talking about thrills going up her leg, when talking about Obama.
I'm amazed that no one of these people thought that the people participating in the 9/12 project were a good demonstration of what's good about America. I've always felt that, no matter what the cause, demonstrations were good. Most, from the left, have all these people marching around talking about fascists, etc and they don't realize they couldn't march in countries that had these dictatorships.
Joe Klein should have to put a disclaimer on everything he writes, telling the potential reader that there will be no objectivity in anything he reads, including the headline. Of course Time Magazine should have that disclaimer on their front cover also. Could that be included in the democrats "fairness doctrine"? Oh, I forgot, Obama has figured out a way around that and he'll restrict our speech through the FCC or something like that.
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.
Dear Joe...
September 13, 2009 - 22:52 ET by BondPlainBondOn Saturday, I was watching MILLIONS of everyday Americans of all political persuations, races, creeds, and colors who are opposed to the clearly socialist policies of the Obama Administration (which have ALL been historically proven as failures) and opposed to the continued government big spending, peacefully and civilly march on Washington DC and countless other cities across the nation without incident.
I was thinking how embarrasing this will be for Obama, historically speaking, when the history books point out that twice (so far) Obama ignored and dismissed the majority voice of America in favor of his own radical agenda. Obama, being a coward, chose to leave town, AGAIN, knowing the protesters would be in Washington DC. He has to have a convenient "excuse" to deny they even exist. If he's not in Washington, he can say he was unaware. How convenient for the Convenient Liar-in-Chief.
I was also thinking it's been with deliberate forethought that the plans, policies, and legislation of the Obama Administration have been handed over to known and well-established radical orgainzations for authorship; how radicals, communists, socialists, eugenicists, revolutionaries, racists, and professional liars (that would be you and those of your ilk) beat the socialist drum for the White House relentlessly, publishing lie after lie after lie.
I was thinking about how Obama lied, boldly, to the American people last Wednesday night when he said illegal aliens would NOT be covered under "his" legislation (and how they were) and how, on the Friday night following, the Congress had to insert new language that would prevent illegal aliens from benefitting from Obama's socialist health care plan.
I was thinking how the liberal media, along with the White House, called Congressman Wilson a liar for justifiably, and with reason and factual information to back him up, calling Obama a liar. How Pelosi wants to humiliate Wilson for speaking the truth. How Obama used the chamber to explicitly lie, knowing the "rules" prevented someone from within the chamber from saying so out loud. How the press has been non-stop in continuing the lie they began - even to this day, AFTER the new language has been inserted into the bill which wasn't there Wednesday (or Thursday).
I was thinking the other day about the 2010 elections, about how the media, without question, is complicit with the White House (on an hourly basis) in srpeading lies, propaganda, and a whole lotta hurt on the American people.
I was thinking about how the majority of Americans KNOW the media is a puppet of the Obama Administration and doesn't believe a thing it "says" anymore. Not. A. Word.
And I thought: The Democrats will find that their recalcitrance and ugly misinformation are a millstone in the next election. They've got a BIG surprise waiting for them. Especially Pelosi and Reid.
No one reads or listens to liberal propaganda anymore, except to laugh at whatever new lie it's attempting to "push".
Keep plugging away at that keyboard, Joe. When you're occupied we know you're safe and sound and working through your numerous and difficult mental health and behavioral issues.
Get well soon, Joe. I'm certain your family misses "you".
(sarc) Love and Kisses (/sarc) - Bond, Plain Bond
Asinine Klein
September 13, 2009 - 23:01 ET by CobraMan"moderates and independents who are a necessary component of Obama's governing coalition"
WHO'S "governing coalition?" Hay, Klein, We, The People, are the "governing coalition" in this country America is NOT a coalition government, it is a Constitutional Republic. That includes "right wingers" too, ya know. You would be wise to remember that.
Klein, what a frigging Socialist!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
Then Europe is full of
September 14, 2009 - 08:06 ET by wiwfThen Europe is full of character, judging by joe's statement. And Canada is waning in character!
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy