As NewsBusters previously reported, Friday's "Real Time" on HBO contained some of the most vile political talk ever broadcast on national television.
In one panel segment, gay sex advice columnist Dan Savage said of Republicans, "I wish they were all f--king dead" (video follows with transcript and commentary, extreme vulgarity warning):
BILL MAHER, HOST: Here’s what I don’t understand about this debt ceiling fight. It would be one thing for the Republicans, like this man who I just read the quote. I don’t know where it is, but he said, you know, “Have you no shame, sir? You’re taking this country to hell in a handcart.” That might make sense if Obama was at the table saying, “You know what I want to do is spend more and more and more money.” But actually, Obama has the biggest deficit reduction package at the table.
This is what I don't understand. How come he's the one who wants to reduce the deficit so much, but he's the one who isn't getting them to sign on? It kind of reminds me of when Arafat was at the table in 2000 and the Israelis were willing to give him 97 percent of the West Bank, and he said no. So that's it, Republicans. There you go Fox News, for your blogs this week. You Republicans are like Arafat.
[Applause]
Republicans are like a homocidal maniac because they refuse to accept a budget deal that raises taxes?
So not wanting Americans to have to contribute more of their hard-earned money to government is like not accepting a peace offer?
For those that have forgotten, after Arafat refused Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's extremely generous deal at Camp David in 2000, the Al-Aqsa intifada began renewing hostilities between Israelis and Palestinians that have not ceased since.
And this is what Maher is equating Republicans not wanting to raise taxes to?
Sadly, this wasn't close to the most vile thing said in this segment, for Savage felt he needed to up the ante:
Wow! Savage on national television said he wished all Republicans were dead. This was about twenty minutes before he said he wanted to have hate sex with Rick Santorum.
Is this really the kind of discussion HBO condones? A guest saying he wants about 40 percent of the nation dead?
Exactly how does someone get away with saying something like that on national television?
Odder still, nobody seemed at all bothered by it:
CHRYSTIA FREELAND, THOMSON REUTERS: But I think it's a really good point. And what is mystifying to me is why the Republicans aren't taking this deal. I mean, Obama right now is willing to sign up to a rather right-wing agenda.
MAHER: Yes.
FREELAND: He's offering about 83 percent cuts, only seventeen percent tax increases. There are a lot of progressive economists who think that is crazy and there should be government spending right now
MAHER: And he’s going to go after the sacred cows of the Democrats, that the Democrats have protected for years, like cuts in Social Security and Medicare means testing, which I think is right.
Freeland actually said Maher had a "really good point" comparing Republicans to a homocidal maniac.
Ignoring the anti-Republican hostility, as Charles Krauthammer noted on PBS's "Inside Washington" earlier Friday evening, "You have a completely compliant, pliant, supine press accepting every leak out of the White House."
Indeed. It's a metaphysical certitude that neither Maher nor Freeland could actually name one specific cut Obama has proposed to entitlements.
But there they both were on national television promoting such propaganda moments after the host compared Republicans to a homocidal maniac and Savage said he wished they were all dead.
Readers are reminded that these are the same people who claim liberals don't engage in hate speech.
*****Update: Savage apparently realized how absurd his comment was. Friday evening, he posted the following at his blog (h/t NBer cathartic1):
I want to apologize for... um... wishing all Republicans dead.
I don't feel that way. My dad is a Republican. (Well, he says he's an independent, but he hasn't voted for a Democrat since JFK. My dad is a Republican.) I'm fond of Michael Bloomberg and William Weld and Lincoln Chafee, and I wish no harm—save the political variety—on those Republicans I loathe. Even the one Republican I really had it in for once upon a time—Ronald Reagan—managed to outlive my anger.
It was a stupid, rude, thoughtless remark. I regret it and I retract it and I apologize to anyone watching at home—particularly my father (!)—who may have heard me say it. I had a drink before the show—first and last time I've ever done that—but this wasn't a case of, "In vino, veritas."
This was a case of, "In vino, stupidtas."
