CRITICAL UPDATE AT END OF POST.
Joy Behar, Al Gore's new employee at Current TV, said Tuesday in response to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's comments on the need for more police, teachers, and firefighters, "I’d like to see his house burn, one of his millions of houses burning down."
During an interview with the liberal website Mediaite, Behar added, "Who's he going to call, the Mormon fire patrol?" (video follows with transcript and commentary, relevant section begins at minute 6:30):
MEDIAITE: What would you ask Romney if you could?
JOY BEHAR: I would ask him plenty of questions about, is he planning to endorse the Ryan budget? And I think that would be a terrible mistake. I don’t want to see people on the streets begging for food, thank you. And why does he hate Planned Parenthood? You know, he didn’t used to hate Planned Parenthood. I want to ask him about all the flip-flopping he’s been doing. That’s why he doesn’t want to come on, because he’s afraid of the questions.
MEDIAITE: I saw that you used to be a school teacher. What did you think about what he said about “teachers, firemen, and police?”
BEHAR: What did he say? Tell me what he said.
MEDIAITE: He was making fun of the President for wanting to hire more policemen and firemen and teachers saying, you know, “Didn’t he get the message of Wisconsin that we want less government?”
BEHAR: Oh, less government? That is an idiotic statement. Can I just say that?
MEDIAITE: Yes.
BEHAR: I mean, I’d like to see his house burn, one of his millions of houses burning down. Who's he going to call, the Mormon fire patrol?
MEDIAITE: Is that a thing?
BEHAR: You know what I mean? Come on. What am I supposed to do if my apartment gets caught on fire? Am I gonna call Mitt Romney to come and put it out? See what I mean?
Obviously, this was a joke.
However, imagine for a moment a conservative commentator making such a remark about President Obama or any leading Democrat.
As Donald Trump said Monday evening regarding Bill Maher's attacks on Romney's religion, "End of that person's career."
By contrast, it seems quite doubtful Behar will suffer any consequences for saying even jokingly she'd like to see the Republican presidential candidate's house burn down.
You see, if you're a member of today's media, it's totally acceptable to say whatever you want about a conservative - especially if he or she is running for president or vice president. Then all decency restrictions are totally off.
Just ask Sarah Palin and her family.
*****Update: There was an error in the original transcript posted at Mediaite that I missed. After listening to the audio numerous times with headphones, it's become apparent that Behar didn't say, "It would be kind of cool - the Mormon fire patrol." Instead she said, "Who's he going to call, the Mormon fire patrol?" As such, headline, text, and transcript have been corrected.
Even so, this is still a disgraceful comment by a woman just given a new show at Current TV.
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— Noel Sheppard (@NoelSheppard) June 9, 2012