Garofalo: Tea Party Protesters 'Functionally Retarded'; 'I Want My Country Back' Code for 'I Want My White Guy Back'

August 22nd, 2009 4:34 PM

You probably already knew Jeanane Garofalo was no fan of conservatives, Republicans or just about anything that could be described as right of center. But the former Air America host and MSNBC regular really has a low regard for conservative activists.


In an appearance at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 21, Garofalo ripped into tea party protesters, or what some of the wizards of smart on the left have deemed “tea baggers” calling them “functionally retarded adults” and “racists.”


“Do you remember tea baggers?” Garofalo said. “It was just so much easier when we could just call them racists. I just don’t know why we can’t call them racists, or functionally retarded adults.”


Garofalo has made prior overtures alleging any public display of discontent with the current president is nothing more than racial hatred. Back in April she called tea party protesters “a bunch of tea bagging rednecks” on MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.” However, she contended the public’s frustration expressed over the direction of the country was code for racism.


“The functionally retarded adults, the racists – with their cries of, ‘I want my country back,’” she said. “You know what they’re really saying is, ‘I want my white guy back.’ They apparently had no problem at all for the last eight years of habeas corpus being suspended, the Constitution being [expletive] on, illegal surveillance, lied to on a war or two, two stolen elections – yes, the John Kerry one was stolen too. That’s not tin-foil hat time. That’s just…”


According to Garofalo, the media were the reason George W. Bush defeated both former Vice President Al Gore in 2000 and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in 2004 to hold on to the White House for eight years.


“Our media is quite happy to report on any stolen election around the world, any stolen election around the world except ours,” Garofalo said. “And it’s just unexamined narcissism. It’s just, if you were to say this to the average American, ‘You know they steal elections in Uganda.’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘You know they steal elections in America.’ ‘Why do you hate America?’ ‘Why didn’t you ask me why do you hate Uganda?’”


And throughout Garofalo’s stand-up routine, she reiterated her belief that the outrage over President Barack Obama’s and the Democratic-controlled Congress’ branded of domestic policy is veiled racism.


“This is neuroscience,” Garofalo said, as she went on to blast the health care town halls. “This is not politics, this is neuroscience. It is purely limbic brain activity – this emotion over being angry that there’s a black guy in office, with the people showing up armed to the health care meetings – to whatever, the town halls. But it’s just, and these tea baggers. It makes me soul sick.”