Krugman: "Gore drives right-wingers insane"
By Steve Benen Sunday Oct 14, 2007 7:16amNicole noted the first few minutes of Fox News Sunday yesterday, and just how angry the conservative Republicans were about Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Bill Kristol disparaged Gore and the Nobel prize itself, saying “it’s a prize given by bloviators to a bloviator.” Charles Krauthammer insisted the award goes to “people whose politics are either anti-American or anti-Bush, and that’s why [Gore] won it.”
These pundits were obviously bitter, much the same way National Review’s Iain Murray was late last week, when he suggested Gore share his award with Osama bin Laden, “who implicitly endorsed Gore’s stance” in a September video harangue. (Apparently, to accept global warming is to embrace a terrorist philosophy.)
It led Paul Krugman to ask a good question: “What is it about Mr. Gore that drives right-wingers insane?”
The headline on Krugman’s piece is entirely appropriate: “Gore Derangement Syndrome.” The whole “derangement syndrome” phenomenon stems from an increasingly common problem — when contempt for a leader strays from simple political opposition to irrational, reflexive antagonism. If so-and-so says “day,” I’ll say “night,” even if the sun is shining. It’s more important to fight the perceived opponent than to make sense.
And for far too long, that’s exactly how the right has approached Gore and the science on global warming. The evidence must be wrong, because Gore believes it. The Nobel Peace Prize must be worthless, because Gore won it.
These aren’t arguments. They’re sad and nonsensical temper-tantrums.
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How many republicans does it take to do-in the environment?
Sometimes right-wingers drive right-wingers insane
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/055911.php
lmao!
While Gore Derangement Syndrome is undoubtedly an affliction of the right; it might be a little hypocritical not to add a disclaimer stating that the left, including myself and sometimes people here at C&L are occasionally intoxicated with Bush Derangement Syndrome. Granted we have a lot more reason to be reflexively anti-Bush & skip the logic phase, we can sometimes succomb to BDS & more generally wingnutDS. In accepting our own peccadilloes, it makes it all the more enjoyable to revel in the hypocrisy of the fundies.
I wish Gore would drive them completely insane by throwing his name in the hat for '08.
When we speak of "right wingers" how many are we really speaking about these days?? The number of registered repukes is now down to the mid twenties and dropping like the Titanic. The ones left (those in denial) are analogous to the hard core smokers who refuse to accept the science that their lungs are charcoal. Denial to them is simply "a river in Egypt". Closed minds and arrogant.....the two descriptive adjectives for all Republicans today.
I wonder, truly wonder if any in that so called beltway area have any indication how weary we the majority have become of all of them regardless of political party, political leanings or who has what agenda to push on the world.
What was it I believe someone in this said not too long ago...I will quote because I cannot take credit for the great insight..."I am tired of this world-wide dick swinging contest."
I know the article was about GDS, but I the following (from the article) seems to sum things up:
"Today, being a good Republican means believing that taxes should always be cut, never raised. It also means believing that we should bomb and bully foreigners, not negotiate with them."
justabill @ 4:
Gore would drive them all batshit if he decided to enter the race, wouldn't he? I'd love to see it myself but realize that Gore has risen so far above the presidency of this country that to do so would be to intentionally degrade himself.
Gore is on a planetary mission. The next president will be so mired in cleaning up the feces of this administration and trying to right this sinking ship of ours that they won't know which end is up. And I believe that the crimes of GWB will still be uncovered well into the next two presidencies. So, why would a prophet like Al Gore agree to do "Bush's scutwork"?? It's not possible since he's become so personally evolved.
This is a tale of two men - both vying for the presidency of the united states....one chose the path of evil, stole the election, and installed himself (illegally) as the leader. From this illicit point forward, he continued to make every effort to delude and deceive and overthrow every rule and law in this country, along with the constitution upon which it was founded.
The other had the election stolen from him, and, instead of playing "dirty games" with a known sicko, chose to take the high road - he moved on to bigger and better things - challenges that affect the entire planet. He did the research, had diplomatic relations with every head of every country and developed a sense of respect and dignity with each of them. Now he's the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize because anyone with a brain can see how intimate the connection is between the need for unity in the global warming threat and world peace. If they cannot see this connection, they are brain dead, propagandized, or "on the take" with the polluters of the environment.
In my lifetime, I don't believe that I've ever see such an example of the choice between good and evil - right and wrong - and how it affects one's life and accomplishments.
Gore and Bush are a study in contrasts for us all to see. We've been given a live spiritual "lesson" by these two men.
All my father, a knee-jerk right winger, could think of was, "What does what Gore did have to do with peace?" I'm assuming Limbaugh gave him this nugget of wisdom.
Simon White-Thatch Potentloins @ 9:
Simon, I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, GDS is terminal. Your dad is going to vote for, let me guess, Giuliani?
Simon White-Thatch Potentloins @ 9:
What right-wingers will never understand, or refuse to.
Well, I've been pissed for the last seven years. If some on the right are pissed now, all I have to say is GOOD! Let them stew in their anger. It's their turn.
When they see the accomplishments of "their" fake president lined up against those of our should have been president, sure they are resentful and bitter. Can you blame them?
An unnecessary war trumps and inconvenient truth in their book. If no one else can see that but them, they get their panties all twisted. Twisted panties make for an uncomfortable life.
What drives them insane....about Gore...probably just the simple fact that he's a better man.But lets see it for what it really is.....jealousy
Those monks in Burma should have gotten it.
There is no better illustration of the Limbaugh-ization of America than the attacks against Gore. 15 years of being told what to think about liberals has left these clowns with 1 simple minded kneejerk response to every question. Al Gore is an intelligent man who has done a great deal for OUR country, including Krauthammer, Kristol and Limbaugh. Their guy looks so incredibly feeble by comparison, I guess being defensive is the only offense they can mount (except for Larry Craig, who'll mount anything).
Al Gore's Martin Luther King Day Speech at Constitution Hall
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3313623747767874725
I think that was, bar none, the best political speech in decades.
Charles Krauthammer is right when he says that the award goes to “people whose politics are either anti-American or anti-Bush...”. I mean, REALLY think about what he's saying here.
G. W. Bush: Appointed president, stole another election, personally responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands by starting an illegal war.
Al Gore: Elected president, Nobel Peace Prize winner.
All inside 7 years.
. @ 14:
If the recent events in Burma had happened several months earlier, they might have. The nominations for this year's award had to be in for voting several months ago. They will probably be high in the running for it next year. Aung San Suu Kyi is already a Nobel Peace prize winner.
Say what you will about the vitriol cast at Al, but it does make it easy to tell the thinking men from the abject idiots. Note this for future reference, 'cause these dolts aren't going anywhere for a long time...
Republicans HATE Al Gore because he makes George W. Bush look like the shit flinging chimp that he is. They all KNOW that the Presidency was stolen from him by they're GOP buddies and EVERYONE with half a brain wishes to christ almighty that Gore had been President and are certain that the country would be better off today.
These fools are angry because the Nobel Peace Prize isn't awarded to war-mongering wingnuts. It is a prize of "Peace" and "meaningful contributions towards improving the equality of life.
Which is why you will never see William "The Bloody" Kristol's name on it, and wingnuts like him know it.
The Political Junkie @ 22:
Hey, if Kissinger could get it, there's no reason to ever rule out the likes of Cheney and Kristol.
What else would you expect from a party that transformed those who disagreed with Bush's policies into "Bush Haters" as if people could not separate the man from his policies? Now the party of moral bankruptcy is going after Gore not because of what he says but for who he is and what he represents.
Fox will have their own prize called the Krauthamer award. It will be a likeness of George Bush taking a wide stance over the constitution, smiling wryly.
…Now the people in the Administration of George Bush better remember their Miranda rights, because when I’m elected President I’m going to see that they are arrested. I’m not kidding here! I want to let you to know something; how I feel about what’s happened to our country. We have been led into a war based upon lies — an unjust a war. We’ve seen our civil liberties taken away because of lies. The President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense are all part of this. They’re going to be held accountable under the law. If someone runs a traffic light, they’ll get a ticket here. There are a million dead Iraqis and almost 4,000 dead American soldiers as a result of this war. Where is the accountability?
- Dennis Kucinich, next year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, addressing the Latino Congresso last week
Driving the right-wing nutt jobs insane,,sounds like a short ride!
So when I say cancel NAFTA, what I mean is that we go to Mexico and renegotiate a trade agreement. And what are the principles of that trade agreement? That all workers will have the right to organize, the right to collective bargaining, the right to strike, the right to decent wages and benefits, the right to a secure retirement, the right to a safe workplace. It will mean prohibitions on child labor, slave labor, and prison labor. It will mean that the air and the water are protected.
It is time to have a President of the United States who will stand up for workers, who will stand up for immigrants, who will stand up for working immigrants, who will stand up for those who have documents, who will stand up for those who don’t have documents, who will stand up for human beings. We must realize that there is no such thing as an illegal human being. We need a President who will stand up for the people!
- Dennis Kucinich, next year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, addressing the Latino Congresso last week
Peace @ 26:
Holy crap! I thought that was probably bs and was going to ask for a link, but i gave it a google first.
http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/10/12/225323/82
Go Kucinich!
For the sake of this world, make Gore president!
Great quotes Peace. Thanks!
Gore triumphant equals Bush defeated. The contrast is unbearable to the fascists. Its "biblical" in its message to the world, Gore is Abel the embraced and loved; Bush is Cain the evil rejected malcontent. A bitter pill for Kristol and Krauthammer to swallow... I hope they choke on it.
Don't forget: Tipper Gore wants to censor music lyrics and she hates Frank Zappa!
Kucinich '08
Peace goes against the nature of the American conservative. If there were no external enemies to engage in, the conservatives will invent internal enemies to fight.
I'm not sure it's really Al Gore that is setting them wild. I think it may be the cause that he represents. They perceive global warming it as a threat to their ability to make money. Not the phenomena itself but the possible regulations that may limit their ability to exploit the environment. They don't care about the validity of the science.
Of course, it is kind of a slap in their collective faces to see the guy they stole the election from in 2000 being internationally revered when their guy is internationally reviled.
justabill @ 11:
When Wangari Muta Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her Green Belt Movement planting roughly 20 million trees in Africa they didn't complain about her award not having anything to do with peace.
Dennis will not place restrictions on freedom of expression, appreciates Frank Zappa's contributions to music and has a delicious red wife.
Kucinich '08
habakkuk, thank you! #8 was a wonderful comment. I agree totally.
This paragraph was part of a post on TPM Horses Mouth:
Charles Krauthammer writes with perfect sincerity: Hillary Clinton is to be admired because of her obvious (he claims) willingness to torture, concluding: "I (and others of my ideological ilk) could live with her." He (Charles Krauthammer) and his "ilk" are evil people - dead set against the common good. As Bill Kristol once said: ~ Our "ilk" are similar to the Lords and upper class of old Europe... someday will will have to pull up the draw bridge.
I hope they do, and then the rest of us can surround them and starve them out.
moondancer @ 32:
I believe you just maligned Cain.
I don't particularly care to give any ammo to babyish right-wingers. Nor do I have any big problems with Al Gore (he was never my ideal candidate but he's on point to a substantial degree). However, I have to admit that I find it bizarre to give him the Nobel Peace Prize for his movie. Is it something that provoked some overdue critical thought? Sure. But, I just have a hard time thinking there weren't others out there a bit more worthy. At the same time, this is just an award in the end. The rabid right should be more concerned with why more and more people in the US seem to be finally (and correctly) catching on that their opportunistic liars who will sell out an entire nation for some meals, some campaign donations, and some pork to their "friends."
Charles Krauthammer writes with perfect sincerity: Hillary Clinton is to be admired because of her obvious (he claims) willingness to torture, concluding: “I (and others of my ideological ilk) could live with her.”
The above is what I found on TPM, the rest of the above post is what I wrote, sorry I didn't make that clear.
Eamon @ 3:
You can bitch about Gore all you want but Gore didn't sign away your right to habeas corpus. Bush did. Gore didn't start a two wars he can't end without a strategy to win them. Bush did. Gore didn't leave the entire Gulf coast to rot while a hurricane rolled in and destroyed all their homes stopping by only for handy photo ops. Bush did. Gore didn't fire a group of US attorneys for refusing to turn the Justice department into his own personal vendetta factory. Bush did. Gore didn't start stripping away the rights guaranteed to you by the US Constitution. Bush did. Gore didn't give the highest civilian honors in the land to a group of fuck ups who did nothing except kiss his ass. Bush did.
Seems to me that 'Bush Derrangment Syndrome' should be referred to as 'thinking'. Because if you actively think using an actual brain and look what Bush has actually done with the 7 years he's had in office then you'd realize there really is nothing good about President Bush's time in office.
Whereas the only thing that the right wing has on Gore is that they don't happen to like his politics because they believe it will cost them money that they could be spending on gay meth dealing escorts. So they use every opportunity to smear and strike at him in order to discredit him and what he stands for.
Headline: Jesus returns to earth; praises Gore for efforts
Fox News:
Is Jesus anti American?
Does Jesus hate Bush?
Do we need to re examine Jesus?
Did Jesus get a free ride under his father?
Jesus: savior or socialist?
Is there a part of Jesus we don't know? Tonight, a Fox New Exclusive: Sean Hannity sits down with Satan. This is one interview you don't want to miss.
I vote for: guilt because of 2000. They know they didn't earn it and they can only deal with that knowledge by lashing out at the guy who did. The fact that things have gone so wrong since 2000 intensifies the feeling.
JustAGI @ 17:
I totally agree.
If you're not anti-Bush, you are anti-American. So, really, it has to go to one or the other.
43 E in MD
To that i can only add: Name one thing that Bush did right? He has been in office for almost seven full years and i can't think of one damned thing.
curtilingus @ 37:
Worded exactly as it is, what you wrote would probably be the most effective ad-campaign spot ever written.
There is a lot on the right that is irrational and does not make sense.
remember how pissed off the repube were when carter won the prize. i see it as simply showing that repubes are more concerned about their personal standing above america's. when every american should have been celebrating the fact that an american won such an honor, repubes would rather belittle the honor and attack the american winning the honor.
Gore already 'won' once, he can do it again.
The only person I want to vote for (Kucinich) will never win, unfortunately. I'd vote for Gore.
Bill Kristol, ???? the only thing he is good for is to find the right (correct) association on any point he makes a comment on. Looking back on his record of prognostications and opinions he has proven to be WRONG most of the time......like 99% of the time. If he says anything I know for a fact that the opposite is the correct opinion.....he's become a great oracle if you use him in that frame of reference.
Really Gore only won ½ the award as the other ½ went to the IPCC.
So really, why do Republicans not go after the IPCC equally?
I mean they keep harping on the Nobel Prize committee basing the award on political reasons.
Are they not responding by only highlighting Gore for political reasons.
Hypocrite much?
jake3988 @ 51:
Vote for him anyway, see what happens.
Do you really want to se the right wing go bat shit nuts?
Clinton, Clinton, Clinton. Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton, Hillary Hillary Hillary. President, President, President. President Bill, President Bill, President Bill. President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary. Hillary, Hillary, Hillary. Hillary Clinton for President. Hillary Clinton for President. Hillary Clinton for President. President Hillary Clinton. President Hillary Clinton. President Hillary Clinton. President Hillary Clinton.
Ladies and gentlemen let me introduce to you the President of the United States of America, President Hillary Clinton.
Now watch the right wing squirm and bounce off the walls.
55 Captain Kangaroo
They would not be the only ones.
JustAGI @ 17:
Okay, I've thought about it. Krauthammer is an idiot who couldn't see straight if you put his head in a vise.
But I guess Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi are useful only as symbolic references in Bush's speeches. God forbid that we should actually learn something from these people and the examples they provide, or strive to hold ourselves and our country to a higher ideal.
Mr. Bush's casus belli was nothing more than a manufactured excuse, and the 'geniuses' behind the planning of the Iraq War have been wrong on just about every substantive issue, from 'candy and flowers' to 'the insurgency is in its last throes.' Our grand experiment in democracy has proven to be nothing more than a show election and wishful thinking, mistaking democracy for its outward manifestations.
But I'm glad you're here to tell us how stupid and backwards we are for being so anti-American and anti-Bush, when the only person George W. Bush has to blame is himself. It's so convenient - "God" and "History" tell him he's right, anyone who says he's wrong is a traitor and an idiot - requiring absolutely no conviction or responsibility on Bush's part.
2 + 2 will never equal 5, no matter how much you proclaim divine inspiration or historical relevance, and it's not because the people saying 2 + 2 = 4 are anti-five or anti-Bush.
The Pentagon is taking AGW seriously. Several years ago, in fact, it decided that AGW would lead to increases in drought and that agricultural failures and drinking water shortages would lead to increases in global strife. That kind of thing happens when people are hungry and thirsty.
So, yes, trying to abate future wars is a peacemaker's activity and one worthy of recognition.
And quibbling over it is a sign of a petty mind.
Krugman says:
And now that Mr. Bush has proved himself utterly the wrong man for the job — to be, in fact, the best president Al Qaeda’s recruiters could have hoped for — the symptoms of Gore derangement syndrome have grown even more extreme.
Let's take it a step futher...Gore for President of France! That would be the E Ticket Ride of the Century!
...that would be really fun to watch.
xoites defnds Constitution @ 47:
The do not call registry.
but that's it.
Zlad! @ 60:
Talk about apprapote of...nothing...
Moose @ 53:
The IPCC is hard to attack, but if Al Gore wasn't the co-winner, they would probably try. They're using their attacks on Al Gore to attack the issue. They harp on the errors or exaggerations in Al's presentations to attack the whole issue of Global Warming. They can't really attack the science or the scientists that belong to the IPCC. It's a case of our scientists are bigger than your scientists.
Elie Wiesel. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ralph Bunche. Mother Theresa.
Yeah, self-absorbed prattlers, all of them. I'm surprised that Bill doesn't come down with thrush every other week, seeing as he always manages to put his foot in his mouth.
justabill @ 61:
Now there is a Legacy to be proud of!
curtilingus @ 31:
It couldn't be more clear why networks censor Dennis Kucinich...He is for the people and the other candidates are for the corporations. Period.
I totally forgot about Do Not Call.
Bush Was Right!!
Simon White-Thatch Potentloins @ 9:
What did Henry Kissinger have to do with peace?
GERMAN GOVERNMENT DEFENDS GORE
'Inconvenient Truth' To Continue Airing in Schools
The German government has come out in defense of former US Vice President Al Gore, who was named the 2007 Nobel Prize winner for his work on climate change education on Friday. Germany's Environment Ministry says a few errors in the film is no reason not to show it in schools.
Al Gore may have had a setback in a British high court this week, but following the announcement Friday that the former United States vice president had been named as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel defended the use of the Oscar-winning climate change film "An Inconvenient Truth" in classrooms.
Gabriel praised Gore's film for presenting the dangers of climate change in an accessible way. Earlier this year, the Environment Ministry distributed 6,000 copies of the DVD of the documentary film to German schools.
...
Nevertheless, the German government said it sees no reason to include any warning message when screening the documentary in classrooms. "A couple of errors in detail are no reason to disparage an entire film," an Environment Ministry source said. "We assume that teachers will encourage their students to view (the film) with a critical eye."
read on:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,511325,00.html
Too bad he can't drive them crazy all the time, like Clinton did, from the White house...
But at the end of the day, they got the president they wanted and we didn't.
He may always be the better man but the right wing did effectively scare Gore out of politics.
As many things that he has accomplished, it's a lot easier than accomplishing them in the hard slog of government on a daily basis.
The tactics of the right wing have had a chilling effect on not just potential politicians but whistleblowers alike.
I would give my left arm for Gore to get in.
I may go back and forth about Hilary but I respect the fact that she doesn't run from the fight. Ever.
Bashing the Nobel Prize is like bashing the UN. Only the hardcore wingnuts applaud this sort of extremism. So let them bash away. Anything that puts some distance between the neonuts and mainstream America is a good thing.
Weaseldog @ 68:
Kissinger won it along with Le Duc Tho (who refused the prize because when it was awarded his country was still at war) for jointly negotiating the Vietnam peace accord in 1973. Although I realize Kissinger should be in jail I understand why it could be said he did deserve the prize for the reason it was awarded. Kissinger is a horrible person and deserves the fate of Penochet just like dick Cheney but he won the prize for negotiating a peace accord.
Krugman says:
"The worst thing about Mr. Gore, from the conservative point of view, is that he keeps being right. In 1992, George H. W. Bush mocked him as the “ozone man,” but three years later the scientists who discovered the threat to the ozone layer won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In 2002 he warned that if we invaded Iraq, “the resulting chaos could easily pose a far greater danger to the United States than we presently face from Saddam.” And so it has proved."
Lynn @ 71:
They may have won a battle, but lost the war.
No, wait. Several wars.
The War in Iraq andThe War on Drugs also come to mind.
Jeffrey Davis @ 58:
Agreed. It's the type of discussion to be had in a casual social setting, not dominating the news as presented by pundits as if it real means a damn thing. But, what do you expect from people who can't even shut up about a stupid flag pin? ;)
It was sickening hearing Laura Ingraham and Fred Barnes' attacks on Gore on the "Right Wing World" segment of Stephanie Miller' show today. These rapture bunnies think they'll be "caught up in the clouds" before Manhattan is underwater from climate change
randomgunner @ 48:
Hardly. As a heterosexual woman with a vote, I don't give a damn how 'delicious' Kucinich's wife is or is not.
Also, Tipper Gore didn't get any lyrics banned (warning labels are not bans) and Frank Zappa does suck.
As a matter of fact, that ad copy might have moved me from liking Kucinich to not liking him very much at all...
Captain Kangaroo @ 73:
Yes, and he made damned sure it did not happen before the 1972 elections so Nixon's "Secret Plan" to end the war could remain his campaign slogan.
78 SamBarge
Proof positive that Americans vote for the packaging and not the content.
Captain Kangaroo @ 73:
I understand this. Likewise Richard Angelo, John Edward Robinson, and Arthur Bishop all became an Eagle Scouts based on his efforts in the Boy Scouts... But I doubt that they would've have won their accolades if they had been caught committing their crimes first.
Still, I'll never believe that there was no one else, more deserving than Henry Kissinger for the prize that year. I consider that event on par with Bush giving away the Medal of Freedom to Paul Bremer and other war criminals.
Then again, Kissinger does think Bush is a moron...
Tipper Gore was instrumental in getting "Warning Explicit Lyrics" stamped on every record that so much as says "darn". Frank Zappa debated the issue with her in front of congress.
I can appreciate the fact you don't like Franks music, it is over the heads of most people and sometimes can only be appreciated by a musician or other free-thinking person. However he is one of the top ten greatest contributors to music ever. Up there with the ancient composers.
As far as not liking Kucinich's wife, I can't help you there.
Kucinich '08
As a German journalist wrote:
"The highest form of human recognition is envy."
The U.S.A. needs a satire party, like Canada used to have. We had the Rhinos, a Marxist-Lennonist (Not a typo. Groucho and John) party whose party promise was, "A promise to keep none of our promises." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhino_party Maybe then everyone would have something to agree on.
And God bless Gore for supporting Howard Dean. At that time, in typical fashion, the right said "he's finished" for vigorously endorsing that madman Dean who opposed the Iraq War as one of the worst foreign policy disasters. I'll never forget Gore's impassioned speeches against the war whenever he appeared with Dean.
And, once again, those on the right have been wrong about every friggin thing, whether it be domestic policy, foreign policy or global warming and, therefore, have nothing left but name-calling and stale, juvenile barbs as they sit simpering in Gore's gargantuan shadow.