“I would consider them as having far leftist views,” Bachmann asserted.
“Do you think those 30 percent of Americans who consider themselves liberal are anti-American?” Matthews asked.
“I think those people that Barack Obama has been associating with are anti-American by and large,” she said. “People who are radical activists. These are his associates.”
“How many people in Congress are anti-American?" Matthews continued along this line of questioning. “You’ve already suspected Obama; are there others?”
“The news media should do an expose and take a look at the views of people in Congress and see if they’re pro-America or anti-America.” The ghost of Joe McCarthy is alive and well and living in Minnesota. Chilling. Simply chilling.
This sort of incendiary language is nothing that I’ve (thank God) heard in my lifetime and have only read in history books. I fear for a time in perhaps the not so distant future when those in power might knock on my door, asking, “Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the ACLU? Are you now or have you ever been a card-carrying member of any liberal organization?”
This language is toxic, and the road now being taken by McCain and his surrogates, no matter whether he wins or loses in November, has the potential to lead to the sort of extremism that has me as an American, as a religious minority, and a human being fearful. It is chilling. And it has to stop. And John McCain is the only one who can stop it. It is a Pandora’s box that only he can close. And he must do it. NOW.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Gina in Alaska
I watched that exchange and wondered why oh why didn't he question her about the Palin's connection to the Alaska Independence Party??
2 - Barbara
Michelle Bachman represents the very scariest fringe of American politics, those who ironically go on the most unAMerican activity of searching out those whose thoughts are "un American". She, of course, is up for re-election, and apparently her race is tightening. I don't know much about this man, but here is the Democrat's website who is opposing her, and apparently starting to give Michelle Bachman a fight-- Tinklenberg 08. I plan to contribute.
3 - Barbara Barnett
same thing dawned on me. To me, the only anti-Americans would be (by definition) either secessionists or separatists. Todd Palin, anyone?
4 - yeswellokay
you know, I think he was smarter not to bring up the Independence Party. Instead of putting her on the defensive or trying to come across as partisan he calmly, coolly teased the insanity out of her. I think this will be much more effective in showing how dangerous these people really are than if he had tried play a game of who did what when.
5 - Dan(Miller)
**********ATTEMPTED SATIRE***********
And lo, as I walked through the garden alone, while the dew was still on the roses, He appeared to me and He walked with me and He talked with me and He told me that I am His own. When He spoke unto me, I knew that He was the True Messiah and that all others were false.
The True Messiah is not "patriotic;" that would be far beneath him. To accuse Him of such parochial tendencies would be a great insult. He loves all of humanity, yea, he adores even the birds and the bees, and yea, even the rats and the pigs and the fleas. We are all His creatures.
With His wondrous ways, He will quiet the evil voices of even the most power lusting tyrants in all of Creation, simply by speaking unto them, as He spake unto me. He will perform His miracles without demeaning them or harming them; He has only but to speak unto them and they will see His true light shine forth as an epiphany. He needs no burning Bush, He needs no rod to tap on a rock to bring forth pure water for all to drink and pure air for all to breathe. He needs only to make His benign Presence known and all will see the beauty of His Truth. He will cure the ill, the blind will walk and the lame will see! May His Holy Name be praised by all, for all eternity.
I shall now go and commune with the (Holy) spirits.
*************ATTEMPTED SATIRE**************
Dan(Miller)
6 - Cruising
This woman is an embarrassment to Minnesota. Those that voted for her must have been smoking something really loaded with acid or something. Hopefully we get it right this time around. Seriously. Is this the 1950s?
7 - Barbara Barnett
I heard that her opponent has raised 30,000 dollars since the Hardball interview ran 4.5 hours ago!
It's easy to dismiss her as a loony. But unfortunately, she's not. McCain's new print mailers ask the question: "who is the real obama?" this intentional "otherizing" of people who do not agree with you is disheartening and deeply disturbing to me. next stop: scapegoating.
8 - Baronius
Well, Obama has associated with Wright and Ayers and Dohrn, and they aren't exactly pro-American. I mean, what part of "God Damn America" is the patriotic part? That being said, Bachmann's statements were pretty creepy.
9 - peter nelson
what I wondered watching this woman was just what she thinks Obama's evil, anti-American master plan might be. I was dying for Matthews to just come out and ask, "If he's so anti-American, why in your opinion do you think he wants to be president?"
10 - jennsta
I would say I am ashamed to be living in Minnesota right now, but honestly I (almost!) wish I was living in her district SO I could bang the drum, rally cry and most importantly VOTE HER BIGOTED, FACIST *** OUT OF OFFICE!!!!!!!!!!!!
11 - John
I have some disturbing new information about Rep. Bachman.
12 - Jon Skar
Remember, the Liberals (aka Democrats) did their best to subvert an ongoing war. The terrorists themselves were encouraged by the actions and rhetoric of these clueless libs.
13 - El Bicho
Plenty Republicans were against the war, clueless Jon.
14 - Baritone
Bachmann has obviously been reading far too much Ann Coulter. The wonderful Ms. Coulter has repeatedly stated that ALL Democrats, ALL liberals should be arrested and tried for treason.
While I was too young to understand what was happening, I watched Ed Murrow's dismembering of McCarthy. I remember my parents actually taking deep breaths and wondering between themselves if Murrow was a communist and how long it would be till they threw him in jail - along with all the people at CBS. It wasn't really until I was in college that I came to appreciate what had taken place on that program.
As was predicted, McCain and the Reps are pulling out all the stops. It's hard to imagine just what they won't say or do to turn the numbers around.
While conventional Rovian wisdom says that negative works, I sincerely hope that all this crap blows up in McCain's face. I certainly am not predicting it, but I would flat out love to see an all out landslide for Obama. I would love to see a whole bunch of Red states turn Blue come November 4th. I'd love to see McCain beaten so badly that his embarrassment renders him speechless.
Dan (Miller) is hung up on the notion that Obama's devotees consider him to be the second coming. Not so. He is just such a refreshing change from the limited mentality of Bush, Cheney, McCain, etal. We may have a president who actually uses his mind. I know that's anathema to most conservatives. They don't want anybody in the WH who thinks. They just want the wild west cowboy who shoots from the hip, and then foregoes the questions. Hell, if everybody's dead, you don't need no stinkin' questions.
Bar and all the McCainiacs can harp on Ayers and the rest until the cows come home, in the waning hope that some of that shit will stick. It won't. You can't make shit out of thin air.
B
15 - DaveNalle
Last I checked it was legal to be anti-american in america, so I don't see what there is to investigate. As a voter it's your job to figure these things out and if you think a politician is anti-american then don't vote for him, if you think that's important. Aside from that, they can worship Kali and eat monkey brains and burn the flag and they're only accountable to the voters.
Dave
16 - El Bicho
"Dan (Miller) is hung up on the notion that Obama's devotees consider him to be the second coming."
And yet I only hear that talk from the right.
17 - jamminsue
Baritone, you said:
"We may have a president who actually uses his mind. I know that's anathema to most conservatives... Hell, if everybody's dead, you don't need no stinkin' questions."
You are so right, and, Bogey was one of those that fought McCarthy. Thank you for your strong words. I have felt very alone, living in a "Red" state (that may go blue). The idea the neocons are mindless Pavolovians is one I have held for a long time (pre-Regan) and am glad a goodly slice of America is beginning to understand and is DOING something about it. That is most heartening....
18 - jamminsue
Barbara Barnett:
Thank you for this article. I saw the Hardball sequence and am so pleased you wrote this.
19 - jamminsue
El Bitcho seays: "Dan (Miller) is hung up on the notion that Obama's devotees consider him to be the second coming."
I have been a lifelng Democrat. All along, I have seldom found a Republican candidate that I could support. I was not thrilled about Obama getting the nod, I wanted Biden or Richardson. Until VPs were chosen, I would have voted for McCain. If McCain had chosen almost anyone else, I probably would have voted for him. But Palin is so far beyond the Pale that it would be impossible for me to vote for McCain. If that is what he wants, he sure isn't the guy I thought he was. And so, come 11/4 I will hold my nose and vote for Obama, whose saving grace is Biden.
20 - El Bicho
actually I didn't write that jamminstue. hence my use of quotation marks. easy on the white wine spritzer or whatever else you have been taking to start your weekend
21 - Clavos
"Dan (Miller) is hung up on the notion that Obama's devotees consider him to be the second coming."
And yet I only hear that talk from the right.
Dead on, EB.
Everyone knows Louis Farrakhan is a lifelong Republican...
22 - bliffle
Clavos,
You know a lot about this Farakhan guy and put a lot of stock in what he says, are you a Black Muslim?
23 - Lisa Solod Warren
Isn't it funny that to criticize one's country's policies in any way, shape or form makes one anti-patriotic? That coming out for an unjust war makes on anti-patriotic? That just being a liberal makes on anti-patriotic? When, of course, the very definition of liberal is the most patriotic one can be? I find it so ironic, yes, ironic, that speaking one's mind, becomes unpatriotic.
And Dan, for a supposedly intelligent, educated man, your attempt at satire was so unfunny as to be pathetic. Not one person I know who supports Obama sees him as a Christ figure or the second coming. The fact that we support him is nothing to be made fun of. The fact that we are voting FOR him, as opposed to AGAINST him (rather than FOR McCain, as you Republicans seem to be doing) makes you go all weird in the head. Your satire was absurd.
Why do you Republicans seem to think you have a lock on patriotism? Why, in a country founded on free speech, is it no okay to speak out against a government that is taking away our rights to privacy and free speech? Read the Bill of Rights. Read the Consitution. Get over yourselves. Questioning a man's patriotism because one THINKS a man is a, gasp! liberal is so downright silly as to be completely unnewsworthy. I don't know why Chris Matthews even had her on television...
24 - Clavos
Our cup runneth over with irony this fine morning.
First, Lisa writes:
The fact that we support him is nothing to be made fun of.
Wherein she is ready, even eager to suppress Dan(Miller)'s First Amendment rights; and then in a fit of supreme irony, she flagellates him severely about the head and shoulders with HER First Amendment rights.
O, frabjous day!
That kind of "liberalism" the world can do without. Ominously, it's not atypical these days; particularly among the self-proclaimed "intelligentsia" of the Democratic party.
25 - nomorehate
I just donated to Michelle Bachman's opponent's campaign fund. I want to believe that the Republican association game is not going to work this time. Some Republicans (note, not all) have no integrity and no shame.