liberal tolerance - Justice Scalia at Wesleyan University

[Jim in CT]

Spence, if Republicans are afraid of Rush, doesn't that make Obama equally afraid of Bill Maher?

In the wake of the Arizona shooting, Obama called for more civil discourse. A noble idea. No one spits in the face of that idea more than Bill Maher, who has referred to Sarah Palin as a c*nt and a tw*t.

Yet Obama's super-PAC takes $1 million from Bill Maher?

Spence, I'm confused. Bill Maher is clearly guilty of doing exactly what Obama says none of us should be doing, yet Obama takes $1 million from Maher. If this is, as you said, a "leadership moment", shouldn't Obama return that money? It seems to me that if Obama wants to put his money where his mouth is, returning that money is morally obvious. If he keeps that money, Obama surrenders (more accurately, whores out) the moral position to say that there is no place for that kind of language

GOOD LUCK MAKING THAT WRONG, SPENCE. GOOD LUCK.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Spence, if Republicans are afraid of Rush, doesn't that make Obama equally afraid of Bill Maher?

You're trying to stretch the argument here but it doesn't work. Maher has a very limited reach, really limited and compared to Rush only a fraction of influence.

In the wake of the Arizona shooting, Obama called for more civil discourse. A noble idea. No one spits in the face of that idea more than Bill Maher, who has referred to Sarah Palin as a c*nt and a tw*t.

Yet Obama's super-PAC takes $1 million from Bill Maher?

Spence, I'm confused. Bill Maher is clearly guilty of doing exactly what Obama says none of us should be doing, yet Obama takes $1 million from Maher. If this is, as you said, a "leadership moment", shouldn't Obama return that money? It seems to me that if Obama wants to put his money where his mouth is, returning that money is morally obvious. If he keeps that money, Obama surrenders (more accurately, whores out) the moral position to say that there is no place for that kind of language

GOOD LUCK MAKING THAT WRONG, SPENCE. GOOD LUCK.

Obama didn't take 1 million from Maher.

A Super PAC supporting Obama did and Obama is prohibited by law from directing what they do with the money.

You're comparing apples and oranges. I don't need to "make" your comments wrong...they already were.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

You're trying to stretch the argument here but it doesn't work. Maher has a very limited reach, really limited and compared to Rush only a fraction of influence.

-spence

I thought Rush was just an entertainer....geez

[spence]

Originally Posted by scottw

I though Rush was just an entertainer....geez

He is but also has tremendous influence. Imagine a field of Republican candidates who can't even stand up to an entertainer or lightweight like Sarah Palin.

The argument over contraception is a real issue being discussed right now. What Rush says does unfortunately matter and shapes a lot of public opinion. That he chooses to do so in such an ugly manner is unfortunate.

What Maher said months or years ago while disrespectful is largely irrelevant in the present context.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

He is but also has tremendous influence. Imagine a field of Republican candidates who can't even stand up to an entertainer or lightweight like Sarah Palin.

The argument over contraception is a real issue being discussed right now. What Rush says does unfortunately matter and shapes a lot of public opinion. That he chooses to do so in such an ugly manner is unfortunate.

What Maher said months or years ago while disrespectful is largely irrelevant in the present context.

-spence

that sounds about right coming from you...

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

You're trying to stretch the argument here but it doesn't work. Maher has a very limited reach, really limited and compared to Rush only a fraction of influence.


Obama didn't take 1 million from Maher.

A Super PAC supporting Obama did and Obama is prohibited by law from directing what they do with the money.

You're comparing apples and oranges. I don't need to "make" your comments wrong...they already were.

-spence

"Maher has a very limited reach, really limited and compared to Rush only a fraction of influence."

Spence, I'm going to focus on this one absurdity.

You're saying that Rush's use of the word slut, is worse than Maher's use of the word c*nt, because Rush has a wider audience?

Spence, do you listen to what comes out of your mouth? What you're saying is, freedom of speech is inversely proportional to the size of the audience? What's the logic behind that? Exactly how big does one's audience have to be, before he is obligated to be a gentleman? 1 million? 2 million?

"Obama is prohibited by law from directing what they do with the money. "

I'm no expert on campaign finance laws, but it's curious that's NOT what the white house is saying. I heard Jay Carney say that they weren't asking the superPac to give the money back, not that they were prohibited by law from telling the PAC to give the money back.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Spence, I'm going to focus on this one absurdity.

You're saying that Rush's use of the word slut, is worse than Maher's use of the word c*nt, because Rush has a wider audience?

Spence, do you listen to what comes out of your mouth? What you're saying is, freedom of speech is inversely proportional to the size of the audience? What's the logic behind that? Exactly how big does one's audience have to be, before he is obligated to be a gentleman? 1 million? 2 million?

How can someone with a love of mathematics lack a basic ability to understand a simple formula?

Maher made a rude quip about someone who was making a career out of being in the spotlight mostly through destructive means. It was heard by relatively few people, and Maher isn't seen as a leader of the Left.

Limbaugh ridicules a woman who's gained a small amount of visibility through constructive means, ridicules her for hours about her sexuality, much of which was made up. He has millions of people listening and is seen as a leader of the Right.

There is no parity here.

I'm no expert on campaign finance laws, but it's curious that's NOT what the white house is saying. I heard Jay Carney say that they weren't asking the superPac to give the money back, not that they were prohibited by law from telling the PAC to give the money back.

Obama can't legally tell them to return the money. The most he could do is make a public statement and hope they listen.

But even that isn't called for in this situation. It would set a precedent impossible to uphold.

Did you see how hard Mitt Romney was working to stand beside Ted Nugent the other week? Would you like me to post some of the things he's said???

-spence