Rosie and Nancy In The Heartland
Reported by Chrish - April 8, 2007 -
Note: Guest blogged by Priscilla
Last night 4/7/07 on Heartland, John Kasich’s “no nonsense Mid-Western sensibility” included a panel discussion that led off with (are we surprised) more Rosie O'Donnell bashing. In his opening preview of the show topics, O'Donnell's photo, next to the words “Free Speech?,” was shown. As an added bashing bonus, Kasich began the O'Donnell piece with a comment about people speaking out and then showed a shot of Cindy Sheehan speaking, on Good Friday, at Crawford Texas. He then said that there are others who are “speaking their minds and pushing far out theories.” Thus, the stage was set for yet more Fox News Rosie-bashing.
Kasich presented a montage of three O'Donnell comments – the dehumanization of Iranians, speculation about Building 7 at the WTC, and the statement that “someone should impeach Bush.” (Comment: a sentiment shared by more than just Rosie.) Kasich asked if “Rosie was speaking her mind or trying to influence or create a political agenda?” Meanwhile, the chyron read “freedom or agenda.”
Kasich said, to entertainment correspondent Shira Lazar, that when he was in congress he “learned to respect the opinions of others” and noted that he has had people on his show who make inane comments.” (Comments: describing yourself?) He asked if “America is tuning out O'Donnell or is she having an influence?” Lazar responded that “controversy creates ratings and people are listening.” Kasich was not “convinced that people are buying this.” He noted that “somebody was actually clapping” when O'Donnell made these comments and asked “who are these people?”
Angela McGlowan, Fox political analyst (and 1994 Miss District of Columbia, USA) chimed in that people do have free speech but “we have a responsibility, on TV, to make some kind of sense (Comment: sentiment not shared by Fox) and O'Donnell has lost her mind.” Ms. McGlowan didn’t think that “many people are listening” She added that some TV figures will “spew lies for ratings.” (Comment: Fox News, ya think?)
Kaisch said, to Young Democrats for America’s Jane Fleming, that he didn’t “really care that much” about Rosie and then proceeded with a litany of O'Donnell comments that he considered unacceptable. Included in his list was O'Donnell's comment (according to Kasich) that “Firm Christians are as bad as radical Islam.” (Comment: the actaul quote is that “radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam.”) Fleming responded that that “Rosie will not be advising the President on national policy” and that as the women who watch O'Donnell are “smart and capable,” she has confidence that these women are able to make decisions about the content of O'Donnell's comments.
The rest of the segment was devoted to bashing Nancy Pelosi as Kasich quoted from the Washington Post editorial that was very critical of Pelosi’s trip and that has been rebutted here and here. McGlowan (who received more time for comments than Fleming) said that Pelosi’s trip would “damage her severely” and showed just how “dysfunctional the Democrat party has become.” She added that “liberals will go by any means necessary to undermine the administration’s policy” and “compromise our policy against the war on terror.” Fleming was able to get in a quick response about how Pelosi’s delegation of Democrats and Republicans were working in conjunction with the goals of the ISG and in telling Syria to stop supporting terrorists, they were not undermining our policy.
After a quick look at Obama’s fund raising and the question of whether he will have “staying power” or be another Howard Dean, Kasich allowed McGlowan to promote her book “Bamboozled” which, as described by McGlowan, “exposes the liberal exploitative agenda and the lies and tactics used in the last election.” She said it is part of the “grass roots to help take back the House and Senate.” (Comment: “Bamboozled” is also the title of a Spike Lee movie which satirizes media presentations of African Americans. Its lead character is a Harvard educated black man who works as a writer for a TV network that rejects his scripts for shows that portray intelligent black people. Some irony, here?)
Comment: Rosie O’Donnell has replaced Anna Nicole as the new Fox obsession. In describing what they feel is her “irresponsibility, self promotion, and agenda”, they are describing what is done, on a daily basis, at Fox News. As the bard said, “methinks they doth protest too much” and “nothing will come of nothing.”
Note: Guest blogged by Priscilla
