Gwen Ifill Calls Out Russert, Brooks For Their Silence On Imus
Gwen Ifill Calls Out Russert, Brooks For Their Silence On Imus
This morning on NBC’s Meet the Press, PBS anchor Gwen Ifill directly called out host Tim Russert and fellow guest David Brooks for failing to speak out against Don Imus’ offensive remarks.
“There has been radio silence from a lot of people who have done this program who could have spoken up and said, I find this offensive or I didn’t know,” Ifill said. “These people didn’t speak up.” She then turned Russert and Brooks, frequest guests on Imus’s show. “Tim, we didn’t hear from you. David, we didn’t hear from you.”
Ifill added, “A lot of people did know and a lot of people were listening and they just decided it was okay. They decided this culture of meanness was fine — until they got caught. My concern about Mr. Imus and a lot of people and a lot of the debate in this society is not that people are sorry that they say these things, they are sorry that someone catches them.”
Watch it:
Despite being called out by Ifill, Russert said little during the show about his frequent appearances on Imus’ show. Intead, he suggested that Imus will launch a new show dedicated to “racial reconciliation and healing,” which Russert said he would “absolutely” listen to.
Transcript:
And yet, you write this: “Why do my journalistic colleagues appear on Mr. Imus’ show? That’s for them to defend and others to argue about. I certainly don’t know any black journalists who will.”
Yow know, it’s interesting to me. This has been an interesting week. The people who have spoken, the people who issued statements and the people who haven’t. There has been radio silence from a lot of people who have done this program who could have spoken up and said, I find this offensive or I didn’t know. These people didn’t speak up. Tim, we didn’t hear from you. David, we didn’t hear from you. What was missing in this debate was someone saying, you know, I understand that this is offensive. You know, I have a 7-year-old god daughter. Yesterday she went out shopping with her mom for high-Thetop basketball shoes so she can play basketball. The offense, the slur that Imus directed at me happened more than 10 years ago. I would like to think that 10 years from now, that Asia isn’t going to be deciding that she wants to get recruited for the college basketball team or be a tennis pro or go to medical school and that she is still vulnerable to those kinds of casual slurs and insults that I got 10 years ago, and that people will say, I didn’t know, or people will say, I wasn’t listening. A lot of people did know and a lot of people were listening and they just decided it was okay. They decided this culture of meanness was fine — until they got caught. My concern about Mr. Imus and a lot of people and a lot of the debate in this society is not that people are sorry that they say these things, they are sorry that someone catches them. When Don Imus said this about me when I worked here at NBC, when I found out about it, his producer called because Don said he wants to apologize. Well, now he says he never said it. What was he apologizing for? He was apologizing for getting caught, not apologizing for having said it in the first place. And that to me is the debate we need to have, David is right, about the culture of meanness, about the culture of racial complaint, about the internal culture within our community about how we talk to one another. But just this week it was finally saying, enough.
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I’m just throwing out a thought here…
Could it be that Imus got more media attention for his remarks than the countless other commentators and comedians, and pundits because he chose to specifically offend a select group of people, rather than just speaking about the race in general?
Granted speaking about blacks in general isn’t good either, but I wonder if this just worked as a story to be reported on. I mean, he didn’t just talk about any black people, he talked about bright, young, talented, athletic girls who go to a nice school.
Maybe the media came out to defend them, because they are “safe” black people to defend. You know, they are professional, and bright, young, etc… etc. A perfect group of blacks to show on the TV.
And maybe black leaders came out to defend them for the same reasons. If you’ve got to defend your race, you might as well pick the ones who you think will appeal the most to the whites in this country.
Other pundits HAVE come out against specific people before, but they were of some celebrity status. And in this country it’s alright to make fun of celebrities; they are in public domain. So there is no need to be offended by the racist humor to them, and no need to defend the celebrities. They have money, they are famous… they’ll get over it.
Never mind how the insult which was directed at the celebrity effected all the non-celebrities. But whatever…
April 15th, 2007 at 11:53 amI think the bottom atrocity is that people like Imus ever had an audience, sponsors and a history.
What is wrong with a society where people find Don Imus interesting in the first place?
April 15th, 2007 at 11:53 amShouldn’t that read, “Because of being called out by Ifill, Russert said little during the show…?”
April 15th, 2007 at 11:54 amOy vey, the “good ole boys” are melting as fast as the Republican Party. Gwenn gave old David Brooksie some withering glares as Brooks tried to muddy the waters, pooh-pooh and spread the blame on Imus overt racisim.
-GSD
April 15th, 2007 at 11:54 amI’m glad someone finally said something to Russert. Of course, he showed what an incredible weenie he is.
Does anyone know what Imus said about Gwen Ifill 10 years ago?
April 15th, 2007 at 11:59 amwhen is the last time Gwen attacked rap music?
oh that’s right.. never.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:02 pmShame them all Gwen!
April 15th, 2007 at 12:03 pmzooey…..imus called her “the cleaning woman” nbc sent to cover the white house
April 15th, 2007 at 12:03 pmDid you hear Juan Williams blame blacks for racists rants against blacks? He did it on NPR with Steve Innskeep.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:03 pmYou know what’s the biggest shame in all of this? That Big Russ wasn’t around to hear I-man’s latest joke. He loved that stuff! Maybe the Big Guy is watching down from heaven, chuckling to himself, “Good one I-man. It’s so funny, ’cause it’s so true.”
April 15th, 2007 at 12:03 pmImus has shown during 40 years that he’s not a racist.He has shown he’s somewhat stupid.All this opportunists overflying imus media corpse remind me all those blood thirsty sectarians who demanded Jesus to be immediately crucified 2000 years ago.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:04 pmHe said her network “let the cleaning lady read the news.” This, after she declined to appear on his show bc she was too busy.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:04 pmzooey…..imus called her “the cleaning woman†nbc sent to cover the white house
Comment by mr. irony
Holy shit.
Imus should have been fired for THAT!
Wow.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:05 pmO great,Timmy is going to listen to Imus’ new show about racial reconciliation.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:06 pmI won’t, I can’t stand the sound of that bastards voice,or his endless self promotion,or his daily talks with his braindead brother sponsored by JEEP,or that Bo Diddle jerk.
Any Imus show is trash.
hALLO ALL!!!(again)
April 15th, 2007 at 12:07 pmZooey, I think you would get a kick out of my postings on the Webb thread, starting with #71(or 72, i forget..)
unbelievable>salutations to you…
Thing is that Russert remaining closed mouth when this woman puts herself out there in an institutionally racist environment to say something meaningful about the incipient and acidic impact Imus and Coulter and Rush and Beck’s bullshit brings down on innocent children of color… is committing a rather classic act of racism itself…to let her words hang there and just wait for them to dissipate when you hold the kind of privilege and power that pumkin head does is akin to turning up your radio so you don’t hear the lynch mob go by your house looking for a tree. fuck him.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:07 pmhallo I WORFEUS! I hope your day is going well…
Are you talking about perhaps, when she worked for FOX NOISE?
April 15th, 2007 at 12:09 pmRussturd Sux.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:16 pm“unbelievable>salutations to you…
Comment by whiteyfresh — April 15, 2007 @ 12:07 pm”
Howdy - how’s it going?
April 15th, 2007 at 12:17 pmI think I might have some insights into the phenomenon of Don Imus:
http://homepage.mac.com/petergillis/iblog/
April 15th, 2007 at 12:17 pmhallo I WORFEUS! I hope your day is going well…
Are you talking about perhaps, when she worked for FOX NOISE?
TP is REALLY pi$$ing me off today….
April 15th, 2007 at 12:18 pmDidn’t Imus point out that he appropriated the expression from
April 15th, 2007 at 12:19 pmlingo of black men? Isn’t there a statistic that a large number of black men leave behind there women and family. Point being that if you dig a little deeper here there are underlying issues with all this nonsense as
a surface reflection. Don’t all ethic groups have the negative aspects. Take a look at the culture of white Republican men or white progressive liberal men. Should Imus have used the expression ‘corporate dicks’ or ‘girly men?’ We are a society riddled by ethnic smears. Racism is pervasive at all levels. Is Imus fall guy? If your thinking is is absolute then your are going to be paying legal fees that will exceed the national debt.
if TP was actually a FUnCTIONING web site I’d be a lot better…
April 15th, 2007 at 12:21 pmDid you hear Juan Williams blame blacks for racists rants against blacks? He did it on NPR with Steve Innskeep.
I am a black woman. Juan Williams is dead-on. A disgusting double standard exists in this country. The black community needs to address it. I am “supposed” to get mad about Don Imus calling black women “nappy-headed hos”, but I am “supposed” to accept 50 cent or Ludacris calling black women, much, much worse names? Please, that logic is flawed, at best!!!!!
April 15th, 2007 at 12:21 pmHey whitey,
I left you a message on the Webb thread. Nice real-time ranting. Heh.
You’re talking to Worfeus, but I don’t see him. Did he get deleted?
April 15th, 2007 at 12:22 pmT.P.
You have some serious posting problems going on.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:24 pmI wonder if Judd would have let it go on this long?
I think I’ll just move along;maybe I’ll check back in in a couple of days to see if it’s been fixed.
according to Al Sharpton you are, notimpressedwithUS….
April 15th, 2007 at 12:25 pmif TP was actually a FUnCTIONING web site I’d be a lot better…
Comment by whiteyfresh
TP is making me nuts this weekend. Yesterday was worse!
April 15th, 2007 at 12:28 pmIMUS got lynched ~ OJ is playing golf.
What’s your next question?
April 15th, 2007 at 12:29 pm“but I am “supposed†to accept 50 cent or Ludacris calling black women, much, much worse names?
Comment by notimpressedwithUS — April 15, 2007 @ 12:21 pm”
You shouldn’t…
I don’t understand why they do to begin with, and why they have an audience. Though, the bulk of their audience is 13-25 year old WHITE males.
I think our generation of women has been way too complacent about our lack of equality…
April 15th, 2007 at 12:30 pmFred,
Equating the misogyny of rappers with the misogyny of corporate media, both wrong, is simplistic.
It would be like comparing the death of a Jewish person at the hands of a mugger with the death of a Jewish person during the Holocaust.
When the racist misogyny of the established elites raises it’s ugly head, even when it’s teh funny, the underlying message is “nothing’s changed since the 1860’s, we still ‘own’ youâ€
When a rapper does it. He’s just being a dickhead. Like you
April 15th, 2007 at 12:31 pmMSNBC hasn’t always done enough to disipline pundits when it comes to demeaning anyone, especially fellow employees. Remember the time when Michael “Weiner” Savage blasted then MSNBC anchor Ashleigh Banfield for her non-biased coverage of the War in Afghanistan following 9/11. That was when Savage had his own show on MSNBC. And the powers that be, before Dan Abrams took over, were to chickenshit to call him out on it or boot his flabby ass out of the studio. Of course it took an anti-gay remark to end it all for him. But it would have been nice if he had bothered to recognize that Banfield,now on Court TV, risked her life to bring stories that covered the fighting as well as how both the US soldiers and Afghans feel about the so-called War on Terror. Was Weiner jealous that a woman was covering stories and presenting them without the usual Faux Noise crap? Probably.
Let’s only hope that this is the beginning. The Limbaughs, Coulters, Boortzs, Hannitys, Becks, etc. should be taken account for some of the rhetoric that allows their less than sophisticated listeners to drop the kind of manners taught to them by Mom and Dad. The right-wing rhetoric of hate is only setting back this country 50 years and threatens to suppress America as what it was supposed to be, a truly diverse country.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:31 pmI am “supposed†to get mad about Don Imus calling black women “nappy-headed hosâ€, but I am “supposed†to accept 50 cent or Ludacris calling black women, much, much worse names? Please, that logic is flawed, at best!!!!!
Comment by notimpressedwithUS
You shouldn’t have to put up with either one.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:32 pmI honestly believe Don Imus is NOT a bigot.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:34 pmNo, he is worse.
He spews hate to encourage ratings and spurs others on to bigotry.
That is why he had to be fired.
Curious how, toward the end of today’s MTP, practicing Roman Catholic Tim Russert admitted to having been offended by a piece of shtick McGuirk once performed on Imus’ show, putting a Fed Ex box on his head to mock a member of the Catholic clerical hierarchy.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:36 pmgo gwen go. i wish we had a reaction shot of russert as ifill called him out. the tight lipped shots of corny david brooks were priceless.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:38 pmRonald (deregulator) Reagan gave us the likes of Imus, Limbaugh, Hannity, OReilley, Beck, etc., and the rest of the “hate” crowd, when he removed the FCC equal time provision, and provided a platform for these hate-mongers.
Limbaugh was even made an honorary member of the GOP controlled ‘94 House of Representatives.
There are always plenty of ignorant people out there who love to have someone to hate — liberals, democrats, college professors, the “elite” media, etc. These right wing lunatics have been able to use the publicly owned air-waves to spread their gospel of hate, and we have Ronald Reagan to thank for it.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:39 pmhallo I WORFEUS! I hope your day is going well…
Are you talking about perhaps, when she worked for FOX NOISE?
Comment by whiteyfresh — April 15, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Well TP is deleting my comments as soon as I type them, so I am surprised you even saw that comment.
ThinkProgress is going to accuse me of “overposting” in the Franken thread, but the fact is I was merely responding to comments attacking me, and trying to speak the truth.
But I am not sure ThinkProgress is interested in the truth.
They just want to perpetuate this LIE.
Imus did NOT insult those girls.
That is a LIE.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:39 pmWhy when ish like this happens the first thing whites do is yell out “well blacks do it too” it’s sounds like a Dred Scott defense, you know a black man has no rights that a white man must respect, instead it’s black people cant say anything that I can’t say because I’m free, white, and 21.
We deal with this in the Army all the time and it’s a joke. Your telling me that all of the sudden Snoop, Eminem, 50 Cent, and all of the rest of the BS rappers all have the same status and power as Imus, Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Haniity, Coulter, Savage, Beck, Ingraham, Malkin, you have got to be kidding.
These people get summoned to the White House when the WH needs a talking point to get out, they get paid to promote failing and downright wrong policies by writing and reporting them favorably, they go to parties and golf trips with the policy makers, and they in-bed themselves with the elite.
Now I for one as a Black Man am as sick and tired of the BS RAP (as opposed to Hip Hop, there is a difference) as the rest of you, but when Hip Hop was educational, inspirational, fun, and empowerment of mind, body self, and community, it was the greatest threat to all of civilization (where have I heard that before?).
When Public Enemy was telling you to fight for your right to fight, and saying boycott Arizona because of it’s late to recognize MLK day, or when KRS 1 was telling us to stop the violence because it was leading us to self destruction, and Run DMC was walkin this way with Aerosmith, WE had to be STOPPED!!!
But now that its all about shakin’ ya ass, killin this n, and killin that n, and bitch this, ho that, and its profitable it’s all good now. And the fact is that now White people love it, because we no longer are rappin’about being pulled over and having our Fourth Amendment rights violated (Sir Mix-A-Lot. oh yea he made more than just baby got back, but I’m sure that’s all some remember), or F a War (Geto Boys) talking about the Gulf War and the then President Bush close ties to big oil, or how Chuck D was ordered to join the Army but said no and was jailed and sentenced to be executed (Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos) something that if done now will get you elected to office as a Republican or you can get your own radio or tv show on Fox, CNN, or MSNBC.
So stop the they do it too excuse, it’s transparent, you know just as I do that the two levels are about as equal as liberty and justice for all (tell me who said that).
Imus said this about 12 women who just did the unthinkable in their sport, they made it to the Championship in Women’s College Basketball, they should have been celebrated not berated and that has nothing to do with some dumb-ass rapper. PERIOD
RIP
SGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Or as the POTUS, with the full backing and approval from his supporters and enablers calls him,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,comma #1462
April 15th, 2007 at 12:43 pmComment by ∞Ω — April 15, 2007 @ 12:06 pm]
Precisely . . . . . . never, NEVER understood the draw; after this week I have an inkling.
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April 15th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
I didn’t think I could take another lengthy discussion of the Imus affair, so I was not paying full attention to MTP at first, but I soon began to pay full attention because Gwen Ifill was quietly, yet passionately, expressing the meaning of the case this morning. If you missed it, I recommend the post-broadcast later tonight on MSNBC.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:49 pmDavid Brooks made a case for humor vs. mean-spirited, ad hominem attacks, and he has a point, but ….he was still somewhat lame in his defense.
Russert must have been stung by some of Ifill’s words, and he deserved it.
Where is Gwen’s ‘concern’ when it comes to Al Sharpton? Call beginning to have his show yanked as well.
here
April 15th, 2007 at 12:49 pmComment by Enuff Already!!
Well said, as always.
I’m learning a lot about the different viewpoints on this issue.
Thank you.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:54 pmSuch irony.
“The culture of meanness” = thinkprogress.org
This site exists to spew bile and propaganda.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:54 pm“Comment by Enuff Already!! — April 15, 2007 @ 12:43 pm”
Not only do not all white people say ‘blacks do it too’, but suggesting that we do is why some white people don’t listen to you.
Absolutes are not credible. Talk specifically about the white people who do this, and don’t stereotype us all. Thank you.
April 15th, 2007 at 12:54 pm#37 EA
April 15th, 2007 at 1:04 pmExcellent post.
I’d like to know Bill Cosby’s take on this whole issue, since he has been a lightning rod in criticism of the African-American community.
What Imus said is repulsive, degrading, and racist/sexist……He deserves to face consequences and he is/has. What is starting to bother me, is the pandering of the those calling themselves men of God. You have the Panderer’s In Chief……Rev. Al and Rev. Jesse……But then you have Rev. Soaries, who has started talking about REPARATIONS to these young women! REPARATIONS! I find that in itself to be outrageous! These talented, gifted young women were handling themselves with class, grace, and dignity. Now, they’re being used for this media circus……And the backlash against Don Imus is being used for those who have to have someone to blame for the state of racism/sexism in this country. They are shouldn’t be used as pawns in a twisted game of payback.
Shame on Gwen Ifill for using them to exact her personal payback, for settling a score she’s long waited for. Then, to go on MTP and diminish what influence the Hip-Hop/Rap community has on this country. To use the excuse that it’s White Corporate America who is making money off these artists? How much money has Robert Johnson made? How much money has Russel Simmons made? How much money has Jay-Z made? Are these members of White Corporate America?
Some of you need to read Jason Whitlock’s column in the Kansas City Star……He hits it on the head. Or read Jim Hicks column in the Washington Post. No one is condoning what Imus said, but the whole public stoning of one white man for society’s ills, is overkill.
And no, I’m not a troll. I’m a proud, liberal Democrat……One who is terribly disappointed that we’ve found a scapegoat for the hate and anger we have inside ourselves……It’s easy to judge others, but harder to judge ourselves.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:05 pmUSA Patriot,
Quick, don’t miss Ann Coulter on Fox Noise.
Run along with your bag of Government Approved talking points.
-GSD
April 15th, 2007 at 1:05 pmgreat post, enuffalready.
It IS a copout.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:06 pm“And maybe black leaders came out to defend them for the same reasons. If you’ve got to defend your race, you might as well pick the ones who you think will appeal the most to the whites in this country.”
the ones who “will appeal the most to whites in this country”? why then, out of 535 members of the house and senate, are there only 10 african-american representatives?
April 15th, 2007 at 1:06 pmAbsolutes are not credible. Talk specifically about the white people who do this, and don’t stereotype us all. Thank you.
Comment by unbelievable
Agreed
If I were to list all of the names the site will crash, but point well taken, and by the way when I talk about Whites I’m including half of me as well.
RIP
SGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Or as the POTUS calls him comma #1462
April 15th, 2007 at 1:07 pm“This site exists to EXPOSED THOSE WHO spew bile and propaganda.
Comment by USA_Patriot — April 15, 2007 @ 12:54 pm”
There, I fixed it for you.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:08 pm“Quick, don’t miss Ann Coulter on Fox Noise.
Run along with your bag of Government Approved talking points.”
This is exactly the kind of empty-headed idiocy normal people expect from the moonbat left on websites like this one.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:08 pmSgt. Sherman,
Amen to that.
Notice the responses of most white middle aged men is similar to that of a teenaged boy caught smoking weed.
Jimmy down the street does it too.
Well, if Jimmy down the street jumped off a bridge, would you do that?
Gwenn Ifull and Condi Rice are both high level establishment black women and they don’t find it very funny or cute at all.
-GSD
April 15th, 2007 at 1:09 pmEnuff Already I don’t know ask Juan Williams. He’s a black blamer. And a FOX stooge.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:11 pmI hate Imus and am glad to see him gone.
But, what he said was a joke, a joke in the manner of most talk radio, most college humor, most rap. He said nothing that most kids or adults, black or white, wouldn’t say during idle chatter in the world of talk radio, college humor, rap music.
To explain further, the context of what he was saying, was that these were some tough women. And he said it, in the language of rap. This is how Rap guys would describe them, and the humor of it was actually him using this phrase too. He was saying they looked like tough ghetto girls in the manner of black rap language. yuk yuk yuk. hardy har har.
Is this funny? No, not really. And while I’m not sad to see Imus go. (In the end, he really just isn’t that funny or entertaining), I think everyone involved with this, from Imus apologizing, to Gwen analyzing, to good ol’ Al prophetizing, should all just get a life.
There is just more important things in the world than people calling other people names, especially in the context of a stupid comedy radio show and I’m amazed that with people dying in Iraq, we are wasting time with this BS.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:12 pmRussert and Brooks are afraid of getting their red neck audience mad at them. They showed their brand of “tolerance” by their narrow rationalization for participating in the show. Politicians are always ready to sell out values to promote themselves. Any woman or minority that chose to be a guest on that Imus program, enabled it. It’s a bargain with the devil. Will future leaders in waiting choose a less toxic forum to have a platform, or will the next round of Imus be reborn?
April 15th, 2007 at 1:12 pmRussert and Brooks are afraid of getting their red neck audience mad at them. They showed their brand of “tolerance” by their narrow rationalization for participating in the show. Politicians and celebrity wanna-be types are always ready to sell out values to promote themselves. Any woman or minority that chose to be a guest on that Imus program, enabled it. It’s a bargain with the devil. Will future leaders in waiting choose a less toxic forum to have a platform, or will the next round of Imus be reborn?
April 15th, 2007 at 1:14 pmWhat a crock this theme is that Don Imus could do so much good and should have been left on the air because he’d dedicate himself to doing good. The man had a producer on the show specifically to “do ni**er jokes” per his own admission to Mike Wallace in 1998 (Bob Herbert’s NY Times column)!
If MSNBC and CBS hadn’t canned the old creep, Imus and his fans would have been triumphant. It would have been their victory over blacks and women. The sponsors did the right thing forcing MSNBC and CBS to take that program off the air.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:14 pm“There, I fixed it for you.”
Wow, how unbelievably clever and witty!
April 15th, 2007 at 1:14 pm“One who is terribly disappointed that we’ve found a scapegoat for the hate and anger we have inside ourselves……
Comment by Lizard — April 15, 2007 @ 1:05 pm”
Hmmm…. Trolls say that exact line ALL the time…
I don’t hate myself. Not as a liberal anyway. I did as a conservative, because that’s what The Jesus Club tells you you should do - and, well,because how can you be selfish and uncaring and feel otherwise? It’s why you trolls project your self-contempt on us - because YOU are the ones who have it. Not us.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:15 pm“the ones who “will appeal the most to whites in this countryâ€? why then, out of 535 members of the house and senate, are there only 10 african-american representatives”
sorry, that should be “10 african-american women representatives”
April 15th, 2007 at 1:20 pmGwen was brilliant, uncompromising, unflinching, inspiring, and gives true meaning to the words “Hall of Fame Broadcaster” … give Russert credit for ditching the canned conversations about 2008 in favor of a rarity among the punditry….live television talk that really mattered and got beyond the trite television we’ve come to expect. Over at ABC, Torri Clarke was candid in a different way when she said, on the same topic, that elites paraded onto Imus “because you could get 10-15 minutes of air time, visibility.” In a corsening culture that is over done by celebrity, how refreshing to see talking heads admit they crave the visibility.
But then again, this is just the mainstream media doing what it really does best …. Talk about itself.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:20 pmThank You and AMEN, Enuff Already (aka #37)! Couldn’t have said it better, with the song quotes!
Lesseeee, who else could we name as women haters?
Hank Williams
Led Zeppelin
Almost every 80’s Hair Metal and Heavy Metal band
ex. Howard Stern actually convinces women to PERFORM ACTS that Fiddy and Diddy only talk about. ON THE AIR.
All this little boys club stuff from Timmaw and Co. protecting Imusss; heard it all in elementary school. Nothing new. Just the last straw.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:21 pmhttp://www.npr.org/ templates/ story/ story.php?storyId=9564620
Allow me to clarify. Juan Williams does not blame black people for Imus’s comments, he blames Jesse Jackson. My bad.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:22 pm“If I were to list all of the names the site will crash, but point well taken, and by the way when I talk about Whites I’m including half of me as well.
Comment by Enuff Already!! — April 15, 2007 @ 1:07 pm”
Then you know that there are whites who think black America has gotten a raw deal from the day their ancestors were forced on that ship… And that those whites who say that they/you should ‘get over it’ say so out of ignorance and a lack of empathy for anything to which they cannot relate. I’d like to believe it’s a minority who fit that club of white racists, but the fact that men like Imus, Limbaugh and their ilk have a job and an audience tells me that I’m fooling myself.
Personally, I think blacks and women should realize our common ground and work together to get equal rights for all “minorities”, because I’m pretty sure that we’re now the majority combined.
By the way, I liked the rest of your post and agree that rap music was better before it sold out to the horney white boys of suburbia… :D
April 15th, 2007 at 1:24 pmAlso to be featured on the new Imus show: A regular segment starring Mel Gibson, called “Why I Love the Jews,” and a weekly apology by Michael Richards.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:26 pm“the ones who “will appeal the most to whites in this countryâ€? why then, out of 535 members of the house and senate, are there only 10 african-american representatives?”
sorry. that should be “only 10 african-american women representatives”
April 15th, 2007 at 1:27 pmIf Rutgers had beaten Tennessee, I bet none of this would have boiled over. Just saying; it’s a carefully preserved American tradition that we praise the winner, but take care not to insult the losers.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:29 pmMisogyny didn’t start in the black community. The misogynistic lyrics in rap is just a reflection/extention of our male-dominated culture and its general contempt for women. (The glass ceiling and the defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment come to mind immediately.) Everyone who has the chance should set an example by not giving into it or perpetuating it, and that includes Imus.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:32 pmUSA_Patriot: Your stunningly accurate and clever analysis has won me over. Where do I join up?
April 15th, 2007 at 1:33 pm“it’s a carefully preserved American tradition that we praise the winner, but take care not to insult the losers.
Comment by lampwick — April 15, 2007 @ 1:29 pm”
A useful tradition… wow…
April 15th, 2007 at 1:33 pmWATCH THESE.
“Jason Whitlock, reporter Kansas City Star, About Imus”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZQXaXmCW4
“Jason Whitlock - Imus firing was overreaction”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PP-ucZqu1U&NR=1
So now Al Sharpton is back-pedalling on CNN when Jason Whitlock comes up against him and accuses him of lighting fires across the country
“Jason Whitlock and Al Sharpton - ‘Imus is insignificant’”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qpaM5bA7Z0&NR=1
“Michael Meyers About Imus”
Michael Meyers is the Director of the New York Civil Rights Coalition, and Assistant National Director of the NAACP
“. . . this was a wanton surrender of the principles of free speech.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CRRgRGi8I8&NR=1
Jason Whitlock - Imus cannot steal your joy
April 15th, 2007 at 1:40 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CCS7kTLUZM&NR=1
I am a black woman. Juan Williams is dead-on. A disgusting double standard exists in this country. The black community needs to address it. I am “supposed†to get mad about Don Imus calling black women “nappy-headed hosâ€, but I am “supposed†to accept 50 cent or Ludacris calling black women, much, much worse names? Please, that logic is flawed, at best!!!!!
Comment by notimpressedwithUS
****Who asked you to accept 50 cents or Ludacris BS ?And please let’s get this straight,all black people do not use the N-word or call their women h.es OK.When are folks going to get this fact: All blacks don’t think alike.So please.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:41 pmGwen Ifill was terrific! She has never been one of my favorites and may not ever be again. But for today, for this moment she most certainly did herself proud.
Imus is responsible for what he said. Just because someone else says the same kind of thing doesn’t excuse him. That kind of thinking should end once you pass puberty. Imus just struck a nerve and in the end, the marketplace did him in. It isn’t as if he was censored by the FCC or the PC Police. The sponsors dropped him and that did him in.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:41 pmGwen, you rock!!!
I agree 100% with Ms. Ifill
The truth of the matter is the Market place did decide Imus’ fate. And free speech has never been stronger. As a fierce advocate of free speech, I used my right of free speech by calling the advertiser and telling them that I would boycott their products if the didn’t pull their ads from the Imus show. I used MY free speech to let the maket know that Imus’ comments were hurtful, sexist, rascist, and wrong. Case closed! Free speech rules the day!!
April 15th, 2007 at 1:45 pm[…] To view the clip of Ifill, click here. […]
April 15th, 2007 at 1:49 pmNonsense! We put a man to the cross (Imus) for all our sins. Plus, it is time to say this! “It is time the Black community stop bitching and get off the asses, and stop abusing their own, grow up, and be one community/culture that respects the dignity of life.” That is enough sell absorb pity as a people that have been stepped on. Same goes for Jews, who as a people are the most well off in the America (i.e., let the Jewish lobbyist grouops “go and protect Israel” ), and Hispanics. I am Hispanic and proud of it! Fight for the dignity that is yours and all of mankind.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:53 pmBy the way, I liked the rest of your post and agree that rap music was better before it sold out to the horney white boys of suburbia… :D
Comment by unbelievable
THX Friend
RIP
SGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
OR as the POTUS calls him comma #1462
April 15th, 2007 at 1:54 pm“Misogyny didn’t start in the black community.
Comment by Republicans Are The Fear And Smear Party — April 15, 2007 @ 1:32 pm”
Excellent post.
Well it is Sunday, so let’s talk about the roots of mysogyny. Oh yeah - religion!
And specifically - Christianity in our U.S. culture. Read the bible. Talk about a play book for oppressing the female gender! A woman, in our predominantly Christian culture, is taught to define herself in terms of a MAN… Not her own thoughts, accomplishments or self, but those of a man… And even women, in this 21st, century help perpetuate this problem… So why should we dingle out that black men do it as well?
I maintain that women and blacks need to stop assisting the stereotypes… But what do I know.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:55 pmGwen was dead right. Imus should have been fired years ago. Imus targets specific people with derogatory langauge. This isn’t about rap music, black comedians or Sharpton/Jackson. It’s about Imus. Did any rappers call Ifill “the cleaning lady?” Of course not. I don’t know why people keep making excuses for Imus.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:56 pm“it’s a carefully preserved American tradition that we praise the winner, but take care not to insult the losers.
Comment by lampwick — April 15, 2007 @ 1:29 pmâ€
Then why didn’t Imus insult the Ohio State MEN’s basketball team, who lost their NCAA Final game, too? Uh, maybe because they’re not female?
April 15th, 2007 at 2:00 pmPerhaps Don I. can open his new show with two words. Tawana Brawley. That should set the switchboard alight.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:12 pmWhat about Limpbrain, Savage, Boortz and Glenn Beck?
April 15th, 2007 at 3:13 pmWhat’s being done about the SUPER-NAZIS OF TALK RADIO?
I think the problem with Hip Hop lies strictly with the white suburban community. This is the area that Hip Hop is marketed at - albums don’t go platinum selling in urban areas. Hence, if we want to stop the (admittedly shocking) attitude towards women then the suburbs need to stop buying music that promotes that sort of attitude. Then the market will speak and artists who write lyrics that are negative towards women will not be signed, as they won’t sell.
That’s the market working.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:14 pmGwen was absolutely right. What made Imus’s comments so awful wasn’t just the comments themselves, but the corporate and pundit silence that followed.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:15 pmNor do I recall hearing from you Ms. Ifill when actor Isaiah Washington was shouting hate-filled epithets at the Golden Globes. This was a big story. Did you have a reaction? Did you try to lessen this culture of hate? Are you a member of the N.A.A.C.P. which gave the bigot Washington an “IMAGE AWARD (!!!!) after he came out of “re-hab”? Did you then resign from the N.A.A.C.P.? Did you or any prominent African Americans demand that ABC fire this jerK? I sincerely doubt it. Because while it is not O.k. to make racially motivated comments, gay bashing is still allowed with ZERO consequences. Ask Ann Coulter
April 15th, 2007 at 3:15 pmThe subject of racism stirs our emotions in such a way that it can easily distract us from see the real issue.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:19 pmIn spite of his shock jock antics which I distained, I watched Imus regularly because throughout most of his show he was relentless in shedding light on important topics whose format and content I did not see elsewhere. He never stopped talking about the underlying causes of the epidemic of autism. As a veteran himself, he constantly made us aware of exactly what veterans of this war are going through and why. He put his money and his time where is mouth is regarding childhood cancers and their causes and effects. In true Imus fashion, he made no bones about calling a politician to task on their viewpoint, yet they’d remain on hold on the phone waiting to talk to him again and again. And he did it all with his unique style, his knowledge of the topics, as well as his authoritative guest list which read as a who’s who of television, radio, and newspaper journalist; inside and outside the beltway politicians; Pulitzer prized authors; historians; and, more.
I doubt these admirable Rutgers women basketball players have time to listen to Imus, and I doubt Jessie or Al has listen much either. My guess is that something or someone other than racism has stirred this pot to silence the I-man with an agenda very different from the one we have been discussing. Our country’s raw emotions of racism just made it easy for them to do.
Anyone out there want to delve a little deeper? Or was Imus the only vehicle we had to speak the otherwise unspoken on commercial television and radio?
Ifill calls Russert out on his shit…about time someone did.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:19 pmGwen is right on in her calling out of Russert and Brooks. As a society we may have reached the point where a Communication Czar is needed to protect the minority of us who don’t have the financial resources to challenge a Don Imus. The positon could be filled by appointment of the President or through election. By having an ultimate authority over evildoers such as Imus and others of his ilk we would all be better off.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:28 pmI think Gwen Ifill was right on in calling out Russert and Brooks. As a society I feel we may have reached a point where a Communication Czar is needed to censor people like Don Imus before they act. Such a position could filled by appointment of the President or through election. It would go a long way to insure that hate mongers like Imus and Limbaugh were stopped in their tracks.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:37 pmpanhandler
These people are proud to call themselves pundits. Riding in on others shirt tails. Most have never done a creative thing in their life.
Imus spoke in a very narrow negative, sexist, racist manner about people who he should have been heralding. He did it on a very wide podium. He is old, narrow minded and obviously bigoted.. ‘Nuff said.
I’m certain he regrets his statement, but not in the way we might think. He regrets losing his income and the podium that feeds his ego.
Years ago I first heard of him when he released an LP of his crank calls, this was in the early 70’s. I thought it was funny.
He has to start over somewhere, maybe he can take the same bend in the road that Oprah did from shock TV to culturally positive influence. She was extremely successful I doubt this old man could be as successful. My wife says, by his looks, he is very sick.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:39 pmI am “supposed†to get mad about Don Imus calling black women “nappy-headed hosâ€, but I am “supposed†to accept 50 cent or Ludacris calling black women, much, much worse names? Please, that logic is flawed, at best!!!!!
Comment by notimpressedwithUS #70
…please provide an example of…
…”50 cent or Ludacris calling black women, much, much worse names”…
…than “nappy-headed hos”…
April 15th, 2007 at 3:40 pmBecause while it is not O.k. to make racially motivated comments, gay bashing is still allowed with ZERO consequences. Ask Ann Coulter
Comment by Charlie Trainer — April 15, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Ask her about what? Her “Raghead” comments? What price did she pay for uttering those? Increased book sales — oh, the shame!
April 15th, 2007 at 3:42 pmGwen Ifill was on point as usual. The only time black journalist are invited to these types of shows is when there is a quote unquote “Black Issue.”
She was right to call out Russert and Brroks, and any other person who stayed silent and this issue. Great Job Gwen Ifill!
April 15th, 2007 at 3:52 pmAnd maybe black leaders came out to defend them for the same reasons. If you’ve got to defend your race, you might as well pick the ones who you think will appeal the most to the whites in this country.
Comment by Anonymous By Choice #1
…IGNORANT, ARROGANT, and RACIST…
…White people are SO MUCH BETTER than everyone else…
…that to which we all aspire…NOT!
…I typed a long more thoughtful response…
…but TP (Thought Police)…
…nixed it…
…yet this Anonymous By Choice…
…gets to post this CRAP…
…Amerikkka is TRULY on its last leg…
…and I suspect unless they “fix” their posting problems…
…TP is too…
April 15th, 2007 at 3:56 pmComment by Thomas Umpleby — April 15, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
It’s a slippery, slippery slope mate. I’d much rather have the public police talk radio than a Czar.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:59 pmGwen Ifill was her usual graceous self even when speaking to Tim R and David B about their failure to speak out on the Imus matter. Tim R particularly by the end of the show should have stepped out of his leader chair and spoken to the audience about his true reaction to Imus over the years and answered the question as to why he stayed on such a program with such frequent abusive comments. He missed his chance once again.
As I listed to Gwen during the program and again now on reading her words I am reminded of another era when people said: “I didn’t know” and the like. The people who did nothing to help those who had no power to fight back. It was a much, much different crime against humanity but then most crimes against humanity start with small acts of cruelty, acts overlooked by so many. Left unanswered those acts can grow and spread like a metastatic disease.
Thank you Gwen for your courage and grace.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:04 pmOne thing I see about Imus is that he was a softer target than Limp or Beck or the other hate-radio/hate-tv talkiing heads. Limbaugh has done much worse in his time. Imus should be just the begnning. We need to clean the airwaves of the people who espouse hate and foster stereotypes. They can hide behind the First Amendment to do it but they can’t survive everybody boycotting the advertisers of all of these programs.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:09 pmTim R particularly by the end of the show should have stepped out of his leader chair and spoken to the audience about his true reaction to Imus over the years and answered the question as to why he stayed on such a program with such frequent abusive comments. He missed his chance once again.
Comment by carole
Timmeh probably would have said what a great guy he think Imus is, what a great friend he’s been over the years, and how he’ll be there for his friend during this difficult time.
Then we’d be all pissed off again…..
I think Big Russ might be terribly disappointed in Little Russ.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:12 pmAlbert Memmi, a Tunisian Jew and social critic, defines racism as aggression justification by those who have already committed aggression against the victim. Some of the posters today ask the question about why there was so little initial pundit/corporate media/corporate/politician expressed revulsion against Imus’ remarks and even McCain and Giuliani stating they would continue to go on hsi program. Racism, as opposed to persoonal prejudice, is the institutionalizing of personal prejudice by those who have the POWER to do so. Imus, as a person, appears to be a complex guy with all the flaws and positive characteristics of many. But as a media personality of enormous influence, his personal prejudcie and meanspritedness have an impact well beyond those rappers who use the language of hatred and misogyny. His firing was long overdue and Gwen Ifill hit the spot with her critique. The cozy apologists for the racist and sexist order like Russert and Brooks and Addubato and Carlson and Juan Williams all play their usual “blame the vicitim” games from their perches of privilege and power. No skin color required here, just collusion, conscious and unconscious, with the status quo and those who would also like to take us back to the Dark Ages of human relations.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:13 pmThey can hide behind the First Amendment to do it but they can’t survive everybody boycotting the advertisers of all of these programs.
Comment by gogreen
Do you know where we can go to find out who sponsors Limbaugh, Beck, and the like?
April 15th, 2007 at 4:15 pmThey’re all hypocrits, of course. Why this public self-humiliation? Gwen was thoroughly enjoying herself; as was Sharpton and Jackson, by the way. Watching the white pundits stammer and grovel is hilarious, as well. The entire episode was one of hypocrisy, egoism, guilt and latent racism. By both black and white. Imus should go back to work, and Americans should grow up and stop wallowing in self-pity and guilt. Finally, Mister Sharpton and Mister Jackson have way too much time on their hands.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:15 pmApril 15th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Gwen rocks!
What does seem to be missing from the talking head crowd is the observation that the rise in vitriol in our public political discourse parallels the rise of right wing conservativism. Their penchant for playing fast and loose with the facts and behavior of shouting louder to get their dominate air time may finally be seen for what it is–a cancer on democracy.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:20 pmLimbaugh has done much worse in his time. Imus should be just the begnning. We need to clean the airwaves of the people who espouse hate and foster stereotypes. They can hide behind the First Amendment to do it but they can’t survive everybody boycotting the advertisers of all of these programs.
Comment by gogreen #94
WORTH REPEATING…
…HEAL the World…
…EXPOSE then DESTROY racism…
April 15th, 2007 at 4:20 pmSorry, but there is no ThinkFast today, so I’m going to post this here. This just popped up on Huffingtonpost:
Domenici Sought Iglesias Ouster
By Mike Gallagher
Albuquerque Journal; Journal Investigative Reporter
Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was fired after Sen. Pete Domenici, who had been unhappy with Iglesias for some time, made a personal appeal to the White House, the Journal has learned.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:21 pmDomenici had complained about Iglesias before, at one point going to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales before taking his request to the president as a last resort.
The senior senator from New Mexico had listened to criticism of Iglesias going back to 2003 from sources ranging from law enforcement officials to Republican Party activists.
Domenici, who submitted Iglesias’ name for the job and guided him through the confirmation process in 2001, had tried at various times to get more white-collar crime help for the U.S. Attorney’s Office— even if Iglesias didn’t want it.
At one point, the six-term Republican senator tried to get Iglesias moved to a Justice Department post in Washington, D.C., but Iglesias told Justice officials he wasn’t interested.
In the spring of 2006, Domenici told Gonzales he wanted Iglesias out.
Gonzales refused. He told Domenici he would fire Iglesias only on orders from the president.
At some point after the election last Nov. 6, Domenici called Bush’s senior political adviser, Karl Rove, and told him he wanted Iglesias out and asked Rove to take his request directly to the president.
Domenici and Bush subsequently had a telephone conversation about the issue.
The conversation between Bush and Domenici occurred sometime after the election but before the firings of Iglesias and six other U.S. attorneys were announced on Dec. 7.
Iglesias’ name first showed up on a Nov. 15 list of federal prosecutors who would be asked to resign. It was not on a similar list prepared in October.
The Journal confirmed the sequence of events through a variety of sources familiar with the firing of Iglesias, including sources close to Domenici. The senator’s office declined comment. [. . .]
Comment by Mack #98
RACIST PIG ALERT!!!
April 15th, 2007 at 4:22 pmZooey, there are websites devoted to boycotting Rush. I can’t seem to post links here, but one such site is topplebush.com
April 15th, 2007 at 4:22 pmI agree with Mack. Last thing we need is GOVERNMENT enfringing free speech.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:22 pmWhat about 9/11 silence?
April 15th, 2007 at 4:22 pmIt’s not just about race…Imus has been hostile to women for many years. Part of the reason that there was so much reaction to his comments was women deciding that they’ve just HAD ENOUGH!!! He can do a show about race relations, fine, but he’d better change his attitudes towards women in general–perhaps that will be harder for him.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:22 pmI think Big Russ might be terribly disappointed in Little Russ.
Comment by Zooey
He ain’t the only one.
And oral sex from Tim is like riding a lop-sided pumpkin. Thank God for the Energizer Bunny . . .
April 15th, 2007 at 4:25 pmComment by Zooey #97
Zooey,
…I’m going to admit MY IGNORANCE up front…
..I never imagined there were any decent and OPEN people in Idaho…
…’til I read your posts…
…I HEART Zooey…
:-)
April 15th, 2007 at 4:27 pmI agree with Mack. Last thing we need is GOVERNMENT enfringing free speech.
Comment by Jake — April 15, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
The government you support does exactly that, by suppressing media content damaging to their ambitions, and with gag-orders against whistleblowers, and secret policy meetings protected from the public by the myth of executive privilege, and editing of scientific reports to remove politically damaging content. Your speech is free, not because of the government you support, but in spite of it.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:27 pmgogreen:
None of that violates the First Amendment — someone above proposed a a Communication Czar appointed by the President — such prior restraint would clearly violate the First Amendment.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:34 pmTheir penchant for playing fast and loose with the facts and behavior of shouting louder to …..
Comment by Cecil Myers — April 15, 2007 @ 4:20
In college I took a course in social psychology. I don’t remember much from it, except a peculiar experiment called “Bale’s Groups”. One of the interesting and repugnant facts about human behavior is that in groups, or herds or mobs or whatever, the people that take charge or “win” control are not the wise ones or the experienced ones or even the well-meaning ones. Its always the person or group that drowns out the others, like Goodall’s chimpanzees with the empty gas cans. The rethugs are just like Goodall’s chimps, but not as honest.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:34 pmZooey, there are websites devoted to boycotting Rush. I can’t seem to post links here, but one such site is topplebush.com
Comment by gogreen
Thank you, gogreen. I don’t want to be supporting those idiots.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:36 pmComment by big papa — April 15, 2007 @ 4:27 pm
Zooey pure rules big papa!
April 15th, 2007 at 4:36 pmhe suggested that Imus will launch a new show dedicated to “racial reconciliation and healing,†which Russert said he would “absolutely†listen to.
Racial reconciliation and healing???!!! HA!!! yeah right!!!!!!!
April 15th, 2007 at 4:42 pmZooey,
…I’m going to admit MY IGNORANCE up front…
..I never imagined there were any decent and OPEN people in Idaho…
…’til I read your posts…
…I HEART Zooey…
:-)
Comment by big papa
You’re so sweet, big papa. Thank you. :)
We are few, but we exist. I live in a university town, so people are a bit more open-minded. Unfortunately, we have no representation in congress.
I’ve lived a lot of places in this country, and sadly, Idaho is the worst in terms of fearful idiots. As soon as I’m done with school, hopefully, I’ll be out of here.
You’re a great guy, big papa.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:42 pmThe comments about “Borat” were interesting as well. Whatever you think about Tim, he has a thought-provoking pogrom at least.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:44 pmAmericano, Don’t you have a sheet to go iron? Oh, I forgot, the Klan wouldn’t want your ethnicity in its membership, either.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:44 pmYep, the real tragedy is that hate makes money. What Imus said is as indicative that misogyny can make you famous and blond girls go missing a lot more often than black girls.
Is it such a big surprise that girls can play basketball, become doctors, and dance backwards in high heels?
Big difference between poisoning the well and dredging the swamp. But we do need to make the distinction between the freedom to say anything and the value of such speech in the marketplace. Fox has been losing money for years, but it’s propped up by those who want that hate to divide us.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:44 pmAnonymous By Choice: You’re STILL not getting it…
April 15th, 2007 at 4:44 pmWhen you call a group of people “NAPPY-HEADED” … you ARE dealing
with a race… not just a specific group of people. Although his comments concerned the Rutgers B-ball team…. included in those comments were
slurs against blacks in general….. the adjective “nappy-headed”…
This is not rocket science, ABChoice, but I think some people will never understand their own racism.
I really never understood why Russert and Brooks stayed silent??
April 15th, 2007 at 4:47 pmMy post with a link to the actual MTP transcript didn’t work, so let me try it again:
At least they ran out of time to talk about AG Gonzales. For the record, however, Russert did NOT suggest that Imus is going to launch a new show — he posed a HYPOTHETICAL question:
MR. RUSSERT: And if Don Imus takes time off and comes back and says, you know, “I was an addict, and I embraced that and tried to educate people about that and educate people about Autism. I’m now going to dedicate my life to racial reconciliation and healing, and I’m going to talk about that on my new program�
MR. ROBINSON: Well, people will decide whether they want to sponsor, you know, whether they want to put it on the air, and whether they…
MS. IFILL: Would you go back on his program if he did that?
MR. ROBINSON: …want to sponsor it, and whether they want to listen to it.
MR. RUSSERT: I’d certainly listen to it. Absolutely. I mean, if he is dedicating himself—if the Rutgers women’s basketball team said they have forgiven him and they’re trying to seek reconciliation, and he dedicates himself to racial healing, that is, to me, is a very positive step.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:47 pmBTW: I thought Retired Gen. Anthony Zinni did a great job too — he emphatically rejected the notion that we can leave Iraq:
MR. RUSSERT: The Democrats have proposed legislation which would set benchmarks or guidelines for the Iraqis to meet in terms of stepping up, but also a firm date for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Is that wise?
GEN. ZINNI: No. I mean, you know, people that talk about benchmarks and withdrawals, what are we going to do, disband Centcom? You know, this was created in the, in the early ‘70s when we assumed most of the foundation for the security in this region. Centcom was created by President Carter because of our interests in this region—economic, political, security interests. They haven’t changed. If anything else, at the end of the Cold War, they were actually, I think, heightened in many respects.
We’re going to be in this part of the world. We aren’t going to leave. Now, we can readjust our strategy for Iraq. We can extricate our troops from the sectarian violence. But we’re going to have to contain the problems that could spill over and the—and cause this critical part of the world to spin out of control . . .
April 15th, 2007 at 4:49 pmP.G. — neither Russert not Brooks stayed silent.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:50 pmI can’t wait till they go after the white / right wing nutcase racist manifest destiny crowd like , Rush, or Glenn or Con Hannity or the Shrill O’Reilly types …
April 15th, 2007 at 4:55 pmnot = nor
April 15th, 2007 at 4:58 pmgene Russell Key:
I think it’s Sharpton’s turn to be fired first.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:59 pmWas Ifill nappy headed this morning?
April 15th, 2007 at 5:01 pmIt is just a matter of time till we go after the white / right wing nutcase manifest destiny crowd …..… It is about time ….
April 15th, 2007 at 5:01 pmA lot of people are asking, “Why now?” since Imus has been taling like this for a long time. A lot of comics and pundits are worried about a “chilling effect” on other comics and pundits.
Let me offer that “this time” it was not funny it was mean. It was cheap and low and disrespectful and “this time”, the target was personal against a group of young American heroes … and because they were black, Imus took their triumph away from them.
Fianally it may be that for all the above reasons, “this time” enough was just about enough! The past offenses don’t lessen this if you are just sick and tired of hearing this kind of sh*t.
It is such a Rorschach moment as well. It reveals so much about us. I especially like all the people who are praising the girls for their deportment and class in handling this .. almost as if it were a surprise. As of they really were …
What Imus does, what Stern does, what Micheal Richards did, what Andrew Dice Clay once did … what lots of comics do, is not borderline First Amendment, it’s borderline racism. That “joke” showed contempt, the way calling a black man “boy” attempts to subordinate him. That joke wasn’t just lame as some comics have said. It wasn’t even a joke. It was a racist slur. It was a put-down.
The real issue is how much people (us) will be able to contemplate it and recognize it as a symptom of the disease we deny courses through our social fabric — racism.
There is good in this, if we recognize it. Imus is rich, he won’t suffer. His new show might be great if he tackles our demons while making us laugh.
Or it could be boring depending on how much he wants to “bleed” on the air.
Imus has devolved into an unmitigated a**hole over the years but Imus is not stupid, nor is he a bad guy. In the end it was good. It got us talking again .. about what we refuse to talk about. Maybe it will do the same for him.
April 15th, 2007 at 5:01 pmmedia matters should take note that not one word was mentioned of the other ‘targets’ in their attempt to use Imus as an example. By watching this segue you’d think Imus was the only perp and the worst of broadcast radio rather then the truth that he was the least of the filth on the right wings radio dial. Just as all of us trying to defend free speech have been saying.
April 15th, 2007 at 5:01 pmIT’S SAD TOO THAT NOONE SPOKE OUT WHEN PHIL DONAGHUE WAS FIRED FOR FREE SPEECH. ALSO RADIO STATIONS STOPPED PLAYING MUSIC BY THE DIXIE CHICKS WHEN THEY ENGAGED IN FREE SPEECH.
April 15th, 2007 at 5:04 pmThe culture of meanness which Imus is simply a part of must be addressed. We do not have to censor left and right but lets take a look at some developments. White guys are attacking black rappers now but ignoring Limbaugh, Savage, Coulter and the whole right-wing crew, Beck etc…… but the right is also going after Rosie O’Donnell and Bill Maher.
Messed up.
April 15th, 2007 at 5:05 pmP.G.:
MR. BROOKS: Well, you know, I did the show about a half a dozen times, and Gwen and I have talked about this. But I have the lamest excuse for why I did it, which is I didn’t know what he said. And when I did the show, it was like C-SPAN. You’d go on, you’d talk about Iraq. And I confess, I didn’t listen to the show except for the five minutes before when I went on, I’d hear it over the phone. And what struck me—the last time I was on, which was, like, three or four weeks ago, his wife was on with his kid. And he insults his wife as a moron, and he—his wife insults him as an idiot, and his kid is, is laughing there. And what struck me is how much of the show was not literal. And I think the audience was sort of playing. But that’s not much of a defense, because he was spewing racist stuff. I’m not sure whether he meant it or not. I personally think he didn’t mean it. But as Mark Shields, my buddy, said you know his defense is “I’m not a racist, I just play one on TV.†Not much of a defense, but I think that there is some element of truth to that.
April 15th, 2007 at 5:06 pmI’m astonished by how many people have bemoaned ab attack on 1st amendment rights as regards the Imus shut down. They just donR