Steele Offers New Conspiracy Theory, Alleges Government Is Spying On Anti-Abortion Rally
Steele Offers New Conspiracy Theory, Alleges Government Is Spying On Anti-Abortion Rally
Last night on Fox News, host Sean Hannity and his guest RNC Chairman Michael Steele ranted and raved about a Department of Homeland Security report “requested by the Bush administration” which warned of increasing incidents of “rightwing radicalization and recruitment.”
Hannity responded by implying that President Obama is a possible terrorist threat. “If you’re pro-life, you’re viewed as the potential extremist,” he complained, but “you can start your career in the home of an unrepentant terrorist and hang out with a guy named Jeremiah Wright.” “I don’t want to beat an old horse here,” said Hannity, who incessantly harps on Obama’s affiliations. “But I’m telling you if anyone hung out with radicals that needs to be investigated by Homeland Security,” he said, cutting himself off before explicitly stating that the President of the United States is a terrorist threat.
Michael Steele, who spoke at an anti-abortion rally in Indiana this past week, said he was “sure” that the government spied on the event:
They’ve got their eye on the 3,000 Americans who assembled in Indiana last night, in Evansville, Indiana, to profess their continued effort to save the life of the unborn. … I’m sure there was somebody in the room with a notepad and a camera taking snapshots and writing down names. But that’s not the place our government needs to be.
Where our government needs to be is on that border, securing that border. Where our government needs to be is overseas and in the backhalls and rooms of the Middle East to make sure that we’re not suffering another terrorist attack here at home.
Watch it:
Of course, Steele offered no evidence that the government was monitoring the event.
(HT: Oliver Willis)
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Man of Steele: They’ve got their eye on the 3,000 Americans who assembled in Indiana last night, in Evansville, Indiana, to profess their continued effort to save the life of the unborn. … I’m sure there was somebody in the room with a notepad and a camera taking snapshots and writing down names. But that’s not the place our government needs to be.
First of all, as TP points out, Steele is accusing the government of something based on conjecture.
Second, I wonder if he felt as alarmed when federal officials monitored anti-war rallies and spied on peace groups? Could someone ask him please?
April 18th, 2009 at 11:16 amWe call those somebodies reporters, Mr Steele. Sweet Maria this man…
April 18th, 2009 at 11:19 amWe call those somebodies the press, Mr Steele. Sweet Maria this man…
April 18th, 2009 at 11:20 amEither they (GOP ilk) went insane recently, or they’ve been insane all along and were covering it pretty good.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:21 amoops
:/
April 18th, 2009 at 11:21 amThe GOP really can’t function without some sort of bogeyman or straw man, can they? Steele offers up even more evidence that the Republicans have NOTHING for America.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:21 amWhere our government needs to be is overseas and in the backhalls and rooms of the Middle East to make sure that we’re not suffering another terrorist attack here at home.
Well, that’s rather prejudiced of him. Why should we automatically assume that the next attack is going to come from the Middle East? Aren’t there terrorists all over the world who hate the US? Why wouldn’t the next attack come from Indonesia or Europe?
April 18th, 2009 at 11:23 amMC Steele needs to watch out who he’s hanging with.
Chris Rock said it best – watch at about 1:30.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auqRgzuLaK8
April 18th, 2009 at 11:24 amWhat happened to the “If your not doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about” these guys were singing when Bush admitted to illegal wiretapping?
Now they are like all paranoid conspiracy theorists
April 18th, 2009 at 11:24 amThe DHS report recently stated that home-grown terrorism is currently THE NUMBER ONE threat to the U.S.
But then again, the guilty party (GOP ilk) would deflect as much as possible, wouldn’t they.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:25 amTo hell with these people. They are no different than any other fascist threat to the United States. They should be seized and imprisoned at GITMO. Hang a few of them publicly. Then they will know what constitutes a real threat. This is no different than the lead up to any civil war. KILL THE THREAT NOW using those same laws that the Republicans pushed through during a period of panic.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:27 amJesus! The GOP is the most paranoid group of people on the planet. I guess it’s OK to spy on old ladies and Liberals when they attend a anti-war rally. But it’s a no-no to infiltrate a group of race-baiting hate-mongers. Jesus, I thought with Obama being elected, these people would be licking their wounds. Boy, was I wrong. These people can’t get over the fact that a black man won. Oh sure, they will blame high taxes, but we know better.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:28 amI wonder if they are using those cool satellites that can tell if the children present at the rally are wearing those weird abtsainance underpants…
April 18th, 2009 at 11:28 amWho created the DHS?
Bush
Who requested this report?
Bush
What did it find?
Right wing extremism is on the rise. IE Adkisson who read right wing books by the likes of Hannity and O’Reilly then went and shot some people in a church cause it was someone elses fault he couldnt keep a job.
Then we have the PA shooter, a failed right wing radio talk show host, who shot and killed three police officers because he thought his guns would be taken away..
April 18th, 2009 at 11:30 amRemember when all these guys fought to give the President the power to listen to our phone calls and read our emails without even requiring a search warrant?
April 18th, 2009 at 11:30 amI’m sure there was somebody in the room with a notepad and a camera taking snapshots and writing down names. But that’s not the place our government needs to be. -Steele
Why do that when all one would have to do is take plate numbers in the parking lot…
April 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am….
our fondest wish,
our fondest dream,
mike steele; permanent
chairman of the rnc.
:)
April 18th, 2009 at 11:35 amHe really needs an adjustment of his foil beret.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:36 amIts sad that these people have to rely on fear, stir the paranoid/conspiracy kettle, to form a bond.
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Remember when all these guys fought to give the President the power to listen to our phone calls and read our emails without even requiring a search warrant?
Its why the people here fought against it because anytime you give the government more power the less freedom you have. Because they were so paranoid about terrorists they quickly gave up their rights and now, just now, they are realizing it wasnt a good thing. *sigh**facepalm* At least now we agree on this.
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Here is just a short list of reich-wing terrorists. I’m working on a longer list: -=DHM=-
I havent heard of some of those names before…thx
April 18th, 2009 at 11:40 amXisithrus Says:
I’m sure there was somebody in the room with a notepad and a camera taking snapshots and writing down names. But that’s not the place our government needs to be. -Steele
Why do that when all one would have to do is take plate numbers in the parking lot…
Because the cars might have been stolen. And then you’d be going after the wrong people.
/sarc
April 18th, 2009 at 11:42 amThe idea of black Republicans amazes me. How do black people identify with a party full of racists? I think that Republicans need a few blacks to provide cover to their racism. Those blacks have found a way to cash in. I can hardly blame them for wanting to make a living.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:42 amTexas House slashes governor’s budget
Vote to cut Perry’s office budget by 96% seen as rebuke to secession talk.
Bwah. See, Texas isnt totally full of nuts. =)
April 18th, 2009 at 11:45 amThey really have satellites that can do that? Cool.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:45 am“If you’re pro-life, you’re viewed as the potential extremist,”
You know, most people think that people who bomb clinics and shoot doctors will be considered to be an “extremist”.
I really do wish that someone would come back at Hannity by asking him why, if he considers Bill Ayres, who never killed anyone but did participate in bombing buildings, an extremist, but he doesn’t consider the right to lifers who bomb clinics to be extremists. But, since Hannity is such a coward and doesn’t have people on his show who may question him, that’s never going to happen.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:46 amVote to cut Perry’s office budget by 96% seen as rebuke to secession talk.
Tax cuts you can believe in! Right Mr Perry?
April 18th, 2009 at 11:47 amHey! Welcome to *our* world, Mikey!
I was photographed at several anti-war protests by crew cut guys wearing sunglasses…
April 18th, 2009 at 11:47 amDon’t forget Eric Rudolph, Dr. Matt.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:48 am(Hannity)…cutting himself off before explicitly stating that the President of the United States is a terrorist threat.
– - Maybe Hannity expects Obama to pull a Cleavon Little “hostage” gambit, like he did in Blazing Saddles.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:50 amsteeley damn is not for anti-abortion, he’s anti-choice.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:54 amHannity is still talking about Jeremiah Wright?!!
April 18th, 2009 at 11:54 amYet another example of the GOP philosophy: Never let reality get in the way of your rhetoric.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:02 pmDr. Hussein Matt Says
Charles Whitman comes to mind.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:04 pmHey, now, don’t forget. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean you don’t have enemies. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re not out to get you. Look under the bed and in the closet before going to sleep. THEY might be waiting for you. Look out, behind you! Who is that following you? Oh, Lordy!! They’re everywhere.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:09 pmThey seem to get more delusional by the day. It worries me that some nut will take this seriously and try to hurt our President in the name of “taking out a terrorist”. Wonder where the conspiracy theories will be then?
April 18th, 2009 at 12:13 pmWhat about the anti-war protesters that they put on the do not fly list? If some anti-abortion protesters were put on the same list what would be the outcry?
Weren’t the Olympics bombed by an anti-abortion nut?
How many people have been killed by non-violence activist, and yet it was OK to spy on them…and yet how many people have been killed by anti-abortion activist????
Why isn’t anyone saying this over and over? THE SECOND WORST ACT OF TERRORISM IN THIS COUNTRY WAS DONE BY A RIGHT WING NUT WHO WAS FORMER MILITARY!!!
April 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pmDude..the GOP is a one trick pony..fear fear fear…Oh noes its Osama the supervillian…give us all your feedumbs to make sure he doesnt get you.oh noes its Obama the supervillian…hes taking all your freedumbs you already gave away to us..
April 18th, 2009 at 12:15 pm“I’m sure” doesn’t quite cut it as proof…
Promoting fear continues by the right.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:17 pmIs it at all incongrous, that when addressing an anti-abortion rally, SteelyMike says
Where our government needs to be is on that border, securing that border. Where our government needs to be is overseas and in the backhalls and rooms of the Middle East to make sure that we’re not suffering another terrorist attack here at home.
Off topic much, Mikey?
April 18th, 2009 at 12:17 pm>“I’m sure” doesn’t quite
> cut it as proof…
b-b-u-t we dont want smoking gun to be an afro cloud…
April 18th, 2009 at 12:19 pmBadmoodman, as in
April 18th, 2009 at 12:19 pm“one false move and the n**r gets it!”
?
“I’m sure” isn’t exactly proof of what Steele is claiming. I see the republicans are continuing with the strategy of fear. I swear it’s like these idiots have cut and pasted every comment of concern posted by progressives during the bUSH years and are now turning them around for their own use.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:19 pmPerhaps fear is the only thing that resonates with the authoritarian crowd. They crave security, and a fuhrer to tell them what to do.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:21 pmSteele will be getting his smack-down soon.
And if they were there allegedly ’spying’ on future “McVeigh’s” and “David Koresh’s” and far right-wing fanatics, than I’m delighted to know that the government is doing their job and my tax dollars are working to make sure me and my family are safe from “home-grown” terrorist and other potential domestic threats.
Hannity sounds like a stuck record, “just keep repeating the same thing over and (yawn!!) over again….” Hannity’s demeanor reminds me of “Dan White’s” demeanor only Hannity’s is a bit more sinister and extreme? Your literally watching another one of Fauxs tabloid reporters go insane, over Obama being President?
April 18th, 2009 at 12:23 pmWhat would Steele call those who have bombed abortion clinics? Homegrown terrorists? Patriots? Or explosives enthusiasts?
The republicans are so far gone now and so warped that if some ultra right wing extremists were to hijack and then fly commercial jets into the Pentagon, the Capital building or the White House today the republicans would call them patriots.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:25 pmwow these guys are flipping out..and its only been like what..2 months…dude..in 2 years they’re going to be waving around signs that say “Obooma” with a picture of Obama with a frikkin mushroom cloud for an afro…
April 18th, 2009 at 12:25 pmConsidering the number of murders, shootings, beatings, muggings and bombings for which the Anti-Abortion forces whom Steele was addressing is responsible, I think it would be mere prudence to keep the wacktard, looney, violent, vicious mother-farkers under CLOSE supervision.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:27 pmI noticed St. Sarah was pimping out her son Trig to the pleased anti abortion crowd. Does this woman keep anything about her family private? We aren’t voting for the snow machine driving first dude, the pill popping, now in Iraq son, the easy oldest daughter or a down syndrome baby. Keep your family out of public eye. Just because you relish all of the attention doesn’t mean the rest of your family does Sarah.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:32 pmMichael Steele you are an idiot. Plain and simply. The Republican party doesn’t like you anymore than they like that other negro, colored man, I mean President Obama. Their party is built on hate, bigotry, and classism. You’re just too stupid to understand that. That’s why I’d never be a Republican.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:34 pmMichael Steele looks Arabic to me…is he a plant from the ME?
April 18th, 2009 at 12:39 pma Department of Homeland Security report “requested by the Bush administration”
This is not a liberal opinion or talking point, this a fact!
Someone beside Keith Obermann and the liberal blogs–someone with legal chops, has to challenge Fox as to their “news” designation and the false advertising of “fair and balanced.
With their brazen promotion of the tea parties, they are practically daring someone to do so.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pmThe voicing of conspiracy theories on a national ‘news’ show is a contradiction in terms that won’t get them anywhere. People susceptible to these theories also automatically discount any kind of ‘official’ seeming source. Perhaps that is why Fox is working so hard at making certain that it never seems like an authoritative place for facts. Overground, official ‘whisper’ campaigns are a desperation move.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pmWayne Ant Schneider Says
April 18th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Well, that’s rather prejudiced of him. Why should we automatically assume that the next attack is going to come from the Middle East? Aren’t there terrorists all over the world who hate the US? Why wouldn’t the next attack come from Indonesia or Europe?
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Or the United States of America? Timothy McVeigh, anyone? Eric Rudolph?
April 18th, 2009 at 12:44 pmCould someone remind him that “Maryland State Police (MSP) engaged in covert surveillance of local peace and anti-death penalty groups for over a year from 2005-2006.” You know who was the Lt. Gov of Maryland during that period of time? MICHAEL STEELE!!!!!!
http://www.aclu.org/police/spying/36025prs20080717.html
Maybe he is just projecting?
April 18th, 2009 at 12:45 pm“I don’t want to beat an old horse here,” said Hannity…
___________________________________________________________
“but since I don’t have anything new, I will.”
April 18th, 2009 at 12:51 pmWe need to put a border around the extreme right wingers of this country to keep the virus from spreading.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:51 pmUncle Fester Lurks
I just had to add that she was also pimping out Alaska. Sarah should apply to work at the Alaska Welcome Center when she leaves office. Ironic, she keeps Bristol out of the public but pimps her son Trig.
She stated that when she got pregnant early in life I think 18 she contemplated abortion but decided to keep the baby because that would be the right thing to do (quote is not verbatim).
Isn’t that called ‘making a choice’ the same thing she is against now? She sure was trying to recruit “zombies.”
April 18th, 2009 at 12:52 pmWhere were the right wingers when Bush’s Homeland Security & FBI were spying on peace groups? And remember the stories of Americans having the FBI called on them because they spoke out against George Bush? Or all the times Americans lost their jobs or their car was keyed for doing the same thing?
I think the wingers have amnesia or Reagan-style-Alzheimer’s.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:53 pm*waving to Uncle Fester Lurks*
Sarah & Todd Palin also seem to have had a shotgun wedding, because the day Sarah told Americans that she was celebrating her wedding anniversary (told to the crowd at a McCain/Palin rally), the date she gave and the birth of Track were about 7 months apart! LOL!
The woman couldn’t tell the truth even if you made a sandwich, shoved some truth in it, and then told her the sandwich was from Neiman Marcus! She still wouldn’t be able to do it.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:56 pmLittle Seanie Vanity is an immature child who throws tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. He has no self-discipline and is incapable of mastering complex thought. His only tool is a dull, boring recitation of half-truths, bumper-sticker slogans, baseless accusations and faux-patriotic and self-righteous claptrap designed to incite and satisfy the blood-lust of his followers.
His “act” hasn’t changed in years and his daily rant-fest is much like a soap opera . . . you can tune in once a month and the story-line and dialog hasn’t progressed at all.
It is really appalling that “dead horse-beaters” like him can find an audience and be so highly compensated for their destructive, empty rhetoric.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:57 pmI wonder if any of the people at this rally are the same ones who were carrying the signs I saw on Wednesday that said “keep Government out of our bedrooms”?
April 18th, 2009 at 1:09 pmRemember how Michele Bachmann said all the Democrats in the Congress need to tell the country they love America, because as far as she was concerned, anyone who wasn’t a fascist goosestepper was an America hater! And now look at these same republicans:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0409/Bachus_says_theres_17_socialists_in_House.html
They’re now keeping track of the socialists!
Unfreakingbelievable. Have I mentioned how much I despise the right wing of this country today? No? *pushing Volumes 624-1278 to you*
April 18th, 2009 at 1:11 pmSean Hannity is so tough because he never served in the military! And yet, there he is with Steele acting as if he’s a General or something.
Ummm HandJobity? You are the threat to our country. Case closed. No further explanation needed. The End.
April 18th, 2009 at 1:14 pmSean, Sean, Oh please Sean – step over the line, threaten the President. I’d love to see you in jail !
April 18th, 2009 at 1:20 pmDid SteelyMike ever think to consider that the folks in the audience keeping an eye out were Limbaugh operatives?
April 18th, 2009 at 1:20 pmWe already beat a dead horse last November.
His name was John McCain.
April 18th, 2009 at 1:21 pmRepugs don’t need evidence or proof for their claims, which foment further animosity toward the Obama government, they just say something and others join with them, give them validity, and soon, it is like an urban legend. I think this is part of their strategy – they got nuthin’ else.
A friend compared it to a big circle jerk, making them all feel satisfied.
April 18th, 2009 at 1:33 pmHere’s the link to the Bush Regime’s FBI assessment from July 2008 entitled, “White Supremacist Recruitment of Military Personnel since 9/11″:
http://cryptome.org/spy-whites.pdf
So neocons, how does it feel that even the Bush Regime thought some of our soldiers returning home might join one of your hate groups? Huh? Do tell. We’d be happy to discuss this with ya since this report will most likely cause you to have a psychosis.
April 18th, 2009 at 1:39 pmSomehow Steele missed the cases when the FBI and local police spied on Quakers, or acted as agent provocateurs in the anti-war movement.
April 18th, 2009 at 2:12 pmHe WAS JUST off visiting places in the middle east! In fact he was blasted as weak for engaging countries Bush would not dare set foot in!
Also, I don’t think I object to the government watching pro life rallies/extremists closely. I seem to remember something about domestic terrorists and abortion clinic bombing/arson? FFS how often do you hear about a pro choice advocate going out and bombing a church.
April 18th, 2009 at 2:15 pmMr Steele is great in his own mind. He is the walking, talking
best that the Republicans can serve up to the country. In fact they have many other fine examples of leadership to offer the rest of us. Just ask them. How does the song go “It’s hard to humble when you’re so great”
Another song he must sing to himself, “Oh how great thou art”
I hope your getting my drift about the right wing nuts. Also get the words right if I didn’t please.
April 18th, 2009 at 3:04 pmTo begin with, the vantage point I come from is that I am anti-abortion based on moral and religious grounds.
At the same time, basic facts are that some anti-abortion individuals and groups have engaged in acts of mass indiscriminate violence (such as bombing of Olympic park in Atlanta).
Unfortunately, a lot of anti-abortion folks who do not advocate violence can’t see where this hurts their claims of taking the moral high ground.
So I can easily see why law enforcement goups should be under scrutiny.
OTOH – Didn’t Fahrenheit 451 have a Quaker Peace group under scrutiny ?
April 18th, 2009 at 4:03 pmMapleStreet,
April 18th, 2009 at 4:49 pmThe entire Republican Party is setting the stage for this. The talk of Texas leaving the union, the increase in gun sales in the last six months, the talk of armed revolution and revolt has put them squarely in line of suspect. They are daring this present government that was elected with a plurality of votes. I would say that present Republican actions warrant surveillance. Big mouths, threats to the union and guns equate to a big problem, and any forum the Republicans take is suspect!Humbly flight
good thing they selected a paranoid schitzophrenic to lead the RNC, i really hope it pans out for them as a strategy.
April 18th, 2009 at 6:21 pmYet another irrelevant GOP moron we love to laugh at. Keep digging that hole you’re all in and when it get’s deep enough, us intellects will simply push the dirt right back in. Problem solved.
April 18th, 2009 at 8:01 pmSteele and Keyes=Hannity and Beck in blackface.
April 18th, 2009 at 8:39 pmDespite deeply held hope that there is more to it, Michael Steele makes it very hard for me to believe he’s not a moron.Yet, whatever the absurdity of his pronouncements or those of Glenn Beck or Sean Hannity or Bill ORALLY, the remind us that just because the progressive community and all people in America had reason to be outrageously hopeful and cheerful when Barack Obama was elected President of the United States, what DIck Cheney and his shotgun buddies represented runs a deep vein through america, still. We need to be vigilant. One of the reasons I am so concerned now is that despite MANY disagreements with Obama, from his continuation of Bush’s War on Terrorism, to his not prosecuting those who said, ” I was only following orders.” Seems to me there was something called Nurenberg!, but if he fails, and I not optimistic about his approach to the economy, and other foreign affairs matters, these slime balls from the lovely Sarah Palin to Gov. Sanford, to that ever eloquent Bobby Jindal or Newt Gingrich, are waiting in the wings, sans and ideas they haven’t inflicted on the US citizens yet.
Michael Steele is highly unpopular even in the Republican party and on the ‘conservative’ wing. The Republicans seem at war. Don’t be lulled to sleep!
April 18th, 2009 at 11:30 pmI don’t know for sure if the government is spying on these rallyes, but for sure that many terrorist acts have been performed by antiabortionists. Just seek for abortion clinics bombings in google.
April 19th, 2009 at 7:31 amWhat are you talking about?
Obama is only illegaly spying on innocent Americans to protect them from terrorists. You know, like his oath of office says:
“I Barrack Hussein Obama do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the American people from terrorists even if it means violating the Constitution, domestic law or international law, and even if it means doing away with the democracy that use to exist here.”
Just like you tried to convince us it was ridiculous to think Bush was doing anything other than spying on terrorists, you should feel reassured that Obama is using the anti-American, anti-constitutional, down-right illegal authoritarian powers to only spy on terrorists.
Keep in mind that some anti-abortion nutjobs have demonstrated themselves to be in the past.
April 19th, 2009 at 9:53 amProof that the GOP can and often do speak out of both sides of the mouth.
1. The meeting in Indiana was widely publicized as the Gov of AK was going to speak. They actually said that there would be 5000 attendees and the called it a great success when 3000 attendees showed up. It sounds like a 60% success story.
2. If it was covered, then Steele could talk about “subversives” taking pictures and “spying” on Anti-abortionist.
3. If it WAS NOT covered, then Steele could talk about how repressive the MSM were in not covering the event.
Sounds like a win/win for Steele – he has a talking point for Fox News…and they want any topic to take away attention from their Tea Party fiasco.
ho hum.
April 20th, 2009 at 3:22 pm