ANN ALTHOUSE: President Obama’s lackluster speech to the Democratic caucus. “I watched this live, and I was struck by the dullness of the crowd as they listened to words that were supposed to stir them up.”
UPDATE: From the comments: “The crowd was dull because people who know they are going to their own slaughter usually do have that stunned, dull demeanor as they turn their glazed eyes toward their executioner.”
ANOTHER UPDATE: Fake Lincoln quotes?
NOW FOR SOME REAL POLITICAL VIOLENCE: Pies-in-face attack roils anarchist-vegan world. “An ex-vegan who was hit with chili pepper-laced pies at an anarchist event in San Francisco said Tuesday that her assailants were cowards who should direct their herbivorous rage at the powerful – not at a fellow radical for writing a book denouncing animal-free diets.”
DOES CLYBURN OWE TEA PARTY PROTESTERS AN APOLOGY? The bogus racism card has been played so often that I no longer find such charges very credible. I’m sure, however, that, true or not, they’ll be played much more loudly than the indisputably true statements about the antiwar movement.
UPDATE: Reader Rob Kleine writes: “All the focus on the anti-Obamacare protests has me wondering: Are there any pro-Obamacare protesters? Or is the Emperor truly w/o clothes?” I think there was an anti-war protest today in DC, too, but if there were pro-Obamacare protesters I haven’t heard about ’em.
And several readers note a conundrum for the media — since they ignored the anti-ObamaCare protests, it’ll be awkward for them to suddenly start running stories about charges of racism at those nonexistent protests.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Short on hate: “The rally earlier today on the West Lawn in opposition to the health-care legislation before Congress had all the fingerprints of a somewhat organic celebration of democracy. There was a pretty focused message, but mostly displayed on handwritten signs. . . . As I walked around, if it weren’t for the congressmen and some right-wing organization types speaking, one might think people had gathered for an Independence Day celebration. There were smiles and babies and families and goodwill. Now and again I would run into some lone guy responding to a speaker with ‘then we’ll dismantle the government.’ But that guy also got weird looks — and not just from me. I was struck by how few mass-produced signs there were. Many groups might try to take credit for the rally, but concerned Americans are responsible for it.” Lots of pics at the link.
Plus this: “Those gathered today, among many others across the country and in Washington who oppose this ill-conceived legislation from a condescending, patronizing administration — will not be giving up tomorrow. Because Monday is another day. And so is the first Tuesday in November.”
And, by way of contrast, here are some photos from that antiwar rally today in DC. Note the Soviet-nostalgia T-shirt. But guess which one the press will cast as “extremist?”
UPDATE: Reader Mwalimu Daudi emails:
Given the fact that the Members of Congress alleging this incident are among the most ethically-challenged, we can probably be safe as dismissing this as a last-second effort blow a little obscuring smoke. Don’t be surprised if this is a hot topic of conversation Sunday on the media round-table shows and disappears Monday.
However, I predict it will not go away entirely. Look for this to surface again near the November elections.What will be important to remember is that the media will have made zero efforts to investigate this between now and whenever they choose to recycle it. The “incident” will simply be reported as Gospel truth, since it fits the official media Narrative of Tea Party as racist/homophobic terrorists.
It’s all about the narrative. And Prof. Stephen Clark emails:
In following this, I’ve noticed the uptick in slurs of various kinds toward the Tea Party protestors. Now, I’ve watched all this for more than 40 years and as true racism has ebbed, that old charge remains the first and last option of the intellectually weak. If Congressman Clyburn, experienced the taunts and insults he claims, his anger is understandable. And yet, to indiscriminately tar all those present with same awful charge, given reports I’ve read and pictures I’ve seen, is not something to which, I believe, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have stooped.
I’m quite sure, from my memory of the time, that Dr. King experienced the rawest form of racism and would know it when he saw it. I’m equally sure, as a man of faith and good will, that were he to support the pending legislation, he would make his case on the merits of the legislation and would find no need for blanket and baseless charges in response to opposition. He was a man of grace. The most appropriate response to those whose lack of grace has been most evident is to note that they defile his memory, his work to unify our country, and his abiding love for us all.
Regardless, the sun will rise again on Monday – for everyone.
Indeed.
MORE: Smears debunked by video.
STILL MORE: Ann Althouse:
From what I heard — from Meade, who was there — the people at yesterday’s protest were unusually nice and friendly and well-behaved. Still, the Washington Post uses the term “angry protesters.” That’s a journalistic device to delegitimitize the demonstration by merging everyone into the few persons who said something racist/homophobic. That’s not fair and it’s not accurate, but it has been the stock MSM treatment of the Tea Party movement all along.
Indeed.
MORE STILL: Ann Althouse has more: “A member of Congress said he was spit on? Guards were right there. Was no one detained? Show me the person who was arrested. Otherwise, I’m assuming it’s a lie.” Yep. No evidence in the video, nothing else — it’s another bogus racecard-play unless somebody can come up with, you know, proof. But it gave lefty bloggers a bogus talking-point, which was, I guess, the point. . . .
DANIEL DREZNER: The political economy of pressuring China.
AT AMAZON, a clearance sale on jewelry.
SOME POSSIBLE constitutional challenges to ObamaCare.
WANT TO GET PJTV ON YOUR IPOD, IPHONE, ETC.? Subscribe to PJTV.
WIRED LOOKS AT the future of money. Transferring money over Twitter?
“WE MAKE ‘EM UP AS WE GO ALONG:” I’m guessing that this Alcee Hastings video will appear in a few political ads this fall . . . .
Background here. And doesn’t it say a lot about this Congress that a guy who was kicked off the bench for corruption — by a Democratic-controlled Congress, no less — is now on the Rules Committee?
IS AMERICA READY TO LEGALIZE PROSTITUTION? Tracy Quan and Janice Crouse debate.
My take: Who needs to legalize prostitution when we already have Congress?
THE MILLION FOLLOWER FALLACY: Audience Size Doesn’t Prove Influence On Twitter, according to researchers.
TWENTY DEMOCRATS WHO ARE STILL ON THE FENCE over ObamaCare.
BRITISH BOY RECEIVES pioneering stem cell surgery.
AT AMAZON, patio, lawn and garden markdowns.
THE JOY OF DATING NERDS: “My girlfriend is a magnificent nerdess, a tornado of wonder. And even better, we have complementary nerd fixations, like comic books and politics. My life, however, is vastly improved by her own idiosyncratic pursuits. Everybody wins when everybody shares.”
INTERNET PRODUCES new generation of activists in China.
KILL A TREE for Congress. “Before testifying before a House Science subcommittee, witnesses were asked to provide (in addition to the electronic submissions) 55 hard copies of the final written testimony, 55 hard copies of a short narrative biography, two hard copies of the curriculum vitae, and two hard copies of a completed witness financial disclosure form.”
THE SCARY WORLD OF Garden Sculpture.
ANN ALTHOUSE HAS MORE PICS FROM THE WASHINGTON, D.C. PROTEST, courtesy of Meade.
UPDATE: More blogging here.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Anyone who’s there, Charlie Martin would like to know the width of the crowd (“between Penns and Maryland, or wider?”) and depth for purposes of estimating size.
MORE: Still more coverage at TigerHawk.
Also, a reader emails: “You want to know why I think most media outlets are frauds? There are 30,000 people in Washington, DC today protesting the health care bill right now. It’s not a headline on any of the main news outlets websites. Fail.” Fox is covering it on TV.
ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE DC ANTI-OBAMACARE TEA PARTY PROTEST, courtesy of Randy Barnett’s cellphone.
Meanwhile, this protest in Kansas at Congressman Dennis Moore’s office looks a lot chillier. Brr.
WHAT CONGRESS NEEDS: More law professors.
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