Noted Media Critic for the Washington Post Howard Kurtz was kind enough to link me in his column today on blogger react to Obama’s speech.
That’s where Mr. Kurtz’s kindness ended.
Rick Moran of Right Wing Nuthouse likes the style but not the substance:
“Generally, I thought it was thoughtful, well delivered, and brutally honest in places.
“But I think Obama revealed more than he wanted to about exactly what kind of a candidate he truly is. Having eschewed labels like ‘liberal’ for the entire campaign, the speech left little doubt that Barack Obama is a dyed in the wool Democratic liberal who sees blacks and whites equally as victims of ‘conservatives’ and sees big government, statist solutions to our problems.”
While Rick was composing these thoughts, his brother Terry was interviewing Obama for “Nightline.” Last year, in fact, Terry Moran was asked about Rick’s nuthouse:
“I love my brother something fierce. I am very proud of him. We do not agree on many, many things (as decades of uncomfortably loud dinner table disagreements have demonstrated). In no way do I endorse anything he writes; that’s not for me to do here. But I will never disavow him. I will always defend him as an honorable man.”
Interesting parallel, no?
Interesting? I suppose it’s interesting in the same way that watching a naked Howard Kurtz being tied up and whipped by some leather clad Dominatrix with Swastikas as pasties while ordering him to beg for his mommy is interesting.
But a “parallel” to the Obama-Wright situation?
Only if you believe I am the Reverend Wright and my brother is Obama in Howies little moral equivalence parable.
First of all, I can state categorically that my brother Terry bears little resemblance to Barack Obama. Wait…I take that back. They’re both from Illinois. They’re both tall and handsome. Beyond that, Terry is honest, forthright, regular in his affairs, doesn’t associate with criminals, bigots, racists, or terrorists, and is married to a smart, sweet, gorgeous, American-loving woman.
Obama? Not so much.
As for a comparison of me and Reverend Wright? We’re both tending toward the gut, have greying hair, and have loud, obnoxious voices. Beyond that, Wright is an anti-white, anti-Semitic, conspiracy mongering, race baiting, unity destroying anti-American, Christian preacher.
Somebody get Howie a pair of glasses. And half a brain if one can be found.
For the record: Anybody who would equate my brother’s defense of me – my own blood standing up for me – with Obama not throwing his bigoted preacher and spiritual advisor (a pastor and church he chose to attend) under the proverbial bus is a goose.
There is no “interesting parallel” between Obama-Wright and Moran-Moran. It was silly, stupid, and monumentally insulting for Kurtz to make such a comparison – even in jest (which it wasn’t). If Kurtz is shallow enough to equate conservatism with Wright’s sneering hatred then he has no business commenting on politics – something many from both the left and the right have pointed out prior to me.
If this were 200 year ago, I would more than likely have appointed my second already and gone for my daddy’s dueling pistols. But since we are limited here in the 21st century to firing verbal and blogospheric darts, I guess I’ll just have to settle.
3:11 pm
Liberal relevatism rears it’s ugly head once again. Mr. Kurtz isn’t a goose, he’s that part of the goose that cleared the fence last, along with some of the drippings.
3:45 pm
Rick,
Liberal arguments about various issues are seldom on point, usually involve the word “feelings”, and are invariably so circumspect that they resemble “snow” on your television when the cable goes off for the ninth time. I stopped reading Kurtz and his ilk a long time ago. There is no parallel here, “interesting” or otherwise. What is interesting is how far Kurtz will go to find, in his opinion, an “interesting parallel.” He probably spent hours trying to find this kind of b.s. to put in the column.
P.S.
One of my brothers is capable of getting on my last good nerve in about 30 seconds. However, you mess with him or any member of my family, and bad things are going to happen to you. I’m not a great fan of Terry, although I watch Nightline every night, usually while yellng and throwing things at the t.v. But his comments about you as his brother are admirable, as far as I am concerned. Family counts big time IMHO. Just sayin.
3:47 pm
Actually, Rick, it’s a backhanded compliment- that’s the best defense of Obama/Wright’s relationship that he can conjure, so he throws darts at thoughtful conservative critics who have weighed in. Easy for me to say, I suppose. Don’t let the f*cker get you down- we all admire your commitment and love to your family, even though he (Terry) is somewhat misguided.
3:58 pm
What puzzled me was that 5 e-pages were devoted to Kurtz’s blather. What a waste of bandwidth.
And the Post’s $.
Nice job of pounding that twisted nail back into the woodwork, Mr. Moran.
You oversee a most sublime blog.
4:08 pm
You, O’s Grandma and Reverend Wright. Three peas in a pod. Obama’s only being kept afloat by the media now. That doesn’t go as far as it used to.
4:39 pm
We can now agree that Howard Kurtz has officially jumped the shark. If there were ever any doubt that he is an unapologetic partisan for the left, that doubt is now expunged. His real problem is that people, who would give his analysis of media a serious consideration despite his likely liberalism, will now discount his views as fatally biased. I certainly will. I used to take his views on media seriously, but I can do so no more. The MSM is flailing.
4:55 pm
>> Beyond that, Wright is an anti-white, anti-Semitic, conspiracy mongering, race baiting, unity destroying anti-American, Christian preacher.
4:57 pm
The question is, how similar is Obama’s deep down mindset?
5:17 pm
“Goose” is far too kind of an adjective, Rick.
5:24 pm
“Wright is an anti-white, anti-Semitic, conspiracy mongering, race baiting, unity destroying anti-American, Christian preacher.”
I think this section needs a small edit. Instead of Christian Preacher, it should read either So called Christian preacher or Alleged Christian preacher.
A true Christian would have walked out and done everything he/she could to get this guy tossed out of any church he infested with his presence.
Just my $1.35. (Dollar isn’t worth what it should be these days)
9:33 pm
“9Karen Said:
5:17 pm
“Goose†is far too kind of an adjective, Rick.”
If it’s any consolation Karen, that was not Rick’s adjective of first choice! However, I live in a PG13 home so…..
LL
10:16 am
The IRS is now investigating this so called church that promoted political candidates, while enjoying tax-exempt (non-political) status.