Video: Sen. Lindsey Graham Calls out Conservative Fringe

On the subject of Glenn Beck: was it cynical for him to reveal that ACORN staffers across the country were willing to counsel human traffickers on the legal ins and outs of staffing brothels with underage girls from latin america? Was it cynical of him to be outraged by that? How about when he revealed the President's "Green Jobs Czar" as a political radical and 9-11 truther. Was that cynical? Or are crazy consiracy theories okay when they are embraced by Obama appointees? Glenn Beck's rhetoric might be a bit on the hot side, but to dismiss him as nothing more than a cynic is simply wrong.

The record is quite clear that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, and whatever concerns one might have about his spiritual beliefs, there is no reason to believe that he is a Muslim. Conspiracy theories are destructive, and serious publications on the right have gone to some lengths to rebut them. But the right is not alone in having this problem. It would be refreshing to see Sojo challenge the conspiracy theories of the left, such as the 9-11 truther nonsense, or claims that Rush Limbaugh expressed support for slavery, a vicious accusation for which there is no more evidence than there was for Barack Obama's birth in Kenya.

LV

Michael Steele attempted to distance mainstream Republicanism from these extreme voices on the right. It is my hope that when they begin coming after him (and they will as they did Mr. Steele) that his backbone will indeed be made of steel.

"was it cynical for him to reveal that ACORN staffers across the country were willing to counsel human traffickers on the legal ins and outs of staffing brothels with underage girls from latin america?"

Yes it was cynical. What does "across the country" mean (2 persons, 5 persons, what?)? They aren't going after ACORN as if it were the equivalent of the Kiwanis Clubs--and were able to frame a few Kiwanis members to do crazy things on hidden video. It is going after the community organizer president who is, down deep in his heart, a black trouble maker rallying the poor into some kind of marxist class revolution.

"Was it cynical of him to be outraged by that?"

Not if he would get equally as hot under the collar if they were Kiwanis members.

"How about when he revealed the President's "Green Jobs Czar" as a political radical and 9-11 truther."

Yes it was cynical. It had nothing to do with the facts about Van Jones--or even about unfairly portraying Van Jones to hurt Van Jones. It's finding a target to attempt to cripple Obama. The truth about Van Jones--or consideration as to whether he could capably lead in a transformation to green jobs meant nothing

On the subject of Glenn Beck: was it cynical for him to reveal that ACORN staffers across the country were willing to counsel human traffickers on the legal ins and outs of staffing brothels with underage girls from latin america? Was it cynical of him to be outraged by that? How about when he revealed the President's "Green Jobs Czar" as a political radical and 9-11 truther.

Yeah, in both cases it absolutely was if you know the rest of the story. Beck would never have gone after ACORN had it not been registering the poor (read: Democrats) to vote during the last general election, nor would those conservative activists operated that "sting." If you think I'm blowing smoke, it also should be noted that a number of GOP politicians, Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich among them, viciously attacked the NAACP, which has never been accused of similar corruption, after the 2000 general election (during which it also conducted a voter-registration drive for the first time in its history) -- its magazine "The Crisis" had opined about the Clinton impeachment, "We know a lynching when we see one." Furthermore, a Los Angeles Times op-ed noted that Jones was done in by a right-wing anti-environmental group called Americans for Prosperity that felt threatened by his common-sense environmentalism and linking of the issue to social and economic justice -- which would have hit its backers in the pocketbook.

We can only go so far in praising Sen. Graham. He is, after all, from South Carolina, the same state which gave us Strom Thurmond, Joe Wilson and other conservative racists. You see, the south has never really repented. Remember Nixon's southern strategy and Reagan's "states rights" speech. In truth, conservative southerners will stop at nothing to make sure people who don't look like them are not allowed too much authority.

Sen. Graham has not repudiated this history. Nor have the racists who make up the backbone of the Republican base.

When ACORN decided to play national politics with the big boys it got hurt. Boo hoo. Before jumping in the national ring you'd better know what you're doing. You can't sell yourself as a non-profit designed to help poor people while doing GOTV work for a major campaign.

Van Jones thought he could sign truther petitions and hold fancy jobs at the White House. You can't do both.

ACORN and Van Jones should have stayed in the minor leagues where they knew how to play the game.

Completely irrelevant. In the past, specifically the 1980s, liberal groups similarly tried to call out conservative groups and persons for unethical behavior right-wing media tried to drown them out (and usually succeeded).

Something that I've slowly learned over the course of my years is that in general, honest positions exist for good reasons. Their opposite (or opposition) also exist for good reasons. Therefore, if one actually wants to help the country as opposed to tear it down, one typically has to find some sort of middle ground. Let's hope the Republican party of limited government, fiscal responsibility, the rule of law, free markets, and personal responsibility survives. We do need such a party to keep the left honest and in line :-).

If you're going to tell us about the rest of the story, tell us all of it. In state ofter state ACORN's voter registration drives have been found to have faked large numbers of applications, often quite blatantly. At any rate, is assisting human trafficking a necessary part of registering poor voters?

Van Jones was a doctrinaire Marxist, a hater, and a nutcase. I leave it to you to decide which of the three is worst, but he had no business being anywhere near a position of authority in the government. Mercifully he largely did in himself by opening his mouth. Glenn Beck and AFP merely called attention to what came out when he did.

I have no idea what your point is about the NAACP. To the best of my knowledge they have avoided the sort of blatant corruption and revolting amorality prevalent in ACORN, but that does not mean that their political views cannot be questioned, even if you find that questioning "vicious".

LV

I must object to this attempt at guilt by association. Racism exists everywhere, not just in southern states. It is absolutely false to insinuate that Sen. Graham's racist, simply because he happens to come from a state that has a few racists.

Actually, I'm looking forward to the return of an honorable, humane left, motivated by genuine concern for the poor, a desire for peace, and a commitment to human dignity through the promotion of human rights. We need that left to keep conservatives honest. Instead what we have is a party of bureaucrats, apologists for tyrants, and defenders of child abusers. (To the example of ACORN add the curious case of Roman Polanski.) The left doesn't need to be kept honest and in line, it needs to be powerwashed.

LV

In state ofter state ACORN's voter registration drives have been found to have faked large numbers of applications, often quite blatantly.

That had nothing to do with fraud and everything to do with laziness on the part of the folks that ACORN had hired to do such canvassing (it also happened where I live). And it was ACORN that turned itself in, truth be told.

Van Jones was a doctrinaire Marxist, a hater, and a nutcase.

Based on whose testimony? I've heard that only from conservatives, which in my mind makes makes a difference. And from what little I have heard, a lot of that happened long before he became part of the administration.

I have no idea what your point is about the NAACP.

Political persecution, that's what -- the conservative movement has always despised it, among others. When its president Julian Bond called it "the Taliban wing of the Republican Party," a clear signal that it would not bow down to it, the GWB Administration announced that it was going to "examine" its tax-exempt status, a clear threat; it responded by putting its own lawyers on the case and Bush ended up backing down because it had no standing.

Just for shits and giggles, I typed in "politicians who have defended Polanski" into Google to see what would come up. Though I found lots of support for him from the French, I found no evidence of support on this side of the pond.

On the New York Times web site, I did find a contribution by Geraldine Ferraro. It strongly condemned Polanski's behavior. I suppose there are times when in the absence of any facts, people have to invent their own strawman.

Been waiting for this. I actually started a small project a while back for it, a wiki of public accountability. Tell me if anyone would like the address.

BlueDeacon: You claim we'll stop at nothing to keep you beholden to us. Considering that you think any opposition to government invention is us keeping you beholden, I'm not surprised. When you're willing to admit that the two aren't necessarily the same, I'd be glad to talk.

I agree. I see Graham as a shining light of conscience in the Republican party. I think people who see specks in other people's eyes also need to repent of their anger and lack of respect for others they don't like. Maybe Obama could invite them to sit down for a beer...

You claim we'll stop at nothing to keep you beholden to us. Considering that you think any opposition to government invention is us keeping you beholden, I'm not surprised. When you're willing to admit that the two aren't necessarily the same, I'd be glad to talk.

I must advise you that I did not write the offending passage -- some nutcase has actually hijacked my handle to mock me. I wish there were some way to advise the moderators. (I have e-mail set to receive replies, and I will not get this one.

Thank you, moderator.

As I mentioned, I didn't actually write that passage, which has been removed.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People? While I know there was a time and a context where such a specific aim was appropriate, I despise the thought that it's really useful anymore.

We have an African American Supreme Court judge and President. We have whites, blacks, and browns that kill each other, and others that hang out together. Is there really enough difference left to justify advancing any races less or more than others?

I used to think the same way until the 1980s; however, as I mentioned, the conservative movement has targeted it for years precisely because of its effectiveness in advocacy and its refusal to bow down in worship. Anyway, that's the context of what happened to ACORN and Van Jones.

I thought this article was about the republicans! What's your honest portrayol of the republicans now that we know what you think about the left.

The spoof "BlueDeacon" user has been identified and blocked. The IP address for the spoof user matched that of another prolific commenter, who has also been permanently blocked. This kind of behavior is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated.

Way to change the subject, Volemort. I know some folks are gleefully beating up on ACORN and cheering its downfall. And many of us on the left agree that there were serious problems with that organization and that it brought its own downfall. But none of you ACORN-haters are willing to acknowledge the many very good things ACORN has done over the years for poor communities. Until a better-run organization steps in to fill ACORN's shoes, some of those communities will not have the advocacy infrastructure they need. Stop gloating and show a little compassion.