Top GOP Senator Doesn’t Seem Concerned About Right-Wing Assault On Obama Nominee
A key GOP Senator doesn’t seem all that worked up about the ongoing right-wing assault on Obama’s nominee for the key post of legal adviser to the state department, suggesting that the attacks are unlikely to work.
As I noted below, conservatives from Glenn Beck to Fox News have been hammering away for some time at Obama’s pick, the outspoken Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh, accusing him of being willing to impose Sharia law on U.S. courts and of various treasonous legal impulses.
Koh is under assault mainly because of his past scathing criticism of the Bush administration’s regard for the rule of law. This battle is key, because Koh’s post is an influential one that would allow him to shape shapes the administration’s legal policies and has the power to reverse controversial Bush ones.
I asked a spokesperson for Senator Richard Lugar, the ranking GOPer on the foreign relations committee, which will process this nomination, whether he was concerned about the conservative criticism of Koh. “We haven’t focused on it yet,” the spokesperson, Andy Fisher, answered.
That’s basically code for No, since the criticism has been in the public arena for some time. In short, there’s no sign that this nomination is headed for trouble in the Senate.
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Just an observation here, but doesn’t it seem that all of the right’s criticism against Obama and the dems agenda are based on conspiracy theories? I mean there’s the birth certificate fiasco, he’s a socialist, he’s a facist, he’s a secret Muslim, he wants to replace the dollar with global currency. The train to a hooker ranch in Nevada, etc. The only legitimate criticism I can see coming from Republicans is the deficit increase and that is a legitimate worry. But everything else seems to be nothing but fringe theories that you would hear on cable public access stations. But it’s being put out there by mainstream politicians! People you would think that would have a at least some sanity are pushing this and the Media is taking them seriously. Why? Why does the media give so much credence to these fringe theories? Why don’t they debunk them? Fox News is the poster child for this. Why are they still considered a legitimate news source after pushing this **** day in and day out? I just don’t understand it.
very interesting analysis. that does seem to be a common thread.
Really and truly thats why I LOVE the elevation of Rush Limbaugh as the titular head of the GOP. Its also why I don’t mind his ratings going up. The more people hear WHERE the GOP is getting all of their fringe theories from, the better off we will be. When folks recognize that sitting Congressmen are repeating Limbaugh as fact instead of doing their own investigations on the issues from reputable sources it will keep devaluing their positions and opinions. And FoxNews is just like Limbaugh in that while their ratings are going up, the perception of Republicans are going down for everyone but registered Republicans. As long as we hold their feet to the fire and continue to push back on the smears I hope they keep up the wankery and keep helping to get Democrats elected.
DJShay – In large part, I think this can be explained by the nature of the modern conservative movement. Since their College Republican days, Norquist, Abramoff, Reed, and Rove have utilized a strategy of marginalizing moderates. Perhaps not causal in this aspect of the movement, but certainly representative of a broader patter, the consequence has been that the movement and the party have lost moderating voices and influences.
To the extent this is true, the media can be considered innocent because the party/movement they portray IS the movement that is there.
I don’t fully excuse them however but that’s a bit more extended in argument and I’ll do it another time.
Bernie-I see what you’re saying. There is no moderate view from the Conservatives anymore, so the media has to cover the opposition, no matter how how loony their views. I just wish they would push back more on some of the crazier theories.
DJ – I think so. On a number of key measures (tax rates, support for social safety net, etc) the Eisenhower administration was further left than was the Clinton administration (Krugman once mentioned this study but I can’t find it now). From that perspective, we can properly see the modern conservative movement as sitting somewhere right of Saturn.
But as regards the media needing to be more critical and substantive – you bet.
Greg, thank you for continuing to shine the harsh light of truth on these cancerous right-wing miscreants and the despicable, unconscionable, unjustifiable political lynching the “Little Goebbels” on the loony-right fringe have been heaping on some of Obama’s superbly qualified nominees. Furthermore, I think it’s time for the DOJ to consider filing charges of treason and sedition against some of the freak-show wingnut radio screamers and their brain-dead sycophants (or in this case, psychophants) calling for armed insurrection and the violent overthrow of the democratically elected American government.
You hit the nail on the head – the conservatism I grew up with, which is basically – don’t spend more than you make – is long gone.
However, the same can be said for todays “liberals” – the fringes of both sides get an inordinate amount of press. The agenda pushed here is another US vs THEM – “the reds are bad & we are good” – doesn’t matter if you make it in the wrong basket, as long as its your team that scored.
Lotta talk about Justice stonewalling, but Gitmo is still open, and – taxes are getting raised (there will be ZERO tax raises.. but that was campaign rhetoric)….
One would think from the press & sites like this, that the fringe elements of both parties dominate. I think most people are middle of the road. They want family, opportunity, jobs etc – pursuit of happiness and all that.
I enjoy the stories – but i can’t take the hate. see ya. Good luck in ‘10