I doubt it! From NewsBusters, (video available here ):
Maher: What about the people who got onto the Huffington Post – and these weren’t even the bloggers, these were just the comments section – who said they, they expressed regret that the attack on Dick Cheney failed.
Joe Scarborough: Right.
Maher: Now:
John Ridley: More than regret.
Maher: Well, what did they say?
Ridley: They said “We wish he would die.” I mean, it was (?) hate language.
Barney Frank: They said the bomb was wasted. (laughter and applause)
Maher: That’s a funny joke. But, seriously, if this isn’t China, shouldn’t you be able to say that? Why did Arianna Huffington, my girlfriend, I love her, but why did she take that off right away?
After some discussion about why Huffington should or shouldn’t have taken these comments down, the following occurred:
Ridley: It’s one thing to say you hate Dick Cheney, which applies to his politics. It’s another thing to say, “I’m sorry he didn’t die in an explosion.” And I think, you know:
Maher: But you should be able to say it. And by the way…
Frank: Excuse me, Bill, but can I ask you a question? Do you decide what the topics are for this show?
Maher: Yeah, I decide the topics, they don’t go there.
Frank: But you exercise control over the show the way that she does over her blog.
Maher: But I have zero doubt that if Dick Cheney was not in power, people wouldn’t be dying needlessly tomorrow. (applause)
Scarborough: If someone on this panel said that they wished that Dick Cheney had been blown up, and you didn’t say:
Frank: I think he did.
Scarborough: Okay. Did you say:
Maher: No, no. I quoted that.
Frank: You don’t believe that?
Maher: I’m just saying if he did die, other people, more people would live. That’s a fact.
*****Update III: NewsBusters member and blogger Jon Quixote has all the information concerning the kerfuffle at Huffington Post that Maher and the gang were discussing here.
The Moderate is singing a somewhat different tune on Maher:
My opinion on this is, Free Speech is free speech, the same Free speech rights that allows Ann Coulter to run her mouth and call John Edwards a “faggot”, is the same free speech rights that allows Bill Maher to say what he said. So, either deal with it, or turn off the TV. End of Story.
Yet with Ann:
There needs to be an Apology on her part or action taken by the G.O.P.
Anyone can denounce what these two people say, but it is part of their “act” to say what they do…they both have an audience for such ridiculousness, and as long as the demand is there, the outragious behavior will continue.
Other comments can be seen here.Â
Please see Right On Right for the best summation on the subject!
Others Blogging:
- Ace of Spades HQ
- Michelle Malkin
- Flopping Aces
- Bill Maher is Sorry the Assassination Attempt on Dick Cheney Failed « The Populist Moderate
- Ed Driscoll.com
- Right Wing Nut House » MAHER: BEYOND POLITICALLY INCORRECT
- HOT AIR
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, Is It Just Me?, The Virtuous Republic, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, Leaning Straight Up, Rightlinx, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, The Uncooperative Blogger ®, stikNstein… has no mercy, Pirate’s Cove, Overtaken by Events, The Right Nation, Renaissance Blogger, The Pink Flamingo, Dumb Ox Daily News, Random Dreamer, A Blog For All, 123beta, Adam’s Blog, basil’s blog, The Bullwinkle Blog, Phastidio.net, Cao’s Blog, Conservative Cat, Jo’s Cafe, Conservative Thoughts, Faultline USA, stikNstein… has no mercy, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, and Blue Star Chronicles, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
I don’t recall giving my consent to quote me, either remove
me from your blog. or I’ll sue you in court. and don’t think I
cannot and will not do it. I don’t trash other bloggers and I don’t
expect to trash by any of you. Now either get it off or I’ll see you in court.
Last warning.
_TPM
I also noticed you have your personal information hidden on your
domain registeration information, what are you? some kind of coward,
got to hide hehind a keyboard? My comments are copyrighted. as is my content on my site, stealing content is a federal offense. and I assure you, if the quote isn’t removed. you will be hearing from my lawyer come monday. and don’t think I can’t get court order to get your information.
Quoting isn’t a problem, but quoting me to run me in the ground, is a libel and I will sue, if need be.
1- TPM, huh? I know I’ve been gone for a few weeks on a visit to Europe, but I don’t understand what you are referring to.
As for Maher, don’t don’t support him for suggesting the killing of any American, regardless of their position. I don’t think he was advocating for that though. I think he was suggesting what, from his viewpoint, the result would be “if” it had happened. (which I do not agree with either… the faux war machine will continue with or without Cheney pulling George’s strings)
Ann’s comments, however, are different because they fan flames of hate towards the gay community long struggling for equality. Foriegn Policy issues, and foriegn wars, are not the same as smearing entire populations within the USA.
Quoting isn’t a problem, but quoting me to run me in the ground, is a libel and I will sue,
Where did you get the idea that I was trying to run you into the ground? I merely pointed out a double standard. And any lawyer will tell you that you would need to prove intent, which you have no case for. Nothing was stolen, it was sited under copyright law.
Are you angry becasue I pointed out that you hold one person to one set of standards and in your opinion, even the POTUS should condemn Ann, but with Maher, we should “either deal with it, or turn off the TV. End of Story.”
SEE YOU IN COURT. STEALING CONTENT IS STEALING CONTENT. AND IT’S A LIBEL.
HOPE YOU GOT A GOOD LAWYER. CAUSE YOU’RE GONNA NEED IT.
YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM MY ATTORNEY SOON.
3- I’ll cede you the point on Maher..
I also agree with you on the gay civil rights point, therefore, for the life of me, why would someone like John A go out of his way to set the cause back? That is what I have a real problem with. He has the legal mind and talent to further the cause, so why get in the mud and try to out gay republicans? His excuse is their “hypocritical” stance..well, I for one don’t walk lock-step with the right, and I don’t think you do with the left, so why is it that he feels the need to hurt the cause? Aren’t they in the same struggle? And do you realistically think that it is just the right that is fighting gay civil rights? I don’t! The votes in Democratic states prove me correct. Look at my state, MI.
5- okay
YOU’RE AN IDIOT. WITH NAME LIKE PEEJZ, YOU’RE A IDIOT RAGHEAD, WHO GOT IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY ANYHOW. ANYWAYS… YOU BETTER HAVE A DAMN GOOD LAWYER. STEALING CONTENT FROM A BLOG WITHOUT THE AUTHORS PERMISSION IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE. I DON’T MIND REFERENCES, BUT TO QUOTE ME TO SLANDER ME, IS A LIBEL. AND I WILL SUE YOU IF IT ISN’T REMOVED BY MONDAY. I AM A UNEMPLOYED MAN, I GOT A LAWYER FRIEND WHO WILL TAKE IT PRO-BONO… I COULD USE ME A COUPLE HUNDRED MILLION FROM YOU RICH WRITER TYPES. HOPE YOU GOT IT, CAUSE IF YOU DON’T, I’LL TAKE EVERYTHING YOU GOT. C-YA…
Mr. Populist, I can see why you’re unemployed…
This Blog Post Is Copyright Protected and Fair Use Is Not Applicable:
wow, someone needs to relax…
More mindless braying froma realy stupid jackass time to tie a knot in his tail:razz:
is this a real story:roll:
To hell with Cheney he’s a lost cause and an old school war hawk with special interests in the continuation of the Iraq carnage.
Now let’s talk about Ann Coulter’s latest addition to the Mitt Romney campaign.:roll:
I love it when these types show what they’re truly made of.
“And do you realistically think that it is just the right that is fighting gay civil rights? I don’t! The votes in Democratic states prove me correct. Look at my state, MI.”
Being Democrat does not at all make you left-leaning. Michigan is still very industrial and vote based on labor and economic issues. The liberal population in Michigan is much smaller than the Democratic population. There are many bigots who vote Democrat, just as there are many who vote Republican.
On Maher: It’s perfectly okay what he said about Cheney. Many see Cheney as an unscrupulous and downright evil person, and there is no doubt that he is highly responsible for a lot of the “wrongs” committed by the Bush Administration. Using hate-fueled slurs to refer to a large (and often hated, misunderstood, and disadvantaged) group of people is COMPLETELY different. It is free speech but it is disgusting. Coulter shouldn’t “have” to do anything about it, but it does further show what kind of despicable human being she is.
Clever Dan- I wasn’t referring to liberals. I was referring to Democrats, and if I read you correctly, you agree that it isn’t just a republican or democratic issue. I disagree that being a dem doesn’t mean you lean to the left. I think in either case, it is the degree to which you lean left or right.
I also disagree with the Cheney comment. It isn’t perfectly okay that he said it. It may be that he dislikes him, but wishing for the death of him is a bit extreme. He is within his right to say it.
Neither needs to apologise if they chose not to, nor should anyone be apologising for them. HBO is Mahers employer, and if that is what they find acceptable, so be it. Coulter is employed by ?, but if they see fit to keep her, so be it.
On Coulters comment; how far are we going to go with changing the word or stopping its usuage? Is Ann the only one we will single out or are we going after the entertainment industry? How about the word queer? Queer Eye For The Straight Guy and Queer As Folk come to mind. Or how about The Departed? Best Picture Of The Year. I lost count on the number of times the word fag, or the refrences to it, was thrown out there….
Here’s an idea:
Rather than to simply drag Maher’s name through the mud, why don’t we attempt to understand why he and a huge margin of the world feel this way. Perhaps than we can concentrate on positive revalations.
Is this not the fundamentals of Democracy?
“Rather than to simply drag Maher’s name through the mud, why don’t we attempt to understand why he and a huge margin of the world feel this way.”
Uhh…because Bush and Cheney are viewed by hundreds of millions of people as being more dangerous than the threat of terrorism?
That would be my guess.
SFLiberal,
Exactly my point.
Unfortunately, there seems to be so much effort spent on OVER-analizing each and every comment made by the opposing side, trying to find “offensive language” rather than to actually attempt the find the true meaning. In this case:
Why does the rest of the world, including a huge number of Americans feel that the Bush administration has wronged us?
Perhaps if we actually analize this unfortunate truth, we can start making some positive changes.
Fact of the matter: Wishing someones demise is a very powerful statement. There must be a reason behind this, whether or not we continue to ignore it.
I wonder if the quote had been, “Too bad the bomb didn’t kill Maher.” Would the left be justifying it?
The Left, especially the Populist, get really angry when their stupidest quotes are broadcast and used to confront them.
OBTW, Hillary Clinton is appearing is one of her by invitation only “listening sessions” sessions across the street from me tonight. I won’t cross the street to see the megalomaniac shyster.
They would either justify it, or simply ignore it, like they have done time and time again when their side has committed faux pas they would have skewered a Republican for.
I am not “the left”
I am an American citizen who likes the think for myself. It is actually one of the many great qualities that human beings have inherited. It is such a shame that it is not used by all.
No one is justifying what he said. The problem is that no one is attempting to UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE DO NOT TRUST THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, and would go so far as to say that more lives would be saved if Cheney’s was lost. -I don’t believe this. However, I do not trust our current administration either.
Think for yourself, question authority. This does not translate to undermine authority, simply question it.
Should Hitler’s, Castro’s Musollini’s, Pol Pot’s authority not have been questioned? Should Saddams authority have been questioned? Should the Catholic authority have beened questioned during the Inquisition? Should the radical Muslim authority be questioned for suicide bombings?
Please look through history, learn from it. It is the only way we can move toward living together as one. Please don’t dismiss this as “hippie rhetoric” I can assure you I do not fall into this category.
Think for yourself, question authority.
Ryan, I question all “Liberal Authority”. They usually are full of crap.
Anatomy of an Impropriety, or Ann Coulter Vs. Bill Maher
Maybe its time for a bird to drop something gooie brown smelly and unpeasent on mahers head SQUAWK SQUAWK I,LL DO IT:razz:
PCD,
It is good that you question the Liberal authority. However, do you not also question the Republican? It seems to me that with all things in life, the truth usually lies in the middle. I would hate for you (or anyone) to be ill informed simply due to party loyalty.
“‘I think the puppet on the right shares my beliefs.’ ‘I think the puppet on the left is more to my liking.’ ‘Hey, wait a minute, there’s one guy holding out both puppets!’ â€
So much wasted time on bickering and arguing. Lets overcome our differences and work together. Afterall, our differences are what make this world go ’round, right?
Another funny thing comes to mind, and I’m sure I’ll be blasted for suggesting this: Patriotism is a farce. It only serves to seperate us further, only with temporary boundaries. Look through history and see how many times these “boundries” or “borders” have been renamed, redrawn. Guess what world, we have ALL inherited EVERY last grain of sand on this Earth, regardless of where we happen to be born geographically and in which time period.
I am only in my 20′s. It amazes me that others with so many more years of experience and education don’t see this blatent truth. I don’t think that I am any more educated than the average joe.
This world, this life runs so much deeper than world politics. This is yet again, only a temporary system.
Ryan, you are naive. You haven’t had your car vandalized or run off the road solely for the bumperstickers on it. Neither have you traveled much. It is so easy to give away what you haven’t earned.
Just so you know, I faced down elected politicans in Orange County, CA, before 1995. I questioned the OC supervisors raising taxes to invest in the scheme the only elected Democrat who was the Tax Collector and Treasurer was running. This lead to the bankruptcy of Orange County. You heard of that?
I faced down then Governor, Tom Vilsack, here in Iowa. And, FYI, the Union Goons were circling behind me to give me a “Union Education”, For you who haven’t lived through such things, that is a real, put you in the hospital, beating.
So don’t come here to lecture. It seems so nice to get a good life talking other people out of their hard earned money, freedoms, and goods, but it don’t work that way.
Ryan- you make valid points, and in an ideal world I think we would be possible to achieve what you seek.
Keep in mind that you are discussing this in a political forum…therefore don’t be surprised when you see us arguing back and forth:wink: You are looking at just this topic and not the entire archives of what it is that we discuss.
The only think I have really disagreed with you on is this statement: “Rather than to simply drag Maher’s name through the mud”
Maher put himself in the mud all by himself, this is just one comment out of thousands that the man has made…he is the male Coulter…I really see no difference in their communication styles.
PCD – I apologize for the unfortunate situations you were involved in. However, you must know that there are just as many people from the Right who would do the same horrible things to those from the Left (simply becuase they “disagree”). It isn’t the ideals that make people negativelly act out on their beliefs. These are simply the criminally insane -we have them on both sides.
Peejz – I thank you for your comments. I suppose you are correct in pointing out that I may have picked the wrong forum to discuss my personal beliefs. I think it is simply a shame that most cannot honestly look to and understand both the opinions of the Right & Left. It seems foolhardy and unproductive to ignore valid points raised by an opposing party, simply because of party loyalty. I guess this is simply a reflection of the times we live in.
I’ll no longer bother you with my “naive” way of thinking. Forgive me if I was mistaken in thinking that it is easy for all to look outside the box.
I wish all of you and your families good health and happiness.
Kind Regards,
Ryan
It seems foolhardy and unproductive to ignore valid points raised by an opposing party, simply because of party loyalty.
The problem is that 99% of the time is that the point gets lost in the bickering…
Peejz – Exactly my point. Thank you for bringing back some of my faith in humanity. It is unfortunate that most don’t realize this.
I could care less about Bill Maher. Don’t think he’s a great comedian and he doesn’t do to well with politics either. This is hardly about him. This is about one party blasting the other, just because.
Fact remains, people (including a lot of Americans) posted and believe strongly in these hatefull comments about Dick Cheney. Granted, these particular comments are useless in fighting “the good fight.” However, the comments were still made. Why? Why has the Bush Administration angered SO MANY people. Once we answer this, then we can get somewhere.
I use to consider myself a Conservative. I once was an avid supporter/defender of the Bush administration. I once disagreed with all views of the left (w/o actually researching them), just because. I am also very capable of admitting my faults. I now consider myself an Independent.
I recall a recent interview with the first lady. In this particular interview she stated that “it is so sad that all America sees on television is that one car bombing a day in Iraq.” -I’m sorry, but am I missing something here? One car bombing a day would seem to be to be a HUGE TRAVISTY, each and every day.
Picture this if you will: A car bombing in New York EVERY SINGLE DAY. As Americans, we couldn’t even begin to fathom the complete moral breakdown this would cause.
“Just one car bombing a day” This statement is absolutely insane.
32, so what is your answer, Ryan? Cut and Run? Do you realize that the people behind the carbombings are beyond reasoning with? You either convert to their beliefs or they kill you, period.
PCD – My answer is simple. WORK TOGETHER.
Here it is, very easy: The Right have a lot of good points, and a lot of bad ones. The Left have a lot of good points, and a lot of bad ones. -Do you see where I’m going with this?
Useless bickering aside, lets WORK TOGETHER. Perhaps if we really made an HONEST effort to understand both sides we can put the good ideas together and drop the bad.
You mention that our enemy is unable to reason with. However, judging by your responses, I would put you in the same category. (it’s unfortunate that I feel I have to point this out, but) Of course, I am not calling you a terrorist, I am simply suggesting that by completely denouncing an alternate point of view (w/o really taking it into consieration) you are being unreasonable. This is counterproductive.