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Colbert tells Matthews of town hall protesters and birthers: "It is in the Constitution. People have the right to be irrational"

August 21, 2009 1:36 am ET

From the August 20 edition of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report:

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    • Author by robinpat (August 21, 2009 3:00 am ET)
         
      What is it with Chris Matthews, you mean to tell me the Civil Rights Movement was started and progressed because of JFK. The same JFK who had to be dragged into doing something because he didn't want to upset the Southern Democrats. Now i understand he proposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but where was he at when he was a Senator or the years 61,62,63 and i'm talking about major reform. So, i'm sorry Chris doesn't get to say that their wouldn't have been a civil rights without Kennedy, no sir. The movement came before Kennedy did anything and would have progressed with or without him. So, Kennedy doesn't get the lion share in this one.
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    • Author by John Paradox (August 21, 2009 3:49 am ET)
      4 1
      Obviously, that's the one that Neocons push even harder than the Second Amendment
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    • Author by nerzog (August 21, 2009 8:02 am ET)
      5 1
      This is true. They also have the right to steep in their own stupidity. On the other hand, we have the right to point at them and laugh.
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      • Author by davesnothere (August 21, 2009 8:37 am ET)
           
        It's not only their right, but here in America they can make a whole lot of money by doing it.
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    • Author by NiceguyEddie (August 21, 2009 8:44 am ET)
      6 1
      They absolutley do! And I'll fight, kill and die for the birthers and town-hellers right to speak, assemble and even bear arms!

      I just wish the media would use their freedom to point out, objectively, how utterly ridiculous these bozos are. When lunacy is treated with legitimacy it enables even MORE lunacy, encouraging it with undue tolerance.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by eddiebear2 (August 21, 2009 9:22 am ET)
          6
        Yeah, especially when MSNBC deliberately did this.
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        • Author by Tbone Slickens (August 21, 2009 9:29 am ET)
            6
          Yes it doesn't fit in with the "liberal" meme does it. The libs would be shocked, shocked, to see how many AA's hunt and fish and are members of the dreaded NRA around here.
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          • Author by NiceguyEddie (August 21, 2009 11:36 am ET)
            2  
            Both of your "points" are completely irrelvant. Should MSNBC have cropped the footage thus? No, they shouldn't. Does it change ANYTHING about the bill, the debate or the irrationality of the protesters or the danger of having this many guns in a crowded, public place? NO.

            I, like all liberals, have been inclinded to say "Look at these idiots." At no point have I or anyone else said, "Look at all these WHITE idiots." Race daesn't enter into it. Stupidity and gullability know no racial bounds, as we ALL KNOW. The 'whiteness' (or not) of the protester is immaterial. The STORY is that they're upset over stupid $#!t like death panels, socialism, fascism, nazism, rationing or that gov't will take over medicare!

            That the protesters are black, white, brown, red, yellow or purple with lavender spots is immaterial. THEY'RE STILL MORANS! (SIC and IMHO, of course.)

            (The only differencs is that the last guy might have a more pressing need for medical care!)
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          • Author by puppienrainbows (August 21, 2009 11:39 am ET)
              2
            I can picture the liberal posters on this website, after going to that link, with their hands over their ears and their eyes closed, chanting religiously, "it can't be true, it can't be true, it can't be true.........."
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            • Author by bintx (August 21, 2009 12:24 pm ET)
                 
              You know, not everyone who disagrees with your sludge here is a {{{{{{{shudder}}}}}}} liberal. They just disagree with your sludge. BTW, you are aware that there is nothing inherently bad about either the conservative ideology OR the liberal ideology. AND, NO ONE fits snugly into the classic definition of either . . . everyone has some conservative viewpoints and some liberal viewpoints.
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          • Author by pearlene_scott1602 (August 21, 2009 11:45 am ET)
            1  
            Video of the unidentified man toting an assault rifle outside President Obama's speech to veterans Monday was aired all over the country, causing a buzz about weapons popping up -- legally -- around recent presidential events.

            The protester, who refused to give his name, was interviewed by a man carrying a microphone and said, "I am almost always armed."

            The interview, done by Libertarian radio talk show host Ernest Hancock, was staged.

            "Absolutely," Hancock told CNN's Rick Sanchez Tuesday. "You guys are so easy. What we wanted to do was make sure that people around the country knew that law enforcement in Phoenix, Arizona, protects our rights."

            Interview with gun-toting protester at Obama rally was staged...

            Don't hold you breath waiting for an apology!
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    • Author by shaggles (August 21, 2009 11:42 am ET)
         
      "I love Kennedy's 'I Have A Dream Speech.'" Brilliant. And it didn't even phase Matthews. He still kept claiming the Kennedys "created" the civil rights movement.
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    • Author by Sheldonb (August 22, 2009 11:22 am ET)
         
      Did nobody happen to catch this abusrd statement by Mathews, that the Kennedy brothers "created the civil rights movement"? No Mathews, it was the grassroots everyday citizen activists of the civil rights movement that created the movement. Politicians don't create social movements, people do! This is just a so typical elitist establishment view of politics and social change.
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