CBS Sports' Feherty suggests "any U.S. soldier" would attack Reid and Pelosi
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, May 8, 2009 |
CONTACT Erikka Knuti (202) 756-4135 eknuti@mediamatters.org |
Washington, D.C. - Today, Media Matters for America demanded an apology for columnist and CBS golf analyst David Feherty's assertion that "if you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Osama bin Laden, there's a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and bin Laden would be strangled to death."
"Mr. Feherty's violent comments about Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid are disgusting," said Eric Burns, President of Media Matters. "Suggesting that our troops would attack the leaders of the very democracy they've sworn to sacrifice their lives for is an insult to their integrity, honor, and professionalism. CBS Sports should demand its golf analyst apologize to our soldiers."
In a feature for the April issue of D Magazine, five writers - including Feherty - were asked to explore "how the Bushes will affect our lives in Dallas." Feherty wrote in his piece:
From my own experience visiting the troops in the Middle East, I can tell you this, though: despite how the conflict has been portrayed by our glorious media, if you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Osama bin Laden, there's a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and bin Laden would be strangled to death. I've never met a soldier who didn't love this president and this country, and I've met a bunch of them, at home and abroad, in hospitals and in theater. At Walter Reed, Bethesda Naval Medical Center, and the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, I have visited dozens of patients, and I always ask of them before I leave: "What do you want to do when you get out?" No matter how broken or burned, or how many limbs they are missing, they give only one answer: "I want to go back. I want to rejoin my team, to finish our mission." They are rightfully proud of what they have done and want nothing more than to be with their brothers and sisters in arms, because they know the consequences if their job is left unfinished.
As Media Matters documented, Feherty's column was read during today's broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show by guest host Mark Davis.
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Here it comes... any minute now....
So you are saying you believe this; that "the entire Democratic party" was wailing and blamed the military, and that "any U.S. soldier" would like to kill Nancy Pelosi?
Wow...
Here's a clue for you, Floyd. Many of the troops feel the same way.
I think the voices in your head were the ones you heard calling for an invasion to get rid of Saddam. The "entire democratic party" certainly was doing nothing of the sort.
This is what they used to call a "heart-felt observation."
It's what they used to (and still do) call a psychotic break.
I don't think anyone ever called this kind of sickness "heart-felt." "Brainless," perhaps, but never "heart-felt."
http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=4154864&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines
The byline to the article is listed as the Associated Press, so I guess in truth it's an AP item simply posted on ESPN's website.
Why might ESPN defend this guy and his comment, by forwarding a "just a joke" defense for him?
I don't know, maybe as a professional courtesy, or maybe just for the sake of closing ranks and not allowing pesky outsiders to pressure sports commentators (or their employers really) for political comments they make, and so maybe it's kind of like "the same thing could happen to us" and "there but for the grace of good sense go I"... but sure, there it is, the "just a joke" defense of the guy, for whatever stupid reasons ESPN or the AP would make that defense.
That same ESPN never once defended the baseball player John Rocker by saying his comments in a magazine interview were "just a joke": instead they ran hog wild 24/7 with Rocker's comments, promoting their own self all the while in doing so, and making Rocker into a public demon in the process, despite his comments being tame by an 'Archie Bunker' standard of measure.
I'm very suspicious in these kinds of things, where someone like this CBS Sports television golf analyst makes this kind of political comment in a magazine article. I often think these people are promoting themselves, all the time. This guy feherty, he's also a professional public speaker for hire... true. He's represented by IMG Speakers. His fee for any speaking engagement is listed by IMG as being in the $15,000 to $25,000 range... true.
http://www.imgspeakers.com/speaker/Bio.aspx?SpeakerID=159
There's that link, in case you want to show your support for the guy's political commentary, by funneling 15 to 25 thousand dollars to him, through IMG Speakers. If you should click the link, notice the guy's picture on his IMG bio page: it makes him look like a malicious slimeball... perfect for television I guess.
Again, what is this supposed to prove? Does he really think it somehow absolves Bush and Cheney of the stupidity of invading Iraq in the first place?
You go right to his home page on CBS Sports--and unload.
Somehow that sounds, you know, psychotic. And disturbed. Never hear Jean G. or Keith speak like this...and I actually disagree with them at times....
I didn't even refer to the fact that he's not a native-born American (not sure if he's even a naturalized citizen).
/sarcasm
An outright idiotic statement. But really, the Cons/Republicans should be screaming for his removal. Isn't this somewhat what that report that Bush commissioned was talking about? Where is the outrage from Hannity and the rest of the bums.
He disgraced our men and women in uniform.
And I bet he's never served an hour in the military himself.
So you are going for the "two wrongs make a right" defense. Or are you saying both are acceptable?
Not sure what your point is...
No. It was an accurate description of a handful of wingnuts who were incensed at the idea that they were all receiving tax cuts.
i'm an lpga teaching professional....do not know feherty's frame
of mind or the context of how he meant his comment...he usually
is a very witty and humorous observer of life....but if the quote
stands alone.....i'd also say fire feherty from the cbs sports staff....fire him from any public venue...despicable treatment of our
troops, speaker pelosi, majority leader reid and our president obama....
yes, put him on fox news...and he can join the ahole hannity and the rest of the Republican Obsolete Partyers.
this clown is confusing doing one's duty, and agreeing with the policy that put you in harm's way; the two are not, by definition, mutually inclusive.
this type of insightful commentary probably explains why he's in the sports dept., and not in the real news dept.
You've come quite a ways from the lush conservative country club, eh David?
Exactly. Faux would be covering this non-stop with fake outrage for weeks on end and Egg-man Drudge would be blaring the headline daily with his little twinkle fairy sirens. The fake outrage from Vannity, Drugbaugh, O'Racist would be deafening.
The Flag <– …and to the Republic for which it stands.
The U.S. Constitution - Section 4 - Republican Government
The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.
Just a lil lesson in U.S. Government for Mr. Burns.
Brought to you by, Debra J.M. Smith
of
Informing Christians
I email and praise, support, patronize, etc., and wish them more power. Yep! That is it. Let them speak, so loud, they will either stay, or go. World press will see who they are, here some too.
Suggest jingles: "Burn your crosses, light them now, light them now, light them now. Burn your crosses, light them now, we are racist."
It is acceptance of our differences, without being as angry as they are. Are we better than animals, when choosing to fight as such? The simple tool of word, can silence pen and sword. Question.
"I shoot an an arrow in the air,
Where it lands I do not care.
I get my arrows wholesale".-Bullwinkle J Moose, Fractured Fairy Tales.
Accepting differences is one thing, his statements aren't a "difference". If they are, compared to what?
OK, where's my medal?
And you believe that killing them is exactly the same as holding them "accountable" for merely believing things that you don't, and promoting programs you disagree with?
And, in the past eight years, when did anyone in a position of authority call for the deaths of Dennis Hastert and Mitch McConnell?
Novella calling for the assassination of GW Bush:
Your text to link here...
One thing I do know is that there are very few men or women in the military that are going to speak freely to anyone in the media.
So when is Feherty getting fired? Should I hold my breath?
He wasn't role-playing or mocking that kind of attitude-- he was celebrating their 'americanism.' He was preaching .
And this isn't a "gotcha" moment, it's a nationally-televised sports commentator shooting off his mouth calling for the deaths of duly elected members of congress.
This is "satire" the same way George W Bush made a "joke" of looking for WMD in his office, when thousands of American troops died because he lied to the American people saying he knew exactly where the non-existent weapons were, which was the exact opposite of the truth.
Neither is funny, and both could cause the deaths of people.
'tis time for TV ignoramuses to shut up
Or...
perhaps, Feherty has been engaging in too many "Sleep-overs"
with Rush Limbaugh
Right-- which means he was serious, which means he WASN'T joking. He was teed-off.
And besides-- he's not even correct. What soldiers feel this way? Didn't a mjority vote for Dems this time?
"What Mr. Feherty might not understand is that there are few Americans who have been as loyal to Veterans and Soldiers as Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. If I found myself in that proverbial elevator, the first thing I would do is thank them both profusely. Why? Because when I was down range fighting a war in Afghanistan, Reid and Pelosi, with other legislative colleagues were shepherding through their respective houses of Congress the 21st Century G.I. Bill, which is now paying for my college education."
You have my sympathy. Brain injuries suffered by our military should be investigated. Has yours been?
The betrayal was in declaring the war in the first place. Were are the WMD's that Bush and friends "Knew with absolute certainty" about?
And yet another moron chimes in. Reid and Pelosi fought to get body armor for the troops when every Republican voted against it.
Reid and Pelosi fought to get armored personnel carriers equipped with the correct armor for the location they were in, and every Republican voted against it.
Reid and Pelosi fought to get the troops out of Iraq safely. Every member of the GOP voted to leave them in the hellish meat-grinder they put them in in the first place.
Why do you believe that voting for conditions that led to more troop deaths instead of giving them adequate protection is "support?" When "support the troops" is used by the GOP to mean "let more troops die because we don't want to give them the protection they need to do their jobs," then the GOP deserves to go the way of the Whigs.
And the full quote was, "if we continue the failed policies of this administration, the war is lost." I'm not surprised you cherry-picked the only part you understood, and quite poorly at that.
Anyone who spit on a returning Vietnam vet would have had his ass kicked from here to next Sunday by the vet and anyone who witnessed it. Everyone had a friend, brother, father, cousin, uncle or neighbor who served there and we all lost people dear to us and would have come to the aid of the vet.
You're right-- those are myths. They are lies. If anything, they were ignored, or hippie chicks gave them flowers.
There weren't even that many of them at any one time. It wasn't like WWII.
Bud Light Presents Real Men of Genius
(Real Men of Genius)
Today we salute you, Mr. Former Outspoken Golf Announcer
(Mr. Former Outspoken Golf Announcer!)
It wasn't enough for you to discuss the choice of club or the slope of the green on the eighteenth hole...
You had to throw in a comment about the war
(This sport needs a mine field!)
Who cares about political correctness in this day and age. You had a microphone, a quiet crowd, and an agenda
(Drown Pelosi in the hazard!)
We know it wasn't your fault, Big Guy. When you saw Tiger Woods using the ball washer, you just couldn't resist making a joke envolving the President's testicles, could you?
(Do you think they would fit!)
So on your way out, we raise our beers to you, Funny Man! Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya!
(Mr. Former Outspoken Golf Announcer!)
http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-fehertycriticism&prov=ap&type=lgns
Retired USN
Huh? And he thinks it would take two bullets to take out a small, delicate woman? Sheesh, I guess he thinks we have some pretty inept soldiers....
I mean, Reid was a boxer and even an ill Bin Ladin might be able to do some damage to the soldier in the close confines of an elevator, if the soldier shoots a woman in front of them.
This is from a humorist???
No. It's from an ignoramus.
he probably crossed a line.
he also went on to say how he hates bush, so i dont think there's a specific agenda here.
i think if you read the whole article and know how feherty is always a little strange in a humorous way you will understand him better.
i think he was trying to make the point that every vet he talks to wants to go back and complete the mission, he just portrayed their sentiments in an irresponsible way, hopefully he realizes how his words are being portrayed and will learn to be more responsible with them in the future.
He spoke the truth regarding the sentiments of US soldiers. One of the great things about our military is that they serve the country and not the politician, unlike the lefties who would gladly serve them up to be accused of murder(Jack Murtha), being uneducated or terrorizing women and children (John F. Kerry). Because of their committment and dignity, they would never do what David F said, only think it. And, if you ever read any other articles or comments he had about the military, he has a high opinion of them and their work, again unlike the lefties.
Should Feherty appologize to media matters(for very little)? Maybe, when media matters (for very little), bowelmovement.org and other lefties apolgize for calling General Petraeus a traitor!
And you know this, how?
Preach on brother!
You are right. He is free to make what ever political statmenets he wishes. We as a free thinking people also have every right to judge him based on those statements.
Please provide for us one single solitary example in which the rights of free speech have been enfringed upon by this administration.
What? I... I'm not even sure what you are trying to say here.
Every soldier? Who made him the spokesperson for millions of veterans and serving military personel?
You make baby Jesus cry.
When and where did you serve?
Secondly... the joke was a tongue in cheek response to Rush's repeated comments that he hopes the President's policies would fail. But, I am guessing that you are going with the talking point amongst the right that believes that Obama's smirk and laugh at the joke was an endorsement of the joke and an honest desire to see Rush's kidneys fail.
Thirdly... the joke was made about an entertainment figure who is more than capable of voicing his response to the joke on a very public format, his radio show.
David Feherty however made a blanket joke about ALL of our troops, we are talking millions of people, who he believes would act in a blood thirsty manner toward elected officials of the country they had sworn to defend and protect. In case you didn't actually read the joke,
That's "y"!