Politicizing Haitian Tragedy

Media Conservatives Return To Familiar Pattern In Wake of Massive Earthquake

Washington, DC - Today, Media Matters for America denounced Pat Robertson's and Rush Limbaugh's respective reactions to the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday.

"Pat Robertson's bizarre and offensive comments come at a time of horrific human suffering," said Ari Rabin-Havt, Vice President of Communications and Research at Media Matters. "Combined with Rush Limbaugh's base attempt to politicize the White House's response, they represent right-wing media figures' willingness to use any tragedy to forward its own agenda."

BACKGROUND:

Robertson, host of the Christian Broadcasting Networks' The 700 Club, claimed that Haiti "swore a pact to the devil" to get "free from the French" and "ever since they have been cursed." Meanwhile, Limbaugh used his nationally-syndicated radio show to make a number of questionable comments about the tragedy, claiming that Obama would use the Haiti crisis to boost his credibility with the "light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country." Both Limbaugh and the Fox Nation noted that Obama discussed the earthquake sooner than the attempted Christmas bombing, with Limbaugh asking, "Did he apologize for America?"

The earthquake is just one of a number of tragedies that conservatives have attempted to politicize:

Earthquake in Haiti

• Robertson's "true story": Haiti "swore a pact to the devil" to get "free from the French" and "ever since they have been cursed"
• Limbaugh says, "[W]e've already donated to Haiti. It's called the U.S. income tax"
• Limbaugh: Obama discussed Haitian earthquake sooner than attempted Christmas bombing; "Did he apologize for America?"
• Limbaugh: Obama will use Haiti to boost credibility with "light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country"
• After earthquake, Rush says Haiti produces "zilch, zero, nada," asks when Obama will call for Aristide to be returned
  Echoing Limbaugh, Fox Nation states that Obama "Reacts to Haiti Earthquake Faster Than Christmas Bomber"

Shooting at Ft. Hood

• Limbaugh claims Ft. Hood shooter and "radical imam" are "just like Obama" and Jeremiah Wright
  Limbaugh on Ft. Hood shootings: "we could almost say that this is Obama's fault"

• Robertson uses Ft. Hood shooting to attack Islam, urges treating Muslims "as we would members of the Communist Party," "some fascist group"
• Hannity concocts smear that Obama at fault for Ft. Hood shooting
• On O'Reilly, Peters dubs Fort Hood "the new 9-11," blames Army for being "politically correct" in not getting rid of Hasan
• Right-wing media respond to Fort Hood shooting by attacking American Muslims

Hurricane Katrina

• Limbaugh blamed "unchecked liberalism" for the inability to "save" New Orleans residents during Hurricane Katrina
• Buchanan jokes about New Orleans school reform: "If Katrina will hit every city, we can make it"
• Glenn Beck called hurricane survivors in New Orleans "scumbags," said he "hates" 9-11 families
• Boortz: "[T]housands" of Katrina victims are "deadbeat[s]"; "[s]o many" have "turned out to be complete bums, just debris"
• Boortz: "[P]rimary blame" for Katrina goes to "worthless parasites who lived in New Orleans"
• Religious conservatives claim Katrina was God's omen, punishment for the United States

Virginia Tech shooting

• Limbaugh said Virginia Tech shooter "had to be a liberal"
• Boortz, others blame VA Tech victims for not fighting back
• Echoing Malkin's blog, Gibson and Napolitano lamented VA Tech ban on handguns
• Buchanan blamed VA Tech murders on immigrant "invasion," claimed immigrants "are going berserk here"

Tsunami

• Savage on the tsunami: "I wouldn't call it a tragedy. ... We shouldn't be spending a nickel on this"
• Pat Robertson's contradictory theology: God won't stop a tsunami -- but might respond to Gay Days with an earthquake
• Donohue called tsunami "poor Asian people['s] ... gift to the world"

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 Media Matters for America is a progressive research and information center dedicated to monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the media. For more information, visit www.mediamatters.org.