Morning Joe panel panned Gibson's "awful joke of an apology" after his "anti-gay tirade" about Ledger's death
SUMMARY: On Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski described John Gibson's statement in response to the firestorm over remarks he made concerning the death of actor Heath Ledger as "an awful, awful joke of an apology," and later asserted that it was "not an apology." After airing Gibson's statement, Joe Scarborough said, "What he said was, 'I'm sorry if you were offended. ... I'm sorry if you were offended that I mocked the death of a young man.' " Scarborough also asserted that Gibson "got caught in an anti-gay tirade."
On the January 25 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski and guest co-host David Shuster discussed John Gibson's statement on the January 24 edition of Fox News' The Big Story responding to the firestorm over remarks he made concerning the death of actor Heath Ledger during the January 22 edition of his nationally syndicated Fox News Radio show. Teasing the Morning Joe segment, Brzezinski described Gibson's January 24 statement as "an awful, awful joke of an apology," and later asserted that it was "not an apology." After airing the statement, Scarborough said, "What he said was, 'I'm sorry if you were offended. ... I'm sorry if you were offended that I mocked the death of a young man.' "
On the January 24 edition of The Big Story, Gibson said:
GIBSON: Now it's time for "My Word." I have received comments regarding remarks I made on my radio show the other night after the shocking death of Heath Ledger. I'm sorry that some took my comments as anti-gay and insensitive. I'm aware that Ledger has a family and many fans who were grief-stricken by his sudden death.
As I speak, a crowd is gathering at the funeral home where Ledger's services will be held. Those who knew him say he was a good actor and a loving dad. And what happened to him was terrible, but was evidently an accident. Once again, to anyone offended by my comments, I'm sorry. But I'm also sorry that Heath Ledger is no longer alive and with us.
That is "My Word."
Gibson issued a similar statement on the January 24 broadcast of Fox News Radio's The John Gibson Show.
Regarding the controversy over Gibson's comments, Shuster asserted that he is "sorry that John Gibson appears to have lost his mind," adding, "He is usually fairly rational, I've exchanged emails with him about issues that I've had, and he can usually come around. This time, he has completely lost his mind." Brzezinski said that she was "surprised that he could say something like that and still be on the air." Scarborough also asserted that Gibson "got caught in an anti-gay tirade" about Ledger, who played a gay cowboy in the film Brokeback Mountain:
SCARBOROUGH: Well listen, but here's the deal, though. John Gibson got caught in an anti-gay tirade. Why don't we just call it what it is, I'm not politically correct, God knows. Anybody that has followed my career for years knows I'm not politically correct. So I'm not waving the GLAAD flag or anything like that. I am telling you though, he got caught --
BRZEZINSKI: It was ugly.
SCARBOROUGH: -- going on an anti-gay tirade, mocking the death of this young father, because this young father had just happened to play a gay man in a movie. That is -- talk about being homophobic. I want to play you the original clip.
At the end of the segment, Scarborough and Brzezinski gave their opinion of what to do "when you do something like that, that is that harsh and that insensitive":
SCARBOROUGH: Again, when you do something like that, that is that harsh and that insensitive, you know what you do? You turn and you say, "I am very sorry for what I did, I was" --
BRZEZINSKI: "I was out of line, I was wrong."
SCARBOROUGH: "I was extraordinarily out of line, I was wrong, I was not only insensitive, I said something which was repugnant" --"
BRZEZINSKI: "My apologies to his friends and his family."
SCARBOROUGH: "I've embarrassed myself, I've embarrassed my family, please forgive me." That's what you do.
BRZEZINSKI: That was a joke of an apology that he had there.
Later during the January 25 Morning Joe, co-host Willie Geist interviewed MSNBC's Courtney Hazlett regarding Gibson's January 22 comments about Ledger and Gibson's subsequent January 24 statement. Hazlett asserted that she was "glad that he apologized, I think that was the right thing to do," but added that she had "contacted John Gibson shortly after these comments were made as well, and he had no apology at that time." Indeed, on the January 23 edition of his radio show, after Gibson's producer, known on-air as "Angry Rich," pointed out that Gibson had mocked Ledger's death, Gibson replied, laughing, "Oh, that. Well." Gibson later added, "There's no point in passing up a good joke." Geist, addressing Gibson's original comments, asserted: "We have to be careful in our business. There's a fine line between being shocking and irreverent and just being stupid, and he clearly crossed it there."
Scarborough, Brzezinski, and Geist previously discussed Gibson's January 22 comments about Ledger on the January 24 edition of Morning Joe, characterizing Gibson and others who appeared on his show, as well as their comments, as "unbelievable," "grossly inappropriate," "hateful," "callous," "very insensitive," "not funny," "sick," "absolutely, totally out of line," "stunning," "mean-spirited," "disgusting," and "incomprehensible."
From the January 25 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:
SCARBOROUGH: A couple of things. When we come back --
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah?
SCARBOROUGH: -- we're going to talk about John Gibson.
BRZEZINSKI: Oh, do we have to?
SCARBOROUGH: Well, he tried to apologize, he didn't really apologize. He kind of apologized --
BRZEZINSKI: No, he didn't.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, no, he did.
BRZEZINSKI: I think we should talk about him when he actually apologizes.
SCARBOROUGH: It was one, you know -- it was actually one of those --
BRZEZINSKI: It was an awful, awful joke of an apology.
SCARBOROUGH: "Well, if you're weak enough to be offended by that" apology "then I'm sorry for you."
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.
[...]
SCARBOROUGH: Now, and John Gibson --
BRZEZINSKI: Oh, the follow-up to John Gibson.
SCARBOROUGH: Our friends, our friends over at NewsBusters said that Mika said, "Bring me the head of John Gibson."
BRZEZINSKI: No.
SCARBOROUGH: You never said that, you were not asking for anybody to be fired.
BRZEZINSKI: No, I never said that. But I actually am surprised that he could say something like that and still be on the air.
SHUSTER: This is again for making a joke about Heath Ledger's death, right?
BRZEZINSKI: Exactly, Shuster.
SCARBOROUGH: Right, right.
BRZEZINSKI: Not only making a joke, but kind of scoffing at it and laughing at it.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, he was actually laughing. Heath Ledger's death, this young father's death, was a punch-line, which, of course, as I suggested yesterday, what was so sad about that is, that this isn't a Matthew Shepard thing where somebody is ridiculed or hated because they're gay. Actually Gibson, apparently, if you listen to the clips, it sounds like he had contempt for Heath Ledger because he played a gay man in the movie. So --
BRZEZINSKI: Whatever, he was just so callous.
SCARBOROUGH: He really was. He really was, and it all goes back to the fact that he starred in a movie as a gay man. And really, I'm just wondering what type of mindset, what type of worldview somebody has to have to say something that hateful.
BRZEZINSKI: Well, apparently we weren't the only ones who were upset about it. And he did apologize, sort of.
SCARBOROUGH: Kind of.
BRZEZINSKI: I don't know.
SCARBOROUGH: Let's watch.
BRZEZINSKI: You decide.
[begin video clip]
GIBSON: I have received comments regarding remarks I made on my radio show the other night after the shocking death of Heath Ledger. I'm sorry that some took my comments as anti-gay and insensitive. I'm aware that Ledger has a family and many fans who were grief-stricken by his sudden death.
As I speak, a crowd is gathering at the funeral home where Ledger's services will be held. Those who knew him say he was a good actor and a loving dad. And what happened to him was terrible, but was evidently an accident. Once again, to anyone offended by my comments, I'm sorry. But I'm also sorry that Heath Ledger is no longer alive and with us.
[end video clip]
SCARBOROUGH: OK, that was one of --
BRZEZINSKI: What the heck was that?
SCARBOROUGH: Well, it's one of those apologies where you don't just say --
BRZEZINSKI: No, it's not an apology.
SCARBOROUGH: -- "I'm sorry," you say --
BRZEZINSKI: You don't care.
SCARBOROUGH: What he said was, "I'm sorry if you were offended."
BRZEZINSKI: Exactly.
SCARBOROUGH: "I'm sorry if you were offended that I mocked the death of a young man."
SHUSTER: You know what I'm sorry about? I'm sorry that John Gibson appears to have lost his mind.
BRZEZINSKI: He really has.
SHUSTER: He is usually fairly rational, I've exchanged emails with him about issues that I've had, and he can usually come around. This time, he has completely lost his mind.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah. We should show -- I mean, I don't really want to belabor this, but --
SCARBOROUGH: Well listen, but here's the deal, though. John Gibson got caught in an anti-gay tirade. Why don't we just call it what it is, I'm not politically correct, God knows. Anybody that has followed my career for years knows I'm not politically correct. So I'm not waving the GLAAD flag or anything like that. I am telling you though, he got caught --
BRZEZINSKI: It was ugly.
SCARBOROUGH: -- going on an anti-gay tirade, mocking the death of this young father, because this young father had just happened to play a gay man in a movie. That is -- talk about being homophobic. I want to play you the original clip.
BRZEZINSKI: All right.
SCARBOROUGH: And let you to see what he said.
[begin audio clip from January 22 John Gibson Show]
[begin audio clip from Brokeback Mountain]
JACK TWIST (by Jake Gyllenhaal): Well, since we're going to be working together, I reckon it's time we start drinking together.
ALMA BEERS DEL MAR (by Michelle Williams): If you don't go out there and finish her.
ENNIS DEL MAR (by Heath Ledger): You don't know nothing about her.
JOE AGUIRRE (by Randy Quaid): You boys sure found a way to make the time pass up there.
DEL MAR: We was fishing buddies.
TWIST: I wish I knew how to quit you.
[end audio clip]
GIBSON: Well, he found out how to quit you.
[...]
GIBSON: Heath Ledger died, and I'm sure people will be upset. All you Brokeback Mountain fans, you want to give Christine a call, she'll be happy to talk to you.
DEL MAR [audio clip from film]: We're dead.
GIBSON: "We're dead."
DEL MAR [audio clip from film]: We're dead.
[end audio clip]
BRZEZINSKI: That's enough.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, and of course, it goes on and he jokes about it.
BRZEZINSKI: I mean, I just cannot get over it.
SCARBOROUGH: Again, when you do something like that, that is that harsh and that insensitive, you know what you do? You turn and you say, "I am very sorry for what I did, I was" --
BRZEZINSKI: "I was out of line, I was wrong."
SCARBOROUGH: "I was extraordinarily out of line, I was wrong, I was not only insensitive, I said something which was repugnant" --"
BRZEZINSKI: "My apologies to his friends and his family."
SCARBOROUGH: "I've embarrassed myself, I've embarrassed my family, please forgive me." That's what you do.
BRZEZINSKI: That was a joke of an apology that he had there.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, it was.
BRZEZINSKI: Whatever.
SCARBOROUGH: Anyway.
BRZEZINSKI: OK. Some people just get away with anything.
SCARBOROUGH: So anyway, a sad, sad moment.
[...]
GEIST: Welcome back to Morning Joe, we're not at Hawaiian Tropic Zone any more. We're here with Courtney Hazlett, she has literally been on television for three straight days talking about the Heath Ledger story and doing a great job of it. And one of the unfortunate side stories to the death of Heath Ledger has been the John Gibson controversy. Let me play for you what he said on his radio show two days ago.
[begin audio clip from January 22 John Gibson Show]
[begin audio clip -- from Brokeback Mountain]
TWIST: Well, since we're going to be working together, I reckon it's time we start drinking together.
DEL MAR: If you don't go out there and finish her.
DEL MAR: You don't know nothing about her.
AGUIRRE (by Randy Quaid): You boys sure found a way to make the time pass up there.
DEL MAR: We was fishing buddies.
TWIST: I wish I knew how to quit you.
[end film audio clip]
GIBSON: Well, he found out how to quit you.
[...]
GIBSON: Heath Ledger died, and I'm sure people will be upset. All you Brokeback Mountain fans, you want to give Christine a call, she'll be happy to talk to you.
DEL MAR [audio clip from film]: We're dead.
GIBSON: "We're dead."
DEL MAR [audio clip from film]: We're dead.
[end audio clip]
GEIST: So shockingly enough, that didn't go over so well, that shtick.
HAZLETT: Not so much.
GEIST: That hilarious shtick didn't go over so well. So John Gibson finally, after coming under fire from a lot of different sides, apologized on television yesterday.
[begin video clip]
GIBSON: I have received comments regarding remarks I made on my radio show the other night after the shocking death of Heath Ledger. I'm sorry that some took my comments as anti-gay and insensitive. I'm aware that Ledger has a family and many fans who were grief-stricken by his sudden death.
As I speak, a crowd is gathering at the funeral home where Ledger's services will be held. Those who knew him say he was a good actor and a loving dad. And what happened to him was terrible, but was evidently an accident. Once again, to anyone offended by my comments, I'm sorry. But I'm also sorry that Heath Ledger is no longer alive and with us.
[end video clip]
GEIST: Courtney Hazlett, you've covered this story.
HAZLETT: Correct.
GEIST: Are you satisfied with this apology?
HAZLETT: I'm glad that he apologized, I think that was the right thing to do. I contacted John Gibson shortly after these comments were made as well, and he had no apology at that time, so I'm glad that he sort of found it appropriate to do so, but I think a lot of people might be critical of it. I mean, quite honestly, to say, "I'm sorry if you took it that way," well, you know what, there's no other way to take it.
GEIST: Right.
HAZLETT: And so, I think for those who were most hurt by these comments, they might feel that that apology might be of the too-little, too-late category, I'm not sure. But again, I think he did the right thing in apologizing, and you know, move forward.
GEIST: We have to be careful in our business. There's a fine line between being shocking and irreverent and just being stupid, and he clearly crossed it there.
That's easy...it's the 30% troglodyte GOP base that still supports Puddinhead George.
Shut up Scarborugh and MSNBC
Why not clean up your own house, remember Tucker Carlson and his alleged assault on a gay man? This network is amazing, no vision other than they hate FOX. Great.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200708300006?f=s_search
But Sue, take a clue from Tommy and realize that Tucker isn't Scarborough, and attributing Tucker's actions to the whole of MSNBC is just wrong ;)
But seriously though, Carlson needs to go the way of his bowtie.
Oh, and all this in-fighting between the cable news networks will be the death of them. Pretty soon all they have to report on is what the other networks said, and then that network will report on what the other network reported on about them, and on and on and on...
But Sue, take a clue from Tommy and realize that Tucker isn't Scarborough, and attributing Tucker's actions to the whole of MSNBC is just wrong ;)
That was just pure evil! Love it!
Sue,
I never figured out your replies to me yesterday regarding MSNBC as the left's Fox:
"I guess you are right, FOX is very well balanced, Thanks for point that out."
Was that sarcasm? I was just trying to figure out how you equated the two. Thanks!
Sue,
My apologies then. I concluded (wrongly) from your tone that you were equating the level of propaganda put out by Fox for the Right to your perception of MSNBC's supposed bias to the Left. My mistake, but it sure sounded like you were equating the two. That is all I was asking on the other thread.
Stewart left to work for NPR Radio.
She still subs for Olbermann.
I'm addressing the issue of Stewart being "canned."
She wasn't
She moved on to NPR and still subs for Olbermann.
Hi Tommy,
I am not sure MMFA needs to cover MSNBC's coverage of Gibson, is that your major beef with the site
Tommy,
I agree with you that MMFA doesn't need to cover MSNBC's coverage of Gibson, but what do you think of their coverage of the remarks in general? I think Gibson is milking it for all its worth (for now) until he gets more reprimands.
The only thing repulsive about this topic is that more people aren't calling out Gibon on his "joke".
I'm not talking about anonymous posters on this website. I was talking about people within the media at large.
If you find Gibson's comments disagreeable then what is your issue with someone within the media or MMFA calling them out?
Maybe so, but it also serves to highlight the incredibly fetid nature of Right Wing propaganda coming from hate mongers like Gibson.
The Left is still losing the Talk Radio and Cable TV wars... the blogosphere is the only place where we have a level playing field. As we all know, Rush Limbaugh is also gratuitous and repetitive, telling his drooling listeners just how evil Democrats are for 15 hours a week, (plus syndication). Sites like MMFA may not be the most effective way to counter this constant noise, but it's a start.
Let's not forget last night Mitt Romney said he's appealing to the "Reagan coalition" consisting of social conservatives, fiscal conservatives and military hawks.
http://www.slate.com/id/2108354
Nerzog,
My whole point is there is nothing "right wing" about any of this. Heath Ledger was not a leftwinger or a rightwinger, he was not political, he was a private citizen, an actor - there is nothing conservative or liberal about anything Gibson said. It is his own disrespectful bigotry and incredible poor taste, his own filthy words, nothing else.
Gibson's show doesn't exist in a vacuum. He has an audience.
Who do you think the man who wrote the book The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday Is Worse Than You Thought is appealing to?
Social conservatives, that's who.
Tommy,
Care to speculate on the reasons John Gibson still has a job at Fox News after making those comments?
Sure you do Tommy. Fox is a Conservative propaganda "outfit". In addition to the serious but biased commentators like the Hume guys Bill O’rielly, Hannity, and John Gibson are employed to feed red meet to a the wing-nut wing of their Conservative following that lap up bigoted and mean spirited commentary like it’s tasty cherry flavored Kool-Aid. Fox encourages this BS and you know it. So this conservative media outfit is just as guilty as Gibson because they pay him to do this. MMFA and any other responsible media outlet should call the Foxers on their frequently occurring poor poor behavior that assaults the sensibilities of most civilized people because Fox pays these people very well to do what they do. The place seems to be staffed by the biggest heartless creeps they could find. Fox has funked up the news world and they just keep getting funkier all that time and I don't mean that in the good way.
Thanks Lynn!
As usual your right one target.
- TOMMY / Friday January 25, 2008 1:16:51 PM EST
Just because a point is lost on you doesn't mean its irrelevant or off topic.
It's obvious Gibson is all about appealing to the right wing.
That's his audience.
That's what his body of work shows.
It may be ugly but when you lie down with dogs....
Who has ever denied who Gibson's audience is? That is absurd and out of nowhere.
The point is, once again, that this specific incident has no political connotations, leftwing or rightwing, or anything remotely furthering any "conservative" misinformation, or anything to do with this site's About Us.
Yet you keep saying because Gibson is conservative, as is his audience, then that is the relevance - which is ridiculous. If Gibson was caught yelling obscenities over a microphone that was supposed to cut off about some irrelevant incident, would you say that belongs here too?
That's about a political as it gets.
I don't have a problem with that.
It's you who is trying to limit what is covered here.
Nerzog, I understand all that, the connection Gibson was making, the sick joke that he thought was funny, Ledger's gay cowboy role, Gibson's homophobism on full display, all of it. I get it all.
You know I respect your opinion even though we often disagree, but I just think this entire string of threads is misplaced for reasons I have explained fully. You know this website is political in nature, hence the "conservative" in the About Us. The conservative does not mean one's dress code, it goes directly to one's political mindset. Heath Ledger was not a political figure, or a pundit, or a commentator, or anything remotely connected to or resembling what this website monitors or is a watchdog for. He is a private citizen who has tragically died.
Gibson made a tasteless joke. But it was his own stupidity speaking, there was nothing political about it, despite the "gay marriage" connection some are making.....that is merely an excuse some are offering for it's placement here. The only reason, in my opinion, for its placement here is to unfairly attach Gibson's rants in a non-political context to other conservatives, to bait, to extrapolate his sickening tirade to others, with unabashed unfairness. I find that offensive.
If Gibson were making his comments about a liberal politician or a pundit, then a case could be made for him "furthering some conservative agenda", for the offender and the offendee were contextually similar in the political sphere. Ledger does not fall into this category, that is why I find this item on this website offensive. I hope I have made my opinions clear, obviously many disagree - that is fine.
Tommy: I was quiet about your ranting about this yesterday but reading it again today makes me want to put in my 2 cents.
If you were gay, and ran a website whose mission was to expose conservative misinformation – I think you would use every opportunity that came up that allowed you to expose prejudicial statements and snarky comments against gay people - especially if made by a conservative pundit who has a history of making homophobic statements. It shouldn’t take Einstein to come up with a reason for a little overplay here.
Is this so hard for you to phantom? Does anyone deserve an occasional nod and a wink in your book??? There are plenty of issues that have multiple stories at MMFA. Why do you think this one should only be mentioned once – then forgotten? Is there some subconscious Freudian agenda going on with you? – it sure sounds like there is.
As far as you not seeing anything “political” about this story – you must be blind. Heath Ledger’s political affiliation, or lack thereof, has nothing to do with this being a valid story for MMFA. The story originates from conservative Fox News – from a conservative political pundit – and the comments were politically incorrect. What more do you need?
As long as the media keeps feeding the beast, MMFA will continue to report on it.
So, you're saying that David Brock's sexual preference is what is driving the placement of this particular item, and the subsequent related threads?
I would imagine Mr. Brock disagrees pretty strongly with your supposition, at least I would hope so.
As for your "Freudian" slip offensive accusation, I will not dignify it.
My whole point is there is nothing "right wing" about any of this. Heath Ledger was not a leftwinger or a rightwinger, he was not political, he was a private citizen, an actor - there is nothing conservative or liberal about anything Gibson said. It is his own disrespectful bigotry and incredible poor taste, his own filthy words, nothing else.
Tommy you're right that Heath Ledger was neither left nor right but Gibson, Fox, Anti-gay anything and Republicans are linked. In 2004 Republicans had ballot measures in 11 states banning gay marriage. Those states were Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah which all went Republican except Michigan and Oregon. It was there to bring out the evangelical wing of the party. Republicans and Rove figured if they came out to vote against gay marriage then they would of course vote for Republicans running against gay marriage. It's naive to assume that there is not a reason for Gibson making his remarks besides his shear stupidity. If possible Republicans would try to add additional anti-gay marriage initiatives this year to help what they fear will be a low Republican turnout.
Pearl,
There is nothing to indicate that Gibson's hateful remarks were somehow politically linked to get the Republicans out to vote against gay marriage in the fall. All I get from his remarks is that he took a tragic death and decided to make a sick joke about it rooted in his homophobic, pathetic soul. That's it.
It's a media stink about absolutely reprehensible behavior on the part of John Gibson. If there were anybody supporting Gibson, MMfA would, I am dead certain, report that as well.
Don't you think it's an interesting story that MSNBC is taking the tactic, rather than moving to the left (which they are not), they are taking the tack of savaging Fox whenever they can?
I think it's an interesting fence-straddling position: don't hire more progressives, but let the existing right-wing host attack Fox. A curious bit of wimpery.
It's a fascinating situation--more fascinating than your constant desire that stories not be posted. It's a big site. Newspapers constantly print articles on people with bottlecap collections, press releases on how much cheese an American will eat in a year, and a has ben rock star performing at a dinner theater. That does not make the newspaper bad, nor would I ever write that they shouldn't publish those stories, as long as good journalism is being published elsewhere in the paper.
It seems strange to me that while you keep saying that you find Gibon's comments offensive, yet the vast majority of what you've written over the last few days on this particular topic has been to attack MMFA and MSNBC over they're coverage of this issue.
No one is asking your to rubber stamp this issue, but you do appear to be doing the exact opposite... If I didn't know better I would accuse you of trying to marginalize his comments by putting the focus else where.
"marginalize his comments".........I have no clue what you even mean by that. I have made my feelings very clear on what I think of Gibson and his comments. If you want to read some ulterior motive in them, that is your business.
As for who is marginalizing who............?
Since the majority of your comments and outrage are being directed at MMFA and MSNBC, it marginalizes Gibson's comments (you know Tommy, make them seem like they're unimportant) From reading your posts you make it seems as if MMFA and MSNBC are one the same level with Gibon for just discussing or covering his comments.
Anything that doesn't fit Tommy's frame of mind about what he considers to be conservative misinformation doesn't belong on MMfA. His concern for the website is touching, and his diligence in making sure that they follow their mission statement EXACTLY as written is valued.
Oh, and anything that he actually does consider to be conservative misinformation doesn't need to be on the website either because we should just ignore it.
An Open Memo to John Gibson -
Dear John:
If, as a conservative broadcaster, your actions are being condemned by Jthe likes of OE SCARBOROUGH, it's time to find another line of work.
Yours truly,
Wzwriter
WZ,
I honestly don't mind when these guys go too far. I would much rather know exactly where these pundits fall on the spectrum than have to guess thru innuendo. I hope all of his advertisers realize what they are paying for.
Nerzog,
My problem are the short memories of the fans of these guys. Pretty soon none of them will remember this and they will start agreeing with Gibby again. Not many of Robertson's flock remember his conversations with God where, obviously, Robertson wasn't getting a good signal. This will pass like all of O'Reilly's terrible statements about the kidnapped kid enjoying himself as well as his Harlem commentary, or his treatment of the Obama bodyguard. I guarantee, unless Gibson keeps repeating himself, that he may lose a follower or two, but his base will be back with him shortly.
In fact, Gibson has probably endeared himself to a significant segment of his audience... sitting in their double-wides, slurping a Bud and yelling "HELL, YEAH!" at the teevee.
I was sure he was going to have a stroke.
It haunts me to this day that anyone could be so lacking in compassion.
I'm always amused when Right Wing talk show hosts bring up the well-rehearsed talking point that a lot of Democrats opposed the Civil Rights laws in the 60s. What they don't mention is that said Democrats were mostly from Southern States. Most of those racist Democrats, along with their states, are now squarely in the Republican corner. What does that tell us?
WORRIERKING: Wow, brings back memories. Glad you told the story though. I lived in Cleveland area, 30 minutes from Kent at the time - and remember the conversations over coffee at work the next day. It was a near fist-to-cuffs.
The youth of today have NO IDEA what it was like growing up in the 60’s and 70’s – there were some scary and divisive times. It is also what has kept the fight in so many of us “old hippies”. (I was never a real “hippie” in the sense that kids of today think we all were – but back then anyone who opposed the war was called a “hippie”.) I went to a few Moratoriums, sit-ins, and protest marches though – not just against the war in Vietnam, but most civil rights issues – I was part of events where there were draft card burnings, bra burnings, and gay parades. Aughhh, to look back at how scary those times were, and yet to still have an almost nostalgic yearning…
I imagine it is difficult for both conservative and progressive youth and adults under 45 or so to understand how deeply that era is entwined into the psyche of those who lived through it all – and why the fear that Iraq would become “another Vietnam” has been so strongly echoed by many of us. It was much more than only dead soldiers overseas – it was a near civil war.
Conservatives today can put down the “radicals” of the 60’s and 70’s, but if it weren’t for them, and the social movements that were spurned because of their actions - women and minorities would still be stuck in the post World War II mode of passive oppression.
…And I’m sure some of them still feel that would have been a good thing. LOL
One thing that helped me, was that every other adult I knew was horrified. They understood that it could have easily been their kid.
Friedbergboy: Good point.
Another thing I was just thinking about Gibson though, is that he is probably “taken to task” by MMFA for just a fraction of what he deserves. This is because his “style” involves mostly sarcasm – something that is quite difficult to decipher simply by reading a transcript. All you have to do is listen to him though, and you can tell by the tone of his voice what he is trying to say – even when he doesn’t come out and say it.
The Heath Ledger story is a perfect example – and if weren’t for the giggling going on in the background some listeners might not have even taken it as being as offensive as he was trying to be – and as explosive as it turned out to be.
Hang in there, buddy!
What I found intriguing is that here are two commentators--Scarborough and Shuster--of MSNBC, a station whose credentials (despite Olberman) are hardly left of center, who appear to be bending over backwards to give Gibson the benefit of the doubt:
SHUSTER: He [Gibson] is usually fairly rational, I've exchanged emails with him about issues that I've had, and he can usually come around. This time, he has completely lost his mind.
Scarborough AND Shuster regard Gibson as a fellow main stream commentator! The irony is that Scarborough has generally moved on the same track as Gibson and Shuster seems to be saying that Gibson has often taken only questionably rational positions, but would ocassionally "come around" (to Shuster's view?). A cursory glance into Gibson's commentaries over the past several years would reveal a pattern of hateful expression and a style that has become a hallmark of the FOX network. So while the Scarboroughs and the Becks of this world might appear shocked for now, you folks really have either an affinity or a kinship with one another and a style designed not to enlighten the public--your viewers--but simply to shock it. And in this respect, you're all more than a littlle disappointing.