Conservative media cast Democrats as “suicide bombers” in push for health care reform

Reacting to progress on health care reform legislation, conservative media figures have repeatedly referred to President Obama and Democratic officials as “health care suicide bombers” and characterized their efforts to pass a bill as “a kamizake mission” and “political suicide missions.”

Limbaugh portrays Dems as “kamikaze party” and suicide bombers

Rush: “Mullah Nancy Bin Pelosi ... is no different” than those who “convince all these people to put bombs on their kids.” On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh said: “Here's the way we have to start looking at Nancy Pelosi: Mullah Nancy Bin Pelosi. She's no different than these mullahs and these imams who convince all these people to put bombs on their kids and send them out there to blow up. ... That's exactly what she's doing to the Democrat Party. The only thing she can't do is promise them 73 virgins or whatever it is.” [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 3/1/10]

Limbaugh: Dems are “the kamikaze party.” In November 2009, Limbaugh said: “We're going to have to call the Democrat Party the 'kamikaze party.' ” He also said that “Bill Clinton went up to the Senate yesterday and personally gave these guys instructions on how to fly their Zeros into our aircraft carriers.” [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/11/09]

Limbaugh: Democrats “are martyring themselves politically.” Limbaugh subsequently repeated his comments that the “Democrats are a kamikaze party” and added: “They just don't know it yet. In fact, they may know it and some of them not care. They are martyring themselves politically.” Later, Limbaugh said: “Democrats are the equivalent of political suicide bombers. They have strapped political bombs to themselves. They are hell-bent on taking out as many Americans as they can with them.” [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/20/09]

Other right-wing media figures follow suit

Carlson: Obama is telling Democrats to “go on a kamikaze mission.” On Fox & Friends, co-host Gretchen Carlson commented that Obama's position on health care was, “If you're a moderate Democrat, go on a kamikaze mission. Subject yourself to potential failure at the polls in the midterm elections, because you have to do this for the presidency.” [Fox & Friends, 3/8/10]

Breitbart's Big Journalism calls Obama is the “suicide-bomber-in-chief.” In a post on Andrew Breitbart's Big Journalism website, Frank Ross wrote: “Mark Steyn is always right, whether he's writing about Andrew Lloyd Webber or, in this case, the suicide-bomber-in-chief, Barack Obama, who doesn't much care how many Democrats get sent to the electoral Elysian Fields -- or even whether he gets a second term -- as long as he can blow up the capitalist system from within." [Big Journalism, 3/6/10]

Wash. Times' Pruden compares Democrats to suicide bombers. In his Washington Times column, editor emeritus Wesley Pruden wrote: “You have to be a true believer in Barack Obama's radical agenda to be a Democrat in Congress, and believe with the intensity of a suicide bomber. Mr. Obama can't even promise a harem of virgins in paradise.” [The Washington Times, 1/19/10]

Erickson: “Dorgan and Dodd are healthcare suicide bombers.” In a post on his Twitter account, RedState's Erick Erickson commented: "[Sens. Byron] Dorgan and [Chris] Dodd are healthcare suicide bombers. Instead of 72 virgins, they'll get ambassadorships." [1/6/10]

Crowley: Health care reform is Democrats' “suicide mission.” Guest-hosting on Fox News' O'Reilly Factor, Fox News contributor Monica Crowley said: “Well, the Democrats intent on flying a suicide mission, and some Democrats already bailing out of the plane.” [The O'Reilly Factor, 12/23/09]