Damn it, Jonathan Alter...no wonder our Democrats don't speak out.

[madfloridian]

And Keith sort of kind of stood up to him, but Alter kept putting Pete Stark down.

The only show on TV we can count on for the truth, and Alter has to lecture Pete Stark tonight.

I turned it off. I am not going to watch when he has someone on there like that.

Sounds like Alter was sent out there to give a lecture, doesn't it?

I stand with Pete Stark and people who speak out.

[LakeSamish706]

1. I'm in total agreement with you and Jonathan Alter can go to hell as far...

as I'm concerned... Never really liked the guy anyway.

[madfloridian]

2. No, I am all for Pete Stark. It is Alterman who is out of line.

.

[LakeSamish706]

4. Almost screwed that up big time didn't I... Damn copy and paste...

lol... opps...

[OnTheOtherHand]

9. check your subject line

Wrong guy. But I got the point.

[StClone]

5. In depth analysis or a personal Thang

please tell me more -- a Dem finally says what everybody thinks ...and what do Cheney and Bush say in private about everybody else -- Big Time!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. I didn't think he was lecturing.

He's entitled to his opinion. The rest of the discussion strongly supported the Dems' position on SCHIP, so I have no problem with him at all.

[madfloridian]

8. I do. He does that too often when someone gets the nerve to speak up

I have noticed it before.

Countdown is one show I don't mind wimpy Dems being fussed at on, but Stark spoke his mind.

Next thing you know Ms Nancy who can hardly open her mouth to speak will be telling him to apologize.

Alter does that often.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Rachel Maddow did a nice job of sticking up for Stark's tough attitude

although she also said his words were a bit inflammatory. I thought the SCHIP discussion, taken as a whole (KO, Alter and Maddow together) was very good and very accurate.

[madfloridian]

20. Of course, they ALL had to say they were inflammatory if they want to be on the air

They do that all the time.

If you praise someone speaking out, first you must say they were over the line.

[monktonman]

19. Maybe Pete Stark should don one of those free speech

"Impeach" t-shirts Nancy loves so much.

[beachmom]

6. What I am tired of is this emphasis on what people SAY instead of

what they DO. That seems to be the norm these days. Frankly, I don't care what Stark said or how Alter feels about it; I care about the fate of the s-chip bill that affects children's lives.

Our media has become so silly.

Edited for spelling.

[LakeSamish706]

18. And again the mentality of the White House is.. Hey we won.. according..

to Dana perino... Not cool...

[gateley]

7. We don't want to behave like the Repugs and hate everybody who doesn't

share our opinion.

[madfloridian]

16. Don't give me that "behave like them" stuff. Stark was behaving like REAL Dem.

And Alter is way too inside DC to have such constant access on Countdown. Watch him carefully sometimes.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. Alter has this Washington insider wonk thing going on.

He's all about who offended who & how it's going to play on NPR & Limbaugh. In reality, nobody even knows who Alter is.

[madfloridian]

11. EeeeeK

Don't jump my butt because I criticized Countdown. Alter was lecturing a Democrat who tried to show emotion.

Back to the DLC policy shop. Here we go...all proper and nice.

Don't lecture me if I criticize a show.

There are no sacred cows.

[peacetalksforall]

23. Yep, milquetoast DLC rhetoric - that's the way GE sets the rules.

Pete Stark - won't be invited on MSM. dems - designed to be subservient. bow low.

And DLC performs accordingly - be nice - maybe make a little joke, but mostly - deliver calm, boring statistic that makes a person want to go zzzzzzzzzzz. No bravery when it comes to the painful truth.

[la la]

12. but.............

when Rachel Maddow came on, she and Keith pretty much agreed that they gave a thumbs up to Stark...KO even said it seemed like a 'Special Comment' without the gore!

:toast: to KO and Rachel!

[madfloridian]

14. I only criticized Alter.

And I said Keith sort of spoke up to him.

[eleny]

13. I hated hearing that

But like I said in another thread - the words have been said and cannot be taken back. No matter what happens, a member of the House said them on the House floor. They'll be there long after we're all gone.

Thank you Rep. Stark. You are the man!

[EST]

28. I was under the impression, perhaps mistakenly,

that they ruled that his "words be taken down." If that is the case, then his words will be removed from the congressional record, not to be remembered except by a few news clips and those of us who were paying attention.
The other thing that happens is that he can't speak on the floor for the rest of the day.

We do now have more heroes than we did and that is a very good thing.

[bornskeptic]

38. No. The Republicans requested that his words be taken down

but the request was denied.

[shance]

15. Great point Floridian. Good behavior is criticized, bad behavior overlooked or worse

n/t

[eleny]

21. Pete Stark's web page

http://www.house.gov/stark/

The Contact link is on the left side of the page

People outside his district can send him a note. I sent him my thanks.

[madfloridian]

22. I think I will send a note as well. I have no congressman here to stand up for.

I have Bill Nelson, I have Adam Putnam. That's it.

[eleny]

24. I'm sure they'll appreciate it

He has to be getting hammered today. After all, the truth is hurting the wingnuts and they're spitting venom. I even mentioned that I'm a retiree so Stark will know that among the elders we know the score and support him.

I'm disappointed that Olbermann went along with the crowd, albeit quietly and with few words.

[EST]

29. A short note of thanks and respect from me--

Dear congressman Stark,
You are now a hero. You had the guts to tell the truth, something very few of your colleagues possess and in desperately short supply.
I am, unfortunately, not one of your constituents, but I can certainly recognize a principled man and a job well done.
You, sir, make me proud to be a human and a citizen. Please keep it up.
Respectfully yours,
Jim ...........

[LibDemAlways]

31. I sent him a note telling him I'm making

him my honorary Congressman, since the district I live in is repuke central. Also thanked him and told him he speaks for many, and that we need many more like him representing us.

[calimary]

41. Here's what I sent him:

Dear Mr. Congressman,

THANK YOU for speaking out so vehemently on the failure to override bush's veto of the SCHIP program! You spoke for me, and for MULTITUDES of other frustrated Democrats - who would give ANYTHING to see some BACKBONE for a change!

Do NOT apologize! DO NOT retract! And if anyone questions why you spoke about our kids being killed (in a war for LIES) "for the president's amusement," PLEASE remind them of how he publicly mocked Karla Faye Tucker before he put her to death - after she'd rehabilitated herself and begged for a reprieve. The ONLY time this so-called "president" ever gets animated in his discussions is when he's talking about death, killing, war, and now - "World War III."

Congressman Stark, YOU SPOKE FOR ME!!! It's about time SOMEBODY did!!!!

THANK YOU! (And YES, I'm SHOUTING!!!)

And btw - yours is the ONLY Democratic campaign to which I intend to send any money. You're the ONLY Democrat worth supporting anymore.

BECAUSE I ONLY BUY BACKBONE THESE DAYS.



Guys, this is important: Stark NEEDS our support at the moment. I'm sure he's getting pounded from all sides, especially a lot of "friendly fire." Seems the only time our Dems grow any balls is when they decide to suppress one of their own truth-tellers.

[napi21]

25. Rachel Maddow straightened him out a bit later in the show!

Rachel said "Although Stark may have been a bit rough around the edges, it's HIS kind of message that will win!" (Obviously that's from my memory and not a direct quote, but it's close.)

[MasonJar]

27. I didn't think that Alter convinced Keith, who seemed moderately

surprised at Alter's stance. I totally agree that the sociopathic Bush and the Darth Bader Cheney have no concern for human life or any other kind. I hope they rot in jail. I have been pulling for Hillary, but I like what Dodd did today and I am going to pay more attention to him.

[jaysunb]

26. I liked Rachel Maddow's defense of him.

I agree, that it's time to be a little "nasty" back. :Evilfrown:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

30. My opinion of Alterman went waaaay down last week

when he assured us all that Al Gore isn't running just because he won the Nobel.

BOOOOOOO!

Rachel Maddow needs her own show - she is soooo super smart.

Boy, lots of extended vowels here. Just for emphasis, just for emphasis.

[DURHAM D]

32. He has been pissing me off lately because he is so damn smug.

He has been portraying himself as the one with "insider info" that is irrefutable. He is never self-effacing.

I am not too fond of Richard W. or Dana M. but as least they laugh at themselves or the situation.

[Eric J in MN]

36. There is a columnist named Eric Alterman and another columnist named Jonathan Alter.

Did you mean Jonathan Alter?

[LibDemAlways]

33. I think the price Keith has to pay to say what he

thinks and to get as much of the truth out there as he does is to put on the Alters and Finemans and let them feign shock and ask for an apology when a Dem speaks the truth. Without saying very much, though, Keith clearly conveys the message he thinks they're often full of horseshit. If I have to be subjected to a few mainstream whores in order to have Keith on very night, it's ultimately well worth the inconvenience.

[truebrit71]

34. Alter can go and pound sand...

..I was VERY disappointed to hear his drivel about the brave and strong statements made by Rep Stark....what a complete tool...

[eleny]

35. Just made his statement my sig line

And here's a kick for your thread. :kick:

I hope it gets more Recommends!

[Berry Cool]

37. It was Alter, not Alterman, and Keith made it clear where he stood.

When Rachel defended what Stark said, KO said that if you took away the "gore" ("and I don't mean Al"), it sounded rather like a Special Comment. In other words, he was saying he thought that while Stark went over the line a tad implying that * gets turned on by having fresh young American bodies to send off to be killed in a war, everything else he said was spot-on.

Doesn't sound like capitulation to me.

Then again, I wouldn't question whether or not * gets turned on by having fresh young American bodies to send off to be killed in a war, either. But that's me. KO tends to like to think better of anyone than that.

[Warren Stupidity]

39. Damn it Alter Alterman two different people!

Just to clear things up in this thread.

Jonathan Alter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Alter

He frequently wanders off into the DLC weeds.

Eric Alterman
http://www.ericalterman.com/

A really solid progressive american.

[Hard_Work]

40. Boy,

Glad it wasn't just me who was disgusted with Alter's comments.