I Mean Really, THOSE PEOPLE On the Upper West Side...

[Pamela Troy]

From the unspeakably bad timing department: Most of us have already seen the video of Shirley Nagel, the McCain supporter in Michigan who, on Halloween night, refused to give candy to the children of Obama supporters. To capture the full flavor of the current right wing insanity though, it really should be watched in tandem with an unintentionally funny video posted on Halloween, just a few hours before Shirley Nagel became an Internet star. It seems that Joe Scarborough’s young right-wing sidekick, Willie Geist, decided to film himself trying to drum up support for the McCain-Palin ticket on the Upper West Side in front of Zabar’s.

The result is a searing few minutes of footage aired on Scarborough Country that reveals the ugly truth about the unreasoning hatred boiling beneath the surface of “those people” living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. See Willie Geist reel beneath cutting responses like, “No, ‘fraid not!” when he asks if McCain can count on a passerby’s support, and “I do not, thank you for offering,” when he asks if someone would like a McCain Palin t-shirt! Observe his heart break as an elderly gentleman says, “Well, frankly, I don’t think so,” when Geist asks if putting the t-shirt in the window a Zabar’s would get a good response! Watch as passersby smile and shake their head rather than give him a high-five for McCain, and then reveal their utter close-mindedness by being unconvinced even after he calls after them, “You’re not voting for McCain? You don’t want to put country first, huh?”

And those are just the milder examples. Some of the other things that were said, like, “You’re in the wrong neighborhood,” and “You gotta go to the east side for this one,” truly revealed something ugly in the liberal psyche. There were a few moments when, frankly, I was concerned for Willie’s safety, like when that cheerful elderly lady teased him about his t-shirt, asking, “Is that your Halloween costume? Pretty scary,” and the old guy told him, of voting for McCain, “I don’t know anyone, of any intelligence, who would vote for him.” And surely Madame DeFarge herself couldn’t be more sinister than the lady who answered his question, “You hate me?” with, “Palin, not you. I don’t hate you. But I wish you’d change your politics.”

“That wasn’t very nice,” he said, looking sadly at the camera.

”Wow! That is so troubling and interesting at the same time!” said Mika Brzezniski , who has apparently never before seen opinionated elderly Jewish liberals on the Upper West Side. Mike Barnicle pronounced it “an important culture piece” and added,” It proves why so many people are so ‘right’ (no pun intended) to really loathe so many on the left. I mean those people are so close-minded, that they couldn’t stop to talk to you…”

Well, actually Mr. Barnicle, some of them did, They were described by you on cable TV as loathsome for their trouble.

And then, just a few hours later, we all met Shirley Nagel…

[kskiska]

1. Lucianne Goldberg lives on the Upper West Side

Remember during the Clinton impeachment debacle when Michael Moore created a website "iseelucy.com" with a live webcam fixed on Lucianne's apartment windows?

[Critters2]

2. Have these people even SEEN footage from the Palin rallies?! nt

[Sanity Claws]

3. You don't stop New Yorkers

We have places to go, things to do.
The people either ignored the guy or said something polite or funny. Nothing rude, like fuck off.
I really don't understand what they're complaining about.

[KSDiva]

4. I know, I can't decide if it's supposed to be satire or not, n/t

[spelldmilk]

7. I've been saying that for the last two months…

ev-ry-sing-le-dayyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[rebel with a cause]

20. they are complaining because those people don't agree with them.

That is the definition of an idiot. One who expects everyone to agree with them, and if they don't that means they are automatically not only wrong in their eyes but 'trouble' and 'disturbed'. That whole show to me is disturbing because they are so closeminded and judgemental of others who are left of them.

[Dorian Gray]

21. I think most

Republican NYers would just walk by the guy, too.

But yeah, the UWS isn't going to have many people who support McCain. He'd do slightly better on the UES or Staten Island.

[SteppingRazor]

5. Willie Geist is "right-wing?"

[hfojvt]

6. nail, meet hammer

Did Mike really mean what he said? I don't understand how a rational person could say that and really mean it, but it would be even worse if he was calculatingly saying things he didn't mean, just to stir up hate.

[Bette Noir]

8. I saw that footage on another news show.

I thought the guy was a comedian, or a performance artist. I can't imagine that he was for real.

[srf Rantz]

9. an alternate universe?

these people must be in an alternative universe.

everyone was surprisingly polite to him. esp. considering this is New York, where people don't hestitate to speak their mind to anyone!

now in Nashville or anywhere in the south, doing the same thing for Obama? I don't think so...

contrast this with the sidewalk in Bethlehem PA (my hometown) outside the McPain rally a week or so ago.

[DesertFlower]

10. i'm a former new yorker

and i may not have been as polite as those people.

[smirkymonkey]

11. That's my neighborhood!

And I can't honestly say I would have been so gracious as my neighbors. I can't stand Willie Geist and of course I despise the ticket he's peddling.

All you see up there are Obama bumper stickers, window signs, pins and other memorabilia - It's a great neighborhood to live in if you're a liberal!

[FM Arouet666]

12. Crazy, just plain crazy

I honestly thought that this was satire until I watched the end part of the video. Scarborough and crew really think that this video proves that the left is vile and intolerant. Just astonishing the level of self delusion on a major cable network other than fox, which I thought cornered the market on delusion.

Yeah, go to Vanderbilt University and ask about Obama support. I suspect that you will find a large number of supporters. Most major universities are islands of blue in an ignorant red sea.

Learnin has a way of openin your mind up, freein ya from the chains of conservative bull shit.

And for Scarborough and his stunning exposé......

[kenny blankenship]

13. Here's an idea: why don't MSNBC send a crew to Cobb Co. , GA

go into one of the subdivisions- or better yet, The Avenues shopping mall, or better yet, Town Center Mall or Galleria, stand on the sidewalk and try to hail passersby and give them Obama Tshirts? Try to engage the good folk of Cobb County on the subject of all the great things Obama is going to do as President.

See how long you live doing that. First of all you'd be wrestled to the ground by private security, and taken to "county" by Cobb's finest racist cops. But let's say the private security detail is detained and never knows you're there. I give you about two hours before some Joe the Plumber type, whose homebuilding business is in the shitter, gets out of his giant SUV to show you the finish on his new Glock. He might not shoot you but he'll damn sure let you know he can. And instead of Willie Geist, send some new hire who looks like the Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi, or who lisps like Mo Rocca (sorry Mo but you know it's true!) now he has a shelf life of about half an hour.

You probably wouldn't be risking life or limb at the Avenues: they wouldn't want to scare the rich people with the sight of blood. But try going downscale and spread the good word about Obama. Head on over to Austell and Smyrna and start handing out your tshirts. You'd be taking your life in your hands.

[Elidor]

14. That's an excellent idea

I'd suggest the Galleria to get the full effect. Isn't that the toniest of the bunch? I remember Reagan used to stay there when he was in town. Bush I as well. (I haven't been there during W's reign.)

[TripleKatPad]

15. Nice post, Pamela Troy

Succinctly, with perfect irony, shows the contrast between the reasoned and the hateful. (I don't care what Joe and his crew think. They are what they are...bitter pimps for cash.)

Being a Michigoose, I am profoundly ashamed of that woman denying treats to toddlers. After seeing what that vile woman did, the neighbor next door welcomed all kids and tried to make a festive, happy memory for them. A democrat, of course.

[Career Prole]

16. If they were going to be mean they could have called him

an O** W**** L****** lover. That's Old White Lunatic, for the politically incorrect. That's why Barnicle is so bothered by it, being an OWL himself.

"Real hostile people up there..." Sheez.

[peacetalksforall]

17. Be sure to catch the other video about the no-candy lady. She was a teacher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF1tFOC05h8&NR=1

Hilarious.

Theft runs through the Party.

[peacetalksforall]

18. The commentary after the video was amazing - INSTEAD OF COMMENTING ON

THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF OBAMA SUPPORTERS - they criticize the neighborhood with really nasty insults. Whose minds are that twisted?

Not making friends for General Electric.

[DeepModem Mom]

19. K&R

[rucky]

22. I didn't realize how sensitive McCain supporters were.

Maybe they just need a hug?

[underdoggie]

23. by way of stark contrast

checkout how nice, polite, and civilized these
god fearing mcpailin supporters are to a couple
of lost Obama supporters compared to
them nasty nasty uncivilized upper west siders.
What Afghanistani cave are them deluded scarboroughers
been living in??
beats me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOSON7i72u4