That Sound You Heard Was O'Reilly Turning Over In His Grave: How The Far Right Elected Al Franken

[Ian David]

That Sound You Heard Was O'Reilly Turning Over In His Grave: How The Far Right Elected Al Franken
by Steve Young | July 2, 2009 - 1:14pm

"I don't know if we've ever had an opponent who is so disliked by Republicans as Al Franken," said Minnesota Republican Party Chair Ron Carey. "It's one thing to lose to an honorable opponent, but Al Franken is not considered an honorable opponent by Minnesota Republicans."

If Mr. Carey and the rest of the Republicans would like to see how they've come to realize their - as well as Bill O'Reilly's worst nightmare - they need only look in the mirror.

<snip>

The straw that broke the far right wing’s back came in the form of a 2003 law suit where the right-wing elevated the comic/author Franken from comic and author to Michael Moore danger level.

Penguin Books published Franken’s book “Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right,” which included a cover photo of O’Reilly and a chapter accusing O’Reilly of lying. The book had sold fairly well, but would have run its course until Fox News, pushed by O’Reilly taking the bait, sued claiming infringement of its registered trademark phrase “Fair and Balanced.” A federal judge found the lawsuit to be “wholly without merit” and Fox then filed to dismiss it. With the media attention drawn by the legal folly, Franken’s sales and his public image went bonkers. He not only beat O’Reilly and made him appear thin-skinned and toothless, but his books and satirical approach taught the Democrats to fight back creatively. More importantly, he gave open-minded Republicans a bit of the truth behind far-right talk show zealots claims. Claims that had pretty much gone without scrutiny even by the so-called liberal mainstream media who were happy to book people like Limbaugh, O’Reilly and Ann Coulter to get their take on politics.

More:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/22616

[TlalocW]

1. And why would anyone care what honorable is to a republican?

TlalocW

[BOSSHOG]

3. Well, they are the party of honesty and integrity and family values

they will never lie to you, their actions have your best interests at heart and they will never ever fuck anyone but their own spouses. Gosh they're just so honorable it makes me wanna puke.

[msongs]

13. there's only ONE democrat who thinks repubs are honorable & deserve bipartisanship nt

[Jade Fox]

18. Isn't Bachman from Minnesota?

I guess she's what they think is "honorable".

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended for O'Reilly's assist.

Thanks for the thread, Ian David.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Lies and the Lying Liars made him a target of the right, but it was

'Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot' that earned him the undying enmity of the republicans. You can criticize their pundits, but NEVER question their gods.

ANY attacks on Limbaugh draw far greater reactions than similar attacks on any other wingnut pundit. It was criticism of Limbaugh that demanded a public apology and groveling from the their own party chair.

And Franken is one of the very few who directly took Limbaugh on.

That's why "Al Franken is not considered an honorable opponent by Minnesota Republicans."

[KansDem]

5. Here's a list of what the GOP considers "honorable"

http://www.republicansexoffenders.com /

on edit: ...and it doesn't even include your standard, run-of-the-mill spouse-cheater-oners!

[ingac70]

6. How come...

every time I click on a link to smirking chimp it says forbidden?

[dysfunctional press]

8. are you at work?

it works fine for me.

if you're at work, then for some reason or another, your company may have it blocked..?

[lindisfarne]

9. Are you at work? Does cutting & pasting this link work?

www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/22616

Norton doesn't label it as a dangerous site
(internet-security-wise).

The smirkingchimp thing links you to the original article
http://steveyoungonpolitics.com/that-rumble-you-heard-was-o%e2%80%99reilly-turning-over-in-his-grave-how-the-far-right-elected-al-franken/

[ingac70]

14. I'm not at work...

I've never been able to get on that site.

Cutting and pasting makes no difference.

Thanks so much for the link to the original article.

[lindisfarne]

15. It may be your internet security suite blocking it for some reason. Or do you have

parental controls on? It may be blocked due to language, etc.

[sam sarrha]

11. LINK>>

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/

[lindisfarne]

7. I think Franken is going to be fairly reserved initially in the Senate to establish himself but I am

still expecting a few, perhaps subtle, very humorous observations on his part.

Obama did a good job of instilling appropriate humor (esp. poking deserved fun at a few members of the press corps) at the press conference June 23 (links to youtube segments here, if you missed it:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... )

[niyad]

10. and we give a damn what you hypocritical rethuglicans think is honourable?

[MineralMan]

12. To Minnesota Republicans...from a Minnesota Democrat:

You lost. We won. Get over it. Go find something else to kvetch about.

[glitch]

16. That zombie ain't buried yet. nt

[Stellabella]

17. Both of those books are wonderful.

Smart, well written, accurate, and to the point. And right on target.

[tkmorris]

19. O'Reilly is dead?

[Faryn Balyncd]

20. Imagine the gall of that Frankin to use Faux's trademarked phrase!!!!!!!!