Has Beck ever struck anybody as intelligent? I don't mean this as an insult to conservatives - I can listen to people like Bill Buckley and respect their viewpoint. But Beck is like a poor man's Limbaugh, and that ain't saying much. He just repeats the same soundbites without the insightful commentary.

From now on all references to Fox News should be
Republican Fox News ...

The republicans are wonderful at inadvertently funny historical analogies and quotes. We can only hope this period does turn out to be Fox's Alamo. Maybe Beck will dash out, guns ablaze, like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, to meet his ratings.
Another beauty was Limbaugh the other day ascribing a quote from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution, and nobody in his dittohead audience even blinks.

It's really not that hard to understand, Steve. Ailes fully understands that the Alamo turned out badly, and believes that under the current administration things are also turning out badly. To him, it is the "Alamo" in that it is America's last stand. But he believes that things might instead turn out "fine" if people like Beck are in the battle until the last shot is fired.

I know it's easy, like the three networks, MSNBC and the rest of the mainstream media, to deliberately misinterpret statement which are easily understood. They've been having fun with Rush Limbaugh's "I hope he fails" comment for weeks, even though everyone knows what was said. Nothing Fox does comes close to this level of dishonesty.

The idea behind the Alamo was to delay the Mexican army until the rebels could re-organize and counter attack. Their cause succeeded even though the individuals were wiped out.

I imagine that the radical right likes to think of themselves as heroes. Being wiped out and left with only an 8 figure job at Fox is tough. It's even tougher if you have to pay taxes on it. And you get to save the cause too.

BTW, Today is Alamo Day in Texas (March 6th). March 2nd was Independence Day (signed at Washington-on-the-Brazos).

perhaps -- as the french do go on about -- there is a sub-text.

here is the alamo where a few white guys led by john wayne agst millions and millions of non-white guys.

in the end, john wayne almost pulls off the great sacrifice, stumbling into the arsenal/gun powder shed, and blowing it up, trying to blow up the whole alamo... takin' 'em all with him.

and maybe that's the kinda thing "fox people" think: if standard white jeebus dont come soon, we'll just hafta take our stand with the new-clear option...

"Remember the Republicans!"

And the Democratic rejoinder: Pass the popcorn!

Ummm . . . what is the correct way to interpret "I hope he fails"? It's four words, we all speak English, it's not that hard.

Beck is more so the anti-New Deal radio pastor Charles Coughlin that Daniel Boone. A dangerous racist with a microphone lashing out at anything and everything "red." History will prove Beck just as wrong as Coughlin.

Its not Glenn Beck that worries me. Its the fact that somehow someway there are actually a couple of million people who watch that idiot. Other than a clip on the dailyshow or the Colbert Report I couldn't imagine EVER watching an episode of his show under any circumstances. But somewhere in this country someone actually thinks Beck is making good points. To me that is very very concerning.

There's another way to view this. Ailes sees that the Fox News brand of conservatism is doomed, and now he wants to go out in a hail of extended middle fingers and poo-flinging.

"I see this as the Alamo,"

But there's no truth to the rumor that Ailes was the head recruiter for General Custer.

Speaking of Alamos, and, I know, going dreadfully off topic from the idiotic to the Nobel, Paul Krugman has a must-read column in today's Times on why the Obama/Geithner/Bernanke economic bailout plan isn't working, won't work, gives free bucks to the country's worst while draining the government (that's us) and may ultimately provoke a justified political backlash while making the economy even worse. Strong stuff, a lot more so than anything Beck and Ailes peddle, because it's based on reality.

Raivo Pommer
raimo1@hot.ee

Luftgeld

Finanzpolitik und Steuerwesen sind oft so furchtbar abstrakt. Nehmen wir zum Beispiel die Zahl 100 Milliarden. Was sind 100 Milliarden? Seit einiger Zeit treibt uns der Gedanke um, wie man die guten Taten veranschaulichen kann, die wir als Steuerbürger notleidenden Geldabfackelvereinigungen aus der Finanzbranche zukommen lassen sollen.

Die Lösung ist der Artikel „Geldregen“, den das Versandhaus Tom Wet im Katalog hat (www.tomwet.com). Die monetäre Pappröhre für 13,75 Euro ist eigentlich als Partygag gedacht, kann aber durchaus für ernsthafte Aufgaben eingesetzt werden. Durch einen Dreh an dem 60-Zentimeter-Rohr werden viele Geldscheine - standardmäßig handelt es sich um Spielgeld - mit einem schönen Knall per Druckluftpatrone meterhoch in die Luft katapultiert.

"They've been having fun with Rush Limbaugh's "I hope he fails" comment for weeks, even though everyone knows what was said."

What does "everyone know," Henrietta?

what is the correct way to interpret "I hope he fails"? It's four words, we all speak English, it's not that hard.

In context, Personal Failure, in context! Here, read it for yourself:

Look, what he's talking about is the absorption of as much of the private sector by the US government as possible, from the banking business, to the mortgage industry, the automobile business, to health care. I do not want the government in charge of all of these things. I don't want this to work. So I'm thinking of replying to the guy, "Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails."

I know it's more that four words, Personal Failure, but do you understand what Limbaugh meant now? If not, I'll be glad to help you some more until you do. However, if you DO understand what Limbaugh meant, do you also understand how dishonest the MSM is being in pretending that Limbaugh was hoping that the country would fail?

Because if Obama fails, it happens within a total vacuum, completely unaffecting the rest of the world.

And if not, then whatever. Totally worth it for the delicious schadenfreude.

henrietta,
you think that clown logic is an "understanding"?
banking, auto industry, healthcare -- gov't takeover...

oh, puhl-eeesse! what a nitwit.

By the way, Henri is evidence for my above theory. Going down in a blaze of poo-flingin' glory. And just trying to stick it to the liberals whenever possible.

I'll bet the knuckles of her middle finger are pressed firmly against the computer screen even now.

neill, you do all nitwits across the planet by referring to henrietta as a nitwit. She's just a total dunce!

I think Dan meant Davey Crockett, not Daniel Boone, though they both were Fess Parker;> And Glenn beck is neither.

As for the Alamo, we can only hope we'll get to see the dead bodies at FN piled up outside the burning rubble.

What's next? Another go at Little Big Horn?
Maginot Line 2?
Fairly Unbalanced, indeed.

Right-wingers will defend their citadel to the last Cheetoh.

Funny how all these military analogies come from cowards who never wore a uniform.*

*That "police officer" outfit at the CPAC after-party doesn't count.

I agree with commenter CH here -- this seems a bit like splitting hairs. Republicans won't be dismayed with Fox News if Democrats win again in 2010 and 2012, so they're really in a no-lose situation here.

Look Henrietta, Rush was way over the line and your attempts to defend his "failure" comments are absurd.

Yes, opponents oppose the policies of their rivals. That makes sense. So Democrats said "the Bush tax cuts are unwise and fiscally irresponsible," and "let's not invade Iraq, it'll be a quagmire and they pose no threat," and "let's not privatize Social Security and put retirees' money in the stock market." All good points. But after Bush got his tax cuts passed and marched us into Iraq, you simply did NOT see ANY prominent democrats or democratic figures saying "you know, i hope these tax cuts fail, that the economy tanks" or that "you know, I hope the invasion fails, that Saddam wins."

the proper, responsible thing for Rush to be saying is, "look, I hate these policies and I fear what will happen. but they've passed now, and we can only hope and pray that things turn out all right in spite of them." but he's not saying that. he's saying, i hope all this fails. yes, his initial comment was back in january, pre-passage of the Stimulus, but he repeated all that garbage at CPAC last week. That is the height of childish and irresponsible, anti-American drivel. You simply do not root against your own country.

How is it possible to call yourself "fair and balanced" while at the same time declaring war against one side? "Fair and balanced" is apparently just Fox News version of sarcasm.

Although it is heartening to see Ailes realizes he's on the losing side of the battle. Soon he will have Beck on air in a coonskin cap.

I have no problem with this, as long as Bill O'Reiily gets to emulate Jim Bowie.

To follow up with what J @ 11:02 said, let's put it into perspective so our local NASCAR fans can understand, too.

Suppose you work for a NASCAR Sprint Cup pit crew that has a lousy race team. Maybe you're the Jack Man, or the Catch Can Man. The driver is good, the equipment is good, the whole crew is good, but something seems to go wrong every week so that your team comes in near last place.

The owner hires a new crew chief from a competing team. The move is considered controversial by most fans and the media. You especially do not like the new chief because of some bad blood in the past. Do you:

A. Hope the new crew chief turns the team around and start winning?; or

B. Hope the team continues to lose?

You simply do not root against your own country.

J., Limbaugh didn't do that. I notice that you (dishonestly) didn't quote anything he actually said, much less try to quote it in context. There was no need to "defend" the "I hope he fails" comment -- if you read it in context (as I did provide it above), there's no dispute that Limbaugh was hoping that Obama would fail in the implementation of the policies, not that the country would fail.

Please provide a full, in context quote from Limbaugh in which he said anything like "I hope the policies fail" or "I hope the economy tanks." He simply didn't. All he has ever said is that he does not think the policies will succeed. Your call for him to "hope and pray" that the policies succeed is disingenuous, because he clearly hopes they will be reversed, and that similar policies in other sectors of the economy will not be implemented.

[Nice. A government employee defends Limbaugh, who wants the president to fail. Henrietta works for the New York state court system according to the IP these comments are being posted from.]

The Alamo was a success. The men killed in the siege became martyrs to the cause of Texan independence; "Remember The Alamo!" was the rallying cry at San Jacinto. This may not make sense to certain Political Animal readers, but it fits the mindset of the radical conservatives just fine.

Ah, yes, "Remember the Alamo" - The rallying cry of men, who loved freedom, such as the freedom to own slaves.

exactly, bert. Samuel Johnson (a true conservative if ever there was one) had it right in the Revolutionary era: "How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes?"

The Alamo did not turn out too well for Mexico or for the slaves who worked and died in Legree's paradise.

*

We've always been a great country, even during our darkest times.

And regardless of who holds political power.

Better an unbalanced person who merely appears on cable TV

Or failing that, posts in blog comments, right, mhr?

As much as I disliked Bush's policies, and as much as I spoke out against them (in what small venues I and we have here), I never hoped Bush would fail.

However, what I DID see during the Bush years were plenty of Republicans putting words in the Dems mouths claiming we wished Bush to fail. So what you have now are the same Republican mouth pieces believing their own previous rhetoric, believing the Dems actually wanted Bush to fail, engaging in a fantasy tit for tat.

It all becomes clear when you view Republican strategy through the lens of the aggrieved "victim".

"All he has ever said is that he does not think the policies will succeed."

Henrietta, in the exact same way Rush Limbaugh hopes President Obama fails...I hope Rush Limbaugh gets cancer. Does that help you understand the distinction? I'm not pointing out that Rush is fat as a house and smokes cigars and saying "I think he'll get cancer". Get the difference?

Mike

... there's no dispute that Limbaugh was hoping that Obama would fail in the implementation of the policies, not that the country would fail.

And you still can't wrap your tiny little brain around the fact that Obama's policies don't operate in a vacuum.

The GOP has offered no real solutions -- just more of what got us into this mess (cutting taxes on the rich while the middle class sees its income decrease ... deregulation that led to the financial collapse ... ignoring infrastructure and health care ... etc. etc. etc.)

So if Obama fails, guess what? America fails.

But please, keep defending a drug-addicted under-age-sex-tourist who is less popular than George W. Bush.

Doing so speaks volumes about your character.

Steve: "Almost everyone at the Alamo died at the hands of Mexican soldiers."

Thank God you pointed that out, because mhr is still insisting that the Alamo was attacked by al Qa'eda.

I bet that doofus history professor thay have on Fox & Friends will tell you that the story of the Alamo is told by a bunch of America haters.