As Rachel talked about last night, Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), asked to explain his bizarre Birther-like rhetoric, struggled mightily to explain himself to a local NBC reporter. When asked reasonable questions, the Republican congressman simply -- and incoherently -- kept repeating the same clumsy line.
Arizona's far-right congressional candidate Jesse Kelly appears to have picked up some tips from the embarrassing display.
For context, as we discussed earlier, Kelly is running to replace Gabrielle Giffords in a special election, which is just three weeks away. Kelly, a Tea Party favorite, received support two years ago from an anti-immigrant group called ALIPAC, which has been accused of having ties to white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
In this new clip, a local ABC reporter notes that ALIPAC renewed its support for Kelly's campaign just last week, and asks the Republican if he'll accept the backing of the accused extremists.
Instead of answering the question, Kelly robotically repeats the same phrase: "Our campaign is going to stay focused on lower gas prices using American energy, lower taxes, and creating jobs."
His supporters in the background find this hilarious. It's not. Either Kelly accepts support from suspected white supremacists or he doesn't.
It's not a trick question, and it clearly deserves an answer.
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He is an ass, he is an ass, he is an ass.
And the problem is that "funny" is in the eye of the beholder. We've come to the point in this country where a significant portion of people think that it's acceptable, even entertaining and funny to engage in immature public stunts like this even when it involves white supremacists and neo-Nazis involved in a political campaign. It can't have gone unnoticed that one of his supporters doing the laughing was black.
I never could have imagined it would come to this in the United States.
I know. I feel the same way. There is no "Normal" anymore in politics. Even the Democrats are divided, and would rather roll over, instead of fighting for what we need. And that's the good side of the arena .
It frightens me.
That the Republican Party would be running such a vile extremist in this particular race -- to replace Gabby Giffords -- is shocking and deeply offensive. The Tucson shooting was a watershed moment for America, where the rising extremism from partisan agitators finally spilled over in the worst possible way. Americans understand that the Republican candidates are part of that problem, not the solution, and the rise of the GOP right-wing will have a major impact on swing voters in this election. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
God, that joke never gets old!
The Navajo and the Apache have requested that the U.S. Department of the Interior deport all undocumented immigrants to Arizona since 1846. That seems to be the only way to clean up the national insane asylum.
The problem here is that ALIPAC is not supported by White Supremacists and MSNBC is lying to viewers with the false claim.
ALIPAC's President, William Gheen, is frequently quoted in local, national, and international press on immigration issues. ALIPAC is often interviewed and quoted on CNN, FOX News, MSBNC, CBS as well as in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, and Miami Herald according to the group's website and video and article archives.[1] Just saying that the commenter has a bit of an axe to grind.
When you're profiled as a nativist leader by the SPLC, you're a racist.
We're missing the point that "William Gheen" is making here. They are not SUPPORTED BY White Supremacists, they ARE White Supremacists. It's the verb he disputes, not the noun.
And if you believe that's the real William Gheen above, you're as loopy as Jesse Kelly
So we (ALIPAC) are the white supremacists that are supported by blacks and Hispanics, that work with black and Hispanic groups, and endorse black and Hispanic candidates for Congress is that it? Is that your assertion?
Ah, the old "some of my best friends are Jewish" defense. Cannily played, Not Really William Gheen, cannily played.
My daughter is, right now, at Ron Barber's office, trying to keep Gabby's seat D. J Kelly is really a horrible, horrible person, but the Rs are pouring tons of money here. All I see is Republican adds and mailers. It is pretty sick.
If Jesus comes back he will be an illegal alien.
Let's cut this guy some slack, there is the possibility that those are the only words of English he knows.
He kind of reminds me of the robot from "get smart" - was that Hymie or some name like that?
Note that this strategy works. Reporters won't run keep asking this question. Eventually, they'll simply change the subject. That's exactly what the candidates want. The only way to make it work is to constantly dig up fresh new information about the incident that caused the initial refrain. That's tough to do.
Well, so much for showing a respect for the office he is campaigning for! I assume he'd treat his constituents the same . . . or almost as seriously as he does the reporter. If Arizonans elect this class clown to Congress, they justly deserve the Buffalo Kaka he'll deliver. Well, I guess bigots are people, too. They should have their candidate, I guess. But does he have the guts to say who he really is? At least Vanguard News Network says it all, especially since they seem to support him.
And the cheerleading squad behind him? Just too, too sad!
You know why Kelly's supporters find it hilarious? Because to a Republican mind-set, Kelly is sticking it to the man. The media demands answers, Kelly refuses to give any answer the media would find acceptable. Kelly wins the day! Be proud of him for not kowtowing to the lamestream media. And then they use it as a fundraising tool. "Kelly's not working for the media. He's working for YOU."
There isn't a rancid moldy dry lemon on this earth you can give a Republican that he can't turn into a glass of lemonade that SOMEONE will be willing to buy, if only to get under a Democrat's skin for engaging in a transaction that might kill somebody.
Sadly, I think you totally nailed it. I used to think W was an idiot, but he looks like a Nobel Prize winner compared to today's Republican't field.
All in all he's just a prick in the hall. Sorry Pink Floyd
ALIPAC renewed their endorsement of Jesse Kelly last week.
Much like the man who made "Etch-A-Sketch" famous, we have reach way back into the toy closet, to find "Chatty-Cathy" doll to find an authentic Republican with a limited pull string set of campaign slogans.
But we're disappointed until we are reminded that she has a sister, "Talking Tina", Twilight Zone circa '63.
It is more than ironic to see the Las Vegas Trumphant with Gingrich and Romney, since for many years the actor, Telly Savalas, appeared in commercials for Las Vegas.
"Talking Tina" suspects the worst in the iconic actor, and well won't you know.
Of course toy makers could make Palin and Bachmann versions but they may be a bad example.
give him a tap, his needle's stuck
OMG! That was creepy. They're turning into robots.
Seeing a politician get caught in an obvious evasion like that is something that I guess I should find funny, but considering how much it's happening lately, and how it's happening in real life, and what issues he's trying to obscure, I can't laugh, not at all. I can't help but notice that all his supporters there aren't white. Do they realize what they're laughing about?
I'll feel better if this guy loses, but either way, I still won't laugh.
Where does America find these idiots to run for public office?
Where does America find these idiots to run for public office?
Where does America find these idiots to run for public office?
Where does America find these idiots to run for public office?
Where does America find these idiots to run for public office?
Where does America find these idiots to run for public office?
Those women just couldn't stop laughing. Why is it funny to celebrate beligerance. He doesn't have enough pride to serve an electorate he openly mocks with answers like that. How is this acceptable to an Arizona voter?
Mr. Gheen, your protests are useless. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has done a bit of research on you. Your laundry is not exactly clean from the information I have read there and, btw, yes I have been around the interwebz doing further research on you (it's not that hard to dig out, btw). Very interesting reading, to say the least (the VERY least, that is)
Mr. Martin, yes my name has been smeared by many groups and individuals that support amnesty for illegal aliens that I have opposed and helped defeat. It does not change the fact that we are not racists and not neo nazis and I hope you did your research to look at information about our black, Hispanic, and Asian supporters? Did you do your research about the minority leaders and organizations we work with? How about the minority candidates we endorse and support with votes, donations, and volunteers? Do you assert, as the liars on the left that support amnesty for illegal aliens do, that we are the neo nazi white supremacists that support blacks and Hispanics? Are our minority supporters indeed black and Hispanic "neo nazis" and "White supremacists"?
Wow. A condescending a-hole with a superiority complex: Sounds perfect for Congress.
Seeing these vids makes me wonder if those reporters can't think of a way to stick it to these smirking trolls when they act this way. As I watched I kept hoping the reporter would push the conversation into the surreal (well, further into the surreal) by NOT STOPPING and by asking increasingly absurd questions:
"When did you stop beating your wife?"
"Did you know your hair is on fire?"
"How much is that doggie in the window?"
"Who's on first?"
"Do you enjoy sodomy?"
"How old is your love child?"
etc.
I wonder if that creep would be able to maintain his smirk after repeating his line 50 times.
That's one of the ways to go after this sort of thing, the other is to suggest what headline you are going to use if the question is not answered.
"So we'll be going with 'Kelly maintains links to Neo-Nazi group' unless you have something more to say on the issue."
Wow, this guy should just be shot.. Sorry to say that but it reads pretty true after watching his response; another one to let gawd sort out, if you believe in that sort of thing.. D-bag!
If it frightens you, it's probably because that's how people who belong to cults act.