McBobo can’t quite figure out why Rudy seems to have changed:
At its current nadir, the G.O.P. had been blessed with five heterodox presidential candidates who had the potential to modernize the party on a variety of fronts. They could be competing to do that, but instead they are competing to appeal to the narrowest slice of the old guard and flatter the most rigid orthodoxies of the Beltway interest groups. Giuliani could have opened the party to the armies of dynamism — the sort of hard-working strivers who live in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx; instead he has shelved one of his core convictions.
Someday Rudy Giuliani will look back on this moment and wonder why he didn’t run as himself.
This again.
George Will pulled the same move on Stephanopouli a few weeks ago, whining that Willard is a smart man doing his best to act stupid (sorry no link).
What neither of them cop to, though, is that there’s a really simple explanation for Willard’s and Rudy’s transformation: the Bush/Cheney/DeLay GOP they’ve slavishly supported all these years has become a festering cesspool of homophobia, xenophobia, incompetence and neocon global domination fantasies, all backed by a healthy dose of theocratic certainty.
Sorry, it’s a little late now that the stench and muck has ruined their precious party for McBobo and Will to suddenly look up and say, “Gee, what’s happened to the GOP?”
Related posts:
- David Brooks Still Confused About Who’s Destroying the Country
- David Brooks, the Red Queen Pundit, High on Health Care Costs
- David Brooks Thinks Teabaggers are Jeffersonian Democrats
- Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Brags That Bush DOJ Wasn’t Corrupt Enough For Him
- David Brooks Courageously Embraces War Against Islam
Spotlight
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
Advanced search
A twofer, Tex!
Hi BT!
I’m not sure if it says more about Bobo or Rudy…
welcome, Blue Texan
Bobo’s navel gazing is legendary.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that McBobo and Will are correct. Romney and Giuliani are obviously wingnuttier — but they refuse to admit that the current sorry state of the GOP is the cause.
He has gone to this safe topic because Krugman was kicking the crap out of him.
Actually, I think Rudy is probably showing more of his true self today than he ever did as mayor of NY.
Abner Louima
Amadou Diallo
Patrick Dorismond
Actually, I think Rudy is probably showing more of his true self today than he ever did as mayor of NY.
Well, I disagree, but even if that’s the case, the point still stands. McBobo doesn’t like this “new” Rudy, but won’t admit the reason Rudy has gone all Podhoretz and Robertson is the pathetic state of the GOP.
Someday Rudy Giuliani will look back on this moment and wonder why he didn’t run as himself.
The mayor who appointed Bernie Kerik police commissioner. Ya can’t have one without the other.
Whatever.
It’s more bad news for the Democrats.
Unless they line up behind Joe L. and Rahm E.
allan_in_upstate @ 10
Snark I assume!
AZ Matt @ 6
Yeah intellectual interaction is not exactly his strong suit.
Rudy’s gone off the deep end. Why is it that Republicans these days have no principles. Not even their own. They say they want small Gov’t, but they’ve made the biggest Gov’t in history, not counting the one in Iraq. They say they want Gov’t out of our lives, but then get all excited about warrantless wiretapping and hurry back to DC to sign Terri Schivo legislation. They’re all for State’s rights unless that State wants to regulate pollution, or do anything not Republican. Etc. Etc.
By the way, Rudy was right in 1995 when he made that speech. Immigration helps us.
To say they’ve lost their way is a massive understatement. And McBobo and Will have gone along for the ride.
Blue Texan @ 15
Wave bye bye Bobo.
We know why you are in that basket and where you are going.
… and rights for blastocysts! Please don’t ever forget their slavish devotion to the rights of blastocysts.
PS Welcome to FDL, Blue Texan!
Jane Hamsher @ 12
Yeah, but he uses $20 words like “heterodox”.
So he must be serious.
If only he would take remedial economics, history and statistics,
Brooks would be fully equipped for his chosen profession.
I enjoy listening to pundits chatter about how the DemPrezCandis are catering to their leftish antiwar base (which represents two-thirds of US opinion) but never say a word about the GOPPrezCandis pandering to the Bushie 24%ers.
Does the GOP have a plan to win a presidential election with 24% of the popular vote? Diebold can’t really help with numbers that lopsided.
He’s just a frog being brought to boil in the village cauldron.
Or maybe a case of Stockholm syndrome.
McBobo was also saying after everything hit the fan that DeLay wasn’t a real “conservative.”
Uh-huh.
Blue Texan @ 21
And these days, he’s been following the lead of Dowdie in making up fictional conversations to get across his agenda. And these guys complain about the webs being off base!
Yes all dems are hopelessly pandering to the left, and goopers are blind to the gold in the hills of the 08 election. How does a nitwit like him get a column at NYT?
Part of the problem is that they’ve been allowed to say whatever they please without fear of anyone in the mainstream media calling them on their bullshit. This op-ed by Krugman is a refreshing exception. And he does note the general problem.
Jane Hamsher @ 12
Whining is more his suit.
the gop counts on a drug
the drug of their base voting for them…they not only count on this drug for votes, they count on thier base to be thier activists
when they want calls made, call the base, when they want demonstrators, call the base, when they want letters written, call the base, when they want boycott, call the base
it’s their drug
I enjoy listening to pundits chatter about how the DemPrezCandis are catering to their leftish antiwar base (which represents two-thirds of US opinion) but never say a word about the GOPPrezCandis pandering to the Bushie 24%ers.
That’s because the GOP base is The Heartland and Middle Class America, and therefore, the candidates are not pandering at all. They’re simply representing the views of the majority of the American People, who love Bush, capital gains tax cuts, and more wars.
Blue Texan @ 27
I think the Heartland is actually closer to “our” side now on most things – the war, healthcare, social security, predatory lending, birth control etc. The Rethugs claim to represent the middle but don’t.
Richmond @ 28
the heartland has always been closer to our politics, where we’ve failed is framing those ideas
we are the true concervatives, we are the party of family, we are the party of keeping government out of our lives, we are the party that honors the prinicples of the founders, we are the party of the laborers, we are the party of justice, the party of integrity, the party of the rule of law
we are democrats and we represent the people
we are middle america
Bush increased the Federal Budget from 1.9 trillion to 2.9 trillion and except for Medicare Part D, does anyone know what we got for the money?
The war is off budget.
AZ Matt @ 6
David Greenberg of Slate
explains the battle going on between Brooks and Krugman.
Sandman @ 30
We got jack shit. Little Boots’ cronies however got the keys to the mint.
Perris. Of course you are right. And, for the “smarter” party of late, alas, we have been stupid in the framing of issues.
For the Goopers, it’s all going to come down to which candidate can best act like they know what they’re doing, without speaking to Bush’s character short-comings.
They’ve tied themselves to the Bush boat anchor and now they are going to go all the way down, with Immense Pride, for ‘who they are’ and ‘what they stand for.’
Yep, they are ‘winners,’ all right…
David Brooks is a talking suit.
TheraP @ 35
edited for clarity
It seems that Rudy and Willard were so busy positioning themselves to garner favor with the homophobes, xenophobes, neocons and theocons that they actually forgot who won the popular vote in 2004.
Rove’s math, dontcha know.
That popular vote has grown much more popular.
Elliott @ 36
An ill-fitting cheap suit. The kind with shiny patches. Should’ve been replaced a long time ago.
Boston1775 @ 37
funny rudy can even think about running on that ticket
according to their point of view, he is a baby killing, fornicating, adulturating, family hating drag queen
how on earth is he their front runner?
yet there he is
Speaking of people who are allowed to write in the NYT, but shouldn’t be, the Book Review will have a charming followup to David Kennedy’s hit job on Paul Krugman’s book.
This time, Gary Rosen of
DysenteryCommentarywas assigned the task of giving John Dean’s “Broken Government” a bad review.
hmmm…perris at 39 is waiting moderation, could someone double check and release please?
thanx in advance
This was 100% snark:
That’s because the GOP base is The Heartland and Middle Class America, and therefore, the candidates are not pandering at all. They’re simply representing the views of the majority of the American People, who love Bush, capital gains tax cuts, and more wars.
Thought it was clear. Should’ve put little (TMs) and maybe that would’ve helped.
Helpless Dancer @ 38
much better!
Giuliani and Bloomberg , then Giuliani has an accident/scandal, and …..
in the Washington Post,Nov.11.07:”Pakistan Nuclear Security Questioned” the front page story reports on the nuclear network of A.Q.Kahn, the father of the pakistani atomic bomb, but then they mention about “some europeans” helping him,without names or details,
and as all the Law Enforcement must know by now,it was a group of israeli-europeans and israeli-southafricans helping Kahn buy,transport,design, manufacture,install,and sell nuclear components,hardware,software and logistics, among them Meyer,Wisser and Asher Karni, all members and ex-members of the Israeli Army in Europe,USA and SouthAfrica,and later the Police in Europe,the Scorpions in South Africa and the Justice Dpt. and Commerce Dpt.in USA arrested and took to Court, were Karni was given bail paid by an orthodox israeli-american Congregation in N.J., and why the Post lets some of its writers try to re-write History? why ? why they lie to the American People ?
in the N.Y.T.,Nov,21,07 :”California sues a Voting machine maker over changes” ,were we find out that another Voting machine maker, Election System and Software Inc., has been sued by California for doing the same that Diebold Election Systems did in 2003, repositioning circuit boards and altering software without telling the Election Board,so they will steal the elections, there is no outcry, no popular reaction,so they will fix the vote and with Mukasey,Schumer,Feinstein,Joshua Bolten,Bloomberg and Lieberman, they will keep the scandal to page 25 and then arrest the writer on insurgency intent and terrorism support,what a criminal shame !
on http://www.c-span.org/ the other day a caller was in shock to
find out that while the media was making a fuss about a one million dollar earmark to open a Woodstock museum ,the same Congress was giving a 5 million dollar earmark to open an Israeli Museum in Poland with USA taxpayers money ! , so this Congress has money for museums in Poland for foreign causes but not in the good old USA, amazing !….and in all these cases,c-span, npr.org/, all the media is silent,like today when they bring the usual neocon from AIPAC as guest to Washington Journal call-in program ( Nov,23,07) in c-span to talk elections,and a caller had to ask: “Mr.Goldberg,are you related to that woman gossip columnist that started the Lewinski scandal against President Clinton ? and the guest answers: yeah,that’s my mom…” we have to find out from callers who the guests really are and what their agenda really is, what a criminal shame !
thanks goes to Treasury Sec. Paulson for trying to keep the Terror Insurance to a few years, TRIA, at a 100 billion a year,its an invitation to “accidents” to cover bad investments, but hey !with the nomination of a lobbyist for the Securities-PrivateEquity-HedgeFunds Lobby as the new IRS Commissioner, the non-tax lawyer Douglas Shulman,we will get all the candidates investigated for potential tax problems except Giuliani,Clinton and Bloomberg ,and Mukasey making sure there are no complains,so the election, like so many say, its a done deal,isn’t wonderful to have your own IRS Commissioner checking everybody else ?
radiofreewill @ 34
Rudy and Willard have been so busy positioning themselves to appeal to the homophobes, xenophobes, neocons and theocons that they blanked out on who won the popular vote in 2004.
Heh. Rove’s math, dontcha know.
Rove never anticipated his own demise nor the increasing popularity of that popular vote.
Rove never anticipated swiftboat blowback.
Rove never anticipated Gonzales,Sampson and Schlozman video montages at TPM. Scroll down to Testimony We Give Thanks For.
Ummmm, I really don’t care how much of a festering cesspool the GOP has become, it’s how much of my country has become a festering cesspool. All the polls I’ve read show a race too close to call. You’d think after the last seven years, the polls would lean a certain way. I know there’s a certain anti-repuke feeling nationally, but this election looks like it’ll be close enough to steal.
Thank you Eliot @ 36 – for that helpful editorial change.
And Helpless Dancer as well.
Indeed it’s even a second hand suit.
http://www.nysun.com/article/23660
“An anthrax decontamination project in Florida that Mayor Giuliani showcased as one of his highest-profile ventures after joining the private sector has fizzled out at cost of millions of dollars to his firm.
The project was an effort of Bio-One Solutions LLC, a joint venture between the former mayor’s consulting firm, Giuliani Partners LLC, and Sabre Technical Services LLC, an Albany-based environmental company. Bio-One Solutions had planned to place its offices in a Boca Raton, Fla., building and to have Mr. Giuliani be one of the first to cross the threshold after the firm eliminated the deadly spores from the complex, which once housed the offices of a company that published supermarket tabloids.”
TheraP @ 47
A second hand suit to go with the second rate brain.
That Giant Sucking Sound we hear is the sound of goopers and their mark to make believe assets getting drug out of their cushy tax-payer financed pork perk parthenons into insolvency and bondage…
At the gates of hell
And that being the optimists’ view.
Reality…drawing ever closer.
“Nine days after registering his presidential exploratory committee last November, Rudolph Giuliani appeared in Singapore to help a Las Vegas developer make a pitch for a $3.5 billion casino resort.
Though the bid ultimately failed, and there was nothing illegal about the involvement, it drew Giuliani into a complex partnership with the family of a controversial Hong Kong billionaire who has ties to the regime of North Korea’s Kim Jong Il and has been linked to international organized crime by the U.S. government.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/…..2784.story
dakine01 @ 49
Does this rule out comparisons to Brooks (like Friedman) as part of the nude news brigade supporting the Emperor with no clothes?
…and there aren’t enough fresh faced blondes in the world to stop people from sayin’
“what’s that smell?”
Heh, Rudy’s Kerikter.
Richmond @ 52
And that visual does indeed call for some brain bleach stat!
Oilfieldguy! Hope you had a good Thanksgiving.
egregious @ 56
Yes, thank you. Catching up on a lot of sleep!
tee hee
we [progressives as a whole] really put it to joke line
he feels bahhhhd
dakine01 @ 54
Ya, sorry for ruining your day post-Turkey. More stomach discomfort!
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/….._1123.html
“I think it’s a slippery slope,” former federal prosecutor Sunny Hostin, a CNN legal analyst, said on American Morning Friday. “You should be following policy and that policy protects US citizens by the Fourth Amendment and our persons, our places, our homes.”
The Washington Post reported Friday that the Justice Department has relied on ambiguous policies to track an unknown number of suspected drug traffickers and other criminals using their cell phones without first obtaining a warrant. Cell phone locations can be tracked either through GPS chips installed in the devices or by triangulating the signals they transmit to cell towers throughout the country.”
Poll in link below re: 4th Amendment.
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/rawstory/8359a/
neokneme @ 50
Good thing the Preznit has that MBA. He’ll know just what to do.
Republics, how’s those tax cuts working for ya now?
g’afternoon pups…been lurking for awhile…this post is on point – rudy is ruthless and every bit as dangerous as chimpy but smarter which makes him even more maniacal imo…he pretty much ran roughshod as mayor…i cant understand the draw rudy has for any clear-thinking person…he’s every bit the bully-boy chimpy is ;-}
Boston1775 @ 53
Gotta love the innovations in the credit rating agencies’ financial lexicon…
Fitch Model Tracks Rating Transition & Spread Migration on LSS CDOs
Spread shock… A.K.A. pancaking credit ratings. Just ask Citi…
Leveraged Super Senior Trades and the Liquidity Put
No wonder the M-LEC Super-SIV is just a bunch of stupid letters. Soon to join other acrimonious acronyms…. like STFU! and AEI.
The new tag line for the Beltway/Wall Street gang…
“Well beyond stupid”
Tee Hee indeed!
Badwater @ 61
thing is, republicans never got those tax breaks
they went to the wealthiest people on the planet and they weren’t “tax breaks” they were tax gifts, the wealthies people on the planet were somehow able to aquire middle class assets that have been invested over generations…they recieved these assets in gift form in the space of a few short years…it is mind boggling
the president gave everyone else like a 100 dolar “return advance” and he gave the uber rich like 40,000
it’s really bizzare that the republicans actually bought the rubbish the media shoved down their throat
now our roads are distintigrating, our bridges collapsing, our schools failing, our army gone
and no assets to rebuild
this was their very plan and I sure hope the next president INTENDS ON GETTIN THE MONEY THAT WAS STOLEN FROM US BACK, get it from the people this president gave it to AND PUT IT BACK WHERE IT BELONGS
I want those tax “gifts” FEDERALIZED AND RECLAIMED
pardon me if i DONT weep for democracy-destroying repugs and their bushco dem cronies!!
Phoenix Woman tells us why greed is good in the new thread.
Greed is Good and So Is Racism
PW is upstairs.
http://www.firedoglake.com/200…..m/#respond
joeshit, the rag man @ 46
but who pays for the polls?
maybe (just maybe) the polls are not
strictly accurate?
how many polls are there?
who pays?
who publishes and disseminates?
spuorgoohay @ 44
Foreign Governements should not be allowed to lobby at tax payer expense in the U.S. Period. End of Story. Why should our tax dollars continue to support AIP*C – and its efforts to pressure the US into more middle east war? They also are funding radical student groups on college campuses in the U.S.
Giuliani, Romney, McCain, Clinton, Obama, Edwards — Once any candidate gets elected, both parties are so hopelessly flawed and terminally compromised by big money and special interests, there’s no difference… NOT. An old bumper sticker on a rusty car reminds me of what’s important: That worked so well last time around, didn’t it?
Richmond @ 69
nor should corporations as far as I am concerned
corporations should be forced to bring their case to a public vote and not be able to buy votes in congress
what ever moderate republicans existed lost any remains of influence they may have had after reagan, once the bush/cheney fanatics took control. brooks and will have no purpose to today’s GOP at all except to help propagate the lie that the republican party is anything but extremist plutocrats, theocrats, and warmongers.
the biggest losers under the bush/cheney ascension have been what remained of moderate republicans.
.
the biggest losers under the bush/cheney ascension have been what remained of moderate republicans.
Yes, the HW Bush/Chafee/Souter Republicans are extinct.
George Simian @ 13
Absolutely…Rudy is just running as a proud GOPer, nothing more, nothing less. McCain, Romney and the rest are doing the same; don’t like my stand on something? Come back tomorrow!
What David Brooks, the educated man’s O’Reilly, is trying to do is signal to the suburbanites that Giuliani is one of them and that he’s only posturing in order to get the mouth breathers to vote for him.
Whether he is that way or not that way isn’t really the point. The Republicans want their cake and eat it to and as long as they are on the *winning* team, it doesn’t really matter.
Winning is everything.
When Bobo waxes romantic about the “the sort of hard-working strivers who live in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx,” rest assured that he’s talking about the *white* parts of the outer boros; certainly, neither Bed-Stuy nor East Elmhurst were in Rudy’s camp like, ever. Highly coded for New Yorkers there.
Elliott @ 36
a cheap badly fitting off the rack suit with a nasty grease stain, but at least he’s pleasant, and from men on t.v. isn’t that really all we can expect?
LS @ 51
Obviously not important. Nothing to see here. Move along. Please.
It’s not like giving a guy with international mob connections the presidency is in any way going to be worse than what we have now. Of course, we might be better off with President John Edwards. IMO
Today I saw a Lincoln Navigator in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It had a Bush/Cheney ‘04 sticker on it’s rear window.
I almost felt sorry for them. Can you imagine going around with a ‘kick me’ sign on your back and being too stupid to scrape it off.