AUDIO/PhotOh! Hatred is alive and well in America

By GottaLaff

I woke up today to so much unpleasantness, all I can do is try to expose it, air out the airwaves and the Internets, and take a deep cleansing breath to rid myself of the poison.

It started with the ramblings of Sarah Palin at the Big Mesa Rally. Feel free to follow the link, if you have the stomach for it.

But compared to what's coming up next, that was nothing.

Hold on to your hats, grab some Pepto Bismol, get ready to write letters of protest, and join me as I share with you what has become a nasty, toxic state of affairs in this country.

Lizz Winstead linked me to this. As she worded it, "the worst thing I've ever seen". Judge for yourself:


That comes from ProteinWisdom dot com. I refuse to link. Here's some of her text:

Oh I know I’m going to get called names on this. But I’m not going to play that game anymore. [...]

I expect this will also flush out the usual Stockholm-syndrome “conservatives” who wring their hands and say “oh you can’t say that! People will take offense!”

Heck, I want to shake them up.

Some of the comments under it include:

Comment by sdferr on 3/23 @ 2:06 am #

He’s already out telling people how much she enjoyed it.

Comment by Mr. W on 3/23 @ 6:08 am #

Did you ever see one of those movies where the girl gets assaulted by the guy, but when the guy comes back for more she is ready, and she beats him into oblivion?

Yeah, it’s gonna be like that for Barry.

Comment by happyfeet on 3/23 @ 8:45 am #

The Barack Obama is a very rapey little dude I think. You know you love it he says.

There were others that were not offensive, to be fair.

Next, Joeyess linked me to a post he did over at DKos. He wrote, in part:

Give a listen to this radio spot. KMBZ claims they are forced by the federal government to run this ad. [...]

Their line-up includes such conservative luminaries as Mark Levin, Glen Beck, Limbaugh and an assorted local group of similar wannabees. [...]

The FCC should be notified. As well as the FBI and ATF about this organization.

Here is the audio:



Go here for more contact information.

There are a lot of very scared white people out there. They are feeling threatened, victimized (thank you Glenn Beck, et al. for fanning those flames), and now we're seeing an extreme backlash.

We've been transitioning from a white, male, Christian society to a more diverse one for decades. Some of the most worried among the dwindling majority are using the not whites as scapegoats.

There have been death threats against Democratic Congress members. Sarah Palin is posting maps on Facebook with Democrats in the crosshairs, using phrases like "reload".

And, sadly, we have more and more examples, like the ones in this post, and this one, of some of the worst offenders.

It has to stop before something tragic occurs... rather, even more tragic.

VIDEO: Sarah the Socialist

By GottaLaff



Great catch by our pals over at The Mudflats:

From the Mystik Lubricant website:

Mystik is an exclusive engine oil sponsor for the 2010 Iron Dog Snowmobile Race and a sponsor of Team #22 Scott Davis and Todd Palin – past Iron Dog Champions.

"So what?" I hear some of you mumbling. "Big deal," I detect from afar. "Now what goofy name is Laffy gonna come up with for Sarah Palin?" I suspect you may be thinking.

Here's the big deal:

It turns out that Mystik Lubricants is owned by… wait for it … Citgo. Yes, that same Citgo that’s owned by Venezuela. Socialist Venezuela. Socialist, Hugo Chavez lovin’, Venezuela.

See? It was worth wading through that rinkydink ad just to witness Lubey McHypocrite step in it one more time.

Thank you Mudflats!

AUDIO: Angie Coiro does radio spot to "level the playing field against Meg Whitman's millions"

By GottaLaff

My pal Angie Coiro, the host of the radio show on which I guest weekly, was asked to do a radio spot on behalf of those who would like to defeat Meg Whitman:

Did you know that Meg Whitman is prepared to spend $150 million of her own money to crown herself the next governor of California? Listen up and join us in the fight to keep her from getting the keys to yet another corner office.

Go Angie!

For video that goes into more detail, including footage for KTVU of Angie in the recording studio, go here.

Everyone out here in California is expecting Jerry Brown to be her opponent.

Meg Whitman has a ton of money, and wants to buy her way into office. We can't let that happen.

DNC gave $500K to anti-public option Ben Nel$on's health care ad campaign

By GottaLaff



This will ruffle more than a few feathers, mine included:

Americablog discovers the DNC sent nearly $500,000 to the Nebraska Democratic Committee to run advertisements defending Sen. Ben Nelson's (D-NE) vote for health care reform.

"Nelson announced his support for the much-weakened Senate health care bill on December 19, 2009. He cast his vote for final passage on December 24, 2009. The DNC transferred money to the Nebraska party on December 28, 2009. You do the math."

More from Sudbay:

So, not only did Nelson get bought off with Medicaid funding from the federal treasury, it now appears he got TV ads, paid for by supporters of real health care reform, praising him for killing real reform. As David Dayen noted last week, Nelson was fully prepared to torpedo the bill anyway.

Most state parties would greatly appreciate a $500,000 infusion of cash from the DNC. That doesn't happen very often.

It sure doesn't. Imagine those who could have made, you know, good use of money like that, instead of anti-public option, anti-Medicare-buy-in, anti-abortion rights Nelson.

Way to unify the party, DNC. Enjoy siding with obstructionists much? Apparently, real health care reform and the lives of millions of Americans weren't a huge priority.

As Greg Sargent puts it:

Joe Sudbay reports that your donations to the DNC may have funded ads praising Ben Nelson for watering down reform — perhaps not the goal you intended.

No, perhaps not. Not even close.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, print no evil

By GottaLaff

(click on image to enlarge)

The Washington Times is a conservative right-wing conservative wingie conservative newspaper owned by Reverend Sun Myung Moon. The image above is full-page anti-Obama birther ad that they ran. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.... Print no evil. Oops, too late.

How many times can we post about our outrage over this kind of racist, vile schlockaganda?

The Birthers of a Nation:

As noted out by Think Progress, the ad makes little sense, besides being racially charged:

“The Center for American Progress’ Ian Millhiser points out that if this rule were actually applied to the presidency, every foreign nation would have the power to remove the President of the United States simply by granting the president citizenship.” [...]

The “advertorial” was taken out by Charles F. Kerchner, Jr., a plaintiff in a birther lawsuit, “Kerchner et al vs. Obama & Congress et al,” filed against President Obama in New Jersey.

Kerchner’s website, Protect our Liberty, is seeking donations to “remove the usurper.”

Two words: Orly TaitzFail. 'Nuff said.

PhotOh! HuffPo posts ad by AFP, astroturf group Rachel Maddow exposed

By GottaLaff

Original post about Tim Phillips getting bitch slapped by Rachel here.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Rachel Maddow took Phillips on, and for good reason. Just watch the videos. I could barely tolerate the exposure to the sleaze oozing from this guy, but Rachel's tenacity, thorough knowledge of all things AFP, preparedness, and obvious intelligence got me through the interview.

I am not exaggerating when I say my blood boiled watching the exchange. In fact, Rachel said something similar about her own feelings. She is the best example of solid, reliable TV reporting that I can think of. She took a risk by confronting Phillips head on, and it paid off. Rachel Maddow did her homework and made mincemeat of a very small man with not even a part of a leg to stand on.

She took on the big guys and made a difference.

That's called patriotism.

After seeing that Tee Vee moment, you'd think that most clear-thinking people would avoid AFP like the plague, especially more liberal types. Why, you'd have to be a fool to support a slimy bunch of phony corporate astroturfers like them. Carrying one of their ads would be akin to a slap in the face, to say the least... especially in light of Rachel's heroic efforts.

Wait. I'm sorry, give me a sec. I'm having a WTF Moment:

I took a screen shot of that HuffPo page just minutes ago. See the "bloody red hand" (as Rachel refers to it) on the right? That's an ad for Americans for Prosperity, the very group Tim Phillips represents.

Now, granted, it may be a rotating ad that they have little control over [we at TPC are well aware of unappealing ads displayed here, too], but this is more than a little bit disconcerting startling nauseating.

Dear HuffPo, Any way to dump that despicable eyesore? Love, Laffy.

H/t: baxterblogs

UPDATE: Please go to BuzzFlash for this commentary.

NY TIMES AD: Obama campaign staff for the public option

By GottaLaff

I cobbled this together on my photo program so you could grab a look, but the entire unedited ad can be found here.

(click on image to enlarge)

Anti-Obama speech Craigslist ad for Republican "little people" actors in classrooms

By GottaLaff

Desperation can lead to, well in this case, insanity.

Via Commenter Pigboy, we have something fascinating from the Dep't. of What Have We Here: (bolding is mine)

Found on Craigslist:

"Currently seeking little people...

------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------
Date: 2009-09-04, 2:18AM CDT
Reply to: comm-ccfat-1357804888@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you know in a week Obama will be making a speech to school children. We are currently seeking republican little people to portray school children in hopes of possibly getting our points across. This is a very high pressure situation and we will need excellent actors as well as little people that are capable of portraying school children. There is pay and though hopefully no real exposure, we need to continue expressing an opposing viewpoint. Obama is approaching children in an attempt to avoid exactly what we hope to cause. No violence. No threats, just children with a republican view.

Thanks...

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests"

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/com/1357804888.html

Good freaking lord! Want to see what's there now when you try to link to the page? This:

The best laid plans...

Look who's behind ad blaming Obama/Dems for economy

By GottaLaff

Check out the group (at the end of this post) that is behind the ad that's getting complaints from readers:

A newspaper advertisement blaming President Barack Obama and Democrats for wrecking the economy is receiving complaints from some area readers and raising questions about the organization behind it.

"Barack Obama and the Democrats did not inherit the bad economy; they caused it and made it worse," read the full-page ad, which ran Monday in The Gainesville Sun and last week in the Ocala Star-Banner. The ad also has run in other newspapers nationwide, including the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Salt Lake Tribune.

The ad, a membership plea from the U.S. Citizens Association, alleges that high-profile Democrats caused the subprime mortgage crisis and consequently the recession. It also makes a variety of claims about health care reform, global warming legislation and other liberal policies.

Steven Thames, 31, of Gainesville, said he and three of his family members are canceling their Sun subscriptions as a result of the ad. He questioned both the ad's similar appearance to a news story and the claims it made.

"It's just filled with blatant lies," he said. [...]

The Akron, Ohio-based group behind the ad formed earlier this year under the name the Better Government Association. It changed its name when an 86-year-old Chicago organization with the same name sued.

Calls to the 800 number listed on the ad were received at a call center of InfoCision, an Akron-based telemarketing company. Employees of the center said they did not have a phone number for the U.S. Citizens Association but provided a list of company officials and board members.

The list included Executive Director Lance Davis, a former InfoCision marketing director; Benjamin Suarez, founder of a direct marketing company; and Herschel Gammill and Wayne Maddy, pastors of Ohio churches. A story on the Huffington Post Web site said Ed Rollins, a longtime Republican political consultant who chaired Mike Huckabee's 2008 presidential campaign, also was affiliated with the group.

Some information you might think is worth a look-see:

Benjamin D. Suarez

• Self-made multimillionaire direct mail king (Suarez Corporation Industries (SCI) with a reputation for scorched earth tactics against those who cross him. Extremely litigious. Pursued a case to US Supreme Court and lost. See Newsweek piece.
• Author of 700 page "7 Steps to Financial Freedom: How to Escape the American Rat Race," among others
• This appears on AOL message board on a Suarez memo to employees on Obama, health care reform...

Lance Davis, InfoCision

• Political Division of InfoCision (as of 2007 was Director of Marketing, Political Division) - Telemarketing, fundraising, get out the vote, etc., for conservative groups, causes, candidates and churches

  The Political Division is driven by the current issues and events that shape America’s ideological landscape. The division serves as a full-service political marketing firm for the nation’s most influential political figures and interest groups. We have worked with many of the beltway’s leading conservative organizations, providing the highest quality teleservices for fundraising and grassroots efforts....

• They also have a "Christian Division" "...– experience that includes managing prayer requests and even praying with callers."
• In this 2/15/2007 article in the Non-Profit Times, Davis describes his aggressive scripting tactics
• Lance Davis and InfoCision are credited in the 'Special Thanks' section for several films made by Citizens United with publicity byShirley & Banister Public Affairs - for example the Gingrich film pushing 'Drill Here, Drill Now'
  
• Note the raw credits include Shirley & Banister
  

Who is Shirely & Banister?

• Shirley & Banister - Public Affairs Among others, did PR for John Kerry Swift Boat film and Willie Horton Ad
• As per Rachel Madow, represented Grassfire.org
• Sourcewatch
  

Big h/t: Rachelle Renfrew for her wonderful research

Hey Kids! Getcher Proud Gun-Totin' American Mccain/Palin Keds Shoes!

By GottaLaff

Tired of the same old walking shoes? Feet get pinched by Nikes? Need a new spring in your step? Then these are for you!

(click on images to enlarge)

Today, Keds has a myriad of fun, fresh styles from the classic champion sneaker and sportier sneakers, to ballet flats and wedges. The future for Keds will continue to bring fashionable styles that are stylish and sophisticated and that have innovative advancements in performance, materials and prints.

Nothing says fun and fresh like advertising lethal weaponry on your feet! And who better to associate with stinky sneakers and death than... ? Why, yes! Death Panel Barbie and J Sid, that's who!

H/t: hmbascom

Classified ad calling for Obama's assassination draws law enforcement

By GottaLaff

Yesterday I posted about an ad that was, well, so wrong that it couldn't be any wronger. We've all been waiting for the sequel, and here it is:

An errant classified "personal" ad which appeared in Thursday's Times Observer has drawn the attention of law enforcement officials.

A person from Warren placed the ad, which apparently alludes to the wish that President Obama meet an untimely end by linking him with four assassinated presidents. The ad representative didn't make the connection among the four other presidents mentioned and mistakenly allowed the ad to run.

Where was this person schooled? Wait. Let me rephrase that. Was this person ever schooled?

Upon realizing the mistake early Thursday morning, the ad was immediately discontinued and the identity of the person who placed the ad was turned over to Warren City Police as per newspaper policy. The local police department forwarded the information to federal authorities, as per department policy.

The Times Observer apologizes for the oversight.

Apologies don't explain the ignorance of a newspaper employee. Apologies don't suppress hateful racist messages. Apologies don't keep the president safe.

H/t: Shoq

PA newspaper runs ad calling for assassination of Obama

By GottaLaff

Click on image to enlarge, which is an edited version of this.

Nothing incendiary about this at all... :

The Warren Pennsylvania Times-Observer published an ad today calling for the assassination of President Barack Obama.

See? There's no there there. What's all the fuss about, right Glenn Beck? Boss Limbaugh? Madam's Apple Coulter? et al? Assassination? Pfft! What's that? You just called for the president to fail? Oooohh, well then, much better. Moving on:

The text of the small classified ad reads, “May Obama follow in the footsteps of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy!” There is no other text and it has no attribution. [...]

Keystone Progress called the Times-Observer for comment and got a return call from John T. Elchert, the paper’s publisher. Mr. Elchert was extremely apologetic and wanted to make it clear that the ad did not reflect the paper’s policy.

“It is unfortunate that it made it to press,” said Elchert. “The person who took the ad didn’t recognize the significance of the names. We cancelled the ad and turned the information over to the authorities.” [...]

“Unfortunately, the attitude of the person who placed the ad is too prevalent in Pennsylvania,” said Michael Morrill, the executive director of Keystone Progress. “In the last few days we’ve gotten emails calling the president ‘chimp’ and the n-word after he nominated Judge Sotomayor. It makes it very difficult to organize around issues when the opposition to the president’s policies is so racially charged. ”

The person didn't recognize the significance of the names?

Seriously, the racism in this country is tragic. My snark is simply a way to vent. I'm at a loss here, in disbelief and appalled that this kind of ignorance and prejudice continue to fester in the 21st century.

VIDEO-- Furniture ad transcends race: Genius or insanity?

By GottaLaff

Hilarious:



Insanius? Gensanity?

H/t: Babzter

VIDEO: Ad urges Pawlenty to certify Al Franken

By GottaLaff



Pawlenty: Minnesota's interest? Self interest. Hmmm. Weighing.. weighing...

Try putting America first, Tim. Let your state have its elected senator.

VIDEO-- "No Offense" is offensive: Miss CA's ad for conservative group

By GottaLaff



Hey kids! Miss California's new ad is out, and TPC has it... unfortunately. "Preserve marriage"! "Protect freedom of speech"! "Protect religious liberty"!

Weird: My marriage has survived despite all those crazy same-sex marriages. I'm not sure how Mr. Laffy and I pulled it off, but we did. Teh Gays and their wacky agenda didn't pull the wool over our eyes, nosireebob!

By the way, all those warnings and panicky exclamatory hollerings cost them $1.5 million. That's $1.5 million less for, you know, worthwhile causes.

"Our mission is to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it," the group's executive director Brian Brown said Tuesday. "We want to highlight the very real effects on our liberties and especially on religious organizations, businesses, and individuals." [...]

She is set to join Brown at a press conference Thursday afternoon in Washington for the formal release of the new ad.

In an anticipation of the press conference, the producers and co-executive directors of the Miss California USA pageant issued a statement critical of Prejean's involvement with the National Organization for Marriage. "In the entire history of Miss USA, no reigning title holder has so readily committed her face and voice to a more devisive [sic] or polarizing issue," the statement says. "We are deeply saddened Carrie Prejean has forgotten her platform of the Special Olympics, her committment [sic] to all Californians, and solidified her legacy as one that goes beyond the rights to voice her beliefs and instead reveals her opportunistic Agenda."

Opposite Marriagers sure have their work cut out for them. It's a good thing they have Miss California on their side, or they'd be doomed.

MSNBC has a new sponsor

By GottaLaff

I just saw a brand spanking new advertisement on the Tee Vee Machine.

Newsmax, a conservative media organization, is using scare tactics about terrorism to sell emergency radios and Newsmax magazines on MSNBC.

What next, ads for the Glenn Beck show?

Mindless evening post: 1930s "Douche with Lysol" ad edition

By GottaLaff

Hint: If your husband's indifference results in your douching with Lysol, you've got bigger problems than freshness:

(click to enlarge)

H/t: Wotching

Republicans for Obama: The USA Today ad

By GottaLaff

Suh-weet:

UNCERTAIN TIMES REQUIRE A STEADY HAND

Our country faces enormous challenges – a failed war, a crippling
deficit, and an economy in crisis. We live in uncertain times, and we
need a president with sound judgment and steady leadership.

That’s why millions of Republicans all across our country are rejecting
the divisive politics of the past.

Because we are serious about getting our government's long-term
finances in order, putting our economy back on track, ending the war
in Iraq responsibly, and keeping America safe.

Because Barack Obama is bringing all of us together to reject the Karl
Rove school of wedge politics and fundamentally change the way
Washington works.

Because even though we’re proud to be Republicans, we are Americans first. Now is the time for Americans to stand together. Our country faces
enormous challenges, and we simply cannot afford more of the same.

2,768 doctors demand Gramm-pa McCain's medical records

By GottaLaff

In Comments, someone asked about this ad. Here's my badly pieced together, partial screen shot of the ad in the New York Times:

(click on image to enlarge)

Comedy Central to run funny Obama ad

By GottaLaff


Comedy Central has chosen the above ad by MoveOn.Org to run for a week:

For the first time, Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” with Jon Stewart and “The Colbert Report” will be broadcasting a political advertisement, one promoting Senator Barack Obama.

Tony Fox, a spokesman for Comedy Central, said he did not know why the cable channel had not accepted political advocacy advertising before, but said of the decision to do so now: “Political advertising in an election year is good business.”

He also said that this particular spot, produced by members of MoveOn.org Political Action, the liberal action group, was humorous and would be a good fit with Comedy Central’s young, politically sophisticated audience. It is entitled “It Could Happen to You” and features Rider Strong, the former star of “Boy Meets World,” and Amber Benson of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

MoveOn will spend $150,000 to run it for one week on Comedy Central and MTV, which had not accepted political advertising for more than a decade but reversed that policy a month ago. [...]

MoveOn said its commercial was “in part” a response to an anti-Obama commercial that ran last week on MTV by Let Freedom Ring, a conservative advocacy group. It said it also wants to try to increase turnout among young voters.

“It Could Happen to You” was selected by members of MoveOn.org in a contest for 30-second pro-Obama videos and was voted the funniest. The title refers to the possibility that voters could catch Mr. Obama’s message of hope, making fun of “hope” as if it were a contagious disease.

The spot is to run both nationally and on local cable in Washington, D.C., where political journalists are likely to see it and promote it for free.

Humor is always a great vehicle for communication and for creating a bond. I know that to be true, because I teach comedy. Making people laugh also makes people listen. If I can get talkative hormonal teens with permanently affixed iPods and cell phones to listen, MoveOn should be able to reach a few young voters with a funny 30 second ad. Funny works.