By now I am sure that most of you have seen this video of Elizabeth Warren explaining why successful corporations and businessmen should be willing to pay their fair share of the tax burden.
If you are like me you probably came away from viewing that video with a really good feeling and GREAT admiration for Elizabeth Warren.
Well apparently the Massachusetts GOP is NOT like you and me, because they saw something entirely different in that clip. They saw this:
That is a web video developed by the Massachusetts republicans aimed at demonizing Elizabeth Warren.
Now if you are like me you were probably scratching your head at the "I have thrown rocks" line. And wondering where in the hell THAT came from?
Well thanks to the kind folks at Talking Points Memo, we now know exactly where it came from, and in what context it was said.
Finally, the video cuts back to the “I have thrown rocks” line — adding in the sound effect of a windshield being broken, as if to paint a literal picture.
To be exact, a Nexis search shows that the quote came from an interview on MSNBC with Rachel Maddow, this past July:
MADDOW: When you talk about taking it straight to the Republicans, do you want to be part of that fight in the future?
WARREN: You know, I’m going to be part of that fight one way or another, Rachel. Let me just be clear about this.
I have really done three things in my life, I have taught school, because that’s what I do. I’ve done research around what happens to middle class families and tried to understand that. And I have thrown rocks at people that I think are in the wrong. I’ve done it before, I’ve continued to do it, and I’m going to do it in the future.
Yeah not quite such a violent image in context now is it?
I found myself somewhat amused that the GOP was trying to paint smart, charismatic, charming Elizabeth Warren as a crazed, possibly violent fanatic.
But you know what? Upon further reflection I don't find it amusing at all. In fact I find it very disturbing.
Because if THIS is how they are going to twist the words of such an effective communicator, then what are they willing to do to every other Democrat running for office in 2012?
Thanks to "Citizens United" these wingnuts have piles of money, and obviously NO functioning moral compass. I cannot help but believe that this may be one of the most brutal campaign seasons we have seen in quite some time.
Well I have my warpaint on, how about you guys?
I tried to look at the propaganda video objectively, as if I'd never seen Liz Warren before. Know what? Though she's far more impressive in the original, I still liked her better than anything the Republicans have thrown in our faces.
ReplyDeleteThey tried their damnedest to ruin Warren's wonderful message, but some of it still gets through; enough to make me want to take a further look at this candidate.
(Have to admit that they did give her a little bit of the Bachmann crazy eye)
VHTG
Oh yeah! I think I'm going to email Scott Brown and ask him if he wants to be associated with dirty campaign tactics.
ReplyDeleteT
Here's the link if anyone else from MA wants to express their disgust or disappointment: http://scottbrown.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme
ReplyDeleteT
The shaky camera, the music, the quotes out-of-context...
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine the stuff the left could come up with, if, for example, the same underhanded style were used against, say, Rick Perry or Ron Paul?
But when it comes to Elizabeth Warren, what else have they got?
The woman is smart and well-spoken. They can't really argue against her message - so they go all middle-school, Sarah Palin snotty, scary-BOO!
And there is a segment of our population that tactic will always work on. You see them holding signs like:
"Make Engelish Are Offical Lanaguage"
You bet I do. I live in MA and I want Warren as our Senator to replace centerfold boy. She is such a fresh breath of air - very cerebral - and this is Massachusetts, it is okay to be smart and educated here. We actually value that stuff. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteUgh.
ReplyDeleteI am planning on volunteering for her campaign.
That reminds me of another piece of grossly edited footage which aired recently:
ReplyDeletehttp://m.thegrio.com/news/tv-station-makes-
little-law-abiding-boy-sound-thuggish.php
This along with the Warren issue make me look at the old quote (Cronkite?) in a whole new way- "don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see"
Between things like this and the absolute complicity the MSM has in covering up SP's fake pregnancy and very real exploitation of said pregnancy.. bastards, any of em, all of em.
Gryphen, I live in MA and am volunteering for E.Warren. The GOP and Sen. Scott Brown are getting ready to try to destroy her because they're so afraid of her from the banks and beyond. We can't let the teatards and their corp. backers hang around anymore.
ReplyDeleteThey are ruining our country if they already haven't.
Thanks for covering this.
@Jeanabella
The Obama campaign announced in an email this morning that the president’s reelection effort and the Democratic National Committee raised a combined $70 million in the third quarter of the year:
ReplyDelete— In the third fundraising quarter of this year, 606,027 people donated to this campaign — even more than gave in the record-breaking previous quarter.
— Those people gave more than 766,000 total donations — 98 percent of them $250 or less, at an average amount of $56. That’s more than twice as many donations than we had at this point in the historic 2008 campaign.
— We are focused on building infrastructure that will help us win in 2012. And each quarter we set a combined goal for the campaign and our allies at the Democratic National Committee. We far exceeded our goal of $55 million this quarter between the two organizations. Great work.
— Together, Obama for America and the DNC raised more than $70 million. And it all happened during a summer when the President was focused on doing the job he was elected to do — a summer when we had to cancel a series of fundraising events and ask everyone to dig a little deeper.
The announcement follows an $86 million second quarter for Obama and the DNC, and sets up the president to outraise by far the whole GOP field, combined, in back to back fundraising periods.
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/10/13/morning-20/
Read 'em weep Sarah. While you can just go and 'stir the pot', Barack and Michelle are really the ones doing the cooking.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama, Vice President Biden and First Lady Michelle Obama welcome South Korean President Lee and First Lady Kim to the White House
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/10/13/thursday-18/
The Anchorage Daily News printed an interview of ex-SCOTUS John Paul Stevens on his visit to Princeton recently. He is now 91 years old.
ReplyDeleteIt gave me some comfort to have on of the most liberal (and dissenting) justices in history, not be too alarmed of the make-up of the court. Even against Clarence Thomas, but I don't agree, I think Thomas, if and when he performs at all, always sides with conservative and corporate issues no matter its context to U.S. law.
However, it's important to highlight he talks about incivility amidst your colleagues, not just in the court, but all the bodies of government. We are all grown-ups?
Citizen United is one of the most unconstitutional, in-your-face offenses to the American people, and it should be overturned.
You know, these guys can just go to hell. Country First? I don't think so. They only want a narrowly defined America that excludes more than half the country.
ReplyDeleteYes, I will try to be ready. I wish I had piles of money to donate, but thanks to the Bush-Cheney fiasco, I don't. I will be living on Social Security and that's it. Considering I didn't work much as a stay-at-home mom, that's pretty scary.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I won't give up. I will volunteer and do what I can to make a positive difference because what we are talking about here is the survival of the middle class and sustaining the poor. We cannot allow this country to die - which it will if only the wealthy thrive.
I urge us all to join Gryphen in making sure that Democrats win at every level possible because our future literally depends upon it.
I certainly do not want the people developing and adhering to GOP/TP/Libertarian lies to win. Imagine the horrors ahead of us if they do. It will make the eight years of Bush-Cheney look like a holiday.
That's the best they've got on Elizabeth Warren? Shit, some cheesy video effects and obviously ridiculous editing isn't going to make a difference. We as a society have become so very desensitized to that kind of production manipulation. I think the ad actually makes Warren look tough - willing to take on the monied interests who've been gaming the system for decades now.
ReplyDeleteBut, yeah, you're right Gryphen. This is going to be an extremely tumultuous election cycle with every dirty trick in the book being widely employed - or already in use i.e. slowing economic recovery. The lack of a "moral compass" on the right and their desire to gain power at any cost will bring out their neo-fascist tendencies in spades.
I will say one thing - if it becomes obvious that any of the 2012 elections were rigged there will probably be serious repercussions. There's already been an air of discontent with our government for a while now. Occupy protests are gaining momentum (in which direction I'm not sure) and people have been encouraged by positive results from other protests worldwide.
I think Elizabeth Warren may be the greatest thing since water. And this video is now one of my favorites ever.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Warren Announces Her Bid for Senate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu61aU4N8mM&feature=
Laughingstock Sarah. You will NEVER get close to a State Dinner and the serious task of diplomacy and honor. However, BARACK and MICHELLE will make us proud, yet again, while you fiddle with insanity.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama welcomes President Lee Myung-bak and First Lady Kim Yoon-ok of the Republic of Korea
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/president-obama-welcomes-president-lee-myung-bak-and-first-lady-kim-yoon-ok-republic-korea
O/T 'Herb' Cain gets taken to task:
ReplyDeleteI had a right to know where he stood...
But he didn't. He didn't march. He didn't sit-in. He didn't test. He didn't want to get involved, because frankly, it was probably more important to him to ingratiate himself to his white oppressors. I'm sorry to come off sounding like a member of the Black Panther Party, but we see people like Mr. Cain all the time in the African-American community. The ones who think they're better than the rest of us, smarter, and the only ones fit to lead, the only ones fit to be heard from.
OMG! The GOP is distorting the truth.
ReplyDeleteCue Claude Rains.
Scott Brown's Website Caught Plagiarizing From Liddy Dole
ReplyDeleteA Democratic group has unearthed a bit of inspirational autobiography on Senator Scott Brown’s official website that was lifted verbatim from Elizabeth Dole’s site, language that originated in a campaign speech.
In a message to students, the Massachusetts senator uses the exact words as remarks delivered by the former North Carolina senator at her campaign kickoff in 2002.
Brown’s staff acknowledged yesterday the words originally were Dole’s and said their presence in Brown’s message was the result of a technical error.
“I was raised to believe that there are no limits to individual achievement and no excuses to justify indifference,” said the message from Brown, which was removed later yesterday. “From an early age, I was taught that success is measured not in material accumulations, but in service to others. I was encouraged to join causes larger than myself, to pursue positive change through a sense of mission, and to stand up for what I believe.”
Aside from the omission of an opening line -- “I am Mary and John Hanford’s daughter” -- in Dole’s speech, the Bay State Republican’s language is the same throughout.
The matching language was disclosed by American Bridge 21st Century, a liberal “super PAC” that’s been scouring Republicans’ records ahead of next year’s elections.
“This kind of plagiarism makes me wonder how many things about Scott Brown are really genuine,” said Rodell Mollineau, president of American Bridge 21st Century.
He added: “The fact that he can’t come up with a personal values statement of his own, that he has to steal someone else’s, I think is very instructive of what kind of politician he is.”
Brown spokesman John Donnelly said the language was attributed to Brown in error, while his staff was creating the senator’s website.
“Senator Dole’s website served as one of the models for Senator Brown’s website when he first took office. During construction of the site, the content on this particular page was inadvertently transferred without being rewritten,” Donnelly said. “It was a staff level oversight which we regret and is being corrected.”
Dole, a one-term former senator who also served as US secretary of labor and is married to 1996 Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, did not immediately return a request for comment.
Dole’s speech, which is available in its full length in the book “Elizabeth Hanford Dole: Speaking from the Heart,” was also covered by various news outlets at the time. An Associated Press article from Feb. 23, 2002, quotes part of the language in question, saying Dole tried to demonstrate to the crowd in Salisbury, N.C., that “she never abandoned her small-town roots during the years she worked in Washington.”
Oddly enough, some of Brown’s material was recently the object of plagiarism in June 2010 by a Tea Party Republican congressional candidate in North Carolina. William Randall was accused of lifting policy positions from Brown’s campaign website for use of his own.
Randall ultimately acknowledged that the material had “found its way” onto his website, and he dismissed the campaign volunteer responsible for it.
http://www.boston.com/Boston/politicalintelligence/2011/10/scott-brown-web-message-mirrors-elizabeth-dole-speech/86ZX3F3iZbJKdsoTL5vguN/index.html
Not looking forward to the upcoming and inescapable round of sleazy political attack ads.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason to watch PBS.
~Canuck~
Well, doctoring videos to make the opposition look bad is really the only recourse the rightwingers have, considering how cruel their ideology is today. Here in North Carolina, they ran ads against a longtime state legislator who was a mom and pillar of the community. They portrayed her as a prostitute, putting on lipstick and grabbing a handful of hundred dollar bills before heading out the door in a sexy outfit. (They used an actress, obviously.)
ReplyDeleteThese people are lowlifes, period. Oh, and a rich libertarian named Art Pope funded the ads. In fact, he pretty much was one of the primary financiers of the 2010 elections in North Carolina. The head of the North Carolina Democratic Party aptly noted: "We are all prisoners of Art Pope's libertarian fantasies."
I do want to add to my above comments that while I agree the demonization of Elizabeth Warren is disgusting, she shouldn't have made that low blow against Scott Brown regarding his posing nude or semi-nude a long time ago. Yes, he responded with an equally crass comment, but I WAS disappointed that she even went there to begin with. She's better than that.
ReplyDeletegame on. when elizabeth warren speaks about the economy - she is crystal clear and her compassion for everyone shines through. saw her speak last year and was immediately taken by her intelligence and energy.
ReplyDeleteNow THIS is what I'm talkin' about! Whoo hoo!
ReplyDeleteObama Raises More Than $70 Million In Third Quarter For 2012 Campaign, Democratic Party
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/13/obama-fundraising-2012-dnc_n_1008589.html
Obama Raises More Than $70 Million
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/10/13/us/politics/AP-US-Obama-Fundraising.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
Thank you to all who are engaging themselves directly with these efforts. It is enormously important. If we fail to hold the White House and give President Obama a workable Congress we are screwed. We all can play an important role. And I for one refuse to get rolled over.
ReplyDeleteRep John Conyers and Rep Donna Edwards have penned legislation to over turn Citizens United through a constitutional amendment. Please call and write them to show your support. Call and write your Congressional representatives, including leadership to show support for the contents of the AJA. Voter suppression is another very important issue, get famaliar with what is going in your states...especially those with 'red' administrations....help to inform and register voters....
Please do whatever you can, this is about US, collectively, the 99% that is being rallied to stand up, join together, to be recognized and served.
SHF
OMG. Gryphen you have got to see the video/story Nyah posted upthread. I know I should not be surprised by anything from a media machine that covers a faked birth from a crazy person but this is just unbelievable. I am in shock a news editing team, producer(s), and any others who are involved with editing the news would take advantage of a small child in this way for paltry ratings and sensationalism. UGH.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:32
ReplyDeleteYou go girl! I know what you're saying. I did work for some of the years, so I have a small pension. We saved all the money we could, but it has been in the stock market. We lost 40% in the dotcom bust, haven't regained it in 11 years. So we work for the community and against those who would steal our grandkids' future. Watch the attempts to split the older Americans off. (we won't touch social security for those receiving it.) We vote and they know it. What they don't seem to realize; we care about our Grandkids' future and will fight for that too.
I'm jealous of Massachusetts. I wish we had such a great candidate.
ReplyDelete"I cannot help but believe that this may be one of the most brutal campaign seasons we have seen in quite some time."
ReplyDeleteI have said that ever since the 2000 election. Each and every year thereafter, the election cycle is getting worse and worse, sinking to new lows I never envisioned our country would be able to sink to. But it always happens.
I am glad we don't have a TV anymore, so, at least in that sense, I do not have to be inundated by this excrement. Now I only am exposed to it voluntarily on the Net when I try to educate myself about a candidate, or through flyers in the mail - which go immediately into the trash w/o me even looking at it.
Someone mentioned election fraud in the comments...
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of DIEBOLD - I don't understand why the Dems did not IMMEDIATELY attack that issue when they got in in 2008. Now it has been proven that the issues still exist, and that you only have to have a $10 gadget to fake the votes either-which-way. Bradblog has been on it since 2000, and I have emailed my reps over and over re. this issue, but NOTHING is getting done.
Why are the Dems such WIMPS??? It is very, very frustrating to me, and I do not know what else to do in order to wake them up and smell the sh*t that the teapublicans are heaping on out there.
Everybody here gloating that President Obama raised $70M last quarter...
ReplyDeleteJust remember, that the Dems are (more or less) playing fair, but the teapblicans are NOT - they have their super-PACs, and they have Citizens United, where they and corporations can give UNLIMITED $$$ w/o being challenged, and w/o having to disclose their sources.
IOW, the Dems are playing ball, while the other side is using ball machines.
Me, too. Elizabeth - I'd move to MA just so I could vote for Warren. I will have to stay in VT and vote Sanders, Leahy, and Welch. I'd also like to be a Floridian long to vote for Grayson - if he would run!
ReplyDeleteThese kinds of dollars, raised for any sort of political campaign make me ill. We're talking BILLIONS of dollars and for what, an election, when people are suffering in this country.
ReplyDeleteIt's just sick, all of this campaign money. If everyone took that money and put it to the local food bank we'd be better off as a country. The amount of money given to candidates is simply gross.
I vote, that's all I need to do. Forget your pleas for dollars.
They're desperate, sick people. She's taken a lot of abuse from her apponent because she's female, never posed nude, she's smart and outspoken.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth has a knack for putting the complex in simple terms, for uniting people and for showing grace and compassion for her constituents. I wish she were in my state, I'd love to cast my vote for her vs anyone in the GOP.
Brown went to elite colleges, had a lot of breaks along the way, and is as stupid as they come. What he did to his daughters in his acceptance speech shows his true colors.
The GOP has nothing left, so brace yourselves for more attact ads and lies, but they'll backfire.
That's why their in-the-bag billionaires matter. They can churn out these adds endlessly.
ReplyDelete