Pundits seem to be slowly coming to consensus that parade was PR disaster

[bobweaver]

Sorry I can't provide quotes, but George Will, George Stephanopolous, Michael Beschloss, Terry Moran, and Peter Jennings, all of which appeard on World News Tonight, were unenthusiastic and made even derogatory remarks about the parade, surprisingly George Will, one of the RW's treasured apologists, giving the sharpest criticism. Bet the Repubs are all wishing now they had canceled the parade due to the cold weather...

[beam me up scottie]

1. I shot my tv, did they act surprised?

please tell me more...

[bobweaver]

5. No, they didn't seem surprised. I wish I could provide a transcript, but..

...the overall tone of "World News Tonight" was not a flattering picture of Inauguration Day. It could just be because of the producers of that particular broadcast, or Jenning's personal views.

[blm]

9. Or it could be that Bush set the unflattering tone of self-glorification

at a premium cost and some are embarassed and offended by it when we're a nation steeped in deficits and the blood of many, thanks to the egotistical dictatortot.

[sendero]

43. dictatortot?

DIC-TATOR-TOT?

Thanks for the first LOL of the day. That is just priceless.

[Occulus]

56. I'll second that n/t

[earth mom]

59. LMAO-I LOVE IT! n/t

[mountainvue]

24. CNN was slamming Rice

pretty hard today. They showed a photograph that made her look positvely evil. I was shocked.

[librechik]

2. They look like the Beverly Hillbillies, with less class

Junior looks like he's hopped up on something; Laura's botox treatment seems to have frozen her whole face in a ghastly grin. She looks exactly like Jack Nicholson in The Joker, right down to the clown outfit.

What a disastrous spectacle--why are the Clintons there? They must feel like Christians in the lion's den.

Horrific and embarrassing.

[roguevalley]

8. its courtesy and practice to invite living Presidents to come.

[Chovexani]

27. Now that's not fair

Ma and Pa Clampett raised their brood right.

[sendero]

44. No sh*t :)

I'd rather have Buddy Ebsen or Irene Ryan running the country than W any day.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

53. Actually...

Buddy Ebson was a right-winger. You may recall that Nancy Culp (who played Miss Jane Hathaway in the series) ran for Congress in her home district in Pennsylvania in 1984. She lost, in part because Buddy Ebsen made campaign commercials bashing Culp as "too liberal" to be in Congress. The two did not speak for years afterward.

[lovuian]

3. The Parade was a Charade and yes a PR disaster

Whoever designed the Protest really outwitted the Police... It was Awesome!!!

[JohnOneillsMemory]

4. A slight distancing from the plummeting poll numbers and bad ratings.

The neo-con polling numbers are plummeting and the propaganda industry is losing its ratings right along with them.

Despite full-immersion in Official Sanctified Bullshit, more and more Americans are realizing the scam.

This canoe is tipping. And we are gonna get wet.

[Shopaholic]

6. Bob Schieffer tonight on CBS Evening News that

he'd never seen that organized a protest at an inaguration, not even during Vietnam.

[beam me up scottie]

10. Excellent. There goes the radical stoned-hippie image.

[annabanana]

15. best news out of CBS so far todoay......

Their coverage of the parade was, ah, NOT coverage.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. Than our side knows what they're doing then!!!

Thanks for the compliement Bob!!!

[mountainvue]

25. Sweeeet. n/t

[Be Brave]

35. And the man has been around. n/t

[itzamirakul]

42. In a few weeks you will see the DNC/DLC try

to take credit for the protests, too.

They should be ashamed to raise their heads.

[Ms_Mary]

55. I didn't get to see any of the coverage yesterday, any good links?

[Ian David]

7. "I didn't find it appropriate to spend the $ while we were at war"

That would have worked wonders.

One of the pundits on MSNBC was saying that Dems and Repugs agree in equal numbers that he was wasting money that should have been spent on the troops.

Did you know that Lincoln used his inauguration to raise money for the orphaned children of the civil war?

[beam me up scottie]

11. I didn't know that.

But it doesn't surprise me. I wish one of the guests would stand up and present that factoid along with a question asking how exactly *'s inauguration was benefiting the less fortunate?

[itzamirakul]

45. We must remember that the inauguration ceremonies are lavish

because they celebrate "the office" not the man.

Yeah...right....
<end darcasm>

[TahitiNut]

37. Lincoln also shook hands with 6,000 people ... in 1865.

His second inaugural address is regarded as one of the best speeches of all time.

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, ...let us strive on to finish the work we are in, ...to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, Mar. 4, 1865, 16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

Chimpy McFascist intends exactly the opposite!

[AgadorSparticus]

34. god i hope you are right. i believe their shit propaganda is exceeding

its shelflife.

[sendero]

46. I truly believe...

... that at some point, when Americans as a whole (all except the 30% idiot contingent, you can't help them) realize that something is just not right. The media that continues to trumpet about the wisdom and valor of our glorious leader loses credibility every time they open their mouths.

We are very close to that point right now, maybe even there.

[uppityperson]

12. wasted $, no mandate, no freedom, tanks

The coronation took too much $$ that could've been better spent elsewhere, esp while USA is at war and there are huge natural disaster happening recently. Protestors behind 6 ft chainlink fence and along route laying false the "mandate" and majority of USAians love bush claims. Bringing freedom to the world while locking protestors behind fences out of *s view. And the cavalcade of huge limos looking like tanks with flashing lights and armed guards and secret service people in black all over shows president is afraid of his people and sends recognition of "banana republics" coronation parades. "Maybe they shouldn't do this slow drive, but go at 30 mph and get on with the parade" sort of thing.

[beam me up scottie]

19. At the very least, they could have insisted that all contributions

towards the parties be matched by an identical amount donated to the service men and women and their families.

[bobbieinok]

13. predict RW reaction.. liberal media..liberals/dems 'hate America'

[Ms Chicklet]

29. Some comment from the sheeple

Democrats just whine over inauguration costs

To the Editor:

Don't you just love it? The left, squawking about the money spent on the Inauguration, private money at that, because there is so much need in the world. A couple of questions:

If it were a Democratic inauguration or a well-known Democratic family, would the squawking be as vehement?

Do we hear any squawking over the millions spent in Hollywood on the Golden Globes hoopla, when that money could have been used for world relief?

When will folks get over this red and blue silliness, and start to pull together for the good of the country? Now we wear bracelets to divide us into groups. Two words . . . grow up!

Jen E. Ochsner

North Syracuse

America has earned inauguration celebration

To the Editor:

This is in response to Carolyn A. DeRosa's letter about canceling the inaugural balls. This nation has given millions in aid to the tsunami victims, and before long, that number will have risen to the billions. Even our war with Iraq was a war to help liberate the people who for years have been beaten and battered by the reign of Saddam Hussein.

This country gives of itself every day, and for many people around the world, we're still the same country of hope and opportunity that we were years ago when our grandparents and great-grandparents immigrated here. So of course we have something to celebrate. Life goes on! It's much too short, so enjoy it. What benefit would come from canceling the balls, besides laying more depression on those who so looked forward to it? Any sort of light amongst the darkness is welcome.

AnnMarie Leo

Syracuse

[htuttle]

64. "What if it were a Democrat?"

Those idiots can ask that question the next time a Democratic president gets us bogged down in an unwinnable, unjustifiable war and then decides to hold a lavish coronation.

Until that happens, those ignorant fucks have no right to ask, "What if it were a Democrat?", since IT'S NOT! IT'S BUSH!

:eyes:

[bobthedrummer]

14. It wasn't the leader of the free world surrounded by all that "security"

fuck him.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

16. Let's be honest here....

the floats??? :wtf: was that? Since when did an Inaugaral Parade have floats? Yes, it looked more like a Homecoming/Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Also, the guards literally covered every inch of sidewalk and the spectators couldn't even see the parade(not that this was a bad thing).

Next we had the protesters in "cages"? :wtf: is that all about? "Freedom of Speech" applies only to some I see.

Finnally, it was SHAMEFUL of Mr. Bush to have such a lavish celebration at a time of war and with all of these massive deficits, it's getting expensive to pay for anything. That 40 million could have been used to buy FULLY armored Humvee's for the troops!

How could anyone defend that sham???

[Chovexani]

26. It didn't look like the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

It looked like some kind of Podunk Idaho state fair on wheels. Brought to you by Wal-Mart.

Seriously that was just the cheesiest, tackiest thing I've ever seen in my life. It would have been funny as hell had it not a) cost an ungodly amount of money (where did it go, though? dressing those lame ass Scarlett O'Hara wannabes?) or b) embarrassed the hell out of us in the eyes of the civilized world.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

31. Let me clarify....

what I am saying is that this looked like a Parade, NOT an Inaugeration of the President of the U.S.A!

[itzamirakul]

48. What did the KKK wear this time?

I didn't watch any of the inaugural bs so I am dependent on the descriptions I get on DU and other boards.

I know the KKK was there in full force - just wondering how they disguised themselves this time.

[paulk]

17. George Will said it reminded him of a banana republic inauguration

hmmmm....

:think:

[propagandafreegal]

49. Really? OMG! LOL!!! nm

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Love to read some quotes

---------------------------------------------------------
"We the people" have no voice in the USA!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm#why

[NYC]

22. George Will phrases:

military operation*
unworthy
not attractive
banana republic

*Geo. Will said something about looking like there must be a "restive tank" brigade around the corner, or something like that.

He also said that if they were going to do it this way, they "should just get in the car and drive 30 miles an hour".

Someone else compared the "announcer" to the World Wrestling Federation. Someone else mentioned a "George Orwell novel".

It was really enjoyable to watch.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

32. This is a serious time. The journalists, the few that are left....

that have one shred of truth in them will be critical of Bushitler.

[tabasco]

67. Will's a shill.

Helps put the profiteers in office, then criticizes.

Even Fox News put pictures of soldier's coffins on the air AFTER the election. These people are cunning and unprincipled. The same people we have been fighting for centuries .... fascists and monarchists.

[Kansas Wyatt]

21. So pleasant to see four rows of policemen,

Patrolmen on horse back, black SUVs on each side of the Presidential limo, and SS swarmed around the limo, just to stay in between Bush and the American people. Of course that is not including the swat teams, special forces, snipers, fences, mace hoses, and who knows what else the fascist regime had up it's sleeve.

Is this the "freedom" Bush was projecting to the rest of the World?

[adigal]

69. Bushie HATES the American people

thus, he hates America. He was so scared walking that 200 feet, even though is was in a ticketed, "scrubbed" area. His eyes were darting back and forth and he was tense.

I think the security was to keep the American PEOPLE away from Bush.

[mountainvue]

23. I didn't watch the parade. I guess he didn't get out of the car

again. Ha. How bad was it?

[shadowknows69]

30. he did get out and walk.

I'm sure it was in a very friendly area though.

[mountainvue]

33. He did? I'm shocked. n/t

[seabeyond]

36. walked in front of ticket buying fans

from what i understand. i didnt watch either. he sped thru the protests and then once he was inside the area of his supporters they walk some. 100 yards, 500, a block, dont know heard different amounts. then in relief got back in and drove the rest of the way

chicken shit that he is

[shadowknows69]

38. if you didn't watch. you probably shouldn't say sh*t

"...and I'll know my song well before I start singing"
-Bob Dylan


Information is power. The best way to fight the enemy is to know the enemy.

[seabeyond]

57. lol lol lol and am i wrong or right

i did read the accounting. i only get to see to know the truth? and the seeing, is that the presented truth by whom? the owned media? so i see bush walking in front of people and not told just ticketed people by media, what i am seeing is a non truth and what i read is a truth. you want me to only buy the nontruth. goodness if that isnt classic bushco of the last 4 years. sorry, nope not my choice.

[cry baby]

41. You're right , Seabeyond, he did speed a lotup thru the protesters

I think you described him perfectly!:hi:

[seabeyond]

58. thank you crybaby, i felt i was pretty accurate

or i wouldnt have posted, or.........i could by the lie of the media because i "saw" it (refering to post above)

[shadowknows69]

60. alright chill guys

I'm not the enemy I promise. I was just trying to make a point that some of our attitudes about not watching the enemy's propaganda is not necessarily a good thing. I did word it badly. I'm sorry. No harm no foul I hope.

[cry baby]

70. You're not an enemy for sure, you're an ally...just remember that

Seabeyond is an ally, too. We really need to be as "together" as possible. I understand that it's been a rough couple of months and yesterday was particularly hard. :eyes:

[seabeyond]

71. No harm no foul I hope

wink

:toast:

[htuttle]

66. He waited until he was safely inside the Green Zone to do that

[Shopaholic]

28. Aaron Brown on CNN actually doing a thoughtful program on

the vast issues facing * and the overwhelming problems facing this country. It's not the repuke love fest I thought it would be, that's for sure.

[Dawgs]

40. Just ask yourself...

Could you picture Jesus doing anything close to something like this.

The problem is Bush and his followers really don't care. They think of Bush as the new Jesus.

[Bridget Burke]

50. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey...

And was greeted with waving palm fronds.

Of course, within a week his popularity had declined considerably.

[ObaMania]

39. Yeah, I think even Judy Woodwhore told Leslie...

Blitzer that the bleachers seemed to empty out during the parade. 'Course Leslie said that's normal and that it was a long, cold day.

[Shopaholic]

47. Sadly, neither of the two newspapers I subscribe to had very

little coverage on the protests--just a paragraph each in both papers, despite PAGES of coverage on the coronation in both. Then again, that's what I get for living in a mindless, soul-less blue state!

[Tracer]

51. Compare the parades ...

... last night on C-Span, I caught a bit of Kennedy's inaugural parade.

What a difference! The streets were lined with people, there were NO barriers in front of the viewers, it looked like there was a policeman at the street intersections, but NOWHERE else.

What have we lost.

[charlie]

52. Carter walked the entire parade route

Yes, we've changed into something barely recognizable. What a crying shame.

[LibDemAlways]

62. What a class act Kennedy was.

Poetry by Robert Frost. An inspiring inaugural address that sought to bring out the best in Americans. Cheering crowds.

I can't believe that in my lifetime, I'm fifty-something, it's degenerated to the point where we're stuck with a WH resident who is a cross between Jethro Clampett and Sonny Corleone.

[MsTryska]

54. Question about previous Inuagural Parades?

did they always dress up the Capitol to look like some sort of dictatorial edifice?




all those flags and banners really made me feel ambivalent and uncomfortable for some reason. I can't quite put my finger on it but....just scary. like something from The Wall by Pink Floyd.


i expected to see hammers marching past it.

[Stirk]

61. I listened to Sean Hannity yesterday... and it was actually funny.

There were Republicans calling and questioning why all this money was being spent on a self-glorifying parade when the troops don't have enough armor. They did it in this very, "I don't mean to question President Christ, but..." way, but they did it nonetheless.

Hannity looked like even more of an ass-kissing whore than usual. He said, "Is it about money? Does the money matter?", and his callers were obviously annoyed. He said 'our President is the most valuable terrorist target in the world- nothing is too much to pay for his security'.

Pathetic. I do think they turned alot of people off with this thing. I don't really know why they did it. Was it just glorify the leader, as authoritarian regimes tend to do? Or was it a big "fuck you" to the left? I could believe either.

[LibDemAlways]

65. I'll bet the ass would have railed against

spending a damn dime for Clinton's security. Interesting that some of the Hannity listeners (and you have to figure they are a 10 on the freeper wingnut scale) are openly starting to question the BFEE. Maybe they are starting to realize the kool-aid doesn't taste too good.

[DrGonzoLives]

63. George Will on ABC News

Basically said that the parade resembled something seen in a banana republic where the fear is of a rogue tank brigade on the edge of town.

[joni in ok]

68. Fascism in America

Truly is a sign of the Regime in power and the direction they're taking our country.
It's up to US to take it back!