Summing up the conservative whine about the Tucson event

[ProSense]

THE RIGHT FINDS THE STRANGEST THINGS TO WHINE ABOUT....

Conservative reactions to Wednesday's memorial service in Tucson have been a little haphazard. They're trying to complain about something, but they're having trouble picking a coherent flaw.

The first complaint had to do with the crowd, but realizing there's no upside to condemning a grieving community, this talking point soon faded. The second had to do with accusing President Obama of lying about the way in which Gabrielle Giffords opened her eyes. These complaints were as demonstrably false as they were ugly.

The latest complaint is that event organizers gave the memorial a name -- "Together We Thrive" -- and distributed T-shirts to attendees.

As absurd as this may sound, the right really was worked up about this, blasting "Team Obama" for handing out branded shirts at a "Pep Rally Memorial." Malkin complained, "Can't the Democrat political stage managers give it a break just once?" Drudge, predictably, pushed this, too.

The problem, of course, is that those doing the whining had no idea what they're talking about.

(O)fficials at the University of Arizona said the White House had nothing to do with the name or the logo.

"The name of the event and the logo for the event were done entirely by the university," said Johnny Cruz, a spokesman for the University of Arizona. "Branding of the event was not done in consultation with the White House, or any elected officials or political organization."

The T-shirts were also the university's doing, Cruz said.

"That was the university's idea," he said. "We wanted to give people something to remember, to symbolize the community spirit."

<...>

This is a conservative classic. First, present a baseless, classless allegation. Second, run into facts that prove the allegation wrong. Third, pretend the allegation is correct anyway. Malin's follow-up, in effect, is, "Oh yeah? Well, I have no proof, but I prefer to think I'm still right."

Aspects of the event that has attracted criticism:

T-Shirts
Applause
Not enough mourning (said the people watching it on TV)
Native American blessing
Reading from the bible
The audience
Report that Gabby opened her eyes
Obama was there
It was held in Tucson
Arizona, WTF?

Did I miss anything?

[JoePhilly]

1. The right wing thinks that the only proper way to memorialize this tragedy ...

Is by dropping the corporate tax rate and the estate tax to zero, followed by repealing health care.

Any other behavior would be anti--American, and will kill jobs, and grandma.

[Tippy]

7. You forgot one......Running out to empty the shelvs of Gun Magazines...

[DCKit]

2. All of the local, DC TV news anchors (Fox included) made a point of explaining, in detail...

the "eye opening" incident, destroying the credibility of the MSM noise machine.

They are surrounded, and they know it.

[brewens]

3. I just hope it doesn't turn out like the "Mission Accomplished" banner.

If it turns out the name, logo and shirts were the doing of the Whitehouse I will be pissed. If the university had the idea and bounced it off someone in the administration to see if that would be alright with them, no problem.

[phleshdef]

6. Are you able to read? The OP explains this thoroughly.

There is no chance of it turning out that the WH had anything to do with it. There is no fucking "if".

[rfranklin]

4. Mission accomplished! Right wingnuts in a frenzy!

didn't they realize that the audtiorium was turned into the sunset just for Obama?

[FSogol]

5. The T-shirts were........Blue!

:cry: :cry:

[Tippy]

8. They tried anything and everything to BLAME..Obama.

But this is a no brainer.....The audience...made up mostly for college students...I do enjoy watching them make fools of themselves.....

I like the one about the Obama miracle...I think there was a miracle, but jeesh one would have thought they could have given credit to God for this one. Are they imploding?

[Kweli4Real]

9. And now ...

the outrage filling the Arizona Daily Star's On-line Comment Board is They used State moneys to pay for the Tee-shirts ...

But of course, and you probably already guessed it, that line of argumentation simply isn't true. The Tee Shirts idea was proposed, voted on and overwhelming approved by the University's student government AND they were paid for by the University's Associated Student Government's activity fee fund that all student's pay and the student government body, by charter, has exclusive control over ... NO PUBLIC MONEY WAS USED.

The idea of Democracy must really disturb the right.

[ladywnch]

10. they're upset because there was no hate speak being reported.

Jebus wasn't mentioned enough
People were unified in a peaceful gathering
And there was respect

All things tea bagging rethugs hate!

of course they're upset