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Politics : Err America: They Report, They Decide -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Alan Smithee who wrote (1236)	2/14/2008 4:13:10 PM
From: Bill	Respond to of 1513

Air America’s Radio Rancor By Tobin Harshaw February 8, 2008, 1:14 pm “Apparently unable to learn from past mistakes, or just too unhinged to know better, Air America Radio host Randi Rhodes has aired another psychotic ‘parody’ skit,’ ” reports the right-leaning watchdog site Radio Equalizer. “This time, the faux ad, supposedly for Mitt Romney, says his supporters will commit mass killings if John McCain becomes the nominee.” Indeed, here is a sample of the script: ANNOUNCER: The following is a paid advertisement from Republicans for Mitt Romney, or mass suicide. If John McCain is the Republican Presidential nominee, it will destroy the Republican Party. We’re Romney supporters and we know. Cause, if you vote for John McCain, we’re going to go on a killing rampage. Hey, better dead then moderate.” REPUBLICAN CHARACTER VOICE: “Look, I for one don’t want to die in a hail of gun fire from crazed Mitt Romney supporters, but it’s better then nominating a man who opposed the Bush tax cuts. Hell, John McCain spent years in a North Vietnamese prison. A prison? That doesn’t make him a hero. That makes him an ex-con.” “More hate speech from Air America,” writes John Hinderaker, one of the right-wing stalwarts at Power Line. “It’s entertaining to contemplate what would happen if conservative talk radio engaged in the same kind of “humor” about Barack Obama. Of course, that would never happen. Conservatives just don’t know how to hate like liberals.” “It’s phony outrage time on the right again,” retorts Steve M. at the lefty site No More Mr. Nice Blog. “It’s funny because it’s true. It’s not attacking anyone on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. It’s not playing on any stereotype whatsoever. Many people on the right really do think a McCain nomination is the Apocalypse. Sorry, kids, we’re watching your hysteria level, and this is your logical next step.” Ann Althouse has a more sober take: It’s not very funny, but I understand why it’s supposed to be funny. Rush Limbaugh and others have been over-the-top these past few weeks exaggerating how terrible John McCain supposedly is. How do you parody something that already feels like a parody? The idea they went with lamely was that McCain’s opponents would go completely insane, and the stereotypical thing completely insane people do is go on a killing rampage. The writers could have brainstormed a little longer and come up with something more creative, but this is what they cranked out. Does it outrage you? I’m sure Randi’s happy if it does, so why don’t you join me in saying that this is just embarrassingly badly done comedy? Well, that’s certainly not the way in which Rhodes intended to offend. opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com