Required Reading

Litbrit give the teabaggers a time out.

The Rude Pundit takes issue with Bill Donahue's indefensible defense of the Catholic Church's cover up of priest's that committed child rape.

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board calls the Marco Rubio speakership era "scamalot."

Joe the Plumber said he was done supporting John McCain and Sarah Palin. Joe charged his mind after his 15 minutes of fame was up. Joe is in Arizona with Sarah Palin. They are stumping for McCain. Why not, Palin and the uncertified Plumber did such a bang-up job getting McCain elected in 2008.

How Is the New Faith-based Different From the Old?

Religious bully and hatemonger Bill Donahue strikes at Barack Obama.

“If a customer walked into a New York deli and said, ‘Let me have a hot dog on a roll—hold the frankfurter’—he’d likely be thrown out. That’s what the public should do to Obama’s faith-based initiative: since he wants to gut the faith from his faith-based programs, he should be told to junk it.

“Any church or religious agency that agrees to take federal money on the condition that it must operate in a secular fashion—in hiring and in disseminating its values—is selling out. If Orthodox Jews running a day care center are not allowed to exclusively hire Orthodox Jews, there is nothing kosher about it. If a Catholic foster care program cannot place Catholic children with Catholic parents, it is doing a disservice to the children. If an evangelical drug rehab program can’t deliver a Christian message to its clients, it may as well close up shop. But that’s what Obama wants—he wants to secularize the religious workplace.

Under Bush, religious institutions were not allowed to use federal money to indoctrine people in their faith.

They may not use direct government funds to support inherently religious activities such as prayer, worship, religious instruction, or proselytization.

Any inherently religious activities that the organizations may offer must be offered separately in time or location from services that receive federal assistance.

FBOs cannot discriminate on the basis of religion when providing services.

That doesn't mean I don't think it's a waste of money. Christian leader Jim Wallis concluded that Bush's faith-based initiatives were a failure. Does Obama actually believe he can succeed where Bush failed? Hell if I know.

Why Cable News Has Moron Panelists

It is fascinating to watch repulsive wingnuts Christopher Hitchens and Bill Donahue fight. Both always believe they are right. The former is an atheist and the latter a Catholic. Both are intolerant hatemongers.

Hitchens

The discovery of the carcass of Jerry Falwell on the floor of an obscure office in Virginia has almost zero significance, except perhaps for two categories of the species labeled "credulous idiot." The first such category consists of those who expected Falwell (and themselves) to be bodily raptured out of the biosphere and assumed into the heavens, leaving pilotless planes and driverless trucks and taxis to crash with their innocent victims as collateral damage. This group is so stupid and uncultured that it may perhaps be forgiven. It is so far "left behind" that almost its only pleasure is to gloat at the idea of others being abandoned in the same condition.

Donahue

Who really cares what Hollywood thinks? All these hacks come out there. Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. It‘s not a secret, OK? And I‘m not afraid to say it. That‘s why they hate this movie. It‘s about Jesus Christ, and it‘s about truth. It‘s about the messiah.

Hollywood likes anal sex. They like to see the public square without nativity scenes. I like families. I like children. They like abortions. I believe in traditional values and restraint. They believe in libertinism. We have nothing in common. But you know what? The culture war has been ongoing for a long time. Their side has lost.

You have got secular Jews. You have got embittered ex-Catholics, including a lot of ex-Catholic priests who hate the Catholic Church, wacko Protestants in the same group, and these people are in the margins. Frankly, Michael Moore represents a cult movie. Mel Gibson represents the mainstream of America.

I have been tough on Falwell. I never refered to him as a "carcass." Donahue's anti-semitism rhetoric was his pathetic way of defending Mel Gibson's Jesus snuff film. Neither man can be considered a voice of reason. Which explains why they were booked to debate on Hardball.

The cable news model is find the most extreme assholes and have diss each other professional wrestling-style. It makes no difference if it is James Carville v. Ann Coulter or the Rock v. Hulk Hogan. THe level of discourse has the same level of maturity. Donahue even asks Hitchens if he wants to "step outside." Is this before or after he takes his Geritol? These people get on low-rated cable talk shows and believe they are characters in Roadhouse.

Cable news isn't trying to inform viewers. TV executives are trying to reach people glued to the tube tube. Network suits are after people whom watch Trading Spouses, not read the New York Times. The error in their thinking is that these viewers have no interest in the news. Running numerous stories about Anna Nicole Smith isn't going to change that.

Jesus v. Bill Donahue

Alternet has videos of the South Park episode lampooning Bill Donahue. He is a deserving target. Donahue has tried his hand at comedy. With less than successful results.

DONOHUE: Look, just hold on here. You had your time. Look, the kid's a phony, and here's why: I dealt with him earlier today on an MSNBC show, and I said we could hypothesize that there'd be a Columbia University pingpong team made of Asians, and somebody goes out there and says, "All gooks go home." So I asked him about my gook joke. And guess what? Andy's sense of humor just collapsed. He found that offensive. You see what you are? You're a phony. You're a typical Ivy League little brat who thinks it's OK to dump on Catholics, but you don't like my gook joke. Now, what's wrong with a gook joke?

Donahue showed his compassionate conservative side to Chocolate Jesus creator Cosmo Cavallaro on Anderson Cooper's show.

DONAHUE: No, I — you heard what I said. I said you're — you're lucky I'm not like the Taliban, because you would lose more than your head, which is why…

I could go on and on and on and...

Hat tip to Litbrit for reminding me about the South Park episode.

Lindsay Beyerstein Turned Down Edwards Campaign

File this under I'm not surprised.

Lindsay Beyerstein wrote a Salon article about how she was offered the John Edwards campaign blogging gig before Amanda Marcotte and Shakes. It makes sense. Lindsay has a high media profile. She writes articles and blogs at Alternet. She is one of the few lefty bloggers on both Atrios's and Daily Kos' blogrolls. Lindsay is star.

An Edwards staffer (whom Lindsay won't name) offered her the job. Lindsay proceeded to do everything in her power to convince him not to hire him.

"I'm probably not ... the person you want," I said, finally. "I mean, I'm on the record saying that abortion is good and that all drugs should be legalized, including heroin. Don't you think that might be a little embarrassing for the campaign?"

I can't think of many lefty bloggers that could run a campaign blog. Josh Marshall is the only one that comes to mind. He is about as noncontroversial as an A list progressive can get. Duncan Black would be chased out of the Edwards campaign by an angry mob. Tas of Loaded Mouth has gotten into major profanity-laced flame wars with Wizbang, Say Anything and Jeff Goldstein. He was shocked by how angry some of Amanda's posts came off. That is a good sign the Edwards campaign didn't read the Pandagon archives. Then again, the campaign didn't seem to care.

"The thing you have to realize about Amanda is that she's got real enemies," I said. "We've all got trolls, but Amanda gets a whole different level of abuse."

I told Bob this story to give him some idea of the kind of seething hatred the campaign might have to deal with: The first time I heard Amanda on the radio, an angry caller phoned up to say, "You're Amanda Marcotte, and you're a clerical worker at the University of Texas at Austin." He had his facts wrong, but his message was clear. He was trying to get Amanda fired while leaving some darker threat hanging in the air. The host had to cut him off. Since that incident, at least one of Amanda's trolls had called her then-employer and tried unsuccessfully to get her fired.

I tried to suggest that the campaign might not want high-profile bloggers. I thought it might be better off hiring a well-connected political operative with good connections in the blogosphere.

Lindsay makes a good point in the article on how conservatives use the internet as a trial balloon. They learned from the Monica Lewinsky scandal that if a story gains traction on the web they are safe to run with it. If the balloon pops then Matt Drudge or Glenn Reynolds takes one for the team. Michelle Malkin ran those horrying Hot Air videos. Bill Donahue followed after the Amanda attacks gained enough traction. The media runs with it because they need to fill air time. Repeat cycle when the next scandal comes around.

Melissa McEwan Quits Edwards Campaign

Melissa McEwan has resigned from the John Edwards campaign. Lindsay Beyerstein reports that her sources told her neither Shakes or Amanda Marcotte were fired by the John Edwards campaign.

"This was a decision I made, with the campaign's reluctant support," wrote Melissa. "Because my remaining the focus of sustained ideological attacks was inevitably making me a liability to the campaign, and making me increasingly uncomfortable with my and my family's level of exposure." What that might be about is the death threats both bloggers have received from these Christian followers of Donahue.

The ramifications of Bill Donohue and the Catholic League's reckless rhetoric has materialized in the form of death threats to bloggers Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. This is what happens when the ultra-right wing is given the megaphone of mainstream media. It is also a complete break down in the responsibility that the media has in vetting those who are given a platform to spread a message.

This is also evidence that ultra-right wing organizations that create messages based on hate and fear find sympathetic audiences with people who think more like citizen-militia than the loyal Catholics that Bill Donohue claims to represent. It is no wonder that there has been no mainstream Roman Catholic group, nor the Church itself, to step forward to support Donohue in his illegal, unethical scalp-seeking tirade against Senator Edwards' bloggers.

Huffington Post blogger Lane Hudson is challenging Bill Donahue to rescind his comments and ask people to leave Melissa and Amanda alone. That is more than fair. Considering that both bloggers are no longer with Edwards. Considering Donahue's long history of hateful comments - I doubt he will show the leadership to ease up on the bloggers. It's not only the right thing to do. It's what Jesus would do. I hope otherwise.

You can call Donahue's office at 212-371-3191. Tell him to lay off Amanda and Melissa.

Amanda Marcotte Leaves Edwards Campaign

Amanda Marcotte has officially resigned from the John Edwards campaign. I'm sorry to see her leave the campaign. I thought Edwards keeping Amanda and Shakes was a big victory against the right-wing shrill machine. Bill Donahue would not relent until he got his pound of flesh.

I was hired by the Edwards campaign for the skills and talents I bring to the table, and my willingness to work hard for what’s right. Unfortunately, Bill Donohue and his calvacade of right wing shills don’t respect that a mere woman like me could be hired for my skills, and pretended that John Edwards had to be held accountable for some of my personal, non-mainstream views on religious influence on politics (I’m anti-theocracy, for those who were keeping track). Bill Donohue—anti-Semite, right wing lackey whose entire job is to create non-controversies in order to derail liberal politics—has been running a scorched earth campaign to get me fired for my personal beliefs and my writings on this blog.

Donahue is a real charmer. His comments on Scarborough County makes one wonder how can he point a finger at Amanda. The words "glass houses" and "stones" come to mind.

Who really cares what Hollywood thinks? All these hacks come out there. Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. It‘s not a secret, OK? And I‘m not afraid to say it. That‘s why they hate this movie. It‘s about Jesus Christ, and it‘s about truth. It‘s about the messiah.

Hollywood likes anal sex. They like to see the public square without nativity scenes. I like families. I like children. They like abortions. I believe in traditional values and restraint. They believe in libertinism. We have nothing in common. But you know what? The culture war has been ongoing for a long time. Their side has lost.

You have got secular Jews. You have got embittered ex-Catholics, including a lot of ex-Catholic priests who hate the Catholic Church, wacko Protestants in the same group, and these people are in the margins. Frankly, Michael Moore represents a cult movie. Mel Gibson represents the mainstream of America.

Can't you just feel the love of Christ flowing through Donahue?

The Liberal Media Strikes Again

The Bill Donahue rampage against Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan continues. Isn't Donahue suppose to be keeping us safe from Marilyn Manson?

Curse that liberal media for bringing no one on the panel to counter Carlson or Donahue.

Melissa & Amanda Hang In Limbo

The Situation Room covers the noncontroversy of John Edwards bloggers Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. The Edwards campaign will not comment on rumors that both women have been fired.

Personally, I don't see it as a good sign if the Edwards compaign are issuing no comments. Chris Bowers does a good job stating how lefty bloggers feel.

I also wish to make something else clear. While there is no way I will support Edwards with Amanda and Melissa are fired, I will immediately become a staunch Edwards supporter if they are not fired. Consider the heinous reporting that is being done in this story, where bigot William Donahue is somehow an authority on what defines hate speech, it is clear that the Edwards campaign will take a lot of flack from outside the netroots if they do not fire Amanda and Melissa. Keeping them on would show a willingness to take risks and stand up to the media in a way that most Democrats just are not, all because the campaign will be doing so in order to defend the netroots.

It's no secret that this blog is a strong supporter and has a member who contributes to Shakespeare's Sister. If Edwards balks then I hate to see what happens when he really gets slammed by the Right.

For those of you wondering who William Donahue is; he staged silly protests against the motion picture Dogma. Donohue has never seen the film.