Poo-flinging 101

CNN invites right-wing idiot on to "explain" himself and, as usual, just helps to catapult the propaganda.


Cripes, somebody's been into the Smilex!

But let's go to the transcript, shall we?

Bill Cunningham, what was the purpose today in repeatedly using Barack Obama's full name, Barack Hussein Obama?

CUNNINGHAM: I have repeatedly used the name of William Jefferson Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton. And the purpose was to identify that particular person, a name which is a great Muslim name. Hussein is a great Muslim name. I meant no offense and none was taken.

Oh, cripes, no, I'm SURE there was no offense meant. I mean, after all, it's not like people would associate the name "Hussein" with, oh, I dunno, dictatorial leader of a country we recently invaded. Nosirree!

After all, he ONLY wished to identify the person, to distinguish him from, oh, say, Barack Obama the football player, or Barack Obama the linguist, or Barack Obama the new $.99 value meal item at Hardee's.

But let me just backtrack just a second here. You said that Hussein is a very famous Muslim name. Barack Obama is not a Muslim. It is his middle name. Is there a purpose in repeating his middle name as you did to try to associate him with the Muslim faith?

CUNNINGHAM: No. He's at the United Church of Christ. The Reverend Jeremiah Wright in his church in Chicago gave a lifetime achievement award to Louis Farrakhan a few months ago. That largely was no covered by the media.

Oh, psheh, yeah, he means nothing either by mentioning Farrakhan's name, either. Certainly doesn't intend to portray Obama as a dangerous black radical, nope, nu-huh. Just mentioning it, you know, the way mendacious idiots just mention that it, after all, was called "National SOCIALISM", uh-huh, yup.

CUNNINGHAM: What it was, they told me to fire up the crowd. You're talking to conservatives. You're talking to individuals who are ticketed to be there. Get them fired up and give them some red meat.

Which is exactly the "bad cop/good cop" routine that the Repugs like to play - let the opening act go out there and spew the toxic waste, then have the star come on and repudiate the previous comments - letting the comments out there while insulating himself from the responsibility of being linked to them.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, it's a great question. And what they say is that they didn't know he was going to say Barack Hussein Obama, use Hussein twice, after saying the prophet from Chicago. So, clearly, they took it that he was somehow trying to suggest Barack Obama is or was a Muslim at some point.

They say they did bring him to cause some red meat. Rob Portman, the former congressman, came in and said Bill Cunningham has helped us in the past, helped George W. Bush win two elections here in Ohio, close elections. So, they knew they were taking a risk. And they're apologizing to Senator McCain afterwards and acknowledging that risk backfired.

Oh, bullpshitt, you clowns, and you damn well know it. They knew damn well who they invited, I'm sure they were very familiar with his radio show, and they knew the "Obama Muslim" meme was out there already. As I said, they wanted to further the damage without having St. John personally tarnished. And it worked; not only did Cunningham get the speech Tuesday night but got to come on CNN and repeat his comments, in the same way that nobody from the Left would ever be invited to do.