The Vitriol in Our National Bloodstream

[Pryderi]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/the-vitriol-vitriol_b_806514.html

"Clarabelle Dopenik." That's what one wit on the popular conservative Web site freerepublic.com called Clarence Dupnik, the Pima County, Arizona sheriff who turns 75 this week. Elected continuously since 1980, he is the public face of the investigation into the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 19 others. He is also, according to bloggers on that site, "an incompetent unhinged sonofabitch" and "a jerk" "using this tragedy for baseless, cheap political shots."

<snip>

"Right now, I would be interested to see the smart response from Republicans. If I was John Boehner, I would be in Arizona. As a speaker of the house, he needs to be there and meet the family before Obama goes to Arizona and gives a big speech to change the topic of the nations . Next 24 hrs is crucial till Glenn Beck and Rush come to air on Monday."

But there was no need to wait for Glenn and Rush to come to their narrative's rescue. Politico.com, a site widely read by journalists and politicians, soon reported that Sheriff Dupnik had "established himself as one of the leading liberal voices in a state that boasts only a handful... Local conservatives are quickly spinning his comments as those of a partisan." The headline of the Politico piece -- "Liberal Ariz. sheriff Clarence Dupnik sees cause of violence" -- eliminated any daylight between those local Republican spinners and the Beltway media channeling them. With Dupnik branded a liberal, the troubling thought that American public discourse had taken a wrong turn had been reduced to garden-variety lefty partisanship.

[Kali]

1. I'm guilty of calling another AZ sheriff a disrespectful name

asspaio

thinking of changing it to asspie-o

[xchrom]

2. the only 'partisan' name that counts is liberal.

to be called a conservative carries no negative connotations -- the way it should -- in our country.

seriously -- to be a 'conservative' to day should have one hanging one's head in shame.

[Skittles]

3. worthy of its own thread

:thumbsup:

[classysassy]

4. The snow birds and retired military

that help elect the conservative republicans are a sad bunch of hateful old citizens that refuse to change with the times.They are stuck in the last century,the pre-civil rights era,the republicans appeal to that mentality.