Was Maher's Show The First Shot In A New Democratic Vigor?

[ThomWV]

The was the first television broadcast I have seen where Democrats were standing up with conviction and calling the Republican farce of a Government exactly what it is and doing the same for W.

Did the convention give new vigor to Democrats, have we finally got a heart and a voice? After almost 4 years of ovine behavior there is a strength to the party today that was not here last week.

When Michael Moore said he wasn't going to take it any more, he was going to speak up, he meant it. Thank goodness for a party that is finally getting its feet, its legs, and its voice.

[dennis4868]

1. I dont think so....

Michael Moore has never been afraid to speak up and fight back....

[dogman]

2. None of them are Democrats.

There were a couple ABB though.

[Cha]

4. I love how we gathered those people into our circle of

Friends!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. Exactly - that's how we are going to win

because there are millions of people who never bothered to get involved in politics before who are suddenly energized to vote - even to volunteer and donate. The current situation is so bad that people feel they have to make a change. And they can make that change this year by voting Democratic, and more than that, they can discover that they really do have a voice, they can help determine their own destiny.

[Cleita]

3. Maher is a registered independent, but he tends to be liberal

in a lot of his thinking. He's always been outspoken about what he believes, like Jon Stewart.

[DieboldMustDie]

15. Maher supported Nader 4 years ago.

I also recall him saying that the 2000 election was the least important in ages -- that everything was going so well in this country that no one could screw it up.   I guess he's reconsidered that position. :shrug:

[Cleita]

22. True and so did Michael Moore.

I don't know if you saw his show yesterday but both he and Michael Moore dressed Nader down and made a joke about both of them getting on their knees and begging him not to run. These are two votes Nader can't count on this time around.

[sandnsea]

17. More libertarian

He isn't too wild about liberals who want to butt into everybody's business and try to create utopia. Didn't you hear him agree with Owens that liberals had caused alot of their own problems? But he has always been outspoken, I agree with that.

[Cleita]

21. That he was.

But if you have been following him since then he has been turning left more and more. Also, no one today can claim that liberals are butting into everyone's business more than the present fascists in situ.

That argument about government in your business is another Republican lie that everyone up until now believed. Also, the tax and spend Democrats is another one. We have so much evidence to the contrary these days that anyone who still believes those RW mantras has entered the abyss.

[Corgigal]

5. We all have to do

whatever it is that we must to get GWB out of the WH. No excuses.
I personally wanted someone, anyone to ask why Bush just sat in the classroom for 7 minutes and then posed with the kiddies for the photo op that took another 20 minutes. Did those people jumping, melting or being crushed to their death matter to you at all? You sat there. You ordered nothing. You asked no questions. The only time in your presidency when you had to become the president you couldn't.

I am pleased Maher is asking about this because no matter what republicans do they can't defend it. Oh sure they will all walk lock step with some BS but that is also their undoing. The majority of Americans see it for what it is. Non action.

No president should have responded this way. None.

[Booster]

7. Ms. Campbell was trying to make a very important

point and that was that the American people did not see Bush sitting on his thumbs on 9/11. That is very important because it proves that the media is in Bush's hands and will show or not show whatever he wants. None of the Americans on the panel wanted to pursue that issue and she tried twice and got nowhere. After seeing Fahrenheit 911, I emailed all of the major networks and told them they should be ashamed for not showing me what Michael Moore showed me in a movie. I didn't get even one response. They really don't care.

[stopbush]

20. Imagine if that 7-minute video had been played ad infinitum

for the few weeks after 9/11. Imagine if it got half the play the Dean Scream got in 2004! Would the country have "rallied behind bush?" I don't think so. They would have put two and two together. Rather than our self-declared war pretzledent hero, the country would have seen a deer in the headlights who had his guard down and didn't defend us. Hell, he might have been impeached or forced to resign before the year (2001) was out!

The pity is that many people here at DU knew about that 7-minutes of indecision from the get-go. It was the media that covered bush's ass...and they continue to cover his ass!

[stopbush]

6. David Drier got the shit kicked out of him. He took off before the

handshakes at the end.

Unfortunately, guys like Maher and Moore don't have enough facts on hand to dispute the typical talking points. Drier brought up the $87 billion *flip-flop.* I WISH Moore has said, "yeah, Kerry voted against the republican version that had inserted ANOTHER tax cut for the rich people. And bush threatened to veto the Kerry version of that bill that was exactly like the one that passed, just minus the tax cut for the millionaires. Kerry said help the soldiers, but let's pay for it by taking back $5000 from everybody making over $200k. bush said, I'll give the soldiers their money, but only if everyone making over $200k gets another $5000 in their pockets in tax cuts."

That's the truth of the matter and the best way to stop the $87 billion myth in its tracks.

[drdtroit]

8. Bill did try to interject the point

that the bill was changed, Drier however did the usual Repuke (ala Sean Hannity) diversion of constantly talking as the other person attempts to make their point.

[stopbush]

11. I missed that...probably because Drier was talking over Maher.

BTW - didn't Mike look totally pissed at Nader?

[NightOwwl]

13. He was totally giving Nader the evil eye.

I told my husband Moore was looking at Nadar with an expression very close to hate.

[belle]

16. I don't blame him. Nader called him a "beach ball" and pretended

that he was genuinely concerned for his health. Not to mention the rest of the passive-aggressive whining in that letter. Schmuck.

[sandnsea]

18. It wasn't impressive

The problem is that people like them are just as cynical about Democrats so they don't bother to find out, or believe, anything a Democrat has to say anyway. So it's difficult for them to defend Democratic votes, even when they deserve to be defended. "Bush threatened to veto the bill and not support the troops if there was a tax measure to pay for it", is more damaging than what they're saying about Kerry. But we can't get our people, including the campaign, to think and turn the damn thing around on Bush. It's very annoying.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. For someone like Drier with a voting record

I think the best thing prior to the program would be to find a vote he made that could be cast in a similarly unflatering light, to show what a bogus attack it really is.

[SoFlaJet]

12. Remember Moore

was a big time Nader supporter in 2000,Maher is voting for Kerry and even Don Imus and Barnicle are"in the tank"for John Kerry to use Imus' vernacular

[NightOwwl]

14. Maher voted for Nader in 2000 also.

n/t

[sandnsea]

19. Barnicle?

Really? I hadn't heard, did he say that on Imus or something?

[Justice]

23. Barnicle, Dan Shaughnessy and Bob Lobel All On Board

I listened to Barnicle on his Boston area Friday radio show (96.9)

Dan is a sportswriter for the Globe (covers Sox), Lobel is weather director on one of the local TV stations.

The three of them were giddy, downright giddy.

Lobel seems very onboard - he referred to Fox News by spelling it - you know F-A-U-X...

Barnicle is saying you know, this guy we know, that we've know for years, decades, is going to do it.

Lobel said - okay, can I just say, John Kerry is going to be the next President of the United States. I just have to say that.

They related stories about Kerry, that they guy who spoke at the convention was the guy they knew, of Kerry joking with them, and Barnicle even talked about going to John and Teresa's wedding.

It was a wonderful display of positive enthusiasm by three guys who have a reputation for being a bit cynical.

They are very much on board. I hope Barnicle shows up subbing for Chris Matthews a few times.

[Eloriel]

24. I guess you never heard of Howard Dean?

Your very question is an insult, frankly. Dean was even introduced at the convention as the guy who "energized" the party.

Further, Maher isn't a Democrat. He's a left-leaning Libertarian.

That said, yes, there does seem to be a somewhat invigorated party, but Howard Dean WAS the one who got that ball rolling.