Because I had a lot of proverbial plates spinning on poles last week, I was unable to post about rocker Ted Nugent's controversial comments about President Obama at an NRA convention in St. Louis. His remarks were pretty much what I've come to expect from the draft dodging nutcase. The following comment is the one that has earned the most scrutiny:
"If Barack Obama becomes the president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year."
What exactly does Ted mean? Does he think his death or imprisonment will come at the hands of the Obama administration? Did his statement refer to what will happen to him if he takes violent action against President Obama?
I will say that people have overreacted to his comments where he encouraged voters to "chop [Democrats'] heads off in November." He was just using a metaphor (I think). Even if he was, there's still a chance some of Ted's rabid followers are sharpening their axes in preparation.
The left's reaction to Ted's comments are yet another example of how we generally don't go overboard en masse when a celebrity says something controversial ala the Dixie Chicks. Sure, we rightfully condemned Ted's comments. However, we didn't take to the streets for a bonfire of old Ted's 8-tracks, LPs, etc.
Predictably, most of the right failed to come out against Ted for his remarks. Because he sought Ted's endorsement, Mitt Romney in particular was called out for not making a public statement about Ted Nugent. I didn't expect him to though. Even he wanted to wash his hands of the Motor City Madman, he can't without pissing off the NRA/Tea Party crowd. Whether he likes it or not, Mitt is stuck with Ted.
On the 4/19 installment of NOW with Alex Wagner, the host and her panel discussed Ted Nugent's controversial comments and Mitt Romney's lack of a response.
9 comments:
First off, Nugent is crazy. No sane person would spend a nanosecond with this disgusting character.
Second, the right has a long history of getting away with inflammatory rhetoric that is not tolerated when a left-leaning celeb engages in it.
Romeny's non-condemnation is further proof of his cowardice in these matters. He's terrified of the Tea Party and the GOP base, so he allows comments like Nugents to pass without a strong rebuke.
He's lily-livered.
If he hasn't the cajones to push back on a draft-dodging weakling like Nugent, how would Willard handle an international bully? Would he tell Ahmadinijad that he's being "inappropriate" when he tells the world he'd like to wipe Israel off the map?
When Hilary Rosen made her, by comparison mild, remarks on Ann Romney and working moms, the president came out immediately and specifically said spouses and children of candidates are off-limits.
Willard on Nugent's implying he'd kill the president if Obama were re-elected?
*crickets*
As I said before, this goes to Willard's character as a spineless coward.
Dude. NOBODY gets the Dixie Chicks treatment. Nobody but them. You imply that every celebrity to tick off the right wing faces down the same fate.
It's just not true.
Nugent dominated news for three days. I watched it.
@ Shaw Kenawe: How is he getting away with it? LOL
There's been a shitstorm over these comments.
To the point of the Dixie Chicks?
Ah, rant over.
"@ Shaw Kenawe: How is he getting away with it?"
The big guns in the GOP, Romney and Palin, have said nothing about it. That's how. No less than the POTUS came out and criticized Hilary Rosen's mild comments about Ann Romeny not working a day in her life.
That's how.
I happen to be a fan of Uncle Ted, and he was just doing as all celebs do, rant. No harm was done.
However, since the man is a conservative and speaks against the mighty Obama, people got their cages rattled a bit, meaning the Left.
Shaw: You make a good point about how Romney might handle an international bully if he became POTUS. Hopefully, we won't have to find out.
The lack of reaction of people like Hannity and Palin to Nugent's comments are one reason it's hard to take them seriously. Ted Nugent can make vile, disgusting comments and they embrace him. David Letterman makes an ill-advised joke and apologizes for it, but they still wanted him fired! IOKIYAR
Also, in regards to your reply to Josh..."bam"!
Josh: I never implied that the right gives the "Dixie Chicks treatment" to all celebs who make comments with which they disagree. If I felt that way, I'd be listing countless examples besides the Chicks.
However, based on what I've seen, I will say the right is more likely to go overboard in their reactions to a celeb's controversial comments than the left. In addition to the aforementioned Dixie Chicks, they did it to the Beatles in 1966 and (to a lesser extent) David Letterman in the aftermath of his jokes about Sarah Palin's daughter. What's glaring about these three examples is that the celebrity comments were mild compared to what Nugent said. I can only imagine how the right would have reacted if Kanye West said the same thing as Nugent, but instead directed his comments at then-President Bush.
Leticia: It's not the fact that Ted's a conservative, it's what he said. Others on the left have made disparaging remarks about President Obama. I'd be all night listing them all. However, what Ted said goes beyond the average celeb rant. Since you feel it's no harm done, what are your thoughts on Natalie Maines' comments about then-President Bush? Since you think we on the Left got our cages rattled, I can only wonder what you thought about how the Right overreacted to what Natalie said.
By the way, your reference to "the mighty Obama" is dripping with disdain. I can practically feel the contempt. :-)
I can't speak for those on the left and what qualifies as an ass-whippin', but as I said, the news was dominated by Ted Nugent's comments for three days. And that's just what I personally saw.
If people want the right to eat the right and the left to eat the left, we all know that's not going to happen on any scale that would ever satisfy everyone. So bam away, I reckon.
I grin and bore the torturous 25 minutes of Nugent's comments, and even people in the audience refused to take him seriously. They were laughing at poor Uncle Ted and the guy had to blow a fuse and scream about how serious he was. They still laughed at him. Ted Nugent, as a political commentator, is a caricature. I personally feel as if the beating he took in the mainstream is more than enough punishment for the crime. If you're waiting for Romney to throw him under the bus, and if that's the only way you'll decide that he hasn't gotten away with it, good luck with all that. Romney's still busy with damage control on healthcare.
The thing is I have heard far worse things come out of the mouths of liberal Hollywood celebs regarding Sarah Palin, President Bush, etc.
Ted Nugent has never been shy about his political views and I am glad of it. They only thing I don't like about the guy is that he is a hunter. However, that's a flaw I can overlook.
Leticia, you are preaching to deaf ears and blind eyes.
Josh: I caught the part where Ted responding to someone laughing in the audience. It's gratifying to know that some of them laughed at his foolish rant. However, a majority of the crowd predictably seemed to be in lockstep with Ted.
As I said in this post, Romney couldn't wash his hands of Ted even if he wanted. It'll be interesting to see not only if Ted makes more controversial comments before the election, but also if those comments have an effect on any undecided voters.
Leticia: Getting into a discussion about who is worse in criticizing the other side (liberals or conservatives) is basically pointless. However, I do wonder if there is anything a conservative celeb has said about liberals that you'd consider over the line.
Also, you didn't answer the question I asked in my previous comment:
Since you feel it's no harm done in what Ted said, what are your thoughts on Natalie Maines' comments about then-President Bush?
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