• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Bark louder, little dog.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

He really is that stupid.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

I really should read my own blog.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

“That’s what the insurrection act is for!”

Ah, the different things are different argument.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

No Justins, No Peace

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable VA House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Twitter is Now Safe for Conservatives

Twitter is Now Safe for Conservatives

by $8 blue check mistermix|  January 30, 20144:39 pm| 61 Comments

This post is in: Democratic Cowardice

FacebookTweetEmail

.@msnbc president phil griffin has issued an apology & acknowledged that they have fired the staffer responsible for offensive #tcot tweet

— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) January 30, 2014

Here’s the message from the programming director of MSNBC, who by coincidence is also the Communications Director for the Republican National Committee, reporting that the person responsible for a heinous and unforgivable act of reverse racism has been fired. But where is the tearful apology? And if Phil Griffin were really sorry, wouldn’t he have at least genuflected before the statue of Ronald Reagan in the Capital Rotunda as a token of his deep regret? And what is the name of the staffer who perpetrated this unforgivable act? Why won’t Phil Griffin name names so we can put this person on the appropriate blacklist? Why is Griffin shielding him or her from the #tcot hash tag army? Just like Benghazi, there are many unanswered questions here.

Update: Here’s the RNC statement:

Chairman Priebus recently spoke by phone with MSNBC President Phil Griffin.

Mr. Griffin apologized for the network’s offensive tweet from Saturday night. As outlined in the letter below, his network has taken corrective action.

We appreciate Mr. Griffin’s admission that their comment was demeaning and disgusting, and the Chairman accepted his apology. We will aggressively monitor the network to see whether their pattern of unacceptable behavior actually changes.

We don’t expect their liberal bias to change, but we will call them out when political commentary devolves into personal and belittling attacks.

Thank you to everyone who joined in our efforts today.

By firing the staffer responsible, Phil Griffin was able to avoid a embarrassing, revenue-destroying boycott of MSNBC by conservatives, which is what Priebus had threatened.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « A message to you, Rudy
Next Post: A Lesson In Compassion (From Within A “Family Values” State) »

Reader Interactions

61Comments

  1. 1.

    Gin & Tonic

    January 30, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    At least that staffer didn’t call anyone a goat-fucking child molester, because then the consequences would have been *really* severe, right?

  2. 2.

    superfly

    January 30, 2014 at 4:45 pm

    Here’s the message from the programming director of MSNBC, who by coincidence is also the Communications Director for the Republican National Committee,

    Wait, what!?!?!?!

  3. 3.

    jl

    January 30, 2014 at 4:45 pm

    I know I am going against a zillion sci fi novels and movies, but if a revolt of the robots took over twitter, I think it would a net gain.

    Check out Krugman’s twitter feed. It is awesome.

  4. 4.

    SatanicPanic

    January 30, 2014 at 4:48 pm

    I’m relieved they did this, because otherwise I was going to stop watching their channel?

  5. 5.

    jl

    January 30, 2014 at 4:50 pm

    @superfly: Everyone knew that. It is the natural order of things. Republican communications people run everything. If it were not for the teeming hordes of selfless, tireless, Republican communications and political consultants, this nation would collapse. Who would do interviews on every topic under the sun for the news and appear on talky shows?

    Not only do you lack any gratitude, you do not even seem to be aware. Were you educated in a public school, or something?

  6. 6.

    Belafon

    January 30, 2014 at 4:50 pm

    I think I’ll spend tonight starting all my tweets with “Maybe the right wing will hate it”.

  7. 7.

    dpm (dread pirate mistermix)

    January 30, 2014 at 4:50 pm

    @superfly: He’s the Communications Director for the RNC, making an announcement for MSNBC, apparently.

  8. 8.

    EriktheRed

    January 30, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    Dan Savage is punching holes in the wall right now.

  9. 9.

    EriktheRed

    January 30, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    Dan Savage is punching holes in the wall right now.

  10. 10.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    January 30, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    All this proves that MSNBC is a teeming mass of reverse racism and perpetuates the evils of all bigotry, and that, by extension, Democrats and Liberals are the most bigoted, evil, Anti-American monsters in the history of ever. Don’t accept this apology people, FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE OPPRESSION OF REVERSE RACISM AND NEVER QUIT UNTIL WHITES ARE FREEEEE!!!……(to be blatant unabashed racists that is).

  11. 11.

    Alex

    January 30, 2014 at 4:55 pm

    Wait, we can fire people over stuff that is said now? I thought that “Duck Dynasty” showed us that it was against the first amendment.

  12. 12.

    Alex

    January 30, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    https://twitter.com/jbouie/status/428744099567788032

    I guess MSNBC needed to apologize as this was “REAL voter suppression”.

  13. 13.

    Villago Delenda Est

    January 30, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    This Griffin asswipe needs a tumbrel ride.

  14. 14.

    BGinCHI

    January 30, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    Of course the GOP hacks had to overreact to that tweet.

    Because it was fucking true.

  15. 15.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    January 30, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    @Alex:

    ….this is why I fucking hate these apologias and falling on your sword bullshit moments. It never satisfies these assholes. It just proves to them that you really are the monster they keep hyping you as and enables them to further rage and froth and keep going, and the rubes eat it up because the apology must mean something was really wrong with what you did, thus leaning toward believing more of this goddamn full on bullshit.

    HOW THE FUCK DO THEY KEEP MANAGING TO WIN THE FUCKING ARGUMENT LIKE THIS WHEN ALL THEY SPOUT IS PERSECUTION COMPLEXES AND BLATANT FUCKING LIES?!

  16. 16.

    Origuy

    January 30, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    @dpm (dread pirate mistermix): Yes, I read this as saying that he works for both MSNBC and the RNC. Literally, as in collecting two paychecks.

  17. 17.

    Villago Delenda Est

    January 30, 2014 at 5:02 pm

    @Origuy:

    That’s the way I read it too. Some nice revision to clarify Griffin’s employment status? We’ve established pretty much that he’s vile Rethuglican scum.

  18. 18.

    ThresherK

    January 30, 2014 at 5:04 pm

    At least nobody’s “kind of a dick” on MSNBC.

  19. 19.

    dpm (dread pirate mistermix)

    January 30, 2014 at 5:04 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: Griffin is head of MSNBC. Spicer is RNC Communications director, gloating over making Griffin dance his tune.

  20. 20.

    Schlemizel

    January 30, 2014 at 5:05 pm

    JAY – ZEUS! If that can get you fired its a good thing I don’t have a twitter account . . . as far as anyone knows

  21. 21.

    Patrick

    January 30, 2014 at 5:05 pm

    Based on Duck Dynasty scandal, right-wingers said nobody could ever be fired for something they said due to the First Amendment. Talk about fricking hypocrisy!

    And since these folks got so upset about an innocent tweet, I can only assume that the the racists in the GOP will embrace the Cheerios ad.

  22. 22.

    Patrick

    January 30, 2014 at 5:07 pm

    @ThresherK:

    Yes, why the hell does Halperin still earn a fricking pay check from MSNBC? His insult was far worse than this innocent tweet.

  23. 23.

    WaterGirl

    January 30, 2014 at 5:07 pm

    This wasn’t the tweet about the cheerios commercial, was it?

  24. 24.

    Trollhattan

    January 30, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    O/T After first convicting and imprisoning, then overturning the conviction and releasing, an Italian court has REconvicted Amanda Knox of murder. Is it a persecution complex if you’re really being persecuted? Didn’t somebody once write a book about that?

    http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/01/amanda-knox-reconvicted-of-murder-in-italy.html

  25. 25.

    Cacti

    January 30, 2014 at 5:09 pm

    Pretty much without fail, any time a GOPer gets indignant, the “liberal media” will roll into the fetal position and beg “please don’t hurt me!”

  26. 26.

    IowaOldLady

    January 30, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    I’m just reading that the reporter who was threatened with de-balconizing after the SoU is the nephew of a mob boss.

    I love this story.

  27. 27.

    Villago Delenda Est

    January 30, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Yes. It was. Wingtard butthurt has reached new nadirs of idiocy.

  28. 28.

    Woodrow/asim Jarvis Hill

    January 30, 2014 at 5:11 pm

    Not shocked Phil apologized — as I understand it, he’s not left-of-center.

    There was a good piece on an NPR show a couple of weeks ago on all this, and how MSNBC is more invested in capturing/servicing a liberal audience as a way to differentiate itself in the marketplace, as opposed to Fox’s drive to actually promote right-of-center values. It’s why MORNING JOE says on, for one.

    The fact that people — including Dan — conflate the missions of the two isn’t surprising. But no, MSNBC and Fox are doing two quite different things with their audiences, and that’s part of why you get incidents like this.

  29. 29.

    Villago Delenda Est

    January 30, 2014 at 5:11 pm

    @Trollhattan:

    WTF is wrong with those people?

  30. 30.

    evinfuilt

    January 30, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    @superfly:
    I thought he was kidding… dear FSM, I thought our mass media was bought and paid for, but that is ridiculous. That has nothing to do with Free Press, that’s basically admitting that he’s the commisar for MSNBC.

  31. 31.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    January 30, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    @Cacti:

    And then the wingers will continue to scream and froth about how unforgivable and recalcitrant the evil biased unbudging liberal media is and the horrors of their persecution, which will only send the media scrambling to kowtow lower as penance.

    Fuckers will never get it through their thick skull is that no amount of apologia will be enough for them, they will always be ‘the enemy’ to the wingers, always be the evil ‘liberal media’ from whom nothing good or pro-American ever comes.

  32. 32.

    Villago Delenda Est

    January 30, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    @dpm (dread pirate mistermix):

    Spicer needs a tumbrel ride for sure. Griffin for his cowardice. No quarter for cowards.

  33. 33.

    WaterGirl

    January 30, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: This tweet got someone fired?

    Maybe the rightwing will hate it, but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/ biracial family.

    That quote? Seriously?

  34. 34.

    The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik

    January 30, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Not only got someone fired, but the MSNBC Prez apparently kowtowed and begged forgiveness for his channel’s twitter account and the impertinence of such an awful reverse racist tweet.

  35. 35.

    WaterGirl

    January 30, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    @The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik: Wow. That is so absurd that my brain is having trouble taking it in.

  36. 36.

    karen marie

    January 30, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    I’ll just say, “Eff you, MSNBC.” This type of nonsense is exactly why I refuse to watch MSNBC, other than the occasional and very rare clip from La Maddow’s show.

    GROW A PAIR, MR. GRIFFIN.

  37. 37.

    Trollhattan

    January 30, 2014 at 5:21 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    If it’s anything more complicated than uncontrolled machismo I’ll be surprised. Not that I know squat about the Italian system of justice, but from the get-go she was pretty much railroaded by IIRC an overly zealous prosecutor. That, and they have no actual ongoing crime to keep occupied with [rolling eyes skyward].

  38. 38.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    January 30, 2014 at 5:22 pm

    @IowaOldLady: He also has a MSNBC connection. He was a producer on NOW with Alex Wagner.

  39. 39.

    Keith G

    January 30, 2014 at 5:22 pm

    The media and political leadership of the left know that modern lefty civilians will not revolt, will not enforce a demand for better behavior by stepping away.

  40. 40.

    dp

    January 30, 2014 at 5:23 pm

    Shame on them for firing someone for telling the freaking truth.

  41. 41.

    BGinCHI

    January 30, 2014 at 5:23 pm

    What would Stewie Griffin have said?

  42. 42.

    Citizen_X

    January 30, 2014 at 5:25 pm

    Meh. I won’t be impressed till the offending Tweeter gets marched through the streets by whatever is the Tea Party version of the Red Guard (the Tea Party?), wearing one of those dunce caps. Oh, and they put out propaganda posters with the Tea Partiers gleefully spearing a ratlike caricature of said Tweeter.

  43. 43.

    danielx

    January 30, 2014 at 5:29 pm

    What the FUCK?

    Lesson to be drawn: Wingnuts, no matter who their employer is, may publicly say anything, no matter how offensive. If criticism ensues, not only will the sayer not be fired but legions of fellow wingnuts, including pundits and pols, will leap to his or her defense on First Amendment grounds. Also, too, fuck the libs if they can’t take a joke.

    If a liberal utters something offensive to wingnut sensitivities, no matter the truth of the statement, the reaction from his or her employer….

    over the side with them, and “Please don’t hit me!”

    Like wingnuts are going to hate them any less or even maybe like them for being fair or something?

    Mr. Griffin, let me clue you in – the only emotion wingnuts are feeling over the termination of your anonymous staffer is satisfaction over having another liberal scalp to hang on the wall, figuratively speaking. They still think MSNBC is a nest of comsympliberals who should all be shot, and they’re still going to piss all over the fucking Cheerios commercial unless they’ve scared you out of running that, too. Oh yeah, and Spicer, your director of programming? Are you ever going to reacquire your balls from whatever desk drawer he has them locked in?

    At this point I am only surprised you haven’t gotten rid of Rachel Maddow for hurting the poor Kochs’ fee-fees; the sound of their anguished butthurt grows ever louder. Better get right on that, unless you’ve had a spine transplant in the last 24 hours.

  44. 44.

    CaseyL

    January 30, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    @Trollhattan: Twitter is melting down. The best comments liken the Italian justice system to cricket matches, with Italy 2-1 in a 7 game match.

    Atlantic Magazine did a story about Justice, Italian Style. It makes me wonder if anyone who has been convicted really did it, and if anyone who has been acquitted is really not guilty:

    Italy’s system bears very little resemblance to the US system – not only is double jeopardy allowed, but juries aren’t sequestered, anyone in the courtroom can make comments during the trial, and verdicts can continually be appealed by either side – apparently ’til Hell freezes over.

    Italy’s Carnivalesque Justice System.

  45. 45.

    Suffern ACE

    January 30, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    @WaterGirl: That isn’t even reverse racist. And there’s nothing in there about “Republicans”.

  46. 46.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    January 30, 2014 at 5:36 pm

    Phil Griffin was able to avoid a embarrassing, revenue-destroying boycott of MSNBC by conservatives

    Tell me this is snark.

  47. 47.

    superfly

    January 30, 2014 at 5:36 pm

    @dpm (dread pirate mistermix):

    Thanks, I knew that couldn’t be literally true, but you see so much IOKIYAR, I just couldn’t be sure.

  48. 48.

    West of the Cascades

    January 30, 2014 at 5:38 pm

    New low. Fuck Phil Griffin.

  49. 49.

    Mumbles

    January 30, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    Yeah, miss me with this.

    Maybe in a universe where conservatives didn’t call Obama a “Kenyan anti-colonialist”, or say that black people were “satisfied with food stamps” or “taking other people’s money”, or where Common, of all people, wasn’t a “Hoodlum in the hizzy”, or where the thuggification of Trayvon Martin didn’t happen, maybe then I’d be sympathetic.

    Yes, I’m aware of the principle that it’s hard to stand up for someone after they apologize for something. But Common has a song that is literally anti-abortion. If he is judged to be a gangsta, then I have no chance at all. And neither do any other members of my family. Or the friends I grew up with.

    And so, I don’t care anymore. MSNBC should have stood up to these knuckleheads. If FOX wants to be seen as not racist, then let them stop saying racist things.

  50. 50.

    Mumbles

    January 30, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    Yeah, miss me with this.

    Maybe in a universe where conservatives didn’t call Obama a “Kenyan anti-colonialist”, or say that black people were “satisfied with food stamps” or “taking other people’s money”, or where Common, of all people, wasn’t a “Hoodlum in the hizzy”, or where the thuggification of Trayvon Martin didn’t happen, maybe then I’d be sympathetic.

    Yes, I’m aware of the principle that it’s hard to stand up for someone after they apologize for something. But Common has a song that is literally anti-abortion. If he is judged to be a gangsta, then I have no chance at all. And neither do any other members of my family. Or the friends I grew up with.

    And so, I don’t care anymore. MSNBC should have stood up to these knuckleheads. If FOX wants to be seen as not racist, then let them stop saying racist things.

  51. 51.

    Original Lee

    January 30, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    @superfly: Yow.

    And there goes the thought that they quietly told the staffer s/he could come back to work next week.

  52. 52.

    Lyrebird

    January 30, 2014 at 6:16 pm

    @WaterGirl: Seriously!

    I think I’m gonna buy a ton of Cheerios!
    (local food pantry probably needs extra…)

    http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/cheerios-biracial-family-back

  53. 53.

    Trollhattan

    January 30, 2014 at 6:24 pm

    @CaseyL:
    Many thanks for the backgrounder. It certainly frames what’s happening to Ms Knox in a more comprehensible way. Wonder when they’re going to ask for extradition?

  54. 54.

    dpm (dread pirate mistermix)

    January 30, 2014 at 6:25 pm

    @Just Some Fuckhead: Yep.

  55. 55.

    Sam

    January 30, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    If I were Steve Benen, I’d make sure my resume were up to date.

    It’s only a matter of time.

  56. 56.

    John M. Burt

    January 30, 2014 at 6:59 pm

    We need to keep reminding people that the dead-end remnants of the Repub party don’t just regard us the way we regard them, as wrongheaded and in error — they really think we are a loathsome foreign influence, a not-we.

    We are Americans, but they deny it. Many of us are Christians — no we aren’t! Some of us are Jews — no we aren’t! Most of us are heterosexuals — No! We’re all faggots and dykes and anatomical freaks! Most of us are gainfully employed — No! We’re all parasitic welfare moochers! Many of us are veterans — NO NO NO NO NO! Every single one of us is a vile veteran-abusing cowardly hippie scumbag!

  57. 57.

    different-church-lady

    January 30, 2014 at 8:48 pm

    When the fuck are people going to wake up and see Twitter for the destructive nuisance it is?

  58. 58.

    JustRuss

    January 30, 2014 at 9:08 pm

    I don’t have a problem with firing the tweeter, as long as they also fire Griffin for his obvious conflict of interest. And then this:

    We don’t expect their liberal bias to change,

    Their programming director is the frickin communications director of the RNC, how liberal can they be?

  59. 59.

    Skippy-san

    January 31, 2014 at 2:51 am

    Somebody is going to have to explain this tweet to me. I truly don’t get why its so “offensive”. It does point out a peculiar foible of American society-that just happens to me more pronounced in conservatives. Namely the uncomfort at mixed race families.

    Was it probably not the smartest thing that someone could have written-you bet. But exactly why it merits a full scale wingnut meltdown just baffles me. I guess I’m insensitive-but just once I’d like some one to say , “Yea I said it. And I am not apologizing. Now please to go f*ck youself!”.

    At that MSNBC held the staffer accountable. When is the last time one of the loons at Fox had to pay the price for their stupidity?

  60. 60.

    brantl

    January 31, 2014 at 10:38 am

    By firing the staffer responsible, Phil Griffin was able to avoid a embarrassing, revenue-destroying boycott of MSNBC by conservatives, which is what Priebus had threatened.

    Sounds like not firing him would have been a win/win.

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. Now and Then | Bark Bark Woof Woof says:
    February 1, 2014 at 6:31 am

    […] appearing on MSNBC until he got an apology from the network. Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC apologized and fired the unnamed staffer who sent out the tweet. The bullies […]

Primary Sidebar

VA Purple House Delegates

Donate

Political Action

Postcard Writing Information

Recent Comments

  • wjca on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:38am)
  • NotMax on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:35am)
  • ArchTeryx on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:32am)
  • wjca on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:28am)
  • Hkedi [Kang T.Q.] on Friday Night Open Thread: The Looming Shutdown (Sep 30, 2023 @ 2:24am)

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
What Has Biden Done for You Lately?

Balloon Juice Meetups!

All Meetups
Talk of Meetups – Meetup Planning

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Cole & Friends Learn Español

Introductory Post
Cole & Friends Learn Español

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!