The Powerthirst Party has to get its two-minute hate on, and nobody does it better than Stu Varney’s bad cop/insane cop routine on FOX.
STUART VARNEY (HOST): Let’s get right to the president’s speech last night on terrorism, and bring in Lt. Col. Ralph Peters. Alright, Ralph, I have a question for you. I know you watched last night. I want to know, what were you saying to the TV as the president was speaking? What was your commentary as the president’s speech unfolded?
RALPH PETERS: Well, first of all he keeps speaking about “we can’t give in to our fears.” You know, “don’t be afraid.” Look, Mr. President we’re not afraid we’re angry, we’re pissed off, we’re furious. We want you to react, we want you to do something. You’re afraid. I mean this guy is such a total pussy, its stunning. And, you know, we want — we the people, the American people, whom he does not know in any intimate sort of manner, we want action. We want action against Islamic State and then — then, when the president is telling us he is going to destroy ISIS. This is a president who has done more harm to American police departments than he has done to Islamic State. This is a president who restrains our military. He uses it not to defeat ISIS, but for political purposes for political cover. This is a president who doesn’t want to hurt our enemies. This is a president who cares more about thugs in Guantanamo, or thugs in Ferguson, Missouri, than he does about law-abiding American citizens and their right to live in safety and peace.
VARNEY: I can tell you are super angry, and I asked you what your reaction was, but I have got to call you — you can’t use language like that on the program, OK? I’m sorry.
PETERS: I’m sorry.
VARNEY: OK, accept that. Now, moving on…
Varney of course waits for Peters to get done with his rant before scolding him, because he’s polite, you see. Not that he was going to correct Peters’s content that Obama “cares more about thugs” in Gitmo or Ferguson, just that unfortunate language was the only problem.
By the way, if “I can tell that you’re super angry” isn’t the motto of FOX, it needs to be.
Felanius Kootea
I just read the most infuriating New York Times article about Wall Street trying to take over the mortgage industry by eliminating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. No one is even pretending to be on the side of the middle class anymore (besides Bernie).
With regards to right wing reactions to Obama’s speech, the Hutu Power Radio of America is gaining strength. I wish Anonymous would do us all a favor and bring down Fox News. A girl can dream.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Well I’m sure as a serious journalist and employee of Jake Tapper’s sister-network, Varney countered with actual facts about how Obama has used the military against them (more than 8,000 airstrikes, as of last week, a couple of thousand special ops troops, etc).
The Republic of Stupity
Oh good Lord… was Peters wearing a spittle bib when he went on this rant?
How many more ways can they find to denigrate Obama?
This speech belongs on one of those placemats you find in cheap chain diners, for the kids to color on…
Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
Where the fuck do they dig up these asswipes? I think, though, that Fox News should begin a Fox Obscenity Channel, where they can have these creatures on and they can swear and curse and call the president a pussy and a nigger and a fuckface and everything else they’re dying to call him, and they can get away with it all. Although, now that I think of it, it might take off so fast that the old Fox News will be left behind, so maybe they’d be better off not doing it. I think they should, though. They just need to go whole hog and do what they’re all itching to do and say what they’re desperate to say. And, after all, all their watchers are just as desperate to hear the tough guys say it…
Frivolous
Eh, same old same old from the people who equate rhetoric with action.
Also, I checked out Ralph Peters’ bio on Wikipedia. He was in military intelligence, not a combat officer at all. I don’t know if he was ever in combat.
jl
They should book Russell Peters on, their viewers would learn more about the problem.
Look for youtube clips of Russell Peters’ trip to Middle East (he says because he wanted to see if for himself and figure it out) and his visit to Lebanese bomb shelter/nightclub.
So, a sketchy bad taste Canadian comic has more courage smarts and initiative than Fox News purported national security experts.
Peale
So when we send in sizeable ground forces to defeat ISIS, how long do we plan on staying around? Or record of actually eliminating groups that are “our enemies” is actually kind of small when you think about it.
LWA
If I were the Erick Bin Erick of the left, I would suggest we mail a binkie and plush toy to every member of the Fox News team, to soothe their fears.
Villago Delenda Est
Ralph Peters is an utter disgrace to the uniform he once wore.
Fuck him and all other fascist shit.
LWA
@Frivolous:
Smart money says Peters is a paid “consultant” for the defense industry.
Villago Delenda Est
@Felanius Kootea: You can bet that Daesh won’t help us by taking down Faux Noise. Faux is serving them all too well.
nastybrutishntall
“Blackity black black black! He’s black! A black thug-loving thuggy black! My penis is small and we will all die, Stuart!”
Davebo
Peters military history should be considered. 4 years enlisted, 18 commissioned and never got past LtCol most likely because he never saw action. Germany is a pretty sweet gig and spending over 10 years there is not exactly the normal Army career path.
But boy, has he cashed in on it!
Oatler.
Stoking the apocalypse. Well done thou good and faithful servant.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
another voice of reason (from TPM), this is the same state leger whose Xmas card featured the whole family (including a five year old) packin’ heat to celebrate the coming of the Prince Of Peace
No Syrian refugees, of course, involved in Paris or So Cal, but she’s gonna go pop a few just to make herself feel better. To wax G-Willian, a difference in degree rather than kind from Richard Cohen’s need for “therapeutic violence” that le tout Village is expressing, whether they know it or not
WereBear
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Doesn’t this kind of behavior mean the person should be mentally evaluated? Because it should.
D58826
@nastybrutishntall: Probably about as closed to using the n word as you can get. And this is all about Obama being an nclang. Whatever good or bad Obama has done, whatever mistakes he has made are certainly no better or worse than the previous occupants of the Oval Office. Its just that skin color.
Bill
The President has ordered more that 7,000 airstrikes on American police departments? How did I miss that?!
Cacti
@Bill:
As Karl Rove once suggested, the GOP isn’t hindered by belonging to the reality based community. They create their own reality.
Pogonip
I’ve seen Peters on TV before. I am pretty sure I know more about the art of war than he does. There are plenty of retired officers who were competent in their day and I’m sure some of them don’t like Obama. Why can’t Fox book one of rhem?
Is anyone going to write about the Washington Post article about the significance of Obama standing up to give his speech? It is important. Really.
Benw
Minus ten (-10) right wing points for failure to thank God or Jesus for anything. Also no mention of Sharia law or armed patriots protecting the Constitution. A solid B- effort at best.
MattF
But no mention of Benghazi or Ebola. Tsk.
pat
The Guardian has a fascinating piece about how ISIL is actually doing their best to become a bureaucratic country with all sorts of rules and regulations….. They are not just a bunch of barbarians in the desert. Also has a map of the territory they control carved out of two countries.
Brendan in Charlotte
@Frivolous: Gonna borrow from Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine – Military Intelligence – two words combined that can’t make sense. – Hangar 18/Rust in Peace
gogol's wife
@Brendan in Charlotte:
Wasn’t that on George Carlin’s list of oxymorons (like jumbo shrimp) around about 1964?
catclub
Saying that police should obey the law is WORSE than 7000 airstrikes.
Gravenstone
I’m sure the good Lt. Colonel is more than ready to be placed back on active duty. Hand that man a uniform, an M4, a week’s load out and field rations and dump his ass somewhere in Syria. As righteous and determined as he is, I imagine he’ll have the place shipshape in no time.
What, no? The good Lt. Colonel is not interested in putting has actual ass back on the line and simply wants to snipe from the sidelines? Coward.
Linnaeus
Where do they dig up guys like this? What makes him a reliable source in any way?
Linnaeus
@Brendan in Charlotte:
Peace sells, but who’s buying?
Calouste
@WereBear: I’d say it’s the kind of behavior that should see one put on the no-fly list for sure.
Villago Delenda Est
@Linnaeus: He echoes the Partei line. That’s all that’s important here.
Chris
After that rebuke, what do you want to bet half the viewers shut off their TV in disgust and concluded that Fox News has gone liberal and is trying to censor a patriot?
Linnaeus
@Villago Delenda Est:
Indeed. You’d think Fox would at least go through the motions, but now it looks like they’re not even trying.
PurpleGirl
@Brendan in Charlotte: Line from Hunt for Red October: Captain Bart Mancuso: Central Intelligence Agency… Now, there’s a contradiction in terms.
Meyerman
He wrote this and no one cares: nypost.com/2006/03/05/dude-wheres-my-civil-war-the-u-s-medias-message-vs-the-truth-on-the-ground-in-iraq/
Phoenix_Rising
New rule: Grown folks get to titter at this, because anyone using the word “p—y” where he means “weak” is ….unfamiliar with the characteristics of such.
If he’d just said “faggot”, which is what I believe he was trying to imply, would Fox have similarly allowed it to go live? I thought they couldn’t shock me, but I was wrong. No matter how quickly I lower my expectations, Republicans can’t seem to meet them.
Enhanced Voting Techinques
This idiot wants us to invade Syria because of something that happened in France???
Hal
And Stacey (get the paycheck) Dash joined in a couple of hours later. Fox News is so transparent at time it’s hilarious.
D58826
Interesting article in the Atlantic about Obama’s view of terrorism (tool of weakness) vs the GOP’s view (stronger than Hitler Salin and Mao combined along with a dash of superman) http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/12/obama-isis-speech-terrorism/419055/
Djchefron
Ralph Peters is a right wing nut who has been wrong on everything since he has been of fox. Plus he is still subject to be tried under the USMJ. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, one of the many activities deemed punishable by court-martial is “contempt toward officials.” This code of laws applies not just to active-duty officers but to retired ones, too. It’s right there in Article 2, Section (a) (5): Persons subject to the UCMJ include “retired members of a regular component of the armed forces who are entitled to pay.”
EthylEster
@Pogonip: Peters is one of the 9/11 “gifts” that keeps on giving. That’s when he crawled out from under a rock and hasn’t shut up since.
J R in WV
@Djchefron:
Oh boy, wouldn’t that be a great court martial? ‘Cause it’s pretty cut and dried, calling the Commander in Chief a “pussy”, that’s textbook contempt right there. And it’s in time of war!!
And then they could let him off if he agreed to terminate his pension – and shut the F up! Saving thousands of dollars and keeping him silent, which would be even better!
dman
@Felanius Kootea:
I love the HUTU reference. I’ve been saying to my wife for awhile now that I’m waiting for the “cut down the tall trees” announcement on Fux Toilet network
john fremont
@Gravenstone: Fred Reed had Ralph Peters number almost ten years ago.
“..Ralph, a doubtless well-paid commentator on television, complains that our elites do not fight in the country’s wars. True. Neither do our Ralphs. Relying on his biography in the Wikipedia, I find that he was born in 1952, making him of military age in 1970. The war in Viet Nam being at its height, he went to Europe for ten years. Rough duty, it was. Cirrhosis always looms in those beer gardens. He retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel in intelligence. (Officers usually being peters, it is not surprising that Peters was an officer.) In the Marines we referred to such people as “admin pogues” or “REMFs,” rear-echelon motherfuckers. I confess to a loathing for those who shelter safely behind the lines yet send others to fight, bowwow, grrrr, woof. Still, his record is not irrelevant to his views. War looks exciting to office workers, but has less appeal to those who are forced to fight. It has even less appeal for those who are hit…
..A bloated military requires enemies. Ralph sees one in the Mohammedans, a desperate recourse but the only one available. Enemies have to be frightening so as to justify the budget. The Soviets were serviceable in this regard, having a huge if low-grade military and a history of occupying places. When the commies punked out, no believable bugaboo was at hand, so makeup was applied to Moslems to let them serve until China comes online. Already one reads of the ominous buildup of the wily Chinee. Evil lurks everywhere, fearsome shapes twist in the fog, send money.”
Same shit he was saying almost ten years ago.