Greenwald explains our shiny new verb.
This is what we have been reduced to. A Senator actually celebrates as some sort of victory or “concession” the fact that the President will allow the constitutionality of his actions to be decided by a court. And we are told that although the President has been breaking the law for the last five years, that is all perfectly “understandable” and we should just all be grateful that the President is allowing us to pass a law which makes that conduct legal.
***Update***
To add, spectering refers to more than just an abject state of Congressional capitulation. That is called Robertsing, or Fristing if you add enthusiasm and subtract competence. Spectering specificially describes the act of angrily defending your principles up until the point when it actually matters, and then dropping them like a prom dress.
And before anybody tries sliding in alternative definitions, spectering does not involve doing creepy imitations of Emperor Palpatine. The word for that is ‘doing a creepy imitation of Emperor Palpatine.’
Eural
I think “spectering” has many more applications than just its political usage. Medically, it can refer to a condition in which ones anus is ruptured from repeated intrusions from a blunt object. At least thats what it feels like is being done to the American public. Way to go, Arlen.
Ancient Purple
But… but… but…
If we expect the President to support the Constitution and follow it, we give in to the terrorists!
Ellison, Ellensburg, Ellers, and Lambchop
We all agree with Greenwald.
We all remind you that Greenwald is a lawyer with a book and a blog read by Senators.
We all believe every word
IweHE says.End transmission.
Pb
In a sane world, The Washington Post would be running articles by Sen. Greenwald, and Specter would be reduced to posting his crackpot Constitutional theories on his blog.
Otto Man
Specter would be reduced to posting his crackpot Constitutional theories on his blog.
Hey, hey — let’s not forget his other classic crackpot theory. Specter can get insane with the laws of physics, too.
Steve
I’d love to argue these legal issues against Greenwald in a court someday.
He’d make some case about Article II and violations of FISA, blah blah blah.
And then I’d get up and say, “Your Honor, my opponent is gay, he’s quite shrill, and some bloggers have alleged that he may post under different names on the Internet.”
If I were the judge, I’d rule for me. How can you lose with an argument like that?
DougJ
All I know is this: civil rights don’t mean much when a terrorist has blown up your birdhouse.
Perry Como
If you expose hidden cameras in birdhouses, only birds will expose themselves to the hidden cameras.
Mona
And then I’d get up and say, “Your Honor, my opponent is gay, he’s quite shrill, and some bloggers have alleged that he may post under different names on the Internet.”
You forgot the clincher for the judge: “And, a lot of the time he lives in Brazil!”
Slam dunk.
The Other Steve
Don’t you think this is a bit long winded compared to the Michael Moore defense?
“Your Honor, my opponent is fat.”
LITBMueller
Awesome! As a Philly resident, I am totally HONORED that our senior Senator is now a VERB, and our junior Senator is a NOUN.
Way to go PA!!!!
I hearby nominate Curt Weldon to be a verb, too.
“to Weldon“: to make wild accusations based on zero evidence or the testimony of known liars.
Example: “We were Weldoned into war with Iran.”; “He went Weldon on his ass!”
Pb
I thought that was “to Darrell”.
Pooh
Which means he likes soccer more than baseball. And soccer is for commies!
Tom in Texas
You know, these are all excellent reasons for ignoring Greenwald, but you seem to have forgotten the creme de la creme. In addition to being gay, shrill, and an alleged sockpuppetter who lives half the time in Brazil, the man is pompous. He wrote a book, it became a best seller, and now he has to go around reminding everyone. Plus some senator read from his blog. As long as Greenwald reminds us of this, his opinion is invalid. Duh.
demimondian
No. Darrelling is repeating the wild accusations someone else has previously Weldoned to you.
Temple Stark
“drop like a prom dress.”
hee :-)
also Steve made me laugh, because I actually pictured someone standing in front of a judge trying that. Still chuckling.
Thanks
– Temple
Pooh
Either a fine vintage of satire, or a new challenger emerges (Sorrt Tom in TX. not familiar enough with your handle to tell yet…)
Zifnab
Wow. Did you just accuse a blogger of being pompous and full of himself? I am shocked sir. Shocked and appalled at the very idea. I’ve never seen anyone else with an audiance exhibit such traits.
A guy breaks 50,000 hits and his head swells up like a beach ball. If a senator read from your blog, you’d have an ego to match your hit count too.
You’re going to have to do better than “I don’t like him because he’s pompous.” If that’s honestly your criterion, I refuse to believe you watch TV at all.
Eric
Wasn’t Saddam Hussein a President? Why is what he did bad, while all the wrong that bush does is good?