The American Spectator : Bill Clinton's Sham Night

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Bill Clinton’s Sham Night

By Ben Stein on 9.6.12 @ 6:11AM

And the Native American Elizabeth Warren was no better.

(Page 2 of 2)

A few things Mr. Clinton did not dwell upon: Mr. Obama has tacked roughly $5 trillion onto the deficit in three and a half years and we still have higher unemployment for a longer time than at any time since the Great Depression. The share of the GDP that goes to the federal government has grown by almost one-third, to close to a quarter of the whole economy — and what do we have to show for it?

But the most maddening part of the speech — which was delivered in the best fake-sincere, lip-biting Clinton way, was when he talked about what a terrible economy Mr. Obama inherited. And that’s true. It was in terrible shape.

How about the economy that George W. Bush inherited? A budding recession. The worst stock market meltdown since the Great Depression. A national nervous breakdown over 9/11. Mr. Bush and his team pulled us through all of this with resolve and steadiness and tax cuts that worked.

Yes, his team under Henry Paulson made terrible mistakes in 2007 and 2008. But Mr. Bush 43 inherited a crisis, the Internet scam and stock market collapse, brought it under control, steadied the nation after 9/11, and he gets no credit at all. I keep thinking of something basic: I do not recall Mr. Bush 43 ever blaming Mr. Clinton for the Internet bubble and the recession. Mr. Obama does nothing but blame George W. Bush for everything.

Well, anyway, the real tenor of the convention was revealed when the delegates booed the decision of the President to put back in “God given” before the word “abilities” in a plank of the platform. Not a pretty picture.

And no matter what, the Democrats cannot wash away the stain of being the party that is enthusiastic about denying the rights of the unborn. That is serious evil.

Otherwise Mr. Clinton was great.

But I could not help notice how utterly different the people at the DNC looked from the ones at the RNC. One group was blond, happy looking, contented looking. The others looked as if they could not wait for the tumbrels, an entire convention of Mesdames Defarge.

There are different tribes in America. Some are happy. Some are furious. I want the ones who are happy to run things.

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About the Author

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes “Ben Stein’s Diary” for every issue of The American Spectator.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (203) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

drudge ette obama| 9.6.12 @ 6:20AM

I sort of feel sorry for Bill Clinton - his days in the sun and Oval Office are over.

Pow Wow Chow Elizabeth Warren - if she'll lie so stupidly about a recipe (claiming it was passed down from her Cherokee ancestors when it was really a Better Homes and Garden delight), what will she do in the Senate? She was the first person that I heard state that we didn't make it ourselves. I thought she was a loon then and now I am affirmed.

Joellen| 9.6.12 @ 10:41AM

Feel sorry for the woman he raped and molested. Bubba/Hillary (by the way go into the AmericanThinker.com and read about her and Huma)/Obama/Pelosi, etc., etc., are EVIL - let's call it what it is. They have been allowed to get away with every evil atrocity because of the elite media who adore and perpetuate evil. Waste no sypmpathy on these people - remember they wish to destroy us and America.

Lyneuss Fields | 9.6.12 @ 11:16AM

Wait a minute! Isn't Hillary running in 2016? Then Bill can be America's "First Laddy". And that "drop of blood" logic racial bigots drop on our African brothers works both ways with Warren's case, doesn't it?
Somebody should tell Ben, of course—as an economist—he understands this in his sleep, corporations are people, but not because they are made up of people or hold the pensions of people. Corporations are people because of a Supreme Court decision giving entities the ability to sue them as an individual [see: Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)]. I love your writing Ben, and how clever you can be. But the issue with American “people” is whether corporations should be entitled to the same Constitutional protections as Homo sapiens.
http://lyneussfields.blogspot......their.html

George S| 9.6.12 @ 12:13PM

Did you actually read the decision of Dartmouth v Woodward? Here are the key excerpts:

On the first point, it has been argued that the word contract, in its broadest sense, would comprehend the political relations between the government and its citizens[,]...

Taken in its broad, unlimited sense, the clause would be an unprofitable and vexatious interference with the internal concerns of a state[,]... and to restrain the legislature in future from violating the right to property.

To correct this mischief, by restraining that power which produced it, the state legislatures were forbidden to pass any law impairing the obligation of contracts [Article I Section X]"

So you see, professor, the decision upheld that the right to private property is what the contracts clause protects -- not the political contract between people and government (which is what you are referring to when you conflate corporations with people to first amendment rights). A corporation has property rights afforded with the legal protection of a contract. The people cannot -- through their state legislatures -- overturn, modify, amend or otherwise interfere in a corporate charter any more than it can intervene in a contract between two people.

Not on my watch do you get to interpret history.

Lyneuss Fields | 9.6.12 @ 12:48PM

I don't disagree with your above analysis, and obviously you're much more familiar with this individual case than I am. The point I was making—perhaps inadequately—is that Corporations are using The 1st Amendment's Speech Clause to escape liability for their unified assertion to Congress, "Our products are not harmful to the health of Americans. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T....._Agreement
Obviously, by mounds of evidence, this Big Tobacco's assertion is false but protected speech. That was the gist of what I was inferring in my above post.

Bob From District 9| 9.6.12 @ 5:04PM

Fraud is not protected speech.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 5:52PM

The New York Times is a corporation, is it not? So then they don't have freedom of the press?

Recall that Citizen's United was a non-profit group founded by some people who banded together for political speech. Under what right do they have no freedom of speech but the NYT Corporation does?

Regarding Tobacco, they have been hander much more liability than they deserved. At any rate, false advertisement claims are not protected speech.

Bob From District 9| 9.6.12 @ 5:02PM

Elizabeth Warren says her family lore claims she is part Cherokee. That is something she did not attempt to use for professional advancement.

So, where the hell do you get off questioning it?

BTW, I have a recipe that was given to me by a family friend, that I later found in a magazine. Doesn't mean that person ever in her life read that magazine, just that she was not the only person who knew that recipe.

My late wife had a recipe that was handed down in her family. That recipe also was published in a newspaper. I know it was her family recipe because it was a member of her family who wrote it up for the newspaper.

IOW, you have nothing!

Colin Foy| 9.6.12 @ 6:40PM

That's nice Bob. Thank you for that information.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:07PM

That's BULLSHIT.

She did use it for her own advantage.

Do your Homework.

Tom Kyba| 9.6.12 @ 7:41PM

Please look down from your high horse to explain to us yokels how she didn't use the Cherokee reference for political gain. The first time wasn't funny enough.

drudge ette obama| 9.6.12 @ 8:22PM

I am sorry that your wife is always late, but family lore doesn't excuse plagarism. Please share that recie that your family friend gave you - I have always wanted to know how to butter toast.

Also, Warren won't release her school applications (or her recipe for boiling Cherokee water.)

Let's see her financial aid applications (and her Cherokee recipe for Rice Krispie Treats.)

Jack in Wi| 9.6.12 @ 6:25AM

They are showing a commericial with Clinton here in Wi. I must say he looks awful. The wages of his sins are showing on his face. Well so far I have looked at both conventions for about an hour. Most of it was watching Romney's speech. I did look in one time last night and saw Clinton spouting off. Thay had given him bettter makeup then in the commercial but he still looked awful. I don't think that tied old windbag turned many voters Obama's way. He should stick to what he does best now, collecting many milllions for inflence peddling and giving high priced speeches. I wonder what Obama gave him to appear last night?

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 8:58AM

Actually, I believe that the wages of his sins were on Monica's face.

But I digress.

Whomever wrote this article, please untie Ben Stein and let him go home to his Loved Ones.

Like I was saying......Whomever wrote this article, referenced "An entire Convention of Mesdames Defarge". That was a good one.

In keeping with a Great Man's Philosophy of Pointing out Absurdity by being Absurd, I'm suggesting a Game.

Who can come up with the best Analogy for what we've see so far at this Clusterfck of a Greek Tragedy, that the Party that Hates God is putting on.

When I watch these guys, at this thing, I see "The Warriors".

I see the scene in The Warriors, where the Leader of one of the Gangs in New York, calls representatives from all the other Gangs in the City, for a meeting to discuss Taking over the City.

They were all assembled in a Park, at night, with the lights shining down on them. And they Plotted their Takeover of the City, and how, if they put away their differences and their animosities, they could have it all.

"If you can Count? You know that we Outnumber the Cops. If we call a Truce. If we work together. We can do this. We can take over this city, IF YOU CAN COUNT."

That's what I saw.

Now, the Winner of this gets every Comment that Purp has ever made. They'll be on a IPod, but you'll only be able to use it in Europe.

The Loser gets Dinner at a nice German Restaurant with Jack in Wisconsin, and I give your Phone Number to Alanwhateverhegoesbytoday.

Go.

Joellen| 9.6.12 @ 10:48AM

Tim, can you play if you havent watched this scumy portrayal of what is alledge to be a convention? I have only been watching FOXnews up till these punks come on and then I switch off. I've been reading and listening to talk radio - so again, if you are not actually watching can you play?

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 11:53AM

Oh my, yes - Joellen.

This Contest was Created with clever Gals like You, in mind.

And, just think. Even if you lose? AlanBrooksblacknegroobamaloverwhatever will call you ALL THE TIME, and you girls can dish all night, about boys.

Now, sit down at that Computer and Lose this Contest, if you want those phone calls.

You can do it.

I have faith in you.

Colin Foy| 9.6.12 @ 6:18PM

The U.S. Senate/Congressional scenes from the D.W. Griffith movie, "The Birth of a Nation."

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:09PM

Oooooooh.

Good one.

mike 3/505| 9.6.12 @ 11:14AM

Beach Scene in Lord of the Flies.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 11:45AM

Now, you're gettin it.

Come one. Come all.

There is much Fun and Frivolity, and Prizes to be had.

The Sky's the Limit!

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 11:54AM

The Beach Scene in Lord of the Flies.

That's HILARIOUS.

R Martin| 9.6.12 @ 2:26PM

Cafeteria scene from Animal House.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 2:37PM

The scene in Gangs Of New York, where all of the Gangs pile out of the Buildings, and face off against each other, at the beginning of the Movie.

Joellen| 9.6.12 @ 5:22PM

When it comes to the democrats - how about the scene in Goodfella's where Joe Pesi is supposed to get knighted and instead gets dead! Aah how I see the dem's doing that all day long to each other.

Joellen| 9.6.12 @ 5:25PM

And how about the scene where Robert DeNiro tells them NOT to SPEND THE MONEY! What do they do - Spend the Money - the dems being portrayed in reel land.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:10PM

What took you so long?

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 2:54PM

Also Hilarious.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 2:55PM

R Martin's, not mine.

mike 3/505| 9.6.12 @ 4:19PM

I think that beats mine. I turn over my king Sir.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 4:54PM

I don't know Mike.

I was Laughing my ass off, all day, over yours.

mike 3/505| 9.6.12 @ 5:29PM

Happy to oblige...BTW....We gettin' any traction with the EDIT button? I try to put that in every few comments or so.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:17PM

Please.

I wrote about 1500 words in one comment, and I left out ONE IMPORTANT WORD, the 3rd last word of the comment, and it Ruined the whole comment.

If I knew where Tyrell lived?

I'd drive over there, and KICK HIS ASS.

MarkS| 9.6.12 @ 6:06PM

The pre-battle scene in the bowels of Isengard in Fellowship of the Ring

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:11PM

You're killing me.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:22PM

Time's running out, people.

It's 7:20.

Only 40 Minutes to go.

Think about it: all of Purps Comments on an IPod, that you can only use in Europe.

That's exciting.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:24PM

You guys are unbelievable.

I'm laughing my ass off.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 8:22PM

Okay, it's 8pm, and it's time to award the Prizes.

This was unbelievably difficult.

First, I wanna thank everyone who sent in a Comment.

All of them, and I mean ALL OF THEM were Fantastic, and I am Humbled, by your participation.

The Winners of the IPod, with all of Purp's Comments, that can only be used in Europe, are Mike 3/505' for his wonderful rendition of The Beach Scene in Lord of the Flies, and MarkS, for his Bowels of Isengard Interpretation.

Congratulations, Gentlemen, for your Insight, and your Superior Minds.

As for the recipients of Dinner with Jack in Wisconsin, at the Neo Nazi German Restaurant of your choice, as well as me giving your phone number to AlanI'maflaminghomo, are Joellen and Paul McGrath.

Remember.

It's not if you Win or Lose.

It's something else.

R Martin| 9.6.12 @ 8:28PM

Worthy winners, certainly. But I'm a bit surprised no one entered the campfire/beans scene from Blazing Saddles.

mike 3/505| 9.6.12 @ 9:27PM

I'm glad you waited to enter that one. I woulda voted you up. :-)

TLP| 9.7.12 @ 6:55PM

Agreed.

TLP| 9.7.12 @ 6:57PM

I'm still laughing.

The Campfire scene from Blazing Saddles.

Priceless.

Joellen| 9.6.12 @ 8:52PM

Tim, as many of us do, I work during the day and I just now returned from my monthly tea party meeting and just couldnt wait to see who won. Well, What an HONOR to win kudo's from you! Keep doing what you do Tim, you truly are an inspiration for many of us out here. As for dining with Jack and/or giving my # to Alan, well, I must decline for my sanity 's sake. I am sure most of you will understand.

TLP| 9.7.12 @ 6:58PM

I'm sorry Joellen.

But, the Rules are the Rules.

Expect a Call.

Joellen| 9.7.12 @ 8:27PM

Thanks Tim, I really needed that laugh:)

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 2:14PM

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," with Michelle Obama as Nurse Ratched, and Barack Obama as Billly Bibbit. Can't figure out yet who would play McMurphy, though. Perhaps not an exact metaphor.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 2:39PM

I think you might be getting some phone calls from Alan, with that one.

C'mon people.

This Contest Ends at 7pm, with the Prizes handed out at 8.

Let's get cracking.

Drunken Sailor| 9.6.12 @ 3:18PM

a Chinese fire drill?
Keystone Cop convention

Haven't watched much but what I did see reminding me of a remake of Night of the Living dead. Just a bunch of "O" zombies mindlessy wandering around.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 4:56PM

Also, Hilarious.

You just made this a lot tougher on the judges.

Don't be surprised if you get all of Purp's Comments on that IPod that you can only use in Europe.

Alej| 9.6.12 @ 2:56PM

A proctologist's fantasy - 10,000 a$$h***s under one roof.

Occam's Tool| 9.6.12 @ 3:56PM

"There is a fortoona to be made in the bowel runs of the stars."

I'll let you guess the character, and the Book (later movie).

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 9.6.12 @ 6:57AM

Yes, Elizabeth Warren the game is rigged and you know how to rig it by claiming to be a fake Indian.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 8:59AM

Nice.

Von Mises Jr| 9.6.12 @ 7:00AM

Has anyone else come to the realization that the Catholics are the new blacks of the Antebellum South pre-Civil War?
Perhaps someone should tell the Jews that they are in almost the same predicament from the 2012 Democrat Party as the liberal politicians keep accusing the Republicans of being. We have had at least three references so far.
I guess that is their Platform: get the Catholics and Jews.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:11PM

Where do you get this stuff?

Appleby| 9.6.12 @ 7:13AM

An excellent summation, Mr. Stein. For those of us who were the first members of our extended family to attend university at all, the angry, whirring Daleks on the DNC convention floor are aging versions of those who were constantly getting in our way in 1968. I'd love to sit the whole caboodle down in that hall and show them "The Big Chill." If you haven't watched it lately, I recommend it. The subtext, for those of you who didn't take Cinematography at school, was (1) we have become our parents because (2) they were right. The Tea Party Republicans have made their peace with that conclusion. The angry, whirring Democrats continue to resist.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 5:57PM

Daleks. Love it.

Ex-ter-minate!

Come to think of it, that's not so funny. The Dem's main aim is mass murder, of the unborn, of Israel and our other alllies (indirectly), and of the peoples' of the despots they love so much.

Daleks indeed!

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 7:25AM

Sour Grapes.
Clinton dissected the Republican Party, Lyin' Ryan and Mitt the Twit.
"Alex Castellanos, GOP Strategist: Clinton Speech Was 'Moment That Likely Reelected Obama" ...

The diversity at the Convention is marvelous and no need to trot out token minorities amongst the white majority. It's on display all over the Convention.

Now Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney - You wanna stop lyin' about Medicare and Welfare? Or you wanna take on Bill Clinton?

LindaF | 9.6.12 @ 7:34AM

Yes, Clinton had them standing and cheering.

It's called whistling in the dark.

They HAVE to win - it's the only way to keep their shady deals buried.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 7:44AM

As I said, SOUR GRAPES... you got nothing on your side but flip-flopping Mitty and Lyin' Ryan.

Stephie| 9.6.12 @ 7:58AM

And what's really rich and shows the stupidity and disrespect for the American women is a good part of their 4 days was spent whining about women and how Romney wants them back in the kitchen and preggers. Then they bring in the accused rapists, the sexual harasser-in-chief, the impeached president to promote your boy! Is this party completely devoid of morals or better yet, brains? And their total meltdown yesterday when they had to vote not once, not twice but THREE times to amend their platform and then gave it to the nays! obama stepped in it big time there, didn't he? Dicky Durbin and his meltdown with Brett Baier was something to behold as well. Yeah, you dems got it together alright!

Gary B| 9.6.12 @ 9:26AM

Remember when Obama claimed successful management experience by pointing out how well he ran his '08 campaign? Seems his management skills have slipped a few notches. This campaign appears to be planned by the Three Stooges and executed by the Keystone Cops. It's simultaneously outrageous and hilarious. The only thing missing is a loaded cigar.

Humor aside... when people with power see it slipping away and feel they have nothing to lose very bad things can happen. This particular pack of felons is extremely dangerous. Anything, absolutely anything, can happen between now and election day and even after election day.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 9:53AM

Naw, like Ann Romney said, so subtly, We Love You Women! That was so much better.

Somehow I doubt you watched his speech, did you?

chuck| 9.6.12 @ 8:00AM

And your side has no God, hates Israel, despises hard work and success, and is led by a Marxist anti-American Muslim who hates working class white men.

Care to dispute any of that?

Purp, you and your ilk are disgusting.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:01AM

Of course that is complete baloney. There is no point disputing what YOU wish to believe.

God Bless, Long Live Israel, and We Love You Men!

Gary B| 9.6.12 @ 11:34AM

"God Bless, Long Live Israel, and We Love You Men!" Sounds good. Thank you.

I guess your flip-side ideology is, "God damn you, kill Israel and men are unnecessary." You know, Godless, maniacal feminism. I just can't figure out where your beloved Islam fits in. I guess it's okay if it's anti-woman as long as it's anti-Christian.

We anti-progressives will need a chart to figure out your priorities, 'cause logic alone isn't working for us.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:12PM

You are ranting complete nonsense - go wash out your brain.

TinaB| 9.8.12 @ 11:37AM

Mindless sh-t, P. Mindless.

Occam's Tool| 9.6.12 @ 3:58PM

You don't believe that G-d should bless you and Am Yisrael Chai, Purp? OK, fine.

I also think Mitt Romney is a bit of a mensch. So does Bibi.

RCV| 9.8.12 @ 2:59PM

Bibi barely knows who he is, as he acknowledged in a Jul 2012 interview.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 10:26AM

And Obama isn't the biggest liar on the face of the earth? Every moment of his life is a lie (then again, that's simply the price of admission to the Democrat party - that and utter amoral corruption).

Josef Goebbels would blush at any random speech Obama gives - or, for that matter, the outrageously puerile and mendacious demagoging any of your rat heroes do that dishonors even the word "speech." More like one long lying harangue.

You are such a blind ideologue. Must be nice to believe that whatever you want to be true is true. That's liberalism.

Then again, something tells me you are personally benefitting from the corrupt kleptocracy that is the Obama administration's pushing Democrat extortion and destruction to the limit.

Why don't you share with us what you do for a living? Or should I say "taking?"

In what way are you on the government gravy train? Full disclosure, please.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:40AM

Oh, because YOU, the Great Grzmlyk says so? LMAO...

Ideologue? How is it in the peanut gallery of the Fox News crowd? Is this what Rupert told you to say?

Benefit? No more than you, pal. Why don't YOU share what you do for a living? I have a business, and a full-time job. What you got, DA?

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 11:00AM

Purp, your repartee isn't very witty. I guess once you veer from Rachel Maddow's talking points, there's really not a lot of "there" there, is there? Well, you are a liberal automaton, after all; can't blame an anvil for not having a brain, and you can't blame a liberal for spending all of his time uh, pleasuring himself to the image of goodness he tells himself he sees in the mirror.

I work as a cog in the machine of an insurance company. I make a very, very modest salary.

Now why don't you tell the truth about what you REALLY do? Own a business my ass. What is your "business?" Kneecapping local legitimate businesses who won't pony up the protection money?

Just tell us WHICH of the 115,439,927 government troughs you're feeding from. Come on, since all money is really the government's it all goes the same place anyway, right?

Why be embarrassed to tell us how you earn your living? After all, it's your gaia-given right to live high on the hog, free to scratch your ever consumerist itch with Other People's Money, isn't it? Heck, if we run out of cash, just do what Paul Krugman says! Print more!

America! Is this a great gravy train or what?

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:18PM

I have neither the desire nor the time to be witty with you... so I don't care.

Seriously, if you ARE in insurance, then you know all about it. Claims adjudication and DUR? You know all the HIPAA rules too?

And, yes I have a small business now, a larger one earlier, but with a full-time job, no time for it all.

I have a payroll to meet and withholding to submit, etc.

What IS your point? You think spouting a lot of blather about the sins of liberals or something is somehow "witty" ?

Whatever is your problem with the workers of this country? IF you are one, you should be with not against them.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 6:26PM

Wow. It took you hours to come up with THAT?

At least you know what blather means. I guess you're smarter than I thought. But only barely.

I work for an insurance company. I have nothing to do with claims per se. In case you didn't know, corporations have lots of different people filling lots of different roles.

But what, pray tell, does DUR or HIPAA have to do with anything? Are you trying to impress me with the breadth of your knowledge? Because that's kinda pathetic.

Payroll my ass. Like all liberals, you are a liar; the only time you're transparent is when you're trying to sell a phony bill of goods to the credulous and your ideologically blinkered fellow travelers. Go ahead. Tell me what business you're in. Tell me one or two things a CEO would know about running a company in your field. This ought to be very, very entertaining.

You sound like a perpetual grad student. What's your current major, left-handed African American Lesbian Amputee studies?

Strip you of the pre-fabricated dogma, and you're really just an incoherent, selfish parasite, aren't you?

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 6:28PM

Oh, by the way: Selling weed out of your basement isn't technically a business.

Anthony| 9.6.12 @ 11:26AM

Dream on fool. So much for "new ideas". You pathetic Ds had to have a sociopath liar and sexual predator try to save the Muslim Marxist's bacon. Try as he may, even the Sociopath-in-chief couldn't make the case for the Fraud-in-Chief.
Let's see, Clinton' bacon was saved by a R majority in congress that passed tax reform that saved Monica's boyfriends ass. "The era of big government is over"!!! He also said, "Is my nose as big as Moochelles ass? Haaaaaaa.
What a pathetic group of hasbeens.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:20PM

Funny, when Lyin' Ryan couldn't give one speech without several bald-faced lies. The blue eyes don't cover the lyin' eyes ...
Last time you had Grandpa and the Bimbo from Alaska running and this time you have Gordon Gecko and Pinnochio running for P and VP.

Great choices.

CJW| 9.6.12 @ 5:44PM

Purpie/jack
You cannot defend Obama. What has he done?

1. Play golf over 100 times while we have a war in Afghan.

2. surrendered in Aghan by announcing a date to withdraw. Brilliant military stratetgy. Tell the enemy when you are leaving.

3. Piled on 6 Trillion in debt in less than 4 years.

4. did the 716 Billion Dollar Heist from Medicare to pay for Obamacare. You know it is true, Medicare is paying less to doctors and hospitals.

5. Had his house paid partly by Chicago felon Rezko.

6. Put in an earmark for one million dollars for a Chicago hospital after Michele got a raise from $100,000 to $316,000 per year from hospital. And her job was eliminated in Jan 2009. Guess Obama had to pay for that 2 million dollar house someway, money from Rezko, some from the earmark job...

7. Spent his adult life in a racist, anti semitic, anti American church listening to Rev Wright.

8. Hung around a terrorrist, Billy Ayers.

9. apologizes for the USA and bows to every dictator.
10,. Endorsed by Hugo Chavez.

11. 23 million Americans out of work.

12. Ignores the Constitution and rules by executive orders.

TinaB| 9.8.12 @ 11:43AM

I would love to see P-dog address each of those 12 issues. . . Never gonna happen.

Malatesta| 9.6.12 @ 9:36AM

I have a question for you. Who are the individuals that you label as “minorities”? I was a refugee from the former Soviet Bloc. United States of America is replete with people like me, coming here from China, Cambodia, all the Soviet Satellites (e.g. Hungary, Poland, Albania, Bulgaria, etc.). Are you saying that we do not count as minorities? In all my interactions with such individuals, I consistently hear the same message: How can people believe in the drivel that the current Democrats are disseminating. In our native countries, everybody knew that on one side there were the government and ITS press and on the other side were the people. There, the "reporters" wrote what they wrote because they got the directives from the Communist party. Nobody believed a word they read and the reporters knew it. Here, I think, the MSM reporters actually BELIEVE what they write!!! In Russia the absolute definition of a stupid person was, "He really believes what he reads in Pravda." In the US, there are actually people who WILLINGLY write lies, willingly read them AND willingly believe them. How is that possible? So, how do you believe in it? Haven’t you studied in school about the Cold War?

Ian Cognito | 9.6.12 @ 9:51AM

No, Malatesta, they have NOT read about it. Communism is fancifully remembered in classrooms as a wonderful idea that failed due to bad management. Have you not seen the Che Guevara clothing? Their ignorance is fatal - literally. Colleges teach Commies and their leaders were forced into bad decisions and history is being re-written as we write here. American history and government is no longer taught - that history contains slavery and harm done to indians and capitalism. American history is racist, white mostly, and unfit for young minds. Education in this nation contains no absolutes and freedom of thought is encouraged - so long as the pupil expresses the RIGHT type of thoughts - non judgmental, inclusive, open-minded thoughts that are based in secular humanism and moral relativism.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:11AM

You just proved my point about which side is the most extreme and only cares to get their way and win the game ... Thanks!

You attack the very institutions that created the country you supposedly love.
Your attacks are misguided, nonsensical, but THAT is the real problem, isn't it?
Why do you continue to believe people only interested in their own ratings instead of truth?

Ian Cognito | 9.7.12 @ 8:22AM

Your ability to twist what is clearly written to service your beliefs exposes the deep flaws in the institutions I listed. Lets review... 200 million murders due to Communism. Che another Commie, murdered as many homosexuals as possible, and anyone who disagreed with him and Fidel. Funny how the Left must murder their opponents - their ideology is fatally flawed - literally. I love this country - its history is not unfit for pupils. What transpired occurred in the heat of the time. People were engaged and much more knowledgeable than today. Their choices were not evil or hatefilled. What the Left purposely excludes from the past is the only way to make their arguments reasoned. You may want to look at that history because people who did not enthusiastically support Communism were called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice - for the good of the party

vtwin| 9.6.12 @ 9:56AM

In the Soviet Block the communist elite controlled the media in the United States the media is controlled by the corporate elite it is all about control of the many by the few.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:11AM

I hope that's not entirely true, but I'm afraid it is.. It was not always so.

Gary B| 9.6.12 @ 11:39AM

"...it is all about control of the many by the few."

Well, duh. That's been man's curse since way before the time of Christ. It's us against the statists. The power elite of both parties is the enemy of personal liberty. That's why they hate the Tea Party.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:08AM

Well Miss - we DON'T live in the Soviet Bloc.

So your premise of Government & Government run media on one side and the people on the other is completely false in America. You may not have been here long enough to know that.

When Republicans were in charge in the 2000's did you think the same? GW Bush ran the media and the people were on the other side?

In this country, there are 2 political parties and the media is independent (or do you think Fox News and Rush Limbaugh is run by Barack Obama? ) . Some media lean right, some left and some work hard to be in the middle. But they are independent of the Government.

In the heated, charged partisan atmosphere today, I don't blame you for being confused. But Democracy is supposed to be all sides working together for a common good.

Unfortunately, mostly on one side, although both do it, winning and getting their way seem to take precedence over good policies for America.

Good Luck sorting through this mess - it hasn't always been so, and compromise has not always been a dirty word.

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 4:47PM

I don't think she's confused, Purp. I think you are confused, but I don't think she is confused.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:21PM

Uh, whatever - did you read the nonsense you wrote.... kinda loses the intended sting, don't it. Have a nice day...

Tom Kyba| 9.6.12 @ 8:00PM

Your snotty egoism is wonderful to read blah blah blah. But you are a gutless chicken when you try pulling the "right" controlled media bilge. You are always snobbish and self-absorbed but at least you make an honest argument at times. However, this pathetic need to convince yourself that because Murdoch is involved in the media, it's actually the right that is benefitting. This is childish and should be beneath you. Or not. Cluck cluck little self-absorbed little chicken man.
P.S. It's more than alittle disingenuous to use Limbaugh as part of the media to strengthen your point, when most of your ilk don't consider him legitimate. How many faces do you have?

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 11:56AM

Thank you Malatesta. In my youth and as of now, there are those who constantly extoll the virtues of socialism without ever considering the opinions of those who have lived under those systems. They are not hard to find. As Solzhenitsyn said, "They are all around you."

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 5:58PM

So you love a rapist and serial molester. Figures, typical Democrat.

Tom Kyba| 9.6.12 @ 7:44PM

Wow! Hero worship for Bill Clinton. They do exist!

Cobalt| 9.6.12 @ 7:30AM

David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett were just interviewed together, on television. What an evil pair.

The Clintons now own The Democratic Party, on a national level. Is Chelsea ready to run for office? After all, she is entitled, and as you know the persimmon doesn't fall far from the tree.

Elizabeth 'Fauxcahontas' Warren is just like the rest of them, in that she has no shame.

Where is Al Gore?

Colin Foy| 9.6.12 @ 6:24PM

Fauxcahontas! Brilliant, still laughing! Well Done!

Cobalt| 9.6.12 @ 8:17PM

Actually, I don't know where it originated, but Mark Steyn and George Will used 'Fauxcahontas' in print in May 2012. Nothing original on my part.

Colin Foy| 9.6.12 @ 6:45PM

"Lieawhoppa." No, "Fauxcahontas" just works. Cheers!

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 7:32AM

Oh, and President Clinton, who has a 69% Approval rating, I might add, NEVER said
"Those vicious scumbag lying, heartless vampire, murdering Republicans… we try to be kind to them and love them and they still are the same lying murdering thieving scumbags they always were. See how mightily nice we are to these bastards and still they don't want to work with us."
He did say "I never could hate any Republicans, I've worked with HW Bush and GW Bush both on the Tsunami and Katrina relief and they are fine people."
So at least tell the truth, Stein or go away.
Why do you have to LIE Ben Stein?

Jack London| 9.6.12 @ 8:50AM

"Those vicious scumbag lying, heartless vampire, murdering Republicans… we try to be kind to them and love them and they still are the same lying murdering thieving scumbags they always were. See how mightily nice we are to these bastards and still they don't want to work with us."

Still Purp, this is the truth. And I don't think anyone can say Obama didn't try very hard for bipartisanship.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 10:37AM

Hilarious, Jack.

I just don't know what to do with you. You vicious, scumbag, lying, heartless vampire, murdering liberal, you. I've tried to be kind to you and love you and you are still the lying, murdering, thieving scumbag you always were, Jack.

And the icing on the cake? You pretend that your vicious, scumbag, lying, heartless, vampire murderousness makes you good.

Ah, the true believers. I can't wait until the cancer you have created consumes you, too.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 5:59PM

I do. Anyone with their eyes open does. Remember Obama's message? We won, you didn't, go pound the pavement.

Drink more kool-aid.

Tom Kyba| 9.6.12 @ 8:09PM

You're doing it again girls. Decent point, then "Obama is not partisan". Every time you guys get all full of your own virtue as you compete to out-snot each other, you step on your own credibility. Why do I keep hearing "You put the li-um in the coconut then you'll feel better" every time you elitists spew?

benny havens| 9.6.12 @ 9:23AM

It has been reported that during the ‘08 campaign, looking for support for Her Thighness, Bubba remarked to Teddy- “Ya know, not so long ago this guy would have been carrying our bags.”

Some statement from our first black president about our first half-white president. But what do you expect, he worked for Senator J. William Fulbright in his formative years.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:13AM

Your point is?
In another age, his wife would be in the kitchen and barefoot.... so?

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 10:43AM

The point is that, if you want to look at the most egregious example of racism in this country, look in a mirror.

Just because you continue to breathe life into racism for you own purposes doesn't make it anything other than racism. You LIVE for racism. If racism were expunged from the American consciousness tomorrow, the Democrat party would suffocate from oxygen deprivation in about three days.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:22PM

The one who brings it up IS the racist - don't you know that?

benny havens| 9.6.12 @ 4:49PM

You don’t get the point because you don’t want to get the point. Anyone with half a brain knows what Clinton meant when he made that remark about Obama.

The reason I view Clinton as a racist, like most of the democrats controlling your party, is because they really believe that blacks can’t make it on their own. If you don’t believe me, go ask Thomas Sowell, Ward Connerly and Allen West.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:25PM

What a trio of upstanding men, NOT ... No thanks, one is stuck in 19th century economic philosophy and another is the black man's equivalent of Joe McCarthy ... the third is so insignificant he hasn't broken out of right-wing world.

The only people that bring up "blacks can't make it on their own" are people who believe it - YOU!

Tom Kyba| 9.6.12 @ 8:13PM

Surprise everyone. All conservative black people are Uncle Toms and should be ignored. "You put the li-um in the coconut you drank them both up"

LindaF | 9.6.12 @ 7:38AM

It was the equivalent of saying:

"She's a VERY nice girl. Pity she sleeps with every man who passes within 5 yards of her."

First faintly praise, and collect the adoration of people who think "he's such a NICE man - he sees the good even in the EVIL ones".

Then, slice & dice their reputation with innuendos, mis-statements, and outright lies - all with an air of righteous indignation.

Those women who cheered him? Well, they are the same ilk as the parents who, long after the first cash settlements by Michael Jackson, still allowed their sons to "play" at his house.

Jack London| 9.6.12 @ 8:59AM

Politicians across the spectrum have been and will be embroiled in sexual scandals and hypocrisy (eg Newt). I doubt if there is much to choose between left and right here.

George S| 9.6.12 @ 10:27AM

Not scandal. Perjury. Lying to a federal judge. Uncontested. Also, the accusation of forcible rape. Never denied. Sexual harassment. Multiple counts.

There is a LOT of difference to "choose between".

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:37AM

You prefer "Wide Stance" Larry Craig and "Come here little pageboy" Mark Foley?

George S| 9.6.12 @ 11:23AM

Craig and Foley? What did they do? Engage in (or tried to engage in) pre-marital same sex? You should be celebrating that but instead you are mocking them. Homophobe!

Sanity| 9.6.12 @ 12:31PM

Craig was in a lengthy sham marriage. Get your facts straight.

Occam's Tool| 9.6.12 @ 4:03PM

I think that most politicians are scum. Therefore, I want them out of my wallet and my business as much as possible.

The damage that Ted Kennedy did with HIPAA with regards to Clinician to Clinician communication about patients they share was criminal. You, Purp, on the other hand, want them in every aspect of your life and claim to run a business.

I don't get you at all. Whatever, you're losing in November because your guy is a moron.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:27PM

If you truly run a business, you know that all the negativity about small business blather - there is no time to deal with it. You have a business to run.

Anyone who says different isn't running a business. Someone else is running it for them.

RWinks| 9.7.12 @ 11:50AM

You've been on this thread all day. Obviously YOU don't have a business to run.

Gary B| 9.6.12 @ 6:51PM

Occam: No one gets Purp. He just says stuff. If he can't respond reasonably, he name calls. You know, like a fourth grader.

For example. Ask him which has a higher priority in the world of progressives - feminism or Islam? He can't answer specific questions like this because their world is one big contradiction. Another example: They claim to love the middle class, yet their Dear Leader wants to tax them out of existence. Their response to legitimate inquiry is to either lie, name call or blurt out some vague generality, like fairness for everyone trumps individual liberty. To them, personal responsibility is cruel and unusual punishment. It's an out-of-date concept that just shouldn't be part of America today. In other words warm and fuzzy socialism.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:02PM

To a vicious rapist and serial molester - Bill Clinton, since you probably never heard of anything aoutside the MSM. Or a man who commits manslaughter?

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:01PM

So you make lite of a viciou rape. Figure, typical Democrat.

You probably don't even know who Juanita Broasrick is.

Martin kzovich| 9.6.12 @ 8:08AM

I agree that the real nature of the So-Called Democratic Party was revealed fully. But I will also say what was also revealed was the utter uselessness of ALL of the Media and that includes FOX NEWS.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 9:21AM

FOX has become UNWATCHABLE.

Period.

Appleby| 9.6.12 @ 10:16AM

I'm watching it. I think the choice to broadcast from the NA$CAR Hall of Fame was priceless.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:04PM

I listen to FOX radio news on the hour, mostly overnight (I live abroad). It has a decided left-wing slant.

TLP| 9.6.12 @ 7:32PM

I wouldn't go that far.

But, you're close.

Nancy in NC| 9.6.12 @ 8:38AM

It appears the Dim women think with their reproductive parts. It seemed to be all they talked about.

Gary B| 9.6.12 @ 7:11PM

Nancy,

During the convention, did you spot any adults in the room? I didn't.

MarkS| 9.6.12 @ 9:05AM

Any Clinton bump and nostalgic good vibes will fade because: 1) Clinton, who proclaimed “the era of big gov’t is over” and then actually restrained himself, is not defending his economy and the centrist, bi-partisan policies of the '90s. He is defending the far more leftist Axis of Liberalisms', Obama, Reid and Pelosis', and manifestly different policies, including the massive gov't takeover of healthcare that Clinton learned the hard way would not fly with his center-right countrymen. That and he is an American with American sensibilities and knows where the lines are.

2) Clinton will fade away back to his globetrotting, glad-handing distractions. He and Hillary are not really behind Obama who they scorn for a lightweight and usurper of Hillary's rightful role. I doubt very much if Clinton, a born Southerner once lauded as "America's First Black President", has forgotten Obama playing the race card against him. Meanwhile, Romney has hundreds of millions of dollars to remind America incessantly of Obama's real record. Sixty days is a long time in politics and this day will be well forgotten as the misery that is Obamanomics grinds on relentlessly, mercilessly.

No matter how much Obama and the libs want to live in the past by either running against Bush or glomming on to Clinton on Nov. 6 our man-child Prez is finally going to stand on an actual record of his own in the here and now, perhaps for the first time in his meteoric rise to the top.

Kingofthenet| 9.6.12 @ 9:34AM

Cliff notes version of Ben's screed: I was thinking of Elizabeth Warren giving me a Blowjob, then I remembered fondly how much Bill Clinton liked Blowjobs too!

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 6:30PM

On September 1, 2012, under the blog post titled, "Michelle Malkin is a Racist Like Me," by Quin Hillyer, Kingofthenet wrote this:

Kingofthenet| 9.1.12 @ 1:38PM

Michelle practices YELLOW Journalism, I would say the SLANT to her work is obvious. I would not pay even 5 dollar, for her 'work' because it never leaves me with a HAPPY ENDING.

Tom Kyba| 9.6.12 @ 8:17PM

Cliff notes version of kingofhisownego's wit:
"Snort snort snicker snicker, Ben Stein wants to service Clinton Snuffle snuffle snort snort I made a peepee joke."

scotchieguy| 9.6.12 @ 9:40AM

Consider how different these freaks looked at the dem. convention and a typical theatre audience for 2016 the movie looked. I was abs0lutely rivoted by the delirium of the crowd last night. We are talking about some seriously deranged, delusional people--a veritable freak show. Just what did they lace the Kool-Aid with anyway?

I honestly think there is and has never been anyone on earth who is more full of sh-t than Bill Clinton. He is just incredible. And these idiots in that arena have no idea how much their lil savior despises Clinton. Chumps, all of them.

The best part was Wolf Blitzer. I think he still has a hard-on. He was literally gushing about Clinton, saying it was the greatest speech of all time!

These people are sick. Twisted. Deranged. Delusional.

Gag me!

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:05PM

You should look up the libertarian converntion. It makes the Demos look normal.

allanius | 9.6.12 @ 9:41AM

YES!!! Thanks, Ben! It's about time that someone pointed out what kind of a disaster Bush II inherited from Clinton. In fact there were prominent Republicans who thought he might be better off losing in 200o, so parlous was the condition of the country that time. And what he gave us was 6 straight years of robust expansion. Let's set the record straight!

(Also your deadpan here is hilarious.)

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:05PM

Yes, I am sick of how we throw our own under the bus.

Ian Cognito | 9.6.12 @ 9:42AM

Rush said the DNC would look like the Bar Scene in Star Wars - he's right. Democrats have always dislike the rules of religion - so they dropped God back with Murray O'Hare. That forced Dems to get new supporters - trading Americans moved away from them. Since then. Dems have two jobs - finding a new, once taboo support group/votes - gays, atheists, others, "legitimizing" their behaviors using PC word rules and forcing them upon the citizenry. Dems were then forced to incorporate these taboo groups in their congregation. They now control much of it. Dems are controlled by radicals who belong to nontraditional/taboo groups. God has rules forbidding their behaviors. Dissing God was axiomatic. They reject tradition because the majority do not accept their aberrant behaviors and loathe their "at any cost" approach. This is why political debate is no longer possible. Dems are controlled by groups to whom reason is unreasonable. Dems must lose big - so big they wander in the wilderness for decades, or the ones controlling party die and are replaced. Dems as a viable party that represents traditional Americans cannot occur otherwise. Dems need PC word rules and onerous Hate laws to silence open debate. They can't win unless the opposition has most of its word and idea arsenal off limits. Dems must BUY votes and keep people dependent- that says it all.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 10:21AM

God can take care of himself. It's your choice to worship or not. Nothing demonic in that. The Founders gave us that right.

Why are you denying one of our most basic rights?

cuban pete| 9.6.12 @ 1:45PM

Yikes!! God can take care of HIMself. Very sexist.
No one "gave us" any rights. They are inherent. The Founders merely articulated that fact.
PS
Some unsolicited advice- Avoid exchanges with Grzmlyk as you are overmatched.
Cordially,
cp

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 2:01PM

Thank you, Cuban Pete - I am honored!

Mont P'culyur| 9.6.12 @ 10:11PM

Grzmlyk,

Have been watching this site for a while and love your commentary. Welcome back. And better yet, I believe you are a Vermonter. Thanks for speaking up. Not enough of us around...YET. I look forward to more. If we could only do more here...it's even worse than in Washington. No need to respond...the workplace is likely a minefield.

Purp| 9.6.12 @ 5:30PM

No, the Founders enshrined the rights protected by GOVERNMENT. Without this government, you would NOT enjoy those rights.
If you understood the world around you, you'd know that.
Cuban? Really? So how'd the God-given rights work out in Cuba? Government just bent down to God? Seriously, get a clue.
And Pontius Pilate didn't have a thing to do with Jesus' death too I suppose.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:14PM

The idea of the founders - read the document, for heaven's sake - is that the rights are inherent, and the government is there to protect them.

Now, you are free to prefer a different theory of government, but I suggest you might feel more comfortable in Europe.

Gary B| 9.6.12 @ 7:21PM

The founders' writings created the government and set out specific and limited duties for the government. Your explanation assumes that government-granted rights just need clarification and "enshrinement" by the Founders. In other words that the government predated the Founders. No wonder you're so screwed up. The concept of a sovereign individual just doesn't make sense to you. It's beyond your understanding. To put it another way, it just shouldn't be allowed.

Tom Kyba| 9.6.12 @ 8:19PM

Misrepresent other people's opinions much chicken man?

Gary B| 9.6.12 @ 7:12PM

I second that.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 9:44AM

So let me get this straight: You see what you think is a good documentary about the collapse in 2008 and this somehow "primes" you to like Elizabeth Warren?

Have you ever seen a Democrat convention before? Ever see a Democrat speech before? Ever notice the kind of people who fill the upper echelons of the Democrat party? Just wondering.

And where have you been the last, oh, six months, since the news of Warren's brazenly, breathakingly, egregiously fraudulent rise to "success" came to light?

Don't answer: I already know where your head's been. How can you see all those lovely sunsets you so mawkishly write about when you're staring straight at the inside of your colon?

No matter. You know the drill, Ben: Just follow your own sterling advice, which you impart regularly, about how to make this country great again: Just pay more in taxes. Why, if you dropped another two or three million on your last tax return, I'm guessing you'd see Warren's performance the same way every other liberal saw it: as a fine example of high-minded, classy oratory.

Ya'll are a damn fool, Ben.

Occam's Tool| 9.6.12 @ 4:06PM

Ben keeps forgetting that lower taxes, within the Reagan ranges, equalled HIGHER tax revenues. He is a blithering idiot, and I look forward to this Fiddler falling off his roof.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:09PM

If even he could see what the Demos are like, I think the testimony is worth it. What is your problem, anyway?

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 7:19PM

My problem is that Ben Stein is a liberal with Typical White Guilt syndrome. He's insufferably mawkish in his prose and believes that all problems can be solved if only the rich are taxed more.

If he came out as a Democrat, I'd at least respect the sliver of honesty.

Peppermint Tea | 9.6.12 @ 9:47AM

Description of the DNC?

High school in the seventies?

People who have cleaned up and sobered up enough to get thru the door but like cold-turkey junkies, they still have the bad posture, shakes, anger, and contempt.

Image? How about Girls Gone Wild?

Houdini| 9.6.12 @ 10:31AM

Ah TLP you sly dog....you've managed to assemble all of the trolls on one article. All you need now is some electronic C-4

crabman2| 9.6.12 @ 10:48AM

My overall opinion of Clinton is favorable , with a few exceptions . His gushing endorsement last night was a cause for frustration on my part . He took credit for the good things that happened during his tenure , but failed to acknowledge the part played by the Republican Congress in his success . Then he tried to convince us that Obama has the same ideas and methods , which we already have seen to be untrue . Clinton became a centrist because he understood that America is a center-right society , and would not accept the left-leaning ideas of the Democratic Progressives .
I'm not convinced that there are any major similarities between Clintons job performance and Obamas lack thereof .

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:11PM

I suggest you look at a book called Sellout, by a Chicago Democrat who worked for the Judiciary Committee during impeachment. I doubt you would have a kind word to say about the rapist-in-chief after that.

howardfrombroward| 9.6.12 @ 10:54AM

if you remove the letter "t" from native americans, you discover the people who actually buy into elizabeth warren's undocumented claim of cherokee ancestry.

Sanity| 9.6.12 @ 12:25PM

It's killing you folks that you don't have an ex-president you could trot out at your convention or anywhere else. Bush is so toxic that no one can afford to even be in the same building with him. Sour grapes.

But let's face it - Stein gave himself away at the end of his article, when he said of the RNC crowd "One group was blond..." That's the crux of the matter. Nice Freudian slip, Ben.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:07PM

He's Jewish. Doesn't work, shallow person.

So you prefer a vicious rapist to a man who held the nation together in its greatest domestic attack since the War of 1812. What sort of morals do you have? Oh, yes, those of a Democrat.

JD| 9.6.12 @ 12:43PM

Every time liberals say "corporations aren't people", I ask them if unions are people. Every right they seek to remove from corporations they insist must exist for unions.

Bob From District 9| 9.6.12 @ 4:58PM

Unions are *CORPORATIONS*.

TinaB| 9.8.12 @ 2:46PM

Taduh!

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:15PM

Unions have monopoly protection, so they deserve less.

bagofwater| 9.6.12 @ 12:48PM

This is similar to something I said last night. Mr. Clinton could have easily taken this speech, verbatim, and made a stump speech in support of GWB's reelection in 2004.

Alan B | 9.6.12 @ 1:08PM

What a great analysis (as always). But when the DNC raised the issue of putting back "God" and "Jerusalem as Israel's Capital" was the ultra loud Haman-like grogger NO! because of the word "god" not being Allah. PBHN(I think that's what is said immediately after; or was it that same shattering echo NO of only 1/3 (lol)the delegates who didn't want the next Seder ending with Shana H'ba b'Yerushalyim)? What a mishigais this convention turned out to be. Check out this DVD: http://www.youtube.com/embed/RD3cHItHpuk

Sanity| 9.6.12 @ 2:02PM

Just out of curiosity, Ben and the rest of you rightwing nutjobs, where was YOUR former president last week? Come to think of it, where was he four years ago when you had your convention? Oh, right.... Bush is so toxic no one even wants to be in the same building. Enjoy those sour grapes about Clinton.

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 2:16PM

We don't like Bush. We didn't like him then and we don't like him now, and we are happy that he stayed in Texas and kept his mouth shut.

We like Clinton even less.

Jimbobogie| 9.6.12 @ 2:26PM

Paul-after 8 years, saying "We didn't like him then" doesn't really cut it, does it? Do you "Really like" George Romney? Best to say so now, before you try to convince people to vote for him.

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 2:36PM

I have said repeatedly on this site and elsewhere that Romney will be a vast improvement over Bush. He is far more qualified than Bush, he is far more articulate than Bush, and he is far more conservative than Bush.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 3:32PM

I don't agree, Paul.

I think Romney is very close to Bush ideologically. He's a "reach across the aisle" kind of guy. A warrior for constitutional conservatism he ain't.

And, if you think about it, his selection of Ryan underscores the bait and switch - after all, Ryan has voted for every bit of legislation that has propped up statism.

I have no doubt that Romney's an excellent manager, a very decent human being and probably more circumspect than Bush. But, like Ryan, all of the changes he'll propose will be largely rhetorical and/or cosmetic.

And even if he were a true conservative, he'd never be able to do what it takes to cut the Leviathan down to size. He will be a bug on the Beltway windshield who will learn very quickly that the best way to get a scintilla of conservative legislation passed is to acquiesce to the larger, ever-further-leftward trajectory dictated by the critical mass of today's bureaucracy.

I hope I'm wrong.

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 4:35PM

Grym,

I hope you are wrong, too. I agree that there is a great deal of concern. Even the staunchest conservative would have to have a spine of steel to deal with what he is likely to get, once elected, and Romney has not proved over his career to be a staunch conservative.

But unlike Bush, Romney has a great deal of experience in the private business sector, and was very successful in dealing with failing or troubled companies. Just like the U. S. is failing and troubled. As governor there were some questions, especially with some flip-flops on social issues and with his Romneycare, but he did balance the budget, and he has stated repeatedly that he will do everything in his power to abolish Obamacare. He can not back down on that one.

IF he wins, he is likely to have a Republican House and Senate, both of which will be more conservative than the Republican House and Senate in the 2000's. (Although Bush is primarily to blame in not bringing them into line. Really, if the leader of your party is going to spend like a drunken sailor, one would be a fool not to follow his lead.)

The point is, there is hope.

But if Obama wins, it's over.

Bob From District 9| 9.6.12 @ 4:57PM

Romney *CAN* back down on repealing ObamaRomneycare. Do not doubt that for a minute.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 7:29PM

Bob, I think Romney WILL back down on it. He'll allow the "popular" provisions to stand, like children staying on their parents' policies until they're 26, and pre-existing conditions. This alone will kill the insurance industry and transform the insurance companies into single-payer shepherds.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 7:27PM

Well, Paul, I hope you are right. But my belief is that Romney has no intention of fixing the welfare state to the extent it needs to be fixed. Sadly, I've come to the conclusion that Ryan represents Romney in unintended ways - not because he's really a conservative, but because he's a statist who spouts conservative rhetoric.

I don't know if a Romney victory - and I do think he'll win, by the way - will bring with it a GOP-controlled house and senate. Maybe the house. But even if the GOP sweeps, the fiscal crisis is likely to worsen in the first two years of a Romney administration, which means Democrats sweeping both houses in 2014.

He's got to reverse the endless QE that Bernanke keeps doling out. That means raising interest rates to something like 20%. It's not going to happen, credit will continue to be distorted and hence the dollar will collapse.

The fact is that America want a socialist state. The problem is that socialism requires capitalism to work, and it only works until it suffocates capitalism. Then we all fall down.

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 9:42PM

All right, Grym. You make very good points. The whole goddamn country makes 1.5 trillion dollars a year, and we owe 16 trillion! How in the name of God are we going to get out of this? Austerity means--assuming Romney is elected in the first place--Dems regain control in 2014. Printing money means my savings and my 401K and everything else I've fucking worked for my entired goddamned life, will be worthless.

But, but, there is some little degree of hope. We--and Canada--are sitting on an amount of energy the likes of which has never been seen. Oil, natural gas, and coal. If we would simply utilize these resources we could grow our way out of this. The yowls from the left will be excruciating, but if Romney has the guts to simply let it happen, we can buy our way out of this.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 10:10PM

I believe that was a typo on your part - I believe our annual GDP is about $15 trill - still, our unfunded liabilities are astronomical - depending on whom you listen to, they are anywhere from $50 trillion up to $200 trillion.

Well, since the EPA is now its own little tyranny (just one of so many), I'm not sure how much we'll be able to exploit our resources (the point of all these agencies is to disempower the middle class). One of the problems with Republican presidents is they never roll back the encroachment of power that various government agencies have arrogated during Democrat administrations (and in fact the EPA is the bright idea of none other than Richard Nixon).

I don't think Romney's going to have the political will or muscle to deprive Leviathan and LITERALLY cut budgets severely (not just decrease rates of growth); Reagan famously wanted to eliminate the Depts. of Education and HUD - we see how far he got when standing athwart the path of the juggernaut. He was a bug on the Beltway windshield in that regard.

I also don't think growing our way out is the answer; all that will do is exacerbate the welfare state. Not saying we shouldn't grow, but it shouldn't be so that we can pay for the Leviathan's further metastasization. We have to gore many oxes if we are to survive. We have to throw everything overboard - Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security - not to mention the myriad other programs that are sinking us. That's a truth nobody is willing to face.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 10:14PM

BTW, we borrow almost $200 million AN HOUR to keep government running. Liberals love to talk about the sustainability of trees and clouds and warm-and-fuzzies, but the one thing they think can be abused forever is the economy. Thank you, John Maynard Keynes (and Paul Krugman, his chief acolyte).

When China and Japan and Saudi Arabia and Germany realize that we're using monopoly money to pay them back, the treasury dept will be the only entity that will buy our bonds - i.e., unbridled printing of money.

I don't see any way out of severe inflation and collapse. The only thing saving our butts right now is the dollar's undeserved reputation - that and the fact that the Euro is down the toilet already.

The Fed has created bubble after bubble. Right now we have an asset bubble, they're quietly trying to reinflate the housing bubble and of course there's a currency bubble. This cannot end well.

WaffenSS| 9.7.12 @ 9:40AM

I'm in the same boat you with the exception being; I know that everything I've worked for my fucking entire life is worthless.

TeaPartyNow| 9.6.12 @ 6:11PM

Romney can't even manage to keep his own campaign consistent & coherent. A good leader, HA! As John Wayne used to say, "that'll be the day". Mitt Romney is impotent in real life.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 7:34PM

Well, I do think Romney is a competent manager who can at least read a balance sheet, which already puts him leagues beyond Obama's mewling ability. And he does have more experience than Bush had. And he's the only game in town.

Does it make a difference? Probably not in the long run. If Obama's president, we go over the cliff at 90 mph. If Romney's president, we go over the cliff at 60 mph.

It's what we do after the collapse that matters.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:20PM

We didn't need to trot out former presidents, nor do we have the MSM as a force multiplier.

Bush II was a great president. Unfortunately cowardly Republicans throw their own under the bus.

If the MSM had not refused to cover Juanita Broadrick, after one of their own had found her horrific rape story credible, Clinton would not have dared show his face anywhere. This stain will never leave the party.

happytaxdude| 9.6.12 @ 2:03PM

Ben, I'm surprised you didn't mention another amusing coincidence from last night. The closing benediction after President Bubba's speech was given by the Lewinsky family rabbi. One can't make this stuff up.

MyGirlFriday| 9.6.12 @ 2:15PM

"Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

Jimbobogie| 9.6.12 @ 2:22PM

Ben-this campaign is going to be known as the "Don't Bother Me With Facts" campaign-on both sides. But, looking at both conventions< I noticed something interesting...given his record of 8 years in the White House WHY WASN'T GEORGE BUSH IN TAMPA??? For Pete's sake he is a former President!!! Ditto for Dick Cheney-where was he? At least the Dems had the testicular fortitude to give William Jefferson Clinton some "Prime Time" last night. Please don't insult us by arguing that Ms Rice was there-she wasn't the President, was she? Don't be surprised if Bush's absence (replaced by Clint Eastwood, perhaps?) becomes an interesting story as we move forward.

Nick| 9.6.12 @ 3:26PM

Why wasn't algore & John "Slime-ball" Edwards in Charlotte, Jimbobogie???

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:22PM

Yes, I see you've read the talking points.

So what you've prven is that the Democrats have no shame. Not exacly front-page news, is that?

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 10:20PM

Hilarious. So the most successful flim-flam man in the history of US politics is the main event at your convention.

Now that's something to be proud of. What exactly is the advantage of having Clinton there? His narcissism makes Obama's sociopathy look small by comparison?

Ken (Old Texican)| 9.6.12 @ 3:19PM

I always respected Dubya no end.

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:22PM

Thanks. There are some people out there with a memory.

Intelligent Design| 9.6.12 @ 3:30PM

If Obama were president for 150 years, he would still blame his predecessors for his failures. Obama and his fellow Demo-Socialists are obsessed with power. They will say or do anything to get it and keep it. They have no regard for decency, ethics, facts, honesty, logic, human rights, or life itself .... so long as they have political power. Frankly, they remind me of all the hideous tyrants of history. Our economy, national security, and freedom are in grave danger if Obama gets four more years. (Ditto for Israel.) Watch for a flood of dictatorial Executive Orders circumventing Congress and the Supreme Court. He has already done so much damage to our country. Obama is both incompetent and treacherous. Send Romney a hefty donation today!

Burlington| 9.6.12 @ 4:00PM

I wonder if Slick got Fluked last night?

Paul McGrath| 9.6.12 @ 4:50PM

That's actually very funny, in no small part because it is almost certainly true.

AmericanCynic| 9.6.12 @ 4:06PM

I guess even your proof reader gave up reading before the end of your first paragraph: "I agreed with virtually every word until the end when it because was too partisan."

Bob From District 9| 9.6.12 @ 4:55PM

You, Ben Stein, are a vile and contemptible person. Your attacks on Elizabeth Warren's ancestry are disgusting. You are wrong on so many things, but on this you earn contempt.

TeaPartyNow| 9.6.12 @ 6:08PM

Oh shut up Bob, everybody knows that liberals don't really care about minorities. They use them just like everything that exists that they can get their hands on. America is wasted. Both parties are deeply corrupt. & the American People are now & will remain forever MIA!

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:24PM

Since she isn't Indian, that's astrange thing to say.

TeaPartyNow| 9.6.12 @ 6:03PM

I am going to tell you something Mr. Stein. In America, the political parties are not supposed to "run things". The American People are given the power to run their governments. The American People in effect run nothing, know nothing, & do nothing. Which is why America no longer has freedom among is modern possessions.

America today is doomed to die. As is Europe & most of the world. Why, do you want to know why Ben? Because no person in the world is willing to do any work themselves, in order to stop this. Just like you said, "I want them to help me". Modern society is a suicide cult, & one by one nations are going to die. World wide blanket welfare, unsustainable fiscal insanity, people helpless as to even move. Nothing in the world today has viable writen anywhere in it. I thank you for switching sides though. I'm going Gary Johnson this time. America is wasted, why not?

mzk| 9.6.12 @ 6:26PM

So you want to push the US over the cliff?

Sure people can learn. Here I live in a more third-world socilaist country (Israel) that in desperation tried supply-side economics and is now a first-world currency with hard currency.

Grzmlyk| 9.6.12 @ 7:42PM

MZK, the US is already over the cliff. We just haven't hit the ground yet.

Sad but true.

TeaPartyNow is pretty much right on the money. Modern society is suicidal, and it's committing suicide for two reasons: vanity and corruption.

I have a little more hope than TPN - that Romney will have some mettle we haven't seen and will sacrifice himself so that America might have a chance - but it's only a faint hope, since even if Romney had this mettle, the critical mass that represents the status quo tyranny has long since been reached.

Gary Johnson is, unfortunately, a wasted vote.

Ian Cognito | 9.7.12 @ 8:47AM

Take heart in Romney - as a fellow Mormon I can emphatically state they are Very Conservative as a group - H Reid is the aberration. Why he choose Mass to start his political life is strange. Maybe it was a challenge. No matter what he vetoed the legislature could overturn it. Romney made positive changes as best he could and lived with the outcomes. Outside that environment, I expect a more conservative man. Picking Ryan is an indication of what I suggest.

stmichrick| 9.6.12 @ 9:06PM

I would like to let these Democrats stew in their own juices; just not have to pay for it.

Mickle | 9.6.12 @ 11:57PM

Tim Geithner, former head of the New York Fed, who totally bungled the job as the 2008 crash happened, whom Obama made Treasury Secretary, Larry Summers, genuine genius but no enemy of Wall Street.

WaffenSS| 9.7.12 @ 9:31AM

There's a big financial club out there and you ain't in it. In the sixties this was refered to the "establishment". Both parties have dismantled the financial safeguards placed after the 1929 financial crash. This has led to the present financial situation. First; deregulate banking, S&L scandal. Second: deregulate energy, Enron. Third; deregulate banking again, subprime morgages with a near total collapse of the global financial structure. The part I have against the right is the propensity to shuck the economy to the bones.

Anyone But Obama| 9.7.12 @ 2:52PM

How sad it is when we have a country full of people who revere a person who lied under oath, had oral sex in the Oval office and had many affairs, including a couple of rape charges. What is wrong with you women? Don't you have any pride at all? Disgusting.

Brian Richard Allen | 9.8.12 @ 12:09PM

Isn't Mz Dances With Lies Warren a professor at Harvard Law School? What's going on there ...?

Affirmative Action.

Gotta take care of those rumored-to-be-possibly-as-much-as 1/64 squaw.

And to Heck with integrity, principle, Judeo-Christian-Civilizational tenets and/or moral and/or intellectual solvency.

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