Michael C. Moynihan | August 12, 2009
Fresh from her totally necessary appearance at Michael Jackson's memorial service, Sheila "Hurricane" Jackson Lee finally spent some quality time with her constituents today. When asked a tough question from a cancer survivor—one of the "political terrorists" Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind) warned us about—Jackson Lee focused like a laser...on an incoming cell phone call. Note the audience member gasp, "Seriously?...I mean, come on dude." Via Drudge:
The talented Mrs. Jackson Lee told The Washington Post that answering the phone while a constituent asked a question was no big deal: "I happen to be able to think, listen and maybe even talk at the same time."
Help Reason celebrate its next 40 years. Donate Now!
Try Reason's award-winning print edition today! Your first issue is FREE if you are not completely satisfied.
So, when did the captured video overlaid with
beat-you-over-the-head snarky text (in cheap default fonts, no
less) become the main political weapon? Yes, we see her on her
phone, we're appalled. Less is more, idiot.
Will grassroots user-content surplant political advertizing? Will
Keyboard Cat eventually become a non-ironic staple of political
discourse?
Obama has another stupid cunt on his side. No surprise.
I'm surprised we haven't heard of more suicides of idiots who voted
for Obama.
And in the middle of the next question she held up her hand and said "Hey, I'm gonna go take a dump."
Jeff P: I think the snarky text is actual commentary from the audience. The text is there because the comments are barely audible.
I bet she's able to think, talk, listen and take a dump at the same time. She multi-tasks.
She's probably one of the people pushing for a federal ban on talking on the phone and driving. But doesn't get the irony here.
I have no doubt that she can think, listen and talk all at the same time. And I also have no doubt that she does them together as effectively as she does them separately.
Calling a black pol "talented" isn't particularly subtle, but not unexpected considering that a poster depicting the nation's first African-American President in whiteface has been celebrated on this blog. But the taking out of context Baron Hill's full remark ("What I don't want to do is create an opportunity for the people who are political terrorists to blow up the meeting and not try to answer thoughtful questions") has to be a new low.
Soooo, should we be pissed at Heath Ledger for performing in
whiteface? What about Jack Nicholson? Bozo the Clown?
Let's start with there is no such thing as whiteface. Even if there
were that poster doesn't depict Obama minstrellizing white
people.
"I happen to be able to think, listen and maybe even talk at
the same time."
I demand a gum chewing and farting test!
"Thanks for the call-back, Chief. No, no angry mob. You can tell SWAT to pull back. Just some annoying cancer survivor. Hey, did you break 80 today?"
Libertarians making fun of a black woman ("stupid cunt"--classy, JB). Why am I not surprised?
But guys, Steve Smith is concerned with such important issues as
to whether or not the BoSox won the world series fair and
square.
I love the people who see racism in every utterance. Methinks those
folks have bad thoughts from time to time and assume everyone else
does, too.
Alan Vanneman, you fucking idiot. He's making fun of an idiot congresscritter (they can be stupid cunts, be they black or white, male or female). I'm certainly not surprised you're yet again acting like a moronic pussy.
Uh, making fun of somebody is still allowed if they're black. Making fun of somebody for being black is asinine.
Steve,
1) Thanks for divining my racism from the post title. Great catch.
But the shitty Talented Mr. Ripley reference was a play on Jackson
Lee's claim that she can talk on the phone and answer a question at
the same time.
2) The "context" you provided changes nothing. I have criticized
Limbaugh and idiots like Hill for this sort of rhetoric. He called
those people stupidly disrupting townhall meetings "political
terrorists." Period.
3)I never praised the poster (which I think was pretty lame, but
not "racist"), but made fun of Shepard Fairey's stupid response to
it. Perhaps others have, but it is quite a logical leap to suggest
it is because they hate black people and not, say, socialized
medicine.
4) Can I ever call a black politician a hack (or talentless)
without being deemed a racist by idiotic commenters? (And by the
way, Jackson Lee is undeniably a talentless hack.)
I'm surprised we haven't heard of more suicides of idiots
who voted for Obama.
They live merely to spite you.
Libertarians making fun of a black woman...
Oh Alan, we'll make fun of you too. Don't be such a drama
queen.
"I'm surprised we haven't heard of more suicides of idiots who
voted for Obama."
The funniest poll result from Rasmussen shows that 5% think that
Obama's policies are NOT increasing the size of the deficit.
Oh Alan, we'll make fun of you too. Don't be such a drama
queen.
Way to go all homophobe on him, JW.
The funniest poll result from Rasmussen shows that 5% think
that Obama's policies are NOT increasing the size of the
deficit.
Considering that I'm pretty sure more than 5% of Americans believe
the Earth is flat and 6000 years old, that's actually pretty damn
good.
I'm surprised we haven't heard of more suicides of idiots
who voted for Obama.
Ah, well, one can dream.
The thin racism skin the staff sports is annoying. Lee is reason number 7, just after Katrina at 6, that I'm a racist. Castro loving witch.
Then again, [Republican congressman chosen at random] had an
affair, is a member of a secretive religious institution bent on
subverting democracy, and is a vocal proponent of torture.
Six of one...
"secretive religious institution bent on subverting
democracy,"
Man I got to find me some better churches to attend, the one's I've
been to don't sound anywhere near that much fun. Or is a church and
a religious institution two different things? And can only
religious institutions be secretive, can we have a secret church
also?
Uh, making fun of somebody is still allowed if they're
black.
Are you sure? I remember back when, when late night talk show hosts
told jokes about whoever the current president was. What little
I've seen lately, the "current" jokes are still about Bush, Cheney,
Palin, etc. Occasionally about Biden. But I have yet to hear a
discouraging word about Our Leader.
I'm surprised we haven't heard of more suicides of idiots who
voted for Obama.
They're waiting for the medical bill to kick in, so the government
doctor can assist. "I'm from the government, and I'm here to
help."
Maybe she was busy making reservations for a trip to Mars.
http://www.seds.org/archive/spaceviews/970915/cap.html
The trolls came out of wood work for this one.
She's a moron. She just happens to be a black moron. Racism is no
defense or counter for stupidity, and she is stupid.
Are you sure? I remember back when, when late night talk
show hosts told jokes about whoever the current president was. What
little I've seen lately, the "current" jokes are still about Bush,
Cheney, Palin, etc. Occasionally about Biden. But I have yet to
hear a discouraging word about Our Leader.
Did you hear the white house gardener got fired? He was overheard
asking an assistant the whereabouts of the spade and the hoe.
Dang it, I always screw that up. After being accused of racism, we (libertarians) are supposed to cower and put on our affirmative action kid gloves.
Libertarians making fun of a black woman
What, you want someone to be exempted from criticism for their
idiocy because of their race? You condescending, racist pig.
-jcr
but not unexpected considering that a poster depicting the
nation's first African-American President in whiteface has been
celebrated on this blog.
IDIOTS!!
As i have said before the poster explicitly says by putting Obama
in whiteface that regardless of his skin color obama is the face of
socialism.
It is explicitly an anti-racist work of art.
LarryA:
I remember back when, when late night talk show hosts told jokes
about whoever the current president was. What little I've seen
lately, the "current" jokes are still about Bush, Cheney, Palin,
etc. Occasionally about Biden. But I have yet to hear a
discouraging word about Our Leader.
I have not yet seen an anti-Obama bumpersticker and the only
anti-Obama t-shirt I have seen was at a gun show. Is this a South
Florida thing, or is this true through out America?
Jackson Lee is undeniably a talentless hack.
Can we be sure of that? Maybe what we see is a carefully-crafted
persona that masks her secret career as a superhero crime
fighter!
Nah, you're right. She's a talentless hack.
-jcr
You racists have been reported to whitehouse.gov.
You should be ashamed of yourselves for making fun of a retarded
black woman.
I've seen Nobama stickers and one "Don't look at me I voted for
the old white guy" bumper sticker. Hows that you racists should
love that. RACISTSSSS.
I'm currently searching for Prius drivers w/o an Obama sticker.
It's like pretentious asshole squared, a Prius and an Obama
sticker.
I know some people who drive priuses because they're fun cars to
hack. Not everyone with a hybrid is a hippie tree-hugger.
Steve Wozniak has a prius and a hummer.
-jcr
Not everyone with a hybrid is a hippie tree-hugger.
No, some hyprocritical right-wingers buy Priuses just to be able to
use the HOV lanes with only one person in the car. Selfish
assholes
"Steve Wozniak has a prius and a hummer."
Roadhead is illegal unless youre also saving the environment, i
guess.
John C. Randolph | August 12, 2009, 7:10pm | #
I know some people who drive priuses because they're fun cars to hack. Not everyone with a hybrid is a hippie tree-hugger.
HEY. Get off my blatant generalization of pretentious assholes in
small cars.
Libertarians making fun of a black woman ("stupid
cunt"--classy, JB). Why am I not surprised?
I haven't seen the video... this woman is black?
hmm | August 12, 2009, 6:31pm | #
The trolls came out of wood work for this one.
She's a moron. She just happens to be a black moron.
A black moron who no longer practices cannibalism. Good for
her!
I'm currently searching for Prius drivers w/o an Obama
sticker. It's like pretentious asshole squared, a Prius and an
Obama sticker.
What is it when they're still wearing the Obama/Hope! tee-shirt?
Saw one of those yesterday. But, this is Seattle...
To me, I find it a little creepy when you're wearing the visage of
the current president on a tee-shirt. Especially if the tee-shirt
isn't protesting the pres. There's just something
great-leap-forward about it.
I worked at a telemarketing gig for a few months after high school. It was a supremely shitty job but I managed to learn a few things I'd otherwise have never known. The talking-at-the-phone trick originates from the idea that if the person on the other end is too polite to simply hang up while you're delivering the pitch you pretty much have them hook, line and sinker afterward. Veteran telemarketers perform this deftly. They can't hear the person they called and can focus on staying in character while reading from the script. Once the pitch has been delivered, they bring back the earpiece, cross their fingers and hope there's no dial tone. If the hapless call recipient is still there the sale is pretty much in the bag.
What is it when they're still wearing the Obama/Hope!
tee-shirt?
Pretentious asshole cubed.
We should all be afraid now no matter what color we are. The SPLC has found militas are back, with a twist!
I think I'm going to make fuck the SPLC bumper stickers. Along with my screw yoo tshirts.
It is explicitly an anti-racist work of art.
It is explicitly a nonsensical piece of kitsch. But not
racist.
They could have done better with, say, five minutes of thought and
a Borg Obama. That might have made marginally more sense.
You should be ashamed of yourselves for making fun of a
retarded black woman.
*spits wine across computer*
hey, Borg Obama! "Resistance is Futile"
I need to get on that.
Serious question: What is a well dressed, uber hot, young white chick doing living in Mrs. Jackson-Lee's district? I smell a plant. Not that it mattered, in that Jackson-Lee found a way to embarrass herself that didn't even have anything to do with the question.
Maybe we should send Ms. Jackson-Lee up to Mars on a fact-finding mission to see the flag planted there by the astronauts.
Unfortunately, the Borg
wear white makeup too, so we'll have the same trouble.
Also, it's
already been done with Bush
I used to think episodes with the Borg were cool, but now I
think they are just space zombies. We will slow walk after your ass
and make you one of us....Yawn.
Episodes with Lore are, of course, another story.
I'm sorry but these people who read their questions like
that...That shit annoys me. Do you not know how you fucking feel
about this issue? Just say it.
Also, the "tyranny" shit is so funny. What over the top
bullshit.
You know, what I think defined the classic tyrants of the last
century, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pott, etc., was their crazy tyrannical
pushes for a bare minimum of health care coverage for everyone! I
mean, the Holocaust seems so insignificant in comparison to such
mad tyranny...Jesus!
I mean, were you a congressperson, and you sat through these
town hall things all the time, and most of the people already had
their minds made up and simply read their little speeches they cut
and pasted from their favorite blog sites, would you seriously sit
there and listen and nod attentively at each one when they launch
into it? And if you didn't would you be an elitist and an asshole?
WTF?
I gotta say this looks like stupid nit-picking to curry favor with
the angry white right to me...Or in other words, a Moynihan
post!
I mean, were you a congressperson, and you sat through these
town hall things all the time, and most of the people already had
their minds made up and simply read their little speeches they cut
and pasted from their favorite blog sites, would you seriously sit
there and listen and nod attentively at each one when they launch
into it?
It's not that hard to imagine, MNG, it's how we all respond to
you.
Serious question: What is a well dressed, uber hot, young white chick doing living in Mrs. Jackson-Lee's district? I smell a plant. Not that it mattered, in that Jackson-Lee found a way to embarrass herself that didn't even have anything to do with the question.
Her district includes the Heights neighborhood of Houston, the favored residence of hipsters. (Like the rest of Houston, it is absolutely flat.)
Also, the "tyranny" shit is so funny. What over the top
bullshit.
Right, elected officials who expressly ignore the Constitutional
constraints on their power to steamroll the citizens with a
beaurocratic behemoth a great number of them don't want, nothing
tyrannical about that.
Do you not know how you fucking feel about this issue? Just say
it.
I'm a lot more concerned when the President can't form complete
sentences without a teleprompter than I am when a woman with no
public speaking experience needs to review her own notes.
from hmmm's link at 8:11pm
And once-popular militia conspiracy theories are making the
rounds again, this time accompanied by nativist theories about
secret Mexican plans to "reconquer" the American
Southwest.
I wonder if the SPLC is tracking WhackAlone?
My other favorite from that link is on page 2.
the militia-like Republic of Texas
i was at one of these earlier. my congrasshole Steve Rothman has
some big balls, he's already done four of em this week and they've
all been at least three hours long. He quietly sits there and takes
the abuse and stands up for his position, which is that of a
pandering liar, and points out inaccuracies in some of the wild
claims being made.
that said, after an hour & half i left because it was boring,
hot and rothman's gonna vote whichever idiot plan makes it to the
floor-vote.
i was amused to find larouchies(two of em!) getting drenched in a
downpour.
Here are my comments on Sheila Jackson-Lee using her cell phone. Compare what I wrote to what Reason wrote. Which approach - Reason's CableTV-style coverage or my suggestion - is more likely to actually solve your political problems?
"nothing tyrannical about that"
No, there is nothing really tyrannical about that. Tyranny refers
to oppressive power or rule by a single ruler with absolute power.
This kind of thing is hardly oppressive nor is Obama or anyone in
possession of anything like absolute power. Words mean
things.
As to your constitution comment, the broad grant of power the
Founders gave us in the Interstate Commerce and Spending Clauses
would more than cover all of this. Go back and time and hate on
them if you don't like it.
"I'm a lot more concerned when the President can't form complete
sentences without a teleprompter"
I think its tedious to be still hating on Bush at this point
swilly.
Okay, I didn't really like the idea, don't like Star Trek, don't
like Obama's politics, but because Elemenope is such a swell guy I
did a quick sketch up based on Obama's Hope by a Dope poster and
Picard's Locutus.
Thirty minutes at tops and from memory of both so don't expect the
fucking Mona Lisa, okay?
Obamaborg!
Obamaborg!
It has potential, no doubt about it. And one thing's for sure: it
has a heckuva greater claim to being art than that joker
pablum.
Glad you like it. Doubt if I'll put any more time into, unless
the three dozen plus flaws that I see bug me enough to attempt to
polish it up.
Just as I wrote that, another idea for it hit me. Hmmmm, can't quit
pinching the vein tracks.
Libertarians making fun of a black woman ("stupid
cunt"--classy, JB). Why am I not surprised?
I make fun of all sorts of people, Alan Vanneman, you stupid cunt.
I'm not a racist like you who thinks that black people are his
special pets to be taken care of.
I treat them like human beings who should be called out when they
are moronic.
I think its tedious to be still hating on Bush at this point
swilly.
That's a bitter taste that will take decades to remove. But it
would be nice if we didn't still have a drooling idiot in the White
House.
the broad grant of power the Founders gave us in the Interstate
Commerce and Spending Clauses would more than cover all of
this.
Let's suppose for the sake of argument that you are talking about
the Commerce Clause (and for some bizarre reason the Taxing and
Spending Clause). Given that none of my healthcare transactions
have anything to do with "commerce among the states" (and given
that by your tedious rationale literally everything does) you'll
forgive me if I fail to hate on the Founders.
I treat them like human beings who should be called out when
they are moronic.
I think the point was more that the use of "stupid cunt" in any but
the most extreme of situations demonstrates clearly the quality of
your character, whatever the quality of the
Congresswoman's may be.
That has naught to do with the color of anything.
Man, I am so tired of people crying "racism" at the
drop of a hat. Especially when it comes from trolls like Steve
Smith.
Making fun of people who deserve it (Jackson-Lee) isn't racist,
riding your hobby-horse like Dick Hoste or Al Sharpton is
racist.
Tyranny refers to oppressive power or rule by a single ruler
with absolute power. This kind of thing is hardly oppressive nor is
Obama or anyone in possession of anything like absolute power.
Words mean things.
You are absolutely 100% correct. We live in an oligarchy of
bureaucrats. Hence the near insane media attention paid when a new
president "picks his cabinet".
And no, Obama didn't create this oligarchy, he's just happily
perpetuating and expanding it.
At first I thought Congresswoman Jackson Lee was an arrogant and
ill-mannered idiot, but then Steve Smith pointed out she's black
and I realized she's therefore entitled to reparations for 400
years of rudeness.
"Talented" is actually a racist code word? That must explain what
Michael Jackson was upset about all those years.
But the taking out of context Baron Hill's full remark ("What I don't want to do is create an opportunity for the people who are political terrorists to blow up the meeting and not try to answer thoughtful questions") has to be a new low.
And how does adding that context alter the remark for the
better?
I'm surprised we haven't heard of more suicides of idiots who voted for Obama.
They get so distracted by the shininess of the razor blade that
they just plain forget to do it.
I mean, were you a congressperson, and you sat through these town hall things all the time, and most of the people already had their minds made up and simply read their little speeches they cut and pasted from their favorite blog sites, would you seriously sit there and listen and nod attentively at each one when they launch into it?
Only if I wanted them to ever vote for me again.
Words mean things.
For example, "MNG" means "witless, angry asshole."
That has naught to do with the color of anything.
but what if she's actually a stupid cunt? are we supposed to smile
and pretend she isn't?
You guys should leave Steve Smith alone. He does the best he can, considering he's a shaved Bigfoot that taught himself to blog. The gentle forest ape of the Northwest deserves your respect.
I mean, were you a congressperson, and you sat through these
town hall things all the time, and most of the people already had
their minds made up and simply read their little speeches they cut
and pasted from their favorite blog sites, would you seriously sit
there and listen and nod attentively at each one when they launch
into it?
I may not, but a member of Congress had better do it whether she
wants to or not. It is, after all, her job.
If you were speaking directly to me, and asking me a question to
which you would like a an answer, and I pulled out my ringing phone
and answered it while you were talking, would you not think that
was rude and call me an asshole?
MNG, my friends would call me an asshole if I did that to
them, never mind my boss. It is impolite behavior.
Calling a black pol "talented" isn't particularly subtle, but
not unexpected considering that a poster depicting the nation's
first African-American President in whiteface has been celebrated
on this blog.
[citation needed]
hint: thoughtful analysis =/= "celebration."
I'm just surprised that Ms. Jackson Lee is named after two Confederate generals and slave-owners. Her parents must have had wacky senses of humor.
but what if she's actually a stupid cunt? are we supposed to
smile and pretend she isn't?
The point is, there are *always* more constructive, more effective
ways of putting it than "stupid cunt". I see a line like that and I
immediately assume the person writing it is either profoundly lazy
or incredibly shallow, and either way not worth taking seriously.
It's the shortest way to line yourself up in the same category or
worse than that of the person you aim to insult.
Further, that the target managed to piss off such a obtuse person
makes me more interested in what they originally had to say (i.e.
if an idiot thinks something is stupid, the prior probability of it
actually being stupid drops precipitously).
The gentle forest ape of the Northwest deserves your respect.
I agree. He's so ancient and wise. We can learn much from his
ways.
Elemenope,
I agree with you, that sort of phrasing doesn't belong in civil
discourse.
"it would be nice if we didn't still have a drooling idiot in
the White House."
Look, the guy is a bright guy. Any public figure who does not hide
from the media like him is going to at times hesitate or misspeak
when talking, but the guy is bright prompter or not.
"none of my healthcare transactions have anything to do with
"commerce among the states"
Uh, yeah, your medecine is made intrastate from intrastate
materials and sold only intrastate, ditto for your doctor and his
tools etc. Nice try swilly.
"If you were speaking directly to me, and asking me a question to
which you would like a an answer, and I pulled out my ringing phone
and answered it while you were talking, would you not think that
was rude and call me an asshole?"
If I pulled out a card with a pre-arranged speech on it, and I was
the 50th person to do so to you, then if you took a call while I
read my speech I wouldn't think much of it...
If I pulled out a card with a pre-arranged speech on it, and I was the 50th person to do so to you, then if you took a call while I read my speech I wouldn't think much of it...
I would. That's fucking rude, yo. Aren't fuckers like us paying her salary, anyway?
The point is, there are *always* more constructive, more
effective ways of putting it than "stupid cunt".
i dunno, it's rather information-dense. essential thought conveyed
with minimum keystrokes.
or do you have information that will remove the good ms. jackson
lee from the ranks of the stupid cunts to something more lofty? "a
dingleberry on the anal hair of the body politic?"
Serious question: What is a well dressed, uber hot, young
white chick doing living in Mrs. Jackson-Lee's district? I smell a
plant.
Good catch but wrong plant. Ms. Jackson-Lee was also asked a
helpful question by general practitioner Roxanna Mayer MD, who
turns out not to be an MD at all but she was an Obama delegate.
Any public figure who does not hide from the media like him is going to at times hesitate or misspeak when talking, but the guy is bright prompter or not.
INTERNETS LOL
If I pulled out a card with a pre-arranged speech on it, and I was the 50th person to do so to you, then if you took a call while I read my speech I wouldn't think much of it...
If you yourself think your own speech is so boring and repetitive
that nobody else should pay attention to it, then you're probably
right and you should just skip it altogether.
I think the point was more that the use of "stupid cunt" in
any but the most extreme of situations demonstrates clearly the
quality of your character, whatever the quality of the
Congresswoman's may be.
I think you being an easily offended twat shows your character,
Elemenope.
Do you honestly think I am trying to argue in my statements? I'm
venting frustration that this country is constantly screwed over by
the likes of this stupid cunt and those like her.
I'm not trying to convince anyone but stupid Democrats, liberals,
and socialists that there are pissed off people in this country and
maybe it would be better for their health if they moved to one of
their socialist paradises.
I'm not trying to convince anyone but stupid Democrats,
liberals, and socialists that there are pissed off people in this
country and maybe it would be better for their health if they moved
to one of their socialist paradises.
So you agree that you won't convince anyone of anything.
I think you being an easily offended twat shows your
character, Elemenope.
You misunderstand.
I'm not offended in the slightest by what you said. On the
contrary, I find it a great and accurate litmus for how much
attention I ought to pay your opinions (in case you were wondering,
it's not much). Please, continue to use your words, so that more
readers may know well the quality of your character. I commented
only so that, in case you were the rare person who honestly didn't
know that such speech makes you sound obtuse and child-like and
nobody had bothered to actually tell you, you'd be informed.
Clearly though, that was not your problem.
Do you honestly think I am trying to argue in my statements?
I'm venting frustration that this country is constantly screwed
over by the likes of this stupid cunt and those like
her.
Even if you're venting frustration, if you can't do any better than
"stupid cunt", your comments are not worth the pixels by which they
are printed. If it makes you feel better to write it, that's great.
But when you share, you invite others to comment on what you have
written. The perils of writing on teh Internets, and all that.
Site comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245