One of These Things Is Not Like the Others… Or Maybe He Is

The Situation Room—the Wolf Blitzer goodtime gospel hour on CNN's afternoon block—has a team of attention-starved editors who display video of the show's current interview subject next to video from various CNN feeds and b-rolls. So near the end of Ron Paul's interview yesterday, viewers got this:

Note how the Palestinian terrorist's bazooka is aimed right at Paul's eyebrow. To be fair, CNN probably lacks enough b-roll of Bob Taft and Murray Rothbard to fill out a 10-minute segment.

Comments

[monster movies]

But the question is, by 'front runner,' did they refer to Paul or Giuliani?

[Ray Harmon]

CNN also had a "Blaming America for 9/11" banner on the bottom of the screen during a portion of the interview.

[stephen the goldberger]

slow news day huh weigel?

[kwais]

what do you mean "slow news day" this is amongst the things that are most fun to talk about. Look at the 144 post thread below.

[Edward]

The bazooka is aimed at What's-His-Name's head only in the overworked imaginations of the libertarian faithful, who inevitably have a persecution complex on behalf of your whack-job candidate but so relish the perceived attention that you almost wet your pants. Nobody real actually cares.

[Moe]

Kinda looks like they hit part of the eyebrow right off his face...

[kwais]

Edward,
I actually care. I like to think that I am real.
What do you mean by real?

Yeah, I know you are a troll and all, but I am bored at the airport waiting on my constantly delayed bird, and not enough people are writing posts.

[Fluffy]

Have fun losing the 2008 election, Edward.

Remember, libertarians are perfectly happy to burn the village [or party] to save it. It comes from growing up reading Atlas Shrugged all those times.

So bash Paul for opposing the war all you want. By reinforcing in the public's mind the fact that the major Republican candidates all stand for more war, you're just trashing your own electoral chances in the end.

[dhex]

while i don't think paul has a chance in hell, i have seen a veritable surge (pardon the phrasing) amongst angry republicans like edward above. particularly with some variation on the phrase "nobody cares."

hmmmmmmm.

[Warren]

"Blaming America for 9/11"

Well there it is. No matter what happens from here on, If you didn't know who Ron Paul was before the last debate, the only thing you'll ever know about him, is he blames America for 9/11.

[stephen the goldberger]

1. This is cnn, a station which clearly leans left
2. Ron Paul is disrupting the GOP

why would they want to shoot him with a bazooka? If they really wanted to hurt him, they would ignore him like fox is, or discredit him. INSTEAD they gave him airtime to voice his opinions. This picture means absolutly nothing.

Sadly Edward is right, no one in the Republican Party actually does care, and it will be likely be their undoing.

[Jake Boone]

Hey, it looks like we're getting another visit from Hit & Run's favorite special guest star, Edward the Troll!

You may remember Edward from his roles as "Brady" and "Sherman," and who could forget his Oscar-nominated performance as "Gun Widow?"

Jesse Walker gave us a veritable IMDB entry for this up-and-coming starlet here.

[anonymoose]

Technically, it is not a bazooka. It is a man-portable Surface-to-Air Missile. Perhaps it is what is needed to bring down such a high-flying candidate.

[Edward]

Kwais

By real I mean not part of the true-believer cult. Isn't that what people ususally mean by real in such contexts. While you're waiting for your plane, ask some people at random who Ron Paul is.

[Abdul]

At least CNN didn't run the racially charged comments Ron Paul made in his newsletter.

[Edward]

Come to think of it, how do we know it's a Palestinian terrorist allegedly aiming a bazooka at Paul's eyebrow? And why a terrorist? But, as I've said, the real question is who gives a fuck?

[jimmydageek]

Edward | May 18, 2007, 9:17am | #

Come to think of it, how do we know it's a Palestinian terrorist allegedly aiming a bazooka at Paul's eyebrow? And why a terrorist? But, as I've said, the real question is who gives a fuck?

Apparently, since you have your panties in a wad, Edward, you do. The rest of us take it as mild humor and don't give it a second thought.

[Randolph Carter]

apparently you do

[DA]

The collage of terrorists doesn't bother me as much as a "Blaming America" banner would. I know it's hard to express such a complexity adequately in a little tagline (let alone a 30-second sound bite), but Warren is right in that the more casual TV glancers will have a seriously distorted view of Paul's point and will equate him with the Rosie-type theorists (as Fox/Malkin has already done).

[Randolph Carter]

blargh jimmydageek beat me to it. But seriously, Edward, what would you do if it wasn't for the internet? Go to Ron Paul events and shout "No one cares you bastards!"

[dhex]

edward, while far be it from me to derail a brother troll, i must say that it's fairly clear the original post is a joke.

though it is funny ha ha to send out any politician with that kind of background, it's particularly ha ha in the case of someone who doesn't support the war.

[sage]

I think Edward is jealous because Paul can't afford $400 for a haircut.

[chuckles]

To be fair, CNN probably lacks enough b-roll of Bob Taft and Murray Rothbard to fill out a 10-minute segment.

WTF? I don't even know what they're putting in the water up at U St. When I watch CNN, I always feel like honesty would compel them to change their name to Murray Rothbard's Gold, Guns, and Southern Reconstruction Tee-Vee Network

[Lamar]

This whole this is very telling about Rudy Giuliani's similarity with George W. Bush. Rudy is in favor of short soundbites where you disregard what somebody actually said and attack something that makes the other person look bad for advocating. It's the same as attacking somebody's patriotism for thinking Iraq is a bad idea, i.e., the old "why do you hate America" routine. This type of politics is inherently anti-analysis. We don't need another president who says "the facts be damned." Instead of saying "here's why I think your blowback position is wrong," Giuliani is the type of Bush-esque tyrant who prefers the cheap mischaracterization.

[tarran]

Edward sure devotes a lot of his precious time telling us how insignificant we are. He really must think that task is important to devote so much time to it, instead of the other pursuits he could engage in such as chasing girls, pursuing a hobby, watching TV , playing games, or earning money.

[stuartl]

It's a little early (about 15 months) for me to pay much attention to the election, but can you guys help me with the official MSM portraits?

I've got:
Ron Paul -- Whack job, blames US for 9-11
Edwards -- Pretty boy lightweight
Hillary -- Wicked witch of the west
Obama -- Pretty boy lightweight, with JFK qualities
McCain -- Used to be a "Good" republican, but now a bit insane
Guiliani -- Hero of 9-11, but mean to minorities

[stephen the goldberger]

i didn't realize the post was a joke. I guess making a big deal out of an innocous juxtaposition didn't seem too out of line as part of the whole "ron paul is getting vilified unjustly" rhetoric going around here lately.

[Rattlesnake Jake]

I thought the Republicans would have learned a lesson from the 2006 loss, but apparently they haven't. Will they finally learn that the American public is fed up with our government's nation building when the Republicans go down to defeat in 2008? Too bad their stupidity will be bringing the broom rider into the White House again.

[scurillous knave]

But Kwais, are you bored enough to play hangman?

********

(proper name)

[Terrorific]

Ugh. Come on, don't stoop to this silly shit that Hannity goes for everytime something "funny" goes on with CNN's camera work on the Prez. Dammit Weigel, I thought you had already given up on Paul when you failed to recognize that Giuliani calling him out was a GOOD thing. Now you're defending him from coincidental bazookas?

How'd the party full of "Giuliani supporters" go? Did they at least have good beer?

[Terrorific]

I'm such a fucking idiot. I've been clicking on that screenshot and refreshing for like 5 minutes trying to get it to play. Why couldn't you just post the video clip as a hyperlink?

[DA]

I had read Weigel's post as intending to be a bit TIC, particularly the bazooka part. I could be wrong, though.

[Guy Montag]

So, does this mean that CNN is a Zionist propaganda machine or not? Someone please uncover the conspiracy connection!

[Fluffy]

I think in the next day or two we will start to see the "Ron Paul hates the Civil Rights Act" stories.

[R.Totale]

and yet Mitt "We need to double Gitmo" Romney is treated like a serious candidate. The mind boggles.

[Dave W.]

he blames America for 9/11.

I liked that video HnR linked the other month where he blamed the FAA in part. He seems to want some accountability in America's defense sector and it is about time. Paul will have a hard time winning the military contractor vote, and I think some of them may be registered Republican.

[kwais]

Edward,
Well I took a survey of those around me and no one knew who Ron Paul is. Point.

But then again this isn't the best place to take a poll on anything current events stateside.

[P Brooks]

"I think in the next day or two we will start to see the "Ron Paul hates the Civil Rights Act" stories."

Don't forget "Ron Paul Wants Your Grandmother to Die of Starvation in a Ditch!"

[Randolph Carter]

I don't think we'll hear anything about Ron Paul after this weekend. This week's news cycle is over and it'll be back to a media blackout on him unless he makes news somehow, doing some publicity stunt or demanding that Rudy Guiliani apologize to him in public. I hope he does, because otherwise he'll be back down the memory hole of "unfeasible" candidates.

[VM]

P Brooks - why will Dave W, in a fit of corn-syrup (high fructose) rage think that Ron Paul suddenly morphed into Phil?

interesting.

Well, it is Friday 🙂

[Edward]

tarran

You libertarians are politically insignificant but pretty interesting nonetheless.

[sage]

Oh, I see. Edward is gay.

[thoreau]

Could somebody get Urkobold in here to deal with Edward?

[Otto]

what if, like, we were all ants in a giant ant farm - and Edward was, like, inspecting us because we're so interesting. man! It's like we're just ants! But what about the dude who thinks Edward is interesting... Oh man dude, way out.

[Edward]

Hmmm, maybe I did take this too seriously. So you guys do realize that Ron Paul is a garden-variety crackpot with no appeal to anybody on this planet. Geez, I feel really silly.

[Doc]

>McCain -- Used to be a "Good" republican, but now a bit insane

Substitute "Maverick" for "Good" and you've got correct the MSM meme.

[scurillous knave]

I have nothing against Ron Paul, but he has the political finesse of a rock. Hasn't he ever heard of Ward Churchill?

[Fluffy]

"So you guys do realize that Ron Paul is a garden-variety crackpot with no appeal to anybody on this planet"

You mean like W?

[Jake Boone]

So you guys do realize that Ron Paul is a garden-variety crackpot with no appeal to anybody on this planet.

The pot calls the kettle cracked?

[Dave W.]

why will Dave W, in a fit of corn-syrup (high fructose) rage think that Ron Paul suddenly morphed into Phil?

I have to hand it to Phil. He has been good enough to stop causing me problems. I think I saw him on that young CATO guy Will's blog the other day and decided to leave him alone.

[R.Totale]

Edward, please stop. My feelings are getting hurt.

[Bazooka Widow]

How does Ron find the time to make these media appearances when he is so busy voting for himself in online polls? Just thinking up all the aliases he puts on the petitions would exhaust a lesser man.

[mediageek]

FWIW, back during the first week of my career in TeeVee nooze, I made an over-the-shoulder graphic that included a hand holding a pistol.

When it went on air, it looked kind of like someone was holding a gun to the anchor's head.

After the show, the producer told me that it's common courtesy to flip graphics of guns to avoid that effect.

[mediageek]

"Edward, please stop. My feelings are getting hurt."

Go cry, emo kid.

[Reinmoose]

Paul will have a hard time winning the military contractor vote, and I think some of them may be registered Republican.

LOL! Yes, it is entirely possible that some of them may be registered Reps 🙂 🙂 🙂

You left out the part about how Ron Paul wants poor children to get no education and have us return to a class-based society (because that's certainly not what we have now).

[Dave W.]

it is entirely possible that some of them may be registered Reps

Some aren't. When I did my stint as a military contractor my boss told me about someone I had never heard of before whom he called "Dickhead Cheney."

[Urkobold?]

RON PAUL IS SUCH A LOSER! HE'S SUCH A LOSER THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHO HE IS! WHAT FOOLS YOU ARE TO EVEN DISCUSS HIM!

BUT PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS, KEEP HIM OUT OF DEBATES! DON'T MENTION HIM ANYWHERE! AND WATCH ME POST FIFTY TIMES A DAY ON HOW INSIGNIFICANT HE IS!

DID URKOBOLD MENTION THAT RON PAUL'S A RACIST, SUPPORTS TERRORISM, AND SODOMIZES SQUIRRELS? BUT HE'S BENEATH NOTICE.

REALLY.

[Reinmoose]

Some aren't

First, I thought you were trying to be funny with your original statement.. my mistake.

Second, yes, some aren't, except for now (instead of when you were a military contractor) the livelihoods of many "defense" contractor employees relies entirely on propagating the fear-mongering militarism boom we are current experiencing. The Republican's don't have a monopoly on that fear-mongering, but I believe they are a lot more liberal with the funding for it.

[Dave W.]

instead of when you were a military contractor

In fact, when I was a military contractor, I was an independent and fairly apolitical. I believed in the Cold War, but I wasn't hugely enthised about it like some people were. I remember being puzzled as to why it was so important to be able to fight in sandstorms, but, then as now I liked cool technology. This was prior to the Gulf War, of course. Plants were closing like crazy. I remember wandering around large, mostly empty facilities, with only spooky echoes where the sounds of bustle had clearly been, and being glad I was moving on to "greener pastures." G-d, I was so naive it is painful to even recall it now.

[575 Moose]

Urkobold speaks truth
Do not dare to challenge him
He blisters your taint

Is Edward the same
as the strange corn syrup boy
whose gun discharges?

[ChicagoTom]

Apparently, Dr. No is showing signs of life in non-internet based polls as well.

Zogby is showing him with steady increases month to month. Granted it's only up to 3% -- but it seems significant nonetheless

[Urkobold?]

URKOBOLD DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE FUSS--ALL THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ARE PANSIES. IF YOU WANT TO DERIVE ORDER FROM CHAOS, VOTE INDEPENDENT. VOTE ZOD.

[Dave W.]

Is Edward the same
as the strange corn syrup boy
whose gun discharges?

Of course not. And besides, I backed off the corn syrup thing to a large extent. And the gun discharging thing was never a political issue or disagreement, just a hypothetical (and a plausible one at that) that pushed a gunnut button harder than I intended it to.

The only thing strange about me is the music I write:

farceswannamo.com

It will blow you away with its unusuality and weirdosity.

[Fluffy]

Chicago Tom -

I think 5% would be a nice number. I'd like to see him get there. I don't think he can get any further than that, but that will do. At 5% it makes it very difficult to justify removing him from any upcoming debates, and it differentiates him from all the other asterisk candidates.

Plus, it will piss Sean Hannity off.

[Dave]

Is this story for real? CNN is subliminaly making you think Ron Paul should have his head shot off? Get out the tinfoil hats, boys!

Never have I been prouder of my libertarian fellow travellers.

[ChicagoTom]

I think 5% would be a nice number. I'd like to see him get there. I don't think he can get any further than that, but that will do. At 5% it makes it very difficult to justify removing him from any upcoming debates, and it differentiates him from all the other asterisk candidates.

Maybe more talk of purging him from the debates will help raise his profile and push him to the 5+% threshold.

[Reinmoose]

Chicago Tom,
While 3% is notable (puts him in 5th place), you must also note that on the Dem side in New Hampshire, Dennis Kucommie got 4%. Would you say that Dennis is "showing signs of life" as well?

[Eric the .5b]

I always wonder if, somewhere deep down, folks like ed expect libertarians to hear him and suddenly smack our foreheads, crying out, "That's it! I didn't realize it before, but I have unusual political views! I should fix that right away."

[jimmydageek]

URKOBOLD, Please email me...have breaking news!!!

[MP]

Pat Buchanan defends Ron Paul

Highlight:

Ron Paul is no TV debater. But up on that stage in Columbia, he was speaking intolerable truths. Understandably, Republicans do not want him back, telling the country how the party blundered into this misbegotten war.

[jimmydageek]

Urkobold has more in-depth coverage of this incident.

[dhex]

"I always wonder if, somewhere deep down, folks like ed expect libertarians to hear him and suddenly smack our foreheads, crying out, "That's it! I didn't realize it before, but I have unusual political views! I should fix that right away.""

or perhaps a lemming-like mass rush off a cliff?

"we were WROOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG...."

[Bazooka Widow]

I'm pleased that the real deep thinkers are carefully weighing the pros and cons of a Paul presidency. Paul's new defender Pat Buchanan is probably close to some of these folks too...

[*]

CNN has a fairly complimentary take on Paul's contribution to the debate here.

[Stevo Darkly]

FWIW, back during the first week of my career in TeeVee nooze, I made an over-the-shoulder graphic that included a hand holding a pistol.

When it went on air, it looked kind of like someone was holding a gun to the anchor's head.

After the show, the producer told me that it's common courtesy to flip graphics of guns to avoid that effect.

Heh. I kind of like that. Assuming the anchor was the kind of person that most TV "news" anchors seem to be.

BTW, I'm not a graphic designer, but I work with a lot of them. It's my impression that it's common practice to position elements so that they appear to "face" or "point" toward the center of a layout, rather than outward. This applies to directions of people's gazes, objects in motion, etc. This along would explain why the weapon appears to be pointed in Ron Paul's direction.

[Stevo]

This along = This alone

[bob]

I think that Pat Buchanan gets a bad rap. From my viewing of him as a commentator on MSNBC, he seems to spend a lot of time criticizing the gop and has a of libertarian leanings (at least when it comes to foreign policy). He's pretty hardcore on immigration but so am I when open borders include an E-ticket to the welfare state (anybody else rememeber ticket levels at Disneyland?).

[Guy Montag]

Some 'blogger is talking about the debate on WMAL AM right now. He is getting to Ron Paul in a moment.

[Guy Montag]

Somehow, some way, the only people who take Ron Paul's answer to the question of the US inviting terrorism as a denial of inviting terrorism are his avid supporters.

[miche]

I thought I added this earlier, but here are two favorable clips discussing Ron Paul. One is from The View and the other from Real Time.

http://www.shoutwire.com/viewstory/68867/You_Can_t_Buy_This_Kind_of_Advertising

[Lamar]

Guy Montag: if you can tell me exactly what "inviting 9/11" means, then I respect every single crazy-ass, justify war at all costs, low analytical-skill thing you've ever said.