This is what we know: American embassies in Libya and Egypt have been attacked, killing and injuring US civilians and soldiers. Initial reports suggested that the attacks in retaliation for the release of a 15 minute trailer for a feature film making fun of Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.
With America under siege abroad, one would expect the honourable leaders of the right to rally around the cause of the defense of the nation.
Oh. Was Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney talking about the government release that stated, in part, "Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others."
Because, you know, the memo didn't come from the Obama Administration, it came from the American embassy in Cairo. And, technically, it wasn't a response to the embassy bombings, because it was made public before they happened.
Oh, and it turns out that the attack on Americans in Benghazi may have been a response to a killing of a top Al-Qaeda operative and had nothing to do with a video. (Perhaps tomorrow we'll discover that it was really a bunch of kids who got carried away playing Call of Duty: Black Ops. Rushing to judgment, though more fun than Pictionary on a cold summer's night, is not without repercussions.)
Romney, being an honourable man, took the first opportunity to correct his errors:
Or, actually, he did that. He DDed. In Washington, this is known as Doubling Down. In a psychiatrist's office, it's known as sinking into a Deeper Delusion.
Fortunately, other leaders of the right responded to the situation in a more measured way. Honourable leaders like Sarah Palin:
Can anybody explain to me how Palin hasn't been buried alive by the weight of her own hateful rhetoric?
Oh, and in case you didn't notice (or, more likely, couldn't stomach reading it all the way through), Palin's rant ended with a euphemistic reference to President Obama's penis. I suppose, in suggesting that the President's manhood is not big enough for the job, Palin was being all mavericky and stuff; after all, remarks about the size of the penises of black men have historically run in the other direction.
Okay, that was kind of ugly. Still, Palin is only one person. Surely, there must be right wing leaders willing to counter the misinformation of other right wing leaders. You know, honourable people like former Speaker of the House and Republican Presidential hopeful New Gingrich:
Do you mean the white, non-Kenyan, non-Muslim background, Newt? Or, do you mean the non-1960s flag burning, enemies-of-freedom, moral relativistic background? Because, frankly, there's enough dog whistles in that short statement to give poor Fido bleeding ears!
Okay, I'm beginning to get the idea that the right is united in condemning not only the attacks themselves, but their make-believe version of the Obama administration's response to the attacks. In Washington, this is known as the Echo Chamber. In a psychiatrist's office, it's known as mass psychosis.
Surely, there must be one honourable person on the right willing to stand up to the lying demagoguery. At least one?
There you go! I never thought I'd say this, but thank you, Bill O'Reilly, for being the voice of sani - what? That statement was made in 2004? And, he was talking about then President George W. Bush, a Republican? But, surely, an honourable man would maintain that position no matter which party held the Presidency - to do otherwise would come close to situational ethics - and, since Bill O'Reilly is an honourable ma -
Whoa! Did not see that one coming! I should have, of course. According to Rove's Corollary of Hitler's Propaganda Hypothesis, you can gain political advantage by claiming that your opposition is engaged in behaviour that you are engaged in. Are Republicans getting raked over the coals for Todd Akins' Neanderthal views on rape? Find a way to accuse the Democrats of being insensitive to rape victims. The less connection the accusation has to demonstrable reality, the more effective it is in confusing members of the public and generally undermining the legitimacy of the political process.
Thank you, Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, for a perfect example.
And, to ensure that there is a lot of pain and misery to go around, we will dedicate ourselves to stalling any legislation that could make the economy better, reduce the deficit, promote better health care or otherwise help ordinary people.
I'm sorry, but who, exactly, is blaming the victim now?
Allen West? Florida Republican Representative Allen West is the most honourable spokesperson for the right?
The world is in big trouble.
