Ben Stein thinks Obama is Hitler!

[Eduardo X]

Quoth the Ben Stein: ""Seventy-five-thousand people at an outdoor sports palace, well, that's something the Fuehrer would have done"
Bravo, Ben Stein. I didn't think your crazy movie had exposed your madness enough, and then you helped us out with this little dish.

[Creepy_Smell]

"And I think whoever is advising Senator Obama to do this is bringing up all kinds of very unfortunate images from the past."

DC... shit; I'm still only in DC... Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back in Denver's Invesco Field. When I was home after my first season, it was worse. I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back into Denver's Invesco Field. I'm here a week now... waiting for a game... getting softer; every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Charlie squats in the field, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around, the walls moved in a little tighter.

How many people had I already tackled? There was those six that I know about for sure. Close enough to blow their last breath in my face. But this time it was an American and a rookie. That wasn't supposed to make any difference to me, but it did. Shit... charging a man with a penalty in this place was like handing out speeding tickets in the Indy 500. I took to the field. What the hell else was I gonna do?

[CSL]

I mean, sure go and make a Hitler comparison. But its just too easy, I mean - I want my nutball idiot Republican attack machine to be a little above Godwin attacks. Can't anyone compare him to Kaiser Wilhelm? Or maybe even Bismarck?

I guess when Obama makes a speech at Mount Vernon (hypothetically) we can get ready to see Ben Stein insituate - "well slaveholders lived on Mount Vernon."

[Rhiz8]

 Ya can't bash the Kaiser. He shares the same title as a delicious deli roll.

 I personally hate politics. I always believed it brought out the worst in people (just look at this sub-forum). If you want to see the hateful beast in anyone, just bring up politics. I always thought that, ironically, it led people to wish things that are downright against the Constitution they supposedly want to save and protect (censoring other opinions, even death threats in some places). Anyone who can discuss politics without resorting to venomous fights or manipulation has my respect, I don't care what side you're on.

 That's why whenever I see news things like this, I don't even care about the story...I look at the comments. Now granted, it represents a very small group of people and we all know the internet isn't a bastion of enlightened discourse. A lot of venom flows through this series of tubes. But those comments should alert people to the real danger, and that's blind partisanship. I can't stand that crap. Whether it's people who see a comment by Ben Stein and cry foul on behalf of Republicans or people who see Wright and cry foul on behalf of Democrats, hate-filled partisanship is the real danger. The same people who cry that people should not be judged based on sound bites will immediately attack the other party's supposed perpetrator for the same reason. I always thought it hilarious that Obama always talked about bringing the parties together, something I greatly admire, yet people just attack the other side more. And yes, both parties are guilty of this. You'll see more on that link regarding liberals since it's apparently a more liberal site, but it's everywhere. The anonymity of the internet lets us casually forget there's a person on the other end who has a life, issues, history, and lots of stuff we'll never know, care about, or put into the equation. It's so much easier just to label them the enemy.

  That's why I bounced back between parties over the past few years. Firstly, I take issues and decide who I support based on their response, not their party. Secondly, I couldn't stand the respective party's zealots. I kind of like having no party affiliation. Let's me view things without blinders.

[Eduardo X]

I hate parties, Rhiz8, but think both the Demos and the Repubs are WAY smarter than this. Ben Stein, on the other hand, I don't. I've never really liked him.

[YellowKing]

Even though I'm Republican, I think the Obama hype-machine is great. People being *excited* about politics is a good thing. They criticize his "rock star" persona, but what is the alternative? The same thing we've seen for decades now - isolated little bunches of hardcore voters rallying around their man while the rest of the public rolls their eyes and looks the other way.

Let Obama have his day. Let people, particularly young people, get excited to vote. Let them take an interest in their government for a change.

To me, the net result of generating public interest in the political process far outweighs any individual candidate's policies.

[Eduardo X]

Even though I'm Republican, I think the Obama hype-machine is great. People being *excited* about politics is a good thing. They criticize his "rock star" persona, but what is the alternative? The same thing we've seen for decades now - isolated little bunches of hardcore voters rallying around their man while the rest of the public rolls their eyes and looks the other way.

Let Obama have his day. Let people, particularly young people, get excited to vote. Let them take an interest in their government for a change.

To me, the net result of generating public interest in the political process far outweighs any individual candidate's policies.

Yeah, I think that, even worse than the Fuhrer comment was Stein's insistence that political rallies in the U.S. have always been, and always should be, closed, controlled events in arenas with a very select group of people. Why would anyone be proud or enthusiastic about the political elite being the only ones enjoying politics?

[Ironrod]

I used to watch "Win Ben Stein's Money". It was a smart, funny trivia quiz show because Ben Stein was smart and funny. Lately he no longer seems to be either.

[Moliere]

To me, the net result of generating public interest in the political process far outweighs any individual candidate's policies.

As much as I want people involved, thinking and talking about the political process I still am more concerned about the candidate's policies. Bush has certainly demonstrated the ability of the President to fuck with all our lives.

[msduncan]

Ben Stein is crazy and wrong.    Obama is ideologically much closer to Stalin than he ever was Hitler.

[Brendan]

In order to respond to that claim appropriately, I would need a much larger eye-rolling smiley.  72pt would probably do it.

[CeeKay]

In order to respond to that claim appropriately, I would need a much larger eye-rolling smiley.  72pt would probably do it.

this work

?

[msduncan]

In order to respond to that claim appropriately, I would need a much larger eye-rolling smiley.  72pt would probably do it.

this work

?

It's not animated.

[msduncan]

On a related note, I saw somewhere (can't find the story now) where an Israeli paper published Obama's prayer that he placed at the Western Wall.

I think this is terrible and wrong.    I mean this has to be fake.   Obama, being of the Islamic faith, would never place a prayer in the wall.     Do they think we are stupid?

[gellar]

Even though I'm Republican, I think the Obama hype-machine is great. People being *excited* about politics is a good thing. They criticize his "rock star" persona, but what is the alternative? The same thing we've seen for decades now - isolated little bunches of hardcore voters rallying around their man while the rest of the public rolls their eyes and looks the other way.

Let Obama have his day. Let people, particularly young people, get excited to vote. Let them take an interest in their government for a change.

To me, the net result of generating public interest in the political process far outweighs any individual candidate's policies.

You know... interesting point.  I never thought of it that way, but definitely agree.

gellar

[Mookee]

On a related note, I saw somewhere (can't find the story now) where an Israeli paper published Obama's prayer that he placed at the Western Wall.

I think this is terrible and wrong.    I mean this has to be fake.   Obama, being of the Islamic faith, would never place a prayer in the wall.     Do they think we are stupid?

The funniest thing about this is that you can't find the story.

[msduncan]

On a related note, I saw somewhere (can't find the story now) where an Israeli paper published Obama's prayer that he placed at the Western Wall.

I think this is terrible and wrong.    I mean this has to be fake.   Obama, being of the Islamic faith, would never place a prayer in the wall.     Do they think we are stupid?

The funniest thing about this is that you can't find the story.

Well now it's breaking everywhere.   I should have known just to wait a couple hours...

[Brendan]

I I assume that the comment about Senator Obama being a muslim was an attempt to be funny, yes?

[msduncan]

I I assume that the comment about Senator Obama being a muslim was an attempt to be funny, yes?

Both comments were a product of a silly mood I was in yesterday, yes.

[Captain Caveman]

I I assume that the comment about Senator Obama being a muslim was an attempt to be funny, yes?

Both comments were a product of a silly mood I was in yesterday, yes.

I guess the old adage is true: liberals can't take a joke, and conservatives can't make one. 

[msduncan]

I I assume that the comment about Senator Obama being a muslim was an attempt to be funny, yes?

Both comments were a product of a silly mood I was in yesterday, yes.

I guess the old adage is true: liberals can't take a joke, and conservatives can't make one. 

Bah... my wife is the smart, funny, and good looking one in the marriage.    Come to think of it what the heck is my role anyway?

[gellar]

I I assume that the comment about Senator Obama being a muslim was an attempt to be funny, yes?

Both comments were a product of a silly mood I was in yesterday, yes.

I guess the old adage is true: liberals can't take a joke, and conservatives can't make one. 

Bah... my wife is the smart, funny, and good looking one in the marriage.    Come to think of it what the heck is my role anyway?

You make the money.  It's a traditional marriage.

gellar