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Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Poster Child for GOP's Problems

By Isa-Lee Wolf 

COMMENTARY | Elisabeth Hasslebeck is everything that's wrong with Republicans. Discussing Osama bin Laden's death on the May 1 episode of "The View," with unmasked glee, she giggled and said, "I think of all the people who voted for Obama, right? Wearing tie-dyed t-shirts with peace signs and protesting are now choking on their Ben & Jerry's ice cream basically because their president blows the brains out of somebody and is now deemed, as the New York Times had it this weekend, as 'Warrior in Chief.' I think he's done a great job in terms of military experience right now, but they are eating their words."

Quick question. Which words? That we wanted to shower bin Laden with peace, love and understanding? Darn, I missed that meeting.

Nonetheless, thanks, Elisabeth, for illustrating it so clearly. Not your point; your point is ludicrous and defies logic or relationship to reality. No, thanks for a clean example of the current Republican knack for taking anything with a hint of liberal, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point.

I also think you've confused voting for Obama with being an extra in the musical "Hair," but that's a different issue completely.

Through careful planning and great use of military resources, our president tracked and eliminated our most wanted fugitive. He ordered the kill. Yet you minimized, as Joy Behar pointed out, what would have been touted as a massive Republican victory, if only a Republican accomplished it, as "blowing the brains out of somebody."

It wasn't just somebody, Elisabeth. He was the excuse for not one, but two wars. It was the man who killed the most Americans on our own soil since the Civil War. It was the man who, periodically, released tapes vowing to do it again.

You don't think his elimination, without martyrdom, without reprisal, is worthy of the title "Warrior in Chief"? Your buddy George W. Bush couldn't do it. Mitt Romney said in 2007 that he wouldn't bother going to such lengths, a position he's now reversed.

It's difficult to try to toe the company line with this president. The Republican tactic over the past three-and-a-bit years has been to find fault with everything the president does. Supported payroll tax cuts in 2001? He wants them? Hate them now. Individual insurance mandate for Obamacare? It's evil. Except when Republicans called for it. Take out Osama bin Laden?

Hmm, that's a tricky one.

Well, the best you can do is denounce him for counting it among his presidential accomplishments, and claim that the mere mention of it is "politicizing" the operation he successfully lead. Good job, Elisabeth.

Despite constant roadblocks, Barack Obama still does his job. One of the things he did, and we elected him to do, fully, consciously, and without thought to our choice of ice-cream, is keep our country safe. What did he need to do to facilitate that goal? Eliminate bin Laden.

Maybe the centrists and independents the Republicans so sorely need would be more inclined to pay attention to the GOP if their members didn't pretend that every action from Obama - even when it aligns with Republican values - is in direct opposition to both their ideology and the country's interests. Insulting those swing voters by implying they're clich?d "dirty hippies" merely for voting for the president really can't help. While polls don't track the percentage of "dirty hippies" voting for a candidate, they do track moderates; 60 percent of moderates voted for Obama in 2008.

And one more thanks, Elisabeth, for demonstrating so well why they should do it again.

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Re: Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Poster Child for GOP's Problems

  • one of the perks of working is that i don't run the risk of accidentally turning on that show.
    proof that i make babies. jack, grace, and ben, in no particular order
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  • They have to keep her for comedic value.  I mean there is a lot of mileage between  Whoppie and Sister Act.
    image
  • I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  
  • imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    That's a fair statement to make, for sure. 

    We could also say she's an example of what's wrong with Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Hehe. She's a piece of work. 

    image
  • taratrutaratru member
    She's an example of what's wrong with reality television.  Were it not for Survivor, she'd still be designing shoes. 
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  • imagemissusbee:

    imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    That's a fair statement to make, for sure. 

    We could also say she's an example of what's wrong with Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Hehe. She's a piece of work. 

    So, so true!  I still haven't figured out why she's the authority on anything other than clothes and reality TV. 

  • imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    ITA... especially if you take this from the article:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Republican knack for taking anything with a hint of liberal, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    and change it to:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Democrat knack for taking anything with a hint of conservative, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    Unfortunately for our country, and us, it goes both ways and both parties and their supporters are guilty of it.

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  • People care what she thinks? Enough to write an article about?
  • imagecheesefarmer:
    People care what she thinks? Enough to write an article about?

    You cared enough to click on this link. 

    You are like 94% of all random Internet commenters.

    image
  • imagetaratru:
    She's an example of what's wrong with reality television.  Were it not for Survivor, she'd still be designing shoes. 

    I loved her on The Look for Less and was excited when she joined the View bc I had liked her so much prior to that. 

    I was disappointed. LOL.

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  • imagemissusbee:
    I think of all the people who voted for Obama, right? Wearing tie-dyed t-shirts with peace signs
    This is the most offensive thing I've read in ages.  I voted for Obama, and I wouldn't be caught dead in a tie-dyed shirt with peace signs on it.
    My god, woman.  I do have my dignity!
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  • imagebrideymcbriderson:
    imagemissusbee:
    I think of all the people who voted for Obama, right? Wearing tie-dyed t-shirts with peace signs
    This is the most offensive thing I've read in ages.  I voted for Obama, and I wouldn't be caught dead in a tie-dyed shirt with peace signs on it.
    My god, woman.  I do have my dignity!

    oh bridey, please. we all know you don't own any bras. dumb hippie.

    image
  • She is why reality tv is soooooo wrong. She got 15 minutes of fame and continues to suck the ever loving hell out of it.I'm trying so hard not to bash her based on anything female but it drives me nuts that she is held as an example to young girls. 

    Slainte!
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  • imagemissusbee:
    Elisabeth Hasslebeck is everything that's wrong with Republicans. Discussing Osama bin Laden's death on the May 1 episode of "The View," with unmasked glee, she giggled and said, "I think of all the people who voted for Obama, right? Wearing tie-dyed t-shirts with peace signs and protesting are now choking on their Ben & Jerry's ice cream basically because their president blows the brains out of somebody and is now deemed, as the New York Times had it this weekend, as 'Warrior in Chief.' I think he's done a great job in terms of military experience right now, but they are eating their words."

    Isn't the whole hippies-with-peace-signs thing about 40 years out of date? Or are they dusting it off again to apply to the occupy protesters?  Is tie-dye actually a thing again?

    I think it is both so interesting and so odd, which images get pulled out to generalize/demonize political opponents. Like how Republicans were painted with either the out-of-touch old guy brush (e.g., McCain), or the corrupt-fat-cats brush (Cheney?), or the gun-toting evangelical hicks (Palin), where you can at least see how the steretype germinated. And the Obama-elitist-arugula-eating-unamerican-foreigner, you can at least see how they got there. But the peace-sign-wearing hippie thing seemed a little out of date when they pulled it out for Clinton (Bill), and he actually did at least have long hair and smoke dope at one time, and now it doesn't really seem to resonate with Obama at all. Maybe she was eating some Phish food the night before, and that was the first image that came to her mind when she thought about liberals?

  • imagetaratru:
    She's an example of what's wrong with reality television.  Were it not for Survivor, she'd still be designing shoes. 

    and feeling sick all the time!  lol

  • imagenewsreader:
    . Maybe she was eating some Phish food the night before, and that was the first image that came to her mind when she thought about liberals?

    or she's dumb as rocks and that's as close as you'll ever get to rationalizing her statements

    image
  • imageeclaires:

    imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    ITA... especially if you take this from the article:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Republican knack for taking anything with a hint of liberal, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    and change it to:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Democrat knack for taking anything with a hint of conservative, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    Unfortunately for our country, and us, it goes both ways and both parties and their supporters are guilty of it.

    I agree with this.  Had a Republican president done the same thing, the Dems would find a way to poke at it.  It's just the way the parties do.  I think what our friend Liz might have been trying to say is that there is some irony, perhaps, in the situation given the fact that the Dems positioned Rs as war-mongers in that election.  But I am not defending her or anyone else from that wretched show.

  • imagedoobeedoo:
    imageeclaires:

    imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    ITA... especially if you take this from the article:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Republican knack for taking anything with a hint of liberal, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    and change it to:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Democrat knack for taking anything with a hint of conservative, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    Unfortunately for our country, and us, it goes both ways and both parties and their supporters are guilty of it.

    I agree with this.  Had a Republican president done the same thing, the Dems would find a way to poke at it.  It's just the way the parties do.  I think what our friend Liz might have been trying to say is that there is some irony, perhaps, in the situation given the fact that the Dems positioned Rs as war-mongers in that election.  But I am not defending her or anyone else from that wretched show.

    They were positioned as war mongers because they actually started a war for no legitimate reason!  Then they couldn't follow through with their promise of bringing OBL in "dead or alive."  So they were incompetent war mongers. 

    Dems don't have a problem with war per se, only pointless, expensive, unfunded wars that make corporations richer while paying actual servicemen pennies and then refusing to treat their PTSD or help them get jobs when they come home.

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  • imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    This.

    I'm embarrassed as a woman every time she opens her mouth.  I don't care what side of the political spectrum you are on.  I don't really want her being anyone's political mouthpiece.   

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  • Is Elisabeth as embarrassing for Republicans as Joy is for the Dems? Because Joy says some whackass schit.
  • imageChillyMcFreeze:
    Is Elisabeth as embarrassing for Republicans as Joy is for the Dems? Because Joy says some whackass schit.

     

    This is why this whole show needs to go completely and totally away. They're all an embarrassment - 'cept Barbara Walters. Is she even on the show anymore?

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  • Please, Barbara Walters is a complete embarrassment. She's the one who hires these dolts. I am fully convinced she hired and keeps Hasselbeck because it makes her feel good to have a dumbass attempt to articulate the conservative position.

    Sure, Hasselbeck is a nimrod but Barbara is the one who decided this idiot should get a voice. I notice that Barbara has taken great care to keep at least one or two well educated, respectable, articulate, professional liberals on the show but the lone conservative is a reality tv star . . . survivor no less.



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  • imageMrsAxilla:
    imagedoobeedoo:
    imageeclaires:

    imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    ITA... especially if you take this from the article:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Republican knack for taking anything with a hint of liberal, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    and change it to:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Democrat knack for taking anything with a hint of conservative, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    Unfortunately for our country, and us, it goes both ways and both parties and their supporters are guilty of it.

    I agree with this.  Had a Republican president done the same thing, the Dems would find a way to poke at it.  It's just the way the parties do.  I think what our friend Liz might have been trying to say is that there is some irony, perhaps, in the situation given the fact that the Dems positioned Rs as war-mongers in that election.  But I am not defending her or anyone else from that wretched show.

    They were positioned as war mongers because they actually started a war for no legitimate reason!  Then they couldn't follow through with their promise of bringing OBL in "dead or alive."  So they were incompetent war mongers. 

    Dems don't have a problem with war per se, only pointless, expensive, unfunded wars that make corporations richer while paying actual servicemen pennies and then refusing to treat their PTSD or help them get jobs when they come home.

    What the heck?  Sure, I would have welcomed more pay, but the PTSD and jobs comment is simply not accurate.

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  • imagehindsight's_a_biotch:

    Please, Barbara Walters is a complete embarrassment. She's the one who hires these dolts. I am fully convinced she hired and keeps Hasselbeck because it makes her feel good to have a dumbass attempt to articulate the conservative position.

    Sure, Hasselbeck is a nimrod but Barbara is the one who decided this idiot should get a voice. I notice that Barbara has taken great care to keep at least one or two well educated, respectable, articulate, professional liberals on the show but the lone conservative is a reality tv star . . . survivor no less.

     

    good point

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  • I had no idea that Elisabeth Hasselbeck only became famous due to reality TV.  You learn something new every day.  I just assumed she was a random on Style TV or something that somehow made it big.
  • imageLittleMoxie:
    I had no idea that Elisabeth Hasselbeck only became famous due to reality TV.  You learn something new every day.  I just assumed she was a random on Style TV or something that somehow made it big.

    I thought she was famous for being married to the less talented Hasselbeck. That's what I get for not watching Survivor.

    Team Basement Cat imageKnitting&Kitties
  • imagebootsie08:
    imageMrsAxilla:
    imagedoobeedoo:
    imageeclaires:

    imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    ITA... especially if you take this from the article:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Republican knack for taking anything with a hint of liberal, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    and change it to:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Democrat knack for taking anything with a hint of conservative, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    Unfortunately for our country, and us, it goes both ways and both parties and their supporters are guilty of it.

    I agree with this.  Had a Republican president done the same thing, the Dems would find a way to poke at it.  It's just the way the parties do.  I think what our friend Liz might have been trying to say is that there is some irony, perhaps, in the situation given the fact that the Dems positioned Rs as war-mongers in that election.  But I am not defending her or anyone else from that wretched show.

    They were positioned as war mongers because they actually started a war for no legitimate reason!  Then they couldn't follow through with their promise of bringing OBL in "dead or alive."  So they were incompetent war mongers. 

    Dems don't have a problem with war per se, only pointless, expensive, unfunded wars that make corporations richer while paying actual servicemen pennies and then refusing to treat their PTSD or help them get jobs when they come home.

    What the heck?  Sure, I would have welcomed more pay, but the PTSD and jobs comment is simply not accurate.

    "Refuse" was too strong of a word.  Maybe "unwilling", "slow", "unprepared", or "unable" would have been more accurate. 
    image
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  • imageMrsAxilla:
    imagebootsie08:
    imageMrsAxilla:
    imagedoobeedoo:
    imageeclaires:

    imageKateAggie:
    I would say she's an example of what's wrong with partisan politics, not just the Republican party.  

    ITA... especially if you take this from the article:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Republican knack for taking anything with a hint of liberal, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    and change it to:

    No, thanks for a clean example of the current Democrat knack for taking anything with a hint of conservative, dehumanizing it, debasing it, and then claiming it proves your point. 

    Unfortunately for our country, and us, it goes both ways and both parties and their supporters are guilty of it.

    I agree with this.  Had a Republican president done the same thing, the Dems would find a way to poke at it.  It's just the way the parties do.  I think what our friend Liz might have been trying to say is that there is some irony, perhaps, in the situation given the fact that the Dems positioned Rs as war-mongers in that election.  But I am not defending her or anyone else from that wretched show.

    They were positioned as war mongers because they actually started a war for no legitimate reason!  Then they couldn't follow through with their promise of bringing OBL in "dead or alive."  So they were incompetent war mongers. 

    Dems don't have a problem with war per se, only pointless, expensive, unfunded wars that make corporations richer while paying actual servicemen pennies and then refusing to treat their PTSD or help them get jobs when they come home.

    What the heck?  Sure, I would have welcomed more pay, but the PTSD and jobs comment is simply not accurate.

    "Refuse" was too strong of a word.  Maybe "unwilling", "slow", "unprepared", or "unable" would have been more accurate. 

    Not my experience at all.  Quite the opposite. 

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  • imagebootsie08:

    Not my experience at all.  Quite the opposite. 

    Some of the stats I've seen say that as many as 36% of returning servicemen were unemployed about a year ago.  A study done in March indicated that the number has dropped significantly because of all the programs put into place recently.  But those programs weren't put in place by the "war mongerers" I was specifically referring to.  As to PTSD, I distinctly remember this was a HUGE problem in 2005-2007 as the VA was totally unprepared and ill-equipped to deal with the overwhelming number of servicement who were coming back with PTSD.  While that's changed as well (not by "war mongerers"), an estimated 40% still do not recieve treatment, and of those that do, there are no studies as to how effective that treatment has been. 

    You got lucky, I guess. 

    image
    Anything you can achieve through hard work, you could also just buy.
  • imageMrsAxilla:
    imagebootsie08:

    Not my experience at all.  Quite the opposite. 

    Some of the stats I've seen say that as many as 36% of returning servicemen were unemployed about a year ago.  A study done in March indicated that the number has dropped significantly because of all the programs put into place recently.  But those programs weren't put in place by the "war mongerers" I was specifically referring to.  As to PTSD, I distinctly remember this was a HUGE problem in 2005-2007 as the VA was totally unprepared and ill-equipped to deal with the overwhelming number of servicement who were coming back with PTSD.  While that's changed as well (not by "war mongerers"), an estimated 40% still do not recieve treatment, and of those that do, there are no studies as to how effective that treatment has been. 

    You got lucky, I guess. 

    Ugh.  I just can't. I really want to, but this is going to go nowhere and I'm already offended. Glad you have PTSD to use as a political talking point, though. 

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