Marketing a political scandal
May 9, 2013 1:50 PM Subscribe
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has a Flickr account. A few highlights. 1
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LOLIssa
posted by Horace Rumpole at 1:56 PM on May 9, 2013
posted by Horace Rumpole at 1:56 PM on May 9, 2013
when bush died, nobody lied.
posted by jepler at 1:57 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by jepler at 1:57 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Good god Issa is a jackass. Any San Diegan who voted for him should be exiled to Orange County ASAP.
posted by Aizkolari at 1:57 PM on May 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Aizkolari at 1:57 PM on May 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Nice keming.
posted by slater at 2:00 PM on May 9, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by slater at 2:00 PM on May 9, 2013 [5 favorites]
Marketing a political scandal
We're talking about the scandal over the 10 embassy/consulate attacks and 60 deaths under Bush, right?
posted by Thorzdad at 2:03 PM on May 9, 2013
We're talking about the scandal over the 10 embassy/consulate attacks and 60 deaths under Bush, right?
posted by Thorzdad at 2:03 PM on May 9, 2013
"Use the force, Harry" - Darrell "Gandalf" Issa
posted by theodolite at 2:05 PM on May 9, 2013
posted by theodolite at 2:05 PM on May 9, 2013
"I'm serious, my penis is this small, maybe even smaller."
posted by brain_drain at 2:05 PM on May 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by brain_drain at 2:05 PM on May 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
I get that this whole Benghazi thing is to start flinging mud on a Clinton '16 run, but what's in it for Issa? I don't think he's going to get elected to the Senate or a state-wide office. Hell, he ponied up $2M for the '03 recall so he could take a stab at being governor, and he got his ass handed to him. Is he trying to become a future Republican kingmaker? A shot at being Speaker of the House? Laying in groundwork for future lobbying? Seriously, what is in it for him?
posted by RakDaddy at 2:07 PM on May 9, 2013
posted by RakDaddy at 2:07 PM on May 9, 2013
Issa seemed like a decent sort - one of the reasonable republicans - when the whole SOPA thing blew up. He's since proven himself to be an uber-partisan gobshite.
posted by TwoWordReview at 2:08 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by TwoWordReview at 2:08 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Issa seemed like a decent sort - one of the reasonable republicans - when the whole SOPA thing blew up. He's since proven himself to be an uber-partisan gobshite.
posted by TwoWordReview
I don't know, the whole insurance fraud thing always seemed pretty non-decent.
posted by COBRA! at 2:14 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by TwoWordReview
I don't know, the whole insurance fraud thing always seemed pretty non-decent.
posted by COBRA! at 2:14 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seriously, what is in it for him?
Just following orders.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:20 PM on May 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
Just following orders.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:20 PM on May 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
Is he trying to become a future Republican kingmaker? A shot at being Speaker of the House? Laying in groundwork for future lobbying? Seriously, what is in it for him?
Please note. Issa is the wealthiest member of Congress. Attention being paid to Benghazi is, of course, not being paid to him.
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:21 PM on May 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Please note. Issa is the wealthiest member of Congress. Attention being paid to Benghazi is, of course, not being paid to him.
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:21 PM on May 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
That he was the wealthiest wasn't new to me. Halloween Jack's link, however, is.
posted by RakDaddy at 2:29 PM on May 9, 2013
posted by RakDaddy at 2:29 PM on May 9, 2013
I've never even imagined thinking of Issa as a decent sort, because of how he first came to my attention for his role in initiating/bankrolling the Gray Davis recall campaign. So, yeah, I've always just assumed he's slimy/someone I'd prefer not to think about.
I did enjoy how utterly heartbroken he was when Schwarzenegger swooped in and pushed him off the ballot...
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 2:30 PM on May 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
I did enjoy how utterly heartbroken he was when Schwarzenegger swooped in and pushed him off the ballot...
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 2:30 PM on May 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
Seriously, what is in it for him?
Self aggrandizement is a big motivator for Issa. He was one of the main people responsible for knocking Gray Davis out of the governor's office in CA in a fairly dramatic and unconventional manner, while licking his chops over the possibility of getting the job himself. Always a show with this guy. He was thwarted and tossed aside, however, when a popular movie star showed an interest in becoming the governorator. Which I think made him even more bitter, seeing a big movie star stealing his spotlight. I think he just refocused and determined to hit the big time somewhere else.
posted by 2N2222 at 2:30 PM on May 9, 2013
Self aggrandizement is a big motivator for Issa. He was one of the main people responsible for knocking Gray Davis out of the governor's office in CA in a fairly dramatic and unconventional manner, while licking his chops over the possibility of getting the job himself. Always a show with this guy. He was thwarted and tossed aside, however, when a popular movie star showed an interest in becoming the governorator. Which I think made him even more bitter, seeing a big movie star stealing his spotlight. I think he just refocused and determined to hit the big time somewhere else.
posted by 2N2222 at 2:30 PM on May 9, 2013
Sheesh....the titles of that photostream seem to have been written by Frank Luntz.
What, no Hannity link?
(eye roll)
posted by lampshade at 2:31 PM on May 9, 2013
What, no Hannity link?
(eye roll)
posted by lampshade at 2:31 PM on May 9, 2013
It is fucking shocking that Republicans are using such blatant politically motivated propaganda on a website that is supposed to represent a portion of our government.
posted by zzazazz at 2:44 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by zzazazz at 2:44 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Related:
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Republican lawmakers asked increasingly tough questions today as they held another day of hearings to investigate, in the words of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California), “Hillary Clinton’s suspiciously high poll numbers and what can be done to make them lower.”
posted by lunasol at 2:46 PM on May 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Republican lawmakers asked increasingly tough questions today as they held another day of hearings to investigate, in the words of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California), “Hillary Clinton’s suspiciously high poll numbers and what can be done to make them lower.”
posted by lunasol at 2:46 PM on May 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
I'm not a big fan of everything Issa does, but he was extremely supportive of our fight against SOPA/PIPA. He went so far as to meet us in person and schedule a hearing on it in this very committee, to which both I and one of the founders of Reddit were meant to speak.
You don't have to agree with 100% of what someone says or does, to appreciate that some of the sh*t he disturbs is alright.
posted by effugas at 3:07 PM on May 9, 2013
You don't have to agree with 100% of what someone says or does, to appreciate that some of the sh*t he disturbs is alright.
posted by effugas at 3:07 PM on May 9, 2013
What a fucking fascist. Save your propaganda posters for someone who isn't a moron, Issa.
posted by GuyZero at 3:23 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 3:23 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
WOW. Even the official .gov page -- not just the corresponding flickr account -- is astonishingly sensationalized and hyperpartisan. I mean, isn't the Oversight Committee supposed to investigate and come to conclusions, rather than fill their front page with proclamations made by the prosecution? That's what it seems like on the separate page run by the Democratic members of the committee, which has headlines like "Investigation of..." and "Democratic Report on..." as opposed to RARR COURAGE VS FAILURE.
Oh, the Democratic members' page: yeah, you can get there by clicking MINORITY. The fact that when you click on MINORITY, the first thing you see is a banner image of ranking member Rep Elijah Cummings, is (i'm sure) a coincidence.
posted by unregistered_animagus at 5:34 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh, the Democratic members' page: yeah, you can get there by clicking MINORITY. The fact that when you click on MINORITY, the first thing you see is a banner image of ranking member Rep Elijah Cummings, is (i'm sure) a coincidence.
posted by unregistered_animagus at 5:34 PM on May 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm not a big fan of everything Issa does, but he was extremely supportive of our fight against SOPA/PIPA. He went so far as to meet us in person and schedule a hearing on it in this very committee, to which both I and one of the founders of Reddit were meant to speak.
You've been punked. His opposition to SOPA/PIPA was solely based on Hollywood Corporations' lack of support for him personally. As were most Republican lawmakers'. The only "Freedom" this faux-libertarian truly supports is the freedom to defraud others for big bucks.
(long-time Californian, been following his criminal career since Day One - I'd rather have Lamar Smith as my congresscritter)
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:40 PM on May 9, 2013
You've been punked. His opposition to SOPA/PIPA was solely based on Hollywood Corporations' lack of support for him personally. As were most Republican lawmakers'. The only "Freedom" this faux-libertarian truly supports is the freedom to defraud others for big bucks.
(long-time Californian, been following his criminal career since Day One - I'd rather have Lamar Smith as my congresscritter)
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:40 PM on May 9, 2013
BLOW the WHISTLE
ON FRAUD AND ABUSE
(click)
Agency/Organization: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Details: The home page of this bipartisan committee appears to be entirely populated by cable-news-style sensationalist headlines and grandiose proclamations about COURAGE and FAILURE. It seems to be an abuse of the Committee's purpose as an *investigative* body to present the accusations of one party as fact or predetermined conclusion. There must be some mistake.
(submit)
Sorry, an error occured. Please contact reform@mail.house.gov if you have issues with this website.
posted by unregistered_animagus at 5:42 PM on May 9, 2013
ON FRAUD AND ABUSE
(click)
Agency/Organization: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Details: The home page of this bipartisan committee appears to be entirely populated by cable-news-style sensationalist headlines and grandiose proclamations about COURAGE and FAILURE. It seems to be an abuse of the Committee's purpose as an *investigative* body to present the accusations of one party as fact or predetermined conclusion. There must be some mistake.
(submit)
Sorry, an error occured. Please contact reform@mail.house.gov if you have issues with this website.
posted by unregistered_animagus at 5:42 PM on May 9, 2013
The fact that when you click on MINORITY, the first thing you see is a banner image of ranking member Rep Elijah Cummings, is (i'm sure) a coincidence.
It is a coincidence, but it was chuckle-worthy.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 6:01 PM on May 9, 2013
It is a coincidence, but it was chuckle-worthy.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 6:01 PM on May 9, 2013
Good god Issa is a jackass. Any San Diegan who voted for him should be exiled to Orange County ASAP.
I agree. Issa's district is the north and east parts of San Diego county and not the city itself which has a sane congressional delegation. North and East County are pretty conservative and eat up Issa's bullshit like it is cake.
posted by birdherder at 6:41 PM on May 9, 2013
I agree. Issa's district is the north and east parts of San Diego county and not the city itself which has a sane congressional delegation. North and East County are pretty conservative and eat up Issa's bullshit like it is cake.
posted by birdherder at 6:41 PM on May 9, 2013
Good god Issa is a jackass. Any San Diegan who voted for him should be exiled to Orange County ASAP.
After redistricting Issa's district now includes the OC, actually.
Ryan Lizza wrote a pretty great profile on Issa for the New Yorker a few years ago.
posted by mmmleaf at 7:40 PM on May 9, 2013
After redistricting Issa's district now includes the OC, actually.
Ryan Lizza wrote a pretty great profile on Issa for the New Yorker a few years ago.
posted by mmmleaf at 7:40 PM on May 9, 2013
After redistricting Issa's district now includes the OC, actually.
Don't call it that.
posted by Aizkolari at 6:13 AM on May 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
Don't call it that.
posted by Aizkolari at 6:13 AM on May 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
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posted by Renoroc at 1:53 PM on May 9, 2013