"a group of unqualified, unstable individuals who will do what they are told, in exchange for money and power, and march this nation as far backward as they can get"
October 28, 2010 11:31 AM   Subscribe

If the Tea Party Wins, America Loses (SLKO) Keith Olbermann devotes a 20 minute special comment to the most streamlined, complete, and detailed takedown of the myriad Tea Party candidates I have seen yet. Using their own words and deeds against them, Olbermann ignites a fire to get out the vote this coming Tuesday.
posted by Senor Cardgage (53 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: single link tea party is really not okay for MeFi anymore. There are six open tea party threads. -- jessamyn



 
A transcript is here (tab under the video)
posted by Perplexity at 11:42 AM on October 28, 2010 [2 favorites]


"a group of unqualified, unstable individuals who will do what they are told, in exchange for money and power, and march this nation as far backward as they can get"

This is different from other politicians...how?
posted by jefficator at 11:45 AM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


Are the crazies on the right crazier than usual? When was the last time they were this crazy?

I wasn't sold on this screed until he used the word "ragamuffins." Now I'm totally in.
posted by poe at 11:45 AM on October 28, 2010


This is different from other politicians...how?

He goes into detail how. Pay attention.
posted by Edison Carter at 11:46 AM on October 28, 2010 [7 favorites]


Related: Karl Rove just said that Palin lacks the gravitas to be president. Today, the top google search in the US is people looking for the definition of "gravitas."
posted by Threeway Handshake at 11:48 AM on October 28, 2010 [52 favorites]






I'd click on this but then I'd have to listen to Keith Olbermann talk, and possibly cry.
posted by mecran01 at 11:52 AM on October 28, 2010 [4 favorites]


Today, the top google search in the US is people looking for the definition of "gravitas."

I really thought you were joking.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 11:54 AM on October 28, 2010 [21 favorites]


I had gravitas with a side of spanish rice and extra sour cream last night at Chi Chi's.
posted by AzraelBrown at 11:55 AM on October 28, 2010 [2 favorites]


Ah, Keith Olberman. I love your mind. In interviews which aren't part of your show, you're insightful, witty, funny, and informed. But how I loathe your show. It's a special kind of torture for me, seeing someone that I know can be congenial spend an hour shouting into a television camera. Your demeanor during your show is an utter turn-off for me. No matter how much I like what you say and what you're trying to do, I simply cannot watch you regularly. I wish the shouting and anger weren't present all the time in your MSNBC persona, but it is, and it makes me tune you out.
posted by hippybear at 11:55 AM on October 28, 2010 [4 favorites]


the Tea Party candidates are basically pro-business anarchists

Bombs Not Food
posted by wcfields at 11:56 AM on October 28, 2010 [4 favorites]


I really thought you were joking.
Yeah, no.

It is actually showing up now as two separate entries but not at #1, sadly. This updates throughout the day.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 11:56 AM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


Nobody that is planning on voting for the Tea Party will ever take the time to read this, they don't care, all they know is that they are mad at the way things are working out, and the Tea Party is mad too.
posted by zeoslap at 11:56 AM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


Well, perhaps this will encourage some liberals who are planning not to vote because they are angry that Obama hasn't fixed everything yet.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:58 AM on October 28, 2010 [3 favorites]


Are there any Democratic tea party candidates?
posted by crunchland at 11:58 AM on October 28, 2010


"burhanistan: the correct political term is 'Right Anarchist'
this term dates back to the Spanish Civil War.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 11:58 AM on October 28, 2010


Today, the top google search in the US is people looking for the definition of "gravitas."

I really thought you were joking.


Wow, I really did too.

The fact that 3 of the top 20 spots are taken up by:

9. charlie chaplin time traveler
13. time traveler caught on film
19. time traveler cell phone

made me feel much better. But this little bit of personal "bread and circuses" distraction collapsed when I noticed that there was not only:

3. gravitas

but also

5. gravitas definition
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:00 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


(sorry should have previewed - especially since I accidentally left the link off)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:00 PM on October 28, 2010


I could have my gravitas cured with a shot of penicillin, but Obamacare won't pay for it!
posted by cjorgensen at 12:00 PM on October 28, 2010


Is that how you pronounce "cabal"? Kah-bahl? I didn't know.
posted by elmer benson at 12:01 PM on October 28, 2010


Wait. Olbermann isn't Conservative?
posted by thebrokedown at 12:04 PM on October 28, 2010


3. gravitas

but also

5. gravitas definition


I'm impressed that they can spell, and read.
posted by philip-random at 12:10 PM on October 28, 2010


Ok. Be honest. How many of you had to look up the meaning, too?
posted by crunchland at 12:11 PM on October 28, 2010


I'm impressed that they can spell, and read.

Google has spell check. The reading part is a bit more difficult. I don't know how these people can read when their heads are shoved so far up their asses.
posted by ryoshu at 12:13 PM on October 28, 2010


Gravitas is supposed to mean "having depth or substance", but as commonly used, it means "having the appearance of having depth or substance."
posted by empath at 12:14 PM on October 28, 2010


Gravitas is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the object and Washington, D.C.
posted by backseatpilot at 12:14 PM on October 28, 2010 [3 favorites]


I'm impressed that they can spell, and read.

The trends are always spellcheck corrected.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 12:15 PM on October 28, 2010


I looked it up years ago when Jon Stuart used it to describe Obama iirc. Also "bully pulpit".
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 12:15 PM on October 28, 2010


Crunch. Dude. You're on Metafilter. We're waiting on you.
posted by thebrokedown at 12:15 PM on October 28, 2010


My Teabagging relatives say the same thing about Palin, so I'm not surprized.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:17 PM on October 28, 2010


This is different from other politicians...how?

By stomping on anyone they don't like, and then claim by doing so they messed up their back and sue the stompie for damages.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 12:19 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


You know who else liked tea? That's right.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 12:20 PM on October 28, 2010


Gravitas is an idiotic buzzword (Exhibit A: Karl Rove uses it) and it makes me happy that lots of people have to look it up. The only people with their heads up their asses are people who think the word has a place in intelligent discourse.
posted by otio at 12:21 PM on October 28, 2010


I'm surprised to learn that Jon Stuart had even heard of Obama, frankly.
posted by hippybear at 12:21 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


I don't generally put a lot of weight in people I generally agree with saying things I agree with. Actually, let me rephrase...I don't put a lot of a weight in someone saying something he knows most of the people listening will agree with. Who among Olbermann's audience would have their mind changed by this?

I don't care about Olbermann's audience. I care about the millions of people who continually have the wool pulled over their eyes by the Koch's of this world. I want someone who commands their attention to say this stuff. Then I will take notice.
posted by dry white toast at 12:23 PM on October 28, 2010


I don't think his goal was to change anyone's mind. I think his goal was to scare people into voting.
posted by crunchland at 12:24 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


I want someone who commands their attention to say this stuff. Then I will take notice.

What you're looking for is somebody with gravitas.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 12:26 PM on October 28, 2010 [4 favorites]


This thread is experiencing a significant gravitas shortfall.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 12:28 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


haha, dumbs looking up gravitas on the interwebs. wouldn't want people to use the net to learn something now would we?
posted by r_nebblesworthII at 12:28 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


So, just to clarify: We like to make fun of people who don't know the definitions of words. . . but we also like to make fun of people who go the extra step of actually looking up the definition of the word they don't know?
posted by Think_Long at 12:28 PM on October 28, 2010 [7 favorites]


gravitas
posted by Aizkolari at 12:28 PM on October 28, 2010


Related: Karl Rove just said that Palin lacks the gravitas to be president. Today, the top google search in the US is people looking for the definition of "gravitas."

When did Karl Rove start caring about Presidential gravitas?
posted by zarq at 12:29 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


These Premises Are Alarmed: "This thread is experiencing a significant gravitas shortfall"

*Plays Chopin's Prelude in C Minor*
posted by notsnot at 12:30 PM on October 28, 2010


I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? Gravitas.
posted by 2bucksplus at 12:31 PM on October 28, 2010


When did Karl Rove start caring about Presidential gravitas?

The same time Republicans started caring about the deficit.
posted by ambrosia at 12:32 PM on October 28, 2010 [3 favorites]


So, just to clarify: We like to make fun of people who don't know the definitions of words. . . but we also like to make fun of people who go the extra step of actually looking up the definition of the word they don't know?

It is never funny trying to explain why something is funny, but here goes: personally, I find it humorously ironic for two major reasons.

1) The ones listening to Karl Rove and that care about Palin are typically the "If you live here, learn to speak English" crowd
2) Sarah Palin is famous for not being the best wordsmith, for example "refudiate."
posted by Threeway Handshake at 12:32 PM on October 28, 2010


Related: Karl Rove just said that Palin lacks the gravitas to be president.

Gravitas? Definitely not. Gravid tatas? The jury's out.
posted by mazola at 12:32 PM on October 28, 2010


Personally, I'm just happy that so many people looked up a word tey didn't know that will hopefully help them understand part of why Palin sucks so badly.
posted by Navelgazer at 12:34 PM on October 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


The only people with their heads up their asses are people who think the word has a place in intelligent discourse.


It's a perfectly useful word, especially in the context of political imagery. And you should probably check your syntax, Mr. Word Authority.
posted by CunningLinguist at 12:34 PM on October 28, 2010


This is different from other politicians...how?

He goes into detail how. Pay attention.


Having read the transcript, I stand corrected.

Also I stand in a little yellow puddle for obvious reasons.
posted by jefficator at 12:36 PM on October 28, 2010


So, is she a GCU or a GSV?
posted by Snyder at 12:36 PM on October 28, 2010


The same time Republicans started caring about the deficit.

Touché!
posted by zarq at 12:36 PM on October 28, 2010


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