Posts by Faiz Shakir

Faiz Shakir is the Research Director at the Center for American Progress and serves as Editor of ThinkProgress.org and The Progress Report.

Marine Reservist Chases, Assaults Greek Orthodox Priest Whom He Mistook for an Arab Terrorist
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on November 11, 2009 at 1:00 AM.

Alexios Marakis, a Greek Orthodox priest visiting the U.S., got lost in Tampa and tried to stop and ask directions from Marine reservist Jasen D. Bruce. But instead of offering help, “Bruce struck the priest on the head with a tire iron.” The reservist believed Marakis, who spoke limited English, was an Arab terrorist. Bruce chased the priest for three blocks, “and even called 911 to say that an Arabic man tried to rob him.” According to a news release:

“During the chase, the suspect called 911 and claimed an Arabic male attempted to rob him and he was going to take him into custody,” a Tampa Police Department news release states. “When officers arrived, the suspect claimed the man was a terrorist.”

Police arrested Bruce for “aggravated battery with a deadly weapon” and are investigating whether he committed a hate crime.

GOP Loon Goes Off the Rails: Health Reform Greater Threat than Terrorism
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on November 2, 2009 at 11:12 AM.

Few Republican congressional members have served as a greater fount for hyperbolic and uninformed ranting about health care reform as has Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC). As ThinkProgress previously documented, Foxx has claimed Democratic reforms would mean seniors are “put to death by their government,” that health reform is a “distraction,” and that “there are no Americans who don’t have health care.” She was at it again today on the House floor, arguing that health reform is a greater threat to our country than “any terrorist right now in any country”:

Everywhere I go in my district, people tell me they are frightened. … I share that fear, and I believe they should be fearful. And I believe the greatest fear that we all should have to our freedom comes from this room — this very room — and what may happen later this week in terms of a tax increase bill masquerading as a health care bill. I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country.

Steele Agrees That GOP Should Cease To Exist In New Jersey If Corzine Wins
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on October 28, 2009 at 9:30 AM.

During an interview on MSNBC this morning, RNC Chairman Michael Steele oddly agreed that if the Republican Party cannot pull out a victory against incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine in the upcoming New Jersey gubernatorial race, it should just give up and cease to exist.

"If Chris Christie doesn't win under these circumstances in New Jersey, should the Republican Party just fold in that state?" NBC's Chuck Todd asked, getting a laugh out of Steele. Todd likened the Republicans to a Charlie Brown character. "It's like Lucy and the football — Lucy is about to pull the football away again."

Steele accepted the premise. "You're absolutely right, Chuck," Steele said, countering with his own pop culture metaphor:

Have you seen those commercials the NFL is running with the referee who is tripping up the players and getting into the game? Well, I'm that referee getting into the game. And we're doing everything we can to keep that football in place for Chris Christie to kick that extra point, if you will.

Of course, referees are supposed to be unbiased observers who have authority to enforce the rules of a contest — hardly the proper analogy for the head of a political party wading into a political race to help his favored candidate.

Moreover, Steele's more appropriate role as a "referee" in another political race is sure to anger the right-wing base of his party. When asked who he was supporting in the New York 23rd congressional race, Steele sided against the tea party activists' favored candidate, Doug Hoffman. "I support the Republican nominee, as a Republican Party chairman," Steele said. "And that's the way to go, right?" Watch it:

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Fox News' Neil Cavuto Credits Bush with Economic Recovery
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on October 15, 2009 at 6:01 AM.

For months and months, conservatives blamed President Obama for the slumping stock market. “Obama, since he’s elected, has tanked the markets,” Fox News’ Sean Hannity said in March. Now that the Dow has rebounded to over 10,000, what are the conservatives saying? On his Fox News show, Neil Cavuto claimed the stock market rebound is evidence of a “Bush recovery”:

Rush Limbaugh Claims He Spawned Glenn Beck
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on October 13, 2009 at 8:01 AM.

There have been indications that Rush Limbaugh is growing jealous of Glenn Beck’s success. Limbaugh recently suggested to Politico that Beck’s promotion of the 9/12 march was “cheap and disingenuous.” In the second part of her interview with Limbaugh, NBC’s Jamie Gangel asked the hate radio host what he thinks of Glenn Beck. Limbaugh responded somewhat defensively:

GANGEL: Glenn Beck — do you worry about the new guy on the block?

RUSH LIMBAUGH: No. Look, in 1988, I’m the only national conservative voice. Now look at conservative media. Look what I have spawned. Glenn Beck to me is right on daddy-o. Glenn Beck is a result of my success.

Limbaugh’s attempt to take proud procreative ownership of Beck sickened MSNBC’s Donny Deutsch this morning. “What a megalomanic,” Deutsch said of Rush. “What a scary, distasteful human being he is.” Emphasizing that Beck and Limbaugh are in the business of “selling hate,” Deutsch observed, “Think about what I’ve spawned? Think about someone who even says that. Ick. Ick. Ick.” Watch it:

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Former Bush General Defends DADT: "Gays Can Serve In the Military; They Just Can't Serve Openly"
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on October 12, 2009 at 8:00 AM.

In his speech to the Human Rights Campaign, President Obama pledged to "end" the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. That comment was the subject of a debate [Sunday] morning on NBC's Meet the Press. Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) expressed his support for Obama's position, but emphasized that it needs "buy-in from the military." Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Richard Myers struck a different note:

HOST: Do you have an opinion about whether it's time?

MYERS: Well, I take some exception with what Senator Levin said because gays can serve in the military; they just can't serve openly. And they do. And there's lots of them. And we're the beneficiary of all that.

Levin rolled his eyes after hearing Myers’ remark. Gen. Barry McCaffrey said "there's no question it's time to change the policy." Asked for his thoughts, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) avoided making any clear statements. Watch it:

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Bachmann: I'm comfortable with Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck being the voices of the GOP.
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on October 7, 2009 at 10:00 AM.

Last night on CNN’s Larry King Live, a panel that included Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) discussed the impact and influence of the 24-hour cable news chatter. Bachmann once again demonstrated her true love for Fox News, arguing that Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck are gaining audiences because “people go where they think they’re going to hear the truth.” King then pressed Bachmann on whether she wants those right-wing pundits to be the “voice of the Republican Party”:

KING: Would you want the Limbaugh, that crowd — would you want them to be your voice as the Republican Party stands in this country?

BACHMANN: Well remember it’s who the American people are referring to Larry. And the American people are looking to voices like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck –

KING: I just told you — it’s 2 percent of America. It’s 2 percent!

BACHMANN: If you look for a critical mass, that’s the movement, that’s the direction that the critical mass is going. And the American people are very smart people.

Watch it:

Bachmann’s answer got a chuckle out of Larry King. “That’s funny,” he said.

Neocon Insanity: Abrams Says Iranians Would Be Fine with an Attack on Their Country
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on October 3, 2009 at 2:25 PM.

This afternoon, Elliott Abrams, Deputy National Security Adviser under President Bush, appeared on Fox News to discuss U.S. policy towards Iran. Abrams pled guilty to misleading Congress about the Iran-Contra scandal under Reagan and handled Iran policy under Bush.

When asked if any recent President has had “a successful strategy with Iran,” Abrams implicitly admitted his own decades-long failure. “No, I don’t think we’ve really had any successful strategies with Iran,” Abrams responded. “And you know, meanwhile they’ve been building up their nuclear program and missile program.” But Obama recently established the first high-level diplomatic engagement with Iran in 30 years, which produced results quicker than expected.

But Abrams, “the neocon’s neocon,” still clings to his long-running desire to bomb Iran. And to justify his view that military action against Iran is the prudent course, Abram told Fox News that the Iranian people would accept it:

FOX: 59 percent of respondents to our Fox News poll say that force should be used. How would Tehran react to that?

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Tough Progressive House Member Alan Grayson Gives GOPers a Taste of Their Own Medicine
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on September 30, 2009 at 4:29 PM.

Yesterday, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) said the Republican health care plan is “don’t get sick,” and if you do get sick, “die quickly.” After offering those facetious and sadly accurate remarks, Grayson came under criticism from Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), who demanded that Grayson apologize on the House floor. Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Grayson said, “Yes, it was tongue-in-cheek. I’m surprised I have to explain that, but that’s the way it goes these days.” He added that he’s “not taking any of it back” and will “stand by what I said.” When asked if he would apologize, Grayson offered this response:

“I would like to apologize,” he said. “I would like to apologize to the dead.”

 

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John Bolton on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell:' "People Can Have Any Sexual Orientation They Want"
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on September 29, 2009 at 12:00 PM.

Appearing on the radio show "Stand Up with Pete Dominick" yesterday, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton tried hard to avoid giving his personal opinion on whether “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” should be repealed. "You know, I honestly have not thought through all of the implications on that. It’s not an issue I have opined on," he said, adding, "I don’t have a specific opinion on it." Dominick pressed Bolton:

DOMINICK: Couldn’t one just simply say that we’re compromising our national security without allowing experts to serve in our military – Arabic linguists and weapons experts – just because of their sexual orientation?

BOLTON: I don’t have any trouble with anyone having any sexual orientation that they want. How that specifically relates to military personnel policy, I have not thought specifically about, and I like to think about things before I opine on the subject.

Audio after the jump...

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Romney Touts Fox Nation Website as Ticket to GOP Political Success
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on September 28, 2009 at 5:06 AM.

Earlier this year, the so-called “fair and balanced” network launched its Fox Nation website, an opinionated online forum. Fox VP Bill Shine said, “We’re calling it a mix between the Huffington Post and Drudge,” and asserted that the network’s reporting is “aggressive but not ideological.” Promotional materials for the site claim: “It’s time to say NO to biased media.” Apparently, leading Republican officials didn’t get the talking points.

In a video posted on YouTube, top GOP figures — like Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) — urge viewers to click on Fox Nation. But the most interesting endorsement came from former Gov. Mitt Romney, who touted the site’s political impact:

Hey, FoxNation.com and my fans there, they’re the best. Congratulations to you guys for getting that up there. Keep it going. I hope that we get a lot of strength, and that helps us in 2010 and the years beyond.

Watch it:

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GOP Base, Leadership (and Limbaugh) Shun Rep Who Voted for Climate Bill
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on September 25, 2009 at 9:12 AM.

This past June, Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) — who is now running for Senate — was one of the eight Republicans to cast a vote in favor of Waxman-Markey clean energy legislation. But ever since Kirk began taking heat from the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, he has been trying desperately to backtrack from his vote.

Kirk has since offered contradictory explanations for his shifting stance. “I voted for [cap-and-trade] because it was in the narrow interests of my congressional district,” he explained recently. But at the time of his vote, Kirk cited “national security” considerations, “arguing that a modest carbon tax would spur development of domestic energy sources and reduce dependence on oil controlled by Saudi sheiks and Venezuelan dictators.”

Now, RNC Chairman Michael Steele is feeling the heat from the right-wing base as well, and is pulling a flip-flop of his own. The Chicago Daily Observer reports that Steele is withdrawing his support from Kirk:

Republican National Chairman Michael Steele has withdrawn his sole endorsement for Mark Kirk for the U. S. Senate, recognizing that the candidacy of Patrick Hughes has drawn major support from Illinois Republicans: thus Steele’s RNC is neutral…a distinct victory for Hughes.

Steele has previously referred to Kirk as a rising star and someone he would support. “I’m so excited about Mark Kirk and his race,” Steele said in a radio interview. “We were all kind of sitting around with bated breath as he was making his decision, a very personal decision, a family decision, to run for the Senate.”

“You have absolutely no reason, none, to trust our word or our actions at this point,” Steele told Glenn Beck in February. This of course remains an ongoing challenge for conservatives.

Baucus Says He 'Worked Hard To Get That Bipartisan Support' for a Bill That Has No Bipartisan Support
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on September 16, 2009 at 11:34 AM.

Standing alone at a podium today to unveil his long-awaited health reform proposal, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) said he has an obligation to work as hard as he can to “try to get the most broad-based bill possible.” Baucus has held up the process for months as he tried to build bipartisan support for a bill. “I worked very hard to try to get that bipartisan support,” he said in his defense. But in the very next breath, Baucus stated, “No Republican has offered his or her support at this moment.” He reiterated his hope that Republicans will vote for his bill by the time a vote comes up:

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Republicans Flock to the Aid of Joe "You Lie!" Wilson, Agree That the Confederate Flag Still Rocks
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on September 15, 2009 at 12:26 PM.

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) has been circulating a letter to his House Republican colleagues, asking them to sign onto a petition in defense of Rep. Joe “You Lie!” Wilson (R-SC). Over on the Wonk Room, Andrea Nill notes that King is going so far in his defense of Wilson that he’s defending the South Carolina congressman’s vote in favor of keeping the Confederate flag waving above the state capitol. Here’s what King said this morning on Fox News:

[Wilson] is an officer and a gentleman and everyone who knows him knows that. … Being a son of the South puts you in a different position when it comes to the Confederate flag. It means something entirely different to the people who have ancestors who fought in the Civil War on the south side of the Mason-Dixon line.

As a state legislator, Wilson was “one of only seven Republicans to go against their own party and vote to keep the Dixie Rebel flag flying over the South Carolina capitol.” Wilson has also been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, described as a “source of increasingly virulent pro-Confederate, radical right propaganda.”

Video after the jump:

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Right-Wing Activists Seek to Reward Rep. Joe Wilson With Campaign Donations
Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress on September 10, 2009 at 12:00 PM.

Rep. Joe Wilson’s (R-SC) shameful screed from the back-benches of the congressional gallery last night has made him a cause célèbre for the far right. The “freeper” posters at the Free Republic called for donations to Wilson (that post was subsequently removed). Republican activist Patrick Ruffini encouraged his Twitter followers to contribute to Wilson. Calling the South Carolina congressman a “great American hero,” RedState.com’s Erick Erickson posted this fundraising solicitation on his site:

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