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| 2004-01-21 |
| Rooters: Dean Disarms Hecklers with National Anthem Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean on Tuesday unleashed an unlikely weapon to disarm hecklers — the U.S. national anthem. Armed hecklers, boy howdy! When a rally at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord was interrupted for a second time, the former Vermont governor led his supporters in a rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner to drown them out. See title. Earlier, Dean had called for security to remove a couple of protesters who were shouting and waving the Confederate flag, a divisive symbol of racism and slavery in the South. As they were hustled out, Dean requested they not be "manhandled." This severely dissapointed several "guys" at the back of the room. Last year, Dean was roundly attacked for making an insensitive remark about wanting to be the candidate for "guys with the Confederate flag on their pickups." He later apologized for the remark. Hence the guns, I guess... Dean criticized the hecklers, saying they "refuse to respect our right of free speech" and told the crowd: "But you can exercise your right to vote and that’s the way we’re going to take back our country. The way to deal with what you have seen this afternoon is to vote." Then he broke down and started sobbing and blubbering. Like a girl. |
| Posted by:mojo |
| #14 OP, stop. I think I have a high stomach sprain from the belly laugh. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-1-21 9:27:34 PM |
| #13 Everybody was Kong Fu fighting Curse you, SH! Now I have this ear-worm driving me crazy. My daughter bought one of those "Kung-fu Hamsters" that plays that song. I eventually had to be absolutely cruel - I turned it on, and let the cats in to play. It now plays "EVERWAKUFITI", over, and over, and over, and over, and ... |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-1-21 4:44:53 PM |
| #12 This one's for Murat: Follow along in your books as we learn three new words in Turkish... |
| Posted by: Spot 2004-1-21 2:31:17 PM |
| #11 "Stand him on his head. See, now it's morn-ing!" |
| Posted by: Sparks 2004-1-21 2:22:41 PM |
| #10 George Tirebiter! Hemlock Stones, the Great Defective, in The Tail of the Giant Rat of Sumatra! |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-1-21 1:31:32 PM |
| #9 Spot - How many out there remember Firesign Theatre? ...How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all? And Nick Danger for President!! Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2004-1-21 1:26:38 PM |
| #8 RC, remember the scene from Stripes where the late John Candy explains bunk making duties to his platoon mate. You will find that Candy's remarks are very applicable in this situation. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-1-21 1:06:19 PM |
| #7 Dean criticized the hecklers, saying they "refuse to respect our right of free speech" and told the crowd. OK. Let me see if I have this right: Hecklers kept away from President Bush == violation of hecklers' free speech. Hecklers present at Dean rally == violation of Dean's free speech. Can anyone explain this to me? I'm confused. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-1-21 12:58:33 PM |
| #6 Spot: Up Against the Wall of Science! |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-1-21 12:14:58 PM |
| #5 All Hail Marx and Lennon! |
| Posted by: Raj 2004-1-21 12:11:42 PM |
| #4 Dean criticized the hecklers, saying they "refuse to respect our right of free speech.." Tell that to your comrades-in-arms who have no qualms about shouting down conservative speakers at events. Tell that to your comrades-in-arms who won't lift a finger to discourage harassment by their associates of those that don't share your views. Go on, tell them. Or is it really "free speech for me, but not for thee", as it seems to end up being wherever people of your political stripe are concerned? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-1-21 11:59:25 AM |
| #3 LOL re 'catch phrases'. SH, you never disappoint. |
| Posted by: Gasse Katze 2004-1-21 11:53:45 AM |
| #2 Mojo- Whoa (or should I say: Oh wow, man!)your title brings back old memories. How many out there remember Firesign Theatre? |
| Posted by: Spot 2004-1-21 11:38:47 AM |
| #1 This all could have been avoided if Dean's speechwriter had subtituted a different catch-phrase; NASCAR fan, for instance, into his original statement about Southern dudes. His slip makes the moron who inflicted us with theSoccer Mom look like Aristotle in comparison. To draw an odd parallel - as is the Hose's modus opperendi - Arsenio Hall once speculated that even Mozart must have had his off days. You know, sat down at the piano and banged out - Everybody was Kong Fu fighting (de dete de da dat da dah ....) |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-1-21 11:23:46 AM |