Obama Flashback: 'If They Bring a Knife to the Fight, We Bring a Gun'...

On Violent Metaphors
Paul Krugman in today's NY Times: The point is that there’s room in a Democracy for people who ridicule and denounce those who disagree with them; there isn’t any place for eliminationist Rhetoric, for suggestions that those on the other side of a debate must be removed from that debate by whatever means necessary. And it’s the saturation of our political discourse — and especially our airwaves — with eliminationist rhetoric that lies behind the rising tide of violence. Where

Reminder: Obama Told Supporters, If They Bring a Knife, We Bring a Gun
(June 14, 2008- WSJ)- Mobster wisdom tells us never to bring a knife to a gun fight. But what does political wisdom say about bringing a gun to a knife fight? That’s exactly what Barack Obama said he would do to counter Republican attacks “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said at a Philadelphia Fundraiser Friday night. “Because from what I understand folks in Philly like a good brawl. I’ve seen Eagles fans.” Click here to ca...

OBAMA FLASHBACK: 'If They Bring a Knife to the Fight, We Bring a Gun'...
Yahoo! Buzz Amy Chozick reports on the presidential race from Philadelphia. Mobster wisdom tells us never to bring a knife to a gun fight. But what does political wisdom say about bringing a gun to a knife fight? Sen. Barack Obama talks at a town hall meeting at Radnor Middle School in Wayne, Pa., Saturday, June 14. (AP) That’s exactly what Barack Obama said he would do to counter Republican attacks “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said at a Philadelphi...

In They Are Who We Thought They Were News..
I had put this in the replies in yesterday’s Afternoon Open Thread, but I thought about it, and decided to FP it. In an apparent effort to distance themselves from the Mass Shootings in Arizona over the weekend, the Tea Party Express sent out an email to supporters proclaiming that they “won’t be silenced” — and asking for contributions. Earlier today, TPE leader Sal Russo went on Fox News and lamented how “revolting and disgusting the left is for trying to as...

Obamas Political Discourse Tone: If They Bring A Knife To The Fight, We Bring A Gun
Wall Street Journal: Mobster wisdom tells us never to bring a knife to a gun fight. But what does political wisdom say about bringing a gun to a knife fight? That’s exactly what Barack Obama said he would do to counter Republican attacks “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said at a Philadelphia Fundraiser Friday night. “Because from what I understand folks in Philly like a good brawl. I’ve seen Eagles fans.” The comment drew some laughs and appl

Obama Will Attend Tucson Memorial Service
President Obama will attend the memorial service on Wednesday in Tucson for those killed in Saturday’s shootings. Expect a lecture. President Obama will travel to Arizona on Wednesday to attend a memorial service for those killed in Saturday’s shootings that targeted Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) for Assassination, according to a White House official. The news that Obama would visit Tucson, where six people were killed and more than a dozen others were wounded by a gunmen on Sat...

After Arizona Attack, a Leadership Test for Obama, Boehner
WASHINGTON — On opposite sides of the political spectrum, President Barack Obama and new House Speaker John Boehner suddenly face the same challenge: rise above the anger, suspicion and hostility of their liberal and conservative bases to help a rattled nation deal with the deadly outburst of violence in Arizona. [Photo Gallery: Gabrielle Giffords Shooting in Arizona.] But what comes after the easy moment of silence? For now, both men are stepping past the question of what role, if any, ...

Christian Outreach a blessing to Isle of Wight County
By James Thomas Jr. Correspondent Started as a soup and sandwich Fundraiser to help seniors pay home heating bills 20 winters ago, the Christian Outreach Program has become one of the most effective social safety nets for needy families in Isle of Wight County. It all started in 1990 when the county's fuel assistance program went broke and local churches Christ Episcopal and Good Shepherd Catholic joined forces to launch the first Souper Saturday, said Becky Farmer, chair of the Souper Saturday ...

Rubio Puts the Lid on VP Speculation
CNN reports: Washington (CNN) - There are many reasons to place Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, at the top of any 2012 vice presidential shortlist. He’s young, telegenic, a talented Fundraiser, and appealing to the Conservative Base. And perhaps most importantly, he’s a Hispanic hailing from the nation’s largest Battleground state. But Rubio, who has yet to take a vote as a U.S. Senator, was eager to shoot down the speculation in a Radio Interview Monday. “Are you at...

Rubio swats away VP chatter
Washington (CNN) - There are many reasons to place Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, at the top of any 2012 vice presidential shortlist. He's young, telegenic, a talented Fundraiser, and appealing to the Conservative Base. And perhaps most importantly, he's a Hispanic hailing from the nation's largest Battleground state. But Rubio, who has yet to take a vote as a U.S. Senator, was eager to shoot down the speculation in a Radio Interview Monday. "Are you at least open to the possibility?" asked Panama...

Jennifer Hudson headlines Emanuel fundraiser
Jennifer Hudson headlined a Fundraising concert for Mayoral Candidate Rahm Emanuel tonight at the House of Blues. He introduced the Chicago native, Academy Award winner and new face of Weight Watchers, but Emanuel did not appear on stage with Hudson. She wore a svelte black dress and opened the brief show with her hit single "Spotlight." Read more in Clout Street. ...

Disarm the Mundanes!
New York Republican Congressman Peter King, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and long-time Fundraiser for the so-called Irish Republican Army, reportedly plans to introduce Legislation making it a federal crime for Mundanes to carry Firearms within 1000 feet of a federal official. That proscription wouldn’t apply to the armed goons employed to protect such sanctified personages, of course. ...

Lining Up Against Levy
A reader forwarded an e-mail sent today by Rep. Tim Bishop seeking contributions to Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone, who has been not-so-quietly raising campaign cash for a likely challenge to his former fellow Democrat, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. “I support Steve Bellone as a leader who can unite Suffolk County residents,” Bishop wrote. “He has a strong, proven record in Babylon as someone who can hold down taxes and spending while maintaining core services. ...

That was fast: Democrats use Arizona shooting for fundraiser, and as excuse to crush 2nd amendment
The bodies were still warm as Democrats ironically targeted an explicit individual right in the US Constitution. From The Politico via memeorandum: Carolyn McCarthy readies Gun Control bill One of the fiercest gun-control advocates in Congress, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), pounced on the shooting massacre in Tucson Sunday, promising to introduce Legislation as soon as Monday targeting the high-capacity ammunition the gunman used. McCarthy ran for Congress after her husband was gunned down an...

Politico Polishes Boehners Knob
The shooting and Boehner’s handling of the response has served to underscore just how tightly run the GOP House operation has been so far. 2. Both took the oath “via the teevee machine” while attending a Fundraiser at the Capitol Visitors Center organized by the campaign of one of them, a location with a mission that expressly forbids political events. 4. The constitution reading the GOP leaders were so proud of, done at the behest of their Teabagger base, skipped entire pages ...

Hudson headlines Emanuel fundraiser
...

Barbour remains involved with Priebus campaign
Despite vigorous denials on the part of RNC chair Candidate Reince Priebus that Haley Barbour and his nephew Henry Barbour are not providing "material" support for his candidacy, Henry Barbour remains heavily involved in defending Priebus in the closed-door email chatter between RNC members about the race. And after Rhode Island RNC chair Giovanni Cicione endorsed a Priebus rival, Barbour fired back, writing "??Nice try, but your analysis belongs at Disney World." "I a...

Los Angeles Times on Gay Heroes
Today an editorial in the Los Angeles Times compares Arizona shooting hero Daniel Hernandez with Oliver Sipple, the semi-closeted gay man who in 1975 wrestled a gun away from Manson family member Sara Jane Moore, saving the life of President Gerald Ford. Sipple's outing as a gay hero, to his mind, ruined his life. Thankfully, it's a different world for Daniel Hernandez. Sipple was known to San Francisco’s gay community, where he had taken part in some events, but he was not "out" to his fami...

Security a top priority at public gatherings
U.S. Reps. Gene Green and Ted Poe tried not to let the cold, gray weather further dampen the mood on an already somber Monday afternoon as they spoke at a ribbon cutting ceremony just two days after a shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz., left one of their colleagues fighting for her life. Green, D-Houston, and Poe, R-Humble, used pairs of 2-foot-long scissors to cut a ribbon and joked with the two dozen onlookers standing on a towering freeway interchange in Baytown. They were back to business, ...

Right Wing Media Vitriol Haunts Us In Arizona Shooting
We all had a finger on the trigger—I.F. Stone wrote those words about the Assassination of John F. Kennedy in the cruel fall of 1963. Now we come to the bleak winter of 2011, and how much has changed? Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords lay near dying in her own blood after a shooting rampage in Arizona left six dead, from a Federal Judge to a girl of nine, and 14 others injured. It all happened in the most American of places: a strip mall Parking Lot on a Saturday morning. That's what th...

Citing Arizona, Va. delegate proposes banning firearms in State Capitol
A Virginia delegate is introducing a bill to ban Firearms from the State Capitol and General Assembly Building in response to the shooting rampage in Arizona that left a U.S. Congresswoman in critically wounded. Del. Patrick A. Hope (D-Arlington) will propose that the General Assembly consider the ban when it convenes for its annual legislative session Wednesday. "The tragedy this weekend in Tucson should cause all public officials to re-examine the safety and security of themselves, their staf...

In Arizona case, experts say planning undermines insanity plea
The alleged shooter in Saturday's deadly Tucson massacre may have difficulty making the case for a successful insanity plea, experts said Tuesday. Jared Lee Loughner, 22, who authorities say shot up a gathering held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, outside a Supermarket, has been anecdotally regarded as very troubled and perhaps mentally unbalanced because of his ramblings spotted on the Internet and the ways he has been described by acquaintances. But Paul Callan, a criminal def...

Twitter roundup
BrendanNyhan Jan 11, 2011 at 2:37pm Matthew Dowd: "If the jobs #s don't improve... the president could locate his HQ on Mars & it wouldn't make a difference" https://j.mp/fpEz8S The Over/Under for 2012 - Matthew Dowd - Politics - The Atlantic Obama will need better numbers to win BrendanNyhan Jan 11, 2011 at 2:21pm Much credit to @ezraklein for retracting his attack on Joe Lieberman's motives https://j.mp/dE7rmx (original post on it: https://j.mp/gp9Qpa) Ezra Klein - A good...

The Unstable Sheriff of Pima County, AZ
Jim Geraghty in his Morning Jolt email takes on Sheriff Clarence Dupnik (pronounced "Dumbsh....") who has managed both to neglect his duties AND try and dismantle the First Amendment: Say this for Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik. He may have dropped the ball on numerous red flags and other signs of a potential threat from the Tucson gunman, and he certainly didn't bother to assign any deputies or other police personnel to the "Congress on Your Corner" event that turned into a massacre, des...

Report: Deepwater Horizon disaster 'foreseeable and preventable'
Arizona shooting Six people were killed and 14 others wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona....