Tag Archives: james-carville

George Will on Gay Marriage: Opposition Literally Dying

George Will of ABC News says the opposition to gay marriage in the United States is slowly but quite literally dying; it’s primarily older residents, he told This Week . As the Supreme Court prepares to take up two landmark cases on same-sex marriage, Will said yesterday that it’s clear where public opinion is headed. George Will on Gay Marriage “There is something like an emerging consensus,” the conservative writer said, noting voters in three states recently endorsed same-sex marriage initiatives. “Quite literally, the opposition to gay marriage is dying. It’s old people.” Democratic strategist and former Bill Clinton campaign manager James Carville agreed the 2012 election marked a “profound” shift on the controversial issue. On the table before the SCOTUS is a case challenging Proposition 8, the hot-button 2008 California ballot measure restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples. That measure passed, thus banning gay marriage in California; the state’s Supreme Court overturned the measure, however, declaring it unconstitutional. The Court will also hear a challenge to a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Currently, gay marriage is legal in just nine states and in the District of Columbia – but polls suggest support is growing, with a majority or close to it in support. A recent ABC News-Washington Post poll found 51 percent of Americans support gay marriage, while a recent Pew poll shows national support at 48 percent. That’s up from 35 percent in 2001. “To me, the consensus has already emerged,” said ABC News’ Matthew Dowd. “It’s just a question of … is the Supreme Court going to catch up and follow that wind of the pack, or get ahead of it or put a block in the path of it?” Same-sex marriage :   Support Oppose View Poll »

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George Will on Gay Marriage: Opposition Literally Dying

WATCH: What Do Cute Little British Kids Think About Azealia Banks?

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Azealia Banks may have gotten the fashion world’s seal of approval , but what do cute British kids think? Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Styleite Discovery Date : 27/03/2012 16:10 Number of articles : 2

WATCH: What Do Cute Little British Kids Think About Azealia Banks?

Carville: SCOTUS Overturning Obamacare Would Be the Best Thing That Could Happen to Dems This Year

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To me the best argument that Obamacare has nothing to do with Democrats “caring” about the health of people is in their excitement at the mere mention that the health care law could be struck down by the Supreme Court. Harry Reid sees an ultimate political victory if the law is overturned, and James Carville Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The Powers That Be Discovery Date : 27/03/2012 21:17 Number of articles : 2

Carville: SCOTUS Overturning Obamacare Would Be the Best Thing That Could Happen to Dems This Year

Harsh Attacks Against Christine O’Donnell Continue on ABC: Carville Slams ‘Deadbeat’ Nominee

For the second day in a row, Good Morning America featured degrading descriptions of Delaware senatorial candidate Christine O’Donnell. Democratic strategist James Carville appeared on Thursday’s show and fumed about the Republican’s past financial problems: ” Christine O’Donnell doesn’t believe in spending, particularly her own money, because, she’s a deadbeat. She doesn’t pay her loans back .” Wednesday’s GMA included host George Stephanopoulos reading quotes against the “mentally unhinged” “liar.” The show on Thursday showcased an extended conversation on masturbation and remarks O’Donnell made about the subject in 1996. Stephanopoulos played a clip and then Carville joked, “And she equated masturbation to adultery. And, boy, if that’s the case, the Iranians would be stoning a lot of people in this country.” In fairness, after playing the snippet of O’Donnell’s 14-year-old comment, the ABC host wondered, “But, I think a lot of people might watch [the clip] and say, what’s wrong with she said?” The segment also featured conservative radio host and Tea Party activist Dana Loesch who chided, “She’s talking about masturbation. It’s not like she’s wearing black socks and getting caught in hotel rooms with call girls and stuff. If we want to point fingers on bedroom antics, we can do that.” Stephanopoulos did bring up the gloom hanging over the Democrats in the midterm, but he turned to the subject of whether the “extreme views” of Tea Partiers will “cost Republican seats that they otherwise would have won.” A transcript of the September 16 segment, which aired at 7:05am EDT, follows: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Let’s get into the debate now. We’re joined now from St. Louis, Missouri, by radio talk show host and tea party activist, Dana Loesch. And from Washington, Democratic strategist James Carville. And, Dana, let me begin with you. You saw Joe Biden out there last night. There’s the White House message. Moderates need not apply to the Republican Party. DAN LOESCH: Well, I’ve seen several elections where moderates in the Democrat Party have been run out on a rail, like Elijah Lovejoy. What we’re seeing with the Republican Party in the particular case of Mike Castle, I think calling him a moderate is especially generous. This guy’s record was indistinguishable from the Democrat to which he wanted to run against in the general election. And what we saw- This was the people of Delaware that spoke. This wasn’t a group of Republicans. They tried to nominate Mike Castle. But, the primaries are all about getting the people’s voice out there. That’s what we saw in this primary with Christine O’Donnell. And the people made their voices heard that they were unhappy with Mike Castle’s record. STEPHANOPOULOS: And, James, there is some evidence out there that Tea Party is not just on the fringes right now. Want to show you the numbers from our latest Washington Post/ABC News poll. It shows that Tea Party supporters now make up 44 percent of the primary electorate. Those who really, strongly support the Tea Party, almost a quarter of the electorate. And these guys overwhelmingly are focused on Democrats. 92 percent Of them believe that Democrats don’t deserve re-election. That is a warning sign for the Democrats in November. JAMES CARVILLE: Well, certainly. And congratulations. The Tea Party- This comports with the research we did at the Democracy Corps. The Tea Party is more powerful to the Republican Party than African-Americans and organized labor combined are in the Democratic Party. And you’re exactly right, George. People like Christine O’Donnell are part of the mainstream Republican Party right now. If you look at what happened in New York State. Elijah Lovejoy? What about Robert Bennett? What about Murkowski in Alaska? What about Mike Castle? I mean, been these people have been going on about Elijah Lovejoy, but I know what’s happening over there. And the Tea Party is the Republican Party. This is not a fringe element of the Republican Party. This woman, O’Donnell, is right in the middle of it. And it’s exactly right. They are a very, very powerful force. And they’re running that party right now. STEPHANOPOULOS: And, Dana, the Democrats are hoping that candidates supported by the Tea Party, candidates like Sharron Angle in Nevada, like Rand Paul, like Christine O’Donnell, because they lack experience or have what some would consider extreme views, will cost Republican seats that they otherwise would have won. LOESCH: I don’t know if they have extreme views. I don’t think the Tea Party movement is mainstream- I think it’s mainstream America, period. We’ve seen so much data coming up from the past year, that the majority of Americans, they believe that the Democrat congressional agenda is too extreme. They identify with the individual liberty and smaller government that the grassroots movement espouses. And candidates like Sharron Angle and Rand Paul, these are people- it’s not beltway experience or abstain that they don’t have. It’s the fact they’re standing up for principles that the majority of Americans want. I want the government out of my pocketbook and my bedroom, and everything else. And hat’s what the majority of Americans want. That’s the platform that these candidates stand upon. STEPHANOPOULOS: As someone wrote in the Wall Street Journal this morning, James, it’s the spending, stupid. CARVILLE: Well, clearly, Christine O’Donnell doesn’t believe in spending, particularly her own money, because, she’s a deadbeat. She doesn’t pay her loans back. There’s a lien on her house. We could really classify her as anti-spending . In terms of getting in the bedroom this, woman has run against masturbation. I don’t- That seems to be a lot of government intrusion, to be honest with you. It’s right in the New York Times this morning. I’m sorry. She’s really against spending. She’s not going to spend any of her own money. But again this, is the Republican Party. It’s anti-spending. It’s promoting a bunch of deadbeats. STEPHANOPOULOS: I think we have the clip that James may be referring to. So, why don’t I show that and get you to respond? Here it was, I think, in 1996 on MTV O’DONNELL: The reason that you don’t tell them that masturbation is the answer to AIDS and all these other problems that come with sex outside of marriage is because, again, it is not addressing the issue. You’re going to be pleasing each other. And if he already knows what pleases him and he can please himself, then why am I in the picture? STEPHANOPOULOS: James brought it up. But, I think a lot of people might watch it and say, what’s wrong with she said? LOESCH: Yeah. She’s talking about masturbation. It’s not like she’s wearing black socks and getting caught in hotel rooms with call girls and stuff. If we want to point fingers on bedroom antics, we can do that. I mean, this is- She didn’t say anything- some of the stuff she said in her past, I don’t think anybody, if you look back at the history of everything Mr. Carville has said and, George, you and myself, not everyone is going to be perfect. Perfection, if it were required for public office, nobody would be fit to run. But, I don’t like the class warfare, sort of, angle that Karl Rove seemed to have taken when he was speaking about her. That’s something that bugged me a little bit. STEPHANOPOULOS: James, you get ten seconds to end this. CARVILLE: Well, look, again, like I said, she’s a very fiscal conservative. She doesn’t believe in paying her bills. And she equated masturbation to adultery. And, boy, if that’s the case, the Iranians would be stoning a lot of people in this country. I’ll tell you that.

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Harsh Attacks Against Christine O’Donnell Continue on ABC: Carville Slams ‘Deadbeat’ Nominee

Is CNN Perpetuating the ‘Obama is Muslim’ Meme? Chyron: ‘W.H.: Pres. Obama Isn’t Muslim’

Every time the question about President Barack Obama’s faith is brought up, the wizards of smart in the mainstream media get up in arms about “right-wingers” or “tea partiers” perpetuating those allegations. But is it possible that by devoting so much attention to these issues of Obama’s faith and his citizenship, the media are creating the very feeding frenzy they’re appalled by? On CNN’s Aug. 19 “The Situation Room,” host Wolf Blitzer led his program off with at what first glance is a startling chyron: “W.H.: Pres. Obama Isn’t Muslim”. That graphic was in response to a recent Pew Research Center poll that found 18 percent of respondents thought Obama was Muslim. Later in the program, Blitzer went to his panel – CNN political analyst James Carville and Washington Times columnist and Heritage Foundation fellow Tony Blankley. Initially Carville said he didn’t have a clear explanation. Video with partial transcript and commentary below fold “I don’t other than the fact people are just willing to believe anything or there are a lot of stupid people out there,” Carville said. “I really don’t have an explanation, just like I don’t have an explanation for the fact that you see some of these polls that a quarter of the people believe he was born outside the country. I’m just as flummoxed as the next person.” Blankley cited an instance in 19 th Century England, which people questioned the faith of British Prime Minster Benjamin Disraeli. “I would compare it to what happened to Benjamin Disraeli, the British Prime Minister in the mid-19 th Century,” Blankley said. “He was suspected of being a Jew all through his career. His dad had been Jewish, but he baptized young Benjamin in the Church of England and he remained a practicing Christian with Jewish ancestry. I think it’s a similar situation with Obama.” And according Blankley, although he didn’t condone that belief, he suggested the same sort of circumstances were in play with the 44 th President of the United States. “His father was obviously Muslim and so that suspicious is there,” Blankley continued. “And then I think — what’s interesting is the numbers have gotten worse for him since he’s been President and I think some of his decisions, the outreach to Islam, good as it may be, wise as it may be, encourages some. His getting into a fight with the Israeli prime minister and his lack of attending church conspicuously, although Reagan, the President I worked for, didn’t go to church much because he said it would interrupt the congregation. So, there are good reasons for it, but the public is going to think what it’s going to think and he’s not made it easier.” Carville wasn’t buying it. Instead he just chalked the public up as “stupid” and willing to believe anything. He conflated the argument with questions about the President’s birth certificate. “I guess I would dispute, Tony — I don’t think the public thinks,” Carville said. “How can they think he wasn’t born in the United States, I mean with two birth announcements in both Honolulu papers. Again, I don’t have an explanation, and the quality of information to people today is exponentially higher than it was in 19 th century England. But again you’ve got to assume some people are just willing to believe anything and some people are out and out stupid. I wish I had a better explanation for it.” Despite the explanations (or lack of) from esteemed panelists, it’s possible the media themselves are to blame. By consistently using questions about Obama’s faith and his citizenship as fodder to demean conservatives, specifically the Tea Party movement and thereby creating a general mistrust by saying vile things, have the mainstream media perpetuated the very allegations they are abhorred by?

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Is CNN Perpetuating the ‘Obama is Muslim’ Meme? Chyron: ‘W.H.: Pres. Obama Isn’t Muslim’

ABC: Stephanopoulos and Carville Hope Obama Can ‘Hit Reset Button’ on Oil Spill, ‘Contain Political Damage’

On Monday’s Good Morning America on ABC, co-host George Stephanopoulos discussed President Obama’s response to the Gulf oil spill with Democratic strategist James Carville: “Probably no one has been tougher than you on this White House on this response. The President now going back for his forth trip. He’s ratcheted up the rhetoric over the weekend. Is this what you’ve been waiting for?” Stephanopoulos was referring to Carville’s criticism of Obama on the May 26 broadcast : “And it just looks like he’s not involved in this!…We’re about to die down here!” During his Monday appearance, the on-screen headline read: “Carville Demands Justice; Gulf ‘Abused and Neglected'” However, on Monday, Carville struck a more complimentary tone toward the President, remarking that Tuesday’s prime time Oval Office address on the spill could allow Obama “to hit the reset button.” Near the end of the segment, Stephanopoulos, a former Democratic strategist himself, asked Carville: “…put on your strategist hat here, has the President contained the political damage?” Carville reiterated: “I think he can hit this reset button tomorrow night. I think he can not contain the political damage, I think he can eliminate the damage. I actually think done properly, there’s political value in this, I think that he can help himself a great deal.” While hoping for Obama’s political comeback, Carville did speak out against the moratorium on offshore oil drilling: “[Gulf residents are] definitely concerned about this moratorium. This is wrecking the economy down here. What has to be done to get this lifted? How soon can we expect that?” Stephanopoulos continued to tow the liberal line: “…do you really think that’s wise given the kind of dangers we’re seeing with very deep water drilling?” Carville called for more regulation, but concluded: “I think it’s essential to the economy down here….you take fishing and you take petroleum away from this, you don’t have a whole lot left.” Here is a full transcript of the June 14 exchange: 7:08AM EST             GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to turn now to James Carville, he is down in New Orleans. Good morning, again, James. Probably no one has been tougher than you on this White House on this response. The President now going back for his forth trip. He’s ratcheted up the rhetoric over the weekend. Is this what you’ve been waiting for? [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Carville Demands Justice; Gulf “Abused and Neglected”] JAMES CARVILLE: Well, I hope so, and I think he has a chance to hit the reset button tomorrow night. And there certainly is going to be a lot of interest, a lot of anticipation in what he’s going to say. Doug Brinkley has been reporting that the Secretary of Interior said that he’s going to address the issue of our vanishing coastline and have a massive public works project. If that’s true, that’s going to be greeted with – embraced down here and greeted with great approval. But we’ve got to see, and I think people are very, very anxious. I think they want to hear what the President has to say. And I guarantee you, he’s going to have to have a lot of eyes that are glued to the television set tomorrow night. I mean, this is good news. They say they’re going to capture 50,000 barrels and I think that they’re moving in that direction. But last week, we we’re told that the high point was 40,000. So I think these sensors will give people a good, good indication of what’s on there. And hopefully, the scientists can give us a definitive answer because every answer we’ve gotten has been wrong so far. But I’m very encouraged by what I here hear about the ability to capture this oil. I hope it’s true and we’re just praying that’ll be the case. STEPHANOPOULOS: You mentioned this recovery fund that Secretary Salazar talked to historian Doug Brinkley about. What more, specifically, do you think people on the Gulf are waiting to hear from the President tomorrow night? CARVILLE: Well, I mean I think that they definitely want to know what’s the strategy for cleaning this up? How much oil’s been out there? How long do the experts think that this I going to go on? What are going to be the long-term effects on our fishing industry? They’re definitely concerned about this moratorium. This is wrecking the economy down here. What has to be done to get this lifted? How soon can we expect that? And the big thing, of course, is what Doug Brinkley, who is a former resident of New Orleans, is reporting is what is going to happen to our wetlands? We’re losing wetlands at the rate of the size of Manhattan every year. And if this President seizes this initiative and talks about rediverting the river below what they call Myrtle Grove and reflooding those wetlands, that’s going to be a big part of his legacy. That’s going to be an enormous thing and that’s what people are really looking for here. STEPHANOPOULOS: James, you mentioned the moratorium on drilling. And I know a lot of politicians down there in Louisiana and across the Gulf are calling for lifting the moratorium. But do you really think that’s wise given the kind of dangers we’re seeing with very deep water drilling? CARVILLE: Well, certainly we saw this and I think BP last had something like 700 violations and an Exxon operator had one violation. And I think that, certainly, you would have to have stringent regulations. I think every CEO ought to sign off on it. I think we have to have, you know, top flight engineers come in ensuring safety. But I think this stuff can – is necessary. I think it’s essential to the economy down here. And I think properly regulated and properly done, it can be done – nothing can be done risk-free – but I think it can be done much, much better than it was done before. And we’re going to have to get back to this, it’s just a question of when. It’s a very productive field out there and it’s killing the economy of south Louisiana. I mean, you take fishing and you take petroleum away from this, you don’t have a whole lot left. STEPHANOPOULOS: Finally, James, we only have a few seconds left, but bottom line, put on your strategist hat here, has the President contained the political damage? CARVILLE: I think he – I’d rather look forward as we say, and not look back. And you know, I think he can hit this reset button tomorrow night. I think he can not contain the political damage, I think he can eliminate the damage. I actually think done properly, there’s political value in this, I think that he can help himself a great deal. It’s a complex problem. But he’s got to show that he’s on top of this thing. That there’s a strategy in place. That there’s a way to deal with this. And the big thing is, if he’s going to estimate something, estimate it on the conservative side because everything else has been overestimated. STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, James Carville, thanks very much. CARVILLE: Thank you.

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ABC: Stephanopoulos and Carville Hope Obama Can ‘Hit Reset Button’ on Oil Spill, ‘Contain Political Damage’

MTV Movie Awards Fashion Face-Off: Kristen Stewart vs. Vanessa Hudgens

In many ways, Kristen Stewart stole the show at last night’s MTV Movie Awards. Or, to be specific, her lips stole the show, as Kristen and Robert Pattinson made out on stage . But Stewart wasn’t the only young, beautiful actress on hand at the event. Former High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens also graced the red carpet, showing up with boyfriend Zac Efron . That hunky star isn’t pictured below, but Stewart and Hudgens are matched up against each other in our latest edition of the THG Fashion Face-Off. Who do you think looked prettier on the red carpet?

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MTV Movie Awards Fashion Face-Off: Kristen Stewart vs. Vanessa Hudgens

Kathryn Rogers Marries Rush Limbaugh; Elton John Performs at Couple’s Wedding!

Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh is a married man again, and outspoken gay rights advocate Elton John helped ring in his wedding to Kathryn Rogers! Elton serenaded the 400 guests into the wee hours Saturday night to celebrate the marriage of Limbaugh and Rogers at the Breakers hotel in Palm Beach, Fla. The couple met six years ago, while Kathryn Rogers, 33, was running a charity golf tournament and Rush Limbaugh, 59, was going through his third divorce. The Palm Beach Post reports that guests included Karl Rove, Fred Thompson, George Brett, Sean Hannity, Rudy Giulian, James Carville and Clarence Thomas. Elton John, however, was perhaps the most notable, given his ideological differences with Rush. Then again, his $1 million fee for the evening goes a long way. ODD COUPLE : We didn’t see this coming . A million bucks is pretty steep, but did Rush and Kathryn get a discount? Reuters says that of all wedding singers, John is among the most expensive worldwide. The music icon charges up to “$2 million for private performances, with all earnings from private concerts going to his charity, the Elton John AIDS Foundation.” Yes, his AIDS foundation. Remember last October 2009, when Limbaugh compared the disease to swine flu in the way both were being “hyped”? That crazy Rush. Or in 2007, when Limbaugh said other, equally incorrect, equally reprehensible things about AIDS? Elton John could have charged the full $2 million, you’d think. Anyway, congratulations to Rush and Kathryn Rogers ! Hopefully she sticks around the radio magnate longer than the previous three wives, and he’s feels better.

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Kathryn Rogers Marries Rush Limbaugh; Elton John Performs at Couple’s Wedding!

Rob Lowe and family are traveling Indianapolis Colts fans; Super …

The guitarist’s band The Who will perform at half-time when the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts clash at Sun Life Stadium on 7 February (10) and child abuse organisations have sent reminders to homes and schools in the area, … September 3rd, 2009 Carville, Matalin to head Super Bowl committeeNEW ORLEANS — Husband-and-wife political consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin, who live in New Orleans, will be the co-chairs of the host committee for the 2013 …

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Rob Lowe and family are traveling Indianapolis Colts fans; Super …