In Case You Missed It: Blatant GOP Hypocrisy (For A Change)

by Kagro X

Here's a little something that landed in my mailbox while I was otherwise occupied. It's an August 8th missive from noted liar C. Boyden Gray's Committee for Justice, attacking, well, everyone, on account of NARAL's attack on Sleeper Cell Supreme Court nominee John Roberts:

"To associate a man of John Roberts' character and integrity with criminals is simply deceitful," Gray added. "It says more about NARAL than it does about John Roberts," Gray added. "There is a whiff of desperation about this ad."

"But Kagro," you might be saying out loud, if you're the sort of person who indulges me in my usage of a silly nickname, "that NARAL ad was more than a little deceitful, wasn't it? What makes Gray's calling them out hypocrisy?"

"Good question, [email protected], I'm glad you asked," I'd respond, because I am also the kind of person who respects online privacy. "I'm happy to address that."

The press release continues:

"CFJ calls on moderate Democratic senators such as Joe Lieberman (Conn.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Herb Kohl (Wis.), Kent Conrad (N.Dak.), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Tom Carper (Del.), Robert Byrd (W.Va.), and Jeff Bingaman (N.Mex.) to renounce NARAL and to communicate to liberal groups that smear tactics are not helpful or wanted," Gray continued.

Now, realizing that none of the Senators listed have had a word about Mr. Roberts that has been less than measured, or even kind, one might wonder why they've been targeted.

Well, let me take you back, through the mists of time, to that long-forgotten era known as "July 1st," and another CFJ dispatch:

"We will be watching Senate Democrats and intend to link moderate and red states senators to their liberal Senate colleagues and outside groups. If Sens. Kennedy, Schumer, Durbin, Leahy, and Boxer attack, it will be Ben Nelson (Neb), Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln (Ark), Robert Byrd (WVa), Bill Nelson (Fla), Tom Carper (Del), Debbie Stabenow (Mich), Jeff Bingaman (NMex), Evan Bayh (Ind), Byron Dorgan (ND), Mary Landrieu (La), and Tim Johnson (SD) who will be held accountable."

A remarkably similar list! If it wasn't a canned attack, or rather, a manufactured one, I'd have to congratulate Mr. Gray on his prescience! But unfortunately, Gray gives no points for whiffs of desperation, and so neither will I.

"If Sens. Kennedy, Schumer, Durbin, Leahy, and Boxer attack..." Gray warns. And yet, they have not. But, unable to hold his water, he has let loose, regardless -- both of the failure of the Senatorial attacks to materialize, and the fact that none of the named Senators has said anything worth attacking.

"Disgusting! Appalling! Yet, we're still awaiting the demonstration of hypocrisy," you say?

I direct you to the paragraph prior to the list of targeted Senators in the July 1 release:

"But we're familiar with the special interests on the other side and what is demanded by their financial backers the trial lawyers, the pornography industry, the teachers unions that want to block equal educational opportunity for the inner city. We know they will attack almost any non-liberal nominee in hysterical terms.

The pornography industry, Boyden? Why, I'm shocked! To associate a Senator of Ben Nelson's (and Mark Pryor's, and Mary Landrieu's, and... and... and...) character and integrity with pornographers is simply deceitful! It says more about Boyden Gray and his Committee for Justice than it does about Senator Nelson (and... and... and..)

In short, there's a whiff of desperation about this attack. We've checked the left underarm, and we didn't much care for what we smelled. Now, about the right...

 

Comments

[Kagro X]

It's an interesting gambit for someone who faces Senate confirmation hearings as Ambassador-designate to the European Community, don't you think? A nomination that perhaps carries its own, Boltonesque "we-don't-want-him-around-these-parts" kind of baggage.

Although I do hear that if your bags aren't packed and you're looking for a delay before you have to leave, personally insulting Debbie Stabenow is a great way to earn a reprieve.

[Meteor Blades]

Do you suppose that they have a grand timeline for such stuff, and - because Bush is running his chainsaw in Crawford and Boyden Gray has gone wherever he spas in August and everybody else is also out of town - the software button got pushed on this press release without anyone actually checking to see what the Dems were saying?

[Kagro X]

I just figured that they had this attack ready to go, and since the Dems weren't saying anything, they decided it was too good to hold in reserve, and substituted NARAL for actual Democrats.

Just as they've been doing with Cindy Sheehan, whom the Rightist Talking Heads have been fond of declaring "a real problem for Democrats," since she's been "backed by" Michael Moore and MoveOn.org.

[emptypockets]

trial lawyers, pornographers, and teachers -- is that in ascending or descending order of contempt held for them by the right?

(and God help the law school professor who teaches first amendment & obscenity laws -- the unholy trinity!)

[Kagro X]

That was some trinity, wasn't it? And not a one of them has come out in opposition to Roberts, as far as I know.

Keep an eye out for the used car salesmen, though.

[Meteor Blades]

"Pornographers for Roberts" has a nice ring to it. Maybe I'll talk to my movie-biz neighbor; she's got some friends in the San Fernando Valley where a big chunk of the nation's porn industry is located and where rightwing kookery still has a foothold.

[Kagro X]

I believe Mary Carey [no photo available] could be persuaded to take up that challenge.

[emptypockets]

"Pornographers for Roberts": I was thinking Jeff Gannon could be chairman.

[dksbook]

Thank you for provided the president's personal email address. Now, we will be able to reach around his handlers and tell him the truth; and I am sure he will be shocked, and fire all those people who sheltered him from Ordinary Americans.

[emptywheel]

Kagro:

You know, I think overtiredness suits you.

And on top of that, I think you should corner the market on CBoyden.org before he gets another promotion. You've got Steve Clemons' tenaciousness with a little more sense of fun...

[Kagro X]

Yes, I've been searching for the right issue upon which we could build TNH into the next "Outrage Central," and maybe this is it. You can tell we're ready to become important, because we have an abbreviation, and we use italics for it.

[emptywheel]

Well, we could be different by having 8 outrages. I've got an enduring thing for Bolton and Judy. You can't seem to get over CBoyden. That way people could have 8 times the outrage.