-Caveat Lector- >Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 >From: "People For the American Way Foundation (PFAW General Mailbox)" ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: RIGHT-WING-WATCH: Through the Right's Eyes > >====================================================================== >RIGHT WING WATCH ONLINE -- People For the American Way Foundation >November 16, 2000 > > The latest from the Right Wing's mail, television, radio and web > activity, courtesy of People For the American Way Foundation's > research and monitoring operation. PLEASE FORWARD! > Subscription information is at end of this message. >______________________________________________________________________ > >CONTENTS: >(1) Introduction >(2) The Right-wing Ghosts of Impeachment Past >(3) "Democrats Like to Steal Elections" >(4) Like Malignant Cancer Cells >______________________________________________________________________ > >THROUGH THE RIGHT'S EYES > > >(1) Introduction: > >For the first few days following the Nov. 7 election, the entire nation >watched the election results closely, and for the most part, >silently. But by the weekend the right-wing media machine began to >escalate their rhetoric. While most of the country has watched the >election recounts in Florida with intense fascination, but no real fear >for the welfare of the country, it is becoming apparent that - for some on >the Right - it is merely a continuation of a battle they began in >1992. Polls consistently show that Americans don't regard the lack of >finality in the election as a constitutional crisis. Most feel that the >process will, however slowly, work its way to an end and the country will >accept the next president, whoever he may be. But in the Right's >rhetoric, it's impeachment all over again. > >Major pro-impeachment figures are picking up right where they left off in >1998. Only a few years ago Rev. Jerry Falwell was hawking The Clinton >Chronicles, a videotape purporting to expose presidential crimes and >misdeeds. Ann Coulter made her career as a telegenic right-wing pundit by >bashing the Clinton Administration and even published a book on the >matter, High Crimes and Misdemeanors. Christopher Ruddy and Joseph Farah >were the major recipients of the Scaife money intended to bring down the >President. They have since created sophisticated Internet sites that >allow them to continue their work with a wider audience. > >In fact, the entire impeachment media machine is revving up its engines >once again and the conspiracy theories are already flowing. The same >right-wing pundits and media figures who drove anti-Clinton mania into the >frenzy of 1998's impeachment are revving their engines. As before, the >first signs are evident on the Internet. Sites like Conservative News >Service, WorldNetDaily, TownHall.com and ConservativeHQ.com are flinging >charges once again. Charges of "coup d'etat," "subverting the >Constitution," and "stealing the election," are commonplace. > > >(2) The Right-wing Ghosts of Impeachment Past > >Rush Limbaugh, the dean of anti-Clinton media stars, summed up the >phenomenon: "This is the impeachment process being played out all over >again, with the same partisans on loan from Clinton." Carrying the >metaphor through to its logical conclusion, Limbaugh even anointed Florida >Secretary of State Katherine Harris as the Ken Starr of Florida. > >Never one to be outdone, pundit Ann Coulter penned a scathing rant on the >Right's most prominent portal, TownHall.com. "It's like impeachment all >over again. But this time it's about the results of a presidential >election. Like President Clinton, Al Gore is willing to precipitate a >constitutional crisis to hold on to power." > >Coulter derided the Palm Beach County citizens who filed suit to object to >the illegal and misleading ballot that caused thousands of votes to be >miscast as, "[n]ostalgic Stalinists from Brooklyn, N.Y., now transplanted >to Florida in their dotage." She urged Bush to cast aside any worries >about dignity "and start being a Texan," and bemoaned "the two blackguards >in the White House now dragging the country into yet another >constitutional crisis." "It will never end until these people are gone," >wrote Coulter. > > >(3) "Democrats Like to Steal Elections" > >American Conservative Union board member Craig Shirley was perfectly blunt >in a column in the Washington Times. "Democrats like to steal >elections. In fact, they're very good at it," he wrote on Nov. 10. > >The Rev. Jerry Falwell invoked a similar argument in his Nov. 11 "Listen >America" column on WorldNetDaily.com: "Mr. Daley's daddy wrote the book on >voter fraud and I'm pretty sure that the son is well versed in the modern >applications of his father's dirty work. He and the rest of the Gore team >will continue to sniff and lurk for any loopholes or legal ambiguities >that enable them to project a victory." Falwell was not content to let >it rest there, "The current proceedings are indeed the actions of >desperate and devious men who are working to reverse history prior to next >Friday's deadline for absentee ballots. But this is to be >expected. Prior to the election, Al Gore showed us of what he is capable." > >Falwell's column was characteristic of the coverage on WorldNetDaily, a >website started by Joseph Farah of the Western Journalism Center >(WJC). The WJC funded anti-Clinton investigative journalism throughout >the '90s and was especially involved in promoting conspiracy theories >about the suicide of Clinton associate Vincent Foster. Turning his >fortunes to the Internet, Farah continues to nurture overtly partisan >journalism. One of the lead stories on Nov. 13 was titled, "How Democrats >steal elections," and it claimed to detail techniques of hand counting >ballots that "have been used for over 20 years to steal elections from >Republicans." > >Right-wing columnist Paul Craig Roberts, whose column frequently appears >in the Washington Times, accuses the Democrats of "stealing" the election >in his Nov. 15 column. "[T]here is no doubt that the presidency is being >stolen," writes Roberts, but more than that, "our country is being >stolen." Roberts argues that Gore did not carry the country >"geographically" because of his high support in urban areas, versus Bush's >wins in large, lightly populated states. He then segues into a rant about >affirmative action and immigration. "White people, in general" have been >declared racist says Roberts and he accuses Democrats of favoring open >borders "because the millions of Third World immigrants pouring into the >United States have no tradition of constitutional government and a rule of >law." "The longer the borders stay open, the sooner the country will be >lost," concludes Roberts. > >NewsMax.com, an Internet news site run by anti-Clinton journalist >Christopher Ruddy, is planning an ad campaign to "expose the outrageous >actions by the media to cover up for Gore and the Democratic Party." They >want to place ads in national newspapers and buy time on television if >they receive enough support. In an open letter at the top of their site, >Ruddy and other NewsMax.com writers appeal for contributions to an >"emergency fund" for their ad campaign. "We are writing you as the >country, our country, teeters on the edge of a Constitutional crisis the >likes of which we have never witnessed. The Wall Street Journal put it >well last week when it said Al Gore was engineering nothing short of a >coup d'etat - a takeover of our government. We have been warning our >readers for some time that the Clinton-Gore crowd will do anything to win." > >Ruddy made his name in right-wing circles as the central journalist >propagating conspiracy theories about Vincent Foster's death, work >largely funded by Richard Scaife through Joseph Farah's Western Journalism >Center. > >Another Clinton antagonist, Judicial Watch has marshalled an "army of >volunteers" to inspect ballots in Florida. Claiming to provide an >independent inspection, a Judicial Watch press release said without that >the "next President will lack any real legitimacy to lead this >nation." Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton claimed, "What we are >witnessing now in Florida is a national disgrace." > > >(4) Like Malignant Cancer Cells > >Right-wing firebrand David Horowitz regularly attacks civil rights leaders >in his column on Salon.com. His Nov. 10 column says, "[Gore] unleashed >the dogs of political war on Palm Beach County. He allowed the Jackson >arsonists to rush in to inflame the passions of social hysteria, to >recklessly sow bitter doubts about the process itself that no one can now >allay." > >L. Jean Lewis, a former investigator for Resolution Trust Corp who was >credited with doing the initial investigative work to break the >Whitewater scandal, came close to accusing Jackson and the Democrats of >sedition in a Nov. 14 column on WorldNetDaily.com. Wrote Lewis, "Jesse >Jackson and his minions have now arrived on the scene like malignant >cancer cells attracted to a growing tumor. The fact that the Democrats >have turned a blind eye to his unruly activities is upsetting; that they >would discreetly condone and nurture such behavior is appalling. To have >them openly encourage rumors of civil rights violations and propagate >deliberate unrest is bordering on sedition." > >Ann Coulter saved some of her choicest words for Jackson as well: "Jesse >Jackson is presiding over rioting in the streets. There is a movement >afoot to call in Janet Reno. Maybe she could send in a SWAT team to gun >down President-Elect George W. Bush. All we need now are chickens in the >street and beggars with leprosy to complete the picture." > >Whether or not they can maintain the same level of intensity that drove >the impeachment battle or not is yet to be determined. However, it is >clear that the Right's pundits are sharpening their talking points ready >and laying the foundation for a long drawn-out fight as all eyes are on >Florida. > >Attached are some longer excerpts from the columns and broadcasts >referenced above: > >"The current proceedings are indeed the actions of desperate and devious >men who are working to reverse history prior to next Friday's deadline for >absentee ballots. But this is to be expected. Prior to the election, Al >Gore showed us of what he is capable. He illegally used African-American >churches as a major part of his get-out-the-vote effort. Mr. Gore's >colleagues totally ignored the law and urged church parishioners to vote >for him. Subsequently, the black turnout surpassed all records. Mr. >Gore also utilized deplorable scare tactics to recruit senior >citizens. Further, Mr. Gore co-opted the union bosses to illegally >utilize millions of dollars in tax-exempt union dues - without union >members' permission - to promote his candidacy. In Michigan, the unions >actually shut down the plants and factories on Election Day to ensure >their monolithic vote for Gore. I point out these consistently >unscrupulous actions by the Gore team to reveal how recklessly frantic >these people are to remain in power." [Rev. Jerry Falwell in his weekly >Listen America column for WorldNetDaily, 11/11/00] > >"It's like impeachment all over again. But this time it's about the >results of a presidential election. Like President Clinton, Al Gore is >willing to precipitate a constitutional crisis to hold on to power." [Ann >Coulter, "Elections in Clintonville," 11/13/00 column at Townhall.com] > >"Al Gore's endgame is to delay confirmation of the Florida vote for as >long as possible - just like his role model of a boss would do under the >circumstances....Gore has a number of strategems for throwing roadblocks >in the way of Florida's appointing electors, including time-consuming >legal challenges. Nostalgic Stalinists from Brooklyn, N.Y., now >transplanted to Florida in their dotage, have already trotted out lawsuits >demanding a second chance to vote they were confused by the ballot." [Ann >Coulter, "Elections in Clintonville," 11/13/00 column at Townhall.com] > >"Jesse Jackson is presiding over rioting in the streets. There is a >movement afoot to call in Janet Reno. Maybe she could send in a SWAT team >to gun down President-elect George W. Bush. All we need now are chickens >in the street and beggars with leprosy to complete the picture. This >is no time for dignity. President Bush had dignity. Sen. Bob Dole had >dignity. They lost. In particular, they lost to the two blackguards in >the White House now dragging the country into yet another constitutional >crisis. It will never end until these people are gone. It's time for >Bush to stop acting like a lockjaw Connecticut WASP and start being a >Texan." [Ann Coulter, "Elections in Clintonville," 11/13/00 column at >Townhall.com] > >"This is the impeachment process being played out all over again, with the >same partisans on loan from Clinton. Ken Starr simply applied the law, >and he was the devil. He was a vicious, mean, rotten man from Mars! He >wanted to get all your kids addicted to cigarettes, in addition to >destroying the presidency. That's the image they wanted to create, and >now they're trying to do the same thing to Katherine Harris....All >Katherine Harris is doing is upholding the law of Florida - and for this, >the Gore campaign considers her a threat to be discredited and >destroyed." [RushLimbaugh.com, 11/14/00] > >"Democrats like to steal elections. In fact, they're very good at it." > >"Democrats are about anything but fairness in this election; they are >about power, pure and simple. Democrats must destroy the election process >and anyone who gets in their way regardless of party. The stakes are too >high to be concerned with individual reputations or careers." American >Conservative Union board member, Craig Shirley [Washington Times, 11/10/00] > >"Jesse Jackson and his minions have now arrived on the scene like >malignant cancer cells attracted to a growing tumor. His appetite for >inciting political frenzy through race-baiting, and pitting rights of >special interest and minority groups against those of the general populace >is startling odds with his clerical title. His current efforts have >successfully produced a breath-taking deterioration within an already >untenable situation. The fact that the Democrats have turned a blind eye >to his unruly activities is upsetting; that they would discreetly condone >and nurture such behavior is appalling. To have them openly encourage >rumors of civil rights violations and propagate deliberate unrest is >bordering on sedition" [L. Jean Lewis, former senior criminal >investigator for Resolution Trust Corp. and Whitewater figure, >WorldNetDaily, 11/14/00] > >"Elections have been stolen in America before, but never so >publicly. This election is being stolen right in front of our eyes. The >Party of No Shame (aka The Democratic Party), firm in its conviction that >its ends justify the means, is making a blatant grab for powerà.But more >than an election is being stolen. Our country is being stolen. >Geographically speaking, Gore carried only one-sixth of the >country. Five-sixths of the United States rejected him and his corrupt >party. Because of the population density of urban areas, maps showing >election results by state greatly exaggerate Gore's geographical >support. A map (obtained from geocities.com) of the vote by county shows >a tiny Gore presence. Gore's vote is confined to Hispanic counties in the >Southwest, the California coastal counties, Portland Oregon counties, the >counties bordering Puget Sound in Washington, Minnesota and urban areas of >Great Lakes states, Jewish counties in Florida, heavily black counties in >the Southeast and heavily urbanized areas of the Northeast (Philadelphia, >New York City, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island), Vermont and >parts of Maine. Geographically, the map shows a country controlled by a >few high-density urban counties where new immigrants and racial minorities >constitute a high percentage of the population. Gore's half of the vote >is concentrated in 580,000 square miles. Bush's half is spread over >2,427,000 square miles. The Democratic Party is a party of well-to-do >white liberals, university faculties and the media, single women and >racial minorities. It is a revolutionary party, committed to overthrowing >the "hegemonic power" of traditional American morality, principles, >institutions and people. Merit and the First Amendment, along with the >Constitution, the Founding Fathers and white people in general, have been >declared "racist." Merit is no longer the basis for university >admissions, employment or promotion, as "preferred minorities" (an >official designation) have been given privileged legal standing that >borders because the millions of Third World immigrants pouring into the >United States have no tradition of constitutional government and a rule of >law. They come from lands where control over government means enrichment >and privilege, and that is what the Democrats offer them. Republicans >will never get this hardened bloc vote. Blacks voted 90 to 93 percent for >Gore, and Hispanics gave Gore between two-thirds and three-fourths of >their vote. The longer the borders stay open, the sooner the country will >be lost." 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