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How can you ask "Where's the outrage?" without harking back to Bob Dole.

I'm seeing an opinion piece in The Washington Post with the headline "Trump was outrageous in Michigan. So where’s the outrage?" and it doesn't mention Bob Dole, who used to be famous for asking "Where's the outrage?" Answer Bob Dole first, and then it might make sense to ask the question about Trump.

On October 25, 1996:
So they gathered up their FBI files, they took them down to the White House, and there they've been. They say, "Oh, nobody looks at these. We just brought them over to see what the boxes look like," you know, whatever. And what happens? Where's the outrage in the media? Where's the outrage? There's no outrage. There's no outrage.
And October 26, 1996:
.... A lot of you people in the audience may not know about there are FBI files. That doesn't mean you've done anything wrong. You have an FBI file. What about the 900 people, innocent people, just because they're Republicans, had their files taken away [audio gap]. They tricked the FBI. They tricked the Secret Service. They took them to the White House, and then they said, oh, nobody ever looked at them. We just brought them down here, I guess, to look at the boxes. Well, I know that Mrs. Yeutter's file was in that group. Here's one right here. Nice innocent person. Her only crime was being a Republican. Now, that will not happen in a Dole White House. That is an outrage. That is an outrage.... How long do you think the American people are going to take it? Wake up, America. Wake up, America! Wake up, America!...  What would happen if any Republican president would have done two of these things? Why, there'd be outrage all across America. There would be outrage....
But we have a Republican President now, so where's the outrage? There's plenty of it in the media, but media people want more, because we have a Republican President now. But the people are sleeping through it. Wake up, America! Wake up, America! Why won't America wake up, WaPo wonders. America is sleeping because it has outrage fatigue. I'm too tired myself to do anything more at this point than show you my Google search results:
ADDED: Here's Howard Fineman in Newsweek on November 3, 1996:
Last week [Dole] was King Lear in a Brooks Brothers suit. Old grudges surfaced, and new ones. His predicament was the liberal media's fault. "The country belongs to the people, not The New York Times,'' he thundered in Dallas. Democrats were "rushing'' immigrants with criminal backgrounds onto the voter rolls. "They want to get them ready for Election Day,'' Dole said. Society was at fault for ignoring the ever-lengthening list of ethical and legal questions surrounding Clinton. "Where's the outrage in America?'' Dole demanded in Houston. "Where's the outrage?''

४२ टिप्पण्या:

Darrell म्हणाले...

If America wakes up, the WaPo better locate to some Socialist paradise. We have torches and claw hammers.

Vance म्हणाले...

Well, where's the outrage about the revelations by Bibi on Iran? And the revelations that Obama knew all about Iran's lying and gave them pallets of cash to essentially help Iran build nukes to put mushroom clouds over Tel Aviv?

And all the Obamaites are running around saying "See! Now that we know Iran was lying through their teeth, it's even more important that we gave them pallets of cash! "

Exactly how is this not treason?

mccullough म्हणाले...

Theater of Outrage exhausts all but the die hard partisans. They are cult members or get paid or both.

I grew up during the 80s (graduated high school in 1990). I couldn’t tell you what the political leanings on issues of my friends parents. Or even my parents. No be bad mouthed Reagan or Tip O’Neil. Everyone got along well. Never heard one political discussion among adults.

These were intelligent people. No doubt they had some views. But they were sane people who held to the maxim we all learned a long time ago: don’t discuss politics and religion, it only leads to needless arguing.

US culture is way to fucking politicized. Celebrities and athletes mouth off on political stuff all the time. It’s ridiculous.

buwaya म्हणाले...

The FBI has always been a very dangerous organization, its powers are excessive for its legitimate purposes and easily misused. And moreover its also easily "captured" by one particular side in political conflicts.

It should be disbanded, its duties and assets dispersed or explicitly abandoned.

You all should be outraged that this totalitarian structure, a secret police system with, indeed, files on everyone, has been permitted to exist in a democracy.

Nonapod म्हणाले...

Anytime anybody gets too exercised about Trump, just take them aside and ask them to explain to you how their lives have personally gotten worse since the election of Trump. What specifically has gotten worse in their life precisely because of something Trump did? Be sure to have them confine their answers to their personal experiences and not some hypothetical group of people.

Oso Negro म्हणाले...

Well Buwaya, I AM outraged. But rage is not a sustainable emotion. And no one really wants to be John Brown at Harper's Ferry.

John Henry म्हणाले...

What a bunch of crap. Read the article and a few of the comments and you get the impression that this was an anti-black race rally with torches and white sheets.

I keep hearing over and over and over how President Trump is a racist. Where's the evidence? Nobody I ask can ever give me any good examples. Our resident fopdoodle took a pass at it the other day and beclowned himself. He's welcome to try again.

Will anyone else try?

I downloaded and listened to the speech Sunday, and, since my wife kept asking me questions and I missed a lot, again yesterday. I saw nothing racist in it.

Of course, the progfas like Squeamish claim I am a secret KKK. So I wouldn't see anything racist.

Can someone listen to the speech and tell me what is racist? Maybe the audience response when he asked if there were any Hispanics there. WaPo says there were "boos" but I did not notice them. I'll have to go back and listen again. Nice support when he asked if there were any blacks in the crowd. (That was the KKK using reverse psychology most likely)

John Henry

Oso Negro म्हणाले...

@Nonapod, I have done the same, and it usually ends with them sputtering, "well, he's just a bad person."

Michael K म्हणाले...

The FBI has always been a very dangerous organization,

Yes and Hoover used them to the hilt. Mark Felt was able to overthrow Nixon because Hoover had been spying on US presidents since Roosevelt.

The engine was sitting there ready to be used even thought the engineer was dead. The man who knew where the controls were took it over. Nixon tried to get the FBI out of the political influence role by appointing Gray. It turned on him.

Mueller is as corrupt as Felt ever was. Comey is a fool but Mueller is the one who ran the Boston corruption and Whitey Bulger.

Hoover was a power unto himself, and the FBI that was created very much in his image sometimes acted more like the secret police of the totalitarian regimes Hoover regularly denounced: running rogue wiretaps, harassing political dissidents, using illegal means to collect evidence. Hoover’s FBI wasn’t accountable; it was untouchable.

So now, just weeks after the FBI’s worst nightmare, a gangster and FBI informant by the name of Whitey Bulger came strolling back into town, Congress is about to ignore its own wisdom and let Bob Mueller, the FBI director and former US Attorney in Boston, stay on an extra two years.


Of course that was then and this is Trump.

madAsHell म्हणाले...

Bob Dole do outrage??

I guess we know why he lost the election!!

madAsHell म्हणाले...

Didn't Dole also go on to make some erectile dysfunction commercials?

Outrage, and a limp dick!! Good luck with that!

John Henry म्हणाले...

Blogger Vance said...

Well, where's the outrage about the revelations by Bibi on Iran?

You want outrage? Here, have some: I am outraged that the Israelis snuck into a sovereign country, broke into a warehouse and stole stuff. Are you condoning Israeli theft?

(Just kidding)

Here is some other outrage, how come this got no play on CNN? But to ask the question is to answer it.

Yes, I am as outraged as you are about how president Obama got snookered on this deal. That is putting it kindly, attributing it to incompetence. The other alternative, that he did it on purpose (for what reasons?) is almost too horrible to contemplate.

And good on the Israelis for doing this. It is not like they managed to hack into a computer somewhere. Or even steal a thumb drive. They took physical papers and CD. An entire truck load. Something like half a ton.

They managed find out where the documents were stored, then get into a presumably secure building, with a truck. Probably a small box truck, load up all the docos, then drive the truck out of Tehran and spirit the documents to Israel a couple thousand miles away.

I can't, at the moment find anything about how they spirited the documents away. Drive out of Tehran and drive to Israel? Through a bunch of hostile Iran, across a hostile border, through another semi-hostile country or two to Israel?

Drive out into the desert and fly in a plane? I doubt a helicopter would have the range.

However they did it, kudos.

Now THAT is one competent intelligence organization.

John Henry

John Henry म्हणाले...


Blogger Michael K said...

Hoover had been spying on US presidents since Roosevelt.

Since Wilson, actually.

John Henry

Martin म्हणाले...

After excusing or ignoring JFK screwing around with Judith Campbell Exner (who was closely connected to the Chicago Outfit), Chappaquiddick, Ted Kennedy trying to do a deal with Andropov to defeat Reagan, and everything to do with the Clintons from 1992 to date, WaPo now has the gall to get all self-righteous that they don't think there is enough outrage when Trump holds a public rally and says some things they don't like?

Really?

Words don't fail me, but words I would choose to post do.

F--K them and the horse they rode in on.

buwaya म्हणाले...

Yes, the Israelis still have very competent spies of the human kind.

They have been actively spying on and harrassing the Iranian nuclear program for decades (murders, "accidents", Stuxnet). I suspect they have been passing interesting information to the US all this time, and whatever is in those documents is well known. The retrieved documents are more in the category of proof meant for the public, and to embarrass politicians.

rehajm म्हणाले...

Stop flattering yourselves. It isn’t fatigue. It’s a rejection of the ideas they need us to be outraged about.

Michael K म्हणाले...

And the Obama security operators leaked the Stuxnet story.

That'll teach those Israelis to ignore Barry and Valerie.

Larry J म्हणाले...

The media have had their outrage dialed up to 11 for at least 18 months, and then they wonder why so few people pay any attention to them anymore. When studies have shown that over 90% of network coverage of Trump has been negative, why should anyone pay attention to them? The Nerd Prom just confirmed how biased they are and always have been. At the same time, a lot of people are seeing more money in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts and help wanted signs all over the place. Life is good and getting better.

Bob Boyd म्हणाले...

This is a brilliant post. Perspective is the antidote for outrage.

traditionalguy म्हणाले...

But, but Stormy Daniels. Trump tweeted that her lawyers sketch artist drawing of a threat man was a con job for publicity. No star actress in 400+ excellent Porno Films should have to endure having her good character besmirched. I am outraged.

And the Four Star Marine General Kelly is being forced to serve that crazy Trump disaster chaos. I am outraged.

I cannot wait for the next outrage that is being written to distract us from the Pax Trumpiana breaking out all over.

hombre म्हणाले...

Remember “The Death of Outrage: Bill Clinton and the Assault On American Ideals, “ by Wm Bennett? The death of outrage was just another gift from the Clintons.

Lefty mediaswine are trying to resuscitate outrage to complement Trump Derangement Syndrome. In truth, there is no comparison between Trump’s behavior while in public office and that of the Clintons. Trump is often rude and boorish. Bill Clinton was a sexual predator and perjurer. Both Clintons were unrepentant grifters.

Birkel म्हणाले...

If I want outrage, I will discuss increases in the price of bacon. Outrageous!

Politics? Meh?

Michael K म्हणाले...

"Both Clintons were unrepentant grifters."

I wonder if there was any symbolism to Trump using the china that the Clintons stole when they left the White House and had to return in 2001 ?

That was the china for the first State Dinner with Macron.

Sebastian म्हणाले...

"Where's the outrage?"

In the voting booths in 2016.

Henry म्हणाले...

I've stopped paying attention to the news. Quit facebook. I can't hear any outrage.

If something is really outrageous, the swamp will flood and the levy will give out. Until then, I'm enjoying the quiet.

Gahrie म्हणाले...

Anytime anybody gets too exercised about Trump, just take them aside and ask them to explain to you how their lives have personally gotten worse since the election of Trump

I always ask them to list the three worst things Trump has done. Few people can come up with a single one.

Wince म्हणाले...

And then there was the most telling moment of the evening: Trump asking, “Are there any Hispanics in the room?”

Maybe the WaPo writer, should have analyzed Michigan demographics and, in particular, Washington township, before making his insinuation.

Hispanic and Latino Americans depict a population that is the second-largest ethnic group in the United States, 52 million people or 16.7% of the national population, of them, 47 Million are American citizens.

Michigan's population is 5% Hispanic, the 38th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.

Washington Township, Michigan
RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO
Total population 25,139 100.0%
One race 24,804 98.7%
Hispanic or Latino 928 3.7%
Not Hispanic or Latino 23,876 95.0%

Achilles म्हणाले...

The outrage has just been covered up by the media.

We know who the enemies are now and we know we are the majority. The fall of this regime has so far been peaceful. What Trump has done is incredible.

Phil 314 म्हणाले...

I didn't vote for Bob Dole in '96. I admit now, that was a mistake.

All those who didn't vote for Bob Dole, raise your right hand.

Darrell म्हणाले...

I voted for Bob Dole.

FullMoon म्हणाले...

Anytime anybody gets too exercised about Trump, just take them aside and ask them to explain to you how their lives have personally gotten worse since the election of Trump

I have told people bitching about Rush Limbaugh being racist that Limbaugh is married to a black woman and they have several children.

Never had one call me on it.

Sometimes I tell them Rush has a black mother, for fun.

Usually takes them a day or so to call me a liar.

Drago म्हणाले...

The only reason the dems/lefties improperly took the raw FBI files on Republicans and weaponized them in the 90's is because of Trump.

Just ask ARM. He'll tell you all about it.

Plus, Southern Strategy.

Jim at म्हणाले...

It's outrageous you're not outraged at my outrage.

Jim at म्हणाले...

US culture is way to fucking politicized. Celebrities and athletes mouth off on political stuff all the time. It’s ridiculous.

Agreed. However, we had a small birthday gathering the other night. Fifteen or so people. All adults. Known each other for 30 years or more. Differing political backgrounds.

And over the course of three to four hours with pizza and beer? Politics didn't come up. Not even once.

It can be done.
And needs to be done more often.

Ken B म्हणाले...

So let me get this straight. A confessed serial adulterer who denounced his party's last precedent, wouldn’t release his taxes, was disavowed by the party's last two nominees, with no experience singlehanded mows down the GOP and confounds pollsters by winning the election, and people ask “where is the outrage”? I'd say a lot of voters were sufficiently outraged to vote for Trump.

Phil 314 म्हणाले...

PS

this "All those who didn't vote for Bob Dole, raise your right hand." was a joke from the '96 election.

Bob Dole couldn't raise his right hand.

mikee म्हणाले...

It isn't outrage that is needed, it is legal accountability, performed without emotional distress.

You want more Trump, act outraged like the Left. We'll just nod politely and go about our business of getting more Trump.

Jeff म्हणाले...

The Senator from Archer Daniels Midland was in no position to complain about corruption.

Assistant Village Idiot म्हणाले...

@ Jeff - I just read up on that in response to your accusation.

Meh. Not good, but not within a factor of 10 of the Clintons, even then.

rcocean म्हणाले...

Bob Dole was such a clown. He was the poster boy for the GOP establishment.

Anytime, anyone wanted to actually, y'know be conservative or change things, Dole would have some witty put-down that would have the NYT/WaPo reporters rolling in the aisles. Gingrich called him the "tax collector for the welfare State".

He ran for President to prevent Buchanan or Forbes from getting the nomination, but then had no reason to be President. So, he ran around in 1996 croaking "where's the outrage?" and falling off stages because he was 100 years old.

Then, he cashed out, and by 1998, no one could remember who ran against Bill in 1996.

Pathetic. RINO. Loser.

Michael K म्हणाले...

Then, he cashed out, and by 1998, no one could remember who ran against Bill in 1996.

Pathetic. RINO. Loser.


He was known as The Senator from Archer Daniels Midland.

Danno म्हणाले...

Blogger Darrell said...If America wakes up, the WaPo better locate to some Socialist paradise. We have torches and claw hammers.

I would guess today you'd see AR-15s with bayonets attached.