Radio Libs Tout Famed Author's Disdain for Conservatives as 'Stupid' -

NewsBusters.org ^ | January 24, 2014 | Jack Coleman

[Kaslin]

Don't you love it when liberals ridicule conservatives as idiots while said liberals do something idiotic? Yeah, it's one of my favorite hobbies too, one that guarantees an endless stream of amusing fodder.

Latest example comes by way of Bill Press's radio show yesterday. Press, a former California Democratic Party chief and co-host of an earlier iteration of the cable show "Crossfire," was listening to his producer, Peter Ogburn, run through a daily news brief when this exchange could be heard (audio) --

OGBURN: Frank McCourt, the author Frank McCourt, you're familiar, right?

PRESS: Why is your face red?

OGBURN: I can't segue from this (alluding to preceding conversation about Google Glass and sex).  Author Frank McCourt, it turns out, he not only is a great author, he has a wonderful sense of politics. If you call his home phone, his answering machine has a very unique phone message. It just says, 'And remember, while all conservatives are not stupid, all stupid people are conservative.' That's his voice mail.

PRESS SIDEKICK LISA MURPHY: That's great! (all three laugh)

OGBURN: I love that, I love that.

PRESS: "Angela's Ashes," yes, Frank McCourt. (Press referring to McCourt's best-selling memoir of his impoverished childhood in Ireland).

More accurately, McCourt was a great author and had a wonderful sense of politics -- until he died in 2009. Needless to say, anyone leaving him a phone message won't receive a call back anytime soon, at least not in this mortal realm.

It's probably too much to expect for Press or either of his underlings to recognize the quote as originally coming from British philosopher and economist John Stuart Mill.

No sooner had this scintillating patter concluded that Press complained about conservatives criticizing Texas state senator Wendy Davis. He then said this about Republicans in the Lone Star State (audio) --

Let's be honest, for a Republican to be elected governor of Texas is sort of like, I got the same chance to fly to the moon without a spacesuit or without a spaceship, you know what I mean? It's, it's, it's, it's tough.

Tell that to the incumbent -- a Republican named Rick Perry. Or to his predecessor, another GOPer who goes by the name of George W. Bush. Somewhere, Frank McCourt does not appreciate having his phone message denigrated in this manner.

[Kaslin]

The rest of the title is: Unaware That He Died Years Ago

[Viennacon]

“Frank McCourt. (Press referring to McCourt’s best-selling memoir of his impoverished childhood in Ireland).”

Never heard of him. Was his book ‘A Child Called It’?

Anyway, Abbott is going to mop the floor with abortion barbie, so I’m not sure what this guy is talking about.

[DManA]

Did Press just get back from Colorado?

[rey]

A NYC liberal former public school teacher with poor manners who thinks he is more clever than he is?

Who would have thunk it.

[Andy'smom]

Anyone whose watched him knows that Bill Press has always been an idiot.

[reg45]

If she would abandon her own children, she would abandon YOU!

[oldenuff2no]

These people would praise Hitler and Stalin too.

[a fool in paradise]

I think he's an alien.

"Because all you of Earth are idiots. You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!"

[drunknsage]

Perry set the bar so low anyone could be Gov of Texas. When your key legislation is universally reviled and your most famous for doing nothing, it doesn’t take much. I prefer to see the Perry crony circle jerk come to end end and I don’t see Abbott as anything more than a stooge with little actual leadership abilities that bends to the will of the powers that be. Look at his handling of the Texas commission for forensic science and the blatant political favor he handed Perry. Had Abbott even enforced the reforms he enacted like giving custodial fathers more access to their kids. Sure hasn’t worked that way with my brother and the State has refused to hold his ex accountable for her blatant violations.

Texas deserves better. I’m proud of this state but constantly embarrassed at the Republicans and wimp conservatives that turn out in droves to vote based on their favorite franchise, paying little attention to actual qualifications beyond party affiliation.

The only way I’m voting Abbott is if that skank Davis actually has a chance. Still, I hate to continue the battered wife cycle of voting for these pigs.

[Oratam]

In the very first sentence of "'Tis," McCourt's follow-up to "Angela's Ashes," he writes about walking into the New York Public Library, the great big building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, and checking out a book.

Well, I closed his book right there. The NYPL on Fifth Avenue, the one with the lions, is not a lending library. If McCourt would lie about so trivial a matter, what else would he lie about?

[dr_lew]

That pic is not the "Stupid minds" scene, nor does he say anything like "Because all you of Earth are idiots." ( ... at least in that scene )

Here's the clip. I love the physics!

BTW, the guy in the sport coat who slaps him was featured in a Perry Mason episode.

[dr_lew]

The NYPL on Fifth Avenue, the one with the lions, is not a lending library.

I was not aware of that!

[goodnesswins]

I slogged thru his first book...never again read anything by him

[driftless2]

The locals in Limerick were also outraged about the book. One of them counted over one hundred lies in the tome. Some were minor, and some dirtied the reputations of innocent people. McCourt may write beautifully, but like many lib authors, he was also a knave.

[BilLies]

If your mother and father had been of the same cultural quality as McCourt’s your politics may have been a little warped too.

[Oratam]

Thanks for that information. We can thank Phil Donahue for bringing McCourt to our attention. I remember Donahue devoting his entire show (the original Donahue show) to McCourt when Agngla's Ashes first came out.

I think of Donahue as a proto-Oprah.

[goat granny]

does anyone really care what a liberal thinks of them. Not worth the time of day to get upset about it.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

bkmk