Posted on 06/28/2003 12:56:54 PM PDT by nwrep
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - A new voice has emerged in the re-election campaign of President Bush (news - web sites), that of Dennis Miller (news), who is gaining a reputation as a conservative comic by attacking Democrats with biting humor.
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Miller flew on Air Force One from San Francisco to Los Angeles with the president on Friday, and later gave a stand-up routine at a Bush fund-raiser in Los Angeles.
"I spent an amazing couple of hours with Dennis Miller," Bush said during his Los Angeles speech after Miller's routine. "He keeps you on your toes."
He added: "I was also honored to meet his wife, Carolyn. Like me, he married above himself. It may not be all that hard, in his case. But I'm proud to have his help."
Miller, who was an analyst on ABC's "Monday Night Football, had an HBO comedy show and does commentary for Fox News, adds a celebrity touch to Bush's re-election campaign, much like actor Bruce Willis (news) did in 1992 when Bush's father ran for re-election.
Bush remained offstage until after Miller's often caustic comic performance during the fund-raiser that drew in $3.5 million, most of it in $2,000 checks from 1,600 people.
For instance, he took aim at West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, a Democratic elder statesmen who has questioned the Iraq (news - web sites) war and its chaotic aftermath.
Even some in the crowd of Republican loyalists booed when Miller said of Byrd: "I think he must be burning the cross at both ends."
Responding to the boos, Miller said: "Well, he was in the (Ku Klux) Klan. Boo me, but he was in the Klan."
He likened the nine Democratic presidential candidates running to unseat Bush in 2004 to the 1962 New York Mets, perennial losers, and called them an "empty-headed scrum."
He had a special barb for one candidate, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who has questioned the Iraq war, comparing him to Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister who followed a policy of appeasement of Nazi Germany in the years before World War II.
"He can roll up his sleeves all he wants at public events, but as long as we see that heart tattoo with Neville Chamberlain's name on his right forearms, he's never going anywhere," Miller said.
That would be Jackie Mason.
| Well, this is quite a turnaround from what he seemed to be just a few short years ago.
The bet he's making is that if he moves fast enough, he can become to comedy what Ann Coulter is to punditry. What the liberals running the publishing houses thought was a niche market — Books for conservatives... who needs it, leave it to Regnery — turns out to be one Hell of a lot bigger than they thought it was. If you're in TV, you have to respect Fox News. Numbers talk. Dennis Miller is an obvious candidate for a Jay Leno-type job some day, and he is positioning himself now to be the go-to guy when somebody finally says, "Here's an idea — let's "Fox" late-night TV. Maybe we can knock off Letterman." A few years ago, what he's doing would have been a huge career risk. I don't think it is anymore, and it's obvious that he doesn't either. Conservatives are on TV to stay. There's money in it; end of argument. |
Well said. I agree.
Not good.
Thanks! You are on now !
Does anybody else have insight into Miller's "conversion"?
Thanks!
Come to think of it, I'll bet you're right. Reuters does have a penchant for a certain anti-Republican (if not an outright anti-American) spin.
Too late....he's been blasted as a sell out and a whore ever since he said he thinks GWB is okay. In fact most any vile thing that is said about any conservative commentator is directed at Dennis. He is a traitor in their eyes.
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Even a "few short years ago," someone trying to make a living in the entertainment business would have been nuts to wear conservative politics on his sleeve. Even now, Miller probably assumes that he's dead with the sort of people who used to hire him — HBO, ABC, etc.