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Tea Party Made Up of 'Freaked Out White Men': Whitney (Santelli responds)
CNBC.com ^ | Wednesday, 10 Aug 2011 | By: Jeff Cox CNBC.com Staff Writer

Posted on 08/10/2011 4:13:40 PM PDT by philo

Tea Party Made Up of 'Freaked Out White Men': Whitney

By: Jeff Cox

CNBC.com Staff Writer

Tea Party members are primarily “freaked out white men” who pose the greatest political threat to Democrats in 2012, according to banking analyst Meredith Whitney.

Speaking in the broader context of a discussion on CNBC regarding the Standard & Poor’s downgrade of U.S. debt, Whitney said the dissenters represent the type of problems that have led to the current predicament in Washington.

“Call it Tea Party, whatever you will, the fringe element is I characterize (as) freaked-out white men who are unemployed and have been unemployed for three years and they’re scared to death,” she said. “Three to four million of them are about to roll off unemployment benefits in the next three to four months. This is only going to get worse.”

Democrats looking to hold the White House and regain full control of Congress will need to take note.

“For this reason you have to deal with the structural issues,” Whitney said. “If you are a Machiavellian Democrat you want do deal with this issue and defuse the Tea Party as fast as you possibly can because this poses the biggest threat to their re-election in 2012.”

Her comments come at a turbulent time for markets, which saw a more than 600-point drop for the Dow industrials on Monday that was followed by a more than 400-point gain on Tuesday.

Economic uncertainty is at the crux of the tumult, with investors caught between crosswinds of debt issues in Europe and the U.S. as well as the threat of rising unemployment.

Whitney said extending unemployment benefits, which already have been pushed to 99 weeks, is not the answer.

“You feel better about yourself when you’re working. Kids feel better about their parents when they’re working. Having a job is more than having a paycheck,” Whitney said. “To push for the extension of unemployment benefits is going to and should unleash absolute backlash against this administration because that’s a horrendous idea.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dnc4racists
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To: philo

I am a unemployed white male since Obama went for that swim in Pensacola bay to tell the Coast Guard “Crisis Over.” I am not freaked out and I may actually have a job on the horizon. Whitney can stick her comment where the sun doesn’t shine. When Santelli told her to stick to munis, I said “YESSSSSSSS!” She looked totally lost after that.


41 posted on 08/10/2011 5:37:41 PM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July, democrats believe every day is April 15.)
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To: philo

So, Sarah Palin is a white man, according to this Whitney moonbat?

Who knew?


42 posted on 08/10/2011 5:41:07 PM PDT by july4thfreedomfoundation (Obama inherited a mild recession from George W. Bush and turned it into a major depression.)
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To: philo

I’m a freaked out white guy!!!!!

Who knew? /s

Proud Conservative, God fearing, Black American man!!!


43 posted on 08/10/2011 5:42:32 PM PDT by Leofl (I'm from Texas, we don't dial 9-11)
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To: LRoggy
I love Santelli but he missed what she really was saying.

I see it quite differently.

I think Santelli got what she said.

Meredith Whitney is the one who didn't get what she said.

She stereotyped almost the entire Tea Party movement as nothing more than white men. Angry white men - not concerned, rational white men.

Then she reduces the motivation and goals of the Tea Party as nothing more than the reaction of those unemployed ANGRY white men. (Bitter Clingers?)

In one breath she dismisses the Tea Party as simply a way for white guys to let off steam and dismisses white guys as whiners who are upset that the economy (and perhaps society and technology?) has passed them by.

Beating up on the Tea Party is the sport of the moment and white men seem to be the only demographic that can safely be discriminated against, denigrated, ridiculed and dismissed - after all, they are reactionary dinosaurs and they just aren't too smart. Where would we be without "Clueless White Guy" commercials? All the really smart, competent women and minorities need a slow witted straight man - right?

So Whitney took a safe, cheap shot and can't imagine why Santelli called her on it.


44 posted on 08/10/2011 6:09:56 PM PDT by Iron Munro (One Trillion seconds = 31,709.79 YEARS / One Trillion dollars = Obama's small change)
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To: Iron Munro

I think the Libtards are just hoping that one of these verbal abuses of the Tea Party will trigger a violent response, so they can say, “I told you so.” It flustrates and angers them when they don’t succeed. Whitney was very flustrated.


45 posted on 08/10/2011 6:17:20 PM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July, democrats believe every day is April 15.)
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To: philo

Okay, I’m getting confused now. I thought I was a terrorist Hobbit, now I’m a freaked out white guy. Is it possible to be both?


46 posted on 08/10/2011 6:32:38 PM PDT by EandH Dad (sleeping giants wake up REALLY grumpy)
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To: CdMGuy

Exactly. Where was Kernan?


47 posted on 08/10/2011 6:35:12 PM PDT by STJPII
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To: OrioleFan

I can’t see the Tea Party people starting violence, but I would bet on them finishing it.


48 posted on 08/10/2011 6:38:58 PM PDT by EandH Dad (sleeping giants wake up REALLY grumpy)
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To: philo

“Stick with munis” — I love it.


49 posted on 08/10/2011 6:43:23 PM PDT by WashingtonSource
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To: Oiao

Yes, it appears they’ve identified a new focus of hate.


50 posted on 08/10/2011 7:17:54 PM PDT by gogeo (...and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough!!! Robert A Hall)
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To: EandH Dad

Me neither.


51 posted on 08/10/2011 7:20:43 PM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July, democrats believe every day is April 15.)
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To: Oiao

Yes, it appears they’ve identified a new focus of hate.


52 posted on 08/10/2011 7:27:43 PM PDT by gogeo (...and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough!!! Robert A Hall)
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To: ozzymandus
OK, I’ll ask, who is Merideth Whitney, and why is she such a stupid bitch?

She's actually a first-class financial analyst who really stepped in it here. When experts speak publicly out of their area of expertise...

53 posted on 08/10/2011 7:37:19 PM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture (Could be worst in 40 years))
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To: philo
Rick tells her to “stick to munis”! Gotta love it!
And she is right about munis!
54 posted on 08/10/2011 8:50:26 PM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (I love how the FR spellchecker doesn't recognize the word "Obama")
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To: RoosterRedux

She DID seem genuinely surprised when he took her on.
Didn’t she say, “where did that come from?”

I’m thinking - for someone who is supposed to be so bright - she doesn’t realize Rick is the founder of the Tea Party?

She should not speak of those things of which she knows not.

“Stick to munis...”.....PERFECT!


55 posted on 08/10/2011 8:55:05 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: RoosterRedux

She DID seem genuinely surprised when he took her on.
Didn’t she say, “where did that come from?”

I’m thinking - for someone who is supposed to be so bright - she doesn’t realize Rick is the founder of the Tea Party?

She should not speak of those things of which she knows not.

“Stick to munis...”.....PERFECT!


56 posted on 08/10/2011 8:55:09 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: D_Idaho

I’m white - freaked out - and female.
I’m unemployed - but chose to to stay home to raise the kiddies.
I’m not freaked out about losing any bennies.

I’m freaked out about what the future holds - or doesn’t hold - for my loved ones.
I’ve watched my parents lose quite a bit of their nest egg just when they’re about to enter the time of their life when they’ll need it most.

I’m freaked out that Whitney isn’t freaked out.


57 posted on 08/10/2011 8:59:41 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: HereInTheHeartland
Actually when Santelli says "stick to munis" it's aciually a dig.

from Newsbusters

"Whitney has recently come under fire for having predicted eight months ago there would be widespread defaults by municipal bond issuers around the country this year."

"As Bloomberg reported in July, during the first six months of 2011, muni defaults are down 60 percent compared to the same period last year."

58 posted on 08/11/2011 3:03:07 AM PDT by philo
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To: philo
aciually = actually

note to self: don't type with the light off

59 posted on 08/11/2011 3:06:45 AM PDT by philo
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To: philo
Well yeah, were freaked out, and we have every reason to be freaked out.

Government spending at the level we are seeing will result in a US soverign debt crisis by the 2013-2014.

A US debt crisis would pretty much destabilize the entire world's economies. Who knows what the resulting chaos would produce but would not be good.

The absolute irresponsibility we saw on the “Debt Compromise”, combined with Harry Reid putting Patty Murray (as co-chair no less) , John Kerry and Max Baccus on the idiotic , illconcived and pre destined to fail Debt Super Panel should elevate the degree of concern from a simple “freaked out” to an all out, wide eyed flop sweat panic/terror attack for anyone who has even a basic grasp of how profoundly serious the situation is and how profoundly un serious our political leadership is on getting control of our debt crisis.

60 posted on 08/11/2011 11:13:35 AM PDT by rdcbn
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