>Anyone who finds a link to video and/or audio of the original please post it >for us. >Colberrr is well on his way to becoming this 21st century's H.L. Menken, who >was the 20th century's S.L. Clemens. >All masters of irony, thus the phrase "rapier wit". > >Michael
D. Mindock posted it: >I watched the two parts of the video at ><http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&; >address=364x1062761>Democratic Underground. Dubya is seriously >roasted. Peace, D. Mindock > > >This is utterly amazing. Stephen Colbert is one brave truth-telling >guy! I LOVE IT!!! Hooray for Helen Thomas, as well. I hope you >enjoy, too. Thanks, Ellen! Now I've got to go watch the >video...........laughing all the way, jeannie > >p.s. I REALLY REALLY recommend watching the video at ><http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&; >address=364x1062761>Democratic Underground. Please note there are >two links, one for each of two parts.....jb > >Re-Improved Colbert transcript (now with complete text of >Colbert-Thomas video!) Best Keith <snip> > -----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Keith Addison >Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 2:49 PM >To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org >Subject: [Biofuel] Stephen Colbert: New American Hero > >http://www.alternet.org/story/36067/ > >Stephen Colbert: New American Hero > >By Don Hazen, AlterNet. Posted May 9, 2006. > >When Colbert turned up the heat on Washington's elite, he revealed >the big split between those basking in power and those fighting for >change. > >Virtually overnight, Stephen Colbert became a hero to countless >Americans, following his April 30 performance at the White House >Correspondents' Association dinner. > >Since then, millions of people have either watched the video or read >the transcript of his skewering of both the president and the press >corps, and have discussed it avidly. Tens of thousands of people have >gone to the website ThankYouStephenColbert.com and written letters of >appreciation. Talk about water-cooler chatter; the event crashed >internet servers across the land. It truly was one of those moments >of media shock and delight. > >And then, an odd but revealing thing happened. Some of the chattering >class commentators, mainstream media writers and columnists, and >Democratic officials didn't get it: Not very funny, rude, not >respectful of the president, and so on. Are they kidding? How could >they not understand they were witnessing one of the bravest, most >subversive performances in memory, which thrilled and gave hope to >untold viewers and readers, and will be a huge marker when people >look back on the Bush era? > >Colbert's speech had a huge impact for two reasons: First, he spoke >truth to power right to the face of the president, in front of the >entire news media. No one could miss, sidestep or deny it. It wasn't >a scene from a movie, book or talk show -- it was live. It reminded >me of Edward R. Murrow's famous address to the Radio and Television >News Directors Association (recently depicted in the film "Good Night >and Good Luck"). It gave me goose bumps. Colbert's performance shamed >every Democrat or columnist who has been too afraid, too timid, or >just too worried about losing his or her own power and access to go >out on a limb and tell the truth that this administration is a >disaster beyond our wildest nightmares. Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rove >have gotten away with murder and worse. And many of the people in >that room that night who squirmed in their seats -- it was in part >because of the internal indictment they were feeling for not doing >what they should have done, countless times, long before. Maybe now >they will do the right thing, but I won't be holding my breath. > >The second reason Colbert made such a huge splash is the rapid >advance of video on the web. Almost overnight, the media world has >irrevocably changed as video is increasingly becoming as important as >print and still images on the web. When, in a matter of hours, dozens >of websites can post or link to a video and get the word out about a >spectacular event, the role of the gatekeepers and the corporate >media shrinks big-time. And it doesn't matter if the networks or CNN >or Fox decides that they don't want you to see it -- they can't stop >it. The people's network is now in working order. Progressives now >have a television capacity; still rudimentary, perhaps, but >powerfully effective. > >The press leaks > >The press coverage of the Colbert performance was illuminating, as >reported by the popular blog, democratic underground: > >"Expect nothing less from the cowardly American media. This >demonstrates powerfully the ability of the media to choose the news, >and to decide when and how to shield Bush from negative publicity. >Sins of omission can be just as bad as sins of commission. > >"The AP's first stab at it, as well as Reuters and the Chicago >Tribune, tell us everything we need to know: In these reports, >Colbert's performance is sidestepped and marginalized, while >President Bush is depicted as lighthearted, humble and witty." > >Salon's Joan Walsh points out, "Colbert's deadly performance did more >than reveal, with devastating clarity, how Bush's well-oiled myth >machine works. It exposed the mainstream press' pathetic collusion >with an administration that has treated it -- and the truth -- with >contempt from the moment it took office. Intimidated, coddled, >fearful of violating propriety, the press corps that for years >dutifully repeated Bush talking points was stunned and horrified when >someone dared to reveal that the media emperor had no clothes. >Colbert refused to play his dutiful, toothless part in the White >House correspondents' dinner -- an incestuous, backslapping ritual >that should be retired. For that, he had to be marginalized. Voilà: >'He wasn't funny.'" > >On the Democratic political front, as John Aravosis wrote on >AmericaBlog, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., actually stepped >up to defend President Bush, saying, according to The Hill: > >"I thought some of it was funny, but I think it got a little rough >He is the president of the United States, and he deserves some >respect." > >"I'm certainly not a defender of the administration," Hoyer reassured >stunned observers, but Colbert "crossed the line" with many jokes >that were "in bad taste." > >Criticizing Colbert for being rude would be pretty funny if it >weren't so depressing. Rude? Since when has politics in this >administration used the Marquis of Queensbury rules? Is Dick Cheney >sweet and accommodating? When, in their march to power, has the right >wing had good manners -- about abortion or gay marriage, or in the >push for invading Iraq? Sure, mention decorum and one thinks >immediately of Karl Rove, of Pat Robertson calling for the >assassination of Hugo Chavez, of Jerry Falwell blaming America's bad >morals for 9/11. > >The fact is, Stephen Colbert is at the acme of rising independent >voices -- in the blogosphere, on the internet, in publishing and >independent filmmaking -- who are being aggressive and playing >hardball the way the right does. And guess what? The establishment is >getting nervous. The powers-that-be know that people respond to >passion, anger and resistance, emotions that convey meaning and >seriousness, and the will to fight hard for important issues. > >In a smaller way, but showing similar guts, Cindy Sheehan spoke truth >by traveling to Texas and demanding that the president explain, >please, just what "noble cause" her son died for. Ray McGovern did it >recently when he publicly challenged Secretary of Defense Donald >Rumsfeld in Atlanta, and so did Harry Taylor, the man who confronted >George W. Bush at a town meeting in North Carolina. > >Perhaps the most important lesson we have learned from the divisions >laid bare by Stephen Colbert is that the big split isn't so much >between Democrats and Republicans or between the media and the people >and events they cover, but rather between the powerful and the angry, >between those basking in power and those fighting for change. The >kiss-ass media, the revolving-door congressmen, the sycophant >lobbyists and congressional staffers, the greedy media consultants -- >all are dependent on and addicted to the trappings of power, whether >it's their next book, TV appearance, consulting contract, ride on Air >Force One or junket to play golf at St. Andrews. Stephen Colbert >turned the heat up on them all: > > let's review the rules. Here's how it works: The president makes >the decisions; he's the decider. The press secretary announces those >decisions, and you people, the press, type those decisions down. >Make, announce, check. Just put 'em through a spell check and go >home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write >that novel you got kickin' around in your head. You know, the one >about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up >to the administration? You know: fiction! > >It's getting hotter in the kitchen, and some of those who have the >most to hide are getting closer to a meltdown. > >Don Hazen is the executive editor of AlterNet _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
