Black Box Report

Some artists work in paints, others in clay and ceramics. Iowa Republican Steve King is an artist, and he works in stupid. He began his latest masterpiece saying he didn't want to disparage Barack Hussein Obama because of his race, ethnicity, name or whatever the religion of his father might have been...and then proceeded to do just that:

King's whole premise is an affront to the intelligence of all people. You are not less American simply by virtue of having a name that is Arabic in origin. Would King dare question the patriotism of Gen. Omar Bradley, Gen. John Abizaid, Rep. Darrell Issa, or Secretary Donna Shalala?

Well, of course not. None of them are Democratic presidential candidates.

King assumes the entire rest of the Muslim world is both a) terrorist-lovin' America-haters, and b) as stupid as he is. What might the Muslim world think of an American president with the middle name "Hussein?" Maybe that we all aren't the bunch of bigots that people like King have made them think we are.

Of course, none of this comes as a surprise. King is just trotting out the GOP's well-worn standard issue attack on Democrats:

Expect to see more of this. Lots more. The Republican party, faced with a minority candidate with an unusual name, will be even less able than usual to reign in their natural racist and culturually retarded impulses. If there is a crack about ethnicity, religion, or any derivation from the standard issue GOP robot to be made - they will make it. The irony is that nobody has done more to help and validate Al Qaeda than George W. Bush, and his anointed follower, John McCain is just more of the same.

And this is what sets a Master of Stupid like Steve King apart from the rest of the pack. His premise isn't just wrong, it's 180*, diametrically opposed from reality:

Why would al-Qaeda dance in the streets that a Christian of white Kansas and Kenyan heritage, who promised to bomb them in Pakistan, had become president?
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If the US public isn't supposed to vote for a US politician whose reelection would please "the world of Islam," then apparently it should not have voted for Bush.

As for al-Qaeda, it actively supported Bush's reelection, because it knew that the Iraq War is all that now keeps it from just disappearing.
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It seems pretty obvious that the "global war on terror" could be much more easily won if we stop being mired in a quagmire in Iraq, stop operating a machine for producing terrorists, stop spending trillions on Bush's buddies in the military-industrial complex, and instead do some good police work in finishing off al-Qaeda.

Which is what Obama wants to do. Al Qaeda needs the US involved in wars in the Middle East to remain relevant. They want chaos in the region; it's how they thrive. George W. Bush gave them exactly what they wanted. And then some. And all because people like King just don't know no better:

First, if this is the best smear right-wing voices can come up with, I’m unimpressed. Second, if King is sharp enough to tie his shoes in the morning, I’d be very impressed.

This is, after all, the same Steve King who:

* insists that “every child” in America’s public schools should be taught “the tenets of the Christian faith.”

* argues that the United States is “a Christian nation,” and called on Americans to “stand up” to “worship Christ.”

* compares immigrants to cattle.

* falsely argued that illegal immigrants murder 12 Americans a day.

* told reporters, “There probably are not 72 virgins in the hell [al Zarqawi is] at. And if there are, they probably all look like [White House correspondent] Helen Thomas.”

* described Joseph McCarthy as “a great American hero.”

* renamed S-CHIP the “Socialized Clinton-style Hillarycare for Illegals and their Parents” bill.

* argued that the civilian violent death rate in Washington, D.C., is actually higher than it is in Iraq, and cited bogus data while making the case.

* told Newsweek that federal courts “have defied federal law,” and he has a plan to “put the courts back in their appropriate constitutional place,” though he wouldn’t say what the plan is.

* was one of only 11 lawmakers to vote against emergency relief funds for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Obama should wear this guy’s smear as a badge of honor.

Beacause being attacked by stupid can only make you look good.

King Bush King and Bush