Time magazine's Mark Halperin called Barack Obama a dick on MSNBC this morning. The video clip is posted all over the web today, and Halperin and MSNBC have both apologized.
Forget about that for a second, and ponder why Halperin said it. The media line on Obama's press conference is that he was unusually feisty, partisan and/or populist. These are qualities the media tend to abhor in Democratic politicians, who are constantly counseled to work with Republicans or stay in the media-defined "center" in order to succeed (and remember that their "center" is often off to the right, politically speaking).
It would seem that Halperin's outburst came in that context– see this transcript from Mediaite:
Joe Scarborough: Mark Halperin, what was the president's strategy? We are coming up on a deadline and the president decided to please his base, push back against the Republicans. I guess the question is, we know a deal has to be done. Is this showmanship? A lot of times you go up there and both sides and they act tough so their base will be appeased, then they quietly work the deal behind the scenes.
Mark Halperin: Are we on the seven second delay?
Mika Brzezinski: Lordy.
Halperin: I wanted to characterize how the president behaved.
Scarborough: We have it. We can use it. Go for it. Let's see what happens.
Brzezinski: We're behind you, you fall down and we catch you.
Halperin: I thought he was a dick yesterday.
Scarborough: Delay that. delay that. what are you doing? I can't believe — I was joking. Don't do that. Did we delay that?
Halperin: I said it. I hope it worked.
About Peter Hart
Now let's think about this for a minute.
Why should Halperin, or anyone else, apologize for something like this?
That he dissed Dear Misleader because he's a bourgeois POS is beside the point, isn't it? Why should we display any deference to someone who supposedly is a "public servant"? Because he lives in a taxpayer-funded mansion and has his own theme song?
And the term employed is mild compared to the reality of his crimes, isn't it? Of course, Halperin fully supports those acts of inhumanity. His knickers are in a twist because it's unacceptable for Obama to utter anything other than the bi-party line, regardless of the blatant hypocrisy extant.
So while this may be a fetid farce, we could use a helluva lot more folks righteously speaking truth to power, and unapologetically calling this bastard what he is, don't you think?
Doug Latimer writes: "[W]e could use a helluva lot more folks righteously speaking truth to power…."
Calling someone a "dick" is not speaking truth to power–it's supplanting analysis with a personal attack, which seems to be the stock-in-trade of many DC journalists. One speaks truth to power by revealing facts–something at which Halperin has not proven very adept.
But it is a recurring pattern amongst journalists that Democratic presidents can be spoken of, and treated, cavalierly, while Republican presidents must be deferred to.
Another ad hominid attack from an apparent charm school flunk out. This should only produce the unemployment of Mark Halperin.
Anthony, how you conflate what I'm advocating with Halperin's bullshit is beyond me.
I'd be happy to explain my meaning – although I don't see why I'd need to – but first I'd like you to lay out how you arrived at your conclusion.
Deal?
But I should clarify one point. Halperin knows full well that Obama is posturing. That's part of the accepted game, for Democrats to talk the talk on occasion for reasons of political expediency, and for pundits to deride them for it. Then everyone goes on their merry way.
For whatever reason, he went beyond the usual parameters of castigation. Maybe he had a bad croissant for breakfast. I couldn't say.
The bottom line is that it's all political theater, and has nothing to do with any core disagreement on who should call the shots, and who they should be aimed at.
I like Obama, but even I'm scratching my head over why he was suspended for this. Free speech and all that jazz. And in all honesty, President Obama was kind of a dick the other night. Such is the way of the world when you get to the point of not playing nice anymore. So be it.
So long as Halperin is calling Sen. McConnell a dick when he's being said appendage, which is often; so long as Halperin is calling Boehner a dick when he, too, is being one; so long as Halperin will call Palin and Bachman and others a c*nt when they fit the definition, sure, he can call the POTUS any damn body part he wants. But if he's cherrypicking his dicks and the like, he deserves to lose his high-profile media job. Long ago he lost his credibility, so there's nothing for him to suffer on that account.
DL insists that calling people names is speaking truth to power. Fine. But how did he manage to comment twice on it without referring to the corpress?
"ad hominid attack" — I likes, I likes.
[...] http://www.fair.org/blog/2011/06/30/why-did-mark-halperin-call-obama-a-dick/ . [...]
Are you all crazy. Never mind responding, I already know the answer! Idiots!
[...] Mark Halperin, Morning Joe Posted in Barack Obama | Permalink | Trackback | [...]
For one, I thought there were some pretty good comments here.
I'm with Mark Everett on this one Bottom line is Halperin doesn't like Obama. he had already decided he was going to say something ridiculous and wanted cover but they blew it. I never heard him call Bush a dick when Bush was really being a dick rather than just answering questions and telling the fricking truth.
I would think that instead of calling him a dick, he could have used a lot of other adjectives. He couldn't wait to say it. He almost looked like the cat that ate the rat. He's the dick
Personally, I think anyone from Time mag has lost their cred. I've been reading Time for thirty-five years and can't believe what they've become. An emaciated version of news lite bred with People Magazine. I've switched to the Economist.
As a society we tolerate, to one extent or another, torture, wars of aggression and the subsequent occupations, warrantless searches, government sponsored kidnapping, imprisonment without trial and the chief executive declaring his power to order a murder without probable cause, declaration of war or any requisite…all without review.
Yet we get aroused by a public celebrity being called a "slut" or "dick."
We've lost our collective mind.
Mark Halperin has every right to call anyone a dick. It's hardly professional behavior, though, and, yes, FAIR, the fact that in this case the publicly funded mansion is the White House certainly should exempt its occupant from being called names. What's more important is something else you wrote in your commentary.
If Halperin, indeed, used that word because populist feistiness upset him, then he's more than welcome to one short word. If the President threatened a reporter with democratic convictions, then all of our lives may get easier and happier in the months ahead. I applaud Obama! Threaten more reporters and act on your democratic convictions.
What's more important than threatening reporters is threatening Republicans. These short words have been far too long in coming: right on, Mr. President!
The thing that strikes me about this whole thing is that Halperin knew what he was doing was wrong, that's why he asked about the 7 second delay, and being assured there was one he went ahead an let his ego and his bias speak for him. The other thing that struck me were the other's present, the 'bobble-heads' who thought he was just so clever and sat there just inanely smiling and nodding – 'oh, by the way, sorry about that 7 second delay thing, we don't really know what we're talking about anyway'.
Jeanne – your comment got me thinking! Yes, why did Halperin ask about the 7-second delay? Why, without using body-parts language, couldn't he simply say, without the delay in effect, that he thought the President hedged, or tried to box the Republican leadership in a corner, or whatever words fit his thoughts.
It troubles me deeply that a commentator like Halperin, who seems to be everywhere (I recently attended a gathering at a college where he spoke), was willing to express himself candidly only with the protective cover of the delay. I'm glad that this was revealed. I hope all commentators learn from this episode – not to duck and cover, and hide their true thoughts and feelings, but to frame their responses truthfully and clearly.
The media goes after all Republicans and Conservatives.They are viciously attacked and nobody says a word about how terrible Obama has been.As a senior citizen on Social Security Obama is the only president in history who has not cared a damn about given us an increase saying their is no inflation when everthing has gone up in price.The media did everything to destroy G.W.Bush calling him hitler and murderer every day especially on M.S.N.B.C.but dare say anything negative about Obama and the media goes wild.We are not ignorant.We will never vote for for Obama.
So this passes for both free speech AND mature analysis? The President was calling out the insipid, thoughtless strategies of the GOP – save the rich, stick it to the poor and middle class. And he's a "dick" for saying what the majority of Americans believe and know to be true?
Seems to me if that is what passes for "analysis" of the President, conservatives have shown how bankrupt they are ideologically and politically. I won't be reading TIME anymore. It has clearly lost any credibility since its commentator has shown how vapid he is.
Doug Latimer writes "Why should Halperin, or anyone else, apologize for something like this?"
Because it is adolescent, typical of high school locker room discourse. Treating another person with courtesy is not being "politically correct", it is simply according them the respect they are due as a human being.
Enough said.
I suppose it is acceptable to say anything about anyone who is not a Republican. But, anathema on anyone who speaks anything that might be remotely construed as a negative comment regarding Republicans.
When Halperin said he didn't know whether or not he should say the word,and then said it,he came across as dense.If you have to think twice,then you don't say it.
If I want to hear ad hominem attacks on Obama with crude and distasteful language,I'll listen to Limbaugh
Mr. Latimer exhibits a great deal of arrogant behavior. The kind you might call dickish.
The president was elected. He is in negotiations. He talked up his side, and I know a lot of people who feel happy about that.
Are you the one, pure leftist remaining? Oh, dear, put this guy on ice. They're so precious these days.
But they do exhibit lots of dickish behavior.
In this moment, right here, who do I have to support?
Obama is a lying murderous thug and a DICK!
Anyone who believes any thing obama says is a stupid dick.
the great majority of you amerikans are dicks.
sick sick society full of dicks.
My word – a tempest in a tea pot! The President is a war criminal, an inveterate liar and a spineless toady of the Wall Street/Corporate Business crowd, and they get upset over someone using a four letter word (one of the milder ones at that) rather than over the obscenity of the punditry itself not really addressing the President's rather egregious character faults – these pundits are certainly as overpaid as the President himself and just as disingenuous. And as for according Obama the respect due a human being, there is respect and then respect, and human beings and then human beings. I suppose dropping bombs on people is a proper measure of the respect that the President demonstrates for others – along with his re-definition of "justice". Too many people have flatulence of the brain nowadays, and it comes out as posturing for effect, to seem part of the Few Washed, as opposed to the Great Unwashed…
Mark Halperin is just another lazy overpaid pseudo-expert pundit. He clearly staged this "dick" comment for maximum shock effect, not to further intelligent discourse. He deserved to be fired–not for the use of one word, but for his lack of professionalism and his obvious personal bias. Good riddance.
Halperin is a lousy journalist and a silly, pretentious man.
This society is on the verge of crash and burn, there's no courtesy, no decency in our debate. Hate rules. I think the most corroding aspect of our political discourse is the disrespect that is shown to anyone who dares to disagree. I have never seen things as bad as they are today, and I don't think we are going to make it as a country. Americans, as a group, are weak and fearful, and especially they are mean. When anything goes wrong all they do is look around for someone else to blame. Pitiful.
It is still true that Democrats are more compassionate by far than Republicans, but even they are in moral decay. The end-times are not fun.
Why? Because that is what right wingers do when they don't have a valid answer to those who challenge their ridiculous ideology or stand on important issues.
Anything coming out of Morning Joe is suspect. MSNBC should bar Halperin from ever appearing again and should fire republicon Joe Scarborough. What's good for Keith is good for Joe.
A journalist who resorts to personal vulgar name-calling on the public air waves is no longer a journalist. So Halperin should lose his job at Time and try to join the gallery of media commentators or editorialists, like Limbaugh, who have their own blab and blather show. Halperin could have said, "this is just my own personal opinion, but I think the President acted like … etc." Instead, he let his condemnation fly as reportage of an event and a statement of fact. Ergo, he finds himself disgraced as a serious journalist and needs to hand over his press badge.
Obama holds the office of president of the United States. This is a signiture and symbol of our country and of our democracy, just as our flag is. He was elected by the majority of the voters that decided it was important to show up and actually spend ten minuits doing something constructive for their country. If Halprin had flipped off the flag or spit on it, all you neocons would have his head on a pike.
Anyone that disrespects the office of the president by cussing at or threatening the person in the office should be ashamed. Constructive criticism and speaking truth to power is encourged. Everything else is just playing to the crowd.
As for Jay K, If you think Obama cares less about your social security and medicare than the Repugs, your just a dumb@#$%. (See, playing to the crowd.)
Robert Covelli thinks that the President should be exempt from being called names. What a pathetic, beaten-down little serf. Find yourself another country, Covelli.
Halperin, obviously, wanted to draw attention to himself–and
he did. People in journalism today have trouble reading, writing
and spelling. If they're especially bad at spelling, they get to
write the news crawls on TV. In Halperins's case, he's just short
on vocabularly. Given seven more seconds, could he have come
up with a different word and saved himself a lot of trouble?
Probably not.
Could you imagine the firestorm if he'd said "dick head?" I'm certain Obama has been called much worse than that, so what's the problem? Blow it off and continue the march!
I call Obama worse every day. And I'm ultraprogressive. Gotta remember, these corporation-pimped jerks we elect are NOT royalty. The respect we owe them is in direct proportion to the job they do, not the position they hold. The nonsense we're taught all of our lives of showing "proper respect" for elected scum simply because the "office deserves respect" has troubled me my entire life. It's just a way of letting the liars and thieves off the hook, not to mention being baldfaced propaganda to let us "commoners" know our place. A good dose of Jacksonian democracy to put our self-entitled pseudoleaders in their places is badly needed in this country.
Especially since the proper reference is Koch.
The problem with this kind of journalistic playing to the crowd, is that it isn't journalism. Surely, Halperin has a better vocabulary to express his opinions. Of course, that would take a little time and effort. What I tuned into was the delight he had when he thought he was getting away with something and having a little secret with the two colleagues (I have a better cruder word for them it begins with "d" and ends with "s." Guess the 9 letters and win a prize.) who were with him, obviously titilated and anxious to hear his "word." Look at his face. He thinks he was really cute and funny. Of course, he found his serious look when he got caught and was forced to "sincerely" apologize.
Just another reason why I cancelled my cable. I can see pathetic in a lot of places for free. I shouldn't have to pay to watch overpaid sophists expound on their own vacuity.
Doug Latimer has real problems with reality. The president played politics? Shocking, isn't it? Look, is the president criminal for living in the White House? You are off base. Take a break.
What's Halpern's insult civil discourse? Like yours in this comment section?
"the term employed is mild compared to the reality of his crimes" …what the…? What crimes? Being president? That is rich after 8 years of Bush Cheney and real Constitutional challenges that pair faced. We invaded a weak country which did not threaten us. Which led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people. I could go on. What did Obama do? He bucked his base, aimed to the center, usde formerly Heritage Foundation market-based ideas to solve a health care crisis. Now that is socialism for the flunkies who didn't pass political science 101. What a treasonous crime. What, we going to bring back Ken Starr to try to
Gee, I just thought Halperin was comparing O'bomber to Mr. Cheney, as he is becoming more and more like that particular Dick every day.
You should probably have the last word with your pithy comment, Steve, but I'll just say that Peter Hart got right to the heart of the matter when he pointed out that Obama veered right off the "journalist's" script and actually (rather timidly) criticised the whorish, criminal Republicons and their Corporate and rich masters. We can't have that! I took note of the fact that the thin-skinned Republicon leaders (and their whores, hacks like Halperin and the other Beltway actors posing as journalists) began moaning and complaining that mean old Mr. President was not being nice. Funny. The Republicons can say and do anything (destroy unions, wreck the lives of working people, take away the paltry heath care options that a few Americans have), and their seals in the Corpress bark and cheer them on. They can use stupid, childish, mean, and ignorant languge to lie about anything, and agian they are given a free pass. But let our Republicon-lite Prez speak truth to power for a few seconds, and the cowardly assholes wig out. We are in deep and spectacular trouble here, and it's going to get far worse. The President is, in a way, simply going through the motions: I suspect his biggest cave-in is coming soon.
P.S.: Say, Elizabeth S., Time has been rotten for a long time now.
P.S.S.: Just plain Elizabeth–I'm guessing that word is dickheads. Right? You're right, too: All three of those clowns were dickheads. Utterly embarrassing, and an acute example of modern Beltway TV journalism.
Something told me that I didn't want to read "Game Change."
No problem, Fox News will give him his own show.
What I found interesting about the incident is that it seems to have been staged. Why did Halperin ask whether they were on delay unless he was expecting the word to be bleeped, leaving viewers wondering exactly how bad the word he had said was.
In other words, he wanted to give the audience the impression he had used the F-word when he was using a weasel word.
One doesn't even have to like Obama to recognize that Halperin was abusing his access to electronic media to use it in a partisan way and create yet one more phony pseudoscandal. The guy shouldn't be suspended. He should be shunned by anyone who believes in journalism.
Q: "Why Did Mark Halperin Call Obama a Dick?"
A: "Because he can find his way out without a helping hand."
OOps, that's "can't find his way out…"
Halperin has neither the decency nor half the smarts that this president has. Any child can make the remark that Halperin did. Giving some substantive input on what disturbed him would have been the
thinking person's way to proceed.
He did it because of all the attention he is getting from all of you (and me too). Lord help us.