Donald Rumsfeld Loudly Harangued At White House Correspondents' Dinner (VIDEO)

This video has been making the rounds, but in case you haven't seen it, here's Donald Rumsfeld getting shouted at by Desiree Fairooz and Medea Benjamin of the ubiquitous protest organization known as Code Pink. I gather that the big takeaway is that, in Code Pink's estimation, Donald Rumsfeld is a "war criminal." But don't take my word for it! Maybe my impression is based in a flawed parsing of all this subtlety.

[WATCH.]

Naturally, I'm not a big fan of Donald Rumsfeld, or the Iraq War strategy, or the foreign policy -- if it can be called that -- that came out of the Bush White House. And, on principle, I'm sort of okay with messing around with the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Nevertheless, I find it hard to divine the value of Code Pink yelling at Rumsfeld in this setting. In the first place, there's the pointlessness: the Beltway press are fully on board with "looking forward, not backward," and preserving comity, and not troubling their pretty little minds with the hurtful thoughts of the people they cover going to jail. And I promise you, this yelling at Donald Rumsfeld will only harden their position in this regard. But more to the point, I've watched Code Pink shout at Al Gore, of all people, at Netroots Nation, of all places, as he was explaining his national environmental policy initiative, of all the things to shout down. When you basically go out and disrupt EVERYTHING, it's hard to know where you stand on ANYTHING.

So, yeah, I find this stuff relentlessly unimpressive, but I've also found that plenty of people object to me saying so. Just like the Tea Parties! I nevertheless believe that just as crisis demands we not abandon our principles, our response to crisis demands we at least attempt to preserve a measure of dignity. And with that, everyone can start, you know, TOTALLY YELLING AT ME.

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Comments

[Apov]

Code pink has B A L L S

[teasley]

Code Pink? I thought they disbanded in January. They have been MIA. Besides, aren't they fighting the wrong people. The wars now belong to Barack Obama, as do the civilian casualties. But I guess the war is no longer a problem for our Code Pink Friends.

[disgusted48]

Obama didn't start the war, bush rumsfeld and cheyney did. they are completely responsible for all destruction and meyhem that has ensued as a result. republicans need to embrace that reality. maybe thats why only 21% of Americans admit to being republican.

[Bernique]

You can see them every day on C-Span, teasley. In Congressional hearings, speaking, bannering, holding signs, and standing up for me and you, teasley.

[pkafin]

That doesn't make tyoo much sense. Those who prosecuted the wars during the Bush administration are no less culpable today because Obama won the election.

Yes, pressure should be kept up on Obama to take America off our war path. But, no, Rumsfeld should not be spared a calling out on his behavior.

[BassguyGG]

True though it may be and as good as it probably made this woman feel, doing stuff like this is counterproductive. It makes the Left look like a bunch of looney tunes. It distracts from the serious dialogue around the fact that this man IS a WAR CRIMINAL!

Oh, how I long for the day that I will see him on trial, in the docket with Dick, Condi, Rove and Shrub, at long last being held accountable for his misdeeds!

[pkafin]

Who else this month has called attention to Rumsfeld's culpability in war crimes. Whoever they are, they haven't garnered much attention.

[Leo Leonardo]

I disagree with you!. Code Pink is somewhat comical in their actions.. But they are effective in making a point. Its appropriate for these people to be called out for what they are (Not sure if you heard it in the video, but Rumsfeld, along with others, is a WAR CRIMINAL). This of course is not punishment, but this protest makes people aware of the fact that they are going about accepting a war criminal and ignoring criminals amongst their social functions. If he were a child molester, wouldn't it be in the public interest for people to know? - Is being a war criminal a lesser crime then child molester? Would the White House Correspondent association welcome known rapists to their annual dinner?

[motoGpifupleez]

This should be the standard fare for him, and every other member of the Cabal of Fools for the rest of their lives. Good on Code Pink. They are doing the work the pathetic excuse of the media refuses to do.
Keep the criminals in the light.

[LeftHandedBrain]

I say good for them. That man shouldn't be allowed to step out of his house without being reminded of the horrors he's caused. I'm wondering why he was invited to this (or any) event in the first place.

[GreyWolfSC]

"I find it hard to divine the value of Code Pink yelling at Rumsfeld in this setting."

At least someone is doing something. I can't wait til Rumsfeld gets thrown "under the bus."

[SammyD]

these Code Pink chicks (?) are so 60's wannabees yawn

[pkafin]

You bothered to write about it. I don't think you even know what you mean about 60's wannabees.

Fact is, you cared enough to try to dismiss them by writing "yawn". Ironically, that indicates you really did notice.

[DWilliy]

Oh yeah, Medea Benjamin is really concerned with human rights. That’s why she criticizes the United States than turns around and supports Hugo Chavez and dictator Fidel Castro.

[realist2008]

precisely what rights do you have that the citizens of cuba and venezuala do not? cradle to grave health care? universal sharing of national profits? are they just EVIL SOCIALIST countries without oligarchs raping them blind?

[finishcurve]

Thanks, Rumsfeld:

http://www.alternet.org/rights/140022/little_known_military_thug_squad_still_brutalizing_prisoners_at_gitmo_under_obama/?page=1

[dphilip]

.."Stay Classy" you dems....hahahahahhahah

[TRichards]

Yup. Nothing says class, I suppose, like supporting a man whose reaction to a total breakdown in Baghdad was, "Stuff happens." Then, to prove it, we had Abu Grahib and Gitmo -- with Rumsfeld's blessings.

I agree that the courts would be a better place, but nobody other than hapless privates are being held accountable for torture. That Rumsfeld, knowing that the torture at Abu Grahib came right out of his playbook, allowed the privates to be humiliated and tried is the ultimate in a lack of class.

And, by the way, he IS a war criminal -- even if this country has lost the moral backbone to pursue such criminals any longer.

[Michael Schwartz]

Code Pink aren't Democrats they are actual lefties.

[sawdustinhershoes]

These ladies should be given a medal. Should the press and politicos forget it, Rumsfeld is a treasonous, lying, self-serving criminal. His every move should be shadowed by his crimes. If our president won't see to his "justice," then "the people" should.

This overt behavior by these ladies underscores the total disregard our government has for pursuing criminal behavior by their counterparts.

Rumsfeld, Cheney, Rove, Bush, Gonzales, Addington, and their many cohorts should ALL be indicted for crimes against the people of the US and the world.

They wipe their butts with the US Constitution, then tell us they protect it..

[realpolitic]

"Treasonous, lying, self-serving criminal" are all Rumsfield's good qualities! By the way, Dust, is Texas going to secede? I like the sound of 50 states and 49 is sort of an odd number. Please try to convince the governor to stay in the Union for awhile. Take care!

[PuffDragon]

I respect and appreciate what these women did - they are very brave, and in this case, they are expressing my feelings towards Rumsfeld et al.

The Washington political crowd is far too comfortable with the rampant criminality in its midst. They are all covering each others a**

It's good that they get a sample of the outrage that the majority of Americans feel.

[superjules]

I love it! Too bad he doesn't have a conscience to bother him.

[Musiker]

Gee...it's just not any fun being a hated former politico, is it?

[Dailykook]

Someone go take them out back and spank them.