Roy Sekoff Challenges Congressman On GOP's Criticism Of Obama School Speech

HuffPost Editor Roy Sekoff co-hosted an hour on MSNBC this morning with Carlos Watson. Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) was their guest on the phone, discussing the wave of conservative criticism of President Obama's upcoming speech to school kids. Sekoff asked the Representative, who has blogged for the Huffington Post, if he was willing to denounce the members of his party who "criticize the president of the United States for telling school kids to do their homework": "You have to say to the GOP, 'Have you no shame?'"


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Earlier in the show, Sekoff and Watson discussed Afghanistan, how the media's favored right versus left framing no longer applies to the situation there, and whether or not this war would prove to be "Obama's Vietnam."


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Comments

[jaggededge]

tom friedman had it right yesterday on mtp---someone needs to stand up & say this is just stupid

i don't understand it, during the mc carthy debacle they let it go on for years---the right has to have a boogeyman, i understand that, but what the hell is wrong with the left? is it they don't want to offend anyone? this bs needs to end

[NHGranite]

I fear that sensible responses will not make it to the tv. The more inflammatory a thing is the more air time it gets, as if any part of it was news. I guess we should be thankful that we don't say more stupid things in response to this spiteful hateful stuff. But if you don't think like a crazy person it's tough to respond to craziness in a news worthy way.

[Oldbuck]

We have let the idiot of the world take over one of our parties the Republican have lost their collective minds they have make it popular to make the uninformed the basis of their party . Truly these people don't think they are well represented by Bush ,Cheney, Rush ,Hannity, Palin and Glen Beck it seem to me the party is a party of Bankrupt ideals who has only below intelligence member they have created the darkest days of our country.

[Khirad]

I heard something about a parent who was upset, I kid you not, that the kids shared school supplies and decried it as Socialist indoctrination. I wish it was self-aware satire, I really, really do.

[t iessa]

We had a board who voted to not charge any fees because the kids who couldn't afford them didn't have to pay them. The member who started it said, "if they don't have to pay neither should I" even though he was very well off and should have been grateful he could afford them and glad he was able to help others who weren't as lucky. There are a lot of nuts out there...an­d they get to vote.

[Dane1911]

The media is not helping at all.....th­ey are assisting the GOP, conservatives and these other rethugs along with Fox news anchors O Reiley, Hannity, Beck and others with Limshit...­.for a terrible outcome that will eventually lead someone to try to murder our president.­....The media need to be responible for their actions...­because when something happens you can not take it back,...an­d it will be no room for what ifs and maybes....­...Its one to to express your opinons. but its another thing to promote HATE which will lead to VIOLENCE..­....look at Martin, JFK, Bobby Kennedy, and every other black leader....­...they are playing with a deadly gun and someone will eventually fire

[take10]

What I'd like to know is, will federal tax dollars continue to fund these racist schools which do not allow the leader of the federal government to speak their schools? It seems very hypocritical to accept money the President has sent to these schools via the stimulus plan and then tell him he can't address the students. Not all parents of students in these schools are racist red necks who follow the ignorant rantings of Glenn Beck k k and Rush Limbaugh. They didn't mind GW Bush reading Jack and Jill to fifth graders for 7 minutes after being told that the country was under terrorist attack. This is pure racism no matter how you try to spin it! I live in Escambia County, Fl where rac ism is a prevalent as anywhere. And, yes! My school superintendent has decided to not allow the children to see and hear their President because a few bigots have voiced objections. What about those of us who want our children to see and hear President Obama, just like the racists parents wanted their children to see and hear past Presidents. Rac ism will eventually destr oy this country. Perhaps, the sooner, the better chanced we'll have to start a new beginning where all people are treated equally. Rac ists are the ug ly Americans who raise their children to be just as rac ist and ug ly. They have no shame!

[Rjchinook]

Very well said! If only the Media would stop giving these people air time & saying the rights racists objections are actually real American concerns. The whole world is watching and they look like complete fools.

[lyta]

Why would they do that when it sells....w­hen it increases ratings, when truth is dull and never does anything for ratings.

[EminemsRevenge]

Both racism and the PERFECT NAZI SETUP!

Amerikkka today is a lot like Germany before the little dictator came to power, and yesterday for the first time i saw Glenn Beck pre-rant, and HE is REAL GOOD!!!

IF i was right leaning i'd be easily swayed by his LOGICAL progressio­ns...and that blackboard gimmick is Über-convincing

[Rjchinook]

George Bush Addresses FFA National Youth Organizations and thanks them for their hard work, faith and love of family & values!

http://www.ffa.org/documents/med_prespavisit.pdf

Remarks in a Teleconference With Schoolchildren During the Annual National Space Science Symposium1991-09-17

http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/public_papers.php?id=3394&year=1991&month=9

The Executive Order of January 8, 1963, established the President's Council on Physical Fitness and clearly stated the purpose of the Council.”

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-194620624.html

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/JFK+in+History/The+Federal+Government+Takes+on+Physical+Fitness+Page+2.htm

[connect2u93]

HuffPost's Pick

I usally don't make a post unless it is an issue to which I am very passionate about...I must say that this is one of those issues...F­or the past few days I have like all others been watching, reading and listening to the hoop-la over the speech that President Obama is to make on Tuesday to our school children as well as the one he is to make to the joint session of congress on Wednesday. I have become more and more appalled at the way our media radio, television and the written press has been handling the events of the times. Though it may only be me, I find that it is the voice of the negative persuasion that is prevalent in all the reporting.­..I have not seen one positive sound bite of a parent taking a stand for the President's speech to the school children on any cable or local broadcast. Therefore, I will say with out further adieu that I am in full suppport of the schools that my kids and grandkids attend in allowing them to watch and listen to the POTUS give encouragement and instruction to them as the leader of our country. Though they get it from home and church and from others, I can say honestly that this type of personal attention can never be thought of as anything but cool by our kids of today...

[lyta]

Suspicious is the lack of any media outlet supporting the President. Could it be they are so literally owned by Murdock or virtually owned by his clones?

[RevengeIsNear]

Good post. There is not enough attention to the good things that are being said or done by this president, or others in his admin or around the country. And the same message can be said for other "non-news" stories, like the firing of Van Jones. I don't know a whole lot about him, but I did see him speak eloquently on a pro-environment symposium:

http://awakeningthedreamer.org/

I think there is more to this deep thinker than just an out of context sound bite. If you have to judge him (ye who purport to be "non-judgemental" ), then see him and others based on their WHOLE record and intentions, not just some isolated phrases or incidents.

[ancientmarinader]

BIrthers, deathers, schoolers, oh my.

[Anne Johnson]

Today's republican party is acting like a bunch of overgrown four-year-olds that are upset because they didn't get their way. Now they're kicking and screaming and throwing temper trantrums over every little thing the POTUS says or does. I think he would have much more success negotiating a health care deal with third graders than he would with this bunch. He should treat the republicans like the spoiled little brats they are and make them go sit in the corner with some crayons and coloring books so they're not disturbing the adults who are trying to get some work done.

[eugenegerard]

Shame? What is Shame? This whole Society has no Shame.

[cyndeewi]

You have no shame for writing that comment.

[eugenegerard]

I do not quit know where you are coming from. If you want an explanation I am more than willing. Or you could just spend an evening watching Jon & Kate or any reality TV show. Jerry Springer should do the trick. Another way of looking at it would be the out right lying done by the media on the news. Perhaps an evening watching FOX News would wake you up. There are all sorts of places to see the lack of shame in this society. I've tried to avoid the more sordid ones.

[arnray]

Every time I see the likes of Beck, Linbaugh, O'Reilly and their ilk I hear the voice of Joseph Welsh confronting Sen Joseph McCarthy, "Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" I would like to see that quote scrolled across the bottom of the screen every time an elected Republican is on television giving credence to lies like death panels or denouncing a presidential adress to school children as "indoctrination".

[clevelandchick]

I am just disgusted and flabbergasted at the almost proud ignorance and hate coming from the right wing. The only conclusion there can be is this is racial hatred and the right wing pundit and politicians are stoking this hatred into an uncontrollable fire in an effort to win back power because they are bereft of ideas.

People are going to get seriously hurt soon, not just a bitten finger but shot by one these nutjobs showing off their loaded guns at a townhall or Teabagging rally.

I'm tired of the mainstream media placating these psychotic bigots. They are not to be taken seriously in any context except as a danger to civil society.

They DO NOT represent a majority of Americans by any stretch of the imagination. It's time our Democratic leadership stood up and fought back. It's time the administration stood up and fought back. It's time our media finally treat these lunatics for what they are and it's waaaaay past time for any respectable Republican (if there are even any left) to stand up to their party and put a stop to it.

[Peets101]

Well said.

[kareemachan]

[Applause]

[Rjchinook]

Here Here! Sadly the entertainment industry controls the news and airways and it will take a lot of money It take back the news.

[RecentRetiredVet]

Hear! Hear!

[Schalaine]

Not often do I agree 100%, but I agree 100% with your post. Well said.

[2876]

The bottom line is that they (birthers, nutcases, fringies) hate/fear the president and they want him to fail.

[RecentRetiredVet]

Just support the president with your VOTE and he will come thru all this mess with the media, republicans, birthers, deathers, tebbagers, and now schoolers.

[t iessa]

Sure there are some of those. There are more who are afraid but don't want him to fail. Bush spent 8 years instilling the culture of fear in our country. It is not going to go away easily or quickly especially in the economic times we have. It is a scary time for many. It must be terrible to live in constant fear. Give them your sympathy and understanding not your disdain.

[Zenith1959]

I can understand how a parent can love and care about their children(I have none of my own) but I just saw on CNN a mom starting to cry when talking about her kids watching Obama's school speech. I've been sitting, staring at the keyboard for a few minutes and simply can't think of what to say about what I just saw.

[oldngrumpy]

Be afraid! Be very afraid!

[Peets101]

Having nothing to say in the face of such extreme and irrational is totally understandable. That's how I feel too.

[Khirad]

Summed up my feelings of numb bemusement.

[nhop]

So, what's new. Republican leaders are not just sexists and racists, but also hypocrites of the worst order. We've known that at least since Dwight Eisenhower turned his back on George Marshall and since he condemned as unpatriotic policies he himself had helped develop.

[gerrysue]

Republicans do not have the ability to see us as a whole nation. They divide us by their hate in their heart. with fear that someone of a different skin color is equal or superior to them. Some hate democrats because they try and keep others taking advantage of the common good.
Caroline Myss was right on when she wrote an article "Crimes Against the Soul of America".

[t iessa]

Republicans don't have the sexist market cornered by any means. I doubt they have the racist market cornered. either.