Michael Steele: Thomas Friedman Is A "Nut Job"

[MrBigEnchilada]

steele needs to resign look like all the chaos in the gop today

[johnedwards1968]

It really probably isn't about race! I think these whackjobs on the right are so insulated from other opinions, that they blowup when confronted with them! I mean a certain segment of them, probably thought McCain/Palin would win, even after 8 years of Republicans buggering up the government.

They just assume it's true, because all their Republican friends think it's true. Then reality smacks them in the face and they don't know what to do except go apeshit!

[TEEYEASCHOOLS]

They do this to Barack Obama because they don't even know him. But would they do this to BILL COSBY?!

[jakefree24]

Considering how little credibility or stature Steele has, and he is going to get the boot by the GOP, who cares about him? Steele was just some token put in charge that never had hardly any support amongst the hard core contards in his party.

[kmg4]

Michael Steele is good. He doesn't turn everything into race.

[zaaz369]

Tom Friedman is a nut job for going on charlie rose's program and essentially saying we have to kick down every door from basra to baghdad to teach the arab world a lesson.

i'll paraphrase what he said, something like 'this is for 9/11, don't fuck with us or we promise you worse.

so yes he is a nut job.

[prismbeats1]

I usually don't respond to these posts, but Michael Steele is a disgrace to his race. The truth is that Michael Steele will disappear as sonn as Obama is gone. Conservatives won't need him anymore.

[DeadlyMACD]

@prismbeats1 '

You're a racist.

[twelveangrymen1]

A) I don't support the decision to invade Iraq

B) hitting the civilians was unintentional. If America had had its way there would have been no civilian deaths. This of course was impossible which is why I don't support the decision to invade.

Nonetheless unintentional murder does not equal intentional murder

[DillonX]

Does a sperm have a brain.

From what I've read about the actions they take, I have to believe sperm have brains.

Is this true?

[ronpaulsucks1]

thomas friedman is a nut job. what the hell is he talking about?

friedman is trying to create readers for himself.

[twelveangrymen1]

The answer is simple. The soldiers volunteer for the army knowing the risks. They are trained to defend themselves. Babies do not volunteer for abortions and are defenseless.

[DillonX]

The GOP will lose more Senate Seats in 2010.

The GOP will blame this on Stelle,.

And he'll be kicked to the curb within 2 weeks.

[SuperKixxx]

damn, steele just starts spinning bullshit, then builds on his own BS like it was facts by adding more BS on top of the original BS.

[TheAxisEngine]

Friedman is regarded as one of the nation's top Sociologist. His material and research are taught all over the country in countless University courses all over this country and even in foreign states. He also speaks at numerous college campuses every year. It's simple to see why Steele says what he says- Friedman uses too many facts when talking politics and people. Makes sense that Steele would try to discredit him.

Steele is nothing more than the RNC's black puppet.

[TheAxisEngine]

Before you Conservative Trolls attack, I am totally aware of the typo in my last post. Simple mistake.

[MKB2814]

No one could ever condemn Conservative Trolls as literate.

After all, Mike Steele doesn't even read books.

[papipablo]

Republicans are the party of death.

[twelveangrymen1]

thousands have died from abortions and I don't call democrats the party of death

[Iaazathoth]

Michael Steele is a desperate man. A black man in a party of racist nutbags. I feel sorry for him. He was picked for one purpose only and has none of the respect of the rest of the party leadership.

[twelveangrymen1]

please warrent your claims

[rdrakken]

Steele like all far right leaning politicians is a hypocrit.

"to take these examples and put them out there in that way is just crazy...approach this from a rational position"

really? death panels...what did you say to dissway that right wing talking point? nothing.

Oh wait, what am I doing...this guy is nothing, he is a black face for the RNC.

Rush has the power.

[twelveangrymen1]

"death panels" were an overly dramatic way to make a valid point

[rdrakken]

make a valid point...more like a valid way to distract a weak uninformed mind.

Oh wait, you think abortions are murder...nevermind. you are a waste of time. Personally I would rather argue evolution with a Catholic.

[twelveangrymen1]

Thinking that ceasing the life functions of an organism that has a functioning mind is not radical. It is not a hateful or vicious stance. Disagree if you want but the idea that infants in the womb are alive is a very scientific one.

[TheAxisEngine]

A fetus' brain does not BEGIN to form until weeks 7-9. The brain will grow at a rate of 100 new brain cells a minute. This rate translates into a "functioning brain" (one where dreams can begin to occur) happens around weeks 12-14. Abortions that occur at or before roughly 3 1/2 months do not destroy a "functioning brain". One could even argue what "functioning" constitutes, as only being able to dream and have no conscience memory or thought- to me- hardly constitutes a function.

[twelveangrymen1]

Why make things complicated? Even before the brain is functioning a fetus represents and too a large degree IS life. I understand your position but I oppose the procedure on the grounds that human life regardless of intelligence is sacred. That is why killing an octopus is not as bad as killing a baby even though they have similar intelligence.

[TheAxisEngine]

Scientists argue that life begins in the brain, not in the chest. I get your perspective, but you appear to be religiously motivated. That is why you believe the life of a baby is more "sacred" than the life of an Octopus. There are no such words as "sacred" in science. Science presents theory, which can be changed into law or fact. It may be "making things complicated", but it's truth and fact. And you are human, of course you believe humans are more "sacred" than all other species.

[twelveangrymen1]

I can justify my arguments through consequentiallism if you want. Capacity for intelligent life, which is what we see in an infant and not in an octopus, is important. That is why it is immoral to kill a sleeping person. He has no intellectual capacity at that time but he will (as soon as he wakes up).

On another note, killing retarded people despite their lack of intellectual capability is immoral because it is a slippery slope and no human can be trusted to decide who lives and who dies.

[tomanyasses]

butt they can decide what is retarted and they can say nobody is really retarted you have lot to learn about politices

[TheAxisEngine]

How in the world did you get to killing retarded people??? It's immoral to kill anything that is alive, and the argument we are having is whether or not a fetus is alive. According to science it is not until conscience thought occurs and the brain is at it's maximum capacity for the fetus. I know you believe that science is just "making things complicated", but I'm very sorry to be the one to tell you that life, people, the elements and the universe are complicated, complex creatures.

[twelveangrymen1]

Both retarded people and fetuses have little to no brain function. That is the connection.

[TheAxisEngine]

And no, a retarded person is not someone who has no brain activity. That would be referred to as "dead", not mentally disabled. No retarded person on the planet has the brain activity of a fetus in the womb before brain formation. That would make them dead. There is no connection, because where one has a functioning brain the other does not.

[TheAxisEngine]

And many Consequentialists would disagree with you that killing animals is not as immoral as killing humans. Actually, many humans in general would disagree with you. It's a bit scary that you really believe this, because it totally discredits all other life on the planet but your own. According to science, which is what we humans use to understand life, we )animals and humans) are on the same plane. The only difference is through evolution our brain capacities became more became superior.

[twelveangrymen1]

I dont think swatting a fly is the same as stomping a mouse. I dont think stomping a mouse is the same as stabbing a dog. I dont think stabbing a dog is the same as stabbing a human. I certainly dont think swatting a fly is the same as stabbing a human. Yes, I do think human life is the greatest priority.

[TheAxisEngine]

It does not surprise me in the least you feel this way. Your religious ideology has influenced you into believing that human beings are special. You were taught that the world, and all the creatures in it, were created with humans in mind. You believe humans were created to be the "rulers" of this planet and that the planet was created for us (humans), when the scientific community disagrees entirely. It's no wonder you revere human life to be so much more important than any other.

[TheAxisEngine]

Killing a dog is comparable to killing a baby fetus, as the dog has more conscience thought and can experience different emotions more than the fetus. Is putting a dog down as inhumane as aborting a fetus? Your answer will be no, but that's because you have religious ideology telling you that human life is the best and most precious life on earth. That is not an objective train of thought. Until you consider all life on earth to be equal, you cannot have an objective mind for this debate.

[twelveangrymen1]

All life is not equal. Squashing a bug is not the same as shooting a dear. Swatting a mosquito is not the same as stabbing a cat. Killing a human is far worse than killing a dog. If you were forced to choose between killing a human and a dog would you kill the human? You would not. All life forms are not equal. Humans have the most capacity for thought and emotion by far than any other animal. Is the eating of cows equal to the holocaust? I dont think you would want to assert this.

[TheAxisEngine]

In a way you are correct. While we disagree human life holds higher importance over all other creatures, I do agree that the loss of a human carries a greater impact on the planet than that of an animal. This does not translate into importance, especially since the damage a human does on the planet in their lifetime is 1,000,000x that of ANY animal. If you could ask the planet, which of course is silly but still proves my point, it'd tell you it would love for humans to disappear.

[rdrakken]

The problem is, since you completely disregaurd anything scientific you have NO CLUE when the brain is fully formed and functioning.

Thankfully, I do.

Terminating a fetus less than 12 weeks old is terminating a thing, not a human, its less than an animal if it is not fully developed.

[i7q]

always with the fucking racism argument!

bs

[michiganbball]

It's funny how Democrat Left wing nut bags fear Michael Steele, Ken Blackwell, Sarah Palin and many, many others. Is it because they are SO much better at leadership than you dope smokers? Yes it is.  (eyes rolling). We GOPers laugh at Left Wingers. They are the theme of all jokes.

[lex811117]

No we dont fear Micheal Steel, Ken Blackwell or Sarah Palin. We want them to be in charge. Steele and Palin are the best thing that has happened to the DEM party. We dont have jokes about GOP though because the party is a joke so we just laugh at that.

[michiganbball]

Hey, I kind of like this CNN guy. He was neutral, didn't attack, put out some good questions, although some out of left field, but I wish CNN did more of this. Never thought I'd say this, but Thanks CNN. I really like Michael Steele. His comment about race was basically "hey, I'm a full blooded Black American and a Republican. I guess it's only about race when it involves a Democrat". Thank You Michael. The Black GOP is so far advanced in race relations than Democrats.

[Ngooo]

Friedman a nut-job? What a pathetic and ignorant fool Michael Steele is.

[michiganbball]

Ngooo, Friedman IS a nut job. If you can't see that, then you are also a nut job. But I wouldn't expect anything more from a left wing whack job.

[KRCV25]

Fuckin' Uncle Tom

[hanslute]

Now I really dislike Michael Steele, but you do realize the term 'Uncle Tom' is a racial term, don't you?

Seriously, if the RNC chairman is an 'Uncle Tom,' then what does that make DNC chairman, Howard Dean, under President Obama, 'Uncle Howard'?

This 'Uncle Tom' term should have been long dead before your 20 year old foolish ass was even born, gone the way of 'Sambo.'

Move on if you have nothing intelligent to add, please.

[michiganbball]

After this interview, I like Michael Steele EVEN MORE! And I appreciate CNN doing a good interview & I told them so.

[michiganbball]

KRCV25, you keep on listening to the radical Blacks like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and others and you'll never live the dream of MLK Jr. You comment is actually racist. The Republican party has always been the party of Blacks. Go read history.

[KRCV25]

No I dont listen to the radical Blacks and yes I know my comment was racist. Lastly I could give a shit its my opinion about HIM not Republicans even though it seems like their following have some lovely racial overtones.

[voyeurdug]

Secret Service is to be trusted.

Friedman is emphatically not a nut job.

Assassinations of doctors who performed abortions followed years of inflammatory ranting not only by public figures, but by "regular Joe" folks.

Steele is an Uncle Tom par excellence... and he needs a little nip-tuck job on his old-guy ears. Yuck. Send him to Madrid.

[LuvChaos]

Michael Steele calling someone a nutjob is truly hilarious. He has enough WINGNUT quotes out there to fill an encyclopedia.

[HorseshitDetector]

I used to have Uncle Tom too, but he died.

[flyyspit]

Even though Steele is an idiot he's right when he said Friedman is a nut job and if anyone read a little about Friedman you would come to the same conclusion..Go ahead give it a try.. ;-)

[michiganbball]

Michael Steele is a great man and you know it! Try crawling out of your dark chamber once in a while, put down the doobie, and take a look around. You'll find you missed the bus.

[Richardgwm]

This guy is such an incompetent fool.

[BabybooR33]

democ-RATS and republi-CONS r all nut jobs !!!

[cdmatester]

This opportunist " UNCLE TOM", GOP SUCK-UP, Michael Steele is the worst person of the world. GOP elected this useful idiot to counter Our President because this idiot happen to be black. I think it is about time someone reminds him where he is from and who is working for ( He is working for racists). GOP puts their poster Black Boy to say something to neutralize our worry. Michael's parents should be very shamed of themselves.

[DeadlyMACD]

@cdmatester

you're a racist.

[Shadowlit001]

@DeadlyMACD

Shut up you fucking jew

[lakeeriejew]

@cdmatester

It's painful to see an intelligent Black think for himself.

I know.

Better to keep the Blacks on welfare, beholden to a Democrat Party that keeps them on the plantation of government handouts.

[pillarsofserpents]

@cdmatester - actually, they didn't pick him because he's black. they just took an old white republican and gave him a permanent tan. lol.

[verstwo2]

Steele 'applauds' the president? Did I hear that right?

Is he calling the secret service liars? how unamerikan of him.

I hope he doesn't have a job in 2 years from now.

[JeffWilsonMusic]

Steele is a moron. Friedman's comments had nothing to do with civil debate about Obama's policies. It has to do with the radical right wing culture which has recently become extra crazy and there here been numerous calls for Obama's death as well as a military coupe. Steele is well aware that he did not remotely respond to Friedman's comment because if Republicans don't acknowledge it they think they can get away with it. After all at this point the crazies are their base.