Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Ben Shapiro: Fake Political Analyst

Just when I thought the Republican MSU machine had hit rock bottom, along comes Ben Shapiro to prove me wrong. Sadly for Ben, it's the only thing he proves in this pathetic impersonation of a political analyst.

In it, he claims Barak Obama is a fake, and is having people perform staged faints at rallies. For what purpose? Who knows, Shapiro doesn't say. His evidence? Well, this really has to be read to be believed:

"At no less than six of Obama's recent rallies, fans have reportedly fainted. Those incidents were caught on video or audio. In each, Obama -- who never even thinks to put down the microphone or ask a campaign aide to take care of the matter -- narrates to the crowd as medical volunteers show up to minister to the stricken. In two of the videos, he picks up a bottle of water and offers it to the poor, overcome admirers."

But wait there's more? Nope, sorry, that's it. Ben Shapiro, based on the fact that Obama doesn't put down the microphone, but does offer a bottle of water a couple of times, concludes that six faints, out of doubtles dozens of such rallies, are staged. I know. I'm still scratching my head over it too. I wonder if Shapiro believes 9/11 was an inside job and that the moon landing was a hoax too, because the evidence for those goofy theories exceeds his "fake fainting" theory by orders of magnitude.

To show how mindnumbingly moronic Shapiro's analysis is (and I'm being kind calling it that), consider what it would have looked like if Obama had done as Shapiro suggests. Would this have made it look more realistic? Hell no. Obama making a big ordeal over it by freaking out and dropping the mike - THAT would look staged. Obama's reaction is what most anyone in that situation would do that wasn't a polished politician numbed to such things.

Let's be clear: in large groups crushed together, over long periods of time, in heat, and with a lack of available water, as is often the case in events like this, fainting is commonplace. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if there were many such fainting events that Obama didn't even notice, and at events for other politicians as well (including Republicans). I have personally witnessed several such fainting events at outdoor rock concerts that were less crowded, and less energetic, than some of Obama's rallies look to be. Love him or hate him, there is no denying the fervor with which his followers cheer him on. The fervor + heat = fainting theory is hardly radical or new.

Funny though, having watched most of Obama's major speeches over the course of the campaign, I've never seen such a fainting incident. Perhaps that is because I've just seen the ones at the major events, where sun, shortages of water, and the presence of A/C, are less of an issue. Of course, if Obama was going to fake a fainting incident to maximize media coverage, wouldn't he do it at these huge events rather than some of these rinky dink ones to which Shapiro refers? (see the video link below) Nah, don't confuse Ben with the facts, or logic. He's got a conspiracy theory to weave, and shit to make up.

Shapiro instead rambles on about pheromones, Pamela Anderson's breasts, and pedophiles (interesting choices, dontcha think?), and then spends half his article on an analogy of Obama and JFK, as if analogies prove anything. Obviously Shapiro didn't do too well in logic class. But in straining to condemn Obama via JFK he reveals his bias in screaming bold for all to see, with this humdinger from La La land:

"JFK never shied away from debating Nixon -- Obama refuses to take on Hillary, knowing he'll be cut to pieces."

Uh...what? Hello, Mr. Shapiro, Earth calling. The Democrats have had more debates than I can remember, and can stand to watch, and no doubt more than you can count, and in several Obama whipped Hillary's bulbous behind, most prominently, the one where they were one-on-one. I guess Shapiro was down in his bomb shelter for that one. For Shapiro to claim Obama is ducking Hillary he has to be either: 1) Blind, 2) on the Clinton payroll, or 3) a bold-faced fucking liar. I leave it to the readers to decide which, if not all, it is.

Or perhaps it is just sheer, unadulterated jealousy. Take this comment from his closing, and revealing, remarks:

"Obama is inauthentic. His creepily similar responses to the fainting incidents are too identical to be spontaneous. The rash of swooning, star-struck supporters at Obama's speeches smacks of insincerity. "

First, I invite anyone to view the videos for themselves to see if Obama's responses are identical. In only two does he offer water, in one he directs a paramedic from the crowd to move to the scene, and his wording is different in each. Further, two of the events are outside in the sun, and in two of the indoor ones people can be seen in the background fanning themselves with their posters. Gee, people fainting in the heat, IT'S A CONSPIRACY!

Yet to Shapiro, having star-struck supporters getting a little too excited about their candidate smacks of insincerity. Could that simply be because it has been a long time since anyone on Shapiro's side of the aisle has had a candidate worth getting that excited over, and this year is one of the more stark examples? Shapiro might be one of these guys that thinks everyone who beats him at poker is cheating, and every girl who turns him down for a date is a lesbian. Perhaps he just doesn't take defeat too well, and he sees it coming in spades. Well Benny ol' pal, you'd better get used to the idea, because if your embarrasing conspiracy theories are the best the Republicans have to throw at Obama, you are in for a whole lot of defeat, on the order of Clinton over Dole. Obama isn't the fake here Shapiro. You are.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Found the shapiro comments and was wondering if in earth there was one reading it and telling my mind. Your did...Thanks