Patterico's Pontifications

1/17/2010

Bob Kerrey: Scott Brown Doesn’t Believe in Evolution (Updated)

Filed under: Politics — DRJ @ 7:03 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Bob Kerrey thinks Massachusetts Senate candidate Scott Brown doesn’t believe in evolution:

“If he’s running against 60 votes and wins, that is not good,” said Bob Kerrey, a former Democratic senator from Nebraska. “It says that in Massachusetts, they are willing to elect a guy who doesn’t believe in evolution just to keep the Democrats from having 60 votes.”

The Kerrey “evolution” quote was originally published in a New York Times article but it seems to have disappeared, although several papers and bloggers still show it in their reprints and blogs. Here’s the current quote in the New York Times article:

“If he’s running against 60 votes and wins, that is not good,” said Bob Kerrey, a former Democratic senator from Nebraska.

Maybe the New York Times had second thoughts about printing the quote but, if so, it should share its reason with the Austin American-Statesman, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and the other papers and bloggers who are still running the original article with the extended Kerrey quote. [EDIT: But see Update 3 below.]

Like Jonah Goldberg at the first link, I can’t find anything regarding Brown’s view of evolution, creationism, or related subjects. So does Brown believe in evolution or is this Bob Kerrey’s last minute scare tactic, and why did the New York Times pull the quote? Because Kerrey never said it? [EDIT: … or because he did?]

— DRJ

UPDATE: Ever-vigilant commenter and blogger Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R., notes the Brown campaign’s clever response:

Brown spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom comments to NRO: “Scott Brown believes in evolution but in the case of Bob Kerrey he’s willing to make an exception.”

UPDATE 2: An Instapundit link — Thanks!

UPDATE 3: Commenter Gringo notes the Statesman and Star-Tribune links no longer work, although the Plain Dealer link still shows the full Kerrey quote. When I posted this, the evolution quote was only excised from the New York Times article and all three of the other newspaper links worked. More airbrushing?

UPDATE x4 BY PATTERICO: The Seattle Times is still running the original quote. Since a lot of the other organizations are airbrushing the quote, time to get out the screenshot:

Brown Believes in Evolution

And here’s a shot from Google proving that it appeared at the New York Times:

Brown Believes in Evolution in NYT

What are they trying to hide?

88 Responses to “Bob Kerrey: Scott Brown Doesn’t Believe in Evolution (Updated)”

  1. K-Lo at National Review has this response from the Brown campaign:

    Brown spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom comments to NRO: “Scott Brown believes in evolution but in the case of Bob Kerrey he’s willing to make an exception.”

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641)

  2. Great response. I’ll update the post. Thanks, Bradley.

    So Why did the New York Times delete the quote from a later version of the article?

    DRJ (84a0c3)

  3. There is evidently no limit to the Democrats’ practice of outright fabrication in this campaign.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  4. DRJ,
    I don’t claim any expertise on the NYT’s mentations. But I’d say there are two main possibilities:

    One, the NYT decided the evolution slam was unfair, because Kerrey didn’t provide any evidence.

    Two, the NYT belatedly realized the quote would backfire by making Coakley’s supporters seem desperate. So it sent the evolution claim down the memory hole to protect Coakley.

    Take your pick.

    I’d like to see the NYT stop these retroactive edits, or at least explain the reason.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641)

  5. It’s “not good” to vote such that the dirty socialists are relieved of absolute unaccountable power?

    Fascist little tool.

    This is definitely an instance where I think it would be perfectly acceptable to vote for someone who doesn’t believe in evolution.

    happyfeet (e9e587)

  6. but in the case of Bob Kerrey he’s willing to make an exception.”

    That’s a good one.

    Kerrey wanting to keep all the one-party-rule liberalism roiling through a state like Massachusetts and the government in general, including the Congress and White House, shows he is far more liberal or leftist, or certainly ultra-partisan, than I thought him to be previously.

    Mark (411533)

  7. You know, I don’t want to debate evolutionary theory with people (I’m a tiresome pendant of a biologist with training in molecular genetics). But I get so blinking tired of people whom I am certain know NOTHING about evolution playing this particular card, which I see as being wholly partisan.

    I mean, how well would former Senator Kerrey do if I gave him a pop quiz on concepts in evolutionary theory, even at the high school level?

    No, this is another example of the Left dealing insults from a position of ignorance. Sheesh.

    Sorry for being grumpy.

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  8. The only thing the Democrats have not said so far is “Scott Brown drove his truck into the water and left a young woman to drown”.

    Subotai (699bc3)

  9. I can’t really find fault with this part though…

    There may be no better place to measure the shifting fortunes of President Obama and the Democratic Party than in the race being fought here this weekend for the Senate seat that had been held by Edward M. Kennedy.

    But what strikes me about the article is how you get a subtle feel that this Evan Birch Bayh person is toying with the idea of confronting the little president man with a primary challenge.

    “If it works well, it was a good thing to do for the country here,” Mr. Bayh said. “But there’s definitely an opportunity cost. You could only spend political capital once; it now can’t be spent on other things.”

    Lil’ president man is gonna be looking very depleted very soon I think. And the other ambitious dirty socialists are going to start drawing knives. Look for the lil’ president man to respond to a Brown victory by focusing on raising money like crazy I think.

    happyfeet (e9e587)

  10. Eric,
    I mean, how well would former Senator Kerrey do if I gave him a pop quiz on concepts in evolutionary theory, even at the high school level?

    Ohhhhh, that’s eeeeeeeevil! I love it!

    I find it increasingly irritating when people endorse a theory just because it’s politically popular, without giving it much thought. That’s treating science like religion, where belief is valued over critical examination of evidence.

    Since having switched sides on global warming, I find this to be the case with many AGW supporters. They talk about mountains of scientific evidence, but when you quiz them about basic precepts, they don’t know what they’re talking about. They just know they’re supposed to believe, or they’re bad people.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641)

  11. I mean, Kerrey might fool me. He might know quite a bit about it. Who knows? But he is certainly using the topic as a political cudgel, just like when folks used to call Republicans “fascist” when they meant “SOB.”

    The AGW stuff is sad. It’s a religious view about development and self-hatred. Oh well.

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  12. Uh-oh, Glenn Reynolds has linked to this post! Prepare for an Instalanche!

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641)

  13. Just out of curiosity, what happens now during an Instalanche?

    I mean, what are the current metrics on this, and have they changed (proportionately speaking) over the years? I remember when an Instalanche would kill unprepared servers…

    Gregory (f7735e)

  14. it depends a lot on time of day and how long it stays at the top

    happyfeet (e9e587)

  15. Apparently, an Instalanche gives me a database error and prevents my comment from posting.

    And since Fikes and Blair made my point, it was probably a feature.

    Ag80 (76c798)

  16. I would ask former Senator Kerrey a question:

    Even if Brown doesn’t believe in evolution (which at the moment we have no evidence to claim that is in fact true), which is more dangerous, a Senator who doesn’t believe in evolution, or one who doesn’t believe there are terrorists in Afghanistan?

    Per Powerlineblog, here is the link to Brown’s speech today:

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/transcript-scott-brown-addresses-worcester-peoples-rally

    I would like to see two things come out of this, along with a Brown win:

    1. That some of those intellectual elite there in Boston (the young, impressionable ones) take note of the garbage the Dems are depending on to defeat the rational common sense of Brown.

    2. That SNL does a good job with this.

    MD in Philly (d4668b)

  17. Sounds like Kerrey wants to institute a religious test for office. I can here it now: “Scott Brown, thou hast blasphemed the holy name of Darwin. Unscientific bounder, ye hath been banished from the sacred halls of Congress. Confess and repent, sinner!”

    The good thing (for Democrats) about such a test is that it is quite flexible, and can be used not only for evolution, but also AGW, Martian canals, race science, DDT, phrenology, UFOs, Alar, and any other “science” that enjoys favor with the chattering classes.

    Mwalimu Daudi (e7168f)

  18. Gregory,

    An Instapundit link really taxes the website’s capacity so someone has to watch it closely and, as Ag80 mentioned above, readers are more likely to get Error messages — especially when the link first comes in. But we’re grateful for the link and we’ll try to keep it from melting things down.

    DRJ (84a0c3)

  19. So now actually having even a layperson’s knowledge of evolution is a test for office?

    Oh, please, bring it on. I just ache (as a knuckle-dragging republican female) to test people on what Darwin actually wrote. Then I want to ask how Punctuated Equilibrium modified Darwin’s theory.

    I just ache to do this.

    Dianna (f12db5)

  20. “which is more dangerous, a Senator who doesn’t believe in evolution, or one who doesn’t believe there are terrorists in Afghanistan?”

    MD in Philly – I would ask “which is more dangerous, a Senator who doesn’t believe in evolution, or a President who doesn’t believe in capitalism.” A vote for Brown is a vote against the status quo in Washington.

    daleyrocks (df89ea)

  21. DRJ: Yes, I figured it still had its magic. I was just wondering whether its magic is still as potent, and from what you’re saying it would seem that it is.

    I would love to get one of those, though. Sigh. Maybe I ought to post more than once a month. 🙂

    Why should it make a difference, though, is what I’d like to know, whether or not someone believed in evolution. Last I checked, Hottie McAwesome (Blame Hillbuzz, it’s a catchy nickname) was running as a Republican which presumably means he is not in favour of using government coercion to force others to disbelieve in evolution also. I’d vote for an otherwise reliable AGW nut if he also rejected the use of government to enforce ‘carbon neutrality’.

    Besides, it’s demonstrably false. Him not believing in it, I mean.

    Gregory (f7735e)

  22. The latest development in Massachusetts proves once again that Obama is an excellent president, and he was able to unite this country as never before. Today, American people, democrats and republicans, independents and greens stand together as one in their fight against liberalism

    Obama, thanks againt for proving my predictions from Novemeber 2008 correct…

    Hyphenated American (d9c0ae)

  23. It will be entertaining to see which of Clark Hoyt’s three rusty tools he uses to dismiss criticism of the Times’s stealth edit this time: the nose-up “mere bloggers” sneer, the shifty “Hey! Squirrel!” redirection, or the outright lie. I’m betting the lie — so far each “readers’ rep” has had less integrity than the one before him.

    On the plus side, the whole Times is going behind a Times Select style paywall soon, so nobody will be paying any attention to any of them (remember what Dowd and Krugman wrote during Times Select? No fear, neither does anyone else).

    Kevin R.C. O'Brien (82fba3)

  24. As it happens, I don’t “believe” in evolution.

    I’m not in the habit of believing in theories, I rather like to see them proven correct or otherwise based on the collection of observable and repeatable data.

    I prefer that faith remain in the realm of religion, rather than science.

    And further, I am not qualified to comment on evolutionary theory, and I know it. That is a different thing than knowing how to evaluate a study’s design and whether or not it would yield a useful result. And since politicians and useful results are not something that one sees together any more often than one sees an elephant in evening dress, I am inclined to disregard Mr. Kerrey’s concern about a political opponent’s scientific knowledge, or lack of.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  25. Brown spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom comments to NRO: “Scott Brown believes in evolution but in the case of Bob Kerrey he’s willing to make an exception.” Amusing response for GOP candidate to someone who was awarded the Medal of Honor.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  26. Has the medal of honor long been understood to be a license to act like a fascist dirty socialist tool or is this a new thing, DCSCA?

    happyfeet (e9e587)

  27. Remember, Mr. Feet, this was the same cat who equated journalists to soldiers a while back. Methinks he is just acting out in partisan pique about his people, well, screwing the pooch.

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  28. The only thing the Democrats have not said so far is “Scott Brown drove his truck into the water and left a young woman to drown”.

    But considering how long the voters of Massachusetts kept re-electing Teddy, wouldn’t a statement like that possibly help Brown? 😉

    Kev (d1cf4d)

  29. Again, EW, when Kerrey said that, he really wasn’t deeply evaluating Brown’s knowledge of the biological sciences. It was a classless little partisan attack.

    What I find irritating about it, again, is I very much doubt Kerrey could best my freshmen in knowledge of that area.

    No, this is just an attempt to insult. “Not believing in evolution” = “bad and stupid person” in the Democratic playbook…even if the Democratic players don’t know the first thing about evolution.

    Just more partisanship. Which is why, ahem, people who sneer at Republicans who are brave veterans suddenly seem very concerned about showing respect for veterans with “D”s after their names.

    Alphabetism.

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  30. […] Ever-vigilant commenter and blogger Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R., notes the Brown campaign’s clever response: Brown spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom comments to NRO: […]

    Ed Driscoll » President Bush — Is There Nothing He Can’t Do? (a3d746)

  31. #27- Perhaps reporters will ask candidate Scott to comment on that personally, preferably on camera, for broadcast on the evening and late news for Monday.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  32. “Amusing response for GOP candidate to someone who was awarded the Medal of Honor.”

    Interesting thought process there that a moment of heroism insulates one for life from making stupid observations.

    Given the “other” senator Kerry’s (I know it’s spelled differently) proclivity for saying stupid things, I guess the pass accrues to silver star awardees as well.

    Of course the operative point here is: who cares what a senator happens to think about “evolution”? And of course the corollary: what exactly do you mean by “evolution”?

    Well, back to my tractor …

    Harry Arthur (250a94)

  33. I think my original comment got stuck in the spam filter, but I would guess the people of MA to be a bit insulted by Kerrey’s comment: In light of Obamacare, Afghanistan, terrorism, and the economy, I doubt anyone is terribly concerned with Brown’s stand on evolution. Kerrey’s desperation is revealed by his making such a ridiculous statement and believing it would sway anyone in their vote. It doesn’t assume anything positive about the voters.

    Dana (f64b7d)

  34. #32: say goodnight, Gracie. Haven’t you had enough issues going on for one evening?

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  35. Oh, and by the way DCSCA: if some reporter does try to pull a last minute embarrassment question/release on Monday…

    How do you think that Croakley (!) would respond to questions about the details of evolutionary theory? I mean, if she believes in it and all? I also look forward to your own, non wikipedia-researched, description of the process. You know?

    Getting back to Coakley. Probably such a question would end up answered in the suave, sophisticated, and politically savvy way she suggested, in Massachusettes (!) that Roman Catholics not work in emergency rooms, right? Pitch-perfect, as you used to say.

    Again, say goodnight.

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  36. #17 & #21, excellent observations both

    Harry Arthur (250a94)

  37. #36, or that Curt Schilling is a Yankee fan like Ruddy … LOL

    Harry Arthur (250a94)

  38. #36- Oh, and by the way DCSCA: if some reporter does try to pull a last minute embarrassment question/release on Monday…

    See #32. Print reporters, too. So it makes the Tuesday morning papers. No harm in asking the candidate to clarify his statement in his own words. But thanks for acknowledging it could be ’embarrassing.’ Gd’night, Gracie.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  39. #26–compared to how the usual scum on the left have been calling him a war criminal for years now, I suspect he’ll react with a laugh and even Obama’s lackeys in the MSM won’t bother to try to make something of it.

    M. Scott Eiland (c552ec)

  40. I honestly think, DCSCA, that you are have, well, issues of a personal nature. The point is that Coakley has made numerous foolish gaffes. She hasn’t merely shot herself in the foot; she has no legs.

    I have admitted nothing, other than the propensity of the Lamestream Media to try to “ambush” candidates on the Right, and pretty much leave folks on the Left alone.

    Comparing Sarah Palin’s treatment to that of Joe Biden in the last election says it all. Time magazine even tried to run a magazine cover describing how darned smart that Joe Biden was (I wonder if they plagiarized the article to match the subject?). That level of media partisanship is driving the voter dissatisfaction with POTUS and his outstandingly corrupt and unethical cronies. Even while you were emptying wastebaskets at CBS, you must have seen that.

    So far, Brown has shown himself to be a far more canny and cautious politician than the entitled and ethically suspect Coakley. It’s up to him. Coakley has pretty much destroyed her own campaign.

    Good night Gracie indeed. You have made several really sense-free comments tonight. Go sleep it off, and dream of your glory days.

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  41. #33- Interesting thought process there that a moment of heroism insulates one for life from making stupid observations. You know, that’s just the kind of question a reporters could ask candidate Brown— and using pretty much your own words:

    “So, Mr. Brown, with respect to comments made by Former Senator Bob Kerrey, a Medal of Honor winner, do you believe a moment of heroism insulates one for life from making stupid observations?” A follow up to yes, no, would be ‘could you elaborate.’ On camera for sure.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  42. The link for the Plain Dealer still works, but the Austin American Statesman and Minneapolis Star-Tribune links are dead. I made a screenshot of the Plain Dealer page.

    Gringo (fc5b6a)

  43. DCSCA is taking his stupid to a new level.

    JVW (48cbba)

  44. When I did an Advanced Google search on both the Statesman and Star-Tribune sites, using “Bob Kerrey” and “evolution” as search terms the quote came up on Google, but the link that Google gave was dead.

    Gringo (fc5b6a)

  45. #44 The mock, pseudo-offense taking on behalf of a Medal of Honor winner who got zinged by a clever retort to a stupid remark is hilarious. How transparent and phony can you get.

    SPC Jack Klompus (237c0e)

  46. Thanks for noticing this, Gringo. I’ll update the post.

    DRJ (84a0c3)

  47. #44 JVW:

    DCSCA is taking his stupid to a new level.

    Many people understand that when you are at the bottom of a hole, you ought to stop digging.

    You know, that’s just the kind of question a reporters could ask candidate Brown— and using pretty much your own words:

    The only possible outcome of such a scenario is to make Brown look even better.

    Even a lifetime of heroism doesn’t insulate one against stupidity. Nor is it disrespectful to comment on such when the stupidity is offered as part of the public discourse on politics.

    And, by the way, a lifetime of stupid isn’t anything akin to heroism, despite your delusions.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  48. My apologies to JVW, I didn’t clearly delineate that portion of my post above that was in response to the International Man of Parody and self acclaimed Rocket Scientist Extraordinaire.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  49. DCSCA, #26, an appropriate answer to someone who has made up false statements. A tactic you endorse with your manure about his medal of honor.

    And that’s the kind of dishonesty we’ve come to expect from the International Man of Parody.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  50. Sigh. Here we go again.

    First:

    ““So, Mr. Brown, with respect to comments made by Former Senator Bob Kerrey, a Medal of Honor winner, do you believe a moment of heroism insulates one for life from making stupid observations?” A follow up to yes, no, would be ‘could you elaborate.’ On camera for sure.”

    I seem to remember a certain supposed media type and journalist who was very, very dismissive of John McCain a while ago. Senator McCain had, well, a few military decorations himself. And that didn’t save him from some DCSCA bile.

    I also notice how our Fearless Expert in Everything continues to ignore Coakley’s repeated gaffes and the way the media (say, the LA TIMES) tries to sanitize or cover it up. Heck, she had one of her goons shove a guy to ground for asking her questions.

    But that doesn’t matter. Trying to pull a “gotcha” on Brown seems to get DCSCA positively salivating.

    Maybe he was associated with the Lamestream Media after all, instead of just another part of his Walter Mitty like daydreams.

    Eric Blair (70639b)

  51. #50- Per EW1(SG)’s comment, #47- IHP ‘Even a lifetime of heroism doesn’t insulate one against stupidity. Nor is it disrespectful to comment on such when the stupidity is offered as part of the public discourse on politics.’ Hmmm. A Brown presser at, say 4 PM EST Monday, with follow-up would be fine indeed. Good TV: “So Mr. Brown, you believe former Senator Kerrey, a Medal of Honor winner, is stupid?” “What did you mean when you said Senator Kerrey is an exception to evolution in your statement issued Sunday through Eric Fehrnstrom to NRO?” “Did you release the statement ot Cosmopolitan Online as well?” “Has your position on Federal funding for stem cell research changed?” “Have you ever seen a UFO?” and so on… Yeah, that’d be great. Five or six minutes for News at 6 and 11, the morning shows and drive time radio and the morning papers. Oh yeah, the web, too. Thanks for acknowledging it could be a ‘gotcha,’ that is, if there’s anything to get. The ‘good get;’ the smart get would be Kerrey on camera to clarify his comments. The Fox Hounds may be on the hunt now. Maybe he’ll surface by Wednesday. And so it goes. Sleep well, Gracie.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  52. #52- for young Master Blair’s sigh, #51. Sorry for the typo. And on a totally unrelated note, very sad news that Dennis Hopper is quite ill, per the NY Post. A visible, vocal, Hollywood Republican and a great talent. Best wishes to him in these difficult days.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  53. What are they trying to hide? Patterico, ‘they’ may be trying to hide Bob Kerrey. Get him on camera first to clarify and/or back peddle within 24 hours and Brown may well cinch it.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  54. Tons of blather once again (surprise!) signifying absolutely nothing. Geez, dude! You and imdw might as well be the same person.

    Question: Is what Harry Reid said about Obama bad?
    imdw*: Trent Lott & Strom Thurmond! That was bad.
    Follow-up question: Could you please answer the first question?
    imdw*: Dixiecrat platform! 1948 election!

    Question: Did Bob Kerrey make up what he said about Scott Brown, or does he have evidence to back it up?
    DCSCA*: Why doesn’t Scott Brown give evidence to support his allegedly tongue-in-cheek quip?
    Follow-up question: Could you please answer the first question?
    DCSCA*: War hero! Untouchable! Integrity beyond reproach, just like John “ABSCAM” Murtha!

    [* paraphrasing, of course]

    Icy Texan (7c76f5)

  55. > What are they trying to hide?

    That Democrats engage in idiotic hyperbole. its like someone said in another net conversation, they seem to be debating with their stereotypes of republicans, rather than the real thing.

    A concrete example came in that tumultous weekend when palin was named veep and then we learned her daughter was preggers. i asked a dem why it mattered a damn, i mean kids got pregnant all the time. She said, “well, that proves that abstinance only education doesn’t work.”

    “So we know she got abstinence only education? I mean even using a pill and the condom is not a 100% assurance against pregnancy.”

    “Well, her mother believes in that.”

    “Well, i haven’t heard that. What proof did you have.”

    So she showed me a website and it linked to a debate for governor. And in it, Palin says she is opposed to “explicit sex education.”

    So i said, “well, that’s not the same as being for abstinance only. maybe she just doesn’t want the teacher to put a condom on a banana, that’s all. Which most people would think is a reasonable position. the truth is her statement is too vague to know exactly what she wants–only what she doesn’t want, aka the really explicit stuff.” (See, e..g. Kevin Jennings.)

    so to my friend, all republicans just believed the same thing, lockstep.

    Btw, i find it interesting that Brown does say he positively believes in evolution. it does feed the meme that he is more of a guiliani republican than a classic conservative. Which, let’s face it, is about as good as we are likely to get in Mass.

    A.W. (e7d72e)

  56. Hey, Dogcrap, Let’s ask Obama why he won’t release any of the documents from his past, be it Papers he wrote in college to his LONG FORM Birth Certificate. If Obama were a Republican, you, Dogcrap, would be screaming for the release of those documents live on all broadcast networks.

    You are nothing more than a stupid partisan putz.

    PCD (1d8b6d)

  57. [object] to statesman works. The quote is there.

    [note: fished from spam filter. –Stashiu]

    patrickw (7b77e0)

  58. DCSCA is taking his stupid to a new level.

    DCSCA is simply misdirecting. He’s not talking about the dirty tactics and dishonest statement of Kerry, because he knows it’s indefensible. Instead, he’s trying to lead everyone else down the rabbit hole of whether it’s okay to criticize a MOH winner. Don’t follow him.

    Some chump (d97978)

  59. #52

    And so it goes.

    You idiot. Kerrey has put Brown in a no-lose situation.

    About the only thing Brown could say that might make him look bad in this situation is “I like to have carnal relations with dead bunny rabbits.” And Coakley’s campaign is dumb enough to quote me on that.

    #58 Some chump:

    … is simply misdirecting.

    No, IMP has amply demonstrated throughout its long history here that it really is that stupid.

    And I don’t think that we’ve seen the whole of it yet.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  60. One is reminded of another example of Kerrey ‘acting stupidly’ in his statements, in the New Yorker, after the election in the miasma of triumphalism, he compared Palin, the only source of enthusiasm in the campaign, to Audrey, the carniverous houseplant of “Little Shop of Horrors”.
    What was going through his mind, when he said that,

    ian cormac (dfb136)

  61. No, IMP has amply demonstrated throughout its long history here that it really is that stupid.

    I don’t think he’s stupid. I think he says deliberately outrageous things to keep people from talking about the failures of Democrats. He does it often enough that I can’t believe it’s anything short of deliberate and calculated on his part. And it seems to work.

    Some chump (d97978)

  62. Rather than air brush out the Kerry quote, the NY Times should leave it in and then put in Brown’s response: “The only evidence against evolution is Mr. Kerrey himself.”

    Alta Bob (e8af2b)

  63. I’m surprised and saddened by Kerrey’s inane statement – I thought he had more class and intelligence than that. He’s better off slumming the rest of his life into the retirement package that the “Dean” of The New School so aptly describes.

    Dmac (539341)

  64. The thing that is funny or sad about DCSCA is that he forgets all of his nonsense is searchable. He has a august history of nonsense.

    My favorite part is how he clings to his “I am a wise elder with much experience” meme when his birthdate was already revealed. Whoops!

    I think that sometimes he gets lonely. Other times, just plain odd. But almost never honest.

    Eric Blair (3bccda)

  65. Since the Medal of Honor puts Mr. Kerrey and his comments beyond reproach, I assume DCScA now accepts all the charges and characterizations of Mr. Kerry, because a medal of Honor winner was among those laying those charges and characterizations

    quasimodo (4af144)

  66. Kerrey was indeed very brave in Vietnam, Dmac. But he was quite the Franken supporter. I most of lot of respect for him over that.

    Eric Blair (3bccda)

  67. I guess “corrections” are one thing that the NY Times won’t miss as they go electronic.

    Kevin Murphy (3c3db0)

  68. What are they trying to hide?

    Well, I think we all know the answer to that but just in case, I emailed Clark Hoyt about it, sending him the screen shot I saved and the scrubbed replacement. I’m sure he’s getting right on it!

    Interesting quote from the President yesterday at the Coakley rally,

    “I’ve heard about some of the ads that Martha’s opponent’s running,” Obama said. “He’s driving his truck around the Commonwealth. He said he gets you. That he’ll fight for you. That he’ll be an independent voice. I don’t know him. I don’t know his record. I don’t know whether he’s been fighting for you up until now. But here’s what I do know. I want a senator who’s independent too … and here’s what I know: Martha will do so.

    [emph. added]

    [note: fished from spam filter. –Stashiu]

    Dana (f64b7d)

  69. For the likes of DCSCA who imply war heroes are above reproach, I have two words: Randy Cunningham.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641)

  70. “I don’t think he’s stupid. I think he says deliberately outrageous things to keep people from talking about the failures of Democrats. He does it often enough that I can’t believe it’s anything short of deliberate and calculated on his part. And it seems to work.

    Comment by Some chump”

    This is obviously so. And let’s not pretend this is clever or skillful. This is a trick that a few do because they were told to or are mimicking other trolls, and in every case, because they aren’t clever and skillful enough to argue the topic at hand. Sometimes you’ll see someone fall on their face making a dumb argument, but that person has 1000 times more self respect and thoughtfulness than someone who knows they have no hope unless they change the subject.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  71. DRJ, if you’re around, I seem to be keep getting stuck in the spam filter…

    Dana (f64b7d)

  72. A man who attended a POW Camp for years lost to a man who attended a ‘CIA invented AIDS so G.D. the USA’ camp for year.

    Democrats don’t value patriotism that much. They cynically pull the ‘you should follow the hero’ crap every now and then because they think voters are stupid.

    Also, whoever’s strategic idea it was to seriously back Coakley thinks voters are idiots. The dems don’t realize that a major shift is occurring that won’t go away when employment picks up because they have treated the voters like idiots.

    ‘Tax cuts for 95% of Americans*’ ‘Transparency*’ ‘Post racial and post partisan*’ ‘We’ll cut the deficit and turn the economy around*’

    They always have some cloudy rhetorical way of getting around the fact that they don’t want to do any of those things, and are powerfully going in the opposite direction. Usually isn’t not some lame ‘how dare you question the patriotism of this particular democrat veteran!!!!’, but usually they just lie to you. They had power for about a month before America realized all the horror story promises that the dems would go way too far were 100% balls on.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  73. Thus far, from what I’ve seen, I don’t think Democrats want to get into a quick retort contest with Brown. Kerrey would still be trying to focus group test his reply when Brown had moved on to another subject.

    This guy is very, very sharp. I think Kerrey, who was never very scintillating as a speaker, would be badly outclassed. He was always far more impressive as a symbol, a Democrat who won the MOH, than a deep thinker. The medal and sleeping with whats-her-name when he was governor, were his two claims to fame.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  74. Are we talking Richard Dawkin’s evolution?
    Because my self replicating mechanisms demand nothing less than total victory. My superior DNA requires me to ignore your tiny minded laws and I must be allowed to do whatever I please.
    For our future, for our children.
    My benevolence is rooted in the magnificence that appears in my genes.
    The best thing I can do to help our planet is to procreate in every race and gene pool throughout the globe and breed a new world order.
    You can bow to me if your DNA is telling you that it may give you an advantage…

    SteveG (909b57)

  75. Mike K, don’t forget Kerrey’s sister, Jessie Rassmussen. As head of Iowa’s DHS and before that in Nebraska, Kerrey’s sister favored this one consultant with over payments and accepted sub-standard work from him. Also under Rassmussen, Iowa had the worst cases of child abuse and derection of duty by Social Workers the state had ever seen.

    PCD (1d8b6d)

  76. […] Bob Kerrey’s claim that Scott Brown doesn’t believe in evolution goes down the memory hole–but only at the original source. […]

    Marcia, Marcia, Marcia (e3a4cc)

  77. […] Pontifications: Bob Kerrey: Scott Brown Doesn’t Believe in Evolution (Updated) and Obama-Coakley Rally Doesn’t Fill the Hall and If Brown Wins, Can Democrats Stop a Filibuster […]

    Disturbing: Martha Coakley’s Controversial Ruling on Child Rapist, Toddler Was Sexually Assaulted with Hot Curling Iron - Sean Hannity Show (video) « Frugal Café Blog Zone (a66042)

  78. I am upset that with an expensive undergraduate education in political science and a law degree no one ever pointed out to me the part of the constitution that requires senators to believe in evolution. Undoubtedly I attended second rate schools that would automatically disqualify me from being a member of the liberal Ivy League elite. Who do I see to get my money back?

    Jaime (88d0da)

  79. In the end, the important thing is:

    The Dems think their view of the world
    (Obamacare is the answer to health care problems, the economy is improving, cap and trade is the answer to energy issues, “AGW” is real and “Climategate is a lie”, right-wingers and the Bush administration are more dangerous than Islamo-fascist-extremist fundamentalist terrorists, the US is the world’s worst country, what other nations think of the US and its president is more important than sound policy)
    is shared by the majority of US citizens,
    and they are wrong.

    MD in Philly (d4668b)

  80. the snide comment is all about painting brown as an unenlightened caveman,

    its got nothing to do with evelution.

    its about painting brown with a nice wide brush.

    as a truck driving low class no acount misogynistic wife beating trailer trash guy who is probably violent.

    really you think im wrong? that is the broad brush that statement is meant to imply and if you could get a democrat to tell the truth they would admitt all of that is incompassed in that statement.

    rumcrook¾ (4a9bee)

  81. #81 rumcrook 3/4

    Completely agree.

    Next thing they’ll say is that he drives his truck to Maine and goes moose hunting on a snowmobile. We all know what that would signify. He probably claims he can see England from his kitchen window, thinks Europe is a country, and there is no difference between “Ireland” and Northern Ireland”, either.

    MD in Philly (d4668b)

  82. The Democrats’ meltdown in Massachusetts is proof that Gil Scott-Heron and Mark Mothersbaugh were right:

    “De-evolution will not be televised, will not be televised, will not be televised,
    “De-evolution will be no re-run, brothers,
    “De-evolution will be live.”

    Rich Fader (295108)

  83. I hate to pick at a scab, but this comment from AW sticks in my craw:

    Btw, i find it interesting that Brown does say he positively believes in evolution. it does feed the meme that he is more of a guiliani republican than a classic conservative. Which, let’s face it, is about as good as we are likely to get in Mass

    Is it truely a concensus among conservatives that to accept the evolutionary model in biology is tantamount to apostasy? That’s what it sounds like, and if so it represents a pretty dramatic narrowing of what it means to be a conservative.

    I am truely interested – does the commentariat here think that the conservative movement must declare a position on acceptable forms of scientific hypothesis where they might impact the majorities religious faith?

    JSinAZ (ae2d5e)

  84. Btw, i find it interesting that Brown does say he positively believes in evolution. it does feed the meme that he is more of a guiliani republican than a classic conservative.

    Then I guess Palin is a “guiliani republican” too.

    Milhouse (ea66e3)

  85. JSinAZ, no there is no conservative “consensus” against evolution.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  86. […] appears at the Seattle Times, with a byline indicating the story is from the New York Times. Also, Patterico has a screenshot of the Google […]

    Kerrey, the NYT, lies, and airbrushes « Internet Scofflaw (51e603)


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