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Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson on Haiti Tragedy - "Deal With The Devil"

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Rush, Robertson take heat

 

Andy Barr Andy Barr Thu Jan 14, 11:57 am ET

 

 

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh and televangelist Pat Robertson are being scolded for their comments in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake in Haiti that has killed tens of thousands, according to early estimates.

Critics from both the left and right are denouncing their remarks as insensitive to the disaster and attempts to score political points off human tragedy.

 

 

 

Speaking on his radio show Wednesday, Limbaugh said the earthquake has played into Obama’s hands, allowing the president to look “compassionate” and “humanitarian” while at the same time bolstering his standing in both the “light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country.”

He added: “We've already donated to Haiti. It’s called the U.S. income tax.”

 

 

Limbaugh’s comments were, in part, a riff on Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) much publicized remark in a new book that Obama was able to win the election because he is “light-skinned” and lacks a “Negro dialect.”

But regardless of the intended context, Limbaugh’s comments have been widely panned.

“They are deeply insensitive,” said conservative commentator Pat Buchanan on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“The president speaks for the country when he says we’re going to go in there,” he said. “You want your whole nation, and it’s very positive. And I think Rush’s comments were cynical.”

Sitting next to Buchanan on set, host Joe Scarborough called Limbaugh’s comments “deplorable.”

“The insensitivity is stunning,” said the former Republican congressman.

Liberal commentators also quickly jumped on Limbaugh.

 

 

 

“Limbaugh did not know when to just shut up,” said liberal commentator Keith Olbermann on his MSNBC show “Countdown.” “Today he blamed communism for the poverty of Haiti, blamed President Obama for holding a news conference the day after this cataclysm when he did not hold one after the failed half-assed terror attempt in Detroit.”

 

 

 

John Amato from the left-leaning website Crooks and Liars added that “with thousands of people dead already and as the suffering continues in Haiti, Limbaugh and his ilk only care about one thing: destroying Obama.”

The conservative media watchdog site Newsbusters stepped up to defend Limbaugh, saying his comments were not put in proper context, but very few others are backing the conservative firebrand’s latest controversial remarks.

 

 

While Limbaugh received a modicum of support, nobody of note has stepped up to defend Robertson’s claim that Haiti got hit by an earthquake because it is “cursed.”

Speaking about the disaster during his program “The 700 Club” on the Christian Broadcasting Network, Robertson said that when Haiti was still a French colony its leaders “swore a pact to the devil” to get out from “under the heel of the French.”

“They said, ‘we will serve you if you will get us free from the French.’ True story. And so, the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal,’” Robertson claimed, as was recorded and sent around by the liberal group Media Matters.

“But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other,” he continued. “That island of Hispaniola is one island. It is cut down the middle on the one side is Haiti the other is the Dominican Republic. Dominican Republic is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, etc. Haiti is in desperate poverty.”

 

 

 

Robertson, who has a long history of making controversial remarks on his program, urged his followers to pray for the residents of Haiti and said that “out of this tragedy I’m optimistic something good may come.”

Speaking on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” White House adviser Valerie Jarrett said Thursday morning she was left “speechless” by Robertson’s remarks.

“That's not the attitude that expresses the spirit of the president or the American people, so I thought it was a pretty stunning comment to make,” she said.

 

 

 

A statement from Robertson’s spokesman Chris Roslan tried to downplay the “cursed” remark.

“Dr. Robertson never stated that the earthquake was God’s wrath,” the statement read. “If you watch the entire video segment, Dr. Robertson’s compassion for the people of Haiti is clear. He called for prayer for them. His humanitarian arm has been working to help thousands of people in Haiti over the last year, and they are currently launching a major relief and recovery effort to help the victims of this disaster.”

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/31502

 

 

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Saffire

Saffire

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I think what Limbaugh was referring to (with the comment about the income tax here going to Haiti) was that the US forgave Haiti's debt.

 

Anyway, I've read some hilarious things about Haiti lately. Some people have been suggesting that if only Haiti's government had better building codes, then the earthquake wouldn't have knocked down so many homes.

 

Think about that for a minute: If we had only written a law, Haitians would have had better homes to live in. This is absolute stupidity. It's like saying, "If only they had a law saying all cars in Haiti should have 700 horsepower! Then the nation would be filled with Lamborghinis!" You can't wish something into existence - it occurs naturally as a result of demand and technological possibility.

 

What Haiti needs is for the French and the US to butt out. And to quit waiting for crackpot politicians to tell the people what to do. Haiti needs free trade, personal defense. and low/no taxes. Every 20 years they've had a violent revolution - it's a sign of a broken culture and widespread mental illness.

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Pseudonym

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I think what Limbaugh was referring to (with the comment about the income tax here going to Haiti) was that the US forgave Haiti's debt.

 

Anyway, I've read some hilarious things about Haiti lately. Some people have been suggesting that if only Haiti's government had better building codes, then the earthquake wouldn't have knocked down so many homes.

 

Think about that for a minute: If we had only written a law, Haitians would have had better homes to live in. This is absolute stupidity. It's like saying, "If only they had a law saying all cars in Haiti should have 700 horsepower! Then the nation would be filled with Lamborghinis!" You can't wish something into existence - it occurs naturally as a result of demand and technological possibility.

That, plus the idea that stronger built homes would have done much prevention is just stupid. The earthquake was over 7 on the Richter scale, a few extra support beams would have done shit.

 

Here is how I feel about the comments. Listen to the second half

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-PEaWUduCM

 

Keith Olbermann is just as bad. He can shove it.

Exactly. I won't blindly love him just because he's liberal, he's a complete jackass as well.

 

Am I the only one who keeps reading the guy's name as Rob Patterson? :uhoh:

Yes.

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Well I don't mind that Limbaugh and Olbermann make money from talking - more power to them.

 

But they both spout lies and propaganda. On occasion they'll say something insightful and absolutely true, but then they will contradict themselves at a later date in order to criticize another person.

 

Basically they've got no principles. One's a cheerleader for the left hand, and the other cheers for the right hand, but the hands belong to the same drunk husband who's beating his defenseless wife.

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Buxus vahlii

Buxus vahlii

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Well I don't mind that Limbaugh and Olbermann make money from talking - more power to them.

 

But they both spout lies and propaganda. On occasion they'll say something insightful and absolutely true, but then they will contradict themselves at a later date in order to criticize another person.

 

Basically they've got no principles. One's a cheerleader for the left hand, and the other cheers for the right hand, but the hands belong to the same drunk husband who's beating his defenseless wife.

 

I don't like any talk show host. I hate the fact that people like Limbaugh make over $50 million a year from talking about their beliefs in politics, it's just not right in my eyes.

 

Who do you turn to for non-bias news?

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Saffire

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Well keep in mind, they don't make money directly via talking. They make money by selling advertising AROUND their talking. So they are providing a service - attracting a large audience that businesses want to have access to.

 

As for where I go for my news, I tend to go to drudgereport.com and Google News. And I will admit to you that I'm biased, but my bias is grounded in principle and logic - I'm against any form of coercion or aggression. So that tends to put me squarely opposite the government on every issue.

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IMightBeWrong

IMightBeWrong

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Well I don't think it's Muslims per se who hate the US, Israel or even Britain. It's the extremists. Something that may piss normal Muslims off is being lumped together under the heading of Muslim=Terrorist.

 

Extremists dislike Israel not because of the 'freedum' it has but because they operate a repressive system against Palestinians and because up until 1948, Israel was part of the make-up of Palestine. If the English came back and started partitioning off your state then I don't think you'd be too pleased. I'm sure you wouldn't resort to violence but there are people who would.

 

Extremists dislike the US because to them it is the symbol of the decadent and materialist West. Yes that's wrong but it's not the belief of many Muslims. The religion of Islam has been manipulated by extremists to support their beliefs. However, we don't see Cat Stevens running around shouting 'Death to the Infidels!'. There's a myraid of reasons as to why extremists are hostile to the West, power, fear ,control, oppression and perceived oppression are but a few.

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