MSNBC: GOP backs away from Miller's blast.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5897622/

<snip>
After gauging the harsh reaction from Democrats and Republicans alike to Sen. Zell Miller’s keynote address at the Republican National Convention, the Bush campaign — led by the first lady — backed away Thursday from Miller’s savage attack on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, insisting that the estranged Democrat was speaking only for himself.

Asked about Miller’s deeply personal denunciation of his own party’s nominee, Laura Bush said in an interview with NBC News that “I don’t know that we share that point of view.” Aides to President Bush and his campaign said Miller was not speaking for all Republicans.

Late Thursday, Miller’s name was removed from the list of dignitaries who would be sitting in the first family’s box during the president’s acceptance speech later in the evening. No explanation was immediately offered.

Miller, who all but abandoned his party after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, returned Wednesday to Madison Square Garden to denounce Kerry as “more wrong, more weak and more wobbly than any other national figure.”

<snip>

[CalProf]

1. BWAHAHAHAHA Now who's flip flopping? n/t

[xray s]

2. Hahaha! Too late!

Zell Miller was the Keynote Speaker. He set the tone for the entire convention. That tone is the Republican party is a bunch of mean, old angry psychotic white men who spend too much time listening to right wing hate radio and scare sane people half to death.

Yes...Zell was the perfect Keynote speaker for this convention. He matches up with the Republican party 100%.

[MichiganVote]

3. Too right wing Bushie? Well guess what? You're the idiots

who gave these white racist peckerwood's their power. Too late now. More than ever I believe this party ot be the "clean" hand of the KKK and White Supremacist's

[Anaxamander]

25. Zell is a racist?

Yeah, he's an insane sell-out, but how do you conclude he's a racist?

[MichiganVote]

32. Everything he says and sells has discrimination all over it

Read between the lines

[Anaxamander]

45. Zell is a lot of things, but I don't know about a racist.

You're entitled to your opinion, and my own is that he's an asshole traitor that I'll never forgive, but I can't call someone a racist just based on a hunch.

[CHIMO]

48. Zell Miller: "It is the Soldier, Not the Poet, Who Has Given Us Freedom of

JOHN SUGG: Well I think it's important to realize where Zell got his start and why he earned the name “Zigzag.” His sort of politics began as chief of staff for Governor Lester Maddox, one of Georgia’s most famous racists and segregationists. That's how Zell began his career. When it became - when it was expedient to be a racist and a segregationist, that's what he was. A few years later when he saw the tide changing, he suddenly championed integration and throughout his career, you have had that same, you know, opportunistic shift for whatever worked. And that's how he earned the name “Zigzag.” You listened to his speech last night. I just want to make one comment. The comment about demonstrators and the military, you know, I mean Zell should know better than what he said. The military's a tool; it can be used for good or evil. We have seen the best and the worst, right? In Iraq as we saw over in Vietnam. The demonstrators - he totally admits the role of protests and defense. When he says what about the civil rights movement? You know, it wasn't our military that won the civil rights movement. It was people on the streets. And a change in hearts and attitudes in America. So, you know, Zell joins a long list of treacherous people who have tried to capitalize on America that I guess begins with Benedict Arnold.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/02/1454259

[Eloriel]

50. I agree.

I've lived in Georgia for a while now, including the period when he was Governor (2 4-year terms). I don't recognize the man these days, and haven't since he took Sen. Coverdell's seat when Coverdell died unexpectedly.

I never saw him as a racist. I don't like defending him, but I'll defend anyone against charges for which there is no corroborating evidence or documentation nor even the slightest whiff of support.

[Dhalgren]

56. Well, he was Lester Maddox's chief aide.

see post above.

[BootinUp]

4. Poor Wacky Zell

A man without a party.

[Leilani]

9. Hi Jim!

Poor Zell, he does not deserve a party!

[burythehatchet]

13. I don't know

The conspiracy theorist in me tells me that Zell might have been working for us all along. If you get me. But I know that's not the case.

[physioex]

53. Exactly...

Maybe he was a double agent...bwahahahahaha

[xxqqqzme]

5. rethugs "Zell???"

Miller??? never heard of him. bet he didn't even get a thanx from saurove.

Chilly put there????

Sending pickles to plant the kiss of death? - rethug 'Girlie men'

These assh*les have been LOUDLY boasting about him being THEIR keynote speaker 4 over a month.

[Disturbed]

15. “I don’t know that we share that point of view.”

She hasn't been programmed on that yet.

Zel is retiring soon. I think that he should have a duel with Tweety. It would be cool if Tweety pick swords for it.

[loathesomeshrub]

6. Not Tom Delay...

[enough]

7. Right. Keynote Speaker speaking only for himself.

There's a flip flop for you.

[Neshanic]

8. Zell, all dressed up and no where to go insane. Poor little man.

[calimary]

10. You don't say?!

Well, well, well. They couldn't stomach all of "Red Meat Night," 'eh? How 'bout that?

[tblue37]

11. They'd better watch out.

The old loon is just as likely to go off on them if he feels he has been slighted or insulted.

[mom cat]

33. * used him like toilet paper and then flushed.

:hurts: :evilgrin: :toast:

[susanna]

42. That's my take.

Zell seems to me to be from the "Ready, Fire, Aim" school of politics.

[CarolynEC]

12. He was your keynote, you freaks! You approved his speech!

Do they really expect us to believe ol' Zell went out there and riffed for an hour, no script and no approval? What a bunch of assholes!

Now they're trying to distance themselves from their own keynote speaker? Hah! Please, tell me all about "moral clarity" when you don't even have the character to stand by your own words. Unreal. Just... unreal. We're living in bizarro-universe.

[RedEarth]

18. Just what I was thinking....they approved every word he said...

now they're trying to distance themselves from him....flip flop

[lovuian]

Oh Be Proud Of Crazy Zell Be very Proud

Republicans take a look at yourselves

Its Not Pretty

[LynneSin]

14. Wait, is that a FLIP-FLOP

:crazy:

I wish they could show our Keynote address speaker vs. theirs. In fact let, Barack Obama and Zell Miller debate - I'd pay money to see that one

[wicket]

16. BACKLASH!!!!

Here we go!!!!!

[Sporadicus]

17. Too Late, Turd Blossom...He's Your Tar Baby Now n/t

[burrowowl]

19. Too late!

Most will only remember his speech and freepers types and others probably loved it. :mad:

[cybildisobedience]

20. wonder what Zell's next move will be now

Hi divorced himself from the Democratic party, threw himself into the welcome arms of the hateful Repukes, and now even they reject him.
Wonder if he'll lash out at them --- they may have created a Frankenstein they can't control.

[sundancekid]

21. bushies: first "hire" character assassinators, then disavow any knowledge

and they actually think they don't leave any fingerprints behind, or that people are too stupid to connect the dots of their webs, or that their lackies are like jimmy hoffa ...

well, after Zell, we'll just ask Ben Barnes and Jimmy Allison and ...

quel RE-:puke:

[kskiska]

22. Never mind.

Like a wily lawyer slipping in a questionable piece of evidence, then agreeing to have it stricken from the record. Try to unring a bell.

[otohara]

23. Zell Did Exactly What They Wanted & Now He's Been Discarded

by his compassionate republican friends. Zell you've been punked you foolish, hateful old pig.

[soothsayer]

24. Damage is done, dumbasses! YOU made him keynote speaker

You knew he was frothing at the mouth like a rabid animal. YOu made your bed with him, now lie down with him and let him F you!

[Wapsie B]

26. This is convention is way better than Pat Buchanan's

fiery speech in '92 which scared the hell out of many. It showcases the gop* nuts at their nuttiest. Kerry can't buy publicity better than this. Let the right-wing wackos have their day and rant all the want.



*Yes I know Zell is a Dem. But he's a DINO.

[blm]

27. Typical Bush family. Use them to do the dirty work then toss them aside.

They are SCUM.

[They_LIHOP]

39. Bushs doing what they always do...

Sure, they are scum. WE know THAT. That's to be expected.

But for Zell to not KNOW this would happen is pretty f***ing PATHETIC.

Hey, Zell, how'z it feel to get "Jimmy Allison-d"?

How'z it feel to give it ALL up (I mean, anal included) and then NOT GET A PHONE CALL from that nice frat-boy that you REALLY BELIEVED when he said he 'loved you' last night?

Stupid friggin' benedick-arnold scumbag whore (no offense to real prostitutes - I love ya!), your career is now OVER, shithead. Don't let the door hit ya!

Yeah, HOW does it FEEL?

[JohnnyRingo]

28. They read every word of his speech beforehand...

They knew his method of speaking....
They probably even put a tack in his shoe.

The GOP knew exactly what was going to happen.

[grytpype]

51. excellent point!!!!!!!!!

I guess they just didn't like the reaction!

[sniffa]

29. GOP backs away from bush twins' bad jokes

they were onLy speaking for themseLves.

[FranzFerdinand]

30. hehe, nutbag...

they can keep him and we'll stick with Ron Jr. ;)

[sampsonblk]

31. What a stupid sell out

He deserves to be shit on.

[Kimber Scott]

34. Hey, with Democrats like Miller, who needs Republicans?

Poor thing. Now, he's a man without a party.

[despairing optimist]

35. Let them back all the way into the Hudson

I have a bridge to sell them once they get there.

[Jacobin]

36. They always do that shit

Send out vicious attack dogs, cheer them on, and then say "oh my, that was rather over the top....who farted? wasn't me."

BULLSHIT

[devinsgram]

37. Well the damage is done, who would have guessed.

They just keeping making one mistake after another. Eventually the past catches up. It's about time.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

38. It gets EVEN BETTER FOLKS!!!

http://martinirepublic.com/item/zell-miller-s-speech-based-on-email-hoax

Check that out. Apparently Zell lifted a big chunk of his speech almost word for word from a debunked email hoax.

Oh. My. Hell!

[progressivebydesign]

44. Damn! Hope the media catches this one! What maroon! n/t

[Democat]

47. Is there a full DU thread about this issue yet?

This deserves a media blaster thread!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

52. I agree.....off to use Media Blaster now!

Yes there is a thread on Campaign 2004....let me find the link,...

[young_at_heart]

40. Whose idea was it to pick him as the keynote?

Since this party is so tightly controlled and secretive it doesn't make any sense that this loose cannon would be chosen to give the keynote. He is truly a disgrace to humanity!

[Citizen Daryl]

41. TAKE HIM, PUGS - HE'S ALL YOURS. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

43. His wild eyed photo was on the Seattle front page today..

He looked possessed! I decided to screw with the conservative man buying that paper, behind me in line at the store. I asked the clerk, "who is that demented looking man? He's frightening!" The clerk laughed and said, "yeah, that guy's supposed to be a Democrat!". The man buying the paper was looking at Zell, and looking at us, the clerk kept going, "another warmonger!". I was really surprised to hear that from him, he's a veteran.. and I always assumed he was conservative. As I said goodbye and left the store, he continued with the conversation, now talking to the guy buying the paper with Zell's distorted face on it... I heard something about "...willing to spill everyone else's blood...".

So Zell has been 86'd. Well, he isn't welcome back here in our party... so guess he'll have to cozy up to Reform Party hero, Nader.

[Zero Gravitas]

46. Bush & GOP Flip-Flops over Zig-Zag Zell

Come on! EVERYTHING these creeps do in public, especially at their Rally... err Convention is orchestrated down to the tiniest detail. They approved that message. Everything they do there is meant to hone the image they want for their Party and The Leader. They are simply out of touch with the American people.

[umtalal]

49. We Won't Let Them Forget It.

[Guaranteed]

54. HE WAS THEIR ***KEYNOTE*** SPEAKER!!!!!!!!!

How the HELL do you BACK AWAY from your KEYNOTE speaker????

[Citizen Daryl]

55. Very carefully.

[truthisfreedom]

57. GOP backs away from RNC

In an unexpected twist of events, the GOP has backed away from itself in an effort to avoid association with itself over it's own convention, which it is calling a complete debacle. President Bush has managed to announce that the war on terror is unwinnable, and then called in to a radio show hosted by self-admitted drug addict Rush Limbaugh to say that he should have "articulated better" that the war on terror is, actually, winnable. The Secret Service has also backed away from itself, saying that it is not responsible for allowing multiple protesters into the vicinity of Vice President Cheney, and the Bush twins have backed away from each other, reportedly exclaiming "eww!"