In March 2002, the Oxford English Dictionary added an entry for the verb "bork" as U.S. political slang with this definition: "To defame or vilify (a person) systematically, especially in the mass media, usually with the aim of preventing his or her appointment to public office; to obstruct or thwart a person in this way."
Feminist Florynce Kennedy is credited, if that is the right term, with being the first to use it. In July 1991, addressing a conference of the National Organization for Women, she said in reference to the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court, "We're going to bork him. We're going to kill him politically ... This little creep, where did he come from?"
The current crop of attack ads on Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul LePage (doubtless with more to come) shows that the Democrats have become quite proficient in the tactic of borking, as indeed they should be — they invented it.
Terence McManus, New Sharon
Report a correction
As the Republicans have been "O'Bombing" the Dems, Terence??
As the Republicans have been "O'Bombing" the Dems, Terence??
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1) Disagree (5)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.R's don't need to.
Most D's running for (re)election don't mention Obama, except to say they voted against certain bills, and avoid like the plague having Obama campaign for them. Republicans are thanking him for all the help.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (8)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Republicans/Colnservatives are certainly mentioning Obama
If you put an 'Obama" filter on Glenn and Rush - they'de be speechless........
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (7) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Republicans ARE mentioning
Republicans ARE mentioning Obummer, but not in a good light, and they've cast their lot in hoping the American people are as fed up as they think...this will be a very telling election for the annointed ones opportunity for re-election in 2 years...seems even those who jumped on his bandwagon 2 years ago are falling by the wayside now...
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.xyz, what is it with the
xyz, what is it with the spelling, Republikkkans? If it is a reference to the KKK, you have it all wrong.
Although it is relatively unreported today, historical documents are unequivocal that the Klan was established by Democrats and that the Klan played a prominent role in the Democratic Party. The first grand wizard of the KKK was honored at the 1868 Democratic National Convention. No Democrat voted for the 14th Amendment to grant citizenship to former slaves. The records of Congress reveal that not one Democrat, either in the House or the Senate voted for the 14th Amendment. Your effort to rewrite history is pathetic.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1) Agree (11)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Republican Presidents and Congress In and After Lincoln Years
Not to mention Abraham Lincoln President 1861-1865 was a Republican, he was followed by a succession of Republican Presidents through 1889 and both House of Congress were Republican from 1861-1875.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.republican
Nixon was also a republican.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I think he uses KKK because
I think he uses KKK because nazi doesn't fit. Not that all Republicans are Nazi's but I found this article interesting.
http://gawker.com/5659792/meet-the-tea-party-candidate-who-plays-nazi-on...
I find it strange that a group that would vilify President Obama and call him a Nazi would vote for someone that dresses like one.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (4) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Child's Play doesn't trump Half Truths
I have to state that the use of wordgames such as "Republikkkans" is inance; and is used by some on both sides of the aisle.
But just as we have those who resort to cheap shots with "Democraps" and the moniker above, so do we get only "Half the Story" from writers such as BWright, which is actually worse than the name callers.
Yes, the Klan was established by men who identified themselves as Democrats, as the Negroes were freed by an administration which identified itself as Republican. Do the members of those parties bear any resemblance to the parties of today.
What BWright fails to tell us, is that the original "Voting Rights Act of 1963," as proposed by President Kennedy, was brought before Congress it in 1965, it was filibustered for 54 days by Southern Senators, for the most part Democrats. They then became the 'New' Republican Party in the South.
http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/panelists/2010/03/myopic-move...
Myopic move from the 'party of no'
Q: Having failed to stop health care reform, Republican leaders have vowed to make repealing it their rallying cry in the November elections. What lessons could they draw from political history and the experience of leaders in other fields?
It speaks volumes about the state of the Republican Party that none of its House members voted for health care reform. The GOP seems to have embraced an obstructionist identity as the so-called "party of no." This helps no one.
We can't build a society or nation that way. The bulk of the blame belongs to the leadership of the Republican party. They've done little else during this process but object and lay down obstacles. Where were their ideas? Why didn't they offer something constructive to the debate early in the process? Is this a perfect plan? No. Can this be improved on? Absolutely. And now that the bill has passed in the House, the GOP leadership has declared its next step in its strategy -- a repeal campaign.
We've been down this path before on major social legislation in the United States. The Social Security, Civil Rights, and Medicare acts were all strenuously opposed and lambasted as catastrophes in the making. Fortunately, fearful opposition didn't stop the passage of those important measures, just as the rowdy town-hall meetings and outlandish statements of the past year didn't keep this health care bill from passing.
In the case of the Social Security Act, Franklin Roosevelt fought off fierce opposition and stuck to his determination to create a safety net for those in need. Remember, the act wasn't passed until 1935, two years after he took office. In contrast, consider that it has taken just over one year to gain a victory on health care reform and yet many people have complained that the fight has dragged on interminably. Good leaders know the value of patience.
Look at the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Another president, this time Lyndon Johnson, was committed to doing what he felt was right for the country, despite the political costs. One of the leaders of Johnson's own party, Democratic Sen. Richard Russell of Georgia, said of the Civil Rights Act, "We will resist to the bitter end any measure or any movement which would have a tendency to bring about social equality and intermingling and amalgamation of the races in our [Southern] states." As Johnson said at the time, he knew that by supporting civil rights, he was handing the South to the Republican Party. He proved to be correct in that prophecy. Still, no one would argue today, 46 years later, that passing the Civil Rights Act wasn't the right thing to do."
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (6) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Obviously in their home skoolin'...
they never studied the Dixiecrats.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Grand Kleagle
Sen. Robert Byrd (D, of course) was a member of the KKK and a recruiter. After his death, Slick Willie excused it as a youthful indiscretion - it started in his 30s and lasted about 10 years - and, further, he was trying to get elected in the South. I guess you can rob banks and get a free pass, as long as you're a Democrat trying to get elected. Come to think of it, most incumbent Democrats have done exactly that, and continue to this day.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1) Agree (6)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.The slander campaigns are
The slander campaigns are just overkill. All the Dems really need to do is get this guy more air time to hang himself.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (5) Agree (5)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Mac - post of the day my
Mac - post of the day my friend - perfect analogy, if he shuts up he wins, open his mouth and the race becomes narrower between he and Cutler, which is where his supporters tend to go as a second choice.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1) Disagree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Libby is whining because she
Libby is whining because she is more than 13 points behind in the polls. You can't get elected Libby sitting in Augusta or wherever home is with your Democrat buddies Borking the competition. At some point you have to sell yourself. Libby has no plan and no clue so we wont see her and her buddies can't sell her either. Democrats are reduced to attacking the other candidates because their own has no merits.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (4) Agree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.No he's not
The Maine Poll, conducted for MaineToday Media by Critical Insights, had 30 percent of likely voters supporting Mitchell, compared to LePage at 29 percent.
http://www.kjonline.com/news/maine-governors-race-poll-libby-mitchell-pa...
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (3) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Most recent poll taken October 4th through the 7th......
From "Pine Tree Politices ---> http://www.pinetreepolitics.com/2010/10/09/ptp-mecpo-poll-shows-narrow-l...
◦Paul LePage – 29.6%
◦Libby Mitchell – 28.7%
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (4)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.What do Pine Tree Politics
What do Pine Tree Politics and Maine Media have in common - they are both extremely liberal and both took samples for polling that were about 2/3 of the common sample size one would expect - check it out - Maine media sampled 400 when they hired critical insights, but other CI polls had a minimum of 600 respondents..so you have to ask the question - did they poll to get the answers they wanted?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I notice you didn't provide an alternative poll......
So is that all you have???
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1) Agree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I'd be happy to prove them in
I'd be happy to prove them in fact other polls have shown a much larger margin of victory for mr. LePage. Al you have to do is look at previous CI polls which have a larger population polled and are thus less likely to be "interpreted incorrectly"...besides, there's only one poll that matters anymore and well see the awesome results of that in November. Enjoy your fantasy world until then, the world is changing...
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Then you should have proven them. Why didn't you??
It's simply more easier to throw rocks, eh Ben?
There was an earlier poll the 29th of September which also showed a one point spread - so I looked for the most recent one. Now Pine-Tree Politics, which you castigate, found LePage ahead of Mitchell 43% - 29% back on Sept. 8th - http://www.pinetreepolitics.com/2010/09/08/new-poll-big-lead-lepage/
So was Pine-tree Politics off it's rocker then, more recently, or both times?? Tell us, Ben. When did it coincide with your fantasy world??
Or is it that Paul LePage is loosing his luster as Folks are learning what a whacked out, unstable liar he is. That matters to some of us, though it might not be a "Game-Stopper" for others.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (1) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.bork yourself
What do you call it when you bork yourself, Lepage?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (7) Agree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Borked... I love the term I just wish the Dems had started to...
play dirty like the Republikkkans earlier.
So BORK you. Yep has a nice ring to it. Just go to this site to see why your hero Bork got Borked.
http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2451&context...
He had some loony ideas no wonder he fits in so nicely with T'Baggers. He has said the "Bill of Rights" "was a hastily drafted document on which little thought was expended."
I do agree with one thing he has said. That being he believes that the Constitution does NOT protect against mandatory sterilization.... hmmmmmm and the sooner we apply it to the Republikkkans and their "chillen" the better. Let's get cracking or sewing. ROFLMAO this fool on the Supreme court my a$$.
When it comes to dirty politics the Dems are just playing catch up.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (7) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Perhaps what I remember most about the Bork nomination
was when a right wing wacko Senator from Nebraska defended mediocre deserved representation also, and the republican party has lived that motto to this day. Unfortunately all they present us with is mediocre candidates.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (6) Agree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Bork? I guess Fox News'
Bork? I guess Fox News' slogan should be "We Bork you decide."
As for the Anti-Lepage they seem to be quoting what Lepage has said so they are just using his own words against him. If that is defame or vilify him he should just learn to keep his big mouth shut and maybe he wouldn't put his foot in it.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (8) Agree (8)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.And would you show exactly when
Paul LePage has been defamed or vilified? Isn't everything said about him the truth, or is that unacceptable in a political campaign anymore?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (6) Agree (6)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Some of your ilk have mocked
Some of your ilk have mocked his surname; ie. "Ledumb" and a few others that were ridiculous and disgusting enough to cause me not to commit them to memory. Isn't that defamation?; mocking a person's surname?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.That's real playground stuff, making fun of "Names"......
I even reamed someone's azz for using "Republikkkan." It's more fun to be creative, but that takes talent; and if one can zing another without them even realizing it - Viola!!!
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Claim vs Truth for Tron
Let me help you out Tron
1) Democrats insist that LePage cheated on his taxes by taking homestead exemptions in both Maine and Florida
FACT: Paul Lepage neither owns a home in Maine nor Florida. This has been proven repeatedly even on SJ with the publication of the letter from the Volusia County Tax Assessor which not only proves that ANN LePage not Paul LePage owns the home but, that she is entitled to the exemption since she has the home in order to care for he sick mother who lives in Florida. It has also been proven that ANN has been living in Florida for several years having voted in FLAGLER County for two years before purchasing the home in neighboring VOLUSIA county. Ann also had a Florida Driver's license as required by law as she spends more than 6 months out of the year in Florida taking care of her sick mother. How many of you Democrats would put your lives on hold to care for a sick mother close by never mind seperate your families by over 1000 miles to do it for years?
2) Democrats complain that Paul LePage does not own a home in Maine
FACT: This after and while still accusing him of cheating on his homestead exemption taxes, neat trick, don't own a home but cheated by claiming two homestead exemptions. No where does it says you have to own a home to become governor. It may be considered the "American Dream" to own a home but, a lot of people do not want any part of the burdens of homeownership like maintenance.
3) Democrats claim Paul LePage said he would send back or refuse the $184 Million in Federal Aid to Schools on an internet news program
FACT: It never happened and the program people and operators of the service have been everywhere outraged and announcing that it is just not true. Paul LePage never said he would refuse orsend back federal aid to schools of any kind $184 million or any other amount.
4)Democrats claim Paul LePage lost his temper and said he would tell the President to Go To Hell.
FACT: Paul LePage in addressing a group of fisherman concerned with restrictions being placed on the by the federal government in the name of protecting fisheries while alowing Japanese factory ships to suck up every living and non-living thing off the banks, and distroying American's livelihoods calmly paused, struggle to come up with the right words and slowly calmly said he would tell the President to go to hell with those restrictions. Paul LePage said he was going to stick up for Maine people and Maine people's rights, stand up for them against the President who is showing favoritism to foreign intersts. Good for you Paul.
Tron there are four quick ones of the top of my head. I am sure there are a lot more and hopefully other posters will be kind enough to add to the list and help to keep the record straight.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (5) Agree (4)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.There goes candiceann again - trying to prove 'Negatives'
According to the Daytona-Beach newspaper, Paul LePage has signed off on "Second-Home mortgage riders" on the Florida property. We know up here in Maine that he refuses to answer the Press' questions regarding this issue, scurries away like a cockroach, bleating "Bullshit" as an answer.
Yep - sounds like the essence of innocence there....
That water you're carrying for Paul having an effect on the ol' gray matter, candice?
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (2) Agree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.ROFLMAO-- You ARE crafty.
ROFLMAO--
You ARE crafty.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Candace I think tron might be
Candace I think tron might be someone who lives in an alternate universe...facts never get in his way and he never seems to have facts to back up his argument, instead just throwing it back at anyone who questions him....why are you wasting your time on what is obviously a person with little education, no motivation to get ahead in life and thinks we all owe him something? I strongly suggest you simply ignore his postings as they sometimes appear dilusional and even other liberal bloggers won't come to his defense when he goes off (proof of how far off he might really be).
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (3) Agree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.