‘It has everything to do with perception’

The notion of blaming Americans for the Bush administration’s failures in Iraq started catching on among some high-profile conservatives a couple of weeks ago. The offensive approach has already been thoroughly debunked, but that didn’t stop Tom DeLay from spouting his blame-Americans-first nonsense on Fox News last night.

Here’s another major Republican name who blames Americans first for the problems in Iraq — and will explain why. Tom DeLay, appearing on Hannity and Colmes last night to promote his new on-and-off blog, took square aim at the real culprits for problems in the war in Iraq. “It’s the fault of the liberals and the media and the Democrats, that from the very beginning have tried to undermine the will of the American people to fight this,” DeLay said.

After Alan Colmes, in a moment of bravery, reminded DeLay that Democrats were out of power during the course of this war, DeLay nevertheless set out to explain in detail just how the problems in Iraq are the fault of liberals and other war critics. “It has nothing to do with power,” DeLay said. “It has everything to do with perception, Alan, and you know it as well as I do.”

I’d really like to understand what on earth DeLay is talking about here, because I suspect that there are plenty of conservatives who agree with the sentiment. I just can’t make heads or tails of it.

The argument seems to be that mean ol’ Dems, despite having no power to speak of, convinced gullible Americans into believing the war in Iraq is a mistake. This, in turn, led to an Iraqi insurgency and civil war, fueled almost entirely by “perceptions.” Perceptions of what? DeLay didn’t say.

Remember, this guy, up until fairly recently, ran the House of Representatives.

Maybe DeLay could help flesh out what he meant by all of this on his new blog. Oh wait…

…he doesn’t actually write for his new blog.

Criminally indicted ex-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) launched a personal blog yesterday. The new site seemed to mark a shift for DeLay: last year, he said he found the fact that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy “does his own research on the Internet” to be “just incredibly outrageous.” Now, DeLay says he wants to “be a role model that leaders ought to have their own blog.”

During an appearance last night on MSNBC, DeLay was asked about the mechanics of writing for his new blog. “Well, I’m not a very good writer,” DeLay acknowledged. “I have the ideas, and I have somebody else put the words together.” Apparently he still isn’t interested in doing research on the Internet.

And here I thought DeLay couldn’t get anymore embarrassing. Once again, he’s exceeded my expectations.

And for something completely different (to get the bad taste of Delay out of your mouth), watch this from Barack Obama:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOS358God_E

  • I for one had no illusions that Tom actually provided content for the blog under his name. It’s difficult to type with your hands clenched up in claw-like fists like that…

  • “During an appearance last night on MSNBC, DeLay was asked about the mechanics of writing for his new blog. “Well, I’m not a very good writer,” DeLay acknowledged. “I have the ideas, and I have somebody else put the words together.” Apparently he still isn’t interested in doing research on the Internet.”

    CB: And here I thought DeLay couldn’t get anymore embarrassing. Once again, he’s exceeded my expectations.

    *snigger* more like he lived down to your lowest.

  • ““Well, I’m not a very good writer,” DeLay acknowledged. “I have the ideas, and I have somebody else put the words together.” Apparently he still isn’t interested in doing research on the Internet.”
    Geez, the Paris Hilton of Politicians.

    Recently I had to go to a seminar on learning and knowledge and one of the more interesting parts for me was a discussion on cognitive ability and where we should be as we grow up. Without going into specifics, Tom is basically the cognitive equivalent of a malevolent Peter Pan type who still believes in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus.

    And also reminds me of a simple story about a Prussian General who divided his men into four categories based on two sub groupings (smart/dumb) & (hardworking/lazy.) Smart+hardworking = Staff Officers. Smart+ Lazy = commanders. Dumb+Lazy = Enlisted. Dumb+Hardworking = Too Dangerous to be in his command. As one might figure, I believe Tom is Category 4.

  • Gosh, at least Newt can write.

    So it’s all the Democrats fault that the American people believe we are losing in Iraq. It has nothing to do with the coffins and funerals and total lack on anything like progress?

  • The WH is not using “victory” anymore – latest speeches by The Decider now claim we’ll have “success” in Iraq.
    “Victory” = win.

    “Success” on the other hand means we “successfully” invaded Iraq…it’s the Iraqi people that are the problem – they never showed any gratitude for our destruction of their country.

  • Dear Tom DeLay:
    Be gone, before someone drops a house on *you*.

    Love and kisses,
    Glinda, the good witch of the North

  • “I have the ideas, and I have somebody else put the words together.”

    GOP : Party of Ideas*.

    *its not our fualt that the idea didn’t work, someone else’s execution was poor…

  • The notion of blaming Americans for the Bush administration’s failures in Iraq started catching on among some high-profile conservatives a couple of weeks ago

    it’s accountamability!

  • My question is why are we still giving this retard airtime??

    He’s an unemployed ex-politician who is under indictment for serious crimes with a proven track record of incompetence, greed and political thuggery of gigantic proportions.

    And they put him on the air like he’s some kind of respected elder statesman! I mean, to these people have no shame at all?

    Don’t answer that, I already know they don’t. 🙁

  • CB you have it all wrong Tom was only quoting the obvious and that is that “The World According to Retugs is Slanted” Remember your either with us or against us. Well now we have illegal wiretapping, torture and suppension of “habius corpus”. That the people spoke on Nov 7th is irrelavent to those that lost power. Your critizing those that are the gift that keeps giving is wrong. Let them vent for the next year or so and 2008 should be a shoe in for a democratic majority for years to come.

    Don’t forget that they are the party of Newt, Bromback and Santorim.

    Another 3 weeks or so and retukes will be exposed for what they are. They will block the minimum wage increase along with repairing the Meidicare Part D.

  • Ghost blogging! Tom, I’ll have my people get back to your people to tell you to go Cheney yourself.

    So, CB, what’s what’s your idea-guy, Steve Benin, really like? 🙂

  • You would think someone with a little juice in the Republican Party would tell Tom to go to an undisclosed location. He can blame liberals and the media all he wants, but the Democratic Party take over rests squarely on his shoulders. Almost all the scandals lead back to him and in the end, his very own gerrymandering really hurt his party here in Texas.

    The “perceptions” are that he is a crook. Don’t forget, we are talking about Tom, I am the center of the universe, Delay. He still thinks he was set-up and is being black-balled by the democrats/liberals. We are the only reason he has fallen and the only reason his party has failed.

    It’s scary to watch the man, all smiles, yet underneath is a sociopath, “it’s everyone else’s fault”, “they were out to get me”, and the whole, everyone should play by rules but me and my kind. I don’t think it’s rhetoric, I think he truly believes the non-sense, and that is truly scary.

  • Would someone please call Delay and idiot on the air or at least give him a overdose of sarcasm please?

    First, Delay must thing most Americans are as dumb as he is. And while I frequently thinkg many Americans are dumb, most ain’t that dumb. Projecting his weakness on the general populace and saying it out loud doesn’t make something a fact.

    Second, if the Democrats were somehow play the Wizard of Oz than Republicans wouldn’t have gotten aways with as much shit politically as they have. If Democrats were as powerful at the whole perception game as Delay says we are then support for the war would have never been as high and the Bush would have lost in 2004.

    Third, stop with the “liberal media” meme already. That horse is dead. The only people that still believe it are the true hard core-handed over my brain to the GOPites (and likely some of that is just reflexive), the the truly stupid, and the handful of people that haven’t figured out that big business controls the media and all they are interested in is chasing the $$$.

    Fourth, blaming others for your mistakes does not actually transfer the blame from you to others.

    And finally, he may or may not be a good writer but I can say with out a doubt that he is not a good man.

  • “It’s the fault of the liberals and the media and the Democrats, that from the very beginning have tried to undermine the will of the American people to fight this,” DeLay said.

    Yes, because when you don’t have to deal with “underming” during war, and have 100% of the press and politicians behind you, victory is assured.

    Just ask any Red Army soldier who served in Afghanistan.

  • Dear Tom,

    Didn’t we already stick a fork in your ass? You’re done.

    Anyway, thanks for the laugh!

  • “First, Delay must thing most Americans are as dumb as he is.” – ET

    No one really believes that anyone is smarter than they are. Even near-geniuses think that geniuses are just cheating somehow 😉

  • A man who shit-face grins at the camera for a mug shot is truly a disturbed man. Mr. DeLay is a disturbed man. His idea of “American will” seems to have nothing to do with democracy, or our actual American political heritage. DeLay was, and still is, a powermonger. He is highly corrupt, and not someone who others would want to take home to meet loved ones. If he continues to get TV spots, in light of his legal troubles and integrity challenges, he will serve as a de facto example of just how unliberal the media actually is. -Kevo

  • I cannt hardlee right good sew i half sum won lse right four me. But i ken thinc good and i half grate idaz. Hoo stol my hamar?

  • I keep wondering why anyone is letting him on the air, even FOX. As someone has already pointed out, he is under indictment, and is a disgrace to his party, to the congress, and to the American people. Maybe it is time for the folks at FOX to wet their finger, point it upwards, and figure out the way the wind is blowing. Even FOX should be drawing the line somewhere. My hat is off to Carpetbagger for being able to watch that man because I can’t stand him.

  • Man o man did Alan Colmes ever miss his opportunity there! When Delay made the claim that “…It has nothing to do with power. It has everything to do with perception, Alan, and you know it as well as I do.” Alan *should* have shot right back, “Exactly, Tom, and what perception are you trying to sell right now? Perhaps that the Republicans, the ones who were in control of both houses of Congress and the Executive branch of government were somehow not responsible for the debacle that is Iraq?”

    Slam. End of story. Goodbye mister Delay.

  • So this makes “Tom DeLay” a sock puppet, with some liberal arts grad’s hand all the way up him multiple times a day. Hafta think that won’t go over well with his fist-fearin’, no-meat-eatin’ friends at RedState.

    Always thought that “Hammer” business was code.

  • Perhaps Mr. Delay would like to go to the Army hospital and tell a few combat vets that they are just having a “perception” that they are missing a limb. Maybe, if the soldiers just “perceive” their humvees have more armor, it will be fine.

    Delay et al.’s efforts to make Americans have the “perception” that our troops were doing fine and that things were under control is exactly what got us into this mess. No amount of evil Jedi mind control can continue to hide the gruesome reality. And that’s not the Dems fault, or the media’s.

    As most of us learned as children, believing really hard that you can fly doesn’t keep you from landing hard when you jump off the garage.

  • Let me remind everyone about what the country was like at the time we invaded Iraq: you remember all those cars with the American flags hung on the windows? It seemed like 3 out of 4 cars had one, and some had two or more. Some of you reading this had them.

    That was the sentiment at the time: the couchbound patriots fully supported taking out Iraq. Those of us that opposed the war had to argue against the machismo that was everywhere.

    The aerial assault began the same night as the start of the NCAA basketball tourney. I switched from one spectator sport to the other.

    So for anyone to say that there was any large scale opposition has their head up their ass. It wasn’t like that, not at all.

  • What a Freudian slip by DeLay, who is working the whole perception thing by framing Dems, the left, the media and anyone he doesn’t like as responsible for the failure of war he permitted by not acting as a responsible legislator. I’ve heard before that evil people get angry when they see their own sins in other people. In this case, it’s DeLay projecting his sins on others in the hopes of washing himself clean. Sorry Tom, but if you really gave a sh*t, you would have held a dismissive and negligent administration to account on the prosecution of their war when you had the power to do so. That stench of failure rest squarely on your once powerful shoulders.

  • Watched that Barack thing.

    While it was amusing, I found it to be quite fitting for him.

    After all, it was about as substantive as his Senate record so far.

    Woe is us when we try to wash the stench/taste of DeLay out of our mouths with the “diet Coke” that it seems to me Obama is.

    How pathetically gullible out-of-power and DESPERATE Dems are that they project all their hopes on this slick, but blank, slate of an opportunisitc politician.

    If you are a true progressive that has half-a-brain cell beyond only the conept of “wiinning” offfice in the vain hope that supposedly “your guy” will govern and change things, you will understand that Barack is just another betrayal waiting to happen.

    The perfect vehicle through which the coporate powers-that-be that run the shots beyond the facade that is our government will co-opt dissent . . . and make sure that nothing substantive ever really changes.

  • #27 I’m not pinning my hopes on Obama… but am hoping his first two years on the job were all about the learning curve. Let’s see how the next two go.

  • The Hammer has the Get Shorty theory of blogging:

    “There’s nothin’ to know. You have an idea, you write down what you wanna say. Then you get somebody to add in the commas and shit where they belong, if you aren’t positive yourself. Maybe fix up the spelling where you have some tricky words . . . although I’ve seen scripts where I know words weren’t spelled right and there was hardly any commas in it at all. So I don’t think it’s too important.”

  • I have never met someone with ideas, who couldn’t express them in writing. On the other hand, we encounter daily people with delusions, who think that they are ideas; and others who swallow, promote or report those delusions as facts. Texas deserves Tom, and vice versa.

  • DeLay is using the old “stabbed in the back” narrative, straight out of Hermann Göring’s playbook. It stems from Wagner, and has an anti-semitic component. See Kevin Baker’s piece in a recent “Harper’s” for a detailed explanation. It would be nice to have a canned response to this bullsh*t. It’s so thoroughly disgusting. They just keep re-using it. I nominate “Do you use any other arguments that were popular with nazi war criminals, Mr. Delay?”

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