CNN Poll: 88% Say Rep. Stark Should Not Apologize - RawStory (And DU Gets A Mention)

[WillyT]

<snip>

CNN is reporting that 88% of those voting in their Friday morning online poll say there is no reason Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) should apologize for remarks blasting President Bush on the floor of the House of Representatives.

In the course of debate on expanding SCHIP funding, Stark told Congressional Republicans (video, story), "You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people, if we could get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their head's blow off for the president's amusement."

House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner quickly issued a statement demanding a retraction and apology, in which he said, "Our troops in Iraq are fighting against al-Qaeda and other radical jihadists hellbent on killing the people we are sent here to represent. Congressman Stark’s statement dishonors not only the Commander-in-Chief, but the thousands of courageous men and women of America’s armed forces who believe in their mission and are putting their lives on the line for our freedom and security."

There has predictably been support for Stark on the left, along with endorsements of Boehner's outrage on the right. A thread at the liberal Democratic Underground site asked members to "DU this CNN poll!" but also expressed amusement that the sentiment in favor of Stark was already running at 87% to 13%. One commenter suggested that "the poll has been Freeped, it was 89% before, now it's 87%," to which another replied "amazing what consitutes freeping these daze."

"Freeping" is a reference to the practice initiated at the conservative Free Republic message board some years ago of sending members to overwhelm online polls with indications of support for right-wing policies and politicians. Liberal sites like Democratic Underground and Daily Kos then began countering this strategy with similar exhortations of their own.

The lopsided result of the CNN poll is striking, especially since the mainstream consensus seems to be that even if Stark was just shooting his mouth off, as he has many times in the past, he may have crossed a line of bad taste in suggesting that the president actively enjoys seeing American soldiers' heads blown off.

<snip>

Link: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/CNN_Poll_88_say_Rep._Stark_1019.html

How do ya like them apples, freeptards???

:evilgrin:

[Swamp Rat]

1. He should be congratulated

:patriot:

[Hydra]

4. Swampy!

What's your latest work? I need a laugh after talking to the Repubs on DU
:evilgrin:

[Swamp Rat]

7. Here ya go:

:D

[Hydra]

8. Bwahaha!~

:spray:

Priceless! The toe-tapper who won't leave- even when his own party demands it!

[trashcanistanista]

5. Congressional Medal of Honor!

Can you give me a pic?

[Swamp Rat]

9. Will this do?:

:D

[trashcanistanista]

12. Yes! Thank You!

The one day I don't have CNN on because after yesterday I just couldn't take it, DU gets a mention! I have it on now but they probably won't mention the poll. Dodd and Stark and you will help me get through the weekend. THANK YOU!

[Hydra]

2. Bwahaha!

DU wins again.

btw, haven't the Repubs run this talking point into the ground yet, or are they digging to China?

Our troops in Iraq are fighting against al-Qaeda and other radical jihadists hellbent on killing the people we are sent here to represent.

I seem to recall Bin Laden saying something like "Thanks for coming to my house so I can kick your ass better"...since when do we take orders from him?

[grahamhgreen]

3. My 2cents - "I will not apologize, I will emphasize the moral imperative of ending this war"

I would suggest taking it to the next level and saying:


* "I will not apologize.
* This is not only a war for the presidents amusement, but a war for the President, and his associates, enrichment.
* A war for profit.
* One of the most disturbing enterprises undertaken by mankind.
* I will not apologize, I will emphasize the moral imperative of ending this war, and prosecuting those in the administration who may have committed crimes, including war crimes"

[MethuenProgressive]

6. It was at 88 before it was DU'd - that'll burn the FreekTards!

:kick: to the Greatset!

[havocmom]

10. WOW! Love the reference to freeped and explaination!

That will go a long way toward waking up even more people about the use of such polls by the neocons to argue they are the ones doing what most Americans want!

:rofl:

They try to create reality, but DU helps reality bite em on the ass! Many thanks to CNN for FINALLY noticing* how public opinions have been molded by false impression that the minority opinion was actually the majority.

*but wondering who at CNN will get canned for being candid

[rudy23]

11. Again, B*sh couldn't contain his giddiness during the speech he gave in N.O. 5 days after Katrina

He was chuckling and cackling all throughout that thing. We have to show these guys for the barbarians that they are, otherwise, this is all going to go unchecked.

[grannylib]

13. *lol* That's freakin' (or should I say freepin'?) great!

Too bad they didn't say that it was Freeptards that started the practice; that would've been the berries.

[SoCalDem]

14. Yet Lou Dobbs' polls are always very lopsided, and CNN never chuckles at the results

hmmmmm.. and Lou Dobbs pretends to be a man of the people..one whose finger in on the pulse of the nation..

Can CNN have it both ways on a different poll, since presumably the same people are watching and participating ..very interesting:)

:rofl:

[HowHasItComeToThis]

15. BONNER IS A POMPOUS FOOL

No retraction

A clip of Stark's remarks was quickly posted to YouTube and e-mailed around by Republicans.

''Congressman Stark's statement dishonors not only the commander in chief, but the thousands of courageous men and women of America's armed forces who believe in their mission and are putting their lives on the line for our freedom and security,'' said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). He called for Stark to retract his statement and apologize.

Instead of retraction or apology the statement Stark issued in response to Boehner just offered more criticism of the ''chicken hawks in Congress who vote to deny children health care.'' Stark also expressed respect for the troops. AP

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Freeping was a lot more than just sending right-wingers to a poll.

Back then there were no safeguards to stop a person from voting several times over, so a few of them would vote a number of times, and tip the results.

The most famous freeped poll was the one that Novak reported on t.v. during the recount of 2000, claiming that most people wanted Gore to concede.