The 2009 Jackass of the Year
We here at the editorial offices of "The Rant" are pleased as punch to announce the first annual Jackass of the Year Award. My initial inclination was to name the prize the "Asshole of the Year", or "Bastard of the Year", or "Bitch of the Year", or even "Hideous Piece of Shit of the Year" Fortunately, at the last minute I was overcome by the better angels of my nature (this being the holiday season, and all) and settled on the title "Jackass of the Year". 'Tis the season, you know what I mean?To be sure, there were scores of contenders out there more-than-eligible to take home the gold. The two Michelles - Malkin and Bachmann - never fail to astound in their mastery of the technique of Jackassism. Mitch McConnell, Eric Canter, Sarah Palin, Max Baucus, Mary Landrieu, Dick and Liz Cheney, the hosts of FOX and Friends - all of them are Jackasses of the first order.
But in the end, it was a fairly easy pick. In fact it was a no-brainer. The winner of the dubious title of Jackass of the Year 2009 goes to my man, Joe "the schmo" Lieberman. Way to go, Joe! You dah man!
Honestly, has there ever been as vengeful a little gnat as Joe Lieberman? You'd really have to search the archives of history pretty thoroughly to find someone comparable. There are many reasons why Al Gore was defeated in 2000 by a half-witted frat boy like George W. Bush. One of the main reasons was the abysmal choice of running mate Lieberman. It was obvious during the debate with Dick Cheney during that campaign that comical Joe was a useless drag on the ticket. When Cheney said that his success in the private sector had nothing to do with the government, Lieberman let the statement stand. Cheney made his fortune at Haliburton because of Government contracts! Government had everything to do with it! Did he purposefully sabotage the Gore campaign? Maybe it's pure paranoia on my part but a case could be made that he did.
By 2006 the Democratic primary voters of Connecticut had had enough of his peculiar form of "Liberalism" and turned to an obscure bureaucrat named Ned Lamont as their standard bearer. When Joe was able to make a comeback as an Independent, beating Lamont and Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger, he arrived back in Washington the following January ready to settle some nasty scores.
The Icing on the cake was his performance in late August at the 2008 Republican convention when he gave one of the keynote speeches endorsing John McCain and Fascist Barbi. This was right near the end of an extremist Republican administration which for eight long years had plundered America's national treasure. McCain wasn't offering anything substantially different from the Bush Mob's crap blizzard of bad policy - but that didn't matter in the least to Joe Lieberman. It was payback time.
But crossing the aisle in support of the Extreme right wing wasn't enough for Revoltin' Joe. The real kicker came this week when he all-but-destroyed the chance for real health care reform in this once-great nation. This all adds up, doesn't it? The state of Connecticut is the Insurance Capital of the country. The Insurance industry has given millions over the years to Joe's campaign coffers. When the time came to decide which side to stand with - the people or Corporate America - Joe Lieberman didn't have to think twice. Fuck the people.
Then there is the little woman. To be sure, Mrs. Lieberman - known to her friends as Hadassah - has lately been putting a bit of pressure on her pathetic husband. She is a lobbyist for the health care industry and is payed a fortune by them annually. You don't need to have a major in political science to understand that the Liebermans are thinking a lot these days about the family fortune. It's dead certain that Joe's political career is finished. There is a fortune for him to be made prostituting himself for the pharmaceutical and insurance industries come January 2013 and he's not about to blow a good thing by doing the right thing.
QUESTION: Has it dawned on you yet what a despicable human being this guy is? I was just wondering.
So in the tradition of my Irish heritage, here's a tip of the hat and a raising of the glass to Joe Lieberman, Jackass of the Year! If there is something to be said for consistency, the man never fails to disappoint. You can always count on him to do the wrong thing. He is not a public servant. He serves himself only. If greed and shameless self-interest were human virtues he would be handed the Nobel Prize.
He is a lot like Eric Cantor in one respect. Like Cantor, he always has this disconcerting look of content serenity whenever he goes on television defending programs and policies that are morally indefensible. Have you ever noticed that? It really is a weird sight to behold! What's that all about? Even Mitch McConnell and and John Boehner have a habit of looking somewhat uneasy whenever they have to spout the latest Conservative line of bullshit. How can Joe be so seemingly at peace with himself? I have a theory....
On an appearance on Meet The Press a number of years ago, Lieberman told the late Tim Russert that he subscribes to a form of Judaism which teaches that people can go through life sinning to their hearts content. All a person has to do in order to enter that heavenly kingdom is repent on his or her deathbed and all one's sins - no matter how vile and reprehensible - are completely and eternally forgiven. So don't waste your time worrying about Joe Lieberman's soul, folks. He's got everything and everyone - including, apparently, the Almighty - right where he wants them. The man is one smooth operator.
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
AFTERTHOUGHT 12/23/09:
A woman named Sarah Montgomery is the Social Media and Marketing coordinator for the Ozarks Community Hospital in Springfield, MO. She just sent me a link to her CEO's excellent health care blog. His name is Paul Taylor. Here's a link:
http://ochhealthcarereform.blogspot.com/
posted by Tom Degan @ 10:10 AM
41 comments
41 Comments:
I find the various theories as to the "why" of Lieberman very amusing.
It's very simple. He's a self-serving, pandering opportunist bought and paid for by Big I, headquartered in Hartford.
Duh.
Thanks for stopping by Talk to Me.
And the 2009 Award could not go to a better choice.
Kathy P, can we also agree that Mary Landrieu is self-serving? At least the whore admitted she cost $300 million instead of 100.
Nov 22 2009 Article:
The Louisiana Purchase:Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), 300 Million Dollar Political Whore
Staffers on Capitol Hill were calling it the Louisiana Purchase.
On the eve of Saturday’s showdown in the Senate over health-care reform, Democratic leaders still hadn’t secured the support of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), one of the 60 votes needed to keep the legislation alive. The wavering lawmaker was offered a sweetener: at least $100 million in extra federal money for her home state.
And so it came to pass that Landrieu walked onto the Senate floor midafternoon Saturday to announce her aye vote — and to trumpet the financial "fix" she had arranged for Louisiana. "I am not going to be defensive," she declared. "And it’s not a $100 million fix. It’s a $300 million fix."
Archie Bunker
Joe certainly is up there, but Palin and the now "known" Ben Nelson deserve a shout out as well :o)
Good work, Tom. I know it was a hard decision given the other capable and extremely well qualified candidates, but I think you made the right choice. And thinking of LIEberman's flip flops, I wonder if his problem is the onset of Galloping Senility?
Jackass of the Decade is more like it, but there again, I guess there is plenty of competition for that slot.
When he was chosen as the perfect running mate (remember that thinking?) for Gore in 2000, I thought it very odd . . . unless the fix was in for reasons unable to be deciphered by "outsiders" at the time (and I certainly had no idea of the deep game being played throughout the Clinton presidency).
After the confusing, lackluster campaign, the absence of the best campaigner in the world (Clinton) from it, and then the unintelligible screwup of the Florida vote count (as well as all the others - six states, I believe, were found to have had enough votes stolen to have changed the outcome) and the early (incomprehensible) resignation to it of Gore, it was rather clear to me that somehow Bush was the "chosen" one by almost everyone at that moment.
And then came the jumping onto the other bandwagon by the candidate who was designated (by those who know) as fine enough to be the Democratic VP candidate.
The fix was in long ago, and his reuppance as an Independent could have been planned long, long ago in case the electorate caught on as who could have foreseen a minor candidate such as Lamont actually defeating Mr. Democrat Lie-berman?
He is assolutemente the definitive Democratic Jackass.
Thanks for your wit and wisdom.
Salute!
S
Very well said Tom. As a Canadian I watch what happens south of the 49th with great interest because we have our own mini-neocon in power up here right now. On my own site lately I've been musing as to how long it is going to take before people who are victims of multiple injustices - loss of job, loss of insurance, loss of future to climate change, loss of a child due to loss of insurance - take your pick - go "postal" and start painting targets on the backs of selfish bastards like Lieberman, Goldman Sachs executives etc.
As much as Lieberman deserves this award I think Obama does too - he deceived everyone who supported him (myself included) and his complete sellout to corporate interests puts him tight in the running with Lieberman - at least with Joe it has always been obvious that he is motivated by self-interest only and will stab anyone in the back if it serves that self-interest.
In addition to being a greedy little nincompoop, Joe is not too bright. His elevator doesn't go all the way to the top.
The Filibuster rule must change. For one petty little vindictive man to have this much power is disgusting.
You know, the more I see of Old Joe here, the less impressed I am. The sooner he's no longer a part of the national scene the better, but I don't expect that to happen anytime soon.
I read recently that one of Joey's treasures is a Prayer Card from Bobbie Kennedy's funeral service at St Patrick's.
Me too!!! Not only do I trasure it, but it symbolizes for me the the hope we shared while working his foreshortened campaign. He truly cared.
Bob would be revolted at Mr. Snivel's lack, not only of principle but his absence of any sense of decency.
This bozo is just a nasty, mean, vengeful, self-serving excuse for a person.
I have written the American Cancer Society expressing my disapproval of his wife's inflated job and salary. As a cancer survivor, we need people with a heart speaking out, not self-aggrandizing, money-grubbing whiners.
Tom, you denegrate the jackass by attaching it to Lieberman.
My psych take on revoltin Joe is that he has an egomaniacal and narcicisstic compulsion to be at the center of attention.
I supported Jane Hamsher's call for Hadassah Lieberman to be fired from the Susan Koman Foundation's Race for the Cure (breast cancer fraud)
Dr. Rick Lippin
Southampton,Pa
Jano....
I have that same prayer card, too. My father attended the mass at St. Pat's. What a shitty weekend THAT was!
All the best,
Tom Degan
You awarded this to the right guy.
I'm still reeling with the information about his particular brand of Judaism......
tanks has visited in my blog
Great choice Tom!! I would give the silver to Rush Limbarf and the bronze to Glenn Beck..
I've got to admit that in reality it was a hard choice. The hard thing will be naming the Jackass of the Decade. Where does one begin????
Joe Lieberman is a piece of shit of the highest order His wife makes tons of money shilling for Susan Komen Foundation...Tom you are right on...
What about the rule that allows the spouse of a polotician to be a lobbyist in the first place. While we tend to complain about certain individuals and their "views" or agenda, why don't we demand that the way our government is run changed?
Lobbys have had too much influence for too long, they need to be done away with. Then the folks that WE send to Washington and our state capitols might pay a bit more attention to us.
Just something to think about
Great award. Sarah Palin is a little nonplussed also, such as. I wonder too what awards lie in store for John Boehner and Chinless Mitch. The possibilities are endless.
p.s. my father attended St Bona's while Thomas Merton was living there, go figure....
Tom please qualify your Jackass to Human Jackass as comparing Lieberman to a jackass is an insult to the icon of my native state.
The Missouri mule has done more for the the citizens of this country than Holy Joe ever will
I agree with your choice. Lieberman and (wife) Hadasah must amuse themselves with money fights. I can see them now throwing big fists of cash at each other. Or are they rupees? Or Chinese yens? Who knows? I think your assessment of Lieberman as Jackass of the year is appropriate. I remember reading a headline on Truthdig that read, "Lieberman twists the knife." I knew then that we were in big trouble. I'm with Mr. Doug Adler and I find it more than interesting that Canada is twisting under the heal of a neo-con who was elected with a minority government. Is the Fix global? I know the disasters facing this generation are. It is a sad day. C'mon, Doug! I'm ready with my torch and picthfork! I just hope that they don't add insult to injury by tagging Teddy Kennedy's name to a bill he would abhore. Well, done Tom Degan. I'm giving you the tip of the hat! Russell
And he's so innocent looking! Wonder what's going to happen to him when the Republicans quit using him? In the end no one likes a traitor.
But, now, I'd just like to clear up a rather mean-spirited and untrue petition about Hadassah. I've read it in several places but this is from The Wash Post:
"Hadassah Lieberman is not and has never been a lobbyist. She did work for some pharmaceutical companies -- Hoffman-La Roche in New York in the 1970s before she married Lieberman, and Pfizer, also in New York, from 1982 to 1985. Later, from 1993 to 1997, she worked for Apco, a global public relations firm that represents corporations, including several drug companies.
Mrs. Lieberman is not paid in her role as global ambassador for Komen, though she does get a check for consulting work she performs under a separate agreement."
I put up a blog about HL and the petition. I'm taking it down because I'm not comfortable spreading something about someone that isn't true - even if they are a Republican or Independent (another word for wet noodle).
I came over from Dorothy's GRAMMOLGY, having read your comment on Tiger Woods....
This is a GREAT Great Rant! I agree with you 150%! JACKASS, INDEED! Self-Motivated to the point of making me sick to me stomach. He is shameless! There isn't one bit of integrity in his entire body...not even one hair of him has any integrity at all. Greed is what runs through his veins....OY!
The one thing I would like to say about Joe Leiberman's form of Judaism is that it's all in his little pin-head. It doesn't exist anywhere else. I have never heard of any form of Judaism that says "confess" on your Death Bed and you are home free on the Heaven Express. It sounds like another religeon, entirely, to me....! "Confessing One's Sins" is not a Jewish concept, at all--unless I am terribly misinformed, which is certainly possible...
"vengeful little gnat" loved that!
So many crazies came out from under the rocks this year, and you named quite a few! But this guy did more than just say nutty stuff......he did a disservice to all of his fellow Americans by putting ideology over common sense. And every time he opens his mouth it's like fingernails on the blackboard!!!!!
I'd liken Lieberman to a bedbug rather than a jackass. He crawls out of dark spaces, sucks the blood of others and hides until he can repeat the process, all the while leaving his mark and scat to allow people to see his "Lieberman was here" signature.
The disgusting thing about bedbugs like Lieberman and his GOP compatriots is that they are a scourge to all, it's the only time they don't discriminate.
Hey Tom,
Thanks for your comment on my blogspot,
eye-on-washington.blogspot.com
I appreciate it.
Your blog is great. Lieberman is truly the Jackass of the Year!! On my blog is a link to another I write on occasion, which identifies the nation's favored Nitwits. Lieberman is a Nitwit recipient, as well.
jerry
Hey there, Carlandjerry....
Your site is great! Thanks so much for stopping by, pal.
You just got me to thinking, I should have named the piece, "NITWIT OF THE YEAR". It would have had a more satirical impact, I think.
All the best,
Tom Degan
I definitely think "Hideous Piece of Shit of the Year" was the best of those options, Tom.
You may be on to something there, Tara Rowe, "Hideous Piece of Shit of the Year" should have been the name of the award.
Thanks so much for the comment and forcing me to think outside of the box.
All the best,
Tom Degan
Other contender's for the title:
Tom Coeburn
Dick Armey
Orrin Hatch
Lindsey Graham
Conservadems
Cheney
Bolton
scum each and every one!
Tommy,
In case you haven't read it yet, go see what all the fuss is about Drew Westen's article in the Huffington Post about what a phoney Obama is:
Leadership, Obama Style
Consider the president's leadership style, which has now become clear: deliver a moving speech, move on, and when push comes to shove, leave it to others to decide what to do if there's a conflict, because if there's a conflict, he doesn't want to be anywhere near it.
Read the comments to it. They are very funny. Those voting for Obama are now admitting what a big mistake they made.
FYI, Hillary has more balls than Obama.
You might want to reconsider Obama as the Jackass of the Year (or at least honorable mention).
Archie Bunker
Hear, hear! (On pouty Joe.)
BTW, consistency is overrated. ;)
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anon at 12:07 AM, I've always suspected as much.
;)
Here is an original music video depicting just how great Lieberman is! Thank you, Joe Lieberman :) Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BUI2VYC_Gg
Oh, how I loathe this man. ~A~
Agreed: Lieberman, in his stance in holding up the bill, proved himself to be every inch of that which Kathy P. accused him, "He's a self-serving, pandering opportunist bought and paid for by Big I, headquartered in Hartford."
Here in the UK, we'd probably toss in the sobriquet wanker to boot.
Any way, the healthcare reform bill's finally now been passed in the Senate - albeit in a diluted format from that which left the House - and will hopefully get signed into law in February. The Republicans need to hang their heads in shame for the way they've actively tried to prevent 35 million Americans acquiring affordable healthcare.
Lieberman's brand of Judaism reminds me of a particular early sect of Christianity called the Carpocratians. They believed, to quote Louis Mackey, "that the more you sin, the more the grace of God is revealed in his forgiveness; therefore, sin a lot".
Thanks for visiting American Judas, Tom.
Thank, Robert. Great site you have there!
Happy Christmas to you and yours.
All the best,
Tom Degan
Kathy:
That was too kind a commentary about Joe I.(for idiot) Lieberman.
All true, though.
Tom: How I enjoyed your latest Rant!
Shoot you...no can do!!! How would we continue??? ;o)
Best,
Lena
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