Karen Hughes is French!

northgate

She was born in Paris.



While I agree whole heartedly with Tucker Carlson that Ms. Hughes is borderline psychotic in her desire to lie and distort facts in order to aid George Bush during his elections (it's probably to be expected), I have to admit that I like her a little more now. She's French. She speaks fluent French. Knowing that she has at least a little culture helps soften her image to me.



I still take great exception to her recent comments that pro-choice equals terrorist sympathizer and her remarks to John Stewart on The Daily Show that Democrats are the reason why Bush has not been successful in "changing the tone in Washington".



What do you think? Should she pilloried by the overzealous "patriot" watchdogs? Or should her heritage be recognized as a good thing, an asset?



Discuss.

splinemodel

Quote:

Hughes, 42, is an Army brat who was born in Paris. She graduated from high school in Texas and went to college at Southern Methodist University, where she began as an English major with an eye on law school. Then she stumbled into journalism.

Sounds pretty American to me. I'm not even sure about the ruling about foreign-born army kids. . . I think they might even be able to run for president outside of the "you have to be born in America" aspect.

northgate

That's not the point.



Thanks to the "dittohead" mentality in this country, ANYTHING that remotely smells or appears French is automatically and systemically dismissed, labeled and set aside as un-American, not representative of American values and generally hated.



Or does this only apply to Democrats? Me thinks the later.



The point of starting the thread is to point out the impetuous hypocricy in the conservative media and their selective "branding". For example:



John Kerry speaks fluent French = we told you there was something wrong with him.



Karen Hughes was born in Paris = Chirp. Chirp. Hello? Anyone there?



Ever since an anonymous Bush advisor told the New York Times last April that Kerry "looks French," the Massachusetts Senator's political adversaries have attempted to capitalize on anti-French sentiment created by the war and portray him as aloof and opposed to America's interests. While Kerry's perceived decline led to a lull in these comments late last year, his re-emergence as the presumptive nominee has caused these attacks to increase in both volume and intensity.



A handful of conservative pundits initially took the lead in flogging the Kerry-France association. It's been a favorite, for instance, of James Taranto, editor of the "Best of the Web Today" column on the Wall Street Journal's OpinionJournal.com website. Soon after the Bush advisor's comment last year, for instance, Taranto referred to Kerry as the "haughty, French-looking Massachusetts Democrat" on April 30, a label he has repeated literally dozens of times since.



Radio host Rush Limbaugh has also pushed the line hard, repeatedly referring to Kerry as "French-looking" and mocking him as "Jean Cheri" or "Jean F. Cheri" last fall.



And House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) has begun speeches with the statement, "Good afternoon, or, as John Kerry might say, 'Bonjour.'"



So, the question begs - is there an anti-French sentiment in America today? If so, will this be applied to ALL Americans or just Democrats? I think we all know the answer to that one.



References to Spinsanity

trumptman

Here's a quarter... call someone who cares.





Nick

msantti

I was born in California but I am a republican. \

northgate

Quote:

Originally posted by trumptman

Here's a quarter... call someone who cares.





Nick

Thanks for making my point.



Notice Trumpt's lack of outrage over the House Majority Leader's inapropriate comments toward Kerry. Now if this were Nancy Pelosi....

splinemodel

Quote:

What do you think? Should she pilloried by the overzealous "patriot" watchdogs? Or should her heritage be recognized as a good thing, an asset?

Her heritage is American. That's the point. No one cares.



Thanks for writing 500 words of unnecessary response.

northgate

Yeah, and so is John Kerry. But you guys are too dull to get the point.



Thanks for being a jerk though.

addabox

Quote:

Originally posted by Northgate

Yeah, and so is John Kerry. But you guys are too dull to get the point.



Thanks for being a jerk though.

I think there's something about four square conservatism that is impervious to irony. Maybe that solid feeling of knowing the world is simple like yourself.

trumptman

Quote:

Originally posted by Northgate

Thanks for making my point.



Notice Trumpt's lack of outrage over the House Majority Leader's inapropriate comments toward Kerry. Now if this were Nancy Pelosi....

You assume I even read the House Majority Leader's comments. Why don't you post them so I can be outraged/not outraged.



You do go outside your home periodically don't you.



There was this thing called vacation. I was on it for two weeks. There is this other thing called life. I have one and get on here about 10-20 minutes a day when I come home to eat, get bored for a few minutes, when I need a break from being outside enjoying the sun, etc.



Now you mention that Karen Hughes is born in France. You mention others have made fun of Kerry for being "french looking." Ask me if I care about either one being "french looking," from france, eating french fries, enjoying french toast, whatever.



You really need to try the decaf... seriously.



Nick

gilsch

Quote:

Originally posted by trumptman

You do go outside your home periodically don't you.



There was this thing called vacation. I was on it for two weeks. There is this other thing called life. I have one and get on here about 10-20 minutes a day when I come home to eat, get bored for a few minutes, when I need a break from being outside enjoying the sun, etc.

How ironic that the guy you're implying has no life has 600 posts while you have 3500. Too funny.

trumptman

Quote:

Originally posted by Gilsch

How ironic that the guy you're implying has no life has 600 posts while you have 3500. Too funny.

Well some of us didn't lurk for a year or three. Besides you get a secret prize when you get to 4000.





Nick

pfflam

Quote:

Originally posted by Splinemodel

Sounds pretty American to me. I'm not even sure about the ruling about foreign-born army kids. . . I think they might even be able to run for president outside of the "you have to be born in America" aspect.

I am an army brat that was born overseas . . . I am a half French citizen and can claim a French passport should I try to do so, because my mother is born and raised French and still has her full citizenship.

There were no American bases in France, AFAIK. . . perhaps one of her parents are French . . . or her military parent was in embassadorial service?!

chinney

The fact that political mileage can be made on the basis a person, allegedly, ?looks French? or speaks a language other than English says quite a bit about conservative politics in the United States. This is xenophobia and is very offensive. The fact the reaction of other conservatives is ?who cares? and laughter says something unpleasant as well.

powerdoc

Quote:

Originally posted by trumptman

Well some of us didn't lurk for a year or three. Besides you get a secret prize when you get to 4000.





Nick

And this prize is so secret, that dispite i have reached this point since a long time, I still didn't know what this prize is.

Or have I been screwed ?

northgate

Quote:

Originally posted by Chinney

The fact that political mileage can be made on the basis a person, allegedly, ?looks French? or speaks a language other than English says quite a bit about conservative politics in the United States. This is xenophobia and is very offensive. The fact the reaction of other conservatives is ?who cares? and laughter says something unpleasant as well.

Thank God someone out there GETS IT.



However, I realize how foolish I was to start a topic that points out irony in conservative politics. I forget these things are reserved for my friends on the right...my bad.



Trumptman's argument is "I don't think this way" therefore no conservative thinks this way. Per his request I will repost my original argument above (post #3) again for the comprehension impaired:

Quote:

Radio host Rush Limbaugh has also pushed the line hard, repeatedly referring to Kerry as "French-looking" and mocking him as "Jean Cheri" or "Jean F. Cheri" last fall.



And House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) has begun speeches with the statement, "Good afternoon, or, as John Kerry might say, 'Bonjour.'"



So, the question begs - is there an anti-French sentiment in America today? If so, will this be applied to ALL Americans or just Democrats? I think we all know the answer to that one.

Then again this is just a silly argument by a silly Democrat, isn't it?

trumptman

Quote:

Originally posted by Powerdoc

And this prize is so secret, that dispite i have reached this point since a long time, I still didn't know what this prize is.

Or have I been screwed ?

Well Power, much like Apple Computer, all the really good stuff is limited to the continental United States.



So yep, you're screwed.



Nick

trumptman

Quote:

Originally posted by Northgate

Thank God someone out there GETS IT.



However, I realize how foolish I was to start a topic that points out irony in conservative politics. I forget these things are reserved for my friends on the right...my bad.



Trumptman's argument is "I don't think this way" therefore no conservative thinks this way. Per his request I will repost my original argument above (post #3) again for the comprehension impaired:







Then again this is just a silly argument by a silly Democrat, isn't it?

North,



I mean this politely. Are you on some sort of meds that make you paranoid?



Here is my exact words.



Now you mention that Karen Hughes is born in France. You mention others have made fun of Kerry for being "french looking." Ask me if I care about either one being "french looking," from france, eating french fries, enjoying french toast, whatever.



I mention Karen Hughes, MENTION OTHERS MAKING FUN OF KERRY and them mention that I don't care about them either way. I didn't claim to speak for all conservatives or that no conservatives had made fun of Kerry. I simply said that I don't care.



The only thing I get a little tired of is your continual, almost obsessive attribution of actions to my name in your posts when no such thing has occured. Have them change up the prescription to whatever is making you act this way since it amounts to a backhanded personal attack.



As for silly, the argument is indeed that. I suspect even the people you quoted are just having a little fun. Sort of like Al Franken smirking at his own name-calling and satire. I'm sure you'll be listening to him today in his "zero spin" zone.



Nick

crusader

Quote:

Originally posted by Northgate:

Discuss.

I hate when people post that. We can contribute on our own! We don't need orders like a friggin dog, we can think for our friggin selves. It's moronic and childish.



As for the entire French thing, it really doesn't matter. We can't deny where we came from, but this is America, it shouldn't matter.



The anti-French sentiment isn't as big as it appears. The French serve as an easy target for any kind of joke, esp. in AP Euro with the changing governments and loosing wars thing they seem to have. Napoleon was an awesome/scary dude tho, so he gets all kinds of kudos for that.