Tag Archive: Lauren Boebert

Howard Stern, the Democrats’ new best friend

Howard Stern, woke this week

Usually, blunt and crude radio personalities like Howard Stern are not great Democratic role models. That’s because they will often make “edgy” remarks about women, minorities or cultural issues to get a laugh, a reaction and/or higher ratings. This week, however, Stern made comments — not once, but twice — that would cause a Democrat to blush with pride.

First, on his SiriusXM satellite radio show this past Monday, Stern went off on Republicans’ pathological use of the term “woke” as a criticism of Democratic values.:

I kind of take that as a compliment, that I’m ‘woke.’ … To me, the opposite of ‘woke’ is being asleep…. And if ‘woke’ means I can’t get behind [Donald Trump], which is what I think it means, or that I support people who want to be transgender, or I’m for the vaccine — dude, call me ‘woke’ as you f‑‑‑ing want.

As to the Trump supporters who most often use the “woke” term against Democrats, Stern said:

I want to read legitimate news sources. Here’s how ‘woke’ I am: I believe the election was not rigged.

Continuing on the subject of the latest updated COVID vaccine (which many Republicans criticize as “woke,”), Stern added that he recently received it:

I’m not for stupidity…. F‑‑‑in’ science. This f‑‑‑ing country is so great…. I am ‘woke,’ motherf‑‑‑er. And I love it.

As if this weren’t enough to endear Stern to Democrats and rational Independents, on Monday he also attacked MAGA Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert for her recent tawdry behavior, which included vaping, groping with her date, taking selfies, etc. in a crowded Denver theater, all of which got the pair kicked out. Responding to a caller who brought up the topic, Stern said:

Lauren Boebert is a disgrace to this country! Forget the politics. She’s in a ti–y dress. She’s with some dude. Looks like she’s obviously vaping, but also looks like she might be grabbing his p—s during ‘Beetlejuice.’

Stern also reportedly “ripped [Boebert] for being a liar after she initially denied that she vaped during the musical.” According to Stern:

I don’t know what’s going on in Colorado. What are they — just got dumb people in Colorado. How do you elect someone like her? …. I mean, how did she win an election? How does a woman like that win an election? You know, there’s certain standards. Once you get caught lying like that, goodbye!

While we would likely choose different language, on this occasion at least, Howard Stern demonstrated to Democrats how to go on offense against the Republicans. For this, he deserves our applause and our attention.

Photo by Bill Norton, used under Creative Commons license. https://is.gd/sRfPnu

Don’t fall for the Republican shock and awe

GOP House Speaker battle looked like this

Republicans don’t know how to govern effectively, but they do know how to grab the media spotlight. This was demonstrated during the recent Republican battle for U.S. House Speaker. After narrowly winning the House majority in the 2022 midterm elections, the GOP’s first task in the new year was to elect a Speaker. They failed miserably at this job, requiring a historic 15 votes before finally electing Kevin McCarthy.

But what seemed to get everyone’s attention were the 20 or so Republican House representatives-elect, many of whom are members of the so-called “Freedom Caucus,” who battled against McCarthy’s speakership, and at least one who fought on McCarthy’s side. The members who seemed to be on camera or in front of microphones all the time especially included Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz. Others on hand to a slightly lesser extent were familiar names such as Lauren Boebert and Jim (“Gym”) Jordan, so nicknamed because of his alleged involvement in a sexual abuse scandal involving wrestlers at Ohio State University. We’re not going to mention these names again in this post. Such representatives are known more for being superficial blowhards who say outrageous things rather than for the often dull but crucial work of legislating.

In short order, the GOP House Speaker election became about Republican media stars rather than about policy and substance. Such camera-hogging tactics worked, as McCarthy reportedly had to make numerous concessions to these members in order to secure their votes. What we call the GOP Civil War, also known as Republicans in Disarray, was on full, ugly display. But we already saw how a media celebrity made it into the White House six years ago, and the disastrous results that followed. The last thing we should do is feed that shallow, destructive process again by focusing our full attention on those Republican media hustlers.