New York Congressman on chimp cartoon: “Horrific”
posted at 6:27 pm on February 18, 2009 by Allahpundit
Via Breitbart, I would have preferred “atrocious,” “traumatic,” or “nauseating beyond the power of words to express,” but as hysterical overreactions go, “horrific” will do nicely. Jonathan Chait at TNR is warning his pals on the left that sometimes a monkey is just a monkey, but of course they know that already. This isn’t about genuine outrage, it’s about manufactured outrage for political advantage. Which is why we’re all going to remain “cowards” on this subject.
Note Matthews agreeing with Meeks near the end. As predictable as the sunrise. Exit question: What’s more offensive, this cartoon or describing Michael Steele as “unthreatening” and “childlike”?
Blowback
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What did Michelle Obama say?
marklmail on February 18, 2009 at 6:28 PM
allah, black conservatives will NEVER be treated fairly in the media. As bad as conservatives are treated in the media, black conservatives will be absolutely abused for life.
ousoonerfan15 on February 18, 2009 at 6:29 PM
This is the same clown who villified anyone testifying about the imminent collapse of Fannie and Freddie.
I’m sick to death of these people. Can’t we march on D.C. now?
Pleeease?
darwin on February 18, 2009 at 6:30 PM
The chimp in the cartoon doesn’t look like Obama (unlike certain other cartoonists renditions of Bush). (Looks like the chimp that was shot). The cartoon doesn’t mention Obama.
This, to me, is the same sort of scare tactic used by the Muslims against their cartoons. With even less reason to be outraged.
Skywise on February 18, 2009 at 6:31 PM
I’m offended for chimps – they shouldn’t be compared to creatures as vile, corrupt and incompetent as Democrat Congressmen.
And if we replaced the Democrat Congress and the President with chimps, the American people would be far better off.
I vote “Planet of the Apes”.
NoDonkey on February 18, 2009 at 6:32 PM
What does Condi Rice think of the editorial cartoon?
OmahaConservative on February 18, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Obama didn’t write the bill, so what’s the hubbub about?
spmat on February 18, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Attention idiot Leftists: I know you flunked American Civics in high school so I’ll give you some free info. The President doesn’t write bills. So at its worst, its calling Nancy Pelosi and her underlings monkeys.
Speedwagon82 on February 18, 2009 at 6:32 PM
The caption reads,
Obama didn’t write the stimulus bill.
The cartoonist is clearly labeling Congress the chimp.
Disturb the Universe on February 18, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Good grief. How many times did I see George Bush caricatured as a chimpanzee? Anyway, I don’t think the cartoon is about Obama to begin with; it’s a comment on the idiotic nature of the stimulus bill.
“The editors have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.” Go to hell, totalitarian jerk.
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 6:34 PM
Childlike? If that was said about Obama people would be screaming about how it hearkens back to when blacks were called “boy”. Just ridiculous how egregious the media’s double standards are.
OneGyT on February 18, 2009 at 6:34 PM
Disingenuousness is no defense. Stupid cartoon to make, knowingly and unnecessarily provocative, and now well serving the race mongers of our republic.
Maquis on February 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
How about asking the cartoonist what he meant by the tag.
You got it absolutely right Allah, this is political outrage, it has nothing to do with the cartoon itself. It was a marvelous opportunity to once again use the concept of racism to further their political agenda.
Joe Pyne on February 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
3 cheers for Manufactured Outrage!
Hip, Hip…wait I thought we’d already moved past this in the Age of Obama. Oh, criticism is also racist [now]. I thought dissent was patriotic, hard to keep up.
Spirit of 1776 on February 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Hum, I wonder why he would take it personally?
I am sure it was publiKated to show what a bunch of baboons we have in congress.
TheSitRep on February 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Between this dolt politician and Matthews there are fewer than 4 functioning synapse connections. They are both racists and the conclusions regarding the cartoon are idiotic.
rplat on February 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
What an idiot. Maybe he should “publicate” his own cartoons. This country depresses the hell out of me sometimes. Congressman Cretin couldn’t see racism in a fucking Nazi flag. What a whining, stupid, brainwashed media whore!
Dr. Manhattan on February 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
What’s that old saying, “A thousand monkeys on a thousand typewriters couldn’t write a better script.” or some thing like that. So even after Obama’s elected, we’re still a bunch of racists. I guess anything we say, no matter how innocuous can be misconstrued as racist. The MSM after the election, different movie, same script.
Tuari on February 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
I thought the cartoon was pretty funny, but I’m sick.
jim m on February 18, 2009 at 6:36 PM
What about calling him a “lawn jockey” for the Republican party or throwing Oreo cookies at him?
carbon_footprint on February 18, 2009 at 6:36 PM
Chimps are smarter than this Congress
JoeAvg on February 18, 2009 at 6:36 PM
Congessman Lundgren should’ve stayed away from the possibility it was directed at the Failed One. His other option hit the nail on the head.
Obama didn’t write the stimulus bill. It was written behind closed doors by congressional Dems.
This is nothing but onion-skinned racial crybabyism. Finding an outrage where none exists.
Wingo on February 18, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Nance and harry wrote the Stimulus…Not PBHO.
mindhacker on February 18, 2009 at 6:37 PM
All simian references are now banned by presidential decree. Cowards who violate the new law will be investigated by the Attorney General.
moxie_neanderthal on February 18, 2009 at 6:38 PM
I don’t remember this kind of outrage for Chimpy McBushitler….
Poor Chimpy…
jimmy the notable on February 18, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Ogabe can suck it. Here’s my tribute to the Bush years:
http://img21.imageshack.us/my.php?image=29547274ox6.png
Darth Executor on February 18, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Beware those “frank” conversations about race that Eric Holder wants us all to have.
Disturb the Universe on February 18, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Chimps eat bugs off each other and throw their feces. They’re much more refined than most Democrats, Obama included.
Cicero43 on February 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM
By extension, don’t the “horrific” accusations imply that psychologically, emotionally, and racially, the cop who really killed Travis, the chimp, really, deep down, wanted to kill Obama, or blacks in general?
This absurdist ir-rationalization of everything into racist diatribes for the sake of racist diatribes does nothing but do disservice to all those who fought, bled, and died for civil rights and racial equality. It turns racial injustice into a cause for pettiness.
This is outrage of the truly feeble-minded.
orville on February 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM
Of course it is. It’s just more liberal fascism, and it’s only getting worse.
But you raise a great point… How many cartoons of Bush did we see that made him look like a chimp. How many opportunistic photos were taken to make him look like a chimp, and then spread like wildfire across the web?
So for the record, folks, it’s okay to liken someone to a chimp over perceived stupidity… as long as they’re white… or, according to the congressman in the clip, if you’re talking about the whole congress collectively.
RightWinged on February 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM
Meeks is one of the protectors of Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac and the CRA that caused the economic crisis in the first place and one of the who ran interference when the Bush Administration tried to fix it, and he is still walking the streets……….
Now he sits there, in a two thousand dollar suit, expressing outrage over a political cartoon, while he sat silent when the same was done to Sec. Rice over the past eight years…….
THAT is offensive…………
Seven Percent Solution on February 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM
Obama economic advisor Dr. Zeus could not be reached for comment.
NoDonkey on February 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM
I love it-if only because it ticked off Al(soapbox)Sharpton.
christene on February 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM
So are they saying that the 95-or-so-percent white Congress is an ape?
Tzetzes on February 18, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Gets my vote for pithiness.
tru2tx on February 18, 2009 at 6:40 PM
As a black man, I have to say that I’m offended…
by the fact that this jackass is so offended.
Roc on February 18, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Didn’t Pelosi and House Dems “write” the bill? Anyway, if it pisses off Sharpton and Matthews, then I’m fine with their interpretation. Who am I to rob them of their life source, anger and victimization.
Weight of Glory on February 18, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Meeks’ intelligence doesn’t even rise to that of a monkey. His performances in the bailout hearings were offenses to all sentient beings.
progressoverpeace on February 18, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Publicated!
Tzetzes on February 18, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Roc on!
Weight of Glory on February 18, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Was the cop white? If so, then your question is rhetorical. He wants all black people dead. If not, then he was simply being an Uncle Tom.
jimmy the notable on February 18, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Congressman Meeks, I was raised in the exurbs of a major Midwestern city. The offensive term used for blacks in the 50′s and 60′s wasn’t “chimpanzee.” It was “baboon.” Besides, where was the uproar when lefties referred to W as a “chimp?”
I agree with my congressman, Dan Lungren. This cartoon was clearly aimed at the Congress, not the prez. Grow up.
sondiehl on February 18, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Well, if they are so certain all violent apes are depictions of blacks – perhaps there is something to it.
And perhaps we should really start talking honestly about race – beginning with the question of why 13% of the population is committing 40% of violent crimes…
Aristotle on February 18, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Screw em.
Chimp is the universal symbol for the President of the USA.
The left set the ground rules. They can choke on it.
dantana@charter.net on February 18, 2009 at 6:42 PM
From AOSHQ: it was based on the Infinite Monkey Theorem.
carbon_footprint on February 18, 2009 at 6:42 PM
I laughed when they first showed the cartoon because I immediately thought of congress. If the tagline had read “sign the next stimulus bill,” every non-neo-nazi in the US would been offended.
Wingo on February 18, 2009 at 6:42 PM
So now all speech, especially all political expression, must be made to be as inoffensive as possible. Yeah, right.
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 6:42 PM
I looked, the chimp in the cartoon wasn’t even close to looking like Obama.
Now if the cartoonists had drawn a picture of Obama in a chimp suit, that would have been really funny. It would have looked just like the cartoons of Bush shown as a chimp. It would have been funnier as well.
What gives, why is one racism and the other just good clean liberal fun.
tarpon on February 18, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Sorry, but I think this “outrage” of theirs is hilarious. This is just short of being as stupid as the reaction to the Danish cartoons. They call them political CARTOONS for a reason.
scalleywag on February 18, 2009 at 6:43 PM
There are thousands of posts on Democratic Underground referring to President Bush as “Chimp” or “Chimpy” (often with illustrative photographs).
Sauce. Goose. Gander.
Realist on February 18, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Ooooooo. I forgot about that, that’s right. Good memory.
Weight of Glory on February 18, 2009 at 6:43 PM
ABSOLUTELY. Sauce for the goose…
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Excellent cartoon. If the congressman thinks African-Americans are chimps, it says more about the self-loathing of the congressman than the cartoonist.
Buddahpundit on February 18, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Yes, and for eight years people said Pres. Bush looked like a monkey, basically made the same cartoon, and we heard nothing.
Its pure racism to say that comparing a white man to a monkey is fine, and comparing a black man to a monkey isn’t. I don’t care either way.
Race baiters.
Canerican on February 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Hey, whaddayaknow? It’s in the OED. Marked with “obs.” [that's 'obsolete', not 'obscene'], but it’s there. Last citation, 1808
Tzetzes on February 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Do a google search on Bush cartoons and then tell me this is outrageous. He ain’t seen nothin yet.
scalleywag on February 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Racial dhimmitude. Beautiful.
The race mongers scream about everything. That’s what they do. Appeasing those morons is what has been driving this country into the ground and why we have an America-hating, marxist, moron for a Precedent – not to mention that retard over at Justice.
progressoverpeace on February 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM
OK, overreactions are bad. However, explain to me who the monkey represents.
radiofreevillage on February 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Why’d they shoot the chimp?
The stinking donkey he rode in on had the pen and was braying “I won, I won, I won”.
NoDonkey on February 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM
It’s offensive to chimps.
Ponz on February 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Damn it! I thought all of our racism woes would end once Obama became president.
carbon_footprint on February 18, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Ah, but that was different, you see. That was more…nuanced.
Tzetzes on February 18, 2009 at 6:46 PM
It’s more offensive that this cartoonist apparently thinks a woman’s getting her face ripped of by a Chimpanzee is funny and a great starting point for a political cartoon.
And Maquis is right–way to make it easy for idiots to slap down their well-worn race card. Great job guys…the Holder comments will be buried now.
self inflicted wound
funky chicken on February 18, 2009 at 6:46 PM
It’s ok if Bush is directly called a chimp, but using a chimp as a generic metaphor for politicians isn’t? Puhleeze.
It seems chimps have a long history in politics, even poor Abe was not immune.
Besides, give enough monkeys enough time, they will produce the works of Shakespeare
I can’t stand people who look for racism around every corner.
Gyro on February 18, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Indeed. No one (human or otherwise) should have to suffer the indignity of being compared to congress.
Abby Adams on February 18, 2009 at 6:47 PM
All the knuckle dragging primates in D.C. that throw other people’s money around like poo.
Weight of Glory on February 18, 2009 at 6:47 PM
So, a cartoon representing the congress as dumber than a dead chimp is a racist remark about the Failed One. But a cartoon showing someone blowing W’s brains out on a postage stamp is good, clean fun.
Is there anyone on the left that has a functioning brain?
Anyone?
Wingo on February 18, 2009 at 6:47 PM
I thought the monkey was Pelosi – after all, she wrote the bill… and she only looks a little less like a monkey than Waxman does…
ElRonaldo on February 18, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Let’s Roll
izoneguy on February 18, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Hey, the Dow went up three points today, shouldn’t the Congressman be praising the success of the Obama economic stimulus package, rather than talking about a cartoon.
Oh.
NoDonkey on February 18, 2009 at 6:47 PM
You know yeah they called Bush a monkey 1 million times. But clearly this cartoon isn’t referring to Obama. He didn’t write the bill.
Dr. Manhattan on February 18, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Oh, my. And after all, Holder’s comments were going to be plastered everywhere for the next month. Riiiiiight.
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 6:48 PM
So now all speech, especially all political expression, must be made to be as inoffensive as possible. Yeah, right.
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 6:42 PM
The man can be offensive if he wishes, but knowing how it could be taken, especially given the potentially universal post-Bush chimp as president symbol, he could very easily have written “congress” on the chimp in a fashion familiar to any that view political cartoons, and no racial charges could be fabricated. Just cuz they celebrate diversity doesn’t mean we need to celebrate stupidity.
Maquis on February 18, 2009 at 6:48 PM
What does it matter? I’m sick of the hyper-sensitive morons who think that the whole world has to be on the lookout to protect their tender self-images. Life’s tough. These idiots need to stop being cry babies – which is exactly what they are, though they are very dangerous, on top of it.
progressoverpeace on February 18, 2009 at 6:50 PM
This is why, in part, Attorney General Holder many Americans don’t wish to talk about race.
Innocuous comments will be used by the left race-baiters to silence dissent or critical views.
SteveMG on February 18, 2009 at 6:50 PM
See:
From AOSHQ: it was based on the Infinite Monkey Theorem.
carbon_footprint on February 18, 2009 at 6:42 PM
carbon_footprint on February 18, 2009 at 6:50 PM
So that’s where they get all these comparisons to Lincoln.
/
scalleywag on February 18, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Label the chimp “Congress”? This is clearly a racial slur on the CBC. This sort of crap can go on and on and on and on.
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Congressman MeeksChimpy!!
darwin on February 18, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Manufactured outrage.
Yep. Obviously we’re still not feeling ‘guilty’ enough.
On the other hand, these people are so fucking stupid they don’t know that Pelosi and company wrote that crap sandwich called a stimulus bill.
As for that asshole, Meeks, too bad “Tingle” Matthews didn’t ask how stable Freddie and Fannie are right now. Yeah, how’s that working out for you Meeks. You dumb piece of shit.
GarandFan on February 18, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Oh, bovine fecal matter!
Buford Gooch on February 18, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Please, allow HA to put some salt on that wound.
on fire on February 18, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Exactly. This is my feeling, too. Of course, the monkey is Obama but it’s clearly not intended as a racial slur. I totally agree. However, people here seriously argue that although the plan is universally known as Obama’s, the cartoonist somehow meant Pelosi and company.
radiofreevillage on February 18, 2009 at 6:55 PM
2 chimpy’s in a row? what are the odds?? only in america!!
Ris4victory on February 18, 2009 at 6:56 PM
Everybody posting before me and after me is a RACIST!!
right2bright on February 18, 2009 at 6:56 PM
The CBC in no way figured in a dominant fashion the crafting of this monstrosity. Even the left can over-reach to the degree they fall on their face, and a claim to a CBC reference wouldn’t go.
I am the first to admit that the left will pervert all they can to demonize the right, it’s what they are, but we simply don’t have to be stupid and lob them softballs like this.
Maquis on February 18, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Meeks? Wasn’t he one of the guys who felt that regulators who found loads of crap at Fannie Mae were lynching Franklin Raines?
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Don’t you mean Racist Cowards?
saltydogg14 on February 18, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Racist chimps!!
Wasn’t President Bush nicknamed Chimpy at times?
right2bright on February 18, 2009 at 6:59 PM
It would go as well as this one. OK, ground rule. No reference whatsoever to chimps or any other primates unless that reference is specifically and unmistakably to a white person.
ddrintn on February 18, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Eventually, manufactured outrage will collapse on itself. It is fast becoming a caricature.
Buford Gooch on February 18, 2009 at 7:01 PM
Gregory Meeks? One of the Fannie/Freddie defenders. I find lying, cheating, theiving congressmen highly offensive.
BetseyRoss on February 18, 2009 at 7:02 PM
The chimp refers to man’s evolution as described by Charles darwin. Man comes from apes they say and now they can’t take a joke?
seven on February 18, 2009 at 7:02 PM
I vote we shun those who seek to dehumanize their opponents of any stripe.
I hope you are right, it’s tiring.
Maquis on February 18, 2009 at 7:03 PM
I don’t know. It got us the most inexperienced, unqualified, dumbest, anti-American and un-American president ever. Though you are correct, our Precedent is nothing but a charicature of a President.
progressoverpeace on February 18, 2009 at 7:05 PM
I cant see the problem with the cartoon. I mean the caption clearly says that the chimp would be unable to write any more stimulus bills for congress. Now considering the fact that Obama didn’t write the stimulus bill (or even read it) I cant see how the chimp in the cartoon is in anyway a depiction of him. In fact it reminds me of that joke about bunch of monkeys using type writers to type up the greatest novel ever written, or in this case the worst piece of legislation ever written.
Dreadnought223 on February 18, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Exactly. But as noted, hysteria will continue to be manufactured. What’s the percentage of American’s who know who actually wrote the stimulus bill? People need to get themselves informed. Common for the libs to prey on the ignorantly reactive.
RepubChica on February 18, 2009 at 7:08 PM
OK, lets suppose for a moment that the monkey was suppose to represent Obama. Hasn’t the news media spent the last 8 years referring to Bush as Chimpy? Where was the outrage about that?
Maxx on February 18, 2009 at 7:09 PM
“Horrific” = Gregory Meeks and the Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac debacle.
“Horrific” = Barack Obama’s support of abortion
“Horrific” = A $787 Billion pork laden democratic spending bill
“Horrific” = Roland Burris lying about his role in Blago Gate
“Horrific” = Eric Holder calling Americans cowards
“Horrific” = Spending money to help homeowners who should not be homeowners
“Horrific” = Giving terrorists a break
“Horrific” = Confirming tax cheats to cabinet posts
“Horrific” = Giving a group under Federal Investigation “stimulus” BILLIONS
“Horrific” = Giving failed companies BILLIONS in bail-outs
“Horrific” = (Fill in the blank)
izoneguy on February 18, 2009 at 7:10 PM
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