Imus and Carlson invoke Chavez to smear Dem presidential candidates

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801220009?f=h_latest

On the January 22 edition of ABC Radio Networks' Imus in the Morning, while discussing presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) with fellow radio host Jay Severin, host Don Imus asked, "Well, why do we think that we -- I mean, why don't we just select Hugo Chavez, then, if we want some rabid nut? I mean, why do we think that that's a face we want to put on America?" Severin answered: "I think you've got that, that's pretty much it. With Hillary Clinton you've got Hugo Chavez in a dress, and about the same size."

On the January 22 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, while discussing Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards' performance in the Nevada caucus, host Tucker Carlson asserted, "It turns out that Hugo Chavez and his ideas are still not that popular in this country, liberal as it's become. That's the lesson I take away."

As Media Matters for America has noted, conservative media figures continue to invoke Chavez to smear Democratic presidential candidates and their respective policies. Carlson has previously referred to Chavez as an "enem of America."

During the same episode of the January 22 edition of Imus in the Morning, Imus asked, "What is it that the Clintons would not do? Can you think of anything?" Severin responded, "No, there isn't anything. They would kidnap their own child."...

http://mediamatters.org/index

An American-style Juan Peronor, more likely an American-style Hugo Chavez or a new Huey Long is what's likely to get elected if the Republican Party/"Conservative" movement establishment succeeds in continuing the incumbent Duck Soup Posse's ruinous policies and in further corrupting the next few elections. The Rethugs may hope that the rest of us will meekly slide into political apathy if they succeed in blocking the rising tide of American citizen-voter anger out there, but if conventional political parties are blocked, it's more than likely that a movement with a premise that change is more important than the long-dormant constitutional safeguards against legislatural change will take its place and eventually take power.

Right-wing nitwits ought to be praying that someone like Hillary Clinton or even Dennis Kucinich gets elected President and that a Democratic-controlled Congress takes power next January; they'd sure hate the alternative.