I've been stewing.

Not in a culinary way, obviously. That would be: I have been making stew. I have been stewing in a ruminating, contemplating, gathering emotions sort of way. I owe it to my anger to have to let it become potent, to properly articulate what I'm feeling. When there is a bad taste in your mouth you need some time, to drink some water, wash it away.

Tim Russert, you win my first CCS award. Yes, you, you Conservative Cocksucker.

MR. RUSSERT: Senator Obama,one of the things in a campaign is that you have to react to unexpected developments.

On Sunday, the headline in your hometown paper, Chicago Tribune: "Louis Farrakhan Backs Obama for President at Nation of Islam Convention in Chicago." Do you accept the support of Louis Farrakhan?

All right...Is this 1988? Did I just step into a time warp? When the hell was the last time Farrakhan was relevant politically? How long has it been since we heard his name on the nightly news? Bringing him up was so shocking I spilled a little of my beer at the watch-party I was attending. You had the opportunity to ask a presidential candidate anything, and this is the best you can come up with?

MR. RUSSERT: The problem some voters may have is, as you know, Reverend Farrakhan called Judaism "gutter religion."

You had the opportunity to ask a presidential candidate anything, and this is the best you can come up with, I ask yet again? In case, anyone didn't react with enough horror at the utterance of his name, neighing wildly like the horses in Young Frankenstein every time Frau Bluker was mentioned, Russert had to remind us.

RUSSERT: The title of one of your books, "Audacity of Hope," you acknowledge you got from a sermon from Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the head of the Trinity United Church. He said that Louis Farrakhan "epitomizes greatness."

He said that he went to Libya in 1984 with Louis Farrakhan to visit with Moammar Gadhafi and that, when your political opponents found out about that, quote, "your Jewish support would dry up quicker than a snowball in Hell."

RUSSERT: What do you do to assure Jewish-Americans that, whether it's Farrakhan's support, or the activities of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, your pastor, you are consistent with issues regarding Israel and not in any way suggesting that Farrakhan epitomizes greatness?

Let's scare some Jews!! This was a rather transparent attempt to remind the Jewish community and the rest of America that Obama's father was a Muslim. And, maybe he's a secret Muslim!!! So what if he was Muslim?

Mr. Russert, and all and sundry bigots, it's like this: being a Muslim is not a crime, not something that indicates natural-born evil, insanity or homicidal animus towards Jews. The Bush years have been some of the most divisive since Vietnam, maybe even since the Civil War, and yet you, Tim Russert whack the hornet's nest with questions such as these.

Wonder if he would ask these kinds of questions of the Republicans? Doubt it.

This from Glen Greenwald : In the framework of the Russert-led establishment press, white evangelical Christians are, by definition, entitled to great respect no matter how radical, extreme and hateful their professed views are. These are, after all, religious Christians — People of Faith — and, as such, it is wrong, even bigoted, to suggest that they should be repudiated. There is nothing ever radical, hateful or dangerous about the views of white evangelical Christians like Hagee. Thus, white evangelical Ministers are free to advocate American wars based on Biblical mandates, rant hatefully against Islam, and argue that natural disasters occur because God hates gay people. They are still fit for good company, an important and cherished part of our mainstream American political system. The entire GOP establishment is permitted actively to lavish them with praise and court their support without the slightest backlash or controversy.
www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/02/28/hagee/index.html