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Christiane Amanpour Asks Bachmann If She Would Have Wanted ‘Hundreds of Thousands of People Dead’ in Libya

Josh Feldman — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:28:58 +0000

Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann appeared on ABC’s This Week today, and Christiane Amanpour put Bachmann on the defensive when she asked the candidate if her non-interventionist Libya position would mean she would have been okay with “hundreds of thousands” of dead civilians in the streets of Libya and Moammar Gadhafi still in power.

Bachmann defended her position by pointing out that it was former Defense Secretary Robert Gates who admitted several months ago that Libya was not a “vital interest” for the United States. Bachmann suspected the military action seemed to be more focused on regime change than “humanitarian purposes.”

Amanpour suggested that the United States’ role in Libya was a minor one and gave the congresswoman a chance to clarify her position, but Bachmann stood by her guns and argued that the U.S. should never have entered Libya. She pointed to the uncertainty of Libya’s future and who the ruling parties will be, bringing up the power struggle in the context of the Arab Spring.

Watch the video below, courtesy of ABC:

Report: Fewer People Planning To Dress Up As Political Figures For Halloween

Josh Feldman — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:27:57 +0000

For some reason, people are not flocking to Halloween stores this year to go as Barack Obama or Michele Bachmann. How could that be?

According to The Washington Post, while people were dressing up as Sarah Palin in 2008 or Christine O’Donnell last year, this year, a year when the American political climate grew more divisive, less people want to be reminded of politics this Halloween season and just go as their favorite pop culture icon.

In this grim year, satirical minds recoil at all the touchy subjects. “A few people asked for Arnold Schwarzenegger masks,” said [DC emporium manager Sandra] Duraes, wanly, since the Governator’s travails summon thoughts of his wife’s heartache. Charlie Sheen’s excesses have been drained of their mirth, like a hangover…

Scanning the world headlines is hardly fruitful. Anything related to Japan’s cascading catastrophes is as funny as cesium-induced organ failure. Dictators had a bad year, but could anyone draw laughs as Hosni Mubarak, wheeled around in a bed-cage? Duraes has seen a run on black curly wigs and mustaches, in service to Moammar Gaddafi get-ups, but the Libyan despot was hard to look at in his last cruel hours, and Duraes said that customers have amended the look to make it more pop-culty: “They’re doing zombie Gaddafi.”

Too soon, perhaps?

The WaPo article also contains some advice for those who do want to go as political figures, specifically the GOP candidates, even old favorite Richard Nixon, because his iconic face mask is “always a seller for some reason.”

h/t WaPo

Qaddafi/Gadhafi/Gaddafi/Qadhafi Brings His Stand Up Show To The UN: The View From Twitter

Glynnis MacNicol — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:33:58 +0000

Did you miss Muammar el-Qaddafi’s (or Gadhafi/Gaddafi/Qadhafi depending on who your media source is) address to the United Nation’s General Assembly this morning? It was a doozy. And at 90 minutes long (the time limit is 15, by the way) perhaps best viewed from Twitter, which courtesy of ABC’s Jake Tapper, CBS’s Mark Knoller, Salon’s Mike Madden, Anna Marie Cox, and Politico’s Ben Smith and Michael Calderone among others, was distilled it down to its very best parts…with one or two embellishments. It made for the best twitter read I’ve had since Sarah Palin announced her resignation. Behold. Who knew a former “terrorist” (President Reagan’s words, not mine) from Libya could bring out the media funny so well. (Note: Tweets in reverse chronological order.)

“Fox hasn’t dedicated this much airtime to a raving lunatic since that Glenn Beck special.”

Mark Knoller: If Qadhafi ever gives up the de facto leadership of Libya, could you see a talk show in his future?

Andy Levy: Qaddafi: We are all pirates. Except for the pirates. America? Pirates. Israel? Pirates. Pirates? Not pirates. [EXACT TRANSLATION]

Ben Smith: RT @mkoshark: Gadhafi is set to close his #UN speech with a shameless plug to watch his stint on next season’s Dancing With the Stars

Chris Lehmann: I’m assuming the aide responsible for giving an Attaboy to Qaddafi after that performance is now planning to defect.

“Where’s @CongJoeWilson when you need him?”

Mike Madden: RT @owillis:Qadafi: so this is what @glennbeck sounds like in a diff language.

Jake Tapper: AND…Qadaffi’s done. Roughly 90 minutes of sheer poetry.

Ben Smith: Qaddafi: You are the ones who hate the Jews.

Mark Knoller: At 90 minutes into the Qadhafi speech, 2nd shift of UN translators come on duty.

Mark Knoller: Qadhafi even has his own health care reform: accuses capitalist countries & companies of creating viruses then charging for vaccinations.

Mike Madden: Khaddafy: “Perhaps tomorrow we shall have a fish flu.” Perhaps! Can we get him to weigh in on the Baucus healthcare markup?

Chris Lehmann: Wow, this Qaddafi speech is longer than a Saturday Night Live sketch. Funnier, too.

Ari Melber: Even for Gaddafi, #imaletyoufinish

“#imaletyoufinish”

Jake Tapper: Where’s @CongJoeWilson when you need him?

Jake Tapper: I would fact check this Qadaffi speech but…..well…..I got a life to lead….

Ana Marie Cox: RT @mikememoli: Fox hasn’t dedicated this much airtime to a raving lunatic since that Glenn Beck special. // Beck actually has more demands.

Mark Knoller: Qadhafi calling for UN investigations of assassinations including JFK – and the killing of “Lee Harvey” by Jack Ruby.

Mike Madden: Could someone fill me in on how Gaddafi started talking about Jack Ruby?

Jake Tapper: I think Aaron Altman had it wrong about this guy.

David Folkenflik: … And i’m pretty sure khaddafy is now waving copy of GOP health care plan at assembly

David Folkenflik: Khaddafy says swine flu created in military labs; UN mtgs should be moved from NYC to avoid jet lag…

Mark Knoller: Qadhafi calls for UN investigation of US-led Iraq war on Iraq which he calls “the mother of all evils.”

Drudge Report: Gadhafi chastises UN for failing to prevent 65 wars… http://tinyurl.com/nzdjsq

Seth Colter Walls: Wondering how long it will take someone to mash up Qadhafi’s UN appearance with Yeezy’s VMA interruption. Couple hours?

Ben Smith: Qaddafi really rolling. Free Noriega!

“On TV now: Gadhafi (CNN), Khaddafy (MSNBC) and Qaddafi (Fox).”

Michael Calderone: On TV now: Gadhafi (CNN), Khaddafy (MSNBC) and Qaddafi (Fox).

Mark Knoller: Qadhafi now calling for UN to be moved from NYC to another location in the world. “I want to relieve America from this hardship.”

Jake Tapper: Qadaffi talking about some disease created in a lab perhaps as a military weapon – translation spotty so not sure what hes talking about.

Mark Knoller: Quite a sight to see Qadhafi at the lectern of the UN General Assembly. During Reagan years, Qadhafi was seen as lead terrorist in world.