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Sen. Reid Thanks Bloggers At Netroots Nation For Their Work Against Myth Making Tea Party

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» 71 comments

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid delivered an address to the attendees at this year’s Netroots Nation progressive blogger conference to encourage writers to continue writing against the Republicans and thank them for their support, even though their relationship may be strained.

Initially addressing the case of Lt. Dan Choi, who was recently discharged from the military under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, he promised to work towards a future where “there are less Dan Chois who are humiliated by the system,” and about the greater struggle against inequality, noted that “the powerful and the rich continue to have a tremendous influence on our country.” He gave an extensive history of the media, from newspapers to radio to television, finally arriving at the internet: “and then you came along. You brought back the voice of real Americans,” he told the audience.

In one of the more humorous (and awkward) parts of his speech, Reid acknowledge the tension he has experienced with progressive writers in the past, telling the audience, “I know there are times, I’m told, that I get on your nerves. And I’m here to tell you, you get on my nerves sometimes. But let’s all understand this country would be in a lot more trouble if we weren’t around.” He also thanked them for their work against “the Tea Party and other myth machines, and especially the Republican Party.”

Watch Sen. Reid’s speech below– interestingly, Fox News was the only cable channel to broadcast the speech:

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  • Bootleghaircut

    “I know there are times, I’m told, that I get on your nerves. And I’m here to tell you, you get on my nerves sometimes”

    A fine moment of truth Harry. Can you imagine any Republican making such a point
    to their great big fat golden calf of conservatism El Rushbo?

    Methinks not.

    No dissent under the big tent EVAH!

  • notsofast

    This dbag is the future of liberalism.

  • notsofast

    Bootleghaircut said:
    No dissent under the big tent EVAH!

    Yeah, we saw evidence of the “big tent” at MSNBC when it removed Donnie “Douche” just for mentioning KO’s name.

  • juan

    Reid, Pelosi, Obama = Pathetic

    Those NetRooters have to be embarrassed!

    The rest of America surely is!

  • Arnold

    Ich understand this Reids was a boxer . Was there a special ” Twerp ” class he fought in , back in the 1930 ‘s ? This girlie man will be another one out of work soon .

  • notsofast

    Hurray! Harry is a speaker at the same convention that featured that self- avowed commie Van Jones!

    Congrats Dems- We CAN hear ya now!

  • Iris

    About time leader Reid, It seems the old folks are finally gettin it right, Progress moves on because the young move up.

  • Bootleghaircut

    hey notsosmart-

    Psst-MSNBC is a NEWS CHANNEL not a POLITICAL PARTY.

    You’re not very good at this are you?

  • Moderate

    “because the young move up.”

    No, we grow up.

  • notsofast

    Bootleghaircut said:
    Psst-MSNBC is a NEWS CHANNEL not a POLITICAL PARTY.

    YES IT IS!

    LMAO!!!!!!!

  • notsofast

    Bootleghaircut said:
    Psst-MSNBC is a NEWS CHANNEL

    LMAO

    That was a good one, son!

    tell some more jokes!

  • murf

    The IQ is that auditorium can be measured with a pencil eraser .

    Moderate-Democrat-Progressive-Socialist-Communist .. The ” progress ” is clear .

  • notsofast

    The Communist Party doesn’t need a separate convention from the Dems.

  • http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

    People of Las Vegas . If you think you see Peter Lorre walking around , do not panic . It’s just that Daily Kos guy .

  • betweentwoevils
  • TfT

    Frances: It is high time you acknowledged, honestly, that FNC is the most fair and balanced network on the air. Your snark that “interestingly, FNC was the only cabler to broadcast his speech” is uncalled for.

    Instead, you should be praising FNC for being fair and balanced, like it is.

    You lefties need to wake up and smell the coffee. FNC is the ONLY network that airs BOTH sides of the story, the rest are all members of journolist, including most here at mediaite.

    Fess up Frances: are you now or were you ever a member of journolist?

  • The Real Royal King

    Iris said:
    About time leader Reid, It seems the old folks are finally gettin it right, Progress moves on because the young move up.

    Indeed, this is the proof in the pudding. The lies of the righties no longer go unchallenged! Americans have made a great leap forward in a most unexpected way.

    Why Americans Ought to be Concerned About the FOX Network: False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

  • The Real Royal King

    TfT said:
    Frances: It is high time you acknowledged, honestly, that FNC is the most fair and balanced network on the air. Your snark that “interestingly, FNC was the only cabler to broadcast his speech” is uncalled for. Instead, you should be praising FNC for being fair and balanced, like it is. You lefties need to wake up and smell the coffee. FNC is the ONLY network that airs BOTH sides of the story, the rest are all members of journolist, including most here at mediaite. Fess up Frances: are you now or were you ever a member of journolist?

    No, TfT, you need to acknowledge that the credibility of the Republican Propaganda Machine suffered an irreparable blow this week.

    Why Americans Ought to be Concerned About the FOX Network: False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

  • felixw

    Bootleghaircut said:
    Psst-MSNBC is a NEWS CHANNEL not a POLITICAL PARTY.

    If MSNBC is a news channel, the only story they cover with any consistency is Fox News. If you cut out all the references to Fox News on MSNBC, you wouldn’t be left with much. But since Fox covers the economy, foreign policy, the war on terror and the other major stories of the day, a little taste of those subjects show up second-hand on Maddow, Olbermann, etc.

  • m

    It’s depressing how you bow and suck up to Fox News Channel like it’s part of the Holy Trinity. Get a grip with yourself: it’s television. You need to watch Fox News critically, not suck up to them. You’re more blind and oblivious than the people you accuse.

  • http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

    This nasty , nasty little man needs to return to Searchlight , the speedtrap between Las Vegas and Laughlin . He can be the honorary librarian for the Bookmobile , when it comes every other Tuesday .

  • TfT

    Oh TRRK you are too funny…..Shirly Sherrod is a racist, just look at her full speech, and now she claims Brietbart wants to send us back to the slave days. Just two days ago, she was blaming the WH and NAACP, but now she has gotting her 15 minutes of fame, CNN claims she is the new Nelson Mandella…she is loving the attention and the platitudes.

    Just like journolist, the new meme being spread, is that FNC caused her to be fired and that is what she is claiming now….not what she claimed when the moment of truth was upon her. She is nothing more than a pawn for Team Obama and the left wing media who do nothing but suck up to teh one, he himself.

    Breitbart’s tape was not edited….give it up TRRK. The truth wins, you lose. Go suck an egg.

  • The Real Royal King

    m said:
    It’s depressing how you bow and suck up to Fox News Channel like it’s part of the Holy Trinity. Get a grip with yourself: it’s television. You need to watch Fox News critically, not suck up to them. You’re more blind and oblivious than the people you accuse.

    Depressing, yes, but also comical in another sense.

    —–Why Americans Ought to be Concerned About the FOX Network: False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil. —–

  • The Real Royal King

    TfT said:
    Shirly Sherrod is a racist

    Yes, the old rightist blame the victim strategy. Well, you’ve got nothing left. Your mouthpieces’ credibility is shot. I’ll get you a condolence card tomorrow. Probably not a Hallmark, but a nice one.

    —–Why Americans Ought to be Concerned About the FOX Network: False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil. —–

  • murf

    FOX NEWS CHANNEL covering the NetRoots Convention VS MSNBC covering Prison Porn . The end .

  • ImNotBlue

    Bootleghaircut says:
    July 24, 2010 at 8:12 pm

    hey notsosmart-

    Psst-MSNBC is a NEWS CHANNEL not a POLITICAL PARTY

    Yeah, NSF… you should have said “Joe Lieberman” instead… or Bart Stupak (remember how the left “respected” him when he was voting against Obamacare?).

    Just because Boots brought up entertainers (ie: Limbaugh), doesn’t mean you’re allowed to!

    TfT says:
    July 24, 2010 at 10:00 pm

    Actually, it’s probably just that MSNBC doesn’t have the resources to cover weekend events, and CNN (as usual) is asleep at the wheel.

    The Real Royal King says:
    July 24, 2010 at 10:08 pm

    Iris said:
    About time leader Reid, It seems the old folks are finally gettin it right, Progress moves on because the young move up.

    HA! Two old people still pretending they’re young and know what’s going on.

    Of course, this theory is simply a retread of the 60s and 70s, where the young people were overwhelmingly anti-war, and very pro-Democrat. And yet… those are the “old” folks today… so what’s happened? Why did the hippie generation become “old” and stop being kneejerk Liberals?

    We’ve seen this theory before… but it never turns out as folks like TRRK and Iris pretend it does.

    The Real Royal King says:
    July 24, 2010 at 10:10 pm

    FNC is the only network to cover Sen. Reid’s speech… and all you can say is something untrue and unrelated. Sad.

    m says:
    July 24, 2010 at 10:13 pm

    It’s depressing how you bow and suck up to Fox News Channel like it’s part of the Holy Trinity.

    The only thing funnier than the FNC “suck ups,” are those who think it’s the devil and hate Hate HATE it. As you said, “it’s television.” Which is why I’m sure you’ll be sending that message along to the Netroots convention, and all those hardcore anti-FNC folks. Right?

  • Woodman

    Imagine MSNBC covering a Tea Party gathering while Fox ignores it. You can’t. Imagine MSNBC giving a prominent conservative exclusive cable airtime. You can’t.

    Score one for Fox. And listen…they’re letting Franken ramble on and on…betcha the lefties expect Beck to suddenly appear split screen, making faces, hands cupping ears, and going nah-nah-nah.

    It would be an improvement.

    Ed Schultz must be losing it about now.

  • notsofast

    Harry, I never thought I would say this, but Al Frakenstein’s speech makes yours sound like The Gettysburg Address.

    Next time, have Al speak just before you do.

  • notsofast

    Thank God Franken isn’t of Japanese descent or people would be saying there was a sneak attack on Vegas tonight; what a bomb he laid.

  • notsofast

    Birds force Kings of Leon from St. Louis stage
    By Alan Duke, CNN
    July 24, 2010 6:34 p.m. EDT
    STORY HIGHLIGHTS

    * NEW: Excrement did not hit the fans
    * The band decided to take the stage despite bombardment on openers
    * The show ended when excrement landed on the bassist’s cheek
    * Kings of Leon were warned about pigeon infestation

    (CNN) — Pooping pigeons forced the Kings of Leon to abandon their St. Louis, Missouri, concert after just three songs Friday night, the rock band’s management said Saturday.

    Man, everyone is now a critic!

  • murf

    LOL

  • murf

    This net neutrality argument is a complete Trojan Horse . There is a reason Liberal sites/blogs/ radio fail. The personal smear attacks do not solve any problems. Liberals believe forcing equal air time, will draw followers and voters .. Failng to realize America is Center – RIGHT , a platform Obama ran on, and what got him elected . Every Policy he has supported or passed has been UN popular , why can’t you prog frogs accept that ?

  • the real john t

    murf said:
    There is a reason Liberal sites/blogs/ radio fail. The personal smear attacks do not solve any problems.

    Let me clue you in on something. The reason liberal radio fails is because liberals don’t need someone telling them what to think. Like you cons need Rush, Hannity, Beck, etc, etc to tell you what to think and do. And are you actually trying to say the Con hate jocks don’t throw out smears?

  • the real john t

    BTW Smurf, have you read any RW sites like Foxnation, Freerepublic, Little green footballs etc, etc? Or read your own comments on here? What a damn hypocrite.

  • murf

    John , have you ever listened to Randi Rhodes , Mike Malloy , Bill Press , Stephanie Miller ?

    If you haven’t, let me drop you a hint .. Hate speech & personal jabs consume their shows . MSNBC is failing too . 1+1 still = 2.. Get the hint ?

  • murf

    John. , believe it or not , I read MM , Daily Kos HuffPo , Think Propaganda & Firedoglake and watch MSNBC. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

  • the real john t

    murf said:
    Hate speech & personal jabs consume their shows .

    Well let’s start of with Rush and “Barack the Magic Negroe”. Yeah, now tell me about personal jabs. And no I don’t listen to any talk show radio.

  • murf

    Um John . FAIL.. Barack the magic Negro was first written about by a liberal writer in the LA Times …

  • the real john t

    murf said:
    Um John . FAIL.. Barack the magic Negro was first written about by a liberal writer in the LA Times

    A “liberal” writer huh? And Rush kept playing it over and over. Antbody that would take up for Rush is an idiot.

  • murf

    This might be hard and laughable to grasp .. But Rush and Hannity pretty much predicted to a T ( no pun intended ) the agenda and effect of Obama’s policies . Which are proving more and more true everyday ., Dont believe me ? Go search the transcripts from 2008.

  • the real john t

    Hey smurf, maybe you should go read up on Paul Shanklin that wrote ‘Barack the Magic Negro’.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Shanklin

  • the real john t

    murf said:
    Go search the transcripts from 2008.

    Don’t you know how to give links?

  • murf

    First off John , I listened to their shows in 08′ .. You think Im gonna do your dirty work for you ? Union mentality doesn’t get you far in the real world.

    Secondly , I do not confine myself to accusations and labels of racism charges , by the Left. The liberals in ’10 have polluted and insulted those , that have endured real racism .

  • the real john t

    murf said:
    You think Im gonna do your dirty work for you ?

    So in other words you can’t back up your bullshit you pulled from your Repub place (your ass). Typical Repub.

  • murf

    Really T ? The only and I mean only link you have provided on this site ( since O’ve been here ) was some NYT article about radio hosts meeting w/ Bush ..I asked you the other night for back up , and you , per usual flipped the conversation and didn’t provide Look at the polls and mood of Americans if you don’t believe me .

  • murf

    Provide links * Look at .. *

    Damn

    And I’ve- not O’ve

  • the real john t

    murf said:
    The only and I mean only link you have provided on this site

    You idiot. I just proved you wrong on who wrote ‘Barack the Magic Negro’ wiith a link, but you’re too stupid to read it. You are a waste of my time, plus you are a waste of oxygen. Good night fake Marine.

  • murf

    JohnT, The La times movie critic wrote an article about Obama .. Regardless, Paul Shanklin [ a conservative spoof writer ] sent Rush a musical spoof off it.

  • young william

    lets face it gang, anyone who denies that the individual who resides in the white house is working as fast as he can to destroy america on all fronts and also from within if he has his way(which he wont) is just as unamerican as this bastard or just blind, stupid and denial and is just as bad.I am a white male and I will say anything about this farakahn wannabee because he is just as white as he is black and he choses the later of the 2. but this guy still is just a puppet and if he wasnt you still have to relize that you can make race horse a plow horse but you cant make a plow horse a race horse. there are real american heros that exist in black american history past and present and there will be in the future. But this sick, resentful, pathetic excuse for a human does not deserve to have an american passport. Good always triumphs over evil and when the dust settles our country will not splinter or turn communist and Barrack Obama will never be anyones hero who holds their hand on their heart as the say the Pledge of alligance. god bless america!

  • Pablo

    the real john t said:
    You idiot. I just proved you wrong on who wrote ‘Barack the Magic Negro’ wiith a link, but you’re too stupid to read it. You are a waste of my time, plus you are a waste of oxygen. Good night fake Marine.

    Let’s review:

    murf said:
    Um John . FAIL.. Barack the magic Negro was first written about by a liberal writer in the LA Times …

    You’re familiar with the word “about” aren’t you? Meet David Eherenstein, and his Barack the Magic Negro column. He’s the guy Paul Shanklin was referring to in the Barack the Magic Negro parody when he wrote (in Al Sharpton’s voice):

    “Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper
    Said he makes guilty whites feel good
    They’ll vote for him, and not for me
    ‘Cause he’s not from the hood.

    Not only are you wasting oxygen, john, you’re producing Gaia-killing carbon needlessly.

  • Pablo

    Speaking of Eherenstein’s piece:

    Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn’t project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him.

    How’s that working out, now that fantasy gives way to reality?

  • http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

    Pablo, don’t waste your time argueing with the lib nuts. They don’t listen to Rush they just run with the distortion machine tell them Rush said. Remember this, if Rush said any of the things they say he did he would not have an audience or even be on the air. If he was a racist he would lose his listeners overnight. The left always takes his satire and turn into serious statements. You have to remember libs have no sense of humor when the joke is on them.

  • http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

    In January , Nasty Harry will be hanging around the Terrible’s gas station in Searchlight . He’ll tell all who will listen about the time he and the bug-eyed lady tried to pull some fast ones over on the public .

  • yweston

    You guys think the President was the loser this week. But you’re wrong. The WH can move on.

    Fox Entertainment is the loser. People will “always” be “suspect” of their videos. Are they true are they “EDITED” are they biased. Wha’t the real truth? Where’s the complete video? Is this a Breitbart video? Was that ACORN video ‘EDITED’. Why were the ACORN workers ‘vinidicated’ by New York and California Courts of Law? Why is ACORN suing O’Keefe the so-called independent film maker who “fabricated” that tape. Why was O’Keefe and his buddies found guilty on May 26, 2010 of unlawful entry into a Government building.

    And the haters on this site think Fox Won!! Riiiighhhtttt. And the day after Shirley Sherrod “kicked” Fox to the curb. Glenn Beck was back in his little broadcast room making jokes. And the President met with the Prime Minister of Great Britain and signed an unemployment insurance extension to help millions of unemployed workers.l

  • Pablo

    yweston said:
    Why is ACORN suing O’Keefe the so-called independent film maker who “fabricated” that tape.

    They’re not is why.

  • http://flavors.me/sherrywein Sherry Wein

    Get a life Harry. You are so out of touch with the rest of the world!

  • Pablo

    The Real Royal King said:
    No, TfT, you need to acknowledge that the credibility of the Republican Propaganda Machine suffered an irreparable blow this week.

    I’ll believe that the day I see Fox News doing something like this or this.

  • Iris

    “young” (yeah right) william, All you old right wing farts would do better just to face the fact that you’re on your way out and the youth will keep the progress going. Of course if you insist , go ahead and spend your waning days looking for the presidents birth certificate and BTW good luck with that meme, K?

  • notsofast

    the real john t said:
    A “liberal” writer huh? And Rush kept playing it over and over.

    Too bad- it was a lib who gave him that name.

  • Iris

    gordonblows, Everyone knows that your beloved oxycotin addicted , viagra needing radio host is hatemonger cause these days gramps there are “recordings ” of his fat ass saying those hateful things.

  • http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

    Iris, just repeating lies about Rush won’t work. Why don’t you quit hiding behind a phony name to lie about people? Seek help. Dr. Phil could use you on his show.

  • Iris

    gordonblows, oh, thats right gordon sorry only in the REAL world is he a oxycotin addicted, viagra needing, can’t keep a wife, screamed himself deaf fat ass hatemonger who spews hate everyday only to his fellow hatemongers, cause, guess what, the kids are,t listening and in the real world he will be movin’ on along with the rest of you old farts

  • ImNotBlue

    Iris says:
    July 25, 2010 at 11:49 am

    he will be movin’ on along with the rest of you old farts

    How old are you, Iris?

  • betweentwoevils

    Oh this a great thread; two sides trading insults. Am I teaching Grade 7 again? Where are the original ideas? It seems that all I am reading is the favorite cut and paste(s) from the hero pundits.

  • http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

    The youngest , coolest names of the 20th century were : Agatha , Bertha , Gertrude , Iris . Roxy , etc . …That ‘s what the people in the early 1900s were namin’ their younguns .

  • MichelleF

    In case any of you are wondering who these nuts idiolize:

    The American Spectator reported:

    Van Jones, the former Obama “green jobs czar” who was forced to resign after it was revealed that he signed a petition calling for an investigation into whether the Bush administration deliberately allowed the Sept. 11 attacks to happen, was given a standing ovation by liberal activists here at the Netroots Nation conference.

    In a video introduction, former DNC chairman Howard Dean called Jones a “hero.”

    During his speech, Jones said that he threw himself a long “pity party” after his exit from the administration, but compared his own struggle to the larger state of the nation. He made the case for investing in new energy technologies, and dismissed concerns about the deficit.

    “There’s plenty of money out there, the only question is how to spend it,” Jones said.

  • writer

    Iris, if political affiliation only has to do with age, then does that mean that all of these liberal kids you keep talking about will become conservatives once they get older? Aren’t a lot of the people who are older now the same ones who were at Woodstock? Does some magical transformation take place once you pass a certain age? Could you explain to us at exactly which age this occurs and how you arrived at that conclusion?

  • Icanadd

    The IQ is that auditorium can be measured with a pencil eraser .

    Moderate-Democrat-Progressive-Socialist-Communist .. The ” progress ” is clear

    As long as the public ELECTS socialists Communists, Progressives and Democrats, whats your beef? You DO believe in democracy and the democratic process dont you? Or is it only when your ideas/candidates win?

  • Sunnyr

    The fact that this MORON, Harry Reid AND the POTUS give NUTROOTS so much attention is very telling. They are rank Amateurs who are afraid of their own rabid base. lmao!! Mention Glenn Beck and this Bozo of an administration goes ballistic with fright. Hilarious.

    OUT IN 2012!!!

  • Icanadd

    young william said:
    lets face it gang, anyone who denies that the individual who resides in the white house is working as fast as he can to destroy america on all fronts and also from within if he has his way(which he wont) is just as unamerican as this bastard or just blind, stupid and denial and is just as bad.I am a white male and I will say anything about this farakahn wannabee because he is just as white as he is black and he choses the later of the 2. but this guy still is just a puppet and if he wasnt you still have to relize that you can make race horse a plow horse but you cant make a plow horse a race horse. there are real american heros that exist in black american history past and present and there will be in the future. But this sick, resentful, pathetic excuse for a human does not deserve to have an american passport. Good always triumphs over evil and when the dust settles our country will not splinter or turn communist and Barrack Obama will never be anyones hero who holds their hand on their heart as the say the Pledge of alligance. god bless america!

    Dont forget the “black helicopters” to make your conspiracy rant complete!! This “individual that resides in the white house” was ELECTED. And by a large majority of electoral AND popular vote. If he is “destroying America on all fronts” he is doing what he was elected to do…With the key word being ELECTED. You DO believe in democracy and elections dont you? So Lets be clear, the rightwing vision of America does NOT represent the majority of voters, nor is the rightwing view anywhere near the main stream. You are alienating what few moderates remaining in the GOP (Charlie Crist eventual senate winner FL, The Bennett, dude out west, the Angle lunatic in NV which will result in Harry Reid retaining his seat, just to name a few examples) resulting in the eventual certain collapse of the GOP as a viable political interest in America. THe rightwing will NEVER attain the political clout to do anything but destroy itself. And youre doing a damn fine job of that very thing as we speak. Keep it up!

  • MichelleF

    This “individual that resides in the white house” was ELECTED. And by a large majority of electoral AND popular vote. If he is “destroying America on all fronts” he is doing what he was elected to do…

    That’s ridiculous. BO tried everything he could to appear moderate in order to get elected when those of us with a brain, knew he was a left wing lunatic. Those are the policies he’s now pushing.

    So Lets be clear, the rightwing vision of America does NOT represent the majority of voters,

    Again, you are wrong. The latest polls show that only 20% of the country is liberal, while 40% are conservative and the other 40% are independent. Just like Howard Dean, it’s look like you don’t let facts get in your way.

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