The likely GOP nominee for president of the United States, Mitt Romney, already has some pretty repellent supporters, including Birther King Donald Trump and the abhorrent Ann Coulter. But it seems impossible to come up with someone more repulsive than Romney’s newest endorser, the incontinent Ted Nugent.
With the recent ruckus being made over Rush Limbaugh’s blatantly misogynistic attack on Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown University law student, it should not be forgotten that Ted Nugent is no slouch when it comes to hating and insulting women. The cover for his album “Love Grenade” features a nude woman on a platter, in bondage like a pig, with a hand grenade in her mouth. It is an undisguised fantasy of dominance and violence. Yet this is the man that Romney personally solicited for support. He granted Nugent some portion of his scarce time on the campaign trail to persuade the schlock-rocker to endorse him. Nugent was convinced and proudly Tweeted…
after a long heart&soul conversation with MittRomney today I concluded this goodman will properly represent we the people & I endorsed him
— Ted Nugent (@TedNugent) March 2, 2012
The question that must arise for the media is whether Romney will be held to account for actively seeking the endorsement of a psychopath who has threatened the President and others with assassination in a vulgar public display of hatred and overt hostility. Let’s go to the videotape:
And the transcript:
Nugent: I was in Chicago last week I said, “Hey Obama, you might want to suck on one of these, you punk?” Obama, he’s a piece of shit and I told him to suck on one of my machine guns. Let’s hear it for them. I was in New York and I said, “Hey Hillary, you might want to ride one of these into the sunset you worthless bitch.” Since I’m in California, I’m gonna find Barbara Boxer she might wanna suck on my machine guns. Hey, Dianne Feinstein, ride one of these you worthless whore.
That’s the caliber of man from whom Mitt Romney went out of his way to secure an endorsement. This was not some random, unsolicited freak who confessed his adoration for the candidate, and over whom Romney had no control. Nugent was a prize that Romney actively pursued. Nugent even told reporters that he had compelled Romney to pledge that there would be no new gun laws or regulations during his administration. So Romney has not just begged for this endorsement, he has traded policy positions for it. And this particular position is especially troubling considering Nugent’s preoccupation with guns and politicians he doesn’t like.
Is anyone in the press paying attention? If the shameful obscenities were not enough to warrant further inquiry into this relationship, then surely the flagrantly hostile rhetoric ought to be. There is absolutely no excuse for this sort of vilification to be used in the political arena. Reasonable candidates should shun people like Nugent, not court them. Mitt Romney has to be made to answer for this, and the press should do their job to see to it that he does.
You don’t like that Mitt Romney “bonded” with Ted Nugent?
Let me guess. You have no problem with a guy like Bill Ayers.
Hypocrite.
as I’ve said too many times to count, here and elsewhere, the “what about so-and-so” defense never works, and shouldn’t, as it’s made out of desperation. It’s also as irrelevant as pointing out that “Cat Scratch Fever” was a spectacularly ugly song, which it was, though denouncing Nugent for his behavior as opposed to his lack of musical artistry makes a far better case against him.
What about Bill Ayers? Care to elaborate on that?
The Obama campaign sought his endorsement in 2008?
Oh yeah and what Nugent was in the past, he still is today. Ayers however is a different man than he was before.
Dave’s probably formulating his comeback as we speak, Delu. Let me think: will it be well, then what about somebody else who compares to Nugent as poorly as Ayers; or will it be Oh yes Ayers is TOO still a bad guy followed by some bogus tirade misrepresenting Ayers; or how about “I love to make you libs angry” used when he’s absolutely devoid of ammunition? Don’t know about you, but I’m not slightly angry. I am, however, wishing there were a higher caliber of wingnut to debate. This guy is too unchallenging to sharpen my critical thinking skills.
You hit the nail on the head. I really wish some of these conservatives who comment here would offer some kind of intellectual challenge – rather than “I know you are but what am I?”
Come on, Dave. Try to put just a little effort into it. You call me a hypocrite without even ascertaining my position on Ayers.
I’ll tell you what, if you can manage to focus long enough to respond to what I actually wrote here and tell us what you think of Romney soliciting the endorsement of Nugent, I’ll tell you what I think of Ayers. Can you do that?
Delu must be the abbreviation for delusional.
Given that, of Nugent’s 16 albums since 1981 only 2 have reached as high as #51 (1981 and 1982), one at #56 (1984), one at #76 (1986) , one at #86 (1995), one at #112 (1988, one at #186 ( Love Grenade, 2008 ) on the Billboard Charts and the remaining 8 albums (1993 to 2009) haven’t charted at all, I’d say the number of votes his fan-base MIGHT provide (even supposing that they ALL voted, instead of at-best following the more likely 50-53% turnout of the average American voter in a general election) would be pretty damn small.
And whilst every vote counts the likely geographic distribution of Nugent fans (basing their voting decisions solely on Nugent’s seal of approval) would render their votes even more ineffectual as they don’t all get to vote en-masse in the same state or even the same district.
So quite apart from the utter worthlessness of Ted Nugent himself, Romney’s pursuit of his endorsement seems a very poor calculation indeed.
Which then suggests that Romney and his campaign are desperate and stupid, and it further says little of the candidate’s appeal and prospects that he feels he needs Ted freakin Nugent’s approval.
It remains to be seen whether Romney will publicize the Noog’s endorsement nationally or realize the risk and keep his mouth shout–in which case all he has to worry about is Nugent himself NOT keeping HIS mouth shut too.
And then it depends on whether the corporate mainstream media will bring it up.
I’d say the odds are actually pretty good for that happening, but I’m not betting the Beltway bobbleheads will spend any time on the implications (such as those above) and will at the most treat it as just a colorful and entertaining piece of political gossip to lighten the mood of otherwise deep and serious pontifications.
Of course once Gingrich and Santorum catch wind of this, they’ll have to counter Romeny’s move with their own crappy irrelevant washed-up ‘entertainment’ celebrity endorsements.
I’m sure Santorum can get former SNL comedienne Victoria Jackson AND Kirk “God’s Banana” Cameron on hs side easily enough, so who might Gingrich court? Dennis Miller seems likely, and Kelsey Grammer (because he and Newt have that leasing wives thing in common). Who else? Gary Sinise? Sam Waterston (sp?)
I think that’s everyone Right, right?. Hey that’s enough star power and talent for a fundraising benefit in someone’s backyard isn’t it? They should DEFINITELY put on a show! In Wasilla, Alaska.
(P.S. This is my first time commenting here, but I’ve been a regular visitor for a couple of years and I appreciate the quality and content of the posts, and the commitment).
Thanks for finally commenting. The funny thing about Nugent’s current “fan” base is that I’d bet 95% couldn’t name a single song of his. They are Tea Partiers and NRA members who get a bigger thrill out shooting defenseless animals than listening to rock and roll.
Remember Obama’s pastor? The “god damn America” comment he made in a sermon, which was totally taken out of context, is something the teabag croud says on a regular basis, since Obama was elected. I hope someone in the press does make a big deal about this. Romney needs to be put on the spot for accepting the endorsement from someone as creepy as Nugent. He has accepted it and I hope the Obama campaign brings it back to show the undecided voters in this election. I think they will in the general election, but the press needs to talk about it now.
maybe if he had said something really inflammatory like, “I am embarrassed to be from the same state as the president” the “liberal” media and the right would react, possibly with public mass burning his records and boycotting his shows and calling him what he is – a traitor.
i cant wait till the next hateful, traitorous conservative scumbag dies and the right lectures liberals on civility.
Good point. The same people who made pariahs of the Dixie Chicks’ rather mild rebuke of Bush, revere Nugent’s violence and vulgarity. Talk about hypocrites…..