Remember How The Left Reacted After Bush Won?–UPDATED

November 6, 2008 / 3:30 pm • By Dr. Melissa Clouthier

Remember all the actors who were moving to Canada and France? I remember the hate-filled bilge. So does The Anchoress:

It has been wonderful – really beyond wonderful – to consider how differently most of the right has reacted to their defeat than the left did in 2000 and 2004. In the two previous elections, the left responded by calling the other half of the country “stupid,” “morons,” and “Nazis” – Jane Smiley called them “unteachably ignorant” – they indulged in high drama, sniffling “apologies” to the globe, and denunciations of their fellow countrymen as “lying between repugnant and reptile in the dictionary.”
And oh, yeah (eyeroll) George W. Bush was not “their” president.

While you’ll see a few disgruntled extremists on the right say foolish, even ignorant things – and many throwing daggers at the sickening double-standards of the press – they’re not indulging in that sort of dehumanizing (and very adolescent) hate of their fellow countrymen or the president-elect. The reports they’re filing read very differently than those following the Bush wins. They read as grown-up, tolerant, open-minded discourses, not tantrums. There is a willingness to be hopeful, even in defeat.

And there is a determined respectfulness being offered to the winners – people who could not manage maturity and respectfulness in their defeat and who, sadly, are not always managing it in their victory, either.

And, if Obama had lost, can you imagine the temper-tantrum? Yeah. Yes you can!

UPDATED:

Liberals rediscover the flag. I just threw up in my mouth a little.

And remember, the press bias was for your own good.

And Obama will be good for the economy.

Posted in America • Political Animals
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  • Mat

    Melissa,

    There would have riots and civil disorder in the streets if Obama lost. That’s not exaggerating. I personally don’t like Obama’s policies. They’re socialist in nature and they will make this a dependency state. His foreign policy ideas (at this point) are naive. They will cause untold problems that will be worse than anything Bush has done at this point (yes, he was pretty inept). I’m sticking to that until I see otherwise. If someone wants to label me a racist for that attitude, be my guest.

  • Paul Gordon

    “Remember all the actors who were moving to Canada and France?”

    Anyone keep score on who and how many actually did?

    We don’t appear to have a scarcity of them.

  • Mr. Chuckles

    Just read your update on the flag… Right. Forgot that only the GOP is allowed to wave the flag, because you’re the only true patriots, right? Fuck the independents and the faggot left liberals, right? I keep forgetting that it’s your country and we’re all just uninvited guests. I keep saying, if you’re so damn patriotic pick up an m-16 and get your asses over to Iraq. Sorry, but waving the flag and sticking little “support the troops” magnets on your car doesn’t make you more patriotic than anyone else.

    And you wonder why you lost…

  • kristan

    mr. chuckles:

    imagine telling someone that, because your parents helped elect barack obama, you were proud to be able to call them mother and father.

    essentially: when your allegiance is dependent upon whether your preferred candidate is elected, it’s perfectly reasonable to call your ‘patriotism’ into question.

    clear?

  • Mat

    Mr. Chuckles,

    I’m pretty sure most (though not all) US military troops now use the M-4, not the M-16. Those that do so will gradually get the M-4 eventually (though it certainly depends on the service). Oh yeah, watching the liberals give orders to the military is going to be sooooo painful…
    I know I just broke my own rule on talking to liberals…(sigh).

  • Mr. Chuckles

    Kristen,

    No, not clear. Sorry dear, but I have always been a patriot no matter who was in office. I served my country for five years (under Reagan no less), and did so willfully and gladly. That being said, I believe that it is your DUTY to call BS on the policies and practices of an administration when they are contrary to the good of the American people. As I have said in many other posts here, I believe that Afghanistan was the proper move, but then Bushco dropped the ball in favor of a less relevant (if relevant at all) target (Iraq of course). I have other reasons to despise Bushco as well, but even I am sick of hearing myself say (or type) it.

    My point was merely that just because you don’t wear your patriotism on yor sleeve doesn’t make you a left leaning apologist. I’m so sick of the idea that you have to prove your American support by strapping on red white and blue that I could shit.

    And yes, Mat, I am aware that the M-4 is now standard issue. It is of course based on the M-16 that old guys like me used to use. And gee, thanks for lowering your standards and talking to a “lefty” like me. Puke.

    BTW – When Reagan was my CIC, we were asked to do some highly illegal things, but I guess it was OK since they were his orders (and they were), right? Just like Cheney, he was a “real” patriot.

  • Glynn W.

    Doctor,

    I actually read your blog from time to time, and participate in comments . . . I must say, the invective level is high. Very, very, high.

    You know what they say about those in glass houses throwing stones . . .

  • Trish

    Melissa–
    Guess what? The left is still reacting that way.

  • http://www.biggervoices.com Matt

    I agree the right is more gracious this time, but how about the way, as Laura Ingram puts it, they throw Palin on top of the parking lot spikes and run her over with a bus?

  • Taylor

    I couldn’t agree more with your post, Doctor. I was still in school during the last election. The day Bush took office, a large portion of my own classmates stormed in wearing “mourning masks” and bearing digital “countdown clocks” on their arms that counted the days, minutes and seconds until the end of the term. It still makes me sick to think about it, and I know I wouldn’t dare to do such a thing today. Even though I am extremely dissatisfied with our new elect, I sincerely hope that I am wrong in my thinking. I hope that leftists can prove that their candidate, my new president, will enact policy that betters the nation as the whole. I have not, however, and never will, let my patriotism waver with a preferred candidate’s success or failure.

  • Mr. Chuckles

    Taylor,

    I’ll forgive your naivete given that you are young, however I remember being in college when Clinton was elected and hearing Limbaugh get on national radio everyday and say “America held hostage, day xxx…”. Many of my classmates at the time were convinced that Clinton was a socialist and was going to ruin the country (ha!) and also counted down the days. Don’t remember the “dual airbags” bumper stickers with pictures of Bill and Hillary, eh? Or how about the Clinton sticker with the hammer and sickle substituted for the “C” in his name. I can’t count the number of times I heard people call Clinton a “fucking communist”. This is old news, and both parties hurl equally vile insults at each other. Always have, and unfortunately they probably always will.

    P.S. Taylor, Trish, et al;

    Link over to Right Wing News and tell me how well that jackass is reacting to Obama. What a fucking idiot.

  • Trish

    See? Mr. Chuckles is still reacting that way.

  • http://www.rpgohmy.blogspot.com John F Not Kerry

    I seem to remember a bunch of Florida lefties who had “Post Election Selection Trauma” after 2000 or 2004, which enriched a whole bunch of therapists. Somehow I don’t think anything analagous will happen on the right this time.

  • Mr. Chuckles

    Hey Trish,

    Why don’t you try addressing the issue instead of posting little snarky “see! see! see!” comments. There is a HUGE amount of vitriol over at RWN, but you’re too chickenshit to call him out on it. What a sad little hypocrite you are. This is why I registered as an independent. Both sides are equally biased and pathetic.

  • Trish

    Mr. Chuckles–
    I have no doubt there is vitriol on both sides. SO WHAT? That doesn’t excuse your hatemongering.
    Nothing excuses that.