Christine Gregoire has received a death threat. The death threat was inexcusable. But then so was Gregoire's reaction:
She said blamed "the level of discussion on some of these talk radio shows" for whipping up people.Oh, please. I've heard a lot of discussion about Gregoire and the governor's race on talk radio. Yes, a lot of people are angry about the tainted election and the illegitimacy of Gregoire's governorship. But I've never heard any appeals to violence on any talk radio show that I listen to, nor would any of the hosts that I know permit such talk on their programs.
For Gregoire to equate public outrage over serious failures of government with death threats, is not merely a ridiculous mischaracterization, it's an attempt to delegitimize and stifle dissent. Appalling. But it's also as politically inept as, say, calling the election a "model to the rest of the nation and the world", and it will backfire. Gregoire deserves all of the ridicule and derision her comment will inspire on talk radio for weeks to come.
But having said all that, I sincerely hope the state patrol keeps Mrs. Gregoire and her family safe and that the bastard who threatened her goes behind bars for a very long time.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 03, 2005 10:38 PM | Email ThisI haven't hear any whining out Rossi over his death threats. Has anyone else?
Posted by: DeadWood on February 3, 2005 11:55 PMA nut is a nut, conservative or liberal. If it's talk radio's fault she got a death threat, then who's fault is it that the WSP feels the need to still assign a detail to protect Rossi 24/7? I mean, well all know how civil Seattle liberals are...
Posted by: Mike H on February 4, 2005 12:01 AMAmazingly, her political sense of smell has once again failed her. It's just amazing that she keeps coming up with remarks that are highly memorable, and destined to backfire.
Do we know which station/host/month?
Posted by: Al on February 4, 2005 12:50 AMSeriously...anybody crazy enough to get "all whipped up" enough to make death threats by listening to Kirby, Carlson or Seigel on local talk radio is already 90 percent of the way off the deep end.
Gee, thank God for all the calm and sane radio hosts on AIR AMERICA.
Posted by: Mumblix Grumph on February 4, 2005 01:39 AMSorry, Temporary Govenor of King County we're not in that business.
Its simply a cheap shot to attribute whatever kook who made that call on talk radio.
I have news for you Christine, if we stopped talking about you're questionable win today. With never a peep to be said again - you would more than likely get threats still.
Sadly, with fame and a high profile things like this happen. Don't go pinning this where it does not belong though.
I am with Stefan, I wish her family safety and that the person who made this call is arrested is brought to justice.
Stephanie Sandlin
KSBN Spokane, Wa
Posted by: Stephanie Sandlin on February 4, 2005 03:20 AM
Look, any threat should be taken seriously, with precautions taken. Yet her reaction appears to be the playing of the sympathy card. And the big bad wolf card. To paint her political opponents with broad-brush strokes of evil or antipathy.
If you can’t win with ideas, attack the person. Which see.
And if they can find the idiot who did it, they can honor her with tossing him in jail. She deserves that and so does he. Even if she’s not in office. An office she doesn’t deserve, it would appear.
Can someone tell me if this thing is ever going to be resolved? Are the courts even close to a decision? I can't imagine this moving any slower in CA. In fact, we got through all the court proceedings over our recall of NoGrayMatter faster than this. What the hell is the hangup?
Posted by: KittyBurglar on February 4, 2005 05:42 AMHave we seen video of John Kerry on the TV screen with the caption, "Snipers Wanted?"
Posted by: South County on February 4, 2005 06:20 AMShe's acting like Ted Kennedy wearing his neck brace...
Bill Clinton crying at Ron Brown's funeral...
Jesse Jackson wiping MLK's blood on his shirt before the press conference...
A good reporter would have asked, How? phone (did the machine report it? Do you have caller ID ?(D'OH!), in person, written... WHO? When? and when did you report it -and to WHOM?
Posted by: Baynative on February 4, 2005 06:31 AMIt's "Ludicrious".
Enough Said.
Posted by: Chris on February 4, 2005 06:42 AMHere comes the state democrats latest proposal: HB2005- Local radio talk shows are responsible for "whipping up" Washington State residents. HB2005 places immediate bans on all such talk shows and replaces them with government radio.
Ridiculous? Yes... I know I am being silly but with the other bills that have been proposed this year by state dems is this really that far fetched?
Posted by: Joe on February 4, 2005 06:46 AMWith that said blaming talk radio for the death threat is exteremly irresponsible! (see HB2005 in my prior post)
Posted by: Joe on February 4, 2005 06:55 AMEarlier in the day the top story was that Rossi is still receiving security from the state because of threats. All of a sudden she does a hey look at me press conference?
Just so you know, all Govenors receive death threats. That is why they have security.
Posted by: Vince Callaway on February 4, 2005 07:00 AMThis is the case where the Democrats are trying to get the whole thing thrown out saying the court doesn't have jurisdiction, that it is supposed to be decided by the Legislature - precisely 180 degrees from the argument they used a month ago when they seated Gregoire in the Governors office. The judge may rule from the bench or it could be days before we have a ruling. Most likely the ruling will come down today.
Then, two weeks from now, the main case over the election challenge is heard. Same thing there: could be a ruling from the bench, could be days. Then, it will likely be appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Sorry, but this is far from over. The wheels of justice grind slowly.....
Of course, it wold be very wrong to engage in idle speculation about why the Democrats want to make it easier to kill Rossi.
Posted by: ScottM on February 4, 2005 07:13 AMI can see the manipulation after just 30 days, how the common public is "led" by the Lack of Information they report.
Yesterday was just another example of how the MSM USES the people of this state.
Thank you Stefan for providing the Public with a valuable tool "ALL the Information". We are better informed and can derive our own conclusions based on truths, and not bias.
Yes, it would be. ;o)
I take this as yet one more example of how the Democrats are more and more panicing over this election contest. Couple this with the Brost memo and other recent action, and it is clear they are realizing they are going to lose this. If they were confident of their position, would they be making these desperate moves?
Posted by: Scott in Carnation on February 4, 2005 07:17 AMGood luck to all right-minded Washingtonians today and in the upcoming further proceedings!
Posted by: KittyBurglar on February 4, 2005 07:22 AMWhy is this news today two weeks later? And not on Jan 19th/20th? Coincidence or not? I don't think so.
If they arrested this guy on the 19th, don't you think someone would have said something sooner? I am in agreement that this is a sympathy play by the non-Governor on the day that a Chelan county judge is hearing arguments to throw out Dino's challenge. Weak and lame if you ask me.
As for the other statement in the Times about not releasing her schedule? What's up with that? We knew a week in advance (at least) that she was going to be in Clark county, time and location.
As for Mr. Martelli, hopefully he will get the help he needs.
Posted by: Jim in Clark County on February 4, 2005 07:48 AMHow interesting.
It appears Governor Whiner was proven a LIAR by the folks that actually protect her.
Gosh, you don't suppose it has ANYTHING to do with the 'party' being held in Wenatchee today, do you?
Even this internet addy has her pegged: death threat OPPORTUNISM
http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2005/02/wa-gregoires-death-threat-opportunism.html
Update: 10:40AM-- The Washington State Patrol doesn't know what Gregoire is talking about in linking threats to talk radio!
(Seattle Times) Capt. Jeff DeVere, spokesman for the State Patrol, would not discuss threats against Gregoire or extra security measures. DeVere said he didn't know what Gregoire was referring to in mentioning talk radio.
Gregoire said she also received death threats during her time as attorney general, and she said they won't interfere with her ability to function as governor.
Gosh, I wonder if she has 'tasters' nibbling that take out pizza before she chows down.
whether or not the case belongs in the court or the Legislature
whether or not the court can order a revote
Whether or not illegal votes can be contested after the election.
He said the earliest a revote would likely be held is at the already-scheduled late April election.
I think I heard him say that it is going to be more than two more weeks for the main case to be heard and/or the judge today could just punt the whole mess directly to the state Supreme Court!!
Going to be an exciting day........
Posted by: Scott in Carnation on February 4, 2005 08:11 AMAfter massive Republican gains in 1994, Democrats blamed all of those hateful Republicans who listened to talk radio for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Absurd!
But unfortunately, I think it was mildly effective. Clinton was reelected the next year. Other reasons were more important--but that played a part.
Maybe we should blame the Democrats for Islamo-facist terrorism. After all, according to the new Horowitz book--Unholy Alliance--they are aligned with some elements of the American left.
The more I listened to the Democrats in 2004, the more I became convinced that at least the leftwing of the Party is into Marxism. (Not the majority of the party, but say the most left 1/4th). So I think there is a better case to make that the Democrats are involved with violence than the Republicans. But neither would be a fair charge. But that doesn't prevent Christine from making it.
Posted by: jack on February 4, 2005 08:18 AMND
Posted by: Number1Dad on February 4, 2005 08:27 AMI saw footage of the press conference and she was asked by a reporter why she wasn't releasing her public schedule. She answered that it was because she had been advised not to by her security detail. It wasn't until she was pressed by reporters to provide more information that she came forward with the story of the death threat.
However, there is no reason for her to be blaming talk radio for the threat. Does anybody even know if any of the big talk radio stations can even be heard in Wapato?
Another big question is why did a judge let the guy they arrested out on bail? It makes me wonder how serious the threat really was.
Posted by: Ken on February 4, 2005 08:28 AMWhat a joke...
Posted by: JP on February 4, 2005 08:34 AMAmazing. So you are inferring that a death threat is less offensive. Get over yourselves people!
Posted by: Daniel K on February 4, 2005 08:52 AM She said blamed "the level of discussion on some of these talk radio shows" for whipping up people.
// end quote
1 sentence about death threat, and remaining paragraph on how evil she is and how justified you are.
ya, right... nobody's "whipping up" people here.
Posted by: JDM on February 4, 2005 09:03 AMTactic #3
Use any means necessary to divert the attention from the real issue.
Daniel the real issue, since you seemed to have missed it, is that Gregoire is blaming talk shows for her death threat! Ridiculous!
Posted by: Joe on February 4, 2005 09:04 AMNow to Gregoire's death threat -- for someone who says she is going to "heal the state" after the election, she has done all she can to divide the state even further.
First, as one of her initial acts after being sworn in che chose to the partisan act of being the rebuttel to the President's weekly radio address (does anyone think that will help us get federal dollars to solve our transportation problems?). Now she has targeted anyone who disagrees with her as causing her death threats.
This is not "healing the state", but ripping the scab wide open.
Posted by: JIM on February 4, 2005 09:15 AMThe press we got wasn't alot.
The Columbian might have been conservative at one time but not so much anymore. They did endorse Dino.
KATU of Portland took footage and did an interview with one of our members but just showed some of the footage on Wed nite and Thurs at 5 pm.
If we could have had more people outside on the sidewalk than attended inside, it would have been bigger news. Just some advice for future demonstrations, if we want people to know that the revote movement is very much alive.
Posted by: Susu on February 4, 2005 09:16 AMand the petitioner representative takes his turn "it is impossible to determine who won this election" - gee that is consistent with their earlier position. He goes on to outline that the evidence will support that position.
I hope it's only a threat with no true intention behind it, but you can't tell, and it must be horrible to be on the receiving end of it.
Posted by: Bostonian on February 4, 2005 09:28 AMTo claim that blogs & talk radio INSPIRE such lunacy, is to have little faith in human nature.
The crazy people are already crazy. We cannot run our lives constantly trying to avoid making them crazier.
Posted by: Bostonian on February 4, 2005 09:32 AMYour right YHWY. How could I be so Intolerant?
Let's all stop this intolerance!!!
Just grab your ankles everyone and take it. Then we will all be sufficiently tolerant and politically correct. When we are all on the same page, just think of what we can accomplish. How about:
A Capitol Hill in every suburb. We can all have it someday!!!
Every time I read one of your comments, I think 'There's a village someplace that is missing an idiot.'
Apparently you missed the point. The death threat on Gregoire was despicable. But to use it as political opportunism to discredit 'talk radio' is inexcusable.
This is right out of the Democrats playbook. You want proof? Watch the video of Senator Wellstone's Memorial in Minnesota a few years ago. A tragic death followed by pure political opportunism.
Posted by: Larry on February 4, 2005 09:43 AMShe also claims to be a "fiscal conservative" (yeah right!) in a TV interview with KATU, Portland which would undoubtedly fail any lie detector test. The long-term effect of this and her other actions is why the people of this state should not and cannot afford to trust her in her position of power.
It would only be fitting that the charges of the Democrats be dismissed, and lets get on to restoring power to the people before the current legislature attempts to turn WA into a "Nanny state".
The proof is there to throw out the Governor's portion of the last election, and for the good of the people. May justice be served in a Revote ! However, no revote before election reforms are implemented and oversight conducted to ensure that these reforms are enforced !
Posted by: KS on February 4, 2005 09:50 AMOh, yeah, Baldwin is a lib and he was just "joking"
The point about Wellstone is well taken.
Don't want to bore everyone, but pap and pablum such as this was warned about back in the days of Thomas Payne and Thomas Jefferson.
Anyone who believes this is not spin -- it's not well done, but it's spin -- is sadly mistaken.
And...does anyone else think it's a little ridiculous that she's taking this threat seriously while so many children died as a result of DSHS ineptitude while she sat idly by in her office? How about the shameful Linda David episode? The abuse case which is costing us over $18 million? She can disregard those and so many other cases, but when she gets a threat from a guy ensconced behind secure metal doors in a mental institution proves his insanity by making an insane threat, all of a sudden she is hot and bothered. Don't get me wrong, all death threats should be taken seriously. But that's the point: ALL should be taken seriously. Chris has this bad habit of picking and choosing, and has picked and chosen when it involved her personally. Let's ignore DSHS, let's ignore the threats against Rossi and his family, let's ignore ad infinitum.
And to blame it all on talk radio. That's as insidious as blaming OKC on talk radio, or (lest we forget) the lefties who wanted to blame 9/11 on the Tom Clancy book. Where was her outrage when Sean Penn wanted to stone Henry Hide? Where was her outrage when Alec Baldwin went nutso on us? Where?
Posted by: SnoCo Voter on February 4, 2005 10:03 AMWhat's next?
Posted by: Patches Pal on February 4, 2005 10:21 AM
Well the Sharkatron shows he voted...I wonder who for ?
:)
MARTELLI JEFF J 31o MAMACHAT LN WAPATO Abs Y - 2004
Court case.
The 'numerous' death threats CG has now. Seems to be growing by the day, by the hour. Going to do things in secret from now on.
Posted by: Patches Pal on February 4, 2005 12:05 PM
Amen!
Posted by: Bill M on February 4, 2005 12:22 PMActually, she coyly hinted that "talk show radios" more-or-less contribute to a "concerning" climate of distrust, or something, that might impel a listener, or someone, to think about doing something, or whatever.
In Seattle there is a talk show radio that has enough hate-fueled firepower to blowtorch its way into the psych wards of Wapato. That radio station is KIRO-AM.
KIRO's Mike "Tangled" Webb, voted our most popular spew-show host by Seattle Weakly, refers to KVI's Kirby Wilbur as a "big fat lesbian." Webb called Ken Hamblin, a veteran of the 101st Airborne & of the early 60's civil rights crusade, as a "self-hating Tom." Then he referred to the President's national security advisor as "Jemima" Rice. (When a mid-west radio ranter ranted about "Jemima" Rice last fall, he was fired. Webb was promoted to 4 hours a night, 5 night a week.)
Webb and KIRO's Erin Hart believe that the President's first name is Moron, as in 'Moron Bush' repeated ad nauseum and at top volume. Hart stretches her free-screech rights to the limit by endorsing, at top volume, Screaming Howard Dean's smear about hating Republicans and everything we stand for.
In December KIRO's Dave Ross berated the Rossi campaign's Mary Lane with a baseless smear that Ross accepted without proof from Christine Gergoire: Christine's rant was that Rossi-leaning counties had tabulated provisional ballots on election day without verifying their validity. Ross demanded that Lane prove it wasn't so. Then Ross was uncharacteristically quiet when the truth hit the fan. The county that plays games with provisionals is Gregoire County.
(Last May Ross urged his ditto-heads to grovel to Al-Jazeera, propaganda arm of Al-Qaeda. If we simper and snivel in apology for our leaders and their torture policy, implied Ross, maybe the "street" will someday forgive our evil. To Ross et al, the Axis of Evil isn't evil; Saddam's human hamburger shredders weren't evil, although they weren't nice. But Bush & his Bushies are evil.)
The bottom line, as John Carlson says, is that Christine is right. There is a concerning talk show radio. It's left-wing hate-talk KIRO-AM, hate with a Seattle-happy face.
In early 1995 Bill Clinton was a dead-duck lame-duck one termer, running out the clock until he could subside into well-deserved obscurity. Then he came back from the dead when his propaganda ministry, Big Media, pumped up one of the biggest of big lies.
Before the end of April 1995, BM Big Media & Clinton had convinced otherwise sane voters that Rush Limbaugh and Gordon Liddy blew up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, and that Newt's Republicans had plotted in secrecy to let it happen.
Lame Duck Gregoire was paying attention. She and her poodles at the Times & at the P(ravda)-I(svestia) are following an old and effective script. Take care, and ** RE-ELECT GOVERNOR ROSSI **
Posted by: sandalista on February 4, 2005 12:47 PMI'm not he. I identified myself in prior post
// beg quote
Every time I read one of your comments, I think 'There's a village someplace that is missing an idiot.'
Apparently you missed the point. The death threat on Gregoire was despicable. But to use it as political opportunism to discredit 'talk radio' is inexcusable.
This is right out of the Democrats playbook. You want proof? Watch the video of Senator Wellstone's Memorial in Minnesota a few years ago. A tragic death followed by pure political opportunism.
// end quote
Yah, that was a poor showing. What was it, 3 dems out of +500? You trying to tell me dems have a monopoly on political grandstanding/opportunism?
In any event, the logic of...
( Gregoiore recieves death threats )
and
( WellStone incident )
therefore
( Gregoire is political opportunism)
is an unreachable conclusion: you'd fail logic 101 with that one. I admit, it's similiar to other logic processes I've seen here, but bs nevertheless.
Yet another example of liberal logic - otherwise known as an oxymoron.
I have no idea what you're talking about in the twisting of the Gregoire and Wellstone incidents. There are four ingredients, and you list only three - you're half-baked.
Here's the analogy...feel free to read it more than once, very slowly, if you don't understand the first 50 times:
Gregoire receiving threat : Gregoire blaming talk radio :: Wellstone dying : Democrats making memorial into political rally
The tragic portions are the threat and the death. The opportunism is the blaming of talk radio and the funeral dirge turned into a pep rally.
Get it now?
Posted by: Larry on February 4, 2005 03:02 PMAnd as for it being only 3 out of 500+...HOGWASH! Is that why everyone was up cheering? Is that why Jesse Ventura walked out? Is that why Bill Clinton looked uncomfortable? Even he knew it was grandstanding beyond the pale.
Most importantly - is that why Norm Coleman kicked Mondale's butt??? YES!!! Mondale lost the other 49 states in 1984, and lost Minnesota then. Is he the only candidate to lose in EVERY state? Maybe.
Meanwhile, Norm Coleman is taking apart the U.N. We're lucky to have him serving in the Senate!
Posted by: Larry on February 4, 2005 03:06 PMLarry, Logic is not "liberal". It's just logic... it stands on it's own. As with Gregoire, it is not necesary to wrap every reference to me with a slurr in every sentence, as doing so only further drives home the "stirring things up" perception. You can call me an asshole 50 different ways, preach it from the mountain top to a throng of "believers", then claim you had nothing to do with it when I get mugged by 'em.
So it is w/Gregories comment.
// beg quote
I have no idea what you're talking about in the twisting of the Gregoire and Wellstone incidents.
// end quote
huh... twisting? Let's see, you weave the 2 together, I point out one doesn't flow from the other, and you tell me I'm twisting the incidents together, and my logic is an oxymoron? I don't know what *you* call this, but it's definately not problem solving.
// beg quote
There are four ingredients, and you list only three - you're half-baked.
// end quote
("one slur per sentence" Larry!!!!)
// beg quote
Here's the analogy...feel free to read it more than once, very slowly, if you don't understand the first 50 times:
// end quote
Not necesary.
What I get, Larry, is you seem incapable of articulating your POV w/out employing bitch-slapping terminology in every reference to someone you disagree with, and you seemingly deliberately confuse causality to suit your you needs. There is no connection between Wellstone incident and Gregoire's statement, period.
This is amusing, in perverse sort of way. In Florida 2k, under exact same circumstances as todays hearings, Bush lawyers argued Gore wanted to use "the bench to change Florida's election laws and usurp the authority of Florida's election officials." and "writing laws is the duty of the legislature; administering laws is the duty of the executive branch." Current Wa. election was *far* more open, forthcoming, responsive to (mostly repub) requests, and *by the law*.
Where were all you guys then? It seems your interest is soley that "your guy" lost. And what about the "Brooks Bros." rioters? http://www.bushwatch.com/floridamob.jpg
Entirely illegal on several counts, but never prosectuted. In fact, most were rewarded with job's in Bush's white house: http://smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=7354
Just a bunch of schoolyard bullies AFAIC, as is most of stuff I've read here. It sucks.
Posted by: JDM on February 4, 2005 05:51 PMHaven't heard anything about it for a way.
Maybe she should start it soon before she is replaced as Governor as the election was surely fatally flawed.
Yes, death threats should be taken seriously, and punished seriously, too.
I agree, I listened to both Webb and Hart last summer and fall and I could never listen very long. Webb is very smug, and is definitely comes across as a "Bush Hater." So does Hart. I have never heard anyone yell so much at callers as Hart does. She is downright rude and seems to think that screaming is the way to prove a point. I wondered if they were truly sane. I think they have advanced stages of "Liberal dementia." I have never heard any conservative talk show host say the hate filled things they say.
Why KIRO would have such people on the air is beyond me. Left wing hate mongers.
Posted by: JG on February 4, 2005 09:19 PMActually she said "talk show radios"
I have been concerned about that problem for several months and knew x-tine had no interest in doing what the court did yesterday. The Ds loved that they were shaking more money out of the 'evil' people who worked their whole lives and saved something that they thought they would get to pass down to their kids. So I'm VERY glad about this ruling. It saves us money!!!!
Posted by: Michele S on February 4, 2005 11:26 PM