Georgia's McKinney Blames Media In Runoff Loss

[sabra]

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=politics&id=4445128

Georgia's McKinney Blames Media In Runoff Loss

Aug. 9 - Rep. Cynthia McKinney, known for her conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11 attacks and a scuffle with a U.S. Capitol police officer, conceded the Democratic primary runoff early Wednesday in a speech that blamed the media for her loss and included a song criticizing President Bush.

McKinney, the state's first black congresswoman, said electronic voting machines are "a threat to our democracy" and lashed out a journalists, accusing them of injuring her mother and failing to "tell the whole story."
"My mother was hurt by someone in the press in this room tonight," McKinney said after losing to challenger Hank Johnson Tuesday. "One of my assistants needs stitches because of the press that are in this room tonight."

WXIA-TV said on its Web site that a boom microphone had struck members of McKinney's entourage: "In the confusion, McKinney staffers struck an 11Alive photographer and knocked his camera equipment to the ground." Earlier in the day, the station said a McKinney staffer had scuffled with another 11Alive photojournalist.

[sgxnk]

1. clearly..

the boom mike holder was racially profiling mckinney

it's ALWAYS about mckinney, and everything is racial profiling, conspiracies, and nothing is ever her fault

[FILAM23]

19. As an African American,

I can only say Goodby and good riddance to
the biggest racist in Congress

[bilgewaterbill]

26. Amen! Lions Suck! Go Niners! nt

[Peeves]

69. Both Lions & Niners suck! The STEELERS R THE GREATEST!

[FILAM23]

71. Yes they do suck

but not as bad as the Cowboys as a long time Texas
I wish the Cowboys would never win another game..This
year hopping that TO has his blow up early.

[INDIA]

2. "My mother was hurt by someone in the press in this room tonight"

Those damn journalists! They are notorious for beating up old women!


She is completely batshit crazy.

[MnFats]

79. "Someone?" Name them, dammit.

I hate that shit. "someone" did this or that. who? name them.
it's in the same category as bush saying 'there are some who say...." cut and run, chicken out, blah blah.
name them, goddammit.
it's chickenshit.

[Hoosier Dem]

3. Bye, Cynthia...Go have lunch with Loserman

Aside from her comments on electronic voting, McKinney once again showed herself to be a complete and utter idiot.

Her defeat last night had nothing to do with racial profiling. It seems more likely that the voters in GA-4 just got tired of her embarrassing behavior. Like Loserman, she just needs to grow up!

[Chi-Town Exile]

4. She's not batshit crazy.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution was quite biased in its coverage of her.

I say this objectively since I'm not a huge McKinney supporter.

However, the AJC targeted McKinney and Ralph Reed (rightly so). While the AJC did a great job with exposing what needed to be exposed with Reed, it seems they wanted to be a king maker with respect to McKinney.

Unfortunately, they wouldn't let go of the incident with the Capitol police. It was pretty obnoxious.

Just calling it like I see it.

[Mike Daniels]

5. I think the reaction to something that was obviously an accident

shows who the real thugs are in this situation.

Good riddance, Cynthia. At least you and your father have the good grace (so far) to not blame the Jews this time around for your defeat.

[Donnachaidh]

6. and she's right

The AJC was HEAVILY biased against her. And Newt's little polling buddy twisted the knife.

Politics as usual in Georgia.

[democraticinsurgent]

7. Cynthia was subtly swiftboated

That skirmish with the Capitol police was an awfully convenient way to taint her, and at amost convenient time.

She's a true patriot, one of our great treasures. Everyone dumped on her in 02 when the pukes labeled her a kook because she was one of the first prominent people to question the Official Conspiracy Theory. Now she's just one of, uh, 36%.

This is a damn shame.

Perhaps Cynthia, like Al Gore, can rise to the occasion and be a catalyst for change outside of Congress.

Go Cynthia!

[okieinpain]

15. I did think she was crazy for questioning the war, but I do think

she's one of those people who thinks her shit doesn't stink.

[MnFats]

80. Please! We prefer...

..."her feces have no odor."

[sendero]

36. Yes..

... and every major newspaper in CT endorsed Lieberman over Lamont.

I'm on the fence about McKinney - but I think she's done some dumb things that make it easy to paint her a certain way. Whether or not that paint job is deserved is subject to debate. If I could see a video of the famous capitol police incident, I could tell who to blame.

The fact that I can't makes me want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I suspect that is not the case for most folks.

[DumpDavisHogg]

8. Is this DU or Free Republic?

I can't believe all the anti-McKinney nonsense that people keep posting here in their replies. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was reading Freak Rethuglic rather than DU.

I'm a registered Democrat and I've been involved in Democratic functions. But it really bodes ill for the party when it defeats one of its best legislators in its own primary.

This is one of the reasons the Republicans keep winning despite being so miserable. The Democrats provide only weak opposition when they reject the best candidates. It happens in Kentucky, it happens in Georgia, it happens in New York, it happens all over the country.

There, I said it. Somebody needed to say it.

[Pastiche423]

9. And you said it well

Thank you.

[Hoosier Dem]

10. You're entitled to your opinion, but so am I...

Just because I find McKinney an embarassment doesn't mean I'm a Freeper. Yes, she WAS right on electronic voting. Yes, she WAS right about 9/11. Yes, she DOES have passion.

Unfortunately, she's also chosen to behave in a manner unbecoming an elected official. Some key points:

When her father blamed her 2002 loss on "The Jews", she didn't chastise him. (If she did, it was much later and I missed it). Let's just put the shoe on the other foot and say that Mean jean Schmidt lost a Repuiblican primary for Congress and one of her family had said it was the fault of the Jews. DU would be lit up like a Christmas tree with charges of anti-semitism and biogtry. Just because a bigot is supporting one of our candidates does not excuse it.

I also take issue with the idea that she was "Swift Boated" because of the Capitol police incident. I was told that when a police officer asks you to stop, you do it. I don't care what race or gender you are. As to the idea that he should have recognized her, there are 535 members of Congress plus and army of support staff and lobbyists. To say that she should have been recognized is just pure BS. I was glad to see her apologize, but to claim that she was "Swift Boated" is just plain silly.

She also embarrassed herself by not showing up for the debate, leaving an empty podium. By doing so, she just made herself look bad and gave her opponent what was essentially free advertising space and the opportunity to criticize her without any defense. Another dumb move she can only pin on herself.

I will say that Cynthia did behave with class and a reasonable amount of dignity in her concession speech, unlike Holy Joe's bitter tirade. had she conducted herself this way during her tenure, I venture to guess that she would not have had to concede last night.

[toopers]

11. Her relationship with her father has been this way for years . . .

While the 2002 election was the first time he could blame her loss on someone, Mr. McKinney was known to say many negative and nasty things about Cynthia's opponents. Cynthia would always use the, "my daddy said that, not me. He was wrong to say it and I have told him so."

She doomed herself in so many ways. Her father is a bigot and so is she. The good thing is that the 4th District will be represented by a Democrat, thankfully not Cindy.

[Sterling]

67. es, she WAS right on electronic voting. Yes, she WAS right about 9/11. Yes

Sad, these are the most important qualities you should be looking for in a leader. What other Dem can you say this about? Yet you would rather support a stepford Dem like HC who was wrong on all the things you listed?

Whatever. This place sucks sometimes. I get more depressed politically than charged from hanging out here. Some of the members have really turned me off to the party and politics in general. If the party cannot get behind someone who was right early on all the things you mentioned we deserve to never hold power ever again.

What a bunch of fucking losers we have become.

[cobalt1999]

13. I don't agree.

I don't agree with your assertion that she is one of "the best candidates". You obviously do believe that, so I understand your angst at the anti-McKinney viewpoint.

IMHO, she is more of a liability than an asset, so I'm happy she's gone and I don't believe that makes me a Freeper.

[unda cova brutha]

16. thank you

I can't beleve the racist comments being made here about cynthia mckinney.

[Judi Lynn]

17. That makes two of us. You'll also see them at threads concerning

other liberals like John Conyers, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Maxine Waters, Barbara Lee, Charles Rangel, etc., etc., etc. One of them was desperate enough to post a thread in G.D. ridiculing Eleanor Holmes Norton and her appearance on the Colbert Report, saying she really made a fool of herself, only to learn from DU'ers that he/she had profoundly misunderstood the entire event which was hailed as "brilliant" by many, including high praise in a column by conservative Andrew Sullivan. The show was saved as a great tv moment on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHsOrFwIZ8Y

You don't expect to see that in a Democratic zone, and it's a sickening, disgusting surprise when you do.

[illumn8d]

20. Do you mean she hadn't misunderstood?

I thought Norton totally got the concept and went with it.

[Judi Lynn]

37. It appears you misread my post.

I said nothing of the kind. Obviously the Congresswoman "got it." I implied absolutely NOTHING to the contrary.

Engage that brain.

[illumn8d]

77. I guess I did misread

"One of them was desperate enough to post a thread in G.D. ridiculing Eleanor Holmes Norton and her appearance on the Colbert Report, saying she really made a fool of herself, only to learn from DU'ers that he/she had profoundly misunderstood the entire event which was hailed as "brilliant" by many, including high praise in a column by conservative Andrew Sullivan."

I guess the he/she should have clued me in that your non-specific pronoun probably wasn't referring to Norton, but the poster instead. Please except my apology for asking a question.

Engage that civility.

[BushOut06]

23. What racist comments?

I haven't seen any racist comments about McKinney here on DU. Got any examples?

Unless the very act of criticizing her is now considered 'racist'. I guess Hank Johnson, who happens to be a black Democrat, must be a major racist because he dared challenge McKinney.

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jeanpierre]

75. Anti Jewish comments

People in her security when the scuffle with a jewish reporter took place made jewish slurs at him and called him a zionist. Was on TV here in atlanta. The new black panther party was providing security. Cameraman slammed into one of her friends and busted his eye open. I wouldn't be to happy if my eye had been busted open too. hehe OH well, I'm sure the video is still out there.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LostinVA]

18. Tell me about it

[EFerrari]

28. Careful. They're criticitizing her because she challeneged

BushCo. And of course, BushCo swiftboated her.

It's not the same really. There may be truth on both sides, probably is.

But, I'm sorry, black women pay for having truth on their side. :shrug:

[LostinVA]

38. Massa don't like Uppity Black Women

Or Uppity Women period.....

[GeorgiaDem69]

40. That doesn't make any sense!

She didn't pay "for being a black woman." Quit making excuses for an incompetent, race-baiting, embarrassing representative.

[LostinVA]

45. Explain the incompetent and race baiting statements, please

Of course I make sense.

She most certainly has paid for being an UBW, over and over again. I am totally not a tinbfoiler, but if you think the whole Capitol Police thing just "happened to happen," then I have a REALLY nice water-spanning structure you may want to buy in Brooklyn. Hell, I'll sell it to you cheap. Or McKinney being labeled as crazy when she lost the last election... she was right. She is a firebrand, sure, but that's not embarrassing -- that's empowering, if everyone would just quit letting the GOP and MSM frame every damn thing.

Maybe you should stop making excuses for a rich white man's system that does not tolerate certain types of people "getting out of their place." You are either naive or a fan of cognitive dissonance.

My dialog is finished with you. As Tim Gunn would say, "Carry on."

A "DEM" calling McKinney "race baiting"? Oh ho ho...

[GeorgiaDem69]

82. Now you claim the Capitol Police set up McKinney?

That's a bit of jaw-dropping ignorance. Sounds like a conspiracy McKinney would allege. As to McKinney's race-baiting, how's this:

"During a nasty 1996 congressional campaign with racial tension on both sides, she called supporters of her Republican opponent 'holdovers from the Civil War days' and 'a ragtag group of neo-Confederates.' Never mind that her opponent was Jewish. And during the 2000 presidential campaign, she wrote that 'Gore's Negro tolerance level has never been too high. I've never known him to have more than one black person around him at any given time.' Never mind that Gore's campaign manager was black."

http://www.slate.com/?id=2064530

Even worse, she still surrounds herself with anti-Semites.

http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=83191

[cali]

59. Race baiting

at its most obvious.

[Stewie]

74. Huh?

If it's an "uppity black woman" thing, why aren't we seeing this with Sheila Jackson-Lee? She's certainly no shrinking violet. She's just not a mentally ill, paranoid megalomaniac.

[davidinalameda]

21. so anyone who is anti-Mckinney isn't a good Democrat?

[NoPasaran]

49. Not just a bad Democrat

But a racist and quite possibly an Israeli spy as well, it would seem.

[AliceWonderland]

25. Thank you. (n/t)

[oasis]

31. DUers are partial to their pet personalities. Double standards abound.

Welcome aboard. :hi:

[GeorgiaDem69]

39. Once again, crazy talk

I am surprised at the number of people on here who think McKinney was anything other than a terrible representative. She was a race-baiter and conspiracy-theorist. When things didn't go her way she blamed it on racism, the media, any convenient excuse. In short, an embarrassment to the whole party. The Republicans have crappy representatives as well. Thankfully, now that she's gone the Democrats have one less.

[Mike Daniels]

50. Interestingly enough, I haven't seen one major Dem figure lament her loss

I have a feeling most in Congress (and not just Repubs) were happy to see her crash and burn in the primary.

[Show_Me _The_Truth]

53. Legislator?

leg·is·la·tor n.
One that creates or enacts laws, especially a member of a legislative body.

She doesn't fit one of the fundamental definitions of a legislator, so how can she be one of the best legislators?

[Freddie Stubbs]

58. Being a Democrats doesn't mean blindly supporting every nut job with

a 'D' next to her name.

[Sterling]

66. The fact she was not supported by the party makes me question

if I am part of this party or not. I really think not at this point. The Dems most supported by the party $ people have nothing to offer me. Consider me in the support some dems category at his point. Party means jack shit these days. If McKinney is not welcome neither am I.

[AtomicKitten]

88. so, extrapolating your position,

what are your feelings on the Lamont-Lieberman race? Your statement is contradictory.

[Critters2]

91. Okay, bye

:hi:

You're entitled to your opinion, and the voters of Georgia's 4th district are entitled to theirs.

[AtomicKitten]

87. this was a Democratic primary

where obviously both candidates are Democrats. Why would you imply it is freeper'ish to support one over the other?

IMO ousting McKinney was an important step in dispelling the notion that the GOP is trying to spread that the "loonie left" has taken over the party with the ousting of Lieberman. Ousting McKinney really puts a monkeywrench in that campaign direction for them which why the WH doesn't even mention it.

[Karenina]

12. Georgia now has what it deserves

a bucket of "go-along-to-get-along" warmed-over spit. I no longer cry for America, as your head of state accurately reflects your mentality. (Apologies to all you fighting progressives whose voices are muted by the media. :hug:)

[Critters2]

92. Is that a slam on a Dem candidate?

I believe there are rules against that kind of thing.

[okieinpain]

14. what's funny to me is, in the Lieberman case it's the wacko pro-terrorist

Dem's that did in crazy joe. msm media says there is a battle for the soul of the democratic party, the wacko pro-terrorist liberals are taking over. yet in mckinney you have a extremely liberal anti-war, running in a very african-american liberal district and she gets her ass handed to her.

maybe the democratic party is just getting rid of the odds and ends. spring cleaning as you would have it.

[Vinca]

22. Maybe she lost because she's her own worst enemy. nt

[DemCapitalist]

47. That's it. All she has to do is look in the mirror and she will

discover where all of her problems are coming from.

[Cookie wookie]

24. It's a sad day when we lose someone like McKinney

who has stood up with great courage and spoken truth to power. Why did we lose her? Because people want polite and nice more than they want someone who will actually fight for our rights. Well they have mr. nice thanks in part to his support by republicans and the press. This guy was a commissioner, has no experience with the job he's going to do, and has nothing to recommend him other than all the brainless boobs who voted for him to get her out of office.

What does this say to dems in power -- make nice with Mr. Bush or else you'll be dogged and put under a microscope until some flaw is found that can be magnified all out of proportion until you are politically destroyed. As in the Dean "scream"....

No one, NO ONE, can stand up to that kind of negative scrutiny.

When will we ever learn?

Oh how you will be missed by those of us who knew when we called on you, whether it was to oppose the war, to fight for verified voting, to fight to get a real investigation of 9/11, to fight against Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld, you would be there fighting with us without flinching or posturing or taking the coward's way out.

Goodbye Cynthia. You served us well. Your loss is our greater loss.

[robcon]

27. We've lost nothing. Except an asshat of a Congressperson

We still will have a Democrat in GA 4. All is well.

[EFerrari]

29. Yes. You lost a truth teller and gained a collaborater.

Rah.

[oasis]

32. Yup, they don't have to worry about Ol' Hank speaking out of turn.

He's a good one.

[DemCapitalist]

48. "spoken truth to power...?" No, I don't think so.

I would describe it as "conspiratorialisms to conspiratorialists," or " race baiting to race baiters," or "idiocy to idiots," or...

:tinfoilhat: :silly: :crazy: :dunce:

[Mike Daniels]

51. Truth to power only works when people see the speaker as credible

As it stands, only a small percentage of people see McKinney as credible so I seriously doubt anyone in the Bush admin saw her as being worth their concern.

[DemCapitalist]

61. The Bush admin hardly sees anything as being worth their concern.

That's the problem with the Bush administration.

On the other hand, the entire sane world doesn't see McKinney as being worth their concern.

[Mike Daniels]

54. I think Cynthia's flaws were pretty visible and didn't need magnification

Outside of her band of supporters I don't think many people (including other Dems in Congress) are going to miss her.

[ekwhite]

30. That's BS

McKinney sounds a lot like Lieberman right now. Personally, I would blame her embarassing behavior.

[AtomicKitten]

33. I will remind people this was a Democratic primary.

The candidates are both Democrats. It's okay to prefer one over the other, but it's bullshit to bemoan the outcome because it's an exercise in democracy. There were voting problems and if the vote-flipping complaint has teeth, I say pursue it. Otherwise it's time Democrats pull up their socks and prepare for the general.

[EFerrari]

35. It's no more bullshit to bemoan the loss of McKinney than it is

to celebrate Lamont's win. McKinney was a progressive.

[GeorgiaDem69]

41. So, looking at your posts

Because McKinney was a "progressive" its ok that she hit a police officer, blames all her problems on racism, and makes wacko allegations about 9/11?

[EFerrari]

42. It sounds like you don't know Cynthia McKinney very well.

:)

[GeorgiaDem69]

43. If there's something in my post you think is inaccurate

please point it out.

[EFerrari]

44. No, thanks. n/t

[GeorgiaDem69]

46. Here's a great use of tax-payer money by Ms. McKinney

H.R.4968
Title: To provide for the expeditious disclosure of records relevant to the life and death of Tupac Amaru Shakur.
Sponsor: Rep McKinney, Cynthia A. (introduced 3/15/2006) Cosponsors (None)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04968:

[DemCapitalist]

52. I will never understand how a Democrat could support someone who gives

the other side so much to work with.

[Snivi Yllom]

60. clearly a #1 priority

"I've been shot and murdered, can't tell you how it happened word for word / but best believe that n*ggas' gonna get what they deserve."

[Freddie Stubbs]

72. And not doing anything to investigate The Notorious B.I.G.'s death

[GeorgiaDem69]

83. Exactly! She must not like Biggie Smalls.

[Freddie Stubbs]

85. A clear case of sizeism

[GeorgiaDem69]

86. Definitely, can't believe I didn't realize this before

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

78. "wacko allegations about 9/11"

like?

[GeorgiaDem69]

84. Statement by McKinney

"I am not aware of any evidence showing that President Bush or members of his administration have personally profited from the attacks of 9-11. A complete investigation might reveal that to be the case. For example, it is known that President Bush's father, through the Carlyle Group had - at the time of the attacks - joint business interests with the bin Laden construction company and many defense industry holdings, the stocks of which, have soared since September 11.

On the other hand, what is undeniable is that corporations close to the Administration, have directly benefited from the increased defense spending arising from the aftermath of September 11. The Carlyle Group, DynCorp, and Halliburton certainly stand out as companies close to this Administration."

http://www.house.gov/mckinney/news/pr020412.htm

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

89. what is 'wacko' about that statement?

just curious

[AtomicKitten]

76. Not all progressives supported McKinney

That may be a phenomenon isolated to pockets of the internets including DU.

excerpt from AMERICAblog:

And finally a word about my favorite wackjob Cynthia McKinney. She lost her run off last night, and not because she wasn't liberal enough. The woman is a veritable loon of leftyness, and yet she went down in flames. But, you might ask, how could that be so? The GOP told us that Democrats only vote for crazy far-lefties, so shouldn't McKinney have won resoundingly?

No. And that's why you don't hear the Republicans crowing about McKinney's loss. It ruins their narrative. You see, McKinney went down in flames partly because she's a nut, and the new Democratic party isn't really in the mood for nuts. But second, she went down because she's an incumbent, and because of the fact the Republicans have so made a mess of Washington and the world, incumbents are going to be under intense scrutiny this fall. Which brings us back to Joe Lieberman and Ned Lamont.

The Republicans don't want scrutiny. Whether it's the ever-growing disaster in Iraq, Joe Lieberman's bizarre embrace of an incompetent president and his failed presidency, or the defeat of a liberal woman which proves that Dems don't necessarily always embrace the far-left and which proves that incumbents are in danger. None of those facts serve the Republicans well at all in the coming fall elections. So they simply lie about it and hope to change the story. And the media eats it up.

Deja vu, anyone?

http://americablog.blogspot.com/

[Critters2]

93. 'Zackly! Thank you nt

[DancingBear]

56. Geez, did all "you guys" register here at once, or did you spread it out

over a few weeks so as not to look too unusual?

If the strategy was any more transparent it would be a window.

P.S. You should always build your post count up first in The Lounge - they didn't tell you that first??

They must be slipping.

[cali]

62. I've generally refrained from

piling on McKinney, chiefly because I have mixed feelings about her, but suggesting that people signed on to DU in order to slam her is just silly.

[DancingBear]

63. Oh hardly

Whether or not one cares for McKinney and her demeanor is one thing.

Not believing that there is a cadre of folks who come here to slam the given individual du jour is just silly.

If you had taken note of all the Lieberman apologists that were here before the election, and compare them to the ones that were/are on here now, you would see that this is indeed the case.

We are dealing with a very shallow-minded Republican gene pool here, and "winning" message board battles while "hiding" are right up there on their list of accomplishments.

That, and being able to put a whole Twinkie in your mouth. :)

[Freddie Stubbs]

73. I've been on DU since 2002

[Snivi Yllom]

57. now McKinney sounds like a Republican

Anything but your own conduct is to blame.

[slackmaster]

64. Yup, the psychological term is "external locus of control"

Everything bad that happens to you is someone else's fault.

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AngryAmish]

68. She is our best

I cannot believe the abject racist hate here.

[Peeves]

70. Your bar is set kind-o low, eh? /nt.

[Critters2]

90. You're referring to Cynthia's aides' and father's

anti-Semitism, I trust.

[MnFats]

81. One thing I like here is that some newcomers got here and started..

....mixing it up right away.
.....re-read this thread. This is a good brawl.
.....I know a lot of you are pissed.
.....but people are showing passion here.
.....this is not a pin-drop quiet, everybody be reserved church.
.....it's a full-on Gospel sermon. Shout!