Friday, August 27, 2010

Is Tony La Russa Slightly Evil or Slightly Stupid? -Updated

The Daily Show had a hilarious segment (even by their standards) the other day asking if Fox News is Evil or Stupid?

The Parent Company Trap
The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTea Party

Now comes word that Tony La Russa is introducing Pujols at Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally in Washington D.C. this weekend, headlined by Beck and Sarah Palin (and being reported on by Dana Loesch for Pajama's media TV). La Russa absurdly says of the rally:
I don't know who's going to be there, who's going to accept it. But the gist of the day is not political. I think it's a really good concept, actually.
He also claimed that he would not have gone if it was political:
"I made it clear when we were approached: I said, 'If it's political, I wouldn't even approach Albert with it.' I don't want to be there if it's political," La Russa said.
No one in their right mind who has even the dimmest awareness of American politics could possible think that this rally, chalk full of right-wing speakers and held on the same date as Martin Luther King's "I have a dream speech" by a guy who said President Obama "hates White People" is not political. Which makes me wonder, WTF is going on with TLR? I mean, he's obviously not stupid, as he is widely regarded as a baseball genius. But could he be so completely unaware of current events and the nonstop litany of absurdities and offensive behavior from Beck that he honestly believes anyone would think that this is an apolitical event?

And he's also not evil, as someone who founded his own animal rescue foundation and is generally regarded as a strong advocate for animals. But could he have a blind spot for Republican politics where he thinks its OK to try to deceive people with a claim that a clearly political rally is apolitical?

Of course, all of this brings back memories of earlier in the year, when La Russa was asked about the tea party and he answered:
This is America right? You're supposed to be able to have opinions and disagree, and a lot of things they do I think are correct. I'm actually a supporter of what Arizona's doing, you know, people don't fix your problem, and the government, national government doesn't fix your problem, and you've got a problem, they've got to take care of it themselves," said La Russa.
Now, as much as his previous comments bothered me, I don't really have a strong objection to La Russa supporting the Republican Party or even the tea party. But to make an absurd claim that this is not a political rally is just mind-boggling. He would have to be clueless about Beck and the rally, or else be willfully deceptive. Hence, I'm really trying to figure out if La Russa is partially stupid or partially evil? Tough question.

But since I started with a Daily Show video, I might as well close with one. Here's Stewart's take on Beck's rally:

I Have a Scheme
The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTea Party


Update: Strong case made for Team Slightly Stupid:
La Russa: Oh, that was during the season. I have no idea what's going on in the world during the season. I'm just thinking about my team.
In that case, maybe you should consider, you know, not signing up for rallies you know nothing about!!

7 comments:

  1. Remember La Russa supports the Arizona immigration law, he sued Twitter for a fake account with his likeness, his two daughters from his first marriage tried to sue him for $16 million charging he has damaged them emotionally by refusing a relationship with them, and of course the drunken driving incident.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So, exactly when did America lose its honor?

    Just wondering.

    Was it during Vietnam? Watergate? The Gulf War? Bombing Libya? Blockading Cuba during the missile crisis? Promoting economic sanctions against other governments? The Iran-Contra affair? Covert CIA operations around the world?
    Assassination attempts on Castro?

    These are just a few examples where we may have lost our "honor". And they've all been political in nature, so Beck saying his confab with political figures isn't, uh, political is outright lying.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Given that the right wing communicates among themselves in coded, "dog-whistle" language, it's wholly appropriate for TLR to participate given his love for the dogs. Continuing with the canine theme here, recall the adage "if you lay down with dogs, expect to get fleas."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Papa Tony is losing it.

    I hate the fact that baseball is political now.

    I recall at one time Melanie Shouse telling me about her objections to supporting any of the local major sports teams. While I could see why with The Rams (which can move back to Los Angeles for all I care because I surea as hell won't let the NFL or HUSBAND of a Wal-Mart heir (he is living off of his wife's fortune!)), I was reluctant to do so with the St. Louis Cardinals since who doesn't like them except Cubs Fans? Looks like I picked a good time to get back into Hockey.

    If Papa Tony and Albert Pujols want to drink Glenn Beck's Flavoraide, then I will refuse to attend any St. Louis Cardinals event until both men renounce Beck, the Tea Party, and the Desert Madness in Arizona (a.k.a. AZ SB 1070).

    They can still be conservative or Republican, but when you roll with Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Dick Armey, Michelle Bachmann, Fox News, and KFTK, you roll with a bad crowd.

    Boycott the St. Louis Cardinals!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree, I think the Cardinals need to be boycotted until Tony leaves. His stupidity probably is trumped a bit by just plain insensitivity.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, boycott until Tony leaves? That seems like too much to me. I have to say that I support the activism La Russa does on behalf of animals, even if he does have strange, pro tea party political beliefs. I just wish he'd keep quiet about things he clearly doesn't understand (like whether or not Glenn Beck's rally is "political").

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love that the first comment here contains nothing but personal smears. Of course!

    Double standard, thy name is liberal!

    ReplyDelete