Bruce Ramsey may think it unfair of me to drag Susan Hutchison’s conservative Evangelicalism into her bid for King County Executive, but after watching her sneer at “activist atheists” in her bible-thumping speech at the 2009 Governor’s Prayer Breakfast, few could argue that she isn’t in fact a passionate, conservative Evangelical.
Not that I think faith is a disqualification for public office. My personal, political hero is former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, a deeply spiritual and religious man who spoke eloquently and thoughtfully on his faith and its proper place in the public arena. And regular readers know that I have long been an unabashed (if sometimes frustrated and disappointed) admirer of the current Executive, Ron Sims, the son of a Baptist preacher and a lay preacher himself, who can quote scripture with the best of ’em, and do so from the heart.
But never in private conversation or a public speech have I ever heard Sims wield his faith in a manner that diminishes that of others, nor imposes his Bible on the public sector, not even during his highly charged Town Hall debate with Rev. Ken Hutcherson over gay and lesbian civil rights. Politicians like Cuomo and Sims could always be trusted to respect and defend the separation of church and state; Hutchison… well… I’m not so sure.
“Is the economy in crisis? Cases like this require prayer.”
Feel free to pray, Susan, but I’m pretty sure this economic crisis requires action.
Watching Hutchison’s speech, with her Jesus this and Jesus that, her relentless Bible quoting and her paranoid image of politicians of faith as some kind of an oppressed minority, I just couldn’t help but squirm. This wasn’t a speech about faith in general, it was a speech about her Evangelical Christian faith and the everlasting life we could all achieve if we would only, like her, believe in Jesus Christ as our savior. Had she given this sectarian sermon in a church, I suppose it would have been unremarkable, but at a government sanctioned event, even a “prayer breakfast,” it just struck me, as a non-Christian, as a tad inappropriate.
Hutchison appears more than comfortable publicly promoting her own Evangelical beliefs. I’m guessing the majority of King County voters… not so much.
Congrats to anybody who watched the whole thing, as I sure as hell couldn’t. I bailed out when she started with the “lovely” dinner with Richard Dawkins.
Yikes, it sounds to me like she might even be a creationist.
I had to bail on the video after about 90 seconds before steeling my nerves with some bourbon and giving it another chance. What a condescending creep.
Besides, how on earth can anyone respect an anchorperson for anything other than preaching, judging or reading the news?
For the last time, anything you put on that prompter, Burgundy will read!
Then again, like Krugman said today, it doesn’t seem right to make fun of crazy people.
3
Did the bourbon permit you to make it through the rest of the video?
BTB writes:
“For the last time, anything you put on that prompter, Burgundy will read! ”
Guess Burgundy is in great company :-)
Why in the hell, anyway, is there such an event as a “government sanctioned prayer breakfast?” A pure bullsnot concept!! Just does not square with separation of church and state.
This reminds me of Mary Steritt in Portland, who ran for Governor as a member of the Constitution party. Mary was a long time morning show host on KATU with Tom Bosley. Stories of her behind the scenes treatment of her underlings are similar to Susan. Alas, Mary lost. Badly.
About equally disturbing is the video of Hutchison’s fawning adulation of Jeb Bush at a Washington Policy Center dinner, not all that long after the Terri Schiavo festivities.
Faith-driven idealism as motivation to work to promote the public good, as exemplified as well by Ron Sims as by anyone I can think of, is one thing. Zealous pursuit of public office as a means of imposing an irrational, intolerant belief system on one’s fellow citizens is quite another.
The last thing the good citizens of King County need is a government official using the bully pulpit to tell them which religion they should belong to. I have nothing against politicians being enthusiastic adherents of a faith of their choice; but one’s religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) are a matter of personal conscience and, as such, private.
If you must know, though, the Great Mother Rabbit Spirit is the only true god and all other gods are false. She told me so in a dream. So, if you’re not worshipping the GMRS, you’ll go to Hell for heresy.
10
Dammit. I guess I’m going to Hell then. But, looking on the bright side, even Hell must be better than living in the Lunacy Land of our rightwing friends.
Why is Christ’s message of humbling yourself, and never, ever presuming to be superior in the eye of God to the least among us, so lost and perverted among evangelicals?
You nailed it, Goldy: “wielding faith” in a way that “diminishes others”.
You can’t get any further from Christ’s message than that.
Is this the Mk II version of Ellen Craswell?
The Republican Party is doomed if they keep this up.
@13
I was thinking more a Mk II Linda Smith. Though Washington’s own version of Palin fits too.
I’m guessing those backing Hutchison figure they can hide her less than mainstream views from the voting public and coast into office on name recognition. This is extremely dangerous as her next step will be to run for Senate or Governor. Again likely trying for a “moderate” image.
The Democrats running against her need to make damn sure her extremely conservative views are well known to the voters. Hopefully she’s said or will say something particularly stupid, intolerant, or crazy while a microphone is recording it.
Will this stupid cunt be talking about TEABAGGING next and if so, does she realize the current tax rate the idiots on the right are protesting was set by —- wait for it — GEORGE BUSH!
Last time there was a federal tax rate increase in the US was in 1993. It was for the richest of the rich and Bush rolled it back. Other than that NO NEW TAXES!
So why the protest now over tax rates which have been in place 16 years? Simple Faux News creates Faux Outrage by a party full of Faux patriots and REAL assholes.
Oh, yea in other news apparently Reichart thinks he has a chance in hell of defeating Sen. Murray.
What fun, an open seat in the 8th CD, watch the GOP waste their money in two races, and end the Sherriff’s political career (or at least send it to the same place Rod Chandler’s, Linda Smith’s, or George Nethercutt’s careers went to) a three-fer to be sure!
We have to respect the fact that everyone has a right to their own beliefs, but we are under no constraint to respect the beliefs in and of themselves.
OOPS! That asshole Coleman sued and all he accomplished was proving that Al got MORE votes.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30199310/
It’s over – time to seat Al as the Senator. Fuck the GOP if they don’t like it. There’s not a fucking they can do about it.
Chris @14,
Hutchison has to balance on a thin line. She needs to let Republicans know she’s a Republican if she hopes to make it through the nonpartisan, top-two primary. But if she identifies as a Republican, it kills her in November.
Yes, “faith” does disqualify you. Caroline Kennedy, nominated by John Effin Kerry, was
R E J E C T E D
by the Vatican for her “faith” views on embryonic stem cells and pro-abortion.
acutally goldstein, i’m totally happy that you’re bringing religion into politics as a persons qualifications, so the next time that jew kike lieberman runs for president, i’ll know i have your blessing to reject him.
#19 Goldy,
I am wondering if the media (not counting KVI, Dori, and KTTH) are going to give her enough slack to pull that off. Do you think they are that spineless? You have done a pretty good job of making the Discovery Institute relationship and her “severence” a story. You got a reaction from Bruce King so it’s not just the regulars watching. I would hope they (the local media) have the nads to pick up on it.
Guess Hutchison never heard of “God helps those who help themselves”.
Pray for the economy – fine – but DO something too.
Praying for those who are having trouble feeding their families or those who are affected by the Bush recession would seem to be more appropriate than praying for the economy as a whole.
I really don’t want to pray for the greedy investment bankers who threw away money in pursuit of ever increasing yields. Seems those moneychangers were people that a certain gospel railed against….
@Moron:
Ahh, the true bigot shows up:
Woman of falsehood – I guess you will be rejecting Lieberman for his stance on Iraq?
@20: Puddy – I also went after the person using the N-word the other day – as soon as I saw it. I won’t tolerate that crap from the left or the right.
I’ll bet Ted Kennedys’ starting to sweat a little.
25 You are such a pussy!
I just don’t get it. What is so inappropriate about Susan Hutchison’s speech at a RELIGIOUS gathering? I see a bunch of people complaining that Hutchison is too RELIGIOUS when speaking at a RELIGIOUS gathering.
Sure, people can differ as to whether Governor Christine Gregoire should be sponsoring a RELIGIOUS gathering. But for RELIGIOUS speech, it seems that Hutchison is pretty mild, and certainly not a fire-and-brimstone speaker.
I would imagine that Ron Sims is much more SECTARIAN when he gives RELIGIOUS sermons at CHURCHES. Certainly much more sectarian than what I have watched so far about Hutchison.
Did Governor Gregoire make any RELIGIOUS remarks at this event? If so, Goldy should be consistent, post a thread about Gregoire, start the video where Gregoire starts talking, and making appropriate criticisms.
Let’s focus on knocking Hutchison for being a REPUBLICAN and supporting STUPID REPUBLICAN policies. And it is fair to knock her for wanting to TEACH CREATIONISM in PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
But lay off about what Hutchison says about her PERSONAL FAITH at a RELIGIOUS gathering. Even Joel Connelly thinks that Goldy is going too far in these criticisms.
Maybe she’ll make her executive decisions by biting the heads off chickens and reading the blood. Or perhaps, decide which project garners the most funds by handling snakes and speaking in tongues. And heck, she could solve the traffic problem by proposing eastside commuters walk across Lake Washington. What culture shouldn’t make it’s most vital decisions based on two thousand year old bullshit?
Republicans just never seem to learn from hisory. Can anyone say “Bull Moose party?”
America needs you stay the course my conservative friends. Stay the course indeed.
@21 Well, that’s a gimme if I ever saw one. We don’t like Lieberman, so please please reject him! Oh, and he’ll be 73 before there’s an open Democratic primary, so the chances of Lieberman ever running for president again are approximately zero.
One more thing: Anytime a wingnut starts flinging around the word “truth” — watch out!
A guy who has to describe himself as a “man of truth” probably isn’t.
I’ll pray for Susan also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH23kuniRNI
32
Quite funny. On the other hand, humans would find ways to fight with each other, regardless of religion. Here in the States, for instance, do you think political debates are primarily about religion? Is the primary difference between Barack Obama and Dick Cheney a religious difference? (I, from a Christian perspective, could argue that it is–that Obama is Christian and Cheney is not, but, I’m not going to do that.) Our differences are political and ethnic, and from a deterministic point of view, genetic. We fight because we were born to fight.
re 28: She was making intolerant POLITICAL points under the guise of RELIGIOUS blather.
Unlike what you may think, you don’t need a law degree to see the truth of something. In many cases, I think it helps NOT to have one.
Don’t be backslidin’ on us!!!
Richard @28: she spent her entire allotted time arguing against secular atheism. Her religion seems as much right wing political as personal. I for one have had enough of these people the last eight years.
My prayer: please God, don’t make this lady our county Exec!
kind of sexy though…
tell me idiots, is our country a safer, more moral place in the last 50 years since you’ve forced religion out of politics and schools?
@ 37:
Sorry to disappoint you MOT, but, uh, our Founding Fathers and the Constitution banned religion from our politics.
You should try reading, AND, comprehending the Constitution someday. It’s quite fascinating. There are exactly two references to religion in the Constitution and they both serve to EXCLUDE religion from politics.
You also might find interesting the Barbary Treaty Article 11. It reads “ARTICLE 11.
As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
Not in ANY sense are we founded on the Christian religion. NOT in any sense.
You should also research where the term Separation of Church and state came from.
All of this is from the time when our nation was formed and young.
It’s a bit disingenuous and frankly unpatriotic to not know these things about the country you profess to love.
May I also suggest reading Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason Parts 1 and 2.
You Sunshine Patriot!
Not only is she certifiably crazy, but she’s probably a bald faced liar.
Her retelling of her conversation with Dawkins is about as probable as a 6000 year old earth. Dawkins coming “unglued”? It has simply never happened. And if, on this one rare occasion in the company of Ms. Hutchison, Richard Dawkins actually became “unglued”, “angry”, “childish” or even was anything other than a gracious gentleman, it could only be the result of being subjected to a pointedly insulting rant from Ms. Hutchison significantly at variance with her retelling.
It’s a long, long ways from Oxford to Olympia, quite a lot farther from the world’s most pre-eminent scholar in evolutionary biology to an over-the-hill spokesmodel. And it would be very unlike Dr. Dawkins to go out of his way to humiliate an intellectual peer, much less someone of such meager resources as Ms. Hutchison. And perhaps that’s too bad. Because it would sure be fun to see her forced to explain such a tall tale.
GBS @ 38
Perhaps the treaty signed in 1796 with Tripoli is not the best example to give. The treaty obligated the United States to pay tribute to the pasha of Tripoli for our ships and crews that they had kidnapped. And we had to go to war against Tripoli several times, because they broke the treaty.
And don’t forget the bended-knee treaty with Tripoli was signed under a Federalist (i.e. Republican) president. We had to go to war under later Democratic presidents to stop Tripoli’s piracy for once and for all.
@ 40
It’s a perfect example to exmplify that America was not founded on the Christian religion.
Furthermore the US senate gave only its 3rd unanimous vote in its history on this treaty and it was signed by John Adams.
The treaty was run in the major newspapers of they day with no recorded objections from the poplation.
John Adams was a conservative and Puritan for chrisakes. This only adds weight to my point.
He served on the committe with Jefferson and Frnaklin to draft the Declration of Independence.
Ya think he’d know if we were founded on the Christian religion or not?
And, if he thought we were a Christian nation don’t ya think maybe he wouldn’t have signed the treaty????
I’m also familiar withe the exploits of William Bainbridge and piracy Even his 19 months in captivity after runnig his ship aground.
Strange bit of irony given the news of the past week or so off the coast of Somalia.
Stop it you guys. The poor little right wing turds’ heads will explode if you introduce actual facts into their very small world. I am sure Woman of Lies is now sticking her fingers in her ears repeating “LA LA LA LA LA I CAN’T HEAR YOU LA LA LA.”
The right wing fools get their “education” in church and on right wing talk radio from drug-addicted, impotent draft dodgers. They can’t HANDLE the truth!
Here is a nice little part of an essay on why some conservatives understand real;ity and others do not. It explains why arguments with some trolls never get anywhere – fact-based and reality based arguments only work when both people recognize the facts:
Let me sum-up Goldy’s post for everyone. Christians should keep their faith to themselves. The should keep quiet about it. Hide it.
But you clapping sheep ask yourself this: Does Goldy feel the same way about, say, homosexuality? Does he feel gays should have to hide their sexuality?
Hutchison is every bit the threat to the citizens of this county that the scumbag Irons was..
and MORE!
Why does this sick party put up such power-mad loons?
Yeah I know. I just answered my own question.
43 – Describes our unhinged trolls like Stupes, Mr. Klynical and Little Rickie Dumbass to a tee.
The Soviet Union! That’s hilarious.
The poster boy for right wing sore losers:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....86568.html
You lost. Get over it fool!
The defeat of this scumbag couldn’t be much sweeter. What a tool!
Not a surprise the bitch Palin is a racist.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....86623.html
Let’s sum up Troll’s post in this thread –
a. My name is Troll and I am a dumb fuck
b. I am religious but I am the kind of religious nut who likes sex with 10-year-old boys
c. I am conflicted and know that Democrats are the only chance America has of salvation but I’m a right wing turd and can’t quit the GO
d. My name is Troll and I have a big black dildo in my ass RIGHT NOW
@44
I can’t speak for Goldy, but I’d say yes, you should keep the most intimate relationship you have to yourself. Religion is a choice, sexual orientation is not. Unless you’re saying that all heterosexuals made that “choice”. Either way, niether should matter in politics but they both do. The point was made earlier about a politician who believes in the invisible pink unicorn not being electable.
@50
Men giving blowjobs to unknown men in Volunteer park isn’t a choice?
@51
I suppose there’s never EVER been ANY public sexual activity by ANY heterosexuals. Please!
Troll @44,
Good analogy. When it comes to sexual orientation in the political arena, neither gays nor straights should have sex in public. They should be free to acknowledge their sexual orientation without fear of ridicule, reprimand or political retribution, but they should not, say, stand up in front of a room full of people, wag their dick in front of TVW cameras, and take somebody up the ass. That would be inappropriate.
And that’s kinda what Hutchison did with her religion, though admittedly, to a lesser extent. (I’d say it was more like standing at the podium and making out with another woman.)
And as long as we’re on the subject of homosexuality vs. religiosity, I’d just like to point out one huge difference: nobody, and I mean nobody has ever attempted to convert me to being gay.
@52 That was rad.
All I can say about this clip is “Oh GOD! ” Yuck! Please save us from the helpers!
Troll – just another tiresome right wing fiend.
37. manoftruth spews:
tell me idiots, is our country a safer, more moral place in the last 50 years since you’ve forced religion out of politics and schools?
It’s safer and more moral since you flunked out of the schools…
That’s no dildo. It’s Puddy’s dich. Large but dead and inert.
Speaking of dead and inert, where’s KKKKynical?
And by theri fruits ye shall know them”
Fine Christians. You can tell them by their commentaries.
Sorry ’bout the typos. My brain fell out again
Country Clubbing (with) Steve edition …
** Stereo Joes: Broadway Joe (who called our most esteemed contributor a traitor) is to the left of us, and Don Joe is to the farther left of us. We’re surrounded by pathology. E.g. … Don Joe asserts, apropos of nothing (unless he’s dealing in self deprecation) that “anal-retentive” needs a hyphen. It’s not necessarily so. ‘Anal retentive’ may or may not have a hyphen, depending on how it’s being used, just as Don Joe may or may not have a hymen, depending on how he’s being used.
** Perky Katie got with the Obama Party line in her discussion of c.300 American cities that are playgrounds for alien drug gangs. No discussion of letting hard-working gang bangers illegally invade our country to illegally deal and steal and kill, because, as every liberal knows, the root cause of drug-gang voilence in Mexico and of Mexican drug-gang violence here is … American guns and gun shows.
** Mt. Rainier’s Nisqually Glacier grows, again validating the leftist catechism that Global Warming causes Global Cooling, and that warming and cooling are slam-dunk evidence of climate change. Debate’s over.
** Britannia Waives the Rules:
– from Lyndon LaRouche, who is high on Franklin Roosevelt and Barack Obama. Thanks for sharing.
@60: the Daily Moron:
Thanks for nothin’ – that was just a worthless post. Anyone who quotes Lyndon LaRouche is really out on a limb already.
Anyone who cites data from a single glacier is an absolute moron and understands nothing about the accumulation of data over many years and many glaciers.
As far as the Nisqually glacier goes – the article cited was published in 2000 and:
So real mass data was only available AFTER the article was published – but we do know that the Nisqually has receded significantly since 1909.
Bottom line: The article is old and false and the morons who copied it are pathetically stupid.
@60What the FUCK was THAT????
ONE of us is hallucinating!
So…it appears Klake has taken a brief respite from posting incoherent comments on Dave Horsey’s cartoons to come here and make Troll look reasonable by comparison.
Klake? As in “Flake”?
@64 I’ve read that Klake’s a Nazi. Nazi or not, he’s got a really cool looking hat.
http://www.seattlepi.com/piuse.....name=klake
It says something about the condition the right has led us to that some of what LaRouche has to say is almost starting to make sense.
65 Which also reminds me, sorta-kinda off-topic (but sorta-kinda not…)
NOTE TO MEL GIBSON: If your wife’s about to file for divorce, it doesn’t help your image to be making public appearances wearing facial hair that makes you look like a cross between Frank Zappa and Hitler.
62 Don’t even try to figure it out.
@57
xad, how in the world can you flunk out of the jew controlled, purposely dumbed down, public schools.
@58
Fine Christians. You can tell them by their commentaries.
ah i see, u cant make jewish slanders, but christian slanders are just dandy
Hey woman of lies – were you friends with the cunt Sunday School teacher in Tracy, CA who killed and raped that little girl? You Christians must be proud!
@71
hey byebye
you jews must be proud that so far every scam artist on wall street is jewish
lets see
bernie madoff
steve israel
art nader
scrhreiber
and those are the indicted ones
the unidicted ones are
robert rubin, raped goldman sachs of 150 mil
mo greenberg, aig 500 mil
sandy wheil goldman, 50 mil
jamie dimond, jp morgan 100 mil
richard fuld, morgan stanley 50 mil
hank paulson goldman 200 mil
and how about all the jews that claim to be a victim of madoff. they werent victims when they were giving him their money and looking the other way, knowing nobody could be making a 15 per cent return
So Woman of Lies help me here—you’ve professed you’re a Christian. I’ve professed I hate all religion. So all of a sudden I am a Jew? Keep those fantasy ideas going bitch. The news is so bad for you traitors you have to have something going on in that pea brain. In the mean time, your CHRISTIAN friends are all busy tonight going out to bugger and kill children in God’s name!
@73
your jewish friends are all busy tonite trying to scam people
@ 60
Don Joe asserts, apropos of nothing (unless he’s dealing in self deprecation) that “anal-retentive” needs a hyphen.
Not to belabor the obvious, or anything, but to actually care about whether or not “anal-retentive” is hyphenated is to be anal-retentive. I mean, good grief, man, but you looked it up!
As for the location, if any, of my hymen, one would think you could do better than attempt a pun using a crude pseudo-homophone, though you do get half credit for being somewhere in the general, anatomical ballpark.
An oblique reference to the Coneheads would have been better. It’s more obscure, gets closer to the point (one could even say it hits the nail on the head), and consuming mass quantities of anything would boost the economy right now.
Damn, but I have to teach these kids everything.