NewsMax Hacks Bash Randi Rhodes

Continuing to pander to the paranoid, "black helicopters are coming to get me" Dale Gribbles of the world, rabid right-wing media outlet NewsMax now has their panties in a bunch over Air America's resident firebrand Randi Rhodes.

Under the sensational pseudo-tabloid headline "Air America Host 'Jokingly' Calls for Bush Hit" - an unnamed NewsHacks 'reporter' lamented an off-hand comment Rhodes made during her Monday show.

I listened to that show, as I do most days, and my recollection of it was Randi comparing the Bush Family to the Corleones with George W. playing the part of the hapless dimwit Fredo who gets whacked at the end of The Godfather II for shaming and betraying his family.

Posted, like the rest of the copy on the site in 18-point Courier, the NewsHacks story went on to say:

"Comparing Bush and his family to the Corleones of "Godfather" fame, Air America host Randi Rhodes reportedly [emphasis added] unleashed this zinger during her Monday night broadcast: "Like Fredo, somebody ought to take him out fishing and phuw."

"Rhodes then imitated the sound of a gunshot."

Oooooh. How dare she? What an outrage, right? The Secret Service should follow NewsHacks' suggestion to kick in Randi Rhodes' door any time now, right?

WRONG!

My take on Randi's quip was the implication that Dubya has embarrassed himself and the Bush family name so thoroughly that it was surprising that some of the more level-headed members of his family, and not some random "somebody", hadn't whacked him yet.

And besides that - as God-fearing, peaceful conservatives often like to say when they are calling people they don't like "terrorists", advocating a nuclear strike on Foggy Bottom, or implying that people like Senator Hillary Clinton should be assassinated - it was after all, only a joke or taken out of context and not meant to be taken seriously.

So lighten up, assholes. We put up with 8 years of this crap when Bill Clinton was in office so just sit down, shut up, and take your fucking medicine.