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Go Home "we Have A Dream," The Clinton Version. Or Maybe...

THE SPINE FEBRUARY 17, 2008

"we Have A Dream," The Clinton Version. Or Maybe It's, "we Had A Dream?"

BY MARTIN PERETZ

Very wicked but very funny.

 

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41 comments

Come on Marty, don't you know the Clintons deserve another turn in the White House, and then it will be Jeb Bushs turn, then Roger Clinton, then the next generation of Bush and then Chelsea. Welcome to the Unites States of Bushclinton.

Oh, and expect about 10,000 comments (or howls) on the above picture, myself, I ain't going near it.

- blackton

February 17, 2008 at 3:36pm

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by the way, I see Hillary more as the Evita Peron type:

Don't cry for me America

I will cry myself instead

It won't be easy, I have no tear ducts

The truth is I never left you

All through Bill's wild days

Our mad existence

I kept my promise

Although he didn't

And as for fortune, and as for fame

Of course I invited them in

Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired

In truth I wanted power more

They're not the solutions they promised to be

The answer was here all the time

I love me and hope you love me

Have I said too much?

There's nothing more I can think of to say to you

But all you have to do is look at me to know that

Every word is true, even when they are lies!

Just listen to that! The voice of America!

We are adored! We are loved!

Statesmanship is more than entertaining peasants

We shall see little man

- blackton

February 17, 2008 at 4:45pm

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It's not that funny.

- basman

February 17, 2008 at 7:16pm

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If Obama is elected US president, he'll screw Israe so badly that Jimmy Carter will look like a Zionist.

We'll see how you'll pretend you did not back Obama, you Peretz mamzer.

- sleepyavl

February 17, 2008 at 7:19pm

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I agree with basman. There is no rationale basis to claim this kind of racist attribution towards either Clinton. Truly despicable. This is the kind of thing that I might expect from one of the more wackier The Nation types.

- thejauntyboulevardier

February 17, 2008 at 7:52pm

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Vey Funny. and funnyness is not funny unless it has a kernel of truth. (The picture I mean.)

- ehcollins

February 17, 2008 at 9:31pm

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Vey Funny. and funnyness is not funny unless it has a kernel of truth. (The picture I mean.)

- ehcollins

February 17, 2008 at 9:31pm

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This isn't funny; it's disgusting. You clearly have no shame.

- adamvaught

February 17, 2008 at 9:46pm

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O' please, sleepy. Why the hell would you believe that Obama will "screw Israel" if he gets elected president? It's not a fair charge because based on what we know about his views on Israel, nothing could be futher from the truth.  Give us a reason to believe you, or just stop the speculation.

- scrubbyoak

February 17, 2008 at 10:48pm

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I don't get it. Is the joke on the homeowners or the one portrayed as a lawn jockey?

I know, I know, it's supposed to be a slam on the Clintons, but still... not exactly a high point in Spinal history

- teplukhin2you

February 18, 2008 at 2:44am

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At least you admit to being wicked.  

Update on Perretz on Israel/Obama apparent deception:

www.americanthinker.com/.../will_the_real_marty_peretz_ple.html

- Lymon1

February 18, 2008 at 8:13am

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This says far more about the disgusting Mr. Peretz than it does about the Clintons.

- wnalpert

February 18, 2008 at 8:31am

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It's not funny Marty, and I think your age is showing if you think it's so.  This is one of the reasons why senior editors should probably submit their ideas to junior editors for their approval on occasion.

The last time I saw a Lawn Jockey was somewhere in southwestern rural Missouri back in the 80s.  I'm sure they're still around, but I'm glad they're not fashionable or acceptable any longer.

I'm sure the Clintons would find this picture highly objectionable, and even though I'm no fan of Mrs. Clinton's candidacy, and even though they have quite obviously employed racial politics in this campaign, I think this picture goes too far, and is in very poor taste, and I have no doubt that the Obama campaign would be offended as well.  

Images like this are a lowbrow approach to humor, and I don't think they rise to the level of the standards that the other writers and journalists are setting here at TNR on The Stump and The Plank during this campaign.  So grow up Marty, and try and show the dignity that reflects your age, because this type of insensitive frat boy journalist prank falls flat on its face here in the 21st-century. Please take it down, because you're embarrassing yourself.

- AaronBBrown

February 18, 2008 at 9:00am

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Way to bring the party together Marty!  Way to bring out the best in people, always your strength.  Congratulations on your maturity and insight, always so reliably infintile.

It's not even "wicked," you wish - it doesn't even make sense. All it does is insult black people - your famous idiocy remains intact.  

- Wandreycer1

February 18, 2008 at 9:09am

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I've got $20 that says Marty retold the McCain joke about Chelsea -- any takers?  

- Lymon1

February 18, 2008 at 9:13am

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I just sent this to a friend in her early 20's (I'm 40 something).  She sent a message back saying:'

"standard Gen D stuff - ya'll better enjoy it now because your time is almost over"

Thank God for that.

(Generation Dinosaur)

- Wandreycer1

February 18, 2008 at 9:29am

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Wandreycerl: the sad fact is regardless of who is elected, your 20 something friend's future is to make sure baby boomers have a comfortable retirement, then watch as their wealth goes to the richest 5%, foreign investors, and watered-down health care, watered-down in large party because of the future demographics of illegal immigrants.  The crucial elections of her generation were 2000 and 2004.    It didn't have to be that way, but there's no Paul Tsongas-types running.  

- Lymon1

February 18, 2008 at 10:05am

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This sort of reminds me of the joke McCain told about Chelsea Clinton.

And it's the most shockingly juvenile thing I've seen in "TNR".

This was posted by the same person who a few years ago made such good arguments in support of Al Gore? I know I'm not being fair, but my opinion of Gore just dropped a little, too.

- allante

February 18, 2008 at 10:27am

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I agree about that Lymon. I don't blame young people for being disgusted with this self-absorbed, emotionally retarded generation.  Look what weve left them - the toxic dregs of our immaturity and selfishness.  Thank goodness they are finally getting it and voting.

But I do think my friend is right about the cultural changes (that's what she meant). There is no question that the culture of Marty's generation - what is considered funny or titilating in this case, is vastly different, especially on race.  I think the term "post racial" is too simplistic and dare I say it, too hopeful, but its not entirely without merit.  Music, art, culture, humor - it is the job of young people to move us forward in these realms (while it's our job to complain about it I guess).  

I bet more people in their 20's would find this just embarrassing (rather than people my age who find it embarrassing and it makes me angry).  Not only because it doesn't make sense, but also because it's so dated, awkward, it screams: GEEZER - like my Mom telling me jokes about the greasers at the sock hop.

But the tone is Generation Dinosaur too - representative of the totally broken down political culture we're also responsible for creating.  

- Wandreycer1

February 18, 2008 at 10:33am

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sleepyavl said: "If Obama is elected US president, he'll screw Israe so badly that Jimmy Carter will look like a Zionist."

While I am not a supporter, I don't think Obama is anti-Israel, sleepy.  In fact Obama gave interviews to the jpost and haaretz where he said that he does not accept  the Palestinian claims to a  right of return to Israel.

He also wrote to the UN Security Council stating that Israel has the right to defend itself against Palestinian rocket attacks.

His support for Israel is not an issue with me. His experience is and if he chooses to run in four or eight years from now I'll be happy to support him at that time.

For now, though, I'll stick with Hillary in the primaries and decide later how to vote in the general election.

- jacksondyer

February 18, 2008 at 10:54am

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Looks like it's OK for Obama supporters to use the race card.

- r-ennis

February 18, 2008 at 10:59am

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W -  good points, though when I read your first post and thought about the picture the term "south park republicans" came to mind.

- Lymon1

February 18, 2008 at 11:45am

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Mean and not very funny. But you can understand what inspires it: The southern-fried politics of the '90s is back, Bill and Hillary are making their way through Ohio and Texas like Mr. and Mrs. Willie Stark, eating their way into the hearts of the common man, as if their friends own chili parlors instead of hedge funds.

Bill has left those $300 ties in the closet, now he's Porter Wagoner, guffawing his way through small towns and the suburbs. No wonder Ted Strickland likes him.

Why aren't the Clintons on campuses lighting up the minds of our young people, working on that bridge to tomorrow? Southern-fried politics...will it work again?

- fougasseu

February 18, 2008 at 11:54am

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good point r-ennis.

Lymon - I love that South Park Republican concept, fearless witty stuff.  But the key to walking that tighrope is pulling it off:  always remember that the comedy comes first (listened to a podcast of Colbert from the Colbert Report last night, he nailed it).  Marty has no skill at all in this, clearly.

It's just curdled, mean stupidity telling us nothing but how dense he is.

- Wandreycer1

February 18, 2008 at 12:41pm

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r-ennis, I am not sure I agree, I think it denigrates Obama as much as it does the Clintons, which is why I chose to ignore it in the first place.

- blackton

February 18, 2008 at 1:11pm

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fougasseu - lawn jockeys are a nationwide thing. Nothing to do with the South.

Frank Zappa and teh Mothers had a song in the 1970s that fantisized about "knockin' down the jockeys... there they go!" Zappa wasn't given to southern-fried themes.

- teplukhin2you

February 18, 2008 at 1:37pm

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scrubbyoak, Obama has a lot of the nastiest bastards as advisors, from Susan Rice to Zbigniew Brzezinski.

These people are well known. Zbig was Jimmy Apartheid" Carter's house anti-Semite - thinking of who Carter is, that's a lot to say.

Obama also is a 2o+ year member of dementedly anti-Semitic and racist, black supremacist church. If his church was white, it would be KKK. Like that, it's with Farrakhan, who is not one bit better than the KKK.

And stop your smug nonsense about the speculation. The facts are there.  

As for Peretz, he's now in the Alexander Cockbun range.

- sleepyavl

February 18, 2008 at 1:40pm

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Sleepy - have a drink, will you? And put that thing down, for god's sake. You're scaring everyone.

- teplukhin2you

February 18, 2008 at 1:49pm

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A drink in the afternoon? No thanks. Don't make it sound like my mood is the problem. That's patronizing and is untrue. Do you disagree with my arguments? Then tell me why.

It's not my fault that Peretz likes Maureen Dowd and publishes vile caricatures worthy of Alexander Cockburn.

It's also not my fault that Peretz goes with Zbigniew Brzezinski. Do you actually know who that guy is?

- sleepyavl

February 18, 2008 at 3:07pm

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Wandrey, getting away from the picture (which is just stupid- too stupid and meaningless to be offensive, really, except in the sense that its very presence drags us all down).   You write:

But I do think my friend is right about the cultural changes (that's what she meant). There is no question that the culture of Marty's generation - what is considered funny or titilating in this case, is vastly different, especially on race.

Actually, I think a lot of us 20-somethings (a class out of whose membership I am rapidly slipping) actually make racial-jokes all the time.   But it is post-racial; there is a certain irony where you are mocking it (like black friends yelling at us for "hate crimes" when we make fun of them (for anything)).   Look at Chapelle for this- you make racism the most absurd thing possible, and take out some of its sting.  Battle ignorance with irony.  Only the humorless get offended.  

- boneill

February 18, 2008 at 3:27pm

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tep - lawn jockeys are nationwide?

I've only seen them as far north as Kentucky...in fact, only in Kentucky.

The Zappa lines are from his Uncle Remus lyrics. Pretty southern-fried if you ask me.

- fougasseu

February 18, 2008 at 3:37pm

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fou - from the redwood forests to the gulf stream waters, from gitchee gumee to the Rio Grande. There must be a website out there devoted to them by now

- teplukhin2you

February 18, 2008 at 4:05pm

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Sleepy - of course I do. That guy owns all the kielbasa joints in West Chicago. Harry Carey's favorite lunchtime joint.

- teplukhin2you

February 18, 2008 at 4:07pm

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This is not at all funny, and entirely beneath the standards of TNR. I suggest that you remove this immediately before your credibility as a serious journalist is further tarnished.

Shame on you.

- pakoa

February 18, 2008 at 4:39pm

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Tep:  Zappa's jockeys referred strictly to Beverly Hills.  Love that line, also love the line in which he asks, "Is that a real poncho or a Sears poncho?"  But he also wrote a nasty little ditty years ago about "nasty Jewish princess[es]."  So he's not on my good list.  

- MOLLYSIMON

February 18, 2008 at 7:57pm

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Molly, is Sheik Yerbouti on your good list?

- teplukhin2you

February 18, 2008 at 10:48pm

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The Brooklyn Elephant and the Brooklyn Mouse

_____________________________________

N. Pod, whether you like him or not,

Has helmed much American thought,

While a Singer flush goon,

Puts forth a racialist cartoon,

And compared to Pod is so much less than a dot.

- basman

February 19, 2008 at 11:44am

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OK, now do the one with the Clintons as lawn gnomes on Obama's front lawn.

- ChanRobt

February 19, 2008 at 12:14pm

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Represents wonderment at the ease of accomplishing things with Photoshop. Back in the '80s it took a moviemaker's tech to make _Zelig_. Also reflects '80s standards of humor. Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor made jokes that were similarly coarse.

How would this concept be perceived as an editorial cartoon by Toles?

- FBC

February 19, 2008 at 3:12pm

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Or:  The Brooklyn Elephant and the Brooklyn Louse

etc etc

- basman

February 19, 2008 at 9:04pm

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It's stupid, not funny, not remotely clever and I am surpirsed that Mr. Peretz (outside of his total hatred of the Clintons) would find it funny.  Do you really find it funny? It's not "wicked" in any sense (although I guess someone could argue it's "evil").  The Clintons are not racists, no one's ever hinted they were and whoever Photoshopped this took the lazy way out on some sort of commentary.  I mean, to be funny, clever, worthy of Toles for that matter, it would have to make some sort of point.  Blech.

- ericad

February 22, 2008 at 3:55pm

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