I got an email from the DNC today that referred negatively to Ari Fleischer’s comments “There are reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do, and this is not a time for remarks like that. There never is.”
On the surface, this sounds pretty chilling, but I suspected there was more to it. So I hunted up the context, and here’s what I found. I’m sure everyone else knows this already, but I want to do what I can to increase awareness of it and fight the “Bush = Hitler” meme on the left.
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010926-5.html
Q As Commander-In-Chief, what was the President’s reaction to television’s Bill Maher, in his announcement that members of our Armed Forces who deal with missiles are cowards, while the armed terrorists who killed 6,000 unarmed are not cowards, for which Maher was briefly moved off a Washington television station?
MR. FLEISCHER: I have not discussed it with the President, one. I have –
Q Surely, as a –
MR. FLEISCHER: I’m getting there.
Q Surely as Commander, he was enraged at that, wasn’t he?
MR. FLEISCHER: I’m getting there, Les.
Q Okay.
MR. FLEISCHER: I’m aware of the press reports about what he said. I have not seen the actual transcript of the show itself. But assuming the press reports are right, it’s a terrible thing to say, and it unfortunate. And that’s why — there was an earlier question about has the President said anything to people in his own party — they’re reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do. This is not a time for remarks like that; there never is.
Ari’s quote about watching what you do and say was in direct reference to “remarks like that” – namely, Bill Maher’s claim that the 9/11 terrorists were brave whereas members of our military are cowards. Ari’s right – Maher’s remarks were inappropriate, particularly at the time he made them, but they’d have been inappropriate at any time. Praising terrorists courage and insulting our troops is just wrong.
I doubt Terry McAuliffe will be honest enough to use the quote in its proper context, because it doesn’t fit the lie he’s trying to push.