Stooge of the Night

Hooray for David Letterman. God grant him many blessed years. This week he aired a new segment, "Stooge of the Night". The first stooge highlighted, and this was also by happy calendaric accident, on Earth Day, Jim Inhofe, the most anti-earth Senator. 

Mr. Letterman, as Messrs. Colbert and Stewart are jesters. Only jesters can make a living telling the truth. The first stooge is Inhofe, David went in a little detail, repeated himself and lingered as the screen showed a photograph of said stooge. Not much audience response, perhaps they were in shock. The humour was not so much, as it was clear, didactic, and verbatim reporting.

I have been a bit sleepy that late in the night, this week.  I have not reviewed it on tape, the bit begins: “Well, Dave, it’s time for ‘Stooge of the Night!’ Tonight’s Stooge is Senator James Inhofe, Republican from Oklahoma!”.  It has become clear, that Letterman's action has as raison d'être the failure of the Senate to vote in the safety interest of Americans; they prefer to bow before the merchants of death and commerce. The first three stooges are:

•Republican Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe
•Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake
•Republican Tejas Senator Ted Cruz

I await to-night's programme to see if more stooges are shown. As we remember, the theatrical Stooges had several third members after Larry and Moe.

Why were these stooges highlighted. Let us start with the lead stooge:

"See, I think it's so unfair of the administration to hurt these families, to make them think this has something to do with them when, in fact, it doesn't." — Inhofe*

Inhofe uses a typical formulæ of a Republican lie. It is in the false guise of compassion, but really is a cover to attack Democrats and a Democratic president; then the cruel, and militantly stupid essence to insult and wound people (the parents of dead children) whom have been devastated; and finally, the authoritarian lie as a declaration. Perhaps, the loathesomeness of this statement unnerved the audience.

Flake the Stooge received his recognition from this action reported in the following headline: 

Arizona senator told mother of theater shooting victim that he supported gun background checks, then voted against them

Now, we can't be too upset at this, after all if there is any constant principle among Republicans it is hypocrisy. Now, what is interesting about the Flake is that he was supposedly a friend of his former Arizonan congressional delegation mate, Gabrielle Giffords. She was shot in the head in an Arizonan shopping center. She has recently come under tasteless and cruel attacks by 'conservative' writers. But hey, we are dealing with fascists. Fascists will always attack democrats. Getting back to Flake, this is a type of personal betrayal.

Cruz has been a senator for an hundred days. He is trying to be the new Joe McCarthy. All Letterman had to say was, "$14,000 from the N(at)R(if)A(ss)." Some people are bought cheaply, but Texas has for all too many years been electing the most wretched people possible for office. 

David Letterman is too polite. He uses 'stooge', when he should say 'scum'.
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*on May 2nd i saw a clip on youtube, Letterman does not use this quote, but does refer to the manner of the stooge's rationale.  ..."Well, that's because they've been told that by the president." Inhofe followed the quotation after asked further. 
 

America, here are your additional Stooges of the Night!

postscriptum: the clean up stooge is Republican Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. 82% of Kentucky's residents wanted increased background checks, so Miss votes 'No'. 
ps ii: on Friday, the stooge was Democratic Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor who was part of four 'gun control' pieces while in the state legislature, but voted against it now.

ps iii: on Monday the 29th, the stooge was Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio. He voted "No", because he did not read the bill. He was busy drinking water.
ps iv: on Tuesday the last day of April, the stooge was Republican New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte. 89% of New Hampshire's residents wanted increased background checks.
ps v: on the 1st of May, the stooge was Republican North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, who took $1,000 from a British ammunition company. There are no background checks on campaign contributions.
ps vi: on the 2nd of May, the stooge is Republican Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson who voted against the Manchin-Toomey amendment to S649.
ps vii: David finishes the second week of stooges with Democratic Montana Senator Max Baucus. 79% of state voters are in favor of background checks.

ps viii: The first stooge of the third week is one of balance. The last stooge of week one was the Democratic Arkansas Senator, and now we have the Republican Arkansas Senator John Boozman. So, Arkansas is the first state with multiple stooges, and we have not mentioned Huckabee, the Hutchinsons, and Cotton. 
ps ix: The stooge for Tuesday the 7th of May is Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. The novelty of the segment has lost its shock value, but Letterman has a history of sticking to a bit. And David sees this issue as important, i see this bit continuing. These stooges need to be listed and lampooned. Grassley, under Obama, has become noticeably more asinine than before.
ps x: The local CBS affiliate, for the third night in row, pre-empted part of Letterman. This night, five minutes of local commercials (including the same car dealer's advert three times) ended and joined the show at the exact end of the stooge bit.
ps xi: And the stooge was Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. David mocked him, for most of two minutes and the audience continued with moderate laughter.
ps xii: I had difficulty staying awake. The stooge was the bushs' family friend, who so ignobly 'won' a senate seat by defaming a legless Viet Nam Veteran (but hey, that is how Republicans win). Republican Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss was the stooge. Recently Chambliss played golf with the president.
ps xiii: On the end of the third week, Dave finishes up with a Democrat again, he will run out. The stooge of the night is Democratic North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who voted 'No' despite of 94% of the state's voters wanting a 'yes' vote.
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ps xiv: If Mr. Letterman continues with the entirety of the stooge roster, perhaps it would be easier just to check them off. I am waiting for Ohio's stooge. (and Dave delivered him Thursday 16 May, noting Portman has accepted $1.3 million from gun interests)

☐Lamar Alexander, R., Tenn.
☑Kelly Ayotte, R., N.H.
☐John Barrasso, R., Wyo.
☒Roy Blunt, R., Mo. Stooge of 20 May
☑John Boozman, R., Ark.
☑Richard Burr, R., N.C.
☑Saxby Chambliss, R., Ga.
☐Dan Coats, R., Ind.
☐Tom Coburn, R., Okla.
☐Thad Cochran, R., Miss.
☐Bob Corker, R., Tenn.
☐John Cornyn, R., Texas "Corndog" by gwbjr, evil bastard by others
☐Mike Crapo, R., Idaho
☑Ted Cruz, R., Texas
☐Mike Enzi, R., Wyo.
☐Deb Fischer, R., Neb.
☑Jeff Flake, R., Ariz.
☐Lindsey Graham, R., S.C.
☑Chuck Grassley, R., Iowa
☐Orrin Hatch, R., Utah
☐Dean Heller, R., Nev.
☒John Hoeven, R., N.D. Stooge of 17 May 
☑James Inhofe, R., Okla.  the Stooge of Stooges
☑Johnny Isakson, R., Ga.
☐Mike Johanns, R., Neb.
☒Ron Johnson, R., Wis. Stooge of 15 May
☐Mike Lee, R., Utah
☑Mitch McConnell, R., Ky.
☐Jerry Moran, R., Kan.
☐Lisa Murkowski, R., Alaska
☒☑Rand Paul, R., Ky. 1st double Stooge, 8 & 14 May 
☒Rob Portman, R., Ohio Stooge of 16 May
☐James Risch, R., Idaho
☐Pat Roberts, R., Kan.
☑Marco Rubio, R., Fla.
☐Tim Scott, R., S.C.
☐Jeff Sessions, R., Ala.
☐Richard Shelby, R., Ala.
☒John Thune, R., S.D. Stooge of 13 May
☐Diaper David Vitter, R., La.
☐Roger Wicker, R., Miss.

☑Max Baucus, D., Mont.
☐Mark Begich, D., Alaska
☑Heidi Heitkamp, D., N.D.
☑Mark Pryor, D., Ark.
☐Harry Reid, D., Nev.* voted 'no', procedural move so to be able to call for a new vote