Or how about this one: "evil doers"? Liberals in media and elsewhere were all over the “evil doers” comment, condemning Bush for using such black and white terms as 'evil' against mass murderers. That was in September of 2001. That was the days and weeks following the attacks. I don't know where you were, but I could hear it all the way to Tokyo. They even polled people in the streets of NYC about the phrase, "What do you think of the President's term 'evil doer"? Imagine the press doing that about anything Obama or Biden has said / is saying?

True, Letterman is only a comedian. Leni Riefenstahl was only a model/ filmmaker. Whatever. Art sways people. Popular art, like comedy and film, sway a lot people.

And like Leni’s pointed lens, today's comedy field is moonlighting as a political action group for one side of the aisle. Right now the side that is in power, a tremendous, unrivaled and unprecedented power, like that painter from Austria knew, was not unrelated to the influence and support from the popular arts. (for the record, I'm not implying O is H. Just entertaining an amusing syllogism for those who enjoy such things)

Political humor is as old as politics. But Letterman isn't trying to be funny here. He's dead serious. He has left the field of comedy and entered the area of abuse of position. Carson was against it and said so on many occasions, "[using] my forum for political statements is wrong”.

Leno at least followed that cue. Letterman, always wanting to be the obnoxious troublemaker (talk about overgrown frat boy – that descrip fits Dave to a tee and far more than Bush) decided to ignore that suggestion from the master. Fine. It's his show. But, also fine, he should be prepared for the audience reaction. He can prime his studio with like minds, but he can't control the viewing audience as a whole. The ratings demonstrate that fact.

Liberals cling to Maher and DChics like a banner in battle. Maher was a sponsorship issue, so blame his network and their sponsors for responding to market forces; people complained, sponsors bolted. It's an old story and one that shouldn't be discounted as being unfair. It's like voting.

And the story with the Dixie Chics is the same. People stopped buying their product. And those CDs they already owned they trashed. It's called freedom, you can do that, ya know. Bush has a book out. Go trash the Bush book if you like. No one's stopping you. Neither is anyone stopping you from not buying Bush's book in the first place.

As a statement to the man, President Bush at the time asked folks that they not criticize the Dixie Chics for exercising their freedom of speech. Furthermore, he asked people to go out and buy their CDs, adding that he owns several and loves their music.

Now ask yourself, what Liberal is capable of that, of that sentiment, of that gesture, of that humility? Be honest, no one's looking but your own conscience.

In mainstream news, there was plenty of subtle and growing criticism of Bush directly after 9/11 from CNN on down. I don’t tape or archive news anymore, so I can’t reference any of it right now. But it’s out there if one wants to search.

In Hollywood, I heard it from Syd Polllack, Oliver Stone, and a few other big name directors (at that time) as well as actors. One of the stars of the then released and seemingly pro American military flick Black Hawk Down was loudly critical of the American military forces around the world. Personally, I think that actor whom I shall not give free hits to by mentioning his name on a forum was cashing in on his new found fame, more than anything else.

I'll say this, one of the only celebrities who are/were left leaning at that time that supported Bush was George Carlin in a very good speech in October '01, opening his performance. I wouldn't be surprised to find that it's cut from CDs and DVDs of it, now, though since he said he was making a confession that he supported the government on this one and payback was needed (he talks about the mammalian brain and reptilian brain responses to threat in that performance) If you get a hold of it, check it out. It's funny and profound, and spot on in terms of what to do about the situation.

By the way, the quote at the top is not from George Bush, it's from George Orwell in 1942:

From the Partisan Review, this of Great Britain's pacifists:

"Pacifism is objectively pro-Fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side you automatically help out that of the other. Nor is there any real way of remaining outside such a war as the present one. In practice, 'he that is not with me is against me.' "

One of the things that made Johnny Carson great was his ability to be fair in his political comedy. Leno get's it better than Letterman. I used to like to watch Letterman more, but he has never moved beyond his smart ass frat boy schtick which is not that funny when you are over 60. Add to that, his obnoxious bias and has really become difficult to watch IMO. As time has gone by I am convinced Johnny made the right choice to carry on his legacy with Leno.

Anyway, if Conan wasn't a wild-eyed lib at the People's Republic of Brookline High, he probably has the sense and spine not to be one now. He was a very nice, no BS kind of guy.