Canada 'retarded' say's US Pundits
Tman1 @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:52 pm
$1:
WASHINGTON (CP) - Canada has been described lately by a conservative U.S. television host as "a stalker" and a "retarded cousin."
Another pundit recently asked if Canadians weren't getting "a little too big for their britches." There's been a spate of Canada-bashing by right-wing media commentators in the United States ever since
Prime Minister Paul Martin's complaints about lumber penalties and U.S. policy on climate change. His remarks prompted an unusual rebuke last week from the American ambassador.
The attacks on Canada have had web bloggers typing overtime and a non-profit group that's monitoring the trend, Media Matters for America, says it's disturbing.
Yet Paul Waldman, a senior fellow for the group, said Monday the criticism is confined to the usual faction that erupts whenever there's criticism of
President George W. Bush's administration and it probably won't last past Canada's Jan. 23 election.
"There are always going to be occasions when it pops up. But Canada is never going to occupy an extraordinary amount of American thought," said Waldman.
"It's more like: 'Who can we beat on today?' It's never going to reach the heights of animosity toward France in the run-up to the
Iraq war."
Last week, MSNBC host Tucker Carlson, a well-known conservative pundit, let loose with a string of anti-Canada rants.
"Anybody with any ambition at all, or intelligence, has left Canada and is now living in New York," he said.
"Canada is a sweet country. It is like your retarded cousin you see at Thanksgiving and sort of pat him on the head. You know, he's nice but you don't take him seriously. That's Canada."
Carlson also said it's pointless to tell Canada to stop criticizing the United States.
"It only eggs them on. Canada is essentially a stalker, stalking the United States, right? Canada has little pictures of us in its bedroom, right?"
"It's unrequited love between Canada and the United States. We, meanwhile, don't even know Canada's name. We pay no attention at all," he said.
The day before, Fox News host Neil Cavuto highlighted Martin's remark at a news conference that the United States is a "reticent nation" lacking a "global conscience" on climate change.
"So have the Canadians gotten a little too big for their britches?" Cavuto asked.
"Could our neighbours to the north soon be our enemies?"
Douglas MacKinnon, a press secretary to former Republican senator Bob Dole, also recently accused Canada of harbouring terrorists.
"Can Canada really be considered our friend anymore?" he asked in a recent commentary in the right-wing Washington Times newspaper.
"What other question can be asked when the Canadian government not only willingly allows Islamic terrorists into their country but does nothing to stop them from entering our nation?"
U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins warned Martin last week to tone down anti-American jabs or risk hurting bilateral relations. But Martin was unrepentant, saying he would "not be dictated to" by the United States and his hard line appears to be resonating with some voters.
While the offensive from American pundits isn't widespread, it still has the potential to affect cross-border ties, said Waldman.
"On Capitol Hill, the TVs are turned to Fox News. This kind of media environment is what the White House pays attention to," he said.
"That hostility is probably shared by a lot of people in the administration."
Another pundit recently asked if Canadians weren't getting "a little too big for their britches." There's been a spate of Canada-bashing by right-wing media commentators in the United States ever since
Prime Minister Paul Martin's complaints about lumber penalties and U.S. policy on climate change. His remarks prompted an unusual rebuke last week from the American ambassador.
The attacks on Canada have had web bloggers typing overtime and a non-profit group that's monitoring the trend, Media Matters for America, says it's disturbing.
Yet Paul Waldman, a senior fellow for the group, said Monday the criticism is confined to the usual faction that erupts whenever there's criticism of
President George W. Bush's administration and it probably won't last past Canada's Jan. 23 election.
"There are always going to be occasions when it pops up. But Canada is never going to occupy an extraordinary amount of American thought," said Waldman.
"It's more like: 'Who can we beat on today?' It's never going to reach the heights of animosity toward France in the run-up to the
Iraq war."
Last week, MSNBC host Tucker Carlson, a well-known conservative pundit, let loose with a string of anti-Canada rants.
"Anybody with any ambition at all, or intelligence, has left Canada and is now living in New York," he said.
"Canada is a sweet country. It is like your retarded cousin you see at Thanksgiving and sort of pat him on the head. You know, he's nice but you don't take him seriously. That's Canada."
Carlson also said it's pointless to tell Canada to stop criticizing the United States.
"It only eggs them on. Canada is essentially a stalker, stalking the United States, right? Canada has little pictures of us in its bedroom, right?"
"It's unrequited love between Canada and the United States. We, meanwhile, don't even know Canada's name. We pay no attention at all," he said.
The day before, Fox News host Neil Cavuto highlighted Martin's remark at a news conference that the United States is a "reticent nation" lacking a "global conscience" on climate change.
"So have the Canadians gotten a little too big for their britches?" Cavuto asked.
"Could our neighbours to the north soon be our enemies?"
Douglas MacKinnon, a press secretary to former Republican senator Bob Dole, also recently accused Canada of harbouring terrorists.
"Can Canada really be considered our friend anymore?" he asked in a recent commentary in the right-wing Washington Times newspaper.
"What other question can be asked when the Canadian government not only willingly allows Islamic terrorists into their country but does nothing to stop them from entering our nation?"
U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins warned Martin last week to tone down anti-American jabs or risk hurting bilateral relations. But Martin was unrepentant, saying he would "not be dictated to" by the United States and his hard line appears to be resonating with some voters.
While the offensive from American pundits isn't widespread, it still has the potential to affect cross-border ties, said Waldman.
"On Capitol Hill, the TVs are turned to Fox News. This kind of media environment is what the White House pays attention to," he said.
"That hostility is probably shared by a lot of people in the administration."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20051219 ... da_bashing
$1:
"It's unrequited love between Canada and the United States. We, meanwhile, don't even know Canada's name. We pay no attention at all,"
Obviously you do pay attention if you have to come out with this crap.
ManifestDestiny @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:13 pm
Dont let these retards get under your skin.
Just like we dont let Paul Martin, and Carolyn Parrish get under ours
Streaker @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:13 pm
If guys like Tucker come out saying Canada's retarded then that's something we can take as a compliment.
Arctic_Menace @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:21 pm
ManifestDestiny ManifestDestiny:
Dont let these retards get under your skin.
Just like we dont let Paul Martin, and Carolyn Parrish get under ours
Just like we dont let Paul Martin, and Carolyn Parrish get under ours
Now THAT, I can agree with............
MaritimePride @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:22 pm
First its Dr. Phil, then Paris Hilton, and now this Tucker Carlson moron. A complete moron. Im sorry, im a strong Canadian, I hate others belittling our proud Country. Why do you guys keep putting these dimwitted morons on the air?
Its dishonouring, and cheapening your nobel country. I never had a hatred toward your country, and hopefully never will. But remarks and outburst like this really do show your intelligence. Its too bad that the messenger of these messages have to come from this fool. Wow.
Just, wow.
For those who agree with Tucker mentallity, all i can say is, put on your bow tie and be proud to be like him.
Ryan
CrazyCanuck007 @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:29 pm
i like listening to tucker, and ann coulter for that matter.
why?
because whenever they speak, they show how little they really do know about the world and it's politics.
sorta like bush.... 
MaritimePride @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:34 pm
so very very true.
But you cant help but feel a bit angry that due to their shear size and influence on the world, their message can be heard by 100s of millions.
Meh,
your right though 
Thematic-Device @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:51 pm
MaritimePride MaritimePride:
First its Dr. Phil, then Paris Hilton, and now this Tucker Carlson moron. A complete moron. Im sorry, im a strong Canadian, I hate others belittling our proud Country. Why do you guys keep putting these dimwitted morons on the air?
Because half their audience are the idiots who agree with them, the rest only watch to get pissed off.
$1:
Its dishonouring, and cheapening your nobel country. I never had a hatred toward your country, and hopefully never will. But remarks and outburst like this really do show your intelligence. Its too bad that the messenger of these messages have to come from this fool. Wow.
The outbursts come from idiots on both sides, its best for the intelligent people on both sides to realize this, and to ignore them.
IcedCap @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:40 pm
Tucker Carlson 
he got pwnd by Jon Stewart and that retarded line is old some comic made the same joke at a show I saw during the Montreal Comedy festival a couple of years ago
kerfuffled @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:52 pm
Message to bow-tie wearers: The whole world laughs at you.
xerxes @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:56 pm
I think wearing that stupid bow-tie all the time has deprived Tuck of some valuable oxygen that his brain might have used to form a semi-coherent though. Instead, his malnourished brain has resorted to regurgitating GOP talking points.
Jaime_Souviens @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:12 pm
Mock them all you want.
Truth is, Canada appears on American network news about twice a year.
You may not like it, but if you want the truth, there it is.
One of the biggest questions Canadians have about America is "What do Americans think of us" and the truth is, Americans think of Canada almost never.
You can think that's horrible, you can think of that as typical American insensitivity, you can think of that anything you wish.
But if you don't understand that that is the case, then you're deluding yourselves.
You can be angry about it, you can demand attention, you can do anything you want to; but I think the best response is for Canadians to mind their own affairs and do their own thing, and not give a damn about what the United States thinks.
Look at it this way, even if you ever could get Washington to pay attention, you'll never get Los Angeles to pay attention.
GunPlumber @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:20 pm
I find it ironic that someone, who comes from a country that elected G.W. Bush, could refer to another nation as 'retarded'.
A nation of retards led by a moron, while a parade of idiots cheer, "hooray for us",... how fitting!
Tman1 @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:27 pm
I particularly like his usage of the term 'stalker'. 
Ruxpercnd @ Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:35 pm
Right! Canada is not on most American's radar. Basically, Canadian media is blacked out in America. Living near Seattle, I should get Vancouver, B.C. news and TV, but we don't. It would be nice if American media would just include Canadian segments. Don't feel so bad though. The American East Coast hardly acknowledges the West Coast except for "Hollywood".
I would like to say we should ignore trash talkers at all levels. But, I have an uncomfortable leftover historical feeling that the Nazi Brownshirts started out as trash talkers. We should not allow ourselves to be jerked around by trash talkers, but I recommend never turning your back on them.
America is a nation based on principles, not trash talk. Our principles have overcome the hatred produced by a civil war, indian genocide, slavery, racism, etc.. The principles are solid and will prevail over our mistakes.