It would appear that Michelle Malkin made a mistake at CPAC. She treated someone who approached her as a human being, presumably someone with a sense of decency, perhaps even a little respect for privacy. It seems that wasn't the case.
Mike Stark recorded a private discussion between himself and Michelle and has up loaded it to the net.
Were the exchange between Malkin and Stark deserving of the manufactured fuss the Left is making over it, I wouldn't link it. Clearly it's nothing much at all. Unfortunately it points to a terrible flaw among the Left, particularly Stark and those now fanning the flames around the recording.
There is a reason journalists, and yes bloggers, are tasked with identifying themselves right up front when they talk or interview someone. Mike Stark doesn't get it. It's as if any sense of maturity, or God forbid, ethical behavior passed him by. If there's any reason for outrage, or controversy over his latest pathetic stunt, it needs to be directed at Stark and his abettors on the Left. There is nothing positive for blogging in what he did. All it does is help to make blogging in general look like a childish game of tit for tat played by gangs of unruly children ... assuming there are any adults actually looking in on the Left side of blogging at all.
Stark: What happened, Michelle?
Malkin: Some punks from the Nation came, and they ambushed me at my book signing.
Stark: Heh, that's real professional.
Malkin: Yeah. Such chickenshits.
Stark: What did they do?
Malkin: Uh, they had a video camera, and they, uh, started, uh, lambasting my book. Assholes. I'm sorry, I'm just like, cursing. It's made me [unintelligible].
You know, if Michelle Malkin can't handle being in the limelight, perhaps she should sit down and stop talking. As far as I can tell, if you don't want people recording stupid things you say in public, don't say them. Otherwise, all's fair.
And what does this have to do with Al Gore?
Posted by: Zifnab | Sunday, March 04, 2007 at 11:08 PM
Uh, it's not so much that she used profanity, it's that she said something along the lines of "Those uncivil leftists use profanity when they know full well that CPAC is full of impressionable children. Anyone who uses profanity when children are around is a freedom-hating monster!"
...and then proceeded to use profanity.
Posted by: scarshapedstar | Sunday, March 04, 2007 at 11:17 PM
Oh, and speaking of stupid things people have said recently --
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) got the crowd cheering early in the day. "I have been called -- my kids are all aware of this -- dumb, crazy man, science abuser, Holocaust denier, villain of the month, hate-filled, warmonger, Neanderthal, Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun," he announced. "And I can just tell you that I wear some of those titles proudly."
Holocaust denier? Wear that badge proud, chief.
Posted by: Zifnab | Sunday, March 04, 2007 at 11:18 PM
"And I can just tell you that I wear _______________some_____________ of those titles proudly."
Last time I checked, some != all. Therefore, "Holocaust Denier" may not necessarily be among the titles he is proud of.
As for Malkin, well... she is human. And unfortunately, she made the mistake of not keeping her guard up around a petty, vindictive, and childish man.
As for Mike Stark,... well. That seems rather typical of him.
Posted by: seekeronos | Sunday, March 04, 2007 at 11:30 PM
As usual, Danny, you're wrong again.
You see, the whole point of this exercise is to show that you folks cannot withstand scrutiny. Yes, you see, when we shine a spotlight on what y'all do - what y'all say - how you act... when we challenge your assumptions... when we put you on the spot and force you to defend the infantile positions you take... when we expose your hypocrisies...
well, y'all either go bat-shit insane (check out the comments at LGF, HotAir.com and at my place, CallingaAllWingnuts) or you atack us for using foul language (see MichelleMalkin.com) or not being nice...
Well, fuck all that. Michelle - as long as I have anything to say about it, will not be allowed to write books like Unhinged and blogposts that attempt to evade substantive issues by hyperventilating over language we all know she uses herself...
You know, Byron York came to YearlyKos last year and I punked him... I tried to give him fair warning by telling him that he should prepare to debate abortion and Iraq - after he agreed to an interview... he, after hearing of the topics, immediately reniged on his assent...
I pray to God some of your "leading lights" - some of your most seasoned right wing idea people - come to YearlyKos and do exactly the same thing I did at CPAC... Why? because I'm confident I'm right and I'm not ashamed of anything I do...
So Bring. It. On.
Posted by: Mike Stark | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 12:07 AM
I have no idea why she would talk to that scum sucker Stark in the first place.
Posted by: Buzzy | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 12:24 AM
Because she's an attention whore?
I'm just guessing here. Help me out...
Posted by: tbogg | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 01:00 AM
"Michelle - as long as I have anything to say about it, will not be allowed to write books like Unhinged and blogposts that attempt to evade substantive issues by hyperventilating over language we all know she uses herself..."
Well put. How exactly are you going to stop her from writing books and blog posts, Ashton?
Posted by: kl | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 01:10 AM
I think a big part of the problem is that many leftists live for this nonsense. Many conservatives and libertarians hate this dirty game but feel compelled to defend themselves from the intrusion of politics into every aspect of our lives. We'll never bring the right schoolyard spirit to the game. Thus we will find ourselves being out flanked by master manipulators.
Yes Mike we'll never be as good at this game as you and yours are. Defense is always at something of a disadvantage when offense is so cheap and easy. We try to keep it clean but our patience is not always up to the task, while those whose only goal is to make others look bad can never be accused of failing to live up to their own standards.
Posted by: SporkLift Driver | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 01:36 AM
"Last time I checked, some != all. Therefore, "Holocaust Denier" may not necessarily be among the titles he is proud of."
But you can't deny that it could be. So which one of "dumb, crazy man, science abuser, Holocaust denier, villain of the month, hate-filled, warmonger, Neanderthal, Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun" these do you think he is proud to call himself? Which of them are you proud to be?
Posted by: noen | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 02:24 AM
Mike Stark before there was a Mike Stark. Stark is going down this path and he doesn't know it...
http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990314suicide1.asp
Steve Kangas, who got hammered on Jack and blew his brains out in Richard Mellon Scaife's bathroom. I guess he showed him.
Didn't get much play in the media back then. The dark, filled-with-rage underbelly of modern liberalism.
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/LiberalFAQ.htm
Posted by: benrand | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 07:01 AM
Haha, too funny. She's such a whiny little twit.
Posted by: BobInStamford | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 07:44 AM
Sporklift Driver, I guess you're right. I don't go to lefty blogs and troll, never been to DK or DU. But it seems that every conservative site has it share of socialists who always seem to be there. Guess we could always take a lesson from the left and act like Ann Coulter.
Posted by: Buzzy | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 07:48 AM
Dan -
Does the expectation of "privacy" now extend to public figures in public places?
It seems that you have a much more expansive view of the "right" to privacy than the liberal justices in Griswold and Ann Coulter.
Posted by: You guys are funny | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 08:30 AM
Seekeronos said:____ "Last time I checked, some != all. Therefore, "Holocaust Denier" may not necessarily be among the titles he is proud of."
Noen said: ____"But you can't deny that it could be. So which one of "dumb, crazy man, science abuser, Holocaust denier, villain of the month, hate-filled, warmonger, Neanderthal, Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun" these do you think he is proud to call himself? Which of them are you proud to be?"
Personally, I kind of dig on "Neanderthal". According to those big brained scientist types, them boys from the Neander Valley had some right large noggins, and the bigger brains to fill them (about 10-15% bigger than the average H. Sapiens sapiens)
That's if you are one of those "crazy scientist" types that believes in really far out things like global warming, or man evolving from monkeys. :P
...
Seriously? I'm kinda curious as to what was the context of Sen. Inhofe's remarks about Neanderthals. As a Neanderthal-American, I'm outraged! Ha!
Posted by: seekeronos | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:31 AM
Poor little Michelle, she was "ambushed" at her book signing by a mean Liberal armed with a video camera! I have news for you, Michelle, if you don't want to be taken to task for what you say or what you write, don't show your face at a public conference, and don't publicly sign books. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. As much as you hate it, dissent is still allowed in this country. So put up, or shut up!
Posted by: Devil's Advocate | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:41 AM
Winger morons, Malkin, a public figure, has exactly zero expectation of privacy at a public event, in a public forum. She didn't have to talk to Stark; he didn't make her utter her unhinged words.
Proof positive that one never hears more whining than when wingers are exposed to the light of day. Ask them about their policies outside of the comfort of their echo chambers and they litteraly lose their shit. This is who you are, Riehl, et al. This is who you are.
Posted by: Legalize | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:46 AM
Tell ya what - gimme the titles of "warmonger" and "villan of the month", will ya? I mean, why let Sen. Inhofe have all the titles?
As for Mike Stark, well, I'm not surprised that you're not ashamed of anything you do. To be ashamed would first require you to have morals, ethics, and a sense of right and wrong. As you obviously have none of those, naturally you have no shame what so ever. And let's be blunt - all I have to do is go look at Daily Kos, DU, Huffington Post and various other Lefist websites to see the kind of humanity you espouse. Let's see, was it "I'm sorry that f**ker Cheney didn't die", or was it "Why couldn't the bomber kill that f**cker Cheney" that you're so proud of? Oh yes, that Leftist humanity on display!
You're so proud of yourself, aren't you?
Posted by: Raging_Dave | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:47 AM
But, wait, Unhinged Dave. Did Stark say any of those things? I thought it was unfair to associate people with the words of others. That's what the Coulter apologists tell us every time she reveals her bigotry at events in which she is asked to speak - repeatedly, year after year ....
Posted by: Legalize | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:54 AM
Hey, Raging Dave, stop frothing at the mouth for a minute and ponder the following comments by Ann Coulter:
"My only regret is that Timothy McVeigh did not bomb the NY Times"; "Someone should poison Justice Stevens' creme brulee"; "Murtha should be fragged"; "Bill Keller and the NYT reporters should be executed for treason"; "Al Gore is a total fag"; "Torture should be a spectator sport"; "Bill Clinton has homosexual tendencies"; John Edwards is a "faggot" ...
Oh yes! That right-wing humanity and tolerance on display!
Posted by: Devil's Advocate | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:58 AM
But wait, I thought this thread was about Mike Stark's video of Michelle Malkin?
Oh, I see - when you don't like the direction things are going, you switch as soon as you can to something else. "Yeah, but, but, OVER THERE! ANN COULTER!"
Gotcha. Of course, looking down this blog and seeing just what Mr. Riehl wrote about Coulter would be too hard for you to do. The difference is that we disavow what comes out of Coulter's mouth almost as soon as she says anything. You Leftist, on the other hand, wallow in the offall of your leading websites until you're coated with all that Leftist bile.
But go ahead, keep changing the subject. I'm laughing my head off at you as you scatter and try to justify your side's words and actions.
Posted by: Raging_Dave | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 10:24 AM
Also, it's nice to see that a post containing no invective and cusswords stolen from a Leftist website makes me "frothing at the mouth".
Lord only knows how unhinged you Leftists would get if I dropped a few F-bombs of my own creation, rather than quotes stolen from YOUR side of the political spectrum.
Posted by: Raging_Dave | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 10:26 AM
"Let's see, was it "I'm sorry that f**ker Cheney didn't die", or was it "Why couldn't the bomber kill that f**cker Cheney" that you're so proud of? Oh yes, that Leftist humanity on display!"
Oh, I see - when you don't like the direction things are going, you switch as soon as you can to something else. "Yeah, but, but, OVER THERE! THE HUFFINGTON POST!"
Posted by: Devil's Advocate | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 11:03 AM
Cursing is unhinged Legalize? Nice try loon. She had a right to be angry. Malkin is far more sane and stable than you will ever be. You have a real problem with those that you are inferior in intelligence to.
What Stark did was dispicable and smacks of being a stalker. If a Conservative had done what he did I would find it sleazy and wrong as well. As the above leftists posts show, expecting decency from vermin like them is a waste of time.
Posted by: Hard Right | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 11:19 AM
Devil's Advocate: Don't forget Daily Kos, DU, and the other websites which not only espouse the current Leftist viewpoints, but are actively endorsed as representative of the Left as a whole. All of whom have expressed dismay over the fact that the bomb attack at Bagram AFB did not kill the Vice President.
Now compare those websites to Coulter, who isn't endorsed by me, the writer of this blog, or any of the Presidential Candidates at CPAC. We've already said we don't agree with what she said or did. Hell, many of us have been saying that for years. But don't let facts get in the way of your temper-tantrum.
And let's not forget (despite how hard you try) that the entire topic of this post was a Leftist who caught Michelle Malkin cussing, and when into a spasm of "OH! OH! SHE CUSSED! HYPOCRITE! WE NEVER CUSS LIKE THAT!" Of course he was lying - you on the Left cuss all the time, and most of the time involve some invective about your desires to see prominent political figures get killed as well. I brought up the brouha about the bomb attack to prove my point. Mike Stark seems to get off on his whole "YOU HATING HYPOCRITES YOU!" while ignoring the sheer volume of venom and hatred that flows from the Left side of the political sphere. You ignore it as well. We've come to expect that from the Left, so it's really no surprise. I'm not only pointing out the sheer hypocrisy of your argument about being lily-white and pure without sin, I'm kicking the Coulter Crutch out from under you as well. Any claims from the Left that they don't cuss or publicly wish for a Republican's death can easily be proven a lie by going to any of the Left's representative websites. And every time one of you Leftist starts screeching "COULTER! COULTER IS A HATEMONGER!" you conveniently ignore the fact that not only do we not agree with her, we publicly state that she is wrong. So here it all is, in one post - you've been caught with your pants down, and have nowhere to hide. All your blathering about how Michelle Malkin is some hate-filled harridan has been shown as an empty canard, especially in the face of the people who speak for your side.
I understand that you don't like it. Too bad. Grow up and deal with it. You can't remain a child all your life. Or at least, I hope you DON'T remain a child all your life. It's very hard for the grown-ups to deal with the real world when we're constantly distracted by juvenile screechfests like yours.
Posted by: Raging_Dave | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 11:36 AM
Speaking of screechfest, Raging Dave, your latest post is a perfect example of it.
Right-wing commenters regularly display faux outrage at the language used by some opposing commenters, while they have no qualms on being rude and insulting themselves. The hypocrisy is on your side of the idological divide. When you people curse, insult, and smear your opponents, it is fair game. When you are treated to a taste of your own medicine, you cry foul, clutch your pearls, and head for the fainting couch. Like all bullies, you are at heart a bunch of crybabies.
Posted by: Devil's Advocate | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 11:48 AM
What did Stark do exactly, besides talking to Michelle that is provoking Riehl's and consorts hysteria? I followed the links and cannot see what the fuss is all about. As for the conversation you quote:
Stark: What happened, Michelle?
Malkin: Some punks from the Nation came, and they ambushed me at my book signing.
Stark: Heh, that's real professional.
Malkin: Yeah. Such chickenshits.
Stark: What did they do?
Malkin: Uh, they had a video camera, and they, uh, started, uh, lambasting my book. Assholes. I'm sorry, I'm just like, cursing. It's made me [unintelligible].
Again, I feel to see what Stark did that is so offensive. Oh wait! He CAUSED Michelle to curse! Miss Manners Malkin -- who regularly berates "leftists" for using vulgar language and curses -- herself actually cursed, and in a family-friendly environment at that! Pass the salts!
Stark should be piloried for causing Michelle's slippage into uncivil language!
Hypocrisy, thy name is GOP...
Posted by: Devil's Advocate | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Not only do you mis-represent my argument, you make a fool of yourself in the bargain!
I never said you couldn't cuss. In fact, if you want to go on a spittle-flinging tirade of profanity, have at it. I, however, am not the one shrieking hysterically about someone's use of profanity while claiming that my side of the political spectrum is free of all taint of foul, four letter words. YOUR side is the one claiming that, and I am rightly pointing out the lies and hypocrisy of the whole deal.
If you want to see profanity used, you can find examples on both sides of politics. I have never claimed otherwise, although you seem to want me to make that claim in order for you to proceed with your strawman argument. It is YOUR side who is going into hysterics over Michelle Malkin calling someone an "asshole". Note that she also apologized for her remark immidiately afterwards. This is what you are all up in arms about? I'm sorry, but when you make a spectacle of yourself, don't get upset when the adults point at you and laugh.
As for being rude and insulting, well, I guess when I point out the truth of your side of politics, you consider that rude. Too bad. I'm sorry you consider the facts to be rude and insulting, but that doesn't make them any less true. Now, was there some other argument you had, instead of the whining snivelfest you just posted? (Now see, THAT was rude!)
Posted by: Raging_Dave | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 12:09 PM
I wish Devil's Advocate and Legalize would stop moving me - I'm exhausted.
Posted by: The Goalposts | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Here's a link to a Conservative site which feels as other Conservatives here do.
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/
An Open Letter To The ACU And CPAC Sponsors
Posted by: Hard Right | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 02:05 PM
Good for them, maybe next they can go after KSFO, Rush Limbaugh and George Allen.
Posted by: TheSpartan | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 05:20 PM
Sure, right after you go after Michael Moore, whoopie golberg, Dick Durbin, John Kerry, Murtha, Al Frankin, Ed Asner, Sean Penn, Carter, Ted Kennedy, Rosie O'Donnel, Howard Dean, Noam Chomsky, Rangel, Cynthia McKinney, Ward Churchill, Jim McDermott, Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Streisand, Bill Mahr, Martin Sheen, Cindy Sheehan, John Conyers, Pat Leahy, William Jefferson, Dan Rather, Barbara Boxer...I could go on and on.
Posted by: Hard Right | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 08:56 PM
And of course you will...of course not all of those people you mentioned are guilty of the kind of hate speech you find on the couple I mentioned but never let the facts get in the way of a good rant.
Posted by: TheSpartan | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:17 PM
f**ktards
Posted by: Jane | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 09:38 PM
WOW!! An adult cursed in a conversation with another. Stop the presses! Hypocracy is not the worst sin a human can commit. It is to you libs. That's why for you everything is allowed. Therefore you never have to be a hypocrit. Too bad your silly philosophy is going so far down the wrong path it's beginning to become moralistic. Now Al Gore can be a hypocrit. I prefer Michelle's hypocracy. Her ideal just wants me to become a better person; at which we all fail occasionally. Al Gore's ideal requires me to move into a cave or perhaps a mud hut and beat my laundry on rocks down on the Potomac. While he has three mansions. Hmmm give me that good ole conservative hypocracy anyday!
Posted by: Ralph | Monday, March 05, 2007 at 11:20 PM
Well, fuck all that. Michelle - as long as I have anything to say about it, will not be allowed to write books like Unhinged and blogposts
A 'stark' display of the totalitarian leftist mindset in action.
Mike, you may pine for the power of Stalin, but in this country you don't get to say who is allowed to do things.
The comparisons of Malkin using some vulgar words in a private conversation with Coulter's rather public slur are foolish, apples and oranges. Furthermore, Michelle apologized for the profanity.
Since Stark has no problems with stalking, I wonder how he would feel if a well heeled conservative hired a private investigator to follow him 24 hrs a day. Stark's suppliers of psychoactive contraband might not be happy though.
Posted by: Bozoer Rebbe | Tuesday, March 06, 2007 at 12:00 AM