The Young Turks

Why Do We White People Dislike Michelle Obama?

posted by Cenk 07/17/2008 04:29:25 AM EST

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In the latest NY Times/CBS News poll, I think one number has been over looked. Michelle Obama has a stunningly low approval rating with white people. Only 24% of white Americans have a favorable view of her.

That's George Bush like numbers. That's almost in Dick Cheney territory. I don't get it. What did she ever do to anybody?

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Incredibly Inexpensive Ads on XM Radio

posted by Cenk 07/15/2008 06:18:12 PM EST

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The Young Turks are going back on XM Satellite radio on July 14th. We will be on 8-10AM Eastern, which is a great time slot because it's basically morning drive across the country.

We now have a bunch of radio ad inventory that we have to sell. So, in the beginning, we're nearly going to give it away. Read below to see the deal we're offering.

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Regulation is Not a Bad Word

posted by Cenk 07/15/2008 05:15:19 PM EST

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When I was growing up as a young Republican dork, I was told that "regulation" was a bad word. Sensible people were for less government regulation. Socialists were for more government regulation because they liked big government controlling the markets and your life. And most of all they loved red tape that inhibited business.

And to this day, I still shudder when I hear the word "regulation." It sounds so nasty and socialist. That's the power of brainwashing.

Here's the only problem - it turns out you totally and completely need regulation. Without government regulation, the excesses of the market go unchecked and we constantly have financial meltdowns. Kind of like ... now.

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THE YOUNG TURKS ANNOUNCE NEW HOME ON XM SATELLITE RADIO

posted by Cenk 07/14/2008 02:45:53 PM EST

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TidalTV and Air America to offer "Turks" Online

JULY 14, 2008 (Los Angeles, California)   Following a brief six month hiatus, the first progressive radio show to air across the country is set to return July 14th, 2008 to the airwaves and in syndication on TidalTV www.tidaltv.com and Air America www.airamerica.com . "The Young Turks," hosted by Cenk Uygur, will move to its new home on XM Satellite Radio during morning drive time, airing from 8am - 10am ET on XM's America Left (XM 167). TidalTV will broadcast on tape delay, while Air America's Website will host the video live from 9pm - 11pm ET daily.

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The Republicans and Barack Obama Are Going to Give In to the Terrorists

posted by Cenk 07/09/2008 11:34:23 AM EST

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The Republicans, and most of the Democrats, are about to surrender some of our rights. Today they are set to give away the Fourth Amendment to Osama bin Laden.

Real patriots died to get us those rights. Real patriots have died throughout the years to protect those rights. Now a bunch of cowards are going to give them up because they're scared of a couple of ragtag terrorists hiding in a cave somewhere in Pakistan.

And somehow Barack Obama thought it was a good idea to go along with these surrender monkeys. He thought it was a good idea to sign a bill written by Dick Cheney right before the elections. What a terrible lack of judgment. What a sad display of weakness.

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The Group of 15

posted by Cenk 06/26/2008 11:32:42 AM EST

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The pathetic Democratic capitulation on FISA is depressing to be sure. Sen. Feingold sounded pretty depressed when spoke to us about it yesterday on our show. He echoed the same frustration we have had for months now:

"It's the latest chapter of running for cover when the Administration tries to intimidate Democrats on national security issues. It's the most embarrassing failure of the Democrats I've seen since 2006, other than the failure to vote to end the Iraq war ... It's letting George Bush and Dick Cheney have their way even though they're that unpopular and on their way out. It's really incredible."

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Do the Democrats Want to Lose?

posted by Cenk 06/24/2008 02:22:16 AM EST

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Do the Democrats want to lose? That seems an odd question to ask. But they do it so well you begin to wonder. Now, they are about to lose to Bush and the grossly unpopular Republicans again on FISA and telecom immunity. But are they really losing? That depends on what your objective is. Let me explain.

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Are the Democrats Worse Than the Republicans?

posted by Cenk 06/20/2008 12:46:17 PM EST

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President Bush is the most unpopular president of all time - literally. No one has had approval ratings this low for this long in American history. Yet he keeps on kicking the crap out of the Democrats.

If you keep losing to the worst, what does that make you?

Today, President Bush will win another huge victory on telecom immunity. He will get away with breaking the law and ordering private companies to break the law for him, which he freely admits. He is making the argument that the president is above the law in the United States of America. And the Democrats can't find a way to beat that argument.

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Why Doesn't the Press Ever Talk About the Oil?

posted by Cenk 06/19/2008 01:22:43 PM EST

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Today, the major American oil companies came back into Iraq by getting ... you guessed it ... no-bid contracts! In fact, the four major oil companies that were thrown out by Saddam Hussein 36 years ago made their triumphant return to occupied Iraq.

Former chief executive of Exxon, Lee Raymond, explained the history behind it. "There is an enormous amount of oil in Iraq," he said. "We were part of the consortium, the four companies that were there when Saddam Hussein threw us out, and we basically had the whole country."

Well, congratulations, you now have it back! Mission accomplished!

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As Good As It Gets for McCain

posted by Cenk 06/13/2008 11:00:16 AM EST

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About a month ago, I said on the show that this as good as it gets for John McCain. That was in the middle of the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton melee. At that point Obama and McCain were essentially tied in the polls, and some polls even had McCain up by a few points. There's a good chance you will never see that again.

I believed that then and I believe it even more strongly now. The main problem wasn't all the damage that Hillary Clinton was inflicting on Obama (though she did do some), it was that the press wasn't paying any attention to McCain. Once you turn the spotlight on McCain, it isn't pretty.

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One Shining Moment for the Democrats

posted by Cenk 06/07/2008 07:04:20 PM EST

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This is The Young Turks musical tribute to the Democratic primary race that has just concluded. All of the fun moments, the ups and the downs, the roller coaster ride that was this long Democratic battle:

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Hillary's New Job

posted by Cenk 06/06/2008 02:33:38 PM EST

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According to a new CBS News poll, about one quarter of Hillary Clinton's supporters say they will vote for John McCain instead of Barack Obama in the general election. That is a very big number and can do significant damage to the Democratic Party in November.

Hillary Clinton's new job from now until then must be to bring this number down to as close to zero as possible. It was her campaign that drove up this number by emphasizing Obama's negatives, implying sexism against Senator Clinton and sowing division within the party. It's her job now to get the number down by doing the opposite and bringing the party together.

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Hillary Holds Her Voters Hostage

posted by Cenk 06/04/2008 01:53:36 PM EST

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I was going to write about what a horrible speech John McCain gave tonight. About how he has no chance of winning (barring a world changing event) and this is as good as it gets for him. I was going to explain how awkward and painful a speech that was, especially compared to the dynamic and energetic Clinton and Obama speeches.

This was what was going through my mind as I was waiting for Hillary to get to the point in her speech where she makes the turn and says, "It's been a great race, I love you all for supporting me through these trying times, but now we have to unite behind the Democratic candidate for president, Barack Obama!"

Except that moment never came. I couldn't believe it. She didn't concede. Is she mental? Her chances of winning aren't theoretically low now, they're nonexistent. The race is over. She lost. What is there not to concede? What kind of maniacal move is this?

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There is a Winner ...

posted by Cenk 06/01/2008 03:11:22 PM EST

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We had the one mile race between Ana and I. And there is a winner. We taped the whole thing (and took many pictures). We will show it all to you on Monday's show.

So, hang in there and we'll let you know what happened. I do want to "save it for the show."

Some details are below ...

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In Defense of Scott McClellan

posted by Cenk 05/29/2008 01:14:07 PM EST

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Right now Scott McClellan has no friends, and that's a shame. His former friends on the Republican side are trying to bury him. The rest of us are still skeptical of him and what he did when he was still in the Bush White House. And the press is trying to be tough on him specifically because he called them out for not being tough enough when he was press secretary.

So, we have this ironic situation that in a time when McClellan is finally being honest, he has no defenders. I'm afraid this is going to lead the public to the false impression that the world is united in thinking he is a calculating opportunist who is trying to make a buck by turning on his friends. When, in fact, the reality is that the man finally grew a conscience.

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