Hero or Troll? Olbermann loves this guy, and that says a lot *UPDATED*
Keith Olbermann has provided us with a new folk hero to compete with Joe the Plumber. I would like for you to meet “Jeff the Unemployed Blogger,” Olbermann’s nickname for the man who attended a Tea Party in Pensacola, Florida… but not because he wanted to add his voice to their call. His real name is Jeff Spoeri of Pensacola, Florida. No, Jeff and Sid the Cameraman attended the Tea Party with some sort of mischief in mind and the ability to videotape it for Mr Unemployedblogger’s (spelled Spoeri) website. The experience exceeded Jeff’s expectations when, in true “grassroots” fashion, they started offering the microphone around to whoever wanted to contribute. Jeff excitedly took the microphone, happy for the opportunity to “exercise his First Amendment rights.”
Except it wasn’t to contribute. It was to heckle and disrupt the rally, and it was rather artful. However artfully asshattery is performed, it is asshattery nonetheless. Our little Jeffy, who is as proud as the Code Pink protester who all made us throw up in our mouths a little at the RNC back in August, has taken asshattery to a new level. This man wears Oprah’s ass as a hat. Now that’s an asshat.
Keith Olbermann lost his freakin’ mind enthusing about this guy. Olbermann, the propagandist who ran a “list” of Tea Parties which downplayed the significance of 800 simultaneous rallies across the United States (skewing the news as only MSNBC can… it’s not like they’re a real news network, after all,) included his video in his nightly hatefest.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
I’m sorry, but anyone who accepts political commentary from Garofalo as being anything other than a lame attempt at substance-addled comedy is just so misguided. Keith Olbermann does. ‘Nuff said. If she wasn’t so outlandishly offensive, it would be funny. She is funnier than 6 out of 10 angry barstool drunks, though. Those guys are hard to beat for blithering rages, but she keeps right up with them. “Teabagging rednecks.” Come on, that’s funny, I don’t care who you are.
I don’t know what she’s into, but if Garofalo keeps it up, she’s going to sound like Mohammad Ali. She doesn’t really look well, and she’s got a hint of a slur. That’s over and above the racist slurs, just to clarify. The rage disorder is a hint, too. Gets cranky when she has to sober up enough to talk on the TV, I guess. She does make a nice counterpoint to Olbermann’s self-righteousness, though, doesn’t she?
But I digress.
Back to our boy Jeffy. So Jeffy takes gets an opportunity to get on the microphone and he has a strategy; draw them in with things they’ll agree with and then blame it all on the previous administration. He starts off by thanking the veterans, which I have thanked him for in his comments, always a crowd-pleaser in the type of crowd a Tea Party might attract and an excellent rhetorical ploy, and then he begins his diatribe when he realizes he’s losing them. Hundreds of people are staring at Mr. Spoeri at this point as if he has a cucumber growing out of his forehead. Jeff pauses, sensing that he’s made a tactical error. Quickly regaining his composure, like the Grinch confronted by little Cindy Lou Who, he asks a leading question: “Who here is making less than $250,000 a year? Cheer! Let’s hear you cheer!”
I enjoyed the part when I asked, “How many here make less than $250,000 a year?” and there’s a big cheer
He was drawing them in…
you have to “speak to your audience,” y’know
Wanting to believe that this man has some sort of plan to say something relevant, they cheer. His plan working perfectly now, Jeffy drops it on them, blaming the former administration for all the world’s woes and congratulating them on their new tax cut. His mission accomplished, Spoeri throws his hands in the air like a victorious fighter as boos rain down upon him.
But, like all good villains, I reveled in the booing just a bit … although I should have closed with “Enjoy the rest of your teabagging!” Maybe I should have paid more attention in rehearsal …
Jeffy hurried home to post his new video and seek his attention. He was largely successful, but he may have gone a little too far with the Daily Kos. This from mariosavio, a Daily Kos writer:
Nice job. But a little desperate for attention? (0+ / 0-)
“Yeah, I’m the guy…”
Thanks for the transcript of your speech.
You did a good job, but by posting here & bragging that you risked your life to do this you have only proven that you are desperation for attention & affirmation.
Are you really that insecure that you need pats on the back from us Kossacks? Come on, you’re better than the GOP.
To which our Jeffy replied on his blog (but not in his response to the writer on Kos, who would have disassembled him):
Seriously, d00d. That was a pretty dickish thing to say.
You know it’s pretty bad when you’re a liberal and your drive for attention brings a negative reaction from a Daily Kos contributor. You can tell it left a mark, too, by the response. This guy really doesn’t like to be called on it. You should read his responses to a woman who was actually there at the rally and who called him a liar.
He demanded an apology. *sniff, sniff* I can feel his pain. *sniff*
I wrote Spoeri in his comments, telling him that his trollish behavior had given me a teaching point with my children. He responded innocently that he had gone to a non-partisan rally and was simply participating in it. His web page shows otherwise, as he gloats about the unbelievable success of his mission.
Seriously — I didn’t realize there would be an opportunity to speak, but they were practically begging folks to come up and say a few words … and I was right there
Mr. Spoeri states that he was a participant, and that he was just trying to have his say in support of the theme of the rally. He claims that he was just trying to educate the poor misguided souls who, if they knew what he knows, would obviously be celebrating the Obama presidency like he is, not protesting the massive programs and bailouts being launched by our new and glorious messianic fiscal savior. He wasn’t trying to upset anyone or be trollish, he claims. Later he reveals what he really thinks of them.
Do you think I feel bad that I made them all look like asses? Nope, can’t say that I do. But the thing is, Andy, they already looked like asses
The thing about being a sneaky bag of shit is that you will out yourself in the process. While claiming innocence and batting his eyes like a little schoolgirl with a cookie hidden behind her back, he lets fly with this one.
My rhetorical style is not the issue here, although I must say that it worked better than I ever could have expected …
What would an innocent participant have expected? Hmmmm.
Mr. Jeff Spoeri, unemployed blogger from Pensacola, Florida, whose greatest accomplishment in this world is to have appeared on Jeopardy, I’ve got an award for you…
Asshat of the Month
Since you are the inaugural Asshat of the Month, we’ll have to come up with a certificate for you.
They may be teabaggers, but you are the teabagee. Suck it up, buddy. Tell me, does that taste like Earl Grey?
*UPDATE*
Jeff Spoeri has graciously accepted the award and posted an acceptance speech at his blog, which is overblown, but very nice. However, when pressed in comments, it’s amazing how quickly his “appreciation for the troops” evaporates when one disagrees with him. Here are two of his tweets from today.
New comment: Now I’ve got to go. Andy Wahl Bye, hero.
Nice, Jeff. Where’s your appreciation for those who have served now? Pretty thin, that soup you’re serving at the Tea Party. Although your “outrage” when I challenged your sincerity with your intro at the Tea Party was some stellar acting, it wears thin really fast. But then, most truly genuine things do, right?
Ummm… No.
New comment: I thought Andy left. The last refuge of a scoundrel is patriotism, Andy.
Oh, snap… there it is. Like I said, when you’re trying to pass asshattery off as something innocent, you will out yourself. I didn’t even have to push much.
This is the type of guy that Olbermann holds up as a good example, folks. Liberals want to compare him to Joe the Plumber… sort of… Uh… yeah.
Remember, folks… patriotism is for scoundrels.
Posted on April 23rd, 2009 by Andy Wahl
Filed under: Federal Budget, General
What I find funny is that the tea parties are an event that both pubs and dems go to. The dems cannot wrap their small, pea brained, minds around the fact that some of their own cannot stand Obamalamadingdong’s policies and actions. They think this is strictly pubs, and that we are just whining because we lost the election.
I guess history and thinking, and now paying attention, are not the dems strong suits. They will just never get it. They will still be standing at their campaign HQ’s during election time, mouths hanging open, wondering how the hell they could have lost. It’s comical, but oh so decadent. This countries citizens are coming together in a way that they never have before. That speaks volumes to most people…
Wow! This is the greatest award ever! I hardly have time to thank everyone involved, but if I may, let me just say, in the immortal words of that great American, George W. Bush: “Heckuva job!”
(More words here …)
(Seriously — very cute and well-written. I like the snark!)
Gee, if you right-wing morons got SO many people to turn out for your little teabagging fest, how is it that ONE GUY at an obscure event in Florida is SO FUCKING THREATENING? Talk about “asshat” – look in the mirror, motherfucker.
“No, Jeff and Sid the Cameraman attended the Tea Party with some sort of mischief in mind ”
Let me help you with some facts.. I attended the Tea Party because it sounded interesting, and I support smaller government. I’m a conservative, but I don’t limit my friends based on their political ideology.
Also, I can tell you that Jeff attended mainly to watch and mock, not publically, but to his liberal online pals. However, after hearing a few things he grumbled disagreement with, I asked him to voice his opinion (which he had been considering doing anyhow).. I mean, it’s supposed to be a bi-partisan event, right? People were constantly bashing the deficit, and he just reminded them of our recent history. Bush didn’t exactly balance the budget. I didn’t find his comments too far off base. Even the leader of the local Repubs noted that, in his opinion, Jeff was “half-right”.
I’m terribly proud of Sinfonian and I’m glad that he took the opportunity to speak up at the party. Sorry if your having lost the election is causing all of your fellow teabaggers such tsouris, but really…having rallies to protect the rights of rich guys to stay incrementally richer?
Entertaining.
Sinfonian is my hero. I am proud of my fellow Floridian for pointing out the reality of who is responsible for the outrageous national debt to a crowd of people with incredibly short memories.
GO JEFF!
Great info….
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