While the title of the op below is confusing, it's verrrrry interesting that so many GOP/TPers were in fact invited to speak ... but declined ~ funny how that little tidbit is being neglected by the oh-so-"liberal" media ~ ~ Sooz

Wed Aug 28, 2013 at 02:15 PM PDT
Republican leaders asked to speak at March on Washington anniversary, declined
by Hunter

Conservatives complaining that the March on Washington anniversary celebration seems awfully partisan should note that they have only themselves to blame.


Boehner instead spoke at a small Congressional ceremony. Eric Cantor's reason for not being there, though, is rather odd:


Hmm. You know, when someone asks you to participate in the anniversary celebration of one of the most important inflection points of modern American history, you should generally say yes. You certainly shouldn't blow them off to tour North Dakota fracking sites, or whatever the hell he's claiming was more important.

That said, I disagree with Bond. I think declining a speaking spot was a perfectly appropriate choice on the part of conservative leaders, or at least the more intellectually honest one. Efforts to portray conservative reaction to the civil rights movement as anything less than hostile at the time (and hostile now) are insultingly dishonest, and having the community organizers, activists, spiritual leaders and labor leaders of that time putatively honored on the same spot by people like John Boehner or Eric Cantor, people who have open contempt for many of the goals expressed by those same leaders even now, might have been a bigger sin than any pretense at modern fluffy nonpartisanship could justify. Hooray that they were politely asked; hooray that they politely said no.

If Eric Cantor believes that it is more important to wander rural North Dakota in self-imposed exile than to show up to honor the 50th anniversary of one of the great moments and movements in American history, I am not about to argue with him. If only the rest of the conservative movement had even half as much self-restraint.

Originally posted to Hunter on Wed Aug 28, 2013 at 02:15 PM PDT.

Also republished by Daily Kos.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/28/1234584/-Republican-leaders-asked-to-speak-at-March-on-Washington-anniversary-declined

Hell keeps freezing over ~ ~ Sooz

A rare sight: O'Reilly admits error
By Steve Benen - Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:35 AM EDT

Shortly after the 50th anniversary celebration of the March on Washington, Fox News' Bill O'Reilly was, as per the norm, outraged. Specifically, the host was incensed that there were no Republican speakers who addressed the enormous crowd at the Lincoln Memorial.

Arguing with Democratic strategist James Carville, O'Reilly demanded an explanation as to why former President George W. Bush, for example, wasn't there. Carville said, "I do not know that he wasn't invited." The host responded, "He wasn't. No Republicans and no conservatives were invited."

Though repeated with certainty, O'Reilly was, of course, completely wrong. Indeed, we knew a few hours before his show aired that Republican leaders were invited, but chose not to participate. Last night, in a remarkably rare sight, O'Reilly actually acknowledged an error.


Now, I can think of some notable examples in which O'Reilly has refused to acknowledge on-air errors, but why quibble? We should cherish these rare corrections when they appear.

Incidentally, there was some discussion this week about whether Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Congress' only African-American lawmaker, had been invited to attend the event. Yesterday afternoon Roll Call confirmed that Scott's office declined an invitation, telling organizers the senator would be in South Carolina on Wednesday.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/08/30/20258714-a-rare-sight-oreilly-admits-error?lite