Pundit Roundup of President Obama's State of the Union (2010): Laura Ingraham, Rachel Maddow and Rush Limbaugh

Read Obama's first State of the Union address 2010

Transcript of Obama's State of the Union speech
Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the president shall give to Congress information about the state of our union. For 220 years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They have done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they have done so in the midst of war and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle.

The Republican response to Obama's State of the Union speech by Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell

Transcript: GOP Response to State of the Union
Good evening. I'm Bob McDonnell. Eleven days ago, I was honored to be sworn in as the 71st governor of Virginia...

I'm joined by fellow Virginians to share a Republican perspective on how to best address the challenges facing our nation today.

We were encouraged to hear President Obama speak this evening about the need to create jobs. All Americans should have the opportunity to find and keep meaningful work, and the dignity that comes with it.

Many -- many of us here tonight -- and many of you watching -- have family or friends who have lost their jobs. In fact, 1 in 10 Americans is unemployed. That is unacceptable.

Read and listen to the Pundit response to President Obama's State of the Union

Laura Ingraham's State of the Union response

Laura's 'State of the Union' Address - January 27, 2010
LAURA INGRAHAM: The State of our Union is imperiled because we knowingly went down the path OF Obamanomics, Obama's approach to foreign policy and basically an absentee approach to the culture - where life is dispensable, Hollywood is coddled and its party time USA every Wednesday night at the White House. The State of our Union is imperiled.

- Listen to Laura Ingraham's State of the Union speech

VIDEO: Rachel Maddow's State of the Union response

Rachel Maddow- Building on the State of the Union
RACHEL MADDOW: The list of pecific proposals the President made tonight. A lot of them are very conservative ideas. Ideas that have been auditioned politically in recent years by Republican politicians. Things like off-shore drilling, capital gains cuts, business tax cuts, the spending freeze, so-called "clean coal". Terminology that makes me just want to cringe. Singling out earmarks...

VIDEO: Rush Limbaugh's State of the Union response

My Letter to President Obama
RUSH LIMBAUGH: I penned a message to Obama that I would like to deliver now. Because Mr. Obama, I think it's time we had a heart to heart talk. Let me be the father that you never had or never really knew, because I think you need some guidance. It's time to man up. It's time to grow up. That speech last night was an embarrassment. You couldn't focus, you lashed out in all directions, you refused to accept responsibility for your own actions, and you were angry.

And he was, folks! He was mad. Being president is a big job. It's a big responsibility. You wanted the position, Barack. You campaigned for it...

"The Rock" Obama. Saturday Night Live smells what Barack is cooking

We've had actors emulating Presidential candidates on wrestling programming. We've had Presidential candidates emulating wrestlers. We've had comedians compare the president to a wrestler. Now we bring you a wrestler emulating President Barack Obama.

"The Rock Obama" on SNL

The Rock is simply returning the favor after Candidate Barack appropriated his patented "If you smell what The Rock (Barack) is cooking" on WWE TV.

Watch and Download video of The Rock's SNL skit here - Saturday Night Live: The Rock Obama.
The sketch plays off the desire supporters have for Obama to show more emotion and get mad at the way things are being done under his watch.

The Rock, once speaker at the Republican National Convention appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live recently. Kimmel complimented The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) on his amusing impersonation and The Rock shared with the audience his interactions with President Obama and the First family.

VIDEO: The Rock On Jimmy Kimmel!

(Says President Obama told him Michelle had a crush on Dwayne Johnson)

Jimmy Kimmel Live with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson (January 21, 2010)
JIMMY KIMMEL:Has he seen your impersonation of him, which is great by the way
DWAYNE JOHNSON (THE ROCK): Thank You. He has, he has. I got the word from the White House that he really enjoyed it. Its one of those things, I go on Saturday Night Live - its "The Rock Obama".

Our President is a former athlete and its all done within that spirit of locker room and guys poking fun at each other. What I do is what he would love to do which is throw a lot of Republicans asses through the window. That's what we do on Saturday Night Live.

Keith Olbermann responds to Jon Stewart's crtitique

VIDEO: Keith Olbermann's response to Jon Stewart

Keith Olbermann responded to Jon Stewart's critique of him by replaying Stewart's skewering of him in its entirety and sheepishly apologising. Olbermann also referenced an earlier parody that Ben Affleck did of him for SNL in 2008.

KEITH OLBERMANN: Well yesterday Mr Stewart was first critical of Rachel [Maddow] and then last night of me... seriously Mr Stewart's critique of me won't mean much unless you see it so I will show it in a moment with 2 prefaces only

1) Jon you invited me on the show in 2003 and I said I couldn't make it because of the taping time. It didn't mean I couldn't make it forever. What, you can't pick up the phone and make a jingle?
2)I think it should be noted that when Affleck did this he didn't have a teleprompter. That guy was a technician like Rembrandt was a technician.

(Daily Show clip played in its entirety)

You want some baseless name-calling? You are... You know what? You're right.I have been a little over the top lately. Point taken. Sorry.

Jon Stewart mocks Keith Olbermann with his own "Special Comment"

VIDEO: Special Comment - Keith Olbermann's Name-Calling
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Jon Stewart once mocked Glenn Beck by parroting the manic conservative pundit's patented monologue. Stewart recently did the same for Keith Olbermann, mimicking his brand of self righteous speech. This isn't the first time Stewart has chided Olberman.

Transcript via InOtherNews
"For years, sir, your outrage was warranted - based in fact, saturated in reason; marinated in malice, but tenderized with the cleaver of careful consideration, once wielded so masterfully by the demigods of discourse whose very chair you sit (in): Murrow, Cronkite... You fought your fight, and you fought it furiously and forthrightly. But is it a fight, if ill-foughten folly? Ferhaps. How far, sir, how far will you fall once you’ve toiled in the fields of the factual, equal parts punditry and profundity, with prodigious prose? It was as powerful as it was purple.

But now, this! Now, this, sir! This, sir! This, sir! And, no, sir, this TelePrompter is not stuck! I am doing something called repetition for dramatic emphasis, sir - you invented it. I like it. But now, you’re just calling people names.

To whit, you said this of Joseph Isadore Lieberman, Democrat, Connecticut: "A senatorial prostitute"; of Roger Ailes, "fat ass"; Chris Wallace, "a monkey posing as a newscaster"; Rush Limbaugh, "a big bag of mashed-up jackass." (All right - I’ll give you that one.) And of Michelle Malkin, you said "A mindless, morally bankrupt, knee-jerk, fascistic mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick on it," end quote. That, my fine-feathered friend, sounds a lot more like violence against women than anything Scott Brown ever said.

You can’t resort to childish attacks that are as hominem as they are nauseum. You’ve ceded the high ground and now you wallow in the fetid swamp of baseless name-calling, and as you know, sir, that’s my thing… A man of your intellect need not be me - petty, pompous, pusillanimous - or poopyhead."

Impersonations have their home in comedy sketch shows like SNL and are a staple in punditry, these theatrics are also found in politics as Hillary showed last year mocking Candidate Obama. Not to be outdone wrestlers are also fond of using impersonations to get the psychological edge over their opponents.

VIDEO: Booker T mocked and impersonated by The Rock and Big Show

Scott Brown - The new Barack Obama and Sarah Palin

It looks like I may have to update this Palin/Obama comparison graphic to include new political sensation, Republican Scott Brown.

The parallel between Barack Obama and Sarah Palin

The Daily Show has had the best coverage highlighting the similarities Brown has to Palin and Obama - Charismatic, photogenic, relatively inexperienced young faces brought in on a platform of change, perceived as celebrities moreso than politicians.

And the capper...? Brown also played basketball earning his own nickname just like 'Barry O'Bomber' and Sarah 'Barracuda'

How Well Do You Know Scott Brown?
*His old nickname back home in Wrentham, Massachusetts is "Downtown" Scotty Brown, referring to his famed jump shot from his days as a star hoopster at Wakefield High School.

*Speaking of hoops, when President Obama called to congratulate him on his victory, Brown challengedhim to a game of 2 on 2 hoops. Brown said his team mate would be his daughter Ayla, a star basketball player at Boston College.

This Daily Show clip is particularly clever in alluding to the NBC late night talk show war between Conan and Leno in referencing Obama and Brown - January 20, 2010: Indecision 2010 - The Re-Changening.

VIDEO: Fox News Covers Scott Brown's Victory (January 20, 2010)

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Air America closing down - Sam Seder, Michelle Malkin say their peace

Air America pulls the plug

Air America
It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business.

The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection.

Air America alum Sam Seder shares his thoughts on the company that launched him whilst providing its share of tumult

Nice Try
I'll probably have more to say on this in the future...

Contrary to the conventional wisdom Air America failed not because there was no market for liberal talk (all the big lib talkers still on air Miller, Schultz, Hartmann, Malloy and Rhodes are profitable or close to it)- it was because Air America owners- there were 5 in 6 years- listened to so-called radio consultants who were nearly hostile to the format but more relevantly stuck in the paradigm of a dying industry. Thats how you hire Lionel or Montel and fail to monetize your podcasts and online content.

Conservative Michelle Malkin shares her thoughts

Lib talk radio flops again: Air America goes bankrupt
The surprise isn’t that liberal talk radio network Air America announced it is going bankrupt today.

The surprise is that they lasted so long on fumes...

Sen. Franken hasn’t lobbied for a bailout, as far as we know. But don’t breath a sigh of relief yet. They’re still swinging the Fairness Doctrine noose. When they can’t compete in the marketplace, the Left will use the power of government to squash their competitors.

Update: January 25, 2010
Sam Seder appeared on the Brian Lehrer show to chat about the demise of Air America

And so it goes
I did a segment on WNYC about Air America,- it was pretty frustrating- it's always wonderful when people who don't do their homework are more than happy to push the most obvious and least informed narrative.

Go to the WNYC site and listen to the full conversation with Sam Seder and Ana Marie Cox here - Air America Folds

Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin offer to co-host SNL

VIDEO: Beck and Palin offer to Guest Host 'Saturday Night Live'

NBC institution 'Saturday Night Live' reemerged to relevancy in 2008 with their lampooning of that year's Presidential Election circus. A key target at that time was Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, astutely played by Tina Fey. Fey's portrayal infiltrated the wider culture so effectively that Palin's image was hijacked and became unfairly informed by her caricature.

Glenn Beck recently hosted Sarah Palin on his program. In his conversation with Palin, Beck challenged Saturday Night Live to invite Palin and himself as Feature Guests for the comedy show. Beck, an avid comedy nerd and born entertainer would be an able fit for the program and we here at the APF are certain that Beck would likely consider it a career highlight.

Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin Offer to Co-host Saturday Night Live
BECK: ...It is so weird to see yourself on "Saturday Night," isn't it?
PALIN: It is weird.
BECK: It's just bizarre. Sarah and I would like to make an offer to NBC. Would you like to make the offer?
PALIN: I think that we should co-host. How could they say no?
BECK: They will.
PALIN: I bet they won't.
BECK: Want to make a bet?
...
BECK: They think they can make fun of us? I can make fun of me better, yes.
PALIN: They have no idea some of the things. Yes.
BECK: So, yes.
PALIN: Yes.
BECK: So we'll, NBC, there you go. It will be a very highly rated show I'm guessing. We'll make fun of us and give you guys the time off, where you don't have to make fun of us and we'll co-host the show.
PALIN: That would be a delight. I would do it. And if they're daring enough, they will say, yes.

Read the complete transcript from Conservative blog, Newsbusters.