The Democrat’s Culture of Assassination Chic

"What I intended to say is that Chuck Schumer is incredibly smart, courageous, willing even to stand up to the president of the United States on issues of public policy," Mr. Hevesi explained at the news conference. "What came out of my mouth is that Chuck Schumer is smart and brave and capable of putting a bullet between the president’s eyes." [1]

Oh really?

This is not the first time that a Democrat has wished for the murder of President Bush. Matter of fact, it has become liberal chic to advocate for it. Let’s look at what has been said recently in the name of liberal tolerance.

The last year, Sarah Vowell, author of the New York Times best seller Assassination Vacation, a book fascinated on the assassinations of Republican presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley, stated while she does not condone Bush’s assassination, she doesn’t understand why some “crazy narcissistic creep” (possibly her description of a modern-day Democrat?) hasn’t already done so. She, of course, is so upset about Bush’s election and reelection that her “simmering rage against the president” even scares herself. She states that she does not want President Bush killed...not because she worries about Bush’s health, his family, or even the state of the country...but rather she “couldn’t stomach watching that man get turned into a martyr if he were killed.” [2]

Compassionate or obsessive? One of her friends goes on to say that no matter what we’re talking about, she always brings “the conversation back to the president getting shot.” And Vowell is no left-wing fringe kook; she is a well-known NPR commentator, a Hollywood voice-over talent, and a New York Times columnist.

How about Stephen Sondheim, one of America’s most important composers and lyricist? His musical, "Assassins," now opening in various venues since the 2004 Tony Awards (it won five), includes the lyrics...

“All you have to do is
Crook your little finger,
Hook your little finger
’Round...
Simply follow through,
And look, your little finger
Can slow them down
To a crawl,
Big and small,
It took a little finger
No time
To change the world.”

Or how about this little ditty...soon to be whistled and hummed by liberals throughout our country...

Hey pal...feelin blue?
Don’t know what to do?
Hey pal...I mean you...yeah
Com, mere and kill a president
No job? Cupboard bare?
One room, no one there?
Hey, pal, don’t despair
You wanna shoot a president?
Com’ mon and shoot a president

Kind of catchy, don’t you think? When asked about the production’s values, Sondheim responds with “Assassins is a show which asks audiences to think critically about various aspects of the American experience.” [3]

The American experience? What experience, may I ask, is he talking about? To celebrate in song the murders of three American presidents, as well as the attempted assassinations of Presidents Reagan and Ford, all Republicans mind you, is egregious and unconscionable. There is a meta-message that is very apparent to anyone with half a brain.

The Berkshire Theatre production’s director gave his reflections of the musical. The play, he stated, “helps me toward a visceral understanding of the motivation of one who would perpetrate a violent act upon the leader of the free world.” [4] In my investigation for this article, I uncovered a cogent analysis by Michelle Malkin. She opines on Douglas’s comments about this musical; “Translation: I hate Bush and can feel the presidential assassin’s pain... Douglas gives a routine disclaimer that he’s “completely against violence” and yet, he confesses that he has “no idea how far away I am from the ‘invisible line’ that separates me from a similar or identical purpose”

Actually, there’s not that much meta about this production’s message.

In the summer of 2004, another assassination themed production opened in New York City, “I’m Gonna Kill The President.” [5] How’s that for liberal subtlety?

And then there’s Rich Hall, the edgy comedian who, as part of his act, performs the jaunty ditty, “Let’s get together and kill George Bush!” [6] I guess I’m not edgy enough to get the humor in it.

I can keep going on and on with examples such as Columbia College’s “artistic piece” entitled "Patriot Act," showing President Bush on a stamp with a gun to his head. [7] Or the Nicholson Baker novel, "Checkpoint" that discusses the killing of President George Bush? [8] How about the newspaper ad taken out by the Saint Petersburg. Florida Democratic Club which reads, “And then there’s Rumsfeld who said of Iraq, ‘We have our good days and our bad days’...we should put this S.O.B. up against the wall and say ‘This is one of our bad days’ and pull the trigger.” [9] More liberal subtlety?

Democrats and Liberals...the people of tolerance? No, the people of Assassination Chic!

By the way, Risa Heller, a spokeswoman for Mr. Schumer, said: "Comptroller Hevesi was trying to make a point. He went way too far...” No kidding. It just goes to show you what’s on their minds when they think they are speaking to a friendly audience.

Greg Gulbrandsen can be reached at: gulbrang@newpaltz.edu.