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Bob Woodward Responds to Controversy Over Email From White House Official: ‘Not the Way to Operate in a White House’

Feb. 28, 2013 11:00pm Jason Howerton

(Fox News)

Veteran journalist Bob Woodward appeared on Fox News Thursday to address his claim that the Obama White House sent him an intimidating email telling him he would “regret” his reporting on the sequester. He told host Sean Hannity that he didn’t actually feel “threatened” but added that it is still “inappropriate” for the White House to interact with members of the press in such an intimidating manner.

The White House official who sent Woodward the email in question has since been identified as Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council. Woodward explained that Sperling yelled at him for about half an hour and was “really worked up” about his reporting. Sperling later sent the email and apologized for raising his voice but also included the “regret” remark.

Woodward argued that Sperling’s behavior is “not the way to operate in a White House.” The journalist did make it a point to say he didn’t feel personally threatened by Sperling’s remarks.

The purpose behind his reporting on the sequester, Woodward explained, was to show that the Obama administration was misleading the public about whose idea it really was.

Hannity then asked Woodward point-blank whether or not the Obama White House “lied” about the sequester.

“I’m not going to use words like that,” he replied. “We need to tune down the rhetoric here. Out in the great public… they’re wondering, you know, what the hell is going on here.”

On the media, Woodward said we like in a “hyper-partisan era.” He also said that Fox News is a “cornerstone of part of that partisanship.” He also blasted MSNBC staffers who support Obama and think “he can do no wrong.”

“My view…we’ve got to bring this back to the center so we can have a reasoned discussion as much as possible,” Woodward added.

Watch the interview via Fox News/Mediaite:

(H/T: Josh Feldman, Mediaite)

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (65)

jrcess
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 11:01am
Gene Sperling is a disgusting individual. Some one needs to take him out behind the woood shed.

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- scunnurt
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 12:19am
  Again “The reason I’m doing this, folks, is because a lot of people are disagreeing with me here that Woodward actually wasn’t threatened.”
  
  Rush Limbaugh February 28, 2013
  
  Report this comment
loveoursoldiers
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:53am
Sounds like he is trying to get back in their good graces by saying ‘Fox is the cornerstone of partinship”
I am back to not liking him again. he is still giving Bobo the benefit of the doubt even though he KNOWS he is a serial liar and manipulator and is destroying this country.
What did they do yesterday? promise him an invite to the next black celeb party at the WH?

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- loveoursoldiers
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 10:04am
  oops.. partisanship
  
  Report this comment
barber2
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:38am
Bob Woodward is just the latest victim in a long line of people thrown under the bus by the Democrat Media Character Assassination Squad. Chicago-styled Dear Leader, through his many Soros-funded 501 c / media groups, does not tolerate political opposition . Results ? Alisnky tactics : Ready. Aim. Fire. Destroy.

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:49am
  Barber, both of the culprits that you mention, Soros and Alinsky, are/were cultural changing, tradition destroying, I want to rule your life, Jewish progressives. Coincidence? Jews are 1.3% of our population. Asians are 4.3%. Where are all of those cultural changing, tradition destroying, I want to rule your life Asians?
  
  Commonsense my man. Better get some.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 11:14am
  JERK: Most of the these jews were guys who shed their religious beliefs for a political agenda – just like our radical Democrats . They have all substituted a belief in God / good works for a belief in Big Government to provide all. They are all materialists who do not believe in man’s immortal soul .
  
  Report this comment
- STANGUNN
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 5:16pm
  I agree .
  
  Report this comment
AUsername
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:29am
If he dies we know why now and by who.

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:42am
  Gene Sperling, another cultural changing, tradition destroying, I want to rule your life, Jewish progressive. Coincidentally, he’s also the “Director” of the National Economic Council. Who’d have guessed?
  
  Report this comment
ClemBradshaw
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:12am
If this were Nixon, there would have been a new round of campus demonstrations, SDS would have set fire to the ROTC offices, and another nail in Nixon’s impeachment coffin. It would have been a headline in every paper and the Walter Conkrites would kicked in.

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kat747
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 8:49am
…….and so the Democratic commies are starting to eat their own.
Bob Woodward is getting the “drift” of this administration ….finally….
and it will be totally enlightening when the other real Democrats
start to finally get what Barry is up to….which starts with USING the
Democrats.
And, as for Sperling, the little dictator should be fired and his pension
and benefits taken away from him.

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- scunnurt
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 12:20am
  You might want to read the following quote: “The reason I’m doing this, folks, is because a lot of people are disagreeing with me here that Woodward actually wasn’t threatened.”
  
  Rush Limbaugh February 28, 2013
  
  Report this comment
countryfirst
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 7:59am
Obama and his administration have been send out threatening and warning signals out for years the only problem is that so many Stupid Americans can’t see or hear them. Remember Kerry stated they have “the right to be stupid” that is the only thing the progressives I mean communist need to take over.

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- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:47am
  Country: From the ACORN bullhorns in bankers’ front yards, to the MIC checks, to the union mobs in Wisconsin, to the OWS disrupters in Democrat controlled cities, to the Glitter bombers, to the Zimmerman trial by media, to these threats, this administration is living proof that you can take an Alinsky community agitator, funded by Soros, out of Chicago, but you can’t take the Aklinsky/Soros agenda out of the agitator..
  
  Report this comment
Acena
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 7:35am
NLITEND1
“a left-wing lib hippie communist “,”labeling him as a far left wing democrat as some of you have,”
“take a step back from your insane rambling”

I read all the comments and no one called Woodward communist ,hippie etc.

Insane ramblings ? Your posts are the longest ,rambling diatribes that accuse,assume and tell people what they are thinking and saying incorrectly ,that they never said actually said . Many here praise Woodward .
You criticize people using biased media info then use politico……….

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PlanetReality
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 6:13am
Of course it isnt!!! JUST TOO BAD there is NO FAIR JOURNALISTS LEFT LOOKING OUT FOR THE PEOPLE! Bob woodard will go down as one the few great ones!!!!!
Our journalist r looking out for the president!!!
What a mess and dysfunction this country is and no one standing up for the working man as our peoples gov becomes a mafia!!!

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Simonne
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 5:24am
That’s right, more moderation is needed to make this country great again.

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fastfacts
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 4:52am
Did you see Mark Levin tear into the White House over these attacks and intimidation ( http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2013/feb/levin_woodward_threat.html ) because it isn’t just about reporters, but Obama does it to normal people and lawmakers as well.

This is an Imperial Bullying President, no one can deny it.

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- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 6:15am
  Well look how his buddies are. And only the WH is claiming he is not. Nobody really denies it, its another common knowledge to a few of us. He only tricks 97% all the time.
  
  Report this comment
liltexasgal
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 4:11am
Well it’s about time. Welcome brother!

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65Mustang
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 3:52am
I am old enough to know that some form of corruption and cronyism has been in every presidential administration. However, Obama and his “Mafia associates” are the most evil creatures that the devil has ever produced. His goal in life is to completely destroy this nation and the liberals are too stupid to know it.

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- Obama Been Lauding
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 5:18am
  I too remember older liberalism, and it wasn’t as rampant as the “Progressives” we have now.
  Kudos to Bob Woodward, for being an old style liberal, and at least telling the truth.
  He is putting the truth out there, just like he should.
  This is like the Black Chamber of Commerce CEO saying, he even voted for Obama, but he can’t believe Obama is so irresponsible in the way he is handling the economy and jobs.
  And the list goes on!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 11:16am
  OBAMA: Yes. This is definitely not the Democrat Party of JFK ! The Chicago crowd has gone Left of Putin . More into the Land Of Marx .
  
  Report this comment
- Nlitend1
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 2:58pm
  @barber
  Did you mean Stalin when you said Putin? I think putin is right of center, so I’m guessing you meant stalin. Then you wander off into marx, that is very creative.
  I let these comparisons go 99% of the time, because I think you are only hurting your own legitimacy and basically stamping your forehead with something much worse than anything I’m going to be able say. So, in that respect I commend you for be so forthright with your analogy. It is very easy to understand–meaning I know those are bad people you are referring to–and while it is a bit hackneyed, it will always resonate with a hostile mob of like-minded ideologues.
  
  I’m sorry for the long words, I know I sound elitist but it is unintentional. I don’t choose my language carefully and I don’t mean to use those words to prove I’m smart…anyone can use long words and I recognize I’m not special for doing it.
  
  Report this comment
berlet98
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 2:10am
Careful, Libs! If You Dare Cross Obama, You Go on the S-list–or Worse!

“Careful, libs! If you dare cross Obama, you go on the S-list, or worse!” is no idle threat. It’s as real as the second term presidency of Barack Hussein Obama who gave fair warning when he was caught last March sneakily whispering to then- Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, “This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility.”
Obama’s new ”flexibility” obviously extends far beyond just caving into the demands of his ideological comrades in the former Soviet Union but to crushing even fellow liberals in America should they have the temerity to wander off his reservation and expose his transparent lies.

Just ask the ultra-liberal Washington Post’s associate editor, liberal Bob Woodward, renowned co-author of All the President’s Men who was contacted by one of President Obama’s men soon after he told MSNBC’s Morning Joe Scarborough on Wednesday that he believed Obama was exhibiting a “kind of madness I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Woodward was referring specifically to Obama’s Defense Department’s irrational sequester-inspired decision not to deploy the aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman to the most volatile region on Earth, the Persian Gulf, allegedly because of budget constraints. Those constraints could be constrained simply by reducing the paychecks of overpaid, federal government employees by 2% in lieu of making our forces and our nation mo

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- DeniseJ
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 2:27am
  Doesn’t ANYONE reading the news or paying any attention at ALL realize the sequester is all Obama’s idea, as was that debt committee that was also his idea, and designed to fail (so he could demean the GOP)!! it’s obviously his own BS dog and pony show!
  
  Report this comment
- JacquesChirac
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 11:09am
  Berlet – as my kids would say…
  
  “Word.”
  
  Good post.
  
  Report this comment
Verceofreason
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 1:17am
Admits he was never threatened. Just to take his money.
whattadouch.

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- Eastinfection
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 6:56am
  You’re unbelievable VERCE…
  
  Yesterday you said he should “name names” if he’s not making it up.
  Today, names were named, and you say “he’s lying” about being threatened.
  The Email WAS threatening, but Bob said he didn’t FEEL threatened.
  
  That means the threat was ineffective at causing Woodward to cower like sheep.
  The fact that he was threatened remains.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:40am
  EAST: And the fact that VERCE is a brainwashed, parroting Obama Media Troll remains clear.
  
  Report this comment
- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 10:21am
  Barber, what kinda Hitler troll is la jerk?
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 11:04am
  ABE: Not sure but he must have been severely injured in his youth – by a guy wearing a yarmulke ! ?
  
  Report this comment
janmil200
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 1:13am
Just so pleased with the great cooperation he got from the WH when he did whatever interview he is referring to: “They answered all the questions”. It either doesn’t matter to him that all he got from them was BS or he just doesn’t realize it.

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SunTzuYou
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 1:02am
Memo to Bob: Roll call, you are at a crossroads, going to go with the crowd to BE somebody and have no regrets, or run the risk of truly not being popular but DOING something that just might make a difference, for your profession and for the country. To quote the Kinkos Jesus in Jerry MaGuire, “that’s how you become famous, hang your balls out there.” Bob, roll call time.

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- USAMama
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 1:16am
  How can he say “I don’t want to use the word liar, we need to tone down the rhetoric,” when it’s OBVIOUS the guy is lying?!? Political correctness IS their attack on free speech. And it’s working! They don’t have to regulate or censor us, we do it voluntarily to ourselves!!!
  
  It’s so frustrating :(
  
  Report this comment
zillibeans3
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 12:56am
It’s really disgusting what’s happening to this guy, he’s getting maligned on all the liberal sites right now (Slate/Nation/Huffington etc) and it’s not like anything he said about the president was inaccurate.

The President is the one in charge of deciding what programs to cut. None of these liberal sites actually mention that fact. When Obama claims that he needs to bring the aircraft carrier home due to the sequester cuts, he’s playing politics, he doesn’t need to bring it home since he decides what programs to cut. And yet all of these liberal sites are making the claim that Woodward wants Obama to assume dictatorial powers in order to not bring the aircraft carrier home. It’s complete spin. The sequester WAS Obama’s idea.

What’s even worse is the thousands upon thousands of sheep commenting on those stories and defaming this guy, I just don’t understand how people can be so averse to thinking for themselves. They will defend this president regardless of what he does and label as a Republican anyone who criticizes him. The fact that they can do this to someone of Woodward’s stature is just disgusting.

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- Verceofreason
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 1:20am
  We really are on 2 different planets.
  His book promoting stunt – backfired, big time.
  
  Report this comment
- zillibeans3
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 1:53am
  No we’re on the same planet, some of us just refuse to open our eyes. Can you tell me what Woodward said to deserve all this irrational hate he’s getting? What did he say that was factually incorrect? Do you even know the scope of what he’s done for the Left during his life?
  
  You know there’s something majorly wrong when Obama goes back on his promise to close Guantanamo, signs the NDAA suspending Habeas Corpus, goes back on his promise to nullify the Patriot Act and instead strengthens it allowing Federal agents to write their own search warrants, signs the FAA Authorization act allowing drones over US Skies, expands the Afghan war and hands the Iraq war over to State Department paying mercs like Blackwater and Haliburton, and the only people who actually have a problem with any of these things are the conservatives.
  
  Report this comment
- Nlitend1
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 3:02am
  I like Woodward and always will…he is a hero for watergate and it shouldn’t matter if nixon was a republican or democrat.
  However, I think labeling him as a far left wing democrat as some of you have, is a ridiculous assertion. He is and always has been a fair and unbiased reporter, and his political views while never extreme are more accurately described as center-left or moderate. That may define him as a left-wing lib hippie communist to some of you here, but this would be as ridiculous as comparing obama to hitler…oopsie, how about comparing bush to hitler. I’m sure liberals made the comparison, but it was as wrong for them as it is now for you.
  
  I would like to see you all to take a step back from your insane ramblings, and recognize that the right wing media distorts news and manipulates you in the same way that you so ardently blame the left wing media of doing to their sheep. I’m sure the right has honest journalists who maintain their integrity without abusing their power, but this site and ‘their’ news might as well be an advertisement with a very clear agenda. This is your flaming, red-handed, pinochio-nosed proof, and if you can’t see it, you have ingested too much of beck’s poison kool-aid.
  
  Report this comment
- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 6:30am
  On the same planet and still going to H ell. Literally
  
  Report this comment
crusaderx9
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 12:48am
When the chicago political machine uses words like “regret”, they are sending you a message even if they also refer to you as a “friend”.

If they ask you about how your “lovely family” is doing or say “we would hate to hear that you were in a tragic accident”, then you can bet your a$$ that they believe they own you and if your are not totally compliant their goons/thugs will be unleashed on you…

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- Verceofreason
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 1:19am
  And they were right.
  Bet he does regret his hissy fit.
  Hiss hiss hisssssssss
  
  Report this comment
RussellB
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 12:48am
This administration, particularly our president has lied so much that they have created an environment where truth no longer matters. I’m 56 and have always been a republican but I have respected the presidential office I served my country for four years in the navy and I was in when Nixon was president and I even respected him. But president Obama has done nothing but lie to the American people, how does a president with no morals or very little as it seems get away with being a chronic liar. This president has turned out to really be a piece of ship and I have no respect for somebody with that much power that has to scare and lie to the American people to push his agenda through. This president should be impeached and then prosecuted for deceiving the American people.

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- scunnurt
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 12:18am
  “The reason I’m doing this, folks, is because a lot of people are disagreeing with me here that Woodward actually wasn’t threatened.”
  
  Rush Limbaugh February 28, 2013
  
  Report this comment
foxrocks
Posted on March 1, 2013 at 12:39am
All these libs recant, chicken out.. Juan Williams is a joke… Let’s pray the military deals with this corrupt administration…….

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- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:32am
  Might be our only hope .
  
  Report this comment
- Sosorryforyou
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 10:05am
  WOW – just WOW! Are you REALLY suggesting a military coup? Would you really support something like that? If you don’t like Pres. Obama then do your best to vote him out in 2016, but don’t make a cowardly suggestion that the best way would be an overthrow of our government in a fashion only seen in unstable countries. That would truly throw America into chaos.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 11:09am
  SO: Oh, lighten up. But am getting severely sick of the bullying tactics of this administration which may be heading for a King George moment – which, I fear, is just what the Martial Law desirers might want to solidify their power and to completely ” change” America. These Chicago dudes are a new and dangerous breed of politicos.
  
  Report this comment
Comrade_Bob
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 11:32pm
It can be deduced by the casual observer that, when allowed to be in positions of power, **** are pushy and ultimately violent. We can see this in Wall Street, the American Czars, our Middle East policy, and in this little spat. Ultimately it is the American population that bears the burden of this presence. Glenn was much better before the visits.

These people cash their checks against the account of American Virtue, and the Trust associated with the good names of our forebears, both of which are running out.

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spfoam1
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 11:21pm
Woodward is like Juan Williams. He will only go so far attacking anyone on the left. He will drift right back to his natural position, and find a conservative to attack, in 5…4…3…2…1. It’s over, and no one in the Obama administration suffered anything more than a temporary mild embarassment. Now the Obama administration can say “see, we don’t own and manipulate the press”.

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- cnsrvtvj
  Posted on February 28, 2013 at 11:46pm
  Agreed, he’s a great deal like Juan. Williams really seemed to get it when they were attacking him, at least right up until Fox paid him a million dollars. Then all of a sudden he didn’t really seem to understand what the problem was with liberalism. The media plays everyone like a fool, regardless of their race, or previous work on their behalf. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgozUvvCqAw
  
  Report this comment
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 11:18pm
Right now Jay Carney is wetting his pants with giddyness, he doesn’t have to spend the night in the Gimp Trunk anymore, Gene Sperling will be taking his place, and Obama bought a special ball gag just for him.

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Nlitend1
Posted on February 28, 2013 at 11:13pm
Blaze must have forgot to give context…hmmm

I do understand your problems with a couple of our statements in the fall — but feel on the other hand that you focus on a few specific trees that gives a very wrong perception of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here.

But I do truly believe you should rethink your comment about saying saying that Potus asking for revenues is moving the goal post. I know you may not believe this, but as a friend, I think you will regret staking out that claim.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/exclusive-the-woodward-sperling-emails-revealed-88226.html#ixzz2MG4LXfzi

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- Nlitend1
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 2:28am
  Lest we forget, the response from woodward:
  
  From Woodward to Sperling on Feb. 23, 2013
  
  Gene: You do not ever have to apologize to me. You get wound up because you are making your points and you believe them. This is all part of a serious discussion. I for one welcome a little heat; there should more given the importance. I also welcome your personal advice. I am listening. I know you lived all this. My partial advantage is that I talked extensively with all involved. I am traveling and will try to reach you after 3 pm today. Best, Bob
  
  Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/exclusive-the-woodward-sperling-emails-revealed-88226.html#ixzz2MGpIqCwK
  
  I wonder why the blaze didn’t include this response…it seems important, don’t you think?
  
  Funny thing, I was teaching a class tonight, and I was talking about media bias. I told my class of impressionable students (and a couple older ones), that although there is common belief that the media is biased to the left, this bias is almost never obvious. I said, Brian Williams is never going to tell you to vote for obama…but there may be an underlying bias that is very hard to recognize but may exist…I gave the example of the reporting on Trayvon Martin to make the point, and how they omitted the question about race coming from the 911 operator. My point, this is exactly the same but much much worse. They left this out on purpose, for sure. And it completely contradicts the point of the story.
  
  Report this comment
- YOURSENSEI
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:20am
  This is what you must know:
  
  Woodward is supported by Friends of Hamas.
  
  it is so.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:34am
  The Democrat Media Character Assassination Squad is tireless, corrupt, and evil. That is what we all know.
  
  Report this comment
- YOURSENSEI
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 9:53am
  Mr or Ms BARBER2,
  
  This is what you must know:
  
  Why do you and Chuck Hagel side with the Friends of Hamas?
  
  it is so.
  
  Report this comment
- VERCE_OF_TREASON
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 10:11am
  What you must know
  
  My Double Barrel Shotgun I fire off the back porch and try and shoot through doors only spits out flags that say “BANG” and “BONG”
  
  it is so……
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on March 1, 2013 at 11:02am
  YOUR VERCE: What the heck are you guys smoking ? Bang and Bong ? It surely seems so…
  
  Report this comment

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