BuzzMachine

The media pundit's pundit. Written by NYC insider Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine covers news, media, journalism, and politics.

The Daily Stern: F the VP

32 comments on The Daily Stern: F the VP

The Daily Stern: F the VP

: The irony is so neon-garish it’s not even irony. It’s just stupid:

On the very day the Senate sneaks its indecent indecency bill through, the President of the Senate — aka Vice President Dick Cheney — spews the F word to a fellow senator.

Now I have no problem with him spewing the F word. Spew it myself. Often. But on this very day, the Senate decided that if you or I spew that word on broadcast, we can be fined up to $3 million a day because the F word, says the gospel according to the FCC, is profane.

Sounds like political speech to me.

: Note that the Washington Post actually printed the word. And the republic did not collapse.

The New York Times, on the other hand, got prissy about it.

At that point, the aides said, the vice president turned and stalked away, using an obscene phrase to describe what he thought Mr. Leahy should do.

Just whom are they protecting? The vice president said it on the the floor of the U.S. Senate and the word is newsworthy because the Senate just chose to chill such speech by the people on the people’s airwaves. The word is news. He said fuck, folks.

32 responses to “The Daily Stern: F the VP”

  1. Dann Avatar
    Dann

    …and if the CBS Evening News played a complete tape of the exchange, the FCC would almost certainly consider it to be political speech and thus not subject to any sanctions.
    Regards,

  2. Jeff Jarvis Avatar
    Jeff Jarvis

    “Almost certainly”? Yes, I believe that’s the way the First Amendment words it, right? Congress shall almost certainly not…

  3. William Avatar
    William

    If CBS aired the tape, and we are to understand the incident in light of what happened with Bono; Cheney would be on the hook for $3 million…

  4. Charlie (Colorado) Avatar
    Charlie (Colorado)

    Oh, Jeff, for Christ’s sake: you blinker the “F word” in your blog. You clearly understand the difference between using the word in conversation — which one imagines you occassionally do, since you have occasionally used it in Bowdlerized form in your blog — so what makes it so “hypocritical” that a grown man might use it in conversation but still object to its use on public airwaves?
    In fact, given that you do object to its open use in your blog, I’d say this is the first time I’ve actually felt you were being hypocritical about it.
    Or just letting your emotions make you into a “f—ing” moron.

  5. Tom Avatar
    Tom

    Charlie – he just wrote it in his post.
    Jeff – a commenter just confirmed on my site that they did run it in the print version of the paper, too.
    Excellent stuff.

  6. shark Avatar
    shark

    So Jeff, Cheney said the F word and nothing happened to him. Why? Because FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS STILL THERE.
    Now if Cheney had said it on a live broadcast, he’d be facing sanctions for violating FCC rules.
    Do you willfully fail to see the difference?

  7. Dann Avatar
    Dann

    Jeff-
    Geez.
    A few decades ago, I would have guaranteed it. But that was a time when the Supreme Court was more concerned with applying the Constitution as it is writte as opposed to interpreting it. These days, who knows how the Supremes will sing.
    I’ll stand by my original statement made under another comment. According to an FCC attorney being interviewed by NPR, such explicatives broadcast in a news or political context should not be subject to fines. He used the words “should not” because he doesn’t make policy, but was making an educated guess about how the FCC is going to interpret such things.
    The same language uttered to shock or titillate would be subject to sanctions.
    Regards,

  8. Sissy Willis Avatar
    Sissy Willis

    While we agree that Cheney could have been a bit more creative in his putdown — “Your mother mated with a scorpion” would have been more effective, for example — we were secretly delighted at the thought of the sanctimonious Leahy’s shock, shock at being spoken to that way. In general, we look askance at the poverty of language resources the F word’s excessive use betrays. In the magnificent Mr. Cheney’s case, however, it is not poverty of language but a visceral, cathartic first response to stubbing one’s psychological toe. We are certain he had just reached the end of his rope with the oily, smirking Leahy, BIG TIME.
    The FCC ruling simply silly.
    http://sisu.typepad.com/sisu/2004/06/who_wouldnt_wan_1.html

  9. Jeff Brokaw Avatar
    Jeff Brokaw

    Oh what a glorious day! The Washington Post has printed “fuck” in the newspaper, based on a conversation between adults in a private setting! That is so much like broadcasting! Let bells ring and flowers bloom! Let Stern bellow it over the airwaves, a thousand times, because it makes us so much more … uh … free politically? Or something. Just Yay!
    Meanwhile, thanks to muddle headed partisan hacks like Milbank and his editor, millions of parents now get to worry about censoring newspapers, too, so we don’t have to listen to our 8 year olds say “fuck” and justify it by saying “but it was in the newspaper!” Thanks for that!

  10. Dimmy Karras Avatar
    Dimmy Karras

    I like how the Washington Times referred to it as a “barnyard epithet” and Cheney suggesting an “anatomical sexual impossibility.”

  11. Howard Avatar
    Howard

    NOW, does the FCC Fine the VP ! ?

  12. Richard Bennett Avatar
    Richard Bennett

    This is the first time you’ve said “fuck” on your blog, Jeff. What does it feel like, and what’s coming next?
    If you want to write about the TV series Deadwood, you’ll be well-served with “cocksucker”, but in this election season “shit” has great utility as well.

  13. Wayne Moore Avatar
    Wayne Moore

    Jeff (Jarvis),
    If you cannnot see the difference between a word being uttered in a private conversation and the same word being said for radio broadcast, then you have lost all perspective. Calm down and think it through , and you’ll get there.

  14. andy Avatar
    andy

    Sounds like political speech to me.
    i don’t get how is this political speech?

  15. Jeremy Avatar
    Jeremy

    Now that you’ve said “Fuck” on your blog, are you going to start making jokes about how blacks smell like watermelon, like your idol, Howard Stern does?

  16. theronks Avatar
    theronks

    I’m not sure I conside the floor of the Senate “private” (as in a “private converstion.” If he had been in one of the cloakrooms that would be a different matter – but if he spoke on the floor loudly enough to be heard by others then how can you consider the conversation private?

  17. Bob Avatar
    Bob

    Here’s what I find funny: the WaPo spelled out “fuck” but censored “asshole.”
    Wusses.

  18. Brainster Avatar
    Brainster

    First, the vice president was sorely provoked. Leahy had openly accused him of profiting from the Iraq war, which is not only vile, but is absurd. It’s the kind of thing Michael Moore would say, not a US Senator. That is, except for Leahy, who’s weirder than a bear with feathers.
    Second, the fines had to be raised because the old amounts were trivial to sleazeballs like Stern and Opie & Anthony. Radio still has the seven-second delay, so it’s very unlikely that the words will get out unless it’s intentional.

  19. Michael Zimmer Avatar
    Michael Zimmer

    So, Brainster, its acceptable to use 6th grade schoolyard insults on the floor of the Senate so long as I’m “provoked”?

  20. Charlie (Colorado) Avatar
    Charlie (Colorado)

    Yes, Michael, the Vice President, a grown man, said a dirty word. On the floor of the Senate. Where I’m sure no one has ever said a dirty word before. Ever.

  21. Paul A'Barge Avatar
    Paul A’Barge

    “Just whom are they protecting?”
    Children who might be listening on public broadcast frequencies which are the property of the US citizenry.
    You know this. Why do you keep asking these questions?
    Oh, and by the way, Sen. Leahy had it coming.

  22. Michael Zimmer Avatar
    Michael Zimmer

    Yeah, Charlie – I get it. But there’s a difference between saying “Oh, fuck” as an exclamation and saying “Go fuck yourself” as an insult to someone. One is an expression of emotion, the other is childish. I’m not saying whether he’s right or wrong for saying it, or that it was good or bad. Just that its childish, plain and simple. Since when is the best (or acceptable) repsone to criticism an ugly, childish insult?

  23. tony Avatar
    tony

    Jeremy,
    howard never said that blacks smell of watermellon.
    a caller called in and asked paris hilton’s former boyfriend if he had ever had oral sex with a black woman, and did she Taste of watermellon.
    idiot.

  24. tony Avatar
    tony

    the veep profitted from the war on many levels, one of them financially through haliburton. thats no secret.
    to be called out about it on the floor is classic, and for the veep to become as defensive as he was is telling.
    circle the wagons, conservatives.

  25. aml Avatar
    aml

    Tony – care to back up that “fact?” It’s not true, you know.

  26. phil Avatar
    phil

    He said “fuck” he. he. he.
    Yeah, big fucking deal. When I was in the Army I couldn’t communicate without using “fuck” at least twelve times per sentence. (The nuances are amazing)
    One final comment:
    Who cares? This is a non-issue promoted by a bunch of media types who use the word themselves but have nothing of significance to write about. (Because they don’t think good news about Iraq or the economy is worth writing about) So Cheney saying “fuck you” is “significant.”

  27. jojuno Avatar
    jojuno

    And your comment if Al Gore or John Kerry or (the list goes on) said the same, what would your comments be? Just asking! Talk about double standard.

  28. cheshirecat Avatar
    cheshirecat

    Since when is the best (or acceptable) repsone to criticism an ugly, childish insult?
    Ask ANSWER, MoveOn.org and most of the DNC.
    “Digital Brownshirts”—Al Gore, two days ago.

  29. Charlie (Colorado) Avatar
    Charlie (Colorado)

    Interesting conservative response to FCC regulation here.
    Re Michael: Yeah, Charlie – I get it. But there’s a difference between saying “Oh, fuck” as an exclamation and saying “Go fuck yourself” as an insult to someone. One is an expression of emotion, the other is childish. I’m not saying whether he’s right or wrong for saying it, or that it was good or bad. Just that its childish, plain and simple. Since when is the best (or acceptable) repsone to criticism an ugly, childish insult?
    As my grandmother used to say, “sometimes the smartest thing you can say to someone is ‘Go fuck yourself.’” In this case, Leahy was apparently being all “hale fellow well met” after accusing Cheney of everything from being the recipient of money for undue influence to killing American soldiers for pecuniary reasons, the childish response would have been to kick Leahy in the balls as he deserved.

  30. syn Avatar
    syn

    The real irony is that this specific weblog site does not allow the F word to be used either, for fear that the little children may read such dirty little words. Everywhere but not here meme?
    Too funny.
    One is free to protect one’s own children but forget everyone else’s children. Great social society we are promotting here in America. Only look out for yourself forget everyone else? Great values to pass on to one’s children.
    I know this post will most probably be erased but one can never erase hypocrisy.

  31. StinKerr Avatar
    StinKerr

    I read the article and found to my amusement that they deleted the expletive that Bush used in describing a particular NYTimes reporter. Something’s wrong when they print fuck but not asshole. This is the Crazy Times for sure.

  32. cell phone batteries Avatar
    cell phone batteries

    i’m looking for http://cell-phone.150m.com/ but google sent me here