Commentary: Wingnuts of the week

Dear Kiran and Carol, This new segment is great! Thanks to whoever thought this one up. Just one comment, I would have expected that Rush should get the first and foremost posting on the Right!

One thing you missed in naming Rep. Bachman: Not only was her comment downright silly, it was also historically incorrect. Gerald Ford was president at the time, not Jimmy Carter.

I just watched you first broadcast of this feature. This is a HUGE mistake for CNN. Please, please, PLEASE don't run this feature on Am. Morning. Avlon is great–he's smart, and this may have a place on an opinion show. But CNN must try to stay above the fray on its news shows. This feature will do nothing but polarize your viewers.

Problem is, the Zionist lobby really DID target Congresswoman McKinney for defeat (in a district where very few Jewish people live).

And the reason they targeted her is because of her opposition to US military aid to the brutal Israeli Army and it's genocidal occupation of the Palestinian Territories.

And Rahm Emanuel really is a hardcore Zionist, who – if he had to choose, would pick Israel over the USA in a heartbeat!

Sorry, Congresswoman McKinney is not a "wingnut"!

What a hoot! Whether you are left, right, red, or blue imagine seeing your own ridiculous words and behavior contrasted against the other side's equally silly actions.

It's time we had a good laugh and contrast of fringe silliness. Keep it up, I wish this were a daily event. There's certainly enough material.

heres some food for thought could you imagine cynthia mckiney going before judge judy now wouldnt that be interesting.

Purrrfect, you have hit it on the head relative to both sides. Unfortunately, I don't know about anybody else, but I ended really really depressed after seeing the absolute stupidity of the people who were actually elected for office in this country. These type of expose's need to take place before these total idiots have an opportunity to even express their views in front of anyone, never mind the entire population of the U.S. Contrary to other opinions, in the commentary sections here, with the exception of Rush (who is the most dangerous right wing monster in the world) you have done a great job. Keep up the good work.

Um... Is this a joke or are you really a totally brain-dead pack of morons? If not, it's clear what your modus opperandi must be.

Comparing Cynthia McKinney to the babbling bimbo, Bachman – who claims Democrats are "un-American" – is disingenuous in the least and nothing but a sinister pro-Zionist propaganda smear through association.

Seriously, you have the gall to represent yourselves as being serious "journalists"?

If you're really that shockingly un-aware of the influence of AIPAC and ADL on our political system, then at least have enough class and integrity to stop calling yourselves a "news" organization.

Or, make an honest effort to expose yourselves to some facts for a change:

http://wake-up-america.net/

black politicians always make issues about racism..! thats all they ever do.

[...] be featured in a new CNN weekly "American Morning” segment called “Wingnuts of the Week. He writes: We’re trying out a new segment on “American Morning” called “Wingnuts of the Week.” It [...]

Can moderates be wingnuts to?

Outstanding article, John. Thank God the majority of Americans walk the middle ground, regardless of their political party of choice. I'm looking forward to reading your book.

Could be a great weekly segment but I am disappointed that you did not make note of an important fact about the 1976 swine flue scare. It occurred under President Ford not President Carter. Typical of Bachman to use a falsehood to polarize, but I am disappointed that the media repeats her statement it on the 24 hour news cycle, giving her the broad media coverage that she is looking for, but no correction to the inaccuracy of her information. Please follow up next week's Wingnut of the Week award with a correction.

Wingnuts of The Week is a great addition to American Morning. Keep focused on those entrusted with the power of elected office in service to our country and not the Wingnut Commentators and Personalities this segment will achieve it’s goal of “With this segment, we’re going to try and take that power back.”.

[...] John Avlon, introducing a new segment on "American Morning" (via Joe Gandleman at TMV): What’s a Wingnut? [...]

A very good topic being that there are so many of them especially in the media itself. I did like Lou Dobbs but his views have become one sided and very unbias view of the world as all of Fox news ! CNN and your Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull is anything but . As in Campbell bad mouthing people who brought up Sarah Palins wardrobe during the elections. I have not watch her since !

John, She was only bad mouthing sexists like you.

The biased unprofessionalism that is inherent, now, at CNN has certainly been a major reason I have quit watching their show - I just happened to catch this prejudiced tidbit from an article at HotAir. I have never voted Republican until this election, but the MSM's disgusting unfairness over their deluded love affair with Obama drove me out of the Dem Party and right on over to Fox News.

I've never been happier to be out of the Insane Assylum. lol

Who the hell is Avlon and who is he to decide who is and who isn't a "wingnut"??????????? BTW, McKinny is just a friggin' nut. Was and always will be. Bachman is more of an American patriot than 98% of the libs who watch CNN.

it is sooooooo obvious what you are doing ... dragging down a legitimate republican star by putting her next to a certified democrat nut. i can't blame you for this strategy, as you'l be able to do it over and over and over and over and over again.

It is interesting how on the lib's side we have a women not holding any office but on the con's side we have a sitting congresswomen. CNN, "Idiots with Jobs"....

CNN Ratings: Going...Going...GONE!!

Nice try, CNN, but I see through your little ploy.

You find the most nutty freak you can find from the Democratic Party and try to equate her with a conservative who is outspoken at best.

Bachman's words may not resonate with most conservatives, but to try and say she's on the same level as an officer assaulting, conspiracy nut, "hip-hop platform" Presidency McKinney freak is just cheap and transparent.

You expect people to think the "nuts" on the left are only political has-beens like McKinny, while the "nuts" on the right are currently serving, not-far-from-mainstream conservatives.

Today's free samples of Kool-Aid brought to you by CNN.

Transparent, Avlon. You're not fooling anyone.

The comments defending McKinney are hilarious.

And CNN dives down into the gutter in an effort to salvage ratings. For shame.

First, the liberal media can only criticize liberal-lefties by also including criticism of conservative-righties. That's the format. Attempt to prove me wrong.

Second, I predict that this feature will die a quick death, because they will run out of conservatives to criticize. Conservatives simply just don't say as much insane stuff as your typical liberal. Then the first rule kicks in, they can't criticize liberals alone. No conservatives to criticize, there will be no criticism of liberals.

My $0.02

1) I don't give a rat's tail about Bachman.
2) @Josh: Its absolutely riotous, to me, that your comment would find its way to CNN's site - what with 99% of its audience in favor of re-establishing the Fairness Doctrine. Something shows up on their web site that isn't 150% in accordance with what you want and you whine about polarizing viewers? Give me a break!
3) @gangbox/Dave Christie: You're only proving John's point about echo chambers. Go away.
4) @John from IL: And the other 95% of CNN's programming that screams "MILITARY EVIL, GLOBAL WARMING KILLING US, ECONOMY HORRIBLE, BUSH EVIL, GOP EVIL, MILITARY EVIL, ECONOMY HORRIBLE, BUSH EVIL" on a regular basis *doesn't* smack of bias to you?! LOL!!!!

I don't care for Hoover's signing of the Smoot-Hawley act, but is just a bit unfair to blame him for high unemployment in 1939.

So, Mckinney blames the US government for murder of 3000, and Bachman gets a name wrong. That is just as bad right? Just the same isn't it? Right? Anyone? Bueller?

Kind of like equating mass murder and a parking ticket.

ROFLMAO@ the comments on here defending McKinney saying that she really WAS the target of a Zionist conspiracy! That tells you right there what kind of people watch CNN and troll its blogs... no one on here is defending Bachman's or any other right-winger's comments, but they come crawling out of the wood work to defend McKinney, one of the biggest stark-raving-mad "moonbats" in the history of our nation!

And to "John from Illinois".... awww, poor John got his panties in a bunch because somebody in the Mainstream Media actually came out and defended Sarah Palin against the coordinated smear machine of the left and the MSM... THE HORROR!

I'm willing to bet that John doesn't have any problem with the first lady Michelle Obama showing up to a FOOD BANK drive wearing $540 DESIGNER SNEAKERS!!!

And hey, while we're on the subject of wasting taxpayer money John... how about that $328,000 PHOTO OP featuring Scare Force One that left thousands of New Yorkers panicking and fleeing their office buildings with 9/11 flashbacks! Now THAT was an inside job!!!

Ms. Bachman is correct when she says Obama has anti-American views. When has he ever pronounced all the good this nation has done for the people of the world. How many nations are free now because of the U.S.? He spouts some of the same retoric that Rev. Wright liked to blame the U.S. for, so Obama must have been paying attention to him for the 20 years he attended his congregation. All he wants to do is blame us for all the worlds problems. The media will not do their job. They don't investigate and report news like REAL journalists USED to do. They issue something that is supposed to be objective and hope you believe their Commy slant to the news. I guess the role model for journalists now must be Pravda.

Wow, I'd say that McKinney as Wingnut is more Wingnuttier than Bachman. McKinney's actions and words are more prejudiced and paranoid. Things Bachman says that you quote are things that are left open to interpretation and context.

Why are CNN"s ratings in the crapper? Gee, I don't know. How about not talking to me like I'm a four year old. I don't need you to specify what dumb/insane people do. Just report the news, please.

Sadly CNN has sunk to "if you can't beat em, join em". Nothing informative and news worthy can come from this ridiculous segment. It encourages polarization and looks like a desperate grab for ratings.

Great concept. Great idea! Too long in coming but I'm glad it's finally here!

Stay on topic though with politicians first and political activists second. The world is full of various political commentators and if you go after those types then it's like movie reviewers critiquing other movie reviewers.

This is a good idea and I appreciate the reality of political nut-jobbery on either side of the spectrum.

A person will always tend to see the other side's extremists as more reprehensible than his own (I'm conservative), but doesn't the lefty in your comparison article come across as somewhat more crazy than the righty? One's a full-bore anti-Semite whackjob who assaults police, the other accuses Obama of having anti-American tendencies or says something erroneous and stupid about the flue.

As for the unprecedented, multi-trillion deficits, who knows what disasters loom as a result of those? Shouldn't allot of people, right or left, be seriously concerned? Who's going to pay them back?

Obama associated with Ayers and Wight, two virulent America haters, out of political expediency. At the least that shows him to be a cynic, but is it really unreasonable to 'suspect', (and that's all she said), that to some degree he sympathies with their views? That he has in common with a great many college-educated leftists, a basic dislike and distrust of America that arises from leftist ideology, not personal experiences in their pampered, over-privileged lives?

Both are kinda stupid, but only one's a real nut.

You know what's a hoot? Cynthia McKinney thinking that she is above showing her credentials. Also, liberals thinking they aren't a bunch of racists. When was the last time a liberal looked at the abortion rate for African Americans? Good grief. You'd think any normal person would look at that rate and say "hey, something ain't right here." Why are so many African American women having abortions? And WHY is that okay? It is NOT okay. Where is Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton? Or any leader that cares about the African American culture? Just sickening. Stand up for yourselves. Let's find a better adoption procedure. Stop aborting leaders, scientists, surgeons, nurses, teachers, etc.

Michelle Bachmann is not a wingnut. She shouldn't apologize for saying there are some Un-American people in America. Including elected officials. (Because someone is elected, they automatically don't want to harm this country?) They do want to harm this country. I don't think her comment is directed at well-intentioned liberals who are willing to honestly debate an issue. The flack about the slavery comment is undeserved because her comment is dead on. Dependence on your government for everyday needs IS slavery.

Did Keith Olbermann write this crap, because like him, you haven't analyze anything but the vocabulary of her statement. Sure, she might have had a "rhetorical flourish" once or twice, but that doesn't deserve to be compared to Cynthia McKinney!

McKinney is akin to the Westboro Church loonies, and is no longer an elected official (thank goodness!). I'll expect to see liar Nancy Pelosi any day now... Oh wait. This segment/column is stupid and I don't watch CNN.

Good points, Chris in NJ.

I was just trying to predict which "wingnuts" CNN will name next week. Probably Savage, Limbaugh or Beck. Left-wing will probably be some obscure person in the hinterlands we've never heard of. Can't endanger any sitting dem congress persons or senators! The powers that be at CNN wouldn't like that! Could be Cindy Sheehan or George Galloway or Peta activist.

And by the way, you people in Minn-6 are all right-wing loons according to CNN. I'd wear that as a badge of honor.

This is a transparent attempt to assassinate the character of a respectable Republican congresswoman by comparing her to a defeated Democrat whom even leftwing nuts consider an idiot. Next week, for balance, compare Chuck Schumer to David Duke.

Trying to become MSDNC light is not going to pull your ratings out of the crapper. Cynthia McKinney is a facist traitor and Michele Bachman is a patriot speaking truth to power. Your network is a network for the Nazi party. 1984 is here and you are the man on the TV screen.

Why is CNN so hateful?

Could it be that they have no ideas and have no clue of how to prop up an incompetent Obama administration?

CNN we are on to you ABC, CBS, NBC and the rest of the MSM

"Wingnuts of the week" a novel idea, where is Susan Roesgen, or would that be WINGNUT OF THE MONTH, or maybe Ted Turner, he could be the WINGNUT OF THE PAST 20 YEARS. CNN is just out right disgusting.

How about you add President Obama to the mix. He apparently has no knowledge of the history of England using torture under Churchill. And, he's all about nationalizing medicine, banking and manufacturing. Sounds pretty "wingnut" to me. Or, you could...wait for it....wait for it...actually be a journalist and report the frickin' news instead of offering me your lame opinion. That and a buck will get me a cup of coffee.

How about Jeannine Garofalo??? Or is she too much of a nut to be in this section?

Poor CNN, you just can't avoid inserting even the most subtle kinds of bias in your analyses, can you? Let me get this straight: according to the analysis, Bachman is a certifiable nutcase, but Cynthia McKinney is only "what far-right conservatives" IMAGINE "a far-left liberal sounds like." No, if Bachman is a nutcase, then so is McKinney. That was the point of the article. No imagination required. But you just couldn't resist a dig at those crazy conservatives. So, to translate: Bachman, right-wing, most definitely nuts. McKinney, left-wing, and she's probably what you conservatives think of as nuts, as we don't really know any politically conservative people, nor do we care to. Nice try, CNN.

Um, is CNN ever going to get back to reporting the news? Or is real journalism truly dead?

What a complete waste of time this new section is, either way you look at it.

CNN is grasping for any kind of stunt they think will appear "newsy", when in fact, it is pseudo-journalism, heavy on the pseudo.

The value judgments expressed by the premise of the "wingnuts" segment is just that, and not worth wasting air-time for or for viewers to be insulted by. No buying it and it will accelerate CNN's spiral down into poor ratings.

Wake up CNN, the only way you will regain viewer-ship is to return to real , unbiased journalism.

Frankly, you are comparing a racist, dictatorial, bully to an uneducated person who means well. I see a great deal of difference, I suspect the real problem is, you do not.

Try again.
This feature is a fail.

I just want to know one thing.Who would you compare with Obama?The most liberal senator in the senate at the time.Went to a radical leftist racist church for 20 years and had his first political coming out party at former terrorists william ayers house.Theres more!!!Anyway I would love to know what the Liberal media such as CNN would compare Obama to.

CNN is the wing-nut of media.

This is the kind of reporting that helps cnn rival air america in attracting viewers/listeners. I don't know Bachman but either she's right about obamasama being anti-American or he's an incredible buffoon. In fact he's both.

Cynthia McKinney is a wacko. Michele Bachman loves our country and stands up to wackos like McKinney and Matthews. Sorry, but CNN is going the route of MSNBC. Both are tanking in the ratings, yet continue to pander to people like MCKINNEY! LOL. If they had an ounce of sense, they'd stop spinning and pandering to the lefties and cater to the center-right AKA majority. Contrary to the MSM's spin, this is a center-right nation, not center-left, not left – CENTER-RIGHT. If ACORN and Obama's Census doesn't rig the system, you're going to see us speak up loudly in 2010 and 2012 and CNN will continue to be less and less of a factor.

Sad . . . and lame. Gots to entertain. It is very apparent, as mentioned by another, that this format is a convenient TOOL. Clearly you think your readers are idiots. Well guess what . . . we're not.

The fact that you would suggest that Bauchmann belongs in the same category as McKinney, tells me that this "new feature" is just another way for you to take shots at Conservatives.

Give it up before you hurt yourselves further.
This is a bad idea. A very, very, bad idea.

Or will VP Joe Biden be next for his swine flu comments, and his comments about Roosevelt on TV talking about the Depression ... in 1929?

why don't you just report the news and let us decide who is nuts?
I really don't need your slanted analysis; thanks.

I see that several candidates for the wingnut award are busy presenting their case in this forum.

I wasn't aware anyone watchee CNN any more. Aren't its ratings even lower than MSNBC's?

How can a newtork with "superstars" like Joke Cafferty, Rick Sanchez and Roland Martin possibly fail?

This continues to prove that the people who run CNN are severely emotionally stunted. I have no idea why MSM, in their desperation to compete with the internet, have become as immature and unserious as most blogs.

Instead of copying blogs, why not elevate yourselves, shed your advocacy journalism which is driving viewers and advertisers away, and go back to investigative news? It would be nice if a "reporter" at CNN actually did something other than parrot what she or he read on Huffington Post.

"Wingnuts of the Week"...I'm sure that these are selected during the concall with the Administration and the others of the Gangster Dictatorship Cabal.

"It’s someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of American politics – the professional partisans and the unhinged activists – the folks who always try to divide rather than unite."-

If CNN is serious, then guess this will become a column on Queen Pelosi and her new court.

Never mind, because I noticed CNN didn't even bother to highlight a single Democrat politician that is actually in the office now for its first article on this subject, so if this is any indication of where this column is going it will be a complete joke. Oh and I bet $10 CNN stays clear of the President and his staff also, but highlights some from the ex-Presidents staff. .

Your choice of terminology shows bias itself. 'Wingnut' generally refers to those out on the fringes of the right, whereas 'Moonbat' is the preferred term for those on the left. So why don't you call it 'Wingnuts and Moonbats'?
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The comparison is ridiculous. The attempts to malign Bachman have been ongoing in the media for quite some time now. This is just another attempt by an Obama loving network to diminish a sitting Republican congresswoman by comparing her to an ex-congresswoman.

If you are going to play the wingnut game, at least use a comparative example - more appropriate would have been David Duke to McKinney.

Stupid segment; clearly MSNBC is driving CNN's programming decisions.

A great idea and an added perk of this is that it makes so many of the commenters on this forum to come out and openly tell us which of the two wings they are helping to bolt down. A little introspection on their part may be in order here, but I'm not holding my breath.

Wow and CNN actually leaves the comments section open long enough for folks who oppose their tabloid worthy non-sense to post comments? What's going on – Oh wait, they threw one of their own, McKinney, under the bus and now they are defending her...classic

Jonny Avalon better watch out because McKinney will bitch slap him just like she did the Capitol police officer who asked her to go through a metal detector.

Is this the first crack in CNN's love affair with the left?

Is Obama next week's left wing nut?

Wow – If you don't think articles like this are bad for CNN, you are insane.

I saw the "Coverage" of the tea parties. If this is your follow up attempt to not look totally biased towards the democrat side of the aisle you are failing miserably. You see – though you brought former rep McKinney into the story – she was history. Bachman isn't – and you are dragging her through the mud. After the election "Coverage" and the "Coverage" of the last few years (8) – I guess I shouldn't wonder why the seated official in this piece is a Republican. Also – given your "Coverage", you shouldn't be surprised why Fox news is kicking your ass in the ratings.

I will now stop watching CNN and HNN. I have already totally quit supporting NBC – won't watch any of thier news and very few of thier shows. You see – the Democrat Party has adopted all of the platforms of the Socialist Party and with CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC and NPR all beating the drum for the Democrats – you are in essence compromising any journalistic standards and working to help destroy this nation.

To hell with you . You serve not as the fourth estate, but rather to undermine the country. Those of us who are not asleep see what you are doing and we will not forget.

John, here's some recommendations for your colum for Leftwing Wingnuts who are the most polirizing figures in America.

1. Nancy Pelosi
2. Barney Frank
3. Harry Reid
4. Patrick Lehy
5. Henry Waxman
6. Dennis K.
7. Howard Dean
8. Charlie Wrangel
9. Chuck Shummer
10. James Carvell
11. Paul Bagalia

CNN – please, let this segment be the moment when you woke up and realized that you are undermining everything journalism is supposed to be in order to bolster your ratings. You say you target people who divides us, but the comments above make it clear this segment will have the opposite effect. Who are you to say who is a "wingnut" and who is not? That is quite presumptuous of you to know who is "reasonable" and who is not, and it is a power that open to gross manipulation. Once you start labeling ideas as "dangerous" or "divisive," you've started down a road to censorship.
You compound this error by then equating all liberals or all conservatives with the views of your "wingnuts." "The media fallout made [Bachman], if anything, more beloved by conservatives." How do you know, Mr. Moderate? Did you do a poll? Do they all now believe Congress and the President are un-American? It's unclear from your piece. The same phenomenon occurs in the McKinney bit: "a sense of historic perspective is not always a liberal strong suit." Don't you think that's a bit of, um, a GROSS generalization?! How is this supposed to unite us?
The truth is most people have SOME view of politics that leans a little left or a little right, though few are extreme as your examples. But you make those moderates feel guilty for feeling the way they do by excoriating those who share some of their views and then generalizing that criticism to ALL who share those views. You should all be ashamed of yourselves at CNN.

The latter comments nailed Mr. Avlon and his attempt to equate Rep Bachmann to the insane McKinney. A cheap, very cheap attack. News? CNN is rarely news.
It is interesting that in this article, the author chose "Wingnut" for the title. The term wingnut is almost universally applied to conservatives, while the term "Moonbat" refers to the unicorn riding koolaid drinkers on the Left. Thus, by using "Wingnut" Mr. Avlon conveniently (and subliminally) equates all extremisim with conservative viewpoint.
You are no "moderate", Mr. Avlon. You are as biased as Dan Rather. Ted Turner would be proud.

CNN is a wingnut on the left, so how can they be used to write this article...?

"Wingnuts of the Week"? This seems to be predicated on a false idea that centrists, by virtue of their moderation, are correct, while anyone who strays from the center is wrong. Logic, reason and good values can be deemed radical if the folks in the middle reject logic, reason and good values.

And to David Christie, who wrote:

"Comparing Cynthia McKinney to the babbling bimbo, Bachman – who claims Democrats are “un-American” – is disingenuous in the least and nothing but a sinister pro-Zionist propaganda smear through association."

You're mis-characterizing Bachman's comment. She was defining certain ideas as being un-American and not criticizing Liberals as being un-American (in the sense that they are traitors). There are many examples of truly American ideas and values that Liberals are against. For example, Libs reject the idea of American Exceptionalism and embrace Multi-culturalism. Libs devalue our citizenship by calling illegal immigrants "Undocumented Americans". Libs ignore the lines that define American territory when they call for open borders. America's future depends on our ability to procure and consume coal, oil and nuclear energy. When Libs target all three industries for destruction, they can't possibly call themselves "Pro-American". The same is true when they want America to answer to some sort of international test that places our national security in the hands of the U.N.

But the clearest example is this: When folks on the Right get together for a rally, they chant "U.S.A.!" over and over again. We celebrate our country, it's traditions and its core values. We love America as it is and don't want to change it. When folks on the Left get together for a rally, they chant "O-Ba-Ma!" over and over again. And when he promises to "fundamentally transform" America into a different country, they crowds cheer even louder. The Right welcomes our fighting forces with open arms and calls them heroes. The Left spits on them, kicks them off of campuses and calls them baby killers.

How can anyone claim that the Left is anything but un-American when everything they do or say is a slander against America and an assault on its very existence?
Thank you for reading this.

I think its more appropriate to term the left wing loonies "Moonbats" while terming the righties "Wingnuts"

Hey John, The people spoke and kicked Mckinney out of office along with her "ten word" vocabulary. Last time I checked, Bachman was still in office. There's no comparison between the two. You've obviously been spending too much time in New York City.

Epic fail. Call me back when you put up Ted Turner as the left wing nut.

Comparing Bachman and McKinney is a great disservice to Bachman. Had you wanted to make an extreme right/left comparison, Pat Buchanan, who–last I heard–still claims to be a conservative and possibly even a Republican, would've been more credible and certainly more accurate. Buchanan's attacks on AIPAC and the influence of the 'Israeli lobby', his vociferous defense of various aging, on-the-run SS concentration guards, his admiration for Adolf Hitler, and his ties with extreme right groups in Europe puts him right up there with McKinney. And as it happens, Bachman is right about President Obama, whose policies and tactics, as evinced by his threats to unleash his pet attack dogs of the press on automotive debt holders, are more in line with socialist strongmen such as Chavez and Ortega than with any American tradition.

Great feature, and I don't even watch CNN. I nominate Chris Matthews and Michael Savage as the next left and right wingnuts, respectively.

What sensational garbage you have written up.

the former congresswoman is clearly out of touch with reality, and you equate the current congresswoman as an equal, but on the other side?

Your intellectual laziness is obvious.

John Avlon is a metrosexual pansy and his opinions need to be understood as coming from that perspective. It's good to know that there are centrists within the metrosexual pansy community.

Is it true that because liberalism is a progressive mental disorder that left wingnuts out number the right wingnuts 10-1?

[...] 'Wingnuts of the Week' May.09, 2009 in Culture, General, babes, dames Here is how CNN describes their new 'Wingnut of the Week' feature on American Morning: We’re trying out a new [...]

To Ted in Japan, "you're welcome!!"

John, this is a great idea. These days, it's all too easy for extremists on both sides to get more attention than they deserve for some of the things they say, and (all too often) it becomes easy for people to rely on these warped views of reality.

One suggestion to consider:
- Expand the segment, even if by just another minute or two. It's one thing to play a comment they said and say it's a "wingnut" statement, but it would be better to provide the reason WHY the comment is so foolish.

You pointed out Michele Bachman's comment as being a wingnut statement on the air, but only in your above blog post did you explain why (she referenced swine flu's first appearance to that of a Democratic administration when it was in fact a Republican administration, which means she is not only wrong on the facts, but her entire premise [bad things happen under the Democratic administrations] was totally incorrect... at least for this particular example)

In any case, keep up the good work, and congratulations on a very clever and enjoyable idea!

Nice try at college humor. Centrists have no ability to inspire anyone to do anything but poke fun at people who are actually making things happen. Their biggest problem is that the agree to everything and stand for nothing. Your analysis of Michelle Bachmann's statements, if correct, could be more correctly applied to the material coming from the teleprompter of the US and the guy who reads it. As for Cynthia McKinney, her actions just show the people who keep re-electing her to be a bunch of fools.

Why not include the people of FoxNews as WingNuts... oh yeah, they are kicking CNNs butt ratings.

Congratulations and GREAT job. I'm a Democrat, but part of the 70% of Americans who are are centrists. Its time for both parties to move closer to the center so that we can finally stop being defined by the "wing-nuts". I can see from some of the comments that they don't even know who they are, but they make a whole lot of noise, so the pols listen and we end up having to choose which "wing-nut" is closer aligned to our philosophy. Its time for the anger, vitriol and venom that is spewed by the "wing-nuts", and wrapped around lies and half-truths to end.

Hey Mr. Avlon, when ya piss off the anti-Semites, you know you're doing a great job. Keep up the good work!

I think it's a great idea to expose the extremes on both sides. What I'd like to see is the emergence of a strong centrist party. Let the Republicans have their kooky anti-science religious nuts and let the Democrats have their socialists, and let a common sense majority rule the center.

I would suggest Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich as the next loony pair.

CNN – youre so in the tank for the left its sick.
this article was an attempt to be fair and balanced, but it fails for making the assumption that one right winger was as nuts as a left winger.

The fact that you're being attacked by the Hard Right for calling Bachmann a "wingnut," and you're being attacked by the hard Left for calling McKinney a
"wingnut," tells me that you're on the right track.

Let's hope you continue to be attacked by the ideologues on both sides.
You'll be doing America a great service, by standing up for those of us who are neither.

I love the title and the opportunity it gives citizens to share their differences of opinions concerning the basic initiatives of each party. It's sad to know that we can't get out of the two party lock we have in politics as though life is black and white. We are a diversified nation and should not elect politicians based on party preference. Training our children to be presidents as it is with any career is preferable to me.. Where we have careered presidents to help as a round table with a leading president and staff to be voted into office. Hopefully, this will keep the self-interest of each politician from coming into play.
Where our elected officials are not able to promote their own agendas for their own profit after their terms are over. If we keep the present system, I would like to see the schools practice the process more intensively starting in Jr. High. Thank you, you all are fantastic.

If intellectual heavyweights like Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, and Bobby Jindal are supposed to be "stars" in the GOP, I guess it's pretty clear that the GOP has no interest in winning a presidential election ever again.

And when they continue to lose election after election, they'll play the "victim" card and blame the media, Hollywood, anyone and everthing but themselves.

Excellent feature. I cross-posted the feature and added some video segments at http://www.immelman.us/news/bachmann-wingnut-of-the-week/

My suggestion for the next Wingnuts of the Week: Comedians Wanda Sykes and Rush Limbaugh.

Should be "Moonbat and Wingnut of the Week"

Moonbats are the lefty equivalents of Wingnuts.

Hey, you missed reporting on Bachmann's unbelievably dumb defense on the floor of Congress of carbon dioxide as "natural" in the atmosphere and therefore good.

You have the vocabulary wrong. A "wingnut" is a crazy on the far right. The left wing of the species is known as a "moonbat".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingnut_(politics)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonbat

Bachman is certainly a wingnut. She is often the mouthpiece for the wackiest fever dreams from the right wing crazies. On the other hand, McKinney is just frack'n nuts. Her statements usually don't reflect the nuts on the radical left.

To the denizens of the blogosphere, I believe that "wingnut" is the term used to designate a right wing wacko. The term "moonbat" is usually used to tar the stridently vocal and cognitively impaired on the left wing.

A wingnut is some loony person on the far right. The term for a loony person on the far left is moonbat.

A good idea but you have a definition issue. A "Wingnut" is a far-right conservative crazy person. You can't define someone on the left as a "wingnut". You define a far-left liberal crazy person as a "moonbat".

Do your research before coming up with the title!

If anyone is interested in the truth about Cynthia McKinney, watch the film "American Blackout", which is available for free on youtube. If you're not interested in the truth, I don't know how anything I write here can change your mind.

And in response to the author: Cynthia McKinney does have something in common with Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.: in their time, the corporate media also called them far-left nutjobs.

Please please please correct your photo text showing McKinney as "(L)", she is not even remotely close to a Libertarian, she is a Green. You could correctly show either "(G)" or "(ex-D)"....or perhaps just "W" fits best.

Hey you wing nuts who insist our president's name is something
of another country, who call themselves Christians as they intimidate
vocally and hanging in efigy. Read Judges 4 and 5, the WHOLE story about a good and kind man named Barak. How he led the people
out of captive dilvering them from wicked armies (philistines I think)
and Deborah helped him, and God had FAVOR on him and the land
new peace for 40 years after Barak! Not spelt like our great president, but a great Christian name.l GO FOR IT you people who look for
Limbaugh like ways to destroy a good man. Check it out. Barak is in the Bible, with God's blessing...how come you never tell anyone
that? Ofcourse not, as you have too much hatred in your hearts to
think beyond your fears and rage. Christian name folks. Get use to it.
Glenda, Oregon

To Chris V.
Moon bat! Great image!
Wing nuts and moon bats. . .whats a conservative and a moderate?
whole family laughed at this one!

Please be consistent and correct with designating party affiliation. Cynthia McKinney was a congresswoman from Georgia on the Democratic party ticket, then she recently ran as a presidential candidate on the Green party ticket. So as you have correctly indicated Michelle Bachman (R) as a Republican, please do the same with Cynthia:

Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D), or

presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney (G)

but never, please never:

Cynthia McKinney (L) ***WRONG***

She is not now and never has been affiliated with the Libertarian party. I assure you we would not want this error to become a viral pseudo-truth.

McKinney is *NOT* a Libertarian...give us a break!

"wingnuts" is reserved for right-wing nuts; left-wing nuts are "moonbats."

raving lunacy is the purview of the right, though – as evidenced by tea parties, shouting-matches at public forums, belief that Barack Obama is the antiChrist, lack of acceptance of the theory of evolution, support for creationism, etc., etc.

Each In His Own Tongue by William Carruth
A fire mist and a planet,
A crystal and a cell
A jelly fish and a saurian,
and caves where the cave men dwell;
Then a sense of law and beauty
and a face turned from the clod
Some call it Evolution
and others call it God.

Suppoet for creationism does not make one a lunatic
it means that perhaps one is seeing something your not seeing.
Something perhaps that poets and other lunatics see.
Something called intelligent design!