Bill Press Mocks Southern Senator with Banjo Music; Suggests 'Taking Citizenship Away from People Born in Alabama'

August 5th, 2010 5:11 PM

Ah yes - liberalism, or as its recent branding has labeled it, progressivism, is the most open-minded and culturally sensitive place to be on the ideological spectrum. Those who subscribe to those beliefs are far more enlightened and far more able to respect those from all over the globe, or least all over the United States, right?

Not the case with liberal talk show host Bill Press. On his Aug. 4 program, Press launched into a long-winded rant about a handful of U.S. Senators who question the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which allows for so-called "anchor babies" to provide a way for some illegal immigrants to achieve legal status, despite having broken the law by entering the United States.

Press took issue with Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, who suggested the 14th Amendment is being abused and wasn't what was intended by the original authors of it. But he didn't just disagree with him for his stance. Instead, he took to mocking his southern accent, playing to a stereotype of people from the South.

"You know the only thing we're missing with that are the banjos, you know," Press said. "I mean - yeah, Jeff Sessions. I mean give me a freaking break. [In faux southern accent with banjo music playing] You know our founding fathers didn't know them jet skis - they got them jet skis in Tijuana. They do, they just zip up the coast and have their baby on the beach in La Hoya, La Joya, La Jolla and then they back to Tijuana with a little baby American. God darn if Thomas Jefferson had only know'd that we would have been different."

Press went on to show his audacity was boundless and called critics of the way the 14th Amendment has been used as "mean-spirited." Press framed the entire debate in a manner that made it seem like legislators were taking their concerns over illegal immigration out on children.

"Where do we get these people from?" Press continued. "You know, unfreaking believable. Look this is such a stupid thing. Number one, it's just - look, it's so mean-spirited, right? Yeah, OK - we're going to take it out on the kids. Yeah, we're going to get even with those illegal immigrants. We're going to get even with anybody that came here to try to improve their life and do better for their family. Yeah, we're going to take it out on their kids and throw those little buggers back across the boarder."

But he didn't stop there with the mocking Sessions. Later in his broadcast, Press launched into another anti-Sessions screed with the same theatrics.

[With faux southern accent with banjo music playing] "Ah yeah, did Thomas Jefferson know ‘bout dem UFOs?" Press said. "Man, those aliens coming here from outer space, popping out a baby and then hopping in their spaceship and goin' home. What's this world coming to? I'm tellin' ya, if James Madison know'd that he would've done different."

And to end his bizarre high-minded, left-of-center condescending anti-Alabama rant, this wizard of smart suggested maybe we should revoke citizenship from Alabamians.

"You know, how about we just take citizenship away from people born in Alabama?" Press said. "That'd be a good start. Just kidding, Alabamans - well, yeah maybe [laughter]. Alright, there we go, yes indeed."

One can only ask what is next for Press. Will he mock someone of another ethnicity which he disagrees with a stereotype? It is hard to imagine a conservative talker pulling such a feat off without some sort of pushback from Press and his ilk.