The Tao of Kent Brockman

By Tom Zeller Jr.
Kent Brockman

Look for repeated iterations of this meme today: “I, for one, welcome our new Democratic overlords.”

A cursory blogsearch already reveals it showing up on a smattering of sites, including

Mark Lieberman at Languagelog sussed out back in 2004 that, as with so many neologisms, we have “The Simpsons” to thank for this coinage — a hilarious mixture of sycophany and, in today’s useage among conservative bloggers, wry submission.

It seems that the Simpsons’ local anchorman stud, Kent Brockman, while delivering a segment on a space shuttle experiment, mistook an ant floating too close to the camera as evidence of a giant invading insect horde:

“Ladies and gentlemen, uh, we’ve just lost the picture, but what we’ve seen speaks for itself. The Corvair spacecraft has apparently been taken over — ‘conquered’ if you will — by a master race of giant space ants. It’s difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain: there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I for one welcome our new insect overlords.”

A periodic search of Technorati throughout the day today should return some interesting variations on the phrase.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

Joe C November 8, 2006 · 11:38 am

Yeah, Im really afraid of what will happen with new democratic overlords. I can see it now, they will trample the constitution, giving themselves unchecked power and authority. Create their own rules for trying accused criminals, send us into wars for no real reason at all, take away civil liberties for Americans, create an unbelievable national budget deficit and thereby increasing national debt to China and cut federal spending on important domestic issues…..oh wait!

JPW November 8, 2006 · 12:14 pm

Kent Brockman went on to say that he would be helpful in rounding up others to toil in the ants’ underground sugar caves. Sounds a lot better than having water poured over your face in Republican caves, don’t it?

Fred Siegel November 8, 2006 · 12:16 pm

CORPORATE MEDIA BLACKOUT

The most interesting election result was the Bernie Sander’s victory in Vermont. So why no feature articles? Why did a local TV reporter in Los Angeles state that Jeffords had been re-elected? Why did The Times only describe that he went to the same high school as two other Senators??

The answer, of course, is that Bernie Sanders is the first avowed socialist elected to the Senate in recent memory,if ever.

Doesn’t this count as news????

Genius Jones November 8, 2006 · 12:19 pm

The only thing worse would be if they legalized torture, abridged Haebeus Corpus (sp), de-funded the government, slaughtered 600,000 mostly Arab foreigners in a mistaken and ill-conceived war, removed or weakened most of our environmental regulations, abridged our civil liberties in as many ways as possible, engaged in unabashed bribe-taking from P.A.C.s, or maybe sent lewd and suggestive notes to barely legal office workers on their staffs. I shudder even thinking about what they might do.

Ray N November 8, 2006 · 12:32 pm

I for one can’t wait until we say good bye to our Republican overlords first. Lording over has been perfected by Republicans so much so that if question the reasons for this war, the war-racketeering by Haliburton and KBR, the budget deficits, etc. we were not only called unpatriotic but risked being moved to Guantanamo Bay. Here’s a goodbye in advance to the Republican/corporate/fundamentalist overloads!

James G November 8, 2006 · 12:37 pm

Of course the democrats will rule us wisely, with respect for bipartisanship. This is the rational thing to do, and the Democrats need the reality-based-community vote. The republicans never needed the rational vote, so they never need to act rational.

Ben November 8, 2006 · 12:44 pm

After the initial 100 hours/100 days that Nancy Pelosi wants to get through some much needed reforms and updates (e.g., raising the min wage, funds for stem cell research, etc.), they owe our country a complete audit of what has transpired in Iraq, including what crimes, if any, were done in the name of bringing democracy to Iraq, even if this starts the ball in the direction of impeachment of this President and his entire staff. What this Administration has done since they wrongly stopped pursuing Bin Laden, et al, and going after Hussein instead, who had NOTHING to do with 9/11, is unconscienable (sp?).

Jon Gabriel November 8, 2006 · 12:51 pm

Self-Promotion Alert: The first instance of the phrase was at my group blog, //exurbanleague.com/2006/11/08/doh.aspx

In an act of charity, Instapundit and National Review’s The Corner linked to it early this morning. And now, so did the NYT!

John S. Coventry November 8, 2006 · 12:53 pm

Bipartisanship is bunk and balogna. But even-handness to Palestine would help.

Jake W November 8, 2006 · 12:56 pm

Gay marriage!! Gay marriage!! It’s coming!! Sound the alarm, load the shotgun, then load the other shotgun, then load the bazooka, then load the Bible!!

Hasmukh Patel November 8, 2006 · 12:59 pm

Are U censoring my comment.We now have Madam Speaker, we will have Madam President Hillary Rodham Clinton!!!!!!

Newblog November 8, 2006 · 1:00 pm

Work with reasonable Republicans, but with this administration and their neo-cons: go after them with a vengance & do not stop till they are gone, gone, gone. If a Reb wants to survive they better play ball. But lets not stoop to the polarization of this scum bag administration.

Pull that off and there will be more Dems than ever at the next election!!!!

Charles R. Bacinelli, PhD November 8, 2006 · 1:04 pm

The current republican administration has proven itself to be comprised largely of incompetents, cheats and liars. Owing to an unjustifiable war, Bush is responsible for far more deaths than Saddam Hussein. His cronies are no better, for most blindly follow. G.W. Bush is nothing short of a Machiavellian nincompoop. Our national debt is at an all time high – a debt that my yet to be born grandson will undoubtedly pay for in unimaginable ways. Thank your lucky stars that the house will now be in the control of people with a conscious and a genuine rather than feigned concern for the average Joe. In fact, you best get on your knees and pray that the Democrats take control of the Senate as well. If we stay George’s course any longer, we are doomed – if he hasn’t done us in already.

Derek K November 8, 2006 · 1:04 pm

Another classic Simpsons episode with political speech implications is Treehouse of Horror VII, where Kodos and Kang pose as Clinton and Dole in Election ’96. We reference this fairly often, and I even used it as a parable recently while trying (unsuccessfully) to convince my apathetic brother to vote.

When Homer exposes the aliens, the following classic lines unfold:

Homer: America, take a good look at your beloved candidates. They’re nothing but hideous space reptiles. [unmasks them]
[audience gasps in terror]
Kodos: It’s true, we are aliens. But what are you going to do about it? It’s a two-party system; you have to vote for one of us.

Man1: He’s right, this is a two-party system.

Man2: Well, I believe I’ll vote for a third-party candidate.

Kang: Go ahead, throw your vote away.
[Kang and Kodos laugh out loud]
[Ross Perot smashes his “Perot 96″ hat]

Ron November 8, 2006 · 1:09 pm

The democrats have been saying for past few years that they have the answers, that they can make us safer and save the middle class. Well here is their chance, let them fix all our woes. Time will tell if they have an actual united agenda; or will they cave to the special interest groups and fall because of their lust for power.

harris November 8, 2006 · 1:14 pm

I expect continued arrogance from the Bush White House: I am right now listening to Bush’s news conference. He is claiming a spirit of bipartisanship, yet he keeps referring to the ‘Democrat party,’ not the ‘Democratic Party,’ which is the official moniker. This is an old measure of disrespect, and was used by Lee Atwater and Bob Dole [recall his use of the expression ‘Democrat wars’]. Same old, same old. Rumsfeld may be gone as of this instant, but don’t expect bipartisanship from Bush on anything except issues where the Dems already agree with an existing Bush position.

WR Raucci November 8, 2006 · 1:42 pm

I don’t know if Bipartisian cooperation will improve or not with Pelosi as House Speaker. I think it helps with her in that position. She will be sure to moderate and balance discourse on issues which in the last six years has been to trample anyone who expressed any differing opinion from the republican agenda.

Declan November 8, 2006 · 1:44 pm

Fortunately, no one took the administration at its word that it had given no thought to working with a Democratic Congress. Not from an administration so given to micromanagement that it could inflict punishment within hours on a minor bureaucrat who had gone off message. We may find that the Ocotber Surprise this year is how much planning Mr. Rove and Mr. Mehlman have already done to deflect responsibility and distract a possibly fractious Democratic majority.

Mr. Rumsfeld’s resignation was speedy and welcome; his replacement is already in harness, but for approval of his nomination. That will shape, but not prevent, the inevitable Congressional investigations into misuse of prewar intelligence, disdain for post-invasion planning, and the willful blindness shown to reconstruction contracts and their performance.

Ms. Pelosi’s biggest challenge will, indeed, be to keep her new majority focused on the essentials, and to keep their hands out of a cookie jar emptied by the last Congress, Mr. Bush and K Street. Lobbyists’ ranks will be joined by Democratic faces not seen in a decade; hopefully, Ms. Pelosi is confident enough to ignore their entreaties of golden fleece and apples from the tree of knowledge.

STMSFO November 8, 2006 · 1:50 pm

Will the Bush Administration come to be regarded as the very worst in American history, or merely the second or third worst?

Steve Atrosh November 8, 2006 · 1:52 pm

Turn about is fairplay. Its time to start impeachment proceedings. The Democrats should not do this out of vengeance or vindictiveness but out of their responsibility to the populace. The Bush administration and the Republican congress has been getting away with highway robbery. It is time to try them for their high crimes and misdemeanors.

Daniel Moulder November 8, 2006 · 1:57 pm

Republicans not in power? Oh my stars, what ever will little George “Shrub” Bush do without all of his buddies around the playground to protect him?
Horray for the Democrats, maybe this will reflect well in 2008. I welcome our new Overlords.

David November 8, 2006 · 2:05 pm

Expect the Republicans to implement a scorched earth policy in what ex leader DeLay said is a “Lame Duck Majority,” and while doing so, constantly claim they are bi-Partisan.

The Republicans only know that phrase to give it lip service to it, they know not how to do it.

Already, Bush is implying that the Democrats victory is “emboldening” the terrorists. As usual, the Presidential news conference showed Bush in his whiniest childish self.

Fla Fred November 8, 2006 · 2:05 pm

Last week Democrats were traitors, yellow-bellies,and the devil’s own. Mehlman this morning was spouting bi-partisianship. When he looses. Should republicans have any say in Congress? Be locked out like they were. That’s for Congress to decide. But I think Democrats want some of their due – Republicans will not respect bi-partisan spirit.

But if they do – lets start with big things most Americans want: increased minimum wage; stronger environmental laws; fair tax codes; reaffirm Geneva Convention – Dohoa round of trade talks, Kyoto, etc. But most of all, get our troops out of the quagmire with the loyalty they deserve – and restore honor and democracy to America itself. It’s been a long night of arrogance. The world wants the old America of honor and compassion back.

Mike November 8, 2006 · 2:09 pm

bipartisanship! Democrats, please do not treat them better than they treated you. Do you remember all the Republican investigations of the Clinton White House? Did Republicans care about what everyday Americans wanted? healthcare, our pensions pilfered, our soldiers killed and maimed because of poor armor while Halliburton shareholders prosper. Investigate! Investigate! send people to jail! I saw a great bumper sticker the other day: NO ONE DIED WHEN CLINTON LIED
justice must be done

Maurice Smith November 8, 2006 · 2:09 pm

The Republican faithful really gets me. Only the top percent ever gets benefits from a Republican ran Government. Yet, the little “Joe Blow & Sally Sue” republican thinks the Party is preserving: values, keeping Minorities disenfranchised, and making stealing 3rd world countries resource,available for their grandchildren. To think that Nancy P., the new Speaker is going to invoke values of some fringe groups that live in her state is Insane; but, the Right Wing “Nazi” Spin Machine will be working to convince the American People on Fox’s Bill O’Riley tv show, and that pill poppers radio show, Linbaugh that this is the case.

The American People voted Democratic to rid the country of: Arrogance, Lies, Misuing Power, Breaking International Law by invading Iraq, and the disdain for George Bush, his stubborn “hitler-like” attitude, where he didn’t care how much he put the American people and their children in debt or who died as long as it wasn’t his Family and as long as he and his buddies secured Oil for their buddies and their pockets.

The sickest thing is that Republican faithful’s do not get it. Like Bush’s cabinet, and the controlled House and Senate, they followed this aggorant deceiver Right or Wrong. All the things they blame Democracts for they done. The National Deficit/Debt they raised it big time. Enriching the one percent of the Families in this country the Rich and wealthy, they done it. Any thing dealing with the average American working class or middle class or lower class this Republican government through it in the “waste-basket”.