reality-based educator

These statements about Secretary of State Condi Rice by Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky are completely offensive, but don't they kind of remind you of a something Pat Robertson might say on the 700 Club? From Rush and Molloy at the NY Daily News:

Condoleezza Rice might want to see if there's room in one of those "black site" terror-suspect prisons for Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

The wacko leader of Russia's Liberal and Democratic Party has surpassed his earlier screeds with a misogynist attack on our secretary of state.

Speaking with Pravda this week, Zhirinovsky chastised Rice for calling on Russia to "act responsibly" in supplying natural gas to Ukraine.

The fascistic pol attributed that "coarse anti-Russian statement" to Rice being "a single woman who has no children."

"If she has no man by her side at her age, he will never appear," Zhirinovsky ranted on. "Condoleezza Rice needs a company of soldiers. She needs to be taken to barracks where she would be satisfied.

"Condoleezza Rice is a very cruel, offended woman who lacks men's attention," he added. "Such women are very rough. … They can be happy only when they are talked and written about everywhere: 'Oh, Condoleezza, what a remarkable woman, what a charming Afro-American lady! How well she can play the piano and speak Russian!'

"Complex-prone women are especially dangerous. They are like malicious mothers-in-law, women that evoke hatred and irritation with everyone. Everybody tries to part with such women as soon as possible. A mother-in-law is better than a single and childless political persona, though."

A State Department spokesman told us Rice would not "dignify the article with a response."

Zhirinovsky has made no secret of his insanity in the past. Besides praising Hitler and encouraging the use of nuclear weapons, he has advocated Russia's invasion and "reacquisition" of Alaska. To eradicate bird flu, he's suggested arming every Russian and ordering them to shoot everything with feathers. Perhaps we could fit him with a Big Bird costume.

In other 700 Club-related news, Pat Robertson has apologized to the Sharon family for saying God wanted Dear Ariel dead:

VIRGINIA BEACH — After nearly a week of rebukes by Israeli officials, evangelical leaders and mainstream media, Pat Robertson has apologized for publicly implying that Israel’s prime minister, Ariel Sharon, suffered a stroke as divine retribution for giving land to Palestinians.

Robertson sent the apology to Sharon’s son O mri in a letter dated Wednesday that was to be delivered to the Jerusalem hospital where Sharon is being treated.

“I ask your forgiveness and the forgiveness of the people of Israel for remarks I made at the time concerning the writing of the holy prophet Joel and his view of the inviolate nature of the land of Israel,” the Christian broadcaster wrote. A copy of Robertson’s letter was released Thursday by his spokeswoman, Angell Watts.

I have to wonder if losing a stake in the "Jesusland" amusement park/tourist center Pat Robertson and other evangelical planned to build in Israel has anything to do with the Sharon apology:

Israel’s tourism ministry cited Robertson’s comments last week in expelling him from a group of American evangelicals who are helping the ministry plan a Christian tourist center in Galilee. Daniel Ayalon, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, said last week that Robert’s comments were “outrageous” and not something to expect “from any of our friends.”

Watts declined to comment Thursday on why Robertson sent the apologetic letter or whether apologies also had gone to Israeli officials. She also had no comment on whether Robertson sought or hopes to be reinstated in the Galilee tourism project.

The Associated Press on Thursday reported that Rama Levi, deputy director general of the Israeli tourism ministry, said he didn’t think Robertson’s apology would cause him to be reinstated.

Oh, well - Robertson will just have to console himself with saying crazy shit on the 700 Club and waiting for the Rapture.

And maybe having lunch with Vladimir Zhirinovsky.