Sick Republican humor in midst of tragedyUpdate: Thin-skinned Sykes lashes out

I guess this passes for humor on the right, while television shows us images of people suffering and dying because the federal help promised them has not showed up.

Here, have a little laugh about New Orleans, courtesy of Republican radio's Charlie Sykes:

THURSDAY, Sept. 1, 2005, 2:30 p.m.
PULL THE TROOPS OUT!!

Puckish listener emails:

(Tongue firmly planted in cheek)

We can't leave our troops in New Orleans any longer... bring them home.

Bush Lied about the hurricane.. it wasn't a hurricane, it was the effect of global warming brought on by his refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol.

We were told that the troops would be welcomed with open arms and celebration, but they're facing roving bands of terrorists with guns. Those people obviously don't want us there!

It's just a quagmire...

And on top of it all, he has no exit strategy!

Hilarious, huh?

Unbelievable.

"Tongue planted firmly in cheek?"

Head totally up his ass.

UPDATE: Apprently the hurricane is funnier to conservatives than I realized. Brian Christianson at Free Will thinks it's worth a few chuckles, too. UPDATE: FreeWill agrees Katrina's no laughing matter, and says he can't defend the Bush administration.

UPDATE 2: Sykes does not react well. I'd say he's pissed. Sykes dishes it out pretty well, especially when he controls the show, but doesn't seem too good at taking it. Maybe that explains why his blog doesn't let readers comment.

Here's what he has to say:

Xoff (who increasingly spends his time alternating between personal cheap shots at opponents or assuming a posture of wounded outrage) takes umbrage at this post. But the Doyle/Norquist flak doesn't appear to have much trouble with the left's political exploitation of the tragedy. As Thomas notes: “We haven't even buried the dead yet, and they're trying to pin the untold lives and livelihoods lost on an opponent for political gain.” Chew on that Xoff.

Aside from the attempt to descredit me personally (Doyle/Norquist flak), his attempt to change the subject is more than a little intellectually dishonest. I am not responsible for everything anyone on the left in this country says. Sykes, however, certainly is responsible for what he posts on his own blog, including the sick attempt at humor that started this exchange.