Andy Taylor, sheriff of Mayberry, has been implicated in what five U.S. Senators called a scheme to use taxpayer money to benefit Democrats in Washington.
The incident, dubbed "Mayberrygate" by the guy who sits next to Dome, began when Manteo resident and actor Andy Griffith, appeared in an ad touting the benefits of the new health care law passed by Democrats.
Five Republican Senators, including Sen. Richard Burr of Winston-Salem, objected. The senators wrote a letter to Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, requesting that the department pull the ad and reimburse the government for any taxpayer dollars spent on the effort.
The senators cited a White House blog post in which an assistant to the president wrote that the ad was meant to correct "a major misinformation campaign that was designed to scare and confuse older Americans about the real impact of reform."
Sens. Burr, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, John Barrasso of Wyoming, John McCain of Arizona and John Thune of South Dakota rejected that argument.
"Co-opting public funds during a recession, to make a political, poll-tested argument about the new law, is wrong," they wrote.
Dome notes that former colleague Ryan Teague Beckwith, who gets the hat tip on this item, is searching for an episode of The Andy Griffith Show that comes the closest to offering lessons on this real-life controversy. He suggests a caper involving a thrown-away chain letter. Anyone have thoughts?
Document(s):
andy_griffith_letter.pdf
Comments
You tell 'em Andy!
August 5, 2010 - 7:19am — Isaac136Yaaaay Andy!!! Perfect spokesman to reassure folks that the hysterics and hatemongers are just plumb wrong.
It's especially nice that Andy be such a spokesperson because he always knew how to handle Otis the town drunk and Ernest T. Bass, who was always t'rowing rocks through winders.
You're a good man, Andy, and we're lucky to have ya.
DaddyDayCare...
August 4, 2010 - 11:22pm — carylinianAndy has clearly outlived his usefulness
August 4, 2010 - 6:13pm — SGK1212If Andy wants to prostitute himself on the alter of Marxism (and destroy 65 years of popularity and goodwill), it's OK with me. The five senators objecting are doing so because our Socialist president says it's OK to spend taxpayer money to push his socialist agenda. Although I'm a Democrat, I agree with them! (Andy has clearly outlived his usefulness.)
Scripted characters ....
August 4, 2010 - 4:43pm — AgentPierceNo Mayberry episode was any more scripted than 90% of the comments here and the anonymous characters who posted them. It might save time if the regulars just post their name .... and we just fill in their usual taking points.
You see Gomer .... and he says "Gollleee" or "Shazam"
Barney says "I've got a date with Juanita at the diner"
beachbum says "ALL REPUBS ARE EVIL AND WILL ROT IN HELL ...."
..... and Ernest T. throws a rock thru a window.
Does this act confirm the
August 4, 2010 - 4:24pm — gop127Does this act confirm the limited mental ability of Richard Burr...attacking an old guy like Andy is like attacking Walter Cronkite or Jesus of Nazareth...Good luck with this Richard...you have become an embarrassment in North Carolina and your days are numbered.
Mayberry is not Missouri
August 4, 2010 - 3:58pm — OustObama12In response to "put up or shut up", the state of Missouri has just voted to take Obamacare to court. Seems the Show Me state might not have the fan following of Andy, but they are a lot wiser. Obamacare has some good points, like eliminating the lifetime cap on conditions, however, the model he has chosen has not worked in other countries and the US will be no different.
Andy Griffith is an ACTOR. He is not an economist or a doctor. He played a sheriff and a country lawyer. He didn't even play a doctor on TV! How would anyone expect him to know anything about the medical plan he endorsed? The people who voted for it did not even read the bill.
It is a sad day for Mayberry, but an even sadder day for North Carolina. Stay on the porch and play the guitar, Andy.
Thanks for the memories.
Another Ex-Fan
August 4, 2010 - 3:43pm — JohnlawretThe writers of "Mayberry" did a fine job having each episode teach a life lesson. Many people grew to believe that Andy and Aunt Bea were really the characters they played. Now the folks who have met them now know they were merely actors reading lines someone else wrote and playing their parts. Most of the citizens in Chatam Co. were disappointed when Aunt Bea moved there and they discovered what her real personality was like. Now after Andy has played the Yokel for the Democrat Party in NC and now nationally many fans are now former fans and disappointed how a good actor has prostituted himself for Politics and now lies to the citizens. He reminds me more of a corrupt lawyer than a "Good Old Boy" Sheriff. This is a blatant Political Ad that was paid for with tax dollars and demonstrates how corrupt the Democrats have become now that they have the poser in the White House and control both Houses of Congress.
Andy or Barney?
August 4, 2010 - 3:27pm — jojocatI don't see how ANYONE can tout the benefits of the new health care monopoly, when even the SENATORS who voted for it NEVER READ IT. Ditto for those who proclaim its magnificence here. If you've READ the whole thing - & UNDERSTAND the whole thing, then you may deserve a forum. Otherwise, the verdict is OUT.
THANK YOU Sen. Burr for stopping this crap!
August 4, 2010 - 3:08pm — BitterEXdemocratthis is an outrage and Andy Griffith should be ASHAMED of hisself!!!
Andy, you USED to be respectable! STRIVE to be SMARTER than they
WANT you to BE, Ange!
GET REAL
August 4, 2010 - 2:58pm — AllJusticeIf the prior information was another scare tactic, I believe that the record should be set straight. Being upset because someone caught you doing the same thing the former president did (scare tactics: WMD's), is ridiculous. I'm tired of seeing these "CLOWNS" in this circus. Get a life and stop trying to hinder the assistance to the elderly. As for the rest of you "BOZO's", stop all this partisan crap! Let's try to work together for "ALL" people. If that means making others that have been sliding by, moving up on the back of others finally pay for what all the rest of us have been paying for, then so be it. That should go for everyone. If I were to fall in this category then I say this for myself included. Right is right and wrong is wrong. It's just that plain and simple. We make it complicated when we try to bend the simple distinctions of the two to our will.
A Black Day for Mayberry
August 4, 2010 - 2:29pm — PACK_MIKE77Everyone gets all excited about a secret truck carrying gold going to Fort Knox is going to come right through Mayberry. They all stand out to cheer the truck coming through. As it turns out, a decoy comes through and the two G-men were plants to make them think Mayberry was getting real thing.
Andy Griffith (a g-man) is telling us a secret health plan(no one knows how it is going to work) is coming through that will give health care to everyone and solve the medicare/medicaid problem. As the health care plan unfolds it does nothing to stem cost, insure more people, or save the medicare/medicaid. The health care truck just keeps going bypassing everyone, leaving everyone disappointed.
the episode
August 4, 2010 - 1:40pm — blackdogThe episode of the monster in the lake comes to mind. Andy solved the who and what. It wasn't a monster after all. But many have been hoodwinked into believing the healthcare reforms are a monster. So Andy, who is trusted, tells the people the truth. And the politicians, who have received campaign money from the insurance industry, have done their job of trying to convince us it is a monster.
Meanwhile, little Miss "Death Panels" goes unprobed
August 4, 2010 - 1:32pm — RonBThanks to Senator Burr's GOP fillabuster, ads spreading misinformation about Sarah Palin's "death panels" will continue to be funded anonymously, shouting down the facts of health care reform that benefit *all* Americans.
If we want an open government of the people, we need to vote out road blocks like Richard Burr. Burr is doing this to deflect attention from his six years of casting vote after vote for corporate interests and against the people of North Carolina.
$700,000
August 4, 2010 - 12:44pm — daddydaycarePersonally Im glad they are standing up against this taxpayer funded ad campaign. I am positive that $700,000 could go to a much more worthy cause in our government rather than getting an old celebrity to convince older citizens that this government run healthcare is good for them. Burr and all Americans have a right to be mad about this
I'm thinking, I'm thinking...
August 4, 2010 - 12:23pm — scharrisonOkay, example of "misinformation campaign":
Ernest T. Bass running around wearing a uniform in an effort to impress the ladies. Plus, I'm pretty sure he lied to Charlene several times...
Example of "misuse of government funds":
Otis being allowed to crash every night in his personally-decorated jail cell.
RE: THE GOP AN SENATOR BURR'S OBJECTIONS / MAYBERRYGATE
August 4, 2010 - 12:16pm — beachbum3These crazy a--ED REPUBLICANS ARE JUST GRABBING AT STRAWS ONCE AN GAIN IF YOU ASK ME . AN D THIS IS JUST ONE MORE REASON THAT THE PEOPLE OF N.C NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT COME THIS NOVEMBER THAT SENATOR BURR IS NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE U.S SENATE THANK YOU
What's sauce for the Goose is sauce for the Gander
August 4, 2010 - 12:10pm — uncznflWhy is it when the the GOP gets a well known star to spout their dribble it is okay. Let the Dems do the same thing and now they are up in arms. Andy Griffith who is one of the most respected actors I know accepts this challenge then it is wrong.
Why doesn't the GOP come up with an alternative instead of just fighting what is law.
I went 5 years without insurance coverage because I couldn't afford the premium. I needed health care, but I couldn't afford to go to the Dr. I went when I had too. Once I was working for a company that offered health care insurance I found out I had issues that should have been treated earlier.
So my response to the critics of Mr. Griffith "put up or shut up!"
"What it was...
August 4, 2010 - 11:55am — ProwlingWoofiewas Socialism !"
Mayberry probe
August 4, 2010 - 10:37am — henryeI used to love watching Mayberry how ever the more I found out about Andy the more
I began to dislike him . So I have not even watched his reruns at all .
My opinion of him now is that he is nothing but an opportunist.
Must Mean It's Effective
August 4, 2010 - 10:26am — maugustsonSo these right wing nut jobs are angry because Andy of Mayberry is pitching the new healthcare plan, particularly to seniors. They don't critique the plan itself, but rather the campaign ad? Must be saying something truthful that they don't want seniors to hear, particularly from an individual who is the picture of trustworthiness.
More like a Star Trek episode
August 4, 2010 - 10:09am — SpocksBrainIs there an episode of The Andy Griffith Show where Andy and Goober switch bodies? Because supporting ObamunistCare is so stupid it's more like something Goober would do.