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The Right Hook, a weekly segment which covers the machinations of the right wing, from the Republican Party to the Tea Party Patriots, and beyond. By Chris Bennett

Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle continues to build her platform of outlandish remarks. In her bid to unseat Democrat Harry Reid, Angle appeared on Fox News Monday evening. During her interview with Carl Cameron, Angle stated that she “wanted to have the press be our friend,” and to “ask the questions we want to answer so that they report the news the way we want it to be reported.” Now, I know you think the mainstream media does that already in a fine post-Orwellian style. During an interview with David Brody, Angle once explained why she avoided mainstream media outlets: “In that audience, will they let me say I need $25 from a million people go to Sharronangle.com send money? Will they let me say that?” So after telling Carl Cameron that she uses the media as her own Kleenex, will Fox News now summon the cojones to muster a probing question or two? As nutty as the right-wing is becoming, we have this to be thankful for: The Tea Party has completely smashed the Republicans’ once-vaunted message control and Talking Points machine. Tea Partiers just come right out and tell you what they want: softball questions and easy money. Tell Sharron what you think at sharronangle.com.

A Florida church called the Dove World Outreach Center is gearing up to celebrate the September 11th anniversary with a good old-fashioned book burning. What books does pastor Terry Jones want to burn? Just the Koran, and lots of ‘em. Despite a condemnation by the National Association of Evangelicals, the Gainesville church refuses to back down. Pastor Jones has called on other churches to join his “International Burn a Koran Day.” Dove World’s blog page features some enticing subjects such as: “Ten Reasons to Burn a Koran”, and “The Koran, a Sorcerer’s Scroll.” The controversy comes as plans for a Muslim community center two blocks from Ground Zero in New York have been given a green light. Although there has been a mosque in the neighborhood since the 1980’s, the new community center has stirred outrage on the right. In Houston, TX, AM radio host Michael Berry said that if the community center is built, “I hope the mosque isn’t built . . . and if it is, I hope it’s blown up. And I mean that.”

In immigration news, Arizona Senator John Kyl, the Minority Whip, wants to change the 14th Amendment. Kyl is partial to repeating the disproved Republican talking point against immigrants that Phoenix, Arizona is the kidnapping capital of the world second only to Mexico City. Now Kyl wants to change the 14th Amendment which clearly and broadly defines American citizenship. For the “strict constructionists”, here is Section 1: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” Consider that Section 1 of the fourteenth amendment overturned the Dred Scott decision, and countered the Black Codes which were designed to return freed slaves to something like serfdom instead of citizenship.