GOP Rep. Blasts Liberal Media for Failing to Question Obama's Budget
Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) demanded an answer to a question today that the MRC has been asking for years: why do so many journalists refuse to ask President Barack Obama tough questions?
On the April 15 edition of MSNBC's "Martin Bashir," Walsh pressed the anchor after which the program is named on why he and his colleagues are such Obama sycophants, pointing to the media's unwillingness to criticize the Democratic president for ignoring entitlement reform in his initial budget blueprint.
[Video embedded after the page break.]
"I'm flummoxed by something," remarked the freshman congressman. "I don't know why your profession doesn't ask the president of the United States why he got a second chance to put forward a budget."
Bashir interrupted to plead Obama's case, but Walsh plowed through the crosstalk: "I have not heard anybody in the media ask him why he didn't mention those programs [Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security] two months ago. You answer that for me. Why wouldn't he have?"
"I would be delighted to ask him the question," retorted Bashir, adding that the president was "not ignoring the issue" of entitlement reform in a partisan speech at The George Washington University in which he stopped just short of calling Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) un-American.
On Wednesday, Obama condemned the Ryan budget plan, which passed the House Friday along party lines, claiming it "would lead to a fundamentally different America than the one we've known" and "paints a picture of our future that is deeply pessimistic."
A transcript of the segment can be found below:
MSNBC
Martin Bashir
April 15, 2011
3:15 p.m. EDT
MARTIN BASHIR: Republicans have lambasted President Obama's budget proposal, calling it highly partisan, inadequate, even class warfare. Just last week on this program, Congressman Joe Walsh, Republican of Illinois, had this to say about the Ryan plan compared to the Obama plan.
Rep. JOE WALSH (R-Ill.): You talk about ripping the president, I'll rip the president. He should be ashamed of himself. It was an act of real bravery today I think which counters an act of cowardice by the president a month ago.
BASHIR: And Mr. Walsh joins us live from Capitol Hill. Good afternoon.
WALSH: Hey, Martin, how are you?
BASHIR: Great. The president in his speech on Wednesday said this, and I'm quoting, "The America I know is generous and compassionate. It's a land of opportunity and optimism. Yes, we take responsibility for ourselves but we also take responsibility for each other, for the country we want and the future that we share." Now, is that cowardice, as you put it, or compassion?
WASLH: Well, his budget, my friend, does not back up what he just said there. His budget is an act of cowardice. Go back two months. He put forth a budget two months ago that didn't including anything about Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security. Why did he do that? I mean, I'll ask you that question. Why didn't he mention those programs then, and yet he mentioned them this week? Why did he do that?
BASHIR: Well, here is a point. He said that you and your party are happy to give the president a $200,000 tax cut by asking 33 seniors to each pay $6,000 or more in health care costs. That's pretty detailed, isn't it?
WALSH: I guess I just – I'm flummoxed by something. I don't know why your profession doesn't ask the president of the United States why he got a second chance to put forward a budget. He knows, like we do, that Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security need to be reformed. They are driving us off a cliff right now.
BASHIR: But did he –
WALSH: Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. He knew that two months ago. I have not heard anybody in the media ask him why he didn't mention those programs two months ago. You answer that for me. Why wouldn't he have?
BASHIR: I would be delighted to ask him the question. Sadly, he has not agreed to be interviewed by me. He has done interviews with other people. Perhaps they didn't ask. But he did actually say, did he not, that we have to have a detailed conversation about Medicaid and Medicare and he wants that to happen. So he's not ignoring the issue.
WALSH: No, he's not. He did after he ignored it two months ago. Look, everything he's doing right now, whether you want to admit it or not, is driven by politics. So he kept quiet two months ago just hoping the Republicans would come out and talk about Medicare and Medicaid and you know what? We did. In a real responsible fashion we started a dialogue. And again it's so curious to me, then he comes out this week and talks the same. Look, this is why I came to Washington. This is a great debate about what we want our government to do. The vote I made today for Paul Ryan's budget I am so proud to make that vote because that literally expresses a mindset that doing nothing for Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security will bankrupt these programs. We know that.
BASHIR: But, Mr. Walsh, what did Mr. Ryan do over the previous period where two wars were launched, where Bush tax cuts came in? Did he do anything about those issues? What about the expenditure in relation to those?
WALSH: Look, look, Martin, I ran for Congress hitting both parties over the head because they both have been spending money at a pace that we can't afford. You're right, President Bush did the same darn thing and Republicans kept quiet about it too darn long. But something happened last November, and the American people gave the keys to this town to the Republicans to try to stop this spending. And, again, with this budget I give Paul Ryan all the credit in the world. He took a courageous step right now. He said we have to reform these programs to save them and then the president pokes his head out of the woods again. He's not leading in this debate, he's following. But that's fine. The American people want us to lead.
BASHIR: Mr. Walsh, you said he was a coward, but as you know, his mic was open last night – sorry, at a fundraiser, and he was heard to ask the question, the rhetorical question, do they think I'm stupid, speaking of Republicans. Do you think he's a coward and do you think he's stupid?
WALSH: No, gosh no, I don't think he's stupid. I don't know the man that well. All I know is everything he's done the last 2 1/2 months has gone against leadership. The budget he put forward, I won't run from this, the budget he put forward when he put it forward two months ago was an act of cowardice because he knew we're falling off a financial cliff and he won't be honest with the American people. A press has got to lead and this guy won't lead and that's not right and the Republicans in the House will.
BASHIR: Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois, thanks again for joining us, and we look forward to your next appearance here.
WALSH: Thank you so much.
--Alex Fitzsimmons is a News Analysis intern at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
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Comments
Schhhhhhhhhhhwing.....................................
Submitted by Tomorama on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 5:23pm.
I am totally an incredibly impressed with this.
He should resign immediately and give classes to all the COWARDS in the Republican party that go on and either give tired talking points and/or ALLOW the media to dictate the discussion.
He hammered the media, Obama, Republicans AND got his message across as well and no lying and explaining for Obambi was allowed .
Schhhhhhhwing part deux
Submitted by Tomorama on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 5:25pm.
By the way, I knew of the do-over that Obambi was allowed on his budget, but I DID NOT KNOW or FORGOT that Sotero completely ignored the big ticket items that he is NOW all of a sudden "concerned" about.
Coward INDEED.
started two wars- bull spit
Submitted by dmaley1714 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 5:52pm.
If i hear one more idiot say we started 2 wars, i might lose my mind. I will give them Iraq , it was a continuation of Iraq 1 , because the broken ceasefire. The Afghanistan war was a direct response less than one month after the US was attacked by Alqueda and the Taliban was given a chance to hand them over. Started 2 wars the mantra mentality is so blatant. when Obama was campaining Afghan was the good war we took our eye off. It is now described as if we just picked them off a dart board.
CONSERVATIVES NEED TO CHALLENGE THE MEDIA
Submitted by cbeyer on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 6:05pm.
This is great. One reason I like Donald Trump is that unlike other republicans, he is willing to take the media on and go after them.
Premise: The media is wildly biased to the DNC/Liberal causes
Typical republican responses to the media: Tepid at best. They allow the media to control the conversation. When David Gregory demanded that his Republican guest on Meet the Press denounce the birther theories...the republican should have asked the following: " You sir are a journalist. Why is this so important to you? Why are you imploring republicans to denounce those who question Obama's birth certificate. You sir are showing strident bias. Sir, its up to President Obama to demonstrate his true birthplace. NOT to have republicans carry his water for him.
Good for this congressman for challenging the media. Why are other republicans so compliant when media bias is so obvious?????? A key policy of the RNC should be to DIRECTLY challenge media bias. Being kind to them and kissing their ass dosen't change their bias so TAKE IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Marty.....
Submitted by Hanzo on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 6:17pm.
......how's that Crow you're chewin' on taste?
+Hanzo+
Joe Walsh handles himself very well on MSNDC
Submitted by Texndoc on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 6:25pm.
I saw him interviewed by Crazy Larry. Crazy Larry was yelling through the interview, but not at the end. In fact, he seemed to be impressed with Walsh.
Let's see, Trump comes out blasting Obama in plain terms, and has instant high approval numbers, Walsh goes on with Crazy Larry and shuts him up and gets a little respect at the end of the hit piece.
What can we learn.....maybe it's that when a (R) looks like a wimp and talks like a wimp and acts like a wimp, they get treated like one, by the MSM and public.
There is a single subject but
Submitted by Jer on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 7:02pm.
There is a single subject but two related issues being raised. The subject is the failure of Obama to include entitlement reform in his initial budget proposals. The two issues raised here are 1.) the dereliction of the media in not directly questioning the President concerning that failure and, 2.) the absence of media criticism in general regarding the budget's exclusion of entitlement reform.
I can't comment on #1 other than to agree that if there were an opportunity to ask the question of Obama and it was not taken, the criticism is valid. With respect to #2, however, I can only say that I have heard and read a multitude of opinions about--including a great deal of negative reaction to--the lack of attention given to entitlement reform by this administration (at least with respect to its recent budget blueprint), and such reactions have come from every corner of the media.
Jer
That was a good start
Submitted by dpc1212 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 7:30pm.
A good start. Now I'd like to see alot more Republicans/Conservatives ask these MSM interviewers why they are not doing their job and asking tough questions of not only Obama but Demorats in general. It's time the right take the opportunity to point out the bias from the MSM. I want to see much more of this. I think it would help many independents more clearly see the light. I know it would make me ecstatic!
talking points
Submitted by ladeflippinda on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 7:33pm.
If only the GOP did get its leadership from Rush.
Republicans should end every interview
Submitted by sherlock1 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 8:26pm.
Republicans should end every interview by politely thanking the interviewer for defending Obama. Note that when Walsh asked a question about the media, Bashir responded by defending Obama - twice.
The transcript reveals that
Submitted by Jer on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 8:57pm.
The transcript reveals that Rep. Walsh was permitted to express his opinion and criticisms of the President--and the media--freely and emphatically. It is customarily not the interviewer's job to join his guest in a two-man tag team bashfest of the President's policies and job performance. Now in cases where the host and the guest are on the same political page--Schultz and David Brock on the left or Hannity and Brent Bozell on the right for example--there will be a lot of ideological patty cake being played.
Jer
Jer, legal advice needed*
Submitted by cajun2 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:03pm.
Is this a violation of handshake agreement, usurping congressional authority, overstepping executive authority??? Or is he just a sneaky liar believing the ends justify the means.
It was just a "handshake" agreement right?>
cajun
Submitted by Radical1979 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:15pm.
Wow. That's quite an article. I must wonder why Obama's so determined to continue to use the czars who have no Congressional approval. Amazing what the msm (including Fox) doesn't tell us.
Here ya go Ms Rad*
Submitted by cajun2 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:26pm.
Sometimes, the only place to get information is from Fox News
It may be just nickles and dimes*
Submitted by cajun2 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:48pm.
This is some other items I found of interest today.
The IRS erroneously gave $536 million in credits to 47,000 fraudulent home owners.
Medicaid and Medicare fraud is at $10 billion.
We have already spent $605 million in the "kinetic activity" in Libya.
And my surprise article was the one revealing that Obama has "funneled" almost $2 billion to Union Executives for "expenses".
Oh and the IRS gave over a million in tax returns( unearned income tax credits) to people in PRISON!!
But its all just nickles and dimes when you are looking at $14 trillion dollar deficit right?
cajun
Submitted by Radical1979 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:00pm.
OMG, $2 billion to Union Executives? Why on earth are we paying their expenses? The U.N. thing didn't surprise me, we always seem to give them money. Of course, they're still going to accuse us of owing them money.
In all fairness, the fraud of Medicare and with the IRS I don't blame Obama for any more than I blame Bush, Clinton, Congress, etc. This is just another reason the government shouldn't be giving handouts.
Taxpayer handouts*
Submitted by cajun2 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:17pm.
The redundant bureaucratic waste, fraud, and expansive government is being subsidized with taxpayer handouts, borrowing, and printing more money. It has been going on for decades with irresponsible self serving partisians in Washington from both sides.
Hopefully, the Tea Party ideals are spreading and we clean house of the spenders from both sides in 2012.
cajun...
Submitted by Jer on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:41pm.
When I opened your link to The Hill, there was an article about the Korean Free Trade Agreement and I assumed that was the subject of your question. Now it appears that is not the case.
I have to go pick up a pizza. In the meantime, this video may prove helpful
Jer
Jer
Submitted by dmaley1714 on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 9:47pm.
Are you admittng and agreeing that there is liberal bias
dmaley...
Submitted by Jer on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:42pm.
Yep.
Jer
Jeeeeezzzz..........Jer......
Submitted by old cro on Sat, 04/16/2011 - 2:17am.
And does that include leaving off particular parties designations in stories by the MSM?
...........................there may be hope for you yet ;)
Replays coming
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Fri, 04/15/2011 - 10:32pm.
1. I got 3 tax cuts that I did not need.
2. I was a republican before i became a democrat.
3. Republicans hate old people
4. If you oppose the Budget Slashing Messiah you are a racist.
Kudos to Rep. Joe Walsh. We on the right are hungering for
Submitted by Rush Fan on Sat, 04/16/2011 - 12:05am.
spokespersons such as Joe Walsh, and GOP candidates who are no-nonsense straight talkers. That is why New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is so popular, and sadly, why Donald Trump is the Republican frontrunner in some polls.
We certainly don't want pussy RINOs such as McCain and Gramnesty speaking for us. Of all the years and many times McCain has appeared on television, can anyone remember if he ever, even once, stood up to the liberal interviewer?
----------------------------------------
"Powell's not a Republican. McCain's not a Republican. These guys are not even mavericks. They are Washingtonians. Washingtonians have their own culture and their own desires, and it is to matter. They don't care who's in power, they just want to be closely associated with whoever is. That's the name of the game and they want press adulation. They want to be loved and adored by the media, they want fawning treatment, they want to be thought of as something special, unique, dignified and so forth, and that's the Washington establishment." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Birth-ers and Truth-ers, and FOX-ers,... Oh, my!
Submitted by ekslib on Sat, 04/16/2011 - 6:08am.
CNN, MSNBC and the broadcast news programs are AT LEAST as biased toward the Left as FoxNews is toward the Right.
The president and all others who constantly denigrate FoxNews, and ignore the bias of the Leftist news sources, are monomaniacal "FOX-ers."