CBS’s Schieffer Contends ‘Extreme’ Republicans ‘Holding Rest of Party Hostage’

“Do you all feel that your party is somehow being held hostage?” Bob Schieffer asked Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, presumably referring to those opposed to raising taxes. Touting President Obama as the reasonable one who “has talked about kind of a ‘common sense caucus,’” within the same long-winded question on Face the Nation, Schieffer repeated his accusation: “Are people on the extreme ends of your party holding the rest of you hostage here?”

Not ten minutes later, however, with Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, Schieffer not only failed to characterize Obama as an obstinate extremist for demanding another tax hike two months after Republicans acceded to one, but he suddenly decided: “I think we are beyond arguing about who’s fault it is on how we got here.”

What chutzpah! 

Audio: MP3 clip

From the Sunday, March 3 Face the Nation:

Schieffer to Republican Senators McCain and Graham:

Do you all feel that your party is somehow being held hostage? The President has talked about kind of a “common sense caucus,” and we hear reports this morning that he started calling around, calling some Republicans to see what can be done. Are people on the extreme ends of your party holding the rest of you hostage here?

Schieffer to Democratic Senator Durbin:

I think we are beyond arguing about who’s fault it is on how we got here. I think there’s plenty of blame for both sides and I would guess you probably agree with that. But where do you go now? What is the next step? They’re saying the President needs to get people together again and try to sit down at the table and talk about this. How do you think you get them there? And is that the way to do it?