NPR Asks Republican Why GOP Threatened to ‘Torpedo the Economy’ over Debt Ceiling
As the debt ceiling “compromise” progressed on August 1, NPR revealed its slant against the bill in interviews with Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif., and Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.
But it was the phrasing of one particular question during Dreier’s interview that prompted more than 20 listener complaints that called it “hostile, “rude” and proof of “liberal bias,” according to the response by NPR ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos. Schumacher-Matos described the question as “a virtual sucker punch.” (Listen to the interview here)
The “leading question” (by NPR’s own admission) Steve Inskeep had asked Dreier was, “Given that your speaker, in his words, said months ago that it would be a serious problem not to raise the debt ceiling, why did House Republicans spend this summer threatening to torpedo the economy by defaulting?”
In the ombudsman’s blog post on NPR which was titled: “Torpedoing the Debt: Perils of Going Live,” Inskeep expressed a desire to rephrase his question saying, “In the live interview at hand, it’s totally fair to say that I should have been more nuanced in the final question. House Republicans have expressed many views.”
Although, to the ombudsman’s recollection no House Republicans had said they were willing to “torpedo the economy.” Still, Schumacher-Matos called Inskeep a “consummate professional” and relegated the bad question to a “slip-up” and “an example of what can happen in a live interview when a host, for the benefit of listeners, tries to pin down political leaders …”
Despite NPR’s claims of being professionals, a bias against the GOP and the debt compromise was also obvious in Renee Montagne’s interview with McCaskill, which took place immediately prior to Dreier’s.
Montagne said: “In a way, though, this deal could be looked at as creating another crisis, even hostage situation, in the sense that there are a trillion dollars worth of spending cuts right now -- part of the deal. But the committee, this committee, is supposed to find more deficit reduction. If they don’t agree, automatic cuts take effect …” (Listen to the interview here
Montagne also let McCaskill get away with the old liberal scare tactic claiming that “some of these Republicans really want to get rid of the Medicare program,” despite the fact that it was Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who has provided a plan to save Medicare.
Of course, it isn’t exactly surprising for NPR to espouse liberalism as it has for years, but in 2010 it took grant money from George Soros’ Open Society Foundation, right around the same time they fired Juan Williams for a remark he made on Fox News. Even media columnist Howard Kurtz blasted NPR for taking the Soros money, saying “No news organization should accept that kind of check from a committed ideologue of any stripe.”
Newsbusters readers will likely recall NPR’s public relations fiasco after the former chief fundraiser was caught on tape saying that they didn’t need taxpayer subsidies and the battle to defund NPR that resulted. Ultimately, the president and CEO of NPR, Vivian Schiller, resigned as a result.
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Comments
No one
Submitted by Joe C Camel on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 5:26pm.
No one I know listens to NPR, period. Won't waste my time, as life is too short.
Full disclosure...
Submitted by Too Old To Be Cool on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 6:33pm.
...I bought the Star Wars Radio Dramas collection on CD. So by extrapolation I listen to NPR.
But then, twenty years ago I managed a service station, so I "worked for Big Oil".
Hi my name is Dan and I
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 6:39pm.
Hi my name is Dan and I listen to NPR, occasionally. I know a lot of people who do listen to NPR. That said I want NPR and PBS and cpb defy fused yesterday.
Unfortunately even moderate Rs listen to NPR
Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 7:16pm.
My friend gives a crap load of money to NPR. 1000's. She will double your pledge if you call in. Not kidding. To prove NPR works to savage good conservatives: She gave quite a bit to Sarah Palin when Palin started out. Was all happy & put up a big McLaim Palin signs. NOW she hates Palin, her fellow Christian sister. NPR is APPALLING in how they cover things & in what the CHOOSE NOT TO COVER also. On Sunday sometime I flipped over to it to check, they had some show touting the MUSLIM faith. ON SUNDAY no less. Zero good coverage of Christians.
LIBS & LSM call Rs Terrorists, a word they REFUSE to use for ACTUAL MUSLIM terrorists! Twisted, twisted!
-- Maximusbraveheart -- Is TRUTH knowable? Moral Relativism is the abandonment of Truth. Truth is knowable. Truth conforms to Reality. Reality is observable by evidence & witness in this day & from history. Relativism is Sesame Street play land.
So....spending ourselves into
Submitted by rbosque on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 5:32pm.
So....spending ourselves into oblivion, wasting trillions and putting ourselves into astronomical debts IS NOT TORPEDOING our economy???
That concept seems lost to
Submitted by deerjerkydave on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 8:46pm.
That concept seems lost to the liberal media except they didn't forget it when Bush was running his deficits. It clearly shows their bias and it is getting to be so bad that it is destroying our nation.
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"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite. -James MadisonI lietened to NPR once ...
Submitted by Fredy on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 5:55pm.
About 6 years ago I in my car changing channels and their signal came in very clear. They casually explained how the US Military had killed more than a million Iraqi civilians in the war in Iraq. I then continued my search for something to listen to ....
What these "negotiations" showed
Submitted by jon_torlin on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 7:23pm.
NPR should be praising the Republicans.
The GOP negotiated with themselves, they had the upper hand in this whole thing, and they caved faster than anyone could believe.....not that it was unexpected.
Let's use a simple analogy to describe this, take a race car event, be it Formula One, Nascar, whatever. The car makes a pitstop and the tires are being changed, and even though it made sense to have 4(FOUR) tires on the vehicle, they chose to put 3(THREE) on instead saying that it was the best they could do, even if they had the fourth nearby.
What that means is this: Either Boehner and McConnel are more stupid than we gave them credit for which wouldn't be too far out of the realm of possibility, or they were just plain RINOs in the end wanting to get along with the dems thinking they averted a crisis about as bad as the Y2K.(which is to say, it wasn't, nothing would have happened had they held their ground)
And that's the helluvit, how CAN you tell if they were really that stupid vs being RINOs? Can it be both?
I know what I would do if I were Rush, after today, I wouldn't take any calls from Boehner like he did on his show recently because like it or not, Rush knew what was going to happen and his reaction to Boehner's plan(the pause) spoke volumes which proved themselves out in the last 2 days.
Boehner/McConnel should be treated as pariahs from here on out by the Tea Party Republicans, at least the 66 Reps that voted against it, or by however many of the less than 30 who voted against it in the Senate.
Leadership? What leadership? Hell, even Paul Ryan voted for the damn thing. Now I don't want him for president if he decides to run.
I don't care about the machinations of politics behind all this crap, what matters is that they gave a compulsive spender more money which is by my estimate already used up today. All they had to do was put a stop to this spending, or stand firm on the limit, and they crumbled like rice paper used as a paperbag full of melons.
I personally went through a period of bankruptcy because of overspending. I got myself out of that even though it took ten years and a lot of smarter practices about spending, frugality even. This government is no exception. Before the bankruptcy, I entertained the idea of increasing the credit card limit, it would have been so easy. Because I was going to be in a lot of trouble financially, I had to not accept the limit increase and file for bankruptcy.(worst day of my life, made me sick to my stomach that I threw up outside the federal building into a trash can after it was over, had to get therapy because I relied on government)
This is why I feel so strongly against a debt ceiling increase and all that's left now is going to be a SH!TLOAD of trouble for this country. And the Republicans just made it happen when all they had to do was stand firm in the House of Representatives.
NICE GOING, BONEHEAD! Now go work on your tan! (I knew that golf game he had with Soetoro was up to no good)
I'm gonna watch Robot Chicken on DVD.
-Jon
Well, jon...
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 7:44pm.
Here's what conservatives like Mike Pence and others have said in the past about raising the debt ceiling. Do you know something they don't know?
Jer
Could Pence and others have made a mistake?
Submitted by Karma on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 6:58am.
Others have admitted to doing such in regards to debt ceiling votes.
Yes I do
Submitted by jon_torlin on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 10:03am.
There comes a time where you have to draw the line at overspending and you have to stop, no matter what. Therefore you MUST stop.
-Jon
But the Republicans were already winning that battle, jon...
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 3:22pm.
Obama had appointed a Deficit Reduction Commission over a year ago which issued findings last December which the administration was prepared to adopt. The Congressional "Gang of Six" was also formulating its own debt reduction plan. But this recent debt ceiling 'my way or the highway' approach--risking default over existing obligations--was simply a nakedly partisan political power play designed to extort further concessions from the administration. The brinkmanship game only served to negatively influence both domestic and foreign markets, rattle Wall Street and the ratings agencies, and further erode public confidence in government process. Substantively, it was a net loss.
Jer
NPR makes me twitch
Submitted by Six String Spiff on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 10:53pm.
My current (but not for long!) Living situation forces me to be subjected to that hateful pseudo news station. For over two years now i have lived with my inlaws (thanks barry!) Who listen to npr whenever they have the chance. This whole debt ceiling debate has really highlighted their hate for the right. Any time the inlaws started in wih their bash he gop fest, i would have to leave the room as there are entirely too many potential projectiles that may accdentally hit the radio/television at a few gravitationals. They donate tons of money to npr yet refuse to gt an air conditioner because its too expensive... theres some logic for ya. Anyway, they never have any argument that isnt taken verbatim from that snooty station. Even when were in the car on comes np freaking r to lecture us on how our meager lifestyle (again thanks barry!) Is wasteful and wrong. Meanwhile they are the corporate jet passengers..
Good Grief!
Submitted by HardRightTurn on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 1:24am.
Like no Democrats voted against the debt ceiling increase? House Democrats split their votes. The left stream media is really sick minded. They all need to be put out of their misery.
To more fully comprehend the Left, one must read “Leftism As Psychopathy” by John Ray, M.A., Ph.D. Caution, it might scare you a little bit.
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/psycho.html
NPR
Submitted by Hoosier Daddy on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 3:24pm.
You expected something different from National Pubic Radio?????
One Big A$$ Mistake, America