Have a look at the screencap from today's This Week, then please answer this serious question: has ABC no shame? How does the network justify a round-table consisting of four liberals against one conservative?
Let's review the batting order:
- Robert Reich: Clinton's former Labor Secretary comes from the leftward reaches of the Dem party. He's a co-founder of the liberal American Prospect magazine.
- Paul Krugman: Like Reich, a very liberal professor of economics, and a NYT columnist.
- Donna Brazile: Dem activist, Gore 2000 campaign manager.
- George Stephanopoulos: The show host was a senior political adviser to Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and later became Clinton's communications director.
- George Will: conservative columnist and [since we're talking batter order and this is Opening Day after all] baseball aficionado.
View video here.
Highlights included the liberals sharing a laugh, in the context of the mortgage mess, over Reich's analogizing of McCain to Herbert Hoover, and Reich and Krugman each arguing that his preferred candidate [Obama and Clinton, respectively] was more "progressive" than the other.
Though outnumbered, Will landed some good shots, notably including this exchange.
PAUL KRUGMAN [pointing at Will]: I don't blame you [thanks, Paul], but there's a truly reprehensible thing, where [CEO] Angelo Mozilo and Countrywide went out and did this essentially predatory lending to people, giving them complex mortgages they didn't understand, the most complex mortgages to the least sophisticated buyers, and now they're saying "oh! we were forced into doing it because it was affirmative action." This is a really terrible--
GEORGE WILL: What is mysterious, what is mysterious about the phrase "variable rate"?
KRUGMAN: It's, it's --
Check out the priceless screencap of Krugman looking shiftily sideways at Reich, apparently seeking some intellectual support. It was not forthcoming. Reich could do no better than restate as if by rote Krugman's claim, but had no response when Will called him on it.
ROBERT REICH: There was predatory lending.
WILL: Define it.
REICH: The fact of the matter is --
WILL: Define it.
Reich never could.
Good on Will, but shame on ABC for assembling such a shamelessly slanted panel.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Comments Policy
Give 'em an inch . . .
March 30, 2008 - 14:19 ET by CaringwhiteguyJeepers! It used to be just 3 to 1. Now they've taken another step toward offering total lefty Kool-Aid.
However, Will keeps doing the gig, knowing exactly what the odds are. He must really like those Georgetown parties and the big fat check.
Now now
March 30, 2008 - 18:28 ET by KC MulvilleDon't blame George. Years ago, ABC gave him a TV audience, and he's probably sticking around out of loyalty. Of course, without him, ABC would have absolutely no voice of conservative restraint. It would accelerate off the cliff and into the ocean of madness that is most of the media these days.
And after all, watch how crucial his presence was today. Without him at that table, Reich and Krugman would have been trying to out-radical each other. Think of how often they would have tossed off a "Republicans are a disaster" joke, and how the others at the table would have nodded like sheep. Instead, they kept themselves in check (such as they could manage) because they knew that with Will in the room, they'd be challenged to explain themselves.
Makes no difference
March 30, 2008 - 18:41 ET by CaringwhiteguyI understand your rationale, but Will's presence only provides ABC the cover of saying they are objective. I have subsequently posted some threads down that the best course of action for conservative voices is to refuse to appear on these shows until the playing field is leveled. They can just follow the example of the Democrat presidential field that refused to debate on FOX.
When the day comes along that Will looks into the camera and says the host (Steffie) and the network (ABC) have stacked the deck, have no intention of being objective, are promoting their own liberal agenda and presenting points of view that are out and out lies . . . then I'll change my mind.
cwg...I think Will did
March 30, 2008 - 19:45 ET by Jercwg...I think Will did refer to the fact that he was sitting next to "three liberals"...referring to Reich, Brazile, and Krugman.
Jer
and Happily so . . .
March 30, 2008 - 19:56 ET by Caringwhiteguy. . . he keeps coming back for more. And how does he characterize the "moderator"? As long as guys like he and Bill Bennett keep legitimizing people like Krugman, Brazile and Mini-Me, MSM will keep trotting them out there as "experts".
Maybe Will doesn't realize those "friends" of his aren't there to have a pleasant debate, they are there to destroy conservatism. However, if he does, he's doing nothing more than collecting a check and providing those slugs cover.
"...challanged to explain themselves"
March 30, 2008 - 21:25 ET by JPR1Like I just did with my 12 year old?
Fun being a Dad.
"Georgie! Come here young man! I'm gonna flick your ear!"
I was watching all I could but
March 30, 2008 - 14:21 ET by DelsaHad to turn it off. Absolutely obscene. I do not understand why Will stays on this show. He could get another gig.
I am attempting to spur the economy by sitting an open house in Southwest Ranches. Anyone interested come on by.
Great price and interest rates are low low low.
Dispite the MSM
Correction: Frank Reich
March 30, 2008 - 14:34 ET by gueinCorrection: Frank Reich should be Robert Reich.
Will once said that 3 liberals against 1 conservative is a fair fight. His intellectual firepower is more than a match for the other 4 pop guns.
Whoops, thanks for pointing
March 30, 2008 - 14:38 ET by Mark FinkelsteinWhoops, thanks for pointing that out. I had him confused with the back-up Buffalo Bills QB, who led perhaps the greatest comeback ever in NFL history, against the Houston Oilers in the 1992 playoffs ;-)
Right-Wing Hate Site Claims
March 30, 2008 - 15:09 ET by Roger the ShrubberRight-Wing Hate Site Claims former NFL quarterback was Clinton cabinet Member.
What an insult!
March 30, 2008 - 18:49 ET by nkviking75There's an insult that would demand a huge apology.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
I was just visualizing the
March 30, 2008 - 18:58 ET by Roger the ShrubberI was just visualizing the inevitible Media Matters headline.
lol
March 30, 2008 - 19:35 ET by well99Funny but probably true.Still he probably would of done a better job.He did know how to lead.
Frank Reich was just as good in college!
March 30, 2008 - 16:12 ET by SATerpAnd the greatest comeback in NCAA history (up to that date), leading the University of Maryland Terrapins from a 31-0 halftime deficit to the Bernie Kosar-led University of Miami in 1984, to win 42-40!
And Then There's Rich
March 30, 2008 - 17:51 ET by Del DolemonteFrank Rich has a howler column today about Hilly. So does MoDo. I guess it's tag team time
" How does the network
March 30, 2008 - 14:47 ET by Blazer" How does the network justify a round-table consisting of four liberals against one conservative?"
Let's give ABC some credit here Mark, they were just tryin' to make it a fair fight.
Money quote:
" Countrywide went out and did this essentially predatory lending to people, giving them complex mortgages they didn't understand, the most complex mortgages to the least sophisticated buyers,"
Yep, these people were not intelligent to know what they were doing when they signed the mound's of legal document's required to purchase a home. They overstepped thier bound's when they decided they wanted a piece of the American dream. They should have just stayed in the project's and let the Dem's take care of them, and decide what's good for em'.
Of course no mention on the fact that a lot of the homes that are being foreclosed on are in affluent area's costing several hundred grand, but these of course are the "less sophisticated buyer's".
The Dem's (vampires) sure love thier victim's.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Blazer How Right You Are
March 30, 2008 - 15:18 ET by DelsaDown the street from me. $850,000 the guy got an adjustable interest rate only he forgot to think to himself...What if my salary does not adjust??? What if interest rates go up???
So he said F the bank and moves out. He is not paying and he does not care.
Easy to borrow the money and they think ... I can make that mortgage payment but do not allow for uptick in TAXES or community fees/
Money easy to borrow due to low interest rates, prople by more than they should, and there you go.
Less sophisticated....? NOPE not at all.
Delsa, the media and the
March 30, 2008 - 15:32 ET by BlazerDelsa, the media and the left are hyping adjustable interest rates as being something new. When I purchased my home in 96' I had an adjustable rate with an option to permantly lock in after the first year. Not being one to gamble I locked in and have watched interest rates climb since.
These people essentially took a gamble and lost. They blew all thier money in Vegas and now they want dad to send money and bail them out.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Exactly
March 30, 2008 - 15:47 ET by DelsaYou truly have the Gift of Understanding..!
AKA the gift of reason and the gift of common sense.
Blazer
March 30, 2008 - 15:25 ET by DelsaHere is another sob story I saw on Fox
Some guy had a huge farm. He was sobbing (not really) because of the crack down of illegal workers in his area. I forget what he was growing BUT he needed illegals to help with the crop. Instead of 100 plus working the fields, he only got 75 guys and so now he has to close up shop.
Sell the farm? NO! He is changing the crop to CORN!! Buying a combine, shafting his workers, and is growing for ethanol!!
Is he sad? No Way. He is going to make more money growing for fuel than he ever did growing for food.
Screw him and the green idiots. He will grow rich growing corn for ethonal, while our food prices go through the roof.
If GOD had wanted us to use food in our gas tanks, HE would have made sure we could eat Oil.
Yep, but what the
March 30, 2008 - 15:43 ET by BlazerYep, but what the greenies and the left forget is that America is the world's breadbasket. If those 100 plus illegal's end up back in Mexico they'll be going hungry when all that good ol' American corn and soybean start's hitting our fuel tank's instead of the grocery aisle.
Save the world by starving it?
What was that saying about the left and good idea's again?
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
ZOO
March 30, 2008 - 14:38 ET by ScrapironIf you go to the zoo a few times you will find it only takes one person to throw peanuts to the monkeys and they'll put on a show for you. Liberal = Monkey = Show.
Old, Retired and glad of it.
Perhaps George Will is preparing for Bill Maher's show.
March 30, 2008 - 14:44 ET by Gary HallPerhaps George Will is preparing for a stint on Bill Maher's show, Mark?
I was watching Chris Wallace this morning - then flipped over to This Week. I think that it would have been fun had Will just came right out and noted the stacked deck.
On an aside, I'm almost surprised that Steph did not have leftist economist Dean Baker (CEPR) on the show for the mortgage and R/E bubble discussion. After all, Baker was in the forefront in calling this as far back as 2000, and in fact has been widely quoted in his even more radical address to the current issue, generally put as: "He [Baker] would simply give foreclosed homeowners the right to remain in the houses by paying the fair-market rent (as determined by court-appointed appraisers) to their former creditors."
Also, I always get a kick out of these folks always pushing the Herber Hoover analysis - and the MSM loves it. Back in March of 2000, Baker applied the Hoover comparison to the Clinton era leadership - only that time, the media in their need to protect Clinton's legacy, kept it under their hat:
And folks like Media
March 30, 2008 - 14:52 ET by SMGalbraithAnd folks like Media Matters, Eric Alterman, Eric Boehlert et al. will insist that Reich and Krugman and Brazile are moderate/liberals and Will is a rightwinger and that the panel was evenly balanced if not slightly tilted rightward.
Yes they will.
As long as there wasn't any
March 31, 2008 - 03:33 ET by sarcasmoBlatant antilibertarian media bias in the choice of an old-time statist like Will "representing" 100% of 'the right,' I guess it's OK...Oops!!
JMR
A corruption-story the TV media will-not cover.
George Will
March 31, 2008 - 03:37 ET by Cool ArrowGeorge did propose we stop all government welfare (even the lefties gave lipservice approval).
♣ a seal
that may be so, but
March 31, 2008 - 04:14 ET by sarcasmoI know him as an inside-The-Beltway gun-grabber who is generally too much in favor of big spending, even if (like so-many others) he sometimes talks a good game. And my larger point is the old "at least conservatives, however you define 'em, get one." One beats the living hell out of zero. We both know the panel would be massively-improved in terms of intellectual diversity if they'd added a libertarian.
Would adding a libertarian & subtracting a lefty always help conservatives? No. It would probably sometimes make 'em look venal and stupid; just like it'd probably make the left look venal and stupid. But actual fairness & balance, not helping one side or another politically, is my point.
JMR
A corruption-story the TV media will-not cover.
They cannot define preditory lending
March 30, 2008 - 15:29 ET by DelsaIt does not exist on a large scale. I know a broker who NEVER put people in risky loans.
There are those who did but they qualified for the loans.
Go figure.
FHA cap here in Broward County is $475,000.00
FHA Hello!!! 6% down. Hello?
For those of you in or from Rio Linda FHA is the GOVERNMENT!!!!
Mark
March 30, 2008 - 15:31 ET by Noel SheppardMark,
Actually, when I saw this this morning, my first thought was "How disgraceful of ABC to load the panel with two liberal economists!!!"
They couldn't find one conservative economist to present the other side of the argument?
Nice work, Mark. If I hadn't have been heading to the airport, I was going to be writing about this.
(reporting from an extraordinary suite at the MGM Grand in Vegas!) ns
Thanks, Noel. Don't forget
March 30, 2008 - 16:29 ET by Mark FinkelsteinThanks, Noel. Don't forget to put that quarter on black for me ;-)
Predatory Pit Bosses
March 30, 2008 - 16:33 ET by acumenAnd watch out for those "predatory" pit bosses...
ac... ROFL...yeah I don't
March 30, 2008 - 16:42 ET by bigtimerac...
ROFL...yeah I don't think they have too many variables in their rates...
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Something amiss
March 30, 2008 - 18:12 ET by KC MulvilleI'm sorry, but it's hard to appreciate the economic perspective of anyone lounging in a comfy Vegas suite ...
Besides, how can I have any respect for a man who's in Vegas, with all the entertainment available, but who's watching the Sunday morning talking head parade? Don't they have brochures in that hotel?
LOL - Hope you enjoyed yourself ...
Kruggie
March 30, 2008 - 15:32 ET by d1carterKruggie looks like he is about to take his ball and go home if ABC keeps letting that big ole bully George Will, ask questions that he can't answer. He's gonna tell his daddy...
He Was Quiet
March 30, 2008 - 17:53 ET by Del DolemonteI caught part of this, and Krugs was relatively subdued. For him, that is.
There is another way . . .
March 30, 2008 - 15:38 ET by Caringwhiteguy. . . to handle this kind of crap. It will take some balls on behalf of our Beltway conservative elites. These tokens, like Will, Bill Bennett, et fewus; should simply borrow a tactic from the Democrat Presidential field when they refused to debate on Fox.
JUST BOYCOTT THE PROGRAMS! Don't go on. Say you aren't going on because you are tired of being used for the appearance of "balance". Just tell these people to "stuff it". Say it LOUD! Then keep speaking out loudly in your columns, books, lecture circuit about the SHAM in which they've been embarrassed to have participated. If they aren't strong enough to do that, if they aren't willing to sacrifice, what use are they anyway?
You don't understand ABC's perspective
March 30, 2008 - 16:03 ET by SATerpDon't you mean '4 moderates and 1 right wing extremist'?
ABC"s perspective could read
March 30, 2008 - 16:08 ET by Delsa'4 moderates and 1 right wing-nut'?
4 is enough
March 30, 2008 - 16:21 ET by acumenFour swell non-partisan guys and one (dem) party-pooper.
Whew...glad this was
March 30, 2008 - 16:05 ET by bigtimerWhew...glad this was blacked out in my area today due to NBA games...lol.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Dems were just out-matched
March 30, 2008 - 16:16 ET by SGriffisAny conservative can out-match any number of liberals. Sometimes, you just have to feel sorry for them.
BTW, it turns out that Hillary's campaign manager used to be the CEO of the largest sub-prime lender up until it declared bankruptcy.
"Hillary's campaign manager
March 30, 2008 - 16:34 ET by Mark Finkelstein"Hillary's campaign manager used to be the CEO of the largest sub-prime lender up until it declared bankruptcy."
Just tryin' to fight the power from the inside ;-)
PS: I believe you're referring to Maggie Williams, who was on the board of directors, not CEO.
Hey I heard about good ol'
March 30, 2008 - 16:48 ET by bigtimerHey I heard about good ol' Maggie and her ties this morning somewhere...I'm still chucklin' about this...rich isn't it?
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
I'm with the band...
March 30, 2008 - 16:18 ET by acumenHow did George Will get into this Dem infomercial?
This Week - - The View on testosterone.
baseball strategy
March 30, 2008 - 16:32 ET by brerolWhen you have a runner on 2nd and third and less than 2 outs and the big man is at the plate any sane manager would call for a intentional walk. And in a manner of speaking the managers at "This Week" did just that.
Imagine this...
March 30, 2008 - 16:40 ET by tomchris"Well that's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Next week our guests will be Whoppi Goldberg, Joy Behar, and Sherri Shepherd."
Any one of those three would
March 30, 2008 - 16:54 ET by fitzfongAny one of those three would make more intelligent contributions to a debate on economics than would that infantile windbag Paul Krugman.
My first thought upon
March 30, 2008 - 16:54 ET by JerMy first thought upon noticing the ideological imbalance on This Week's roundtable was that NewsBusters would probably be all over this discrepancy. And with good reason. It's really impossible to justify such blatant liberal tilting.
On the other hand, during the 90's--when the show was produced by a conservative, moderated by a Republican [David Brinkley], with a roundtable comprised of staunch conservatives George Will and Bill Kristol, liberal Clinton hater Sam Donaldson and frequent Clinton critic Cokie Roberts--I would still hear constant complaints that the media was completely in Clinton's pocket.
Jer
When you consider that David
March 30, 2008 - 17:06 ET by fitzfongWhen you consider that David Brinkley had to publicly grovel to Bill Clinton just days after he had said some "intemperate" things about him, you may get some insight as to why you heard such complaints. And since Howard Wolfson now seems to run personnel at MSNBC, perhaps Chris Matthews and David Schuster might agree.
What Brinkley Said
March 30, 2008 - 17:59 ET by Del DolemonteFrom election night, 1996:
"The next four years will be filled with pretty words, and pretty music, and a lot of goddamn nonsense!"
When told his mike was still live, he added:
"Really? Well, I'm leaving anyway!"
David was damned prescient on that one.
the Fact of the Matter is...
March 30, 2008 - 18:12 ET by ChasvsAs they make up their "FACTS" to blame the republicans you can be assured that they'll just keep repeating the same old made up facts until the general population beleives it is so. The "talking points now include Hoover so they can start comparing GW to the prez who led us to the great Depression. Of course, they won't admit that Roosevelts' actions on DEEPENED and LENGTHENED the Drepression! Now these Democrats want to do it all again!
The TRUTH doesn't matter to a Liberal and you can believe all the lies you want but it doesn't make on thing they say true!
Could I interject a question?
March 30, 2008 - 18:26 ET by FastEdWhen did the 'sub-prime' mortgage' mess start? Early, middle '90's? Who was president? What was asked of bankers and lenders? Give money to people who couldn't pay it back? And what would happen, legally, to thoses lenders and bankers who DIDN'T lend to poor people or even illegals, in order to own a house? And didn't congress pass that bill to make it fair? And now they want to go after the folks who did what THEY asked for?
Just assking.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
Just Do The Math, Mark
March 30, 2008 - 19:06 ET by JoelCTMark, you just haven't done the math.
Add the IQs of the four together, and they still don't add up to George Will's IQ. Heck, throw in the IQs of the two cameramen and you start getting close to Will's IQ.
So I think it's fair.
Reich: "You know, predatory. Uh, predatory, as in, uh, predatory uh, mortgage companies."
Will: Define it.
Brazile: "Like a bear, George. A big mean predatory bear attacking helpless picnickers."
Krugman: "That's it, big mean bear lenders, attacking helpless minorities getting their first home, I mean, uh setting them up to steal their first home because they know they can't pay for it, and uh, uh..." <looks to Reich again for help>
Will: "You know what, I'm just going to sit here for a while. This is the funniest stuff I've seen since Hillary was backtracking on Tuzla. Keep going, guys!"
Stephanopoulos: "Uh, um, sorry, we're, uh, on a hard break, gotta go, buh-bye!"
4 = 1?
March 31, 2008 - 08:58 ET by m1xramI was thinking along those lines... 1 conservative equals 4 liberals but the ratio isn't high enough.
I have to object to the "progressive" label. This is NewSpeak for "regressive" or backward thinking. Coming up with different ways (some of them new) to screw up the country is not "progressive".
It's the fictional economy stupid!
March 31, 2008 - 07:58 ET by CrashI love the shot of Krugman caught on tape drinking the Koolaid.
predatory lending
March 31, 2008 - 09:16 ET by m1xramConsider it from the shareholders perspective. The bank(s), which we think of as conservative lender(s), made many loans to people not able to pay. Who should I be p*ss*d with for devaluing my stock? Do I care if they operated within legal limits justifying their actions? Of course not. I expect them to lend money such that it will likely be paid back which would increase my value in the company.
Before you start flaming me.. the people were also very stupid for accepting the loans in the first place.
No flames here
March 31, 2008 - 12:55 ET by ReaganJrNo flames, just agreement. What part of interest only or adjustable rate mortgage is so hard to understand.
When I bought my house I did some really stupid things but at least I was not dumb enough to get an interest only or an adjustable rate mortgage.
Honestly, there's nothing
March 31, 2008 - 13:18 ET by fitzfongHonestly, there's nothing wrong with either the interest only or the adjustable rate mortgage products. The interest only mortgage helped keep monthly mortgage payments low for borrowers and allowed many to realize additional equity from the property's appreciation. The adjustable rate mortgage allowed borrowers to enjoy a low initial mortgage payment with the understanding that the mortgage payment could adjust up (or down) after a fixed period. The projected payment schedules (all 360 payments) for both types of loans were spelled out in black and white on the loan documents. Additionally, borrowers had/have the opportunity to refinance from an interest-only/ARM to a fixed rate mortgage. Sure, the lenders occasionally injected poison pills like prepayment penalties to keep loans in place...but the suggestion that these type of loans are bad across the board is ridiculous. In other words...ARMs don't kill people, people do.
ABC forgot what decade this was
March 31, 2008 - 12:45 ET by ReaganJrThis is how politicial talk shows used to be prior to Rush and the internet. One conservative and a panel of liberals, including the host, to provide the necessary squelch....ur...um....balance.
Don't then know they cannot get away with this any more? Oh that's right. They're campaigning for liberalism not providing balance (or the facts, the truth, etc...)