Kate Calling For Coup?

By Mark Finkelstein (Bio | Archive)
November 23, 2008 - 10:03 ET

In an MSM eager for the advent of the Age of Obama, Kate Snow may have taken the cake. The weekend GMA co-host almost sounded as if she were calling for some kind of coup d'etat, musing whether Obama should be urgently "forcing" change before he takes office. How over the top was Snow? She had to be talked down from her fin de regime fantasy but none other than . . . Paul Krugman.

ABC reporter John Hendren set the tone for the notion that time is dangerously a-wasting.

JOHN HENDREN: As with Hoover and FDR, the ideological gap between Bush and Obama could be too broad to bridge, leaving us with two more months of costly economic drift.

A little later, interviewing Krugman, Snow made her startling suggstion.

Story Continues Below Ad ↓

KATE SNOW: You write a lot in your columns about a power vacuum in these last couple of months of the Bush administration. How concerned are you about that? Do you think President-elect Obama should be doing something now, urgently, as far as forcing policy change?

Krugman was put in the unusual position of taking the more moderate tone regarding the Bush administration, reminding Snow of that minor stumbling block known as . . . the Constitution.

PAUL KRUGMAN: Well, there's only, as he says, and it's true, there's only one president at a time. We have this Constitution, and he hasn't taken office.

Yeah, this Constitution. Bummer. Sorry, Kate.

Bonus Coverage: GMA Just Says 'No!' To Stevens

Correspondent Jonathan Karl then narrated a segment that ostensibly focused on the way the old bulls of Congress are being forced out. But while Sen. Robert Byrd and Rep. John Dingell, who are both losing committee chairmanships, were mentioned, only Ted Stevens was identified by party, and GMA found an excuse to play, in three separate mini-segments and a total of five times, Stevens angrily barking out the word "no!" on the floor of the Senate.

—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.

Read comments Free email alerts Take action

Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

That sounds like treason

November 23, 2008 - 10:17 ET by ConservativeRex

That sounds like treason to me!

I suggest they go ahead and attempt something of this order. In fact, I'm begging the liberals to attempt something of this order.

We won't stand for this kind of hulabaloo for four years. Something will bring it to a head.

I think ABC just needs to calm the hell down before they bite off a lot more than they can chew.

You can't rein in a liberal

November 23, 2008 - 10:26 ET by littlemissmuffin

You can't rein in a liberal. How inconvenient for them we have our Constitution. Don't be surprised when the one takes office he will try to void our archaic Constitution and make his own. After all, that's what dictators do, right?

Be very afraid!

"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!"

DUCT TAPE ALERT!!!

November 23, 2008 - 10:31 ET by motherbelt

It's not just Snow, it's the whole damn show!

That whole video is a pitch for dissolving Congress (in the sense of throwing everyone out who was defeated) and starting with the new Democrat mega-majority right now!

These people have really gone over the edge!

Maybe Obama will give a speech on "transition" and make the case that, for the good of the country, Bush and everyone who didn't get re-elected should just resign right now so that he can take the reins and get this country out of the ditch it's in!

I'm sure if he planned it, the media would come out in full support!

Change can't wait!!

The next liberal mantra?????

Imagine

November 23, 2008 - 10:47 ET by NiftySwell

Just Imagine if these statements had been made post Clinton or Carter... You have more imagination than me, because I can't.

President Nancy

November 23, 2008 - 11:04 ET by nkviking75

If the Bush administration did resign, the new president would be Nancy Pelosi, not Barack Obama. And with her ego, I doubt she'd settle for serving as Obama's sock puppet until Jan. 20. They'd probably have to drag her kicking and screaming out of the Oval Office.

Welcome to the era of unity, you racist!

Well Cheney Could Resign ...

November 23, 2008 - 12:59 ET by allanf

Well the hated Darth Vader form the darkside Dick Cheney could resign. Then Bush could appoint Obama as Vice-President. Then Nancy will rush to give up her place in line and let the House vote on the nomination. Reid will rush it through the Senate.

and for the coup-de-gras Bush would resign giving obama an extra few days as President.

Silly scenarios

November 23, 2008 - 18:11 ET by nkviking75

In that scenario, the Senate could confirm Obama and Nancy would have nothing to say about it.

As long as we're entertaining silly possibilities, Bush could resign a little early and let Cheney become the 44th president. Can you imagine how that would frost the libs? Then he could nominate Obama. But keep in mind that Republican senators could probably tie the nomination up until Jan. 20th.

Welcome to the era of unity, you racist!

Does she not realize that

November 23, 2008 - 20:59 ET by Poole

Does she not realize that the only way Obama could become president before January 20th is to be confirmed by the Senate?

Why would the President-Elect weaken his position and standing by going before the Senate and being asked questions by the outgoing Republican Senators - questions that the press could never ask of the former junior Senator from Illinois because they were too smitten by Obama?

But Kate is such a dork, mb.

November 23, 2008 - 11:08 ET by Thalpy

But Kate is such a dork, mb. Perhaps the logical conclusion of her illogical statement is that we simply never let Obama come to power at all. What would she have to say about that?

She's Just Another

November 24, 2008 - 06:46 ET by ahusser

Delusional, illogical, incapable of reasoning, wishful and magical thinking liberal. If they don't get their way they hold their breath and stomp the ground. They emote real well though. Honestly I think Bush should, as someone on this site suggested, just thrown Obama the keys and told him have fun I am going back to Texas.

"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox

I'm wondering what exactly

November 23, 2008 - 10:50 ET by mibrilane

I'm wondering what exactly Obama is going to do that Bush isn't already doing. There's only so many things one can bail out.

Oh yeah, Card Check. That's going to be spectacularly successful.

(Yes, that was sarcasm.)

Well John Hendren says that

November 23, 2008 - 11:13 ET by motherbelt

Well John Hendren says that we are in for two more months of costly economic drift...Bush's fault, you know.

And of course if Bush tries to do anything, they will howl about that too....

Let em Howl

November 24, 2008 - 06:44 ET by ahusser

If I was Bush the only thing I would respond to was an imminent invasion by a foreign power. Otherwise everone could just KMA. I imagine President Bush can't wait for January 20.

"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox

Obama is "doing something" ...

November 23, 2008 - 11:38 ET by Crash

He's telling us that we could lose millions of jobs next year. I'd hate to extrapolate as to how many jobs China and India will lose.

Here's my prediction (11/23/08): Al Gore, Hansen, or some other leftist will make the fallacious claim that the current cold snap is due to the current slowing of the global economy.

Snow and Krugman

November 23, 2008 - 11:35 ET by Goodie

In the same room? Not enough space for their egos but plenty of room for them to get the facts straight. Like many others, I do not watch these types of shows, I think they would get better ratings from roller hockey or a burrito eating contest. Really Snow and Krugman are just worthless losers and not easy on the eyes......They need to retreat to the basement.

Obama's last day 1-20-2013!!

Hendren is economically clueless

November 23, 2008 - 12:10 ET by PopularTech

Hoover was an interventionalist! He helped cause the problem, FDR just made it worse.

America's Great Depression (PDF) (368 pgs) (Murray Rothbard, Ph.D. Economics, 5th Edition, 2000)

BTW why is Krugmen taken seriously on anything he says?

Censored Global Warming Videos

Wouldn't that be exactly

November 23, 2008 - 12:13 ET by lnthomp

Wouldn't that be exactly the kind of extra-constitutional power-grab Pres. Bush was constantly accused of?

This too shall pass.

Lee T. USN(ret)

scary

November 23, 2008 - 12:37 ET by jackie3

The statements made by these so called reporters are very scary.
"We have this constitution." As if that's a bad thing.
"We can't wait another 2 months." There is no way a president can fix the economy for it's caused by the Fed's problems.

Obama's policies will only make it worse and he knows it. He wants it to be worse so he can institute his freedom grabbing ideals. The press seems all to eager to hand over their 1st amendment rights.

Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Jackie3

November 24, 2008 - 06:55 ET by ahusser

I think I saw your tag on a poster at despair.com, good posters if you are a cynic like me. I think they are called "demotivators". :)

"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox

as often as we tend to belittle these people

November 23, 2008 - 12:41 ET by katainkent

as often as we tend to belittle these people - its almost hard to imagine the power they actually wield. Statements like this are dangerous. These people are a virus.

member of the Conservative Independant Witness Protection Program since Nov. 5, 2008

BDS a true mental illness..

November 23, 2008 - 12:44 ET by Scrapiron

No one could have proven that BDS is a true incurable mental illness better than the Lame Stream Media. BDS can now take it's place beside the pedophile as the few which meet that classification. I see NbC has canned their man made global warming madness crowd. My niece finishes her Psych degree in a few months. She said she would have an excess of customers at $200-300 per hour and she wasn't wrong.

Old, Retired and glad of it.

"Are we there yet Daddy"

November 23, 2008 - 13:34 ET by allanf

These clowns are worse than a seven year old on a car trip.

Kind of mean on 7 year olds

November 23, 2008 - 13:36 ET by Crash

Kind of mean on 7 year olds aren't you? ;)

Now they like hostile takeovers!

November 23, 2008 - 13:35 ET by Crash

"Do you think President-elect Obama should be doing something now, urgently, as far as forcing policy change?"

Does she mean that we could have ended the Carter debacle sooner?

If he thinks it's bad now.....

November 23, 2008 - 13:43 ET by littlemissmuffin

If he thinks it's bad now, just wait until the one starts his "changes." It won't be a costly drift, it will be a crash and burn.

"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!"

This is Exhibit "A" as to why the left is such a huge danger.

November 23, 2008 - 13:48 ET by R D Helm

Their obvious contempt here for the laws of this country, and particularly the Constitution, is evident for all to see.

And Kate Snow is not only dangerous, but a complete idiot if she thinks the Marxist-inspired economic policies of Barrack Hussein Obama are going to "fix" anything.

-Dave

Did this country just elect Obama/Biden, or was it Soros/Ayers?

Well Dave, dontcha know,

November 23, 2008 - 13:56 ET by motherbelt

Well Dave, dontcha know, the Constitution is flawed...the Obamessiah said so.

I can't wait for him to start pushing for an amendment to address "income inequality."

in the interests of

November 23, 2008 - 14:00 ET by katainkent

economic justice. Because the administrative & legislative branches of government is far more suitable to push these types of agendas, rather than attempt to legislate from the bench.

as a constitutional lawyer, he should know.

member of the Conservative Independant Witness Protection Program since Nov. 5, 2008

Apologies kata...I was

November 23, 2008 - 14:11 ET by motherbelt

Apologies kata...I was trying to edit but I was too late.

It was actually the Supreme Court that he thought didn't go far enough in addressing "economic justice"...but he eventually did get to saying that legislation was the way to go.

Listen here

Scary.

And we wonder why the market is tanking.

Its okay, motherbelt...

November 23, 2008 - 14:25 ET by R D Helm

...as I'm pretty sure Obama doesn't think much of the Constitution, either.

Hell, many of the brain-dead idiots that voted for him have probably never heard of it, much less read it.

-Dave

Did this country just elect Obama/Biden, or was it Soros/Ayers?

Motherbelt

November 24, 2008 - 07:09 ET by ahusser

I am sure the creation of emergencies, crises, and problems or the hyping of real ones will allow "emergency" powers and legislation to proceed apace. I always explain to liberal types (wasted effort) that The Bill of Rights is a package deal. You can't order a la carte because you don't "like" certain rights. I seem to think but am not sure that the bill of rights is pretty much inviolate. But I see (at first) significant attacks on the 2nd amendment and term limits for pres. Then comes 1st amendment attacks (criticism of Obama a crime for instance) and maybe later some suspension of Habeus Corpus due to the present "emergency or crisis" whatever that happens to be. Just wait until he gets to appt a judge to the SCOTUS. Yes I know Lincoln suspended habeus corpus during wartime which will become a surefire precedent. I firmly believe this is fascist time for America.

"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox

THIS ENTIRE "PIECE" WAS A

November 23, 2008 - 14:01 ET by MrShy

THIS ENTIRE "PIECE" WAS A COMPLETE JOKE !!!!

Unreal.

First Snow and her suggestion that we need to move out the GOP sooner, then playing Stevens clips (like, wha??? ... how many life-long Dem senators who are old geezers and need to be wheeled out, are there?) and then clips of f***ing liberal weenie Jon Stewart making fun of Stevens, then back to Stevens "no!" for one last dig.....

THIS IS NOT JOURNALISM !!!!!!

You're the next contestant on...
THE MESSIAH IS... LEFT !!

They gave up journalism a

November 23, 2008 - 14:14 ET by motherbelt

They gave up journalism a long time ago, Shy.

This is advocacy, pure and simple, if not treason.

She is advocating ignoring the Constitution.

Kate Snow is not the only Constitutionally illiterate MSM type.

November 23, 2008 - 14:03 ET by R D Helm

Gail Collins at the NYT appears to have attended the same government school as Snow.

-Dave

Did this country just elect Obama/Biden, or was it Soros/Ayers?

I think these are the same

November 23, 2008 - 14:20 ET by motherbelt

I think these are the same idiots who said in 2000, that there was no hurry to sort out Florida (those certification dates etc. were just "guidelines"), that Clinton could just stay in office for as long as it took....

These people have no concept of a government of laws, not of men.

Apparently they think the Constitution is just "guidelines."

They have gone completely around the bend.

Kinda like...

November 23, 2008 - 17:12 ET by Prester John

...the Pirate Code.

These people believe

November 24, 2008 - 07:15 ET by ahusser

The Constitution is an outdated document written by dead old white guys. In the past the left has always used the courts to circumvent the constitution. Since we now have a relatively conservative SC they haven't been able to push the agenda that easily. Now they have both houses and the presidency they can pass their agenda. The SC will be the only thing which will check their grab (Like FDR's Admin) until the O man gets to pick a supreme.

"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox

When Kruggie has to talk you

November 23, 2008 - 15:00 ET by d1carter

When Kruggie has to talk you down, well, you are out there...

Katie, Katie

November 23, 2008 - 15:47 ET by rammingspeed

Kate Snow simply does not know the constitution. She wouldn't understand that her suggestion would be against the law and I'm sure she's been surprised (yes, she's been taken on the side and politely told she's stupid, but she'll never be punished) to realize she made a faux pas.

I'm being kind.

My biggest problem is that an idiot like her rises to such a position at a national "news" station - or any news station for that matter - and that there's no media outcry or public correction of her. Will Krugman mention this in his next editorial piece? No, he won't.