MSNBC might like to replace "Lean Forward" with a new slogan: "Dissent Is Unpatriotic."
On today's Morning Joe, discussing the Rudy flap, Mika Brzezinski said: "I question the patriotism of someone who questions the president's patriotism." Joe Scarborough retorted that for years on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann got away with saying much worse about W without criticism from Mika or others in the MSM.
Speaking of the outrageous things Olbermann got away with saying about W, MRC has compiled a number of them here. Lowlights include Olbermann accusing W of "murderous deceit" and calling him a "fascist."
Note: Mika added an odd notion to her criticism of Rudy. She said it's unpatriotic to criticize the president's patriotism without tying it to some "policy" or "decision" he made, but rather to "just genuinely" question his patriotism. So genuine criticism of President Obama's patriotism is unpatriotic? Also, let's remember that Rudy said that President Obama "doesn't love America." It's not a matter of decisions or policies: it's simply Rudy's belief as to what President Obama feels about our country.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Josh Earnest was absolutely right [in claiming he was "sad" for Rudy.] And quite frankly, I question the patriotism of someone who questions the president's patriotism without any policy that he's talking about behind there or any decision that he's made behind it, just genuinely questioning his patriotism. He doesn't own 9/11. He was great during 9/11 but, my God, his comments were off the hook. They were crazy.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Can I say I think they were off the hook, too? But again, I just have to bring up, again, if Democrats are going to meet their chest in self-righteous indignation, I'm sorry. How many times have Democrats called George W. Bush or Republicans unpatriotic over the past 10, 15 years?
MARK HALPERIN: It's a huge double standard in the media.
SCARBOROUGH: It happens all the time.
HALPERIN: Every reporter has to look at this as a case and say: is this a standard we're going to hold everybody to or is this a double standard?
BRZEZINSKI: Something didn't seem off and random about it?
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, it seemed off and random but it seems off and random when Nancy Pelosi calls Republicans unpatriotic but nobody in the mainstream media notices or cares.
SCARBOROUGH: I didn't hear you going on a tirade any time Democrats call republicans unpatriotic.
BRZEZINSKI: I don't disagree.
SCARBOROUGH: Keith Olbermann on this network said some of the most horrific things about the President of the United States. I didn't see people's hair going up in flames then. You were certainly here when Keith Olbermann would say things at night on this network that would make Rudy Giuliani look like he was at a tea party.
BRZEZINSKI: I think that's a false parallel.
SCARBOROUGH: No, that is not a false parallel. I heard nobody in the mainstream media's hair catching on fire going crazy. He got away with it for years.
The obvious question: Where was Scarborough with this on Friday when his "hair was on fire"?
