How often do you see someone on television deride media darlings Al Gore and Paul Krugman in virtually the same sentence?
Not often, right?
Well, on Monday's "Situation Room," CNN contributor Alex Castellanos deliciously did exactly that, and actually evoked some nervous laughter from studio members (video available here, partial transcript follows):
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Powerful new criticism of President Obama's economic rescue plan coming from the Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman. Did too much get cut out, or is compromise the right thing to do?
Let's discuss in our "Strategy Session."
Joining us now, the Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, and CNN contributor, the Republican strategist Alex Castellanos.
You know, here's what Krugman writes in "The New York Times" today, among other things: "What do you call someone who eliminates hundreds of thousands of American jobs, deprives millions of adequate health care and nutrition, undermines schools, but offers a $15,000 bonus to affluent people who flip their houses? A proud centrist. And how did this happen? I blame President Obama's belief that he can transcend the partisan divide, a belief that warped his economic strategy."
Pretty strong words coming from Paul Krugman.
JAMAL SIMMONS, ADVISER, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: They are.
And Paul Krugman's a very well-respected and seemingly very good economist. I'm not sure he's ever passed one single bill in the United States Senate. So...
(LAUGHTER)
SIMMONS: And if you take a look at it that way, President Obama's got a real challenge, which is that he's got to get a bill not only through the House, where the Democrats have a commanding majority, but also through -- also through the Senate, where he needs 60 votes, and then he's going to need some Republicans to go along to get cloture. So, this looks like the best bill he can get to get through the Senate and get some money immediately into the economy.
BLITZER: In the Senate, he not only needed some Republicans to get above that magic number of 60, but he also needed those moderate or conservative Democrats who could have bolted as well.
ALEX CASTELLANOS, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: He's caught between the rock and the hard place on this one.
He's got Democrats who would want him to spend more on the left, and Republicans who are saying, hey, this is crazy.
And I know Krugman's won the -- Krugman's won the Nobel Prize. But so did Al Gore. It can't be that hard.
(LAUGHTER)
Let's laugh with them, shall we?
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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It's refreshing to see
February 10, 2009 - 23:05 ET by WorriedIt's refreshing to see anyone get a jab in on Algore, especially on an Obama propaganda station. Wolfie was probably only laughing because others were, other wise he would have been appalled.
Fillibuster?
February 10, 2009 - 23:09 ET by Sergeant ROCKIs this another ruse? I do not recall having heard any Republican declaring that they will filibuster porkulus if ir passes. Is that the case?
I would hope that they would, though.
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Bolton/KEYES 2012
As everyone knows, the
February 11, 2009 - 00:04 ET by danebramageAs everyone knows, the Nobel prize isn't awarded for merit. It's awarded for political correctness.
The very reason for the creation of the award was Alfred Nobel's defensiveness over his invention of dynamite, which he regarded as a great boon to mankind, but which many derided as nothing but a terrible weapon of war which furthered man's misery. The Nobel has always been a popularity prize first--popular in the eyes of the selection committee that is--and a measure of excellence second. On top of that, the prize for economics is a new addition. It is not part of the original Nobel vision. What you have is the Swedish bank, an organ of the most socialist country in the Western world, granting an award for economics. Any guess as to which kind of economist is preferred by them? While it's true that both Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek were past winners, their awards were met with such howling and screaming by the left that they have not been repeated.
Well the fact Maurice
February 11, 2009 - 00:25 ET by Dave DWell the fact Maurice Hilleman never won it is proof of that. (Just look him up on Wikipedia and try to wrap your mind around the fact he should have won it at least once no question and yet never did.)
And they passed over Irena
February 11, 2009 - 07:57 ET by danboAnd they passed over Irena Sendler, in their rush to give Al Gore the prize.
Add to that Rigoberta Menchu. The Nobels aren't very noble.
Limited Disclosure: I used to belong to the Sierra Club untill they went crazier. Worse of all, I was bribed by Exxon with free New Orleans Saints glasses with fill ups in the 70's.
The take-away quote:
February 11, 2009 - 00:37 ET by NorthCoasterThe take-away quote:
"Krugman's won the Nobel Prize. But so did Al Gore. It can't be that hard."
ROFLMAO!!!!!!
The likes of Krugman,
February 11, 2009 - 09:34 ET by fitzfongThe likes of Krugman, Trimble, Arafat and especially Gore have so perversely devalued the Nobel Prize that outside of the money, it's effectively worthless. Future "winners" should simply cash the check and hide for the rest of their lives...as it seems that the Nobel Committee is only interested in rewarding jokes and frauds.
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill
NOBEL PRIZE = CRAP...
February 11, 2009 - 10:41 ET by danybhoyA Nobel Prize means nothing anymore, danebramage & fizty are right about that. Considering who they awarded them(the peace prize in particular), I'm shocked Micheal Moore did'nt get one. Carter, Gore, & Krugman got theirs by being anti-Bush, anti-American, or both. All 3 are fraudsters of the highest order.
BTW, fitzy, what's up with Spurs going back for Keane? Weird huh?
"...it's still We The People, Right?" Megadeth
Amazing! I forgot about
February 11, 2009 - 12:51 ET by fitzfongAmazing! I forgot about Carter (but I suppose since he was, by far, the worst President in my lifetime, he's easy to forget). Watch for Castro, Chavez, Joe Kennedy or the Dinner Jacket in Iran to "win" the "prize" this year.
As for Keane, I'm glad we have him back. He should never have left. You know your number is up when you score three goals in two matches and don't even make the bench for the next one. Benitez never liked him and toyed with his confidence. Hopefully he'll start scoring again now that he's back home! But goal scoring is only a part of his game.
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill
FITZY...
February 12, 2009 - 06:31 ET by danybhoyI hope you are wrong about Castro, Chavez, Joe Kennedy, & I shall throw in Evo Morales, winning a prize. How about guys like Gates & Buffett who a pumping buttloads of money to charities around the world? That would mean people understand the idea of free market philanthropy (redistibution of wealth by choice) vs socialism/marxism/communism (redistribution of wealth by gunpoint). Those who hand out th prizes like the ladder because they see someone in command doing it for "the greater good".
As for Keane, I have always liked him, & as a Reds fan I was excited to see him at Anfield. Keane with Torres & Gerrard should have been deadly. I remember when I first saw him while at Coventry City, he scored 2 (I think it was his debut). He was never prefered by Rafa Benitez, I get the feeling that Chairman Rick Perry wanted more then Rafa did, he wanted Gareth Berry from Villa, & things never worked out. Keane has seen his time at a dream move to major club go bad before when he went InterMilan. So I don't think he's too upset at leaving Liverpool all things considered, wish it had worked, I now wish him well at Spurs.
BTW, great win for the USA over Mexico in Columbus, Ohio. 2-0! Sven is gonna get the sack.
"...it's still We The People, Right?" Megadeth
Grammys Too
February 11, 2009 - 14:58 ET by slickwillie2001We can add Grammys to the list of worthless award given out by liberals, since it appears that if you write a book that the lefties approve of, and read part of it aloud at some time, you will get a Grammy. I believe Al Gore now has a full set -a Grammy, an Emmy, a Nobel, a Pulitzer and an Oscar. What a joke.