Lawrence O'Donnell: 'I Am A Socialist. I Live To The Extreme Left Of Mere Liberals'
By Noel Sheppard | November 05, 2010 | 11:12
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell admitted on national television Friday that he's a socialist.
In the middle of a heated debate with Salon's Glenn Greenwald on "Morning Joe," O'Donnell said, "I am a socialist. I live to the extreme left, the extreme left of you mere liberals" (video follows with partial transcript and commentary):
LAWRENCE O'DONNELL: Glenn, unlike you, I am not a progressive. I am not a liberal who is so afraid of the word that I had to change my name to progressive. Liberals amuse me. I am a socialist. I live to the extreme left, the extreme left of you mere liberals, okay? However, I know this about my country. Liberals are 20 percent of the electorate. Conservatives are 41 percent of the electorate, okay? So I don't pretend that my views, which would ban all guns in America, make Medicare available to all in America, have any chance of happening in the federal government, okay? You can sit there and pretend that liberals should run more liberal in conservative districts. You love the loss of the Blue Dogs. The only way, the only way you have a chairman Barney Frank, there's only one way, that's by electing Blue Dogs. It's the only way. That's the only way you have a Speaker Pelosi.
So there you have it: a host on MSNBC admitted that he is on the extreme far left of the political spectrum.
NBC must be so pleased with its decision to give this man his own show.
On the other hand, if everyone was as honest about their real political leanings as O'Donnell was Friday rather than desperately trying to pretend impartiality, just how many mainstream media members would we find truly share his views?
Scary thought isn't it?
For those interested, here's a more complete video of this exchange courtesy Breitbart.tv:
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Comments
"...except that I don't
Submitted by mattm on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 11:20am.
"...except that I don't spread my own wealth around." (He forgot to add)
Socialist
Submitted by Gothampc on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 11:30am.
"...except that I don't spread my own wealth around."
One thing you'll notice about socialists (and communists) is that they don't live by the same ideology that they try to thrust on others.
Same as the idiots in
Submitted by WarEagle66 on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 11:47am.
Same as the idiots in Congress....not living under the same rules they impose on the citizens who pay their darn salary.
In Pennsylvania we have a state that owns 17,000 automobiles! Why?
I'd like a new truck, maybe Fast Eddie Rendell could "buy" one for me before he leaves office....
Voters
Submitted by Gothampc on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 12:53pm.
I see your Pennsylvania and raise you a New York City where Michael Bloomberg ran for mayor for a third term, despite voters having voted twice in favor of term limits. (And this most recent election makes it three times NY voters have said yes to term limits). And then Bloomberg had the cojones to say that an elected official should only serve two terms and that his third run was "special" because we were in desperate times.
But what can you do? The idiots in Congress are only put there by idiot voters. I'm still shocked that Charlie Rangel's people voted him back in. I can't believe there are that many idiot voters.
Its Fun...
Submitted by GeneralAl on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 11:35am.
Its fun to watch a "Liberal" and a "Socialist' try to out talk each other!
"Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away"!
Gasp! MSNBC has a
Submitted by Ruths husband Ben on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 11:35am.
Gasp! MSNBC has a Socialist!? Knock me over with a feather. Next you are going to say that Ed Shultz is a certifiable moron.
Can MSNBC fire a socialist?
Submitted by ThisnThat on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 12:38pm.
Or, would that considered a hate crime by the leftists?
__________
“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court
Honest, if your that
Submitted by Edhenry on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 11:40am.
Honest, if your that committed to scocialism, you dont belong in the USA. This country was designed as the antithesis of Europe for the specific reason that larger government = diminished individual freedom.
Individual repsonsibility is a tough road. It assumes work, the right ot succeed or fail, temperance, diligence, maturity and self sacrifice. But is the only road to freedom and happiness. All persons, except those part of the ruling class, are miserable in statist societies.
Powerful states are the only engine in history that account for mass murder. (USSR, Nazi Germany, China, etc.) Individual freedom and responsibility has never lead to genocide.
hummmm
Submitted by Patriot II on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 11:57am.
"Socialist" thats another term for an ignorant communist plick!
Hey Larry
Submitted by NDanielson on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 12:07pm.
Socialism is fine until they run out of other people's money, and in your case, until they come for their useful idiots.
He may be to the extreme left of mere liberals...
Submitted by ThisnThat on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 12:26pm.
... but when stacked up against his fellow members of the MSM (and especially MSNBC), he's actually a little center-right.
__________
“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court
From the Left-Wing Rosetta Stone
Submitted by Guapo Diablo on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 12:47pm.
"I am not a liberal who is so afraid of the word that I had to change my name to progressive."
Remember this any time a liberal tells you they're "progressive, centrist or moderate." Kinda like saying a fat kid is "big-boned."
I am big boned.
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 2:30pm.
I am big boned.
'You mere
Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 12:50pm.
'You mere liberals'................WOW!!! Sounds like a cat fight between arrogance and condascension - a proud and haughty socialist taking a meager little lib to the woodshed!!!
But........hey Lar.......I'll be a fellow socialist.........business isn't good over here, so maybe you can give me a nice chunk of your socialistic income??? My bank routing number is 123 456 789/
I had to watch this twice
Submitted by amyshulk on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 1:09pm.
I like him {LO} shoots straight. Don't usually agree with him, but I find his honesty refreshing!!!
Ronald Reagan
I Like Larry
Submitted by FAR52 on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 1:10pm.
I disagree with Lawrence on all political issues. At least the ones I've heard him espouse. But I respect the hell out of him. He's a true believer and doesn't try to hide his positions. I loved his line about liberals being so scared of the label, that they changed it to progressive. He says what he means and he means what he says.
I agree with both of you.
Submitted by Tomorama on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 1:42pm.
Kind of in the same way over time................................ I grew to respect Ted Kennedy a little bit politically ONLY because he never wavered from his beliefs, he said he was a liberal and he stayed a liberal NO MATTER WHAT.
I hated his bleepin' guts, but respected that sliver of his being.
Unlike Jawwwwn Kerry who stuck his finger in the wind and tried to re-do himself while running for President.
O'Donnell admits he is a socialist, not really much to add there.
I guts to ask..... WTF did he mean by the "mere liberals" line?
Is he SUPER SOCIALIST?
He may get bumped up to the 08:00 spot held by Keith "Donation Boy" Olbermann.....
I give O'Donnell credit for honesty
Submitted by Galvanic on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 1:56pm.
He tells you where he stands, and what his agenda is.
He knows that he is a small minority in the US.
He accurately describes what Democrats have to do in order to get their agenda -- which falls short of his, but gets closer to it -- into law.
Having said that, I am also strongly opposed to his objectives and his tactics.
Socialist is code for
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 1:16pm.
Socialist is code for CRETIN.
It's like someone admitting he's a NAZI.
Okay -- in WHAT WAY is O'Donnell a practising "socialist"...
Does he
1. confiscate all his income, and throw it out of a window every month?
2. After bare essentials donate all his income as a voluntary TAX to the IRS. Apparently you can do that?
Sounds to me that the cretinous O'Donnell's gob is bigger than his moral certitude.
If he's a "socialist" why is he surrounded by the fruits of capitalism?
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
Larry O'D
Submitted by okiehawk44 on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 3:13pm.
Have you ever seen this happy socialist seem happy? I've watched old Larry for many years and he doesn't appear to have a "smile" button.
Of course it may be due to a realization that socialists/liberals/progressives (all the same) believe that everything belongs to the government and it is up to it to determine who gets what and for what reason. On the other hand you have the "American Way" (i.e. Democracy) that believes everything belongs to the private individual and the individual decides how much the government needs to pay for its constitutional responsilities.
Larry O'D truly trusts the government -- I don't.
Lawrence O'Donnell is a fer-real commie?
Submitted by Dave. on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 4:16pm.
LOL - Why, who would have ever guessed?
-Dave
Aloha Dave..............long
Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 6:27pm.
Aloha Dave..............long time no see!!! I'm glad that you're still around - I thought maybe the new format obliterated you or something...........
Dave~
Submitted by Georgia Girl on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 6:33pm.
Where the heck have you been? I've missed you. Don't make me drive over there and get you!
"If not us, who? If not now, when?" -- Ronald Reagan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6LGSzNW9xU
ChickaBOOMer: "I am a socialist. I live to the extreme left."
Submitted by StewartIII on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 4:58pm.
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell: "I am a socialist. I live to the extreme left."
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2010/11/msnbcs-lawrence-odonnell-i-am-socialist.html