CNN Labels Dem Convention Speakers as Some of the 'Most Liberal'

Photo of Scott Whitlock.

Wolf Blitzer, CNN Previewing the first night of the Democratic convention on Monday's "Situation Room," host Wolf Blitzer and a network graphic repeatedly identified the announced speakers as liberal. The CNN anchor asserted, "The speaker lineup for tonight, by the way, here at the convention, includes some of the party's most prominent and most liberal members, including the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Ted Kennedy and former President Jimmy Carter."

Blitzer then asked guest James Carville if "...highlighting all these liberals tonight, is that the way these Democrats can reach out to moderates, to independents and say, you know what, it's time for a change?" Carville praised the work of cancer-stricken Senator Ted Kennedy and predicted high emotion. Fellow guest, conservative radio host Bill Bennett, replied, "Oh, it's their party and they can be emotional or cry if they want to or be liberal if they want to."

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He also added, "But this is a more liberal party. It is a more liberal platform than we had with Bill and Hillary Clinton. It's different. This is not your big brother's Democrat Party."

A transcript of the exchange, which occurred at 5:35pm on August 25, follows:

WOLF BLITZER: The speaker lineup for tonight, by the way, here at the convention, includes some of the party's most prominent and most liberal members, including the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Ted Kennedy and former President Jimmy Carter. Let's talk about that and more with our CNN political contributor and Democratic strategist James Carville, along with our CNN political contributor Bill Bennett, the host of the conservative national radio talk show "Morning in America" and a fellow at the Claremont Institute. James, highlighting all these liberals tonight, is that the way these Democrats can reach out to moderates, to independents and say, you know what, it's time for a change?

CNN GRAPHIC: Liberal Lineup

JAMES CARVILLE: Well, I mean, the Speaker of the House is speaking tonight. I mean, I think it's going to be a very, very emotional moment if Senator Kennedy comes in this hall. I think, regardless of anyone's political ideology, he's probably the most accomplished senator in the United States Senate since World War II. And I don't think that's what the public is going to gleam from this at all I think--

BLITZER: It will be an emotional moment.

CARVILLE: It will be a very, very, very emotional moment and, by the way, you know, Speaker Pelosi is the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, the highest ranking government to ever serve -- the highest ranking women to have ever served in the United States government, Congress. So I think it will be great.

BLITZER: You think that this is the way the Democrats should be kicking off their convention, this, the first night, Bill?

BILL BENNETT: Oh, it's their party and they can be emotional or cry if they want to or be liberal if they want to. But it is going to be emotional. Their lion -- Ted Kennedy is their lion. But it is liberal. There's no doubt about it. The Clintons have been dethroned. They're out. They're gone or so we think. I guess that's yet to be decided. We're all watching that with interest. But this is a more liberal party. It is a more liberal platform than we had with Bill and Hillary Clinton. It's different. This is not your big brother's Democrat Party. It's your father's Democrat Party. It's back to the left.

—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.


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" It's your father's

" It's your father's Democrat Party."

If your father happened to be William Ayres, Abby Hoffman, Tom Hayden... 

McNotObama '08

"[The Clintons are] gone

"[The Clintons are] gone or so we think. I guess that's yet to be decided."

O-ho! Guess I'm not the only one who hasn't counted out any Clinton hi-jinx. Come on, Hil! This is your shot!      ;^D

Seriously, the liberals are out to re-take the Dem party from the "triangulators." They think this is a shoo-in for any and all with a "D" after their name, so they can take off their "moderate" masks. Guess they think appealing to the nut-root faction will give them a lock. 

Methinks they're in for a surprise....

It's nice to see someone else thinking this way.

The conventional wisdom says the Democrats should win big this year.  Whose conventional wisdom?  Did people vote FOR the Democrats, in 2006, or against the Republicans?  If they voted against the Republicans, what have the Democrats done to earn their vote this time around?  Perhaps people have been happy to see the Republicans develope a backbone lately, and they just might get some votes Democrats are surprised with. 

Just the percentage of seats, the Republicans have to defend, indicates they should lose some, but not as many as the Democrats believe and they've been know to overstep their mandates before.  

Democrats: Stuck on Stupid since 2000.

IJ and pb.... I sure

IJ and pb....

I sure agree with both of you.

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

conventional wisdom says

conventional wisdom says you shouldn't run a senator for POTUS - they rarely win

even if they are seasoned, highly accomplished, legislatively successful and otherwise qualified

Kerry was light years beyond Obama's experience, way more qualified - and he still lost 

Journalism is the opium of the liberals

I wish I had a Crystal ball

I wish I had a Crystal ball so I could see what the liberal media is going to say after Obama loses in November. My guess is... they will blame racism, Hillary, or the Democrat nemesis, president Bush. 

Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/  

45 Communist Goals for America http://www.nationmakers.com/com_goal

the racism would be

the racism would be sufficient - which of course we still massively suffer "all because of Republicans"

the MSM/DNC axis of evil has been so utterly predictable for decades now 

Journalism is the opium of the liberals

JAMES CARVILLE: Well, I

JAMES CARVILLE: Well, I mean, the Speaker of the House is speaking tonight. I mean, I think it's going to be a very, very emotional moment if Senator Kennedy comes in this hall. I think, regardless of anyone's political ideology, he's probably the most accomplished senator in the United States Senate since World War II. And I don't think that's what the public is going to gleam from this at all I think--

BLITZER: It will be an emotional moment.

Emotional for who Carville and Blitzie pooh...

he is not the most accomplished Senator in the US Senate as far as I am concerned...

I an sick of this leftist tripe being crammed down peoples throats...

He is a total socialist...to put it nicely, he has only got where he is because of his family name and the dumb-a$$es in his home state...

I mean no offense here...but when he dies...can you just not already hear the msm...huh?

That will be time to turn off the television for the most part.

As to the rest of this...I loved what Bill Bennett said...he summed it up for me. 

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

I bet Howard Dean is real happy the DNC

blew all that money on the Ted Kennedy tribute video and then the Senator actually shows up to steal the thunder.

MSM called someone a "Liberal"???

MSM called someone a "Liberal"???

And, look, there goes Satan on ice skates.

cjb... Satan on

cjb...

Satan on iceskates!

I am never going to forget that...never heard that before...it's a keeper...it's a winner.

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh