Utterly Disgraceful Eleanor Clift Column Regarding Sen. Johnson

December 16th, 2006 1:20 PM

On Thursday, NewsBusters reported the disgraceful behavior of the media following the announcement of Sen. Tim Johnson’s (D-SD) illness the day before. Sadly, as NB was chronicling report after report by press representatives showing much more concern for how this unfortunate event could impact the balance of power in the Senate than for the health of the man in question, Newsweek columnist Eleanor Clift was jumping on the conscienceless bandwagon a mere seven and a half hours later.

Eleanor’s disgrace started with the headline: “Balance of Power; Tim Johnson's health crisis is a reminder of the fragility of the Democratic majority. What the party should do now.”

Do you eat with the same hands you type with, Eleanor? Regardless of the answer, Clift began her abomination by suggesting Johnson’s malady might have been something prayed for by the President, and that Republicans are on their knees hoping for the worst (emphasis mine):

The possibility that the Senate might yet remain in Republican hands is a godsend for President Bush. With his Iraq policy in shambles and the Joint Chiefs of Staff resisting a last call to arms, Bush must have been wondering whether the higher power he consulted before taking the country to war had abandoned him.

Word that South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson had suffered a brain hemorrhage that could leave him unable to serve out his term has repercussions throughout the body politic. On a human level, everybody hopes and prays for Johnson’s recovery. But this is Washington, and with the Senate poised to do real damage to Bush and his war party, not everybody’s prayers will be answered.

I’m not kidding you, folks. That’s really how she started an article that was published roughly 24 hours after the Senator was rushed to the hospital. Frankly, I’m so disgusted that I don’t want to cut-and-paste any more of this disrespectful drivel. Those with a stronger stomach than I should click on the link above, but I’m outtie, for I need to go scrub this filth from my fingertips, hug my children, and imagine a world where people have more concern for their fellow man than Eleanor Clift obviously does.