MRC/NB's Clay Waters Scorns N.Y. Times on FNC's 'Cavuto' Show

MRC's Times Watch man and NB blogger Clay Waters appeared again on FNC's "Your World with Neil Cavuto" on Friday afternoon to discuss the New York Times and its unhappiness with the trial and execution of Saddam Hussein. Substitute host Stuart Varney began: “In an op-ed piece entitled ‘The Rush to Hang Saddam Hussein,’ editors questioned if the trial was legitimate, and if Iraq/>/> would be better off with him dead. Clay Waters/> is disgusted, but not surprised. He is director of Times Watch….Clay, to you first, I read this editorial and they called, the Times called the trial flawed, politicized, and divisive, and a lost opportunity. What do you make of all this?”

Waters replied: “Well, obviously, the Times is not going to be sad to see him go, but at the same time, it is clear just from the preview that Bush is not going to get a positive story out of this, as you can see. It’s started already. It’s going to be like the Zarqawi thing. Bush got half a day of positive coverage and then the media went back to their usual template of  doom and gloom, Iraq/> equals Vietnam/>/>. And even today, online  they said the trial might be ruined by, quote, "politically driven haste" to execute Saddam after a deliberative trial." Of course, this editorial makes the opposite case, they said this was a lousy trial, so they shouldn’t hang Saddam. The only consistency is don’t hang Saddam. That’s the only thing the Times is consistent about.”

Later, Waters added: “The thing the Times should admit, it’s not admitting, their editorial page believes the death penalty is unconstitutional. It’s a violation of the Eighth Amendment. But of course, obviously, Saddam Hussein might not be the ideal poster boy for the anti death penalty movement. I wish they’d just go ahead and say that. I believe that’s the driving force behind their queasiness about the death penalty.”

The other guest, Democratic strategist Kirsten Powers, said twice the Times was “a liberal newspaper,” although she professed that she didn’t agree with their stance on Saddam’s execution. That's bound to make the Fox-hating lefties unhappy.

Varney also mentioned a few of Clay’s Top Ten lowlights at TimesWatch.org. Take a peek at the list in "ascending order of gruesomeness."