Touchy, touchy! Diane Sawyer is in the business of dishing out tough questions and challenging people's answers. But when a guest on today's "Good Morning America" politely corrected her on a First Amendment matter, the GMA host was quick to accuse him of "attacking" her.Los Angeles-based radio talk show host Larry Elder was Diane's guest, in to discuss the Imus matter. Sawyer introduced him as a "conservative radio host" though on his own site Elder describes himself as a "libertarian" and "a blend of fiscal conservative and social liberal." Of course we all know how many times the MSM has described Al Sharpton as a "liberal" in the course of his innumerable appearances over the last week or so: that would be precisely zero, at last count.
Elder opined that Imus' punishment did not fit the crime. Imus' comment was offensive, sexist and racist, said Elder, "but he apologized, apologized again, did the obligatory beatdown tour à la Michael Richards by appearing on the Al Sharpton show, and as far as I'm concerned, that should have been enough. In the grand department store of life, Don Imus operates in the toy section and I think that those remarks should have been taken with some perspective, but they weren't."Story Continues Below Ad ↓
To her credit, Sawyer then raised the issue of rap lyrics, displaying some on-screen with blanked-out words, their messages more vile than anything Imus had said.
SAWYER [wrapping up]: Free speech issues abound in all of this.
There were big smiles on both sides, but one sensed that Sawyer's feelings had indeed been hurt, and that Elder was trying to recover from what he feared might have been a GMA-career ending moment.ELDER [politely correcting her]: Diane, I do want to take issue with the term 'free speech.' This has nothing to do with free speech. Free speech has to do with the government suppressing political speech. This has to do with a private employer, CBS, determining for all sorts of reasons that Don Imus ought to go. That's just the way things go. That's just free enterprise. It has nothing to do with free speech."
SAWYER: Well, free speech enables you to end this interview by attacking me! Thank you very much.
ELDER: I didn't attack you Diane, I was just simply clarifying something.
SAWYER: Alright, Larry, good to talk to you this morning.
Lessons learned: the MSM is quick to identify people as "conservative" even if they don't see themselves that way, but is loath to label liberals. And the heavy hitters of the MSM can dish it out, but aren't nearly so good when it comes to taking it.
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Liberals are always correct..
April 13, 2007 - 08:10 ET by ltcolusmcretLiberals are always correct...just ask them.
"Of course we all know
April 13, 2007 - 08:16 ET by sarcasmo"Of course we all know how many times the MSM has described Al Sharpton as a "liberal" in the course of his innumerable appearances over the last week or so: that would be precisely zero, at last count."
Just as we also all see that they're having trouble with a certain unpopular L-word, again...
JMR
Sarcasmo, as our resident l
April 13, 2007 - 08:24 ET by Mark FinkelsteinSarcasmo, as our resident libertarian, have you followed Elder? Do you consider him a libertarian?
I like what little I hear f
April 13, 2007 - 08:33 ET by sarcasmoI like what little I hear from/of Mr. Elder, but for some reason -- despite disliking Sharpton -- I know about 10X as much about him. I'm also quite ignorant (at least as far as TV goes, Limbaugh guest hosting doesn't count) on the views of Walter Williams, for that matter... Yes, I do think Larry Elder's probably a libertarian like Walter Williams is, but I'm certainly no arbiter of who is or isn't. (Once Bill Clinton claimed the word described him, we all pretty much gave-up on any meaning for it!).
JMR
Sarc thanks for the quote &qu
April 13, 2007 - 10:28 ET by Dan The Man 2Sarc thanks for the quote "I am quite Ignorant...", I will blackmail you with that one in the future. Not really but I love it.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark. -- save my gun, shoot a liberal.
I listen to Larry Elder almos
April 13, 2007 - 10:37 ET by hjmickI listen to Larry Elder almost everyday and can tell you he is very much a libertarian. He sometimes refers to himself as a Republitarian. He is also one of the most intelligent people on radio today, IMO.
I am allergic to piety, it makes me break out in rash judgements. - Penn Jillette
Elder describes himself as a
April 13, 2007 - 11:40 ET by RODVALElder describes himself as a "libertarian" and "a blend of fiscal conservative and social liberal."
I've followed Elder's written work and I really respect him. I think his description above sums it up. He recently has a cable show called Moral Court which I've been watching. After watching it several days I think he should underline the "social liberal" and maybe captilize it.
"Let him who seeth them not, deride me for saying these things, and I will pity him, while he derides me."
Augustin, "Confessions"
Unfortunate mentality
April 13, 2007 - 08:24 ET by c5thenThe liberla mindset is such that any correction is taken as a personal attack. Any point of view that is different than theirs is obviously held by someone who doesn't like them, or people like them, otherwise how could someone disagree?
It's easy to shatter their smug superiority
April 13, 2007 - 08:33 ET by RJIt's easy to shatter their smug superiority by disagreeing on the facts, because the foundation is usually emotional, not factual.
We just had the same over-reaction from Sheryl Crow and Laurie David when Joe Kernan of CNBC pointed out facts that contradicted their AGW rants.
"Did we think Kyoto would [reduce global warming] when we signed it? . . . Hell no!" -Al Gore
Is Diane sexist/racist? Jus
April 13, 2007 - 08:27 ET by connorinIs Diane sexist/racist? Just because a black male corrects her, she felt she was being attacked?
She's not racist, She's "enlightened"
April 13, 2007 - 08:51 ET by Cool ArrowDiane is horrified to be in company with an African American who seems to have strayed from the "Victicrat" plantation. (Elder coined the term).
Victicrats respond willingly to the "patronizing condescension" of Liberals (also coined by Elder).
In other words: If you're Black and not begging for Government subsistence, you are a traitor to how we have determined your race should act.
He did attack her.
April 13, 2007 - 08:29 ET by Cool ArrowShe's a big time talk show host and she knows a lot of stuff. Larry Elder shouldn't go on her show armed with nothing more than a superior intellect and a keen grasp of the Constitution.
The voice in Sawyer's ear should be fired for not giving her something smarter to say like:
Yeah, well the Constitution can't be all that great because as you can see, it had to be Amended. That's why we call it an Amendment. So there, I gotcha!!! Celebration dance...pantomimes slamdunk...hands in the air.
Liberals are the most thin-
April 13, 2007 - 08:51 ET by motherbeltLiberals are the most thin-skinned, chip-carrying individuals to ever inhabit the political scene. Every disagreement with them is termed an "attack." Every criticism of a liberal candidate is political "mudslinging." Had Sawyer really "attacked" Elder, that would be posing "hard-hitting questions."
This is why they want to silence conservatives on radio and wherever else they can. Because they can't win in a fair fight.
And when you present them wit
April 13, 2007 - 09:34 ET by drillanwrAnd when you present them with facts and actual figures, sans feelings, they call it hate speech ... You almost expect them to shout back, in flustered breath of course, "Yeah? Well, you're a poopy-head!!!"
Letting Liberals run this country is like letting your kids run the house.
Right Wing Attack Job
April 13, 2007 - 08:54 ET by JimboThere is no doubt in my mind that since Larry Elder appears on Fox News, Dianne went into that session with a preconceived idea that she was going to be the subject of a “right wing attack job”. She didn’t say “right wing”, but she meant it.
Jimbo says - "There is a fine line between freedom of speech and treason"
Bad hair day
April 13, 2007 - 08:57 ET by acumenDiane was obviously having a bad (nappy?) hair day.
Next stop; The View
April 13, 2007 - 09:06 ET by Cool ArrowWouldn't Diane fit in perfectly on "The View"? She could be the Conservative balance.
Sawyer
April 13, 2007 - 09:14 ET by pocomocoAs a white, carpet-bagging, New York Upper East Side, limousine liberal, Sawyer was aghast that a plantation ‘house boy’ like Elder, had the audacity to correct her. Obvious, he doesn’t know his place.
Sawyers ‘friends’ want his vote, but not his opinion, and by implication, she is telling him to sit down and shut up, and don’t speak until your spoken to.
More Liberal Hypocrisy
April 13, 2007 - 09:20 ET by JimboGood point. Sawyer’s “friends” get themselves elected time and time again by telling minorities that they are the ones who will fight for them, they are the ones who have their interests at heart, they are the ones who will allow them to succeed in society, but don’t ever be so pretentious as to tell us what to think!
Just more hypocrisy from the left!
Jimbo says - "There is a fine line between freedom of speech and treason"
Failed Education System
April 13, 2007 - 09:21 ET by Cool ArrowAnybody notice we are being flooded with African Americans who have risen above the soft bigotry of low expectations?
Mighty uppity of Elder to correct Diane Sawyer.
We need to increase Government funding of the Educators Union.
Sawyer didn't rub Elder's head for good luck did she.
passive agressive
April 13, 2007 - 09:26 ET by Paul Detrick[cough] passive agressive [cough]
A black man falsely accused a
April 13, 2007 - 09:28 ET by NoMoreClintonsA black man falsely accused at attacking a white woman? Hey, where are Tawana Sharpton and Hymietown Jackson on this one???
ROFL with that one Nomo! &
April 13, 2007 - 09:31 ET by MightyMouthROFL with that one Nomo!
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Listen to the Mockingbird
April 13, 2007 - 09:32 ET by Cool ArrowWhere's Atticus Finch when you need him.
I'd just love it if Diane c
April 13, 2007 - 09:33 ET by sarcasmoI'd just love it if Diane came here & tried to defend herself, even if under a pseudonym. (I know, I'd also like to get a royal flush the every time I play poker!) It's shocking when someone whose livelihood depends on it displays such ignorance of the First Amendment...
JMR
The combined effort of her wh
April 13, 2007 - 09:39 ET by Cool ArrowThe combined effort of her whole newsroom couldn't stand the heat.
BTW. Where was the outrage when the Rutgers Coach referred to her players as "articulate"?
Deirdre Imus: She expressed h
April 13, 2007 - 09:35 ET by ding7777Deirdre Imus:
Give me a break
April 13, 2007 - 09:41 ET by Cool ArrowSurely the sins of the whole world are borne on this man's shoulders.
Ding, you do realize that t
April 13, 2007 - 09:42 ET by MightyMouthDing, you do realize that the perps of the emails to the team have nothing to do with what true Republicans/Conservs stand for. So, if you are trying to slap at us, you missed big time!
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Ding-a-ling, What is your p
April 13, 2007 - 10:11 ET by John in CADing-a-ling, What is your point? Was there something of substance in the quote you posted?
Give a Democrat Party free America a chance!
We conservatives had said rep
April 13, 2007 - 10:28 ET by NoMoreClintonsWe conservatives had said repeatedly that the women on the Rutgers team are innocent parties and are to be admired for getting to the championship game. Now if Imus had called
Tawana Sharpton a "nappy-headed ho" . . . wait that won't work either due to the large amounts of Dixie Pomade in use there. But, "ho" . . . by all means.
Truth Test
April 13, 2007 - 10:07 ET by Cool ArrowIf Bob Woodward had offered the same clarification of the First Amendment, do we really think her retort would have been the same?
Sawyer toes the line.
Better talk about Terry Moran
April 13, 2007 - 10:14 ET by pearlIf NB wants to stay relevant, you better quickly put up a post about Terry Moran.
Pearl, you mean like this?
April 13, 2007 - 10:27 ET by Mark FinkelsteinPearl, you mean like this?
http://newsbusters.org/node/12002
Oops
April 13, 2007 - 10:35 ET by pearlOops, I'm an idiot:)
I bow to the NB Gods.
That would be an example of
April 13, 2007 - 12:49 ET by Jack BauerThat would be an example of pearl before slime*..
(*the slme being Moran, of course)
Whats terry moran got to do w
April 13, 2007 - 10:29 ET by bassndudeWhats terry moran got to do with Diane and her sence of being attacked and her obvious ignorance of the Constitution?
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
Sawyer
April 13, 2007 - 11:09 ET by iveseenitallSawyer runs around the world disrespecting America, praising dictators by whom she's never "insulted". She's on the list of traitors with Jane Fonda. Forget Imus, if the MSM really wanted to do some good for this nation, they'd fire her for using her "free speech" more irresponsibly than the white male they just canned.
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
Good point. Same for Sharpt
April 13, 2007 - 11:45 ET by dahliatraversGood point. Same for Sharpton, Jackson and rappers who use racist, misogynist language.
Larry Elder on GMA
April 13, 2007 - 11:15 ET by River CityApparently Ms. Sawyer doesn't want to let the facts get in the way of a bad story. This is easy to compare to the MSM's take on Global Warming. They do the exact same thing. They tell the embellished story with half truths and we counter with facts and figures. Then they scream "Well, your mother wears combat boots." Game. Set. Match. Same pattern, same formula every time. You think we would learn.
Sawyer and other leftoids goe
April 13, 2007 - 11:30 ET by Senior ChiefSawyer and other leftoids goes overseas to talk to the enemies of the state that caters and symphatize their agenda and vise versa. These lefties talks to islamo-fascists and communists that wants to topple America, but for some reason these leftoids are afraid to talk to their countrymen that has substance in the argument of ideas...
And what's up with wanna-be presidents who's afraid to debate their fellow democracks wanna-be presidents on a TV station that is not to their liking. How can they be presidents and journalists when they are showing their cowardness? Do you all folks see the pattern of leftoids, liberals and democracks ways? Just confirming...
She made up her mind to dump
April 13, 2007 - 11:53 ET by RODVALShe made up her mind to dump him the minute he came on and for any made up reason. Like a fighter taking a fall in the first round. First punch that might look good to the crowd and down you go. She is dumb enough to use the thing he said instead of something with more substance in a later round, though. She hadn't had time to think about the First Ammendment and its application. These people can't think on their feet. Now she has to defend her interpretation of the First Ammend and she can't do it. Dumber than dirt.
"Let him who seeth them not, deride me for saying these things, and I will pity him, while he derides me."
Augustin, "Confessions"
Who cares wether he apologized or not
April 13, 2007 - 11:54 ET by SportPoliticsWho cares wether he apologized or not. I always have to ask myself, is that the standard you people have ? If someone "seems" sincere, you've all got your liberal FBI lie detector view the body language and tone gear running ?
What a pathetic stance. " He seemed sincere"...
That's thought police stuff.
He obviously does not give a damn or he wouldn't have said it to begin with, and the only reason he said anything at all, is because he was forced into it. You are all just happy as a peach that he didn't give all of you the finger, which he obviously should have, since you have all given him the double flipped birdie.
I understand you all want to be like Europe where they jail holocaust deniers - heck - imprison them in dark barren places for their thoughts and ideas...
Let's face it. IMUS was a great target for all the self righteous because he was known to be a caver and a butt kisser when all was said and done. It's like employing the entire LA county Sherriff department's full time officers to go after a kid stealing a ball of bubble gum from the corner mart.
Good for you, all you goody two shoes got him.
Part of the lying outrage crew, 24/7/365.
Hey sarcasmo, I think Clint
April 13, 2007 - 14:17 ET by BeanManHey sarcasmo, I think Clinton meant to refer to himself not as a Libertarian, but as a libertine.
beanman but as a libertine.
April 13, 2007 - 14:22 ET by misterbill"but as a libertine." Is that anything like a sardine????
Covering her behind
April 13, 2007 - 21:28 ET by nkviking75Maybe Diane is afraid to concede that an employer has a right to limit what she says on their air. Not that ABC News is ever likely to call her out on anything...
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
offense
April 14, 2007 - 04:35 ET by ricksanderClearly, there was no attack. Diane probably was expecting some sort of conservative 'attack' so the first time there was something contrary, she felt like she got her attack. Really weird.
I wish someone would "
April 15, 2007 - 10:21 ET by mytwocentsI wish someone would "attack" her verbally for a change. It might take her down about 7 or 8 notches.