Charles Krauthammer on Friday evening exposed a classic liberal media hypocrisy concerning the differing bar used to determine truthfulness in politicians depending on their political leaning.
When "Inside Washington" panelist Nina Totenberg (NPR) asked if Republican presidential candidates might not have been totally honest Thursday evening when they all said they wouldn't accept a budget that incorporated ten dollars worth of spending cuts for every dollar raised in taxes, Krauthammer smartly responded, "Obama in the end said he wouldn’t sign a bill that didn’t increase taxes. In the end, he did. Was he lying?" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
COLBY KING, WASHINGTON POST: But I found most telling, the thing I found most telling in the debate was a question that was raised by Bret Baier the moderator.
GORDON PETERSON, HOST: Good moderator.
KING: Excellent moderator. As a matter of fact I thought the panel was very good except for a couple of questions.
NINA TOTENBERG, NPR: Hmm hmm.
KING: When he asked about a deal, “Would you accept a deal when you get ten, you know, for every ten dollars, ten cuts you get one tax increase?” To a person, they all said they would reject such a deal. That tells you about where the Republican field is. It’s, it’s Tea Party locked in.
ROGER SIMON, POLITICO: Exactly, they all joined the Tea Party at that moment.
KING: Yeah.
PETERSON: Ten to one. No?
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: Yeah, well, I would do it.
[Laughter]
PETERSON: You’re not running.
NINA TOTENBERG, NPR: And I think that was the problem for the Republican Party in this debate. I mean, you know, Romney definitely by staying above the fray was the, as you sad, adult in the room. But when you sort of, any Party gets defined by these debates somewhat, and if you, if the Party looks whacky, which that answer makes it look, it’s not good for the Party.
TOTENBERG: What, you’re going to lie?
KRAUTHAMMER: …you take a hard line on taxes. Obama in the end said he wouldn’t sign a bill that didn’t increase taxes. In the end, he did. Was he lying?
Exactly.
It really has been amazing to watch media members like Totenberg completely forgive Obama all the promises he's broken.
From extending the Bush tax cuts, to leaving Gitmo open, continuing renditions, and most recently raising the debt ceiling without tax hikes, the current White House resident has gone back on more pledges in a shorter period of time than virtually any president in recent memory.
When a Republican does this - for example, George H.W. Bush with his no new taxes campaign promise - he is thoroughly excoriated by the press even if they support his new position.
But Obama can promise the American people anything he wants and break such assurances with the full knowledge that his faithful supporters in the media will either ignore his transgression or cover it up.
Must be nice.
