Liberal media members sure do hate conservative think tanks.
Take NBC's Andrea Mitchell who on Sunday's Meet the Press said, "Jim DeMint and Heritage have been completely discredited among Republicans, among conservative Republicans" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
ANDREA MITCHELL: One quick point about Jim DeMint. He should not be bragging about anything. Jim DeMint and Heritage have been completely discredited among Republicans, among conservative Republicans, Orrin Hatch criticizing them. They will not have the power that they had hoped to have.
For the record, Hatch didn't say Heritage has been discredited. Here's what NewsBusters reported Thursday:
When MSNBC’s Chuck Todd said "The right's not going to be happy with” majority leader Mitch McConnell, Hatch not only defended McConnell but said Heritage in its “radicalness” will be losing its clout and reputation:
HATCH: Well, to be honest with you, the right is a multiplicity of various groups, some of which aren't even Republicans but who think they can control the Republican Party. And some of which have been good think tanks in the past but now are losing their reputation because of some of this radicalness.
TODD: Are you referring to Heritage?
HATCH: Well, yeah, of course I am. Heritage used to be the conservative organization helping Republicans and helping conservatives and helping us to be able to have the best intellectual, conservative ideas.
There's a real question in the minds of many Republicans now, and I'm not just speaking for myself -- for a lot of people -- that, is Heritage going to go so political that it really doesn't amount to anything any more? I hope not. I'm going to try and help it to survive and do well. But right now, I think it's in danger of losing its clout and its power around Washington, D.C.
Hatch clearly was displeased with Heritage coming out on Wednesday calling for House Republicans to reject the Senate's proposal to reopen government, raise the debt ceiling, and fully fund ObamaCare.
Mitchell should be advised that 144 House Republicans voted against that continuing resolution. 87 voted yes.
As such, her claim that Heritage has been "completely discredited among Republicans, among conservative Republicans" was just wishful thinking.
