On Thursday, MSNBC's Chuck Todd, in the introduction to his "Daily Rundown" program, characterized both the response to the Obama administration's barricading of the World War II Memorial and Harry Reid's response to a question about helping children with cancer by funding the National Institutes for Health ("Why would we want to do that?") as "manufactured outrage."
World War II ended in 1945, 68 years ago. That war's vets are mostly in their late 80s to mid-90s. Those who don't live within driving distance of Metro DC are running out of time to see the memorial dedicated to their heroic, world-saving efforts. Accordingly, charities such as Honor Flight have been set up to give vets who might not otherwise be able to visit because of finances or infirmity the chance to do so. No one had to "manufacture" outrage over the Obama administration's proactive and vindictive effort to prevent long-scheduled visits from occurring. It came quite naturally. Video (HT Twitchy), relevant portions of Todd's program introduction, and additional comments are after the jump:
Relevant transcript:
Shutdown Day 3, no end in sight.
Prime-time White House Hill meeting with Hill leaders yields nothing but head-shaking and some recycled talking points.
Meantime, much of the public conversation is centered around World War II veterans and cancer patients.
This is what happens when nothing is actually happening behind the scenes: the manufactured outrage.
The Obama administration proactively decided to spend money during a partial government shutdown to deploy barricades (better term: "Barry-cades") and seven guards (more than were present at Benghazi on September 11, 2012) to prevent vets in town on a long-planned visit to the memorial, which has been open to the public 24-7 until now, from entering the grounds. The outrage over these moves was clearly spontaneous — unlike the despicable spectacle on Wednesday when about 20 paid demonstrators for the a union-backed group called "Good Jobs Nation" tried to gain camera time and attention by showing up at the memorial to protest against ... John Boehner.
As to what Harry Reid said on Wednesday, it was self-evidently outrageous. CNN reporter and virtual card-carrying liberal Dana Bash, the person who questioned Reid, certainly felt that way. As if that wasn't enough, Reid, attacked Bash for having the nerve to ask a reasonable question.
There's a third item of outrage here which isn't manufactured. It's mine, and it's over Chuck Todd's sneering contempt for anyone who objects, even substantively — no, make that especially if substantively — to the conduct of Obama, the Obama administration, Harriy Reid, and other Democrats during the shutdown thus far.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
