All of weeks ago, Ed Schultz reacted with disgust on his radio show to news that Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., told other Republicans that Obama's attempt to enact massive health reform could be the president's "Waterloo."
Here's Schultz on July 21, responding to DeMint's remark while interviewing Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. (click here for audio) --
SCHULTZ: So, Jim DeMint basically is showing where the Republicans really are. They just want to, they want to Waterloo the president.
Yes, "Waterloo" as verb. And yes, Schultz actually talks like that.
More along same lines from Schultz the following day (here for audio) --
SCHULTZ: Now let's stay on point with this guy Jim DeMint from South Carolina who said on the "Today" show today, 'there's a lot in this bill that people won't like.' Do we have that? All right, let's play that.
DeMINT: His goal seems to be a government takeover, not making insurance more available. So I do think we need to stop the president on this. We need to stop his policy ...
SCHULTZ: And he went on to say that he would not take back the Waterloo statement, his assertion earlier that the health care overhaul Obama is pushing will be his Waterloo. What a challenge to the millions who supported President Obama.
And what a difference a month can make. Here's Schultz on Aug. 17, issuing much the same "challenge," with the White House appearing to respond to Schultz as he responded to DeMint in July (audio here) --
SCHULTZ (preceded by musical intro at start of segment): Thank you for being right here where America comes to talk, the Ed Schultz show. We need a little less talking and a heck of a lot more action. Since when did Dick Armey or any Republican become an expert on health care? That just rather amazes me. And as much as it hurts me to say it, this is starting to look like Obama's Waterloo. Believe it or not, the great communicator is having a hard time communicating with his base.
Schultz's parroting of DeMint's observation apparently caught the attention of the White House, which reacted dismissively the next day. This did not go over well with Schultz, as was evident on Wednesday's radio show (audio here) --
SCHULTZ (reading unidentified news story): President Obama's advisers acknowledged Tuesday that they were unprepared for the intraparty riff that occurred over the fate of a proposed public health insurance program. And one White House adviser, a senior White House adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity, said 'I don't understand why the left of the Left has decided that it is their Waterloo.'
'The left of the Left' -- what is that? Asking for conclusion when the Republicans are doing nothing but obstruct? No. Don't start attacking your base, White House, don't do that. That would be a tragic thing to do.
" 'The left of the Left' -- what is that?" Schultz asks in feigned ignorance. That would be you, Ed, same guy the White House dutifully seats in the front row for Obama's press conferences.
In fairness to Schultz, he has provided useful clarity here. Nice to hear a liberal finally acknowledge "the left of the Left" comprise Obama's base. How much left of that before you bump into socialism?
