Carville Knocks Politico Reporter: "I Don't Know If I'd Know Ben Smith If He Fell On Me"

James Carville appeared on CNN Friday night to talk with Anderson Cooper about just how behind Obama the Clintons really are. During the discussion Cooper read a quote from an article by Ben Smith (or, as Cooper accidentally referred to him, Ben Stein!) of Politico about how Bill and Hillary's legacy rests on the perception that they are supporting the first African-American candidate. And how did Carville respond? Never one to resist putting someone down, Carville seemingly dismissed Smith's argument by saying he had no idea who the accomplished and influential political reporter was, albeit in more colorful terms.

Watch the clip.

CNN

Comments

[filmex]

Carville would know him if he was an authoritarian rightwing South American President who would write Carville-S­hrum-Green­burg a big check to help slime the left-leaning progressive candidate running in opposition.

Then Carville would know him very, very well. James Carville: "Have No Soul, Will Travel".

[Quilter]

Carville was really good in that Brad Pitt, Jesse James movie...I'­m impressed.

[oogabooga]

How come Carville didn't run for governor of that s*ithole called Louisana?

[GeorgeKaplan]

Flagged

[luckyoldson]

Maybe because he's from...Geo­rgia?

[njoylif]

Luckyoldson,

In reading one of his books he'd mentioned being from Louisiana, not Georgia.

[apikores]

what a shame....c­arville knows he is the face of the past and smith the face of the future--john mccain to smiths obama--so in trademark jackass style he made a snotty quip. im so friggin surprised.

[Transcendentobserver]

The qualifications and political sophistication of "Ben Smith" are certainly not broadly acknowledged, including apparently by CNN's Cooper who evidently confused him with Huffpo's Stein. The segment of journalism which seems to give weight to his opinion appears limited the the fringe left. Carville's comments were, from this observer's perspective, surprisingly balanced, (unusual for Carville), dispassionately objective, and his ad hoc responsive reply to Cooper's obvious attempt to interject polemics, refreshingly humorous.

[luckyoldson]

I agree and exactly why would Carville be familiar with this yahoo Smith?

The man is a hack.

[DMHendrix]

Why is this a story? James Carville was just being his typical smart-a** self, but why Anderson Cooper would quote Ben Smith is beyond me. Who said he is an accomplished "reporter"? Whoever did needs to take 5 minutes and read his stuff. The whole Politico site is terrible..­.from the people that blog on it (or "report" as they like to say) to the people who post comments.

Ben Smith is one of those who will reprint word for word one of those "smear" viral emails about Obama and think nothing of it. You could easily make your point about the validity (or not) of a smear attack without printing every last word of it.

I don't find his work legitimate or investigative journalism. He joins the ranks of the sensationalistic, hyper-sensitive, tabloid style, faux-journalists. There are much better sites available for news other than Politico.

MSNBC has a really bad habit of relying on the gang from Politico for analysis too..but then again, that's pretty much par for the course with them too.

[caldarone]

Which is very sad, that CNN and the likes of Anderson Cooper would quote someone like Ben Smith on his show. it goes to show that is why CNN and MSNBC is loosing int he rating to FAUX Fox news who I hate and despise but damn can they at least be above the fray an stay out of the tabloid internet gossip trying to make it news... Maybe if CNN really report newsworthy stuff stop trying to sensationalize every thing, people will take them seriously.

[jeffp26]

I only know Carville because I keep a list, which keeps growing, of as sholes I despise.

[mikekev58]

But I thought the problem during the primary was that the Clintons were race-baiting, pointing out that Obama was black, i.e., African-American?

Now, the election is all about electing the first African-American president and the legacy of Bill and Hillary Clinton will depend on to what degree they support him as the first African American nominee of a major political party who stands on the brink of winning the White House?

Is this a set-up or what?

There are many more positive contributions to the legacies of Bill and Hillary Clinton than could be iwiped out by a perceived lack of support for the first viable, almost-a-s­hoe-in-to-­win-the-el­ection- African-American presidential nominee.

But in the end, it's Putiphar's wife:

If Barry-O wins, it will be "no thanks to Bill and Hillary Clinton", because______
If Barry-O loses - which is HIS to do - it will be "Bill and Hillary Clinton did not work hard enough to bring enough of her supporters on board the Unity Train."

[NotaBeliever]

I don't know who Ben Smith is ... I reckon he must be somebody important enough that not knowing who he is is just plain wrong ... or this would be a non-story. Is it a non-story? He's a Politico reporter? I don't read Politico. I read a lot of stuff, but not Politico. I reckon that must be wrong. My bad.

[luckyoldson]

He's bounced from the New York Sun, New York Observer and New York Daily News (and what spectacular journalistic enterprises they are)...and now become a "renowned," at least according to HuffPo, author of extremely valuable information everyone must read and be aware of.

In reality, he's nothing but another hack making dough via blogging on the internet..­.because respected mainstream news organizations won't hire his ass.

[nyboomer]

I am amused that Ben Smith fails the accomplished test because some readers are not familiar with him. This is akin to ID proponents who claim that if they can't explain how something came to be it is proff that a supernatural force created it.

The shortcomings of the people writing in response tp this blog prove that Ben Smith is a nobody and no one. Bah humbug!

[Roomer]

Ben Smith fails the accomplishment test because it is so easy to see his work. Commenters who are writing "who the eff is Ben Smith?" are missing the point of those of us who scour the coverage and constantly run across Ben Smith's purported blog: Covering the Dem primaries.­.. He smears Obama (with jagged headlines and rumor-mongering, plus non-stop contempt) and glows about Hillary (with soft vowel-y language and endless praise). His work speaks for itself.

Not only is his work shockingly biased, it is for an organization in its 18th month of existence.

[paixa3]

I do not understand why Americans do not IGNORE this gasbag and his wife as well?

[WFV]

The only thing about Carville I am interested in is this: did he write his $2300 check to my candidate yet? He made such a big deal about writing the check - did he do it, or is it 'in the mail'?

[mikekev58]

The $2300 was to help retire Hillary's campaign debt, and it was a very generous gesture by Obama and Michelle.
Obama does not need any help with retiring a campaign debt yet, and probably never will.
What Carville does with his money has no value, symbolic or otherwise, when it comes to Barack Obama's coffers.
I think I heard that Carville is going to give $2300 to help Bill Richardson retire.

[Highwind]

Ben Smith is a hack. He literally writes articles with innuendo based on zero facts. Most of the reporters at Politico are biased against Obama. They never write any critical articles about John McCain.

[demfriend]

Ben Smith has very little to say of value the majority of the time and he does like to stir it even when he knows he's into the wrong mix. Carville has been around and he has let his preferences be known as he has had them. Speaks his mind and he does have a heart as he lost it when Russert died as they were friends. His wife being of the other party I don't care for but they must have a frightful marriage can you imagine?

[nick1936]

TYPICAL REPORTING HERE AND ON THE MSM THEY JUST KEEP MAKING STUFF UP AND ACT LIKE THEY ARE THE EXPERTS. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO DO REAL REPORTING LIKE THE BUILD UP TO THE IRAQ WAR THEY WERE OUT TO LUNCH

[luckyoldson]

Ben Smith is an "accomplished and influential political reporter".­..that we should ALL know and revere?

Based on what?

His reporting for: The New York Sun, New York Observer and New York Daily News??

What you really mean is this: HuffPo agrees with him and what he writes...t­herefore he's an "accomplished and influential political reporter".­..right?