Campbell Brown Holds Paulson, Bush Accountable For Crisis: "Seriously, What Were You Thinking?"

Campbell Brown continued her streak of keeping politicians' feet to the fire Wednesday night, laying into President Bush and Secretary Paulson over their lack of accountability for the current financial crisis and urging the leaders to allow "scrutiny and debate" over the bailout proposal before Congress.

Brown first played a series of clips of the two over the last six months reassuring Americans that the economy was strong, then said, "today, of course, they have been proven completely wrong....This administration missed the boat on this crisis."

Brown also said she found it "amazing" that the administration was "surprised that Congress and the American people are not marching in lock-stop with them on this." She continued:

"Secretary Paulson, frankly, you didn't help the situation with your initial imperious request to Congress that you be handed this money and that your decisions on what to do with it — your language here — "may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency." Seriously, what were you thinking?"

Finally, continuing her call for transparency, Brown urged leaders to allow "scrutiny and debate" on the bailout plan:

"Now, I know everyone is screaming about how urgent this crisis is, that action must be taken immediately. But I love and live by former Supreme Court Justice Brandeis' great quote: 'Sunshine is the best disinfectant.' What we need is scrutiny and debate. If it has to happen quickly, then do it fast. But without grandstanding, or political posturing. Serious scrutiny and debate — and that should happen whether we are talking about a giant piece of legislation that is going to affect all of our lives, or whether we are talking about our Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates."

Watch:

Previously: Campbell Brown Rips McCain Camp's "Sexist" Treatment Of Palin

Comments

[castlerider]

I believe we have Rachel (Maddow) to thank for showing that it is really a matter of INTELLIGENCE to be properly informed, not simply a matter of following partisan views, and when you take this into context in an absolutely non emotional, factual manner, you realize that the center has thereby moved dramatically to the LEFT!!!

Case in point:
People don't like being lied to, as in the Iraq conflict: Moves away from the right.
People can see that so many cases where Bush's staff and henchmen have lied and done terrible: Libby, Gonzales, Cheney, Rove,... More away from the right
People don't like what's happened to our economy, and know it's the republicans mostly in charge, for the last 8 years, and now this financial meltdown: Moves WAYYY away from the right.::

SO- here we are. A new center. Pundits need to be hip. -Or they're just flat NOT doin' their job.

[Einstein44]

Finally,I am starting to grow on Campbell...what took so long ?

[kassandrasduplex]

Has she YET mentioned Foreclosure Phil Gramm's Commodity Futures Modernization Act which was FORCED onto a weakened President Clinton with VETO-PROOF Congressional majority support? I do not trust Campbell Brown.
She needs to hold MORE REPUBLICAN feet to the fire.

[GHENT007]

Her husband is a "big shot" Republican!!!!

[Agarbeau]

We are screwed! There will never be "serious," non-partisan debate by the government bodies--ever! We need to be thinking of a post-U.S. Constitution age in America. A new flag, new national anthem...a new everything from the ground up. Put the religious, political, and other demigods in the coal fields of West Virginia and let's get started! The rule of law in this country has been a myth for decades.

[HaloGuy]

Actually buddy, your elected president has already commenced the groundwork on this. Its called the Amero; look it up.

I, however, am no one to judge: I believe 90% of the masses shouldn't be allowed to procreate.

[kassandrasduplex]

The U.S. Constitution is a pretty good document. If only the Republicans were honor it...maybe we wouldn't need be thinking about a 'post-US Constitution' America. Of course we'd need to return to a truly FREE press, not a consolidated corporate propaganda press.

[1sparrow]

i think we have been had by double-think. hey all you suckers sign this bailout bill. similar to drill,drill,driil, heard not long ago. well, they were ready to sign and the drill drill drill may have worked also. but then republicans stepped in and said 700billion? for what? you pay it. so the circular argument is this= we demand they pay and if they do they have stupidly (and predictively) gave us all their future for at least 20 years. if they stall for even a few days we'll jump in and say no it's a rip-off... a win win for us. they seem to have won the drill drill nonsense- may i suggest we jail , impeach, recall, execute , and confiscate all the wealth b-4 it ends up in dubai or paraguay.

[Azjhutch]

Campbell Brown: she is a rabid republican, but the scales fell from her eyes after she cornered a McCain hack and kept asking him for an example of when Palin had commanded the Alaska national guard. Repubs berated her and oh, wow, she now knows how it feels to be called a traitor for asking a question. However she got there, it is good she is there, tho.

[lynettema]

It is so encouraging to see some journalists finally do what journalists should do. It started with the women on the View. Then Rachel and Campbell, Keith has been hammering home alone, now Letterman. Thank heaven. I was beginning to think I would never see it again in my lifetime. But it is just a beginning.

[checkitout]

Congrats, Campbell for discovering your inner Rachel Maddow.

[Oldtimer]

Campbell Brown is hiotting her stride by saying what everyone is thinking. I don't understand why
others find it so difficult when Bush and Paulsen are so blatant. Arianna has spoken eloquently
about how the news is presented in a grey manner as if there is no right or wrong anymore.
It's high time news anchors started presenting the news with a right and wrong flavor.
We know FOX does propaganda. CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN should address the right and wrongs
of bailout news.

[HST]

"The regulators and regulations in place were corrupt and outdated. " -what, Bush couldn't appoint any regulators and 6 years of republican majority congress couldn't change regulations?
"Dodd said there was no reason to worry. " So did Paulson (the Bush appointee) up until last month if I remember correctly. Now however he has the answer to the problem he didn't se coming.
"Which of course was passed on to individuals such as Dodd and Obama not to mention many of the executives on their boards were former Clinton cab members." Unlike McCain's campaign manager who was taking "consultant fees" from Freddie Mac until last month and lying about it.
"Individuals like Dodd and Frank dismissed the concerns that the Republicans expressed." Yeah Repubs are all sooo concerned about regulations and regulators. I hear that all the time -NOT. I must've missed the speeches where the GOP touts regulation and reform. Hilarious!
Phil Gramm McCain's econ adviser was responsible passing the flawed provisions that deregulated financial markets and is the author of the "enron rule"

daves333 you are dissed and dismissed!

Go back and get some more GOP talking points or better yet get a self operating brain.

[vipersdad]

Finally - someone having a "Walter Cronkite moment"

Thank you Ms. Brown - it's great to see that good editorial journalism is not dead.

[DrCahill]

Common Sense is finally beginning to prevail in America!

[1differentdrummer]

What? Another news person holding the Bushies accountable? Molly would love it.

[Artos]

1differentdrummer,

I'm assuming that you are refering to Molly Ivins. yes she would and I'm saddened that she isn't here to write about it. She had the ability to cut to the chase. I loved reading her columns and find that there aren't many out there who can match her scathing wit. Maureen Dowd is about as close as one can get nowadays. This stuff happening now would offer a field day to Molly. Mores the pity for her absence.

[littledogs1]

This disaster is of republican making, the Banking mod act, and Enron loophole, all writen by Mccains number 1 go to guy on the economy. Now what they want is for the Dems to be the ones who are forced to act like adults, they can fight against the bail out and look like the Maverics, and Democrates are left holding the bag. And John Mccain trys to grandstand after 11 days of flip flopping positions and ride into washington like some sort of savior, he is a joke, He would do anything to keep Saint Sarah, from debating Joe Biden on thurs, so "we can debate thurs, and we will just move the vp debate to an indefinate date" bullshit. You picked her and if you are so happy with you pick let her speak, not stump speaches but a full on press conferance, real town halls with real questions that she actualy ansews. The American people have the right to know who would be a heart beat from a 72 year old heart which has had cancer 4 times.

[keepacoolhead]

Campbell Brown! I pull my hat to you, doing what the media is supposed to do. We've got to keep all these guys accountable, Republicans as well as Democrats. Hold their feet to the fire. We need media people like you!!!

[Artos]

keepacoolhead,

Hear, hear, I agree with you. It's refreshing to see and hear someone, other than those Republican shills on Fox, who does actually tell the truth in a fair and balance fashion. More of this would be welcome.