Shuster, McCain Flack Battle Over Palin, First Amendment

Here's a video of David Shuster battling with a McCain campaign flack named Ben Porritt over the fact that Sarah Palin doesn't understand the basics of the First Amendment. Porritt, who's showing up late in the game because the starters, having been routed, have all been pulled in favor of the bench, has little choice but to dodge and deflect the question, because Palin is horrible and everyone knows it.

Anyway, you can watch this at your leisure, but I'd suggest you view it with a bit of nostalgia in mind. You see, we've been bringing you these on air battles all year. Remember back in February, how Chris Matthews made Obama spokesman Kirk Watson look like a complete idiot? If you don't, you might remember Rick Sanchez, just last week, straight up PWNING McCain campaigner Michael Goldfarb. That's been the story of the past year; flacks and spokespersons coming on the teevee and frequently having their asses handed to them.

It's been enjoyable, but have some perspective: Watson will probably never appear on television outside of Texas ever again, and Goldfarb, prior to hooking up with the McCain campaign, lost many jobs to houseplants and particularly aggressive airborne diseases. In short: it hasn't been a fair fight. But after this week, the election year is over, and the cable news talking heads will have go back to speaking to competent people, instead of "strategists." That, and struggling to describe what's happening in car chases. So, enjoy these on-air battles while they last, because after Tuesday, they'll be over.

Also, I'm guessing that all this interest in Bill Ayers might diminish as well. We shall see.

Comments

[notb observer]

By hiring Ben Porritt we see a concrete example of the McCain campaign's willingness to make good on its promise to support "special needs" children !

As has been the normal tactic for the Neo-Cons, rather than answering a very important question relating to whom the 1st Amendment was designed to protect, Porritt tried to change the subject to something that the Obama campaign had done earlier. Of course, Porritt seems to have conveniently forgotten that Palin was virtually sequestered from any media contact for months because she was apparently "treated badly by the liberal media".

After 8 years of Cheney, Bush, Rove, Rumsfeld, Gonzales et al. deliberately misleading and lying to the people and their elected representatives, I think intelligent people want to know if McCain-Palin represents more of the same in the way of potential abuse of power and unwillingness to be held to account.

These surrogates are so caught up in webs of bold-faced lies and contradictions that they make Baghdad Bob look like a straight shooter !

[maxfax]

Palin's heading back to Alaska. Now David Shuster, who knew he had such big cajones, you da man David!

[Zubeck]

I'm somewhat amazed by the surprise expressed by some. Nothing I've seen out of Palin demonstrates to me that she has the brainpan to comprehend the Constitution. Add that to the staggering ignorance of other matters of import and only one conclusion can be reached.
She has neither the depth nor the breadth for the job she aspires to.

I will be so glad when Tuesday is over.

[invisible]

Didn't McCain kick Maureen Dowd of his plane WEEKS AGO?!?! I love all the hypocrisy. It's hilarious.

[moveleft]

"We can play it again for you if you like." Priceless!!! There's been a lot of terrible, flaccid coverage of the campaign this year and not just on FoxNews (hear that Wolf Blitzer and John King???) but I have to say, David Shuster from MSNBC and Rick Sanchez from CNN have really stood head and antlers above the anchor pack. These McCain/Palin bozos keep appearing on their newscasts and they keep getting raked over the coals. Here's a hint, GOP flaks: just because you keep repeating the same lies over and over again does not make them true. Any more than trying to claim you have "momentum" makes it so. Which of the two candidates can't even claim his HOME STATE is safe less than 24 hours before election day? That would be John McCain. I especially love how this tool tries to chide Obama for "kicking reporters" off his plane when McCain has done the exact same thing. Ask Maureen Dowd...the­y left her on the tarmac! When McCain and/or Palin do an interview with Keith Olbermann and/or Rachel Maddow like Obama did with blowhard Bill O'Reilly then this hapless flunkie might have a point. Until then, crawl back into bed (did you see how bleary eyed this guy was) and shut up.

[lybabash]

you are my hero!

[derekc06]

and by the way.... SHUSTER...­. what a boss

love that guy... and msnbc...

[derekc06]

Did everybody forget how the McCain campaign banned two reporters as well?

I KNEW the McCain camp would use try to use that story about Obama 'banning' reporters but, of course, when they themselves did it it was never even mentioned at the national level.

outrageous­... one more day...

[RonCanada]

Have you noticed that McCain spokesmen cannot, absolutely cannot, answer a question about McCain or Palin without talking about Obama. Watch for it. There are no exceptions. Ever.

[UnderdogSRD]

I wish I had a dollar for every time a republican pundit / strategist / supporter / spokesman, said "that's not what she meant. I think she meant...." or what she means, or meant to say. I'd be retired by now.

Train wreck. I can't wait to watch the repugs attacking each other on Wednesday. GOP RIP.

[thehonestpolitician]

GO VOTE NOW! Make History! Obama is need of all the votes necessary to create a landslide. Let's make sure that our state turns blue! Bring your friends and family - make it a group thing! Wouldn't you want to say 1 year from now, 5 years from now, or even 20 years from now that you contributed to the most highlighted election in US history? Wouldn't you be proud to tell your kids/grandkids years from now that you voted for this election? It will be the most talked about election for centuries. Voting is a right and a privilege. Let's all make history together!

http://politicaladattacks.blogspot.com/

[frost12]

THE RICH HAVE TO LIE TO THE REST OF US;
IT IS A MAIN INGREDIENT OF
EXPLOITATION.
I SUGGEST THE REST OF YOU WAKE-UP:
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

[hollybork]

David Shuster has impressed me very much this last year. He is excellent, so smart. He forthrightly and bravely goes after the baloney and just cuts right through it. Sounds like he may have training as a a lawyer. Anyway, I think Joe Scarborough couldn't carry Shuster's briefcase. Yet it is Scarborough that is getting these plum jobs. Why?

[NeoStar9]

Joe is a republican that is why I believe. David Shuster I think while being fair has made it clear he isn't a republican. I would include Shuster in with the Matthews, Olbermann, and Maddow wing of MSNBC. I think that flare up between him and Joe Scarboroguh a few months ago on air was real in that they don't really like each other (also with Joe not standing anyone that doesn't allow him to walk over them). You get that same tension between Joe and Chris Matthews as well I think but I don't think he dares do that with Chuck Todd though. Joe likes being the center of attention and can't stand it when he has to share it or is called out. It's part of why he can't stand Rachel Maddow it seems. It's very clear she is far more intelligent and he most likely can't stand it.

When this election is over I think Shuster should get David Gregory's slot. That way we get Shuster, Mattews, Olbermann and then finally Maddow in the evenings.

[TAC]

"When this election is over I think Shuster should get David Gregory's slot."

Great call!

[Abby1]

How in the hell can the Republican party defend those remarks? It is quite clear that she does not understand the First Amendment. If she was smart enough, she would have read it before making such an ignorant comment. She does NOT deserve to be Vice President.­....she would be a bad choice for our country.

[Sammydog]

You have to feel sorry for the guy. Would you want to have to defend some of the garbage that comes out of that woman's mouth?

[GoNitro]

I don't know about Goldfarb, but you'll see Kirk Watson again. He's a good guy, and he's not normally caught flat-footed like that.

[That One]

Sarah Palin is the worst Vice Presidential nominee in our country's history. The problem with Palin is that she is as ingnorant as they come. I've seriously had enough of the winking, the giant-chin­ned-smirki­ng, the too-sibilant forks-on-a­-chalkboar­d "s" sounds, the "nookyooler," the "you betchas," and especially her Romper Room-like penchant for naming and labeling everyone in her audiences: "Romper bomper stomper boo, tell me, tell me, tell me, do! I see Joe the Plumber, Roscoe the Racist, Zed the Gimp..." Yeah, she's not unserious enough as it is. Give her something really stupid to do on the stump.

Thrilling is the prospect of Sarah Palin finally going away. Next Wednesday at this time, it's entirely possible that we'll see the last of Sarah Palin on the national stage. At least for now.