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

[OBXartist]

Another poor soul charged with salvaging Sarah Palin's latest outburst. That's the scary thing about Palin. She's confident and arrogant in the way that only the truly ignorant can be. With her attractiveness and charisma, she's managed to fail upward nearly to the Presidency. G*d only knows how she's managed to offset the negative of that voice...she's not THAT pretty. She seems to be loaded with ambition and dreams of reaching the top, but apparently has no idea why she's reaching for the brass ring (except that it's there), or any coherent plans for what she would hope to accomplish should she actually stumble into the top spot.

[roch20]

I got an e-mail for Sarah "Failing" Palin, here is the Constitution, just in case she wanted to read it...

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Amends

[Badfickle]

David it such an unfair gotcha game to say that Sarah Palin doesn't understand the first amendment. Whe all know that the first amendment was specifically designed to keep the press from saying bad things about empty headed nitwits from Alaska.

[Bullwinkie]

amazing, he tries to dodge the question by accusing Obama of dodging questions.

loved his expression when the question turned to palin, he knew he was toast.

[robotfog]

Maybe Bill Ayers will have his own show and Joe the Plumber will be his on location correspondent.

[moongal6]

There is only one person who can clear up this whole Constitutional question, a person who was a Constitutional Law Professor for 10 years........

Barack Obama.

Perhaps Sarah could run this by him before she opens her silly, always open, mouth.

[hyla9]

Great point!

[Beca]

12 years. By the way, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden are considered Constitutional Scholars--they both have also taught Constitutional Law for years at Univ. of Chicago Law School (Obama) and University of Delawar Law School (Biden).
People should also know that neither Bush nor Cheney had any law training or education, and clearly had no knowledge or understanding of the US Constitution--looks what they have done with our Constitution! This is just like McCain and Palin who not only were very poor students in college, but have had no legal education or training and lack working knowledge of the U.S Constitution.
Since one of the major duties of the President and Vice President of the United States is to Protect, Preserve and Defend the U.S. Constitution, it would be wise to elect the candidates who actually KNOW the U.S. Constitution. A team of brilliant Constitutional Scholars like Obama/Biden are a perfect fit.
Vote for Obame/Biden on Tuesday, November 4th!! (If you don't have early voting in your state, which I don't here in PA) VOTE!

[jwatso7]

It's amazing to me how many times scenes like this have repeated themselves in this campaign. On MSNBC and CNN, I've seen at least a half dozen times when McCain spokespeople were called out for their BS and pushed to answer the question. When challenged, none of them could. I wish more anchors did this with pundits from BOTH sides. They're allowed to distort and say things that aren't true - both republicans and democrats - and anchors never call them on it. This is what journalism should be.

[iPolitics]

Shuster understands the Constitution

Palin not so much

[elizabethc]

Where is Tucker Bounds? That man always makes me laugh.

[starboymikey]

The First Amendment does not protect anyone from criticism. Its purpose is just the oppoiste, Gov. Palin. It was written, at least in part, to allow ordinary citizens (which includes the press) to question our leaders and would-be leaders about their positions and statements, and to hold those positions and statements up to public insepection. In theory that's how we decide who to vote for.

Furthermore, there is nothing in the Constitution that protects your right not to be questioned, criticized and yes, even ridiculed for your views. It's what we call "freedom of expression" and is kind of the law-of-the-land, at least in the lower forty-eight. If you don't believe it, you can look that up on the Internet if you like. Just type "freedom of expression" into your Google search field and hit the "Go" button. You'll find lots of swell information, by gosh.

Now, if freedom if expression as a concept doesn't work for you, there's a country you claim to be able to see from your home in Alaska that gives its leaders a bit more protection from the media. You may not want to move there, but you may want to stop bad-mouthing them so much since their way of doing things is apparently a bit more in line with your own thinking.

[labman57]

Palin in 2012? Some people are giving her too much credit. True, she is a moderately savvy politician, but she also is blissfully ignorant about the inner-workings of anything beyond the borders of Alaska.

She has the faux folksy charm and lack of intellectual curiosity of George W. Bush and the Machiavellian mindset of Dick Cheney. Do we really want to relive the nightmare of the past 8 years?

Palin does have a skill set that lends itself to a fairly fruitful career in news broadcasting--specifically, she would be great at delivering the weather forecast for a local Alaskan TV station. "Today, Anchorage.......it will be COLD. (Brrrrrrrrr!) Tomorrow, it will be COLDER, doggone it. (Brrrrrrrrrrr!) Back to you, Frank."

[robotfog]

If Palin were an ordinary person, she'd be capable of bringing herself up to speed over the next 4 years. In her case, however, it would take about 70 years, so i certainly am not worried about her ever winning any office other than an Alaskan one.

[ExpatEd]

The problem with her 'faux folksy charm' is that it really is 'faux'. The people in Alaska don't recognize who she's become and hope she drops her "folksy Nebraska manner" (in the words of one Alaska blogger) before she goes back.

[varekai]

Maybe Shuster can be the new Meet the Press host.

(particularly if he can make peace with the Clintons)

I agree Allen! I've always liked David except for the "pimp" remark. He has apologized (painfully) and I accept it. Since he has come back I think he is better than ever. He would be perfect for moderator on"Meet The Press" which is almost impossible to fill after the passing of Tim Russert. (I still can't believe it). A lot of politicians would go out of their way NOT to appear on "Meet The Press" with David Schuster. They all know he is "Fearless"
David Schuster definitely should have his own permanent prime time show and when they show the pictures of the MSNBC election staff his should be included.

He really lit up "Ben Porritt' Nice job David!

[robotfog]

we need fearless.

[Sammy00400]

The guy was doing his best. However he would have had an easier time trying to convince people that manure didnt smell bad. That said, the interviewer a couple times got caught up in the Obama arguments and shouldnt have. He could have simply asked: "Does Sarah Palin believe that I have a first amendment right to publicly criticize on TV what she says?"

[ddemos]

They have to know they lost...they're letting the freshman team on the court now to defend Palin, and" joe the welfare takin' plumber." Did you see the one on Fri, talking about Obama being anti-Israel? When asked who the anti-Semites were that Barack was hanging around with, he could only repeat..."you know who they are".

So embarrassing. The High school, rookie team rocks!

[SouthPrairie]

She is clueless--just like the corruplican puppet masters like their "leaders" ;*)