Katrina vanden Heuvel vs. Dan Abrams: "Don't Lecture Me!" (VIDEO)

Katrina vanden Heuvel and Dan Abrams engaged in a testy exchange Wednesday morning on MSNBC that had Abrams telling the Nation editor, "Don't lecture me!"

Abrams appeared in the 11AM hour with Michael Lewittes, his co-founder of gossip watchdog site, Gossip Cop, which aims to police the gossip industry and say which stories are true and which are false.

vanden Heuvel took Abrams and Lewittes to task for what she perceived as the frivolity of their venture.

"With all due respect to Dan and Michael, I think we need a lot more policing, of things we've heard about on the show just before this segment," she said, rattling off a list of topics including covert operations, lobbyists, and Congress.

Abrams cut her off with a dismissive "OK" and a laugh before saying, "You're right, Katrina, — you should do it then! Don't lecture me about what I should do, why don't you go ahead and do it?"

He later said to her, "I don't want to want to come on television to be lectured by you."

"I didn't mean to lecture, I was saying what I believe would be a valuable contribution to our country and our media," vanden Heuvel responded, while Abrams "OK"ed her into silence.

Watch:

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Comments

[cbeenthere]

Dan Abrams the jerky ambulance chaser, basically. We are not dumb Dan.

[Skeetshooter]

As Abrams pointed out, Heuvel should pour her holier than thou into her own magazine. All media needs to be constrained by facts, not just what passes for news, because Heuvel is right; the line has become blurred. No one person is empowered to define and enforce that line, we need fact checking all along the watchtowers. Let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.

[Skeetshooter]

As Abrams pointed out, Heuvel should pour her holier than thou into her own magazine. All media needs to be constrained by facts, not just what passes for news, because Heuvel is right; the line has become blurred. No one person is empowered to define and enforce that line, we need fact checking all along the watchtowers. Let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.

[offred]

Abrams has mommy issues. Vanden Heuvel should know better than to talk back to a man. : P

[americanalien]

Whatever happen to Dan Abrams? He looks like a caveman.

[water57]

Dan came across as a hot head.

[mistlesuede]

Back almost a decade ago when I started watching Washington Journal on as Randi Rhodes calls it "the Span," Katrina vanden Huevel was the guest that got my attention. I am so impressed by this soft spoken tiger, her intelligence and her thoughts. She makes her points without insulting people.
Obviously Mr. Abrahms has a problem with intelligent women. You could see it here. I realize he was doing a sales job, but her point was important also. He could have been less short because I think they generally agree on things.
I applaud Katrina for making the point on how useless the news media is these days. The problem is 80% of the American people would rather follow the garbage he is going to report on than the issues of our time that Katrina reports on. I suppose she will be blackballed from MSNBC now.
Women rule!

[kindGSL]

I used to watch him years ago.

I don't think he was responding to her as a woman, it was the nature of her criticism that got him so upset. I believe he wanted to shut her down because he knew she was right.

They both know it. That is why he told her to do it herself, knowing full well her plate was full already and she wouldn't.

He wants it done too, he just doesn't want to do it himself. Neither does she. I bet they both know that if that job was being done right, the doing or doer of it would get killed. He wants to stay around the edges where it is safe.

I know this from studying our recent history, and I bet these two smart people know it too.

[larce1948]

OOPs. I don't know what is a Dionsaur perhaps I meant a Dinosaur.

[larce1948]

I used to subscribe to 'The Nation' and Katrina is one of the very few progressives that can get any time on any cable network. But when I wrote to 'The Nation' suggesting that they should raise their voice against C-Span which constantly quotes from the Weekly Standard but never from 'The Nation'
"I" was advised that I should tell C-Span that 'The Nation' has a wider circulation. If anyone at C-Span has ever read my E-mails they know that I regard them as a huge corporate fraud. I would think that Katrina and 'The Nation' would have much more clout than I could ever have. All on the Left seem to be plagued by abject wussiness. The Right is like Atilla while the Left is like Barney the friendly Dionsaur.

[mistlesuede]

I am in complete agreement with your last sentence.

[Okieborn]

I think Katrina is a very intelligent lady and quite cute !!
I love the Nation and her articles !!
Abram is a loser !!!

[toochie]

Cute? Your next to be taken to the shed by Hurricane Katrina for that sexist remark.

[jimrs6]

Katrina vandenPretentious comes on to ruin what was clearly a promotional spot. She is cringe-inducing.

[sueno]

Abrams is still as bad as when he 'was' hosting his show.
Why doesn't Abrams work for FOX,
where everybody is as nutty and crazy as him?

[Brookyln35street]

Isn't Dan a head executive there at MSNBC? So really this was free pub for his 2nd site. I don't think it's fair or they should have said that Dan was a executive with MSNBC - shady and Dan you and your websites are whack.

[fignozzle]

no way to promote a website.
he was grossly defensive and pompous.... i am through with him!

[theblender]

if you take a look at Gossip Cop.... it's just another freakin gossip page....

[fignozzle]

not gonna give it a hit.

[poobah]

A lot of over-reaction there. Someone with the nerve to divert attention from HIS project. The next thing I expected to see was tears.

[lmvd3]

Yes, from spoiled-brat Abrams.