MSNBC's Shuster Assails GOP Leadership's Embrace Of Right-Wing Scare Tactics, Ex-GOP Congressman Storms Off Set After Insult

On MSNBC Friday night, David Shuster (filling in for Ed Shultz) addressed hateful signs at Thursday's Capitol Hill "House call" against health care reform. But the discussion escalated into a fight that led a Republican guest to walk off the set.

Shuster criticized GOP leadership for attending Thursday's anti-health care reform rally in Washington which, according to Shuster, "had all the trappings of a proverbial orgy of bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism, and hate." Shuster's condemnation became particularly pointed when he called out Republican Congressman John Boehner for refusing to denounce some of the offensive signs that were prominently displayed at the rally, including a picture from a Nazi concentration camp that read "National Socialized Health Care."

"Is there no shame anymore on the conservative right?" asked Shuster. "Is there no decency anymore?...When anybody compares a health care proposal to the murders at Nazi death camps it's offensive, and it diminishes all of us by diminishing just how evil the Holocaust really was."

Earlier in the show, former Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo refused to criticize Republican leaders for participating in the event, saying there were equally offensive signs at anti-Bush rallies in the past. He said they should talk about the policy, not the signs.

Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas defended health care reform, pointing out that the military uses government-run health care. Tancredo said veterans complained about their health care and would much rather have a private choice.

"Tom, I'm a veteran. Okay?" Moulitas responded. "I did not get a deferment because I was too depressed to fight a war I supported in Vietnam. I'm a veteran. They want a more effective V.A. ..."

"You're not going to do that. You're not going to try to insult me that way and then pretend like we're just going on and talk about that. You either apologize ..." When Moulitas did not apologize, Tancredo simply took out his earpiece and walked away.

As a Republican student activist, Tancredo spoke out in favor of the Vietnam War but did not serve.

After graduating from college in June 1969, he became eligible to serve in Vietnam. Tancredo said he went for his physical, telling doctors he'd been treated for depression, and eventually got a deferment.

"I think he left a little early," Shuster joked. "The congressman is always welcome on this show. We always appreciate hearing his point of view. It's a feisty one. That's what we like around here."

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Comments

[DariaC]

08:22 PM on 11/13/2009

I think a lot of people, including Kos, don't get what a mark it would have been on Tancredo's record to get a Section 8 in the late 60s-70s. The reason for someone not serving is very important, especially for a Conservati­ve. Even if the depression treatment had been minor, the military may have felt the need to be careful. It could easily be depicted in the ugly way that it has been on the Daily Kos site as well as this comment section here. If I were going to pick a top reason why he didn't want to discuss it, then this possibilit­y would come to mind.

[9liberal]

07:52 PM on 11/11/2009

Wasn't he one of the repubs who ran for president in 08...? My god...what a whimp

[BobSacomano]

01:47 AM on 11/10/2009

Why don't all these Republican 'chickenha­wks' get called out more often? I do have to admit however that their draft-dodg­ing excuses are pretty creative, I've always thought the Limbaugh "I've got a cyst on my @ss" cop out was deviously clever.

[Clayton139]

09:23 PM on 11/09/2009

Good for Shuster and Markos !
Tancredo is a NO Solution's Wingnut anyway !

[lionzion]

04:51 PM on 11/09/2009

Call them out to their faces!!!.. I love it!

[Maygressive]

03:12 PM on 11/09/2009

Really , can Schuster have this hour instead of Schultz ?? He is far superior

[SharonaMonk]

03:28 PM on 11/09/2009

I know, right? I've tried so hard to like Ed, but I just don't...

[Maygressive]

04:44 PM on 11/09/2009

Me too he just oversimpli­fies waaay too much trying to be a Bizzaro Rush.

[Fran1972]

02:56 AM on 11/10/2009

I like Ed's radio show. I think his favorite thing to do is go on tour and talk to real americans and what progressiv­e things they are doing. He just shines at it. It's too bad he has to stay in one spot on his TV show. I bet it is driving him nuts. That balloon boy thing was a low point for him and you could see it all over his face. He didn't want to lead with that story and they MADE him do it. I like his TV show but it's just okay. He serves his purpose as mentioned below.

[Shammie2000]

02:58 PM on 11/09/2009

Tommy, was a draft dodger, but don't forget W, Cheney, Lim'ball and most other ReThug's, but the
American Public has been so dumbed down that it really won't matter.

[Berkeleylefty]

01:08 PM on 11/09/2009

"MOM... MOM!!! That brown kid from Kos with all the vowels in his last name...did not let me kick sand in his Veteran face!! So I ran home to tell you!!"

[roger37]

01:02 PM on 11/09/2009

A Chickenhaw­k because of depression­. Oh, poor booby.

[niws]

12:25 AM on 11/10/2009

Maybe he had pre dramatic stress disorder.

[MoeB]

12:17 PM on 11/09/2009

Who are these vets that are unhappy with the care they receive??? I've worked with two over the past few years, and they seem VERY happy with their coverage. My brother is happy. My uncle is happy. I'm yet to meet any military person who is demanding that their insurance be switched to the private market.

[radiclib]

12:48 PM on 11/09/2009

.
.
Right-wing­ers can't stand a dose of their own medicine.
What Kos said was true, a verbal kick in the groin. Good. More!
.
.

[Greg Petty]

10:31 PM on 11/09/2009

This is the kind of crap,veter­ans do not need from this guy,

[DariaC]

08:42 PM on 11/09/2009

Because people tend to go to their congresspe­rson for help, it's easy to misinterpr­et that to mean the government isn't working. I don't believe it means that though.

The state of Walter Reed Hospital a few years ago was certainly a hint that mistakes can happen that needs assistance higher up in the gov't to fix.

The problem doesn't seem to be in coverage, just getting problems fixed.

[Texas Aggie]

12:31 AM on 11/13/2009

Walter Reed was a problem that didn't need to happen. At the base of it all, two ex Halliburto­n execs had gotten the contract to run WR after it was privatized­. It started to go downhill right away mainly because the people who had worked there forever and knew what was what were let go and replaced with minimum wage employees who weren't sure whether a broom was to be pushed or pulled. Then money was saved on maintenanc­e repairs and you saw where it went from there.

[BobSacomano]

12:17 PM on 11/09/2009

And these cowards have the temerity to call John Kerry a phony???

[supergenius02]

02:58 PM on 11/09/2009

Good point. At least Kerry didn't avoid military service altogether like peace prize winner Obama who is fighting two wars.

[frazeart]

06:15 PM on 11/09/2009

Who started those wars again????

[LLT]

09:39 PM on 11/09/2009

Avoid? The draft was discontinu­ed in 1973. Obama was 10 years old. He didn't slither out of compulsory service because he'd been "treated for depression­" or because daddy was rich and had connection­s or because he ". . . had other priorities in the '60s than military service" like the prior president and vice president actually did.

[supervixenxxx]

11:59 AM on 11/09/2009

'Brilliant­, awesome! :-) Bravo Zulu Markos!

Veteran

[JohnPone]

11:27 AM on 11/09/2009

"When confronted with adversity the Chicken Hawk will soil their pants before returning to their natural habitat." - National Geographic June 1969

[lionzion]

04:54 PM on 11/09/2009

lol.. is that true?

[JohnPone]

06:49 PM on 11/09/2009

no... but I thought it sounded good. :-)

[Crass Innuendo]

11:00 AM on 11/09/2009

I doubt he stormed out because he exposed as a fraud when it comes to both military service and healthcare issues.

He probably just saw a Latino off-camera and had to leave because he's a bigot.

[Char59]

10:50 AM on 11/09/2009

It was hilarious when he was trying to get the mike off, I guess the kitchen got too hot for him! He was even pouting like a five year old. Ha Ha Ha!