Russert v. ABC: Steel Cage Stupidity Death Match

Poor Tim Russert. No longer the most simple-minded questioner on the block. Surprisingly surpassed by Stephanopoulos and Gibson with their hand fed questions from Sean Hannity.

What to do?

I know. Let's lie and accuse Barack Obama of not putting his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance! That would be both superficial and dishonest at the same time.

This whole hand over heart meme rests on what now appears to be a subtle distinction. We put our hands over our hearts during the Pledge of Allegiance but we do not during the National Anthem. Why? Who knows, but that is what we do.

For some reason Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson, and Ruth Harkin have their hands over their hearts in this picture that was taken during the National Anthem. I'm thinking Hillary started it, but that's just my evaluation of the pander-meter. Obama, at the front, never got the word and stands at attention. (Otherwise, he looks just like the other three, right?)

Now everybody who follows these things, even Tim Russert, knows that the right wing has taken this photo, falsely claimed that it was taken during the Pledge of Allegiance, and has used it to allege that Obama is unpatriotic. All those same people know the charge is not only stupid, but untrue, because the picture was taken during the Star Spangled Banner.

So, why did Russet ask David Axelrod about the Pledge of Allegiance on Meet the Press on Sunday?

RUSSERT: Let me ask about two final issues. David Axelrod, based on the last couple of weeks, many Democrats fear Republicans in the fall will string together an ad which shows . . . Barack Obama with his hands clasped in front of him rather than holding his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance.

Either Russert doesn't care or he doesn't know. In any event, he is not qualified to host this show every week.

Here is the video from Media Matters:

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Comments

[ljsfolly]

The Pledge is not the same as the national anthem. I do not put my hand on my heart for the "athem" as don't almost everyone I have ever seen. For Russert to even go there just puts him way down witht he jokers at the last debate George and Charlie still have to defend the stupidity of their questions. I guess Russert wanted to give them company in their insanity. sad thing too when these are the MSM highest paid guys. I would thind the woodshed should be busy but they are just pandering to those who want to change what they see happening. Sad thing too is the more MSM jumps on the stupid boat the less there is I want to watch any of their shows for. I understand ignorance but being on the stupid bus/train/boat and call yourself a news journalist is not a favorable place to be.

[LegalWeed]

Check the shots from any baseball game during the playing of the anthem...s­ome have hats on heart, some have hats on head...ver­y very few have hands on heart...if people would just stop and think for a moment in this country things might be better albeit (is that elitist word??) less exciting for the media types...

[laksa]

This circus has gone on too long. Not much good material or issues has surfaced. Btw, did David correct Tim? That in fact it was the " star......­." instead of the pledge? I think Obama was asked that during his stump yesterday and he did answered that it was not the pledge and also the flag was behind him instead of in front of him.

[Davwbaird]

What I the world is happening? Is russet puppet in the pay of the republicans? What scabs on the body politic. I sure was not brought up to put my hand over my heart during the singing of our rather badly composed national anthem and damn if I will put my hand over my heart once they changed it to under God.

65 year old patriot who sees torture as the lowest this country has sunk and its badge as a terrorist state, long live green and down with tyrants.

[Gebby]

no russert is puppet of corporate america as is the republicans and clinton. not obama however. which is why he is under attack. they wont stop. the people must be informed. in the end they will resort to stealing the election.

[raker]

I have a magic trick. Anyone can do it. Stop watching Russert or cable news, and they go away. Poof! The sun comes out. Birds sing. Shackles are broken. Try it. It works.

[procon]

This is exactly what Obama was talking about when he stated, some cling to trivial issues rather then what is really important. Having a debate about do you or should you place your hand over your heart or not during the National Anthem or Pledge. The debate should focus on ending the war, health care, and job security, home mortgage crisis and other relevant issues affecting this country.

[ScottR]

Don't know if it matters, but when I was in the Army, I was told that veterans are to stand at attention during the national anthem. Most civilians put their hand over their heart. It appears that Obama does neither.

I don't think this is an important issue, but it seems foolish to me that Obama gives them anything to "cling" to for criticism of him. We can rest assured that the GOP will misrepresent whatever they can. It is obvious they are going to go after his patriotism, and for some reason he continues to give them ammo. Yes, it is a nonissue, but the MSM is nothing if not compliant with GOP narratives.

[sandtats]

Does neither? He WAS standing at attention, in fact he was singing the Anthem! And when he presides over the Senate, which he frequently did until the campaign started, he LED the Senate in the Pledge at the start of the day, hand over heart; Cspan has video! :)

[ReportThis]

Why has no one ever seen Russert and Randy Quaid together?

[Ozarks]

Because their mellon sized heads would not fit in a normal picture "frame" unless you took it at such a distance you wouldn't recognize them anyway.

[RobtBrock]

Turn off your teevee, walk over to your window and shout, "I'm as mad as..." - well, you get the idea.

[nancytheragingliberal]

These talking-head, right -wing clowns have been permanently turn off at my house. I will watch Keith O. Abrams, and D. Gregory, but......I­f Joe Blow Scarborough is on with Gregory, off goes the T.V. Joe Blow loves the sound of his own voice, but I don't! Rachel Maddow rules. Give her a show. Talk about brillant and talented. OOOOPS. That does not qualify her for her own show. Silly me.

[Gibbons]

It has always been hold your hand or hat if wearing one over your heart there have been recent laws passed that allow veterans to face the music and salute. During world war two a sailor was whistling on watch and a young ensign ordered him to whistle for thirty minutes non-stop, the man whistled the national anthem and the officer had to face him and salute for thirty minutes.

[YellowPanties]

IF true, it's a good example of both the inanity of the military and the stupidity of having to salute during a song, national or otherwise.

[edva]

Insane, stupid, military. How redundant.

[Gibbons]

Suddenly Russert is not fit to host that show. Where was your sense of outrage when he was skewering Clinton at every opportunity during the debates? As for not getting out the word Obama seems to do that quite often because he still doesn't understand why white working class people got upset when he talked about them to the limo liberals in California it was reminiscent of the Earl Butz joke that got him fired.

[Scribe57]

THANK you!

[slc20]

I think you meant "Pledge of Allegiance" in your 3rd paragraph.

[Stephen Kaus - Huffpost Blogger]

Corrected, Thank you.

[Herrington]

That's what the Republicans do. If you have done nothing wrong, they will make something up. It has been that way for so long that sub-Sharan Africans that have never seen a TV know it. And yet Russert does not, Gibson does not. Stephanopolous seems to have forgotten.

A pay check seems to make you forget stuff. The larger it is the more and better you forget.

[Rokjok777]

America is in deep, deep trouble. If this is what the "political" discourse is about....i­t's time to emigrate.

[CyrusBeaucephus]

I'm with you. Can all the progressives pool their money and buy an island somewhere?

[new logic]

that's how it begins

[Independent007]

And that is why Americans get their news from other sources, not CNN, MSNBC, or Fix News.
The News organizations all cover the same news, and in most cases don't even do that.
ABC is once and forever GONE in my eyes. I will never watch anything they do again.
George and Charlie have single handedly plummeted ABC to a partisan, biased, relic of the past.
Thank god for the internet and the HP.