I saw this on CNN during my lunch break today. Check out how:
- Ann Coulter asserts that Democratics are traitors (nothing new here), then
- Wolf Blitzer lets the charge pass (denial), then
- The liberal guest calls Coulter on the charge (confrontation), then
- Blitzer goes back and provides Coulter with a very leading question, asking her to reassure the audience that she didn't say what she just very clearly said (more denial).
This is a classic example of how cognitive dissonance in the SCLM is enabling political hate speech by the Right.
The full transcipt can be found here.
BLITZER: All right. Here's an e-mail for you, Ann, from David in Oregon. "If anyone reminds us of George McGovern's style, it's the Republicrat from Connecticut. And the major reason Democrats lost the House of Representatives was passionless leadership of the man from Missouri, who is a lesser version of Watler Mondale. Dean is more vibrant; thus, Kennedy or Truman-like, inspiring and motivating voters."
A little rambling, David's thoughts from Oregon. But what do you make of it?
COULTER: I guess he is talking about Gephardt and Lieberman?
BLITZER: He is making fun of everybody. But he clearly likes Howard Dean.
COULTER: That seems to be the way things are going. That is the calculation Al Gore made. Although, I don't see much difference between any of the Democratic candidates. I keep citing Dennis Kucinich as my favorite. But there really isn't that much difference between Dennis Kucinich and the rest of them, other than Senator Lieberman, who really is the only one who is patriotic, and therefore is going no place in these primaries.
BLITZER: Matt, you worked in the Clinton administration. Have these Democrats, with the exception of Lieberman, moved back towards the more liberal left part of the Democratic Party?
MILLER: I don't think so. And I really have to say I am offended when Ann Coulter says only Joe Lieberman is patriotic, no other Democrat is. That's such rubbish, and it's the kind of smear tactics that just is -- it's so wrong, it almost doesn't bear response. But you can't let it go.
I think what's happened is, the Republican mainstream has moved so radically to the right, that Democrats who are basically for things like basic health coverage for everyone, better schools, and more efforts to make schools better for less fortunate kids, that those kids things, as well as strong defense and international foreign policy, are things that are in the mainstream.
Most of the Democratic candidates have colesed around that. And I think any of them will present a more powerful alternative to the kind of radical conservatism we're seeing at the White House.
BLITZER: All right. We're going to take a quick break, but I'll let Ann respond quickly. You are not questioning the patriotism of any of these Democratic candidates, are you Ann?
MILLER: That is what she said.
BLITZER: Well, I'm asking her.
COULTER: I'm saying -- I noticed that Matt immediately goes to, you know, universal health care, and not what I think is rather more pressing issue, the war on terrorism. And eight of the nine don't want to fight it.
MILLER: Why can't we walk and chew gum at the same time?
BLITZER: But Ann, are you saying they are not patriotic? Is that what you are saying?
COULTER: I am saying they don't want to fight the war on terrorism. And the patriotic Democratic, the only one vaguely patriotic, is Joe Lieberman. And the rest of them, we would have to get used to having planes flying into our skyscrapers. That is their position.
