On the heels of Sarah Palin’s mild scolding of David Letterman on his radio show, John Ziegler appeared with MSNBC’s Contessa Brewer to discuss Palin’s reaction. Ziegler, actually being less Ziegler-ish than usual, still manages to get his mic cut by Brewer.
This is really funny to me, because I spoke recently at a screening of John’s film, “Media Malpractice.” During the Q&A afterwards, I asked John a question I’ve asked him many times before: How does he keep getting these shows to book him?It’s because John, while an interviwer’s nightmare, makes for great TV. While I differ with John on a great many things, to say the least, I have to give him credit for the way he punches out the driver and grabs the wheel in every interview. His usual MO is to say what he came there to say, then derail the whole thing with a distraction, as he did with Matt Lauer.
This time, however, Ziegler was almost 100% right, and almost 0% wrong. Brewer asks him the inane question about why Sarah Palin’s feelings were hurt by Letterman’s statutory rape fantasy, and compounds it by acting as though Palin just lashed out at Dave in a fit of pique. Ziegler asked her about it. Her reply was exceedingly mild.
Also, where normally Ziegler might trot out something well-worn to attack MSNBC with, like Chris Matthews’ “feeling up the leg” remark, this time he has them dead to rights with an ultra-topical question about Countdown’s repetition of the false plagiarism accusation against Palin.
Furthermore, instead of focusing on the clearly wrong David Letterman, Brewer proceeds to ask Ziegler about a recent poll that reflects unfavorably on Palin. Even I was confused by this bit of leftfield acrobatics. She also seems to be attacking Ziegler’s credibility when she asks if he’s Palin’s spokesman now, a defensive misstep given that Ziegler claims no objectivity.
The real justice here, though, is the convergence of Brewer’s borderline sexist framing (What is it about Letterman’s attack that “hurt (Palin’s) feewings?”), and Brewer’s own proximity to tears at big, bad John’s “insult,” which was to say that MSNBC’s treatment of Palin was “not classy.”
As I’ve said many, many times before, there are lots of legitimate reasons to oppose Sarah Palin. But as long as people have a hard time treating Palin like a human being while they do it, John Ziegler will continue to win arguments.
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Daily Dose 
The DC violence is, as all violence is: deplorable.
Breaking Confirmed: The DC shooter is a WNutD Barack Obama Con-Spiricy theorist: “Birther”,.
No wonder the violence advocating Cons were so distressed over the unfortunately, thrice proven accurate w NIE, released by DHS in an effort to thwart this RW violent crime wave.
In a Democracy, we the majority of people will decide with you. Those unlicensed weapons that you insist upon? are 43 times more likely to kill your family & friends, rather than any intruder…
She made Ziegler look good. Quite a trick.
How does he expect to be treated with any kind of “respect” when he STARTS the interview insulting the network which has provided him the opportunity to trash the left?
He says he is willing to “talk about whatever” Contessa wants, yet he keep veering off track- trying to get his “digs” in.
Tell me, how does he win an argument? He just lambastes his right-wing rhetoric on camera to get his 15 minutes of fame. What an insulting jerk.
We have to kiss butt to be interviewed? Doesn’t seem right.
You don’t walk into someone’s home and take a shit on their erug. I like him personally, but, he deserved it. Not a street corner. Totally different. Good. Non-respnsive, rude to the network, rude Brewer, appearst to have agenda with NBC.
Max cut the mic.
“Appears.” Not true. “Is” biased against NBC. Why does he have to act like that all the time? That’s his gig. He loved getting booted from the show. He can cry about it later. You can report and defend him. Hook, line, and sinker. Cliche tripe from him.
“Statutory Rape Fantasy?”
Yesterday, I was in a case with a rape victim and her mother. Please. This over the top language is total bullshit Tommy. Ziegler, here, is indefensible.
So is you besmirching David Letterman with the word “rape.” You knok. There is no fantasy about such. This is conflation at its worst. Where did you get this “rape” from? You think that’s David Letterman’s intent? To fantasize about raping a ;minor? That’s his intent? Not even close. Why don’t you title the article, Dave Letterman Fantasizes about Raping Sarah’s Daughter.
“Baby Killer!” Guess that’s ok.
I have one contact lens again and no smokes.
Ring the bong cube!
The fact that many people don’t find anything wrong with Letterman suggesting an underage girl be molested by an adult male in a public venue, in front of her mother, says it all. Sad.
underage girl being molested?
isn’t bristol 18 already?
Tommy…
Is there something wrong with your WordPress template?
It seems to be pulling in comments from completely unrelated posts.
Brewer’s affront to journalism here is no different from the fiasco re T-Party attendees in Chicago by CNN’s Susan Rosen:
If you pause the tape and notice the sign this reporter ignored right in the middle: “Republicans Suck Too! End the FED”. Worse, how she skips the entirety of this gentleman’s sign which is a total attack on Government without any focus on The Big O.
This next video shows Susan acting as though she has no alternative but to exit stage ‘left’ and exposes the collusion of a preplanned attack agenda between her and the studio anchor on their opposition all around the contry:
Like Susan and Karen, Contessa had a premeditated agenda in the MSNBC video above and when it backfired and made her look stupid and exposed her true bias her only avenue was to bail. Maybe it is she and MSNBC that should give more thought to an exit strategy before they invite someone on their show with less than admirable ulterior motives. This Lame Stream Media bias is not helping the Liberal cause of destroying the Republican Party. If they would just leave that job to the GOP, the Republicans will do a much better job destroying themselves on their own. No help required.
I’m, of course, just trying to help out. Bad form, Ms Brewer. Bad form indeed.
Good read, Tommy. Unexpected from a Liberal. Kudos.
you’re right, susan should have interviewed the guy with the “republicans suck too” sign and exposed him as the fox news plant that he obviously is.
Bon Jour Loiuis!
Oh Now I remember that Felini Philosophy: fascism – “A philosophy or system of government that is marked by stringent social and economic control, a strong, centralized government usually headed by a dictator, and often a policy of belligerent nationalism.” (From The American Heritage Dictionary)
Sounda a lot like Op Rescue & Von Brunn…
Comment by Louis IX KingofFrawnce on June 11, 2009 10:41 am
you’re right, susan should have interviewed the guy with the “republicans suck too” sign and exposed him as the fox news plant that he obviously is.
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Ah, Louie! You and I both know that Susan stealthilly conversed with all these TParty attendees before she went live; thus the reason she didn’t interview the “Republicans Suck Too” person is because they would not have served her premeditated attack agenda. You can keep on kidding yourself if you want to … I was merely trying to help out. If the Lame Stream Media continues engaging in these prefab tactics then they will be exposed as the scud they claim their opposition to be. Heretofore, the LSM has done a pretty good job keeping their scud nature covert. The tactic employed by Susan, Karen and now Contessa is counter productive. Let the Republicans destroy themselves. Do you really think you libbies can do a better job than they are doing to themselves? C’mon.
My favorite Cube post ever
Comment by Cube on June 11, 2009 3:26 am
I have one contact lens again and no smokes.
Comment by Cube on June 11, 2009 2:29 am
You don’t walk into someone’s home and take a shit on their rug.
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In politics, apparently you do so you can save that lecture for your liberal friends, Cubic, who have made it a way of life. Generally speaking only Jeffry Dahmer planned to eat the ‘guests’ he invited into his ‘house’. He treated Brewer like she intended to treat him; he was just better at it. And since when did MSNBC become Brewer’s house? I thought that the ‘press’ was our home, the people’s forum, the supposedly unjaded prism of information. Now Ziegler (or anyone) has to be nice when the host’s plan was clearly to slice and dice and serve him as a sacrificial punk to her liberal friends bragging, “Look at the kill I just made!”
She didn’t account for the kick and got caught in her own crosshairs; serves her left.
Tommy, sometimes I think you’re the only guy who Gets It. This is going to cost Dems votes with women, and a lot of people don’t like admitting that it was women that got Obama elected. This is foolhardy. It screws everyone. Feminists don’t even know what to say to all this lately (myself being one) other than, “F*CK YOU ALL!” because it seems like there is no safe harbor.
Except you.
You’re cool.
[…] new version of the film includes 45 minutes of updated material, including many of Ziegler’s haymaking interviews (complete with commentary), and carries the Sarah Palin seal of approval. In fact, Ziegler says that […]