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Predictions

October 06, 2009 10:47 am ET by Jamison Foser

After granting health care liar Betsy McCaughey a national television platform she doesn't deserve, MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan is going to get eviscerated by conservatives for the sin of trying to make her actually answer his questions.

Howard Kurtz will point to Ratigan's aggressive questioning of McCaughey as evidence of MSNBC's supposed liberalism -- conveniently overlooking the fact that Ratigan was giving a platform to a proven right-wing liar.

And Ratigan and MSNBC will be defensive about the criticism. Rather than apologizing for hosting a proven liar to talk about the topic she has lied most about, they will redouble their efforts to convince conservatives they can get a fair shake on MSNBC

Tags: MSNBC, Howard Kurtz, Betsy McCaughey, Dylan Ratigan

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    • Author by worrierking (October 06, 2009 11:33 am ET)
      2  
      So refusing to allow a flack from the insurance industry to get away with parroting insurance company talking points is evidence of supposed liberalism?

      What the hell happened to this country? This woman has been appearing in the media for several months now and only Ratigan and Jon Stewart have refused to let her run the table.

      Any host who allows anyone to just repeat talking points from the left or right doesn't deserve to host a show.
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      • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (October 06, 2009 12:51 pm ET)
        1  
        One of the most common complaints from conservatives at this site about Countdown is that Olbermann doesn't have Republican guests on to debate. This complaint usually comes from the people who have been convinced that Fox presents a Fair & Balanced model by having Pat Caddell or Maria Liasson on for a few minutes to apologize for the atrocities of the Democratic Party.

        Before Maddow and Schultz got their shows, especially, KO's was really the only cable show regularly showing a liberal viewpoint, and questioning the Republican party during the Bush years. But this was an outrage to many, having to see a solid hour a day that didn't feature any screeching wingnuts.

        I've asked before, and I'll ask again, who would you self-described conservatives like to see representing your voice on the cable shows ? Media figures or elected officials, who do you consider an honest, intelligent representative of the Republican Party, capable of carrying on a rational discussion?

        I can't think of any. Help me out.
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    • Author by goesto11 (October 06, 2009 12:31 pm ET)
      1  
      I agree with the premise of this posting, but....

      You could take this logic to some odd extremes. For example, if you're going to have a policy of not allowing proven liars any airtime on your network, then MSNBC would rarely interview anyone from Congress.

      That's not a joke. How many Republicans in Congress aren't lying regularly about health care? All their lies can be proven as such.

      They would never have Cheney on Meet the Press. They'd never have Bush on any program at all.
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      • Author by steeve (October 06, 2009 6:25 pm ET)
           
        It's okay to have newsmakers on. If they're liars, then the segment should focus on the fact that they're liars.

        If liars don't like being called liars on TV, they can choose to stop going on TV or choose to stop lying.
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    • Author by BrianInSC (October 06, 2009 12:43 pm ET)
         
      Ratigan can be insufferable but he asks rambling non-question questions of everyone. I think he just likes the sound of his voice. It seems to be a little easier for guests to have him answer his own questions and respond with what amounts to "What you said, Dylan". The treatment of McCaughey never never became cringe-worthy, in my opinion. I think I kind of enjoyed seeing the tables turned on her for a change. It's her turn to drink from the firehose.
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      • Author by BrianInSC (October 07, 2009 10:30 am ET)
           
        ...my extra "never" was a typo. I don't think Ratigan's performance rose to metaphysical "un-cringeworthyness" but if it ever does I promise to describe it better than that.
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    • Author by DellDolly (October 06, 2009 3:13 pm ET)
         
      http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/6/790191/-VIDEO:-Morning-Meeting-was-a-massacre-todaya-must-watch.

      Here's a link to Ratigan's interview with Betsy McCaughey and NY Democratic Rep Anthony Weiner.
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