From Marcus' April 14 Washington Post column, “Vilifying Tom Coburn for a moment of civility”:
Coburn went on: “What we have to have is make sure we have a debate in this country so that you can see what's going on and make a determination yourself. So don't catch yourself being biased by Fox News that somebody is no good. The people in Washington are good. They just don't know what they don't know.”
The howling was swift.
Rush Limbaugh: “Well, who cares if she's nice? . . . Al Capone was a nice guy. Hitler had friends, for crying out loud. . . . So Coburn says, 'There's no intention of putting anybody in jail.' No, no, no. . . . Somebody tell Tom Coburn she was specifically asked about possible jail time, and she said 'the legislation is very fair in this respect.' ” Glenn Beck: “The Republican that I'm supposed to defend because he's so unlike Nancy Pelosi was defending Nancy Pelosi.”
Mark Levin, who manages to make Limbaugh and Beck sound like calm voices of reason: “We don't need you hack, detestable politicians telling us a damn thing. Most of you are a bunch of pathetic, unethical morons. And so, no, Mr. Coburn, we won't be told to sit down and be quiet. We won't be told by you to watch CNN to balance off Fox. You got that, pal? Who the hell do you think you are? You sound like a jerk, to be perfectly honest about it. You, the jerk, who backed John McCain.”
Previously:
GOP senator calls out Fox News for bias and misinformation
Beck in disbelief that “great Republican hope” Coburn would defend Nancy Pelosi
O'Reilly to Coburn: “Maybe we deserve” criticism for Fox's treatment of Pelosi
O'Reilly's whopper: “Nobody” on Fox said failing to buy health insurance could result in jail time