MSNBC's Self-Described 'Liberal Caricature' Hayes Sees 'Worst Republicans Ever'
On Friday's All In show, MSNBC host Chris Hayes declared his belief that Republicans currently in Congress "are the worst Republicans ever, and they're so extreme," as he asked Minnesota Democratic Rep. Rick Nolan if he believes congressional Republicans are "more extreme" than "an earlier cohort of Republicans" that the Minnesota Democrat used to serve with in the 1970s.
Later in the show, during a discussion of cars of the future, the MSNBC host made a declaration that even conservatives can agree with, as he described himself as a "liberal caricature." Hayes: "Because I'm a liberal caricature, I, of course drive a Prius myself, and that's a great car, I love it."
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Friday, August 2, All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC:
CHRIS HAYES: Here's the other question I have for you. There's a trope that we have in the progressive press and on this network about, these Republicans are the worst Republicans ever, and they're just so extreme. And I believe that. I don't say it because I don't believe it.
But I also wonder, from your perspective, having served with an earlier cohort of Republicans, are these Republicans, particularly House Republicans, are they more extreme, are they less willing to ascent to norms that have been in place?
REP. RICK NOLAN (D-MN): Well, I'll tell you, I was surprised to see the extent to which they subscribe to the Grover Norquist philosophy, which Norquist has said time and time and again, let's squeeze the federal government down to a size so small we can get it into the bathtub and drown it. And that seems to be the philosophy of the extreme right, which is making governance virtually impossible for Boehner. He can't put together a majority for anything. There's only been like 22 bills that have been passed that have become law. And much of those were naming post offices.
HAYES: And a bunch of the other big ones had the votes supplied by Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats-
NOLAN: Exactly. Hurricane Sandy, the debt ceiling, violence against women.
HAYES: When you take away those and you take away the post office namings, you're basically left with the Obama repeal votes, and that's what you have. Congressman Rick Nolan of Minnesota, thank you so much. It's always a pleasure to talk to you.
(...)
CHRIS HAYES: Mickey, I feel like the electric car is this kind of futuristic dream, almost this, like, lefty cliche, like, why don't we have an electric car that we've been dreaming about? Is this a real thing? Are we actually going to get the mass-produced electric car revolution?
MICHELINE MAYNARD, FORBES: I'm not sure we're ever going to have an electric car that sells in the same numbers as the Toyota Corolla or, you know, even the Chevy Cobalt. But I think we're, the market's splintering so you have enough people interested in buying electric cars and hybrid electric cars that will go out and do it. I mean, Toyota didn't sell a single hybrid in the year 1998. And they've sold over three million Priuses.
HAYES: Was there a slow uptick on hybrids?
MAYNARD: Oh, absolutely. I mean, what happened at the beginning of hybrids was they were super expensive compared with, you know, it's not that they're any cheaper now, but car prices have kind of come up to where hybrids are. So, yeah, high prices hurt them at the beginning and also the technology wasn't familiar. And now hybrids, at least the Toyota hybrids, pretty much drive like anything else. And that's where we have to get with electric cars for them to get big numbers.
HAYES: Because I'm a liberal caricature, I, of course drive a Prius myself, and that's a great car, I love it. That doesn't come from any Toyota sponsorship. Eddie Alterman, do you think this is hyper reality?
-- Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center
