You know Cindy Sheehan's star has really fallen with the liberal media when the
likes of Mike Barnicle, compare her to GOP Congressman Joe "You lie!" Wilson. On
Thursday's Hardball, Barnicle, substitute hosting for Chris Matthews,
declared, "Democrats hope to turn Wilson into the Cindy Sheehan of the
anti-health care reform movement. A clownish figure of ridicule who hurts his
own side, more than he helps." As the MRC's Brent Baker
noted [1], now that she is opposing a Democratic president, the media
have turned on Sheehan.
The following is from Barnicle's opening to the September 10 edition of Hardball:
MIKE BARNICLE: The insult heard 'round the world! Let's play Hardball! Good evening. I'm Mike Barnicle in for Chris Matthews. Leading off tonight, the gift. When Congressman Joe Wilson shouted, "You lie!" at President Obama last night he gave the Democrats a gift they hope just keeps on giving. Wilson was forced - and that does seem to be the word, forced - to apologize today. And his Washington office has been mobbed mostly by right wing supporters. Democrats hope to turn Wilson into the Cindy Sheehan of the anti-health care reform movement. A clownish figure of ridicule who hurts his own side, more than he helps.
-Geoffrey Dickens is the senior news analyst at the Media Research
Center.