MSNBC's David Shuster on Friday slammed conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh
and RNC Chairman Michael Steele as "un-American" and "extreme" for criticizing
Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize win. The liberal co-host of News Live applauded
the President's speech on the award and asserted, "...It makes the harsh
comments from Michael Steele, from Rush Limbaugh, the rest, seem even more
extreme and, as some would argue, un-American." (Audio available here [1].)
Arguing that Obama came across as humble for stating that he's not worthy to
be in the same category as some of the other nominees, Shuster told co-anchor
Tamron Hall that the remarks "made some of the conservatives look silly." Hall
herself found the President's reaction to be "incredible" and unquestioningly
cooed, "...The President started out his speech, or address this morning, saying
that his daughter Malia walked in and said, 'Dad, you won the Nobel Peace Prize.
And, by the way, it is our dog's first birthday.'"
She then spun, "Trying to use, you know, that humor to balance what he knew
would be used against him, perhaps, by some of the conservatives or other voices
out there today." It's somewhat amazing that Hall unquestionably accepted
Obama's rather convenient story about his daughter and the family dog.
A transcript of the October 9 exchange, which occurred at 3:13pm EDT,
follows:
TAMRON HALL: And, David, perhaps even more incredible than this big announcement that stunned everyone, I think, was the President's reaction. You had to know that the White House was behind the scenes, really trying to choose their words carefully. So, much so that the President started out his speech, or address this morning, saying that his daughter Malia walked in and said, "Dad, you won the Nobel Peace Prize. And, by the way, it is our dog's first birthday." Trying to use, you know, that humor to balance what he knew would be used against him, perhaps, by some of the conservatives or other voices out there today.
DAVID SHUSTER: That's right. And it had the practical affect, Tamron, I think as you pointed out earlier, is that it made some of the conservatives look silly. Because, when the President himself was saying, "Look, I didn't deserve to be in the company of these people who have won," it makes the harsh comments from Michael Steele, from Rush Limbaugh, the rest, seem even more extreme and, as some would argue, un-American.
-Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.