Lawrence O’Donnell ‘Interviews’ Peter Schiff
At Hot Air, Ed Morrissey published a video of MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell interviewing Peter Schiff (we’ll also publish it here, see below); the man who predicted the current economic crisis and who predicted the government’s ’solutions’ which, Schiff explained in a book he wrote, would make matters worse.
It’s a fascinating interview for three reasons. Firstly, Schiff predicted the current economic crisis, the reaction of the government and he believes that Obama’s health care plans will be absolutely disastrous for America. This is a man who knows what he’s talking about, he’s credible.
Second, Schiff has announced he will run against Democratic Senator Chris Dodd in 2010.
The third and final reason is that MSNBC’s O’Donnell behaved like President Barack Obama’s attack dog. He didn’t let Schiff finish one single sentence, he kept harassing him and constantly put words into his mouth. Schiff became increasingly frustrated, but there was little he could do. The bully O’Donnell, pretending to be a journalist, refused to give Schiff the time he needed to explain what he would if he were a senator.
Schiff should have walked out on O’Donnell but, being the gentleman he is, he did not give up. He tried to answer O’Donnell’s questions and deal with his ludicrous and mostly rhetorical questions.
And O’Donnell? He looked like a high school bully all too happy with himself.
A pathetic ‘interview’ which had nothing whatsoever to do with journalism.
Watch it:
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what an ugly interview, o’donnell don’t play games with peter schiff!
Amazing. I don’t know if I’ve seen a ruder interviewer.
It’s hard to imagine how anyone could watch this interview and not find himself curious as to what could motivate O’Donnell in behaving that way. Why continue to interrupt Schiff and attempt to narrow and channel what few words he got out into negative positions like denying people health care and denying them higher education? I can only come up with fear as a motive – either from O’Donnell or those who pay him. Trying to embarrass people into agreeing with a majority opinion goes against what America stands for – individual sovereignty.
Peter should thank him and take it for what it is, the nasty rough kind of stuff he will be facing regularly in a run for Senate. This is how the game is played in a very polar political climate, the right wing media will flatter him, the left will crucify him. For Peter Schiff being a candidate with views that lie on the fringes of accepted norms these kinds of attacks are going to be regular.
IMHO he did fine, he didn’t waver under pressure which would be political suicide and this was no Palin/Couric type disaster. He could use a bit of coaching IMHO, in that type of interview it is hard to get a word in, but ones like socialism and nanny state work well.
Schiff raised $750,000+ in a Moneybomb on the 7th!!! The R3VOLUTION is alive and well! Revolution Broadcasting, Retake Congress, and Schiffathon.com organized it.
Wow. My wife watches O’Reilly and Hannity. They have a similar “steered” and “scripted” interview style, O’Reilly worse than Hannity. But as much as I dislike them both, I’ve never seen them do an interview like this. It’s embarrassing. I would love to hear from any on the left side of the blogosphere tell me/us if they actually enjoy such a style. I was waiting for Schiff to ask “Have you no shame?”
Yea, its probably good practice for the campaign but Chris Dodd is that “good”
o’donnell behaved like a bully and a clown.
towards the end, it was so obvious o’donnell was getting desperate when he put words into peter’s mouth saying that peter wants to increase tax. peter repeatedly replied he want to reduce income tax and then increase health benefits tax and so there will be no net change — but o’donnell kept saying peter wants to increase tax!!!
lawrence o’donnell, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Peter Schiff is a lot of hot air, sure occasionally he can make a point or two that makes sense in a vacuum, but his policies will not work in a complex society. On MSNBCs “Morning Joe” Schiff said Medicare is harming the elderly. O’Donnell simply asked if Schiff’s parents are on medicare, he said yes..his father. O’Donnell asked him if it was harming his father, he said…”Well that’s different though.” Schiff is just a lot of hot air with no common sense. I’m sorry for those who listen to him. Check out Gerald Celente. He has common sense.
this is the same thing I ahve seen time and again … Lawrence O’Donnell in his bully position is trying to frame the argument by stating his talking points and then suggesting that Peter’s point of view is too Esoteric.
You dont have the time to explain you point … it needs to be a sound bite … so that the folks that listen can act as repeaters.
We can not have a discusion we need sound bites so that we can propogate our prapoganda …
Same old story same old song and dance ..
Lawence O’Donnell is a collectivist and againts individual rights.
Paul Jenkins – you don’t understand. Peter Schiff didn’t get an adequate amount of time of Morning Joe to explain his beliefs.
As for Schiff’s father, the government has jailed him, so his father is in a unique position – Peter wasn’t kidding.
If Peter had time, he would explain that he would allow younger people to get out of the social security/medicare system while still taking care of people made dependent on those programs.
So he is fundamentally against those unconstitutional redistributive programs, but he would only support a transition that didn’t “pull the rug out from anybody’s feet”.
Got it?
Paul Jenkins, his father has to be under government healthcare because he is in prison because he does not believe in paying the income tax.
I made a remix of the Schiff/O’Donnell “debate”. I figured since O’Donnell did most of the talking… he should have the stage all to himself. No need for white noise from a mere guest. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gge3blsVnG0
I would love to hear from any on the left side of the blogosphere tell me/us if they actually enjoy such a style.
I hear from them all the time. Also from righties who have the same reaction to, say, O’Reilly. It’s the All Star Wrestling of TV politics.
Who the hell would employ this clown odonnell. He is a sad joke of an interviewer.
It is apparent to me that O’Donnell was carrying water for either the DNC or Dodd. He was trying to box Schiff in and create a soundbite that could be used for a TV attack ad. If Schiff wins the primary, expect this to be the DNC game plan. They will try to shift attention from Dodd’s corrupt bankster ties, involvement in bailout and stimulus, and involvement in Fannie/Freddie fiasco towards health care reform.
Schiff’s ideas are not radical, new or crazy… They are the principles of the founding fathers of this country and they are what has made America the envy of the world. Returning to those principles (freedom, liberty, responsibility) would not be difficult and is really the only option that makes sense. I supported Schiff financially, even though I am from Massachusetts, because of the influence he can have on the Senate. I encourage everyone else to do the same.
Listening is the lost skill. Not only did this guy lose his ability to listen, but also the ability to reason and function appear to be missing as well.
It’s not hard to tell he favors Obama. Anyone that is “bothered” by data on a subject generally supports people who do not have data and “wing it”. That’s our Government today. No data. Angery if you ask for data. Obama believes, as does O’Donnell that America should “beleive” what “they” tell us. I really think AMerica is brighter than that. But why a television would put their brand on this show must intend to be history in a very short time.
What is all the fuss about? Peter Schiff kicked Lawrence O’Donnell’s butt.
Hahaha At the end of ot Lawrence O’Donnell looks like an angry old man who has no clue about what he’s talking about. Peter Schiff Rocks! This guy should run for President!
MSNBC has molded itself as the anti fox network.
I have seen this kind of crap from Fox news as well and get embarrassed by it when I see O’Reilly and Hannity do it.
Although I must admit that O’Reilly and Hannity both have chilled out somewhat of late and are not quite so apt to do what this guy did to Schiff.
Still If I watch MSNBC which is almost never…I know what to expect. Any GOP’er that goes on MSNBC should expect this kind of treatment.
@Thomas
The money bomb raised about $200,000. Peter Schiff raised the rest himself. It’s great that he is raising money but don’t you go and take the credit for it.
@Paul Jenkins
in that interview Peter said his father is a different story, because his father, a tax protestor, is in Prison for tax evasion, not that his father is in prison. Peter said that he couldnt take off the people that are already dependent on it. It isn’t fair either, as these people have paid into social security their whole lives.
that should read “not that his father is different because he is his father.”
@Paul Jenkins
Dummy, do you know anything about Schiff’s father?
What a disgusting display by O’Donnell. I’m not a big fan of Schiff but O’Donnell is not helping those of us opposed to Schiff’s Libertarianism by acting like a rabid monkey and//or 7th grade debater.
O’Donnel is the socailist answer to Mr. O’Reilly.The tactics work something like this:ask a question and then interrupt 2 sentences in then let the guest talk for 5 seconds then interrupt and ask another question before the guest has an oppurtunity to answer the first loaded question.Why are O’Donnell and his collectivist ilk so afraid to let advocates of a free market state their positions.It is obvious that all of the govt. interfernce has ruined healthcare.Before all of the govt. involvement costs and the bureaucracy weren’t out of control.Before the inefficient,immoral welfare state the poor and needy were taken care of by a moral civil society made up of family,private charities, and fraternal organizations.We replaced that with a corrupt,inefficient,leviathon state that crushes everything in its path.Congratulations leftists!
Well MSNBC has been at the bottom of the cable news rankings for years….5 to 10 years at least. There are many reasons why but we just saw a big one. The rudeness and blithering idiocy of their anchors. Rude anchors, preposterous commentary, what a horrendous channel.
@Paul Jenkins
uhh he made that quip about his father because his father is in prison.. you really showed you’ve got a good understanding of Schiff’s positions..
@ellen
This video reminds me of why I cannot watch MSNBC anymore. I stopped watching early in the Demo Primary in ‘08, when MSNBC spent the ENTIRE primary season saying that Hillary should “step aside” for the good of the Party etc. Chris Matthews, Shawn Hannity, Bill O’Reilly all pretend (like this O’Donnell guy) to be journalists, but they are not. They would much rather hear themselves talk, than their guests. This so-called interview was more mean-spirited, much more partisan and intolerant than the other three I mentioned. I think a huge problem in US politics and the media that pretend to cover it, is the marginalization of any NEW, DIFFERENT, ORIGINAL, AND FACTUALLY ACCURATE ideas/information/facts etc. O’Donnell, in addition to demonstrating his anger, intolerance, partiality, ignorance etc, also showed how the status quo has become accepted to be the only possible reality. These people deny historical facts like: increased gov’t spending on poverty has resulted in more poor; increased gov’t involvement in medicine has raised the cost, shifted the cost, and decreased quality. Mr. Schiff may indeed be a “one-hit-wonder” with his crash prediction a few years ago. But he eloquently states historical facts even in the face of a near-violent, arrogant, self-righteous MSNBC entertainer’s virulent attacks. We need more voices in the wilderness. But we won’t hear them on MSNBC.
O’Donnell played the fool.
- MPM
@noel
Larry is a mob and non-American host
@Paul Jenkins
he said his father is a special situation because his father is in prison.
The scary thing is the interviewer believes he won that exchange and doesn’t realize he made himself look like a moron!
How did this guy get a show??!! GE should yank this clown off the set immediately. MSNBC has no credibility and that was probably the worst example of how to conduct an interview that I have ever witnessed. Sounds like O’Dumbbell is on Chris Dodd’s payroll.
What a moron this O’Donnell. These kind of men creep me out.
ATT: Michael van der Gallen
just wanted to point out that Schiff has formed an exploratory committee for a possible Republic primary run for the Senate. he has NOT (yet!) “announced that he will run against Democratic Senator Chris Dodd in 2010.”
att: everyone: if you want Schiff to run, he needs to see that he can raise money. Please donate whatever you can at Schiffforsenate.com (Note: I do not know Schiff and have nothing to do with his campaign. I’m simply doing all I can as a concerned citizen to kick Chriss Dodd the hell outta Washington!)
@Paul Jenkins
Paul Jenkins
‘O’Donnell asked him if it was harming his father, he said…”Well that’s different though.”’
Actually, this may have come off as you’ve presented it, but Schiff was actually making a bit of an inside joke, here. What he said was along the lines of ‘my father’s a different case.” And he is. Why? Because he’s in jail for refusing to pay income tax. Not tax evasion, mind you. There’s a difference. He simply, and openly, refuses to pay regardless of the consequences because he believes the it to be an unjust and unconstitutional tax. You may disagree with him, but that’s just classic civil disobedience. At any rate, Schiff was most definitely NOT saying Medicaid is a bad thing… well except for my dad (as you seem to imply).
I’m sure Mr.O’Donnell is a nice guy, he needs to find another line of work !
Keep in mind though that Schiff drew the ire of the Bushites in the Republican Party as well because he’s a Ron Paul guy.
The whole system is rotten to the core. Even if he’s right – in the end, so what? All we get is a smug sense of being “in the know.”
It won’t change the fact that both parties are in the game to screw us for all we’re worth. I’m getting out while the getting’s good.