Rachel Maddow smacks down Republican hack David Frum

Rachel Maddow sparred with former Bush speechwriter/National Review contributor David Frum, after Frum thought he'd cleverly ambush Maddow with the accusation that she was contributing to the low tone of the political discourse.

MADDOW: You have publicly stated some reservations about John McCain and criticisms about the way his campaign is run, even though you have also said that you will vote for him. One quote I wanted to ask you about. You said, "Those who press this Ayers line of attack are whipping Republicans and conservatives into a fury that's going to be very hard to calm after November." What do you mean by that, in that word, "fury."
FRUM: Well, I think that you were talking through much of the show about the matter of tone in our politics. And yet, we are seeing, I think, an intensification of the ugliness of tone that has been a feature of American politics for the past eight years. I mean, this show, unfortunately, is an example of that problem.


Basically, Frum objected to Maddow's injection of humor and sarcasm into her show as an example of how political culture was circling the drain. Maddow, obviously, had some disagreement with this contention, suggesting that her use of comic effect was not in any way equivalent to say...calling for someone's head on the campaign trail.

Of course, Frum seems to have a problem with political comedy in general. Back in July, he took to his "Diary" to caterwaul over the way Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert treat the conversation:

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert obviously see themselves as something more than ordinary funny men. Recall Stewart's memorable scolding of Crossfire for hurting America; remember Stephen Colbert's preachy appearance at the White House correspondents dinner. They think something is very wrong with cable news, and so they satirize that wrong.

In making their point, they themselves violate every kind of journalistic ethical rule. They say, "It's OK for us - we're fake news." That's a convenient excuse. But it's not really an adequate one.


Yes! It's almost as if The Daily Show and the Colbert Report have an established, intrinsic comedic conventions that are a thing apart from the two men's appearances in all other fora! And because they don't adhere to those conventions ALL THE TIME, like on Crossfire, or at the Duane Reade, they are violating some journalistic ethics.

Frum went on to say:

A few days ago, Colbert scoffed at my friend David Brooks for referring to the "salad bar" at Applebee's - when Applebee's doesn't feature salad bars. An error - how ridiculous! But conscious fabrication? I guess that's OK, so long as it's done in the sacred name of comedy.
Speaking of conscious fabrication done in the "sacred names" of things, the bloggers at Sadly, No! would like to know why this conscious fabrication was deployed in the sacred name of advertising the National Review! I'd be interested in hearing if Frum actually believes that "Gore-type environmental[ism]" is really about "taking cars away" and "stop[ping] the trend of American life." Actually, is Frum capable of associating himself with a statement on Al Gore that's not some sort of ridiculous fabrication? Just wondering!

Maddow demonstrates respectful restraint in her own defense. Really, if she had wanted to deploy some lowball humor at Frum's expense, she could have pointed out that the way Frum hunched himself forward, grimacing and closing his eyes as if he was girding himself, made him look like a constipated man heroically battling to pop a squat. That would have been lowball and disrespectful! Still wouldn't have been the equivalent of dressing a monkey up in an Obama sticker, or yelling "Treason!" in a crowded hall!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/14/rachel-maddow-battles-dav_n_134508.html

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[zackriotpdx]

she's such a badass. and so smart! hot!

[pgorob]

I'll take Rachel Maddow any day of the week over liars like Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, and the FOX News biased "reporters". Most college educated people who are not religeous zealots agree with her. And, all the homophobic comments on here go to prove the true nature of the conservative right-wong. Intolerant and bigoted.

[iamalittlespy]

@R4t10n4L His legacy is forever cemented as one of the people who helped the Bush administration launch the Iraq invasion, at least in my mind. But to quote Gore Vidal, since we live in a permanent state of Amnesia (Iraq is already being called the Forgotten War), I won't be surprised if he will be given a chance to re-brand himself as a "moderate" conservative.

[iamalittlespy]

@R4t10n4L I agree with you, except that I have a feeling that he is playing the "moderate" part because he wants attention and relevance. He is clearly not a religious fanatic, more like an intellectual but still Machiavellian and calculating neo-conservative chicken hawk.

[Edwardbrooklyn]

@R4t10n4L yeah, I think the Republicans are just that, how you knew? just watch Fox

[R4t10n4L]

@iamalittlespy As I posted in reply to someone else he only looks reasonable because he is well educated and isn't a religious fanatic. The truth is I've never liked him and rarely agreed with him. But it's a sad story of US conservative politics that a expatriate Canadian is now the poster boy for moderate Republicans ( who have now become an almost insignificant faction in their own party )

[R4t10n4L]

@Edwardbrooklyn If you think the Dems are the Party of Hate, then the Repugs are the Party of Spiteful Hypocrisy.

[R4t10n4L]

@darwincity It's good that you added "nowadays" because it's telling just how incredibly rightwing the conservatives/Republicans have shifted. Frum is a diehard conservative and can be as blinkered as any but he's a foaming-at-the-mouth religious fundamentalist, and is capable of telling his fellows cons bluntly that they're screwing up. That's a no-no in the Party of No.

[R4t10n4L]

@swanker63 We'd laugh if you were funny. Try again.

[R4t10n4L]

@GDuck1966 Her name is Rachel Maddow, not Rachel Cant. Also, considering that most of the men and women that she interviews are straight, she must not like a whole lot of people.

[iamalittlespy]

@R4t10n4L I am sure the man is intelligent but you really need some chutzpa given his background with the Bush administration to come on to Rachel's show and quote Gandhi. This man is partially and directly responsible for the Iraq Invasion, since he is the one who coined the term "Axis of Evil" when writing Bushes speeches. After years of dishonest manipulation, deceit and propaganda on Fox news he still has the nerve to go on Rachel's show and tell her she can do better ?

[R4t10n4L]

If Frum is serious about improving politics, he should focus on getting the corrupt money out of politics on all sides.