August 12,2011

Chris Wallace proves he's MSNBC Material
by Thurston Howell

During the day long infomercial for Mitt Romney that is Fox News, I caught several appearances by Chris Wallace conducting damage control after the can of Whoop-ass Newt Gingrich opened upon him in last night’s GOP debate.

His political pundit colleagues were helping to prop him up by agreeing that his now infamous question was perfectly legitimate. They are all contending that asking Gingrich what he “has to say to people who say” that his “campaign is a disaster” – was not a “gotcha question”.

Wallace has a track record of insulting candidates he apparently dislikes by superficially framing his insults in the form of a question posed by generic people he fails to specifically identify beyond a group. His intent is transparent in the way that contestants on Jeopardy give an answer in the form of a question. Sure, technically it is a real question but that is a matter of procedure.

That these pundits actually don’t see the inappropriate nature of the question is hard to believe. Telling the man while he stands on the national stage waiting for a question about his positions on issues - that his campaign is a disaster and saying that “other people” say that - is pathetic and should be reserved for the tabloids. I love the way Gingrich enumerated on specific ideas on which he's campaigning - immediately after blasting this chump.

Wallace's claim that the question was about Newt's RECORD is absurd. His place in the polls during a campaign has nothing to do with his record.

Wallace did the same thing to Michelle Bachman recently when he asked her on his show “are you a flake”? Then too, he framed the underhanded insult by implying that it was those “other people” who contend this.

If simply framing his attacks by asserting that hypothetical “people” say whatever absurdity he chooses to propound makes the insult “legitimate”, he can say virtually ANYTHING he wants without scrutiny.

That is why the highlight of last night’s debate was when Gingrich put this pompous little twit in his place. No matter how much spin Wallace and his buddies try to put on it, the question was no more legitimate then if Gingrich would have asked Wallace what he has to say to people who say that he likes to dress up in his wife’s under-garments.

Judging from his pattern of scurrilous reproach toward his least favorite guests, nobody will ever mistake Chris Wallace of being a gentleman. In my opinion, Wallace once again demonstrated that he is clearly out of his league when trying to spar with Gingrich. This man is clearly MSNBC material.



Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com