Meat gets Pressed

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Tim Russert, the host of NBC’s Meet the Press, has been doing a great job of late on Sunday mornings. My TiVo is always set for 8a.m. Did any of you catch his interview last Sunday with The Prince of Dar… Vice President Dick Cheney? Here are some choice quotes for those who don’t have the time to watch the entire episode which is still linked to NBC’s website (it is a great hour of Must See TV):

MR. RUSSERT: Pakistan has now a peace pact with the terrorists in the area where we think bin Laden is, creating what Richard Clarke, the former White House adviser on terrorism, calls a “sanctuary.” And reports from the RAND Corporation that the Pakistan CIA, the ISI, are in…

VICE PRES. CHENEY: ISID.

MR. RUSSERT: Yeah, are in cahoots with the Taliban. So if the Pakistanis aren’t willing to seek bin Laden, and have a peace pact with the terrorists, where are we?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I don’t buy the premature question, Tim. I, I think it’s wrong and I think the sources you’ve quoted are wrong. The fact is we’ve captured and killed more al-Qaeda in Pakistan than any place else in the world in the last five years. President Musharraf has been a great ally. There was, prior to 9/11, a close relationship between the Pakistan intelligence services and the Taliban. Pakistan was one of only three nations that recognized, diplomatically recognized the government of Afghanistan at that particular time. But the fact is Musharraf has put his neck on the line in order to be effective in going after the extremist elements including al-Qaeda and including the Taliban in Pakistan. There have been three attempts on his life, two of those by al-Qaeda over the course of the last three years. This is a man who has demonstrated great courage under very difficult political circumstances and has been a great ally for the United States.

So there’s no question in that area along the Afghan/Pakistan border is something of a no man’s land, it has been for centuries. It’s extraordinarily rough territory. People there who move back and forth across the border, they were smuggling goods before there was concern about, about terrorism. But we need to continue to work the problem. Musharraf just visited Karzai in, in Kabul this past week, they’re both going to be here during the course of the U.N. General Assembly meetings over the course of the next few weeks. We worked that area very hard, and the Paks have been great allies in that effort. [Link]

This Sunday Russert will be hosting a live debate between Virginia’s Senate candidates: Senator George “Macaca” Allen (R) vs. former Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb (D). Russert is the master of using damaging quotes in the middle of his grilling and so you better believe that he will go after Allen and his use of the term “Macaca.” He may also ask a question or two about this “Ethnic Rally” that Allen recently held. You have to listen to this introduction:

The Macaca who is speaking on stage explains to the audience that if Allen were a cricket player he would dominate the Indians, and if he were a Bollywood actor he would be cast as a “God.” Rrrrright. Now I don’t mind so much that I don’t watch Bollywood.

62 thoughts on “Meat gets Pressed”

  1. Yeah, I’m not optimistic either. I think the idea of fighting this particular uphill battle makes the mainstream media turn its collective head away. In that regard, you almost have to admire Allen for his ability to take the stink out of his own fecal matter.

    Don’t we have any political browns (er, Ohio pun unintended) we can turn to who can hound this jackass with some righteous indignation? Maybe we can ask Webb to send Sidarth back to follow Allen with a camera some more. That seems like the only thing that works with this teflon-coated mofo, and then too, for like 5 minutes.

    Subodh, you’ve gone the extra mile in trying to get some accountability here. Kudos to you for at least trying.

  2. Allen’s French connection is especially ironic considering his demeaning of the French, even in this interview. Refering to his opponent, “Even the French were for the Fist Gulf War.” Webb was visibly irritated, used some anecdote about his son (made sure to mention he’s a Marine) who supposedly said, “The French were in Vietnam, Allen wasn’t there”

    I don’t think we can expect the MSM to break down the macaca issue further, cuz its not as important of a concern to the general public as it would be to a reader of this blog.

  3. Ugh. It begins.

    The Washington Post has a few excerpts up, if anyone’s interested.

    To quote:

    On Allen’s use of the slur “macaca,” in referring to a Webb campaign volunteer of Indian descent

    Russert: Where did the word come from? It must have been in your consciousness.

    Allen: Oh, it’s just made up.

    Russert: Made-up word?

    Allen: Just made up. Made-up word.

    Russert: You’d never heard it before?

    Allen: Never heard it before.

  4. Macacagate, complete with photo, is on the frontpage of the New York Times online this morning.

    Democrat Gains Ground on Virginia Senator Democrat James WebbÂ’s battle against Senator George Allen, left, a Republican, has become truly competitive, right down to footwear.

    (image of both candidates wearing cowboy boots).

    It’s on, bonobos!

    http://www.nytimes.com

  5. Actually, Allen’s wearing the cowboy boots, while Webb’s wearing his son’s combat boots.

    Of course, knowing the Times, they’ll have changed the frontpage image by the time you go there. They’ve got attention deficit something bad.

    Monkey or no monkey, Allen’s still leading the race, mostly thanks to the gentle treatment he’s gotten from the media (they seem to take his denials at face value).

  6. Subodh —

    Given the dodging and weaving we saw, the questioner would have to follow-up for half-an-hour.

    But even that would be an awfully useful spectacle to behold.

  8. i think we should have a mutineer run for VA senate..

    The only SUITABLE mutineer I know who lives in the Area Near or Next to the American capital is probably not interested……..yet?