RUSH: I mentioned to you — Snerdley didn’t believe this — that after the CNBC debate, the next day I said there’s no shame. They’re not embarrassed. I don’t care what the news stories say. I don’t care, the CNBC people — and, by the way, we’ve learned that the guy that ran the CNBC debate worked in the Clinton White House, three different jobs for Algore. They’re all Clinton hacks, exactly as I told you. As far as they’re concerned, that debate was mission accomplished. And I mentioned to you in the last hour that an evolving narrative now is how the Republicans are a bunch of whining losers who can’t handle a little adversity. And that narrative is starting to bubble up out there. This is last night and this morning, CNN, Fox News Channel, bunch of different people. Here goes. Listen.
CHRIS CUOMO: The whining over the CNBC debate is far from over.
HOWARD KURTZ: They seem to be a little whining.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK: Republicans need to stop whining about these debates.
BRET BAIER: A lot of them don’t want to appear to be whining.
RYAN LIZZA: Stop whining about tough questions.
CARL CAMERON: ItÂ’s probably best not to whine too much.
RUSH: Eighty percent of those voices are the Fox News Channel. And you think CNBC and the rest of the Drive-Bys are embarrassed? You think they’re shamed by that performance, CNBC? Hell, no, folks, they’re applauding themselves. Mission accomplished. No less than Dan Rather on CNBC — well, he’s actually on CNN. He’s on Reliable Sources yesterday. He was defending CNBC, but of course he would. I mean, if you forged documents for a news story and think you’re telling the truth, you wouldn’t have any problem what CNBC did. Brian Stelter said, “You’ve been on these stages so many times, Dan. You’ve been a moderator so much. You’ve done this more than anybody. You are the seasoned professional at moderating debates. What would your review of the moderators of the CNBC debate be?”
RATHER: Look, they didn’t do it perfectly. It wasn’t their best night. But I think we have to see clearly what’s at play here. That candidates on the right side of the political spectrum, a large part of their constituency loves attacks on the press. It’s part of the political game that, particularly with those on the right side of the political spectrum, they’re going to attack the press because a large part of their constituency likes it and that’s what this is about. By and large, a reportersÂ’ job is to separate bull shine from brass tax. And by in large that’s what the press does.
RUSH: Such caca. I mean, it’s all just caca from top to bottom. (imitating Rather) “They didn’t do it perfectly, it wasn’t the best night, but I think we see clearly what’s at play here and that is the candidates on the right side of the spectrum are pretty much crazy. It was on display on CNBC, rather good job, partisan political operatives generally do a good job.” Screw it, Dan. I’m just showing you that there’s no regret.