Last summer I took to task liberal journalists and politicians who branded those Americans who disagreed with them about the debt ceiling debate as “terrorists.” It was a particularly low moment in American political discourse, but the worst part of it was not so much the invective as the hypocrisy of those who cried out at what they consider the incivility of Tea Partiers and other conservatives while at the same time attempting to smear their opponents by branding them as being indistinguishable from murderers.
Among those who played this nasty double game was liberal columnist Froma Harrop who, amazingly enough, is also the chair of the National Conference of Editorial Writers civility project. Unfortunately for Harrop, the producers of the “Daily Show” got wind of this contradiction and dispatched John Oliver to interview her about it. The result can only be described as both hysterical and deeply insightful about the blind spot that some liberals have about their right to defame those with whom they disagree in a manner that they would never tolerate when the tables are turned. Enjoy:
Totally clueless, self-absorbed elitist in her own demographic bubble. I may have to revise my opinion of Jon Stewart. n nJonathan Tobin is the epitome of civil disagreement and Froma Harrop ( a real person I learned after watching this. I thought it as an SNL parody, at first). Liberal self- parody is on full display.
this was one of the funniest (and saddest) things I've seen all year. that poor schlep had no clue. let's see…this just happened, right? has Froma been clued in on the joke yet, or is she still pitying the Tea Party for not recognizing irony when it's right there in front of it?!