medved melts down

The net is buzzing. The liberal blogosphere is tittering.

Neocon talk-host Michael Medved, the Yalie who Al Franken, speaking to BlatherWatch Monday termed "stupid," usually has his facts straight and keeps his cool.

True, his "facts" aren't always relevant to his arguments and many times enable him to change the subject or deflect cogent points made by his opponent, but usually he keeps it together.

And hey, he's one of the few right-wingers who actually engage capable advocates of opposing views.

However.  Medved was spanked soundly yesterday by one such advocate, Hans Reimer, Rock the Vote political director and blogger. An amazing debater who we've seen before holding his own on con-talk shows, Reimer prevailed and pushed The Cultural Crusader off his game. This is no small feat--talk hosts have tremendous technological/editorial advantage over a guest.      

Here's how Reimer described it:

So anyway, Medved is like, and this is a paraphrase, "you are a liar, you are a liar, President Bush's plan would not privatize Social Security."

So, I read this quote from George W. Bush as reported by ABC News on October 30, 2002: "What privatization does is allows the individual worker - his or her choice - to set aside money in a managed account with parameters in the marketplace."

I had to read it about 5 times before it sunk in.  That is Mr. Bush, describing his own plan, calling in privatization.   

So then he starts calling me a liar for saying that there are politicians who want to get rid of Social Security entirely (an accusation that has been made here in the comments at this blog, and where I suspect Medved got the question). He's like, I dare you to name one politician who supports phasing out Social Security. My reaction was, I don't want to get into naming names. But he kept harping on me so I had to dig into my files.

So I read him this quote from Congressman Chris Chocola: "Bush's plan of individual investment of 2 percent of the money is a start. Eventually, I'd like to see the entire system privatized."

At that point, Medved just lost it and started saying that Chocola was not a real Congressman.

Repeat: When confronted with the facts once again he accused me of lying and said he doubted that there was really a member of Congress named Chris Chocola.

Wow.

Comments

[Michael]

I heard the interview and Medved toyed with Reimer like a cat with a dead (or dying) mouse. True, Medved did challenge Reimer regarding his misleading allegation that many lawmakers wish to destroy social security. Reimer hemmed and hawed for many minutes unable to come up with one name of any lawmaker who had made any such statement. I guess one of Reimer's assistants finally scrounged up the name of an obscure congressman from the 2nd District of Indiana (Chris Chocola) who had made some comment regarding the privatization of Social Security. Reimer was clearly trying to frighten the gullible into thinking that there is a cabal of Republican Lawmakers salivating at the opportunity to kill Social Security, but all he could come up with was Count er, I mean Congressman Chocola!

Medved called Reimer on every single sloppy and false allegation he made about the various proposals to mend Social Security. Reimer was decimated in the debate. Medved successfully challenged every single false notion that Reimer was peddling.

I suggest you go to the tape (available from Treefarm Communications) and listen to the actual interview. It wasn't even close.

[blathering Michael]

Michael from Ezra Bessaroth: Please use your influence w/Michael (and I suspect you have some) to get me one of those tapes-- Ill give it a .isten and report duly but I'm not a member of the mainstream media so I can't afford to buy one--many TR hosts provide transcripts for free. Keep reading, we've got big stuff coming up that I know that you and your hero, boss--whatever Michael is to you-- will be very interested in.

[Scott]

This is the typical response when a right winger gets his clock cleaned. They simply declare victory and move on even though they look like shit.

I too heard this and even though Medved is a master at changing the subject or cutting off debate when he's down, he was clearly bested here.

I would think the guy would not want to show his face anywhere near a mic after getting such a sound drubbing. But why the surprise? Like his pal Lush Flimbaugh, Medved pulls his facts out of his ass and makes sure no one legitimate is allowed to challenge him.

He was a failure as a movie critic and he's a failure as a talk show host.

[Bush Lies]

I heard the show yesterday - Reimer cleaned his clock! When Medved challenged him to prove his statement that some Republican congressmen wanted to abolish Social Security, Reimer trapped him.

Even though none of Congressman Chocola's statements on his website come out and say that he wants to destroy Social Security, you can tell he is just another Republican liar. And I don't want to hear that nonsense about how Reimer couldn't come up with another name even though he said he could name many such Congressmen. He still beat Medved - it doesn't matter if he lied. Sometimes, good people have to lie to accomplish a greater good.

Way to go Hans Reimer! Now, if he could only get on Limbaugh's show....

[Marty]

**Even though none of Congressman Chocola's statements on his website come out and say that he wants to destroy Social Security, you can tell he is just another Republican liar.**

well I am here to help
CountChocola
(R-Privatize)

Now Mr "bush Lies"
I know you really want to have Bush's children but gosh....

[Marty]

Golly... the hotlink barely shows...
try this Link to Count Chocola's Freudian slip

Here

[Bush Lies]

Thanks Marty - there's the proof! I knew Chocola was a liar.

We should send this link to Medved and shove it in his face! Do you have links to the other Congressmen Reimer was referring to? We should send those too. We'll show Medved who the real liar is!

[Scrilla]

The real issue for Entercom is: who fills the noon-3 slot when Medved's Salem handlers bring him on board the new 50k watt KKOL?

[Michael]

Scrilla: Why would Medved leave his cozy perch following Rush for the hinterlands of 1300? Doesn't he have some kind of a say in this?

[Lazy Murrow]

Media Matters has an audio clip here

http://mediamatters.org/items/200505120007

Good god, Medved is such a shameless hack.

[ScrillA]

Contractually....no. His product is solely owned by the syndicator. Entercom didn't hire Medved, they contracted with Salem for the show.
Now, revenue-wise it may be more sensible to keep Med on KTTH because the "avails" are worth more. But KKOL will continue in the pooper until they get a flagship "local" show. Following Rush is a gift. Opposite Rush is a death sentence. Medved at noon on KKOL makes sense because radio is all about habits.
Verstehen?

[chuxtuff]

Another word he doesn't like is LIBERTARIAN....when I listened once and awhile years ago @KVI I noticed he'd go into a foam-at-the-mouth phobia whenever the word was mentioned. I think he had more positive things to say about Communist-lefties really....