Say what you will, at least CNN is a consistent “news” network. Then: build the “The Wright-Free Zone” to smooth the path to the White House for president-to-be Obama. Now? As Ace writes, “Wolf Blitzer Asking Weiner The Most Candy-Cane Questions Possible.”
We’ll get to Ace in just a moment, but first, here’s Stacy McCain on Weiner’s media rounds today and why this is such a big story, in spite of the MSM’s protestations that it hurts one of their fellow Democrats:
Donald Douglas at American Power calls attention to this ABC News video. Notice how George Stephanopoulos (scarcely a right-winger) featured the WeinerGate story today on Good Morning America:
[Video at Stacy’s site. — Ed]
You see that, as Stephanopoulos says, Weiner is a “high-profile Democrat” whose avowed ambition is to become mayor of New York City — America’s most lucrative media market.
The supply-and-demand incentives for coverage of this story are therefore so strong that, liberal bias or not, the major news networks can’t simply ignore it. In fact, I had the TV in my office tuned to MSNBC for a couple hours today, then turned over to Fox News, and MSNBC actually had more coverage of the story than Fox!
You might say that Weiner is too big for his own good.
Heh. But that was before Wolf decided to damage control on Weiner’s behalf. Let’s face it — whether the guy becomes the next big politician in New York State, or the next anchorman on CNN — or both — he’s important to the network and the conglomerate who owns it. Or as Ace writes:
Now Wolf is essentially congratulating Weiner for handling today’s kitty-cat interview better than yesterday’s. Also tells him how wonderful his wife is.
Good Lord All Mighty, he hits the “Weiner joke” non-excuse again. Folks, this is just because his name is Weiner. Happens thousands of times a day, to people named Weiner.
Oh my God, attempting to get Weiner to help himself, Wolf puts the words in his mouth, “And you’re not ruling out law enforcement?” Weiner again declines, again. But Blitzer takes it as a “maybe,” so he’s innocent.
Motherf*****. And he congratulates him with a hand-shake and says to Weiner, “You should have done this yesterday.” Good job, Anthony! With me playing press agent, instead of Dana Bash playing reporter, you almost didn’t embarrass yourself!
CNN anchor comes back and hits the “Weiner joke” again, it’s all just that.
The Dana Bash interview never happened.
It is now to be suppressed in favor of Take Two with Walking Vagina.
It never happened. It is an unterview.
Which may explain why Weiner was so angry during it yesterday — I’m a liberal congressman, how dare you in the liberal media ask me tough questions???!!!
(See also, similar French response to Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s peccadilloes.)
Related: At the Tatler, Bryan Preston on Weinergate: “Following the jokes, the political implications.”
And only tangentially related, but lots of fun, no wonder Spitzer, Weiner, and Jeff Toobin all love CNN:
More: There’s tigerblood in that Weiner!
“Watching Anthony Weiner’s twitter and press blitz is like watching a Charlie Sheen meltdown. It’s amusing, uncomfortable, and not necessary,” a Democratic leadership aide told me just now. “If Weiner really wants to get beyond this, he’ll shut up and let Democrats get back to their Medicare message.”
Is that the engine I hear starting on Fredo’s boat?
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