brooklyn mutt

Rachel Maddow vs Pat Buchanan: The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor Supreme Court.

Rachel Maddow, on her show, thus far has stayed away from lively and heated debates. I understand it, and I respect her for steering her show and herself personally away from a seemingly easy way to garner attention/ratings. But she is especially good at it so therefore I wish she would do more. During MSNBC’s campaign coverage there were times when she would mix it up with panelists on the other side of the political spectrum and she would always hold her own. Honestly most times she would make fools of her counter parts.

She uses a unique combo of coolness and articulation. She tops anyone that I can recall at this and I am going back to the beginning of what some might call, “debate TV”. Even harking back to the old Bob Novak vs Michael Kinsely or Pat Buchanan vs Bill Press CNN “Crossfire” days.

Maddow’s calm and reasoned thinking absolutely pwns Buchanan’s emotional outbursts and seemingly ingrained prejudices. Here are some of quotes from this nearly 11 minute debate:

Buchanan: She, Sotomayor, is nothing but an ”affirmative-action appointment”.

Buchanan: “Whites are the ones being discriminated against”.

“I think white men were 100% of the people who wrote the constitution, 100% of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence, 100% of the people who died at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, probably close 100% of the people who died at Normandy. This has been a country basically built by white folks.”…”You know what they ought to do? They ought to defend the rights of white working-class folks.”

Maddow told Buchanan, ”I don’t need a lecture from you”..

Buchanan spoke over her telling her, “Yes, you do. You do.”

Maddow continued: “a lot of things divide us Pat, for you to privilege race and say that what we really need to do is make sure that we tap into white people’s racial grievances, you’re dating yourself and playing with fire.”