RUSH: Bob Schieffer. I mentioned earlier that Bob Schieffer was just beside himself when he learned what Gruber said, that they lied and they had to lie about Obamacare because people are so stupid. Here he is on Face the Nation yesterday. He’s on his way to a Ron Fournier moment, an emotional come-to-Jesus breakdown. But he doesn’t quite get there. He still can’t find his way to blame Obama for it.
SCHIEFFER: I was dumbstruck when I heard the comments that are surfacing from an economist named Jonathan Gruber, who was paid $400,000 to help shape the president’s health care plan. I’ll be honest. While I favor health insurance, I am not wild about the new plan and how it became law, either. But here is my question for Mr. Gruber. If all this was as bad as you say, why did you take the money you earned as an advisor? Nor is it too late to give it back. As for the president, he may want to consider that old politician’s prayer: “Lord, I can take care of my enemies, just protect me from my friends.”
RUSH: You know, you hear something like this and you say, “What good is Bob Schieffer?” I mean, he’s a journalist. He’s supposedly is. He’s one of the old guard. He’s one of the guys who’s been around since Edward R. Murrow was in diapers. I mean, he’s one of these guys who’s been there. He’s seen everything. He’s been there, done that. Nothing can surprise Bob Schieffer. He’s seen the best; he’s seen the worst.
He’s seen the underside, the inside, the outside of the belly. He’s seen all the orifices. Yet he remains as naive as somebody watching their first newscast! “I’ll be honest. While I favor health insurance…” Really? Who doesn’t? Is anybody opposed to health insurance? Well, I don’t have any, frankly. That’s another story. But I’m not opposed to it. “While I favor health insurance, I’m not wild about the new plan and how it became law.”
Well, where were you when all that was happening, Bob? You were giving all this airtime to all these people lying to everybody about it and not questioning it even though you weren’t crazy about it? What purpose did you serve here, Bob? I’m serious! I’m not trying to be mean or disrespectful. It’s a legitimate question. If this is how you feel, then why…? Oh, journalistic objectivity? I get it.
“I cannot inject myself in the story.”
Ohhhh! Why didn’t I realize that? It must be the first time it hasn’t happened. “But here’s my question for Gruber: If it’s as bad as you say, why’d you take the money?” Mr. Schieffer, have you seen Gruber? He’s running around celebrating this! He and his economics buddies are yukking it up. They’re laughing. They’re having the grandest time. They ran a giant con and they got away with it!
They’re applauding themselves and laughing at how stupid the American people — and by connection, the media — have to be in order to for them to have succeeded. What do you mean, give the money back? Do you think Gruber’s ashamed of anything here? They’re not ashamed! They are proud of themselves, Bob. They ran a giant con, and they’re still running the con. That’s the key. You never admit it was a con.
You never tell the people you conned that you conned ’em. That’s the mistake Gruber made. He couldn’t keep it to himself. You never give up the con. But he couldn’t help it. He was so proud of himself. He was so proud of the way he so intelligently made fools of people, and how easy it was, ’cause they’re so stupid! He lied to through his teeth and they bought every syllable! (clapping) “Isn’t it great? Isn’t it great?”
You think he’s gonna give back the money?
By the way, this guy is not an enemy of Obama. They’re buddies!
They’re from the same womb, the same ideological womb. So what good is any of it?