Last week, CBS Saturday Morning ran a glowing profile of far-left activist and celebrity Jane Fonda. This week, it was former Bill Clinton strategist James Carville’s turn as co-host Michelle Miller claimed he “laid aside party loyalty” to urge President Biden to drop his re-election bid and viewed winning as his "religion."
Miller, whose husband was the former Democratic mayor of New Orleans and is the current president of the National Urban League, began in studio by declaring that, “James Carville is a one-of-a kind personality full of candor and political force for decades. But now, he's bringing viewers behind closed doors in a deeply personal new documentary for CNN just in time for another presidential election.”
In the featured report, she elaborated, “His wicked wit and combative style... have made him one of the most outspoken voices of our time.”
Miller further described Carville as “a progressive pit bull, some say helped form the tone of cable news talk.”
However, “earlier this year, James Carville laid aside party loyalty and sounded the alarm for President Biden to drop out.”
That’s not what “laid aside party loyalty” means. If Carville really laid aside party loyalty, he would’ve endorsed Donald Trump. Instead, he simply wanted another Democrat with a better chance of winning.
Still, Miller told him, “You seem to have predicted what we've seen this entire summer,” to which Carville replied, “Well, I guess it's fortunate sometimes to make a big call right in the middle of the film.”
In a voiceover, Miller explained, “That film, Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid also recounts his four decades in politics.”
Again substituting statements for questions, Miller declared, “Someone said of you ‘that the path to victory is his religion. That's what he cares about: winning.’”
Carville answered, “Right. I was obsessed with winning because you would hear this -- there were a lot of Democrats and kind of progressive people that wanted to feel good about themselves. ‘Oh, we were just way ahead of our times, and no one could appreciate us.’ That doesn't do any good. That's [bleep]. If you don't win, you've nothing.”
If a Republican said “winning is everything,” we would be subject to lectures about misinformation or about the decline of morality in politics. When the former Clinton operative says it, it is deemed to be part of his charm, “We first saw that fervor in The War Room, a film chronicling Carville's 1992 presidential campaign to elect a relatively unknown governor from Arkansas, a victory that put Democrats back in the Oval Office for only the second time in 24 years.”
It would have been nice if Miller asked Carville if he had any regrets about this “religion,” but this is CBS, and asking left-wing guests those types of questions is frowned upon.
Here is a transcript for the October 12 show:
CBS Saturday Morning
10/12/2024
9:09 AM ET
MICHELLE MILLER: James Carville is a one-of-a kind personality full of candor and political force for decades. But now, he's bringing viewers behind closed doors in a deeply personal new documentary for CNN just in time for another presidential election.
JAMES CARVILLE [1992]: And President Bush has been a do-nothing president, and now he's a do-nothing candidate.
That's the way a political strategist thinks.
MILLER: His wicked wit and combative style.
CARVILLE: Go ask them what they think about it. I'm a political strategist.
MILLER: Have made him one of the most outspoken voices of our time.
Mr. Carville, how are you?
CARVILLE: Mister? I like that.
MILLER: A progressive pit bull, some say helped form the tone of cable news talk.
CARVILLE [2004]: Iraq is getting more violent by the day, and we've been there forever and the thing is going to hell in a handbasket.
MILLER: But, earlier this year, James Carville laid aside party loyalty and sounded the alarm for President Biden to drop out.
CARVILLE: Somebody better wake the [bleep] Up.
He's going to come to the conclusion that this is just not a good idea.
MILLER: You seem to have predicted what we've seen this entire summer.
CARVILLE: Well, I guess it's fortunate sometimes to make a big call right in the middle of the film.
MILLER: That film, Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid--
CARVILLE: Hey, give me a call when you get a chance.
MILLER: Also recounts his four decades in politics.
Someone said of you “that the path to victory is his religion. That's what he cares about: winning.”
CARVILLE: Right. I was obsessed with winning because you would hear this -- there were a lot of Democrats and kind of progressive people that wanted to feel good about themselves. “Oh, we were just way ahead of our times, and no one could appreciate us." That doesn't do any good. That's [bleep]. If you don't win, you've nothing.
MILLER: We first saw that fervor in The War Room, a film chronicling Carville's 1992 presidential campaign to elect a relatively unknown governor from Arkansas.
CARVILLE [1992]: Let me tell you what's at stake in this election.
MILLER: A victory that put Democrats back in the Oval Office for only the second time in 24 years.
CARVILLE: Talk about things that matter to people. It's the economy, stupid.
MILLER: Carville's simplicity and turning of phrase struck a chord with voters, and today, remains one of the most quoted slogans in politics.
