On Friday’s Political Capital show, Bloomberg’s Margaret Carlson lavished praise on President Obama has having "negotiating skills" like the recently deceased diplomat Richard Holbrooke - known for facilitating a ceasefire in Bosnia in the mid-1990s - as host Al Hunt asked Carlson and the National Review’s Kate O’Beirne to describe what Christmas gifts they would figuratively give to various public figures. Carlson: "I’m going to give him an inscribed copy of the late, great Richard Holbrooke’s memoir, in honor of Obama’s negotiating skills in this lame duck session. All he had to do was give up tax cuts - for which the Republican Party stands - to the wealthy who don’t need it in exchange for everything else he got."
She went on to trash Tea Party Republicans recently elected to Congress as "blowing off steam." Carlson: "I’m afraid that they might succumb to earmarks and lobbyists. They give every sign of that. So I’m going to give them a tea kettle because all they’ve done so far is blow off steam."
Carlson ended up mocking Sarah Palin as being capable of shooting Santa’s reindeer as she advised Republican presidential candidates to stay out of Palin’s "line of fire." Carlson: "Now, this is a sweet gift. I’m going to give Sarah Palin’s rivals a DVD of Sarah Palin’s Alaska. Take a lesson from the caribou - who look suspiciously like Santa’s reindeers - and do not get in her line of fire."
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Friday, December 24, Political Capital from Bloomberg News :
AL HUNT: Let me turn now to our two favorite jolly elves - Kate and Margaret - whose yuletide generosity has always been one of their hallmarks. And in the spirit of the holiday - I know you both believe it is better to give than to receive - so what are you going to give, Margaret, to Barack Obama this year?
MARGARET CARLSON: I’m going to give him an inscribed copy of the late, great Richard Holbrooke’s memoir, in honor of Obama’s negotiating skills in this lame duck session. All he had to do was give up tax cuts - for which the Republican Party stands - to the wealthy who don’t need it in exchange for everything else he got.
...
Well, I hope this passes Kate’s generosity standard. I’m going to give John Boehner a gift certificate to smoke Enders. When you look at the balcony outside the Speaker’s office - and he always has a cigarette dangling from his lips - it’s not at all dignified. And I’m going to give him one with Obama because he could slip back and they could bond over pictures of Black Lung Disease.
HUNT: Oh, Margaret! Margaret, how about all these Tea Party Republicans who will be arriving in town in about 10 days. Now, you must have a nice gift for them.
CARLSON: Ah, yes, yes, I’m afraid that they might succumb to earmarks and lobbyists. They give every sign of that. So I’m going to give them a tea kettle because all they’ve done so far is blow off steam.
...
Now, this is a sweet gift. I’m going to give Sarah Palin’s rivals a DVD of Sarah Palin’s Alaska. Take a lesson from the caribou - who look suspiciously like Santa’s reindeers - and do not get in her line of fire.
