MSNBC's Martin Bashir practically had an on air meltdown Monday over comments Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made about President Obama and the European economy.
"He supports Paul Ryan’s budget. He wants to go cut, cut, cut. It’s not president – it’s him. He’s the European Socialist" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
MARTIN BASHIR: Now we know that Mitt Romney loves to paint the president as a European-style socialist, which is incredible. And he weighed in today. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY: He’s taking America on a path towards Europe, and Europe’s not working there. It’s not going to work here. Europe’s in real trouble. As their debts mount, as people demand more and more from government and government has to borrow more and more to satisfy their demands.
JARED BERNSTEIN, FORMER ECONOMIC ADVISER TO VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: Martin, I feel your, I don’t know what to call it? Frustration, bemusement?
BASHIR: Well, I mean, it’s just staggering the frustration one feels when you hear the man say outright lies repeatedly.
First off, what school did Bashir attend where he learned that austerity and socialism go hand in hand?
The entire idea behind reducing spending and the size of government is antithetical to socialism.
The French just voted in socialists partially as a backlash to austerity. He should know, because that's what this segment was mostly about.
Adding insult to injury, the chyron at the bottom of the screen read, "French Kissoff: What Does The Austerity Backlash Mean For The U.S.?"
But don't expect a shill like Bashir to be able to comprehend what's on a television screen in front of him or to be consistent from one second to the next.
As for saying "outright lies repeatedly," Bashir ought to point that finger at himself as he continues to equate European plans of conquering deficits to what Ryan and Romney recommend.
As NewsBusters reported when he did this a week ago, he continually ignores the immutable fact that many European countries such as Great Britain and Spain RAISED TAXES along with their spending cuts assuring that their economies would worsen.
Frankly, I never anticipate Bashir admitting that.
You shouldn't either.
