Joe Walsh Self-Destructs on CNN (VIDEO)
The video below will be one for the political and journalistic ages. Trust me on that.
Illinois’ Republican Rep. Joe Walsh has given SNL a piece of video that will write itself as a skit. Just send the headwriter home, add a few punch lines, and repeat Walsh’s unending mention of CNN’s Ashleigh Banfield’s first name a lot (but SNL wouldn’t be able to match the number of times he mentioned it: 91 by one count).
In case you’ve been on Mars, Walsh is Republican running against double amputee Tammy Duckworth who has been dismissive –almost contemptuous — of her military service. He sparked a mini-firestorm due to his comments saying that a)all she talks about is her military service, b)true military heroes don’t talk about it and (this is not a joke) c)Senator John McCain had to be forced to talk about his military service and doesn’t talk about it that much. Walsh has become to many a symbol of the kind of bitter, hateful demonizing partisan politics: military service would be a plus but since it’s a plus for Duckworth Walsh ham-handedly tried to remove that plus by turning any mention of it into a negative.
And it has backfired.
Here’s his interview on CNN.
And, no, this is not a parody. This is for real.
Writes The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank:
Walsh is a ripe target for reasons well beyond his crass putdown of Duckworth. During his term, he failed to show up to a court hearing on his ex-wife’s claim that he owed $117,000 in child support (there were earlier tax liens and a foreclosure). His driver’s license was suspended last year for the second time in three years. He called Obama a “tyrant” and accused the president of “lying.” He even squared off with the other Joe Walsh, of the Eagles, over unauthorized use of the song “Walk Away.”
And now there’s Ashleigh, Ashleigh, Ashleigh.
Walsh acknowledged to Banfield that all veterans are heroes, but he defended his claim that Duckworth isn’t a true hero because she spoke about her service. He made this argument primarily by repeating the host’s first name 91 times by my count.
After many such Ashleighs — “Hey, Ashleigh, well, Ashleigh, look Ashleigh” — the interviewer responded in kind with “Yes, Congressman, Congressman. Yes, Congressman.”
“Whew,” Banfield said after the final “Ashleigh.” “I need to take a big breath.”
So should Illinois voters — and send a true hero to Washington in Walsh’s place.
All I can say after watching this is:
Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JoeJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Jooe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..
Daily Intel:
When we heard Congressman Joe Walsh was going to go on TV again to talk about how he thinks military veterans should keep their mouths shut about their service, we thought, Oh no, this guy is really bad at politics. But then he turned in a brilliant performance in this debate with CNN anchor Ashleigh Banfield, mostly by saying “Ashleigh! Ashleigh!” over and over again.
Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JoeJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..
The exchange took a rocky turn when Banfield challenged Walsh on the root of the controversy, which the Republican congressman argued was “manufactured” by Duckworth’s campaign.
“Ashleigh, Ashleigh, Ashleigh,” Walsh said in attempt to hold his ground during the segment. Over the course of the interview, the GOP lawmaker tried to regain control of his line of messaging by saying Banfield’s name more than 90 times.
Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JoeJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Jooe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..
NBC Chicago’s Ward Room:
You know the drinking game “Hi, Bob,” right? You watch The Bob Newhart Show and drink every time someone greets the star. Well, here’s a political version. It’s called “Ashleigh,” and it stars Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., and CNN anchor Ashleigh Banfield. All you need is a DVR and four cases of beer. You’re going to have to pause a lot and drink a lot.
Banfield interviewed Walsh about his suggestion that opponent Tammy Duckworth is not a “true hero” because she brags about her military service. Walsh shouted “Ashleigh” 90 times in 12 minutes, in an attempt to get his interlocutor’s attention. To be fair to Walsh, Banfield was abrasive and sarcastic, and clearly took Duckworth’s side. But the Huffington Post produced a mashup video that condensed every “Ashleigh” into less than two minutes.
Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JoeJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…JJoe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Jooe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe…Joe..
P.S: Joe…
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Ashleigh, rudely interrupting the Congressman says, “But it is not respectful Congressman.” Continuing to talk over him Ashleigh says, “It is not respectful for you to say….”
They both had a couple good points.
They’re both crazy.
I expected more objectivity from Ashleigh.
I was expecting to hate Walsh at the end of this but Ashleigh’s insanity took much of the spotlight.. and blame.. off of Walsh. Even though I don’t like him, I like Ashleigh less.
I know I never want to watch either of them again. [Shudder as chills run up and down my spine.]
Sorry to have to differ with SBLA.
In my opinion, Ashleigh did what an interviewer/journalist should do: insist that the interviewee answer the questions and address the issues at hand –in his case deadbeat Walsh’s vile attacks on a female, wounded warrior — and not try to sidestep the questions or spin his answers.
Just my two cents.
This is painful to watch. Mr. Walsh is obviously more used to talking (or ranting) in front of captive crowds than being questioned by a reporter. He continually talks over her in a very unmannerly way; either he doesn’t understand manners at all, or he is so used to doing it when he’s not being interviewed that he has no idea that this is not the way to behave in an interview. He even tries to talk over her when she’s wrapping up the interview. This is typical bully tactics and apparently he has no other mode.
I guess that’s why more and more we see GOP candidates confining themselves to softball interviews on Fox News.
Why chance speaking to a reporter who might pin them down with some inconvenient facts??
Yes, it was not pretty to watch, but at least Asheigh did not let Rep. Walsh get away with drowning her out.
From the looks of it Joe developed his technique at an early age.
Judge for yourself, here’s a picture of Joe Walsh in High School:
Walsh has two qualifications for Congress:
1) He’s angry.
2) He a white male.
I’m not saying that Walsh has manners. I’m saying that neither of them have manners. Walsh does interrupt and talk over Ashleigh, but Ashleigh interrupts and talks over Walsh just as much. Their two peas in a pod.
At least Joe Walsh is just half crazy. The Teabaggers in Tennessee want to rewrite history and “whitewash” slavery.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/40584_TN_Tea_Party_Groups_Demand_School_Textbooks_Overlook_Slavery
Look out Tennessee, there’s a new sheriff(POTUS) in town…
SOme of the country’s founders WERE slaveowners. (Wasn’t George Washington a slave owner?)
I think putting this fact in a textbook is fine. I think it’s important for people to know that the Founding Fathers didn’t have all the answers. I think it’s important for people to know that there were issues, such as slavery that the Founding Fathers left to future generations to decide. This underscores their belief that the US Constitution is a living and breathing document and that changes… amendments… and yes… even interpretation… is open for discussion. The idea of what is right and what is wrong evolves (at least it evolves for those who believe that African-AMericans are full citizens, should vote and are human beings that should be treated with dignity…. right and wrong doesn’t evolve for those racists who think African-Americans still have a “place” that they should stay in).
Shame on any state that wants to put slavery in a more positive light or gloss over this painful era.
The Founding Fathers were human, not gods. The fact that some owned slaves should not be seen as a good thing. It shows that America has a very troubled and complicated past. A past that did split this country apart in a Civl War.
No they were not equal. Walsh virtually never let Ashleigh speak w/o trying to speak over her. She often gave him the courtesy of letting him speak w/o interruption.
The guy behaved like an idiot. People like that are the last to realize it though.
zephyr, I have to disagree. I have never seen such an individual ‘realize’ it.