Sheehan: 'I'd Rather Live Under Chavez than Bush', Norah Gives Cindy Rough Ride

Hardball/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

by Mark Finkelstein

July 5, 2006

As James Taranto suggested Monday in his WSJ 'Best of the Web' column, at some point you *can* question a person's patriotism. Cindy Sheehan surely passed that point long ago. But just in case there was any doubt, Sheehan made things clear this evening, flatly stating that she'd rather live under Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez than George Bush.

Sheehan made her comments during a Hardball appearance, during which guest host Norah O'Donnell, sitting in for Chris Matthews, gave her a surprisingly rough ride. At one point, O'Donnell asked: "Why go stand by side by Hugo Chavez in Venezuela? Why do that? Would you rather live under him than George Bush?

Sheehan: "Yes. Hugo Chavez is not a dictator like you introduced him. He's been democratically elected eight times. He is not anti-American, he has helped the poor people of America. He has sent aid to New Orleans, he has sold heating oil to disadvantaged people in America at low cost, and the people of his country love him."

The exchange over Chavez capped a rugged line of questioning to which O'Donnell subjected Sheehan. Other excerpts:

O'Donnell: "Americans may hate the war but they don't necessarily hate the president. How do you expect to get change by going around the world and trashing the President of the United States?"

Sheehan: "I don't hate the president either, and I don't trash the president. I trash the president's foreign policy."

O'Donnell: "But you called him the biggest terrorist in the world, so you are trashing the president."

Sheehan: "Well he says a terrorist is somebody that kills innocent men, women and children."

O'Donnell: "You have just begun a two-month hunger strike. Isn't this really just more of a publicity stunt?"

Norah later observed: "You claim not to be in the fringes, not to be an extremist." She then challenged Sheehan to name members of Congress who support her call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

Sheehan claimed bi-partisan support, citing Republican congressmen Ron Paul and Walter Jones, and on the Dem side Charley Rangel and John Conyers.

When Sheehan mentioned John Kerry as an example of senatorial support, O'Donnell shot back: "the bill Sen. Kerry has proposed went down in flames in the Senate."

Continued O'Donnell: "What you're calling for is in fact an extreme position. There are very few members of congress who support immediate withdrawal. You would, if you could, fly a bunch of planes over there, pick up all our troops, and take them home tomorrow."

Sheehan claimed there is an "Out of Iraq Caucus" in congress with 70 members calling for an immediate withdrawal.

In any case, an interesting exchange. Sudden surge of hawkishness from Norah, or perhaps a subliminal suggestion to Dems, as a matter of electoral strategy, not to associate themselves with Sheehan?

[OldFriend]

Your Post #123 says it best. Thanks much.

[mjolnir]

Laura Ingraham thinks she's trying out for Fox News.

Cindy Sheehan is a deeply repulsive person in nearly every way there is to be one. Her rhetoric about anyone who disagrees with her is sweeping, mean spirited and arrogant--- just look at her reaction to leftists who disagree with her on some but by no means all points like Hillary.

Conservatives rightly call the MSM on it when they spin, I think Norah deserves credit for not doing it this time. That a publicity hound like Cindy Sheehan is called on the carpet requires no further explanation than the fact that Norah O'Donnell is an American with apprarently some degree of professionalism.

I'd like to think Norah saw the end result of ther leftist insanity in her own soul taken to its conclusion in Cindy Sheehan--- and was horrified.

Of course, I might be unduly influenced by more superficial considerations.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

She's a looker, alright; a classic Irish lass. But every time she appears with Chris Matthews, it reminds me of a DNC strategy session.

[colorado tanker]

Cindy was caught singing this outside the White House, apparently to President Bush:

I get no kick from champagne
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all
So tell me why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you
Some get their kicks from cocaine
I'm sure that if I took even one sniff
That would bore me terrifically too
That I get a kick out of you

I get a kick every time I see you standing there before me
I get a kick though it's clear to me that you obviously do not adore me

[detroitdarien]

Yeah, Venezuela's a great place DD, why don't you move there? In a very short time, the Venezuelan poor will be much poorer...

You missed my point. The people probably do vote in the majority for Chavez, but they've been bamboozled. They don't get that another name for the schools and clinics they're getting is Socialism...

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Just the left eating it's own. As usual.

So when's Cindy leaving?

[detroitdarien]

He will destroy Venezuela, and as long as he calls Bush names and plays the victim of "imperializmo" he will be championed by the far left due to their blind hatred of anything remotely Bush or capitalistic in nature.

As I said, when the majority votes they win, even if they've been sold a bill of goods. Drawback of having democracy before a decent civil society is established..

[proud_yank]

"You have just begun a two-month hunger strike. Isn't this really just more of a publicity stunt?"

Oh please, please see this through til the end. Cindy, if you are consuming liquids I'm sure we can find you some good Kool Aid recipes!



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[proud_yank]

This woman is a clown. In the end, I imagine that like Michael Moore & Dean she generates more conservative votes simply because she is so vile & offensive. The tough part is learning to stomach her garbage.

[proud_yank]

Interesting!

[proud_yank]

Imagine the look on Al Sheehan's face if 180 grains of copper-clad lead happened to meet Hugo's head.

[NRA2BFree]

So what's stopping her? Just apply for citizenship in Venezuela. I'll pay for the stamp.

Heck, I'll pay for her plane ticket. ;o)

[Rightwomen]

Was she actually wearing a skirt on TV? What's up with that?

[driftless]

Sorry if I misunderstood your post, but it sounded like an endorsement of Chavismo.

[rahbert]

I'd be suprised if a spoiled Californian would come back for
another Waco summer. I used to hear people whine about
the Central Valley. Texas heat would kill them!

[colorado tanker]

I also remember something about the County changing some regs to keep people from camping out in the ditch. So, what's the point of putting up with a Texas August if you can't get the photo op?

Still, betcha she goes to Crawford anyway to see if the MSM will give her saturation coverage again like last year.

[beyond the sea]

Norah was hot tonight.

I saw the interview and Norah rippred dear Cindy into pieces. You would have thought Norah was one of the Bush twins.

;-)

[beyond the sea]

"Of course, I might be unduly influenced by more superficial considerations." ---

Me too.

;-)

[beyond the sea]

She's a looker, alright; a classic Irish lass.

She's fine alright.

Too bad she most often comes off as a hardcore liberal. Not tonight though, as she ripped Cindy to pieces.

[abigailsmybaby]

Put up or shut up Sheehan.