After Comparing Bush and Bin Laden, LA Times Columnist Shredded by Radio's Hugh Hewitt

NewsBusters.org ^ | 11 July 2006 | Dave Pierre

[infoguy]

On Monday, July 10, 2006, fabulous radio host Hugh Hewitt celebrated his 6th anniversary on the air with an on-air spanking of Los Angeles Times columnist Jonathan Chait. The day before, in another one of his badly misguided op-eds, Chait actually wrote that President Bush is a "greater threat" to the country than Osama bin Laden, and it is "quite reasonable to conclude that Bush will harm the nation more" than Bin Laden.

Hewitt invited Chait to his program and proceeded to do what he does best with far-left liberals who espouse unsupportable views. Hewitt coolly shredded Chait and his Times column. The transcript with audio is at Radio Blogger (Thanks, Duane!).

Right from the start of the interview, after Chait clearly affirmed that he hates President Bush, the exchange spiraled downhill for Chait. As he drubbed his guest, Hewitt asked Chait to support his baseless allegation that Bin Laden has a "very limited numbers of followers capable of striking at the U.S." Chait failed to answer the challenge. Hewitt asked Chait how many terrorists there are. Chait responded by asking, "How many terrorists? You tell me." Doh! It was a clear fumble by Chait.

Here is another favorite exchange:

HUGH HEWITT: ... Jonathan, I want you to just have the opportunity to explain what you mean by Bush has "wreaked enormous damage on the political and social fabric of the country."

JONATHAN CHAIT: Right. This is a broad generalization that I had to make, and obviously within the constraints of an op-ed, couldn't possibly flush out in the detail you'd like to. But of course, me and many people have written a lot of pieces about Bush's policies, and the dangers that they pose to the United States. He has practiced policies, both in the way he's gone about them and the affects of them, in ways that I find different than most of his predecessors, Republican and Democrat, historically, and that have severe damaging effects on the United States and the way the politics are practiced.

Did anyone get that? When Hewitt asked a follow up for "specifics" and clarification, Chait stumbled even further.

It's clear that Hewitt really got under Chait's skin, because Chait ultimately had to resort to cheap attacks and name-calling. As the interview neared its end, Chait referred to Hewitt as "unhinged" and as a "nutty, but lovable crank." "Unhinged"? "Nutty"? Please ... Whether you agree with him or not, Hewitt's show is an exhibition in reasoned and clear-thinking dialogue.

Chait actually had the gall to say to Hewitt, "Kos [Daily Kos' Markos Moulitsas Zuniga] is almost as unhinged as you." Wha-? With that response, it was clear that Chait could not defend his column or his baseless views.

Want some fun? Try this: Pour yourself your favorite beverage; take a peek at Chait's loony column; and then listen to the interview at Radio Blogger. It's a good one.

[Auntie Mame]

He's a hell of an interviewer!

I'm so glad you've discovered him. I've heard him on many occasions (and once actually saw him do it on TV) leave his interviewee gasping like a fish, without any power to answer. He accomplished this same feat in this interview. Did you notice a couple times the guy was silent for a while after Hugh asked him a question? He couldn't think up a lie fast enough to answer Hugh.

And what's really cool about Hugh Hewitt is he sounds so nice, so reasonable, as he asks his questions. I wish he got more opportunities to display this astounding skill of his.

[Chaguito]

I've been lobbying for a course in critical thinking in my high school. This interview would be a case history of how to think. Hewitt intellectually dismembered Chait with cool logic.

[Steve Van Doorn]

I have to disagree with Hewitt, Jonathan Chait is a nut. Hugh proven Chait had nothing to back up his article, that makes Chait an irresponsible journalist.

You can tell Hugh was kinda on him.

[Steve Van Doorn]

You can tell Hugh was kinda easy on him.

[Eddie01]

VI
Thou shalt create and maintain a shared illusion of unanimity concerning judgement conforming to the majority view

[Cobra64]

But of course, me and many people have written a lot of pieces about Bush's policies,...

A third grader uses better grammar than this clymer.

Hey Chait, remove the words "and many people" and say it again, you fool.

[Cobra64]

Great minds...

[Eddie01]

that makes Chait an irresponsible journalist

OR... an ad copy writer and spokesperson for the DNC posing as a credentialed journalist hired by the marketing firm of L. A. and Times.

[okie01]

If you haven't picked up a copy of the LA Times recently, you're in for a shock.

I knew I was giving the LA Times too much credit. But major urban newspapers surely want to be taken seriously, don't they?

I've noticed much the same phenomenon with my hometown paper -- which happens to be the Dallas Morning News.

Their front page often strikes me as oddly juvenile -- in terms of story selection and editorial slant. It's as if a major urban paper is consumed by celebrity culture and trying to emulate Entertainment Tonight.

Either that, or the staffers for the Style section have occupied the News room...

All in all, the MSM can (should) no longer be taken seriously. The institution itself is intellectually rotten and politically corrupt.

[TXBubba]

Is that the new divide between left and right? One is educated, the other intelligent?

I would say one is educated and the other isn't. I think it is rare for a person to learn to think critically on their own. Today the skill isn't taught at all in public school. Take a look at our history and you will find that even the games and entertainment our previous generations shared involved them in critical thinking. Todays entertainment involves little intelligent interaction with each other and consists mostly of being spoon fed via a TV or DVD player. Put that hand in hand with dismal education and there is a perfect oppportunity for someone to exploit people without much effort.

[The Electrician]

Wow, he took Chait apart with a scalpel and left him bleeding on the floor. Chait calling the ultra-calm, methodical, logical Hewitt "unhinged" totally cemented Chait's status as a first-class fool...

[Sergio]

I think that the large and ever-growing changes in the concentration of wealth at the very top is a very dangerous thing for democracy. I think when you have basically all the economic gains going to a small number of people, and you don't see gains in the middle, I think that puts a strain on a democracy.

And yet it is the liberal policies that have given us a rise in unwed pregnancies, a public education system that does not work, a welfare system that perpetuates poverty, a tax system that kills off small business like the plague, and he complains that the middle class is shrinking. New flash, the rich are getting richer because liberal policies are turning the children of middle class families into people with minimum wage skills and even lower aspirations.

This guy has absolutely no clue.

[bubman]

I read your post with interest however I disagree with the notion that the LA Slimes has 'gone to the other side'. The fact is their viewership is dwindling not as a result of their politics (they have always tilted left) but as a result of other avenues for disseminating the news are now available. The only way they can stay in business is to 'preach to the converted. "be more Catholic than the Pope, bref be more left wing than ever. If you follow this Darwinian inevitability, the Slime will be competing with the likes of Lyndon Larouche, the Marxist-Leninist commentary and all that trash. '

We are definitely witnessing the end of the MSM as we know it.

[PGalt]

Thanks infoguy. Hugh Hewitt bump!

[kcvl]

http://tinyurl.com/nocbj


Jonathan Chait explains why he hates George W. Bush.


http://tinyurl.com/rhz0



Bush-basher Jonathan Chait

New Republic writer Jonathan Chait, last heard from proudly confessing his pathological hatred for President Bush, is back with another rant about the president's exercise habits:

[HelloooClareece]

Superb interview, as usual, by the fetching Mr. Hewitt.

[kitchen]

Not specifically critical thinking, but here's a thread that might interest you.

[Eddie01]

II
Thou shall not allow any member to question the group's inherent morality, instead members shall be encouraged to ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions

III
Thou shalt promote collective efforts to rationalize in order to discount warnings, or other information that might lead members to reconsider their assumptions before they recommit themselves to their assumptions

VIII
Thou shalt appoint mindguards to protect the group from adverse information that might shatter their shared complacency about the effectiveness and morality of their decisions

[Steve Van Doorn]

“Do young people that hate America make journalism their career choice”

Think if the hippies of the 60’s, they hate the ‘corporate machine’ and they needed an outlet to express their twisted views. This is true for the majority of these people.

I find ironic about that is they are able to use the ‘corporate machine’ to attack it’s self.