MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Pleads 'Guilty' to Barney Frank for Media Scrutiny of Obama Appointees

NewsBusters ^ | March 11, 2009 | Jeff Poor

[Rufus2007]

The Treasury Department oversees the Internal Revenue Service. But if the Secretary of the Treasury - or any other political appointee being considered for the Treasury Department - didn't pay his income payroll taxes, it doesn't matter. That's the message from House Banking Committee Chairman Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and he blamed the fourth estate for acting like it does matter.

On MSNBC's March 11 broadcast of "Andrea Mitchell Reports," host Andrea Mitchell asked Frank to respond to criticism in a March 11 piece from New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman that too many appointees were being held up for what he deemed insignificant reasons.

"I think it's a problem, although I will say this - for the media to blame that entirely on the Senate seems to me a little bit self serving," Frank said. "I mean, the media is the problem here, in part. It is the over-focus on part of people in the media to relatively minor infractions that causes this. I guarantee you my colleagues would not on their own be doing this. So I do think we are in a culture now where a lack of perfection exacts too strong a toll, but that's the politicians reacting to the media."

..more (w/video)..

[GQuagmire]

"I take your point, Mr. Frank, Mr. Chairman," Mitchell said. "You're right and we plead guilty because this is this culture right now of ‘gotcha' has gotten completely out of control."

[catbertz]

*barfs*

[GQuagmire]

whoops..too big a photo

[andy58-in-nh]

Do I have this right? After spending the past eight years giving every single Bush appointee the journalistic equivalent of a rectal exam, Missus Alan Greenspan is complaining that the media is now being too tough on Obama's nominees? Pardon me while I retch.

Perhaps if more of Obama's selections bothered to pay their income taxes, they'd have an easier time of it. Then again, Bush's nominees all paid theirs and it didn't stop the news media from dumpster diving with reckless abandon until they dug up whatever scraps of dirt the could gleefully rush into print or onto the airwaves.

[a fool in paradise]

In 2006, the media and Democrats also championed a Congressman who'd engaged in homosexual sex with a minor while in office in the early 1970s. He happened to die at the same time that the media and Democrats were gnashing their teeth at Mark Foley (who, contrary to slander, libel, and innuendo, did not have sex with minors).

Gerry Studds

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“Relatively minor infractions”
For a scumbag DemonRAT career politician like Franks, it is a relatively minor infraction. These Asshats lie, cheat, and steal with every breath they take, and the media is apologizing for “accidentally” failing to cover for them. My how the tune is different when the Pubbies are in charge. Why the media has to make up “possible corruption” to report on. And they wonder why their ratings are tanking. I have more respect for the National Enquirer and the Globe than the MSM anymore.

[chimera]

Interesting how these bums don’t have a problem playing “gotcha” when it comes to ‘Pubs. When that happens, they really “get them” (as in ‘kill’).

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Barney's got his hands all over this one.

[Pietro]

Yeah, take that 'lack of perfection" line to the IRS and see what it gets you.

The media is digging too hard???LMAO

[a fool in paradise]

Barney Frank “in bed” with ‘Fannie’.

[maggief]

Andrea is Frank’s new butt boy?

[ArrogantBustard]

"You DON'T want to know where these fingers have been."

[The Sons of Liberty]

You know of course that Andrea Mitchell is married to Alan Greenspan.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

[jakerobins]

Amazing...Libs will never admit guilt or even failure even in the face or overwhelming evidence...Except to other Lib’s. Only a dumb lib can forgive a dumb lib for their mistakes, I guess!!

[rocksblues]

I want to know how come it is a minor infraction when a Democrat gets caught not paying for their employees and a major infraction when it is a Republican, Andrea?

[Interesting Times]

Frank is just making certain Andrea Mitchell understands what is expected of her as a Party journalist.

[Iron Munro]

These people are caricatures of themselves.
Is there any low, outlandish, self serving behavior or conduct that is beneath them?

If their pretentious posing and asanine behavior wasn’t so disgraceful and harmful to the country it would almost be worth a good laugh.

It is difficult to decide which group are the biggest asses - elected officials or the media.

[floozy22]

Two bozos.