Dennis Miller Takes on a Whining Phil Donahue

MRC ^ | Thursday, February 13, 2003 11:02:17 AM | BrentBaker

[fight_truth_decay]

MSNBC viewers got a lively hour Wednesday night/late afternoon as Donahue came live from Los Angeles at 5pm PST/8pm EST with Dennis Miller as the guest for the hour. So much good stuff, but only so much time to transcribe it. But we got down some of the best parts.

Miller so flustered Donahue that he went on a rant about how people like Miller are trying to "marginalize" liberals. Becoming a parody of himself, Donahue whined about how "you're making us to be some sort of wimpy kind of people who, woo, woo, we don't get it. We don't see evil. We think everything is a nice fairy tale. That is an attempt to marginalize us."

Donahue also claimed to be a conservative Republican: "We do not think one man should have the Army, Navy, and Marines to send the war all by himself and without the advice and consent of Congress as the Constitution calls us, upon us to do. That makes me conservative. I'm for the Constitution. I would make a good Republican."

When Donahue charged that dropping "incendiary devices on a crowded city at night where old people and children are sleeping" will give "Osama a poster for recruiting more angry young Islamic militants," an incredulous Miller fired back: "Oh, you believe he needs that, Phil? Do you really believe that he needs that?"

Miller's best two humorous zingers of the night:

-- On the New York Times: "If only Saddam Hussein would open an all-male country club somewhere in Iraq, so the Times could get behind this invasion."

-- On Osama bin Laden: "I think that he made a fatal error when he said that he didn't approve of drinking wine or adultery. Because now the French and Clinton are on board."

Now, from the portion of the February 12 show quoted above, a full transcript of one of the most illuminating exchanges between Miller and Donahue, as taken down by MRC analyst Brad Wilmouth, starting after Miller suggested liberals don't see the reality of the world:

Donahue: "Well, first of all, your comment suggests that liberals never see evil. Now, that's, what that does is marginalize liberals. I mean, did you ever talk to a liberal?"

Miller: "Yes, most of my great friends in the world are liberals."

Donahue: "But liberals, you're making us to be some sort of wimpy kind of people who, woo, woo, we don't get it. We don't see evil. We think everything is a nice fairy tale. That is an attempt to marginalize us. Our voice is strong, it is growing, we are very proud to live in a country that doesn't squelch it and tries to say shoosh, although everywhere we feel, we feel that kind of pressure. We're proud Americans. We believe in the Constitution. We believe in the War Powers Act. We believe Congress should get into this. We do not think one man should have the Army, Navy, and Marines to send the war all by himself and without the advice and consent of Congress as the Constitution calls us, upon us to do. That makes me conservative. I'm for the Constitution. I would make a good Republican. I don't know why so many Republicans dismiss this feature as sort of in the way. And by the way, we're not so frightened that we have to preempt, preemptively, you know, you got Iraq there, boom!. Oops, sorry, thought you had a gun. Let us just calm down a minute."

Miller: "Oh, if it was only Iraq, Phil, for God's sakes. The sort of Damocles is now an ICBM of Damocles, for God's sakes."

Donahue: "So because these bombs and these instruments of war are now so powerful-"

Miller: "Yes."

Donahue: "We can't wait for a conference. We've got to kill them right now."

Miller: "Listen, we get around, what's our-"

Donahue: "Do you really think it's gonna make us safer-"

Miller: "Yes."

Donahue: "-to drop incendiary devices on a crowded city at night where old people and children are sleeping? They're gonna say, 'Oh, boy, didn't know you were that strong! Okay, no more terrorism.' You are, we are giving Osama a poster for recruiting more angry young Islamic militants."

Miller: "Oh, you believe he needs that, Phil? Do you really believe that he needs that?"

Donahue: "Do you really believe that killing innocent people is going to, is going to make us safer?"

Miller: "Do you think that's our intention, to go over and seek out the innocent people?"

Donahue: "I do not think it's our intention. I do not think we are going to kill innocent people with malice. But we know it's going to happen, and it doesn't have to."

Links to Miller's earlier comments mocking liberals and standing up for President Bush's policies to combat terrorism:

--cyb20030204.asp#4

-- See: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2003/cyb20030130.asp#8

-- See: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2002/cyb20021108.asp#7

-- See: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2001/cyb20011107.asp#7

For Miller's Internet Movie Database page with a rundown of his acting credits: http://us.imdb.com/Name?Miller,+Dennis+(I)

Tonight's guest for the hour on Donahue: Atlanta-based conservative radio talk show host Neal Boortz. I see a strategy here: Donahue is bringing on conservative guests so that people will actually watch his show.

[SwinneySwitch]

Donna who?

[thinktwice]

Miller: "Oh, if it was only Iraq, Phil, for God's sakes. The sort of Damocles is now an ICBM of Damocles, for God's sakes."

The transcriber, apparently, hasn't heard of the sword of Damocles.

America's educational system is wasting our kids.

[UncleSamUSA]

I wish the networks would show some consistency and in addition to bleeping the "f" word, start bleeping the word "unilateral" when spoken by an America-hating loon.

[Boston Capitalist]

What are his current stated politics? There is a big difference between saying Bush is not a bad (hersey though it is for leftists) and actually saying he will vote for the guy. Maybe hanging out with the Monday Night Football people did something for him.

On the one hand, I really enjoyed his comments, but on the other when we delight in the occasionaly celebrity who is not a Bush hater, we add to the absurdity of people pretending that what entertainers think matter. Reagan, Heston, etc. (pick a leftist actor-turned-pol if you can think of one), earned their stripes through substantial engagement and (of course) the left still didn't take them seriously.

[ErnBatavia]

Goldberg blasted Shalala at the end, it was great

It was two great hours of TV - Miller and then Goldberg; and I loved the "bite my tongue" smile on Shalala's face. You just know she was mentally shouting the same non-bleeped word that Miller had used the hour before.

We got to see the whole drill twice out here; 5 and 6 pm, and then 8 and 9 pm.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

The transcriber, apparently, hasn't heard of the sword of Damocles.

America's educational system is wasting our kids.

And yet, he still got Damocles right. Go figure.

[fight_truth_decay]

Thanks Sam, figures would be the "butt-crack" of the paper!I had found the NYPost story first so was waiting for the transcript before posting. Hid Mushnicks in my comments!

[Catspaw]

Miller thought they were on a 7 second delay. When he said One of the Seven Words, my eyes bulged--and after the commercial, he apologized profusely. I was still scraping myself off the floor.

I did love the way he beat up on Donahue--who seemed to use his show as a forum for his views, not for Miller's. Had I been Miller, I would've walked out, leaving Donahue to screed at an empty chair.

[StriperSniper]

Also, this article was a tiny, tiny article buried deep in the middle of the paper on the extreme bottom left (next to the crease) of the right hand page, in an area as far out of normal viewing as possible.

I haven't seen the print copy today, do you mean over by the three daily 'adult ads'. ;-)

[fight_truth_decay]

..the size of balloons at the Macy's(?) parade?

part of the descriptive quote I believe.

[dsmatuska]

We believe in the Constitution.

Yes, and unfortunately only some of the ammendments in the Bill of Rights.

[labowski]

Was pleasantly surprised to catch it last night, I guess they've figured out the only way to get ratings is to get some one that's not a bed wetting nod your head in agreement bash Bush liberal opposite Donowho because they are going to replay the Neal Boortz one tonight. If you didn't catch it the first time Neal walked out on a previous episode because uncle Phil and his lib cheerleaders wouldn't let Neal talk.

[RLJVet]

Miller then said, "You're gonna bleep this right?"

My prayers are with the witty Dennis Miller as he gets into rough territory to be wise to this and at least pretend Donahue anticipated his cursing and non- delayed on purpose. He did such a great job last night.

[canuck_conservative]

Oh yeah, and his other gem was, "some nations drink from the Fountain of Knowledge; the French and Germans only gargle."

Give this guy his own show!

[amused]

On the one hand, I really enjoyed his comments, but on the other when we delight in the occasionaly celebrity who is not a Bush hater, we add to the absurdity of people pretending that what entertainers think matter. Reagan, Heston, etc. (pick a leftist actor-turned-pol if you can think of one), earned their stripes through substantial engagement and (of course) the left still didn't take them seriously.

Ahhhh but the left recognizes pop culture for the possible propaganda machine it is. They use it to its full extent. I don't have a problem with celebrities presenting an informed opinion even if I disagree with it. Cheryl Crow talking about karma and having no enemies is stupid. Mike Farreel laying out reasons why he is against the war is not(other than my disagreement). I saw no problem with an informed celebrity making supportive statements of conservative issues. But if Britney Spears were to be reborn as a conservative spokesman and giggled "Bush is so cute that's why I trust him" I would be more inclined to agree with you.

Do celebrities have a far more weighted voice than is deserved? Certainly but in this country celebrity counts for something. That's the reality. We ignore that elep-hant in the room at our own peril.

[SouthParkRepublican]

Both my wife and I were very surprised by how much we enjoyed Miller. Never cared for him before but wont miss an appearance from now on. Not only did he make Donahue look like an addle minded fool but he also gave Donahue room to "marginalize" himself. Wondered at times who was interviewing who. I was also happy with the way Miller upheld Bush as a decent hearted, well intentioned man with true concern for America and the common sense to know his weaknesses and surround himself with brilliant people.

Best line of the night (although I cant recall if it was about GW or Rummy) "You gotta admit, the guys got balls bigger than the Underdog balloon in the Macy's day Parade"... LMAO

[RLJVet]

If I may edit my post:

Miller then said, "You're gonna bleep this right?"

My prayers are with the witty Dennis Miller as he gets into rough territory to be wise to this kind of stuff (I just know he will) and at least pretend that Donahue and his staff anticipated Miller's cursing and they non - delayed on purpose, in order to get the headline that they did in the NY Post.

The annoyance is that the headline should read "MSNBC hosts Dennis Miller and they don't put a delay on!?"

Miller did such a great job last night.

[JustPiper]

Best program I watched- TWICE ;)

[JustPiper]

My favorite Dona-who?

The Donnas, new female punk group ;)

[RLJVet]

"We do not think one man should have the Army, Navy, and Marines to send the war all by himself and without the advice and consent of Congress as the Constitution calls us, upon us to do. That makes me conservative. I'm for the Constitution. I would make a good Republican."

We think that you would make an exception if the President were someone else whose name I need not mention. Conservatism excludes moral relativism, Phil, so for now I don't think you fit.