Wed 24 Oct 2007
Is CNBC anchor Erin Burnett ‘98 a secret member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, Eph Division? Good question. Rush Limbaugh seems to like her.
Joe Scarborough finally nabbed Rush Limbaugh for Morning Joe, and, naturally, Scarborough wanted to get right into politics. But Limbaugh wasn’t quite ready. Rush’s segment followed a few minutes after Erin Burnett’s daily business report for Joe and she was still connected to the MSNBC control room:
Scarborough: Let’s talk about the Republican field… Limbaugh: Wait a minute, Joe. Before you go there, I have to say something. I heard Erin Burnett sounding a little wifey, Erin, you said you’re gonna be listening. I love listening to myself, but it’s great to know you’re listening to me too. Nobody can big foot you, Erin… Burnett: I got bigfooted out, that’s what happened Rush. Limbaugh: The truth is that anybody that follows you, Erin, can’t match what you’ve done. Burnett: Thank you, Rush. Scarborough: That is big. Getting that from Mr. Excellence in Broadcasting right there. Burnett: You made my day. I’m done now, I’m going home.
Limbaugh went to tell Scarborough, Burnett is “fabulous on economics. She understands it and she’s not afraid to go against the conventional wisdom….fresh voice. I’m not sucking up here I’m giving you an honest professional assessment.”
Slow loading video of the encounter here. Someone needs to put this on YouTube. Indeed, a collection of Burnett’s greatest hits would make for fun viewing . . .
Part with Burnett stops after two minutes, so you don’t need to watch the whole thing. Note that Rush thinks she is “extremely well-educated!” Some tell the Williams Office of Public Affairs.
And, why not have Burnett invite Rush to give a Commencement address?! Of course, I prefer having a less famous Williams graduate (like Burnett) instead of a mega-famous non-Eph like Limbaugh. But, if we are to have non-Ephs, it would be nice to see some ideological diversity among the Commencement speakers. Since 1996, there hasn’t been a single identifiable non-Democrat while we have had at least 5 fairly serious Democrats.
October 24th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
LOL…can you imagine Rush at commencement. I almost support the idea just for the unintentional comedy that would ensue.
ideological diversity is good, but perhaps you can come up with a more…palatable…example without so many blemishes?
Your description of the speakers is also deceptive. Eric Lander is not a political figure, so his personal voting pattern is unimportant. Same can be said of Yo Yo Ma, Halberstam, Chuck Davis, Katie Couric, and, I’d argue, Morris Dees (though he’s in between).
The only political figures were George Mitchell (who is better known for his role in the Irish peace effort and now for baseball’s steroid investigation), Friedman (a terrible choice, and a centrist, not a lefty), and Rubin. 3 over 11 years isn’t much of a trend. who are the other two? Dees? Couric?
But, in all honesty, who would you recommend? Penn just had Baker last year. Not only was his speech completely forgettable, but it was mainly a defense of his support of the war in abstract. not a good look.
October 24th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
What would you grant his honorary degree in, demagoguery or pharmacology?
October 24th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
STEERIKE ONE!
October 24th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
You really can’t come up with a more interesting conservative than Rush? It’s sad if that who you want for ideological diversity. It’s not like the college has been inviting Michael Moore on the other side (at least not for graduation).
October 24th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I’m not even going to address the Limbaugh suggestion because it would (thank god) never happen in a million years.
But I will say this: it seems as if Burnett has replaced Molly Shattuck as your female fascination du jour, David (how many posts is this over the last few months?). You must be a very brave man indeed (here is where that marines training comes in handy) to post ad nauseum about an Eph known as much (or more) for her looks as anything else, in a forum which your wife can readily access … tread carefully, my man.
October 24th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Wow, Erin Burnett and Rush Limbaugh in the same post. Retire Dave, it will never be as good as this again.
October 24th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Invite Rush Limbaugh? Seriously? For his invocation of Nazism to describe feminists? For his invocation of “phony soldiers” to describe those soldiers who disagree with him? For his willingness to castigate criminals and engage in criminality?
This has nothing to do with ideological diversity. If you want that, invite someone serious. But if you earnestly believe that Rush Limbaugh would be a good, legitimate candidate for commencement speaker then your credibility mon anything political has taken a serious hit. there are thousands of conservatives who deserve to be invited before Limbaugh.
This was a joke, right?
dcat
October 24th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I soitinly hope so.
October 24th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
What, David Kane had credibility on anything political? Since when? He certainly didn’t when he was a student at Williams.
October 24th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Zing! Brave talk from an anonymous asshole. Save yourself the trouble next time.
October 25th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
David Halberstam, Thomas Friedman, and Katie Couric aren’t *supposed* to be political, but I think that to deny that they are is as incorrect as denying that Rush is political. I’ve suggested before, the next Williams commencement speaker should be Mark Steyn. He’s local, he didn’t even graduate from high school, much less college, and he’s far smarter and more entertaining than anyone else on that list.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I think what anonymous at 10:00 pm meant was that, back in the day, David’s publicly pronounced political positions were different from most others.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:33 am
wait….Halberstarm and Couric are as political as Limbaugh? no no no. that’s not even close to true.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:46 am
“wait….Halberstarm and Couric are as political as Limbaugh? no no no. that’s not even close to true.”
OK. That’s not what I said, either. Rush is a self-avowed political commentator. Halberstam and Couric are, and have always been, political commentators operating under the guise of nonpartisan journalists. To deny that is just as uninformed/dishonest as denying that Rush is political. That’s what I said.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Driver–
I appreciate your clarification. I was confused because this conversation was started by David’s claim that five of the speakers are “fairly serious Democrats”. I thought you were arguing those two were the two I was missing in my count (are you?). David, on the other hand, has not bothered returning to this thread after making that claim.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Rory,
I wouldn’t argue that they are “serious Democrats” in the same sense that George Mitchell is a serious Democrat or that George H.W. Bush is a serious Republican. However, I do think that the list David linked reflects a lack of diversity in political persuasion. What do you think about my proposal to draft Mark Steyn for the class of ‘08? I think I would actually go up and attend, even though I’m fresh out of kids at this point.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
But that lack of political diversity only matters IF political diversity is an important aspect of the event. Considering only 3 of 11 speakers were politically important, that’s a questionable assertation (and, if we make it 12 years instead of 11, suddenly the stats change).
Yes, williams will always have more liberal than conservative speakers. that is, until the top of the academy and its alumni no longer lean left. but david’s accusation of malfeasance is like Horowitz’s academic bill of rights…all smoke, no fire.
I don’t know mark steyn. All I ask for in a commencement speaker is an impressive resume and a memorable message for the graduates. The first most schools are good at finding…the second? not so much.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
“But that lack of political diversity only matters IF political diversity is an important aspect of the event. Considering only 3 of 11 speakers were politically important, that’s a questionable assertation…”
Well. Then I guess you would agree with me that college students need to have ethnic diversity in the classroom only if ethnic diversity is an important aspect of the event.