Whopper of the Week: Maddow Asserts She Doesn't 'Always Fit the Caricature of a Liberal'

Jack Coleman
March 1st, 2011 10:52 AM
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Search parties continue their wide-ranging efforts to find examples that support Maddow's claim. The dragnet is expected to continue indefinitely.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow made this apparently straight-faced assertion to media critic Howard Kurtz in a profile of Maddow he wrote for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. The specific quote from Maddow -- "I don't think I always fit the caricature of a liberal." Not surprisingly, Maddow cited no evidence -- such as an aversion to Keith Olbermann, palpable hankering for red meat, or unbridled lust to tap America's vast untapped natural resources -- that would bolster her premise.

Begs the question -- how would you know the "caricature of a liberal" if you saw one? Here's how I'd that describe that unenviable characterization as applied to any given person --

  • Employed as political analyst at MSNBC.
     
  • Used to work as Air America Radio host.
     
  • San Francisco Bay area native who now divides time between residences in New York City and the Berkshires.
    .
  • Supports gay marriage.
     
  • Harbors deep suspicion of Second Amendment.
     
  • Directs 90 percent of criticism toward Republicans, remaining 10 percent at Democrats who aren't liberal enough.
     
  • Boasts that "I'm not here to cheerlead for anybody."
     
  • Makes repeal of don't ask, don't tell the focus of 22 segments on her MSNBC show over last two years without single guest arguing against repeal.
     
  • Frequently critical of Christians but rarely a harsh word for Muslims.
     
  • Cites original version of "The Manchurian Candidate" as "my favorite movie of all time" -- then invokes it to disparage allegedly paranoid claims of Muslim Brotherhood infiltration.
     
  • Worries that law requiring photo ID at the polls would make it "really hard" to vote.
     
  • Can't bring herself to shoot at target of bin Laden on firing range.
     
  • Expresses profound concern for suffering of Africans, especially if they're gay.
     
  • Claims Republican congressman "received advance notice" of bombing in Oklahoma City.
     
  • Confidently proclaims "there is no milking of Social Security ... to any degree."
     
  • Deems murder of abortion doctor George Tiller "terrorism," but not jihadist massacre at Fort Hood.
     
  • Waits four months before running correction after claiming Rush Limbaugh once said MLK assassin James Earl Ray should receive the Medal of Honor.
     
  • Hates it when Republicans filibuster, gushes when soulmate Bernie Sanders does likewise.
  • Favorite word - "infrastructure."

Caricature of the caricature might be more accurate.