There was a classic moment on Morning Joe today when Mika Brzezinski asked Time editor Rick Stengel whether the magazine's current issue contains anything about the allegations that the Obama admin offered Joe Sestak a top federal job in return for getting out of the Senate primary against Arlen Specter. Hat tip NB reader sarainitaly.
A flat-footed Stengel seemed totally stumped. He stammered and stumbled until Mika gently explained she was talking about "the Sestak controversy. Joe Sestak." Finally the penny appeared to drop: "oh, Sestak. No. No. There is not. There is not."
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I know we have to go. I'm just wondering, you have something about Ron and Rand Paul--fascinating--and Obama and the oil spill. Is there anything on the Sestak issue? Is it a story?
RICK STENGEL: On the?
BRZEZINSKI: The Sestak controversy.
STENGEL: [Pause] the?
BRZEZINSKI: Joe Sestak.
STENGEL: Oh, oh. Sestak. No. No. No.
BRZEZINSKI: OK, just wondering.
STENGEL: There is not. There is not.
BRZEZINSKI: Is it not a story?
STENGEL: Um, I think we did it, we did it online. Um, have you been talking about it this morning? I haven't actually listened this morning.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah, we've been following it all week and I've just been sort of asking different editors where it sort of places in their spectrum.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Mika thinks it's a story.
STENGEL: Oh.
BRZEZINSKI: I do. I'm just sort of curious about it.
Stengel clearly makes Mika's list of "certain members of the media" who are failing to ask the tough questions. Amazing what amnesia these best and brightest of the MSM can suffer when it comes to stories that might be embarrassing to Pres. Obama, no?
