CNN's Velshi Asks: 'Do You Love the Stimulus?,' Then Catches Himself

March 19th, 2010 11:21 AM

For a moment on yesterday's CNN Newsroom, it looked like anchor Ali Velshi was again expressing his deep affection for President Barack Obama's stimulus plan.  Velshi, who last month sang "Happy birthday, dear stimulus," asked correspondent Josh Levs "Do you love the stimulus bill?"  But then Ali thought better and backed up:

VELSHI: You have, after weeks and weeks of working on this, do you have stimulus Stockholm syndrome? Do you love the stimulus bill?

LEVS: You know --

VELSHI: I don't mean that as a political judgment as to whether he thinks it was a good idea, but do you just love the bill and the language and --

LEVS: You learn to love it. You learn to appreciate it.

VELSHI: Yes. You do.

LEVS: I mean, it has really changed our economy, and yes, my mind is a little bit too swimming with it.

VELSHI: But I must be clear, that was not meant to mean that he politically thinks that it's right or wrong.
(Video here)

Whether Velshi has lost his lovin' feelin' for the stimulus is unknown.  Regardless, he obviously was attempting to appear objective.  Good recovery, Ali.