I didn't see Krugman's interview on Charlie Rose, but while Luskin says Krugman was very nervous and was stammering, others have told me the only way someone could draw a conclusion like that is to watch it in an attempt to find something bad.
He posts the transcript of Krugman's interview on "Buchanan & Press" on MSNBC, which I did not see. Look at his comments, then look at the actual transcript, and then see if you can believe the stupidity of Luskin:
BUCHANAN PRESSES KRUGMAN Lord knows what possessed Paul Krugman to go on live TV against conservative pundit Pat Buchanan on MSNBC's "Buchanan and Press" Monday. He must have known Buchanan wouldn't have treated him the way the rest of the media has, as he's tooled around the country promoting The Great Unraveling. Most interviewers simply ask him leading questions that allow him to say whatever he wants to say -- essentially unchallenged by any follow-ups or criticisms. Liberal bias of the press? Maybe... or perhaps the interviewers simply want to let a guest, particularly a book author, tell his own story his own way. But Buchanan was obviously spoiling for a fight -- in fact his producer asked me to provide some intellectual ammunition for him, which I happily did. I wish he'd used it -- instead he pretty much just improvised, and so this debate is pretty weak. But it's worth it just to hear Krugman whine "I thought we were going to have a discussion here..." Of course that means "I thought I was going to do all the talking." Anyway, if nothing else, enjoy Krugman's discomfort. Here are the best parts, and here's the whole transcript (
http://www.msnbc.com/news/970633.asp?cp1=1).
BUCHANAN: All right, Mr. Krugman, in your -- page five of your book you talked about us facing revolutionary power like Robespierre's reign of terror and the Third Reich.
KRUGMAN: I never said that.
BUCHANAN: I wonder -- well, you said totalitarian regimes of the 1930’s and only one came into existence...
(CROSSTALK)
BUCHANAN: ... in the 1930’s that I am aware of...
KRUGMAN: Well...
BUCHANAN: ... who are you talking about? Because I followed on the next page and you mention the Heritage Foundation, and what I want to know is are you serious?
KRUGMAN: Come on, if you actually read what I said there, I said that Kissinger was drawing parallels about the difference -- the quote from Henry Kissinger that I rely on was drawing parallels between the difficulties that established regimes accustomed to stability have in dealing with powers that really are out there to change the system, that don’t accept...
BUCHANAN: Revolutionary powers.
KRUGMAN: That’s right. And it doesn’t -- I also say there’s not a moral equivalence. So don’t try and throw me...
BUCHANAN: All right...
KRUGMAN: ... on the defensive here.
BUCHANAN: All right...
KRUGMAN: These are very radical people.
BUCHANAN: Who’s radical? You mentioned Grover Norquist...
KRUGMAN: Right.
BUCHANAN: Are you serious?
KRUGMAN: Yes.
BUCHANAN: I mean you’re talking about the Third Reich in Robespierre and Grover Norquist?
KRUGMAN: Is that really the best you can do, Mr. Buchanan?
BUCHANAN: No, is that the best you can do?
(CROSSTALK)
KRUGMAN: No. Come on...
BUCHANAN: You mentioned Norquist, I didn’t.
KRUGMAN: ... let’s not try to pretend the book is saying something it doesn’t. Right.
BUCHANAN: Did you mention Norquist?
KRUGMAN: I said very clearly that it’s not about moral equivalence. What it is about is that these are very radical people. When Grover Norquist, the most powerful lobbyist in Washington is closely associated...
BUCHANAN: You have to be kidding.
KRUGMAN: No...
BUCHANAN: The most powerful lobbyist...
KRUGMAN: All right...
BUCHANAN: Have you heard of the NRA? Have you heard of APAC
?
KRUGMAN: Come on -- closely associated with the Republican leadership says that his goal is to shrink the U.S. government down to a size where you can drown it in the bathtub. Then you know that something very drastic is happening and that all...
BUCHANAN: All right...
KRUGMAN: ... of the pretense of moderation, compassionate conservatism is just not the real thing.
BUCHANAN: All right, Mr. Krugman, I don’t care if Grover Norquist says he wants to get this down to the U.S. post office and get rid of the entire federal government. Bill knows, I know, everybody in this town knows that Grover Norquist is the guy who runs around with a tax-no new taxes pledge, some people sign it, some people don’t. He has no real power in this town and for you to talk about revolutionary power and then use terms like the Heritage Foundation, moderate conservative and Grover Norquist...
KRUGMAN: Oh my God...
BUCHANAN: ... the tax cutter, is a little absurd.
KRUGMAN: Well, all right. Let’s-you know, I thought we were going to have a discussion here...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BUCHANAN: ...Let me ask you this, though, Mr. Krugman, you’re very good at attacking Mr. Bush as he lies, he distorts, et cetera. Let me ask you about your personal situation. You took $50,000 from Enron while sitting on an advisory board for Enron and writing...
KRUGMAN: Oh God...
BUCHANAN: ... Fortune magazine...
KRUGMAN: I wrote a piece...
BUCHANAN: Is that true?
KRUGMAN: Yes, I wrote a piece saying the markets were great using Enron as an example and declared the connection. Now, look, I was a pretty highly paid business consultant speaker in those years. I was not writing for The New York Times. William Kristol of The Weekly Standard was on that board...
BUCHANAN: Right.
KRUGMAN: ... for two years, received $100,000. This was not -- gain, I’m really kind of disappointed. Is this really the best you can do?
(CROSSTALK)
KRUGMAN: Can’t we talk about the substance of your arguments?
BUCHANAN: No...
KRUGMAN: Did I ever...
BUCHANAN: ... you go after people’s character and motives and he lies and he distorts and so and so. Grover Norquist is a revolutionary and Heritage Foundation...
KRUGMAN: Well...
BUCHANAN: I think we can call you on some of these. Would you apologize right now for writing that piece on Enron when you’re getting $50,000, when you see how those folks got...
KRUGMAN: When the piece begins by saying full disclosure, I’m a member of an Enron advisory committee and then I said, gee, it’s really interesting. I went there and saw the market at work. OK, this is -- by the way, this is one of the points I make in the book. The response of these people to substantive criticism of their policies is to send the attack dogs after the critics.
(CROSSTALK)
BUCHANAN: When you call people liars...
PRESS: I want to follow up on that...
BUCHANAN: ... that’s not substantive criticism.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(874 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
