Howie Kurtz: "Santelli may or may not have a populist point, but isn't he supposed to be a reporter?

[spanone]

mr kurtz has a point...video

http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200902220005

[gratuitous]

1. What populist point is that?

Santelli was spouting off his prefabricated rant in front a room full of similarly situated overrich white guys who get a lot of money and produce nothing. You want to see how "populist" Santelli's message is? Let him take his little show on the road to Flint Michigan or South Central L.A. I'm guessing he doesn't make it to the "Are you listening" punchline before someone performs a little amateur brain surgery on Santelli with a baseball bat.

[Supersedeas]

8. distrust your neighbors -- especially the ones who are having financial trouble

[underpants]

18. Exactly. The NYSE floor is not a den of populists

I have heard this talking point several times. Suddenly Wall Street is all about the little guy :eyes: PUHLEEEEEEEASE

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Joe the Plumber might have been a good plumber but..

Santelli is only part of the GOP circus performers

[MUAD_DIB]

11. Apparently he wasn't since he was an unlicensed plumber...

and doesn't seem to be plumbing anywhere.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

17. he did plumbing though

[spanone]

3. since when do reporters 'go off' on the President? who is this clown?

[Joe Fields]

4. It's a very telling sign. pay attention...

I think it's an unmistakably clear sign of a strong undercurrent of anger by home owners who have played by the rules. The Obama administration had better pay attention, and had better do something for this group of Americans.

I absolutely do not agree with the selfish, unsacrificing viewpoint of Mr. Santelli, but his video has gone viral, and I'm telling you, if this administration doesn't address this somehow, they will be making a grave mistake.

[spanone]

6. i thought mr gibbs addressed it fairly well in his friday news conference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCQ9xb4CBeI

[Joe Fields]

13. I watched that news conference. The administration is vastly

underestimating a backlash of epic proportions. Don't forget that roughly 90% of home owners are in good standing. Also, millions of those home owners are republican, and right now they are being whipped into a frenzy by people like Santelli, Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, et al. Bottom line: Obama must even the benefits, if he is asking home owners in good standing to sacrifice, while bad behavior is getting rewarded in many cases.

[bridgit]

15. I think Santelli sent it viral as a political favor to the...

Ebenezer Scrooge power elite that is in great measure responsible for this meltdown; their insatiable quest for obscene profits under specious Ad phrases such as "ownership society". I'm in no position to suggest Santelli happened to find a manila envelop full of unmarked bills in the flower planter box on his porch the next morning but I think it possible to conclude that his lunch has been picked up ever since his cute little stunt; the offering of an un-maturated option here or there? Perish the thought, I'm sure those things don't really happen

But that is imo the backlash that McCain voting, junk bond/junk loan purveyors such as Santelli should be focusing on and still refuse to see coming which by the by...Matthews poked that Scrooge tag right in his face and Santelli did not dispute it he answered it with a wry little smirk instead

For Obama supporters I think the backlash remains against the "wry little smirk" in lieu of policy

[KittyWampus]

16. Sarah Palin's botched abortion of an interview w/Couric also "went viral"

[blogslut]

5. Good old Howie

He sure can mix a lot of crap with the occasional bit of objectivity and make it appear cogent. Did you hear him spank Bernie Goldberg for bringing up the birth certificate pap and then turn right around to proclaim that the media, was indeed, In The Tank For Obama^TM?

When I had satellite teevee, I used to change the channel on that jerk. I did it via the Internet today.

[spanone]

9. howie the ho.....but he calls this one right imo

[Mr. Sparkle]

7. Should Santelli ever leave CNBC, I'm sure Foxnews will be waiting for him with open arms.

[Captain Hilts]

10. 'Reporters' are advocates for ideas and candidates all the time. Nothing new. nt

[spanone]

12. he's out of line, he's not a 'commentator' he reports news...he should not be the news. imho

it would be as if brian williams went off on Obama during the nightly news....inapprorpriate

[lurky]

14. He's trying to become a commentator.

One of the anchors said something to the effect of "congratulations on your new role as a commentator", if I remember correctly. I think this is supposed to be his big splash into the public eye, a la Joe the Plumber. I'd bet money he winds up with a TV or radio show within the month. In fact, I bet the deal was already done, and this whole thing was manufactured to promote his new show. Think Lou Dobbs, but instead of vilifying immigrants, he will be vilifying "deadbeats".

Oh, and how the fuck are you a populist if you're a former derivatives trader beating up on poor working stiffs? That's just insulting to populism.