When Don Imus thinks you are an asshole and should say you’re sorry …
IMUS: So she’s aware of all of the — in my view — idiotic analysis of this initial interview she gave that was made by various people. Rush Limbaugh and other morons.
RICHARD ENGEL (NBC News Baghdad correspondent): She’s definitely aware of it. In Germany, she spent a half-day —
IMUS: Pardon me?
ENGEL: Yeah, she’s definitely aware of it. Half the day in Germany, she actually missed the flight, so she had to spend the day in Germany — missed the connection. And that day, she spent writing a sort of rebuttal to all the criticism saying that “this was not what I meant. I had no choice. These people are criminals, and I was under duress.”
[…]
IMUS: Well, now what do you have to say, Charles? Bernard?
McCORD: What do you mean?
IMUS: Well you guys were — had her carrying al-Zarqawi’s baby.
McGUIRK: Aw, come on. Just kidding around. Just glad she’s OK, she’s back and all is well.
McCORD: Absolutely.
McGUIRK: And all is well.
McCORD: Enough said.
IMUS: Well, you two should apologize. That’s what I think.
McGUIRK: Apologize for what? For articulating what everybody was suspecting?
McCORD: Yeah, for sharing the widely held view?
IMUS: Well, I didn’t hold that view. So how widely held was it?
McCORD: It was very widely held.
IMUS: You’re nuts.
That’s DON IMUS, saying “you’re nuts” to a right-winger. Let that sink in a second. Back then that sort of commentary wasn’t a bridge too far. It wasn’t out of the ordinary. People used “treason” as a comma just a few short years ago, and the only thing that’s changed is the party holding the White House.
A.
