When a Republican is president, hurricanes are his fault. When a Democrat is president, hurricanes are the Republicans’ fault. And if you can play the race card as you’re blaming them? Oh, goody.
Listen carefully to the first few seconds of this clip ABC News has posted. It’s from their live stream on Monday night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4NGPLoVNsAUpdate: Of course, now ABC is trying to hide the clip. Here it is.
During live coverage of the Republican National Convention here in Tampa, Yahoo! News Washington bureau chief David Chalian provided the perfect example of the pervasive anti-Republican bias Mitt Romney faces in his bid to unseat President Barack Obama.
In video broadcast Monday night by ABC over the Internet, Chalian can be heard claiming that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann are unconcerned about the fate of residents of the New Orleans area who are currently being hit by Hurricane Isaac.
“They aren’t concerned at all,” Chalian says on tape. “They are happy to have a party with black people drowning.”
That’s the prevailing narrative among liberals and the media (PTR): “Those teabaggers sure are heartless and cruel, refusing to cancel their convention when there’s a hurricane coming.” Nobody else has put it quite as bluntly as Chalian did, or in such a cluelessly racist way, but now I suppose they can feel free.
We know this is what you think of us, you guys. Just say it. “Corporate wife,” “they party while black people drown,” whatever. Just spew out every repulsive, malignant thought that floats up through the fever swamp between your ears.
Of course, Obama hasn’t suspended his campaign either, and he’s the guy who’s supposed to be running things. But that’s different, because it just is, so shut up.
Update: Well, that was quick… Yahoo Fires David Chalian. I would’ve preferred they keep him right where he was, where everyone could see. But I’ll shed no crocodile tears either.
Update: Yahoo’s statement: “David Chalian’s statement was inappropriate and does not represent the views of Yahoo!. He has been terminated effective immediately. We have already reached out to the Romney campaign, and we apologize to Mitt Romney, his staff, their supporters and anyone who was offended.”
Update: They can take his job, but they can’t take his memories…
My cohost
@davidchalian watching@annromney speech at RNC from our ABC/Yahoo booth twitter.com/amyewalter/sta…— amy walter (@amyewalter) August 29, 2012
Looks like he’s doing a head count. That’s his job. Well, it was.
Update: Chalain is also a “Master of Professional Studies in Journalism” at Georgetown. That was some masterfully professional journalism, alright.
Update: And now Chalian’s martyrdom begins…
One mistake does not change this.
@davidchalian is God’s gift to political journalism.#IStandwithDavid— gwen ifill (@pbsgwen) August 29, 2012
Yeah, just one mistake: Getting caught.
Update: Another country heard from.
Terrible, cowardly decision by Yahoo! to fire
@davidchalian, 1 of the best and fairest political journalists in this business. RT if u agree— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) August 29, 2012
Update: From Oct. ’08, please enjoy “A Partial List of Gwen Ifill’s Questions for the Vice Presidential Debate.”
Update: And another.
Nobody is more skittish, and more eager to throw people overboard, than news organizations. Ugh.
— Ben Smith (@BuzzFeedBen) August 29, 2012
I’m starting a support group for all the freethinking journalists who are bravely standing with David Chalian. Just need to think of a name. The Davidian Branch? Or…
