The host of MSNBC’s “The Ed Show” Ed Schultz tore into President Barack Obama for calling out MSNBC in a speech on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), accusing him of betraying workers and challenging him to debate him “face-to-face.” (RELATED: Yet Another MSNBC Host Owes Thousands In Taxes)
“One of the policies right now that I’m focused on is new trade agreements with other countries,” Obama said, “and if you were watching MSNBC and all this stuff and you’re thinking, ‘Oh, man, I love Obama, but what’s going on here?’ So I want to set the record straight here. I want everybody to be clear what we’re doing, because I believe in what I’m doing here.
Schultz did not take well to the president’s implication that MSNBC viewers needed to have the record “set straight.”
“Mr. President, I want you to know that I believe in what I’m doing. And if you can prove to the American people that there will not be a depression of wages, if you can prove to the American people that this will create jobs, if you want to go face-to-face with me, President Obama, I’m ready to go because I have the facts, OK?”
“Ed, you should be very proud,” said guest Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. “I think he is talking about you …” (VIDEO: Ed Schultz Can’t Win Debate With Conservative Guest, So He Cuts His Mic Off)
“You know, why would President Obama use the MSNBC call letters?” Schultz went on. “It’s been shown by Media Matters that this show covered the TPP more than anybody else, so I imagine he’s talking about ‘The Ed Show,’ but the president has never done a sitdown interview with Ed Schultz!”
“My life is fine,” he insisted. “But you know what, on this deal, the president is wrong and I’m right. The president is telling the American people that every union in this country is wrong, and I can tell you that every union in this country has been around longer than President Obama when it comes to trade deals and having to live with them.”
After thanking Sanders for the interview, Schultz went on a long diatribe against Obama:
President Obama, a word from this broadcaster to you; I will put my credibility up against any broadcaster in this country. I supported you big time. I was the first liberal talker to support you. I’ve carried your water big time when it comes to health care, I’ve carried your water on the economy and defending your move on the automobile industry.
But Mr. President, you can take shots at this network, but I guarantee you, you are wrong on this and cannot prove to the American people. … American workers will suffer if this deal goes through, and president, your recovery of the economy, the automobile industry and health care will not be your legacy. It will be what you’re doing to the very people who put you in office.
Had you not had the unions, you would never beat John McCain, had you not had the unions, you’d never beat Mitt Romney. And now you’re turning your back on these people, trying to convince them to do this phony trade deal to ship jobs overseas. I’d love to talk face-to-face, Mr. President.