CNN's Bill Schneider once again proves why nobody should trust the mainstream media after this election. His top 10 political turkeys list includes two Obamas and no Palin and Bush references.
So, to clear things up, here's the real-world list of top political turkeys.
- George W. Bush. Because invading the wrong country, gutting the constitution, and allowing a great American city to drown on national television isn’t enough. The American economy had to go the way of New Orleans too. Heckuva job, Bushie.
- Sarah Palin. Because she was let out of the cage for one interview too many, and there were only three. Because when you’re ripped to shreds by that vicious attack reporter, um, Katie Couric, you know you’re not in the right business. Because when you "pal around" with secessionists, you shouldn’t get too self-righteous. Because no hockey mom I know spends $400,000 on "mom" threads.
- Joe Lieberman. Because there’s no team on which Joe Lieberman plays that doesn’t lose. Because there’s only one team Joe Lieberman plays on: Joe Lieberman’s team. Because sanctimonious cheerleadering for the team that got us Iraq, Katrina, and the stock market debacle of ‘08 doesn’t fool a pissed off electorate. Because Connecticut is looking at 2012 like Sarah Palin looks at Nieman Marcus. Because lying at the Republican convention deserves two turkeys for unctuous assness.
- Billy Shaheen. Because implying that Barack Obama is a drug dealer is a sleazy path that even the Republicans didn’t go down this year.
- Robert L. Johnson. See above. Because the founder of BET should have known better. Because Sidney Poitier was pretty damned good in that movie too.
- Bill O’Reilly. Because he called Oregon a toss-up state and North Carolina "safe" for McCain. Nobody. NO-BO-DY should take this moron seriously any more. Ditto for Dick Morris.
- Mark Penn. Because if he doesn’t know why he’s on the list, he should micro-poll for the answer.
- Bill Clinton. Because cheating on your wife is bad, but ruining her Presidential run is even worse. Because if what was coming out of his mouth in South Carolina wasn’t bad enough, the silly grin and adolescent dancing from one leg to the other told us that Bill Clinton is simply a more stately version of James Carville. Because this year, politics was more than a game.
- John McCain. Because if his behavior before the Florida elections shocked and appalled Republican voters, his behavior before the general elections shocked and appalled the rest of us. Because the "Obama’s friends with a terrorist" robocalls were nearly a call to arms against the first African American major-party candidate for President. Because if any American does anything to Obama in the next four to eight years, John McCain and Sarah Palin will deserve a good deal of the blame.
- Charlie Gibson. Because there’s more to worry about this year than whether millionaire Charlie Gibson’s taxes go up. Because professors don’t make $250,000 a year. Because taxpayers are worried about more serious things than why Obama chose not to wear lapel jewelry.
And number 11 goes to Bill Schneider for picking lame turkeys in a year full of political turkeys.
Oh, and since Bill Schneider DID get Ted Stevens, Rudy Guiliani and Elizabeth Dole right on his list, I didn't duplicate their names. . . though calling them political turkeys is an insult to actual turkeys.
How many turkeys did I miss? List ‘em below!