Last Friday Rachel Maddow was one of the panelists on Real Time with Bill Maher. Typically the panelists on Real Time are chosen because they either lean right or left, not because of their lack of opinion. In fact, that’s kind of the point of Maher’s show – well known media personalities from both sides of the aisle engaging in heated debates on relevant political issues. In other words, they get "real," they don't hide behind the mask of things like objectivity.
Friday however, Maddow apparently forgot that, because while engaging in a losing battle with Nick Gillespie, Editor of Reason.TV.
The Blaze Blog posted a video of a segment where Rachel Maddow got a little touchy on the issue of only voting voting for a party instead of on your principals. When the case of Romneycare was used against her Bill Maher even got a little curious and wanted to know if she was or wasn’t for it.
“Romneycare is something that you would agree with?,” Nick Gillespie said to Maddow. “You would say that’s a great Republican policy?”
“Leave me alone about Romneycare,” Maddow responded, before her bold declaration of her (new-found) role as an objective reporter: “Listen, my job is to cover these things, not to tell you how I like them or not.”
Glenn heard the audio this morning, and let’s just say he found it every bit as ridiculous as it was.
“That's is? That is your job?” Glenn asked. “Well, then you have you're really doing a really bad job.”
“That’s worth a watch,” Stu added. (The full clip is available below.) “She gets absolutely destroyed in that argument by Nick Gillespie.”
Glenn made sure to point out the bigger question this raises for conservatives. Romney has implemented some programs in the past, such as Romneycare, that have increased the power and size of government. Even if it was on the state level, those aren't conservative principals. Glenn challenged radio listeners this morning to hold Romney's feet to the fire and stand your group on your principals.
“I tell you, we're entering a time where you're going to be in real trouble,” Glenn said. “The Republicans are in real trouble as well because if Romney gets in, what are you going to do? Are you going to still stand your ground? Because they can't – they don't actually mean anything they say. I do, and I think you do. So are you going to stand your ground – even when it's unpopular?”
Watch the exchange between Maddow and Gillespie below: