DAVID SHUSTER: Right-wing media figures have been going crazy this week over the Herman Cain sexual-harassment story. In our number-two story in the "Countdown" -- Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Brent Bozell and others have accused media of being inconsistent and unfair. That's right, these right-wing stars are accusing the mainstream media of being unfair. For example Rush Limbaugh said, the Cain story "is war and that's how they" -- meaning the Democrats -- "fight it."
(Excerpt from video clip) RUSH LIMBAUGH: Just like political correctness is a political tool of the left to shut people down, sexual harassment is a political tool of the left to get rid of people, or to score money gains -- whatever is most desired.
SHUSTER: Rush Limbaugh, of course, has never tried to use sexual scandal to score money gains. Hmm, Democrat Anthony Weiner?
(EXCERPT FROM VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: Weiner is the face of Democrat -- of Democrat family values. He is the epitome of a Democrat culture of corruption, the Democrat culture of erection. He is wrong on policy. He is an admitted liar. He used his orifice in Congress to conduct his lurid e-perversions.
SHUSTER: Look, I know the Weiner and Cain stories are not the same. They are not mirror opposites. But -- given the opportunity to make political hay -- Republicans cannot resist when it's a Democrat and they cannot complain loudly enough when it's a Republican under the harsh spotlight. Brent Bozell is the founder of the conservative Media Research Center. His center claims to be a media-watchdog organization.
(Excerpt from video clip) MAN: Could this be another Clarence Thomas-style smear from the left?
(Excerpt from audio clip) BRENT BOZELL: I've said exactly that. As a matter of fact, Herman Cain ironically predicted -- in May -- that this exact same thing would happen. Look, the one thing the left cannot bear is an uppity conservative black man living -- leaving -- the liberal plantation.
SHUSTER: Bozell also wrote a column demanding the media not give the Cain allegations any oxygen. The problem is that he wrote several columns about Anthony Weiner -- complaining about the media giving that story, about a Democrat, too little oxygen. "Weiner's social-media sex scandal was underplayed by the national media -- the old media were clearly slow to jump on this story."
Limbaugh, Bozell, hmm -- how about right-wing author and pundit Ann Coulter? She is always a paragon of fairness and consistency. Or is she? Asked by Sean Hannity about Herman Cain, Ann Coulter attacked the liberal media.
(Excerpt from video clip) ANN COULTER: All they see is -- conservative black man. Look at how they go after Allen West. Look at how they go after Michael Steele. I mean, all of them with wonderful qualities. I mean, that's why our blacks are so much better than their blacks.
SHUSTER: Our blacks are better than their blacks? Coulter even told Hannity the scrutiny of Cain is related to the Democratic Party's history.
(Excerpt from video clip) COULTER: It's coming from the exact same people who used to do lynching with ropes. Now they do it with a word processor.
(Excerpt from video clip) REPORTER: Meaning the Democratic Party.
(Excerpt from video clip) COULTER: Yes, yes.
SHUSTER: Hmm, so what did Ann Coulter say during the Weiner scandal?
(Excerpt from video clip) COULTER: Conservatives respond to their sex scandals differently, because we don't elevate our leaders, there isn't sort of messiah worship -- a mob characteristic.
SHUSTER: And what about reporters digging up these stories?
(Excerpt from video clip) COULTER: The basic Republican response is not to attack the person who just releases information.
SHUSTER: Except, Ann, this week you attacked Democrats, even though they didn't release the information about Cain. That reporting came from Politico -- and yet you accuse Politico and Democrats of being one and the same, and of being connected to one of the ugliest chapters in American history.
The point in all of this is simple -- these right-wing gasbags are hypocrites. They will reflexively defend any Republican under fire and reflexively smear any Democrat. In the perverted world view of the right wing, reporters should only raise questions about Democrats, and reporters must always be condemned if they raise questions about Republicans. That's not the America I know. And, thankfully, many of you are with me on this, and believe the proper role of the media is to report like hell, lay out the facts and let the chips fall where they may. And right now, on some levels, they are falling against Herman Cain.
To Ann, Rush, Brent and all the rest -- you can do your party, and your country, a favor by demanding clear answers from Cain instead of muddying the waters everywhere else.
