Chatology: Passing the Buck
In this edition of Chatology, Department of Homeland Security head Michael Chertoff pulls a half-Ginsburg, spinning through both Meet the Press and This Week. On various issues, Chertoff blames Michael Brown, Mary Matalin blames the media, Joe Lieberman blames Chertoff, Evan Bayh blames the Democrats, and David Gregory blames himself. Random wisdom from Ari Fleischer: "You can be right and still be bonkers." Speaking of which: Cheney is "almost like the wizard dealing with the muggles" -- Howard Fineman.
Full rundown and highlights after the jump.
[Ed. note: Don't miss Ana Marie Cox's appearance at the National Press Club, this Wednesday, February 22, at 6:30 PM. For more details, as well as information about how to obtain tickets to this free event, click here .]
Hot topics:
•Were you aware that the vice president shot a man in the face? Funny because it's true!
• Sale of American ports to Dubai Ports World, a company headquartered in the terrorist-friendly (or at least agnostic) United Arab Emirates.
•Playing the Katrina blame game.
•Hamas/FISA in scary world-shaking tie for last place.
(Either issue would have been a more grown up topic for discussion than the top three actual winners.)
One hit wonders:
•Shaquille O'Neal vows to be sheriff "somewhere, someplace" post-NBA career. ("This Week")
•Bob Shieffer hearts Rummy: "Frankly, I like the guy." ("Face the Nation")
Quotes to live by:
•Matalin defends Cheney: "He was not following the 'convention rules' but he wasn't doing anything invalid."
•Former Senator Alan Simpson goes Dan Rather on us: "Let me tell you, those who don't like him have put a big red tail on his bum, and cloven hooves, and horns on his head. And let me tell you,
if anybody thinks 'if this had happened to anybody else in America,' it would have been like a sparrow belch in a typhoon."
•Gregory apologizes: "I'm the only one here representing the White House press corps, I think one thing we may have missed this week is empathy for the vice president." Just what we need: Anderson Cooper, White House correspondent.