Supplemental: Carol Costello has ruined the world!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

But first, Paul Krugman’s column: Liberals should be very angry, furious, with CNN’s Carol Costello.

But first, a note about Paul Krugman’s new column.

In his column, Krugman discusses the ways plutocrats just keep winning with political programs which hurt the bulk of voters. This was his first explanation:

KRUGMAN (10/24/14): One answer is propaganda: tell voters, often and loudly, that taxing the rich and helping the poor will cause economic disaster, while cutting taxes on “job creators” will create prosperity for all. There’s a reason conservative faith in the magic of tax cuts persists no matter how many times such prophecies fail (as is happening right now in Kansas): There’s a lavishly funded industry of think tanks and media organizations dedicated to promoting and preserving that faith.

We wish, wish, wish that we saw liberals and progressives trying to explain this state of affairs to misled voters in “middle America.”

We rarely see that effort being made. That brings us to Krugman’s second explanation, where we think his political sensors go significantly wrong:

KRUGMAN (continuing directly): Another answer, with a long tradition in the United States, is to make the most of racial and ethnic divisions—government aid just goes to Those People, don’t you know. And besides, liberals are snooty elitists who hate America.

Earth to Krugman: Many highly visible putative liberals really are “snooty elitists!” In that passage, Krugman seems to deny this obvious fact—and he mixes this apparent denial with a somewhat snarky claim about race, a topic which should never be discussed in a casual manner.

We think the messaging there is bad. This brings us to Carol Costello.

In that second passage, Krugman seems to roll his eyes at persistent political claims about liberals being “snooty elitists.” Unfortunately, snooty elitism is on wide display in various parts of the putative liberal world.

Everyone can see this fact except us snooty liberals! Costello’s recent display on CNN is one of the worst such displays in years.

Why do tons of people in middle America believe that liberals are “snooty elitists?” In part, because ridiculous people like Costello keep going a million miles out of their way to reinforce the storyline.

At issue is Costello’s recent, deeply ridiculous report about Sarah Palin’s family. For Politico’s report on Costello’s absurd performance, you can just click here.

We’ll have to link you to the MRC’s NewsBusters to let you see the full two minutes. Therein lies a tale.

Without question, you totally ought to click this link and watch the tape of Costello’s performance. Ridiculous people like Costello, behaving in these ridiculous ways, are the leading edge of a (frequently accurate) stereotype—a stereotype which keeps getting liberals defeated.

Click this link and watch that tape! You will be looking into the face of 1) astounding journalistic misconduct and 2) persistent liberal dysfunction and defeat.

It would be hard to get any dumber than Costello is on that tape. That said, can you think of other examples of this type of behavior?

Sad to say, we can!

In Krugman’s column, he seems to suggest that the image of liberals as snooty elitists is a silly stereotype. When he links that patently bogus suggestion to snarky claims of his own about race, he ensures that large numbers of voters will disregard his claims.

In fact, a mountain of snooty attitude lies behind that image of liberals. Meanwhile, everyone knows about snooty elitist liberals—everyone except us snooty liberals!

Everyone knows it. All too often, snooty elitists R us!

The unbelievably clueless Costello just did you a world of harm. Liberals should be very angry about her ridiculous conduct.

With respect to NewsBusters: Way back when, in September 2000, we did an hour on C-Span’s Washington Journal with our host, Brian Lamb, and the MRC’s Brent Bozell.

In fairness to Brent, he played well with others that day. But in those days of liberal somnolence, we couldn’t have imagined a time when his outfit, the MRC, would actually get something right.

Today, we liberals have emerged from the woods. All too often, our conduct is Costello-level absurd.

Today, the MRC is sometimes right. People like the snooty Costello just keep sending them gifts!