While arguing about whether the Republicans and their astroturf "tea party" base should be accepting any new tax increases during this negotiation over raising the debt ceiling, which is by the way pissing me off to no end because this whole argument that's going on now should be part of budget negotiations and not whether we're going to pay for bills we've already run up under the Bush administration, Pat Buchanan suggested that his hero, Ronald Reagan did not raise taxes while he was President.
Buchanan tried trotting out the tired line that I've heard him use before, but was not called out for before and that is Ronald Reagan did raise taxes, but he regretted it.
BUCHANAN: I was with Ronald Reagan Al in the White House, he cut taxes twenty five percent across the board... (crosstalk)
SHARPTON: He raised taxes eleven times. Where you at work that day Pat?
BUCHANAN: I told you I came into the White House and he came up and he explained to me the terrible mistake he had made and he said they gave me three dollars in spending increases or three dollars in spending increases for every dollar in tax cuts, I was robbed, and that's not going to happen again. And that's why the Republicans are holding their ground.
SHARPTON: Pat, he did it, eleven times. Eleven times.
All Buchanan could resort to is asking if Reagan was a tax cutter or a tax hiker, with nothing to substantiate that claim one way or the other.
If MSNBC doesn't want to hire Al Sharpton, maybe Current TV will. I think they offered Chris Hayes a contract so Current would not have the chance to do so. Even if you've got some issues with Sharpton as I do, I think he's not someone conservatives want to go up against in a debate and he's done a really good job filling in for Cenk Uygur. He filled in for Ed Schultz before Cenk went on vacation and his performance on that show was pretty rough and he looked a little nervous. I think he's found his stride while filling in for Cenk over the last couple of weeks.
I would be extremely happy if more of their hosts were as confrontational with their right wing guests as we've seen out of Al while he's been filling in and challenging them on their talking points.
Sharpton also did a great job the day before with taking on another right wing Republican, Rep. Tim Huelskamp which you can watch here.
He also did a really good job with Rep. Jack Kingston which I posted here -- Rev. Al Sharpton Hits Jack Kingston for Defending Trickle Down Economics and with Rep. Tom Graves here.
I'd be more than happy to see Al get some more air time where he's not letting these right wingers come on and filibuster their talking points, but challenging them instead. If MSNBC would like to find something to fill their re-air of Tweety's show or some other slot during some of their useless daytime milquetoast programming, I think they'd be wise to think about giving Al a spot. If they don't, I hope Current picks him up.
