Reince Priebus And Debbie Wasserman Schultz Prove Why You Should Never Watch Sunday Morning “News” Shows

The two major party chairpersons appeared on CNN’s State of the Union and proceeded to act like a bunch of three year old kids fighting on the playground:

A CNN “State Of The Union” debate on the midterm elections between Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus and Democratic National Committee Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) quickly devolved into complete chaos on Sunday.

Host Candy Crowley first asked Priebus if this election is about scaring voters into voting a certain way. And when he responded with a line about President Obama’s policies being on the ballot, Crowley asked Wasserman-Schultz if that was true.

As the DNC chair responded, Priebus jumped in to insist that Wasserman-Schultz answer the question about Obama’s policies.

After Crowley asked another question, the two chairs quickly started talking over each other again, discussing completely different topics.

“This is ridiculous,” Priebus noted.

Crowley then asked Wasserman-Schultz again whether Obama’s policies are on the ballot, and Priebus jumped in once more.

“Are they the president’s policies or not? Are the president’s policies on the ballot or not?” Priebus echoed.

“Reince, maybe you could let Candy ask me the questions rather than you,” Wasserman-Schultz retorted.

“She’s been doing a great job of it so far — you haven’t been answering them, though,” Priebus hit back.

Here’s the video:

FILED UNDER: 2014 Election, US Politics, , , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. beth says:

    Face it, these shows ceased being “news” shows long ago. As entertainment it’s perfect. Kind of like “Jersey Shore” for smart people.

  2. wr says:

    Did you actually watch this cliip? You many not like DWS, but she did her job — she came on and laid out the Democrats’ case for the election. It was Priebus who continually objected and interrupted. It’s true that after almost seven minutes DSW does interrupt — I wouldn’t have lasted that long.

    But of course BOTH SIDES DO IT!!!!!

  3. @wr:

    As I have said many times, Party Chairman should rarely be seen or heard from. Their primary task is to manage party operations and raise money, it’s only been very recently that they’ve turned into talking shouting heads on behalf of their respective parties. As this clip shows, they don’t add anything to the political debate, to the extent what we have in this country can even be called “debate.”

  4. al-Ameda says:

    The Sunday talkies are analogous to watching a NASCAR race: people tune in to see the spin outs and crashes into the wall.

    Basically, Reince Priebus was an embarrassment, while Debbie Wasserman did all she could to restrain herself from telling Priebus to take stronger medication. Perhaps Priebus was trying to get Wasserman to snap, hard to know.

  5. jewelbomb says:

    Dude. This “analysis” reads more like a parody of everything that’s wrong with political discourse these days. No objective viewer would watch that clip and come to the conclusion that RP and DWS are what’s wrong with the Sunday shows. What partisan nonsense!

  6. ernieyeball says:

    @beth: Kind of like “Jersey Shore” for smart people.

    Smart people from StupidTown maybe…
    http://cdn.meme.am/instances/51243105.jpg

  7. James Pearce says:

    I can’t even bring myself to watch this clip….

    I mean, c’mon:

    Host Candy Crowley first asked Priebus if this election is about scaring voters into voting a certain way.

    As if that question is going to get any answer besides a denial…

  8. edmondo says:

    Someone at the DNC needs to beg Howard Dean to come back pronto.

  9. Tyrell says:

    @James Pearce: I did watch the clip: Ms. Shultz is very easy on the eyes. I think we finally found something that everyone can agree on.

  10. ernieyeball says:

    @Tyrell:..Ms. Shultz is very easy on the eyes.

    That would be Wasserman-Schultz to you Zippy.

  11. beth says:

    @Tyrell: We can all agree on what a sexist you are.

  12. James Pearce says:

    @Tyrell: I watched part of it when I got home. I just don’t have much taste for these things. I can’t say that anything in that clip was easy on the eyes, or the ears.

  13. Davebo says:

    @Doug Mataconis:

    Why bother replying if you don’t intend to.. you know.. reply?

  14. Just 'nutha' ig'rant cracker says:

    @beth: That seemed more like Jerry Springer. Maybe what CNN needs is a studio audience to shout “Candy, Candy, Candy” and Steve Wicko to act as the bouncer. I’m sure that we could talk Reince (who names their kid “Reince” anyway?) into jumping up out of his chair and attacking Debbie.

  15. Guarneri says:

    @Tyrell:

    Surely you jest. That women looks like a male boxer with a bad face lift who stuck his finger in a light socket.

  16. JWH says:

    I will watch the Sunday morning shows when they do one of two things:

    1) Require both interviewees to wear shock collars, which the journalist can trigger at his or her discretion. When one of the interviewees goes off-topic or misbehaves, the journalist can administer a small electric shock.

    2) Replace the Sunday morning chat shows with American Political Gladiators.

  17. gVOR08 says:

    I made the mistake of watching the clip. Lord Reince Priebus is a piece of work. An appropriate representative for his party. Has Crowley been any good at this since she got jumped on for trying to help Romney out by keeping him from digging his hole deeper on calling Benghazi terrorism?

  18. bill says:

    @wr: she dodged the same questions on “morning joe” last week, they weren’t all that pleased with her refusal to just say “yes/no”.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVhOe5ODwgM

  19. Pinky says:

    I’ve just been weighing the pros and cons of watching that clip, and I have to say, it’s just not worth it. I’d rather not be able to contribute meaningfully to this thread.

  20. ernieyeball says:

    @Pinky:..I’d rather not be able to contribute meaningfully to this thread.

    Pinky, Pinky, Pinky. Don’t walk into any walls.

  21. Grewgills says:

    I felt brain cells dying as I watched that and am reminded again why I don’t get my news from tv.