Reply #12: Relevant portion of the transcript [View All]

[whometense]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11387224/

...MATTHEWS: I think one question, Tony, you can answer it as well as anyone, do you think it‘s healthy in a democracy that a vice president of the United States elected by the country, just like the president, he has the whole country behind him, that he can exercise this kind of discretion?

He selects a local reporter, who is a friend of his host, they put it out the next day. It gets out around noon. It hits the Web page around 2:00 in the afternoon, the following day. Then he waits until Wednesday, four days later to give it to someone they select in the television medium. They select maybe the interviewer for all I know.

Do you think that‘s healthy to have this kind of cherry picking of the media where you get to select the interviewer as well as give the interview yourself? Is that healthy?

BLANKLEY: Well, healthy for the nation. If this was involving government—important government policy, you have some obligation if it‘s not classified information to get it out promptly and broadly. This is an issue that is so small.

John Kerry spent days before he announced he had some health problem when he was a candidate, I didn‘t think it was a big deal. I didn‘t make a big deal about it then. Harry Reid spent days before he announced his health problem. Two major leaders. I didn‘t think it was a big deal. And I don‘t think a hunting accident is a big deal...

They also have video up http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/, in case you feel like subjecting yourself to it...