Rachel Maddow Stuns Rep. Aaron Schock By Calling Out His Spending Hypocrisy (VIDEO)

[jefferson_dem]

Rachel Maddow Stuns Rep. Aaron Schock By Calling Out His Spending Hypocrisy (VIDEO)

A heated exchange took place during NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday when MSNBC host Rachel Maddow accused Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) of hypocrisy for railing against a spending bill in public while touting its benefits in his home district.

Appearing alongside each other during a panel session, Maddow pivoted from a discussion on job creation to note that Schock had appeared at an event on Friday touting a grant program that he had voted against.

"You, in your district, I just read that you were at a community college touting a $350,000 green technology education program, talking about how great that was going to be for your district," she said. "You voted against the bill that created that grant. That's happening a lot with Republicans sort of taking credit for things that Democratic bills do and then Republicans simultaneously touting their votes against them and trashing them. That, I think, is a problem that needs to be resolved within your caucus. Because you seem like a very nice person but that is a very hypocritical stance to take."

A somewhat taken-aback Schock insisted that Republicans were "not consulted on the stimulus bill" and shouldn't be blamed for the lack of a bipartisan vote for its passage. This didn't really get to Maddow's point. So after some back-and-forth among the other panelists, Schock jumped back in.

"I think the argument that liberals are making is absolutely ridiculous," he said. "With all due respect, Rachel, does that mean you are going to give back your Bush tax cuts that you continue to rail against. The fact of the matter is our country operates and is governed by a majority. And I, along with almost all my Republican colleagues and a good number of Democrats, have voted against the stimulus, the omnibus and all this runaway spending. But we lost those battles in the House... At the end of the day my constituents and their children and grandchildren will be on the hook for the deficit being created by this majority and they deserve to their fair share of federal spending."

<SNIP>

"If you vote against the omnibus bill," she said at the end of the exchange, "if you complain about the omnibus bill, if you tout your vote against the omnibus bill, it is hypocrisy to then go to your district and go to a ribbon cutting ceremony for something that is funded by the omnibus bill that you voted against."

Watch the exchange at 2:20:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/14/rachel-maddow-stuns-rep-a_n_461885.html

[Jennicut]

1. She got him good. She is always prepared.

[JoePhilly]

2. She crushed that little punk.

[NewJeffCT]

3. I can't watch right now

can you sum up his response to her?

Thanks

[SpiralHawk]

4. Summary. " Republicons are special. We don't DO responsibility. Smirk." - Shock (R)

"Get used to it, Rachel. We chickenhawk republicons are The Latter Day Pharisees. Smirk."

- Shock (R)

[jefferson_dem]

5. Total dickishness, to put it bluntly.

Here's the transcript - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35367033/ns/meet_the_press/

[xchrom]

6. Recommend

[Ildem09]

7. huzzah

Rachel Schocked and awed

[TheBigotBasher]

8. K&R

I love her take downs of Republicans. We need more like Rachel.

[Historic NY]

9. Its time to keep crushing them and in public.....perhaps people

should showing up at an event and call out their Rep's that didn't support these projects.

[onenote]

10. most people who opposed the bush tax cuts aren't giving them back. but they aren't giving speeches

talking about how great they were or taking credit for them either.

[rfranklin]

11. I would happily give it back if they rescind the cuts for the mega wealthy...

It would go a long way toward reducing our deficit and I would be glad to contribute my $100 or whatever it was.

[Yavin4]

12. They've Already Given Them Back Through Higher State Taxes and Fees

When you cut taxes on the rich, you leave budget gaps all over the place, in particular on the state level.

[jtrockville]

13. Did those (like Rachel) who rail against the cuts cast a VOTE?

Seems to me that's an important distinction.

[Kber]

15. A very good point

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

17. i did not think of that

I usually respond with, "no, I send it to planned parenthood" That will almost always shut the evil republican co-workers down.

[rgbecker]

14. Shock (R) can't stop himself from lying....

In last minute roundup says Obama's ratings were 80% approval and now at less than 50% and so we shouldn't pay anymore attention to him.

Here's Gallup's from when Obama took office. 2009 - "President Barack Obama remains highly popular among the U.S. public at the end of his first month in office. However, the 63% of Americans currently approving of his job performance is down slightly from his initial 68% rating in January. The percentage disapproving has doubled, from 12% to 24%."

Obama's ratings never at 80%. Poor Rachel, not enough time to refute all this guy's lying.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

16. You go girlfriend!!

If I ever decided to play for the other team, Rachel would be the one that would send me there....

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

18. Let Rachel Host

[Clio the Leo]

19. Still haven't seen it, but am looking forward to. NT