I have no idea why CNN thinks this is a good idea, or why it might help their ratings, but apparently they're going to bring Crossfire back to the network this fall, and they're going to have Newt Gingrich, S.E. Cupp, Stephanie Cutter and Van Jones host the debate program.
The good news is, anyone who regularly watches MSNBC in the afternoons won't have S.E. Cupp dumbing down the airways come this fall. The bad news is, CNN actually believes that she and Newt Gingrich deserve a spot on their payroll.
I'm not sure how this show is going to differ all that much from what we're treated to on cable news day in and day out already and I don't have any objections to the format being something they'd like to try bringing back. I just don't understand what they think the draw will be with Cupp and Gingrich.
They're both nothing but a couple of right-wing flame throwers, with Cupp perpetually uninformed and Gingrich, the direct mail scam artist and race baiter who is smart enough to con the rubes who actually believed he ever wanted to be president into buying his books or sending off for one of his very special "awards."
And if the preview on Piers Morgan's show this Wednesday night was any indication, they're off to a really bad start already, where Van Jones gave serial adulterer Newt Gingrich a complete pass when it comes to the pure hypocrisy of someone who has been married and divorced as many times and under the conditions that he has, being allowed to be spouting off about gay couples somehow causing harm to "traditional marriages," which Newt has been allowed to enjoy so many of.
JONES: Well, first of all, I just want to say, as a Christian, if you're concerned about traditional marriage, Kim Kardashian has done more harm to traditional marriage than any gay person. The institution of marriage has been falling apart on heterosexual has been screwing it up. We're the ones getting divorced. We're the ones cheating. We're the ones who were -- were shacking up.
The people who brought the dignity and the honor back in the institution are the lesbian and gay community. And the problem that we have now is, just because you put something on the ballot, if you put it on the ballot in the civil rights of 1950, we wouldn't have them. The court has a job to do to protect people. I'm glad they did the job.
Sorry Van, but that hypocrite who is doing harm to "traditional marriage" is your new "co-host" who is right there on the air with you, and he's the one who should have been called out, not Kim Kardashian.
My prediction on this show is that it's going to be a bust. I think you could have made the format interesting and informative and entertaining with the right group of people hosting the show, but there are a lot of other people I would have considered first before any of these four.
Full transcript below the fold:
MORGAN: From 1990 that's "Crossfire" with a younger Rush Limbaugh, making his case as a guest. Tonight the great news is that he's not back on "Crossfire." He's too old and too boring. Instead CNN is bringing back the "Crossfire" format with four incredible new co- hosts, and we have it all together here for the first time. Van Jones, Stephanie Cutter, Newt Gingrich, and S.E. Cupp.
Welcome to you all. And for the first time, may I say, welcome "Crossfire." This should be very lively. We're going to have a little taste from it tonight. Let's get straight into this.
Newt Gingrich, you must be absolutely thrilled about the Supreme Court's decisions today.
NEWT GINGRICH, CO-HOST, CNN'S "CROSSFIRE": Well, I was thrilled that you're missing the core point that eight million Californians voted a particular way. Their governor and their attorney general refused to defend them, and as a result, the court didn't actually decide the substance of the case. David Boise was quite clear. The court said there is nobody here who is standing to defend the case, therefore the case is remitted because of that or amended because of that.
It strikes me that the -- the eight million people in California have a pretty good reason to be a little more alienated from Washington than they were yesterday.
MORGAN: Let me ask you just very quickly before we go to the rest of the panel, why are you so opposed to gay people having the same rights to get married as you? I mean, why?
(CROSSTALK)
GINGRICH: First of all, I'm not opposed to gay people having the right to have a relationship.
MORGAN: But to get married, I said.
GINGRICH: Much like Cardinal Dolan who you were dissing. I actually do believe as a Christian that marriage is between a man and a woman.
MORGAN: Well, Cardinal Dolan described it as a tragedy for America.
GINGRICH: And it's a --
MORGAN: A tragedy?
GINGRICH: Well --
MORGAN: A tragedy that two loving people of the same sex can't get married like you and me? That's a tragedy for America?
GINGRICH: I think if you want to reject the right of the Catholic bishop's collectively, not just Dolan, to actually stand up for their values and you want to say that's -- and you want to trivialize it, that's your right, but in fact, I do believe states are making arrangements. What I object to in this case is very clear cut. You had a 5-4 decision to reject eight million Californians on the grounds that eight million people have no standing before the Supreme Court.
MORGAN: OK. OK.
GINGRICH: That's a huge mistake.
MORGAN: No, I hear that. I hear that. Let's go to Van Jones. It seems like you want to get in there.
Is this a tragedy for America, Van?
VAN JONES, CO-HOST, CNN'S "CROSSFIRE": Well, first of all, I just want to say, as a Christian, if you're concerned about traditional marriage, Kim Kardashian has done more harm to traditional marriage than any gay person. The institution of marriage has been falling apart on heterosexual has been screwing it up. We're the ones getting divorced. We're the ones cheating. We're the ones who were -- were shacking up.
The people who brought the dignity and the honor back in the institution are the lesbian and gay community. And the problem that we have now is, just because you put something on the ballot, if you put it on the ballot in the civil rights of 1950, we wouldn't have them. The court has a job to do to protect people. I'm glad they did the job.
MORGAN: OK. S.E. Cupp, this is quite startling. I think you're going to agree with Van Jones.
S.E. CUP, CO-HOST, CNN'S "CROSSFIRE": Well, when it comes to Prop 8 I agree with Newt. It's a rejection of the voices of the people and that is -- that's a shame. I am a conservative who happens to support gay rights. I'm a conservative who supports marriage. I'm a conservative who supports gay marriage. So on DOMA I think there was a victory, but to me the significant ruling in DOMA wasn't just that the federal government has to acknowledge the right of gay people to marry but that the federal government has to acknowledge the right of the states.
As a small government conservative who supports federalism, I think this was a huge victory for federalism. And if you believe in small government --
MORGAN: OK.
CUPP: -- and conservatism with a C, then you have to see that as at least a silver lining.
MORGAN: OK. Stephanie Cutter, you're putting a face like you've either eaten a very, very, very bad onion or you don't agree with that.
(LAUGHTER)
STEPHANIE CUTTER, CO-HOST, CNN'S "CROSSFIRE": No, not an onion. I was just waiting to speak. You know, I don't think it's a surprise where I stand. I am very happy about the Supreme Court's decision today on DOMA. A lot of us have been against DOMA for a long time, has been fighting to overturn it.
In terms of the decision on California, you know, yes, eight million people voted for a ballot initiative. But as Van said, people have voted before and they've been wrong. That's why we have checks and balances in our government. We have three branches of government and the courts performed a check on the people and vice versa.
And I think that today, you know, there was a check on ensuring that people have equality in California. And I think that's why --
MORGAN: OK, well, I --
CUTTER: You know, what we saw in the background of Ted and David was a huge celebration. People in California are embracing this.
MORGAN: Yes. No, you got a lot of happy Americans on this tragic day for America.
And just for good measure, any time the subject of Crossfire comes up, it's always nice to remind everyone of the drubbing Jon Stewart gave the show years ago when Carlson and Begala were hosting it.
