Classless MSNBC: Dole Was ‘A Big Insult Politician,’ Like Trump

Throughout its protection following the Capitol Hill ceremony honoring the late Bob Dole, MSNBC painted the previous warfare hero, senator, and presidential candidate as “an advanced determine” as a result of he was a Republican who voted for Donald Trump. At one level, a visitor even slammed Dole as “a giant insult politician.”

Craig Melvin Studies visitor host Yasmin Vossoughian requested Politico’s Josh Gerstein to recall the time the place Dole jokingly tried to have him arrested for being a nasty driver. After recalling the incident, Gerstein claimed that Dole was a person of bipartisanship, however:

There are components of Trumpism that have been seen, that have been creeping out throughout his marketing campaign. For one factor, he was a giant insult politician. A part of his humorousness, he was joking round with me, however he would show some fairly darkish feedback about different individuals within the political realm. He talked at one level a few bus full of supply-siders went off the facet of a mountain and all people was killed. The dangerous information is there have been three empty seats.”

Gerstein additionally condemned Dole for criticizing the press, “He’d insult individuals on the talk stage a lot in the identical approach that Donald Trump did. So there have been components of that there, and he additionally went on a giant tirade on the finish of his marketing campaign in opposition to the information media which appeared to me a little bit bit insincere given how tight he was with varied members of the media together with a producer for NBC who actually just about labored out of the lobby of her, his workplace on Capitol Hill.”

Vossoughian additionally noticed similarities between the 2, claiming each are the “what you see is what you get” character sorts, however claimed that Trump’s post-election habits highlighted huge variations between them. Gerstein agreed, however nonetheless tried to tie the 2 collectively:

There is no query they’re very totally different individuals. I imply, Dole as Michael was saying, was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican. The notion that he was going to step off the bus even when Trump was driving could be very, most unlikely. Although the Bush relations, a number of of them introduced they weren’t voting for Trump. Dole mentioned he was. 

He then claimed: “, you would not see Trump doing the sorts of offers that Dole not solely did however was so pleased with on points like Social Safety or the People with Disabilities Act. So he is an advanced determine. I do not assume it is honest to solid him as totally a method or totally the opposite.” 

Vossoughian then turned to historian Michael Beschloss, who praised Dole for his “braveness” on civil rights, but in addition lamented: “I believe ultimately, rather a lot of Bob Dole’s associates simply as Josh is suggesting, have been very disillusioned with him on the finish of his life, as a result of they need he had been more durable on Trump and stronger in making an attempt to protect what they noticed as a risk to democracy.”

Solely MSNBC might declare a Republican voting for a Republican being a tarnish on somebody’s exceptional legacy.

This phase was sponsored by QuickBooks.

Here’s a transcript for the December 9 present:

MSNBC Particular Protection: Remembering Bob Dole

11:33 AM ET

JOSH GERSTEIN: Yeah. That was humorous. That was considered one of my first experiences with him up in New Hampshire, chasing round his marketing campaign. And we needed to kind of hopscotch to occasions. We have been making an attempt to race out of one and get to the following one earlier than he obtained there. And finally he began teasing me about being a dangerously quick driver, and he tried to have one of many governor’s state troopers up there throw me in jail. However, you understand, I agree with Michael about the bipartisanship. 

YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN: Yeah

GERSTEIN: There’s simply no query that Dole is from one other period that he used to get offers and that’s what politicians did at that time. On the identical time, I do assume, Yasmin, that there are components of Trumpism that have been seen, that have been creeping out throughout his marketing campaign. For one factor, he was a giant insult politician. A part of his humorousness, he was joking round with me, however he would show some fairly darkish feedback about different individuals within the political realm. He talked at one level a few bus full of supply-siders went off the facet of a mountain and all people was killed. The dangerous information is there have been three empty seats. 

VOSSUGIAN: Wow

GERSTEIN: I imply, these are fairly darkish feedback. He’d insult individuals on the talk stage a lot in the identical approach that Donald Trump did. So there have been components of that there, and he additionally went on a giant tirade on the finish of his marketing campaign in opposition to the information media which appeared to me a little bit bit insincere given how tight he was with varied members of the media together with a producer for NBC who actually just about labored out of the lobby of her, his workplace on Capitol Hill. 

VOSSUGIAN: It is attention-grabbing as a result of in your piece, Josh, proper, you describe him as a you see, what you see is what you get, proper? Fairly much like the previous president, and the previous president is somebody that was supported by Bob Dole, twice. However, in truth, Dole got here out and mentioned he misplaced the election, Biden certifiably gained this election. So, there definitely was a distinction and a respect for this nation, proper? the principles, the laws, the legislation, the governance of this nation. 

GERSTEIN: Oh, yeah. There is no query they’re very totally different individuals. I imply, Dole as Michael was saying, was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican. The notion that he was going to step off the bus even when Trump was driving could be very, most unlikely. Although the Bush relations, a number of of them introduced they weren’t voting for Trump. Dole mentioned he was. And quite a few Dole’s high staffers went on to be very senior representatives on Trump’s marketing campaign, on even in Trump’s White Home. His U.S. Commerce consultant got here straight mainly out of Dole’s workplace, any individual that got here up in that time. So, so, there have been connections there. Clearly it was a unique period. , you would not see Trump doing the sorts of offers…

VOSSUGIAN: Yeah

GERSTEIN: …that Dole was not solely did however was so pleased with on points like Social Safety or the People with Disabilities Act. So he is an advanced determine. I do not assume it is honest to solid him as totally a method or totally the opposite. 

VOSSUGIAN: Hey Michael, enable me or assist me go away of us with a sentiment that the president mentioned in his quote about Dole, “I’ll always remember what he mentioned to our colleagues, quote, ‘no top notch democracy can deal with individuals like second class residents.’” Broaden on that for me in relation to the late senator. 

MICHAEL BESCHLOSS: Effectively, this was a really conservative Republican, particularly within the earlier half of his profession. But, in 1964 when there have been a lot of conservatives starting with Barry Goldwater who opposed the Civil Rights Act, and all that mentioned is public locations should be open to everybody, race, creed, or shade, Barry Goldwater was in opposition to that, mentioned it was unconstitutional. Bob Dole was for it. It required some braveness. And so I believe ultimately, rather a lot of Bob Dole’s associates simply as Josh is suggesting, have been very disillusioned with him on the finish of his life, as a result of they need he had been more durable on Trump and stronger in making an attempt to protect what they noticed as a risk to democracy. However ultimately, that is the nation that’s going to rely on the great will of individuals of widespread sense like Bob Dole. And if God forbid a disaster of democracy comes as properly it would in the course of the subsequent few years, I positive would need Bob Dole at my facet.