April 6, 2012
12:14
P.M.
About the host
Dana Milbank
Dana Milbank reviews the political theater of the nation's capital in his editorial-page column. His most recent book is "Tears of a Clown: Glenn Beck and the Tea Bagging of America;"
his other books are "Homo Politicus" (Doubleday, 2008) and "Smashmouth"
(Basic Books, 2001).
Milbank joined The Post as a political reporter in 2000 and wrote the
"Washington Sketch" column for nearly six years. He lives in Washington
with his wife and daughter.
About the topic
Dana Milbank Live is your weekly opportunity for a give and take with Dana centering on the latest political news in Washington and his recent columns.
Follow @PostLive on Twitter
Follow @PostLive on Twitter
Q. No Fix Today
Was he the real winner of the Maryland Mega-Millions?
A. Dana Milbank :
In fact I am the winner of the Mega-Millions. But I left my winning
ticket on the counter in the fifth floor men's room of the Post and I
haven't been able to find it.
Dana, Saw Z.Z. with you on TV and must say that there is no
comparison with Mitt. Your dog is comfortable and calm, has charisma,
and I bet does not need an elevator built for all those 'crates'. Also,
no need to unzip ZZ and let the dog out....
A. Dana Milbank :
Every time I go to the NBC bureau now, the security guards ask why I haven't brought the dog.
What debt crisis? Interest rates on US debt are extraordinarily low. The
US has a sovereign currency and has the most productive economy in the
world i.e. the furthest thing from Greece. Don't believe the hype.
A. Dana Milbank :
You are right! Things are so darn healthy here that it's boring. Our
debt crisis is easily months, if not years, away. So I'm thinking I
should pack up and spend some time in Greece. Or maybe Ireland or
Spain. Let's do an informal online poll right now and see where I
should go, and whether my editors should pay for it. Suggestions?
I was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit shown by The Post in the
online version of your column about the surveillance industry's spread
into the private lives of ordinary people. All those hyperlinks to the
companies that manufacture the products mentioned was very enterprising.
The Post has finally found a way to monetize its Web presence by
imitating the movies and TV with product placement disguised as
reporting.
A. Dana Milbank :
Hey, I get a nickel for each of those links!
Actually the companies were apparently none too pleased to be included in the column. But we are very big on links at washingtonpost.com. My own view is that a link should be in the story of it's some hard-to-find or exclusive bit of information, but ordinary stuff should be left to the reader. I am confident that each of you on this chat could google Mitt Romney without any assistance from me.
Actually the companies were apparently none too pleased to be included in the column. But we are very big on links at washingtonpost.com. My own view is that a link should be in the story of it's some hard-to-find or exclusive bit of information, but ordinary stuff should be left to the reader. I am confident that each of you on this chat could google Mitt Romney without any assistance from me.
Whenever Willard, er, Mitt Romney speaks I am reminded of Newt
Gingrich's advice to his colleagues prior to the Republican takeover of
the House in 1994. To paraphrase, Newt advised his charges to lie, as
the lie ran on Page 1 top fold while the correction ran on page A23, or
in this case, in some guy's op-ed in the company town paper (I keed).
In this case there is the added bonus that the lie(s) are covered and
reported by the newsroom and thus bask in the glow of "fair and balanced
reporting" (as it were) while the correction is merely "an opinion"
(probably written by a socialist-loving left-leaning democrat (sp)
shill). Well played Will... er, I mean, Mitt!
A. Dana Milbank :
As Newt Gingrich once said, a lie can get half way around the world
while the truth is still tying its shoes. (Actually that was Mark
Twain.)
We've given some fairly prominent display to Glenn Kessler's truth-squadding, but your point is correct.
When Mitt was at the Wardman Park hotel this week I was trying to work in something about Willard at the Marriott but I thought this might be too obscure.
We've given some fairly prominent display to Glenn Kessler's truth-squadding, but your point is correct.
When Mitt was at the Wardman Park hotel this week I was trying to work in something about Willard at the Marriott but I thought this might be too obscure.
- – April 06, 2012 12:23 PM
Do you need to wear breathing masks when you cover a Romney speech to filter out the asbestos from his fireproof pants?
A. Dana Milbank :
No but I wear a shower cap so none of his hair product mixes with mine.
I understand that the "anybody but Obama" constituency is voting for
Romney. And that the "true believer" conservatives are voting for
Santorum. But who are the people who are voting for Newt in the
primaries? Their numbers are dwindling, but they're still out there and I
can't get a grasp on their political outlook. Thanks.
A. Dana Milbank :
They are a splinter faction of the Ron Paul electorate.
Dana: Would love your thoughts on the 800K plus conference the
government's property management arm put on in Vegas. I'm no fan of
Darrell Issa, but I have to applaud him for demanding documents on this.
The whole thing is like a rightwing parody of government waste and
abuse, only it's for real.
A.Dana Milbank :
Jeez, first Obama gets criticized for telling people not to go to
Vegas. Now the administration gets slammed for subsidizing Vegas. Which
will it be, folks?
Do you think Priebus was trying to equate it with eventually spinning itself into a coccoon?
A. Dana Milbank :
This is all a tempest in a chrysalis.
Q. Keith O
terrible employee or worst employee in the world?
A. Dana Milbank :
It's been four years since he blew up at me over at MSNBC. I feel very much ahead of Al Gore on this.
Q. GSA Fiasco
I say we send Dana on a fact finding mission to Vegas to fully investigate
A. Dana Milbank :
Well, it is not Greece but it may have to do. I will forward this to Mr. Hiatt.
Kiribti is on the point of drowning under real waves. The Post should
send you there to report on the last chance to see, as it were.
A. Dana Milbank :
Kiribati! I had to look it up, but it sounds promising. Will keep this in the basket of options.
You are a brave man, Mr. Milbank... The comments sections of most Wash
Post articles are scary places not for the faint of heart. Or maybe the
same crazies come to the chat but you spare us and filter them out.
Anway, good luck and God speed, we'll miss you here.
A. Dana Milbank :
What? You aren't going to follow me into the comment section? I'm
sure there's nothing to worry about. See, it's perfectly safe in here?
Hey? What's that? What the
)(*&%$#&*%^^&*$&%^xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
(Comment deleted.)
(Comment deleted.)
Q. vegas
I was thinking the exact same thing, Dana...people got so angry with
obama re: vegas that he *really* wanted to help them with their very own
stimulus - i.e., govt employees spending way too much in the city!
What's wrong with all that?
A. Dana Milbank :
Exactly! What is it with this Republican war on vegas, as if it's some sort of caterpillar, or woman?
Dana: I have to tell you, one of my major gripes with the Post online is
that now, save for the Fix, there are no political chats of any sort.
Once there was Paul Kane, Ezra Klein, yourself, Shalaigh Delaney (who I
know is no longer with the paper)--the list goes on and on. Not to
mention Dana Priest and Tom Ricks, also no longer with the paper, who
handled defense and national security chats. Don't expect you to knock
your employer, but it seems bizarre to me that Post would just
completely give up on politics/national security as chat topics.
A. Dana Milbank :
Shailagh Murray, that would be. She has managed to keep Biden gaffe-free for some 15 months-- an all-time record.
I don't think they're giving up the chats; they're trying to tie them to articles and columns rather than having them at set times each week.
I don't think they're giving up the chats; they're trying to tie them to articles and columns rather than having them at set times each week.
- – April 06, 2012 12:36 PM
Willard Romney was named for J. Willard Marriott. You could have worked that in.
A. Dana Milbank :
This is actually true. (Not implying that all the other comments were not true.)
Q. Truthiness
Is your perception that this quality is lacking more in Mittens than his
opponents, Rick and Newt? Dr. Paul clearly operates on his own truth
spectrum. At least John McCain occasionally uttered non-false
statements.
A. Dana Milbank :
Newt is probably worse, but he's about as relevant as a caterpillar
at this point. While Romney's whoppers are voluminous, I think what
distinguishes them is not the number but the gratuitous factor: He could
scale them back a bit and they would be true and just as effective.
Caterpillar did benefit from the bailout, so it is fair game for GOP criticism.
A. Dana Milbank :
Oh, John Deere. Not this again.
Be careful there if you are hospitalized .... Mr. Santorum seems to
think they will euthanize you if you don't have a wrist band to prevent
it!
A. Dana Milbank :
True but first they give you marijuana so all in all not a bad deal.
I have spent a great deal of time in the low countries, but happily not
in their hospitals.
Is it just me - or does Mitt Romney kinda dislike campaigning. Maybe
too long of a campaign? Maybe he doesn't like the need to sometimes
improvise or be spontaneous? He just seems (to me) very guarded. To
the questions - am I right, and how much of a liability is that going to
be versus Obama who seems to like engaging with the public?
A. Dana Milbank :
Let me amend that slightly. He likes campaigning (he's continued to
campaign as Santorum takes off 5 days or some such). He just isn't that
crazy about interacting with people.
Well, I think this is an interesting initiative for you. I'm sure you
know very well what a cesspool that "Comments" can be - and I hope what
you can do is come back at the commenters with facts and reasoned
opinion, over and over again. Or perhaps you can exert more control over
which ones get posted and so up the general tone of the conversation.
Good luck with it - we'll all be most interested!
A. Dana Milbank :
To the contrary I intend to descend to the lowest common denominator,
so that all of my comments have to be reported to the monitors.
No matter how hard Obama and his media lemmings (hint: you) try to
divide this country by gender ("war on women"), race (Trayvon Martin,
anything on MSNBC), or income inequailty (Buffett rule, Ryan budget),
today's sobering jobs numbers will serve as a reminder to Obama and his
media followers that it's really about the economy, stupid. Your
thoughts?
A. Dana Milbank :
Moi? Obama media lemming? I am so in the tank for Santorum that I am
practically drowning. And I haven't yet mentioned Trayvon Martin in a
column. But, yes, whenever I'm asked about November, I reply with a
challenge: Tell me where unemployment and the stock market will be.
like the band in Spinal Tap, are we going to have to go to eleven Pinocchio's to rate Romney's speeches?
A. Dana Milbank :
No, I think the standard Gepetto Index works just fine. He doesn't
do the Saddam-attacked-us-on-9/11-type lie; he's more likely to
embellish things that have a bit of truth.
Q. No chats?!
Well, it's been nice talking to you. It's one thing to set aside an
hour on Fridays -- it's quite another to take the time to wade into the
cesspool of 1000, 2000, and even 3000 or 4000 comments that pile up on
your hotter columns. Nope, no way, no how. Not even if the WaPo
comments system DIDN'T suck wind. Count this regular chatter out.
A. Haley Crum :
Any time Dana goes into the comments section of a column, we will
make a note of it on the page. His comments will appear under "Top
Comments" and be highlighted in blue. We hope that will make it easier
for you to find his comments, and that this will foster more (and a
higher level of) debate in those sections.
Hi Dana,
How much longer will Santorum have to stay in the race before you bring
back your Black Knight piece only instead of Hilary the new hero is
Rick? That is my favorite ever by you.
A. Dana Milbank :
Hopefully he will not quit before the Pennsylvania primary. I have some bowling to do.
Dana, Mitt Romney's spokesperson was on MSNBC this morning and when
asked if Mr. Romney plans to disclose more of his tax returns, said that
he has already released "hundreds" of pages of records, suggesting
volume is more important than content. In your field of journalism, what
are your thoughts on volume vs. content?
A. Dana Milbank :
As those of you who read my columns will already be aware, volume prevails over content.
Wouldn't he be the most paralyzed president ever? No cooperation from
the hard right, no Republican moderates and of course nothing from
Democrats. It would be a wasted effort from the start.
A. Dana Milbank :
The body politics is already a quadrapalegic at this point so I don't know how it would be any more paralyzed under Romney.
Q. Travel Plans
I suggest Antartica, and the Post should pick up the ticket to there of course.
;^) Happy Easter!
A. Dana Milbank :
High on my list! And I believe I could pick up valuable lessons
there because Antarctica is debt free and has a tax rate of zero.
Okay folks. Please chat with me from now on in the comments section (at least until I get horrified after a few days and give that up) and keep the conversation going on Twitter (@milbank). Enjoy the holidays this weekend.
Thanks for tuning in.
Okay folks. Please chat with me from now on in the comments section (at least until I get horrified after a few days and give that up) and keep the conversation going on Twitter (@milbank). Enjoy the holidays this weekend.
Thanks for tuning in.
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