By Kevin DeAnna
WASHINGTON – It had to be an embarrassing moment for MSNBC host Rachel Maddow – who didn’t do quite enough homework before interviewing Sen. James Inhofe about his new book about climate change alarmism, “The Greatest Hoax.”
During a pre-recorded, 30-minute segment airing last night, Maddow revealed that she doesn’t read guests’ books very carefully – and apparently doesn’t even pay much attention to her own TV show.
Maddow grilled the senator about allegedly taking her words out of context when he cited her Dec. 3, 2009, program in his book.
Referring to a section of “The Greatest Hoax” in which Inhofe takes Maddow to task for having attacked his positions on climate change, Maddow claimed last night that the 2009 show in question was actually about Inhofe’s supposed efforts in support of anti-homosexual policies in Uganda.
However, in her enthusiasm to nail Inhofe over the Uganda segment, which mentioned Inhofe among other officials, Maddow completely neglected a separate, lengthy segment on that same day’s show that attacked Inhofe over his positions on climate change.
That was the segment Inhofe clearly cited in “The Greatest Hoax,” which Maddow claimed to have read, even excerpting the exact dialogue from that night’s show. A video and a transcript of the 2009 show are still available.
Nevertheless, during last night’s interview with Inhofe, Maddow completely neglected the segment in which she criticized Inhofe’s views on climate change and instead returned to her preferred line of attack regarding homosexuality in Africa.
Thus, instead of a discussion – as advertised – on global warming and Inhofe’s new book, viewers were treated to a lengthy digression on proposed sexual-morality legislation in Uganda.
Maddow even suggested that Inhofe might be supportive of executing homosexuals, asking him if he was for or against a “kill-the-gays bill.”
Her mistake probably would have been edited from a taped interview. However, after being bumped from his scheduled appearance last Tuesday, Inhofe secured a promise that his segment would be broadcast unedited and uncut, before he would agree to appear.
As a result, Maddow’s big mistake made it on the air.
Watch Rachel Maddow’s interview with Sen. James Inhofe, Part One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeEoFiJpKVo
And Part Two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENZM29Cl8ho
