Cranky Bob Schieffer: Anti-ObamaCare GOPers Like Japanese WWII Vets Who Don't Know Fight Is 'Over'

newsbusters.org ^ | September 20, 2013 | Scott Whitlock

[Tailgunner Joe]

The network morning shows on Friday derided the move by House Republicans to defund ObamaCare as simply "bowing to demands" from the Tea Party. But it was CBS's Bob Schieffer who made no attempt to restrain his contempt, declaring the ObamaCare fight "over" and linking GOP members to elderly Japanese veterans of World War II who refused to accept that the fight was futile.

After noting that the Wall Street Journal derided the plan as a kamikaze move, the Face the Nation anchor built on the analogy, sneering, "But even more apt...way on into the 1950s when they go into the jungles of the Philippines and they find these Japanese soldiers that thought World War II was still going on?" This prompted This Morning hosts Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell to break up in laughter at the mockery of Republicans.

Disgusted with the Republican attempts to defund ObamaCare, Schieffer added, "...The war over ObamaCare is over. You know?"

This isn't the first time the veteran journalist has brought World War II into a modern political battle. On January 16, 2013, he compared "taking on the gun lobby" to "defeating the Nazis."

Schieffer concluded by dismissing the entire Republican effort as a distraction:

BOB SCHIEFFER: Eleven people killed or 13 people, I guess it was, killed a couple of miles from the White House. There are some serious problems facing this country, and, again, they're not being addressed. And, you know, Congress has a very low approval rating but I think on this one Democrats can stand back and say "You know, this is – we're not part of this, boys. These are the other guys." I think in the long run this is going to hurt the Republicans.

Earlier in the show, reporter Nancy Cordes threw cold water on the GOP effort: "After bowing to demands from Tea Party Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner tried to convince Senate Republicans to join him in what many see as a losing battle."

Over on NBC's Today, Peter Alexander preemptively announced that the bill "won't go far" and sounded a theme similar to that of CBS: "The Republican bill bowing to conservative pressure is guaranteed to fail in the Democratic controlled Senate."

Alexander also put the blame on the House GOP, snidely noting, "Among those who wouldn't be affected, members of Congress. They still get paid, and for now they're still bickering."

On Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos insisted that, with regard to a potential shutdown, this indicated a"dysfunction that could derail the economy."

Unlike CBS and NBC, however, Stephanopoulos also observed that a new ABC poll finds "some warnings for both sides."

Reporter Jon Karl explained that the survey "shows the law is still unpopular. A majority of the public doesn't like the way it's being implemented. Only barely a third of approves of how it's being implemented."

A transcript of the September 20 Schieffer segment on CBS This Morning is below:

8:05 ET

CHARLIE ROSE: Sunday is the first day of fall, but in Washington, critics say it feels more like Groundhog Day. The House votes today on a bill that keeps the government going, but also cuts off funding for President Obama's health care law. That vote sets the stage for another potential government shutdown. With us now is chief Washington correspondent and host of Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer. Bob, good morning.

BOB SCHIEFFER: Hey, good morning, Charlie.

ROSE: The Wall Street Journal as you know, had an editorial in which it called the Republican plan a kamikaze mission. Could this be destructive to the Republican Party?

SCHIEFFER: Well, I mean when you have Wall Street Journal using terms like that, when Karl Rove, the leading Republican thinker, the guy who managed George Bush's campaigns, when you've got Republicans in the Senate saying the same kinds of things, it's got to tell you that Republicans may be heading in a direction that they don't want to be heading right now. But having said that, I think this is all going to take place. I mean, they're going to pass this in the House, I would assume. And it's going to go nowhere in the Senate. When the Wall Street Journal compares them to, you know, those Japanese suicide pilots in World War II, I wonder if it isn't -- I think that's apt. But even more apt, you remember – way on into the 1950s when they go into the jungles of the Philippines and they find these Japanese soldiers that thought World War II was still going on?

[Rose, Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell all laugh.]

GAYLE KING: Good analogy.

SCHIEFFER: I mean, you know, the war over ObamaCare is over. You know?

ROSE: Where have you been?

SCHIEFFER: And we're still continuing to fight it. This is not going to change here.

KING: Well, you heard Senator Cruz say that he's going do everything he can to defund ObamaCare, including a filibuster. How do you see it playing out, Bob?

SCHIEFFER: Well, I mean, you know, yesterday John McCain, who happens to be a Republican. Some Republicans don't think he is, but he says he is. He points out that it takes 67 votes to override a presidential veto. If, if both houses somehow or other pass this thing, the President would most certainly veto it and they're not As John McCain pointed out yesterday, 67 votes to override that. So this is going to go on. And while we keep having this movie -- and by the way, have you seen this movie before? I think I have.

KING: Yes. We know the dialogue.

SCHIEFFER: About 20 times now. You know? While all this keeps going on, the country is going broke. We're in the midst of – doing know what we're in the midst of with this Syria thing. 11 people killed or 13 people, I guess it was, killed a couple of miles from the White House. There are some serious problems facing this country, and, again, they're not being addressed. And, you know, Congress has a very low approval rating but I think on this one Democrats can stand back and say "You know, this is – we're not part of this, boys. These are the other guys." I think in the long run this is going to hurt the Republicans.

NORAH O'DONNELL: Karl Rove indicated that yesterday as you mentioned, Bob, that it's independents, independents who lean toward the Republican Party who are most opposed to this and that's where it may hurt the party.

SCHIEFFER: Yeah. Absolutely.

ROSE: Yeah. There's also the fact that it was part of what the chairman of the Fed said when he talked about the economic recovery. It was contributing to a lack of an economic recovery. It's also, as we know, how central bankers around the world look at the United States and its economy that if it can't set things straight in Washington, it's not good for the economy.

SCHIEFFER: It is not and it's not good for how the rest of the world views the United States. This is not how super powers operate. You know, like a guy who has got a book out and he always finds a way to work the book into the conversation, I talked to henry Kissinger about this yesterday and got his views on that and Henry – Dr. Kissinger's going to be with us Sunday on Face the Nation. He was first on Face the Nation Charlie, back in 1957.

ROSE: Oh, wow.

SCHIEFFER: And he's been on many times since. It was really a lot of fun to interview him. So I managed to turn all of this to what's coming up on Face the Nation.

[Jet Jaguar]

It’s not over until Michael Moore sings...

[Oldexpat]

THe GOP controls the house and we can survive a shut down. The people don’t want this law..they don’t want the Kings men running our country. They are ready to man the barricades.

[Lancey Howard]

Bob Schieffer??
Good grief, is that old Democrat like 103?

[MichaelCorleone]

Quote from John Belushi in ‘Animal House’:

“It ain’t over intil WE say it’s over!”

[dfwgator]

What is it about Texas that produced so many lefty journalists?

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Anti-ObamaCare GOPers Like Japanese WWII Vets Who Don't Know Fight Is 'Over'

Hey Incontinent Bob!

Go clean yourself up, then STFU.

[GeronL]

The fight will never be over.

Did the left stop fighting for their causes ever?

did they give up on gay marriage in 1980?

The left never gives up. Why does our side always give up?

[SaxxonWoods]

His annoyance is just another cherry on top.

Keep raising Cain!

[DesertRhino]

Yeah Bob,, so here I am. Sitting here with my Arisaka all shiny and clean. All you have to do to have your island safe is come root me out of my cave.

Problem then for the USMC, problem for you now.

[ConorMacNessa]

In my adolescent years - the early 60's - Japanese soldiers were still turning up on isolated islands in the Pacific, on watch, discharging their duty, though the war had been lost twenty years before.

I say God Bless them! They saw their duty and discharged it with Honor!

Schieffer: it is indeed ironic that you don't understand the concept of duty. Some things are worse than death - like the failure to stand up for and defend to your last ounce of strength a principle in which you believe. If you don't stand for it - whatever the cost - you are nothing.

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[sten]

then arrest me now, as I won’t willingly participate in the destruction of my country

also, I won’t give 60-75% of my earned income to pay for the mooching class (ie: democrats and progressives)

[GeronL]

The fight will never be over as long as their are leftists around

[Snickering Hound]

[sten]

that’s why it’ll never go out of style

[Always A Marine]

Anti-ObamaCare GOPers Like Japanese WWII Vets Who Don't Know Fight Is 'Over'

No, Bob. More like the French Underground resistance fighters who confounded the conquering Nazis until the Allies rallied to counterattack. One day we might shave Bob Schieffer's head and parade him through the streets -- along with all the other collaborating whores!

[Lancey Howard]

Maybe that falling down drunk Ann Richards gave them “favors”.

[MaxMax]

2nd Amendment, jerk, the fight is over, right? Practice what you preach.

[R_Kangel]

"Cranky Bob Schieffer: Anti-ObamaCare GOPers Like Japanese WWII Vets Who Don't Know Fight Is 'Over'..."

.... LOL .... I can't wait for the rapid fire GOP responses to all of these politically charged accusations, epithets and insults. The GOP has had months to prepare all of their zingers and hard hitting responses so they obviously must have a lot of them stored and ready! This ought to be good. BTW .... the GOP was ready for this bad press weren't they? They do have prepared responses don't they?

.... Please tell me that they weren't just expecting the public to stand in awe and be absolutely inspired by their amazing positioning on the matter. They were prepared for this momentous educational opportunity weren't they?

.... I'm sure they are .... so I will just sit back and watch the fireworks with the GOP's vast array of amazing zingers and hard hitting responses.

..... Time to pop some popcorn.

... BTW ... popcorn hasn't been outlawed by the new Affordable Healthcare Bill yet has it? Hmmmmmm .... maybe I'll grab a bag of chips ..... we still have those right .....

[Frank_2001]

“Anti-ObamaCare GOPers Like Japanese WWII Vets Who Don’t Know Fight Is ‘Over’”

Actually, the analogy better suits Dems...the Japanese of that era worshiped their emperor as a god, and Obama lives like an emperor and is worshiped by the MSM and the Left as a god! /s;)