Posted Tuesday, March 09, 2010 7:28 PM
Eric Massa's Unconvincing Performance on Glenn Beck
Howard Fineman
The president finally caught a break in the Beltway steel-cage match over health care. Former representative Eric Massa and Glenn Beck may have thought they were teaming up to stop Obamacare, but the duo both ended up looking ridiculous on Fox. Viewers—even Fox viewers—might conclude that any bill these guys don't like must be worthy of every voter's support.
There's no doubt that the White House and Hill Democrats are out to discredit Massa, who claims he was pressured to resign because he opposes Obamacare. But on Beck's show, Massa made a complete fool of himself, and even Beck was forced to conclude that he had wasted his own viewers' time by hosting the former congressman for an hour.
Massa has been under investigation since early February for allegations that he sexually harassed at least one male staffer. Massa's defense about one incident—that he was merely reenacting the exuberant "tickle fight" male bonding of a Navy "crossing the line" ceremony—left Beck momentarily speechless. The host clearly realized at that instant that he had a sad, confused dude sitting across from him, and not someone who would impress Fox viewers.
Massa made it worse by insisting that it was his own behavior—not pressure from White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel—that made him quit the House.
As to the now famous (alleged) naked shower confrontation with Emanuel in the House gym, Massa insisted that it happened (Emanuel said it didn't). But even Beck seemed dubious. He asked a Journalism 101 question: were there any witnesses?
Massa didn't know.
End of story.
"We finally have found someone crazier than Glenn Beck," a White House insider told me. It's hard to disagree.
Tag(s): Congress
Eric Massa's Unconvincing Performance on Glenn Beck
Howard Fineman
The president finally caught a break in the Beltway steel-cage match over health care. Former representative Eric Massa and Glenn Beck may have thought they were teaming up to stop Obamacare, but the duo both ended up looking ridiculous on Fox. Viewers—even Fox viewers—might conclude that any bill these guys don't like must be worthy of every voter's support.
There's no doubt that the White House and Hill Democrats are out to discredit Massa, who claims he was pressured to resign because he opposes Obamacare. But on Beck's show, Massa made a complete fool of himself, and even Beck was forced to conclude that he had wasted his own viewers' time by hosting the former congressman for an hour.
Massa has been under investigation since early February for allegations that he sexually harassed at least one male staffer. Massa's defense about one incident—that he was merely reenacting the exuberant "tickle fight" male bonding of a Navy "crossing the line" ceremony—left Beck momentarily speechless. The host clearly realized at that instant that he had a sad, confused dude sitting across from him, and not someone who would impress Fox viewers.
Massa made it worse by insisting that it was his own behavior—not pressure from White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel—that made him quit the House.
As to the now famous (alleged) naked shower confrontation with Emanuel in the House gym, Massa insisted that it happened (Emanuel said it didn't). But even Beck seemed dubious. He asked a Journalism 101 question: were there any witnesses?
Massa didn't know.
End of story.
"We finally have found someone crazier than Glenn Beck," a White House insider told me. It's hard to disagree.
Tag(s): Congress
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