Balance of Power with Tucker Carlson and Ana Marie Cox

Tucker Carlson. Ana Marie Cox. He's conservative. She's liberal. They both write for The Daily Beast, he's a contributor to Fox News and she's a national correspondent for Air America Media. They will be online Friday, Sept. 18 at noon ET to offer their analysis of the Obama presidency and other goings-on in the world of politics.

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Ana Marie Cox: Greetings everyone! Right now watching CSPAN in anticipation for the WH briefing. If I seem tipsy at some point, it's because I picked "ACORN" as my drinking game word.

Now let's do this thing.

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Rockville, Md.: I'm neither a liberal or conservative. So what I want to ask each of you is: do you think most voters who are the opposite philosophy of yours (lib or con) hold those view because: a) they're incompletely or misinformed or hold a naive view of human nature; or b) their philosophy probably does work better for them in their own life circumstances.

What I mean by b) is that it's understandable that the owner of a business with 20 low-wage employees would be a conservative, while the employees would be liberals.

Tucker Carlson: Anyone who assumes that those who disagree with his political perspective are either stupid or evil is himself a deluded moron. You've got to hold out the possibility of honorable disagreement. Otherwise you become anti-human.

As for why good people disagree, my gut is that it's deeper than the job you have. More likely, the job you have, and the candidates you vote for, derive from the sort of person you are. Politics grow from instinct.

I've always thought the dividing line between Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, was cars. Do you consider vehicle choice a moral issue? Do you believe that people who drive certain sorts of cars are probably better than people who drive other sorts of cars? Are you moved to express these views in public? If so, you're a liberal.

I'm not sure why this is, but I've noticed it.

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Minneapolis: Fun question since one of you is conservative & one liberal. As a parent, wondering what you both thought of the recent Miley Cyrus pole dancing controversy at a teen award show. If it were your daughter, would you have allowed it? What do you think of Miley's dad defending and encouraging that type of behavior -- plus allowing the dating of older men. Creepy?

Tucker Carlson: Are you kidding? I'd die first.

Is it creepy? Yes. And if you can think of a stronger word, I'd go with that too.

Ana Marie Cox: I am not a parent yet but I hope to be one someday and I think the word I'd go with is "gross," boarding on "skanky."

First question of the day for Tucker and I to agree on! Drink!

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Chicago IL: Tucker said: "I've always thought the dividing line between Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, was cars. Do you consider vehicle choice a moral issue? Do you believe that people who drive certain sorts of cars are probably better than people who drive other sorts of cars? Are you moved to express these views in public? If so, you're a liberal."

Funny - I'm more liberal than Tucker, and as I read this I was convinced he was going to say "conservative" at the end, not "liberal." Maybe that says something.

Ana Marie Cox: Actually, I think the thing that the answer to "Do you consider vehicle choice a moral issue?" tells you about a person is if you're a judgmental asshat or not. I mean, at least if you make a big deal about it. I don't particularly like folks who make moral judgments about others who drive SUVs and I am not particularly thrilled by Rush's continued mocking of the manhood of those who drive smaller cars.

This is not to say that car choice itself doesn't SAY SOMETHING about a person, which is why I'm not going to tell you what I drive.

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Washington, D.C.: Ana and Tucker- thanks for the chat! Why does your schedule move around so much? It's hard to keep track!

How big will the ACORN scandal be in the long run? While it has its roots in the '70s, it only seems to have come to prominence during the '08 election; are there going to be more links between Obama and ACORN (real or imagined)? In any event, it seems like criminal activity is endemic in that org., and it's a shame that the MSM didn't pick up on it.

Ana Marie Cox: Sorry about the scheduling changes! We try to keep it to Mondays at noon, but what with our tremendous popularity in all mediums, it's hard to synch up. Also I am usually busy trading in my gold for cash.

I have no idea what role ACORN will play in the political conversations -- and elections -- to come. A lot of Dems I know would not be sad to see the group lose prominence; its shadiness is pretty well-known. It's just that, until now, they had a monopoly on giving Dem coalitions the "people of color stamp of approval." The current administration does not need that particular box checked.

And, yes, the conservative media (or at least those two hidden camera auteurs) did a great job of highlighting this particular spot of darkness. HOWEVER, we should be clear: The "voter fraud" charges, which were the pre-election scandal of focus, were largely overplayed/misrepresented: The group DID falsely register people, but none of those "phantom voters" ever actually VOTED. So it's not like the Right uncovered something a year ago that we're finally seeing the MSM take up.

Tucker Carlson: Fifteen years ago, while working at a newspaper in Arkansas, I had a couple of dealings with ACORN. I remember thinking the people I met there were almost unbelievably sleazy and mediocre. Ana suggests this view was widely shared on the left, and I believe her. Given that, why was some freelancer with a video camera the first to prove it? Because most of the press didn't see it as a story. Which is why they're dying.

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I'm afraid to ask but...: I drive a VW Passat - what does that say about me? Curious to see if your answer matches my politics.

Tucker Carlson: I'm not liberal, so I make no judgments about your car.

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Living in the past: Reading Ted Kennedy's memoir True Compass and what a fascinating look at Senate politics in the past four decades. Halfway through, Kennedy has very, very few fellow Senators on either side of the aisle for whom he cannot find a good word. (though I noted Gene McCarthy gets a pretty lukewarm review)

Tucker Carlson: I'm not surprised. Whatever you thought of Kennedy's politics (I didn't agree obviously) it was always striking how warmly he was regarded here, and not just because of his famous last name. He had an awful lot of friends, many of them unlikely. I always admired that about him. Plus he brought his dogs everywhere, which says a lot about any man.

Ana Marie Cox: Second time for us to agree! Drink!

The dog thing, while important, is probably just a general indicator of being basically genuine guy. People on the Hill I talked to said that their respect for him was built on his ability to keep promises and deliver results, and to never ever misrepresent what he thought about something or what he had the power to do. The fact that these traits made him unusually popular says something about their rarity around here.

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Refining your excellent car theory: And if you only use mass transit, you're a liberal. Not necessarily because of the "societal good" of not driving, but because you choose to live in an area where everybody else thinks the way you do.

Tucker Carlson: Or because you enjoying spending time in enclosed spaces with sweaty strangers.

Ana Marie Cox: Whoa, way to express disdain for working people! Glad I'm not the only elitist around here!

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Car Talk: Oh c'mon Tucker, now you're pulling our legs. No liberal I know cares whether you tool around in a Hummer or a Prius. There are people who just can't mind their own damn business, but we got a ton of them in both parties, the liberals who want a Nanny State, and the Conservatives who never saw a foreign country they didn't want to bomb and install a leader of their own choosing in. But you know, you really should wear your seatbelt.

Tucker Carlson: "You really should wear your seatbelt."

With those six words, you've revealed your politics. Imagine feeling compelled to throw such gratuitously obvious advice at another adult. Imagine wagging your finger at a complete stranger, with all the implied self-righteousness. I can't imagine it because, again, I'm not a liberal.

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Chicago: Hi Guys,

Why can't both parties admit a balanced budget can NEVER happen? Unless we (1) go back to Carter income tax rates or (2) dissolve the military, we're going to be the MC Hammer of the G8.

Ana Marie Cox: But won't it all be worth it to see Obama in those pants?

Tucker Carlson: How about, (3), dramatically pare back entitlements?

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New York: Ms. Cox,

In light of the socio-economic turmoil and racial flux in which the United States finds itself, what specific DSM IV disorder does Rep. Michele Bachmann have?

Thanks!

Ana Marie Cox: Manic-depress-her-own-intelligence, with a major dose of crazypants.

She is one person whose pre-existing condition really should prevent treatment.

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San Diego: Ana Marie,

When can we see you on MSNBC? Specifically, a show that combines (i) political commentary, (ii) social satire, and (iii) you exposing Glenn Beck for being B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Ana Marie Cox: Aw, very sweet and HIGHLY DESIRABLE, but not within my power to say. And speaking of BANANAS, who's with me to start a write-in project for someone to start an ayem chat show called "Morning Zoe"? Uninformed opinion mongering PLUS FASHION ADVICE. Win-win.

Tucker Carlson: I'd get up early for that.

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Arlington, Va.: Great chat! Tucker just wrote this about ACORN: "...unbelievably sleazy and mediocre. Ana suggests this view was widely shared on the left, and I believe her." If this view was widely held, why did it take 2 outsiders instead of some news team from Dateline, 20/20, or 60 minutes to expose these guys? Instead of shouting for hours on end, why doesn't cable TV fill it's 24/7 airtime by doing more investigations and deeper reporting on importnant issues?

Tucker Carlson: Great question. Here's another: If the ACORN video had aired on liberal 60 Minutes rather than on conservative Andrew Breitbart's site, would anyone have questioned its legitimacy?

Ana Marie Cox: I have no inside information on this, but I think it's an informed hypothesis to guess that the silence on the left about ACORN's sleaziness has to do with the paucity of other large very-liberal-GOTV-folks-of-color-specific organizations. There are other large orgs that represent African Americans, but they have a more wide-ranging interests or are less easily convinced to join whatever campaign you're hustling for. ACORN would help ANYONE -- and so everyone helped them.

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Car choice: Tucker, I see your point about the car choice litmus test. (I'm a liberal -- yes, with a gas-sipper. Though my pretty liberal mother has an Explorer and an RV, so go figure.)

I find that another fairly good measure, at least for people who are financially comfortable, is whether one believes that his/her success is entirely due to merit and hard work, or whether one believes that some element of good fortune (whether that means a wealthy family or prestigious name, or supportive parents who provided lots of books and interacted with teachers, or happening to meet a vaulable mentor, etc.), that others didn't have, played an important role as well.

Ana Marie Cox: I think the shorthand for people who believe that their material success is due entire to merit is "already rich."

Tucker Carlson: Every smart person acknowledges the role of luck in life, just as all honest people concede that (in America anyway), the smart and hardworking tend to do far better than the lazy and stupid. So, as with everything, it's a combination of factors.

I have noticed, though, that people who've accumulated money slowly over time with much effort tend to be much more conservative than those who inherited it or made it quickly. The latter often feel guilt about their good fortune. The latter don't.

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Heckling: Will the President be heckled during the State of the Union or have they clearly made that ver boten?

Ana Marie Cox: I say there should be MORE heckling. You wanna entrust the war on terror to guy that can't handle hecklers?

Tucker Carlson: I agree that Obama needs to toughen up, and that for god's sake his supporters ought to stop blaming racism for legitimate opposition to his policies.

But I still hate heckling. It's rude.

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re:How about, (3), dramatically pare back entitlements?: Here I agree with Tucker, farm subsidies, bank bailouts, non-competitive contracts are all part of the entitlement corporate welfare that costs this country far more than poor folks needing a hand up. Let's cut those entitlements.

Tucker Carlson: No argument here. If I were king, I'd hope, as a libertarian, to be overthrown fairly quickly. But in the days before the coup, I'd end every one of those things, and do it without apology.

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Finger-wagging: "Imagine wagging your finger at a complete stranger, with all the implied self-righteousness." Whether or not that fits liberals, it does certainly fit the religious right with issues such as premarital sex and homosexuality.

Tucker Carlson: When was the last time you heard a public figure criticize premarital sex? We must live in different countries.

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Boonsboro, MD: If Washington, Madison, Hamilton, etc were the "A Team" of American politics, what team would Pelosi, Reid, and the rest of the current crop be?

Ana Marie Cox: JV?

Tucker Carlson: They'd be the drunk guys in the nosebleed seats.

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Ju: Poor Olympia Snowe needs some company. Should moderate Republican legislators be put on the Endangered Species list before they become completely extinct? Perhaps start a breeding program for them?

Other than Ms. Snowe, who are the most moderate of what is obviously now a very limited pool in both houses.

Btw, good for Meghan McCain for being the model of an open-minded young Republican. They need more like her (and more twice her age).

Ana Marie Cox: Uhm, yeah, more like Meghan McCain... you do that, GOP. Please.

Tucker Carlson: It's not clear why politicians with no fixed beliefs are necessarily superior to those with principles. But if you're looking for a practical answer, check out the way congressional districts are drawn. When your seat is never at risk, there's no reason to compromise with the other side.

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Superficial, I know...: This one's mainly for Ana, but Tucker, you can feel free to add input if you wish. Did you see the new pic of the cabinet? official White House photostream

Aren't Rahm and Orszag sooooo cute?! I question Sebelius's choice of a double-breasted jacket though...so 80's.

Ana Marie Cox: Hottest. Cabinet. Ever. Rahm gives me the shivers but it's Orszag you'd bring home to mom.

Unless I was your mom, in which case you can have Orszag and give me Rahm.

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North Manchester, Ind.: What a terrible thing to say about Rep. Bachmann. Would you be offended by the same thing said about Rep. Maxine Waters?

Ana Marie Cox: Nope.

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Bethesda: "Why can't both parties admit a balanced budget can NEVER happen?"

Short memory. At the turn of the century (yes, this one!), we actually had budget surpluses, and more projected into the future. Then Bush decided to "give it back" in the form of massive tax cuts for the wealthy.

(Tucker, before you accuse me of class warfare, let me add that I personally benefited significantly from those tax cuts -- and still think they were stupid.)

Tucker Carlson: Here's an assignment: Check the percentage of all taxes paid by the bottom 50 percent of taxpayers. Has it risen or fallen since Bush first took office in 2001?

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Just curious:: You both must be major news and blog junkies. Which news reader/aggregator do you use? (Getting ready to drink if it's the same one.)

Ana Marie Cox: Google Reader! Tweetdeck! (Unpaid endorsement. For now.)

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Arlington: Did Bill O'Reilly actually endorse the public option on his program last night? Are cats and dogs living together? Mass hysteria!

Ana Marie Cox: I don't think he KNOWS he did that. And the cats are all in drag.

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"Imagine wagging your finger at a complete stranger, with all the implied self-righteousness.": Hmmmm... I've seen O'Reilly wag a finger... and Beck.... and Bush... and Cheney (well, his was more of a jab)... And anytime I hear Rush, I feel the breeze from his wagging digit.

Of course, the most famous recent finger wag was Bill Clinton (but I never considered him a real liberal)

Ana Marie Cox: Again, the main characteristic being singled out here is independent of politics. People who make absurd, baseless, righteous assumptions about other people are JERKS, and I wish they all belonged to the same political party because then they'd be easier to avoid and/or punish. But then again, they'd probably win every election. Gah.

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Omaha, NE: Bit of a philosophy question for y'all...I have a seething resentment toward Glenn Beck. I see him as a rabble-rouser who inflames and misinforms his audience. On the other hand, I really love John Stewart and ENJOY his rabble-rousing. I think both persons would claim they are "entertainers" and they intend for their shows to be perceived as such, even though BOTH have audiences willing to accept their jokes and analysis as Gospel. In your esteemed opinions, how similar are Stewart and Beck?

Ana Marie Cox: Well, they're both hilarious. I'm not sure Beck's comedy is intentional. Indeed, when he is INTENTIONALLY "doing comedy," he's not funny at all. Part of me thinks the whole thing is some kind of genius Neil Hamberger/Andy Kaufman performance art but, sadly, I think the guy is totally for real.

The other major difference is that Jon Stewart seems more well-informed about both American history and current events. This is not to say Beck is wrong about everything or that he doesn't sometimes make good points -- I've just also heard him pull "facts" out of a deep, deep nether region and use them with a straight face.

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When was the last time you heard a public figure criticize premarital sex?: Two words. Bob McDonnell.

Tucker Carlson: In a paper he wrote for school 20 years ago. Which is exactly my point.

Personally, I'd love to hear someone do it. That'd be a courageous position, right or wrong. Or how about divorce? Is there anything that wounds children more? Yet even the self-appointed guardians of upright behavior (on both sides) almost never mention it. Cowards.

On that accusatory note, thanks for everything today. See you next week.

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Ana Marie Cox: And with that, I bid farewell. Until next time I'll be at http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/numbers/displayatab.cfm?DocID=1867&topic2ID=40&topic3ID=81&DocTypeID=1, doing my homework assignment for Tucker.

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