Labeling the Pundits


February 9, 2002


BOB GARFIELD: On the matter of assigning labels, Esquire's Charlie Pierce thought that if the media insist on assigning political labels to politicians, then it's only fair that news people submit to some truth in labeling themselves. [TELEVISION THEME MUSIC UP AND UNDER]

ANNOUNCER: That's This Week, featuring George Will--

CHARLIE PIERCE: Reagan debate pit crew chief and baseball nuisance.

ANNOUNCER: -- and George Stephanopolous--

CHARLIE PIERCE: faux-naif careerist hack.

ANNOUNCER: -- now Sam Donaldson--

CHARLIE PIERCE: Inhaler of federal sheep subsidies.

ANNOUNCER: This is the December 23rd edition of Fox News Sunday. Fred Barnes--

CHARLIE PIERCE: Right wing meat puppet; will opine for food.

ANNOUNCER: -- Mara Liasson--

CHARLIE PIERCE: Famous NPR Republican double agent.

ANNOUNCER: -- and Mortgage Kondracke.

CHARLIE PIERCE: Fake centrist pamphleteer.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: I'm Chris Matthews--

CHARLIE PIERCE: [SHOUTING] Carter speech writer and part-time air raid siren.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: -- let's play Hard Ball.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: Charlie Pierce writes for Esquire. [ON THE MEDIA THEME UP AND UNDER] 58:00

BOB GARFIELD:That's it for this week's show. On The Media was produced by Janeen Price and Katya Rogers with Sean Landis, engineered by George Edwards and Dylan Keefe, and edited-- by Brooke. We had help from Jim Colgan. Our web master is the redoubtable Amy Pearl.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:Mike Pesca is our producer at large, Arun Rath our senior producer and Dean Cappello our executive producer. Ben Allison wrote our theme. This is On the Media from National Public Radio. I'm Brooke Gladstone.

BOB GARFIELD: And I'm Bob Garfield. [MUSIC TAG] 58:30 [FUNDING CREDITS] ************