CPAC: Medved-Franken-O’Neill Kurfuffle

February 18, 2005

Comments

Over at radio row, there was a row between Michael Medved and Al Franken. Swift Boat leader John O’Neill was scheduled to be on Medved’s show as was Franken. Apparently, Franken was not expecting Oneil to be there and was apoplectic over having been set up to debate him without preparation, and refused to do so. Franken said he considers O’Neill to be “a disgrace” and that just being that close to him (maybe seven feet) was enough to make him angry. Medved explained that it was not his intention to set Franken up but that the situation in such a forum was “fluid” and, one gathers, having the opportunity to have O’Neill on was one too good to pass up.

Michael Medved and Al Franken

Amusingly, Oneil seemed oblivious to the whole thing, working on his notes the entire time:

John O’Neill

See also: Sean Hackbarth and Radley Balko

Update (2-19): Robert Cox has more photographs and is hosting a video of the exchange.

22 responses to “CPAC: Medved-Franken-O’Neill Kurfuffle”

Ugh

February 18, 2005 at 4:38 pm

That looks like a crossword.
Kathy K

February 18, 2005 at 5:32 pm

I think Ugh is right. That does look like a crossword.
DANEgerus

February 18, 2005 at 7:39 pm

Franken may be willing to assault a Lyndon LaRouche(D) supporter, or attack a staff member of a talk radio show… but faced with matching wits with Swift Boat leader John O’Neill he runs faster then John Kerry(D) under fire from the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia on a gun running mission to deliver weapons to the… Khmer Rouge.
Beldar

February 18, 2005 at 8:01 pm

Dr. Joyner: Neat to see you post a photo of John O’Neill. I know that’s not an endorsement, but I recall your skepticism when the SwiftVets first big splash appeared last August.
zetetic

February 18, 2005 at 9:43 pm

Later, a more-composed Franken unsheathed his trademark razor-sharp wit, calling O’Neill a “big fat lying liar doodyhead.”
Pat Curley

February 18, 2005 at 10:39 pm

The sad thing is that as far as Franken knows, the Swiftees are a disgrace, because that’s how the MSM has treated them. As somebody who spent more hours checking Kerry’s story against the Swiftees than any other blogger (at Kerry Haters) I can tell you that I can tell you that they caught him lying many, many times, and he caught them not at all.
Michael Wells

February 19, 2005 at 12:57 am

I met John O’Neill for the second time at CPAC, and he is truly a super-nice guy with a good sense of humor. Gary Aldrich (his Patrick Henry Foundation for Individual Freedom sponsored my appearance at CPAC in 2000 and this year) and John become good friends after John’s publisher though it would be a good idea to ask Aldrich for advice before “Unfit for Command” was released. Gary had gone through a firestorm when “Unlimited Access” was published, and John and his publisher got some good advice on handling the negative reaction from the usual suspects.

Altough my visit to CPAC was regrettably time-limited, I had a great time meeting folks like Ace (My wife, SarahW had clued him to be on the lookout for a “town crier”, Senator Norm Coleman (gracious, very friendly guy, and he ripped ol’ Koffi Annan a new one on Thursday night), John O’Neill of course and Admiral Hoffman and wives, and I got to be on Bob Barr’s radio show, and had a nice chat with Bob and Mrs. Barr. The highlight for me, of course, was getting 10 minutes at the lectern Friday morning to present Patrick Henry. I was getting a cup of coffee in the “green room” for the speakers and I turn around and there next to me is Patrick Buchanan! I don’t know what he made of me, but I bowed and said, “your servant, sir”. Everyone was so nice and complimentary to me after the speech. I hope to go again next year and be able to spend more time and meet more people.

Michael AKA “Patrick Henry, Esquire”
Cassandra

February 19, 2005 at 8:55 am

What O’Neill is thinking:

“Must…not…laugh…must…keep…straight…face…”

I’ve had the pleasure of watching Mr. O’Neill react to shabby and rude treatment on several occasions. He is unfailingly polite, calm, and rational.

Pure class, all the way.
Steven Taylor

February 19, 2005 at 9:27 am

Franken seems to get angry a lot lately. He got angry with Medved the last time he was on Medved’s show, and I forget the reason why.
JD

February 21, 2005 at 3:35 pm

John O’Neill is a proven liar, his lies are documented. Franken handed Medved his backside when he was on the Al Franken show. The lies that Medved was tring to spout off is unbelievable.
Cassandra

February 21, 2005 at 3:58 pm

Convincing, that last comment. JD, last time I watched Mr. O’Neill speak, his ‘calm and rational’ opponents relied on trying to drown him out by shouting rude insults (kind of like what you just offered) instead of debating him in the public arena.

It’s almost as if… gee, I don’t know… they didn’t have any FACTS to bring to the table and consequently were reduced to petty namecalling.
Sandy

February 22, 2005 at 7:11 am

I keep reading about John O’Neill being a “proven” liar, but I have yet to see one morsel of what proves this. It is important to remember that liberals and democrats and others without much brainpower to back up their mouths will constantly repeat a charge like “O’Neill is a proven liar” until they think their own lie has become the truth.