You're Missing the Point...Which Is That You're Not Supposed to Challenge Anything I Say, No Matter How Ludicrous!

This has already been all over the blogosphere, but just in case no one's seen it yet, or anyone needs to have another laugh at it, here's video of McCain spokesperson Michael Goldfarb engaging in wanton fuckneckery during an interview with CNN's Rick Sanchez yesterday. I really don't understand why the media doesn't require such a basic qualification of wild assertions like this all the time. It makes for great TV, apart from anything else—like truth and accuracy, those little things. (Transcript is below, and thanks to Shaker Juliemania for passing it along.)

UPDATE: I forgot to mention this Joe Klein piece, in which he points out rather amusingly that Khalidi "is (a) Palestinian and therefore (b) a semite." And it should also be noted that Khalidi is "an entirely respectable, highly respected scholar" whose views, as John Judis notes in the video at the link, are shared by many leftist Israelis.

Sanchez: I just need to parse this out as best I can from ya, Michael. The fact that John McCain's organization gave $448,000 to this group that was founded by Mr. Khalidi—is there no reason for some to be critical of that as well, just as some might be critical of Barack Obama for being at a meeting with some girl who read a poem, for example?

Goldfarb: Look, you're missing the point again, Rick. The point is that Barack Obama has a long track record of being around anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, and anti-American rhetoric.

Sanchez: Can you name one other person besides Khalidi who he hangs around with who is anti-Semitic?

Goldfarb: Yeah, he pals around with, with William Ayers, who is [crosstalk] a domestic terrorist.

Sanchez: William Ayers is not— No, no, I— The question I asked you is: Can you name one other person that he hangs around with who's anti-Semitic, because that's what you said.

Goldfarb: Look, we all know that there are people who Barack Obama has been in hot water—

Sanchez: Michael, I asked you name one person. One!

Goldfarb: Rick—

Sanchez: You said he hangs around with people who are anti-Semitic! You—okay, we got Khalidi on the table; give me number two. Who's the other anti-Semitic person that he hangs around with that we, quote, all know about?

Goldfarb: Rick, we both know who number two is.

[long pause]

Sanchez: WHO?!

[long pause]

Sanchez: Would you tell us?

Goldfarb: No, Rick. I think we all know who we're talking about here.

Sanchez: Somebody who's anti-Semitic that he hangs around with?

Goldfarb: Absolutely.

Sanchez: Well, say it!

Goldfarb: I think we know who we're talking about, Rick.

Sanchez: All right. Again, you charged that Khalidi is anti-Semitic; he would say that his policies on Israel differ from those of Barack Obama and many other people, but, either way, I guess we'll have to leave it at that. Michael Goldfarb, thanks so much. We really do appreciate it; this is a good discussion. We really do appreciate your coming here to talk to us.

Goldfarb: Thank you, Rick.