Earlier today, we posted some video of a combative exchange on MSNBC’s Morning Joe between Liz Cheney and Eugene Robinson on the subject of Dick Cheney’s vocal support for torture.
Here it is again:
But it’s noticeable from the start that Liz Cheney seems intent not just on arguing with Robinson, as you’d expect, but on challenging him at every turn, and almost forcibly preventing him from laying out a coherent argument in favor of probing the torture program that her father helped engineer.
That’s why this tweet from Chris Licht, the producer of Morning Joe, was so interesting. Licht twittered:
Cheney asked to stay on set to talk to Eugene.. glad she did. Great conversation.
In other words, Liz Cheney specifically requested to stay longer than her allotted time, in order to prevent Robinson from making a case against torture and the ex-veep. And MSNBC, knowing it would make for good TV, obliged.
If nothing else, it gives you a pretty good window into the zealousness with which Team Cheney is playing defense — as well as the eagerness with which the cable networks manufacture moments of controversy.
Thanks to reader T.K. for the catch.