CNN Reporter Challenges Chicago Tea Party Protesters

Media Matters documented this item and Digby posted the transcript of CNN's Susan Roesgen challenging the protesters in Chicago:

Kira Phillips: Susan Roesgen getting a taste of that Chicago style tea. Does that come with a pizza too?

Roesgen: Well you know Kira, this is a party for Obama bashers. I have to say that this is not entirely representative of everybody in America. This was organized by three different conservative groups and if you lok at some of the signs Kira ... Let me intorduce you to this guy. Could you come over here please?

(Pointing to picture of Obama dressed as Hitler) You know, what is this supposed to mean? What do you mean by that?

Dittohead freak: Well, I mean he's a fascist, the real pirates ...

Roesgen: Wait, why do you say he's a fascist? He's the president of the United States.

Dittohead freak: I think he's a fascist.

Roesgen, Do you realize how offensive that is?

DF: I think he's a fascist

Roesgen: Why?

DF: Beacuse he is. He's a fascist.

Roesgen: Why can you say that?

DF: beacuse the real pirates are in the white house and the senate and in the congress. We need one term limits for all these elected politicians.

Roesgen: Why be so hard on the president of the United States with such an offensive message?

DF: Because he is. He's a fascist.

Roesgen: hooookay (moves away) We've got a fascist ... uh... allright

(points to other signs)

"Drop the taxes, drop socialism"

(approaches man)

Ok, you're here with your two year old and "you're already in debt" (referring to sign he's holding) Why do you say that?

Ditto head freak 2: Because I hear a president say that he believed in what Lincoln stood for. Lincoln's primary thing was that he believed that people had the right to liberty.

Roesgen: Sir, what does this have to do with taxes? What does this have to do with your taxes?

DF2: Let me finish speaking!

Roesgen: Do you realize that you are eligible for a 400 dollar ...

DF2: Let me finish my point. (Crowd getting surly, yelling at Rojan to shut up) Lincoln believed that people had ther right to share in the fruits of their own labor and that government should not take it. And we have clearly gotten to that point.

Roesgen: Alright. Did you know that the state of Lincoln gets 50 billion dollars out of this stimulus? That's 50 billion dollars for this state sir.

DF2: (looking at someone off camera) Can you stop this sir? (people milling closely around, Rojan looking harried. )

Roesgen: Ok Well, Kira, we'll move on over here. I think you get the general tenor of this. Uh, it's anti government, anti-CNN since this is highly promoted by the right wing conservative network Fox. And since I can't really hear much more and I think this is not really family viewing, toss it back to you, Kira.