In Defense of Milbank

"Mouthpiece Theater" was a goofy idea, and I never got more than a chuckle out of it.  Milbank and Cillizza don’t have the timing necessary for performance comedy and their columns didn’t translate well to video. The "Mad Bitch" joke was inappropriate, not funny, and deserved censure.

That said, I am truly bummed that so many people now know and dismiss Milbank as "that asshat who made the Mad Bitch joke." I have been a Dana Milbank fan for several years. I love his "Washington Sketch" column and I look forward to his weekly live chats. Milbank is an intelligent and talented writer. He exposes political hypocrisy and posturing with greater detail and nuance than either Stewart or Colbert. He covers press conferences and Senate votes that aren’t sexy enough for a comedy show. For instance, the recent vote on conceal-carry rights had representatives scurrying in and out of the Chamber, changing their votes and bolting, terrified of the NRA’s wrath. The instance doesn’t easily compress into a 10 sec bit, but it’s a relevant portrayal of Our Government In Action and Milbank DID cover it. (I’m not making an "either/or" argument here. I’m a fan of "The Daily Show" AND "The Washington Sketch," and I think I’m better off for following both.)

At the risk of repeating myself, I am NOT endorsing the "Mad Bitch" joke. It was insulting and not funny. But as a journalist and humorist, Milbank is way more than this one bad decision. While he deserves to be called out for his error in judgment, I believe he also deserves to have at least one voice speak in his defense.