Former MSNBC host Ed Schultz now spouting propaganda for Putin
What ever happened to the firebrand MSNBC host Ed Schultz? The cable personality could always be counted on to spout the most malignant hate against conservatives, Republicans, and anyone else who violated his strict liberal orthodoxy.
Over the years, he displayed an animus toward Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and President Assad of Syia, among others. But now that Schultz has a new job and a new boss, he's singing a different tune.
Schultz is now employed Russia Today, a pro Putin English language TV outlet and the former liberal now spouts propaganda for Putin friends and loyalists.
For six years at MSNBC, Schultz railed against Republicans, and extolled the virtues of the Democratic Party.
He was particularly kind to Hillary Clinton, whom he once called his "favorite living New Yorker," and President Obama.
At MSNBC, Schulz defended the president and his policies, and he often accused the commander in chief's harshest critics of being racists, unpatriotic and un-American.
When he wasn't doing that, Schultz used his MSNBC show to boost American labor unions, which paid him nearly $250,000 between 2012 and 2013, and attacked anyone who suggested they were in need of reform.
He even took several shots at billionaire businessman Donald Trump.
All that seems to have changed, however, as Schultz has turned his attention from defending the White House and labor unions to attacking U.S. domestic and foreign policy.
He's also a big fan of Trump and Putin now, according to Politico.
"By the time Schultz resurfaced this January, he had been reincarnated in a very different journalistic form," Politico's Michael Crowley reported. "Gone is the praise for Obama and Clinton. Gone, too, are the mocking references to 'Putie.' And gone are the judgments about others' patriotism."
Schultz's show, "now features Putin-friendly discussions about the failings of U.S. policy in the Middle East, America's 'bloated' defense budget and the futility of NATO strategy," his report added.
U.S. policy isn't the only topic on which Schulz appears to have evolved. "Even Trump is getting a new look from Schultz. Speaking at various points on RT in recent months, Schultz has said that Trump 'has tapped into an anger among working people,' is 'talking about things the people care about,' and even, as Schultz recently declared, that Trump 'would easily be able to function' as president," Crowley reported.
This isn't entirely surprising for an RT host, the Politico reporter explained, as the network is a "bought-and-paid-for propaganda vehicle trying to nudge viewers toward Russia's side of the story."
Selling his soul for a steady paycheck, Schultz always came across as a bombastic liar, a serial exaggerator, and a hateful shill for labor unions. Now he's doing pretty much the same thing, except in many cases, he's switched sides. Hypocrisy aside, Putin deserves Ed Schultz as Schultz deserves Putin.
It's interesting to see that Schultz can feel no shame in his about face, which isn't surprising given his history.