MSNBC Hates North Dakota

Those of you paying attention over the weekend noticed that something strange happened on MSNBC Friday night. All three of their prime time hosts – Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow – took aim at Fargo talk radio host Scott Hennen. Why? Because he dared to have Dick Cheney on his program.
You can see all three of their segments below.
I’ve been listening to Hennen respond to the attacks on him this morning, and I’m struck by something. Aside from being a little peeved that these people would treat someone I consider to be a friend so unfairly (full disclosure: I have a evening radio show on Hennen’s station), I was a little peeved that these three media liberals would sneer at the idea of Cheney doing a radio show in a host from North Dakota.
Listen, for instance, as Olbermann sneers about Hennen being “the most popular radio host…in North Dakota.” As if North Dakota weren’t a state filled with law-abiding, tax-paying citizens in good standing but an inconsequential compound full of rubes and weirdos. Though it’s interesting to hear Olbermann say that about Hennen…given that his newest colleague at MSNBC is none other than former Fargo-based radio host Ed Schultz.
If Hennen is the most popular radio host in North Dakota, what does that say about Schultz?
Regardless, I’m not sure what the big deal was with Hennen interviewing Cheney that all three of MSNBC’s hosts in prime time had to take aim with the same talking points. Hennen has had Cheney on before. Hennen has a lot of high-profile political figures on his show. Hennen has even interviewed the President himself on several occasions.
Is there some law written somewhere that says talk radio hosts from states elitist liberals like Matthews, Olbermann and Cheney apparently consider too provincial can’t interview national political figures?
If anything, this attention speaks to just how influential Hennen is.
Here’s the Chris Matthews video: