Larry and Herman

In this interview between Lawrence O'Donnell and Herman Cain, Mr O'Donnell asked some interesting questions of Mr Cain. Some of the questions were exceptionally leading, including accusing Mr Cain of "sitting out" of the Civil Rights Movement and dodging military service in Vietnam. Many have focused on the former, but I would like to focus on the latter. Fast forward the clip to 5:35 where Mr O'Donnell asks Cain about the commander in chief role.

"Can you explain how you avoided military service during the Vietnam War and during the draft and why you should be Commander-in-Chief if you did successfully avoid military service during the war that came during what would have been your war years? How you be-eh-eh-eh after avoiding the Vietnam War, why should you be Commander-in-Chief?"

Have you ever heard a more biased question from a journalist (I use that term loosely)? It is one thing to ask why a person didn't serve in the military and I think that is a fair and just question. Any person who is running for president should be properly vetted in every area, especially when it comes to decisions regarding war. However, it is another thing entirely to accuse someone of "avoiding" the war as O'Donnell did of Cain. First of all, Cain explains that he worked for the Department of the Navy in an area called "exterior ballistics." He stated he worked on the "rocket assisted projectile" and his local draft board in Atlanta told him he was more valuable to the Navy working as a mathematician than he would in active service in the military. Just think how rare that skill set is and how difficult it would be to replace mathematicians during the war. Secondly, Cain said he was registered for the draft, but he was never called up. It is a difficult case to make that he was "avoiding" the Vietnam War and O'Donnell should be ashamed for asking the question in such a way.

He then compared Cain to John Kerry who volunteered service in during the Vietnam War. I do not want to diminish Kerry's service or courage to volunteer during wartime. Nor do I want to minimize lives lost during the Vietnam War. That being said, Kerry was graduated with a degree in Political Science (something we have in common). Political Science is a dime-a-dozen degree as I have had the great pleasure of experiencing first hand. Kerry could very well have been more useful on those Swift Boats he led into enemy territory during the war than somewhere in the United States. That being said, advanced mathematics is more rare and specialized degree and its applications are of the utmost importance in the military. The deployment of the rockets Mr Cain worked on undoubtedly saved a great number of American soldiers. Should we shame him for being more valuable at home than over seas? Mr Cain is no draft dodger and Mr O'Donnell should apologize for that interview.

If a conservative leaning pundit had an interview session with President Obama on par with Mr O'Donnell's interview with Mr Cain they would instantly be labeled racist. Look at some of the reactions from Bill O'Reilly's interview with President Obama before the Super Bowl. O'Donnell is a liberal, however, and he is applauded for asking tough questions to the black candidate. It seems tough questions to candidates really only go one way, lest risking being labeled a racist.

The politicization of prime time cable news has certainly done more harm than good for America. People like Lawrence O'Donnell, Sean Hannity, and Ed Shultz have their own agendas when reporting the news and interviewing people for their shows. It makes me yearn for the days of Tim Russert where everyone who went on Meet The Press knew they were going to get a fair interview with unbiased, tough questions.