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David Brock Blames NewsMax for Exposing Hillary

Right-wing writer turned Clinton apologist David Brock blames NewsMax.com for exposing the fact that a key claim by Hillary Clinton in her book "Living History" is contradicted by her chief defender, Sidney Blumenthal.

During a heated exchange on Sunday on MSNBC's "Scarborough Country," Brock attacked WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg for spreading what he called "NewsMax baloney" about the Clinton and Blumenthal books.

The "baloney" in question was Hillary's claim that she was "barely speaking" to her husband after learning the truth about Monica Lewinsky. The problem is, Blumenthal reports in his own book that at the same point in time he overheard the Clintons "bantering" back and forth in a manner that showed they were still "working as a team."

Well, in this case we plead guilty. NewsMax was indeed the first to unearth the bombshell Blumenthal passage amidst his 800-plus pages of pro-Clinton spin - just hours after Hillary's book excerpts were reported by the Associated Press.

What seemed to irk Brock most was that the NewsMax exclusive was picked up immediately by top talkmeister Rush Limbaugh, and followed the next day by the Washington Post and hundreds of other news outlets nationwide.

In fact, that particular bit of "NewsMax baloney" precipitated a deluge of questions about the credibility of Mrs. Clinton's account that continue today.

We're just pleased that Mr. Brock has decided to give credit where credit is due.

The full "Scarborough Country" exchange between Brock and Malzberg went like this:

MALZBERG: There [are] two books written, one by a "Washington Post" reporter, one by Sid Blumenthal, and they both...

BROCK: Oh, come on.

MALZBERG: ... and they both repeat that. So how can you say it's the only version?

BROCK: Don't give me your NewsMax baloney.

SCARBOROUGH: Actually, hold on, guys. It's not -- NewsMax is OK, but I thought that was Sidney Blumenthal that talked about them...

BROCK: NewsMax.

SCARBOROUGH: ... speaking two days after these revelations.

BROCK: No, no. NewsMax started this whole chain of propaganda last Wednesday morning. And then it went into Rush Limbaugh...

MALZBERG: Is it false or is it true? Is it false or true that those books contradict Hillary?

BROCK: They do not.

MALZBERG: Oh, come on. Now you're being disingenuous.

(CROSSTALK)

SCARBOROUGH: OK, OK. Let's -- we're going to -- hold on, everybody. . . . It may have been on NewsMax. It was also, though, in Sidney Blumenthal's book. Certainly not a member of the vast right wing conspiracy. But we'll take that up and much, much more when we return on SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY. [End of Excerpt]