Rep. Joe Walsh Blasts MSNBC's Bashir: 'Your Profession Did Not Vet' Obama

Republican Congressman Joe Walsh and MSNBC anchor Martin Bashir got into a heated exchange on Friday over President Barack Obama. During the debate, Walsh blasted Bashir's "profession" for not vetting Obama during his bid for the presidency in 2008.

An acrimonious Bashir, perhaps not surprisingly, then resorted to citing racism as the reason behind Walsh's stated decision to skip Obama's jobs speech next Thursday:

"I am asking you, are you able to be as disrespectful to the office of president by simply walking away from something that every member of the Congress is going to attend? Is that also because he's black?" quizzed Bashir.

Walsh blasted back:

"Oh, gosh, Martin! White, black, brown, yellow, you don't name it. We have a President right now that is bankrupting this country and destroying job creation in the country and I think it is purely political for him to call a joint session of Congress to announce some jobs plan. I'm going to go back home and speak to the people who really know how to create jobs in this country."

Bashir pressed Walsh, stating, "You said in the past that Mr. Obama would never been elected if he wasn't black. And you say liberals here- we're in love with him, being a black, articulate man. You say- If liberals see the President through his race, how do you see him? are you color blind? Are you color blind?"

To which Walsh replied, "No- Here's what I think- I think- I do my best to be color blind, Martin. And, again, not knowing you I am sure you do as well. Here is what I think: I think that we elected this President for who he was, a historic figure. It made this country feel good to elect him. We did not vet him. Your profession did not vet him as much as we should."

(h/t: NewsBusters)