Do You Really Want to See Ed Schultz's New 'Lean Forward' Ad?

If you find some of MSNBC's "Lean Forward" ads "comical" or "odd," you're not alone. You may recall one of the more recent Al Sharpton ads during which the network host compared the GOP to his childhood memories of stealing and gorging himself with blueberry pie.

Now, in the newest clip, host Ed Schultz takes on the "political bullies" who dare stand up to President Barack Obama, while delving into some of the class warfare rhetoric that has characterized contemporary economic and political debates.

"What we're seeing is bullies -- political bullies, who want it their way or the highway, standing up to the president," Schultz says, as he opens the video. "And who's feeling the hurt?  The middle class and the working poor. The haves and the have mores? They're getting off scot-free. In fact, they're making a case that they're actually paying too much!"

Here, he is drawing a line in the sand between the wealthy and those who do not fall into the nation's top economic sphere. Additionally, he seems to be carrying water for the president, while railing against "bullies" (i.e. Republicans) who have opposed Obama's proposed tax increases.

Schultz continues:

"If we're going to get this country back to work again, it's going to take shared sacrifice. Those who have had all of the breaks over the last ten years are going to have to give a little bit more. And those who have not had the breaks are going to have to be given the opportunity to do more."

He doesn't explain what he means by giving those who have "not had the breaks...the opportunity to do more," but it's likely he's referring to some form of income redistribution.

Watch the ad, below (note: the last few seconds of the video are from an ING ad and are not connected to the Schultz monologue):

(H/T: NewsBusters)