Drudge linked this interview, so half the world will see it. But it’s so embarrassing to the profession of journalism I can’t let it pass.

A local ABC affiliate in Orlando, FL., got an interview with Biden, and apparently decided they would ask him the “hard” questions, instead of the usual softballs. Which, good thinking. But their conception of hard-hitting journalism is so ludicrously bad, it makes me want to crawl into a corner and pretend I’ve never seen a television before.

Here’s a few sample questions:

Barbara West: You may recognize this famous quote. “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” That’s from Karl Marx. How is Senator Obama not being a Marxist if he intends to “spread the wealth around?”

Biden: Are you joking? Is this a joke?

West: No.

Biden: That’s a real question?

West: That’s a question.

…
West: What do you say to the people who are concerned that Barack Obama will want to turn America into a socialist country much like Sweden?

I don’t necessarily expect a TV anchor to have a good understanding of Marxism, or even socialism (although it would be nice, since we just nationalized a whopping big chunk of our banking industry). But a certain rudimentary familiarity with the progressive income tax system that we’ve all paid in America since 1913 would be nice.

Pathetic.

Incidently, conservative types leery of communitarian wealth-sharing ideas may want to refer to their Bible (thanks, Wikipedia). From the book of Acts, in which Luke describes the early Christian communities:

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (Acts 2:44-45)

…

Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. (Acts 4:34-35)

The Orlando interview is here. Unfortunately, embedding the video seems to break my WordPress theme, so you’ll have to click through. But the entertainment value is well worth the 4 minutes you’ll spend tearing out your hair.