Lawrence O'Donnell filling in for Ed Schultz rips into torture apologist David Rivkin. Rivkin has to be one of the most infuriating pundits out there and O'Donnell does a good job of taking on his talking points. That said I think O'Donnell would have better luck getting through to the wall behind him than he's ever going to have with the likes of Rivkin. The Republicans trot this guy out every time they need someone to defend the indefensible at Congressional hearings such as this one: Sheldon Whitehouse Destroys David Rivkin’s “Gallery of Horribles” Marcy wrote about from back in March.
John Amato:
Rivkin actually has the nerve to use the SERE program as a defense. The one that the odious Liz Cheney tried to use on Norah O'Donnell and which failed miserably.
This idiot uses the fact that since we tortured our own people using this program it's OK to torture detainees.
Rivkin: Deliberate infliction of severe physical and mental pain and suffering.
O'Donnell: Did you not here that description severe physical and mental pain and suffering?
Rivkin: That is a subjective view.
O'Donnell: Pain is subjective
Rivkin: Look, under your logic everything is torture.
O'Donnell: Everything is not torture, not at all. You're the defender of torture.
