Media upset pol won’t answer gotchya question

Here is the controversy.

Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) on Saturday avoiding directly answering a question on whether all Americans are entitled to eat.

During an interview with NPR’s “Weekend Edition Saturday,” Smith discussed farm subsidies and cutting food stamps with host Scott Simon.

“Well, let me ask you this bluntly — is every American entitled to eat?” Simon asked.

“Well, they — nutrition, obviously, we know is very important. And I would hope that we can look to —” Smith responded.

“Well, not just important, it’s essential for life. Is every American entitled to eat?” Simon asked again.
Smith answered the question by saying “it is essential. It is essential.”

I know how it was supposed to go. Smith was supposed to say that, “of course Americans are entitled to eat” and then the questioner was going to jump all over him for not supporting an unlimited food stamp program.

Let me see if I can help Rep. Smith out in case this comes up again. A proper response would have been something like….

“All human beings are entitled to eat but they are not entitled to be fed at the expense of others.”

Or…

“All people are entitled be eat but no one has a right to be fed.”

Or…

“You are clearly implying that Americans have the right to be fed at the expense of others. They do not.”

Or, a bit more harshly…

“Livestock and prisoners have the right to be fed, free people do not.”