The hypocrisy of American progressives is mind-blowing. I know, it’s to be expected, but sometimes it’s so blatantly obvious that it leaves one almost stunned. Yesterday Herman Cain was interviewed on MSNBC by Lawrence O’Donnell. O’Donnell somehow got it in his head that Herman Cain was a Vietnam War draft dodger. Cain explained that he worked for the Department of the Navy at the time developing rocket-assisted projectiles, and that he had made himself available for the draft but his number wasn’t called. So he continued his work for the Navy on ballistics. The explanation wasn’t enough for O’Donnell, who felt the need to have the “last word” on the subject.

Watch:

As it turns out, Lawrence O’Donnell took a college deferment to avoid the draft during the Vietnam War. It’s a shame Herman Cain didn’t have this knowledge prior to the interview.

Via NewsBusters:

Exit question: Can you imagine O’Donnell or anyone on MSNBC so disrespectfully treating a Democratic presidential candidate?

*****Update: O’Donnell was born November 7, 1951, turning eighteen and becoming eligible for service in Vietnam in 1969. As you might imagine, he never enlisted.

Despite being given a draft lottery number of 72 in 1970, and the military taking numbers up to 125 that year, O’Donnell evaded the draft through a college deferment.

Who is he to point fingers at anyone for their military service, especially someone that worked for the Navy?

*****Update II: I wonder if O’Donnell thinks Vice President Joe Biden is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief given his five deferments.

NewsBusters also has the transcript of the exchange between O’Donnell and Cain.

What’s that rule reporters are supposed to follow? Oh yeah – don’t ask a question when you don’t know the answer.

Believe it or not, that may not have been the worst part of the interview. O’Donnell also insinuated that Cain is anti-black, and didn’t do enough to participate in the process to get more rights for blacks in America. RCP has the full video.

In related news, Herman Cain soared ahead of Mitt Romney in the latest Zogby poll. He even pulled ahead of Obama. His message must be resonating. No wonder the libs are coming out against him with both barrels.