How gullible is Rachel Maddow?  Plenty, apparently.  The MSNBC host has bought into North Korean propaganda on Gitmo.

On last night’s show [MSNBC video here], Maddow told the story of two American reporters being held by the North Koreans. In response to inquiries on how they are being treated, the North Koreans reportedly said: “we are not Guantanamo.”

That plunged Maddow into a bad bout of Bush-Cheney Derangement Syndrome. According to her, until we expunge the supposed stain of Gitmo and Bush admin policies on dealing with suspected terrorists, we will never have the moral authority to condemn the abuse of prisoners by brutal regimes.  She used the occasion to renew her call for the convening of Sen. Patrick Leahy’s proposed “Truth Commission.”

Can Maddow possibly believe that the treatment accorded detainees at Gitmo in any way resembles the brutalization to which North Korean political prisoners are subject?  Can she imagine that the citing of Gitmo was anything but a pretext by the North Koreans? Does she really think that the closing of Gitmo and the renunciation of tough interrogation techniques would in any way influence North Korean conduct?

In the meantime, I’m sure the North Koreans appreciate Rachel’s propagation of their propaganda line.  Perhaps Kim Jong Il should send Maddow a nice North Korean jumpsuit to express his thanks.