Showing posts with label lamestream media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lamestream media. Show all posts

Friday, August 22, 2014

Media Obsession with Obama's Golf Game

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Previous Related Posts:
Optics Delusion: Twitter Erupts Over Obama Jeans
Michele Bachmann Gripes About Cost of Obama's Dog, Air Force One
Conservatives Tripping About Obama's Vacation
Obama's New Scandal Umbrellagate

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The media is obsessed with the fact that President Obama, like many of his presidential predecessors, is able to take vacations and (horrors) play golf whenever he feels like it. Because, you know, Obama can't possibly golf and THINK at the same time. Or maybe the press can't watch golf and think at the same time. Today they criticized him for taking a hike, because walking and thinking don't go hand in hand either. I think Henry David Thoreau and Gandhi might disagree with them. Surely Martin Luther King and every person who marched for Civil Rights would disagree that physical activity rules out thinking or pondering.

Anyway, it's all about "Optics" because there are BIG things going on in the world, and Obama should be solving them all NOW. How dare the President try to relax so he can deal with them when the time comes. How dare he recharge his batteries like every other President before him. Funny that no one cared when the Elder Bush was watching "Curly Sue" in the theater at the White House, or relaxing at the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. Funny they never said this when President W. Bush was down in Texas at the BBQ ranch or choking on Fritos and then falling asleep on the couch in front of football at the White House. How many hours of sleep did W. need a night? Something like 14?

But the Optics of Golf meme is way to fire up the right-wing, or white-wing, readers, so some media outlets keep tweeting and reporting on what the black President is doing up in (usually white) Martha's Vineyard. And after the reporters tweet about golf, the trolls jump on the bandwagon.





























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Saturday, December 7, 2013

MSNBC Chooses Tea Over Truth in Sacking Martin Bashir

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MSNBC Host Martin Bashir was shown the door, fired, sacked, "allowed to resign" after a week of unfortunate events brought about by Tea Party Diva Sarah Palin's obsession with Slavery as a metaphor. When she decided to compare the National Debt to slavery, Bashir read a brutal passage from a history book and suggested that if Sarah Palin could dish out the BS, then maybe she should take a dose of it, too. Unfortunately, Bashir sealed his fate with that episode, because thanks to push-back from the poutraged Tea Party and Fox Noise, not to mention inner pressure from MSNBC zealot Joe Scarborough and whining from recently-fired Alec Baldwin, MSNBC head honcho Phil Griffin caved and fired Bashir in spite of a heartfelt apology.

But we have to recall that Palin has been bashing President Obama with one slur after another ever since her 2008 Vice Presidential campaign. She has encouraged Birtherism, flatly stated several times that Obama is "palling around with terrorists, and recently wrote on Facebook about Obama's "Shuck and Jive" over Benghazi. Oh and then there was her brilliant display of patriotism during the government shutdown when she posed with Ted Cruz near some Tea Partiers with Confederate Flags. But hey, babe, it's all good - she can still be on the Today Show - wouldn't want to offend her or anything, even if she hates the President because he's a colored fella.

But wait, this is MSNBC - the "Librul" Network, right?

Forget that another pundit, Mark Halperin, called President Obama a "d*ck" on the Morning Joe show, yet he has been allowed to stay, even after an interview in which he seemed to imply that Obama is setting up Death Panels.

It's all up to MSNBC. If they want to keep firing or shuffling their best pundits or lose progressive viewers by courting the Right Wing Tea Party Nut Jobs, hey, go for it. We don't have to watch. *click* Now Please, Proceed.






Via Howard Kurtz on Fox
Bashir chose to tell his audience of the diary of a plantation overseer in Jamaica named Thomas Thistlewood.
In 1756, he records that a slave named Darby ‘catched eating kanes had him well flogged and pickled, then made Hector, another slave, sh** in his mouth.’
“This became known as ‘Darby’s Dose,’ a punishment invented by Thistlewood that spoke only of inhumanity. And he mentions a similar incident in 1756, his time in relation to a man he refers to as Punch. ‘Flogged punch well, and then washed and rubbed salt pickle, lime juice and bird pepper, made Negro Joe piss in his eyes and mouth.’”
When Mrs. Palin invokes slavery, she doesn’t just prove her rank ignorance. She confirms if anyone truly qualified for a dose of discipline from Thomas Thistlewood, she would be the outstanding candidate.”

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Howard Kurtz on Fox: Palin Kills Today Interview
The former Alaska governor and Fox News contributor was scheduled to sit down with Matt Lauer for a Christmas season interview. That's now toast.
Palin has now canceled Lauer's scheduled trip to Wasilla, a source close to her tells me. It's not because Palin is upset with Lauer or the "Today" show, but as a protest against NBC for not taking action against Bashir. In fact, Palin once sat in as a "Today"co-host.
Tim Crawford, treasurer of Palin's political action committee, had told NBC News President Deborah Turness and MSNBC President Phil Griffin that "Americans deserve to know that your network doesn't condone violent and hateful rhetoric."

Martin Bashir Apologizes:
I wanted to take this opportunity to say sorry to Mrs. Palin and to also offer an unreserved apology to her friends and family, her supporters, our viewers, and anyone who may have heard what I said.
My words were wholly unacceptable. They were neither accurate, nor fair. They were unworthy of anyone who would claim to have an interest in politics. And they have brought shame upon my friends and colleagues at this network, none of whom were responsible for the things that I said, and and at a place where we try every day to elevate political discourse and to focus on issues that matter to all of us.

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I agree with Martin Bashir’s apology. It was a deplorable thing to say, and he has every reason to be ashamed for saying it.
I’m glad that he went out and said it, and I will guarantee you he didn’t write all that by himself.
Every time something horrific is said like that, I go in and I talk to [MSNBC President] Phil Griffin, who I’m good friends with...
And I say, Phil, this is unacceptable; either they apologize for it or I’m going to take it up myself. 
And I can tell you that didn’t happen in this case, because I was in the middle of a book tour and I didn’t even really hear about it until after Bashir’s apology.”
~ Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” on Newsmax TV, via InsideCableNews


The fringe right has a bad case of slavery Tourette’s, a mean and offensive obsession with likening the imaginary oppressions of contemporary society to the most horrific, systematized, actual oppression in this country’s history.
. . . In short, it turns slavery into “slavery,” a portable complaint that can be arrogated by anyone gauche enough to do so. Cue Palin. From “palling around with terrorists” to “death panels,” Palin is what we on the interweb machine call a troll....
. . . Bashir took the bait. It’s hard to blame him, as the cynical misuse of slavery as a moral referent is enough to drive any person with an historical awareness batty. But Bashir made the mistake of thinking Palin was serious, and so he seriously responded, reminding Palin of the horrors of slavery as a means of denying her the use of the concept.
. . . Now here MSNBC is, getting heat for not disciplining him. Somehow Alec Baldwin is involved. Note, nobody’s talking about the debt, because Palin was never serious about her analogy. But neither is anybody talking about slavery, because Palin was never sincere about that, either. Her aim was to drag someone exactly like Bashir, and an institution exactly like MSNBC, into the mud with her, and it worked like gangbusters. Palin now gets to play the victim, and just in time to hawk some copies of her Christmas book.
~ Evan McMurry on Mediaite


If MSNBC keeps Martin Bashir — right now he’s getting a nice little vacation, they say, that was already planned — but if he comes back, then I think they’ve got, as Rickey Ricardo would say, they’ve got some ‘splaining to do as what their standards are.
~ Conservative Radio Host Mike Huckabee

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Martin Bashir Resignation Statement Via Mediaite
After making an on-air apology, I asked for permission to take some additional time out around the Thanksgiving holiday.
Upon further reflection, and after meeting with the President of MSNBC, I have tendered my resignation. It is my sincere hope that all of my colleagues, at this special network, will be allowed to focus on the issues that matter without the distraction of myself or my ill-judged comments.
I deeply regret what was said, will endeavor to work hard at making constructive contributions in the future and will always have a deep appreciation for our viewers – who are the smartest, most compassionate and discerning of all television audiences. I would also wish to express deepest gratitude to my immediate colleagues, and our contributors, all of whom have given so much of themselves to our broadcast.’

Martin Bashir resigned today, effective immediately. I understand his decision and I thank him for three great years with msnbc. Martin is a good man and respected colleague – we wish him only the best.
~ MSNBC President Phil Griffin Statement Via Mediaite

From EZKool.com:
"Sarah Palin's Victory Lap"
“My role is to accept his apology and be humble enough to accept it and move on,” Sarah said. “But I just hope that unprovoked attacked like that don’t result in people being hesitant to jump in the arena anyway. To get out there and serve the public or start a business or commit themselves to changing within their family their community their world doing whatever that they can despite the fact that in this world you are gonna be hurt and attacks will come your way. I don’t I just hope that an attack like that doesn’t make people hesitate.
Egged on by the hosts at Fox News to comment on why MSNBC didn’t fire Bashir instead of allowing him to resign, Palin stated that she was indeed happy that the same “lame stream media” she attack every chance she gets, came to her rescue.
Well it was refreshing to see though that many in the media did come out and say ‘look our standards have got to be higher than this.’ Those with that platform with a microphone a camera in their face they’ve got to have more responsibility taken.
The entire interview felt like a victory lap for those sitting on the Fox News set, as Palin took the bigger person role in a battle she quite frankly started.

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Mia Farrow pushes forward her son, Ronan Farrow,
for Bashir's Time Slot - how conveeenient!





















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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Chuck Todd Admits that Truth Isn't Part of His Job Description

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On ACA Obamacare:
Republicans have successfully messaged against it. They don't repeat the other stuff because they haven't even heard the Democratic message.
What I always love is people say, ‘Well, it’s your folks’ fault in the media.’ No, it’s the President of the United States’ fault for not selling it.
~ Chuck Todd of MSNBC on Morning Joe

Chuck Todd: It's Not Media's Job To Correct GOP's Obamacare Falsehoods
. . . During a segment on "Morning Joe," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) speculated that most opponents of the Affordable Care Act have been fed erroneous information about the law. Todd said that Republicans "have successfully messaged against it" but he disagrees with those who argue that the media should educate the public on the law. According to Todd, that's President Barack Obama's job.
~ Talking Points Memo

Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and Edward R Murrow turn in their graves.
~ JosephE. on TPM

So, Rocky the Flying Squirrel believes he should just repeat whatever the Teabaggers tell him. Got it.
~ Trippin on TPM

What a disgusting and scathing indictment of the Press by Chuck Todd. The media has no intention of ever doing their job, let alone reporting on the truth! Yet we knew all this already. That's why the media's number's are just slightly above those of Congress.
~ DocRock on TPM

It's sad that NBC's White House correspondent thinks his job is merely to convey politicians pronouncements, with no care about whether they are true or false. In fact, scrutinize claims, particularly those from powerful officials, is an essential part of journalism. It's embarrassing to have to cite elementary principles to one the nation's most influential reporters, but Todd should consider reviewing the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics, where, under the heading "Seek Truth and Report It," the very first tenet implores journalists to "test the accuracy of information from all sources."
~ Steve Rendall on Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting

Truly: Todd’s quote reads to these eyes like a resignation letter. If you can’t rouse yourself to meet the minimum requirement of a cub reporter covering a school council meeting — ask if that thing Councilmember Doe just said, was, you know, actually true? — then perhaps you should take a bit more time with your family.
Or rather:
Yo! Chuck: you’re stealing paychecks from the Peacock and wasting everyone else’s time. Go home.
~ Tom Levenson on Balloon Juice

Todd’s point is that he is only here to let each side put their message out there, and the best message wins. What Todd described isn’t journalistic neutrality. It’s laziness and indifference to factual reporting.
. . . Todd is the political director for NBC News. His attitude about the letting Republican lies slide guides the political coverage at NBC News.
~ Jason Easley on PoliticusUSA

It’s true that it’s not the press’s job to “sell” White House initiatives, but it absolutely is the job of the press to separate fact from fiction and communicate the truth of any matter as opposed to simply being a dutiful stenographer who reports, word-for-word, each side’s spin and calls it objectivity.
~Chez Pazienza on The Daily Banter

Holy mother of mercy, is my man Chuck Todd really saying if a lie is unusually successful, it must eventually be accepted as something like the truth, and that the job of journalism is to stand by and let that happen? (Someone should write a book.) If he is actually saying that, then my man Chuck Todd should be fired because he doesn't know sweet fk-all about journalism....
~ Charles P. Pierce on Esquire

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Sunday, September 1, 2013

Obama Baffles Media by Ordering Congress to Vote on Syria


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He's calling Congress's bluff - 'You want in on this? Fine.' And I can tell you the House vote on this is going to be tricky. There's going to be splits in both parties.
~ Chuck Todd on MSNBC

Doesn't this project weakness?
~ Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC

It puts him in a very tough spot. And they aren't going to take it up right away. Congress is coming back September 9, that's when they take it up. It's unclear what happens if he doesn't get the vote. Presumably he might still go ahead with the strike.
~ David Gregory on MSNBC

. . . the president has really rolled the dice right now. So there's not going to be any imminent U.S. strike until Congress comes back. It doesn't look like they're coming back before September 9th, so military action not going to take place this weekend or next week unless Congress comes back early. No indication, as I said, they will. But this is a major decision by the president. He is rolling the dice that the house and the Senate will support him. If the Senate does and the house doesn't, he didn't say what he would do.
~ Wolf Blitzer, CNN

. . . we are waiting for Congress to come back on September 9th. And I kept wondering during the coverage as I thought, you know, we would not have this extended coverage quite frankly this evening. After I heard the president, I said well there goes the news. It's two weeks, at least, before anything would happen until Congress meets.
. . . There was -- some people are concern because right after this, the president and John Kerry went to play golf right after his announcement. That's not great optics, is it?
. . . listen, I'm not saying that the president doesn't deserve to but the optics are very important. George Bush was criticized a lot for optics.
~ Don Lemon, CNN

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Sunday, May 19, 2013

Jonathan Karl Issues a Non-Apology Apology Over Fake Benghazi Emails

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Previous Related Posts:
Jonathan Karl Gets Juiced by Fake Benghazi Leak
The Benghazi Political Circus

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From CNN:
Jonathan Karl, chief White House correspondent for ABC News, addressed criticism of his reporting on the Benghazi talking points controversy, saying in a statement to CNN that he regrets the inaccuracy of his report.
“Clearly, I regret the email was quoted incorrectly and I regret that it’s become a distraction from the story, which still entirely stands. I should have been clearer about the attribution. We updated our story immediately," he said in the statement to Howard Kurtz, host of CNN's "Reliable Sources."

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

ABC's Jonathan Karl Gets Juiced by Fake Benghazi Leak

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Previous Posts:
Issa Wrong-Splains the Difference Between "Act of Terror" and "Terrorist Attack"
The Benghazi Political Circus
Benghazi Been-There-Done-That

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From Obama Press Conference, April 30, 2013
Jonathan Karl of ABC: Mr. President, you are a hundred days into your second time. On the gun bill, it seems you put everything into it to try to get it passed. Obviously you didn’t. Congress has ignored your efforts to try to get them to undo these sequester cuts. There was even a bill that you threatened to veto that got 92 Democrats in the house voting yes. So my question to you is do you still have the juice to get the rest of your agenda through this Congress?

President Barack Obama: My, if you put it that way, Jon, maybe I should just pack up and go home. Golly.





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From Media Matters for America ~ May 14, 2013
. . . CNN is challenging the accuracy of reporting on a supposed email from a White House aide that seemed to suggest an effort to provide political cover for the administration following the September attacks in Benghazi, Libya. The new revelations regarding the email comes after the allegedly flawed reporting has spread through the media.

The allegedly inaccurate characterizations of the Rhodes email by ABC News and The Weekly Standard were repeated in numerous media outlets, and a Republican research document.

. . . ABC News' alleged misquote of the Rhodes email -- filed by Jonathan Karl -- was cited and repeated in numerous outlets, including USA Today, Politico, The Daily Mail, National Review Online, and Fox News. During Special Report's panel discussion on May 10, contributor Charles Krauthammer cited the email to claim the White House was more interested in "political cover for all the agencies and not about the truth."

CNN host Jake Tapper reported today that a newly obtained email from White House aide Ben Rhodes about Benghazi "differs from how sources inaccurately quoted and paraphrased it in previous accounts to different media organizations." Tapper writes that the email shows that someone provided outlets like ABC News and The Weekly Standard with "inaccurate information" . . .


























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