Obama v. Fox News, a long American tradition
In an interview with Rolling Stone, President Obama was asked a question about the impact and role of Fox News. He responded as follows:
“Look, as president, I swore to uphold the Constitution, and part of that Constitution is a free press. We’ve got a tradition in this country of a press that oftentimes is opinionated. The golden age of an objective press was a pretty narrow span of time in our history. Before that, you had folks like Hearst who used their newspapers very intentionally to promote their viewpoints. I think Fox is part of that tradition — it is part of the tradition that has a very clear, undeniable point of view. It’s a point of view that I disagree with. It’s a point of view that I think is ultimately destructive for the long-term growth of a country that has a vibrant middle class and is competitive in the world. But as an economic enterprise, it’s been wildly successful. And I suspect that if you ask Mr. Murdoch what his number-one concern is, it’s that Fox is very successful.”
Personally, I think that statement is A.) quite accurate; and B.) a natural, inevitable part of the give and take of politics. When media outlets run stories that are critical of a politician, the politician responds, sometimes with criticism of his or her own. Here in Georgia, politicians have campaigned against “those lying Atlanta newspapers” for generations, and they continue to do so to this very day. It comes with the territory.
And yeah, Obama’s the president, which means that his words carry a lot of weight. But Rupert Murdoch and Fox News are big boys too — somehow I think they can handle it. If you can’t withstand a little pushback from politicians, you better go find another line of work, because you’re too much of a wimp for this one.
However, some of my media colleagues disagree with me. For example, David Zurawik, a TV critic for the Baltimore Sun, claims to see Obama’s running feud with Fox as some sort of threat to “a press independent from the reaches and power of any of the branches of government” and further suggests that the president doesn’t respect the role of a free press.
I wonder what Zurawik and others would make of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote eloquently and often about the importance of a free press, calling it our single most important bulwark in defense of liberty. But in 1805, in his second Inaugural Address, Jefferson also complained bitterly that in order to destroy his administration, “the artillery of the press has been leveled against us, charged with whatsoever its licentiousness could devise or dare.” Again, that was in his inaugural address, not in some interview with Rolling Stone. And it was just one of many examples of Jefferson complaining about press abuses, which “have been carried to a length never before known or borne by any civilized nation.”
In his Rolling Stone comments, Obama mentioned another prime example in William Randolph Hearst, who in the first half of the 20th century owned a powerful chain of newspapers and used them to conduct a bitter assault on Franklin Roosevelt. For example, in one 1936 editorial that he wrote himself and published on the front page of every newspaper he owned, Hearst charged that FDR was doing the handiwork of the Communists in Moscow and had “adopted the platform of the Karl Marx Socialists in almost every word and letter.”
The FDR White House responded to what it called “a certain notorious newspaper owner,” releasing a statement that in some ways sounds eerily modern.
“Such articles are conceived in malice and born of political spite,” the statement read. “The American people will not permit their attention to be diverted from real issues to fake issues which no patriotic, honorable decent citizen would purposely inject into American affairs.”
Roosevelt himself, in an appearance at the annual Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, took playful note of the press campaign against him. Some character by the name of Franklin Roosevelt, a true villain, kept showing up in all his newspapers, FDR said. This guy Roosevelt, he said, “combined the worst features of Ivan the Terrible, Machiavelli, Judas Iscariot, Henry VIII … and Jesse James. He was engaged in a plot to wreck the American Constitution, to poison the Supreme Court, to demolish capitalism, to wreck old-age security…. in short, to blot from the face of the Earth the United States as we have known it.”
That too sounds familiar.
Obama, in other words, is doing somewhat gently what Jefferson, FDR and others had done aggressively, and in fact what politicians everywhere do. He has every right to point out that Fox has “a very clear, undeniable point of view,” because it’s the truth and everyone knows it. That point of view shows up in myriad ways, some large, some small. And the small ways are often the most telling.
In that same Rolling Stone interview, for example, Obama was asked about his musical tastes these days. He responded:
“My iPod now has about 2,000 songs, and it is a source of great pleasure to me. I am probably still more heavily weighted toward the music of my childhood than I am the new stuff. There’s still a lot of Stevie Wonder, a lot of Bob Dylan, a lot of Rolling Stones, a lot of R&B, a lot of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Those are the old standards.
A lot of classical music. I’m not a big opera buff in terms of going to opera, but there are days where Maria Callas is exactly what I need.
Thanks to Reggie [Love, the president's personal aide], my rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I’ve got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff, but I would not claim to be an expert. Malia and Sasha are now getting old enough to where they start hipping me to things. Music is still a great source of joy and occasional solace in the midst of what can be some difficult days.”
Personally, the bit about Maria Callas gets me worried. But that’s not what caught the attention of those good folks at FoxNation.com. Here’s how they pitched it on their website:
Hearst would be so proud.
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839 comments Add your comment
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
4:34 pm
“When will we wake up and realize China has absolutely no interest in playing fair in the international markets”
When (if?) we stop owing them so much money.
HDB
September 30th, 2010
4:34 pm
jewcowboy
September 30th, 2010
4:26 pm
Anytime I hear something like this…it hurts!! I used to LIVE in the Twin Cities…so I know about the area!! When my kid was in school up there, he was getting bullied in school….but I taught him how to FIGHT…told him if someone went at him to PUT THEM ON THE GROUND…HARD!! He got into ONE fight at school….but the bully was put on the ground!!
We have to teach our kids the art of fighting….and when to fight!!
Doggone — GOOD ONE!!
Atlantan
September 30th, 2010
4:35 pm
Earth To Many Of You – amazing what being a sexual predator and a disbarred attorney can do for one’s popularity.
jewcowboy
September 30th, 2010
4:35 pm
Doggone/GA,
“I don’t agree. I think they read and listen to NEWS outlets whose writers and/or personalities seem most trustworthy to them. I do think they frequent OPINION writers or personalities, though, that reinforce the view they alread have.”
I think the problems lies in the masses who discern no difference between the two…
JKL2
September 30th, 2010
4:36 pm
Paul- Which is why I regularly cite this in questioning Obama supporters about their ‘proof’ of an Iranian nuclear weapons program
Just hope we can get out of their before Iraq attacks them. They like Iran as much as Israel and us do.
jm
September 30th, 2010
4:37 pm
josef nix – sounds to me like the illegal immigrants have been as much a problem for legal latinos as everyone else. (For the record, I’m for amnesty if the government will actually reform and increase immigration quotas and secure the border)
Moving on, if their problems are driven by lack of jobs (which most people put up near the top of the list in terms of needs), recovery takes time and it will come. We need a lot of changes to government to help foster it, but it eventually will happen. Of course, people need jobs now, not 2 years from now.
While individuals can’t control the economy, they can do things about themselves. The best thing they can do is, first, improve their education. And second, move somewhere that has low unemployment (the midwest).
Improvements are around the corner…. especially if a Republican House comes along, if only because of the psychological benefits for business leaders.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
4:37 pm
HDB,
The fact that you don’t think farrakhan is a bigot is part of the problem. You can’t even see past your own particular brand of racism.
David Duke the KKK leader also says somethings that are true when he starts talking about the epidemic of black on white crime. Does that mean that white people and conservatives should openly embrace him, invite him to conferences, conventions, and such and treat him as a member of the conservative movement. No. Because we don’t allow hatemongers just as you shouldn’t allow hatemongers like “the white devils” Farrakhan or Jessie “hymietown” Jackson or other race baiters like Al Sharpton. BTW at least Al Sharpton is regularly invited to come on fox and share his views with the likes of Hannity and Oreilly. I’ve seen him on Fox more times than I can remember and Hannity actually likes him on a personal basis.
Pogo
September 30th, 2010
4:38 pm
Just the other day Bill Maher said that anyone that believes in God is an idiot and Maher is an unwavering Obama supporter (other than he believes Obama is not socialist/progressive enough). Maher, like MSNBC’s Chrissy Matthews, also gets a tingling sensation up his leg everytime Obama speaks (but in the case of Maher its probably the result of the line of crystal-meth he has just snorted, but that is another topic). Since Obama now declares to all of us he that believes in Jesus, is Maher saying that Obama to is an idiot? Maher and the political left/secularlists and atheists are probably in a quite a conundrum over OBama’s statement. In fact, Obama is probably in confused by his own statement. I kind of believe that Obama said it for political expediency but I don’t know what it is the mans heart. But I do know that everything he has done and said in the last three years certainly points to the contrary.
And josef, your are exactly right on your 3:56. Of course, the whites may accept it a little better than the blacks as they (whites) are already going through this same kind of socialogical thing. The blacks on the other hand have been sanctified by our society since the 60’s to the point that believe that they are and always will be the only true “minority” and that they must be reserved a special place in our society. They and those whites that are unwilling to change better be prepared to move over because the hispanics and the asians are about to change the whole dynamic in this country. Whites nor blacks will be calling the shots anymore. And that, in its own way, will be funny to watch.
Pennsylvanian
September 30th, 2010
4:38 pm
jewcowboy -” “They all confirmed that Nagin and Blanco rebuffed federal offers to help. ” Source please.”
Read my post again. I was there, got this first hand from locals. Not everything is documented on the web….
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
4:38 pm
“I think the problems lies in the masses who discern no difference between the two…”
Indeed…and with the outlets who blur the lines between them as well.
jm
September 30th, 2010
4:38 pm
Paul 4:33 – clearly not. She’s awful.
jewcowboy
September 30th, 2010
4:41 pm
HDB,
“We have to teach our kids the art of fighting….and when to fight!!”
I would semi-agree…I think we have to teach our adults to understand their words and actions have real world consequences on not only their children, but the children of others.
md
September 30th, 2010
4:41 pm
“And do you really think that if he’d had weapons like that in good working order he wouldn’t have used them when we invaded?”
Who knows what his thought process was – may have stashed them away with a “friend” in an attempt to make the US look bad when they found none. Then he could run to the UN and jump up and down and have the US admonished for all the world to see.
Kind of what happened, but didn’t work out too well for him.
Maybe he thought we would never put boots on the ground. Withstand the shaock and awe and let the dust settle.
The reality is – nobody knows what his intentions were but him.
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
4:42 pm
“The fact that you don’t think farrakhan is a bigot is part of the problem. You can’t even see past your own particular brand of racism. ”
Yet, isn’t it true that just a short while ago, you did the EXACT same thing with Limbaugh, asserting his bigotry was said in jest:
Good one there about the composite pics resemebling (sic) Jesse. But I think that Rush is more making fun of Jesse than anything else because jesse is nothing more than a professional shakedown artist. The fact that people follow this pastor who commits adultury (sic) and impregnates a coworker while he’s in his 50s his laughable.
Yuck it up…
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
4:45 pm
“may have stashed them away with a “friend” in an attempt to make the US look bad when they found none”
Well, they were never found if so…which means they didn’t exist, for all intents and purposes. The bottom line is that we invaded a sovereign nation that was NO DANGER to us, on a (charitably) false pretext. And, as I state every time: if I had the power to do it, I would IMPEACH every member of Congress who voted yes on that resolution.
And don’t preach what they though at the time to ME. *I* knew the pretext was just that at the time. Why didn’t they? It was being reported all over the news, it’s not like they didn’t have access to the TRUTH.
Paul
September 30th, 2010
4:46 pm
JKL2
Oh, there’s a history of ill will between those two. But I wouldn’t worry too much about a repeat of their last war. Iraq’s so disorganized they can’t even form a government, let alone launch any military adventures. Besides which, they lack the necessary ground and air components.
But other countries in the region are pretty nervous about the Iranians and the consequences a nuke program would be.
But hey, with all we spend on defense, they’ll let us take lead -
md
September 30th, 2010
4:46 pm
“We have to teach our kids the art of fighting….and when to fight!!”
No, we don’t. We need to teach them what resources they have when they get into those situations – and how to use them.
It takes a bigger man to walk away than to stay and fight.
Jim
September 30th, 2010
4:48 pm
I never new Hearst was such a Savant that he could foresee FDR’s destruction of America.
md
September 30th, 2010
4:48 pm
jm,
They got my attention the day they blew that satellite out of the sky.
They weren’t doing it to clean up space junk………
jewcowboy
September 30th, 2010
4:48 pm
Pennsylvanian,
“I was there, got this first hand from locals. Not everything is documented on the web….”
I appreciate your “on the ground” source (and I know they certainly appreciated your help), but after going through several natural disasters myself….local gossip is usually not that accurate. However, I am not saying that Bush was directly to blame, or that the federal gov’t was entirely to blame. Yes, Nagin is certainly culpable for not forcing an evacuation until 19 hours before landfall, and yes, Blanco refused to let DHS nationalize the response. And I would expound, but I have to run.
Have a good evening.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
4:49 pm
jm
Reading your reply, I was struck by two points. Please don’t think I’m being nasty when I say this, but it reads as if the step backwards is of “their” own doings. I note you use the term “legal” in reference to Latinos. Why? Would you say “legal whites” or “legal blacks?” A “little thing” to you and me, perhaps, but a giant step backward for “them.” This wasn’t done a few years ago.
POGO
“…and that, in its own way, will be funny to watch,,,”
I share your enjoyment of the irony of it all…
jm
September 30th, 2010
4:49 pm
md – true that… dictatorships are bad things… whatever type of wrapping paper they may come in
Paul
September 30th, 2010
4:51 pm
jewcowboy
Here are a few places to start the Nagin/Blanco show courtesy NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5404525
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5053831&ps=rs
I stated early on one of the consequences of this – deferring to local authorities in the face of an impending natural disaster, trusting they were competent, finding out they were not, then getting the lion’s share of the blame – would be in future events, even threats, that the feds would effectively come in and take over from the locals. No future administration is going to risk that level of criticism.
I believe subsequent events have borne that out.
md
September 30th, 2010
4:51 pm
“It was being reported all over the news, it’s not like they didn’t have access to the TRUTH.”
That’s a bit comical as we have been discussing the pitfalls of “the news” all day long…….
MacDaddy
September 30th, 2010
4:54 pm
To all my conservative friends on this blog, pay no attention to the lib-tards on this blog. They are not able to debate us because they can’t argue against facts. You present the facts to a lib-tard, and they come unhinged. They then pull out the democratic play book, and start calling us names. Lets see….racist, homo-phobe, radical, hate-mongers, right wing extremists, etc. We have all heard this before, and you do this to drum up support from your base. Your candidates are not able to campaign on their merits because they don’t have any. You are going down hard in November, then you will lose your ruler in 2012. Life truly has to suck if you are a dem.
Real American
September 30th, 2010
4:54 pm
Macdaddy” that is something I expect from a brain wash fox, Sean Hannity bigots.
HDB
September 30th, 2010
4:54 pm
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
4:34 pm
Even though David Duke makes my blood boil, there is a modicum of truth in what he says!! The question is, though, whose truth!! His truth, my truth…or the absolute truth!! I understand that his truth can differ from mine….I can accept that!!
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
4:37 pm
I didn’t say I AGREED with Farrakhan; some of his views are just plain WRONG….but there is truth in his statements! Sometimes, you have to get past the MESSENGER to get the MESSAGE!! You analyze the message from the slant…and note where the truth is!! The problem is that many conservatives DO allow the hate/fearmongers in their midst…and will NOT call them out!! We can note the level of animus against Bush…and if you’re honest, the level of animus against Obama is at a much higher level!! If it were SOLELY policy-based, I could deal with it!! Listen to the animus from the Tea Party and you can hear the hate….I’ve PERSONALLY experienced this!!
Pogo
September 30th, 2010
4:38 pm
“The blacks on the other hand have been sanctified by our society since the 60’s to the point that believe that they are and always will be the only true “minority” and that they must be reserved a special place in our society.”
Not quite true….the big thing is that black people have been marginalized in this nation since we were brought over…and we are persistently fighting against the marginalization!! Many of us understand the changing demographic….and some of us are adapting!! You must remember, though, that white people are fighting against the change with their entire being!! Remember: making English the required language! I was taught “you get in when you fit in!” When I go to Florida/Texas/Southwest/California….I work on my Spanish; when in Chicago/San Francisco — I work on my Japanese/Chinese/Korean….Montreal – French!!
THAT’S what we Americans have to get past!!!
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
4:56 pm
“That’s a bit comical as we have been discussing the pitfalls of “the news” all day long”
That’s not what I’ve been reading all day. I’ve been reading about BIAS in the “news” – which NO ONE has ever attempted to prove. I’ve been waiting all day for SOMEONE to give any kind of proof of consistent left OR right bias in NEWS reporting.
Haven’t seen it yet.
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 30th, 2010
4:56 pm
For anybody that is interested, the October edition of the National Geographic has a large amount of space, devoted to the oil spill in the Gulf. Haven’t finished it yet, but it’s interesting reading.
jm
September 30th, 2010
4:57 pm
josef nix – we were on the topic of Latinos. I was referring to the “legal Latinos.” I don’t know of a more PC way to phrase it. There are legal and illegal “insert your ethnic choice here”.
But I understand your point. Of course its not anyone’s fault in particular. Its a combination of faults. The governments, corporations, and people who wanted jobs but didn’t want to go through the arcane bureaucratic process.
Let’s stick to the substance of the issue. The folks you’re working with need jobs. I’m not a social worker, but I know enough about economic data. As long as their US citizens or “documented workers”, the best thing they can do is improve their education and skills, and relocate to a place with more jobs.
If they’re “undocumented / illegal”, then they are in a pickle and unfortunately waiting on the glacial pace of the US government to solve their problem. When in immediate need of a job, the best thing would be to go their home country if the unemployment rate there is lower, or if they have better job acquisition prospects….
I’m suggesting all this from a “self-interested” perspective (on their behalf), not as policy. I’m sure you know more about their legal problems and all of the stuff above is possibly BS in the face of bureaucratic legal BS. Just trying to help if I can.
There are plenty of job training programs, and big needs for everything from Nurses to engineers.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
4:59 pm
HDB
The question, though, is would you say that as straightforwardly about Duke as you did with Farrakhan? I know that there is a personal thing at work with me here as both have painted a target on my Jew b*tt and I can’t afford the luxury of distinguishing between the two…they don’t just make my blood boil, they call for my anihilation from the planet as unworthy of life itself…
So, you practice your French in Montreal? How about Lafayette…
MacDaddy
September 30th, 2010
4:59 pm
Thank you ‘Real American’ for helping me prove my point, and for adding the word ‘bigots’ to my list. Like I said earlier, they can’t argue against facts, so they start hurling names at us.
md
September 30th, 2010
5:00 pm
“To all my conservative friends on this blog, pay no attention to the lib-tards on this blog.”
You kill your credibility by inserting “lib-tards”. Try posting your thoughts without the names.
One traveling the high road doesn’t need to lower oneself to the low road to make a point.
HDB
September 30th, 2010
5:00 pm
md September 30th, 2010
4:46 pm
“We have to teach our kids the art of fighting….and when to fight!!”
No, we don’t. We need to teach them what resources they have when they get into those situations – and how to use them.
It takes a bigger man to walk away than to stay and fight.
I disagree…..we have to learn how to fight…BOTH MENTALLY and PHYSICALLY!!
Granted, walking away is best to diffuse the situation…and informing the authorities is next…but when all else fails…and you’re in a corner..you BETTER come out SWINGING!! The best way to stop a bully is to put him on the ground!!
My kid got bullied in school; I asked him what he did….first, he walked away. Told him that was good; it persisted….so he told his teachers. So far so good….but I taught him how to fight..and told him if this is the ONLY resort…put the bully on the ground HARD!! Bully backed my kid in a corner….kid put the bully DOWN!!
Self-defense is a mitigating circumstance in ANY COURT in the world!!
lynnie gal
September 30th, 2010
5:00 pm
Fox “News” should lose their seat in the Press Corps room completely. Fox “News” isn’t news. They have no journalism standards besides requiring their stories be slanted in favor of conservatives.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
5:01 pm
Amvet,
How is what Rush said not true. Most criminals do in fact resemble Jesse Jackson in that most criminals happen to be black. Just a fact of life in the real world sir. And as I said I think rush was taking a shot at jessie “hymietown” Jackson.
Rob
September 30th, 2010
5:02 pm
Well, I’m not a fan of Lil Wayne. I am a huge fan of Nas. However, NEITHER one of them does “Gangsta” rap. Anyway, if FoxNation.com knew anything about rap, those two rappers’ (Nas, Lil’ Wayne) photos would not have been used.
In fact, if they wanted to use a photo of a “gangsta” rapper, why not put Eminems’ photo on their website instead. Seeing that he’s the only one doing it now.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
5:03 pm
lynnie gal,
You sound like an advocate for free speech. just as long as its your speech only.
But don’t fret. You still have all your other liberal choices in media- namely ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN to choose from. Lots of choice for you ma’am. Not so much for conservatives.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:04 pm
jm
Our citizens of Latino background are a pretty well educated group of people. The problem, and I agree that it is one of education, is that the access for “those people” is limited, regardless of capacity and drive. And it wasn’t JUST Latinos we were talking about, but the other “others: as well. We confine it here, I suppose, to the Latinos since there are enough of them in positions of authority, power and influence to make the point. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. But I DID respond that I live with an American Indian in reference to your questioning of my comment about steps forward, stalling, and steps backward. Your perspectives there? And, again, I’m not trying to be a smart a33.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
5:04 pm
Rob,
Eminem is the ONLY gangstat rapper right now? The ONLY one? Surely you jest?
HDB
September 30th, 2010
5:04 pm
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
4:59 pm
To be honest….it depends on the circumstances!! I know I could…but I also know my temper!!
Mon dieu!! Remind me about my experiences in the bayou in Louisiana, why don’t ‘cha!!
Too much crawfish….too much Jax…too much oysters…too much zydeco…..
@@
September 30th, 2010
5:05 pm
cowboy:
I wasn’t comparing disasters. I was comparing presidents and their need to address emergencies. You seemed to think Bush was absent during Katrina…that his response time was slow. I did a comparison…4 days vs 12 days.
CNN.com – Transcripts
NAGIN: The president looked at me. I think he was a little surprised. He said, “No, you guys stay here. We’re going to another section of the plane, and we’re going to make a decision.”
He called me in that office after that. And he said, “Mr. Mayor, I offered two options to the governor.” I said — and I don’t remember exactly what. There were two options. I was ready to move today. The governor said she needed 24 hours to make a decision.
S. O’BRIEN: You’re telling me the president told you the governor said she needed 24 hours to make a decision?
NAGIN: Yes.
S. O’BRIEN: Regarding what? Bringing troops in?
NAGIN: Whatever they had discussed. As far as what the — I was abdicating a clear chain of command, so that we could get resources flowing in the right places.
S. O’BRIEN: And the governor said no.
NAGIN: She said that she needed 24 hours to make a decision. It would have been great if we could of left Air Force One, walked outside, and told the world that we had this all worked out. It didn’t happen, and more people died.
_________________________________________________________
Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state’s emergency operations center said Saturday.
The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request.–WaPo
Blanco’s paranoia is to blame?
I don’t know what the hell happened to Nagin. He was like a deer caught in the headlights.
md
September 30th, 2010
5:05 pm
“I’ve been reading about BIAS in the “news” – which NO ONE has ever attempted to prove. I’ve been waiting all day for SOMEONE to give any kind of proof of consistent left OR right bias in NEWS reporting.”
Bias doesn’t have to be in the actual story, it can occur simply by reporting or not reporting, and where and how it is reported.
Take a look around the nation at the front pages of the various media – they are not all the same…….
Not So Casual Observer
September 30th, 2010
5:05 pm
@@ @ 4:07,
Apparently you will have to spell out the significance of the relevant LAW and the success/failure of each administration in their response to the requirements under each statute.
The “feelings” of Liberals (jewcowboy) seem to fog over their reading comprehension skills.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:06 pm
HDB
I’m in your corner on the teaching to fight. I was taught never to swing the first blow, but once it had been thrown, go for the jugular. It’s a lesson which has stood me in good stead and one I taught my own kids…
HDB
September 30th, 2010
5:07 pm
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
5:01 pm
Amvet,
How is what Rush said not true. Most criminals do in fact resemble Jesse Jackson in that most criminals happen to be black.”
Most criminals are NOT black….most criminals that are TARGETED are black!! How many black people brought down the World Trade Center? How many black people fly drugs into the country? How many black embezzle??
Going out now……back in 1 hr!! Abientot, mes amis!!
Not So Casual Observer
September 30th, 2010
5:07 pm
@ 5:05,
eliminate the “will” in the opening:
Apparently you have to spell…
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:08 pm
“Bias doesn’t have to be in the actual story, it can occur simply by reporting or not reporting, and where and how it is reported.”
And that’s why we have multiple news outlets, helps to guard against that. But if even ONE outlet factually reports that the inspectors on the ground in Iraq found no WMD, and that is factually what their report said…how is that “slanted”?
HDB
September 30th, 2010
5:08 pm
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:06 pm
HDB
I’m in your corner on the teaching to fight. I was taught never to swing the first blow, but once it had been thrown, go for the jugular. It’s a lesson which has stood me in good stead and one I taught my own kids…
GOT THAT RIGHT! Did the same to my kid…told him not to swing first, but if you have to….either put him ON the ground….or IN the ground!! Nothing in-between!!
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:08 pm
HDB
” Too much crawfish….too much Jax…too much oysters…too much zydeco…..”
Too much? Pas possible!
md
September 30th, 2010
5:10 pm
“Self-defense is a mitigating circumstance in ANY COURT in the world!!”
And that works until the court doesn’t see it the same way you do.
Never putting oneself in that situation erases any doubts.
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:13 pm
“Never putting oneself in that situation erases any doubts”
Do you realize that this is “permission” to blame the victim?
Not So Casual Observer
September 30th, 2010
5:13 pm
@@ 5:07p,
Nagin WAS a deer in the headlights leading to the disaster, mitigating the effects and solving the problems – he was a non-entity.
Once the $250,000,000 was on the table however, Nagin stepped in and insisted the money was to be managed by the local government. In other words, Nagin was determined to parcel out the cash in spite of his failure before, during and after the storm. Good little liberal was Mayor Nagin.
md
September 30th, 2010
5:14 pm
“But if even ONE outlet factually reports that the inspectors on the ground in Iraq found no WMD, and that is factually what their report said…how is that “slanted”?”
Perception trumps reality.
Take a look at some of the above posts – I can guarantee they wouldn’t believe anything Fox had to say – regardless of the “facts”.
B
September 30th, 2010
5:14 pm
This may have been said 30 times already: I don’t have time to read all the comments. But simply this: the so-called “mainstream” media isn’t and hasn’t been for decades. The leftist slant is so pervasive that most people aren’t even aware: the boiled frog syndrome. Fox comes along and dares give a different perspective and the leftists including the presbo, whine like abandoned kitties. If the “mainstream” media had done it’s job, Obama would have NEVER been elected. Shame on any so-called journalist who has sold his soul and kudos to fox and talk radio for finally presenting balance in American journalism. But make no mistake: had the “mainstream” media done a credible job, the void which fox and talk radio fills would have never occurred.
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
5:15 pm
How is what Rush said not true. Most criminals do in fact resemble Jesse Jackson in that most criminals happen to be black.
Media bigot, you’ve got yourself in one hell of a racist hole.
You and Guy are just gonna have to keep digging until you get yourselves out of it!
md
September 30th, 2010
5:15 pm
“Do you realize that this is “permission” to blame the victim?”
Don’t get it – please explain.
Real American
September 30th, 2010
5:15 pm
Macdaddy: Thats not name calling that is a fact” do you believe Hannity reports facts” the trouble with you fox news people you dont reseach and they know it”" Every night its the same Garbage at least CNN reports on something beside Obama”
If CNN, MSNBC had Anti President of the United States men like Hannity, Beck they would be off the air.
Lets face it, before Bush was destroying our country CNN, and the other networks never trashed him like they do Obama. Bush trashing did not start untill he lied to America. People who sit there and watch that garbage are either bigots, or Anti America.
DawgDad
September 30th, 2010
5:16 pm
All “news” and media outlets selectively cover and edit, and all introduce bias to some degree or another. In a land of free speech it is incumbent on the receiver to understand the viewpoint and bias of the communicator.
I’ll give you a very specific example: A few years ago AJC ran a profile of Reagan’s key accomplishments and impact. One item cited his firing of the air traffic controllers, but it conveniently omitted the context of the illegal strike. Understanding what a political rag the AJC is, I’d say their report (in the news section) met my expectations but left me extremely disappointed by their obvious slant and bias.
When politicians start attacking the media they should be fired by the voters. They can complain, but political attacks are out-of-bounds per our Constitution. Despite the daily “hate Bush” drumbeat from the mainstream press Bush never openly reacted or retailiated in a political sense, much to his credit.
vuduchld
September 30th, 2010
5:16 pm
Fact is that Fox News is in reality Hoax News. This sham of a channel has zero journalistic integrity. You can’t say this this a netwrok, Hoax News is a cartoon channel with buffon characters in front of telepromters. So please, don’t call this a News Channel because it’s not.
@@
September 30th, 2010
5:16 pm
Not So Casual Observer:
Why bother. Left-wingers are passionate about the rule of law when it suits their agenda. When it doesn’t, they choose to ignore.
Can’t get the stain out with a wishy-washy. They need a good….long….soak.
Back to the floor. 500 sq. ft. of it.
What was Aye yi yi thinking!!??!!
Not So Casual Observer
September 30th, 2010
5:17 pm
j nix and HDB discussing the ability to fight is amusing. Their posts indicate those two were more likely the little twits trying to stir a fight between others.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:18 pm
md
Putting yourself in the position? Walking down the street? Thank G-d I had that blade….!
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:18 pm
“Perception trumps reality.”
I wouldn’t argue that…but I still hold the opinion that people who allow that to happen have no right to sign us into a war on a false pretext.
Real American
September 30th, 2010
5:20 pm
Amvet: So in Idaho where only 5% black live there and 80% of whites commit crime, do they look like Glen Beck or Sean Hannity?
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:20 pm
not so casual..,
Nope, never started a fight outside the family in my life, have finished a number. And, no, I wasn’t a twit. I was popular and ran with the in crowd…
PappyHappy
September 30th, 2010
5:21 pm
Obama has bigger problems than Fox!!
Who will challenge Obama in the 2012 cycle?
*Mark Warner?
*Evan Bayh?
*Ed Rendell (a little older, but has experience and common sense!)?
*Hillary?
Someone needs to take him on that loves and believes in this Country, and is not willing to permit more attacks on the homeland, because we could “ABSORB IT”; or make decisions on war based on “POLITICS”! Wonder how family members with soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines who are deployed feel after hearing the commander in chief make statements that were made in the Woodward book?? For Pete’s sake, if you are not in it to win it, BRING THE TROOPS HOME, and QUIT USING THEM AS OBAMA PAWNS!!
Will be most interesting on November 3!!
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
5:22 pm
HBD,
“Most criminals are NOT black….most criminals that are TARGETED are black!! How many black people brought down the World Trade Center? How many black people fly drugs into the country? How many black embezzle??”
HBD,
If most criminals are not black then why is the US prison population 60% black? That’s not a racist statement btw. Its a statement of fact. And bringing up isolated incidents such as the fact that there were no black perpetrators in the 9/11 bombings is just plain silly. That’s one incident of crime which has nothing to do with the millions of other crimes that are committed yearly. That’s just plain dumb.
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:24 pm
“Don’t get it – please explain”
Most people don’t. You said: “Never putting oneself in that situation erases any doubts”
By saying “NEVER putting oneself in that situation” you are blaming the victim if they ever find themselves in a bad situation even through no fault of their own.
The most egregious example I can think of is where a woman’s car broke down and she went to a near-by bar to call for help. She was attacked and raped by some of the patrons of that bar, while others stood around and cheered the attackers on.
Now, it could be said…and was…that she should “never” have gone into that bar. So what that means is that, according to that logic, the attacker had every right to attack her because it was HER FAULT that she went there in the first place.
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
5:24 pm
Amvet,
See my post above to HBD. And if you’re willing to call me and rush racists I can only assume you are perfectly willing to attach the same label to Farrakhan, jessie “hymietown” Jackson, and Al Sharpton in the interest of fairness. You are gonna be fair right?
Not So Casual Observer
September 30th, 2010
5:25 pm
I notice you referred to a “blade”. That comment says more about you than anything you have posted on this blog and I stand by my 5:17.
Your “in crowd” must have been a real upstanding group!
Jay
September 30th, 2010
5:26 pm
BTW, good for Chambliss, a full apology on gay slur:
http://bit.ly/cwnQEk
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:26 pm
media
How long have you been here? I come out swinging every time Andy gets banned…and I’m one of his regular targets…just because I may disagree with you doesn’t make me right and it doesn’t make me wrong. And vice-versa.
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:27 pm
I would venture to bet that nearly 100% of the people here today throwing the word “racist” around have NO CLUE they are using it incorrectly for what they SHOULD BE using: BIGOT
md
September 30th, 2010
5:28 pm
“Putting yourself in the position? Walking down the street? Thank G-d I had that blade….! ”
I believe the context was fighting at school. One can walk away from that type fight.
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 30th, 2010
5:28 pm
josef, HDB
I have a small disagreement on striking the first blow. I agree with the way HBD had his son handle the bully. He tried his best to avoid the confrontation but it was inevitable. When the conflict reaches the point, where it’s inevitable, you might as well go ahead and get things started. The first blow gives you a tactical advantage. So, walk away when you can but sometimes, you have to stand and fight.
And I don’t really know what goes on in schools now but when I was coming up, you couldn’t look to any teachers, principals, etc, to help you out. You were on your own.
Gerald West
September 30th, 2010
5:28 pm
Fox News is the propaganda arm of the Republican Party. All the leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, except Mitt Romney, are paid members of the Fox News staff.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:31 pm
Why the disproportionate black? Most crimes brought to a sentence of jail time are committed in the congestion of the urban environment by persons of lower economic status. The majority of the population in most of those are black. It’s not a matter of skin color, but of socio-economics and environmental demographics.
casual
What does it say? You might be surprised who was in that group. A few fine upstanding Republican names you’d recognize!
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:32 pm
“All the leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, except Mitt Romney, are paid members of the Fox News staff.”
Have any of them actually declared a formal intention to run? If they haven’t, they aren’t contenders…they are only, at best, potential contenders.
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
5:33 pm
“You are gonna be fair right?”
That is down right hysterical coming from the afternoon’s ultimate hypocrite, bigot enabler and answer-averse blogger.
But unlike you I have a spine. And the answer to your endless red herring is yes. They too have shown their true “colors” (get it?) from time to time.
Real American, there are trolls like Not So Casual Observer who show up to do one thing only – personally insult and demean with provocation.
Then there are those others with so little intellectual honesty that they by their own words affirm their bigotry. Yet are completely convinced that those words don’t matter one iota and that they are not bigots simply because they aver so…
John
September 30th, 2010
5:34 pm
Jay:
The problem I have with all of this is that people like you, Cynthia, John Stewart and Bill Maher always hammer Fox but you refuse to acknowledge the “main stream” media. MSNBC is every bit as bad as Fox if not more. NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, NPR and PBS are most definitely left leaning. If you would critically analyze them, I would take your critique of Fox much more seriously. But, you never do.
The truth is that Fox exists precisely because for years people like you bought in to the NY Times, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, NPR and PBS, etc. as if the spoke for middle America. They don’t, and now you have your Fox. It’s you’re own damn fault. Quit whining.
md
September 30th, 2010
5:35 pm
“By saying “NEVER putting oneself in that situation” you are blaming the victim if they ever find themselves in a bad situation even through no fault of their own.”
Please re-read our back and forth – we were discussing schoolyard/bus fights and the ability to claim self-defense. When 2 people enter into that type fight, a third party (court) has a “he said she said” conundrum, whereby self-defense is not always guaranteed.
Never getting into the fight in the first place would be the guarantee.
(Had an actual experience where I stopped short of a driveway when I noticed a neighbor backing out, he never saw me and continued to back out until he backed into my stopped vehicle – when the police arrived, the story suddenly became I hit the back of his car – I got hosed and my insurance clobbered me)
Self defense is never guaranteed.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:35 pm
md, hillbilly
As per school, I stand corrected. In my own kids’ case, I counselled walking away, too, but once that blow is struck, walking away is no longer an option, IMHO. Now, I agree on the tactical advantage aspect. Granddaddy held the line on that one though. “The Good Book says to turn the other cheek.” “Yessir, but what happens when they slap it, too?” “Well, Jody, the Good Book is silent there. I prefer a .45.”
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:39 pm
“Never getting into the fight in the first place would be the guarantee.”
And I say it’s NOT POSSIBLE to NEVER get into a fight. I’ve actually BEEN in that situation, though I don’t know if you’d classify it as a “fight” – but it was to me. Someone came up behind me at school and wrapped his arms tightly around me and locked MY arms down. I asked him several times to let me go, and when he didn’t…I stomped HARD on his foot with my spike heeled shoes. He actually had the never to be INSULTED because I hurt him.
Now, what could I have done to meet your criteria of NEVER being in that situation? I was at school, I was with a group of friends talking to each other between classes. How would you suggest I just “walk away” from the situation?
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
5:39 pm
JB, this post vis a vis the Chambliss apology says it all for me:
“First thing I’ve seen come out of Chambliss’ mouth that I can support. Good for him.”
godless heathen
September 30th, 2010
5:40 pm
“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” Biden said.
sfd: “To this day I don’t know what was so awful about that. (Tone-deaf, sure.) In the context of the discussion about 2008 Presidential candidates, it was pretty accurate.”
sfd, You honestly don’t see the racism in that comment from Joe Biden? I bet if John McCain had said it the libs would still be all atwitter about it,
Paul
September 30th, 2010
5:42 pm
Ref: Jay’s 5:26
” U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss on Thursday apologized to the author of a gay-oriented blog for a threatening slur posted from his office, declaring, “All [gays] must die…
”We’re picking up that the staffer was a military liaison assigned by the Pentagon — a fact that Chambliss’ office would not confirm…
“The blog comment at issue was left Sept. 21 on a discussion of whether gays and lesbians should be able to serve openly in the military..”
The only thing that died was the liason’s career. I see a fading away with crummy assignments and no promotions……
@@
September 30th, 2010
5:43 pm
Schoolyard fights? ALRIGHT!!!!
Richard Kirbinson, age 9. Whooped his ass!!! It was no easy task, mind you. It’s hard for a little girl to hold her own and her ripped blouse at the same time.
Next time? I got him from above. Jumped from a low-hanging tree limb, I did. Whooped his ass again.
My Dad and brother were very proud of me.
As I recall, Richard and I were in puppy love.
DawgDad
September 30th, 2010
5:44 pm
“The truth is that Fox exists precisely because for years people like you bought in to the NY Times, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, NPR and PBS, etc. as if the spoke for middle America.”
So now Fox speaks for “middle America”, leaving a HUGE void on the right! Right?
Problem is, it’s not clear what the “right” is, politically. Liberalism and leftists are easily identified by proposing government solutions when free market discretionary options exist, but what is “the right”? Anybody who isn’t trying to seize someone else’s money or property or wealth? If a fascist represents the extreme right then the Tea Party MUST be in the middle!
Media bias?
September 30th, 2010
5:47 pm
Amvet,
I won’t insult your intelligence by suggesting that your mind actually believes the crap you wrote in your last post to me.
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:47 pm
“Liberalism and leftists are easily identified by proposing government solutions when free market discretionary options exist”
I guess you weren’t around when *I* – a liberal from the word go – was proposing a MARKET SOLUTION to the problem of inspections of food producers (in reference to the peanut factor fiasco)
Paul
September 30th, 2010
5:47 pm
@@
If that’s puppy love, I can see how you evolved with a preference for stilettos…. and probably a few other accoutrements….
“whack!”
“aahhhhh”
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 30th, 2010
5:48 pm
josef, md
I have some knowledge on this topic. Growth didn’t come for me until I was about 16, so I was almost always the smallest kid in the class. There are always some that feel they can pick on you and the only person who can prevent that is you. Walking away only insures that that will continue another day. So the best thing to do is fight fire with fire. Many times you’ll come out on the short end but after you fight every day for a week or so and they see you’ll keep fighting as long as they mess with you, they’ll leave you alone.
md
September 30th, 2010
5:48 pm
I think we are discussing apples and oranges. There is a difference between getting attacked and defending oneself and an altercation leading to fighting.
I’m discussing the second of the two, where one has the option to take another course.
As per the first, I was taught to use the universal release hold – grab the b*lls and squeeze until the attacker releases.
Ode to Amvet
September 30th, 2010
5:49 pm
My ode to Amvet goes like this
Never argue with an idiot. He’ll only drag you down to his level and then beat you with experience. And Amvet- you are indeed that idiot.
Real American
September 30th, 2010
5:50 pm
Macdaddy, Did not mean to insult you, but the truth hurts, that why Hannity, Beck, Rush will not come on any one else stations.
Have you ever seen any of these frauds on CNN, CNBC or even local news? Because they are to busy pushing their agena and dont believe that crap they are saying and you people run and buy it making them fithy rich, I guess the truth hurts.
AmVet
September 30th, 2010
5:51 pm
“I bet if John McCain had said it the libs would still be all atwitter about it…”
Nope, it is just another of those ever-popular and countless mountains out of molehills in which the gotcha mentality trumps common sense.
CAVUTO: How do you think the troops would feel about a President Obama?
BUSH: Oh, I don’t know. He, let’s — he hasn’t gotten elected yet. He hasn’t even gotten the party’s nomination either. He’s an attractive guy. He’s articulate. I’ve been impressed with him when I’ve seen him in person. But he’s got a long way to go to be president.
josef nix
September 30th, 2010
5:51 pm
@@
Next time from the tree? Sure you’re not really Myra Ford, the Pentacostal Minister’s daughter? She waited in the mimosa tree, jumped my a33 and whupped the tar out of me. Mama laughed from the front porch. I couldn’t hit her back since no man can ever hit a woman, no matter what. That’s allright though. I bought Donna Ferguson a banana split and she took care of bidness for me. Donna was a big gal. The other kids did the teasing on me that Donna was my girlfriend. She was my friend and she was a girl! She threatened to whup anybody who said she was my “girlfriend” though. She turned out to be quite the beautiful flower of Southern womanhood, and we still get together when I’m back home, go down to the local juke joiint and talk over old times. Heaven help any Bubba or Bubbette who calls me anything there. They know…. ISH
md
September 30th, 2010
5:52 pm
“As I recall, Richard and I were in puppy love.”
Your version of playing “doctor”???
Doggone/GA
September 30th, 2010
5:53 pm
“I’m discussing the second of the two, where one has the option to take another course”
It still isn’t ALWAYS possible to just leave, that’s the bottom line. And narrow it down however much you like, when you say NEVER get in that situation you are both stating something that’s not always possible AND setting it up to blame the victim.