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and especially your suggestions.
by VirginiaDem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:03:12 AM PDT
To rebut the assertion that Obama is the one injecting race into the campaign:
Obama/McCaskill vs. McCain/Jindal? Call it a funny feeling.
by ShadowSD on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:44:50 AM PDT
[ Parent ]
Thanks for the Link : )
by NMDan on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:09:15 AM PDT
He's our "TANG Typewriter."
by VirginiaDem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:17:59 AM PDT
You are a child of the universe; no less than the trees and the stars... Desiderata
by byteb on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:26:56 AM PDT
Sorry to thread-jump, but I just read a great diary listing 25 ways the media has distorted aspects of Obama's campaign. The diarist assembles a compelling list, but the diary is scrolling off the recent diaries list as we speak. Check it out! It's a great companion to this story.
Sweet are the uses of adversity...[Find] tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything. -Shakespeare, As You Like It
by earicicle on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:09:01 AM PDT
It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment. Ansel Adams -6.5 -6.75
by Statusquomustgo on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:20:56 AM PDT
Kristol should be fired for this lie. He should be fired for a pattern of lying, distortion, inaccuracy and just plain being wrong - of which this is only the most recent example. If you only use this example, they can say "hey, he said he was sorry - everyone gets something wrong sometime". It's his overall record that the Times should be reject.
(this isn't specifically directed to you NMDan - it's for anyone who's writing the Times.)
Now, go spread some peace, love and understanding. Use force if necessary. - Phil N DeBlanc
by lineatus on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:23:33 AM PDT
But don't have too much hope that they would fire him, given that he has bigger lies about Iraq, Israel and everything else that they won't fire him.
My thought is that Kristol agrees with the NYT owner's position on the Middle East and he is sacrosanct.
"The fact which the politician faces is merely that there is less honor among thieves than was supposed, and not the fact that they are thieves." Thoreau
by shigeru on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 01:01:55 PM PDT
whap the media with a metaphorical rolled-up newspaper for giving McCain a free pass viz-a-viz stupid comments made by associates, and his closeness with a corrupt administration. Some media outlets have already annointed him as the President-elect,as if the general election has been decided.
I'm at the junction of short, nerdy, and oddly attractive.
by Pan Zareta on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:33:04 AM PDT
the ticket!! Are you kidding? Get out of the box!! How about ....unity...healing...getting our house in order!! Painting a water-color for the press is foolish. That ringing noise happens to be warning bells, O.K.?....O.K.?!! The problem right now is in-house---Live and let Live! It is time to heal, they are here! It is the Rethugs, got that!! Stop the madness...UNITE!
by riverdan1900 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:45:48 AM PDT
my replies end up under the wrong post??
by riverdan1900 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:51:47 AM PDT
Is lost in the sarcasm and sentence fragments, but I think I get what you're going for here and I agree. The Speech the other day highlighted for us, again, that the way to win this fight is by artfully moving the conversation towards the points we all can agree on, while forceful advocating a position and avoiding outright conflict.
All the same, I think there's value in the blogosphere, acting as unofficial surrogates to get the media's attention through a massive deluge of LTE's. We should focus not just to the NYT, but on every local paper we can find. We don't want to be confrontational, but we do want to point out that we see what's happening and we do not approve.
by TNdem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:17:55 PM PDT
propaganda and swiftboating. At least, until the media stop acting as stenographers and printers for liars.
We Dems have all the facts on our side, yet it helps not at all against the cricket smear chorus.
Time to push back, reframe, and call the liars what they are.
This is a well-planned Kabuki Hissy Fit. There is no real outrage, just a hyena chorus that will not be satisfied with any "facts", IMHO. See Digby for more on this.
Remember Nataline.
by means are the ends on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:02:29 AM PDT
People go nuts for facts (donncha know!) ...then ask your Prof what the hell we do to WIN? My suggestion? Tell him to take a freakin pay cut, then discuss college vote!? Then tell the wipe to get a job...then write his doctoral! Sorry, have ----- in Library sciences.
by riverdan1900 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:26:50 AM PDT
by means are the ends on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 10:43:41 AM PDT
saying those words. It isn't.
It is a truly malevolent media This is what I have to say to them: I will say this as nicely as I can, I don’t feel nice at all.
I understand why you’d want to show the clips of Rev. Wright but especially having known someone who loved that church I was surprised you only showed those excerpts of the inflammatory comments with no disclaimer (how many hours of sermons were gone through to find these) and no balance in the view of this man or his church.
My anger continues to grow and I can’t even believe I need to be writing this, need to explain it or am writing it thinking it won’t do any good because you must know this already and you don’t care. I can’t believe this. But I will pretend that I am especially brilliant and you haven’t thought of what I have to say yet and you’ll read it and think "Well by golly she is right" and try to make up for some of the ruin you have wrought.
It takes very little research to learn that Trinity church has an excellent reputation in the community and a large congregation (including some Caucasians) of respectable citizens and a large number of community programs they provide.
You may have heard that Senator Obama is running for president and if you’ve ever researched him you would know that there are articles and interviews about him since he left college and the description of him has changed very little as far as him treating people with respect, being thoughtful, calm, gracious...you know the way he seems to be now. I am sure that you know this minister brought him to Christ, was a spiritual mentor and so on because you repeat them with every reply of the volatile clips. Now this is what you do when you have conflicting kind of information. Your choice here would be A. Suspect there must be more to this minister and church then you are showing and look into it and present what you find B. Ignore that, just keep showing the clips and repeating how close Obama is to him and make it look like the Senator is a fraud.
You chose B. That was not the correct choice.
TV people talk about the falling polls and wonder if white people are upset about what the pastor said. Then they show the clips some more and say things like "He kept going there for 20 years and listening to that." What the hell is wrong with the media? How can you begin to justify this? This is wrong on so many levels. Did you play the clips of Falwell on 9/13 blaming gays, feminists the ACLU etc for 9/11 and calling Archbishop Desmond Tutu a phony and that the founder of Islam was a terrorist over and over and over? I don’t have to go over the horrible things some "respected" ministers on the right have said and while they were often reported it was nothing like this, nothing close. Is it because blaming or wishing ill on feminists, Jews and foreigners less enraging to the populace compared to what Wright said. Did you keep having panels to discuss how offensive it was and they should be denounced by all the politicians?
You didn’t just report this, you made a spectacle that was sure to increase hate and division. The church is threatened and shaned, that is bad enough. That’s thousands of people that are hurt by your one sided reporting.
You did it to play "gotcha" on a presidential candidate. Your reporters are saying Wright’s commentary did this. No, you did this, you really did this. Had you presented a more balanced view there would not have been this outrage, Obama wouldn’t be getting more death threats, he wouldn’t have fallen in the polls so rapidly. You know this is the sort of thing that stirs fear, hate and division. I wish I had grounds to sue you. You have hurt this country, you have affected the election.
Use this award he is getting (unless they cancel it) to show the other side. Need help? Play some of his other sermons. Bring people in who know and respect him. Bring in people from the community to talk about the impact of the church. Discuss some of their social programs. Try to amend a portion of the harm you have done
Here are some sermon videos http://www.dailykos.com/...
Here is the text of the sermon Obama got book title from http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.co...
Here is Minister Jane Fisler Hoffman, who attends and discusses Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago http://www.youtube.com/...
It took me a short time to find these which is even more shame on the media
by joynow on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 12:21:07 PM PDT
by so many white males that they are somehow disadvantaged. Have no doubts, if HRC were the demo front-runner the more extreme feminists on her side would be quoted as well.
The media is pandering to its audience right now which is largely disgruntled white males.
by shigeru on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 01:04:18 PM PDT
Wrote letter to ABC, CNN, NBC, NPR, NBC, NYT, and AJC. I encourage you all to do the same. We need mass participation on this media incompetence!
by Politico 4 Real on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 10:01:21 AM PDT
what if McCain isn't getting it on purpose? what if the 23% of Americans who still believe in Dub have been so brainwashed that a new strategy will surely make their heads explode?
There may be tyrants and murderers and...they may seem invincible, but in the end they always fail. Think of it: always.
by Dania Audax on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:49:48 AM PDT
All the more reason to push for CHANGE!
Searching for corrupt, lobbyist loving John McCain?
by Lisa Lockwood on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:58:15 AM PDT
The SCLM's mentality is so warped that I'm convinced many of them feel that not emphasizing McCain's latest "Senior moments" re: Iran and al Quaeda and his embracing of a preacher who thinks the Catholic church is "the Whore of Babylon" are their version of a referee's "make up calls" for the other team.
In other words, they're trying out their version of "fair and balanced" by not going after McCain over those things, while heaping it on Obama about Wright. Plus, yesterday they even heaped it on Hillary a bit about her visit to Michigan, and how that may well have greased the wheels of the Michigan Legislature to vote against a "re-vote" primary.
And this stuff about McCain leading both Obama and Hillary in the polls? Don't fret; this too shall pass.
"Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it."--Miguel De Santa Anna
by GainesT1958 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:49:14 AM PDT
A little clarification....Bush will NOT be on the ballot! McCain 48%...back to our regular programming.
by riverdan1900 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:03:02 AM PDT
he is hugging Bush's legacy too tightly. Bush and Cheney never cared about what America thinks--the proof is in the pudding. To translate Bush-ese, simply know that what he is saying is 180 degrees from the truth.
by Dania Audax on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:42:30 AM PDT
imbiber. He knows that liberal/socialists hate America, and want to take away all America's freedom, in the glorious WOT that is being fought for the glory and good of all humankind.
Really.
My Stepmom, too. They are still out there. Does the media know this?
I would love for someone to go to my Dad's house and interview him as a "typical Republican McCain supporter". That would about wrap up the campaign right there, IMHO.
by means are the ends on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:06:44 AM PDT
I am always disturbed that people are not considering how may of these die-hard "commie-haters" are still out there. They all live in rural PA and they always vote, even if it is just an election for the local dogcatcher. Also, most of Pennsylvania is really, really OLD,(Like JMc)and they are terrified of change.
"God is not on the side of the heavy battalions, but of the best shots."- Voltaire
by armenia on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 11:50:41 AM PDT
Accuse the Wright-obsessed media of racism. Why are they featuring the incendiary remarks of Jeremiah Wright and ignoring those of Rod Parsley or John Hagee? Why are they continuing to lie (as CNN had Ari Fleisher on last night to do) about Obama's ties to Wright's comments, but ignoring McCain's failure to denounce similar comments by the right-wingers? Is it somehow acceptable to them to criticize the Catholic Church or Islam?
This is a very important diary. The media isn't letting this go in the same way they overplayed the Dean scream and the Kerry Swiftboaters. They clearly intend to ride Obama down with this story, and they're not even waiting for the Republicans to bring it out. We can't let them do that again.
Obama himself needs to challenge the media on this. He's been far too defensive in his response: he needs to challenge the media to look to the bigger issues, and redefine patriotism. He needs to challenge his questioners more aggressively to cover the important issues and stop distracting the people with meaningless sideshows. But Obama needs help, and the media needs to learn the power of the grassroots just as the political professionals have.
Hanoi didn't break John McCain, but Washington did.
by Dallasdoc on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:50:06 AM PDT
to do this. As I just pointed out in Libertaria's diary, why not push the story toward the MSM's concept of "fairness"?
Let's ask them, why are they reporting on what a black preacher says, but not what Falwell and Hagee and other white preachers say in their sermons?
Why isn't the story about what ALL American preachers too often do to whip-up emotion in their congregations?
The reporting "balance" would be white/black preachers and their incendiary remarks, not Wright/Obama.
This is not a tactic to be pursued alone, but trying to ask for "balanced" reporting in this way might quiet some pundits when they consider what kind of homework would be necessary--or if they think their reporting will backfire should they have to cover incendiary remarks by white preachers as well.
Groups and individuals need to ask for fair reporting.
Good comment, Dallasdoc, as usual.
Habeas Corpus:See Hamilton quoting Blackstone in The Federalist Papers, number 84.
by Ignacio Magaloni on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:56:14 AM PDT
The media is being unfair to Obama.
by VirginiaDem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:57:18 AM PDT
It has the advantage of being true, but expecting fairness in politics sounds naive and whiny. To get the media off Obama's back here a harder punchback is required. Having both black and white spokespeople openly questioning racism in the media because of the disparity in attention to religious intolerance is a powerful message, one that would rock the Blitzers and Scarboroughs back on their heels. It would also put on notice the Fox Noise crowd and the Pat Buchanans that the Obama campaign isn't going to let them get away with racist arguments, which have appeared already.
Politics isn't about logic, it's about rhetoric. You go with your strongest rhetorical position.
by Dallasdoc on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:03:02 AM PDT
... for McCain and Clinton. You can weave in the "racism" angle into that too.
by VirginiaDem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:04:10 AM PDT
talk radio- the media wouldn't be this bad if it wasn't for the talk radio monopoly -- most of the problems progressives have with our democracy are multiplied ten-fold because of this single monopoly and the effect it has on the rest of the media.
by bringing this important fact to the attention of the rest of the media it will sensitize them to it and make them more aware of where they often get their material--- cable news and a few newspapers can't turn john edward's haircut into a defining character issue w/out talk radio. the limbaughs and hannitys can do 15 hours a week each attacking obama on this-- and that's not including their wannabes the rest of the 24 hours.
best way after them may be to wave signs and boycott at the local level relative to the local radio stations that play their crap- the talk radio station is in fact the center of GOP power in most states- swiftboating progressive causes and candidates and making excuses for everything republican.
another thing is to provide progressives with a searchable database of the daily main talk radio transcripts to document the repetition and the lies.
the networks just hire more people but at the local level a good case can be made that these guys have been wrong and lied about everything bush, iraq, the economy, and why should they continue to pollute the local air waves with their daily doses of irrational hate and fear 24/7?
Well, I've always felt that, despite our stronger numbers, arguments, and writers, the progressive blogosphere hasn't had the success that the right-wing bloggers have with countering and influencing the media.** Part of that is because the freepers have right-wing radio to help. Part of that is because the media loves running with the latest Drudge headline, out of laziness or maybe fear. Part of it is the reflexive "don't act liberal" tendency of the media.
the talk radio monopoly is the key- it's uncontested repetition does the groundwork for them- by bringig attention to the
fox TV is completely dependent on the talk radio monopoly but the rest of the media is heavily influenced by it because guys like hannity and limbaugh can mobilize huge numbers of dittoheads to intimidate and threaten the "liberal drive by media"- talk radio is the ultimate political correctness cop.
with it's sheer repetition it also makes this kind of swiftboating acceptable and enables it's parroting in the rest of the MSM.
democracy and bipartisanship are impossible without some kind of Fairness Doctrine to break the talk radio monopoly or apply some means to contest their uncontested repetition to 50-70 MIL Americans.
by certainot on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:03:08 AM PDT
by SoCalRefugee on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 11:21:56 AM PDT
if he was a regular parody for them-- the old SNL would have done it by now
rush is taking big credit for messing up the dem primaries and deserves it. he is getting tired of taking the back seat to the band wagon riders that feed off his work.
by certainot on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 01:19:26 PM PDT
It's unethical. In cases it's both unethical and immoral.
"The most significant difference between now and a decade ago is the ... rapid erosion of spare capacities at critical segments of energy chains." Cheney, 2001
by Akonitum on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:03:37 AM PDT
"Fairness" is the ultimate effect on Obama. But they are certainly being unethical and immoral and everything else too.
by VirginiaDem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:05:02 AM PDT
moral minds.
by Akonitum on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:10:59 AM PDT
I'm not sure I believe that.
Political compass: -5.50 econ, -5.79 libertarian/authoritarian
by billlaurelMD on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:02:25 AM PDT
at least for the moment.
I see it as journalistic incompetence. It is political propaganda.
They've played a few segments of inflammatory language in a pastor's entire career, over and over and over. Without balancing it at all with positive sermons he's preached, with white members of the church telling why they go there. They could cover sermons of the current pastor.
According to Chicago newspapers ( I'll look for the article I read yesterday) people in Chicago are sort of puzzled by this. The Church is respected there. Jeremiah Wright is respected.
Especially in light of the fantastic speech Obama gave, that touched so many Americans, and in light of the fact that they aren't telling the whole story, the media is behaving in a way that is incredibly unethical.
by juca on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:11:16 AM PDT
Irony is the wheelchair of the emotionally crippled
by bloogle on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 01:41:03 PM PDT
the media has performed "A high tech lynching"!
by jedennis on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:56:12 AM PDT
When I started reading your diary, there were 45 comments and by the time I finished reading the last one to post my own, there were 115! You have struck a nerve indeed.
Well done VirginiaDem.
by utopiayes on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:17:46 AM PDT
... direct some of that "nerve." We need to start being able to stop swiftboating as it happens.
by VirginiaDem on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:25:03 AM PDT
I was so frustrated with CNN, I thought I was going to pop a forehead vein. This diary helps me feel I was not being unreasonable. A big thanks for that and the links(I've already written several letters).
Peace
by dirtdawg on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 10:02:21 AM PDT
on "The Colbert Report." He showed the clip of Jeremiah Wright saying "chickens come home to roost" side by side Jerry Falwell's repulsive remarks that blamed everyone from feminists to gays, liberals to the ACLU for 9/11 two days after it occurred (Robertson was then shown agreeing with these remarks). Colbert then showed that McCain had called Falwell and Robertson "intolerant" then but has recently overturned that view and said that he sees them as tolerant now (Falwell is dead, btw, but that's what the quote said by McCain).
Colbert framed it all perfectly and it's in his "The Word" segment which can be found here:
Colbert: on Wright and the campaign
by JulieUnplugged on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:15:31 AM PDT
smartest show on the teevee. I saw that too. He (and his brilliant writers) do a superb job of pointing out all the hypocrisy in the media's coverage. It is nonsensical that this issue with Obama gets major play and the other more outrageous comments by pastors blessing McCain gets nary a mention.
by dotster on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:56:56 AM PDT
argument was blowback - "chickens coming home to roost" - which we've seen argued by CIA and foreign policy experts - specifically in Why We Fight.
Compare that to Falwell and Robertson's comments:
JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say "you helped this happen." PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I totally concur, and the problem is we have adopted that agenda at the highest levels of our government. And so we're responsible as a free society for what the top people do. And, the top people, of course, is the court system..
JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say "you helped this happen."
PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I totally concur, and the problem is we have adopted that agenda at the highest levels of our government. And so we're responsible as a free society for what the top people do. And, the top people, of course, is the court system..
Weren't these comments made at approximately the same time - after 9/11? Yet Obama is responsible for Wright's comments which he didn't hear or even find out about until 6 or more years later (and he then renounced) but McCain seeks and receives Falwell's support KNOWING what Falwell said because it was all over the media.
I can certainly see a fairness issue there.
by Pirate Smile on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:59:58 AM PDT
Wright's, 9/16/01.
McCain repudiated his 2000 "agents of intolerance" remark about Falwell and Robertson on Meet the Press in 2006, when Falwell was still alive, I think.
Amazing that Colbert is more insightful and responsible than the MSM in hightlighting this glaring hypocrisy.
by earicicle on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:01:38 AM PDT
...he did apologize. Not so for Pastor Wright.
"We don't need the people, we just need the cash..."-Barack Obama
by Zero Carb Rob on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:19:41 AM PDT
speaking to America's foreign policy actions. Falwell was blaming segments of Americans as being responsible for the events. One is on issues and one is on people's life style.
Nothing can stand in the way of a million voices calling for change! - Obama
by jalenth on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 09:31:37 AM PDT
I just don't believe enough people saw that to have enough of an effect on reversing the tide. I'll do my part...but I feel so disheartened about this bullsh*t.
by billlaurelMD on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:04:00 AM PDT
UTube.
-7.50, -7.74 Republicans = Borrow and Squander
by GMFORD on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:32:03 AM PDT
Against silence, which is slavery. -- Czeslaw Milosz
by Caneel on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:19:32 AM PDT
Thanks for the link!
by karenina044 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 03:28:20 PM PDT
Well, I've always felt that, despite our stronger numbers, arguments, and writers, the progressive blogosphere hasn't had the success that the right-wing bloggers have with countering and influencing the media.**
Grassroots and Netroots Progressives have made great strides in all areas. The area we still need to work on a great deal is countering and influencing the media.
Dan Abrams who can be both aggravating, annoying and sometimes actually fair said something on his show yesterday that caught me by surprise.
Enough of this Teflon John. The media is giving him a free ride. I want to stop that.
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Martin Luther King Jr.
by wishingwell on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:35:53 AM PDT
He doesn't-
(Obama himself needs to challenge the media on this)
I agree wholeheartedly, and would add, he already did.
The SPeech took care of it.
Now he needs all of us to do this: (Asterisks stolen from above!)
***
I know I will, enuf is enuf, snip the Picklers and squelch the insanity Hannity crowd-
Evidence that contradicts the ruling belief system is held to extraordinary standards, while evidence that entrenches it is uncritically accepted. -Carl Sagan
by RF on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:02:38 AM PDT
I had previously (a few weeks ago) opened a dialogue by email with the political writer at the local very, very conservative newspaper. This week he ran a front page story where he interviewed two local Black pastors who had opposing views on the appropriateness of Barack's degree of distancing himself from Wright.
I used some of your comments to write him again on looking at "balance" a little differently.
I have also been having some dialogue with the editor of the paper on fairness that I opened by a somewhat disingenuous strategy that gave me much pleasure to employ. Let's just say it started by my sending him a Salon article on global warming and then responding to the editor's critique by using the words of someone who agreed to help me sound like I knew a heck of a lot more than I actually do.
and btw I had already emailed the NYT editorial page editor about firing Kristol.
by Leslie in KY on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:35:27 AM PDT
and unfortantely since this race is still going on, everyone who could help is too afraid that the msm will find something, anything and that will be the end of Obama. And those who stood up for Obama will be ostracized in Hillary's admin. Kennedy should be on the podium everyday admonishing the msm over thier witch-hunt for a scary black man that knows Obama. However I feel that he is afraid of Obama loosing and the reprecussions from his support playing out under Hillary's admin.
Fear is playing a huge part in this primary, more so than I ever thought I would see. And this fear only helps one Democratic candidate.
"We need an energy bill that encourages consumption." --Trenton, N.J., Sept. 23, 2002-GWB
by meatwad420 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:18:45 AM PDT
Why isn't Ted K out there blasting the MSM's ongoing obsession w/ Wright? I have mixed feelings about sending Kerry out there, but I'd consider it.
Where are the uncommited party elders? One doesn't have to support Obama in order to decry the coverage. Pelosi clearly wants this thing over soon--why doesn't she speak up here?
Didn't the party learn anything from Swiftboats?
Some men see things as they are and ask why. I see things that never were and ask why not?
by RFK Lives on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:47:22 AM PDT
every time they are in front of a camara, they should repeatedly ask the reporter why their news station is re-running the Wright video? Be obtrusive with the questions, pester them, annoy them.
But like I said, I feel there is a strong fear of retribution to those who supported Obama if Hillary wins.
by meatwad420 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:51:09 AM PDT
Where is John Kerry who felt the sting of swiftboating that might have cost him the election? He should be out there blasting the media. McCain sure had surrogatse out blasting the media the minute that NYT's story broke.
Where is Ted Kennedy, where are his other surrogates?
I have just seen Rep. Patrick Murphy out there and Pat needs some help.
by wishingwell on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:38:33 AM PDT
It's completely possible to be ignored by the MSM no matter how much you put yourself out there.
"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them." Orwell
by NotablyZen on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:43:20 AM PDT
You said it! Gutless politicians have their finger in the wind and smell a little blood in the water. They will not go out on a limb for Obama. Kennedy and Kerry are very quiet right now. I agree they are afraid Hillary will pull this one out and they don't want to be shut out by her.
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The USA for an amount of "up to and including my life." - unknown
by AJsMom on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:52:20 AM PDT
regardless. Maybe they should show some guts.
by billlaurelMD on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:05:13 AM PDT
being shut out by Hillary.
Do you think they seriously believe this is going to bring Obama down??
by juca on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:15:43 AM PDT
Kennedy has said what? Actions speak far louder than words. My straight from the gut reaction is....they do not want to be tainted by this if Obama's campaign goes south. They are cowards.
by AJsMom on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:21:13 AM PDT
in my view. Mr. Kerry surely should be aware of the stakes. Now we have republicans messing openly with the democrats' primary process. And they are saying nothing. Perhaps because Mrs. Clinton is secretly laughing with glee?
I am completely disgusted and I'm not even wanting to expend the energy to try and understand the justification for this. All of it, from Faux News to supposed party leaders supporting Obama not saying a WORD.
by billlaurelMD on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:21:59 AM PDT
has asked them not to step in? Maybe he wants to handle it himself to show that he can?
McCain was able to shut the media up somehow. How'd he do it exactly?
by juca on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:35:54 AM PDT
Perphaps Obama wants to handle this himself and show his leadership. That is the only explanation that makes sense to me. As Obama is the frontrunner and it looks more and more and more unlikely that Hillary can catch him with even the popular vote.
by wishingwell on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:43:30 AM PDT
I do not believe there is a Kennedy who is afraid of anything. They are risk takers with a lot of courage.
That is why Teddy's silence surprises me but I will never believe Ted is afraid of anything.
I mean look at his family history, look at his history, fear never comes to mind with that family.
by wishingwell on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:41:41 AM PDT
and see there is a very longshot Hillary will pull this out. Besides, Kennedy has the ability to influence a lot of superdelegates as he is well respected in Democratic circles. I have never known a Kennedy to be afraid of anything!
by wishingwell on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:39:52 AM PDT
that the complaints should go out not only to the news outlets but to the Dem stars as well, pressuring them to get involved.
"Your point. Their village." --Zhivago to Strelnikov
by ailanthus on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:11:41 AM PDT
Jessica Alba should be out front, the ones in those will.i.iam videos should be making another video, one showing only white, racist, hateful preachers. There are many to be found, and I could give many pointers as to where to look here in Al.
I do not like seeing Obama alone defending himself and nobody comes to his aid. This is chickensh!t, I saw it with Dean, then Kerry and now Obama.
by meatwad420 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:15:18 AM PDT
making another video, one showing only white, racist, hateful preachers.
What is needed far more than that is video showing all that is good about Trinity UCC, full of smiling faces. What is needed are testimonials and stories from those Southside community members that Wright and Trinity UCC have helped. Positive, happy, feel-good, hopeful images and stories even in the midst of the Southside's troubles will be far better at countering the images of hate and rage that have been endlessly looped.
by Foodle on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:48:47 AM PDT
and believe that anything from the Obama campaign should focus on what is right with Trinity UCC.
My militant side wants radicals to make the video not affiliated with the Obama campaign, I guess a 527 I suppose.
by meatwad420 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:26:43 AM PDT
Hillary will be swiftboated too.
by lookit on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:32:54 AM PDT
All he has done the past 8 years is enable Bush and the rethugs. From Iraq to the economy. He is a major dweeb.
One of the real downsides of a Clinton admin would be to see Stepinpoopoo and the other cast of Clinton clowns back in the spotlight. Jesus what a nightmare that would be. What a group of incompetents from Stepinpoopoo to Reno.
by shigeru on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 01:31:23 PM PDT
Why are they featuring the incendiary remarks of Jeremiah Wright and ignoring those of Rod Parsley or John Hagee?
Because Wright is not just some supporter, he is Obama's pastor of 20 years. I have been continually saying, and pretty much rejected and ignored, but this is playing far differently outside of DK.
And because Wright has not just said what some consider racist remarks, he has said what most (outside of here) consider anti-American remarks. The latter is what most people are concerned with. Some see Obama as tacticly agreeing with the anti American stuff because "to remain silent is to agree". Right or wrong, some people are thinking...hmmm, first time proud of my country, no flag pin, pic of Obama with hands folded while everyone else has their hands over their hearts, hate speech/anti American speech from his pastor....connecting the dots.....
That is how a lot of people are looking at it. One thing I heard also is that some white people feel they were being blamed for how Wright feels and most are sick of what they perceive as blacks not accepting responsibility for their own problems. Couple of things I feel he could have said that would have negated that, is the huge percentage of black women having children out of wedlock. The quickest way to raise a child in poverty is to not have a father in the home. The second would have been to acknowledge that too many blacks look at successful blacks as "acting white". Wright implied that with his name calling of Condi Rice and Colon Powell.
I have listened and put a lot of thought into this post, so all you that want to thank me for my "concern" just don't. These are valid points I have raised and the polls are proving that these concerns are real to the American voter.
by AJsMom on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:48:28 AM PDT
You make very good points. Yet just because Wright is Obama's pastor, that doesn't make Obama responsible for every word that comes out of Wright's mouth. This is Swiftboating by proxy, and will be pushed by Republicans because it's their only line of attack so far.
But even Wright's phrase "God damn America" is being taken out of context. The context is Biblical, and America is damned to Wright because of the killing of innocents. That is a defensible position, though I don't think Obama should be the one defending it. It's up to us and others in the media world to point out that America isn't perfect, that we have a lot to think about and answer for, and that pretending this isn't so isn't true patriotism.
The unquestioning, yellow-magnet jingoism the Right loves isn't patriotism to us, but that doesn't make us unpatriotic. Lying us into a war we shouldn't be fighting, and not taking care of the victims of that war when they come back home -- that is unpatriotic. We need to grab the flag back from the jingoists, and that's one more difficult battle whose time has come.
by Dallasdoc on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:59:04 AM PDT
Unfortunately, not a lot of people are nuanced thinkers. They perceive things literally. And the media knows this, and exploits it. AJsMom names it exactly.
"The state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation." - Pierre Trudeau
by fishhead on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:30:13 AM PDT
We need to grab the flag back from the jingoists, and that's one more difficult battle whose time has come.
Yes! Yes and Yes!
by wishingwell on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:45:22 AM PDT
jingoist
Free Dictionary:
flag-waver, hundred-percenter, jingo, patrioteer, chauvinist
jin·go·ism
Extreme nationalism characterized especially by a belligerent foreign policy; chauvinistic patriotism.
For all those who are writing today. :)
by Caneel on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 08:27:42 AM PDT
I don't understand how anyone who actually watched or read the speech could think that whites were being blamed. Obama noted that there is a good reason for whites to feel unfairly branded as "racists" when they talk about legitimate concerns, like busing, or crime, or affirmative action. Of course people can't be held responsible for the history of racism and oppression. But they can be held responsible, as can blacks, and Latinos, and Asians, and Native Americans etc. for not working to overcome racial divisions.
It's like Iraq: we didn't drive the bus into the ditch, but someone still needs to get it out.
And that "someone" is the people of the US, no matter what color or gender or sexual orientation we are. If we really want to improve things and get past our divisions, we have to avoid the blame game and work together.
Why are we so willing to measure Wright according to his worst, angriest, decontextualized statements? Thank God no one follows me around when I'm in a temper and posts little clips of things I've said on YouTube or on a newsloop. I'm sure that, out of context, I've said "anti-American" or inflammatory things that don't represent who am or what I believe, and I'd hate to be defined by them.
Obama's pastor is not the angry black man we keep seeing on TV. He's a complex, intelligent man who has real reasons to critique the US. We can't compare that to the "agents of intolerance" -- what oppression have they experienced at the hands of lesbians and gays that explains their hatred? I think choosing to associate with them is a deeper stain than a 20 year relationship with a man whose actions show him to be a man of God.
by loralei on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 07:45:10 AM PDT
to the offenders this would be. You put the personal into it.
I'd add a request to
