Linda Chavez posted a thoughtful essay over at RealClearPolitics yesterday comparing the way the press has treated Sarah Palin and Barack Obama. “The biggest story to emerge from the Republican National Convention,” she wrote in “The Unexamined Life,” “was the media’s effort to destroy Gov. Sarah Palin.”
So far, that effort has failed, indeed backfired spectacularly. Let me count the ways. Most voters think it is pretty poor form for the media to mount a full-court-press “investigative journalist” “the-public-has-a-right-to-know” strike against Palin’s 17-year-old daughter. Most people think that there are limits to that sort of thing and that there are plenty of cases–this being one–where the children of candidates have the public’s right to No. Then there is the penumbra of vitriolic hatred from the Left that surrounded the media’s feeding frenzy. Mark Steyn published a memorable example over at NRO from a chap in Shelton, Washington:
This abortion prohibitionist hag won’t cut it among women with brains. And BTW she is a good example of reproduction run amok. 5 kids; 1 retard. I wonder if the bitch ever heard of getting spayed.
The answer to that last question, I’d guess, is No, but I reckon that is immaterial. He wasn’t writing for information. He was writing to make a point and communicate an emotion, both of which he did with what you might call hermeneutical transparency. You know where you stand with Anonymous from Shelton, Washington, which is a start.
Chavez documents more of the same and wonders–in approximately the same rhetorical sense as Mark Steyn’s correspondent–why the media, which has lavished such intense personal curiosity on Palin, her husband, and her children, has displayed such reticence about Barck Obama’s past. The fact that Mr. Palin was cited for DUI in 1986 is dragged out and displayed as evidence of grievous moral failing and, by implication, the political unworthiness of his wife. But what about Obama’s drug use? In his memoir, Obama acknowledges that, as a teenager, he indulged in marijuana, alcohol and “maybe a little blow when you could afford it.” But why hasn’t that admission been followed up on by the bloodhounds of the Fourth Estate? What if it came to light that Sarah Palin had used “maybe a little” cocaine some time in her past? Do you think the press would erect a discreet border labeled noli me tangere around the issue as they have done for Obama? Fat chance.
Chavez ends her post with the observation that “it will be a test of the media’s integrity to see if they devote as much time delving into Sen. Obama’s drug use as they did into Bristol Palin’s sex life.” Personally, I believe that the full story of Obama’s relations with folks like Tony Rezko, Bill Ayers, and Jeremiah Wright is likely to be far more troubling than his teenage (but was it only teenage?) use of drugs. But we’re unlikely to get to the bottom of all that before the election unless Stanley Kurtz has some rapid breakthroughs, which he might. Even then, though, one wonders what the media at large would make of the revelations.
Perhaps the most revealing item in Chavez’s post, however, came from Obama himself. The fact of the media’s love affair with “the one we’ve been waiting for” is by now an established given. But why? What is it about Obama that has so captivated the media? Why, for example, do they not take a more robust interest in finding out and reporting on who he is, where he has come from, what he has said and done? A large part of the answer, I suspect, lies in Barack Obama’s possession of what I think of as the Higher Oleaginousness. To my mind, it’s his most conspicuous gift. Recalling in his memoir how he dealt with his mother when she confronted him about drug and alcohol use in high school, he confides a bit about his methods: “I had given her a reassuring smile and patted her hand and told her not to worry, I wouldn’t do anything stupid. It was usually an effective tactic, another of those tricks I had learned: People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves.”
It worked on Mrs. Obama. It worked on the mainstream media. How much longer will it work on the voting public? We’ll soon have a chance to find out.
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85 Comments
1. lenf:I think the MSM consider him malleable. As does the DNC, the speaker of the house, the senate majority leader and a long list of foreign heads of state. They want nothing more than to manipulate him and the office they hope that he will hold.
Sep 6, 2008 - 3:58 pm 2. Nine-of-Diamonds:Excellent point. By selecting someone with little experience, not only does the party’s left wing get to present him as a “breath of fresh air”. They also get someone who, as a patently unqualified candidate for the office, will be forced to delegate a substantial amount of authority to others. This translates into broad powers for whoever is a cabinet member or administrative agenct appointee. On Wretchard’s blog I already commented on the fact that Obama seemed to have a pretty blinkered outlook as a law “professor” - one NYT story painted a portrait of a grievance-mongering neophyte well versed in the race-class-gender holy trinity but with a casual knowledge of legal principles that do not touch on social “hot button” issues. (Of course, the NYT put a positive spin on it). A lawyer-turned-president with a couple decades of experience as a partner or at least a senior associate might be able to tell when his advisors are circumventing his authority. A few years teaching professional victimhood and light duties as an associate do not turn someone into an effective leader (especially when it comes to those with big egos who are smarter and arguably more qualified for the job Obama wants). In my opinion O exerts a fanatical pull on the Dem rank & file that doesn’t really translate into executive command. IMO one of GW Bush’s major failings has been an inability to confront subordinates and agencies when they try to slip their leashes. It’s not comforting to see another inexperienced presidential candidate who seems to have the same flaw.
Sep 6, 2008 - 5:16 pm 3. Forbes:The Shelton, WA e-mailer used hag and bitch in just one paragraph. But no worry, he’s not sexist. The Left is permanently free of sexism–pure as the driven snow in terms of respect and equality towards all men and women. Just ask them, they’ll tell you.
Sep 6, 2008 - 5:29 pm 4. Michael Lonie:nine-of-Diamonds,
I agree about Bush. He had years of experience as governor of Texas and previous experience in business, experience that Obama does not have.
Bush’s problem, as I see it, is that he lacked the ruthlessness to be a wartime President. The Duke of Alba (d. 1582) commented, from bitter personal experience: “Kings use men like oranges. They squeeze out the juice and throw away the rind.” It comes with the job. Presidents must do that too, when necessary. If you look closely at them, the great Presidents had that streak of ruthlessness. Bush does not have that in him. It makes him a more amiable person, but a less effective President.
It’s a shame Donald Rumsfeld never became President. Henry Kissinger, who ought to know, referred to him as the most ruthless man he, Kissinger, had ever met. He meant it as a compliment. When you consider some of the people whom Kissinger had met…wow.
Sep 6, 2008 - 5:34 pm 5. ligneus:lenf hits the nail on the head but in addition the left in general did get deranged by the losses of Gore and Kerry and cannot stand the thought of another of theirs losing to a dumb Republican. The will do anything, even destroy their own credibility to prevent that happening. It’s a sickness and there is no treatment, we just have to keep winning, maybe eventually they’ll collapse into ineffective whimpering heaps. Oh wait, they’re that now.
Sep 6, 2008 - 6:35 pm 6. marymcl:~ “In my opinion O exerts a fanatical pull on the Dem rank & file that doesn’t really translate into executive command.” ~
I find it harder and harder to fathom just what it is that Obama wants (apart from winning the election), and it’s just possible he doen’t know himself. Nevertheless, his effect on many people is very like Tolkien’s description of the power of Saruman’s voice -
“…Those who listened unwarily to that voice could seldom report the words that they heard: and if they did, they wondered, for little power remained in them. Mostly they remembered only that it was a delight to hear the voice speaking, all that it said seemed wise and reasonable, and desire awoke within them by swift agreement to seem wise themselves…”
Sep 6, 2008 - 8:47 pm 7. John N. Frary:The salient facts:
PALIN; Warmly admired by the residents of Wasilla.
OBAMA: Warmly admired by the residents of Hyde Park.
PALIN: A successful contender against the corrupt, self-serving Alaskan GOP establishment.
OBAMA: A succesfful Chicago politician.
PALIN: Drill here, drill now.
OBAMA: Well, uh, maybe under certain conditions—let’s study the matter.
PALIN: Husband got tagged once for DUI at age 22 (once? what a wimp!)
OBAMA: Sat through 20 years of racist ranting and he never noticed anything amiss.
There is more, but that is enough.
Sep 7, 2008 - 1:17 am 8. Pajamas Media » Palin Scrutinized - Obama Gets a Pass:[...] Read the entire piece here. [...]
Sep 7, 2008 - 1:34 am 9. Ed Wallis:Kimball, “Personally, I believe that the full story of Obama’s relations with folks like Tony Rezko, Bill Ayres, and Jeremiah Wright is likely to be far more troubling than his teenage (but was it only teenage?) use of drugs.”
NOT JUST “far more troubling”, but MORE RELEVANT to the SELECTION OF THE NEXT PRESIDENT.
I do NOT want a President who is friends with
* A CROOK
Sep 7, 2008 - 2:16 am 10. jvsp:* AN UNREPENTANT DOMESTIC TERRORIST and
* AN ANTI-AMERICAN RACIST MENTOR.
What Obama wants:
Obama is a black nationalist with an agenda to undermine the Constitution. In reading the intellectually impoverished literature of black liberation theology one finds a bitter and racist perspective that shows, as Wright has demonstrated, an overt disdain for America and the “white devil”. The church which Obama “left” out of political expediency recently awarded Farrakan a lifetime achievement award.
Then, factor in Ayers… well, he’s no worry, mainstreamed, given that Bill Clinton issued a pardon of three convicted Weather Underground members while he plundered the grand “white” mansion as he vacated his office.
we might add, has there been any investigative reporting into his financial sponsors?
As for the MSM, it has been and remains, as is “higher” education, a bastion for the radical left. Just as Ayers has been instrumental in shaping education from his University position (a “community organizer”), so too is the press in shaping the evermore malleable citizen’s view of politics.
The former president of the Harvard Law Review, enjoys his credentials (a garland of vacuities) even though Obama failed to publish, and, so far as it stands, seems to have never been offered a clerkship. Indeed, who would want this blithering idiot? Half the Nation.
Sep 7, 2008 - 3:40 am 11. Eagle Eye:I really can’t see how Obama could be trusted with TOP SECRET INFORMATION. The members of the media, congress, and senate that have let out information in the past is just inexcusible. Where is the exrensive background check on Obama’s past by the FBI and hopefully the CIA. Most people could not obtain the clearance needed to be POTUS with his associations with Rezko, Ayers, or Wright for that matter.
Sep 7, 2008 - 5:13 am 12. TomP:Obama is the MSM’s new boy. Jesse and Al are getting a little long of tooth and have lost their glow. Obama messed up with Biden - should’a picked P. Diddy. That would have been a grand slam at NBC.
Sep 7, 2008 - 5:59 am 13. Marina:TO: John N. Frary:
OBAMA: A succesfful Chicago politician.
Great! Now tell me why the DNC has desperately tried to hide the results of the Illinois voting? Twice “not ready yet” and then, OMG, the ACCLAMATION: everything to hide the fact that Illinois didn’t vote for Obama. What a great success! Sarah has the 80-90% support in Alaska. Obama wasn’t wanted by his own state, where they know him already! Success? LOL LOL LOL LOL
And after all, isn’t “a successful Chicago politician” a euphemism for “a very corrupt one?”. In this case I agree with you.
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:17 am 14. 888:jvsp, great question you ask — “who would want this blithering idiot?” Groupthink has taken over “half the nation”. It’s Orwellian, it’s pervasive, it’s scary and it’s dangerous. People are worshipping him as if truly he is some kind of messiah — the next Great White Hope. And if you publicly show that you support McCain or if you dare to question Obama’s sordid history or qualifications, whether in a blog or face-to-face with an Obama-supporting colleague, friend or, in my case, my brother, those emotionally tied to him can’t handle the situation. Automatically, it’s like, how dare you question anything about him. Next, you’re in for open warfare — insults, lies and distortions of Palin and McCain are hurled at you from all corners, instead of talking intelligently about policy, character, judgment or qualification differences or issues.
I was at the airport a few weeks ago, and I was reading Obama Nation in full view of passersby and passengers waiting for their flight. Clear as day, people who are emotionally attached to Obama were looking at me with the dirtiest of looks, especially African-Americans. The same thing happened on the streets of blue-state Hawaii when I was wearing a McCain cap or a McCain tee-shirt (I was in Honolulu the same week Obama was vacationing there). The hotel front desk would say ‘Aloha’ to everyone except me as I walked in with my McCain cap on. (In the interest of full disclosure lest readers proclaim me some kind of racist, I am an Asian female.) These worshippers are in an irrational, illogical and unreasonable state of euphoria and fascination, and nothing we say or do will change their minds about him.
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:34 am 15. notutopia:Watch him carefully when he speaks. He postures himself like a camouflaged pillar of strength, but then the truth besieges him and gives him away with his stammering for “a” and “um” and the more than frequent long stalls that occurs in his brain while consciously searching it’s limited library of information for the correct word. There is no flow of natural honest spontaneity in his replies to questions or personal self assurance in his demeanor or speech or his flip flopping on major issues. He’s “present” but doesn’t fully know what to do with that presence. He will be a capable actor in the shoes of the presidency for those that have bought his way to that podium. He’ll also have to pay them back, that’s politics.
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:44 am 16. BobNC:We also need to examine whether Obama is oris not a Muslim and if he is not, when and where he made that decision.
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:46 am 17. boqueronman:Mohammed’s horse, the one that carried him from Jerusalem to heaven, was named “Barack.” Thus, Obama is the “bringer or carrier of Mohammed.”
Now, maybe Obama doesn’t see himself as such but his father, a practising Muslim with multiple wives, certainly did. It was the intent that Obama would be a Muslimand, in fact, in many parts of the world, he would automatically be assumed to take his father’s religion.
That is one reason Obama’s birth certificate is important. Next is an answer to why Obama never rejected his first Muslim name and changed it, say to an alias he sometimes used, “Barry.”
We know so little about this guy and the media is giving him a bye on every blank page.
A question which has come to mind: Is this guy, Obama, the political equivalent of Dexter (without the actual murders)? Well, anyway, probably one reason the public is not offered any information about him is that he hasn’t done anything. Therefore, there are no “results” to scrutinize and criticize. And, as retired bureaucrat, I can safely say that if you have worked, aside from teaching, in a committee-fied organizational structure, there is little or no paper trail pointing directly at you. Thus, for the press to uncover anything useful they would have to find the shadows of the puppets, track back to the puppets, and discover who is manipulating the puppets; all in the darkest of dark theater, the Democratic Chicago machine. A formidable task, one for which there are currently few intellectually capable, courageous, independent and energetic journalists who would be prepared to undertake it.
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:54 am 18. Chuck Pelto:TO: Roger Kimball, et al.
RE: Testing the Media
The test has already been done. And, if you’re interested in anything other than brain-washing, the Major So-called Media (MSM) has failed.
They’re GREAT at brain-washing. Since my mother-in-law has been staying with us, I’ve had occasion to watch television on a regular basis for the first time in 11 years. And I’m amazed at the efficient brain-washing going on vis-a-vis the political campaigning. The repetition. The colors. The sound bites. All VERY effective.
One of the reasons I’m glad I don’t watch television any more.
Then there are the outright lies.
Last Tuesday night, I watched and heard some talking-head cretin on NBC Nightly News tell an outright LIE; that President Bush was not going to address the RNC Convention. And WHY? Because of (1) Gustave and, more importantly, (2) his low ratings in the polls.
The Major So-called Media (MSM) is no longer worth the powder and shot to blow them to Hell.
RE: The Alternatives
I recommend the blogosphere. I get better information there than anywhere else I’ve come across.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 7, 2008 - 7:58 am 19. exDemocrat:[Television is educational. Anytime someone turns one on, I go read a good book. -- Groucho Marx]
Just to nit about Todd Palin’s DUI: I believe it was even before they were married….making it even more irrelevant.
I hate the MSM….Pravda-USA
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:13 am 20. Carlos Echevarria:William Ayers
Jeremiah Wright
Frank Marshall Davis
Saudi Prince Talaweel
The Daley Machine
Bernadette Dohrn
Larry Sinclar
Barack Obama, Sr.
Louis Farrakhan
Raila Odinga
Fidel Castro
Hugo Chavez
Mullahs in Iran
Kim Jong IL
Hamas
Hezbollah
UBL
Taliban
Putin
PRC
Wake up America, this guy isn’t even a real citizen, we don’t even know where his birth certificate is, his years in Indonesia as a Muslim, his Kenyan Sharia connections…
It is an affront to decency, to our Republic, to our way of life that this charlatan is even a national candidate for President.
Our Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves…
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:37 am 21. Javelino:So in other words, digging into Obama’s life and trashing his wife, connections, jobs and preacher are okay. Insinsuating he thnks he is a messiah and is trying to suppress my free speech in evern better as a pre-amble to another attack. But checking up on Sarah Palin, that is the ugly attack of the liberal media on God no less. Thanks Mr. Kimball, for another partisan screed.
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:39 am 22. Saltherring:“Who would want this blithering idiot?”
The answer: two groups:
(1) Those dependent on government; i.e., government employees, educators, union workers, welfare recipients, illegal aliens and criminals.
(2) Elitists having a vested interest in maintaining one or more elements of the status quo of (1); i.e., high-level government bureaucrats, tenured university professors seeking huge and superfluous research grants, union leadership, education (indoctrination) establishment, city social and government leadership, the mainstream news media and advocates for illegal immigrants/criminals/the “poor”.
The elitists have considerable interest in keeping their flocks intact and dependent on the crumbs big government tosses to them, thus the unequal partnership between elitists and the unwashed masses. Those listed in (2) desire power, accolades and public funding, and use (abuse) those listed in (1) to acquire such.
The missing element in groups (1) & (2) are (of course) private-sector working people, comprised of those who pay the tab of the bureaucratic elite and the welfare recipient. The more knowledgeable of the producive segment are Republicans and favor smaller government, lower taxes and fewer government handouts.
When voters in groups (1) & (2) outnumber the voters in the productive element of American society, the result will be an Obama in the White House and America, as we have known her, will cease to exist.
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:53 am 23. Sandra M:Excellent column, Mr. Kimball.
“The one we’ve been waiting for.”
“The chosen”
refer to Oprah’s Guru, Eckhart Tolle and his cult. HUMAN EVENTS has the story. According to Oprah, he is the “messiah” we’ve been waiting for. Now, I understand the “blissie” aspect of Obama’s acolytes.
boqueronman asks is there is a Dexter component? That subject of the sociopath as empathic master is brilliantly covered by Spengler in the Asia Times in his most two recent columns.
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:59 am 24. nick:irrevelant? that her husband is a drunk?
thats only the DUI he was caught
he drove drunk more than that!
are you saying G Bush 3 DUIs were only time he drove drunk?
Sep 7, 2008 - 9:11 am 25. jenna:Oh, yes, bring up a DUI — isn’t there a very prominent Democrat, and fervent Obama supporter, who had a teensy problem with driving drunk? What was the name of that place again?
Sep 7, 2008 - 9:42 am 26. 888:Oh yes, Chappaquidick (sp?).
Nick, Obama smoked weed, snorted coke and drank wildly. No comparison. Plus, remember, he’s running for president. Her husband isn’t running for anything. Totally irrelevant.
Saltherring, I have to clarify one thing from your comments: not all federal government employees or high-level federal bureaucrats support Obama. I’m one federal employee who cannot stand the guy, and many of my friends in the federal government also oppose Obama vehemently.
Sep 7, 2008 - 9:46 am 27. jenna:The media loves Barack because he’s a Bosco — the only thing Black about this guy is his skin; he is not part of the Black American experience as nothing from his past suggest anything of the sort. The perfect person to push a socialist agenda off on America — anytime anyone tries to find out what he’s really like, what he’s really about, where he’s really from they get burned with the label of “racist” (”uncle Tom racist” if they’re Black). Black American’s will vote for him because they have hope that he’ll raise their condition, that he really will be “one of them” (and so they’re getting fooled, it’ll be more of the same times ten for them) and white folks will vote for him because they don’t feel threatened by him like they are by Sharpton, Jackson, etc. (so they’re getting snookered).
Obama is an American Marxist dream canidate.
It’ll be taxation and big government nanny/police state for everyone. It will be the beginning of the end of America — a weakening of this country on the national and international levels.
Sep 7, 2008 - 9:52 am 28. Paul:And that’s why the media and the educational elite in this country love him so.
“…It’s a sickness and there is no treatment, we just have to keep winning, maybe eventually they’ll collapse into ineffective whimpering heaps. Oh wait, they’re that now.”
Oh, they’re doing anything but whimpering!! But I’m sure we all get your point. Thanks.
Sep 7, 2008 - 9:54 am 29. Sandra M:Chuck Pelto threw the baby out with the bathwater in adopting a snobby attitude towards TV that is all too familiar to me.
I read non-fiction books all the time and explore the blogosphere for hours a day, BUT my “weekend university” is C-Span’s BOOK TV which turns me on to authors and books my library gets for me each week. If a book is terrific, I buy it. I discovered Victor Davis Hanson on 9/15/01, and his talk that day in a Fresno bookstore surpassed whole semesters in college. In CARNAGE AND CULTURE, VDH wrote about 9 great battles including the Battle of Midway and the battle of Rorke’s Drift. I watch the films MIDWAY and ZULU to help me visualize better, and the HISTORY channels do a pretty good job of recreations of these battles and two favorites of mine, which show in war as in real estate the importance in war of location, location, location. The 300 Spartans at Thermopylae and the Romans who had been beaten back by Boadicea the warrior queen until they found the perfect spot in which to make a stand, as opposed to Spartacus with his back to the sea and idiot John Kennedy’s CHANGING the site of battle to the Bay of Pigs with the same problem. That’s what makes a militarily inexperienced Commander in Chief so dangerous.
For two years when I couldn’t read the printed page, C-Span saved my sanity and taught me what I needed to know to later run the Reform Party effort in my town, as well as civics, history, political science, economics and much, much more.
I never watch local or network news since I have to avoid stress and agree with Dr. Andrew Weil that watching late night news is bad for your health.
Classic movies on TCM, and British mysteries on PBS.
THE UNIT presents the Delta Force fighting terrorists, so did JAG and currently NCIS. I still watch LAW AND ORDER but have given up on two shows originally labelled as “Sherlock Holmes for the 21st century”. The original CSI and HOUSE which seems to have decided that House’s sadism towards subordinates sold better than the brilliant diagnostic skill modelled on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s genius professor, Dr. Joseph Bell, about whom PBS did a TV series with a young Doyle as assistant. Dr Bell taught medical diagnostics to the generations which made “Harley Street” a synonym for brilliant medical practice.
My point is that after discovering that only I had watched Olivier’s superb KING LEAR on CBS, I inquired of a bookstore owner and snobs at a Mensa party what they had been doing that night? Watching football and other unintellectual nonsense. I despise the ignorance of TV snobs. You’re better than that, Chuck.
Last night I watched a one hour biography of Sarah Palin, hosted by Greta Van Sustern on the Fox News Channel. It will be on again today at 5pm PDT and 8pm EDT.
Sep 7, 2008 - 9:54 am 30. BackwardsBoy:Has anyone from the MSM bothered to visit some of the buildings in Chicago that were supposed to benefit from The Vapid One’s organization of the community?
Sep 7, 2008 - 10:02 am 31. Laurel Bee:No?
They’re all up in Alaska?
Hmmm, interesting.
They obviously have the time and resources to do some investigating for once.
Are you kidding me? I would hardly say that Obama has gotten a free pass on everything. For weeks there was nothing but stories about his church. For weeks there was nothing but stories about his wife. For weeks there was nothing but stories about his “guns” and “religion” comment. I think Palin is being vetted at least as hard as Obama was, but that’s all in fairness. McCain, on the other hand, has not been vetted nearly as much as either democratic candidate or Mrs. Palin. The media hammered Obama for specifics on the issues, which can be found at http://www.barackobama.com/issues/, while barely requiring McCain to comment on anything besides his POW experience and “love” for America.
Sep 7, 2008 - 10:16 am 32. Jack Herman:The Obama worship by the MSM is completely out of control. They fear digging into his past because they have suspicions of what they’ll find. No, not really. I’m sure they already know, but fear they can’t defend keeping it hidden so he can get elected. I just read a statement Obama made on ABC this morning regarding his Saddleback answer to abortion.
In the ABC interview, Obama goes on to give the answer he wishes he’d given: “What I do know is that abortion is a moral issue, that it’s one that families struggle with all the time. And that in wrestling with those issues, I don’t think that the government criminalizing the choices that families make is the best answer for reducing abortions.
“I think the better answer — and this was reflected in the Democratic platform — is to figure out, how do we make sure the young mothers, or women who have a pregnancy that’s unexpected or difficult, have the kind of support they need to make a whole range of choices, including adoption and keeping the child.
It’s taken him “HOW LONG?” to come up with this? If this is his normal reaction time, we can expect North Korea to invade the South and Russia will reclaim it’s Soviet Union former states before he decides there’s a problem diplomacy can’t handle.
Sep 7, 2008 - 10:23 am 33. Chuck Pelto:TO: Sandra M
RE: Wrong
I don’t submit myself to brain-washing. Nor do I let my alpha-waves drop to a minimum by watching television.
You’re welcome to your own addiction, babe. But I prefer to keep my mind a little clearer.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 7, 2008 - 10:27 am 34. Self-hating boomer:[Save yourself. Kill your television.]
Chuck(le) -
It’s not just the MSM. Phillis Chesler is spreading lies about Sarah Palin right here on PJM.
Sep 7, 2008 - 10:29 am 35. Self-hating boomer:I really don’t care who smoked what, and I don’t care who snorted what. What I do care about is what kool-aid they’re drinking.
Sep 7, 2008 - 10:31 am 36. Saltherring:888:
I had to chuckle at your comment, because I too am a retired federal employee. I retired in 2007 after 33 years, most spent as a design engineer and program manager at an undersea weapons laboratory. A significant portion of DOD’s engineering, technical and trades employees are conservative, many being ex-military. But, as we both know, most federal, state, county and municipal workers owe their existence (and therefore allegiance) to the socialist bureaucracy.
Sep 7, 2008 - 10:40 am 37. Chuck Pelto:TO: Self-Hating Boomer
RE: Phyllis Chesler vis-a-vis Palin
Oh….I’m VERY much aware of the miscreants running loose on the web. VERY MUCH AWARE.
But in many cases on the web, as opposed to the Boob Tube, I can readily smack them with a dose of reality.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 7, 2008 - 11:19 am 38. Chuck Pelto:[Advantage, new-media.]
TO: Self-hating Boomer
RE: Addictions — Other Than Television
Or the color of crayon they’re smoking. Or brand of chalk dust they’re snorting.
Maybe even what sort of suppository they’re sticking in their ears.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 7, 2008 - 11:21 am 39. L:[Drugs make thinks different.]
Obama claims he is taking the high road and not smearing McCain. Obama can take the high road as (Most) media are doing the smearing for him.
What I’d like to see is newspapers and/or magazines have 2 reports 1- who is supporting each party and report facts that can be backed up. Let the voter see what each canidate has done, has claimed to have done, what their real record is.
So that we can see what their views and history really are. Not just I promise this or I am for that. But backed up facts of where they really stand or have stood.
Just my 2 cents
Sep 7, 2008 - 11:49 am 40. Cletus:I watched bits and pieces of CNN’s “Obama Revealed” and I don’t remember hearing a word about Ayers, Rezko or any of his other shady connections. I didn’t watch the whole thing start to finish so I may have missed it. When I was watching McCain they talked about all his scandals. Keating 5, Cindy’s drug abuse, all sorts of shit. Obama wasn’t revealed at all.
They are doing Palin and Biden revealed next week. I bet it will be the same kind of shit. Biden will get a pass, while troopergate will be talked about endlessly as if it’s something that actually matters
Sep 7, 2008 - 12:08 pm 41. Chuck Pelto:TO: Sandra M
RE: [OT] The Boob Tube & Such; A Fisking
I get the same sort of information from the web. Without the commercial interruptions.
I look forward to it coming out on DVD. And….again….it will likely be without commercial interruption.
[Note: By the way. When I use the term ‘commercial interruption’, please, think ‘brain-washing.]
Midway was ‘okay’. The only thing I remember from watching it in a theater was that my first daughter kept kicking my first wife in her belly, every time the sub-woofers of Sensaround Sound kicked in, i.e., any largish explosion. [Note: I was attending Infantry Officers’ Basic Course at the time.] Something akin to, “Who the hell is making all that noise out there. I’m TRYING to get some SLEEP!
Glad to see you’re a student of history. I’ve got The 300 Spartans and Druids and a myriad of others in my DVD/VHS collections of over 3000 items. Along with Victory At Sea, A History of England and Why We Fight.
All of which are blessedly without ‘commercial interruption’.
Good for C-Span. Are they STILL without ‘commercial interruption’? I remember when TMC and others were without such. Then, somewhere in the late 90s, they began their own ‘commercial interruption’.
Good for you. But I avoid stress by not watching television at all. You’ve taken the first step to ending your addiction.
I have my own extensive collection of ‘classic movies’. And A good collection of British mysteries as well. All without ‘commercial interruption’.
Oh God! Don’t get me started on Delta Farce. I knew one of the officers who trained them. He was never really impressed. He even commented that the unit, as a whole, failed it’s final “We’re ready for anything” evaluation.
Then they went into Grenada and took 50% casualties at the hands of the Cubans.
Big whoop-te-do.
And this means ‘what’ to me?
And this means ‘what’ to me?
I can get Olivier on DVD. Without the benefit of ‘commercial interruption.
First off. I’m not sure of the significance of a ‘bookstore owner’ to you.
As for dealing with Ms, Most Ms are like most other people. I know some who are junkyard owners. I’ve known some who worked on putting the F18 into the air. I’ve known some who are the chief pathologist at a major hospital. I’ve known some who were staffers on the state supreme court.
I’ve done things with them from arguing Constitutional Law with a professor of Constitutional Law from Denver University; the professor lost. Something to do with failing to consider the Dredd Scott Decision in her argument.
I’ve been involved in barroom brawls with them; Denver Mensa Best Bars and Derelicts, SIG Coord was a largish junkyard owner/operator. Their claim to fame was that they had been thrown out of every bar they’d been in. I think I caused them to be thrown out of one in particular. Found a guy swiping tips off of the tables and put him in an arm-lock, head-down on a table full of spilt beer.
They’re only human. Like everyone else. They may have more than the average number of synapses to rub together, but they’re still subject to all the foibles of humanity.
Sooooo…..
….look who’s projecting about being a ‘snob’.
Good for them. However, I’m learning more precise information about her on the web.
And, without ‘commercial interruption’.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 7, 2008 - 12:11 pm 42. Chuck Pelto:[Scientists have located the area of the brain responsible for gullibility, and they now have a procedure to remove that section. However, the television industry has suppressed all information on the research. And the researchers have been ‘disappeared’.]
TO: Cletus
RE: Television as Brain-Washing
Thanks for proving my point to Sandra M.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[What they are telling you may be important. What they are NOT telling you may be VITAL. -- CBPelto]
P.S. An old colonel taught this, then young, captain, the truth of that in the mid-80s. I see the truth of it continues and is manifest in television.
Sep 7, 2008 - 12:23 pm 43. Rachel Peepers:Roger,
Ernie Pyle, George Killenberg, Carl Bernstein. Not just names. Names of great newspaper people. They’d dig like crawdads for the truth of their stories, and let the chips fall where they may.
But as far as the newspaper business works in 2008, honest, hard working, fair minded reporters mostly only inhabit the much smaller newsrooms of today.
Unlike papers such as the Washington Post NY Times and Chicago Tribune, they don’t possess the resources to really dig for a story.
Today’s big time editors and writers don’t want to discover the truth unless it serves their left leaning political agenda, especially when it comes to Presidential Politics.
In the Obama/McCain race, 90% of the major newspaper people, rather than trying to write the news, have a similar agenda to TV people like Brian Williams, Oprah and David Letterman, who are consciously trying to elect Barack.
Which is why they won’t dig for information that puts Obama in a bad light. Conversely, they’ll rush like a gold miner in 1849 to find facts that put Republicans like Sarah Palin in the worst light possible. Dan Rather pushed his anti-Republican obsession so far, he got caught making up the news. And became an embarrassment that made him expendable.
Folks, unfortunately, fairness, honesty and truth, for the most part, have been relegated to the back burner of the large newspaper business. In fact, the light of truth is so dim sometimes you wonder if it’s still burning.
Stories about Obama’s cocaine use? When he last smoked? If he’d pass a drug test today?
What he heard in the pews when Wright was spewing his hate? How much money he was responsible for spreading around to terrorist groups headed by Bill Ayers? I could go on and on with questions the American public deserves an answer to.
The harsh truth is: the mainstream media isn’t the slightest bit interested in finding out anything negative about Barack Obama. They’re interested in electing him.
Think somebody like Maureen Dowd wants to find negative things out about Obama? What she cares about is getting invited to the brown eyed handsome man’s victory celebration.
An invitation to disaster.
Sep 7, 2008 - 12:44 pm 44. ZEITGEIST:[...] ROGER KIMBALL on media scrutiny and double standards about privacy. [...]
Sep 7, 2008 - 12:47 pm 45. Rubicon:Vetting Obama has not been complete. In fact, there are specific stories about Obama thathave been ignored or even supressed. Lets face it, the Rezko connection needs to be revealed. The Ayers connection needs revealed. The connections to “community organizer” organizations. Organizations whose goals are to create a socialist society, while pretending they support the free market, etc. are not what most Americans percieve to be community organizing. Most think of it more in the helping the poor get fed, clothed, housed, job training, etc. That is NOT the
Sep 7, 2008 - 12:48 pm 46. David Warner:“organizing” Obama was involved in.
Obama brings his family on stage, & they are fetted as wonderful. Palin brings hers out & the media says, “they are fair game.”
Those areas about Obama that have not been fully vetted, reveal character flaws many shoud know about.
BUT, if the media is reluctant to investigate these issues, just what other issues are the media not even mentioning, not even looking at, in fact, whatother are they suppressing?
What the public has learned about Obama’s most undesirable connections, came form the Internet. The “media” only followed up, and even then only superficially, when they could no longer act as though such connections did not exist. In depth, especially on the scale they have investigated Palin, never got off the ground.
The media knew about John Edwards. They had a convienient excuse to ignore that story. After all, it could not be serious if “the National Enquirer” was reporting it. Right?
BUT, it turns out in what is surely a case of significant irony, that “the National Enquirer” was absolutely correct! Still the media only “looked into it.” They never followed up until the National Enquirer reported that they had photo’s of Edwards hiding in a hotel room. They had evidence Edwards was in various hotels overnight, but not on the register. Or, he was on the register but his lady was not, but she was still inthe hotel overnight!
The point is, there are issues about Obama connections & activities that have not been investigated, but o nly mentioned.
Palin’s connections have been completely investigated & in only a two to three week period.
Micheal Lonie:
“If you look closely at them, the great Presidents had that streak of ruthlessness. Bush does not have that in him. It makes him a more amiable person, but a less effective President.”
‘When a man is made up wholly of the dove, without the least grain of the serpent in his composition, he becomes ridiculous in many circumstances of life, and very often discredits his best actions.’
- Joseph Addison
Sep 7, 2008 - 12:58 pm 47. The Wide Awake Cafe » Another Weak and Feeble Woman?:[...] Kimball writes that Obama’’s Higher Oleaginousness keeps questioners in the media at bay. If that is all it takes for the media to treat Obama with kid [...]
Sep 7, 2008 - 1:21 pm 48. Ellen Curry:The one thing the right wing has learned to do so effectively in the last 25 years is build a straw man and knock it to smithereens. Here, the straw man is this “chap” in “Shelton,” who ostensibly represents why people on the left (and a lot of people in the middle but apparently none on the right) are aghast that a person with absolutley no discernible qualification to be president, indeed whose name none of us even KNEW two weeks ago, and who apparently is refusing to take any questions about her qualification, could be the next president of the United States in six months time. The truth that none of you care to address (hence your ongoing debate with the nonexistent “chap” from nowhere) is that Sarah Palin is grossly unqualified to be Vice President. Is it true that she got her first passport 2 years ago and has been out of the country just once? That she attended 5 different colleges in as many years before she got a degree? And that her main qualification is that she was mayor of a town of 6000 people in Alaska? No wonder they are keeping her underwraps. No one on the left gives a rat’s ass about her daughter, or who the father of any of her children is. Personally, I couldn’t care less if the cat dragged in baby Treg. You can just keep on inventing all of the “chaps” you want who purportedly say differently. John McCain has dishonored himself by naming a person who everyone, including all of you if you’ll stop lying for just one minute, know is not qualified to be president on day one. Also, is every right wing blog populated by as big a bunch of whiners as this one? Boo Hoo, the “MSM” aren’t investigating allegations that Obama was supposed to be the 5th hijacker on the plane that crashed into the pentagon . . . . . . Sheesh!
Sep 7, 2008 - 1:43 pm 49. Gilligan:Personally, I believe that the full story of Obama’s relations with folks like Tony Rezko, Bill Ayres, and Jeremiah Wright is likely to be far more troubling than his teenage (but was it only teenage?) use of drugs. But we’re unlikely to get to the bottom of all that before the election unless Stanley Kurtz has some rapid breakthroughs, which he might. Even then, though, one wonders what the media at large would make of the revelations.
I don’t wonder about it at all. I know that the media will do everything in their power to hide that information. There are some people who believe that the media is objective and evenhanded. There are some people who believe that professional wrestling is not scripted ahead of time.
Sep 7, 2008 - 2:26 pm 50. bucko36:I see the “pillars” of BHO’s Roman like popularity crumbling before my eyes. He is at his dooms’day.
Sep 7, 2008 - 2:33 pm 51. Uli Pele:Noooo. There’s a huge difference.
Obama faces the media, and Palin hides from the meda. The public sees the truth in Obama’s words and ideas, but are left to guess what Palin is thinking. In her head. Right now.
Obama answers tough questions; Palin avoids questions and instead sticks to scripted talking points written by somebody else b/c the republican party is terrified of what will come out of Sarah Palin’s mouth if she has to take a tough question, think of an answer and then say it without sounding too offensive.
The last time Palin did an interview with a credible news outlet (Newsweek), she accused Hillary of whining about the media. Now all republicans do is whine about the largely conservative-owned media. Now she’s eating crow.
It’s all on pelerising.blospot
Sep 7, 2008 - 3:07 pm 52. Nine-of-Diamonds:“Boo Hoo, the “MSM” aren’t investigating allegations that Obama was supposed to be the 5th hijacker on the plane that crashed into the pentagon . . . . . . Sheesh!”
This from someone who came here to lecture “the right” about using strawman arguments.
Ms Curry’s consistency is admirable.
Strange, isn’t it, that the supporters of such a “well qualified” and “post partisan” candidate are so frantic to stifle even basic inquiries into his background. If McCain had launched his political career at Willis Carto’s home or if he’d sat in a Christian Identity church for 20 years I would start to wonder what these past associations could tell us about his likely behavior in the future. It’s sad that many people on the opposite side of the political spectrum won’t hold their candidates to a similar standard.
What is the extent of O’s relationship with Bill Ayers?
How did Obama and his subordinates decide who would receive funding from the Annenberg Challenge? Is there a reason why some of the recipients have radical/Maoist inclinations, or is it all just a coincidence?
Why did he suppress information about his father’s Communist leanings in his autobiographies?
Was Obama too ignorant to understand the radicalism of Reverend Wright’s philosophy? Did he agree with it? Or was he just too cowardly to confront him until Wright began to tarnish his image as a “post racial” candidate? (I will give SOME of the MSM a little credit for devoting attention to this story).
Answers to these trivial questions will have to wait. As Mr. Kimball pointed out, our betters in the media have more important stories to cover. Oddly enough, said stories always seem to whitewash O’s radicalism or portray the Palins negatively. I wonder why.
Sep 7, 2008 - 3:31 pm 53. Tout D. Suite:The inability or unwillingness of the Left to respect the difference between the public and private affairs of the Presidential candidates is utterly stunning.
Obama’s wife Michelle gave campaign speeches on behalf of her husband during the primaries. In doing so, she became a public figure. She became fair game for criticism.
Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Wright, was already a public figure, not only in Chicago but nationally as well. He has spoken out many times on many social and political issues and continues to do so. He is a public figure and fair game for criticism.
Gov. Palin’s spouse and children never (to my knowledge) gave a campaign speech to promote her selection as John McCain’s running mate. And as far as I am aware, they never injected themselves into the current Presidential election campaign prior to that event. Before they were involuntarily thrust into the public limelight, they were private figures. They were not fair game for the vicious attacks that were launched against them by the political Left.
The hypocrisy of the Left in this matter is further evidence that such people lack common sense and common decency. Have they no shame?
Sep 7, 2008 - 3:37 pm 54. Chuck Pelto:TO: All
RE: Ellen Curry & Perceptions On Reality
Yeah….
….and the ‘Surge’ was an abysmal failure.
’nuff said.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 7, 2008 - 4:17 pm 55. Sandra M:[The idea that ‘image is everything’, breaks down where the tread meets the pavement. — CBPelto
Chuckies:
“”I’ve been involved in barroom brawls with them; Denver Mensa Best Bars and Derelicts, SIG Coord was a largish junkyard owner/operator. Their claim to fame was that they had been thrown out of every bar they’d been in. I think I caused them to be thrown out of one in particular. Found a guy swiping tips off of the tables and put him in an arm-lock, head-down on a table full of spilt beer.”
to further quote you “and that means what to me?”
There are NO commercial interruptions on C-Span nor on TCM.
I use commercial interruptions to read books or magazines or my laptop. Have been doing so for years.
What you call “the boob tube” is merely a DELIVERY SYSTEM like the computer, as a famous French film maker once pointed out. It took many years and the advent of Google, etc. before the computer rivalled C-Span as a source of knowledge..
My 3000 book addiction vs. your 3000 DVD addiction. My book collection, post-it-taped and underlined makes knowledge more accessible to me than your collection of DVD’s.
Sandra
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:00 pm 56. Malaskan:[People ask me: "Why do you bother responding to these people. I answer: "Why do people visit zoos?]
- paraphrase of H. L. Mencken
Okay, people, it is time to come clean. Admit it. Barack Obama would make a brilliant President…..of Harvard University.
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:13 pm 57. Tout D. Suite:@Ellen Curry: As someone likely to vote Republican, I will answer your challenge and admit that I believe Gov. Palin is unqualified to be President on day one. Except that, of course, she is running as the VP candidate for the Republicans, not the Presidential candidate. And to the same extent that Gov. Palin is unqualified to be President on day one, so in my opinion is the Democratic candidate for President, Senator Obama. Would you be willing to admit that the choice of Senator Biden as as the Democratic VP candidate is tacit admission of Obama’s weakness in foreign affairs? If you’ll stop lying for a minute, would you be willing to admit to having some reservations about Sen. Obama’s qualifications for the higher office?
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:15 pm 58. Chuck Pelto:TO: Sandra M
RE: The Meaning of It All
Probably something beyond your ken, based on your inability to recognize the truth of the matter that high IQ doesn’t necessarily mean someone is a ’snob’.
However, I’ll point out to you, as I’ve pointed out to others….
….there IS such a think as ‘projection’.
As to what that means in YOUR case?
Well….
….maybe you should research ’snob’ and ‘projection’.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
P.S. The 3000 DVD/VHS collection is in a library along with about 3000 books.
What’s your point?
Sep 7, 2008 - 6:58 pm 59. Sandra M:To: Chuckie
I never said that high IQ correlated with being a snob. I referred to “tv snobs” frequently found in Mensa who claim to be above watching KING LEAR on TV and one thinks perhaps they are rereading the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and finds instead that they are watching football — or, in your case, getting sodden in a bar. Not a great way to protect your Alpha waves.
I admit to being a snob, especially with respect to louts who refer to me as “babe”.
Regards,
Sandra
Sep 7, 2008 - 7:51 pm 60. JMS:If I promise to miss you, will you please go away?
Not sure this is relevant to the discussion above, but take a look at this article.
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/obama_sutton_saudi/2008/09/03/127490.html?s=al&promo_code=692E-1
Who is Barack Obama? Who are his friends? Who are his backers? Does it matter to you? Does it matter to him???? We all have to decide this on Nov. 4th.
I know who McCain and Palin are. The MSM has done a great job of giving me the worst they can do to Palin, and I’m still a big fan (even as a independent voting registered democrat). I think that’s the trouble the media is having understanding why their smear campaign isn’t working and why the republican ticket has now surpassed Obama/Biden. By the way, Biden? Hello? Could Obama have that big an ego that he couldn’t share the historic nature of his campaign with a running mate who would also make history? I can’t vote for an ego. I need a leader. If the democrats could just come up with a viable candidate who didn’t think there were 57 states in this country or that he could possibly be president for 8-10 years, I might think about voting with my party. Until then, I can’t help but admire the party that understands the people of this country and the principles on which it was founded. Who wants to place bets on Biden leaving the ticket to make room for Hillary before the end of September?
Sep 7, 2008 - 7:57 pm 61. nick:weakness? his judgement on foreign affairs is MUCH better than John mccains.
obama picked Biden for someone who could step in his shoes, Biden Voted wrong on IRaq
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:31 pm 62. nick:Palins Spouse was one invovled in troopergate
Then he is fair game too.
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:40 pm 63. Polemicscat:Don’t neglect working for election or
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:48 pm 64. nick:reelection of your US Senator.
The Senate could make Obamasis only
a minor infection if it comes to that.
When did you stop beating your wife.
O did NOT launch his political career at Ayers home
He did NOT sit in Black christian Identity church for 20 years (gee I thought he was muslim )
while Mccain is the manchurian candidate
AC gave $ to normal schools
His father did NOT ahve Communist leanings
what part of the south did you grow up in Mr white Racist.
Sep 7, 2008 - 8:53 pm 65. Ex-fetus:Chuck, the original leases for cable were let under the condition that here were NO Commercials. It was called ‘commercial free TV’ before it was re-branded ‘cable TV’.
That came about because the cable companies needed the State’s right of way to run their cables, so the states and local governments forced them to give up commercials in exchange for a monopoly.
The Cable companies waited an election cycle or three, then bribed (excuse me…campaign contributions not bribes, my bad.) enough politicians to get the leases changed to allow commercials. Then the money started rolling in and the “campaign contributions” rolling out. But they are not bribes. Bribes are against the law, campaign contributions are not.
Meanwhile a little political judo is in order. The MSM wants their chance to rake Saracuda over the coals, with one ‘gotcha’ interview after another. No matter how good Saracuda is, and she is a ‘natural’, one of the jackals of the press will get lucky eventually. Since a good defense has the counter attack built in, what McCain/Palin needs to do is offer to give the interviews AFTER Obama releases his birth certificate. To be precise, give the state of Hawaii permission to release notarized copies of that birth certificate. Since that will never happen, the jackals of the press will be proven toothless. That Combined with the MSM’s collective ‘Dean Scream’ moment should pretty much neutralize the Media for a while.
Sep 7, 2008 - 9:50 pm 66. Jamie:Since the MSM is Ohh…..BAAMA’s biggest weapon, that will be great. I think another little thing over looked by most in McCain attack ( so many levels, so many targets struck from so many different direction AT THE SAME TIME, it’s a thing of beauty) is the Union angle. Has there EVER been a dues paying, card holding union guy in the white house? EVERY? So not only is Sara one heartbeat away from history, so is Todd the Union man. Think the Unions wouldn’t sell their souls ( if they have souls, which is another topic) to have a union family in the White house, or one heart beat away?
The Palin manuver will go down as one of the greatest political moves ever. Certainly the slickest since Brutus slipped the ol’ dagger in Caesar’s back.
Makes one wonder just how much Rove has gotten written in his book.
I’m surprised Soros hasn’t put out a hit on Rove. Soros is from the Balkans.
‘Scuse please? I just watched the Obama acceptance speech this morning (missed it live); I - arguably a member of “the public” didn’t see “truth” but rather “demagoguery.” Depends on your frame, I guess.
‘Scuse again? Which “tough questions” has Obama answered? The policy ones in which he can stick to his campaign’s own “scripted talking points,” perhaps? Because I haven’t heard a whole lot of grilling from the press. As for Palin’s sticking to the talking points - please recall that she’s running for VP and, as such, is properly expected to support the McCain campaign’s policies. Not sure why you believe she’d sound “offensive,” unless you find her accent grating, which I know some people do, about that upper-midwest-flat-vowel thing.
And finally:
From the end: no she’s not. You might wish her to be, though. And Republicans aren’t “whining” about the (overwhelmingly Democrat-voting, whose “largely conservative” owners seem to be taking a pass in the area of editorial direction for some reason) media but rather pointing out, loud and proud, “Did you see what they just did? Have they done that to the other side? Now that it’s obvious what they’re doing, you can appropriately filter what they do in future.”
One piece of “truth” in your comment: Sen. Clinton’s organization did complain about the media and (I understand) has reiterated that complaint with regard to Palin’s brief time in the spotlight so far. In essence, they’ve behaved much as we Republicans do: “See the media bias? Now remember it, and next time they say something, apply your knowledge about them.”
Sep 8, 2008 - 12:04 am 67. jvsp:888,
Indeed, one is the “black” sheep if one will not fall in lockstep with the Obama faithful. Most of the Obama supporters I have met, not to mention Americans in general (of which I am one might I add) cannot abide disagreement. All of this drivel about unity is nauseating as well as terrifying. I WANT disagreement. I want discussion. However, cultural relativism demand homogeneity, sardonically. With that said, I do empathize regarding the social ostracizing you experience. The message of a post-racial, inclusive, blither blather, etc. resonates with the recent products of the “education” mafia. They, the products, see “inclusivity” as black and white. Other “minorities” are of little import. After all, suffering and injustice is exclusively the black experience. To talk of other groups that have been successful without WHINING creates a contrast that puts the lie to the great modern myth of democracy’s “failure”. That is to say, euphemistically, you as an Asian are really “white.”
If you want pick me up, go look at some Democrats for McCain websites/blogs (try clintondems.com and peruse the links. You will find MORE reason to be disturbed regarding Obama’s undermining of the Democratic Party, e.g. corruption, intimidation, fraud, etc. HOWEVER, you will find reason to hope, given that many Democrats are voting against Obama based on principle, motivated by what is of most import to a Democracy. In my mind they are heroic and provide inspiration. the media would have one believe that they wont tow the party line because they are bitter, petty, and puerile. They just don’t get it. They wont vote for Obama, because of who Obama is: an autocratic, stammering, intellectually bankrupt, sinecure with ego driven aspirations.
Sep 8, 2008 - 12:09 am 68. Thomas McDermott:Regards,
–
Well thought out article. The bottom line is that the media is deathly afraid of the RACE card. If they dig too deep and find negative facts they will be branded as racist and that they cannot stand. They also are blatently bias to the left. Being branded sexist does not strike as heavy a blow as racist. Thanks
Sep 8, 2008 - 7:12 am 69. nick:GOP continuing to WHINE about media instead of facing reporters who want to ask hard questions about lies, book burning and right wing religous desire to teach creationism
in schools and impose their brand of American Talibanism.
BUt Palin the Liar is NOT prepared so the avoid the press.
Sep 8, 2008 - 7:36 am 70. Chuck Pelto:TO: Sandra M
RE: Oh?
Then maybe you should either (1) make a retraction of your statement….
….or (2) take a remedial course in English.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 8, 2008 - 8:28 am 71. Chuck Pelto:[Don't call her a 'babe', broads HATE that.]
TO: Ex-fetus
RE: [OT] The History of Cable
Thanks for the educational material.
RE: The Politics of It All
I tend to agree with your appreciation of the situation, vis-a-vis the Mainstream So-Called Media and Palin.
I further claim that the way they go about their business looks to me like they are all graduates, summa cum laude of the Goebbel’s School of Journalism. It’s all propaganda these days.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 8, 2008 - 9:00 am 72. hM:[Who needs comedians? Journalists are much more laughable!]
nick,
You know, one thing that gets me every time is when people start raising the “they want to teach creationism”/”they’ll try to push their religion on everybody” memes when referring to Republicans who have no qualms admitting they are religious or subscribe to any faith. I have yet to see any evidence that that has actually happened. One of the most liberal states in the country, Massachusettes, was governed by Mitt Romney, a Mormon. I can’t remember reading anything about him foisting his religion off on the people of Massachusettes. Oh, that’s right, because he didn’t.
Similarly, as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin hasn’t been trying to foist her religion off onto the people of Alaska. She’s asked questions, made statements, but never has she tried to pass policy mandating her constituents follow her religious creed. If she had she would not enjoy an 80%+ approval rating.
I would like to know why the idea of having discussions regarding evolution vs. creationism/intelligent design is so scary to people. Evolution is, after all, still just a theory. I’d like to know when it was that science stopped at one theory about anything. I thought the scientific method involved trying and proving/disproving several theories before arriving at what is considered scientific law. Evolution is NOT scientific law and so is fair game for questioning. Oh, wait, sorry; it’s as off-limits as Obama.
Before you go swinging wide, strawman arguments you might want to check your facts. I’ve known way more open-minded conservatives than liberals. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that conservatives have jobs, which means they have real things to think about, whereas liberals are easily bored by their “spoon-feed me” lifestyles.
And no, I will not change your diaper. But I’m sure Obama would be happy to help you with that.
Sep 8, 2008 - 9:45 am 73. Edgar:I thought it was politically incorrect to use the word ‘retard’. That’s like calling Hussein Obama’s daughters ‘mulattos’. Mulatto’s and Retards, what a long fall from John F. Kennedy.
Sep 8, 2008 - 10:30 am 74. nick:Palin is a lying, book burning, creationist
1 lied about being against BTN
Sep 8, 2008 - 10:43 am 75. hM:2 wanted to ban books at library
3 wants creationism taught in schools
I guess if you keep repeating the same thing over and over… and over again it makes it true. Have fun with that, nick.
Sep 8, 2008 - 10:53 am 76. nick:Palin is a lying, book burning, creationist
1 lied about being against BTN
2 wanted to ban books at library
3 wants creationism taught in schools
I posted links for proof for these 3
Sep 8, 2008 - 12:08 pm 77. chad:I think in this PC world nowadays, there’s not as much of a stigma to be sexist or ageist, but if your racist, watch out, people will be all over you like stink on poop. That’s how I think Obama’s getting away with everything, the media is afraid to ask lest they be portrayed as playing the race card.
Sep 8, 2008 - 12:31 pm 78. Ed Wallis:I can HIGHLY RECOMMEND a book I just finished:
“The Case Against Barack Obama” by Freddoso.
…the unexamined agenda of the media’s favorite…HOW TRUE!
Sep 8, 2008 - 2:22 pm 79. Peter Laverick:Nick
And how many books have your lefty mates banned for being ‘racist,’ ’sexist’ or ‘homophobic?’
Sep 8, 2008 - 4:09 pm 80. Jeff:For a more compelling look at Sarah Palin, please take a look at this link below—
http://howinsaneisjohnmccain.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-palin-scandals-complete-list.html
Sep 8, 2008 - 10:32 pm 81. nick:Did Obama say “lets think about banning booksd>”
NO !!!!!!
besides you have not ONE example of any leftist requesting book being banned
Sep 8, 2008 - 10:38 pm 82. Chuck Pelto:TO: All
RE: nick the ___________ (fill in the blank)
Funny. Isn’t it. How people like ‘nick’ are constantly grasping at straws in order to present what they think are ‘legitimate’ args about their position.
I’d REALLY like it for nick to identify ONE BOOK that Palin has ‘burned’.
In truth? I think they can’t. nick, God help him, is, in my considered opinion, a pathological liar; a sociopath, if you will….or if you won’t. And he’ll get worse before he gets better.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 9, 2008 - 12:59 pm 83. Chuck Pelto:[The Truth will out.]
TO: All
RE: So What?
According to a new item on Drudge Report, the British Prime Minister thinks Obama would make a better president.
Why am I reminded of the war of 1812?
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Sep 9, 2008 - 2:43 pm 84. Jim:Ex-Fetus (Sept 7, 2008 - 9:50 pm) asked “Has there EVER been a dues paying, card holding union guy in the white house?” Well, yes, there has been at least one union member — Ronald Reagan was a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild. In fact, he was a former president of that union.
Sep 9, 2008 - 7:18 pm 85. m.a.:The beginning of the end of America started a long time ago with “The New Deal” so acclaimed by dems. Obama will push it along significantly with liberal justices, both federal and supreme who believe in a “living” constitution, and his penchant for investigating anyone who disagrees with him, his Marxist ideology. Obama does not mark the beginning of the end for America, but he may well mark the end itself.
Sep 14, 2008 - 8:35 am