We all have sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards, but her statement on the Daily Kos is pretty bizarre. Let’s hope she’s lying, because if she isn’t, as Lee Stranahan points out, she was willing to let her husband run for President after she knew he just had an affair – putting at risk the Democratic Party and all that Two Americas palaver they espoused. Talk about arrogance and stupidity or both. Of course, if she knows it’s all BS and she’s still covering up for her husband, well, we’re all entitled to our personal Stockholm Syndromes.
Meanwhile, the spectacle of the mainstream media suddenly doing wall-to-wall coverage of the subject they wouldn’t touch is hugely entertaining, especially the formerly silent CNN (Eason Jordan News Network) paying more attention to the scandal than nuclear war. (Even so, they got some facts wrong. Rielle Hunter is 44, not 42, and she moved from New York to LA, not vice versa as the news network said.) Of course the big winner here is the National Enquirer who have shown themselves to be far superior reporters to the drones of the MSM. Of course, that’s no surprise. They beat everybody during the OJ trial. [How quickly they forget.-ed. That's because they want to.]
MEANWHILE, one of the few remaining reporters at the Los Angeles Times had this to say: Several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, had been pursuing the story prior to Friday. Oh, really? As I recall some nitwit editor over there was telling his bloggers not to report the story but to “Keep rockin’” (how sophisticated). No matter. There won’t be anybody left working at the LAT in a few years anyway. In fact, the absurd see-no-evil reaction to the Edwards Affair will be seen as a benchmark in know-nothing journalism by the MSM and one of the last nails in their coffin. Too bad most of their soon-to-be unemployed reporters are not good enough to get jobs at the National Enquirer. [What about PJM?-ed. No comment.]
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80 Comments
1. David Thomson:This is all I know for sure: the MSM would not have cut a Republican similar slack. On the contrary, mere rumors would have been employed to severely damage them. Have we already forgotten how Rudy Giuliani was treated? He was constantly asked about the costs of protecting his mistress. This relentless questioning did much to derail his campaign for the presidency. Alas, eventually Giuliani was vindicated—but by that time it was too late.
Aug 8, 2008 - 10:49 pm 2. California Dreamer:Could the Edwards admission simply be a well-timed move to provide cover for the resignation of Obama’s “Muslim affairs” liaison? Isn’t that the big story of the week that is now buried beneath the sex story?
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:02 am 3. Pajamas Media » Edwards, Elizabeth and the Comedy of Legacy Media:[...] Read the entire story here. [...]
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:56 am 4. Roy N:“We all have sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards, but..”?
I read that as “I have no sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards and I want to write a piece that attacks her. But I think some of my readers might think that is a bit low because she is the wronged women who is suffereing from breast cancer. So, I’ll just preface my attack with ‘we all have sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards…’ I won’t look so bad writing it and my readers won’t feel so bad reading it.
Am I close?
David, it was Rudi’s relentless lack of campaigning that derailed his presidency. Remember?
Aug 9, 2008 - 1:35 am 5. Valerie:Is either having cancer or being married to a scoundrel an excuse to make bizarre public statements? Elizabeth Edwards made a public statement, that she knew her husband had an affair, and that she and he decided to lie about it. “Bizarre” is the kinder word for this. I would have chosen “stupid.”
Other politicians have had affairs. Other politicians have been illegitimate parents. One even got elected president, but then, he admitted his fault. Elizabeth Edwards could have retained the respect of both Simon and Stranahan, and avoided this criticism, by refraining from initiating this discussion.
Aug 9, 2008 - 2:26 am 6. Captain Hate:Any time you wanna go nuclear on Elizabeth the Enabler have at it, Roger, because if Silky isn’t lying out of his pansy ass on the timeline of this farce, Liz was going pit shrew on any and all of the rutting pony’s critics in full knowledge of what a craven scumbucket he is. And using her disease as an automatic advantage in any confrontation. I think she’s one-upped Lady Macbeth.
The real story here is this is another nail in the MSM’s coffin. Don’t lose sight of that.
Aug 9, 2008 - 2:59 am 7. Rob:Yeh, the MSM saw how well the Guiliani smears worked and then tried to do the same work on McCain. And now this. Someone said that the media has moved from being biased to partisan (as evidenced by Dan Rather committing a felony on air to try and get Kerry elected). This is just another piece of evidence that the MSM has become nothing more than a left-wing circle jerk.
Aug 9, 2008 - 4:08 am 8. Lisa:I don’t get it. He claims the brief affair happened in 2006? But she was still making videos of him in 2007?
That makes no sense at all.
Hmm.. maybe he really is the father.
Aug 9, 2008 - 4:28 am 9. jedrury:The WashPo and Howie Kurtz lead with the story this AM.
Aug 9, 2008 - 4:42 am 10. Burning Bush:A laugher. The paper of Watergate takes a dive.
Howie and his CNN program “Reliable Sources” should have s’plaining to do.
How reliable were yours, Mr. Kurtz?
In his statement yesterday, he made it clear that Mrs. Edwards, who became a hugely sympathetic figure, had [been aware of the affair since 2006], saying he had told her about it in (”every painful detail.”)
Aug 9, 2008 - 5:45 am 11. Mike:But yet he visits the woman again in July of 2008?
He is full of something alright,
but its not himself.
I know political persons would never lie to us.
/reaching for my handkerchief to wipe tears and drool from my eyes and chin.
The Democrat/msm conspiracy is falling apart because the internet watchdogs are doing the job of the storied ” 4th estate “, that has been abandoned by the WAPO, NYT, LAT etc. They did this willingly to promote and protect a particular political agenda and as a result have destroyed 250 yrs of American integrity. Besides, at the Revolutionary War times, newspapers were the newest and sophiticated technology available. Today it’s the internet, so this is just evolution of the system, and a good thing, especially when the Press is so biased and prejudiced. Do you feel good now Pinchy??
Aug 9, 2008 - 5:50 am 12. srlucado:There are two stories here; first, more evidence of MSM decay, which is just another nail in their coffin.
The second story isn’t the affair but the coverup, and to me it’s the sadder one. Because if what Elizabeth says is true, she was in on it from the beginning. I’d always seen John as a completely transparant phony, but I figured his wife to be a decent woman. To now learn that she was willing to be a part of this? Wow, maybe the two do deserve each other.
Scott
Aug 9, 2008 - 5:55 am 13. Mike:The best advice Arthur Sulzberger, publisher and owner of the New York Times ever gave his son Arthur Sulzberger Jr. was: Son, here’s a billion dollars, don’t loose it!. Well, its halfway gone isn’t it Pinchy. Wouldn’t the old man be SO proud of Jr.?.. The self satisfied, superior, elitist incompetence of these hereditary hacks is enough to make a maggot puke. The idiot son destroyes generations of family integrity. Oh yeah, except for that NYT, Walter Duranty thing with Uncle Jo Stalin. ..Oops.
Aug 9, 2008 - 6:02 am 14. RE:Absolutely no surprises here.
It was plain that Edwards was a dishonest indivudual long, long ago. It was also clear long, long ago that the MSM is a dishonest, agenda driven broker.
I do not consider this ‘news’, but rather ‘more evidence’ where no more evidence is necessary.
Aug 9, 2008 - 6:31 am 15. ~Paules:Infidelity amongst the rich and powerful in Washington is the norm, not the exception. I received that nugget of knowledge from an acquaintance who used to work for the Secret Service. Putting up with a philandering husband is the price political wives pay for power and the perks that come with it. It’s part of our political culture. Providing cover when scandal breaks out is something political wives are obliged to do for the sake of power. Husbands expect it. The rich and powerful do not suffer the same constraints as the rest of us. They work from a different playbook. Two Americas? You bet.
Aug 9, 2008 - 6:33 am 16. Howard:We seem to forget that the National Enquirer is owned by a Clinton buddy. Also, Edwards still has delegates to the DNC convention.
Aug 9, 2008 - 6:42 am 17. dvd:Bought and Paid For MSM……0
National Enquirer 10
Speaks to the necessity for a Market in information. Really, the Bought and Paid for are so corrupted and filled by huris, a true market price for information could once and for all end the terror of the mouthpiece era.
Fox or someone else with cahones, should host the Enquirer, beef up its budget, publish guidlines for paid sources of information. The scale should be based on how much protection we the public derived, by busting the hubris of cover stories, hosted by The Bought and Paid For.
Think about it……
Aug 9, 2008 - 7:01 am 18. Daria DiGiovanni:Of course we all sympathize with Elizabeth Edwards. I might add that the thoughts expressed by the right-leaning side of the blogosphere concerning her condition have been, shall we say, much more “enlightened” than those we’ve seen posted on sites such as Daily Kos with regard to conservative icons, i.e Tony Snow and Robert Novak.
The misfortune of terminal illness however, does not automatically render someone blameless for the actions they choose to take. As a woman, it disgusts me to witness political wives giving cover to their spouses in order to satisfy their lust for power. If these women were truly “feminists,” they’d stand up for principal and set a good example for their children regardless of the political fallout. Had Elizabeth “outed” her husband as a sleazy adulterer the moment she became aware of his extramarital relationship, I’d have a lot more respect for her. As for Rielle Hunter, she’s a total disgrace. While no one can know what is in her heart (though I’d wager to say she loves her baby), we can speculate that one motivation for “choosing life” over abortion for her child is the prospect of having John Edwards to herself in the not-too-distant future. And that’s one of the most despicable aspects of this entire story. In the end, the ones who merit the biggest outpouring of sympathy are the innocent children involved.
Finally, does anyone doubt for a second that if this had been Mitt Romney or some other prominent conservative, the media would’ve taken the ball from the National Enquirer and gleefully run with it throughout Primaries and the General? They’d retell the story ad nauseam all the way to November as another useful tool in the procurement of victory for their “messiah.”
Aug 9, 2008 - 7:35 am 19. AlexinCT:I have no sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards. My bet is that she knew all along, and just like Hillary, chose to cover up for her scumbag man in the hopes of capitalizing somehow. She is complicit in this whole affair. The DNC propagandists in the MSM have just used her as yet another excuse for why they could/should not really have covered this story. We need to stop making appologies for these people.
The story here is how our MSM is so in the bag for the democrats that they are willing to not just slant the news in their favor, but that they will now also cover-up for them. How many more instances of this are there? Is there stuff out there on Obama, Pelsoi, Reid, and all the others we do not hear off because it does not help the MSM push the donkey agenda? This goes beyond bias.
Aug 9, 2008 - 7:35 am 20. dougf:I think it’s time to stop complaining about the ‘media’. Why bother anymore ?
Let’s be honest here. It is merely in effect an agit-prop operation, and would be at home in any self-respecting Ministry Of Propaganda. Why would anyone expect that it would even try to approximate ‘objective, and responsible’ reporting of actual reality at this stage of its development ?
Hmmm, upon review ,maybe I was a trifle harsh in my comparison of the ‘media’ to a Propaganda Ministry. Propaganda Ministries usually make no viable representation that they are at all interested in reporting ‘objective reality’. They know what they are for and they just get on with it.
Apologies to the ‘honest’ propagandists out there for lumping you in with the current ‘media’.
Aug 9, 2008 - 7:51 am 21. Mommynator:The lying, treasonous MSM (LTMSM) didn’t cut Vito Fossella of Staten Island, NY any slack. That’s because he has an R after his name. He basically did the same thing – had an affair, fathered a child – as Edwards.
Only difference is, he resigned.
Aug 9, 2008 - 8:04 am 22. Jay:W Bush, Reagan, Nixon and Truman did not cheat on their wives. John Heinz did not (I knew him) but perhaps he should have.
Aug 9, 2008 - 8:16 am 23. ddc:Too many of those politicians do not spend much time at their political work.
Something is wrong with these women. Spitzer’s wife didn’t want him to step down. And now this revealing business by Elizabeth Edwards. BiPolar Disorder, Sociopathology, take your pick. Narcissism at least, in both of them. They deserve each other.
Do I feel sorry for him for public humiliation and the outting of his character flaws OR that Elizabeth has terminal cancer, a little for the latter as cancer is no joke. However, she will eventually be taken by the disease and he’ll eventually (sooner rather than later) find some other nutcase to equal his own. win-win. The real loosers here are their kids. Always. The 26 yr old being old enough to understand will discover over time that her parents were not all they were cracked up to be and were basically intellectually and morally bankrupt. The two little ones ( at age 10) will go ahead having to compete for their father’s love father. Between his newly raging libido, and whatever other women he’ll be doing or other kids he fathers – not to mention his egomaniacal “specialness” – all without the benefit of a natural mother’s love and support to help them figure it all out.
Aug 9, 2008 - 8:28 am 24. Promoguy:I don’t believe her at all. I can’t for the life of me believe that slimey would show up one evening after a grueling campaign trip and just sit down with Liz and fess up to this terrible indiscretion. It doesn’t pass the smell test. If he actually did and she listened and she told him it was okay to run, they are both dumber then the pile of bricks I’ve avoided working with in my backyard.
My gut says she’s covering for the slimeball. Now let’s get on with the paternity test. Actually, too bad he didn’t get the nod of the Dems, it certainly would have been fun to watch. Not as much fun as Women’s Beach Volleyball but still fun.
Aug 9, 2008 - 8:29 am 25. ursa major:Sorry, I have no sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards as the aggrieved wife of this ambulance-chasing phony. (I do have sympathy for her medical condition, however.) The real outrage here is that this guy carried on a la JFK and that he was given a pass by the MSM for so long. Kudos to the National Enquirer for doggedly pursuing the story.Mavbe if that little twerp Pinch had any cajhones and had followed up on the rumors, he wouldn’t be witnessing the ever-downward spiraling of the NYT.
Aug 9, 2008 - 8:30 am 26. Charlie (Colorado):I read that as “I have no sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards and I want to write a piece that attacks her.”
Do you find that being an idiot impairs other activities in your daily life?
Aug 9, 2008 - 9:04 am 27. Charlie (Colorado):I think it’s time to stop complaining about the ‘media’. Why bother anymore ?
Because they’re not dead yet.
Aug 9, 2008 - 9:07 am 28. jedrury:The NY Times is the daily pinata which we hit every day not for political insight or guidance but for laughs and outrage and scorn.
Aug 9, 2008 - 9:27 am 29. yart:Its endorsement in October will sway few votes. The radicalism of its editorial page is so far left as to be silly but, worse, unconvincing and ignored.
It scrambles by putting Bob Herbert on Moyers (PBS) to gain influence but who is it really influencing. David Brooks shoehorns himself on to Lehrer Newshour but his commentary along with Mark Shields plays in limited circles.The East side Madison Avenue crown or the West Side readers. They are converted. To think that this stuff plays in Cleveland or Terre Haute is delusional.
why say that Liz Edwards was putting at risk the Democratic party by letting johnny run for prez knowing he’d had an affair? I would think that Herr Clinton demonstrated that extraneous intimate acquaintances are not risky with the proper media prophylactic.
Aug 9, 2008 - 9:36 am 30. tanstaafl:No, the media are not dead yet.
It’s tough to assimilate and completely accept their depth of perfidy and bias. Their sins of comission and omission.
Combine that with the scam-meisters making movies in Hollow-wood, and
we the consumers are subjected to a relatively constant barrage of mis- and dis-information.
On the bright side, I look forward to the release of An American Carol on October 3 for a view of an alternate universe and maybe some laughs.
Signs of intelligent life in the universe ?
Aug 9, 2008 - 9:41 am 31. Dave ll:I’ve recently cancelled my subscription to the LA Times and subscribed to the National Enquirer.
It seemed like the right thing to do, given my need for hard-hitting journalism that pulls no punches.
God…I had no idea there were so many plastic surgery disasters!
See? I’m a better informed citizen already~!
Aug 9, 2008 - 10:35 am 32. RightBrain:The dramatic contrast is, of course, the insolent hatchet job the NY Times attempted on Senator John McCain, alleging he had an affair with a lobbyist, on not the slightest of evidence, but rather no evidence whatsoever. Simultaneously they quash the Edwards affair that resulted in an out-of-wedlock child while his loyal wife suffered cancer treatment. Both an indication of the wholecloth demise of MSM, they cannot be trusted for the weather, let alone the news.
Aug 9, 2008 - 10:56 am 33. Captain Hate:“To think that this stuff plays in Cleveland or Terre Haute is delusional.”
Unfortunately in Cleveland, not as delusional as you’d think…
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:05 am 34. Michael McNeil:Didn’t Men in Black have something to say about the reliability of the Enquirer?
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:23 am 35. Roy N:Charlie,
No, I don’t have any trouble.
This reassured me briefly. But then I remembered that our part of the world allows all kinds of idiots to get by without any difficulties.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:24 am 36. Who’s Your Dadddy? « The Rhetorican:[...] Enquirer broke the news. In this internet era of ours? Keep dreaming. You’re only harming your credibility, mainstream-media folks (H/T: Instapundit). Tagged with: News, Politics « Are iGoogle [...]
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:25 am 37. RebeccaH:As someone who’s gone through the same woven wall of lies, I have to say, the MSM is not only culpable, but they are active participants in a lie. Shame on them. Shame.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:30 am 38. Paul K:What would have happened had Edwards not joined the presidential race this year. Would the votes he received have gone to Hilary or Obama? Would they have been enough to change things?
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:31 am 39. ic:Elizabeth: I am not stupid. The bum can’t get a decent job after his stint in the Senate. After living years in luxury, he has lost his stamina to chase ambulances. He has too much ego to beg for a job from his buddies. Al Gore has already milked dry the global warming thing. What can John do to make a buck? He has to put food on the table, to pay for the sky high electric bills of our enormous mansion, (no thanks to Bush’s Arab buddies). He has to run for the presidency to keep those cash coming, to give me a chance to travel in private jets, to keep my mind off my cancer, and the future of my little children. On the off chance that he makes it, he will have steady incomes for the rest of his life. Look at how much an ex-president can make. The Clintons didn’t even own a house before they moved in the White House. They moved out with eight truck loads of belongings, a couple of mansions, millions dollars speech engagements and book deals. It’s a most lucrative job. How can you fault me to hope for that? It may be too late for me, but not too late for my kids.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:38 am 40. John:And why did she choose DailyKos to make her statement? Sounds like preaching to the choir in an echo chamber to me.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:44 am 41. W::That Los Angeles Times claim, “we were working on it! Really!” was hilarious.
In miniscule mitigation, its annoyingly liberal but incontestably intelligent OpEd Tim Rainey took MSM to task today and deserves credit for it. I almost fell off my tractor and dropped my greasy catfish when I read it.
Charlie in Colo: you should run for office.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:44 am 42. Dan Tana:“They did this willingly to promote and protect a particular political agenda and as a result have destroyed 250 yrs of American integrity. Besides, at the Revolutionary War times, newspapers were the newest and sophiticated technology available.”
Huh? Newspapers in the early 1800’s were, for the longest time, unabashed, self proclaimed partisan broadsheets. Most of the papers had agendas galore.
“Objective journalism” is a concept that came to be much later on.
If anything, traditional newspapers now in their twilight, have reverted to the old school partisan rags they originally were.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:46 am 43. Mister Snitch!:The NYT reminds me of Apple in the days before Steve Jobs came back. The company looked moribund, and pundits and rivals (like Michael Dell) were saying ’sell it off and give the stockholders their money back’. Apple was a failure.
Yet, put new, solid management in place and it’s a different story. The Wall Street Journal of Rupert Murdoch just saw profits RISE year-over-year. The Philly Inquirer is in turnaround. As for Apple – their market cap now exceeds Dell’s company.
The NYT (LA Times/Boston Globe – the whole chain) is run in a spectacularly incompetent manner. It is in fact so incestuously mismanaged that nearly any change in management could improve its fortunes. Were a truly competent, or (dare I hope) even inspired and visionary management team to take over and clear out the deadwood, the improvement in the Times’ fortunes would be spectacular.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:47 am 44. Evil Republican:The pathetic reality is that much of the American public is completely unaware of the LTMSM media’s prevarications and dissembling. Far too many of our fellow citizens still believe what they read and hear from a media cabal dominated by the left-wing useful idiots being churmned out of so called elite schools of journalismtcbent and who are bent on destroying our nation.
Aug 9, 2008 - 11:49 am 45. JohnMc:I am just waiting for the day that the NYT and MSNBC news coverage is tagged as ‘in kind contributions’ to the next Democrat contender.
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:00 pm 46. JohnMc:Snitch,
Sometimes you have to have a product that people want to read. If new management is what makes that happen so be it. But one does not pertend the other, either direction.
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:02 pm 47. greyhawk:The video – cause I know the Hollywood folks will appreciate it…
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:07 pm 48. SEW:The deadwood would be the entire NYT, especially the “journalists.” Our Universities need to do the same, fire 95% of the left wing socialist/Marxists and start over.
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:09 pm 49. Martya:Edwards is a sleazy trial lawyer and, I believe, Elizabeth is, too. They know who Edwards will sue when Elizabeth dies, doctors, drug companies, hospitals, etc. He will get more for his dead wife as a former presidential candidate. She knows that, as well, and that’s why she has been complicit.
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:18 pm 50. Sandra M:Another area for examination, of course, is how often this has happened. John has ALWAYS felt very highly of himself and his “accomplishments.” With his persona, money and position he has probably attracted many of a certain type of female over the years. This ain’t Edwards first rodeo.
Finally, who will mention that the media’s failure with Edwards is being duplicated by their failure with Hussein. I don”t know if Larry Sinclair is creditable, for example. I do know that if he were a Republican, the ultra-left wing media would be knocking on doors in New York, Boston and Chicago trying to find out who Obama was and why he is trying so hard tp hide his past. How many people do you know that have close connections with such a long list of disreputable people.
WHAT IS SO TERRIBLE ABOUT BREAST CANCER? I kept asking but God, it was almost impossible to penetrate the fuzzy, syrupy mythology around this disease. While heeding the best advice I read on diet and most important AVOIDING STRESS, I watched as Elizabeth Edwards wrung every drop of sympathy from a nation of terrified women and especially from men who having no idea what makes this illness so horrific adopt the general attitude: don’t go there. Bill O’Reilly had Laura Ingraham do the Edwards story on his show last night. Laura, a cancer survivor, has also basked in the sympathy that accrues to this disease above all others.
What did the wonderful Tony Snow die of? Wrong. He died of “complications from chemotherapy.” And the alternative medical newsletters I get via email (some from NEWSMAX) say many doctors would refuse chemo. Radiation kills not only the cancer cells, it kills every other cell it finds, cells we need for life. That’s what made Tony look so awful at the end. Also, for the sake of leaving money to his family in the event of his death Tony violated principle one in defeating cancer: NO STRESS. How I wish the fund set up for the family’s welfare and his children’s education had been set up way before his death. He might still be with us.
When Liz went out campaigning for her husband and basking in the sympathy of a nation, she must have known that the stress of campaigning could kill her. Did she not care? Was getting attention, sympathy and love from strangers filling an empty hole within? Did her adoration of this Ken doll blind her to the fact that she would be orphaning her children? Are they just accessories to these two power-mad narcissists? And what of the rumors that he has pre-emptively started a second family? I hope never to hear from this woman again — certainly not at the Democrat convention — unless she were to sue this Ken doll for divorce, kick him out of their humongous mansion and go after half of his millions.
I eventually had breast cancer surgery in July. It was totally successful. There is some pain (from the stitches, I guess) for which I was given Vicodin (which contains Tylenol) and which I was assured does not become addictive if it’s being taken for pain. Hours after the surgery, I was asked if I wanted a meatloaf dinner. I don’t eat mystery meat, so said no, and tried to sleep although frequently interrupted by people who wanted to take my blood pressure. Next morning, I asked for orange juice and scrambled eggs. I got “a juice drink”, and artificial eggs and kept a slice of gray sickly-looking potato tucked into a napkin which elicited a “ewww” response from nurses and doctors alike. I checked out and came home soonest so I could get some rest and nourishing food. Hospital food will kill you, if the chemo and radiation don’t.
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:23 pm 51. Bruce:Dan: “If anything, traditional newspapers now in their twilight, have reverted to the old school partisan rags they originally were.”
The difference, as I see it, is that each newspaper competed against each other by being partisan hacks for DIFFERENT parties. Now they are all partisan hacks for just one party.
When I visited the UK 25 years ago, I loved the idea I could read papers from the ultra-left all the way to the ultra-right.
In the US … the only choice is ultra-left.
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:36 pm 52. Mary:Wouldn’t it be a vision to have Johnny return from his Nightline interview, only to find all of his clothes outside the front gate of his mansion with a note from Lizzie telling him to “Have A Life!” But of course, she was in on the ruse to the American public too..so it’s hard to have a lot of sympathy for her as the abandoned woman. She and Shrillery should start a 12 step program: WOCA; Wives of Cheaters Anonymous. They could have guest speakers each month: The roster would be filled for years to come!
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:49 pm 53. OLDPUPPYMAX:Now, now, now…it’s unfair to acuse the MSM of not having followed the Edwards story right along. Why, I’m sure they were right on top of things. It’s just that Edwards hadn’t given them permission to report it!
Aug 9, 2008 - 12:52 pm 54. sherry:Why is it the Media Enjoys destroying
everyones lives…My Feeling is Walk
In The Shoes.. To me the only Victim here
is Mrs. Edwards and her family..
To the other women She knew the deal
I am sure she was not held by gunpoint!
you did it now deal with it!
And to the issue who the Hell really cares!!!! It is no ones business buy
Aug 9, 2008 - 1:08 pm 55. Aldi:the folks involved…Not the entire country!
I have seen MSM editors argue, on the air, that “we didn’t want to touch the story because it came from the National Enquirer.”
Interesting, then, that when the National Enquirer came out with the Rush Limbaugh/Oxycontin story a few years ago, the cable channels latched on to it within MINUTES.
Aug 9, 2008 - 1:23 pm 56. Daria DiGiovanni:Good point, Martya. As the daughter of a General Surgeon and sister to a Pathologist, it’s poetic justice to see Edwards – a man who made an extravagant living by destroying the careers of medical professionals -die on the sword of his own excessive narcissism and arrogance. Sadly, I suspect you are right: he’ll find a way to extort money from the very people who tried to prolong Elizabeth’s life once she does pass on. But greedy trial lawyers have been steadily taking aim at America’s healthcare system for years. Why doesn’t any candidate discuss the instrumental role of these so-called legal “professionals” in the rising cost of healthcare?
Aug 9, 2008 - 1:42 pm 57. John Edwards (D) - Page 2 - TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum:[...] covering up for her husband, well, we
Aug 9, 2008 - 1:51 pm 58. michael:What amazes me are the comments in Elizabeth’s diary at Kos. It’s a real boo-hoo fest over there. I understand the outpouring of support for Elizabeth, but there’s also many posts from people who are shocked and bewilldered that John could be so dishonest–that he is not the man they thought he was. Why is this surprising to anyone with an IQ above room temperature? A man who made his millions by mastering the art of trial-lawyer propagandizing–persuading the gullible–and then makes a seamless transition to political life as an earnest class-warfare demagogue. He’s always struck me as 100% spin and facade.
Aug 9, 2008 - 2:35 pm 59. valvoline:It is an indication of the incredible ignorance of the general American populace with respect to world matters, that the MSM and our “leaders” get away with presenting this dispute as an attempt by the bad Russians to conquer the brave “democracy” of Georgia. I bet half of the people in Alabama are worrying right now about the Russkies becoming their next door neighbors.
Aug 9, 2008 - 2:56 pm 60. cedarford:Eventually some commentor that focuses on overall media impact will have to write on what impact the MSM and other rivals with holding the Edwards bombshell might have had on the 2008 race dynamics.
Perhaps without Edwards a different “3rd option” like Biden might have been in the thick of things between Obama and Hillary.
While thank god the Dem primaries didn’t have “winner take all” in a major state or two that could later be blamed for throwing the election due to the MSM conspiracy to suppress info, Edwards was taking poor working class white votes, and trial lawyer money. He had little to no black support, suggesting that an Edwards scandal voters were allowed to see would have tipped the majority of his votes to Hillary and given her a few primaries she narrowly lost to Obama. But it may have led to altered scenarios on Penn and others deciding not to contest more caucuses, and may have led to a Hillary victory in the Iowa Caucuses if the Edwards adultery had been known prior to that vote.
I guess we will also learn from Hillary insiders if the Edwards biz was well known to them – and if so if they also wanted it covered up for “poor Elizabeth’s sake” or that they tried to get the MSM to confirm or deny the story – & alert voters.
The “silence conspiracy” may have also had an impact on the Republican race. It could have sent past philanderers McCain and Rudy home early as a general voter disgust reaction if L’Affair Edwards had become voter knowledge and he dropped out. And Romney, Hunter, and Pastor Huckster having solid marriages might have helped one or all of them following a voter reaction against Edwards, then others acting like Edwards.
And perhaps commentors will opine on why the MSM has to explain why their pat explaination for airing other sex scandals – Foley, Craig, Haggart, Kobe, A-Rod, Newt, McCain’s false adultery claim – “We Couldn’t Bear the Hypocrisy!!” – obviously made without a shred of consideration of the “hurt wife” – was dispensed with – with the case of Edwards massive lies and hypocrisy.
Aug 9, 2008 - 3:05 pm 61. The Fop:As an ex-Democrat who comes from a very liberal family, I think that, at this point, the main purpose of liberal media bias is to prevent more liberals from leaving the fold. Conservatives and independents already know the score. It’s come down to damage control…stopping the bleeding…convincing the old liberal foggies that the Democrats are still “mainstream” with lots of Scoop Jacksons still left in the party. They talk about Rush Limbaugh like he’s the devil not for the sake of convincing those who actually listen to him that he’s wrong on all the issues, but to prevent those who have never listened to him to never give him two minutes of their time.
How pathetic that the MSM is now reduced to lying and omitting for the sake of fooling an ever dwindling “some of the people all of the time”.
I hope Walter Cronkite burns in hell for eternity.
Aug 9, 2008 - 3:18 pm 62. Dave Eaton:—>“Objective journalism” is a concept that came to be much later on.
And I think it a pretty dangerous idea that we accepted. News stories are just that, stories. In the absence of data, I try not to believe any of it, even things I am inclined to hope are true. I wonder if ‘objective journalism’ mythology arose to promote the worldview of left-wing j-school professors.
Aug 9, 2008 - 4:00 pm 63. Terrye:I am getting kind of tired of the whole thing already. I mean really, who cares? I don’t like Edwards, would not for him under any circumstances, but this story just goes on and on and on.
Aug 9, 2008 - 4:40 pm 64. Roger L Simon:Actually, Terrye, I think there is a lot more to this story – but it’s not about Edwards. It’s about why so many people would devote themselves to such a person, lie for him, almost die for him. Maybe it’s a story for a novelist, but it’s an important. Therein lies the cancer at the hear of modern liberalism. It’s a big subject. You may be bored with the superficial news here – I can understand it – but this story is a remarkable paradigm from many angles.
Aug 9, 2008 - 4:55 pm 65. cedarford:Terrye –
Inevitably, during any major issue or scandal, somebody takes the bother to write persistantly on how they pronounce themselves “bored” with matters like McCain’s POW years, Iraq insurgency, the housing crisis, or the conspiracy to keep Edwards career alive in the 2008 race.
Yet if they were simply bored, they wouldn’t bother to take the effort to convince others that the subject materia was boring…
Aug 9, 2008 - 5:09 pm 66. Indy Republican:So such proclaimations can be best translated as “Move along, nothing to see here, this is a subject that is resolved/best not discussed”.
With his eventual admission of his affair (after repeatedly lying about it), John Edwards proved that he is every bit the sleazy, opportunistic, lying hack that most everyone thought he was before this story broke. While I have sympathy for Elizabeth and her cancer, I have to wonder how deluded she is/was all these years not to have seen Johnny boy for the liar that he is? She seems to be kind of a dim bulb. Although the MSM is speculating that this could kill off any future Edwards’ hopes for in politics (we could only be so lucky), I subscribe to the belief that Rush Limbaugh frequently states about democrat’s “moral indiscretions;” they’re resume enhancements.
Aug 9, 2008 - 9:56 pm 67. Barry Dauphin:I repeat: if the name John Edwards were taken out and the name Mitt Romney inserted, we would be hearing this for weeks. The NYT targeted McCain on a false allegation and on much less evidence.
Mr. Two Americas: One America for the wife: one America for the mistress. Is the mistress entitled to healthcare? Two Americas: one for: neocons” and one for “right (or left) thinking” people. Two Americas: one for trial lawyers and one for saps.
Aug 9, 2008 - 10:01 pm 68. Rachel Peepers:Forgive me, but I am losing my patience with the extremely extensive and unnecessarily aggressive coverage of the John Edwards faux pas concerning a somewhat inappropriate relationship with the cute, pert, undeniably attractive and virtually irresistible Rielle Hunter.
Friends, I ask you, “Why should one baby misstep wipe out a list of accomplishmens that’s more than 20 years long.” Is it a crime to care about the poor and disadvantaged like John Edwards does?
These anti-Edwards, anti-Obama, anti-progressive reporters are vicious. And I might say a touch jealous.
At least the New York Times has the decency to minimize the story, and keep the Presidential, albeit far off, light of hope alive that one day John Edwards will assume his rightful place in the oval office.
Relentless bashing of a good man’s character:
To all these hate mongering, mainstream midia newspaper people, I have only one more thing to say: Who was the one without sin who had the moral turpitude, the enormous audacity to cast the first stone?
If Elizabeth forgives him, that’s enough for me.
Actually, if you’re looking for someone to smear, how about John McCain who, in the middle of the Viet Nam war, left his unit for 7 years, forcing some other brave fighter of the skies to put his life on the line, daily dodging missiles, flying countless bombing missions, never knowing whether he was going to return to fight another day.
Forgive me, but I am losing my patience with the extremely extensive and unnecessarily aggressive coverage of the John Edwards faux pas concerning a somewhat inappropriate relationship with the cute, pert, undeniably attractive and virtually irresistible Rielle Hunter.
Friends, I ask you, “Why should one baby misstep wipe out a list of accomplishmens that’s more than 20 years long.” Is it a crime to care about the poor and disadvantaged like John Edwards does?
These anti-Edwards, anti-Obama, anti-progressive reporters are vicious. And I might say a touch jealous.
At least the New York Times has the decency to minimize the story, and keep the Presidential, albeit far off, light of hope alive that one day John Edwards will assume his rightful place in the oval office.
Relentless bashing of a good man’s character:
To all these hate mongering, mainstream midia newspaper people, I have only one more thing to say: Who was the one without sin who had the moral turpitude, the enormous audacity to cast the first stone?
If Elizabeth forgives him, that’s enough for me.
Actually, if you’re looking for someone to smear, how about John McCain who, in the middle of the Viet Nam war, left his unit for 7 years, forcing some other brave fighter of the skies to put his life on the line, daily dodging missiles, flying countless bombing missions, never knowing whether he was going to return to fight another day.
At least John Edwards had the steely courage, the moral resolve to admit he was sleeping with the enemy when kindhearted Elizabeth needed him most.
Next, I suppose we’re going to hear about some dreamed up crack, cocaine and dope smoking done by Barack Hussein prior to the final debate with Hillary Clinton. With the media, it’s always the liberal Democrats who get thrown under the pundit’s bus. It’s a shame because, when you’re working night and day trying to get the country back on the right track, there’s always somebody out there trying to stab you in the back. Et tu politicos periodicos.
Does it not smack of those days in 2000 when the Swift Boat vets tried to sink the Presidential ship of the good John Kerry? They condemned him for saying American soldiers engaged in wholesale butchery, brutality, murder, bestiality and torture during the Viet Nam war.
Okay, maybe he went a little overboard for dramatic emphasis, but, hello, haven’t the Republicans ever heard of free speech? Which reminds me.
When Osama criticizes middle class America for clinging to their bibles, religion and guns, duh, isn’t that just what they do? Maybe the truth hurts, but for the most part, middle America mouth-breathers, are semi-literate, gun worshiping, WalMart shopping louts.
In private, Obama admits it’s the elite opinion-leaders on the east and west coasts who’ll “Get me elected. I don’t really care that the American heartland mentality doesn’t share my progressive views on everything from gay marrige to reparations for African Americans to comprehensive Affirmative Action in the workplace and beyond.” All these years, I’m sure you’ll agree the black man has suffered because of both overt and covert racism.” States Barack emphatically with eyes as big as saucers,
“When I’m elected, I’ll create a playing field that rights historical wrongs; does what the framers of the constitution should and could have done in the first place. That, my friends, says Obama proudly (but with a sense of humility), will be my rightful place in history.”
At least John Edwards had the steely courage, the moral resolve to admit he was sleeping with the enemy when kindhearted Elizabeth needed him most.
Next, I suppose we’re going to hear about some dreamed up crack, cocaine and dope smoking done by Barack Hussein prior to the final debate with Hillary Clinton. With the media, it’s always the liberal Democrats who get thrown under the pundit’s bus. It’s a shame because, when you’re working night and day trying to get the country back on the right track, there’s always somebody out there trying to stab you in the back. Et tu politicos periodicos.
Does it not smack of those days in 2000 when the Swift Boat vets tried to sink the Presidential ship of the good John Kerry? They condemned him for saying American soldiers engaged in wholesale butchery, brutality, murder, bestiality and torture during the Viet Nam war.
Okay, maybe he went a little overboard for dramatic emphasis, but, hello, haven’t the Republicans ever heard of free speech? Which reminds me.
When Osama criticizes middle class America for clinging to their bibles, religion and guns, duh, isn’t that just what they do? Maybe the truth hurts, but for the most part, middle America mouth-breathers, are semi-literate, gun worshiping, WalMart shopping louts.
In private, Obama admits it’s the elite opinion-leaders on the east and west coasts who’ll “Get me elected. I don’t really care that the American heartland mentality doesn’t share my progressive views on everything from gay marrige to reparations for African Americans to comprehensive Affirmative Action in the workplace and beyond.” All these years, I’m sure you’ll agree the black man has suffered because of both overt and covert racism.” States Barack emphatically with eyes as big as saucers,
Aug 10, 2008 - 2:15 am 69. Lem:“When I’m elected, I’ll create a playing field that rights historical wrongs; does what the framers of the constitution should and could have done in the first place. That, my friends, says Obama proudly (but with a sense of humility), will be my rightful place in history.”
The MSM.. “picking at it [the story] with their noses held, as if looking for something valuable in a moldy dumpster.” The San Francisco Chronicle.
I understand the arguments against the MSM, but there was (and continue to be) a good reason why the story was in the tabloid in the first place. If I want to read about bathroom tapping, risqué IM’s or a Hotel lobby chase I know where to go.
I suppose I’ll just have to wait it out.
Aug 10, 2008 - 8:10 am 70. Terrye:cedarford:
This is not the Iraq war, this is a story about a vain and silly man screwing around on his wife while the press covered it up because the vain silly man is a Democrat.
What more is there to say?
Aug 10, 2008 - 9:09 am 71. M,W. Kaul:I have always said that in order to know all the immportant news you must read the Wall Street Journal and the National Inquirer. The rest of the press is fluff and imitation.
Aug 10, 2008 - 11:08 am 72. tanstaafl:This is a fairly decent “piece” in the LA Times…
…until the writer, Tim Rutten, attempts to schlep the credit to ABC…
It’s interesting that what finally forced Edwards into telling the truth was a mainstream media organization. ABC News…
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-newrutten9-2008aug09,0,3175773.column
Aug 10, 2008 - 12:01 pm 73. tanstaafl:The online NYTimes is kind of thumbing down the whole Edwards’ story and featuring a long “piece” on John McCain’s “loose”" style and “unclear lines of command”…
On Edwards, there’s a barely findable “piece” on the “reticence” of the MSM, including, but not limited to, this from NYTimes Bill Keller…
Bill Keller, the executive editor, said in an e-mail message that Mr. Edwards’s dark-horse status and the “added hold-your-nose quality about The Enquirer” contributed to the lack of interest by The Times and the mainstream media generally.
Gee, what about the long “piece” in February casting McCain/female lobbyist aspersions (without foundation) ? No hold your nose reservations there, Mr. Keller ?
And the beat goes on.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/09/business/media/09media.html
Aug 10, 2008 - 12:42 pm 74. LFIB9999:Edwards was being considered as a VP candidate. The Obamists had to ask him how he was going to keep this quiet. He went to LA to see what it would take to hush Hunter. When it got out everything unraveled.
Aug 10, 2008 - 5:39 pm 75. dougf:Now Hunter says no paternity test? My guess: that is the quid pro quo for child support, and the baby’s tuition at Duke for 4 years.
OJ? The Enquirer had Gennifer Flowers right 16 years ago; the MSM is laughable, and doomed.
>i>”This is not the Iraq war, this is a story about a vain and silly man screwing around on his wife while the press covered it up because the vain silly man is a Democrat.
What more is there to say?”—Terrye
Actually that’s more than enough if you first get beyond the factoid that WE all know the accused MSM is as corrupt as the day is long. The MSM HAS TO DIE. Not because it reflects a viewpoint that some might find objectionable, but because it reflects a viewpoint while sailing under the flag of ‘TRUTH’. If it reflected ONLY ‘another’ viewpoint it would just as invidious and destructive.
I don’t care what happens to John Edwards. He’s merely beneath contempt. But I DO want the ‘media’ to DIE.
Soon.
Aug 10, 2008 - 7:45 pm 76. Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere:[...] And At Times The Mainstream Media’s Reporting On The Scandal has not even been accurate. [...]
Aug 11, 2008 - 5:52 am 77. Tess:let’s see how long it takes the media to investigate why the Clintonista owned National Enquirer is so invested in taking Edwards down. Could it be payback for helping Obama deny Clinton the nomination? Additional benefit for Hillary: Edwards is diminished as a future threat. A twofer! Hillary may waddle, but she’s lethal.
Aug 11, 2008 - 7:24 am 78. david levavi:Reminds me of the NYT’s non-coverage of the Watergate break-in and its aftermath. As the Washington Posts hotly covered the story, the Times ignored it. Dummied up as to why it wasn’t interested and then made excuses about corroboration.
At dinner with my wife and some friends the evening following the break in, this (then) faithful Times reader insisted that the break-in had to be political. Why would a bunch of Cubans from Florida burglarize Democratic National Headquarters? To steal IBM Selectric typewriters? Hewlett-Packard calculators? Obviously they were after lists and information.
I made a wager that night, less than twenty-four hours after the break in, that a) this was no minor incident and b) that John Mitchell, Nixon’s hardnosed AG serving as GOP Election Chairman would be implicated before the affair was over.
If an ordinary laymen knew this based on the NYT’s original story of burglars arrested at Democratic election headquarters at the Watergate, how could the editors at the Times miss it? For weeks and months.
Simple answer: The Times was still recovering from its roughing up by Nixon’s White House over publishing the Pentagon Papers stolen by Daniel Ellsberg. The Sulzbergers and the Ochsen weren’t ready for another confrontation with the Administration. Cowardice, plain and simple, underlay the NYT hanging back while its competitor, The Washington Post climbed all over the story.
“All the news that’s fit to print” is a motto that would have worked nicely for Pravda under the Soviets. The NYT is unworthy of the constitutional amendments protecting it.
Aug 11, 2008 - 9:54 am 79. Javelin:What about McCain’s affairs? This is such infantile moral posturing, and I expect more from Mr. Simon than the average blogtard.
Aug 12, 2008 - 7:57 pm 80. Judy, NYC:I actually went through the mourning process when i realized the new york times was dead. this monstrous thing with no brain (my apologies to medical incredible) that climbed out of the nyt grave, got rid of journalists, fact checkers, even college educated secretaries. the editors must have been former staffers, fired by the enquirer for breaching its standards.
Aug 13, 2008 - 8:05 am