Palin, Trump And The Media’s “Balloon Boy Syndrome”
I started writing this post about a week ago, having no idea that the two subjects of the post, dumb and dumber, would meet up and chow on some pizza. If you added up their IQ’s, you still wouldn’t reach 100. I imagine there was a lot of grunting and pointing going on at this meeting of the stupids.
Cable news and even broadcast news have become vehicles for con artists, egomaniacs and narcissists to make lots of money. There are way too many examples of this in the last few years, but I will just pick a few to focus on. The most recent and blatant example is Donald Trump. He used the guise of “possibly” running for president to promote his NBC show “Celebrity Apprentice”. It was so over the top and obvious, that some in the media even said they knew he was just trying to get publicity and then they would “roll tape” or say “we’ll talk to the Donald right after the break.” So even after admitting that they were being used, they just kept doing it. There were a few days on MSNBC where he was camped out in their studio and they put him on every half hour to spew his bullshit, mostly unchallenged. And he always dropped in several mentions of his TV show, without fail. I watched as MSNBC anchors just sat there speechless as he vomited out his racist, elitist bullshit and in my opinion, did great harm to our society. They helped to perpetuate the underlying racism behind his birth certificate claims and towards the end of his media blitz, the President’s educational accomplishments. That all came to a halt with the complete shellacking of Donald Trump at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. And then the next day, the killing of Osama bin Laden.
I called for a boycott of NBC until they fire him. I am still not watching that network until his ass is gone. It doesn’t look like it will be anytime soon, so NBC can count on one less viewer and one less consumer buying their advertisers products. I will not watch that network until he is off the air, period. I have also switched over to CNN as my daytime news network. Fuck MSNBC during the day, they simply take the latest meme from the “Morning Meme Generator with Joe” and repeat it on the half hour and then bring on Jane Hamsher or some other firebagger to beat up on the President and ignore his latest accomplishments. They usually have a Republican there to beat up on the president too, their idea of being bi-partisan. I do still watch Lawrence O’Donnell, Rachel Maddow and sometimes Ed Schultz. What else is there for a liberal to watch these days, until I get my cable network off the ground. (Only half joking)
The other example of the cable networks being willing vehicles for con artists is Sarah Palin. She has a documentary coming out and is on a bus tour. She has a fire in her belly, you know. I take Prilosec for mine. But once again, she is teasing the media into thinking she is running for president, when almost everyone says they know she will not. But that isn’t any reason to not pretend like she is and give her all the oxygen in the room. Who gives a shit about Joplin MO, or the radiation in Japan that has dropped off the radar, or the other communities torn apart by tornadoes or flooding. Instead, they are pimping for Sarah Palin and putting money directly into her greedy little, crib-noted hands. They are completely unabashed in giving her all the time she wants. And I’m not just talking about Fox News, this is all the cable networks, broadcast networks and the freakin internet too. I personally have grown tired of laughing at her half-witted sayings and screeching voice.
Mark my words, the next few weeks will be the Sarah Palin chronicles on cable news, they will have well paid reporters following her around, clinging to every word and tweet she spews, speculating about her run for president, blah, blah, fucking blah. And there is no way in hell she is running for president, that’s way too much work. Shit, she couldn’t handle being the governor of Alaska and cashed in while the getting was good.
I’ve been calling this phenomenon the “Balloon Boy Syndrome”, in honor of Richard and Mayumi Heene, the reality show folks who missed the limelight of being reality stars and had to jump up and down to get people to pay attention to them. This syndrome is very contagious, as soon as one network goes with a story, the others follow right along. Long gone are the days of checking sources or confirming stories, that’s for wimps. Run with it, what the hell, they can always spend 20 seconds saying they were wrong, after having beat the dead horse into the ground or followed the empty balloon half way across the country. They wait for the next ding and head off like salivating dogs to the next media created 15 minute fame whore.
The effect of the “Balloon Boy Syndrome” is that it just encourages others to do the same. At one point, I referred to the Republican primary as simply auditions for Fox News. Just today, I saw that Gov. Rick Scott of Florida and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas are both toying with the idea of throwing their hats in the ring. Who can blame them, all they have to do is say a few crazy things, watch the media descend upon them, they get built up, form a PAC, raise a bunch of money, write a book and collect the loot. And these cable outlets and news organizations just play right along with it, no shame, no apologies and no honor obviously. Is it any wonder the media ranks below child molesters in polls. (That may be a slight exaggeration, but who’s going to check on it?)
Must See Take Down Of Fox Business News “Takers vs. Makers” Crap!
Hat Tips to Bob Cesca’s Awesome Blog! Go! and Political Ruminations.
Jon Stewart Tells It Like It Is To Fox News And Bill O’reilly
Here is a link to the second part of the above, damn thing was autoplaying, which I hate.
Elevating The Cult Of The Self – The Death Of Empathy
This is a must watch clip that speaks volumes about what our country has become in recent years. Hat tip to Osborne Ink.
A Chirpstory Your Ass Better Read – @allanbrauer
For those of you not familiar with Twitter, the following is a Chirpstory. It is basically a series of “Tweets” strung together, usually an exchange between two or more people. This one is a bit different, I’ll let Allan Brauer explain his reasons for this rant. It is a must read for anyone who really gives a shit about our country. Here is a link to the original chirpstory. He promises more in the future. You can read Allan over at Angry Black Lady Chronicles, which really should be one of your bookmarks if it isn’t already. It may not look like other chirpstories you’ve seen, because I have yet to figure out how to put them in with the embedded code. Doh!
Here’s Allan:
Preface: I went on a bit of a stream of consciousness jag, inspired by the decision of the Sunday morning talk shows to book 6 GOP-Bush apologists to one Democrat on the occasion of Obama carrying out the action that killed Osama bin Laden. We have no liberal media. It’s up to us to be the messenger for Obama and the Democrats.
Tomorrow morning, our corporate media will give platform to war criminals and serial failures in hopes of dragging down Obama’s approval.
Our corporate media is so concerned that the GOP will be unable to front a marketable candidate that they’re trying to drag Obama down.
It will be absolutely devastating for the 2012 news ratings if the GOP nominates a clunker and Obama wins in a cakewalk. Ads must be sold.
Remember that what the news media loved about the Obama/Clinton primary battle was Dems were fighting and a close race drew more eyeballs.
The GOP disappointed media in 2008 by quickly reconciling itself to McCain as their candidate. They have an interest in conflict.
With no primary challenger to Obama, the media hopes the GOP fight will be contentious and prolonged, and that Obama will be vulnerable.
The GOP’s preference for winner-take-all primaries minimizes the chance that they’ll approach their convention without a clear winner.
Therefore it will be necessary for the media to manufacture drama by insisting that Dems are divided, Obama’s support is waning.
Any poll that suggests Obama could lose a state to the GOP nominee will be flogged in 64 point headlines; those showing him winning, not.
Any self-appointed spokesperson who calls for progressives to withhold support from O will be given a platform on Fox News and MSNBC.
The hundreds of thousands of volunteers calling and knocking on doors to re-elect Obama will be disappeared like Iraq war protestors.
If you would like to be cross-posted at HuffPo, Daily Kos, FDL et al, write a post about why Obama doesn’t deserve your vote.
What can we do about the reality I have described? A few things. One, we can withhold our eyeballs and clicks from the media circus.
Two, we can use our own respective platforms, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc., to amplify and spread the message of those who support Obama.
Three, we can network with each other across all social media and refer people to the work of others with which we agree.
Fourth, and most important, we can organize and mobilize in the real world and talk to persuadable ppl in the middle, not just our allies.
Our country splits roughly one-third left, one-third right, one-third in between. Elections are about getting to 50% + 1.
In 2008, our local Obama phonebanking team included decline-to-state voters, and even some registered Republicans. Those are the target.
Covey’s 7 Habits: each of us has a smaller circle of control and a larger circle of influence. The better you manage what’s in your control,
the larger your circle of influence grows. Go forth. Be calm, friendly, rational and polite. Speak positively of Obama & his results.
Point out how much more Obama can accomplish if given 4 more years to continue what he’s started. Contrast his vision with the GOP’s.
Acknowledge he and his administration have not been perfect. Point out that no politician has ever been perfect. Ask who do you trust more?
Who do you believe actually has your best interests and those of your family and community in mind when deciding a course of action?
All politicians receive money from corporate donors. But ask which ones still favor policies that might benefit the little guy anyway?
Both parties support the principles of a strong US military. But which one has fought to make the military a better and fairer workplace?
Both parties have failed at times to stand up for civil liberties and individual rights. But which has consistently worked to expand them?
Both parties have been insufficient in addressing our environmental degradation. But which one acknowledges we have a problem?
Both sides in the healthcare debate insist that they are looking out for patients. But which one has actually expanded access?
Both parties could do more to protect a woman’s right to choose. But which one unanimously votes to take that right away?
These are some of the choices that face voters when making their decisions in 2012. Make the contrasts clear even as the media blurs them.
The media pretends that they provide balance by presenting critics of Obama from both the left and the right. You provide the real balance.
Only you can explain to your friends, relatives and neighbors why they should support Obama and the Dems. No one else will do it for you.
Some Quick Hits From Around The Internets, But Please Don’t Inhale!
I’ve posted many times about polls on this blog, having some schooling in the subject. Now the pollsters are polling about polls.
And if you missed our awesome President on 60 minutes, JM Ashby put it up here to watch. You really should watch it, much more reliable than the media filters.
All the discussion about Hillary in that Situation Room photo, well, how about we just remove her from the picture like this newspaper did.
I totally agree with this, why doesn’t Andrew Breitbart just get a job already.
Wow, is Bill Maher trying to get attention using a racial slur and stereotype?
Check out some more great photos from the parade and protest in Benton Harbor, Michigan on Saturday.
And last, but not least, what fun would a Monday be without calling out Glenn Greenwald on his bullshit?
I’ll Take Transparency Over “Messaging” Anytime!
I’m all for “messaging” when running a campaign for elected office. The idea of having surrogates and your supporters parroting the talking points consistently, with no room for wedges to be inserted and breaks to form in the message is a noble goal. That is kind of the game that is played between the press and a campaign, staying on message, pounding home your themes and not getting distracted from the “message” of the day, week or entire campaign. I’m totally down with that concept. When it comes to governing a country, I’m not such a huge fan of that process. Ronald Reagan and his puppet-masters had it down to a science and in my idealistic head, it was maddening. There was no transparency, there was no window into that administration, only what we and the media were spoon fed. Some in the media pushed back against it, pointing out to their readers and viewers that it was happening. But those were much different times in the media.
Candidate Clinton adopted a lot of that mentality even with all the distractions he had to fight back. They stuck to their “It’s the economy stupid” theme and just kept driving it home to a big win in 1992. The comeback kid confirmed that in elections, you have to stick to your message and pound it relentlessly. In thinking back to the Clinton presidency, it occurs to me that they, like Reagan and Bush 1, brought that into the Whitehouse with them.
The Obama campaign and candidate Obama showed great discipline with their messaging during the campaign, but promised an era of transparency in the Whitehouse. The two concepts don’t necessarily go hand in hand. The recent “messaging” problem that many in the press and blogosphere are accusing the Whitehouse of in the wake of the operation that killed Osama bin Laden on Sunday, to me is because of that transparency. I’m glad that the Whitehouse didn’t clamp down and make everyone come out like robots and repeat the same “message”. Instead, the Whitehouse released an intense and not necessarily flattering photo of the situation room during a very tense moment. We saw a room full of people who were all watching the same thing, but not necessarily all seeing the same thing or interpreting it the same way.
Each one of the people in that room and then their staffs have different perspectives and perceptions of what happened. With transparency in the Whitehouse and nothing to hide, these people were allowed to talk to the media. Why are the details so different depending on who said it? I equate it very much to someone whispering something at one end of a table and by the time it makes it to the other end, the story has changed wildly. That’s what happens when humans share information. It’s why outlets like Fox News purposely feed misinformation into the public to be spread around, they understand that idea and use it for their evil purposes.
So as I watch the details of the operation get revised and corrected, with one person contradicting someone else and no clear, repeated message coming from the Whitehouse, in many ways I’m glad. If we just look at one instance in the Bush administration that backfired on them monumentally, partly because of the “messaging” idea and partly because they were fucking propagandists trying to justify their stupid fucking wars and keep the cheerleaders for their venture on the sidelines with their pom poms. The instance was the killing of Pat Tillman. If you want to know the history of that one, go here. The Bush Administration picked their message, a manufactured cover story, and they ran with it. As anyone with a brain knows, lies beget lies. One lie usually leads to many other lies to cover the first one.
Now, with a situation that is developing, with details being revealed from many sources, would it be better for the Whitehouse to immediately concoct a “message” for the masses, even as the details are still emerging. Or how about clamping down on anyone saying anything until those details are clear, then the press would spend their time pounding on the door of the press room, writing conspiracy stories about why they aren’t telling us the details and thus tainting any “message” that eventually comes out. Transparency is a messy business, folks. Letting officials and staffers speak out with all their flaws in perceptions and interpretations will cause some contradictions, revisions and people walking back things when the actual details and evidence comes along. It may look haphazard and incompetent, but as someone who likes the idea of the Whitehouse allowing information to flow to the public, I’ll take that confusion in a heartbeat over the lock-step messaging that took a brave man like Pat Tillman and used him for a “message” that was consistent at first, but went on to hurt a man’s family and our country for years to come.
I’m glad that information is flowing about the operation to capture/kill Osama bin Laden, even if it isn’t so neat and tidy and wrapped up with a nice bow.
Bill Maher Gives Platform For Race-baiter Andrew Breitbart – Come on!
Photo used without permission and found here using Google!
I have a real love/hate thing for Bill Maher. Sometimes he is so dead on and just nails it and other times he’s in a completely different mindset than I am, to put it politely. I listen to the podcast of his show and heard the previous show where Andrew Breitbart was on along with Seth McFarland, it’s been a while though. ColorOfChange.org tipped me off to the post reminding us how much fun Bill and Andrew had the last time Bill elevated and legitimized the charlatan on his HBO show. I guess giving sideshows and charlatan’s a stage to spread their hate is all the rage these days. I know Bill will probably respond with free speech, which is of course very true…in a Sarah Palin kind of way (if you know what I mean). But broadcasters and media make choices all the time about who will come on their show and I really think making the choice to give Breitbart more fame and notoriety only hurts us all. If the man had a single ounce of credibility, then sure, but this man is an admitted con-artist…exposed multiple times. Yet Dylan Ratigan and Bill Maher both seem to help the man further his charade. From James Rucker at Jack & Jill Politics…
We learned yesterday that Andrew Breitbart will be appearing on Bill Maher’s show tonight. This will be the second time Breitbart has appeared there since he was exposed as a race-baiting con artist during the Shirley Sherrod incident. It’s bad enough that Breitbart gets any airtime on Maher’s show. Worse, Maher completely softballed Breitart when he had him on in September. He called Breitbart a “publisher and journalist” and completely failed to point out that Breitbart repeatedly launches racially-charged smear campaigns based in deception and lies. Whether he knew it or not, Maher was helping rehabilitate Breitbart’s image, and unless he’s very clear tonight about Breitbart’s record, he’ll do it again.
He has a phone number and a script if you want to call and let Real Time with Bill Maher know how you feel about an admitted con-artist getting exposure on his show. At the least, it would be nice if the man were actually challenged with facts and forced to stand up for his lies and be accountable. His Acorn and Shirley Sherrod episodes were disgusting in so many ways, it makes my stomach churn listening to the man. I’ll have to skip this weeks episode.
BOYCOTT NBC UNTIL THEY “FIRE” DONALD TRUMP! SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! Update I, II, III: Sponsors and Contacts
I will not watch a single show on NBC until Donald Trump is gone. I’m dead serious. I encourage you to do the same and I will be posting the names and addresses of advertisers on his show and NBC executives as soon as I get a chance. This is serious, people, Donald Trump is a blatant racist and shouldn’t be allowed to spread his racist propaganda on television. We have to hit them hard and force them to get rid of that asshole.
Petition http://www.change.org/petitions/dump-trump-tell-nbc-to-fire-donald-trump-for-lies-against-obama
Update IV: Updated sponsor list from NamelessGenXer
http://www.monikabrooks.com/1/post/2011/04/trump-affiliated-businesses.html
Update III: Are we having an impact? From ThinkProgress
Moments ago, a Groupon representative announced that, in the future, they will block their advertisements from appearing on The Apprentice website.
You can contact Enterprise Rental Car, which is telling customers they don’t sponsor The Apprentice, but are currently advertising on their website.
Update Groupon ads previously appeared on The Apprentice website. After hearing a bunch of complaints today, Groupon announced that they will not be advertising on The Apprentice website in the future. But Groupon spokesperson Julie Mossler does not consider placing website advertisements a “sponsorship.” In apparently related news, she also says the company will not offer Groupons for abortions. You can read Ms. Mossler’s statement here.
Update II: Better links according to Nick, thanks Nick
Clorox: http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/contactus.html
Sprint: boardinquiries@sprint.com
Update: If you have the time and want to express how you feel about the outrageous, sideshow and carnival barker (no offense to carnival people, really) Donald Trump, let the sponsors of his NBC show know that you will not watch that show or the network until Donald Trump is fired. I’ve called and sent several emails myself today, spend some time and hit Donald Trump where it hurts HIM the most, in his wallet.
Sponsors of Celebrity Apprentice
NBC Executives who might want to know how you feel too.
NBC Entertainment Rebecca Marks Executive Vice President, Publicity 818-777-3030 | Rebecca.Marks@nbcuni.com
Universal Pictures Cindy Gardner Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs 818-777-2581 | Cindy.Gardner@nbcuni.com
Universal Media Studios Curt King Senior Vice President, Publicity 818-777-3655 | Curt.King@nbcuni.com
Adriene Bowles Focus Features President, Worldwide Publicity and Executive VP, Marketing 818-777-7499 | Adriene.Bowles@nbcuni.com
Uygur and Sirota Gang Up On Joe Madison And Ooze Stupidity!
I have a hard time watching Cenk Uygur, so when this aired originally, I had the sound down and missed it. Thanks to Twitter, I was informed that Joe Madison got the best of them. I don’t think I would characterize it like that, the two blowhards, Uygur and Sirota, talked over him quite a bit, interrupted him constantly and Joe only really set them back at about 9:30 in the clip. I’m issuing a warning to liberals with high blood pressure, this clip will raise it up – so watch with caution.
Cenk is not a progressive or a liberal, so what in the hell qualifies him to talk about liberals at all. He is a Bush hater who is returning to his conservative roots and making bank off it at MSNBC or what I like to refer to as “Fox News II – Your Trump Headquarters.”
“Throwing the baby out with the bath water” is an expression that isn’t just a cute little metaphor to be blown off like happens so often. It is an expression that has been around for a long time in various forms and the warning should be heeded. What comes to my mind is 2000, with Nadarites handing the presidency to George W. (two wars) Bush. Here is a little history on the saying…from Wikipedia
Thomas Carlyle adapted the concept in an 1849 essay on slavery:
- “And if true, it is important for us, in reference to this Negro Question and some others. The Germans say, ‘you must empty-out the bathing-tub, but not the baby along with it.’ Fling-out yur dirty water with all zeal, and set it careering down the kennels; but try if you can keep the little child!”[6]
Carlyle is urging his readers to join in the struggle to end slavery, but he also encourages them to be mindful of the need to try to avoid harming the slaves themselves in the process.
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The Breitbart and Ratigan Lovefest (Updated) – Racists Loving On Each Other!
Bob Cesca takes on Dylan Ratigan’s lovefest with Andrew Breitbart, the guy who brought us the Acorn scam, the Shirley Sherrod scam and all sorts of other racist crap over the years. Here’s part of Bob’s take on Breitbarts appearance on Ratigan’s show the other day….
Dylan Ratigan gave Andrew Breitbart ten full minutes of MSNBC airtime the other day to promote his book, and predictably failed to corner Breitbart on any of his egregious lies and self-admitted scams.
After introducing Breitbart as a “controversial blogger,” Ratigan described the Big Government entrepreneur as a “sharpshooter who’s good,” a “smart man,” and “an incredibly passionate and effective man.”
This after Ratigan called Swift Boat financier T. Boone Pickens a “true patriot” a couple of weeks ago.
So, naturally, Twitter erupted with criticism of Ratigan’s pathetic Breitbart infomercial. My remarks are here. And here’s a pointed back-and-forth between Ratigan and David Shuster. Meanwhile, Media Matters compiled a series of questions for Breitbart that Ratigan should have asked.
Update: On my commute to my day job today, I was listening to the Bob and Elvis Show podcast and they were talking about this subject. As they were talking, it occurred to me that both of those men are blatant racists. There are way too many examples of Breitbart’s racism to pull up here, go to Google and type Breitbart and Racism and you will see a slew of them. Now, Ratigan’s racism isn’t as blatant and even when it is blatant, most of the media and the blogosphere just ignore if for some reason. I say it is because he is on MSNBC, which is not liberal, I don’t care if they have a few hours of left leaning opinion shows at night. The rest of the network is becoming Fox News II. In many ways, Ratigan’s racism is much worse, since he couches it in populist rhetoric which is targeted at the less informed, which makes it very Fox Like if you ask me.
Joan Walsh’s Racist Twitter Problem – Digging Herself Out Of A Hole! (Updated)
I had every intention of writing a post about the budget deal that went down last night, but in scanning my favorite blogs, I came across this post from Angry Black Lady at her most excellent blog, if you don’t have it bookmarked, there is something wrong with you. :)
My opinion of Joan Walsh (Salon.com), up until now, has been pretty neutral, I don’t usually read her articles and mostly just see her on MSNBC. For the most part, she didn’t seem as anti-Obama as others in the “professional left” who have been and continue to make money on the backs of liberals. They haven’t all cashed in yet, like Arianna Huffington, give them time.
While reading through the twitter fight between ABL and Joan Walsh, it became very clear to me how she feels. You can judge for yourself. It also shed some light on why Glenn Greenwald could get away with calling us supporters of POTUS “Obama-lovers” with no repercussions. “Obama-lovers”…did you catch that? Here is the meat of the exchange on twitter that Joan Walsh is desperately trying to spin…
truthrose1
@joanwalsh read your article, I resent white progressives who pretend they are the base of Dem party and ignore AA’s, we are eventruthrose1
@joanwalsh PBO is not your lap dog, thank god Gibbs called out the liars in the progressive media, u have done nothing but act like baggersjoanwalsh
@truthrose1 Not saying white progressives are THE base; opposite. But I resent African Americans who say THEY are THE BASE. Wrong.truthrose1
@joanwalsh white progressive voices use the term “the base” carelessly that is my pointtruthrose1
@joanwalsh AA’s are not the entire base, however, white progressive voices ignore us and act as if we don’t existjoanwalsh
@truthrose1 No, I don’t. That’s insanely unfair. Talk to a person, not your stereotypes. Please. Tiresome, really.truthrose1
@joanwalsh history will show how the so called “progressive” wing of the Dem party was a toxic and deceitful bunch of back stabbers.joanwalsh
@truthrose1 You’re toxic, I’m sorry. Jesus. Get some help.
UPDATE:
I’m addling a comment that just came in over at ABL’s site that I just loved.
Author: Kerry Reid
Comment:
I generally agree, Ricky. But one thing I’ve found hilarious from the Firebagger set is that they can use the most vicious (and racist) invective against Obama — but if members of his administration should happen to dish it back even slightly, then they hit the fainting couches and clutch the pearls. It’s politics, kids. If you don’t have a Teflon ass, stay out of the kitchen. (Or mixed metaphors to that effect.)I’m just awfully glad some of the Whiny White Professional Left set weren’t in charge of the civil rights movement or the women’s rights movement or gay rights or any of the other significant social movements of the last 50 years — movements that frequently found the participants and leaders taking nightsticks to the head, forced feedings, teargas, imprisonment, police dogs, firehoses, actual assassinations.
Apparently one needn’t use actual sticks and stones to break the bones of the Poutrage Set. Words are enough to crumple them into a whimpering pile in the corner.
Click on “More” to see a large portion of Joan Walsh’s quest to dig herself out of a hole.
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