Althouse: "Nixon didn’t try to do that. They couldn’t control [the media]. They didn’t try."

July 2, 2009

"Nixon didn’t try to do that. They couldn’t control [the media]. They didn’t try."

"What the hell do they think we are, puppets? They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.... When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you. I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well — for the town halls, for the press conferences. It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame."

Said Helen Thomas. She's 89. And she's angry. Good!

Hot video (with Thomas butting in at 2:46):

Gibbs: "We've had this discussion ad nauseum." Thomas: "Of course you would, because you don't have any answers."

Wow, Gibbs's affability gets really annoying!

227 comments:

«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 227 of 227

Dust Bunny Queen said...: I also have a sterling personality and an ass you can bounce quarters off off and as a result I am in high demand.

For quarter bouncing? Sorry....couldn't resist.

The unemployment figures are most likely extremely under reported as has been discuss. Not only are the people who have had their hours cut not reported.....small business people like myself and my husband (who are not in any danger of going out of business) are never counted if we decide to close our doors. We don't get unemployment nor are we part of any statistics.

The entrepreneurial spirit has been crushed if not completely extinguished by over regulation, over taxation and draconian government intervention into all aspects of business. Bye bye Mom and Pop businesses, bye bye start ups.; 7/2/09, 3:31 PM
garage mahal said...: Not quite Jim, but it's okay.; 7/2/09, 3:36 PM
Jim said...: dbq -

"The entrepreneurial spirit has been crushed if not completely extinguished by over regulation, over taxation and draconian government intervention into all aspects of business. Bye bye Mom and Pop businesses, bye bye start ups."

All over conservative blogs, there was a great deal of conversation amongst us small business types about "Going Galt" in the event of an Obama win.

I can't count the number of owners who said:

a) they'd rather retire
b) they were going to pre-emptively lay off employees rather than be put on the hook for the costs the Obama administration was going to impose on them for employing them
c) they were going to put off additional investments in their business as Obama was going to devalue their investment anyway
d) cut back store hours or business to avoid the higher taxes of being in one of Obama's targetted income groups.

etc. I put off some measure of it as pre-election hyperbole, but the anecdotal evidence this year shows that at least a decent percentage were serious about starving the beast that is the government at all levels.

I would venture to say that until we start seeing significant cuts in government spending, an easing of the burdensome regulatory environment and some assurance that the changes are more than just some kind of temporary "holiday," we're not going to see any uptick in entrepreneurship in this country.

It's a shame that Leftists still can't figure out that killing the goose that has laid America's golden eggs for decades on end is a recipe for economic disaster.; 7/2/09, 3:47 PM
Methadras said...: Quayle said...

We, on the other hand, are horrified at the utter collapse of the forth estate.

Which is controlled by the 5th column.; 7/2/09, 3:59 PM
muddimo said...: Just watched the video. Wow, Gibbs doesn't even get the point being made. Man, I miss Sam Donaldson. He would have stood and ripped Gibbs a new one.; 7/2/09, 4:00 PM
Jim said...: muddimo -

Gibbs gets it just fine. He's just refusing to acknowledge it. After all, he can't claim that they aren't right.; 7/2/09, 4:07 PM
Eli Blake said...: Hoosier Daddy (12:24):

Let's see,

I want the U.S. out of Iraq.

I want universal health coverage (preferably with the ability to buy insurance from the Government, for which I for one would happily sign up.)

I want my kids to be able to attend college at an affordable rate.

I want limits on government spy programs.

I want a liberal social policy, including reproductive freedom, freedom of marital choice and what adults can access on the internet.

I want a foreign policy that puts diplomacy first.

I want more regulation of financial institutions so that I can again have confidence in them.

I want my kids to be taught science in their science class.

I want an environmental policy that protects the planet.

Will Obama deliver on every one of these? Probably not. But he will most likely deliver on most of them.

And if he does, I don't care what kind of rhetoric he uses to get there.; 7/2/09, 4:09 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Eli:

You want affordable college? Why not send them to community college for 2 years followed by a state university. That is affordable dependng on how you define it.

But why stop there? Ask Obama for a Ferrari in every driveway. That should be doable if he can grant all your other requests.; 7/2/09, 4:16 PM
bearbee said...: Site that tracks stimulus spending:

Onvia Tracking Recovery; 7/2/09, 4:21 PM
bearbee said...: Site (Recovery.org) also on Twitter; 7/2/09, 4:27 PM
Jim said...: Eli -

"I want my kids to be able to attend college at an affordable rate."

So long as the federal government backs student loans and keeps increasing the amount that people can hold, that is never going to happen.

College tuition keeps going up precisely because more and more people can afford it because they can get loans to pay for it. It's a perfect parallel to the "real estate bubble." Call it the "education bubble," and it's the next one to burst.

The costs of higher education are already start outpacing the benefits of having one. The salary gap between college graduates and non-college graduates nearly evaporates once you figure in the repayment of student loans.

At some point in the not too far distant future, employers are going to start wondering why they have to pay the higher salaries that college graduates are demanding in order to be able to pay for their students, when - in most cases - a highly motivated high school graduate with some work experience under his belt could do the job equally as well.

Let's face it. Most of the kids graduating college aren't getting an education worth even a fraction of what they're paying for it. The more tuitions and fees go up, the more true that is.

I know it's not popular to say this, but it wasn't popular to say that housing was going to come crashing down 2 years before it did either. There's no escaping the laws of supply and demand and the pricepoints determined as a result.

Homeowners are learning that the hard way. College tuitions are next on the list.; 7/2/09, 4:40 PM
AllenS said...: Eli, I also want things. First of all, I would like half of your wages. That would really help retired people like myself.; 7/2/09, 4:43 PM
Jim said...: AllenS -

Obviously you're not a Chicago Democrat, otherwise you would never settle for just half of his wages.

The way you do it is that you tell everybody that Eli is evil. Then you work up a mob to demand 100% of his wages. He gets scared, and then you tell him you'll settle for only 75%. Then he feels grateful that you only wanted that much, and he owes you a favor.

That's the Chicago way.; 7/2/09, 4:55 PM
Synova said...: I want a pony.

And peace on earth... I definitely want peace on earth.; 7/2/09, 5:01 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: I want the U.S. out of Iraq.

I don't want us out of Iraq until we have a stable situation and will not have to go back in again or have all of the young men and women of our military have died in vain.

I want universal health coverage (preferably with the ability to buy insurance from the Government, for which I for one would happily sign up.)

I do NOT want this. I have NEVER wanted this.

I want my kids to be able to attend college at an affordable rate.

And this should be MY responsibility how? Send your kids to Junior College.

I want limits on government spy programs.

Well. That is pretty vague. I do too, but you might want to be a bit more detailed and consider the ramifications of tieing our military and investigative agencies hands behind their backs.

I want a liberal social policy, including reproductive freedom, freedom of marital choice and what adults can access on the internet.

I want a foreign policy that puts diplomacy first.

I want a foreign policy that works!!! Screw diplomacy.

I want more regulation of financial institutions so that I can again have confidence in them.

I want my kids to be taught science in their science class.

Take that one up with your school and the teacher's union. You are barking up the wrong tree if you think Obama is going to buck against the Unions. I suggest you teach your own children since it isn't going to happen in your lifetime as long as the Unions and the Political Correctness Police have a strangle hold on the schools.

I want an environmental policy that protects the planet.

Oh brother. Not that steaming pile of horseshit again /facepalm. I want reasonable and EFFECTIVE policies that everyone in the planet will adhere to instead of just the United States taking the economic hit. The global warming scare is a putrid crock.

Will Obama deliver on every one of these? Probably not. But he will most likely deliver on most of them.

And if he does, I don't care what kind of rhetoric he uses to get there.

And you don't care who he hurts, how many lives are destroyed, businesses ruined, people enslaved, wealth evaporated, taxed into oblivion, people worldwide who will starve with the high cost of food and energy from the cap and trade bill.....as long as you can get YOUR pie in the sky, fairy tale policies enacted.

Nice.

All I know is that there really isn't a pony under that pile of shit that Obama and the left is trying to sell the American public.; 7/2/09, 5:23 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Oops I skipped a few from Eli's magical wish list.

I want a liberal social policy, including reproductive freedom, freedom of marital choice and what adults can access on the internet.

We pretty much have this now. I want the government to butt out of these issues entirely. MYOB

I want more regulation of financial institutions so that I can again have confidence in them.

You realize it was mostly the misguided regulations of the government that caused the financial collapse. I too agree we need regulations. However, those regulations shouldn't be created to pander to special interest groups and formated by idiots in Congress who don't know the difference between cash and accrual accounting or how to pay their own bills.; 7/2/09, 5:28 PM
Anonymous said...: These White House press conferences are powdered wigs.

They are old and useless, like Helen Thomas.

There has to be some control by the White House at townhalls, etc or else some Howard Stern freak will manage to get a babbaboey drop in ....or worse.; 7/2/09, 5:57 PM
Methadras said...: Eli Blake said...

Hoosier Daddy (12:24):

Let's see,

I want the U.S. out of Iraq.

I want universal health coverage (preferably with the ability to buy insurance from the Government, for which I for one would happily sign up.)

I want my kids to be able to attend college at an affordable rate.

I want limits on government spy programs.

I want a liberal social policy, including reproductive freedom, freedom of marital choice and what adults can access on the internet.

I want a foreign policy that puts diplomacy first.

I want more regulation of financial institutions so that I can again have confidence in them.

I want my kids to be taught science in their science class.

I want an environmental policy that protects the planet.

Will Obama deliver on every one of these? Probably not. But he will most likely deliver on most of them.

And if he does, I don't care what kind of rhetoric he uses to get there.

So you want government to essentially be your mother. But it's good to know that you are honest about what you want. It's just to bad that you are a sucker for this wholesale bullshit you've chosen to believe in and in the people you think will give it to you.; 7/2/09, 7:17 PM
Jason said...: I'm an insurance guy. I specialize in planning for small business, including employee benefits. I talk to small business owners every single day. Jim's not exaggerating. Every single day, I run into another entrepreneur who can't believe the stupid steaming crock being served up by Obama. They are pissed off, tired and frustrated, and they're telling me they're not inclined to increase employee benefits for liberal employees who don't appreciate them anyway, and have no idea where the money for these benefits comes from.

I'm pulling back my health insurance prospecting, because it's not going to do me much good to spend time building a book of business only to have the Libtard in Chief decimate it by using my tax dollars against me. I'm not alone in this industry, by a long shot.

As a result, fewer people will have health coverage, because fewer agents and brokers are motivated to bust their asses finding the need and selling it to them.

Business owners are telling me they're retiring early. Some of them have leases on retail space that expires later this year and they're just hanging on until then, since they're liable for the rent anyway. Then they'll fire their employees and shut down.

They're tired of feeling their government is at war with them, and it's only been six months since O's inauguration.

Others are telling me they're laying people off. If they've mentioned how ticked they are at Obama or the Congressional dems already, I'll put my tongue in cheek and suggest that, all else being equal, they walk out into the parking lot and see who's car has Obama stickers on them. Then start by laying off those people first.

They always get a good belly laugh out of that one. There's a certain poetic justice to it, I think.

Then I show them how to lock in today's tax rates on retirement income and protect themselves from libtard stupidity in the future.; 7/2/09, 8:28 PM
holdfast said...: Blogger garage mahal said...

""Great question, but I think Senator Clinton can answer that better..

Senator Clinton was obviously very wrong, as we all know now.""

-True, so clearly only an IDIOT would make her SecState!; 7/2/09, 9:21 PM
Jim said...: Jason -

"Then I show them how to lock in today's tax rates on retirement income and protect themselves from libtard stupidity in the future."

That's the other thing that Leftists consistently leave out of their projections when talking about how much additional revenue their latest tax increase is going to bring.

Tax evasion, black market, and additional better tax planning.

When rates are low, the rationale for hiding income from the government or engaging in extensive tax planning is small. The taxes aren't that onerous, and the potential cost of getting caught hiding income is simply not it: the risk-reward ratio is too high.

Ditto for the black market. When taxes are low on cigarettes, buying them off the back of the truck to avoid those taxes isn't worth the potential risk. As taxes go to astronomical levels, it becomes more and more worthwhile to find alternate sources to obtain tax-free products.

Tax increases have many costs, and the people with the means will always be able to find ways to avoid paying their full cost. The people they hurt are those with the fewest options to avoid them and who can least afford to pay them.

Leftists for the common people? Hardly. They're about ensuring that only the right people can afford to attend their cocktail parties. Everyone else? Well, somebody's got to serve those cocktails after all, now don't they?; 7/2/09, 9:21 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Jim:

Didn't you get the memo?

Henceforth, cocktail parties will now be called "Salons" and your local news editor will be happy to host your Salon for a small fee.; 7/2/09, 10:01 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Jason & Jim: I'm a financial planner, insurance agent and investment advisor rep. Series 6, 63, 7, 65 and licensed for variable life, health, disability....you name it.

I agree completely on the sorry sorry state of the economy and business outlook. Also that there is no point in beating yourself up to try to sell health insurance to businesses or even split dollar executive plans or anything else until we have some idea of whether those things will still exist in the next few months.

Tax evasion, black market, and additional better tax planning.

When rates are low, the rationale for hiding income from the government or engaging in extensive tax planning is small.

You also forgot to mention the barter system. Not so much for me, because my income is all transparent and completely above baord, but I see it happening a lot now. The auto mechanic exchanges tune ups for the electrician rewiring his house, for the plumber installing a new hot water heater, for the bookkeeper getting free tune ups, exchanging a steer or hog for some backhoe work.....and so on and so on

Cash is king and you get a big discount if you pay in cash. People are only reporting the income that they must report to get by. Everything else...... well, you know.

Small businesses are shutting down, laying off employees, cancelling their benefit packages and voluntary retirement plans.

I also have to say that I am not trying as hard to generate income, in my very own business, more than is necessary. Why should I, when it puts me into a tax bracket that is counter productive. Instead I can make enough pay for what I need for overhead and a certain amount of profit for my lifestyle. I now take off more time for things that I want to do when I have reached a certain level. There is no point in going any further

Anyone who can control their income for lower taxes and still continues to feed the pig by working harder than necessary and generating more traceable income to be confiscated....is a fool.; 7/2/09, 10:30 PM
Jim said...: AJ -

That's where I've been going wrong. I kept getting these invitations to a salon and asking myself "Why would anyone want to charge me $25,000 for a haircut?"; 7/2/09, 11:48 PM
Jim said...: DBQ -

"I also have to say that I am not trying as hard to generate income, in my very own business, more than is necessary. "

Ditto. I've been able to spend a lot more quality time with my family over the last few months. What's the point of trying hard to build a future when Obama and his Leftist cohorts are going to try take it away?

As a commenter wrote elsewhere:

Recession is when your neighbor loses his job.

Depression is when you lose yours.

Recovery is when Obama loses his.

Obama owns this economy - soup to nuts. He can blame Bush all he wants, but millions of self-employed people out there know where the blame truly lies no matter how much spinning is done by the media or his other sycophants.

If Leftists want a recovery, then they can get out there and start a business and do some hiring. Then they might understand what we're talking about. Until that day you can find me out back in the swimming pool...; 7/2/09, 11:55 PM
Jim said...: Some potential Obama 2012 re-election campaign slogan:

"Obamanomics: Because funemployment means more quality time for you."

"Obamanomics: Destroying the economy since 2009"

"Obamanomics: Bringing greater efficiency to the job market by allowing direct deposit of your unemployment check."

"Obamanomics: Because dividing wealth is better than multiplying it."

"Obamanomics: When the economy absolutely, positively has to be destroyed overnight."

Oh...the possibiliies...; 7/3/09, 12:01 AM
Crimso said...: Eli:

"I want..."

"I want..."

"I want..."

"I want..."

Reminds me of a scene from "Caddyshack."; 7/3/09, 5:41 AM