April 23, 2013

The NYT on CNN: "The Pressure to Be the TV News Leader Tarnishes a Big Brand."

An article by David Carr focuses on CNN's incorrect report last Wednesday that there had been an arrest in the Boston bombing. Carr is sympathetic:
The incrementalism and vamping required to fill the hours — “Again, as we have been saying, Anderson ... ” — makes everyone desperate to say anything vaguely new.

Throughout the week, I saw anchors and reporters staring at their phones, hoping a new nugget might arrive to give them something to say.... And the live environment means that at a certain point, the bosses have to quit shouting into the ear piece, trusting their staff and crossing their fingers.
Oddly — but not surprisingly — the article ends with Obama. I say "not surprisingly" because all roads lead to Obama. Everything is about Obama. But I say "oddly," because the story is about CNN, journalism, and the Boston bombing. There should not be a sense that these themes are resolved by looking to what Obama thinks or what it means for Obama.
“In this age of instant reporting and tweets and blogs, there’s a temptation to latch on to any bit of information, sometimes to jump to conclusions,” [Obama] said, his face turning sour as he spoke. 
Here's the video, in case you want to check the accuracy of "his face turning sour as he spoke."
“But when a tragedy like this happens, with public safety at risk and the stakes so high, it’s important that we do this right. That’s why we have investigations. That’s why we relentlessly gather the facts.”

Like everyone else, the president wants to have a press that is equal to the people it serves. He wants CNN to be good.
Equal to the people... that questionable flattery came out of nowhere. Like we're passive receptors of the news, and the news ought to honor us, The People. The press must serve. I'd say we're pretty active — especially with new media in the mix — and we choose what, if anything, we want to read or listen to. It's a market. Especially now. We have the media we deserve. CNN's problem isn't that we're not watching. If their desperate response is to trash their brand, they did it for the ratings, and if the brand is trashed, they'll probably lose ratings. But if CNN gains ratings, because people want to hear the latest rumors and take the risk that they're wrong, then that kind of reporting is exactly what we deserve.

But back to Obama. This emphasis on not talking so much and waiting for the investigation: "[I]t’s important that we do this right. That’s why we have investigations." That can also be a way of saying: I know you're all very excited about this right now, but please calm down, don't criticize the government for not doing enough, trust us, and when enough time has passed, you probably won't be thinking about this anymore.

I'm saying that because that's what I heard after the Benghazi attack. And it's the talking point Dianne Feinstein brought to "Fox News Sunday" this week. The moderator Chris Wallace had just given Congressman Peter King an opportunity to restate his questions about whether "we are letting our guard down" and whether "this attack should have been prevented" and whether there ought to be "more effective surveillance inside the Muslim community." King spoke, ending with the line "If you know a certain threat is coming from a certain community, that's where you have to look," and  Wallace asked Feinstein for her "reaction to that."
FEINSTEIN: Well, that's exactly where they will look. I mean, I -- I don't think all of this is very helpful. I think the important thing is to get the facts. Let the investigation proceed. The FBI has very good interrogators. They know what they are doing. I believe that they will put a case together that will be very strong....
Don't talk. We have some very good people working on this out of your view. You don't know the facts. You are not an expert. There will be an investigation....

Please, everyone: Shelter in place.

105 comments:

MadisonMan said...

Why be sympathetic to such an error?

I'm guessing he wants to be invited on to CNN in the future, and if he scratches their back here, they'll scratch his in the future.

Turn off your TV and your computer when something like Boston happens.

dix said...

We have top men working on this. Top men

AllenS said...

FEINSTEIN: I think the important thing is to get the facts. Let the investigation proceed, because shut up.

rehajm said...

There are only two periods of time:

1) Let the investigation proceed.

2) What difference, at this point, does it make?

chickelit said...

I'd still like to know who called in that bomb threat last week at the Boston Courthouse, postponing it by a day. That would have been the first act by the two brothers --before their nighttime rampage-- or a conspiratorial act by others. Either way it seems newsworthy.

furious_a said...

“In this age of instant reporting and tweets and blogs, there’s a temptation to latch on to any bit of information, sometimes to jump to conclusions,” [Obama] said,...

...this is rich, coming from the utterer of:

1>The Cambridge Police acted stupidly.

2>If he'd had a son he'd have looked like Trayvon.

Then again, displays some self-knowledge so maybe there's hope for the man.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

The first rule of popular entertainment is to flatter your audience.

The conceit is that the news isn't mostly trivia.

furious_a said...

That’s why we have investigations. That’s why we relentlessly gather the facts.”
--B. Hussein Obama

/cough/ Benghazi /cough/

Anonymous said...

Don't say anything that is critical of the Administration until the investigation is done.

Then don't comment while there are ongoing legal proceedings.

Finally, don't question is later, because, "What does it matter?”

I sense a pattern...

Guildofcannonballs said...

“But when a tragedy like this happens, with public safety at risk and the stakes so high, it’s important that we do this right. That’s why we have investigations. That’s why we relentlessly gather the facts.”

Meaning, if three dead bodies show up and there is weed and $5000 cash sitting around, we will congratulate everyone involved in the investigation, from top to bottom, for warning people about the dangers of choom.

Finding the killer or killers isn't a concern, and they might go on to murder in cold blood more people and maybe even wound hundreds more, but if we can conclude "drugs are bad" and raise awareness, by God it is worth it.

Pay raises all around!

SteveR said...

The FBI has very good interrogators.

The bomber has Miranda.

Paco Wové said...

"vamping required to fill the hours"

You know, it's a big world out there. Lots of things happening all over. They could maybe cover some of that, rather than say nothing over and over.

rhhardin said...

I blame soap opera women, who are the only attractable audience, but still large enough to be worth attracting, barely.

They networks are worried they'll tune away.

Those who just switched the damn thing off in two minutes for the duration aren't going to watch anyway.

Obama depends on soap opera women.

They are who Obama is talking to. They're a swing voting bloc, which is all he needs, some swing percentages.

Guildofcannonballs said...

Considering the racist history of America, perhaps it is only right that we don't look into triple-homicides very closely if that might implicate a Caucasian.

The cops would have acted stupidly were they to have actually found the killer(s) instead of heroically fighting the drug war with words.

Jason said...

Miranda doesn't trump a good interrogator, because enemy combatants have the Geneva conventions as well. A good interrogator will get him to WANT to talk, Miranda or no.

I'm Full of Soup said...

These experts including many long-serving senators like McCain, Feinstein, Kerry, Grassley,Hatch, etc have wrecked the country.

Tank said...

rehajm said...

There are only two periods of time:

1) Let the investigation proceed.

2) What difference, at this point, does it make?


Win.

edutcher said...

How about all those accusations about right wing gun nuts?

Tax Day, etc.?

The big brand has been tarnished for a long time, btw.

Ann Althouse said...

But back to Obama. This emphasis on not talking so much and waiting for the investigation: "[I]t’s important that we do this right. That’s why we have investigations." That can also be a way of saying: I know you're all very excited about this right now, but please calm down, don't criticize the government for not doing enough, trust us, and when enough time has passed, you probably won't be thinking about this anymore.

We need time to get our story straight.

MadisonMan said...

Why be sympathetic to such an error?

Because the Gray Lady makes them with the same frequency?

SteveR said...

OK Jason, if you say so...

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Driving into work, today, I finished the lectures I was listening to so I flipped on NPR.

It was two homos yammering on and on about some morning news show and Katie Couric or Ann Curry or Annie Sprinkle or some other insipid surrogate companion like that and the sexism rampant in the morning news business.

Made me want to puke.

bagoh20 said...

Some people just don't know which side they're on. Even though I was 3,000 miles I away, I locked myself down to show everyone I'm with the good guys, and not the bombers. I want everyone to know that I'm one of the good ones.

I did my duty and stayed glued to the TV, where I know I will get the instructions on how to help. If everyone would just do that, we could stop all this violence.

We had more people murdered by crazy young men here in L.A. while this manhunt was underway. If everyone here did like I did, that could have been prevented.

John henry said...

CNN ran off the rails back in the 90's. When they had Headline news, 30 minutes of news, constantly updated and rotated, I thought they were pretty good.

Not completely without problems but better than and more convenient than CBS/NBC/ABC with their single nightly newscast.

Seems like there would be a market for this kind of national news station.

OTOH, I seldom watch any TV at all anymore so might not watch it even if it did exist.

John Henry

Peter said...

Just the obvious: The New York Times itself is surely the most "tarnished" of the big news brands.

And for years print journalists insisted that TV news was not "real journalism" anyway. Yet, apparently now it is?

In any case, the NYT needs to start by using that silver polish ... on itself.

Tim said...

"I say "not surprisingly" because all roads lead to Obama. Everything is about Obama."

As Jesus is to Christians, Obama is to Democrats.

We all know this, too.

Michael said...

Was Feinstein talking about Boston or Benghazi?

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Meanwhile the much vilified Bush now has an aproval rating equal to Obama, despite massively negative media attacks on the former, and the cockslobbering adoration of the latter.

By the end of President "The future must not belong to those who slander the Prophet of Islam" Obama, Bush will be way ahead. And for good reason.

glenn said...

CNN hasbeen beclowning themselves for a while now. You giys just didn't notice.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

That’s why we relentlessly gather the facts


Except for Benghazi.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Please, everyone: Shelter in place.

Preferably (according to the administration and other government drones) unarmed and defenseless. Cowering in a dark corner of your house with all the windows shut, hoping and waiting for Big Brother to wash away all the bad things and to tell you exactly what to do and what to think. Don't worry your little heads about this, we are taking care of it and soon you will forget that all of this happened. Here.....watch some Honey Boo Boo.

Sydney said...

Not to worry. The country is in the very best of hands.

Henry said...

All television news is bad. It is either inane or inflammatory. To receive your news from attractive personalities, accompanied by carefully culled dramatic images, is to make yourself a mark.

Nonapod said...

I think it's important to make a distinction between questioning or criticizing an ongoing investigation and jumping to conclusions without proper information. I think it's perfectly fine and advisable to question our governments official statements and story. It's quite another thing to reach your own conclusions with incomplete information (like what happened with the 4Chan Reddit image crowdsourcing debacle)

Tim said...

"Except for Benghazi."

"What difference, at this point, does it make?"

Ignorance is Bliss said...

We have the media we deserve.

I remember when I was in school, one of the things I hated the most was collective punishment. Some kids in the class were well-behaved. Others were not. The whole class had to stay inside for recess. The class, as a whole, got what it deserved, while many individuals within the class got worse than they deserved.

The country, as a whole, has the media it deserved.
The country, as a whole, has the government it deserves.

I still hate collective punishment.

Anonymous said...

FEINSTEIN: Well, that's exactly where they will look. I mean, I -- I don't think all of this is very helpful. I...

Does any honest human being ever, ever use the word "helpful" the way politicians and apparatchiks have taken to (over)using it?

To me it's pretty much come to signal "poli-scum talking, tune out".

sakredkow said...

That can also be a way of saying: I know you're all very excited about this right now, but please calm down, don't criticize the government for not doing enough, trust us, and when enough time has passed, you probably won't be thinking about this anymore.

Start any sentence with "That can also be a way of saying" insert whatever you please after the colon - voila. Instant troll.

Aridog said...

AllenS said...

FEINSTEIN: .... Let the investigation proceed, because shut up.

Yep. Feinstein is a true intellect who thinks PTSD originated in the Iraq war and agrees with Secretary of State John F (faker) Kerry that "... The country doesn’t know it yet, but it has created a monster, a monster in the form of millions of men who have been taught to deal and to trade in violence..."

Yeah, anything she says is because shut up.

sakredkow said...

As Meade says, everyone's a troll.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

What difference, at this point, does it make?"

*Screeeeeeeech*





Anonymous said...

All roads lead to Obama. One must curry favor with the King. We shelter in place to pray his great power protects us.

Anonymous said...

rehajm said...

There are only two periods of time:

1) Let the investigation proceed.

2) What difference, at this point, does it make?


Don't that nail it. Yes, I've seen this movie before.

There's no getting around that the Boston bombers were Muslim immigrants and jihadists who hate America, took advantage of the system, and killed Americans.

This doesn't have a happy ending for Obama, so it will be delayed and special-pleaded to death until it is forgotten except by those bitter clingers to their guns and Bible, who can be accused of anything vile at the drop of a hat.

Scott M said...

Please, everyone: Shelter in place.

And buy a boat with a tarp.

Anonymous said...

Just as I said during all last week, CNN's coverage sucked.

This is just coffee talk.....talk amongst yourselves.....

Anonymous said...

We are the lambs and he is our shepherd.

Beta Rube said...

I think David Carr overstates by miles the relevance of CNN and doing so in the NYT suggests he is not tuned into his paper's loss of readership and influence.

I don't pay much attention to either, and based on ratings and a large drop in circulation, I am not alone.

bagoh20 said...

The news business is like a lot of businesses devoid of the balls or talent to be creative. They all do the exact same thing hoping to get the biggest piece of the same pie.

It reminds me of the street vendors here on Venice beach. Every once in a while someone will come up with a new idea for something that will sell, it's a rare occurrence. Within a week 80% of the vendors are selling that same thing.

Strangely they believe they are free spirits, special, creative types, most spewing anti-capitalist sentiments while barking out a 2 for 1 deal on the latest fad.

Actually, I just wanted to get that story in, and don't care if it has nothing to do with the networks, which actually do offer some variety.

Last night I was flipping between Fox and MSNBC like I'm prone to do, so I know what most people are being told to think. Fox was reporting the story from the point of view of the international terrorism, but MSNBC was reporting it from the domestic nuts angle. They may both be right, on this one. Lawrence O'Donnell was determined to use it to invalidate the Second Amendment - don't waste any crisis, and all.

sakredkow said...

Well it seems to be a good point that they're fixated on 24/7 coverage plus they only have so many resources apparently. That leads to quality control issues.

Throw into the equation however much value is placed on $ and eyeballs - it's hard to see how they won't fail the viewer a good deal of the time - particularly when you think you need them most.

Bob Boyd said...

Pablo, MT was also on lock down last Friday after a female injured a college student with primitive weapons.

"After the attack, she didn’t linger in the area. ... From reports we’re getting, she’s moving north.
In response to the incident, the college went on lockdown and students were asked to stay indoors or travel in large groups. College officials canceled afternoon classes.

“We’re pretty much on a shutdown,” Plouffe said.

“The hard part is getting people to take [the alert] seriously,” Plouffe added. “We mean business and so does the bear.”

Pablo Elementary School Principal Fran Ciez said students were kept inside during recess as a precaution.

Yonkin said Lake County search-and-rescue teams were going door-to-door in the area, advising residents of the incident.

“We were told to stay indoors,” Thomas Tall Bull said as he leaned out the window of his student housing unit." The Daily Interlake Kalispell, MT

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_bf95e344-a91d-11e2-96df-0019bb2963f4.html

AllenS said...

Never shelter in place until you've secured a sufficient amount of beer.

Note found in a Wisconsin Fortune Cookie

Aridog said...

AprilApple said...

Reference: "That’s why we relentlessly gather the facts..."

Except for Benghazi.

Oh, especially for Benghazi...but they will never tell you. The White House has all the facts and has had them from day one. John Brennan was running the show, by passing State, CIA, and Pentagon, at the consulate and the annex. No worries, now, since we just confirmed ole Blowtorch Bob's clone as Director, CIA.

All is good. Because shut up.

edutcher said...

Dare I take Ann's Please, everyone: Shelter in place. as a register of her disapproval of how Baaston, MA, and the Feds have handled the manhunt and treatment of Joker?

phx said...

As Meade says, everyone's a troll.

But some are trollier than others.

exhelodrvr1 said...

And unfortunately, we have the President we deserve, too.

bagoh20 said...

Three more years until we can start asking questions again, and get some honest answers.

How's that holding Democrats accountable idea going?


"1) Let the investigation proceed.

2) What difference, at this point, does it make?"


Indeed, rehajm. That's what some voted for.

Nobody could see that coming? The press drooling on themselves in 2008, and you Obama voters didn't see something dangerous there?

Intellectuals - yeaaaaa!

paminwi said...

"Please, everyone: Shelter in place."

Until we come with our SWAT teams to make you come out of your house with no basis for this except.....

Is there any recourse?

Drudge link: http://tinyurl.com/czxodue

sakredkow said...

And unfortunately, we have the President we deserve, too.

That's right. I have an intelligent President I can understand and have confidence in. Someone I genuinely like. I deserve that.

You have a president who is a moron, who you can't understand or agree with, someone you have no confidence in. You can't stand him.
Maybe you deserve that.

furious_a said...

...I hated the most was collective punishment.

I hated it, too, until I realized the point of the lesson: one clown f*cks it up for everybody.

Scott M said...

Someone I genuinely like.

So...you like hanging out with hammerheads that insert themselves into every little aspect of whatever is going on at the moment?

I can't stand to be around people like that. Can you?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

... the important thing is to get the facts. Let the investigation proceed.

Not all the facts will be gotten... to use her words.
And whatever is gotten, it will be filtered to comport as having the least degree of importance or size.

If its not 'big enough' is it worth obsessing over?

Ok, it may have been the people we were warned about but golly, gee whiz it wasn't like a 9/11.

And so it happens again and again and again.

edutcher said...

phx said...

And unfortunately, we have the President we deserve, too.

That's right. I have an intelligent President I can understand and have confidence in. Someone I genuinely like. I deserve that.


Just because you understand and like him doesn't make him intelligent. It just means you think he's smarter than you.

Considering what an ignorant dolt he really is, that speaks ill of you.

You have a president who is a moron, who you can't understand or agree with, someone you have no confidence in. You can't stand him.
Maybe you deserve that.


No, he had better sense.

phx doesn't.

sakredkow said...

I can't stand to be around people like that. Can you?

I like a lot of people that others don't. I like many of the Althouse cons for example.

bagoh20 said...

Imagine you have the opportunity to sit alone with Bush or Obama after they are out of office, and have a beer and ask each some questions. Is there any doubt about who would tell you the truth, and who would just try to make themselves look good? Do people really see Obama as an honest person?

sakredkow said...

Just because you understand and like him doesn't make him intelligent. It just means you think he's smarter than you.

Speaking of intelligent, this don't make no sense.

sakredkow said...

Is there any doubt about who would tell you the truth, and who would just try to make themselves look good?

Sure there's a doubt. Who would tell the truth about what? About ANYTHING? Yeah, I have a big doubt about that. But if you want to believe you could trust Bush about ANYTHING and Obama about NOTHING, stand by your man.

sakredkow said...

You've already convinced me Bagho20 you believe your side is ALWAYS the right side and my side is ALWAYS the wrong side.

To me that critically wounds your judgment. IMO.

bagoh20 said...

"You've already convinced me Bagho20 you believe your side is ALWAYS the right side and my side is ALWAYS the wrong side. "

Oh, you mean that time the other day when you couldn't defend your side's unbalanced evil, and just ran away yelling this.

"To me that critically wounds your judgment. IMO."

That must be very comforting to you. I accept that you need that, and I understand completely. It's O.K.

sakredkow said...

I'm sorry I always seem to spell your name wrong, too. It's not intentional. I'll do better.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for not commenting until now.

I had to check in with Obama first.

Actually it's just a shrine to Obama.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

They don't want people speculating, not because the speculation may turn out to be wrong... They don't want people speculating because it may interfere with their final version of events.

If time heals all wounds in this case they hope it will also conceal all their mistakes.

edutcher said...

phx said...

Just because you understand and like him doesn't make him intelligent. It just means you think he's smarter than you.

Speaking of intelligent, this don't make no sense.


I rest my case.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

I am a little confused. The terrorists entered the country while there was a Republican president and Congress in charge. These same entities also pursued deeply flawed policies in the middle east that inflamed anti-US feelings. Yet its all Obama's fault.

test said...

phx said...
And unfortunately, we have the President we deserve, too.

That's right. I have an intelligent President I can understand and have confidence in. Someone I genuinely like. I deserve that.

You have a president who is a moron, who you can't understand or agree with, someone you have no confidence in. You can't stand him.
Maybe you deserve that.


The key is understanding how the difference in goals leads to this conclusion. It's perfectly appropriate for phx to have confidence in Obama. His goal is demonizing conservatives. Naturally anyone with that goal is going to be impressed by Obama's ability to accomplish it.

Anonymous said...

Bagoh20-

I wouldn't be surprised if Lawrence O'Donnell made appearances at the same gatherings as Robert Cook back in the day.

CWJ said...

ARM,

Care to point to the part of Ann's post where she says its all Obama's fault? Care to point to the comment that makes that case?

mccullough said...

The NY Times tarnished its brand by not firing Nick Kristoff after he repeatedly fingered the wrong man in the anthrax attacks.

gerry said...

Oh, and Max Baucus is retiring from the Senate.

Another good week for Obamalamadingdong.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

CWJ said...
Care to point to the part of Ann's post where she says its all Obama's fault? Care to point to the comment that makes that case?


Just responding to a few of the commenters who turn every thread into an anti-Obama rant.

ken in tx said...

Remember when CNN Headline News had that redheaded woman who was also a local deputy sheriff. I really liked her. I toured CNN headquarters in Atlanta, in part to meet her. When they took her off the air, I knew CNN was going down hill.

CWJ said...

ARM,

Just responding to commenters who have neither made the points you claim nor addressed a comment to you.

Riiiight.

Interesting use of the word "responding".

ken in tx said...

I love redheaded women. Especially if they carry a gun and wear a uniform.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

CWJ said..
Interesting use of the word "responding".


Do you have a point?

Michael K said...

"That's right. I have an intelligent President I can understand and have confidence in. Someone I genuinely like. I deserve that.

You have a president who is a moron, who you can't understand or agree with, someone you have no confidence in. You can't stand him.
Maybe you deserve that.

The first smart thing phx has said.

Reality is what you think is is. The only trouble comes with the gods of the copybook headings.

MayBee said...

The funny thing is how much disinformation Obama and his people put out. Brennan's fabricated Bin Laden timeline. Obama's fake video caused Benghazi story. The whole Obama clan's smears about Romney. Obama's lies about his mother's insurance situation.

Yet it is for him the NYTs wants us to strive to wait to discuss events.

MayBee said...

All news organizations have to do is keep reminding the viewer that the situation is flawed and every bit of information is subject to revision. We are adults and can handle that.

edutcher said...

AnUnreasonableTroll said...

I am a little confused.

More than a little, but go ahead...

The terrorists entered the country while there was a Republican president and Congress in charge. These same entities also pursued deeply flawed policies in the middle east that inflamed anti-US feelings. Yet its all Obama's fault.

Considering Tamer but Lame traveled out of the country for terror training after the Feds were warned by the Russkies 2 years ago that he was trouble.

Considering Big Sis wants DHS Sturmabteilungen at every street corner and bus stop, but nobody saw these 2 morons lugging pressure cookers through the crowd.

Yeah, I'd say he's got some blame accruing.

PS They entered the country legally.

ricpic said...

Has either the NY Times or CNN used the dreaded word Islam in their coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings? It's not a question of misreporting the news with either of these two outfits; what's reported is the progressive agenda. So I guess the Times' reporter is saddened that CNN may have fumbled that ball.

bagoh20 said...

"The terrorists entered the country while there was a Republican president and Congress in charge. These same entities also pursued deeply flawed policies in the middle east that inflamed anti-US feelings."

Man, I wish they made condoms that could stretch that much to protect my "President". That's what I call mine, so the lefty chicks will bend over.

ed said...

CNN's brand is tarnished?

It's been as rusty as a century old used sewer pipe. Calling it "tarnished" would be an improvement.

ed said...

@ bagoh20

"... Is there any doubt about who would tell you the truth, and who would just try to make themselves look good? ..."

You know I'm thinking back and I can't remember if Obama has ever actually told the truth about anything. Anybody got an example of where Obama told the truth?

Sam L. said...

dix, that's the problem: "Top Men". No "Top Women"! Buncha sexists in BO's administration!

MadisonMan said...

dix, that's the problem: "Top Men". No "Top Women"!

Blame Spielberg.

edutcher said...

The top men in "Raiders" were so out of it, they didn't know Himmler was the nut on occultism, not Dolf.

You get the feeling it's even worse here.

ricpic said...

Do people really see Obama as an honest person?

The question is of interest if integrity is of interest. Why should it be of interest to the millions who see Obama as the source of a cornucopia of goodies, Obama's stash? Make no mistake, they know without knowing, a very common denial strategy, that they are the recipients of stolen goods. They know they are the beneficiaries of thievery. Ergo the "It's our turn now" bray. Dear Leader's honesty as a concern of such? Ha.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

bagoh20 said...
Man, I wish they made condoms that could stretch that much to protect my "President".


There is not enough rubber in the universe to cover up the sins of the hapless Bush Jr.

bagoh20 said...

"You know I'm thinking back and I can't remember if Obama has ever actually told the truth about anything. Anybody got an example of where Obama told the truth?"

Hey, the oceans stopped rising as promised. So what the hell do you want? Isn't that awesome enough?

"There is not enough rubber in the universe to cover up the sins of the hapless Bush Jr."

I wonder if President Chelsea Clinton will still be blaming Bush?

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

bagoh20 said...
I wonder if President Chelsea Clinton will still be blaming Bush?


No more than people still blame Hoover for his monumental failures.

Titus said...

The coverage would of been hotter if they could of found more shirtless photos of the brothers.

Fred Drinkwater said...

Paco Wove: As you say, it's a big world out there.

The day after (IIRC) the attack on the Marathon, I had occasion to listen to World Have Your Say or some similar NPR call-in radio show. The question was "What does the Marathon attack look like to the non-US world, and is too much media attention being spent on it vs. the other world events?"
Almost uniformly, the callers related stories of bombings, killings, and natural disasters in their countries (esp. Iraq, Egypt, Afghanistan) which at least, far outstripped Boston in sheer quantity of death, but which got negligible coverage in the US media. No big surprise there, I suppose.
But, I guess the US media can fall back on the now tried-and-true excuse that those were mere "local stories".

sakredkow said...

Oh, you mean that time the other day when you couldn't defend your side's unbalanced evil, and just ran away yelling this.

Unaware bullshit as always.

sakredkow said...

I rest my case.

Go ahead edutcher, explain how if I understand and like someone it "means you think he's smarter than you." That's what you said:

"Just because you understand and like him doesn't make him intelligent. It just means you think he's smarter than you." - edutcher

sakredkow said...

His goal is demonizing conservatives.

I never demonize conservatives. I like them. They're wrong a great deal of the time, particularly the Althouse conservatives and I point that out, but I never demonize them.

I believe you're confusing me with you, Marshal.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Fred Drinkwater said...
But, I guess the US media can fall back on the now tried-and-true excuse that those were mere "local stories".


They are local stories. Local ethnic and territorial battles. What has not received proper coverage is how the US has managed to entangle itself in these local battles through decades of bone-headed interference in other peoples battles.

Our business, technological and research advantages have been frittered away while politicians have pursued dreams of empire. Other countries, most notably China, have pursued the advance of their technology with single minded ambition the way the US once did, while we have played the role of a flailing Britannica. And now we are broke, with few technological and intellectual advantages relative to the other great powers.

sakredkow said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chickelit said...

edutcher +1
Reasonableman 0

(that point about them entering the country under Bush was especially lame)

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

chickelit said...
edutcher +1
Reasonableman 0


I think your grading has a lot in common with all these teaching frauds we read about.

chickelit said...

I think your grading has a lot in common with all these teaching frauds we read about.

Naw, it's more like a personal dislike.