New York Times reporter Jonathan Swan just got a stunning reality check from both Bill Maher and author James Kirchick.
— Overton (@overton_news) September 26, 2026
Swan was spiraling over President Trump barring CNN and MS NOW from the White House, until Kirchick reminded him of some of the Obama-era media scandals.… pic.twitter.com/GopA8f61qD
२६ सप्टेंबर, २०२६
“During the Obama administration they tapped the AP bureau’s phones and the phones of AP bureau reporters. They tapped their phones!
Said Atlantic writer James Kirchick on Bill Maher's show last night.Maher chimed in: "Josh Earnest, he was in the Obama administration. He admitted it. He said: 'The White House has demonstrated our willingness to exclude Fox News from news making interviews.... He said: 'We're going to treat them like we treat an opponent.' This is exactly what I say about this country. Everybody’s like this is the worst thing in the world except when we do it. And then it’s always perfectly okay."
पोस्ट्स
४४ टिप्पण्या:
There is little difference between Obama and his staffers than any average tin tot dictator around the world.
Obama teamed up with the richest people and the largest corporations in the world to punish and censor those who disagreed with him.
He also liked to kill people with drones.
History is not going to be kind to this truly terrible human being.
Obama has how many mansions worth how many millions of dollars?
He got 1 billion $ for his "library"?
What single thing has Barrack Obama produced that any person anywhere was willing to pay money for?
He is also one of the most obviously corrupt and greedy politicians in history.
"Everybody’s like this is the worst thing in the world except when we do it. And then it’s always perfectly okay."
Yes!
Democrats did all sorts of horrible things to Trump, and now Trump is doing those horrible things to Democrats.
So how do we fix this? Where is the middle ground? Who is in the middle ground. Almost no one as far as I can tell. Maher is occasionally in the middle ground. There is a lot of room in the middle for someone who can pull it off.
BTW, I'm reading something about FDR. He did a lot of these horrible things. Prosecuting political enemies such as Insull. Spending government money to hire writers to produce propaganda for the administration, and lots more.
…but their bothsidesism doesn’t really acknowledge the problem, which is the general acceptance of the idea it is right and righteous to have a thumb on the scale to favor Democrats because that’s why. Just this week the Supremes conclude unconstitutional congressional maps MUST be used because that’s why. Electoral chaos ensues as the primary used a legal map but no matter because that’s why. How much more fucked up and convoluted could it be?
"He got 1 billion $ for his "library"?
What! Do you mean donors paid $1 billion, not to Obama, but to contractors who built the Obama library? Not the same thing, is it?
You wasted my time. I will skip your comments in future.
"Obama teamed up with the richest people and the largest corporations in the world to punish and censor those who disagreed with him.
He also liked to kill people with drones."
That seems to be the job of the president, no matter the party.
…it wasn’t just Obama, Democrat members and their staff spent most of their time censoring comments online they didn’t like. It was a remarkably efficient system…
A library for Obama. A ballroom/conference center for the People.
…it’s disturbing the daily occurrences if thumb on the scale. I just pulled up a new story about a Cape Cod restaurant being harassed because they hosted a gop fundraiser. Someone made a hoax call to 911 that caused a big emergency response. Golly if only there were some way to ID the caller. Anyone think there will be a crime prosecuted? Me either…
Gerda writes "So how do we fix this? Where is the middle ground? Who is in the middle ground. Almost no one as far as I can tell. "
I am. The solution is easy but impossible. All of these terrible things are done because government is where wealth and power is. (Corporate wealth is peanuts in comparison.)
The solution is to reduce the wealth and power of government.
Twitter was quite the platform. The rules for getting verified were mysteriously undocumented, and yet Democrat leaning people had few problems getting the blue checkmark. There was this one political analyst I used to follow who did a lot of math starting at the district level working with polls, and she pretty much predicted that the Republicans were going to take over, and she got banned from Twitter for... saying things that the Democrats didn't want to hear.
Trump may be totally corrupt, and AIPAC might be funding troll farms to push his agenda in social media, for sure, and his allies bought CBS and TikTock, but for sheer suppression of free speech, Democrats win hands down.
Incidentally one of here predictions was that in the coming decades, California was going to turn red. She said it was inevitable. Her shorter term stuff worked out.
Gerda Sprinchorn said...
"Everybody’s like this is the worst thing in the world except when we do it. And then it’s always perfectly okay."
Yes!
Democrats did all sorts of horrible things to Trump, and now Trump is doing those horrible things to Democrats.
Only a retard thinks what Trump is doing to massive corporate globalist owned media is the same as what Obama and the largest corporations did to individuals that opposed them.
You are not a particularly bright person.
1. Did anything bad happen to the Obama people?
2. Visited the George W. Bush Library today, Great!
I now feel the need to go to Chicago to compare to Obama’s.
Gerda Sprinchorn said...
"He got 1 billion $ for his "library"?
What! Do you mean donors paid $1 billion, not to Obama, but to contractors who built the Obama library? Not the same thing, is it?
You wasted my time. I will skip your comments in future.
LOL you are kindof a dummy aren't you.
Barrack Obama has been given more bribe money than even the Clintons at this point.
Biden was too stupid to make as much grift.
Being a traitorous globalist tool pays well.
'...this is the worst thing in the world except when we do it. And then it’s always perfectly okay....'
And when you point this hypocrisy out to a Progressive, they get a smug look on their face, because you've used the wrong word. It's hierarchy when they do it. And a criminal offense when it's done against them (as evidenced by lawfare).
imTay said...
Incidentally one of here predictions was that in the coming decades, California was going to turn red. She said it was inevitable. Her shorter term stuff worked out.
Paper ballots, photo ID and same day voting, purple thumbs, public voter data bases with matching photos and California turns red overnight.
They are canvassing Mexico right now for mail in votes to keep it blue.
"Paper ballots, photo ID and same day voting, purple thumbs, public voter data bases with matching photos and California turns red overnight."
Clearly, the left believes this. Otherwise, they wouldn't be opposed to it.
Tapping phones doesn’t seem the same as denying access.
Leland said...
"Tapping phones doesn’t seem the same as denying access."
Yes, not taking your questions is WAAAY worse than spying on you.
Does the name Sharyl Attkisson ring any bells?
1. The Origin of the Claims
While working as an investigative reporter for CBS News, Attkisson was breaking high-stakes stories concerning the Obama administration. These included Operation Fast and Furious (a botched federal gun-tracking program) and the 2012 Benghazi attack in Libya.
2. CBS News Confirms a Hacking
In June 2013, CBS News publicly confirmed that Attkisson’s work computer had been compromised. The network hired an independent cybersecurity firm that conducted a forensic analysis.
3. The Infamous "Delete Key" Video
4. Government Investigation vs. Attkisson's Forensics
In 2015, the Department of Justice Inspector General (DOJ IG) issued a report completely disputing her claims regarding her personal laptop...
CBS News refused to turn over her two compromised work computers to federal investigators.
5. Legal Battles and Dismissal
In 2015, Attkisson filed a $35 million lawsuit against former Attorney General Eric Holder, the FBI, and other federal officials for violating her constitutional rights through illegal surveillance.
She spent years fighting in court, even attempting to reopen and refile versions of the case as late as 2020, claiming a whistleblower from within the intelligence community had come forward to confirm the specific government agents involved.
Ultimately, federal judges repeatedly dismissed her lawsuits.
Taibbi says Trump made things worse for himself by making it clear he wanted to ban certain outlets because of what they had said or presented. This sounds like viewpoint discrimination, which is contrary to the Constitution etc. Other Pres's just fuck people up a bit quietly.
Here's what Google AI says:
"No, the Obama administration did not tap or monitor the actual phone conversations of Associated Press (AP) reporters.
Instead, in 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) secretly obtained two months of phone records (listing incoming and outgoing call logs and durations) for more than 20 telephone lines associated with AP offices and journalists."
And it was all part of a leak case involving a Foriegn policy matter.
Listening to Obama circa now - He really is a FASCIST
Under Biden and Obama the DoJ was the Presidents "Wingman". Its only when Republicans are in office that we start hearing about the "Independence of the DOJ". Comey had no problems taking orders from Obaman and attending white house meetings with him. But with trump, he had to hide in the drapes.
And the MSM is the enemy of the Trump administration, and has bragged about it. Democracy dies in darkness.
Lloyd W. Robertson said...
Taibbi says Trump made things worse for himself by making it clear he wanted to ban certain outlets because of what they had said or presented. This sounds like viewpoint discrimination, which is contrary to the Constitution etc. Other Pres's just fuck people up a bit quietly.
There is a difference between kicking a bunch of globalist propagandists out of the White house press corp like Trump did and sending the FBI and SS to shut down and harass people who crossed Obama.
Imagine if Trump locked a journalist in a closet.
It is just bad faith to compare what Obama or the Clintons or Bidens did to what Trump is doing.
I would be interested, but the Paper of Record has already consigned that story to the Memory Hole. Your children and grandchildren will never know that it happened. If it happened.
I still didn't get my AIPAC check. Still waiting!
Anti-Israel propaganda is FAR FAR MORE insidious & prolific than anything PRO-Israel.
The Democrat party and their media hacks - it's all a crime syndicate.
𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘗’𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘣𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 (𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴), 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴. 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰.
https://apnews.com/united-states-government-3c11cc34cab34e328528019fc2ff8bfb
In the Associated Press case, as was alluded to above, the Obama administration’s Justice Department gathered about two months of phone details (like who called whom and how long they talked) for 21 AP lines, covering both work and personal numbers. While no live calls were listened to, the AP called it a “massive and unprecedented intrusion,” and many people saw it as a serious concern for press freedom.
On its own, the Obama administration made it clear that it planned to skip certain interviews with Fox News. Anita Dunn mentioned that the team would treat the network “like an opponent.” Even though other media outlets pushed back, the adversarial vibe was pretty obvious.
Both episodes give us helpful examples for looking at similar situations today. The real challenge is staying consistent: we should speak up against government pressure on journalists and unfair treatment of news outlets no matter which party is in charge. Saying “they did it too” shouldn’t excuse what happens next and we shouldn’t forget past actions just because political roles switch. It should be the beginning of any comparison, not the end of it.
"It should be the beginning of any comparison, not the end of it."
How do you have that conversation, when Democrats insist that they're not bound by laws they don't like?
"Both episodes give us helpful examples for looking at similar situations today"
Tapping reporters' phone calls and keeping adversarial propagandists out of a press conference are not similar situations.
"Everybody’s like this is the worst thing in the world except when we do it."
To be clear, Democrats TAPPED REPORTERS' PHONES and Trump merely made them do their reporting from a slightly further distance.
Oh yeah, Obama also tapped Trump and his advisors' phones as well. Nothing to see here, though...
**"He got 1 billion $ for his "library"?
What! Do you mean donors paid $1 billion, not to Obama, but to contractors who built the Obama library? Not the same thing, is it?
**
Obama got the money and the F**kin g stiffed the contractors, for f**k's sake.
0bama and his lot was… no, IS a continuing criminal enterprise.
To Democrats, Obama was capable of miracles, signs, and wonders. It IS a blasphemy to criticize Obama, about anything, don't you know? Of course, it was OK if he did it. Stop pretending you don't pray to his likeness daily, the one from Time magazine with the halo over his head. He was the One you had been waiting for. Ask him.
... and back in the Bush days, america bombed and invaded the wrong middle east country...
You silly boomers just refuse to,pay attention to the NEWS.
Distract, distract, distract... I hope they are tipping well for the services you provide here... the spin you seek.
Maybe it would be better on yr knees blowing them cuz you are getting used the same way and dont see it...
Keep the focus off what's happening gmi. The world today, and platform the pro jew mikesm9f America.
It's not working anymore, ann. We are on to your types in the US now. You can't sell out the country because you have no heirs and meade is a dumb white supremacisy hoosier who surrendered to illegal labor years ago and chooses the soft life in lazy white madison now...
3
Obama is not the president...
Fucking focus for once, boomers.
"we got computers, we're tapping phone lines;
I know that that ain't allowed."
As a constitutional proposition, the president's authority to give "exclusive" access to certain media is essentially the flip side of the ability to exclude other media.
I understand that certain courts have held that a president cannot open an event to the general press and exclude specific organizations or individuals, but I think that is a strained result.
"𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘗’𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘣𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 (𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴), 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴. 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰.
Well that's just fine, then. Nothing to see here, move on.
Of course secretly obtaining metadata about certain reporters' activities is no big deal, when the right people do it.
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