Let me spell it out again. There is no left-wing, liberal, or even Democratic Party version of FOX(R). The FOX(R)/MSNBC false equivalency is a corporate media, conservative, “fair and balanced”, talking point.
First, some not-so-long-ago-historical Perspective:
After other networks realized it was too close to call the 2000 election, they withdrew their projection for a Gore win. It was a Bushie who called the election for Bush on FOX(R), when nobody could have made that judgment.
For FOX(R) had a job to do. And it was not journalism.
While all the pre-Iraq War propaganda was flashing 24/7 on FOX(R), along with the flag-waving cheerleading for the Bush Administration, MSNBC fired Phil Donahue. Why? Not for lack of ratings...no, no. His ratings were the highest the network had. No, he was fired because he had too many guests on that spoke out against Bush’s Crusade. Never mind he was told to have more pro-war than anti-war people on. Did FOX(R) have war dissenters on? No. They accused, with open contempt, all liberals against the war of being unpatriotic, of course. They were silent about conservatives against the war like Ron Paul and a few other Libertarian types. Nothing to see there, folks.
For FOX(R) had a job to do. And it was not journalism.
Second, some perspective on who they are lately:
FOX(R) has had on its payroll numerous Bush Administration members and Republican politicians, who clearly have presidential ambitions. How many on the MSNBC payroll were Clinton or Obama Administration members? (No, not Pat Buchanan.) How many on the MSNBC payroll have been on presidential and presidential primary ballots? Not so many as FOX(R)? No, not so many at all.
For FOX(R) has a job to do. And it is not journalism.
Maybe you saw the exciting promotions. All around the country there were to be fabulous “FNC Tea Parties”, featuring Glenn Beck and all your favorite FOX(R) personalities. Everyone was urged to come see the FOX(R) personalities and Republican politicians at an event sponsored by FOX(R), Dick Armey’s political operation, and the salt of the Earth Billionaire Koch Brothers. Yup, a regular gathering of regular folk to advance the agenda of the corporate elite. FOX(R) calls this “grass roots”.
For FOX(R) has a job to do. And it is not journalism.
Remember when Glenn Beck told us Obama was “a racist with a deep seated hatred for white people”? Again, maybe if MSNBC gave a nightly program to Kanye West after he said Bush doesn't like black people, you might find some equivalency. West was chastised by most liberals, in and out of the media. I even joined them. Bush does not hate rich conservative black people. I wonder how many millions of dollars FOX(R) has given to Beck since his “observation”. He’s still working there isn’t he? Yes he is.
For FOX(R) has a job to do. And it is not journalism.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
“One Thing That I Do Know”
As Stephen Colbert discussed Bush’s approval ratings at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner, he informed us, “...Reality has a well-known liberal bias”. So conversely, we must conclude, un-reality would logically have a well-known conservative bias.
It’s almost overwhelming to think of all the lies and wild fabrications the Right has come up with to undermine, obstruct, and defeat the democratically elected corporatist President of the US. They say he is a foreign born, Muslim, socialist racist who hates white people and pushes policies intended to not only send old folks to death panels, but to destroy America.
True to form, Weeper of the House Boehner said “it’s not my job” to tell the people the truth. I can even understand that, from the Right, Obama seems a “liberal”. I’ll allow them that. Although from the center, he looks moderate/right when he continues to appease Wall Street, continues Bush foreign policies without investigating the torture and pre-war lies, and extends tax breaks for the rich.
In fact it’s the job of the entire Republican Party and radical Right to spread falsehoods and blur everything that challenges their efforts toward one-party dictatorship.
This week we heard presidential contender Mike Huckabee lie, and repeat it, on The Steve Malzberg Show, yet another AM propaganda swill machine of the radical Right.
Continuing the Right’s campaign to portray Obama as an African anti-colonial, anti-imperialist savage, Huckabee said, “I would love to know more. What I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, [is] very different than the average American.”
One might pause here and say, “Wait a minute. Wasn’t the US born of an anti-colonial, anti-imperialist revolution?” Well, yes, but that was before we became a colonialist empire. Now, according to the Right, it is clearly unpatriotic to share those founders’ sentiments.
Huckabee’s apologist lackey eventually squawked, “Governor Huckabee simply misspoke when he alluded to President Obama growing up in 'Kenya.' The Governor meant to say the President grew up in Indonesia."
"When the Governor mentioned he wanted to know more about the President, he wasn't talking about the President's place of birth - the Governor believes the President was born in Hawaii. The Governor would however like to know more about where President Obama's liberal policies come from and what else the President plans to do to this country - as do most Americans."
Oh, I see. This is about where Obama “grew up” and was trained in his anti-American Marxist convictions... from age 6 to 10.
Huckabee went on and “misspoke” again, “...if you think about it, his perspective as growing up in Kenya with a Kenyan father and grandfather, their view of the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya is very different than ours because he probably grew up hearing that the British were a bunch of imperialists who persecuted his grandfather.”
Perhaps we need to understand something here. It’s probably very easy to confuse the Mau Mau Revolution in Indonesia with the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya, right? And what difference is there, really, between the British imperialists and the Dutch, or between Africa and Southeast Asia?
Have you known anyone that ever “misspoke” so elaborately? Has anyone ever “misspoke” so elaborately and repeatedly? This sounds like more than a mere slip of the tongue. It sounds like the deliberate, slippery, oily tongue of someone who stands to gain from the spread of misinformation. He is obviously talking to the brainwashed dupes of the Right who believe Obama is a foreign Muslim Marxist racist. He wants their votes and will allow any lie or falsehood to conveniently work towards that end.
A fifth of our country believes Obama is Muslim. There’s a clear reason for this. To borrow the Huckster’s words, what I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is the truth is not on the Republicans’ side. It never was and never will be.
***
Update: George Will, of all people, has a not-so-dissimilar take on this extremist trend into un-reality.
It’s almost overwhelming to think of all the lies and wild fabrications the Right has come up with to undermine, obstruct, and defeat the democratically elected corporatist President of the US. They say he is a foreign born, Muslim, socialist racist who hates white people and pushes policies intended to not only send old folks to death panels, but to destroy America.
True to form, Weeper of the House Boehner said “it’s not my job” to tell the people the truth. I can even understand that, from the Right, Obama seems a “liberal”. I’ll allow them that. Although from the center, he looks moderate/right when he continues to appease Wall Street, continues Bush foreign policies without investigating the torture and pre-war lies, and extends tax breaks for the rich.
In fact it’s the job of the entire Republican Party and radical Right to spread falsehoods and blur everything that challenges their efforts toward one-party dictatorship.
This week we heard presidential contender Mike Huckabee lie, and repeat it, on The Steve Malzberg Show, yet another AM propaganda swill machine of the radical Right.
Continuing the Right’s campaign to portray Obama as an African anti-colonial, anti-imperialist savage, Huckabee said, “I would love to know more. What I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, [is] very different than the average American.”
One might pause here and say, “Wait a minute. Wasn’t the US born of an anti-colonial, anti-imperialist revolution?” Well, yes, but that was before we became a colonialist empire. Now, according to the Right, it is clearly unpatriotic to share those founders’ sentiments.
Huckabee’s apologist lackey eventually squawked, “Governor Huckabee simply misspoke when he alluded to President Obama growing up in 'Kenya.' The Governor meant to say the President grew up in Indonesia."
"When the Governor mentioned he wanted to know more about the President, he wasn't talking about the President's place of birth - the Governor believes the President was born in Hawaii. The Governor would however like to know more about where President Obama's liberal policies come from and what else the President plans to do to this country - as do most Americans."
Oh, I see. This is about where Obama “grew up” and was trained in his anti-American Marxist convictions... from age 6 to 10.
Huckabee went on and “misspoke” again, “...if you think about it, his perspective as growing up in Kenya with a Kenyan father and grandfather, their view of the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya is very different than ours because he probably grew up hearing that the British were a bunch of imperialists who persecuted his grandfather.”
Perhaps we need to understand something here. It’s probably very easy to confuse the Mau Mau Revolution in Indonesia with the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya, right? And what difference is there, really, between the British imperialists and the Dutch, or between Africa and Southeast Asia?
Have you known anyone that ever “misspoke” so elaborately? Has anyone ever “misspoke” so elaborately and repeatedly? This sounds like more than a mere slip of the tongue. It sounds like the deliberate, slippery, oily tongue of someone who stands to gain from the spread of misinformation. He is obviously talking to the brainwashed dupes of the Right who believe Obama is a foreign Muslim Marxist racist. He wants their votes and will allow any lie or falsehood to conveniently work towards that end.
A fifth of our country believes Obama is Muslim. There’s a clear reason for this. To borrow the Huckster’s words, what I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is the truth is not on the Republicans’ side. It never was and never will be.
***
Update: George Will, of all people, has a not-so-dissimilar take on this extremist trend into un-reality.
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