Memo to the Media: Stop putting on the dueling Surrogate battle
By John Amato Wednesday May 21, 2008 6:15pmHow many more times are we supposed to see one Clinton supporter and one Obama supporter on TV basically saying the same thing over and over and over again? The Sunday shows are probably fine, but not every hour of every day. Please STOP, it hurts and as we see with the voters and the polls, it's a waste of time. Give it a rest. Can't the media possibly talk about some issues that matter to America instead of mind numbing debates between partisans? And the media wants there to be fighting among the Democratic party on teevee so America will agree with the right, that the party is divided so McCain can try to waltz right into the WH.
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AMEN! Tweety has gotten particularly bad about this. I suppose he would say that the "horse race" is still on.
' US strike 'kills Iraqi civilians' <==== I can't believe my taxes are paying for this. Story on BBC but, of course, still largely ignored in the US media.
Right Fucking on John!!!!!!!!
Terry McAlliffe (sp) is the worst SOB. They are all bad though. I have to say that the Obama stooges are not as abrasive as McSame's or Hill's.
Yeah McCain
Sen. John McCain will release 400 pages of his medical records to a handpicked group of reporters who can neither photocopy nor keep the documents, illustrating the sensitivity the campaign places on the 71-year-old candidate's age and health.
The records dump comes as Americans head in to a three-day weekend.
http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080522/NATION/88...
Followup memo to media; If ahh........ Oh nevermind.. You go John, give em hell, they deserve it for this weakass shit in what may be the most important election in our lifetime................. JD
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 4:
Yeah Obama's are a lot slicker though.
"matter to America"? How about reporting about stuff that is going on around the globe? I come here couple of weeks every other month and watching the US TV media during that time feels like this place is on Mars or something, completely out of touch with the rest of the world.
Why dont the hotels even show BBC World? It does not matter hat crummy little place I am in anywhere in the world, they always have it. But not in the US.
grrrrr.
But yes. The Clinton vs. Obama drama coocked up on every station, all day long is silly, boring and a complete waste of time. Obama won this race long time ago. This discussion makes everyone who comes near it look like imbasils. And not only that, it shows how fantastically stupid the media thinks its viewers are. "CNN, the mot trusted name in news"..... didnt they get that title? Perhaps the audience is hopelessly stupid after all.
L.A. Confidential @ 7:
Like they use cloaking devises.
Dead wrong since New Hampshire.
Catching up on movies.
This dem election is bs.
Kald @ 8:
Obama hasn't won until every delegate vote is signed, sealed, delivered on the Convention floor.
Lets not bend the facts now. Thats the law.
L.A. Confidential @ 7:
It may seem that way but Hill's would appear slicker if she was leading. But then again I think that Obama would have enough class to get if it was shown that he could not win... but then again he probably would not have in the back of his mind that she might get shot. ;)
getalife @ 10:
If anything Hillary is adding some needed punch and action to what would likely just be another boring run of the mill Choose the Corporate Candidate You Desire. John McCain-Barrack Obama.
L.A. Confidential @ 13:
Yep. Clint Eastwood was right about her. A fighter that deserves respect.
CNN is reporting that Obama has officially begun his VP search. If that's true that is a huge snub to Hillary. Something must have happened because you just don't go on a public VP hunt before securing enough delegates to claim the nomination and it means that Obama will not offer it to Hillary first. I didn't think it would get ugly, but it looks like it is and if that's true, we aint seen shit for dueling delegates yet.
TIME and a few talkingheads on TV are reporting that Hillary might try to force her way into the Veep spot anyway on the convention floor. They tried to do that to McGovern in 72 to vote in someone else besides Eagleton. Eagleton survived the convention but just barely and it severely damaged the party. Of course it didn't help that a week later Eagleton had to drop out anyway when party insiders leaked his medical records that he'd undergone electric shock treatments.
L.A. Confidential @ 11:
You watch too much TV
Amen. "Crossfire" is HISTORY because adults in this country decided that watching people scream at each other was redundant and pointless.
Lead, or get out of the way. Most people aren't as stupid as the MSM seems to think.
Oh, and BAD day for bushie. Good day for us.
from the googlenews page:
Paterson rejects Clinton's case for counting Florida, Michigan votes
Buffalo News - 3 hours ago
By Tom Precious - News Albany Bureau ALBANY - In a case of bad timing for Sen. Hillary
Rodham Clinton, the top Democrat in New York is throwing cold water on her argument that primary votes in Florida and Michigan should be counted.
[...]
DIONNE: Hillary marches on against party wishes, 05-23-08 Fall River Herald News
...
someone's gotta stop this... it's time for the supers to step up and end this farce.
until i heard rachel talk about this just now, i always thought she was a hillary fan - as much as i could figure she favored EITHER candidate... rachel has been extremely neutral on the air... but, now i think she has had enough and is seeing, and calling, this for what it is...
MUST READ:
Clinton to the Convention?
By Rachel Maddow
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola) [yea, sorry about that, hil... but it fits now]
When the Democratic primary calendar ends on June 3rd, Senator Obama will have more delegates than Senator Clinton.
On what grounds could a candidate who is behind at the end of a race avoid conceding that he or she has been beaten? On the grounds that the race really isn't over!
After the primary calendar has ended, Clinton's campaign can only justify or explain her staying in the race if she makes the case that the Democratic Party still has not chosen a nominee conclusively. Clinton needs an argument that the game should go into extra innings. Overtime. Bonus round. Detention. Whatever. Clinton has now found that argument -- she says she will not stop campaigning until the issue of the Florida and Michigan delegates is settled to her satisfaction.
The Florida/Michigan issue get settled, of course, by the Democrats' Rules and Bylaws Committee... unless of course that committee's decision gets appealed to the Credentials Committee... unless of course that decision, too, gets appealed... to the floor of the convention.
Do you see where this is going? [...]
http://airamerica.com/maddow/blog/2008/may/21/democratic-party-political-suicide-watch
.
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 12:
I knew this election would be insane, but I never imagined it would come to this. Media specialists and political hit men and other shady characters directing the whole stupid made for tv 08 Elections.
It's bullshit and all three candidates are guilty by association. Because TV is the way you reach people!
L.A. Confidential @ 11:
justabill @ 15:
Good.
Couldn't agree with you more, John. This thing will have to run it's natural course. It's the media who keeps stoking the fire.
I think the MSM is nervous that once the populi sees McBush in full campaign mode with the added stress the party will be over. He is literally a gaff an hour when hes awake. Some of the villagers are starting to write on it. Once the gang exposes this senile hothead as unfit for the presidency (so says at least 3 GOP senators) It will be a one man race.
The corporate media wants their boy McBush in office. That's why they are playing up the infighting and fanning the flames of the Clinton/Obama "fued". they are hoping we will destroy ourselves.
I'd like to extend the scope and just ask that 'argument journalism' be removed all together. Who decided we needed to see to people arguing about everything at every news hour? What is the point? It's not meaningful discourse. It's sound bite media.
What happened to just reporting the news? This used to work when reporters asked questions.
Now everything requires a springeresque round table.
cv @ 21:
I don't know if that's good, but that's what CNN is reporting.
"Obama Starts VP Search"
http://thumbsnap.com/v/1EC5aFzm.jpg
There is a method to this MSM strategy. Notice there is hardly international news at all?
What's going on in Iraq?
Is anyone explaining the mess in Lebanon?
What of our plans with Iran?
It's all a big distraction.
Cheers to that! They barely lead into these nasty segments with any acknowledgement that these people are partisan parrots, leaving the naive viewer to assume that there is actual information being presented.
Amen.
Besides, McCain has certainly peddled more than enough BS to dissect to keep 'em busy.
CNN and thre rest of the MSM have to talk about something to take up their air time, instead of talking about things that are going on in Iraq, or Pakistan (appeasing) the Taliban. I have been a lurker, this is my first post. But read everyday.
In other news: God sends another message to red states? http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080522/ap_on_re_us/tornado_colorado
What could the message be? Quit hating brown, black and gay people? Quit electing crooked Republicans who are killing his people and destroying his planet? Perhaps Hagee, Robertson and even Falwell will rise from the dead to tell us what message God has been trying to sent to red staters of late who keep voting Republican?
The media's Boy is Obama (don't be fooled). NOBO in '08!
Simply and most eloquently put, John.
If the candidates (of both parties) won't exclusively publicly argue about substantive issues and shine a light on where each one stands with them, then their microphones and our attentions and television sets should be summarily turned off of those candidates.
What an unusual freak show this U.S. election season has been! LOL
How about you bloggers do the same? Stop trashing Hillary day in and day out and pumping up Obama constantly and let them have an election already! Stop telling us who the winner is until there is one.
kasinca @ 20:
I don't think they look desperate. Their tough, experienced, determined to complete the contest, I mean you forget the Clintons gave this country some of the best years and opportunities it's ever had. Unless you were a teenager or a wing nut I just don't see how you don't get it.
Hell, if I ran a network, I'd do the same thing. With Clinton's campaign tossing a lifeline to an otherwise moribund GOP, it's not simply good political theatre, but quite possibly the political story of the year.
If Obama can do this I might turn into a believer.
http://tinyurl.com/3zldv2
Actually, just now the Leher Newshour hand dueling pundits between an Hillary and a Obama supporter. The Hillary pundit I've seen before, and I could tell she was annoyed with the nastiness of the campaign, the sexism, and even the filthy names used in reference to Hillary.
But I couldn't watch it, because I called my sister and couldn't get her off the phone when that story started.
And on top of that My Name Is Earl ain't on tonight so they can have some stupid gameshow with Howie Mandell and over-emotive contestants.
Oh, and by the way, I ain't a blogger, I may comment on some, but I don't run my own blog.
Brian @ 34:
Mrs. Clinton doesn't get trashed much around here except for when she serves it up first. The same goes for Mr. Obama.
"Can't the media report on the issues facing America?" Yes it can, but it won't. It will be Obama vs. McCain, the corporate media and the Supreme Catholic Court.
Unfortunately, you are 100% correct but the networks have learned that people will watch point counter point. TV does 2 sides. They seem incapable
L.A. Confidential @ 37:
Come on L.A. you know that wasn't all them...
You're wasting bandwidth. Asking the mass media to stop the pundit debates about the Obama/Clinton contest, ad nauseam is like asking teenage boys to stop jerking off to the Victoria's Secrets catalog every time it comes through the mail slot. If you want them to talk about something else, you have to GIVE them something else to talk about. The Obama camp obviously knows this, which is why I support him. He and his team seem to have more political savy than any Democratic team I've ever seen, up to and INCLUDING Bill Clinton's. But they can't do it ALL by themselves. They need some help from the rest of us.
EliteLemming @ 42:
Of course not but thats a pretty dramatic, obvious, and rapid change of fortunes and direction (up) there no matter how you look at it.
Stop!
Look!
Somewhere, a blonde has been
kidnaped,raped,missing,kissing Madonna,pregnant,indecent,standing,sitting, posing for pictures!ysbaddaden @ 38:
If you ever decide to start one, announce it here please.
Pericles @ 43:
Hey I'm not voting to make these political strategists pat each other on the back. I'm voting on who I think is going to do the best job and not back peddle and break their promises.
I've seen things from both candidates that turn me off.
Myshiba @ 32:
here is PROOF THAT YOU ARE LYING OR DELUSIONAL
L.A. Confidential @ 44:
Well one thig I think your graphic shows is that "to big to fail" is a myth. And that the republicans (with help) may have actually succeeded in breaking the government and economy completely and beyond repair. Now its just a short jaunt to "third world" status.
EliteLemming @ 49:
Well Clintons plan was at some point start buying up the debt of other nations so we would be able to impose fiscal discipline on them if and when required but as you can see Bush Co pretty much destroyed that.
L.A. Confidential @ 44:
You mean when you use taxes to fund government programs and services you can actually balance a budget? OMFG! It's INCREDIBLE!
bilhelm-big-gay-X @ 51:
Astounding isn't it?
I rewind my DVR for the last hour of MSNBC when I wake up and FF thru useless "news" and watch the good stuff .
it takes me 15 min. , TOPS !
Memo to C&L:
Blow up your TV
As long as people are dazzled by naked starlets, shiny objects and game shows they are less likely to ask questions. The rightwing media know this and are absolute masters at their game.
Whoever wins the nomination, I can't wait to see the debates when McCain gets pounded into the ground. It should be interesting to see what these so-called journalists have to say then.
It is actually a bit better than it was. Until recently it was usually "let's talk to a former Clinton official, a Democratic strategist (who happens to support Clinton) and a Republican strategist on why Obama can't possibly win the nomination."
Even now, notice that on Larry King the Obama supporters are only on for the first few minutes of the show -- and then they go to the "panel" which is as I have described. CNN broadcast ten minutes of a Clinton event in Oregon that consisted of her talking to a guy about how high gas prices were affecting his business. He was a nervious regular guy who rambled on while Clinton asked a few brief questions. I swear that it looked like public access TV.
Don't forget that Bill bought all of the reporters ice cream in Iowa: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/04/bill-clinton-buys-a-round/
It might also be worth noting that Elizabeth Murdoch serves on Bill Clinton's foundation -- a cushy job where you get paid big bucks for doing nothing
Don't forget that Bill bought all of the reporters ice cream in Iowa! http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/04/bill-clinton-buys-a-round/
He also put Rupurt Murdoch's neice on his charitable foundation (a cushy job where you get paid for doing nothing) and gave free speeches as fundraisers for "independent" media.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:*&pwst=1&sa=X&oi=sp...
According to someone explaining the lawsuit by Florida (and they hope to add Michigan) if the court rules in Hillary's favor, she will be the leader.
Now when this campaign started, Hillary had most of the superdelegates. The obama supporters messed themselves every single solitary day screaming, crying and moaning that it should be that the super delegates should decide...remember obama didn't have the super delegate lead and if, Hillary gets these delegates she leads.
Now they want obama to get the super delegates so he WILL WIN...OH DAMN HOW THE TIMES DO CHANGE.....
Miss Piggy will likely take this thing all the way to the convention floor come hell or high water , that's what she is maneuvering for , and yes she is that desperate ! If she can some how steal the nomination that would be just fine by her and the Clinton party , if Obama and the Dems loses to McCain and the GD Republicans that would be just fine with her and the Clinton party too . She is beginning to irritate my ass as much as Lieberman does . This is all about Hillary ( and BIll ) Clinton , the Clinton party , not the people , not the country , not the Democratic party , not women , it's obvious as can be and not at all surprising . The supers need to shut her down soon or the Dems will blow it and lose the White House to the Republicans , the Presidency is there's on a silver platter for God's sake ! Unbelievable !
we have to unite,instead of arguing amongst each other.
Marge you have it ass backwards . First Clinton said it's the delegates who will decide and "F" the popular vote , then it wasn't the delegates but the people and the popular vote , all agreed , there were no objections to the decision regarding Florida and Michigan , then she started losing big time which the Clinton party did not expect ( to say the least ) and all of the sudden they are demanding Florida and Michigan be counted and are so concerned about " democracy " and the people of Florida and Michigan ! Gimme a friggin break ! She at first agreed to a fifty fifty split but now she rejects it . Get your damned facts straight ! All along Obama has said he will go along with what the DNC decides but he sure as hell is going to fight for a just and fair settlement .
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They love fake news. Great point and post John. Hopefully we can get to and list all the issues that are actually important to us. Drug Policy. Election Integrity. Energy efficiency and independence. Privatized Prisons. ETc etc.
Pericles @ 43:
Exactly...and here's how we can help:
From Arianna:
Stop Yelling at Hillary to Stand Down and Start Yelling at the Superdelegates to Stand Up
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/stop-yelling-at-hillary...
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/04/nobody-to-blame.html
Pericles @ 43:
Not at all. If people say nothing, then nothing gets done.
ezpz @ 64:
Arianna and her Huffpo are part of the problem, not the solution.
When I came home earlier this evening I turned on the TV to catch up on the day. HA!! On MSNBC it was Keith being an obnoxious ass and on CNN it was Ed Shultz who has to be the most rude and arrogant ass ever talking over and interrupting the other guest. It was disgusting! If you support Obama, fine, but this is getting very annoying and it really turns people off. I'm becoming really disgusted with the constant Hillary Hate from Obama's Over the Top supporters. I say "We the People" need to ban together and shut down these 24 hour propaganda outlets. America would be smarter and kinder without them.
yea, I agree, only this race should be overrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, period
Memo to the dog: Stop wagging your tail!
It's not going to happen.
John amato,
You know better than that. The media exists solely to propagandize for whatever serves the GOPers/neocons/fascists. They sure as hell don't serve democracy or their Constitutionally mandated role in society.
Waltz, or moonwalk?
An Average Joe @ 69:
While I'll be happy when all the coverage on the Democratic primary does end, this sentiment is as irresposnibly stated as "the librul meida" trope.
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