Mea Culpa: Chris Matthews admits WH engaged in "pure press manipulation"
By SilentPatriot Tuesday May 27, 2008 6:40pm
Wow. Who would have thought that the incompetent Scott McClellan of all people would force the talking heads to re-evaluate their role in the lead up to the war, and make them finally realize that the White House deliberately manipulated them into mindlessly passing along pure government propaganda? To his credit, Chris Matthews today connected the dots and made as clear a case as possible that the White House used, in the case he cited, The New York Times to inject into the national dialogue completely bogus information that Cheney, Bush and Condoleezza Rice would later cite on the Sunday talk shows in order to scare Americans into supporting the Iraq War.
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"There was a lot of salesmanship here....a lot of propaganda."
Chris Matthews and David Gregory seem to get it. Mike Allen...not so much. We'll see how the rest of media handles it.
Of course, for those of us who actually pay attention to this sort of stuff, Bill Moyers chronicled this manipulation extensively in his fascinating documentary, Buying The War.
Memo to the media: Better late than never.
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Tweety, tell us again how herr dubyah should be on Mount Rushmore.
The MSM was manipulated partly because it let itself -- many reporters were too afraid to challenge King George during the run-up to the war.
Wow, I'm starting to have a grudging respect for Tweety.
Blowing up the media, bout damn time! I'm onboard, let the smackdown begin!
well no shit. now lets get some one official to document this, oh wait, mcClellend.
Imagine my shock!
David Gregory seems to get it? Are you kidding me? He's clinging to the idea that the press is just supposed to report both sides and not stir up any debate of their own. Even if that nonsense were true and that's what a reporter was supposed to do, they failed. They completely ignored all the people who were against this war. Ask Ted Kennedy or Bernie Sanders what kind of coverage David Gregory and his colleagues gave them in 2002.
ari fleischer was right, every one has made up their mind so nothing anyone says matters at this point, but we need to keep remembering.
I'm stunned that Mike Allen doesn't seem to quite catch on here. It's almost as if he's a bought and paid for hack, and Politico.com is nothing more than Pajamas Media 2.0.
Oh, yeah . . .
Despite this, that 25-30 percent will still support the boy-king.
no crap ! boy i must be smarter then all these god damned news whores , i knew from the start it was all bullshit! when you hear candy ass rice , dork cheney and bush mouth sink every dam lie dont you think the news casters should ask , who wrote this shit anyway for these bozos?
i'm watching gregory's show right now; and i don't see him performing any penance. if anything, they are all horrified at how little scottie could betray his mentor and the man who gave him the opportunity to go to washington (paraphrased jay carney).
Memo to the media: Better late than never.
I totally disagree. The media is just as guilty as if they told the lies themselves. Which they did. Chrissy included.
Yeah, I started to see the glint of recognition in Tweety's eyes during the "appeasement" segment. He realized that he was talking directly to a stuffed suit that had been handed a talking points memo and told to march to the (usually) friendly MSM with it.
Say what you will, but Matthews does have a shred or two of integrity. It's his failure to live up to that integrity that we find frustrating. He's not Bill O'Reilly.
But the recognition he had wasn't just, it seems, that some unqualified hack had managed to slip onto his show. It was that this kind of hackery has been par for the course for years...and he's played no small part in making it so.
That's got to rile him, chagrin him, as well as the others. They've been played like pianos and the know it. And they resent it. And they're smart. And no one is getting rich singing the praises of the Bush Administration anymore. And no one is interested in silencing these stories because they are just too, too juicy.
So the carrots and the sticks are in place for a real bloodbath on this. Once the Bushies are out and unable to set the narrative framing of every little thing, as the magnitude of the disaster we have brought upon ourselves becomes clear, as weasels like McClellan and Feith come out of the woodwork to point the finger of blame at everyone but themselves (or maybe grudgingly at themselves as well), the MSM will do what it's best at: pile the fuck on.
Instant Karma(tm)'s gonna get you.
It's a little goddamned late for the media to fess about about their appalling complicity in war, corruption and lies.
Fuck 'em all.
The Left Blogosphere wants power.
Want power? Get Chris Matthews and those like him to pay attention to the elephants in the living room.
What are the elephants?
The new (over last 10 years, or so) revealed facts about the JFK and RFK assassinations.
There is no power for the left blogosphere, only crumbs, until the elephants in the living room are addressed.
Bill B. @ 9:
there was a quote of his i copied at the time because it was so jaw-dropping suckass bullshit. allen was on olbermann's show talking about the video briefing that idiot son got on katrina. you know, the one where he didn't ask one question. this is how little mikey allen described it:
"On the question of whether—of the U.S. push to arrest everybody, we‘re told that from the very beginning, you know, Keith, on your air, you showed the video of the president with his Katrina briefings, internalizing them, not asking questions."
Oh!........................................the media!
Now you get it? Really?
Come on now, really.
There is nothing more satisfying than trying to put polish on a turd. Will it shine for me as it did for you??
Wanna place a bet, tweety?
Dems have been SCREAMING about this crap at the top of their lungs for years! Hello America! Hey Tweety...where's the apology? Where's the G-damned apology?!
Then again, Chris Matthews routinely referred to President Bush and his White House team as "good guys."
Scotty is going to on Countdown tonight!!!!
"the press was manipulated!"
no shit sherlock.
Speaking of "not getting it"...if you got from anything Matthews said that he was doing anything other than presenting "fake outrage" at being manipulated ...you're as delusional as they'll be wanting you to think McClellan is...of course they are wetting themselves with GLEE over a new subject to obsess over...give Hillary a break for awhile...here's the fun thing in all this (not really new news except the source from which it spews) ...watching the MEDIA spin themselves into the ground validating their performances back in the days before the WAR...
the news pimps were bought off just after the corporations all became owned by the same rich bastards who own this government and big oil, they werent going to shit where they eat , kind of like a dog!
Note to all that lied to save their jobs: fuck you.
You think we're going to forget what you did?
I hope every time you see a homeless man you're reminded how many lives you ruined to maintain yours.
Like Matthews does with anything he can make negative about Hillary Clinton?
Well - why didn't the press go after the bogus "aluminum tubes that can be used only for atomic centrifuges" claim of Condi - easily debunked by anyone with half a brain and a phone or computer?. Why didn't the press follow up on the Downing Street Memo where the Brits claimed "the intelligence was being FIXED around the policy"? - complicit? You bet.
Now that two-thirds of the American Public has realized we've been lied to repeatedly.
Hell I figured out the BS when I saw Hans Blix saying "if you know where the weapons are just tell us and we will inspect". Although, post 9/11 I couldn't believe that there was any warning that had been ignored. Richard Clarke dispelled that stupid idea. That's what happens when you project your morality on others, especially when they are socio-paths.
Hindsight is 20/20 - however, that is not the case here. I remember watching meet the press and Mattews' show fervently from 2001-2003 and all that was given was white house and GOP talking points. Matthews and Russert certainly didn't do anything about it then and it seems only now, or since Olbermann has been kicking ass and taking numbers, that the rest of the msm wants to try their hand at channeling Edward R Murrow. I thank 2 people every day for their courage and wisdom in not letting this country go to hell. They are Howard Dean for reinserting the spine into the democratic party and Keith Olbermann for making cogent points 5 days a week while slapping down idiots (which includes most of the GOP at this point, HRC and most of her supporters). It doesn't matter what you say once the battle is over, it is your courage to act during the heat of battle that matters most.
Yeah, I agree w/ Annoyed Canuck...it's a little damned late....fuck 'em.
Yeah, bitches, doesn't feel so good when your job is on the line, does it?
They should market the 'smart pill' they took to come to this conclusion...
talk about a fortune to be made!
Matthews is a bit slow, and at times off his rocker, but when he's on, he's on.
Dr. (Bitter Hussein) Matt @ 21:
Oh yea, thats right, should be interesting.
I"m sure that Scotty knows he is persona non grata on both sides now, both liberal and conservative, after lying for a living he stabbed his conspirators in the back.
I'm sure Keith will ask........why?
Nice to know Rove told dumbshit to look out the window at flooded New Orleans and look pensive, thankls Scotty.......hahahahaha....
No mea culpa's here. Many of us knew all along the administration was full of sh*T. The MSM went along for the ride WILLINGLY. They are accomplices, in my book, in one of the greatest crimes the world has ever seen. And they are continuing, today, covering it up.
Gregory is a fucking tool. One clip of him barely doing his job by asking a weak follow up question, and we're suppose to by that he is a "hard hitting journalist"? He and Rove can freak dance each other right off a fucking cliff.
David Gregory doesn't get it. Why would anyone think he does?
These buffoons should be run out of town and real journalists should be put in their place.
Chris Matthews and David Gregory enabled the murder of 4000+ American soldiers and countless Iraqis with their shoddy, enabling reporting. Everynight America had to listen to them "report" the White House Talking Points as if it was the truth and "news". I say we don't give them any slack. They must be run out of this profession. The media as the fourth estate is much to precious to Democracy to let these crooks and liars (i.e. Chris Matthews and David Gregory and their ilk) to continue to put these lies and deception to the American public. I can't understand why C&L would give them a pass on this.
The journalists that do address this (like Tweety) will just pass the ball around a few times so that they can go home with a clear conscious. Don't expect any big changes, folks.
Why would anyone want Scottie to appear on their show (Countdown). A liar has no credibility. He may be lying right now.
And again, the media played right along with this bunch. So, their "epiphany" is a little late.
I don't know whether to buy this line or not... I'm skeptical in the extreme but it sure is sounding lately like Tweety has pulled his mouth and ass out of the kool-aid trough.... Wonder if he has a hang-over to go with his next day buyers remorse... Tweety honey? You still may have to chew your arm off to really detach yourself from this pond scum you've been cheerleading for these last five plus years ...
I actually think Frybread@2 is on to something about all this media 'mea-culpa we're soo sorry' B.S..... tyree has a good point too.. Who indeed wrote all the copy/garbage they put out there for the last five years until now to snow people with... And the idea that ol fat Scotty's tattletail tell all tome is the one to break the honesty dam open is almost too surreal for words...
And really, all media apologies or whatever aside... Until Nancy sets a table and puts the 'I' word on it, I still don't really give a fuck what they have to say in their own defense at this point... Motherfuckers should have put their thinking caps on and tried some of that critical thinking shit way back at the beginning because ultimately? This far down the road? This many dead and maimed later and two nations with ruined economies?? You're all a day late and a couple trillion short of any absolution as far as I'm concerned.........JD
real journalists don't get misled because they do due diligence. these liars were carrying water for bushco and got caught so now it's because bushco mislead them. they are lying incompetents.
*by the way, by by I meant buy. I still say Gregory and Rove are bi together though.
Fascist fucks.
david gregory's performances at the white house press briefings were just that -- performances. they were calculated because the more testy the exchange the more likelihood he'd get facetime on the nightly news. i watched those briefings. it was interesting to watch that upon the end, he'd jump up out of his chair, usually laughing, but certainly enjoying the moment and then prepping for his teevee report.
would you perform back-up dancer for someone like karl rove?
Tweety was better in his grilling of Fleisher today, and in fact cross examined his inconsistencies in an earlier interview with Nora O'Donnell. If only he had been this aggressive 5 years ago and consistently. And David Gregory -- I disagree with your post -- he doesn't seem to have any insight into his own failures, or the ability to recognize them as such.
Are Chris Matthews and David Gregory considered journalists? Or are they simply pundits? American thinks they are journalists. They put themselves out there as journalists. Their networks display them as journalists. We need a list of true journalsts and send these others packing. I tend to think Bill Moyers is a journalist.
ABC News - Al Qaeda Supporters' Tape to Call for Use of WMDs
NY Times - A Scary Prank About Al Qaeda and W.M.D.
Where are the medals when a Bushy finally does good?
Is the press finally admitting their role or are they really just now getting it?
Either way, perhaps they should take Scott M's advice and start listening to the Liberal Media.
I have to admit, I'm proud of Scott, and surprised, too. Of all the little tyrant's men, he is not the one I'd have expected this from. I'm very curious to know what happened to open his eyes.
I really don't understand how G.W. got in office in the first place. Where were the crowds to protest the stolen election. I would hope that Rove, Cheney, and the likes would be handed life sentences for the frauds they have perpetrated.
Thomas Jefferson insisted on that the separation of powers was essential to prevent the consolidation of government and the formation of centralized, authoritarian tyranny to which all governments are prone. But that is exactly what GW Bush and especially Cheney has done.
In my mind American have every right to toss out the government that currently exsists. It is my hope that another fraud won't happen this fall. If it does I hope Americans will do something about it this time.
You may wonder why I as a Canadian think that I should be allowed to comment on American affairs? The reason is that as a Canadian I am affected by Americas actions. From the outside I can admire what Americas founding fathers attempted to achieve without being jaded by the reality of the America that currently is. As a Canadian I understand the noble intentions that founded the United States, but I also can see that your current administration wipes its ass with those good intentions.
It is time to re-regulate your media. So that they tell America the truth. How can anyone make any sort of informed decision when all you are fed is bull shit. It is the meddia that has pollarized America by feeding you left and right extremism. However at least the Left extremism doesn't suggest bombing other countries.
They're just figuring out this now, after over 4,000 US service personnel and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are dead. Gee, how can I be a journalist, too?
It's a mass desertion of rats from Bush$Co's sinking ship. What pisses me off is I know, everyone here knows, all of our elected officials (most of whom are WORTHLESS) know and most of the the American People know that George Bush and Dick Cheney lied about anything and everything they could possibly lie about. They have broken Constitutional Law God only knows how many times. Totally corrupted the DoJ. Not to mention are directly responsible for the deaths of over 4,000 of our men and women in uniform and untold and unknown tens if not hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis.
Stop talking about it andIMPEACH, CONVICT AND INCARCERATE THE CRIMINALS BUSH AND CHENEY!
You should include Tweety's interview with Ari Fleischer. "That's the White House talking point!" ... lol, I loved it.
Plant the story/quote the story. That's Bush/Cheney's legacy. That and not catching Osama and Zawahiri.
The problem with with "professional" journalists is that as careerists, dependent on access to the right people, they either play ball or they're out of the loop. That is a career ending move. Truth, as we have seen, is at best a secondary consideration.
I heard Gregory on MSNBC this morning talking about people who resigned from government on principle, ala Archibald Cox. HE INCLUDED KARL ROVE IN THAT CATEGORY. The Bush pod people may have gotten to Gregory that night he was on stage "dancing" with Turdblossom.
Gregory is also getting VERY defensive on Hardball about the role the press abdicated in the runup to war in Iraq.
JasonS @ 14:
compliments on your insightful analysis.
The press definitely let the USA down. I recall searching feverishly for the proof of WMDs or skepticism on the existence of WMDs and could find very little... The notable exception was Knight-Ridder (now McClatchy)... They got it right before it was a proven fact...
David Gregory has become a bit of a punk but I do recall him trying to ask some questions occasionally,, once they started bringing him into Studio for Sunday morning sit downs and the like he completely caved and commenced with the douchebaggery himself.
These talking heads and reporters have as much blood on their hands as anybody else. They knew what they were reporting from the WH was B.S., yet most continued to report it anyway. Their surprise and shock now is disingenuous.
Don't kid yourself, these talking heads all knew what was going on. Any anger or outrage they express at supposedly being "used" is laughable. They were knowing and willing accomplices, and now they're trying to pretend othewise. Their credibility is zero. Joseph Goebbel would have loved these guys.
i think matthews realizes that this will be the dividing line between the journalists people trust and the ones they don't.
The Today Show had the three network anchors on with their "reactions" to McClellan's book. The worst was ABC's Charles Gibson, who actually said (with a straight face):
“I think the questions were asked,” Gibson repeated. “It was just a drumbeat of support from the administration. It is not our job to debate them. It is our job to ask the questions.”
Criminal.
I'm more cynical and more convinced that the press by large knowingly supported the lies.
rend @ 59:
YEP.
Never forget Matthews and his Commander Codpiece routine the night of Mission Accomplished. He is not to be trusted.
Charles Gibson is a longstanding Bush whore.
Bill Moyers deserves the highest honor this country can bestow an honor upon a civilian. The media schools should retool themselves to emulate his approach to journalism. (Back to the Future! Do you realize the the University of Southern Colorado has a mass media degree? I don't know if the white, clueless bitch Dana Perrino has that degree under her "belt" but if I were the department head at that time I would be looking to hide my head in the sand. I've said it before, as an alumnus, I am truly ashamed her name appears in juxaposition to this years graduation ceremonies.
"Those who lied for you will lie against you...."
uh... is making people lie for you stupid ??
Let's go to the tape....now that Scotty boy has picked the scab off this old wound, can we get a replay of the "tough questions" Gregory, Matthews, et al asked during the runup to war?
btw, don't hold your breathe waiting for fox to own to their part in this canard.
Dave @ 54:
Agree, Gregory is very creepy. I feel sorry for Mathews, it's just an automatic reaction. HOWEVER.......we've all witnessed the media's compliance over the past five-plus year. Personally, I will never, ever forget the role they played, who they are, NO MATTER WHERE THEY SURFACE WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER...............I WILL NOT WATCH MSM OR ANYTHING THAT THE LIKES OFNOVACK, MILLER, RUSSERT, MATHEWS, ETC.,ETC., PUT THEIR HAND TO........not now, not ever.
rend @ 59:
post of the day!
Dave @ 66:
I disagree... I know of few on-air reporters who drill down harder on trying to get to the truth then Tweedie... Does he bat 1000, no... But he's as close to a heavy hitter as I have been able to find on-air... And a respectful nod to Bill Moyer too...
Annoyed Canuck @ 15:
Amen!!!
your not actually buying this bullshit are you?
they're just now realizing that the info they got from the WH could have been false? they're doing the same thing scotty's doing. trying to save face and jump off the sinking ship.
if they really had any integrity they would apologize and quit.
....Gregory, Matthews, et al asked during the runup to war?
I think remember seeing clips of Matthews comments on Bush's "Mission Accomplished" flight...
As the lead-in above indicated, what is the BIG deal as to Scott's about to be released book. Hell, Bill Moyers did a special edition on this very subject in April
2007, so this is not new news.
Oh, that's right, few(very, very few) of the our citizens ever take the time to tune
in to PBS and learn the facts; instead they continue to watch those AWFUL 24
hour cable networks who rarely get it right.
Guess you have to be an ex-press secretary, and write a book, for the truth to
come out AND finally be covered by the MSM. They ALL suck.
Tweety to Gregory: "Oh, you didn't get it wrong, we were manipulated!"
Note to Tweety: Scotty (and everyone else who carried water for Bushco) is trying the same shtick. Let us know how it works out for you.
Let's not forget David Gregory gave Bush his out in Uganda for the yellowcake gaff.
Its been repeated for the last oh, 5 years, but its worth saying again. We won't trust ANY of these MSM fuckwads, not now, not ever.
There's no satisfaction in Scotty coming clean. It's too little, too late. Too many dead sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers, not just American but all the countries involved, not least of which is Iraq. The press totally dropped the ball. The whole thing is just frustrating and sad. I hope young journalists will learn from this and maybe next time, and there will be a next time....but I'm not holding my breath, because even if the press did do its job, I think too many Americans are too ignorant or too stupid to care. Fucking horrible.
Annoyed Canuck @ 15:
Yes, let us all remember Tweety's man-crush over Bush in a flight suit with a codpiece in the crotch.
Vexed @ 74:
WHOA...........WAIT JUST A MINUTE, THERE. Bill Moyers is a God in the field of journalism. There is no compairson what so ever.
Are you sure you know who Bill Moyers is????????? OMG............OMG.........OMG~~~~~~~~~~
seevee @ 80:
You nailed it...stupidity of Americans. Or, as Albert Einstien is quoted:
"Only two things are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity. And I'm not sure
about the former."
Tweety to Gregory: “Oh, you didn’t get it wrong, we were manipulated!”
is that what CM said ? I'm sorry but didn't watch this clip..
so who is next in line to say "We were manipulated !!!"
Tim R, Bill O, Sean H, Rush L .. et al ?
What does Chis M think of his viewer ?? stupid ? I don't watch him though.. so
vrk @ 3:
Quick, take an aspirin.
This twit deserves no on's respect. He proved it over and over and over again starting when fawned over his hero, GW Asswipe in a jump suit aboard the SD aircraft carrier with the giant "Mission Accomplished" sign.
The only reason this jackass would say anything like this is as a start to rewrite his own sordid history as a BushCo propagandist. It's as simple as that. He's transparent and pathetic. An assclown.
To his credit, Chris Matthews today connected the dots and made as clear a case as possible that the White House used, in the case he cited, The New York Times to inject into the national dialogue completely bogus information that Cheney, Bush and Condoleezza Rice would later cite on the Sunday talk shows in order to scare Americans into supporting the Iraq War.
TO HIS CREDIT.... BUSH ALSO CONNECTED THE DOTS.... PICTURE TURNED OUT TO BE A CATERPILLER ON A MUSHROOM
These guys were NEVER so clueless that they didn't know propaganda when it slapped their effin faces, right from the start.
I'm not a journalist, but even *I* knew that an "embedded reporter" was a propagandist.
I know the expression "whore" is overused, but truly: They are all corporate media whores.
!! Chris Matthews is not innocent in falling down on the job but David Gregory is not being sincere. He was partially responsible for letting the white house get away with these deceptions. At least Chris admits that the press namely the producers took this rush to war and went along with it. There was pressure from all quarters to 'push" the war and David Gregory is reaping the benefits of playing nice. He has got a show. At least Tucker Carlson was against the war with Pat B. David Gregory does a great job at brown nosing, not being truthful. Not buying it. One of the most outrageous segments I have seen in this nightmare of the last 5 years. This is the example of crooks and liars !!!
kerplunk @ 45:
They only need two people credited to the White House Press room, throw the rest out -- Helen Thomas and Jack Cafferty. Give them them power to say, "You're full of bullshit!" and bitch-slap Dana Perino every time she lies.
chicano2nd @ 68:
I would be abhorred, too, if dana the disgusting came out of the same university as I did. She is the consumate liar. People who can lie like that are truly mentally ill.
Bill Moyers just gets better and better. I am at odds with PBS, but never miss Bill Moyers' Journal.....he is truly a master, and as you said, he does deserve the highest honor........but I'd rather it came from us citizens.............he has no peers in the field of journalism.
1984 @ 64:
There is absolutely no doubt about it, as least as far as I'm concerned. My question though is this: why did McClellan bother to speak the semi-truth now? I smell something and it ain't pleasant.
Lollimom @ 87:
Hear, hear; could not be put in more distinct, clear and accurate words.
Dover Bitch @ 7:
Dave @ 56:
Gregory has turned into a punk. Right before the quote on the main post was aired Gregory claimed that the MSM were doing a good job. No second guessing that he may have been able to do a better job or anything.
Also don't give Tweety too much credit. How many times has he showed his man love towards Bush and Bush administration officials. He even compared Bush to Lincoln. Sure Tweety may be finding god now but for me it is too little too late. Oh, sheesh, oh god... excuse me... ahhhhh fuck... Tucker carlson just came on Tweedy's show. If tthere are any typos don't blame me. I just spitt allll ovver the my skreen Why doo thay poot
FTuckkker onn?So "Ask Ted Kennedy or Bernie Sanders what kind of coverage David Gregory and his colleagues gave them in 2002." And 2003 and 2004 and 2005 and 2006 and 2007. how many people still think that Saddam had WMD. How many still think that Saddam attacked on 9-11? It is because of MSM and the likes of Tweety and David Gregory.
chrissie "man-shiffer" has an epiphany? total bullshit!!!!!
this shallow attempt, with the help of Gregory et al, to redeem himself and regain any measure of credibility, is a total crock of shit.
We on the left or middle should not be so cheerful because when it's been our turn, the media have danced the same dance with us. Remember the Balkans? Everything coming out of the Clinton administration at the time seemed to come in multiples of 500,000. (Apparently some Washington PR firm studied the issue and decided that number was magic.) 500,000 rapes....500,000 burried in mass graves, 500,000 dead children, 500,000 whatever. Although terrible events occurred during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, nothing was like it was reported here as has been finally documented.
Just one example: A mortar goes off in an obscure Sarejevo marketplace. It's a coincidence that a Bosnian-Muslim TV station is on the scene to film the event. Within 30 minutes Secretary of State Mad Albright appears in front of the Washington press corps reporting that this was clearly a result of a Serb rocket attack. Meanwhile, NATO officials in Brussels are saying "Hold on! We need to do forensics. Looks like it might be a staged event."
Yet the American press played along and the marketplace incident was replayed over and over and over again on nightly TV to justify U.S. bombing despite NATO's reluctance.
Bottom line: The press are lazy. Obama will manipulate and lie to them too. It's a way of life. It's sad.
Rico @ 95:
Correction, I apologize: The "magic multiple" at the time seemed to be 100,000, not 500,000, according to Ruder Finn, Inc., a Washington-based PR firm contracted by the Bosnian Muslim government to handle PR.
“There was a lot of salesmanship here….a lot of propaganda.”
Of which Scott played a now-clearly-intentional role in. It actually makes me respect him less. How many troops and innocent Iraqis died because he was just doing his job? That excuse does work here any more than it did in the Nuremberg trials.
By "does" I mean "DOESN'T"
None of this revelation via McClellan is really news: there have been books written about (Lap Dogs; So Wrong for So Long) and docs (Moyers doc on "Selling the War") albeit not from an insider
Gregory's response essentially is the standard line by those in the media who assisted with the propaganda and lies, "they tricked us and other people thought it was correct". This is supposed to remove his culpability Gregory fails to mention the people that disagreed with the propaganda at the time (including millions protesting in the street, they weren't tricked). Why didn't Gregory give them equal reporting time?
#1 - It's amazing that right after WaterGate *everyone* wanted to be an Investigative Journalist.
Where were they all during the last seven years?
#2 - Through these last seven years I found the Guardian UK OnLine to be a reliable source for news (facts AND analysis) about events in and actions by the US.
Dr. (Bitter Hussein) Matt @ 21:
McClellan will be on Olbermann TOMORROW night.
BOYCOTT THE MEDIA
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 102:
Why?
abarts @ 104:
So that Keith can ask him why he was such a limp dick when he worked for Bush.
But no matter what happens this reinforces to people that Iraq wasn't justified and we had no business, let alone a right, to invade them and occupy them as we're now doing. This is Bush's war and therefore a Republican war and therefore McCain's war. as we know national security is really his only calling card anyway, as the economy isn't. McCain wont meet Bush in public, except for fleeting moments at airports, but when it comes to the albatross that is Iraq it so deserves to hang around both of their necks. he can campaign but he can't hide...from this issue. no, sir, you are not change, you are the past.
Ya think Chris. When is the press going to take some responsibility to failing to do their job?? This president should still be impeached, along with anyone else who was involved in the great deception.
Too Late Tweety, You've been had. And we knew it the whole time.
So what are you gonna do to rectify this situation? Huh?
Heres a thought, Try being an unbiased, honest,(personally I'd fire your ass) and impartial reporter. You don't warrant the title of journalist.
Matthews was excellent tonight.
Professor5 @ 109:
And Wesley Clark on "Verdict with Dan Abrams" was even better. In the first segment he was decrying a tactic used by Bush, forgetting to mention that the same tactic was used most masterfully by the Clinton administration as it manipulated the press and used propaganda to deceive the American people into supporting a war in the Balkans.
Clark is a perfect choice to be Hillary's Trojan Horse to be marched directly into the middle of the Obama campaign.
Rico @ 110:
You must not remember the snipers and or the ethnic cleansing going on there for MONTHS and Months before the US decided to do something about it. Cause no one else was.
You remember that Sesame Street song... "One of these things just doesn't belong here..." ?
Well, SilentPatriot, you're that thing that doesn't belong here on C&L.
"Memo to the media: Better late that never" ?!
That's your takeaway from all this? What?! Newsflash, Patriot--this isn't the first time "the Media" has apologized for its handling of the runup to the war...so the Memo could have already gone out...I guess.
But regardless of when "the Memo to the Media" could have or should have gone out, the fact of the matter is that in this case a late apology is as useless as never receiving an apology at all. We don't need their stinking apologies...we need them to step up to the plate and be critical-thinking journalists the next time around--which just happens to be NOW. And as far as I can tell, the same crap they did last time is happening again...despite public disapproval of the Iraq war. Iran is next and the media is falling all over itself to make sure Iran is next. So you know what? They can keep their f*&%-ing apologies and shove them where the sun don't shine.
"weren't able" or NOT WILLING. Not willing to rock the boat, upset the status quo, piss of the company brass and shareholders (looking for big dividends), or not willing to risk your big fat paycheque???
Don't rasie a stink, that is, until they come for YOU!!! Then it's a different story, but then it's TOO LATE!!
But, yes, right on Chris Mathews. Better late than never-- sigh.
Risking being smug here . . . collectively, to the big corporate media pundits . . . . . YOU F-----S WERE TOTALLY STUPID ON THIS ONE. I SAW THROUGH IT AND ASSESSED THE IRAQ SITUATION ACCURATELY FROM THE GET GO ! ! ! And the source of my info at the time was (a bit incredibly) TV news, Time Magazine, and US News & World report. All it took was some critical objective independent thinking and attention to relevant details. Truly, read the newspapers from the back and the small stories, the towards the front, and the "big stories" which are usually a far brighter shade of yellow.
BTW, my TV has been cold and dark for two years now. The best I can personally to to defeat the media, is to not watch.
Millionaires talking heads appearing on your TV screen, laughing and acting buddy-buddy may feed many people the warm fuzzy social inputs they crave, but these people do not have your interests in mind, only their own.
David Gregory gets it? Are you fucking kidding me? Show the segment that aired before this one. I watched a delusional media shill say that they, the media, did nothing wrong & lay blame at the feet of others.
Nice cherry picking Patriot.
Munipulated? WTF is their job? Find out the truth and don't be spoon fed anything and everything that you're told. I admire tweety for not shilling for once, but admit that you were part of the problem and don't cop out with "munipulated". God, everyone has an excuse. Grow up already.
Nancy Pelosi needs to be kicked out of the party for refusing to persue chimpeachment charges at the first chance to do so. That was our last chance to win back some of the trust of the rest of the world in righting the wrong of us sitting back and allowing the great oil grab.
The world is scratching their heads hoping our style of capitali... errr democracy never gets forced upon them.
This man is GE's main tool to get a republican for corporate interests elected. Don't ever trust two faced Tweety!
I believe that the media, most of it, tried to get to the truth, stymied by the Bush Administration, but capitulated in front of right wing assaults on the 'far left liberal media that hates America'. I hope they have now discovered their cojones and tell the right-wing nuts what is what.
Does anyone find it ironic that the people who did "get it right" were comedians on The Daily Show and the Colbert Report?
Jon Stewart showed the same collage of Bushies and their talking points several times in his late-night slot, and Colbert scorched the press corps at the white House function.
How gutless were the media? Were the court jesters the only voices allowed to tell the truth to power?
Rev. El Mundo @ 85:
Tweety is making a DESPERATE attempt to look somewhat competent. You can see it in his body language. He's scared.
The producers of the show must have told him that the writing was on the wall, and the bell was tolling like a fire alarm.
This albino, man-loving (not that there's anything wrong with that) retard suddenly found himself doing something that he probably swore never to do... occasionally make some sense.
The pathetic thing is that it's so obviously faked that anyone with half a brain will be onto his underwhelming antics.
A message to tweety: It's too late. Just admit you're scum. Give up reporting, and you and Fred Thomson can get a nice cozy condo together in San Francisco.
Maybe they'll let you adopt a blind kid.
I say 'blind' because no sane kid would ever want to see a face like Mr. Thompson's, or Tweety's, up close.
Tweety looks like a bloodless ghoul, and Thomson looks like someone taught the world's ugliest bulldog to stand on his hind legs and put on a suit.
But I hear he smells real good. At least he has that going for him.
I'd like to give Tweety credit, but it looks like a case of him being another political wind sock that has switched from blowing to the right to the left as the fortunes of the right, and W have dwindled.
Heh, Heh. Watching this group is amusing. They aren't journalists. They get up in the morning, go to the studio and read from the teleprompter. They are told want to report. They are so full of shit.
Oh yeah, now they finally figure it out. Where were they, the supposed professionals, when it was happening? I think we all can recall hearing Rumsfeld and Cheny get on TV and saying that they knew that Saddam had WMD for sure and that they knew right where they were. At that time Hans Blix was actually in Iraq looking for the weapons and finding NONE. I kept thinking that if Rumsfeld and Cheney knew where the weapons were, why didn't they tell Hans Blix? I would scream at the TV telling the various news guys, Matthews, Gregory, Russert, etc to ASK THEM FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. If you know where the weapons are, why don't you tell Hans Blix? Not one reporter EVER ASKED THAT QUESTION. To me it seemed the obvious thing to ask, but none of them every asked and now they make excuses for how the White House manipulated them. Well excuse me, but they can't get off that easy. IMO they are also hugely responsible for the fact that we went to war. Their excuses are LAME!
8 years of this shit and now they're all going to cry afoul.
Thousands and thousands dead partly because of these
dipshits in the media did what they were told like the
little lap dogs they are instead of doing what was right...
their fucking jobs!
Now I need to go vomit.
Many MSMers are finally saying that Bush is a disaster. But don't think they really want to. It's because things are so bad now that even the MSM, who have enabled Bush for the last 7 years, can't cover up for him now. The lies are just too outrageous.
There's too much evidence for the MSM to keep saying "no, really, Bush is a great guy. God bless him. He would never lie. He told us that he never lies, and we believe everything he says. Don't look over there! We adore Bush. No, don't read that!!! Put that file down! Dammit, don't watch that video! Shit! Shit! Alright, alright, he sucks! He's no good! Alright, you happy?"
kind of unbelievable: These astute journalists and news anchors who always come off so knowledgeable in so many areas and here we stand as the mass audience of know-nothings, are you telling me that what was so plaintively obvious to us, these "top" journalists who had all the news gathering organizations at their disposal just plain"got it wrong." I ain't buying it. when tweety says we were manipulated. he's absolutely wrong. They followed blithely the program that was set before them and they didn't have the balls to question, to actually stand up and be counted. It was more important to follow the program and check their ratings the next day. If you think that's over, you haven't been following the sunday morning panels. Get Geraldo angry. He may blow, but then again maybe his ill humour and temper are just faux temper and choreographed by Fox News.
ronhohn @ 120:
I don''t understand. After all the bullshit of the past 8 years, the avoidance of the press and media to fully investigate the scandals on a daily basis, you willing to concede that most of the media tried to get to the truth. me thinks you give the gutless wonders way too much credit. They more than anyone in the bush admin are responsible for where the country is today. They needed to do their jobs and the simple fact is they didn't. They were cowards.
The media (this means you, Chris Matthews) wouldn't have been "manipulated" if they'd been doing their goddamn job, i.e; questioning what the government says, (in fact, what anybody said) from the outset. Not accepting at face value. Investigating. Digging for facts.
Guess that's too much to ask... Oh, well, I'm sure the families of the four thousand plus dead American soldiers and the hundreds of thousands of dead and maimed in Iraq will be glad to know that Tweety is finally getting a clue.
Aw fuck, we have all known this for years and these dopes are just figuring it out now?
The media is scrambling to cover their complicit asses & try not to let anyone notice that their hands are dripping with blood of American soldiers & innocent Iraqis.
How long before Mann Coulter calls for his (McClellan) execution for treason?
BeeSting @ 132:
The media isn't worried about blood on its hands. If it bleeds, it leads. They scrambling to get in good with the next anti-Bush administration. Let's hope the networks turn in the whole batch of puppets for new fresh ones.
Chris' edition of Hardball of the 28th, he seemed angry, and combative. I think Chris believes that our troops have died for nothing.
Neal @ 135:
I think alot of people have thought this for years, why is the media just now getting it?
They have comfortably settled into the role of spokesman for the admin. for far too long.
I couldn't tolerate David Gregory's pooh-poohing though.
There was no debate on this war. And what questions were asked to challenge the case for the war by the press corp.? None that I can remember. Someone correct me if I am wrong.
bridger @ 57:
Co-signing it...
David Gregory will never admit the truth. He well knows that the Bush administration "cherry picked" info it liked, through Dick Cheney having his own guys setup shop and go through the intelligence info. These f*ckers will never fess up to being manipulated, they will just say we got it wrong and so did everyone else. No, you were manipulated and the U.S. public was because you didn't do your jobs.
Hard to believe Matthews is 62 freakin years olds and Keith is 49. Looks backward.
Chris is beginning to recover from all the ass kissing he did to satisfy his producers.
Chris, it's not bout truth it's about the fact that Gregory wants you'is job
is wha it's bout.
longnow @ 140:
Chris will always be an ass kisser.
Here's what I hate about these blanket statements about the U.S. public being sold on this war. It's not true (duh).
I criticized this president when he was still campaigning. I said that he would use 9/11 to get his way with the country and the world. I said that the war is being sold to us with a batch of lies, and that it was nothing more than an attempt at American Imperialism, and I was called all kinds of derogatory things because of all of that.
Now here we are, almost 8 years later. The country is in tatters, we are bogged down in an endless occupation, our economy is collapsing, and I was right. I don't want to bloviate, but it feels good to say it, as sadistic as that may seem.
"The not-really-liberal-at-all media didn't do its job in the run-up to the war or after?" (The Rude Pundit, May 28, 2008)
“In my line of work you gotta keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kinda catapult the propaganda.”
"From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August," White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. told the New York Times in September. Card was explaining what the Times characterized as a "meticulously planned strategy to persuade the public, the Congress, and the allies of the need to confront the threat from Saddam Hussein."
Officially, President George W. Bush is claiming that he sees war as an option of last resort, and many members of the American public seem to have taken him at his word.
An attack on Iran is also a "last resort" says ex-ambassador Bolton.
tyree @ 11:
I'm sitting here thinking something similar!! HOW MUCH DO THESE PEOPLE GET PAID FOR THIS SHIT!!?!!?!?!?
Prolly MILLIONS a year to be that fuckin stupid!!
Couric said they didn't want their "access" to be taken away and she didn't stop and think why they REALLY got with their "access"? NOT A DAMN THANG The other networks didn't get.
Americans who're paying attention will nevah evah forget this shit NEVER!!
Matthews actually seemed to get it early on (well after the invasion). The blogosphere was taking off at that point and I kept wishing that Matthews and other in the MSM had tapped in then. Folks were discussing what Scott Ritter was saying (did Matthews or any of the other talking heads have Ritter on their programs before the invasion).. Folks in the blogosphere were discussing what Iaea El Baradei ( Katie Couric or Matthews have El Baradei on their programs at that time? HELL NOT)had said at the UN in early March of 2003 that the Niger Documents were "false". Too bad the MSM's talking heads had not gone elsewhere for their info.
After the runup to the invasion....Americans as well as others around the world flooded to the internet for their news. Will people go back to the MSM. I doubt it!
BECAUSE KATIE COURIC, CHRIS MATTHEWS, BRIAN WILLIAMS AND MANY OTHERS ARE BLOWING IN ON ASKING HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ENDLESS CLAIMS THAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION AND FEITH, BOLTON AND OTHERS KEEP REPEATING ABOUT IRAN IRAN IRAN.
THE QUESTION IS DID THEIR VERY SERIOUS FAILINGS CHANGE THEIR WAYS? ARE THEY ASKING MORE CHALLENGING QUESTIONS ABOUT CRITICAL ISSUES. THE ANSWER IS NO NO NO
Like someone said here yesterday... the "Media" is just now starting to ask the tough questions but only in time for: TaDa!!!!! A Dem president ... now the gloves will come off for Obama , and Boy King George will swagger (stagger?) off into the sunset.
David Gregory gets it? Really? As I watched last night it sounded to me as if he was defending the media -- how they DID ask questions, etc.
Much as I detest Tweety most of the time, he seemed to get the whole thing about the war long before most of his compatriots. Not as early as I, with no household names or intelligence community connections, got it. But earlier than most media, he was critical of the war.
David Gregory simply has me outraged. I don't know how anyone could have watched him yesterday or today and think he's gotten religion here. I have listened to him defend himself and his lapdog colleagues and actually heard him say the most outrageous crap about what his job as a "journalist" is. My mother was a newspaper reporter, so I grew up knowing the job of a journalist. He seems to think that his only task is to go to White House press briefings, listen to whatever garbage they are handing out that day, and ask a few questions of the person at the podium. It really doesn't matter how that person answers the questions, no further research will go into whatever story he files. The person at the podium is the only source and, as Gregory stated, he expects that person to be honest with him. And if they are not, there's simply nothing he can do about it apparently. I don't know what joke of school of journalism he attended, but that's not how journalism works. Someone should make that clear to him. Secondly, in another effort to take the focus off his own responsibility for the disaster of the last 8 years, he actually blamed the public, saying that we all fell for it, too, and that we should have been asking the questions ourselves.
He is the most disgusting creature ever. He totally sickens me.
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