Paul Begala rips MSM, Republican operative for flat-out lying about Palin's record
By SilentPatriot Monday Sep 08, 2008 5:00pm
Paul Begala goes to town on GOP media consultant Alex Castellanos for peddling blatant falsehoods about Sarah Palin's "reformer" record, specifically her phantom opposition to the "Bridge to Nowhere," which she not only supported, but for which hired a Abramoff crony to secure the earmark.
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ALEX CASTELLANOS: The amazing thing about Sarah Palin is when she became governor she actually stood up and said no.
BEGALA: That's not true.
CASTELLANOS: She took a strong stand. That is rare and that never happened.
BEGALA: That's just not true. You know, John, the facts matter. There's lots of things that are debatable who is more qualified or less experienced or more this or more passionate, whatever. It is a fact that she campaigned and supported that bridge to nowhere. It is a fact that she hired lobbyists to get earmarks. It is a fact that as governor she lobbies for earmarks. Her state is essentially a welfare state taking money from the federal government... This is the problem. We have this false debate when we ought to have at least agreed upon facts.
Begala couldn't be more spot on here: Facts are facts. Opinions can be debated, but facts are concrete and can't simply be spun away. It seems to me that this is the crux of the McCain strategy: take an unknown hockey mom from Alaska, tell everyone she's a reformer, lie about her record in order to convince people of it, then keep her sequestered from the press when they start asking questions. Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?
Full transcript below the fold:
ROBERTS: Paul, there's a lot of controversy about whether or not she supported the bridge to nowhere. We pulled some sound from a 2006 debate in which she appears to at least give tacit approval to it. Let's listen to what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN, VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not going to stand in the way of progress that our congressional delegation and the position of strength that they have right now. They're making those efforts for the state of Alaska to build up our infrastructure. I would not get in the way of progress -- this project or other projects that they are working so hard on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: That would appear, Paul, to end any argument over whether or not she supported the bridge initially. But why can't Barack Obama make that point stick?
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Because the press won't do its job, John. I criticized Barack Obama when he hasn't been tough enough. Barack's job is to run against John McCain, right. Don't shoot the monkey when you can shoot for the organ grinder. His job is not to focus on number two but number one. But it is the media's job when a politician flat out lies like she's doing on this bridge to nowhere so call her on it. Or this matter of earmarks where she's attacking Barack Obama for having earmarks, when she was the mayor of little Wasilla, Alaska, 6,000 people, she hired a lobbyist who was connected to Jack Abramoff, who is a criminal and they brought home $27 million in earmarks. She carried so much pork home she got trichinosis. But we in the media are letting her tell lies about her record.
ROBERTS: Hey, OK. We got to let Alex respond to that. Flat out lies, Alex?
ALEX CASTELLANOS, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Let's be a little gentle. Look, every elected official in this country works under the system we have, which is you try to get a little bit of your tax money back. You just don't want to leave it all in Washington. The amazing thing about Sarah Palin is when she became governor she actually stood up and said no. And she made it -
BEGALA: That's not true.
CASTELLANOS: She took a strong stand. That is rare and that never happened.
ROBERTS: All right.
BEGALA: That's just not true. You know, John, the facts matter. There's lots of things that are debatable who is more qualified or less experienced or more this or more passionate, whatever. It is a fact that she campaigned and supported that bridge to nowhere. It is a fact that she hired lobbyists to get earmarks. It is a fact that as governor she lobbies for earmarks. Her state is essentially a welfare state taking money from the federal government.
ROBERTS: We still have 56 days to talk about this back and forth.
BEGALA: This is the problem. We have this false debate when we ought to have at least agreed upon facts.
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I feel your pain baby........
The first candidate who proclaims, on national television, that their opponent is a lying sack of shit will win...
Yes they are.
"Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?"
"Stupidity has a knack for getting its way." -- Albert Camus, The Plague
"Hold on"? "Let's be a little gentle"? Isn't this the guy who called Hillary Clinton a "white bitch"?
Shoot the Organ Grinder! I loove it! I'm gonna do a Photoshop right now! Heh Heh!
Steve E @ 3:
Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?
Yes, yes they are. They didn't laugh that coke-headed deserter off the stage. They didn't object when he was installed in the ShiteHouse. They even stood by while he was appointed a second time.
Like them o' greeks usta say: "Quod erat demonstrandum"
Woo(frickin')Hoo!!!!
What is the difference between Palin and Cheney?
Lipstick.
Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it? If you have watched the last two presidential elections, the answer is simply, absolutely, 100%...YES, they are.
Don't beat up on Palin, she is a hockey mom of five, pitbull with lipstick and can't handle the stress. When she is prez other people will run the govt. leave her alone. You meanies. Cruel ppl.
Heck if I was a pitbull w/ lipstick I would be a little afraid to go out in public too.
The associated press is reporting that Palin's church promotes converting gays. I wonder if they will protest these facts?
"It ain't a lie if you tell it enough..."
-Wackiavelli (from the song "Judgement Day")
Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?" OH PALEEESE! I'll say "ABSOLUTELY YES" for $5000 Bob... FINAL ANSWER!
Susie @ 11:
It was Hockey Mom with lipstick until we found out about Levi. That did not work so well then. Hee.
That might have some impact if we had journalists instead of commentators and stenographers.
Its totally amazing that they can just stand up and lie over and over. I shouldnt be shocked, but this one just blows me away.
Nice to see Begala has some use after Crossfire.
bubba @ 17:
Catapult that propaganda. When a trick works, keep using it.
you know, it used to be that "spin" meant presenting the facts in their most positive (or negative) light based on your particular position. the same fact could often been seen to support opposing sides of an argument depending on how it was presented. but for quite a while now it's the facts themselves that have been getting spun. but in the service of maintaining polite political discourse the most you would hear someone say it that something had been "misrepresented" or the terribly harsh "untrue" and was usually written of as a "difference of opinion". sadly no one called this out for what it really is - lying. and now we've gotten to the point that the mccain camp has taken to telling big fat whoppers on a regular basis, just assuming they can go unchallenged. i'm glad to see a few people finally calling it for what it is.
The answer to your question is yes, the american people are dumb enough to fall for it.
All the polls show that around half of the american electorate think that a McCain-Palin administration is a good idea. Someone watching this election from outside the US (me) would ask this collective american electorate ARE YOU INSANE ?
How ignorant do you have to be to believe the non-stop lies of the republican campaign ?
WTF is it with you people and guns ? Why can't you have a single payer health care system like the rest of the planet ? How did your mainstream religions get so screwed up ? Who cares if someone is gay ?
Vote for McCain and the US has the same relevancy on the international stage as (say) New Zealand. Except more sullen, angry, in debt and armed to the teeth.
If it wasn't for the fact that you're going to screw the whole planet up, we'd all sit back and watch the spectacle. What a waste.
"Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?"
Asked and answered many times before here. Yes they are.
Paul Bagala needs to be in charge of Obama's rapid attack and response teams as well as his media campaign. Good love Bagala for speaking the truth. I wish Obama had the balls instead of worrying too much what people think. Its infuriating Obama is weak and passionless.
compare and contrast
2008:
candidate - I said thanks, but no thanks to that bridge to nowhere.
media - hmmm, hmmm, reformer?, wow!
2000:
candidate - I took the initiative in crafting legislation to create the internet.
media - hahahahahaha
good for begala. i like the way he talks over republican "strategists" when they start talking over him. there SHOULD BE a sense of outrage. i sent feedback to cnn regarding this and the lame fact checking report that Brian Todd did on the bridge to nowhere which ended with gratuitous bit of somebody from a watchdog group saying he admires palin for going against Stevens. Either theyre in the tank or theyre stupid/inept.
pmb @ 23:
I'm having Kerry flashbacks. Sorry.
Forget about Palin, she does not matter, go after McCain, NOW. She is a smoke screen to cover McCains ass for failed polocy. She is a lying repug, well stop the presses there is some real news. The Obama campagian has to tell all of the people that are for him to stop, tell the MSM that unless they want to talk about McCain and his campagian of Bush's third term, that they will not talk. Stop these madness of falling for Wonder Wombs smoke screen.
Are you kidding? This is the country that elected Bush twice- of course we'll fall for it.
Good job Paul Begala!!!!!!!!! Now everybody for the Obama campaign can see how it is done.
This is a little ot but not really. McShame's voice message to Palin asking he to be the VP pick.
"Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it? "
- Sadly, yes.
Begala, though I'm not familiar with him, KISS TOTAL ASS.
Bet they wont' ask him back, he's way too honest and upstanding.
We tend to forget that most of the members of the national media earn enough money to have benefited from all of those Bush tax cuts. They don't want to see those tax cuts for the rich rolled back.
mrdot @ 28:
STOP SAYING THAT WORD, 'ELECTED.' NEVER HAPPENED.
mrdot @ 28:
STOP SAYING THAT WORD, "ELECTED." NEVER HAPPENED.
Careful now, I've read tons about this and, despite the fact that one can barely know what account is actually TRUE, have never seen a connection between her hiring of "an Abramoff crony to secure the earmark". You might want to check out the timeline provided on TPM by Josh Marshall...I think you are conflating two issues here. YEGODS, not that I'm defending Scarah..just saying we must be accurate and honest even if they can't/won't...
BrokenArrow @ 31:
Dude, it's KICKS, KICKS.
I agree that's the last we'll probably see of him. We need more like him to call out the media B.S. narrative.
Glenn Greenwald has a great article at Salon ripping into "journalists" who don't take responsibility for the false narratives and presenting lies as opinions. Today's article, actually :)
David lewis @ 30:
The American people have elected George W. Bush twice. Why even ask that question?
And Roberts' tag-out line is the perfect example of why the media's failing to do it's job. "We have 56-days to talk this back and forth? " Jebus, do your frikking job and admit the facts -- you watched the frakkin videotape yourself! It's a LIE! Say the word. Or at least say, "that tape clearly shows that she was in favor of the bridge, whether you choose to accept it or not, Mr. Castellanos."
Carmikl @ 32:
MSM anchors and correspondents have largely become wealthy infotainers in the new “studio system,” indentured Court Composers who identify with and do the bidding of their mega-corporate masters. The days of the street-smart, relatively poorly paid, but dogged and dedicated, independent gumshoe journalist are largely gone, replaced by, as you point out, fellow upper class devotees.
This is something that bothers me about Obama. When he tells audiences that "John McCain thinks you're stupid" (implying that he does not think they're stupid), who exactly is he talking to?
Polaris @ 21:
Where do you live? Will you adopt me so I can get citizenship?
No, really...
He experienced exactly what he was complaining about ...
'Ok guys thanks for this debate'
Since when are facts debatable?
Tell the American people that McCain equals more troops coming home in body bags, show him in the same frame of a casket coming into Dover.
Tell the American people that McCain wants the corrupt CEOs in charge of your wallet.
Stop taliking about Palian, she is a nothing, a warm bucket of spit, small time mayor. forget all about her, GO AFTER MCCAIN.
Good god almighty this is frustrating, it is McCain that is wrong for America, it is McCain that has no ideas for fixing the economy, it is McCain that will nominate the next judge for the supreme court, and on and on so please take the talking points back and turn the debate to McCain and his desire to continue the Bush third term.
BobbyG @ 39:
well said...totally true...
I fear that the answer is, in a word, yes.
Please, please, PLEASE ... prove me wrong.
3 cheers for Jon Stewart's favourite analyst!
bubba @ 17:
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET AND STAY POSITIVE............did you not witness the power and numbers behind the DNC????
WOW, I just head a guy on DemocracyNow! talking about what a contract the RNC was after attending the DNC.........he said it was dull, quiet, and sleepy for the most part, but he had to stay.
THE LOSERS ARE THE ONES WITH THE STUPID COWBOY HATS ON AND THE POLYESTER SUITS..........THEY HOLD SIGNS THAT SAY................."MAVRICK."
Just imagine the thought process it would take to gather the materials, make the sign, all the time thinking.............GOL DANG IT, DID I SPELL THAT WORD MAVERICK RIGHT, OR NOT?
GOOD PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS..............DON'T ASK SOMEONE.
STAY POSITIVE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.............OUR QUALITY OF LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.
YES Americans are dumb and unless Obama figures that out he will lose. We act shocked and amazed every four years when we reach this conclusion. Obama wants the American people to do all of the heavy lifting. He refuses or does not know how to connect the dots for them. He trusts that the American people will have the ability to figure this shit out without having to beat them over the head with it. Gore and Kerry had this same strategy and we all know what happened there. As much as Americans say they care about the economy and ending this war in Iraq their stupidity shines above what’s good for them and unfortunately what’s good for the rest of us.
Yeah, this is becoming more and more common with McCain/Palin. They state these BLATANT lies and NO ONE in the MSM is going "wait, why? Bullshit!"
Liberal media, my ass.
krisken @ 36:
Yes, dude...........it's KICKS. The dude abides.
I really think we're giving the average American voter way too much credit and not giving the GOP enough credit. They are experts at manipulating the public and the public is dumb enough to fall for it again and again. Watch, they will find a way to make facts debatable. They already have when it comes to climate change.
Polaris @ 21:
Where do you live and is there a house in your neighborhood for sale?
Paul was great, kept overriding the s(()I*talk. I wonder if they'll let him on again. I wonder if they'll do their job now.
BrokenArrow @ 47:
Okay, it's HEARD and CONTRAST...............think I'll get out and get some exercise.........carry on, mateys............arrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh.
We're back to the NeoCon playbook.
Tell a lie often enough and you start building "facts."
Perception tends to be reality, and NeoCons are masters at altering the perception of weak minds.
So is anybody bothering with the Washingtonpost report on Palin's expense account,
and the billing to the Alaskan taxpayer of meals and other when she was at home in Wasilla !?
Liberal media my ass. Letting these lies just fly like that is utterly horrible. Now they are pretending they are so called "keeping them honest". What a load of BS. McCain has the media by the balls once again.
I think we're basically fucked at this point. It's a neocon world, we only live in it. The fact is that because the Dems did not pursue the crimes of Bush, the public has been conditioned to accept lies and illegal actions by republican poltiicians. Who cares? She has nice boobs, God is on their side, and whatever other superficial reasons are all that matters. The press can point out what a liar Palin is over and over and over, but it won't matter. The public won't care.
I am losing faith in the American public rapidly.
AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Some one please........Pull me out the Matrix!!!!!!!!!
Facts have a liberal bias. This campaign is not about facts, it's about personalities.
GoodScout @ 38:
Have you ever heard John Roberts seriously challenge a Republican talking point?
This clip is a great microcosm of American politics. The Democrat points out that the Republican is lying, the Republican repeats the lie and the "reporter" says nothing.
ferrofluid (Obama + Biden = 2008) @ 56:
HEY, pinko, leave Bristol alone! And, John McCain was a POW!
I just watched NBC News do a fact-checking segment on Palin and they exposed her lies in no uncertain terms. I couldn't believe it! Maybe there's hope yet.
Sorry but in the midst of all this Palinity I forgot who is running for president??
Who is running again?? Mccain or palin...
Mccain is running for president. Attack him. Palin is a distraction being used purely to garner favor amongst the religious right who were not very excited about mccain.
we all know this.
The liberal media is a myth.
I'll give the old school Clinton operatives this... They've been right on the money these past 2 weeks. Carville was the first Dem to go after Palin.
J.C. @ 64:
HEY, pinko, leave Bristol alone! And, John McCain was a POW!
;)
At the end, Begala can barely control himself (the passion the Dems and the Obama campaign need), Castellanos is smugly smirking (the Repuplican arrogance we all hate), and Roberts lets the FACTS slip away into the wind (the "journalism" of the MSM that we're all sadly used to by now).
The MSM today is, at best, stenographers repeating the memes and talking points and, at worse, milquetoast do-nothings who provide forums for the bullshit to flow. I always think of how sad our greatest presidents and statesmen would be if they could see the state of our government now. Well, I believe that the all-time great journalist (Murrow, Cronkite, Darrow, etc) would be equally disappointed in the state of their profession.
J.C. @ 64:
In a sane society facts matter. In the armed madhouse that is 21st century USA facts mean nothing.
stevo @ 69:
Sorry, I meant to write that I just watched that too. And yes, it gave me a glimmer of hope. But this is the catch-22 precisely....the news does its job and they are the liberal media attacking conservatives.
If Palin can excite so many Americans and they believe all the lies she tells, she probably can sell ice to eskimos.
BobbyG @ 63:
POW, POW, Hockey mom, 911, POW, Small town, Hockey mom, Female VP, POW, 911, Osama, Hockey mom, Fear, Fear, Fear, I look like you, Osama. Did I mention 911.
Thank you Paul. I've been talking about this for years. The GOP is masterful at making people doubt facts. Facts are facts. 1+1=2. You can't spin it. But the GOP has been insisting that 1+1=1 for so long, they take it for granted.
Go here for a good review of how GOP does it, and how they simply don't care.
"There is absolutely no penalty for lying, in politics. None. Zip. Nada. Sarah Palin could stand atop a stage and declare herself moon-goddess of Endor, and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. Yes, the papers would correct her. There would be a few cable stories on how there was no prior record of her being declared a moon-goddess. In the end, however, it would not matter, and it would not matter because Republicans have decided that it does not."
J.C. @ 64:
Are you sure? Can someone post video on this so I can cling to hope?
"Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?"
Come on. This is no longer even debatable. The past two elections have proven that Americans are more than dumb enough to fall for this. Facts are facts, and that is a fact.
outtheoffice @ 73:
You look as though you have GOP campaign management potential.
Hey! Obama campaign!
Repeat after me:
IF THEY LIE TO YOU NOW, THEY WILL LIE TO YOU WHILE IN OFFICE
IF THEY LIE TO YOU NOW, THEY WILL LIE TO YOU WHILE IN OFFICE
IF THEY LIE TO YOU NOW, THEY WILL LIE TO YOU WHILE IN OFFICE
Rinse, repeat.
Wild Weasel @ 55:
That is the propaganda technique called "the Big Lie:" you tell a big enough lie often enough and pretty soon the sheeple start to take it for truth...We also call it "advertising."
alfie @ 65:
picking PALIN was poor judgement by mccain. that's why
i somewhat disagree i understand your point but there's
potential to weaken mccain indirectly through challenging her. i am still very surprised there are people
that believe she is ready to be president right now.
i believe it's reasonable for obama campaign and surrogates to challenge that belief.
stevo @ 71:
But at least there's one news organization that isn't going to be completely bullied into laying down and rolling over for Republicans. They're far from perfect, but I'm encouraged by what I've seen from NBC/MSNBC. Unfortunately, they gave Brokaw "Meet the Press" and the conventions, which almost negated the whole thing.
it's hard to maintain your sanity in this circus of lies. that cnn guy should have agreed with Begala. there is no bias in agreeing on historical record.
this game where they play that the truth could be anywhere, just pick the guy that smirks the most, it's OLD OLD OLD and it's always been stupid.
This GAME has to end. these people are IDIOTS for letting someone come on their show and LIE and give them 50% of air time.
in the old days....that would discredit the news organization/
Plisko @ 78:
that's good
J.C. @ 64:
MSNBC reported this morning on the WaPo story of Palin's dodgy expense accounts.
stevo @ 69:
It seems like everyone has forgotten about John McCain's walk through the Baghdad market last summer. I don't know whether it was self deception, or deliberate deception, but it just seemed like he could no longer be trusted.
carefulwiththatAXEeugene @ 82:
This is the craziest thing of all. The "reporters" today will let a factually proven lie stand next to the truth and pretend they should both have equal standing and be endlessly discussed.
BobbyG @ 77:
Dude if I was ignorant I would actually believe this garbage. Its kind of sad that I feel out out numbered by the ignorant ones.
the dems should start accusing the repubs and the msm of racism. and continue to do it until election day. make the motherfuckers deny it.
We are toast!
Enough people will vote for McCain/Palin to allow for rigged election to pass once more.
Pretty soon, actual voting won't matter since voting machines and counting have been predetermined.
Here we are still talking about how ridiculous or nuts some commentators are while they keep on stealing everything. Great job everyone.
Plantsmantx @ 5:
Paul Begala and James Carville are in the business together, they are also deeply vested in the Clinton Camp so don't kid yourself, even if he called her the white bitch (which I doubt) she is still his meal ticket.
Reacto @ 12:
Why should they refute this? This plays right to their base. The organization "Love Won Out" http://www.lovewonout.com/ is a Focus on the Family "ministry" (their word, NOT mine).
The only way to respond and stop this from the MSM is for someone to file suit;either with the FCC or with the major news channels themselves.
that gives the chance for the media to respond and puts it front and center.
Facts are facts and lies are lies. While you at it; this person claiming to be a christian but says shes not pentecostal but goes to the Assemby of God church is also a bold face lie.
I grew up in Assembly of God church and they were all pentecostal.
Pentecostal religion - any fundamentalist Protestant Church that uses revivalistic methods to achieve experiences comparable to the Pentecostal experiences of the first Christian disciples
Protestant Church, Protestant - the Protestant churches and denominations collectively
Pentecostal, Pentecostalist - any member of a Pentecostal religious body
Check her statements on this; a lie!
hardwired @ 80:
Hse hasnt even talked to the press yet, not a single Q&A session.
What has Sarah Palin got to hide, or does she need so much prepping that she is currently incompetent.
Anais @ 75:
I hope so because it's worth seeing... and worth letting NBC know how much this kind of no-BS reporting is appreciated among the usual dreck and dross.
You have to remember it is only a lie if the dems tell it.
harley @ 15:
Sarah stretches the limits of adjectives. She was a "hockey mom" for a short time and a "PTA mom" for one year - one.
"Just because I dance around the living room in my underwear, it doesn't make me Madonna" Joan Cusack in Working Girl
Does anyone remember the Simpsons epidsode (Season 9, Episode 22) where Homer runs for Sanitation Commissioner? The person he's running against is dedicated, professional and only points out how well he has done and how well he'll contiune to do. Homer runs a nonsense campaign without ever touching on any of the issues at hand. And, even though everyone knows the other guy is way more qualified, they vote for Homer based anyway.
Sound familiar?
Screw the reformer angle, this woman was (and most likely still is) a member of a domestic terrorist organization. I mean one besides the Republican Party. This AIP stuff needs to be addressed.
harley @ 26:
Me too. This was not a successful interview. They couldn't wait to stop it and say "bye, bye, thank you both for being here". You will see less and less coverage of Obama/Biden and their spokespeople.
Unless the women vote see Palin as the Trojan Moose (Huffington) concealing a Bush third term for what she is, it is time for women to take courtesy lesson. Palin is moving into royalty territory. Media back off!
What Republicans understand about lying is that it wins elections. What Democrats don't understand is that taking the high ground often loses elections. I would think we would have learned that from our "speak no evil" convention in 2004. Pointing out that Republicans are bad people because they lie isn't going to impress any one. We really need to win the election.
hardwired @ 80:
Well, if she becomes VP and maybe even President before 2012, Hillary is toast. The Clinton's better change their game plan and support Obama to defeat McCain so they can at least retain some of their dignity as Democrats.
The fact that the polls have John McCain even with Obama at this time would point to a resounding - YES THEY ARE!
50% of the electorate continue to vote against their own interests and better judgement out of fright, ignorance or bigotry.
groucho @ 53:
No, they won't have him back on; no, they won't do their jobs. Bill O'Reilly would have cut his mic.
"Facts are facts. Opinions can be debated, but facts are concrete and can’t simply be spun away."
But they HAVE been spun for a very long, long, time.
“Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have.”
Richard Salent, former president, CBS News
“We live in a dirty and dangerous world. There are some things the general public does not need to know and shouldn’t. I believe democracy flourishes when the government can take legitimate steps to keep its secrets, and when the press can decide whether to print what it knows.”
Katherine Graham, Washington Post publisher and CFR member.
“We are going to impose our agenda on the coverage by dealing with issues and subjects that we choose to deal with.”
Richard M. Cohen, Senior Producer of CBS political news.
“We in the press like to say we’re honest brokers of information and it’s just not true. The press does have an agenda.”
Bernard Goldberg, as quoted by Harry Stein in the June 13-19, 1992 TV Guide
They have ADMITTED it to us! Repeatedly.
Georgia Democrat @ 102:
if hillary doesn't come out tougher she'll NOT get votes in 2012....she needs to stand up for her party
"Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?"
Two words: "W."
Not Enough Can Be Said About False Debates Verse Known Facts
False debate is the essence of cable news. That is all they do. At times, the debate is down right laughable and warrants oversight. What is even more laughable is the way the MSM excludes themselves from this dynamic.
The false debate is being used for more then a substitution for facts. On many occasions, I scene it used to make excuses for questionable statements as well. If I had a dime for every time Chris Matthews used it to nullify his sometimes harsh statements, I could by a new car. When he made reference to Hillary Clinton getting where she got because her husband messed around on her, his initial cry was to request for anyone to challenge his assertion. This is one way they lead the topic to debate.
What really makes me upset is when they, commentators like Wolf Blitzer and Matthews, set back and evaluate their phony debate like it was another day in college. In all not enough has been said for this problem in the news. Actually, it is the first time I have heard it addressed, and I bet you will not see Paul Begala for a while. Although I cannot prove it, I truly believe they punish guest for some truths; I know no one seems to challenge poll results, especially the Gallup polls.
Since narrative has become so popular, there is little room for actual news. When you ask yourself why Sarah Palin's negative claims are not catching on, you can thank the narratives for it. It takes awhile for facts of any nature to catch on, so, as soon as they stop making Palin a giant, the facts associated with her career will be addressed and felt. Many commentators are already making that prediction.
Joseph
Abraham Jackemoff @ 98:
It would be interesting to see if theres a money trail from her (municipal and Alaskan funds) to the AIP.
She was a supporter and maybe a unregistered member at one point, her husband was an outright registered member.
It beggars belief to suppose they havent channeled municipal or state money to the AIP since her Mayoral days.
How much you want to bet that McCain and the repugs and their tools like Faux News will start claiming that Begala works for that liberal media with its liberal media bias and that he is just one of those on the "angry left."
ferrofluid (Obama + Biden = 2008) @ 109:
she needs to asked on national media. she addressed that party with an opening speech recently.
harley @ 26:
Me too. A bunch of us were banned from Kerry's forum last election for trying to get Kerry to stand up and fight. Sometimes, I hate being a Dem. Its hard for me to support people who refuse to fight for anything and our so-called leaders (Pelosi, Reid, etc...) leaders are such sweet, goody-goody pansies.
Carmikl @ 101:
I truly hear where you are coming from. After seeing Barack Obama on TV with Keith Olbermann, I wanted to slap him upside his head and say "get tough."
Joseph
I have to say it again.
I cock my head in wonder as I watch your country degenerate before my eyes.
What was once a powerful, respected nation has now become the pity of all the world, within a few short years.
The victim of the North Korean con, the whipping boy of the Russian power elite, the water carriers for the European owned Federal Reserve, and the subject of a world of sarcasm, you have become pathetic.
If it wasn’t so dangerous, it would be hilarious.
And now the same greedy, criminals who have raped you for the last 8 years is poised to do it all over again.
Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.
What is the difference between Palin and Pinocchio?
Pinocchio has less strings.
CMINCA @ 96:
Can someone tell me who is playing the hockey as her eldest son is off to Iraq and the youngest son is 4 months old, the eldest daughter is preggers and the youngest daughter is busy licking the baby -- process of elimination says either middle daughter is playing hockey or the hockey mom story is hooey, NO?
CMINCA @ 96:
Speaking of stretches......check this one out.
Signed up for PTA; then ran for City Council; then Mayor. (Sep 2008)
http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm
Claim executive experience for something you "sign up" for?
I was lead to believe she ran her local PTA and just signed up to be a PTA member.
Alex @ 58:
I've never had faith in the American public. After Bush won in '04, I asked a young Republican why he voted for Bush. "He's plain-spoken." That's it. That's the only qualification. I told him I'd prefer a president who was more intelligent and had actually achieved something, instead of failed at everything. He said he preferred a president he could "understand". I can only take this to mean that the dumbing down of America requires a president who is folksy and C average, so that Americans can identify with him/her. This is why elitist is working so well and why McCain wasn't a strong candidate either. He and Barrack use too many big words, too many complicated concepts.
I've been depending on the state of the economy to push Obama along. Americans are tired. They are tired of stagnant wages, staggering debt, skyrocketing gas prices and the value of their homes freefalling. They're tired of the costs of health insurance; even for those insured through employers, many employers share this cost with the employee and the employee portion has risen 15-20% per year for the past 5-7 years, at least. The middle class is tired of being one paycheck away from poverty. 80% of Americans are still against the war in Iraq and now realize that Afghanistan was also mismanaged. They realize, too, that our military is spread too thin to be deployed in places where they may really be needed and they don't want their children put in harms way.
Where are the solutions for the economy from McCain? There are none. People may not be smart enough to see that, but they may understand that McCain is just more of the failed economic and international policies of the Bush Regime.
Freddy Knuckles @ 112:
too concerned with reelection and their Congress seats, too myopic to worry about the national side to elections,
too polite to fight back at Repug lies and smears, they sleepwalked the people into Bushco, while gaining reelection to their own cushy seats and lobby money.
Part of the problem is that the Dems haven't been going after the GOP brand. They needed to do that a long time ago so that by the time we got to this point in the campaign, people would be running away from anything with the letter "R" attached to it. But instead, they tried to make it all Bush's fault and and only tried to tie McCon alone to all of the GOP' s failings and let all the Cons who helped him get off scot free.
Now, when it counts, people aren't saying "Republicans can't govern." They're saying "Hmmm, at least McCain isn't Bush."
Monumental mistake on the Dem "leadership's" part.
I read that McCain has trashed Palin at least 3 times in the last few years for "pork". Is there video or transcripts of this? That would be a great ad.
outtheoffice @ 73:
Don't forget "Ronald Reagan"
Georgia Democrat @ 90:
You misunderstood me. I was referring to Castellanos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ulw4dBr7e4
Americans have voted in Bush not once, but twice.
Americans did not see through the swiftboating of John Kerry until it was too late.
Americans dismissed concerns about a President's missing military records.
Americans have supported a war of aggression based on quite logical flawed lies.
Americans have accepted torture as a legitimate means of investigation
Americans have allowed people to be imprisoned without charge or trial on a large scale.
Americans have allowed the President to overreach his powers by a level only seen previously by Julius Caesar.
Americans have denounced as unpatriotic, an undercover agent working on WMDs whose spouse disagreed with the administration.
Americans have allowed the Attorney General to hire/dismiss based on political leanings.
Americans are allowing unwarranted wiretapping of themselves.
Americans are falling for the same trick used to invade Iraq on Iran.
Americans believe they have the greatest democracy on Earth, despite the lowest participation rates of any liberal western democracy.
Americans are giving a pass to a candidate who covers the myriad of inconsistencies & untruths by being a POW.
Americans are wracking up a national debt that is getting to the point of being entirely unservicable.
Americans give the Green Car of the Year award to a 6 litre SUV.
So, lets look at the question again:
Most C&Lers are not. However, talking of the majority, i can't really say 'No'.
Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?
I have been staying away from the news and blogs all day because I am in a foul political mood and I am afraid my answer to the above is a resounding ,"YES". I don't want it to be true, but the fact that we have even a perceived horse race here and not just a landslide for Obama tells me otherwise.
Hey, fellow 'Murkans:
PULL. YOUR. HEADS. OUT.
CMINCA @ 122:
If the worst happens and WcCain becomes POTUS,
the Repugs and the supreme VP will remind WcCain of Reagan in march 09, history always repeats.
ferrofluid (Obama + Biden = 2008) @ 93:
Let's say, for the sake of argument that she has nothing to hide and she is competent. That leaves experience. She has NO experience with a national press corp. She has no experience nationally at all or internationally. This ploy to buy time and prep her for her staged interview with ABC is going to try to illustrate to the public that "she is so sharp she can even handle the tough national press". It is a set-up. Let's see how she does with the softball questions.
1. What does a hockey mom do?
2. What is your recipe for moose stew?
3. How does it feel to have such celebrity status that women are flocking to buy your $375 glasses frames?
4. Who dresses you?
5. What advice would you give to other mothers? other young grandmothers-to-be?
Get ready.
I can see why clinton won with lieutenants like begala.
Obama needs to get tougher. He sounds like he's auditioning to be prom king, not president.
He sounds like a boring, ivory tower academic. He reminds in many ways of my professors. As soon as I listened to them speak, I understood why their incomes (inspite of all their education) remained at par with those of a bus driver. They were naive, idealistic and out of touch with the cruel realities of the real world.
These kinds of "bookish" people don't make it in the real world. There's a reason so many college dropouts are billionaires. They "get" it. Keep it simple, rely on your gut, have passion, fight and you'll get rich.
Obama needs to toughen up and show us his gut, his passion and his convictions. Mccain has already proven his toughness by spending 9 years in a pow camp. Obama needs to prove his.
Are you a man or a mouse?
With all due respect to the facts, the corporate controlled mass media has a very tough job. They are assigned the daunting task of conjuring a mass illusion that is based upon deception and misdirection and that is also entertaining. When they are successful at this, the marks not only vote to be fleeced and sacrificed on the altar of Mammon but are also proud of it.
[Deleted. No McPoints for you Kevin-Sitemonitor]
Of course Alaska is a welfare state...it''s a red state. Haven't met a Republican yet who wasn't a parasite at heart.
Paul Begala just broke CNN rules by telling the truth and refuting a lie. Worse, he wouldn't let the liar sugar coat his lie. Begala just named the game, a thing that Obama had damn better figure out how to do, and fast. Here's betting that Paul Begala will never be invited back.
Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?
Apparently.
One of two things is happening here. Either the corporate media that reports these polls is lying to us, or the American people really are that stupid. Either scenario is very bad.
ferrofluid (Obama + Biden = 2008) @ 109:
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/9/sarah_palin_and_the_wasila_church
AMY GOODMAN: Now, what about this issue of separation of church and state, even raising what her religion is, that there is a separation? She’s entitled to believe what she wants to believe.
ESTHER KAPLAN: Well, she—again, she comes from a world, a theological world, in which the idea is the role of Christians is to bring God’s will into public life. She hasn’t said that explicitly herself, but there’s no question that, since age twelve, she has been attending churches whose pastors explicitly believe this. She’s said things that indicate that she understands herself that way, as well.
Her pastor at her home church, the Wasilla Assembly of God, sort of takes credit for her election as governor through his prayer. In that same speech that you played excerpts from earlier, she does thank him for that and more or less implies that she also believes that God helped to put her in office. She clearly is not immune to this idea that God is guiding her public life.
And what’s really troubling is she’s been turning down all interview requests to clarify her positions, to clarify—is she a Dominionist? Does she believe in legislating based on the Bible? Her authorized biography almost—I think there’s two or three pages, total, that refer to her religious beliefs at all. There’s a sense that she’s hiding what her true beliefs are. And she needs to answer a lot of questions.
. . . . One of the things that I find sort of more indicative even is that last winter a state rep from Wasilla was indicted and ultimately convicted on bribery and other charges, and she replaced him with an elder from her church. And what this guy has done since he’s been state rep is to sponsor a bill making late-term abortions a felony in the Alaska state legislature. He’s been working very hard to get intelligent design taught in Alaska’s public schools. This is actually one of the clearest indications of where she stands and how she sees the role of the Bible in public life.
...my parting thought for the day:
I thought there couldn't be a worse Administration than Bush/Cheney. But these two out-of-their-depth idiots would preside over so much more boobery, destruction, incompetence, and criminality as the neocons and right wing extremists run around more free than ever to wreak their brand of havoc that my mind reels at trying to do the math.
One way or the other, we will get the president we deserve in November. Question is: what do we deserve?
watch 'bridge of lies' it's a couple minutes also explains from others how gov.palin kept the money/portion.
i see we have people that praise the freshman governor. i think it is fairly amazing for someone to attend 5 colleges/univ. to get a bachelors degree...that's NOT easy
http://www.veracifier.com/
jm @ 127:
9 years?
I don't know Begala but I love him just the same. He's got guts. I'm tired of wimps.
LegallyBlonde @ 116:
http://www.thepresidentialcandidates.us/about-sarah-palin-a-letter-from-...
I'm not sure how factual this is.
"•“Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•“PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
•“NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
•“Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
•“Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union."
Kevin @ 129:
Take note of the vicious tones, the aggressive and ugly personal attacks, and the number of posts on here that are still including smear stories about Governor Palin that have already been debunked by the mainstream media.
Oh I see. What lies have been debunked? Palin is hiding out because she can't be trusted out alone. The media has let Palin's and McCains lies stand without question.
Fact: Palin was for the bridge, before she was against it.
Fact: She kept the money anyway.
Fact: She is claiming executive privilege just like bush does in the Troopergate investigation.
Fact: She wants government (taxpayers) money to promote abstinence only education and we all know how that turned out.
Fact: 2 months ago she said she didn't know what a vice president did.
Fact: She hasn't followed anything in regards to the Iraq war/occupation.
Fact: She thought the surge was an exit strategy.
Fact: She told the world her son was leaving for Iraq on 9/11, which wasn't only a lie, it was something a commander in chief knows you NEVER do. You put not only him but everyone near him in danger.
Too many facts? Has your tiny brain exploded yet?
Alex Castellanos has become a real spinmeister. He and David Gergen really got into it also the other night. You can't call Gergen a Democratic operative.
Rovian politics are now becoming the norm. I wonder what the next turd blossom will bring to the show.
Kevin @ 129:
So sayeth the Repug shill, its now a thought crime to be upset at the state our our country, a thought crime to be upset at the abysmal state of Republican morals, a thought crime to aspire to a good country with decent laws and equality for all.
Nothing about Palin has been debunked, rather the contrary, she is hiding and refusing to answer questions from the public and the media, as the days progress more and more comes out about the Trojan Moose.
If this was a Hollywood movie, we would be laughing our socks off, as it is we are crying in disbelief.
Kevin @ 129:
It is just a tad hypocritical of you to be lecturing any of us about truth. I don't think your party knows the meaning of the word. And since they insist upon portraying lies as fact, over and over again, lies that have been debunked repeatedly, I would suggest you check YOUR facts before spouting off with your holier-than-thou parental advice. Give me a break.
CMINCA @ 137:
You forgot the expense scandal, she was claiming for meals and stuff when at home in Wasilla.
tut tut, thats illegal in most states and very immoral, and ripping off the taxpayer something chronic.
Dems are fighting back, calling the liars liars.
(PolitickerPA) Rendell: McCain, GOP 'lying' about Obama's tax plan
(NY Times) Rendell: ‘The Big Lie Strategy’
And the Obama Campaign calls them out for lying too:
Obama's New Ad: “No Maverick”
"Politicians LYING about their record?"
"You don't call that 'mavericks' .."
"You call that 'more of the same' .."
Paul @ 130:
I'm glad you brought this up. In 2004, there was a report floating around that listed the federal tax revenues generated from each state, as well as the federal taxes used by each state. If it were not for the blue states, the red states would be in a world of hurt. The blue states, while mostly solvent, pay for the welfare red states. I doubt if that has changed in the last 4 years.
Kevin wears his mom's shit-filled panties when he masturbates to pictures of Ronny Reagan and John "I'm a Nazi" Wayne.
There Kevin, now I'm just like you Cons.
Sitemonitor, feel free to delete this post. I just wanted to make a point that Cons have no room to talk about being ugly. They practically invented it. Why stick to the issues when you can lie and smear? I like The Con's way better. Its easy. Just turn off your brain, fall in line and don't ask questions. And remember, smear, smear, smear and lie, lie, lie!!
[I will in a minute. I have to clean the nose spray of soda up off of my screen, then I have to take care of Kevin's post. And I think I need to do some laundry too. :) First things first-Sitemonitor]
ferrofluid (Obama + Biden = 2008) @ 142:
Actually, I was just quoting the author (from the link), but thanks for including that.
Lucid, direct, succinct.
Paul Begala's finest media moment.
Are the American people really dumb enough to fall for it?
You bet they are!
Janet @ 138:
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
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