Holy crap. Palin's getting reamed by Shepard Smith on Pox at 3:20PM EDT for never holding a press conference and 10 superficial photo ops in two days with some world leaders. He cuts off the Dem who's trying to make a point, of course.

Breaking....Sen. Dodd tells Bernanke after long hearing today that the bailout being proposed is "unacceptable". Bernanke warns of deep recession.

I suppose, even though the Democrats are knee deep in this doodoo (not voodoo, but close), that they want to play this through the election to make Bush, McCain and the entire Republican administration basically take the fall for our economic quagmire.

Incredibly, with Diebold and in spite of the intense danger to the planet with a Palin/McCain administration, the Democrats may still lose this.

Why do I have this slow, sinking feeling right now about our collective futures???

I think The wheels are coming off the 'Straight Talk Express'. MSM is biting back a bit. Palin's arrogance, McCain's lack of candor is evident for all to see. The fact that a reporter even dared to get him to answer a question must have hit a nerve. After years of fawning press coverage, MSM is starting to ask tough questions. It's about time.

Abbybwood @ 4:

Breaking....Sen. Dodd tells Bernanke after long hearing today that the bailout being proposed is "unacceptable". Bernanke warns of deep recession.

I suppose, even though the Democrats are knee deep in this doodoo (not voodoo, but close), that they want to play this through the election to make Bush, McCain and the entire Republican administration basically take the fall for our economic quagmire.

Incredibly, with Diebold and in spite of the intense danger to the planet with a Palin/McCain administration, the Democrats may still lose this.

Why do I have this slow, sinking feeling right now about our collective futures???

The Republicans will spin this that the elitist Democrats are too weak to take the required stand for the good of the nation. I can hear it now. Ahhh!

Nope you need not say more because Krugman nailed it.

Shep Smith is the closest thing fox has to a fair and balanced reporter. He just did a segment on this god awful bailout mess, which by the way, may finally be the "uniter" of both parties due to the unease about it shown by both parties today.

Then he did a critical report on Palin hiding from reporters today and well, every day since she was tapped for the ticket. He had two women on, one representing the republican side and the other representing the democratic side.

When the repub. woman started trying to explain why it was normal to hide the veep nominee from the press, Shep called her on it. Then the repub woman said that Obama has three hundred foreign affairs advisers talking to him every day telling him what was happening, what questions he might be asked, and suggesting what answers he might give. Shep fired back, couldn't Palin do the same thing and get advice each day so she would be prepared. The repub woman was caught off guard by this and fumbled her answer.

Bush is holding back a report how dire the war is in Afghanistan until the election is over. Should we be suprised?

CMINCA @ 8:

Abbybwood @ 4:

Breaking....Sen. Dodd tells Bernanke after long hearing today that the bailout being proposed is "unacceptable". Bernanke warns of deep recession.

I suppose, even though the Democrats are knee deep in this doodoo (not voodoo, but close), that they want to play this through the election to make Bush, McCain and the entire Republican administration basically take the fall for our economic quagmire.

Incredibly, with Diebold and in spite of the intense danger to the planet with a Palin/McCain administration, the Democrats may still lose this.

Why do I have this slow, sinking feeling right now about our collective futures???

The Republicans will spin this that the elitist Democrats are too weak to take the required stand for the good of the nation. I can hear it now. Ahhh!

there are 'real' conservatives that will not like this
bailout....rescue whatever. i hope they get some air
time. something smells in denmark i mean d.c. why
the rush....so the market(DOW) can go nuts after the bailout is announced. the only indicator the public knows....so the republicans can saysee everything is ok......fxxk.

i listen to XM left all day long...
yesterday, on a POTUS 08 break, the announcer said "both sides went negative today" and then played a line or two from each ad - mcBLAME lied and OBAMA spoke the truth about mcCON's lies...

go figure...

The majority of the dopes who are blindly following this mean, dumb old man down the wrong way on the expressway don't use computers either....the rest would vote Charlie Manson for President before they'd vote for a n****r.

CMINCA @ 8:

The Republicans will spin this that the elitist Democrats are too weak to take the required stand for the good of the nation. I can hear it now. Ahhh!

Fortunately, the Republicans have to sell the fact that they are giving the bail-out institutions the freedom to reward themselves with golden parachutes and massive bonuses. The Republicans have to be careful... the American public doesn't trust them.

Shep Smith was ripping the bailout all to hell. If you could get a clip of his rant it would be worth posting.

While McCain fights NYT and hides Palin from the MSM

There are bigger stories coming out..........

A Lobbyist leading McCain's tranistion team has been lobbying for Freddie

John McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, made millions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Sarah Palin and John McCain have been railing about those companies out on the campaign trail.  You'd think McCain would fire Davis.

There's more.

William Timmons, who is leading John McCain transition efforts (which will hopefully never come to be), is a "prominent Washington lobbyist" according to Time Magazine.  That's bad enough.  It gets worse in light of McCain's feigned outrage at Fannie and Freddie.  McCain's transition leader had been lobbying for Freddie Mac "through this month" -- until Freddie had to stop lobbying :

The lobbying firm of the man Republicans say John McCain has chosen to begin planning a presidential transition earned more than a quarter of a million dollars this year representing Freddie Mac, one of the companies McCain blames for the nation's financial crisis.

Timmons & Co., whose founder and chairman emeritus is William Timmons Sr., was registered to lobby for Freddie Mac from 2000 through this month, when the federal government took over both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Newly available congressional records show Timmons's firm received $260,000 this year before its lobbying activities were barred under terms of the government rescue of the failed mortgage giant. Timmons, 77, is listed as a lobbyist for Freddie Mac on the company's midyear financial-disclosure form.

While Republicans say Timmons is making plans for the transition if McCain wins in November, the campaign wouldn't confirm his role. Timmons didn't return a phone call seeking comment.McCain has labeled Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae as prime culprits in creating the financial storm that has roiled Wall Street and Washington.

This is just another example of McCain's blatant hypocrisy.  McCain has been making stuff up about Obama's ties to Freddie and Fannie. Meanwhile, McCain's top guys have hauled in tons of dough from them.

watch the linguistic framing of using 'rescue' plan
vs. 'bailout'......wow.. who are these people that they
group test these words on?

It seems the media is more fearful of making someone angry than they are dedicated to reporting the news. But maybe things are changing. McCain threw a hissy fit and threatened not to go on Larry King. Apparently CNN said fine, don't come. Now today Palin shuts the door on the press and the press reports what she did instead of covering for her.

Bushie @ 21:

It runs deeper than "media of being ‘balanced’ at all costs'. It goes to deadlines, overhead costs, poor editing, corporate slant and reporter lack of knowledge on the subject or laziness. Remember the Corporate Media (CM) fed and helped produce facts that took us to invade Iraq. For at least 12 years years CM failed to fully investigate the effect of high credit card rates or bankruptcy laws on citizens, or the impact of laissez faire attitude inside the beltway on Corporations and Wall Street. We are now about to be billed for the benign neglect of Congress and CM.

I agree - real reporting is not formula based. But to practice it, the journalists have to be from the world that they are reporting - which basically means be knowledgeable

PorridgeGun @ 27:

Chicago Sun-Times: Man held for approaching Obama home with gun

NO doubt a rush L. listener

Abbybwood @ 4:

Why do I have this slow, sinking feeling right now about our collective futures???

It may be a bit better than mine, which is a hurtling, crashing, screaming, dropped-off-a-cliff feeling.

From the Krugman article:

the Obama campaign is wrong

The McCain campaign will of course seize upon this as a takeaway and talking point following this article.

Daley Fires back

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, cast as the leader of a "corrupt" machine in a McCain campaign spot yesterday, isn't pleased:

"You had the Keating Five. We had the biggest scandal in America called savings and loan. The biggest scandal. People lost their homes because of greed. And no one is inferring [wrongdoing by] Sen. McCain and the others, who were always known as the Keating Five. So, if people start throwing dirt and mud, remember it comes back and hits you right in the face," Daley said.

Was the mayor suggesting that Obama get down and dirty by running an ad that reprises McCain's role in the Keating Five?

"It would be a great ad. Remember: People lost their life savings, their own homes for a guy named Keating out of Arizona," Daley said....

[The mayor's brother] William Daley is identified in the ad as a "lobbyist," a role that, the mayor was quick to point out, his brother has never played.

"If they want to put me there [in the ad], fine. . . . Put me there. You don't have to put my brother Bill or my wife or anybody else. . . . Could you see an ad about Sen. McCain's wife and how wealthy they are? That would be unfair," the mayor said.

P.D. @ 29:

Now Faux News shills are bitching about the bail-out? But Georgie wants it! Are they going to question King George? I guess Hell did freeze over.

Conservative heads exploding in....5...4...3...

"It remains to be seen" journalism has become the hallmark of modern American journalism. Time magazine lead the pack. If you look at old copies of this magazine you can see the contrast. When they became advertising dependent the risk associated with actually holding or defending an opinion became unacceptable. Of course, it could also have a lot to do with Journalism becoming the safety program for those who found other college programs too demanding.

Cobsjo @ 24:

While McCain fights NYT and hides Palin from the MSM

There are bigger stories coming out..........

A Lobbyist leading McCain's tranistion team has been lobbying for Freddie

John McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, made millions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Sarah Palin and John McCain have been railing about those companies out on the campaign trail.  You'd think McCain would fire Davis.

There's more.

William Timmons, who is leading John McCain transition efforts (which will hopefully never come to be), is a "prominent Washington lobbyist" according to Time Magazine.  That's bad enough.  It gets worse in light of McCain's feigned outrage at Fannie and Freddie.  McCain's transition leader had been lobbying for Freddie Mac "through this month" -- until Freddie had to stop lobbying :

The lobbying firm of the man Republicans say John McCain has chosen to begin planning a presidential transition earned more than a quarter of a million dollars this year representing Freddie Mac, one of the companies McCain blames for the nation's financial crisis.

Timmons & Co., whose founder and chairman emeritus is William Timmons Sr., was registered to lobby for Freddie Mac from 2000 through this month, when the federal government took over both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Newly available congressional records show Timmons's firm received $260,000 this year before its lobbying activities were barred under terms of the government rescue of the failed mortgage giant. Timmons, 77, is listed as a lobbyist for Freddie Mac on the company's midyear financial-disclosure form.

While Republicans say Timmons is making plans for the transition if McCain wins in November, the campaign wouldn't confirm his role. Timmons didn't return a phone call seeking comment.McCain has labeled Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae as prime culprits in creating the financial storm that has roiled Wall Street and Washington.

This is just another example of McCain's blatant hypocrisy.  McCain has been making stuff up about Obama's ties to Freddie and Fannie. Meanwhile, McCain's top guys have hauled in tons of dough from them.

mccain is exagerating obama's ties...but they are there

just as the dems were asleep at the wheel during the past 10 years, when they shouldve been screaming to the heavens that there is a problem

a few did scream...but people didnt want to listen

amen.

Never fear.... I think.

Paul @ 49:

In other words, McCain is counting on the press to carry their water for them...

Well, he is 72 years old. Holding your own water becomes difficult at that age.

John, I couldn't agree more:
By: John Amato on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 PM - PDT
Paul Krugman on the media:

“Why do the McCain people think they can get away with this stuff?” This stuff being deception. “Well, they’re probably counting on the common practice in the news media of being ‘balanced’ at all costs. If a politician says that black is white, the news report doesn’t say that he’s wrong, it reports that ’some Democrats say’ that he’s wrong. Or a grotesque line from one side is paired with a trivial misstatement from the other, conveying the impression that both sides are equally dirty.”

They’re probably also counting on the prevalence of horse-race reporting, so that instead of the story being “McCain campaign lies,” it becomes “Obama on defensive in face of attacks.”

Need I say more?

This needs to be repeated now and often!

It reminds me of the old joke/observation of the Russian newspaper account of a horse race in which the American horse beats the Russian horse and the headline reads "Russian Horse Finishes Second, American Horse Finishes Next to Last!"

The media aids and abets, to keep it even and to keep us watching.

P.D. @ 29:

Now Faux News shills are bitching about the bail-out? But Georgie wants it! Are they going to question King George? I guess Hell did freeze over.

There is no honor among thieves...

Even hard core GOPhiles are looking at their 401Ks vanish as we speak...

That is something that no matter what he does, McCain and Palin can't dance their way out of.

I am of the opinion that the GOP knew they were toast this election, and let this old fool take the fall. McCain is too stupid to figure out he's been played, just like Rove et al did in the 2000 primaries.

And I also think that the newfound "spine" by the media is due to the fact, that for the first time the news elite are actually hurting in their pocket. Money talks, and McCain couldn't manage his way out of a wet paper bag, and most people in the media know that their life saving will dissapear if he gets elected.

When Bush said that his base is the "haves and haves more" he wasn't kidding. Unless you are making a minimum of tens of millions of dollars, the current bailout not only does not do anything to help you... but it actually affects you negatively.

Hey, Krugman, welcome to what the blogosphere and its audience have been screaming about for years. Way to catch up.

Thanks for bringing attention to this, John. This is an un-sensational (i.e. 58 comments) but extremely important point. The Bush Admin have been playing this game very well (yes, there are a few that things they're actually good at) for years now, virtually unopposed.
Please continue bringing this "fair and balanced" loophole into the spotlight.

p.s. this is also why Americans are pretty much alone in the Western world in denying the scientific consensus on many things, including global warming and evolution.

this kind of crap would not be possible without the talk radio monopoly that enables the double standard. the often absurd talking points that seem to come from some alternate reality may have been prechewed by limbaugh and hannity and others earlier in the day or week and pounded into the ear holes of 60MIL. they have also been pounding for years the fallacy of the liberal media to force this idiocy, and often can focus immediate and massive dittohead outrage toward media people and management who would dare to discuss that that the world was round without a counterpoint.

“Why do the McCain people think they can get away with this stuff?”

Is it not obvious by now that the McCain campaign has deliberately "created its own reality" so as to neutralize obvious political liabilities? Take, for example, Sarah Palin's lie that she was against the Bridge to Nowhere when, in fact, her support of it was a major pillar of her campaign for governor. What else could explain a lie so obvious as would no doubt make even O.J. Simpson blush? Well, it has certainly exceeded brilliantly, hasn't it? Ever notice how little attention has been paid to the singular fact that she supported a project that was widely regarded as the poster child of pork? Instead, the focus has been on almost entirely on the issue of her veracity -- a subject that has become all but lost in the tumult of he-said-she-said journalism.

I worked as a desk editor for United Press International for five years, so I know what it's like to work under the pressure of a deadline. But the sad fact is that our news media today is a ghost of its former self.

Speaking of pundits and sense of balance. Here is another analogy: Water is H20, two parts hydrogen one part oxygen. For the right wing there has got to be a pundit somewhere that can argue water is actually H10. Why the MSM and cable talkers have to have someone argue this is just nonsense and insane......truth is truth and the world is round.