MoveOn Calls Out Tom Brokaw For His False Fact Campaigning For McCain
By Nicole Belle Monday Sep 29, 2008 2:30pm
It feels good sometimes to be a muckraker against the corporate media. The good people at MoveOn saw my post on Sunday on Tom Brokaw citing non-existent poll numbers as proof "in the interest of fairness" that more Americans thought McCain would be a better Commander in Chief and decided to ask their members to call out Brokaw for his de facto campaigning for McCain:
Sunday on Meet The Press, Tom Brokaw moderated a debate between McCain strategist Steve Schmidt and Obama strategist David Axelrod on topics ranging from Iraq to the Wall Street bailout. At the end, Tom Brokaw did something strange. He opted to give himself the last word and told the audience:
In fairness to everybody here, I'm just going to end on one note. And that is that we continue to poll on who's best equipped to be Commander in Chief, and John McCain continues to lead in that category despite the criticism from Barack Obama by a factor of 53 to 42 percent in our latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. Gentlemen, thank you very much.
We checked, and the latest NBC poll actually has no question about Commander in Chief. We contacted NBC about this, and it turns out Brokaw was referring to a poll taken weeks ago--right after the Republican convention and well before Friday's big national security debate. And in each of NBC's last two polls, Americans chose Obama over McCain.
Can you email Tom Brokaw today? Let him know that this election is very close, and we need journalists to be responsible. Giving himself the last word in the debate, and citing an outdated poll number as if it was current, was a mistake. As a responsible journalist, he should apologize for both.
Here's where to contact him:
Tom Brokaw, Meet The Press feedback form: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6872152/Then, help us track our progress by reporting your comment here:
http://pol.moveon.org/call/?cp_id=821&tg=558
On a related note, a journalist from a well-reputed publication also saw my post and asked NBC to explain where Brokaw got his facts. At this time, they've yet to respond. Interesting that they responded to MoveOn so much more quickly than one of their own, isn't it?
UPDATE: I love the hypocrisy of this statement by Brokaw on why he advocated pulling Olbermann off debate coverage:
Brokaw tells Steinberg he "advocated" for a modification to the anchor duties of MSNBC hosts Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews during election nights. His reasoning came with praise for the Countdown host. "Keith is an articulate guy who writes well and doesn't make his arguments in a 'So's your old mother' kind of way," he said. "The mistake was to think he could fill both roles. The other mistake was to think he wouldn't be tempted to use the anchor position to engage in commentary. That's who he is."
Et tu, Brute?
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First?
America's "greatest commentator" apologize or even make a correction? I rather doubt it. No pun intended.
In the same neighborhood as first.
Brokaw, Scheiffer, Gibson are such tools of the plutocracy!! Brokaw is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations for example.
Old school "journalists" who like Cokie Roberts once said, "What's wrong with Washington? What needs fixing?"
When you watch sports on NBC or any of the other sewage on NBC, you are paying his salary.
Already e-mailed this stuck-in-the-past GOP whore. Raked him pretty good.
I hope Obama is ready.
Good going, Nicole. I'm giving you a whole bunch of atta girls for bringing this to the surface and showing Brokaw for what he has become.
I used to believe Brokaw was an actual journalist, but as of late he seems to very full of himself and as a result he thinks whatever he says should be taken as gospel.
Since he took over MTP I find it almost impossible to listen to him. He has to have a very special guest to get my attention.
Sounds like Brokaw is in the tank for McCain.
Good for Move on. Now if they would apply those same standards of Accountability and truth to Senator Obama. On Face the Nation this Sunday Obama said "Iran IS developing nuclear weapons" Yes he did say this. Bob Schieffer did not call him out or challenge him. Will Move On or any of the blogs?
I mean we expect this kind of inflammatory rhetoric out of McCain, Joe Lieberman, Palin, Cheney, Micheal Ledeen, Bill Kristol, John Bolton etc But now we are hearing it come from Senator Obama. Very serious, inaccurate, and dangerous.
Will Move on apply the same standards to Obama? We need to call Obama out on this!
Listen for yourselves
Obama said "Iran is developing nuclear weapons" There is no proof for this
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/ftn/main3460.shtml
Not to excuse Brokaw but is it possible he was simply confused and was talking about some other poll? Where did he get 53 to 42 numbers from?
Wow, Brokaw... truly an useless "journalist" who seems way too enoured with his own voice.
What is up with these useless mouth pieces, they have all written a book at some point about how great his dad (and his generation) was? Russert, Brokaw, et al have similar books.
Oddly, Brokaw never replied when asked how he liked the taste of McCain's cock.
I never like Brokaw and always felt he was highly overrated. This just makes him look like an embarrassing old fool.
Kinda difficult to believe in any of the Sunday morning shows any more. Brokaw has shown his true colors, Stephanopoulos showed his during the debate when he mercilessly went after Obama for inane things like fu*king flag pins. Then there was the day Schieffer announced being shot down in a plane was qualification for becoming president.
Just another empty suit who sold his soul and credibility long ago.
Has anybody refered to Tom's little trick as "Gotcha Journalism"? Now I'm hungry for some pizza!
Tom Brokaw... bought and paid for! Like so many of his colleagues...
He has desecrated Tim Russert's memory. I say they might as well cancel the show if this is the crap they are going to do.
After watching MTP on Sunday and hearing the end of segment remark (by the way, Axelrod seemed to storm off the set with a pretty disgusted look on his face), I wrote to to Brokaw at NBC. How has NBC and other MSM outlets allowed themselves to be cowed by the McCain campaign? What is it with this guy that he media is so afraid to question and challenge him, his VP, his spokespersons, his campaign staff? The old guy has had a free pass every step of the way!
As for Brokaw, we could always count on Tim Russert to be fair. He drilled down on everyone, challenged their talking points, their voting records, and their ads. Tom Brokaw not so much. In his coverage of the primaries, DNC and RNC conventions, and on MTP, it seems like Brokaw in right in McCain's corner. Pathetic.
HDon @ 10:
hahahahahahaha!!!
Sent a very to the point email addressed to "Dear Tom".
Yes, I called him a liar.
Yes, I called him a partisan.
But I did it nicely, honest.
Also: He should be fired.
suggestion for all of you. don't watch these assholes any more. they hate low ratings more than anything.
My Letter to Tom Brokaw.
Hello Tom.
I am e-mailing you to say how disappointed I am with your use of old poll numbers to boost McCain. I used to like watching you and considered you to be a journalist with integrity. But after your recent show where you cited out dated polls disturbs me. I'm 51 years old Tom, and I've been watching you for a lifetime. Sadly, I can no longer trust your journalism. What made you change Tom? Was it the promise of tax breaks. Was it the tax hike you're going to get when Sen Obama wins?
Is that it Tom? Is it all about money?
There are more important things than money Tom.
You above all people should know that.
Buh Bye Tom, It's been real.
ot
Some important news Olmert (listening to Democracy Now)
has said that “Israel should withdraw from nearly almost all of the territory captured in the 1967 war”
http://www.democracynow.org/shows/2008/9/29
http://www.monstersandcritics......_Roundup__
Tel Aviv - Israel will have to withdraw from the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, if it wanted peace with its Arab and Palestinian neighbours, outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in remarks published Monday.
Ahmadinejad Accepts Israel's Right to Exist
The Iranian president has said he would accept a two-state solution if the Palestinians agree. So where are the headlines?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20898.h
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amy Goodman's interviews with the Iranian President
Part !
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/26/iranian_president_mahmoud_ahmedine...
Part 2
Ahmadinejad Accepts Israel's Right to Exist
The Iranian president has said he would accept a two-state solution if the Palestinians agree. So where are the headlines?
Sent my email to NBC. I don't want to assume anything, but I find it quite odd that all of Brokaw's gaffing has not surfaced until now, at the expense of the first black candidate for president. He seems to have been fair in all election seasons towards R's and D's alike until this one. Is it that he's getting older and more scatterbrained, or that there's a factor in this particular election season that skews him to the right (white)? Maybe I'm recalling his previous fairness a tad too much, but it seems awful convenient that his facts, true or kinda true, favor McPalin. Thoughts?
I'm sick and fucking tired of this "commander in chief" horseshit. What we need is a PRESIDENT, we've been without one for near on eight fucking years now. Look where having a "commander in chief" got us.
dateline@nbcuni.com; kathleen.kane@nbcuni.com; today@nbcuni.com; nightly@nbc.com; letters@msnbc.com, phil.griffin@unistudios.com, RACHEL@MSNBC.COM
demand that Tom Brokaw be taken off the air and recuse himself from the debate
galmud @ 8:
He used a month-old poll, taken immediately following the Republican National Convention, when McCain was experiencing a convention bump.
But he claimed it was the latest poll.
The latest poll did not pose a question on who was best equipped to be Commander in Chief, but consistently showed in all but in reference to Iraq, the pollers preferred Obama over McCain.
For what it's worth, I know Brokaw is a democrat.
Time for you to retire, Mr. Brokejaw.
McInsane @ 25:
Corporate boy Brokaw won't be able to save McOld from losing to President Obama.
"Republican John McCain has maneuvered himself into a political dead end and has five weeks to find his way out."
tom brokaw made a comment about Michael Moore during the 2004 presidential campaign that showed his bias. He is no fair reporter, he has agenda and is not a journalist, he is part of the problem, he about Moore, I'm paraphrasing, "that awful Micheal Moore". he has taken sides and is no longer to be trusted to be objective.
It's important because Brokaw is moderating a debate.
He can not like some one, but his willingness to express it ruins his objectivity.
Rowemoore @ 27:
Wasn't Tom considered sometime during the Clinton years for Secy of the Interior or some similar office?
Oh wait I found it.
"Brokaw is a member of the Sierra Club and an avid outdoorsman. In 1993 he was offered the job of Director of the National Park Service by Democratic President Bill Clinton and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. Brokaw, who endorsed the Clinton Administration's environmental policies, told the Washington Post that he considered the offer "very seriously" but decided to reject it because of turmoil at NBC."
This goes to a bigger picture on replacement for lick spittle Tim Russert. Prior post said either Chuck Todd or David Gregory was short listed for "Moderator". Chuck seems like a knowledgeable pundit, but a nice guy, while Gregory never met a Bushco hack he didn't like. (scene of him dancing with Rove indelibly etched in brain aaaaaaaaaaaagh)
Kind of sad to see a intelligent person go senile!
I think, not to get too much off the subject, I'm getting tired of people referring to the President as the Commander-in-Chief, when, in fact, the Constitution says "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States". It doesn't say he's the Commander in Chief of the country, which entirely too many people (G.W. Bush and Dick "Dick" Cheney, for two) think.
The President is maybe the CEO of the country, but certainly not the CIC.
Kathleen @ 7:
Question: Is Obama saying something that the rest of the media and the republicans aren't saying? Is he only repeating something that is being fed by The MSM and the right wing?
miss poptart @ 16:
====================
Couldn't agree more about Tim Russerts, memory. And TB is no TIm Russert as I just finished typing at him!!!
Tom is in the tank with the repuglicans. I have noticed it all the way back to the Democratic Convention. The guy couldn't hold a light to Tim Russert.
We already have Fox propaganda. We dont need another one.
miss poptart @ 16:
what memmory? tim russert was a douchbag , good riddence to a bad orffice!
Are we sure that's what Brokaw said ?
he's a little hard to understand most of the time.
Shar @ 38:
In what sense is Brokaw desecrating Russert's memory? They are both quite the tool, and heck they both have books about how great their daddy was. Maybe, he is not chubby enough?
C. Hussein Jr. @ 42:
Indeeeeeeeeeeeeed, whiiittttthhhhhhh thaaaaaaaaaat aaawwwwwwwfffffuuuuuuuullllll caaaadeeeeeennceeeeee.
pissed off patricia @ 33:
So he is from the same "Democrat" pool as Dick Morris, Stephanopolous, Tweety, et al?
Tyler Durden @ 44:
Don Imus plays an old clip of Brokaw covering a hurricane years back. Brokaw was having all kinds of problems saying the word "wobble"
Tyler Durden @ 43:
I never got the admiration for Brokaw or Russert. They've both been softshoeing and lying by omission for years.
Tyler Durden @ 45:
Clintonistas ?
I submitted my comment. Among other things I suggested that he should take a job at Fox where journalism is just an elitist concept.
Ron @ 37:
It's not what you call yourself, it's your actions that define you.
American definition for journalists= propagandist.
Tom Brokaw is a pathetic old man. He truly believes that the American people so love him that they will believe anything he tells them. I have sad news. He is a liar. Very few, only the Republican faithful, believe Brokaw any more. Meet the Press should be cancelled it has become so biased.
Thee are many reasons why Brokaw is in the tank for McCain. One of them is generational. He's got a chip on his shoulder. Obama better be prepped to hit back at this prick.
Brokaw isn't fit to moderate Press the Meat, nevermind the 2nd presidential debate.
Tom Brokaw...you're no Peter Jennings.
Tyler Durden@43
Cite one instance when Tim Russert openly endorsed a political opinion or candidate.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/boot-brokaw-as-debate-moderator
Sign the petition to boot Brokaw
CaptainStormfeild @ 57:
Thanks, just did.
Tyler Durden @ 44:
Reminds me of Eliza Dolittle with marbles in her mouth
miss poptart @ 16:
I have already sent a blistering comment to the MTP Comments address. I could not, yet somehow could, believe my lying ears when Brokaw gave his stupind little "fairness" comment last Sunday.
Tim Buktu @ 60:
You know, even if it wasn't an old poll, how was it in the interest of "fairness" to mention it at all. I yelled at the TeeVee when we watched this on Saturday. It was just so over the top. "Ok, good discussion. But in the interest of fairness.....his mom is still hotter than yours". It was that weird.
Fanon @ 61:
That was really weird, and rude. It was an, "oh, and by the way, this is really how it is..." WTF?
Liberal AND Proud @ 55:
Actually, Peter was fairly conservative and definitely not a democrat. But he did a good job of appearing neutral.
here's something for you all to watch. food for thought:
The Hidden Cost of War
I think the GOP has dirt on Brokaw that proves he's gay and is worried about being outed, so he does what they ask.
Nicole Belle @ 26:
Right found it.
One could argue Brokaw meant the last NBC/WSJ poll with CiC data available but thats a silly argument to make. The way he phrased it Brokaw was at best very very misleading
miss poptart @ 56:
He left the GOP run rampant on his show, most notable was the literal blowjob he gave Cheney on air a few years ago.
So he did not endorse explicitly any candidate, however MTP was an implicit mouth piece for the Bush admin for the better part of the 1st half of this decade. For a person so obsessed about Clinton's Cock as Russert was, the carte blanche he gave Bush/Cheney/Rice et al is most amusing to me.
So Russert was many things, a beacon of journalistic integrity was not one of them. OK?
Brokaw got his credibility while doing Nightly New on NBC. Of course that kind of news program is pretty much all fluff that grandma and grandpa watch and NBC would not want to ruffle their feathers. So Brokaw got his credibility there by being good looking and a good voice and being on time. Now that he is in a serious spot he is having trouble pulling it off. He is failing. It is amazing how these people look with no clothes on.
Brokaw is scheduled to moderate Debate No. 3. I think we should start a movement to recuse himself and get someone else who isn't biased.
Brokaw, that manipulative, lying, POS GOPer/neocon operative, pulled Olberman, because Brokaw is operating under the "It's-Easy-To-Make-Yourself-Look-Pretty-If-You-Surround-Yourself-With-Gorillas" method of "journalsim". Olberman's presence would only serve to clarify Brokaw's status as a deceitful propagandist.
"The mistake was to think he could fill both roles. The other mistake was to think he wouldn’t be tempted to use the anchor position to engage in commentary. That’s who he is.” Brokaw, you fucking hack, if you had any brains, you'd consider it a high privilege just to eat the peanuts{Deleted.SiteMonitor}
Pulling Olberman makes good insurance that there is a unified message on election night when, despite polls, Brokaw and his fellow co-conspirators start the evening's coverage with variation's on the theme, "You know, this thing is just too close to call". Then after rigged results start coming in for yet another election that has been electronically stolen on behalf of the GOPer candidates by Deibold, ESS and Sequoia Systems, there won't be anybody on air to point out the obvious. Brokaw can't risk having anybody on duty who has any integrity. The fact that GE/NBC has pulled Olberman and replaced him with another GOP propagandist, tells me that GE is in on the fix.
Brokaw lost what little credibility he had when he slimed Richard Jewell. Brokaw has always carried water for the status quo.
C. Hussein Jr. @ 43:
there are videos of this. go check it out yourself. this is yesterday's news.
TX in IN @ 70:
i included in my email to MTP a request to replace brokaw as moderator for the next debate. brokaw's credibility is suspect.
Well, for a guy who went from South Dakota to the Today Show to NBC Nightly News to the Board of Directors of the CFR, I guess he hasn't done too bad for himself!
Unfortumate that he lost all credibility on that journey....now he's just another tool of the fascist media.
Olbermann should not be anchoring any 'news' -- it's bullshit. Mainstream news has been cheapened to commentary and people like Nicole Belle think it's legitimate. Well it's shit. It's not journalism and it shouldn't be on mainstream news outlets. People who blog on this sight continually show their inability to have perspective.
You know why we're in this spiral of shit? Because the networks are run by corporations and their in the advertising (money) business. It's all entertainment whether it's Fox, MSNBC, or Anderson 'find me a crisis so i can go save the day' Cooper.
12stringNC @ 37:
and he isn't the cock-of-the-walk either, baby!!
roger @ 76:
Right on.
A lot of people seem to miss the difference between the news and editorial sections of journalism.
"HDon Says: Oddly, Brokaw never replied when asked how he liked the taste of McCain’s cock."
He did indicate however that he does generally like old cock as noted in the latest NBC Wallstreet Journal poll.
Get the shit out of your mouth, when you talk, Tom...you sound more like a wingnut all the time.
Tyler Durden @ 78:
Brokaw brokering and carrying water for McDramaKing isn't news either. Brokaw is just like FAUX. If I wanted to hear a loud of republican crap, I know where to go. The reichwingnuts have been trying to control the media since Richard Nixon and I have witnessed the entire transformation. I want to hear Olbermann and Matthews call these ass wipes out.
brokaw is a retard who slurs his words. the douchebag should have retired ten years ago
If Brokaw had any self respect left he would recuse himself from moderating the debate or he should be fired and go work for the propagandist news network Fox. He has as much credibility as McCain anymore.
Jeeze. Brokaw has been shilling for McCain since the primaries. No matter what, Browkaw always manages to throw in some kind of "hero", "maverick", "great American", "POW", etc. I can't even watch him anymore with his fairness hypocrisy.
This is truly outrageous! Citing a poll that's two weeks old.
This is the USA in the 21st century. People aren't supposed to remember anything about two whole weeks ago.
That's like teaching American history and it's Brokaw's job as a TV journalist to keep the population of this country as stupid as they can possibly be and still perform their service economy jobs.
12stringNC @ 37:
It's one of those marketing terms BushCo rolled out. The judgment of a president can be questioned, but not that of a commander in chief. Insubordination in a time of war is treason, don'tcha know? They wanted to go with "Lord High Grand Poobah, Defender of the Faith, and Right King of All the Americas," but it rubbed focus groups the wrong way for some reason.
miss poptart @ 56:
Tyler Durden@43
Cite one instance when Tim Russert openly endorsed a political opinion or candidate.
He left the GOP run rampant on his show, most notable was the literal blowjob he gave Cheney on air a few years ago.
So he did not endorse explicitly any candidate, however MTP was an implicit mouth piece for the Bush admin for the better part of the 1st half of this decade. For a person so obsessed about Clinton’s Cock as Russert was, the carte blanche he gave Bush/Cheney/Rice et al is most amusing to me.
So Russert was many things, a beacon of journalistic integrity was not one of them. OK?
Oh really? I remember Tim Russert specifically sticking it to McCain and got Cheney to admit there was no Iraq/911 connection.........
John McCain Gets Owned on Meet The Press
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajm5JTf7jZs
Russert Catches McCain On Economic Knowledge DoubleTalk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OunCv-7qvA
Cheney admits no Iraq/9-11 Connection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWdq7hg4dLU
IN SCREWING UP, BROKAW INADVERDENTLY DID US A FAVOR.
BROKAW: "And that is that we continue to poll on who’s best equipped to be Commander in Chief, and John McCain continues to lead in that category despite the criticism from Barack Obama by a factor of 53 to 42 percent in our latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll." THAT'S AN OBAMA DEFICIT OF 11 POINTS.
The latest "Commander in Chief" poll I could find -- and please correct me if there's a newer poll out there -- is from the Sept. 21-24 CBS/NYT poll: MCCAIN 77, OBAMA 62. THAT'S AN OBAMA DEFICIT OF 15 POINTS.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/politics/20080926poll-results.pdf
So, in stupidly trumpeting a weeks-old poll, Brokaw inadverdently suggested Obama was 4 points stronger than he actually is. SO THANKS, BROKAW! Please screw-up more often for us.
But screw that poll. I like this one better:
Among independents who watched the debate: "Who looked more presidential?" OBAMA: 44% MCCAIN: 16%
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-poll29-2008sep29,0,57477.story
Apparently folks didn't care for the angry, contemptuous old fool with the "doesn't understand" Tourette's disorder.
miss poptart @ 16:
They should have cancelled it a long time ago. Russert was the problem; he set the tone. I have no argument with Russert having used the, "These are your words, how do you explain them?" approach. That's fine. If you said it, answer for it.
Where I objected to Russert was in his insistence on having his cocktail-hour buddies on the show (specifically Matalin and Carville) to spew their "heads, we win, tails, you lose" back-and-forth spin-doctoring. I also felt that Russert would let some politicians skate when they gave nonsense answers, moving on to another topic without adequately answering the question at hand. Russert was in the bag for those he to whom he wished to maintain access--long-time senators (from both parties) and Dick Cheney's staff, especially.
Brokaw has the same disease. Watch McCain "work the refs"--that's you, Brokaw--at the "Town Hall" debate next week. This will be a great chance for us all to see if Brokaw has any integrity left. Greatest generation my a$$.
Ron @ 38:
Exactly Obama is saying what the MSM,right wing radical warmongers and the some of the Republicans have been endlessly repeating about Iran that is not the truth. Obama has been focusing on the diplomatic card and not making too many inflammatory claims about Iran. He certainly has not said “Iran IS developing nuclear weapons” This is a lie as far as what the Iaea has said..there is no proof. Obama has separated himself from the warmongering pac by staying focused on his commitment to diplomacy with Iran. He should not start making inflammatory statements that can not be backed up by solid evidence.
Wow, that's shocking. Brokaw is an asshat.
No wonder he was worried about Olberman being in the tank for Obama, Brokaw is in the tank for McCain and wanted some pool time.
bubba @ 91:
Brokaw has publicly slapped both Olberman and Matthews hands. Mostly Olberman's
Yea, fuck Brokaw, how dare he be in the tank for Mccain!! They need to fire his ass and put someone in the tank for Obama... I swear you sheep are nothing but empty vassals... The mind... Such a terrible thing to waste...
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