CNN Only Too Happy To Parrot Liz Cheney's Scare Tactics and Fear Mongering
h/t Media Matters for the video.
Let's pretend you're CNN--the "Worldwide Leader In News"--and you want to do a news feature on Liz Cheney's new ad smearing the Department of Justice via her new group, Keep America Safe, founded by Cheney and "Bloody Bill" Kristol. Do you:
- Point out that Keep America Safe was founded to promote the Bush/Cheney Doctrine, which…
- Was based on lies;
- Was overwhelmingly rejected by the voters in 2008;
- Dragged this country’s reputation into ground worldwide;
- Champions fear and smears, over intelligence and diplomacy;
- Is a violation of everything this country is supposed to have stood for.
- Suggest that Liz Cheney is trying to paint the Department of Justice (which is still staffed with many, many Bush appointees) into a political corner that makes any future attempt at holding the previous administration responsible for their malfeasance and illegal activities look like a partisan witch hunt.
- Tally the number of times that Liz Cheney and her partner Bill Kristol have been correct in their assessments in their hundreds of hours of airtime: which is, not to put too fine a point on it, NEVER.
- Or like Rachel Maddow, demonstrate how their insidious and poor logic could be applied to anyone, including Liz Cheney herself, as an Al Qaeda sympathizer.
No, no, no...you silly liberal expecting journalism from Wolf Blitzer. Wolfie simply regurgitates Cheney's talking points, right down to the ridiculous name-calling (Department of Jihad? Really? You would have lost what little is left of your mind if someone said that during the Bush Administration, Lizzy. How disgusting.) for a full eight minute segment, blissfully unhampered by this little thing called reality.
As Glenzilla puts it, Murrow is spinning in his grave:
CNN's Wolf Blitzer spoke volumes today about himself and his "news network." First, on Twitter earlier today, he excitedly promoted his upcoming story about what he called the "intense debate about Obama Justice Dept bringing in lawyers who previously represented Gitmo detainees." On March, 9, 1954, Edward R. Murrow famously devoted his entire broadcast to vehemently condemning Joseph McCarthy's witch hunts, declaring: "This is no time for men who oppose Senator McCarthy's methods to keep silent." By contrast, Wolf Blitzer -- receipient of an Edward R. Murrow award -- sees such smear campaigns as nothing more than an "intense debate" to neutrally explore and excitingly promote.[..]
The story itself began when Blitzer posed this question: "Should there be a loyalty test over at the Justice Department?" He then introduced CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve, who -- echoing Liz Cheney -- introduced her segment by asking about the Obama DOJ: "Should it really be called the Department of Jihad"?
Meserve's segment then included, without any judgment, various opinions on these questions, with "some" saying that lawyers shouldn't be judged by the clients they represent while "others" explained that these lawyers' presence in the Justice Department presents a serious national security issue. None of the facts compiled earlier today by ABC News' Jake Tapper -- such as the fact that the Bush DOJ also hired lawyers who had represented Guantanamo detainees, just as Rudy Giuliani's firm had, without any objections from the Right -- made it into CNN's story, as I knew would happen.
Following Meserve's breezily neutral, "each-side-says" report, Blitzer hosted a "debate," featuring right-wing lawyer Victoria Toensig defending the Cheney/Kristol crusade, and some criminal defense lawyer meekly and lamely objecting to some (though not all) of Toensig's arguments. Blitzer passively let Toensig ramble uninterrupted and dominate the exchange, asking not a single challenging question. The entire time as Meserve's story itself was being broadcast and the "debate" took place, this was the logo CNN had on screen: "DEVELOPING STORY - ARE JUSTICE DEPT. LAWYERS DISLOYAL?"
Feel like giving CNN some feedback on their misinformation? Email them here.
. . . let's kill all the lawyers."
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Liz Cheney is rapidly becoming America's most hated bitch, following her father's footsteps in saying "fuck you" to fundamental jurisprudence.
The fair and proper opportunity for legal representation for the despised insures that any of us will get just treatment.
Liz Cheney is one angry, wicked bitch.
and she has a law degree.
My guess is that if my father was a genocidal mass murdering, serial lawbreaking career coward who should be at the fucking Hague at best, I'd want every law changed too.
BTW, my dad (RIP) was a law respecting Chicago cop who wouldn't allow us to become criminals, a far greater man than Dick.
I wonder if there is one republican with enough honor, morals, honesty, or intelligence to even understand what Rachel just said in that clip?
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness that has almost totally destroied our morals and our economy! Not to even mention all the innocent people that have been killed because of their bad decisions!
..NO.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Throw a bucket of water on this toxic hag, please.
"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
I'm pretty uninformed about this stuff, but are there any studies showing that sociopaths pass their "gifts" on to their children? Just wondering.
Seriously, I did my best to teach my son to be a good citizen, and to hear the things spewed by that woman boggle my mind. I try not to use the same term twice in any post, but our country is run by sociopaths. And the scariest thing about that statement is we elect them willingly. I once heard Lowell Weiker state that this is a representative government, and that word describes it in all of its forms. I guess he was telling us in his own way that our elected officials are really no differant than us.
To paraphrase Rodney Dangerfield "no wonder tigers eat their young".
Pretty shameful even by Wolfie's standards, which are essentially nil.
I haven't really paid attention to CNN in years. While channel surfing I come across it now and again. What the fuck is that thing they fuck around with? The screen thing they manipulate with their hands? They sure love that goddamned thing. Makes me dizzy.
Back when he was merely slightly insane.
is to make the news on networks like CNN and ABC seem like objective journalism
i'm recently unemployed, i got nothing better to do. if you want me to show up w/ my pitchfork and torch just give me the time and place.
Haven't watched CNN for years. This isn't even news.
Barack Obama: Change we can only imagine
Because if they won, then they weren't defending terrorists. Were they? Liz?
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Every time a Cheney speaks, an anchor gets an Emmy.
(Variation: Every time a Palin tweets...)
..there's another cover-up to a crime.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Rachel's piece was great. I understand that a number of conservatives are speaking out against "mini-me Cheney", the evil one. What she's doing is every bit as bad, and actually worse, than McCarthyism. So, why is our spineless media not calling this woman out? I'm so sick of the media not doing its job.
portrayed the Al Qaeda connections beautifully. Be afraid, be really afraid.
funniest satire I've seen in a long time including Colbert and Daily Show.
..Rachel needs to be on a Major News Show, 60 Minutes, NBC Evening, etc. every night with video essays like this. It would change the way Americans think.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Because the people on the TV were hired by the people that own the station. They were hired because they were willing to lie for money.
Just overpaid liars is what we have in the media. They make no bones about it. They are not embarrassed when they lie, because they have lost all sense of humanity. They thru it out for greed. Or are they just insane?
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness that has almost totally destroied our morals and our economy! Not to even mention all the innocent people that have been killed because of their bad decisions!
since you use the sentence in every post you make:
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness that has almost totally destroYed our morals and our economy!
Not knocking you, just want a typo to not detract from the message.
But the world we live in changes every single second of every day, whether a republican or christain a climate-change denier...a birther a tea bagger accepts it or not! Nothing! Not one single thing in our lives ever stays the same. Stuff happens, the clock ticks one more second and the world changes and noone can stop it. I don't understand why this reality is so hard to comprehend for some people. Just sayin.
The love you take is equal to the love you make. John Lennon Paul Mc Cartney
He's close to the stupidist person in semi-legitimate news (Gregory is clearly the leader). This MFer almost NEVER asks a follow-up question.
He and his beard (of seriousness) are on to keep telling everyone that this is the top 'political news team' in the country. Which may be true if MSNBC ever drops Keith and Rachel.
Otherwise, Wolfie, you're a disgrace to journalism. You haven't earned a nickle for journalism, but you're a good shill. So, he can afford to get his beard and mustache trimmed for millions of years into the future. Thankfully, he'll be dead in the near future.
I propose a beard tax for lazy TV newspeople. But I really want a huge tax on hair. That's where the real money's at. It'll solve the budget crisis for a thousand years, if not more...
He was advocating setting off car bombs targeting civilians in another country a year or so ago. Video (of him on Faux) is on Youtube.
To promote and cheer for war is rather insane by any civilized standard, to call for attacks on civilians is beyond the pale of humanity. Faux didn't terminate his contract for advocating these attacks, for some strange reason.
As for loyalty to the Constitution and the Law - The Cheneys are total traitors.
I'm disgusted that the cheneys are allowed to continue their trashing of the US.
is a c**t. even her husband, at some time as hes known her i imagine, mustve had this thought run through his mind about her. she is the epitome of that word. she is the poster child of every disagreeable, shrill, sexist, injurious beeyatch that has ever existed (and that includes men). theres nothing positive about her, as she exudes cynicism and negativity.
I guess some people are immune to The Village.
Barack Obama: Change we can only imagine
I always knew Liz Cheney was a shrew, but to find out now that she is also a mole...
..protest too much.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Never found a neocon, or neocon apologist he didn't like. Matthews is terribly annoying but at least he has spoken out against neocons and their disgusting ideas.
Is it the 21st century yet?
The woman defending the lawyers just did a lousy job in her arguement.She should have asked Cheney's flunkie if the lawyer who represented Manson did it because he had a soft spot for sicko murderers
That said "Deapartment of Jihad"? Maybe Blitzer doesn't have anything to do with those graphics but that's just obscene.
Barack Obama: Change we can only imagine
Blitzer supports it if only tacitly by working for an outfit that would throw that up on the screen
me-oww!
Wolfie has a tough enough time reading his teleprompter,let alone decide what to put on the chyron.CNN is going the sensational headline route,they're desperate.A decent counter to the Cheney flunkie would have torn her argument to shreds,they must be using Faux democratic spokesperson leftovers
Neutral in his framing? You mean he gave both sides of the story, the side that said anyone who thinks a terrorism suspect deserves due process should be blackballed from government service, and the side that said "WTF?"
Next on the situation room: Should the US declare christianity the state religion and should all muslims have their citizenship revoked? We'll hear from Bill Donohue, John Gibson, and some flacid, uninformed 14 year-old.
I don't think Blitzer impacted the discussion much at all.
She wrote how wonderful and carefree he was in her journal.
And transferred him into one of her heroes of the Fountainhead novel.
geez, who'da thunk?
When Toensing asked her if she would have someone opposed to the death penalty in the DOJ overseeing capital cases, Lisa Bloom pointed out that Thurgood Marshal was against the death penalty and ruled on death penalty cases as a Supreme Court Justice. Obviously, a person's ability to adjudicate the law objectively is not entirely undone by their personal beliefs.
Is there anyone who has done more damage to this country than Billy "the Bloody" Kristol? Liz Cheney is the Paris Hilton of DC pundits. In an arena of very short resumes, she stands out as especially unqualified. Has she ever done anything besides opine?
Lawyers represented clients. It's called a job.
Are Cheney and Kristol arguing that Guantanamo detainees don't deserve lawyers? It's a genius plan: maybe Al Qaeda wouldn't hate us for our freedoms if we got rid of them all!
This is only an issue because Wolfie and Chris Wallace and Michelle Malkin (talk about a short resume) want it to be.
Fuck all these corporatist whores.
Shorter Liz..."If you represent a child molester, you're probably one too."
WASHINGTON — Human rights advocates voiced dismay Friday at signals President Barack Obama is considering a military tribunal for the September 11 plotters, backtracking on a plan for a civilian trial.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/...
Obama administration: only too happy to cave in to Liz Cheney's scare tactics and fear mongering?
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
The factual record speaks for its self. The military commissions have been incompetent, inefficient and ineffective. They are known both here and throughout the world as a mockery and a caricature of justice. The American judicial system on the other hand, while not perfect, has a proven track record that shows the military commissions for the farce that they truly are. Support the Rule of Law and prosecute the 9/11 terrorists in American Federal Court as is right and proper. It IS the American thing to do!
Hey Wolfie, Liz, Dick and the rest of you morons. As long as you touch upon the topic of something called "Keep America Safe," why don't you mention the fact that on September 11, 2001, the occupants in the White House were Bush and Cheney. They presided over the biggest security failure in our nation's history. They did NOT "Keep America Safe." As to Liz and her comments about patriotism. Your patriotic father is a chickenhawk draft dodging coward!!
Edward R. Murrow? Oh, give me a break. What this weezer needs is an honest to goodness NBC laugh track added to his interviews. At least it would add a proper credibility to his disgusting lack of integrity and style.
Is he just to fuckin' old to be worth anything? Why would CNN (Corrupted Nazi/Neocons) not jump at the chance at dark comedy?
I guess so! This is something he and his nepotistic daughter cooked up before the Iraq war even started by creating some boiler-room organization like hers that has one mission. Protect the lies that got us into the war and the profits thereafter. I wish our current admin (who I still support and would vote for again) would go after these cretins from the previous corrupt disgusting administration and not be intimidated by dear nepo lizzy and her greaseball father.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer has apologized for using chyron text that seemed to question the loyalties of the Department of Justice.
On Thursday, CNN broadcast text that read "HAPPENING NOW, DEPARTMENT OF JIHAD?" and "Are Justice Department Lawyers Disloyal?" as part of its coverage of an ad by Liz Cheney that suggests that because the DOJ hired lawyers who have represented accused terrorists, the department is sympathetic to terrorists.
On Friday, Blitzer apologized for the graphic and called DOJ lawyers "patriotic."
...and impersonating a credible newsman these many years.
. . . accused in the Boston Massacre. March 5, 1770.
He won too.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
And went on to win an election to become the second President of the United States.
Why does Wolf Blitzer hate one of the framers of the Constitution and our 2nd President???
..
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
This is what happens when the crimes of a deceitful,repressive,murderous regime is not confronted for their crimes and is allowed to get away with literally hundreds of thousands of murders in eight years.
Obama threw them a rope,they took it, and now they`re trying to hang him with it with their repetitious blather.There`s still time to prosecute even if they STFU,which of course they will not do.So prosecute the bastards, and remember that Wolfe,Charlie Rose,and all the others who supported the wars,is/are part of the problem
you get right to the point.
..when pigs fly. Totally disgusted with the current administration's posture on the previous administration's crimes too but its obvious they've failed us on this one and have given w and cheney a free pass. Hell, they couldn't even fully support the Public Option in the health care debate after claiming they might.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
"Keep America Safe" by banning the Cheneys from all media.
Keep the world safe by sending Dick Cheney to The Hague, and put him on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
CNN seems to be the bride of Fox-instein.
Study the symptoms not the virus...
My liberal radio station in Chicago area uses CNN news - it always slants completely right - I'm completely fed up with it - I've contacted the station to complain.
*
CNN has definitely gotten some pro GOP directive from management...they have no Progressives left.
I wasn't a big Maddow fan about two years ago. Probably because I didn't listen to Air America enough. But since she joined MSNBC, she's the best thing going. I love my KO and Ed but this gal really gets to the heart of shit and ain't afraid of no one. If she wasn't a Lesbian I'd be stalking her right now. Someone said earlier when referring to CNN that Morrow would be spinning in his grave. But watching Maddow he'd have a huge smile.
is intended to be a factual statement
Well said.
"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
I love the way Rachel goes after the liars. She is a smart lady.
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness that has almost totally destroied our morals and our economy! Not to even mention all the innocent people that have been killed because of their bad decisions!
Lol.
about this harridan. she is a harpy of the highest order. it could be a number of things, but it clearly starts with her father, Dick Cheney. he, at least, has earned his infamy and derision, by being VP and former Sec of Defense, and former WH Chief of Staff. she is nothing, except for being the spawn of aforementioned VP. and she looks like a shrill shrew also, no fault of hers. im not sure what US country she conjures up in her mind but in my mind it never existed and thank God never will. no US country I love, no matter what century, would ever welcome a C-Word such as this woman. she is as unAmerican as anyone can exist. no Real American should have any use for her. that includes everyone who posts on this site.
you nailed it, little miss lizzie is beyond words, narcissistic psychopath comes to mind, when she is in front of the camera; i swear she is - well i am not going to say it - yes i am - a sexual thrill - oh god - i am going to spew ---
i really am scared of what is going on in this country.
i do not think contacting any elected official, or cnn, will have any effect on this situation; if our leaders do not understand the gravity of this matter by this time, then it is already too late.
the same goes for our friends on the right, if these strict constitutionalists do not see what is in play, then they probably never will.
"congress shall have the power to declare war" is a pretty close paraphrase of article 1,section 8 - this is the core of our problem, congress has for too long allowed undeclared wars and covert military actions to be the rule of the day.
this is why we have this whole problem, because the american people really do not support the rule of law. if this nation adhered to such we would not be having this discussion.
our elected officials are violating their oath of office by copping out on these important issues.
let us call liz cheney, her father, beck, limbaugh, and all of them what they are, fascists; they are not neo-cons, they are fascists, they preach fascist policies, they implement fascist policies, they are akin to the nazis - with an american twist.
while i am on a rant, i will go ahead and say it, the iranian regime are fascists also, as are the taliban, as are other "islamic" governments who suppress the rights of women and religious minorities around the globe. the iranians have executed gays in public at large soccer stadiums. check it out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Iran
now our country is in danger of becoming a mirror image .
you may say to me, mr. red, why are you going on about this when we were discussing little miss lizzie?
because little miss lizzie is on tv impugning the reputation of honorable men and women who stand up for our constitution, and thereby all of our rights.
this is it ladies and gentlemen, either our president and other elcted officials do the right thing, or not, for myself,
i really am scared of what is going on in this country.
..Iraq actually had more progressive views towards women mostly gone thanks to our illegal invasion.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Let's pretend you're CNN--the "Worldwide Leader In
News"-Sleaze""We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
I really don't know why Mr. Blitzer hates this country and our legal system and our laws so much. But if the level of hatred towards them that he exposed in his segment on the DOJ lawyers whose job it was to defend accused criminals is the norm for him then perhaps it is past time for him to buy a plane ticket and go somewhere else. This is our system. It is the one we have had for a long time. And it works! Such attacks against our country and our way of life as that launched by Mr. Blitzer are a serious threat to this country. I am thoroughly disgusted by this anti-American person and find it offensive that a once decent new outlet would allow such a person appear on their "news" programs.
June and Ward Cheney programmed themselves a real gem didn't they ? Obviously this train wreck is trying to protect her Daddy . Dickhead is probably writing her talking points and script , he and Bill Krystol , another gem
raisedprogrammed by right wing lunatic " parents " . CNN is a joke anymore , once Turner sold the company it really went south .Democracy is a foreign concept to Republicans but that is exactly what got Barry elected, our Democracy.
Now because the right no longer believes in this concept, they whine and bitch, like this clown of a woman Liz is doing. Not only does she lack any personal credibility but she is trying to argue for the least credible administration in recent history.
Let's also be clear that the reason many of us, who ridicule the likes of Liz et al are not doing so because we are in any way perturbed but rather because we are simply unable to compute how people like this woman can sit there on TV and actually think anyone but the brainwashed right wing voters is going to take them seriously. It's almost like the study of monkey's in the zoo. It's a fascination.
We want her, Rove and her Father to keep flappin their gums.
I remember Wolf Blitzer really embarrasing himself on celebrity Jeopardy. The guy is a nit wit.
Keep America Scared loves stirring up the crazies. Straight out of the Cheney playbook. I wish Liz and these clowns would have been more concerned during Bush's reign of error.
NOBODY 2012
So, in brief, from traffic law violators to serial killer/rapists, every defense attorney is complicit in the crimes of the person they are defending. Liz Cheney has her work cut out for her.
...who've truly deserved being called a c**t, but...HEY LIZ!!! YOU ARE A STOOPID C**T!!!
the abysmal,rotund Wolfgang Blitzer (Blitz: Lightning,HAHA!!)is
working for his masters i.e. The Israeli Government, hasn't anybody
noticed yet or known about that?? This man with his droning delivery
and self satisfied manner is an abomination -why has CNN kept HIM on
and on---------he seems to belong to the"UNTOUCHABLES"and we all
should know by now unless we are completely daft and ignorant who
THEY are.Goodbye world as we know it-------
a fan(!!)
Victoria Toensing as much as admits this whole issue is fabricated at the end of this video. When Blitzer asks her if it is appropriate to call these lawyers the Al Qaeda 7 she says no but that's what ads do. They draw attention to an issue and then people talk about it. Exactly! and that's exactly the problem. Liz Cheney created an issue here that doesn't exist by suggesting that lawyers take on the moral decrepitude of their clients, and then instead of using this as an opportunity to vehemently decry this political falsehood and slander, Wolf Blitzer turns it into a feature story. Let's see if that will work the other way:
Hey, did you hear that Liz Cheney fries puppies in her skillet and eats them with a side of baby seal blood? Can we really trust this fried puppy and baby seal blood devourer daughter of Satan? (Ok, the last part was true, but let's see if the falsehoods could become a feature story on CNN.)
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