Phil Griffin: MSNBC’s Embeded Fox News Groupie

Posted by on November 5, 2010 at 6:58 pm. 3 Comments :

I was reminded of an article I wrote last May by a Twitterer who apparently knows my work better than I do. Below are a few choice excerpts that paint a clearer picture of the man that just put Keith Olbermann on suspension.

Phil Griffin Of MSNBC ♥’s Roger Ailes Of Fox News
 

Roger AilesPhil Griffin, president of MSNBC, was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune and provided an outstanding example of the sort of clueless, illogical, journalistic myopia that is rotting away the American press. When asked about his rival Roger Ailes at Fox News, he gave an almost fawning response that makes one wonder if they are really rivals at all.

“He’s changed media. Everybody does news differently because Roger’s changed the world. Roger early on figured it out and was brilliant.”

Indeed. Roger Ailes changed media – for the worse! His “brilliant” idea was to transform the news into a rancorous, talk-radio style, shoutfest that manufactured conflict and spun every story as far to the right as their ideological wheel could turn. The inspiration behind Fox’s brand loyalty is talk-radio, soap operas, and tabloid news vendors like the National Enquirer.

[…]

If Griffin really believes that his mission is to emulate Fox from the opposite end of the political spectrum, he will only succeed in further debasing the media. In addition, he will miss the opportunity to effectively compete in the cable news marketplace. He needs to realize that, not being a news network, Fox is no more his competition than is Nickelodeon (which I’ve said before is a better source than Fox for news and plays to a smarter audience).

[…]

If Griffin were to apply basic fundamentals of entertainment to a more journalistically ethical approach he could attract a much larger and more loyal audience. He needs to give news consumers a little more credit for being discriminating, skeptical, curious, and capable of understanding the issues that bear directly on their lives. The last thing we need is more of the cheapening of journalism that Ailes has proffered. And we certainly should not be honoring him for the damage he has already done.

Why does MSNBC have a president who idolizes Roger Ailes? He should not be a role model for anyone who reveres journalism and public service. If there is any justice in this world Olbermann will be back on the air next week and Griffin will be suspended for incompetence and a debilitating lack of vision.

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Keith Olbermann Suspended For Acting Like Fox

Posted by on November 5, 2010 at 3:41 pm. 4 Comments :

MSNBC released this notice today regarding their primetime host, Keith Olbermann:

“Msnbc TV host Keith Olbermann was suspended indefinitely on Friday for making campaign donations to three Democratic congressional candidates, apparently in violation of NBC News ethics policy. “

Upon learning of Olbermann’s contributions MSNBC took swift and decisive action to reprimand the talk show host. Some people may argue about whether the punishment is too severe, but I have to commend the network for maintaining a strict policy of ethical conduct. If Olbermann worked for Fox News he would be getting a bonus for this.

No matter what your political leanings (forward or otherwise), you must be accountable for your actions and you must adhere to the standards established by your employer and the journalism community. For the record, here is the policy MSNBC has for its staff:

“Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest. Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the president of NBC News or his designee.”

Olbermann apparently did not obtain the required approval for his contributions. Of course, it is difficult to see how his donations would have “jeopardize[d] his…standing as an impartial journalist,” in as much as he has never portrayed himself as either impartial or a journalist. What’s more, MSNBC has not been consistent in the execution of their policy as they have permitted Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan to continue working despite having made numerous political contributions.

Nevertheless, MSNBC chief Phil Griffin suddenly feels compelled to make an example of Olbermann. MSNBC personnel simply cannot be allowed to behave as if they were on Fox News. Unless, that is, they actually ought to be on Fox News like Scarborough and Buchanan. If you are contributing to Republicans, Griffin has no problem with it. Perhaps he is kissing up to his new bosses at Comcast in advance. For the record, here is the policy Fox has for its staff:

“The prohibitions and limitations on political contributions outlined above relate only to the use of corporate funds and services and are not intended to discourage employees from making personal contributions to candidates or political parties of their choice. Personal involvement in political activity is permitted as long as the activity does not interfere with or impair the performance of the employee’s duties for the Company. In addition, any employee who becomes involved with a political group must make it clear that his or her activities are being conducted purely in a personal capacity and not on behalf of or in connection with the Company.”

So at Fox there is virtually no barrier for employees who wish to donate time or money to political concerns. And dozens of them take advantage of that freedom every day. Even worse, Fox personnel from Sean Hannity to Dick Morris to Greta Van Susteren and more actively solicited donations for their pet GOP candidates and causes. Glenn Beck came right out and asked his viewers to donate so much to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that it would become their biggest fundraising day ever. And we know that the corporation has no barriers either as News Corp was caught making multimillion donations to GOP organizations. The last thing we need now is for other media figures to adopt the standards (or lack thereof) of Fox News.

For that reason it is important to insure compliance with strict standards for ethical behavior. Olbermann is being held to those standards even if other MSNBC personnel are not. Such inconsistency would make Phil Griffin a candidate for Olbermann’s “Worst Person in the World.” Lucky for him that Olbermann has been suspended (and Olbermann also recently suspended that segment).


There is no indication from MSNBC how long the suspension will remain in effect. It could, however, be a thorny issue for them. Olbermann’s Countdown is the number one show on the network. He has almost single-handedly thrust MSNBC into the number two slot ahead of CNN. It would be in the interest of the network to keep the suspension short. They may also run the risk of alienating Olbermann who may find greener pastures elsewhere. CNN would very likely give him anything he wanted, including his present time slot that CNN is wasting with Parker/Spitzer. And can you imagine the success that MSNBC would have if they moved Scarborough into the 8:00pm slot?

The reactions to Olbermann’s suspension are already reverberating throughout the blogosphere. Some are calling for boycotts of NBC/MSNBC. That would be stupid. Rachel Maddow, Ed Schultz, and Lawrence O’Donnell had nothing to do with this.

The most likely reason for Olbermann’s suspension probably has nothing to do with ethics or political contributions. It is almost certainly related to Phil Griffin’s lust for power. With Jeff Zucker out as network CEO and Comcast looming on the horizon, Griffin sees this as an opportunity to elevate his status. Olbermann represents the 800 pound gorilla at MSNBC and Griffin gets to knock him down a peg by exerting this show of authority. That would explain why Griffin never demonstrated any concern for other MSNBC personalities who did the same thing Olbermann did. They didn’t have any of the heft that Olbermann has and thus it would serve no purpose to bother with them.

While Olbermann may have made a mistake by contributing to candidates when it is against company policy to do so, the punishment is far in excess of the crime, and it has been wielded in a grossly unfair manner. Griffin is revealing himself to be unethical and power mad (or at best a sycophant to his incoming masters).

NBC/MSNBC needs to set aside this unnecessary controversy that only benefits their competition. Fox, and their cultist followers, are reveling in this soap opera. They will get significant mileage out of asserting that MSNBC is unethical while remaining oblivious to their own infractions. That’s what makes this such a idiotic play even if there is some technical justification for it.

In the end it is terrible for business and the executives at NBC/MSNBC have a fiduciary duty to advance the interests of shareholders. So have your little suspension, get it over with, and put Olbermann back on the air by Tuesday.

You can help to resolve this mess by expressing yourselves to Phil Griffin and Co. here:

212-664-4444
phil.griffin@nbcuni.com

[Update:] Nice work, people. MSNBC/Griffin fold. Olbermann will be back on the air Tuesday, just as I demanded. Wow…I have more clout than I thought.


Will Fox News Be Happy When George Soros Is Murdered?

Posted by on November 4, 2010 at 3:11 pm. 22 Comments :

Fox News takes pride in its ability to destroy the lives of people it opposes politically. They had a hand in the assassination of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, whom they labeled “the baby killer.” And several “lone wolf” nuts tied to Fox broadcasters have been thwarted prior to executing their plans to murder “enemies” of the Fox Nation.

The latest target of demonization by the Smear Squad at Fox News is billionaire investor, George Soros. Actually, they have been on Soros’ trail for months, but they have lately escalated the rhetoric and its overtly hostile tone. Several Fox presenters have portrayed Soros as a mysterious and dangerous character. They cast him as “foreign” and “secretive.” Of course, the truth is just the opposite. Soros is every bit as American as Rupert Murdoch, and his participation in public affairs is always disclosed openly, contrary to Murdoch whose recent funding of partisan GOP organizations was done in secret and only became known via third party disclosures and against Murdoch’s wishes.

Glenn Beck, the inspiration to many rightist would-be assassins, has scheduled a full hour of hate speech next Tuesday dedicated to Soros that Beck is promoting as “D-Day for George Soros.” Beck has called Soros the “puppetmaster” controlling all manner of evil in the world. From socialists to Nazis to the collapse of free-market capitalism, Soros is accused of being the invisible hand behind it all. Beck tagged Soros “the most powerful man in America.” That’s hard to grasp when he isn’t even in the top 25 of the richest, according to Forbes. By the way, the Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal (the second biggest shareholder of News Corp outside of the Murdoch family) and the oil-rich Koch brothers (financiers of the AstroTurf Tea Party movement) are all in the top 25. And somehow they are still less powerful than Soros according to Beck.


In advance of Beck’s special anti-Soros episode, Fox Nation has published a hit piece that declares “Soros [the] Big Loser After Tuesday’s Election.” The gist is that due to the poor showing of Democrats, Soros’ political donations went to waste. However, Soros made no donations whatsoever to Democratic campaigns or partisan committees this cycle. He even made a public statement to that effect asserting that he didn’t think his participation would stem the GOP tide. The article focused on Soros’ support for the Secretary of State Project, a 527 whose mission is to support candidates for Secretary of State who will advance voter access and participation. However, Soros didn’t contribute to that in this cycle either. His only support for it was $10,000 in 2008. Hardly a game changer.

Soros did make sizable donations to media organizations like Media Matters and NPR, and he supported the marijuana initiative in California. But he had no investment in the electoral arena, and that completely negates the whole premise of the Fox Nation’s article.

Ironically, the argument that Soros is a loser because Democratic candidates lost deflates Beck’s argument that he is the most powerful man in America. That title ought to go to the Koch brothers or Karl Rove or any of the other multimillion dollar entities that bankrolled the winning GOP campaigns. But I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Beck’s special one hour anti-Koch episode.

So while we’re waiting for Beck to unveil his smear job on Soros next week, Fox Nation’s article provided an opportunity for the Fox Nationalists to weigh in on what they believe should become of Soros. And guess what they said (screen cap)…..

wilsonglock: Somebody needs to “find” this guy !!!!! He has created enough problems in America and around the world…..Are there any “bounty” hunters out there willing to get rid of this creep…???

theoutlawjoseywhales: Soros is a criminal, who has destroyed 4 countries, were number five, but we won’t go so easily. Soros, we’re going to hunt you down and have our justice for your crimes against us. Count on it.

texascherokee: George, a Small Consolation Gift will be arriving soon, from about 300 yards!

sam@yahoo: Someone put a prize on the pig’s head,let some patriots go on the hunt for that beast!

The Fox Nationalists are openly calling for assassination. I reviewed the website three hours after I first saw these comments (and flagged them for being inappropriate) and they were still there. There is nothing ambiguous about the intentions expressed here. It is utterly irresponsible for Fox to permit this sort of advocacy of criminal violence. Or maybe this is what they mean when they say “All Opinions Welcome” (although my comments are rarely posted).

For this to appear on Fox’s website so soon after a real life tragedy was narrowly averted is unconscionable. Just last July a deranged fan of Glenn Beck’s embarked on a mission to murder people associated with the ACLU and the Tides Foundation, a beneficiary of Soros’ donations. From Media Matters:

On July 18, Byron Williams, an ex-felon with a history of violent criminal behavior, was pulled over by California Highway Police on I-580. Williams, who was apparently intoxicated, opened fire at the officers as one approached his truck. […] Williams reportedly told investigators that “his intention was to start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing people of importance at the Tides Foundation and the ACLU.

What are we to expect now from Beck’s hour long assault on Soros, whom Beck calls “Spooky Dude” (as if there could be someone spookier than Beck)? Despite his regular pleas that his disciples refrain from violence, Beck knows all to well that many believe he is just saying that to stay within legal boundaries. Beck himself even told his congregation that…

“I can only say certain things, and I haven’t lost all of the rights. But know that these things are true. And if you hear me stop saying these things, it’s because I can no longer say them to you. But hear them between the sentences. Hear them, please. I will be screaming them to you.”

Beck has also told his audience that Soros is trying to silence him. That is Beck’s explanation for Soros’ donation to Media Matters. And worse than that, Beck has implied that Soros wants to kill him. In one rant Beck pointedly looked at the camera and addressed Soros, warning him that he (Beck) has a bulletproof car.

So let’s put this puzzle together:

1) Beck accuses Soros of being a general threat to America and the freedom of all citizens.
2) Beck asserts that Soros is a specific threat to Beck’s personal freedom to speak, and even his life.
3) Fox Nation is packed with explicit death threats aimed at Soros.
4) Beck advises his listeners that they have to read between the lines to hear his real message.
5) Beck’s opus on Soros will debut Tuesday November 9, 2010, with an hour’s worth of sentences to read between.

This is about as close to a solicitation for murder as you can get. Beck has demonized his target and warned his faithful followers that he is need of their defense and/or vengeance. His followers have heard the call as evidenced on Fox Nation. And even if there is nothing controversial in Beck’s new Soros documentary (or more controversial than usual), the damage he and Fox have done already is sufficient cause for concern. He may merely repeat the same lies he has been telling about Soros for months. But the cumulative effect of the components of this campaign against Soros could have tragic consequences – again. And Beck, along with Fox News, must be held accountable. A movement has already begun to let Fox’s advertisers know that they bear some responsibility as well. Sign the petition here.

Despite Beck’s disingenuous pleas for peace, he knows the potential for violence that his words produce, Why else would he have to repeatedly admonish his viewers to be peaceful? Is there any other television host who feels it’s necessary to remind his/her audience to not kill people? I’m pretty sure Alex Trebek doesn’t have that problem. Oprah went 26 years without having to do it. But Beck has already produced violent actors yet he persists in fanning the embers of hate.

This makes it all the more important to persuade people of good will in the media and in the advertising communities to be responsible and disassociate themselves with Beck, Fox News, and any other enterprise that incites such violence.


Has Jon Stewart Ever Watched Chris Wallace?

Posted by on November 4, 2010 at 9:53 am. 4 Comments :

On last night’s The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart interviewed Chris Wallace of Fox News. The resulting veneration was cringe-worthy and wholly undeserved.

Stewart repeatedly praised Wallace as the lone representative of journalistic principle on Fox News, calling him their “news guy.”. This makes me wonder if Stewart has actually ever seen Wallace in action. If he had he would be familiar with how Wallace slants his reporting and cushions his interview subjects with praise, softballs, and leading questions, i.e.:

  • Asking the Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes “is it unfair to say that this is a president whose heart doesn’t seem to be into winning the war on terror?”
  • Asking Rush Limbaugh what Obama has done TO the country.
  • Awarding ACORN pimp, James O’Keefe, the “Power Player of the Week.”
  • Calling Democrats “damn fools” for declining to appear on Fox News.
  • Admitting that he “generally agrees” with Sean Hannity.
  • Jumping to the defense of George W. Bush after director Ron Howard suggested comparisons to Richard Nixon.
  • Declaring Sarah Palin to be a “new star in the political galaxy.”
  • Asking George Bush if he was “puzzled by all of the concern in this country about protecting [the] rights of people who want to kill us.”
  • In a criticism of Democratic health care plans, making the absurd observation that “people don’t even contemplate end of life until they’re in an irreversible coma.”

To be sure, Stewart got in a couple moments of clarity. For instance, when he noted that Wallace was hesitant to ask challenging questions of fellow Fox Newser Sarah Palin. Stewart was also on target when he congratulated Wallace and Fox News for “taking back control of the House of Representatives,” clearly associating the goals of Fox News with those of the GOP. Wallace assumed the tribute was for besting MSNBC and CNN in the ratings (all Foxies care more about ratings than reporting). However, Stewart properly corrected him. And then there was the exchange wherein Stewart zinged Wallace by saying…

Stewart: You have a very clear narrative.
Wallace: You mean the truth?
Stewart: [Laughing] No. You know which party you want to elect.

But overall this interview affirmed my long-held criticism that interviewing is not Stewart’s strong point. He often seems more focused on fawning over his guests than challenging them. That’s tolerable when he’s interviewing Hugh Grant about his next romantic comedy, but with political guests he should be at least as provocative as he is in the show’s earlier “funny” segments.

Stewart’s Daily Show is still the funniest and most biting satire on TV. But he should never let a guest get away with the sort of spin for which they would be mocked were they to have done it on another program. And the ingratiating tone he took with Wallace, who is as overtly partisan as the rest of the Fox roster, was a failure from both an informative and a humorous perspective.


Glenn Beck Hates America And Her People

Posted by on November 3, 2010 at 3:55 pm. 9 Comments :

It is time for Glenn Beck to give up his phony pretense of patriotism. What he regards as love of country is really more like a Patriopathic™ disease that infects his brain with a cult-like zeal for ultra-nationalism. Beck does not love America, in fact, he bitterly hates much of it – perhaps the majority of it. And this is not some lefty hyperbole, it is his own words and opinions that reveal his disdain for this country. In the wake of the election results last night, Beck had this to say:

I’m thinking about taking a shovel and digging Nevada out. I mean, seriously. We’ll dig all the way to China if we have to and there’s just a giant, Nevada-sized hole in the earth.

You know, California, I swear to you I’m gonna take the star off the flag. There’s gonna be 49. […] Can we kick a state out?


Beck should have his own wing in the Hypocrisy Hall of Fame. He pontificates feverishly about the people having their voices heard – unless they aren’t saying what he wants to hear. When Nevadans and Californians speak their minds they are not accorded the respect of citizens making a democratic choice. They are reviled as unworthy of their citizenship.

We’re talking about tens of millions of families, soccer moms, small business owners, and veterans who have sacrificed more for this country than Beck ever will if he outlives Methuselah. And their crime is nothing more than voting for a party other than the one Beck prefers. I’m not sure Beck knows what a democratic republic is.

This isn’t a new mode of attack for Beck. He frequently lambastes domestic targets whom he perceives as enemies. He would like to eliminate New York, Chicago, Vermont, New Orleans, Madison, and Seattle. He’s also not particularly fond of Austin, Hawaii, and parts of southern Florida.

Beck’s geographical bigotry extends beyond a mere disagreement with the values of a particular region. He actually regards them as so irredeemably un-American that they ought to be disjoined or destroyed. That’s the penalty for holding or expressing views that are contrary to Beck’s. Apparently the remaining portion of Beck’s Disunited States will not enjoy free speech.

The funny thing is that if Beck got his way, and the objects of his hatred were to actually separate from the union, the U.S. as he imagines it would be substantially weaker and poorer. The banished territories, on the other hand, would be exceedingly prosperous – even more so without having to support the sparsely populated rural states that lack the productive industries that generate revenue and trade.

How long will Beck get away with maligning his fellow Americans? How long will his phony patriotism fool people? I wonder when even his fans, who live in the dark corners of Beck’s anti-America, will become disgusted with his insulting and divisive rhetoric. Then again, I wonder if they even know they are being insulted.


Voters Send Message To Washington: We’re Idiots

Posted by on November 3, 2010 at 11:05 am. 26 Comments :

The party’s over, America. And, unfortunately, it isn’t the Tea Party. Prepare to follow in the footsteps of the Romans, the Greeks, the Brits, the Grand Fenwicks. The empire has fallen into the grip of a powerful cadre of overseers who suffer delusions and celebrate ignorance.

This morning we will be plagued by ceaseless and insufferable speeches about what message the American people are sending. But the all too obvious summation boils down to a populace that has resolutely turned toward Washington and shouted: We’re idiots!

That’s right. We are a nation that can be easily manipulated by disingenuous flattery, horror stories of marauding, alien, socialists, and offers of extravagant and unpaid for gifts of tax cuts and magically disappearing deficits. We are a gullible lot and are anxious for anyone with a sword and a smile to rescue us from the certain doom that was manufactured by our reputed saviors. We are desperately grasping for the rays of light that emanate from our electronic herald of Armageddon, Fox News, as we pray for salvation and mercy. [Note: Two Fox News contributors were elected. John Kasich, governor of Ohio, and Pam Biondi, Attorney General of Florida]

It’s hard to put a positive spin on last night’s disappointing election results if you aren’t fully steeped in Tea Baggery. Turning the House over to an angry Republican mob is about as disturbing a development as can be imagined. The specter of a sobbing John Boehner pretending to grab the reins of power is ironic imagery, to say the least. And the inevitable gloating of repugnant characters like Sarah Palin, Karl Rove, Jim DeMint, and Glenn Beck is chilling indeed. But there are reasons to maintain hope.

First of all, Sarah Palin’s vaunted Mama Grizzlies were more like harmless Teddy Bears. Sharron Angle, Christine O’Donnell, Linda McMahon, and Carly Fiorina all lost. Each of those races were hijacked by Tea Partiers who arguably performed worse than the establishment Republicans they beat in the primaries. So Palin likely helped Democrats preserve their majority in the Senate. Thanks Sarah.

California was a particularly bright spot for Democrats. They won every statewide race and maintained a majority congressional caucus. And it looks like Colorado Democrats muscled through victories for both governor and senate over world-class wackos Tom Tancredo and Ken Buck respectively. Also, West Virginia’s John Raese and Alaska’s Joe Miller, both Papa Grizzlies, were rejected by voters. In Miller’s case the loss was a personal rebuke of Palin in her home state as her nemesis Lisa Murkowski trounced Palin’s Tea Party palooka with an unprecedented write in campaign. These, and other races that bucked the red tide, offer some solace and hope for future renewal.

So where does this leave America? As disheartening as it is that so many people would vote for so much stupidity, it probably doesn’t have as much of an impact on lawmaking as one might think. The Democratic House was repeatedly thwarted for the past two years by a Senate whose rules allowed a minority of right-wingers to impose gridlock. Now the Republican House will get to see what it’s like to pass bills that go to the Senate to languish and die.

Furthermore, Republicans have exceedingly over-promised their constituents. They campaigned on a platform of cutting taxes and reducing the deficit. But they offered no plans to achieve any of it. They are going to find that it is much easier to complain about spending than it is to actually cut programs that people support and depend upon.

The new Republican House majority is sitting on a precarious precipice. They have already announced that their top priority will be to insure that Barack Obama is a one-term president. The best way to do that is to prevent any progress on legislation that will benefit the country on economy and jobs. But if they do that they will be held accountable as well and will likely get shoved back into minority status. This congress has a heavy burden to produce tangible results. That is, unless the Tea Party is a pretentious facade of partisan Republicans that never had the courage of their convictions in the first place. Uh oh.

Washington is going to start making noises about working together for the good of the nation. They do this after every election, but it is even more important now. Their natural impulse will be to espouse the bipartisan rhetoric of compromise while ignoring the reality of it entirely. But due to the severity of the nation’s problems, Democrats and Republicans have something in common that may cause them to behave out of character. They both need to have trophies to display in 2012 in order to get reelected. They need to make progress on improving the economy and creating jobs, but that progress conflicts with what the GOP claims is their first priority, beating Obama.

It will be interesting to see what happens if the Republican House fails to move legislation that gets results. Will the Tea Party stay true to their professed ideals and throw the bums out? If not, then the dishonesty of their movement will be revealed. They will be exposed as nothing more than noisy Republicans. And the rest of the country will be justified in asking them politely to shut the fuck up.

Good luck, America. We’re going to need it.

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Top Ten Reasons A Democratic Victory Is Worth Fighting For

Posted by on November 1, 2010 at 11:26 am. 2 Comments :

Tomorrow is election day, and if you think there isn’t a lot at stake your Lunesta dosage is too high.

The media is falling all over itself predicting a Republican landslide, but this campaign is far from over. Polling for midterm elections is difficult under the best of circumstances, but with the wild fluctuations caused by Tea Partiers, minorities, and young voters who pollsters ignore, anything is possible. The most important thing is to stay strong, vote, and make sure you get everyone you know to vote as well. As much as he might like to believe it, Rupert Murdoch does not decide who wins elections in America. That is, unless Americans allow it. Therefore, if you need a little extra motivation, I give you…..

The Top 10 Reasons A Democratic Victory Is Worth Fighting For:

  1. George Soros will send you a crisp, new $100.00 bill.
  2. Michael Steele will take that call center job in Guam.
  3. Seven year old girls will get their Tea Party back.
  4. The Learning Channel will relaunch Sarah Palin’s Alaska as Sarah Palin’s Jersey Shore.
  5. Christine O’Donnell will turn Karl Rove into a Newt Gingrich.
  6. Fox News advertising will consist entirely of gold coins, Egg Genies, and penis enlargers.
  7. Linda McMahon’s WWE will air a death match between Sharon “Man-up” Angle and Rand “Aqua Buddha” Paul.
  8. Hundreds of media pundits and pollsters will be fired (don’t count on this one).
  9. The war between the GOP and the Tea Party will go nuclear.

And the #1 Reason A Democratic Victory Is Worth Fighting For…

  1. This will happen to Glenn Beck:

And an honorary mention: The country may actually have an opportunity to move forward and avoid the agenda of the GOP Dark Ageists for a couple more years.

GET OUT THE F’ING VOTE!


Fox News Fabricating A Story About Media Fabricating Stories

Posted by on October 31, 2010 at 4:14 pm. 4 Comments :

All morning long Fox News has been broadcasting a story out of Alaska concerning a recording of reporters from KTVA whom Fox News alleges were conspiring to sabotage Joe Miller’s senate campaign. There is only one problem with this story: There is no evidence to support it.

The only thing that Fox News has to back up their claim is a recording that was made from an open phone line. The recording is of poor quality with much that is unintelligible. But what makes this utterly unreliable is that Andrew Breitbart is the source of the recording. Breitbart is best known for promoting tapes and video that were proven to be either fake or deliberately edited to give a false impression of what actually occurred.

A statement from KTVA affirms that the reporters had called Miller but deny that they ever discussed any plot to harm his campaign. They were merely speculating on what others may do and how they would cover an upcoming event.

Leave it to Fox News to broadcast materials they received from a known producer of lies and disinformation. When they first began airing the story even their chief correspondent, Carl Cameron, confessed on air that he could not confirm the allegations from the Miller camp. You have to wonder why any reputable news organization would go to air with a story that they admittedly can’t confirm. But you don’t have to wonder why Fox would do so.

As part of their coverage Fox interviewed both Joe Miller and Sarah Palin. Both were outraged at the assertions that even they could not prove. Palin called the KTVA crew “corrupt bastards” on Fox News Sunday. They both castigated the media for fabricating stories. But going on Fox News to complain about the media fabricating stories is kind of like Dracula complaining about vampires drinking blood.

It’s almost too ludicrous to comprehend that, while in the midst of fabricating a story they scold others for fabricating stories. But I suppose it’s all that we can expect from Fox News.


Stewart And/Or Colbert Restore Sanity And/Or Fear

Posted by on October 31, 2010 at 1:17 am. 2 Comments :

Today was the day that many historians will record as the day that sanity was restored to America. And the rest of the historians will mark it as the day fear was kept alive. Then the two warring groups of historians will pelt one another with eggs. That’s just the way historians are.

Jon Stewart’s long anticipated Rally to Restore Sanity, and Stephen Colbert’s opposing March to Keep Fear Alive, took place at the National Mall in Washington, DC. By all accounts it was a rip-snorting success. But as Stewart noted, what’s important isn’t what happened there, but how what happened there would be reported:

“I think you know that the success or failure of a rally is judged by only two criteria: the intellectual coherence of the content, and its correlation to the engagement…I’m just kidding. It’s color and size. We all know it’s color and size. But I think we’re in good shape. As I look here today I can see we have over ten million people.”

In fact, the actual estimates were slightly lower. CBS News hired a firm to estimate attendance and they reported the crowd to be 215,000. The same firm pegged Glenn Beck’s Rally to Restore Honor at 87,000. Expect Beck to bitterly condemn the socialist, mathematician, elitists who deliberately skewed the estimates in order to plunge America into tyranny.

Amongst the highlights of the event were Colbert’s entrance from far beneath the stage in the Fenix capsule that was used to rescue the Chilean miners. Then there was the epic battle between Yusuf Islam’s Peace Train and Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train. That skirmish was settled by The O’Jays’ Love Train.

It’s funny how this rally, whose purpose was to lower the rhetoric and to “take it down a notch,” has incited much of the right to blow a virtual gasket as they complain that Stewart and Colbert are hopelessly far-left and are engaged in propaganda and disinformation. They regard this event as a blatant attempt to manipulate the upcoming election. There are even some who are disturbed by the presence of Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens), a devious Muslim trying to infiltrate American culture and commerce. To these demented Tea Partiers and pundits everything is a conspiracy. And that really isn’t funny at all, when you think about it.

In addition to the massive crowd in Washington, some satellite rallies were held around the country, including one in Los Angeles that I attended. There were approximately 2,500 people at this unofficial, spontaneously planned gathering at MacArthur Park. That’s an impressive turnout. And we were treated to some high quality entertainment that included cartoonist extraordinaire Lalo Alcarez and comic Jimmy Dore.

Obviously having a good time:
Sanity Rally

Supporting Media Matters Fight Fox campaign:
Sanity Rally

And from the DC rally…

Crazy Train {hearts} Peace Train:
Sanity Rally

Eat your heart out, Glenn Beck:
Sanity Rally

A good time was had by all. Now back to the serious work of preventing the crazies from taking over congress.


Fox News Hosts Election Night Tea Party Zone

Posted by on October 29, 2010 at 3:06 pm. 18 Comments :

Tea Party ZoneFair and Balanced Fox News:

Don’t forget to visit us on Election Day. We’ll have all the election coverage from Democrats to Republicans and also host a special Tea Party Zone that night. We’ll see you there!

So Fox is hosting a special Tea Party Zone on election night? That’s nice of them. But why isn’t there a special Labor Zone? Or a Progressive Zone? Or any other zone for segments of the electorate that aren’t represented by wackos, Wall Streeters, and white-wingers?

The reason, of course, is that Fox News is an avowedly partisan cheerleader for Republicans and conservatives. They hate America’s working class. They hate blacks and Latinos and seniors and environmentalists and anyone who opposes the entrenched corporatists and selfish Randians who are the backbone of the Tea Party.

In addition to their Tea Party Zone, Fox News has also announced that their television coverage will feature Mike Tobin’s reports direct from the Tea Party. Tobin will be dedicated to Tea Party news on election night. And again, there will be no reporter dedicated to covering any other point of view.

That’s just how Fox rolls.