Bush is calling for fundraising so that the GOP can combat liberal media bias!
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The Republican Party is following up record fund raising for President Bush's re-election effort by asking donors to finance its efforts to get Bush's message "past the liberal media filter" to the public.
Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman sent a fund-raising e-mail Wednesday telling supporters donations are needed to help Bush advance his second-term agenda.
"The president has great goals for our country: a growing economy, strong homeland and national defense, tort and Social Security reform and affordable health care. But we need your help to get the president's message past the liberal media filter and directly to the American people," wrote Mehlman, Bush's 2004 campaign manager. Mehlman asked donors to give $25 or more.
[....]
Mehlman's fund-raising pitch came as Bush barred Cabinet secretaries from hiring columnists to promote administration policies. Bush's order came after disclosure that the Health and Human Services Department and Education Department each used taxpayer money to hire columnists to promote agency programs.
Bush said there "needs to be a nice independent relationship between the White House and the press, the administration and the press."
I wonder how these "independent relationship[s]" will work?
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“Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.”
Bush is calling for fundraising so that the GOP can combat liberal media bias!
Actually, the article clearly states that ... Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman sent a fund-raising e-mail Wednesday.... I do not think that Ken Mehlman is George Bush.
__________________ Of Courtesy, it is much less than Courage of Heart or Holiness. Yet in my walks it seems to me that the Grace of God is in Courtesy.
Actually, the article clearly states that ... Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman sent a fund-raising e-mail Wednesday.... I do not think that Ken Mehlman is George Bush.
That's a fair point. Think we should expect Bush to disavow the effort?
Actually, the article clearly states that ... Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman sent a fund-raising e-mail Wednesday.... I do not think that Ken Mehlman is George Bush.
Fair cop as far as technicalities and nitpicks go, I guess, but not all that relevant to the greater issue of the GOP potentially raising cash to make the media even more under the control of the current admin, of which Bush is the head.
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“Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.”
That's a fair point. Think we should expect Bush to disavow the effort?
Well, I would hope so, given that he just went and told his Cabinet not to do this very thing.
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Originally Posted by lunachick
... not all that relevant to the greater issue of the GOP potentially raising cash to make the media even more under the control of the current admin ...
Are you telling me that the White House has the major news networks in its back pocket? I'd strongly disagree with that assessment. Strongly disagree.
PS: The Democrats raised even more money pre-election ($402 million to $385 million) than the Republican party. They can certainly choose to "fight fire with fire" if they want.
PS: Before anyone gives me any "You're a Christian, so you're probably a Republican too." bullshit... I'm a registered Independent.
__________________ Of Courtesy, it is much less than Courage of Heart or Holiness. Yet in my walks it seems to me that the Grace of God is in Courtesy.
Are you telling me that the White House has the major news networks in its back pocket? I'd strongly disagree with that assessment. Strongly disagree.
I'd say that it has some of them and wants more.
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PS: The Democrats raised even more money pre-election ($402 million to $385 million) than the Republican party. They can certainly choose to "fight fire with fire" if they want.
The Dems are pussy appeasers. I don't expect too much from them.
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“Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.”
PS: Before anyone gives me any "You're a Christian, so you're probably a Republican too." bullshit... I'm a registered Independent.
LOL. Well, that was a fairly unnecessary disclaimer. Having been a member at CF, I already know that there are many non-Republican Christians, so don't give me that "you're a liberal atheist, so you probably think all Christians are Republican fascists" crap.
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“Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.”
LOL. Well, that was a fairly unnecessary disclaimer. Having been a member at CF, I already know that there are many non-Republican Christians, so don't give me that "you're a liberal atheist, so you probably think all Christians are Republican fascists" crap.
Wait a second... but you are a liberal atheist who thinks all Christians are Republican fascists.
Just kidding. I thought I'd just mention that because there are some people in the world who see anyone who even slightly defends Bush as being a Republican cronie. Of course, I probably could have given the people of this board the benefit of the doubt instead. Oh well, we live and learn. At least now everyone knows my political affiliation (or lack thereof).
__________________ Of Courtesy, it is much less than Courage of Heart or Holiness. Yet in my walks it seems to me that the Grace of God is in Courtesy.
The biggest problem I have with the "liberal media" claim is that it serves to diminish the public trust in the free press. The free press should be the most powerful tool the public has for keeping politicians honest and dedicated to serving our needs.
By painting the entirety of the press as being a "liberal filter" allows politicians to dismiss any accusation, any investigation and any action by the press. That is not to say that there is no bias in the media. There is and it is far more varied and nuance than the "black & white" picture the politicians would have us believe.
However, this is where critical thinking comes into play. This is where the public needs to be educated in knowing that there is a multitude of resources out there to help form an opinion. But, if the public is simply told "Don't trust the media, trust the politicians"...well, I don't have to spell out the reasons as to why that is wrong.
I don't care which side espouses this bullshit. It's still bullshit. And it does nothing more than consolidate power in the hands of those who are already all too powerful.
Now that we've moved on from there, what do you see is potentially happening with the GOP fundraising in regard to combatting the alleged liberal media? How do you think they'll spend the money raised? Does it raise any red flags for you...etc, etc, etc.
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“Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.”
I don't think the GOP has major news networks in its back pocket. I think the networks are just driven by a richest common denominator impetus which frequently puts them in a craven, empty, vacuous position. Clinton gets a bj = big money. Bush's reasons for war turn out to be horseshit = eh, isn't there a dog who saved a baby from drowning somewhere?
I don't think the GOP has major news networks in its back pocket. I think the networks are just driven by a richest common denominator impetus which frequently puts them in a craven, empty, vacuous position. Clinton gets a bj = big money. Bush's reasons for war turn out to be horseshit = eh, isn't there a dog who saved a baby from drowning somewhere?
Good point. It's a shame networks have allowed themselves to sink so low. And shame on the public for lapping it up and being so apathetic to truth and integrity.
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“Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.”
And shame on the public for lapping it up and being so apathetic to truth and integrity.
And that's the other side of the coin, isn't it?
As much as I defended the public in my previous post, I feel the need to lambast them (and us or me) in this post.
I'm sick and tired of hearing how it is the media or Hollywood that corrupts our values. I have no reason to believe that the media or Hollywood would do anything to adversely affect their bottom-line.
They show us what we want to see, to do anything else would be poor business practice.
That's not to diminish the very real affect the media has on our culture, but all too often the public's role as willing consumer is not considered whenever someone attacks the media for being evil.
You don't like it. Turn it off. Change the station. Go see a different movie. If enough of you do that, then the media will stop making it. But, to blame it solely on some monolithic media entity out to subvert your values is a cop-out.
Are you telling me that the White House has the major news networks in its back pocket?
Not in their back pocket so much as cowed into submission. Except for CNN, which IS in the administration's back pocket, and Fox News, which works for them directly.
That's a fair point. Think we should expect Bush to disavow the effort?
Well, I would hope so, given that he just went and told his Cabinet not to do this very thing.
I would hope so too. I just don't expect it. Indeed, I'd be utterly floored by it.
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Originally Posted by lunachick
... not all that relevant to the greater issue of the GOP potentially raising cash to make the media even more under the control of the current admin ...
Are you telling me that the White House has the major news networks in its back pocket? I'd strongly disagree with that assessment. Strongly disagree.
Fox News, certainly.
The others are generally both cowed and, as liv points out, fundamentally about making a buck. Let me just spitball a little, here: Reciting a Master Narrative is cheap for the networks, hence good profit, but it only works if most other sources are on the same page (everyone having mostly the same story is a stable strategy for dividing up the market, after all). If both political parties are equally effective at spinning, the incentive to uncritically recite one party's spin is diminished; another network might settle on the other perspective, and that would create an appearance of disorder and bias on all sides. But if one party is (over some time) even slightly more adept at getting its message into newsreaders' hands, that fact alone provides an extra incentive for everyone to settle on their spin, and not to dig any deeper or rock the boat. It's cost effective, an implicitly cooperative division of the market.
So, while "in its pocket" is an implausibly strong claim, "eating from its hand" might be more defensible. The GOP has been the more effective over the past 10 years -- since well before 2000 -- at getting its spin points straight into the mouths of the punditry and newsreaders, and this provides a self-sustaining business reason (over and above habit!) for the networks to be more congenial to GOP spin. Only in the case of Fox is this plausibly a matter of corruption and partisanship.
That's a fair point. Think we should expect Bush to disavow the effort?
Well, I would hope so, given that he just went and told his Cabinet not to do this very thing.
I thought he told his cabinet not to hire pundits in the mainstream press to pimp administration programs, while the GOP fundraiser aims to bypass the "liberal media" and get the message directly to the voter. Have I misread something?
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Originally Posted by Clutch Munny
Fox News, certainly.
True that. For some reason, I have this anachronistic tendency to consider CBS, NBC, ABC the major news networks, just because cable isn't officially network TV. That distinction has long since lost dipped into useless semantics, I suspect. Oh well...
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So, while "in its pocket" is an implausibly strong claim, "eating from its hand" might be more defensible. The GOP has been the more effective over the past 10 years -- since well before 2000 -- at getting its spin points straight into the mouths of the punditry and newsreaders, and this provides a self-sustaining business reason (over and above habit!) for the networks to be more congenial to GOP spin. Only in the case of Fox is this plausibly a matter of corruption and partisanship.
And you believe him? He doesn't exactly have a good track record for telling the truth or keeping his word.
And which politician does?
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Originally Posted by Godless Dave
Not in their back pocket so much as cowed into submission. Except for CNN, which IS in the administration's back pocket...
You're kidding with this right? CNN in the White House's back pocket? Seriously... where was the laughing smiley face that should have accompanied this comment?
__________________ Of Courtesy, it is much less than Courage of Heart or Holiness. Yet in my walks it seems to me that the Grace of God is in Courtesy.
And you believe him? He doesn't exactly have a good track record for telling the truth or keeping his word.
And which politician does?
You have to admit Bush lies far more frequently and far more blatantly than most. Claiming there were ties between Saddam and Al Qaida after the 9/11 commission and the CIA both said publicly there were not is pretty blatant. Then there's the whole WMD thing.
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Originally Posted by TomJoe
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Originally Posted by Godless Dave
Not in their back pocket so much as cowed into submission. Except for CNN, which IS in the administration's back pocket...
You're kidding with this right? CNN in the White House's back pocket? Seriously... where was the laughing smiley face that should have accompanied this comment?
CNN=Cheney News Network. They spend 23 hours a day kissing Bush's ass. When was the last time you saw Scott Ritter on one of their pundit fests? Remember their "reporting" on the Pentagon's WMD claims? Remember how they reported, verbatim, the Swift Boat Veterans' claims about Kerry, but never did even a cursory investigation into whether any of those veterans had actually served with Kerry? (It turned out most of them hadn't, some of them hadn't even been in Vietnam at the same time). Did CNN report on the author of the Medicare Prescription bill who immediately left government for a job with a pharmaceutical company? On Rumsfeld facing indictment in a German court for war crimes? On the number of unemployed Iraqis who have lost jobs to foreign contractors? On the widespread employment (at US taxpayer expense) of mercenaries in Iraq?
The kicker for me, though, was the David Letterman flap, where CNN claimed Letterman had faked a tape of a boy yawning at a Bush rally, based solely on the White House's say-so. Furthermore, they made the claim right after they aired the tape: it was obvious they'd received a phone call from the White House telling them to shape up. It turned out, of course, that the tape wasn't faked, but they didn't admit it until Letterman made fun of them.
And notice how all TV news sources, including PBS, and most print sources refer to the Iraqi resistance as "rebels" and "insurgents", coincidentally the exact terms the Pentagon uses.
I agree much of this is due to laziness on the part of reporters and editors and greed on the part of the corporations that own these stations. But some of it seems to be fear of some kind of repercussions from the government if they ask tough questions or report uncomfortable facts.
So, while "in its pocket" is an implausibly strong claim, "eating from its hand" might be more defensible. The GOP has been the more effective over the past 10 years -- since well before 2000 -- at getting its spin points straight into the mouths of the punditry and newsreaders, and this provides a self-sustaining business reason (over and above habit!) for the networks to be more congenial to GOP spin. Only in the case of Fox is this plausibly a matter of corruption and partisanship.
5896 days. Is that a record? That must be a record!
pps. The topic has most likely meandered from the OP (it hasn't) and some of the participants may no longer be active here ( that is sadly—nay—heartbreakingly true)
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... it's just an idea
Last edited by mickthinks; 03-21-2021 at 08:36 PM.
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