Comments on: FDL Book Salon — Lapdogs, Pt. 2

By: tony

tony — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 21:09:45 +0000

I read Lapdogs and while I appreciate that the author outlined and explained a number of key points as to why the press has become a lapdog to the administration, there was almost nothing new in the pages and no comprehensible conclusion; it seemed to me that he just threw a number of reason at the page and hoped some of them would stick.

And what about the future? How will this issue, the syncophantic media, play out? He doesn’t seem to address this, nor does he address what measure can be taken to get the media to become objective again.

As it stands now the media has become largely unbelievable, it simply buys into the administrations talking points and pretends its doing its jobs. It isn’t. I noticed today that both Fox and CNN are running out of viewers, as have the networks. And why not? A case in point: Andy Cooper has a flicker of fame by asking a few tough questions about NO and now he’s lobbing softballs at Jolie, as if she actually matters in the scheme of things. Pathetic.

To me, the lack of coverage on Downing Street memo says it all. It shameful.

By: esther clark

esther clark — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 19:50:47 +0000

Isn’t a big part of the problem the dems lack of “talking points.” The most recent example is the flap over Reid’s boxing tickets. It was up to bloggers to investigate and come up with the information that he did nothing wrong, that they weren’t really tickets, McCain couldn’t pay for his and the commision had to donate the money that he gave them since they were just some sort of ringside folding seat they’d set up for them. I have yet to hear an official dem offer this truthful explanation on a talk show.Reid himself has not bothered to explain it.

The same think happened over the swift boat bullshit. I read of one dem preparing to go on a talk show to discuss it and she called the Kerry campaign to ask for the talking points and she says she was told they didn’t have any.

The presses laziness, he said-she said reporting is also another factor. They don’t seem to understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts. Whether its done out of malice or laziness is the question or both.

By: Bob Witkowski

Bob Witkowski — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:57:38 +0000

Eric, rather than wait for a freebie from your publisher to review, I went out and bought your book the day it was released. I loved it, but found myself getting really angry much of the time! Good job. But, have you been on any radio shows, Air America, or any of the MSM cable shows, or C-Span? Did I miss something, or have you been largely ignored?

By: Erica

Erica — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 11:56:56 +0000

I am almost finsihed with Eric’s book and it’s very very good, but up in the thread Eric says the reason that the media aquieses to the right wing is fear and I just don’t think that’s it. Let’s face facts. Everything today is about money. It’s cynical I know, but it’s true. This is about money, too. The media conglomerates have looked at their bottom line and asked themselves, “What party allows me to make more money and operate unimpeded? And they have answered overwhelmingly: The Republicans. Therefore, it is in their best interest to keep the Republicans in power. And they will do it any way they can.
If the Democrats are in power, they can make money, look they did with Clinton, but they want to continue to buy up vast shares of market and they want to make sure that no further regulations prevent that or bust up their monopolies. They realize the Democrat ideals are a threat to their future. And they realize that Republicans don’t care about a free and healthy press as long as the media continues to help them propagate their talking points and trash their opponents.
Everything is always about money and the bottom line. This is absolutely no exception.

By: David Neiwert

David Neiwert — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 07:45:47 +0000

Eric:

Many thanks for your fine work. It’s truly about what may prove to be the defining issue of our time.

I’ve posted an appreciation here.

By: Beth Graham

Beth Graham — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 04:59:06 +0000

Eric (in case you come back). Thanks very much for all your good work. If the byline is Boehlert, I’ll read it. I actually read all of Lapdogs and “enjoyed” it. (This may seems odd, but I often cannot read many of the books discussing the MSM, war, Bush, etc. I get too mad or too depressed.) Again, thanks for stopping by.

And, from a first-time poster (looooong-time lurker), you firepups are so wonderful. Thanks to you all, too.

Beth

By: Rayne

Rayne — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 03:18:26 +0000

Jane — you went above and beyond the call of duty setting up this post, let alone driving all around the wilds of Missouri. Thanks so much for your dedication.

By: Jane Hamsher

Jane Hamsher — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 01:55:01 +0000

I sincerely apologize for being late to the party, I was driving accross Missouri desperately looking for wireless internet connect in the middle of nowhere. Thanks so much to Pach and everyone else for handling a great discussion, and to Eric for stopping by and chatting. It’s a superb thread.

By: Shell

Shell — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 01:40:36 +0000

Sorry I am late to this, but:

“the press didn’t like clinton, it hated gore, it thought kerry was out-classed and makes fun of reid, pelosi etc. “

Don’t they realize how insane this is? That they would make fun of/ not like ANY of these people …. and yet suck up to BUSH?

I am beginning to think they are all insane. This is not rational thought. KERRY was “outclassed” — by BUSH?

By: ck

ck — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 01:07:44 +0000

God, it is so hard to keep track of the conflicting messages from the Kos chip, the FDL chip, and the Kobe chip . . .

urk! ACK!!! gurgle sput . . .

Kobe says there ack!!!

there are no chips — there are no chips — there are no chips . . .