The conservative-created myth of ‘the liberal media’ just took another body blow:
The State newspaper of South Carolina has used a public records request to obtain emails sent to and from Governor Mark Sanford’s office during the hectic few days last month when he had gone missing. It’s not surprising that the emails underline the utter confusion that beset the governor’s hapless aides as they tried to ward off inquiries about their boss’s whereabouts, without themselves having any idea where he was.
But they also show something even funnier: an effort by the right-wing media to curry favor with Sanford’s office by dismissing the story as a storm in a teacup created by the liberal media. It’s fair to say that, as news judgments go, it would be hard to find one that turned out worse than this — given the subsequent revelations about Sanford’s Argentinian liaison and his abandonment of his post.
All the usual conservative-media suspects are there: FOX News, the Wall Street Journal editorial staff (which has done its best to minimize the enormity of the Sanford scandal), the Washington Times. And they’re all caught promising to spin this story in Sanford’s favor — a promise that they’re keeping.
But of course, those entities are all blatantly conservative. What about the allegedly "mainstream" press? Guess what, they’re carrying Republican politicians’ water, too. Look at the actions of ABC’s Jake Tapper:
ABC News White House reporter Jake Tapper e-mailed Sawyer twice on June 23, both to note coverage of competitor NBC.
With a subject line of "NBC spot was slimy," Tapper e-mailed Sawyer a "Today" show transcript of Sanford coverage, calling it "insulting." Later, Tapper forwarded Sawyer a Twitter post by "Meet The Press" host David Gregory.
Jeff Schneider, a vice president at ABC News, said Tapper was "carrying some water for producers who knew he had a relationship with the governor’s office."
But of course, the fact that the nationally-oriented portion of the US corporate-owned media constantly protects Republicans is no surprise to those who have been paying close attention. The same mainstream media that tirelessly and uncritically reports Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions’ efforts to paint Supreme Court justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor as a ‘racist’ are silent as the tomb on Sessions’ own alleged (and far more extensive) history of racist words and deeds. And Attaturk reminds us that Ron Fournier, the guy who heads up the Associated Press’ Washington Bureau and thus gets to dictate how the AP covers political matters, is a good buddy of Karl Rove, George W. Bush’s chief domestic advisor.
This is why I call it "The GOP/Media Complex", folks.
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Breaking: NBC News hires
reportertool-man Jake Tapper, says “He’s just the man we were looking for.”Thanks PW
LOL!
he’s an ass
I call it the Corporate Media, not “MSM.”
As long as the press are missing in action or otherwise co-opted/corrupted, and as long as we have no viable, effective campaign finance reform, not much will get changed. We’ll win little skirmishes here and there, yes, but not much will change.
Truly sad. The web of irresponsible journalists is self-protecting and self-sustaining. As long as the schmucks retain their lofty perches, they are perfectly isolated, and as long as those lofty perches are the envy of up-and-comers who have the regulation kneepads…
When Brian Williams was still on MSNBC, he threw fire on a regular basis. He is the perfect abject lesson about what they will do to have the top spots. What a waste.
Because I’m Fred Garvin, male prostitute.
sorry I just had to say that. The name Jake Tapper reminds me of the Dan Ackroyd character. snigger snigger.
Hey PW. Stay strong.
ROFLMAO.
Hey mods! I changed it. Much more PG-13 now.
It’s not like I was unlicensed and uttered “BJ” on cable TV, for goodness sake! :]
Kinda redefines Promise Keepers. Do these wads wear special rings too?
Exhibit B: Dana Milbanks.
Cillizza, writing a followup email (pdf) to Sanford’s staff’s general announcement that the governor’s office would have nothing to say:
Response from Sanford staffer:
Well, an interesting strategy you have there. The upper crust can silence their critics by elevating them to upper crust status and providing the same motivation for all. Very tidy.
Or Jeff Gannon, male prostitute.
All in “The Family.”
I mean, why would a bunch of national DeeCee BigMedia stenographers be so tight with a Governor of South Carolina?
Very few young establishment-employed Washington journalists will disagree with Chris Cillizza’s choice of role models for himself as a “political journalist:” Russert and Broder
Cillizza must go around with his mouth in a permanent pucker. “g”
This has always been Issue #1 for me. If we had just some semblance of an actual Press, voters would never vote in people like modern-day Repubs. Look at what happens when the electorate gets even tiny morsels of truth regarding Iraq or Healthcare…opinion polls go over 70% to the side of justice.
I worked full time in at a BigMedia outlet when Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act (1996? 97?), and knew it was going to speed up the downward descent of “The Press” by allowing massive conglomeration.
We can change this. We must start strengthening anti-trust laws and enforcing them…hard. Starting with BigMedia.
Dog bless The State and McClatchy!
Will be interesting to see what happens if sinclair goes belly up…..
Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please! Let the karma strike there.
I’ve always found Tapper a flimsy excuse for a reporter. This blatant selling of coverage – if not for money like the WaPoop, for perks and access – is marketing by the corporate owners of the news. They cultivated it into a fine art during eight years of Karl Rove and George Bush. It’s what helped give rise to Rupert Murdoch’s WSJ, SprintNextel and other mergers, consolidations and concentrated ownership and sweet business and outsourcing deals whose revenue dwarfs the cost or profit from the news.
The Repubs may get the lion’s share of such treatment, but rest assured Rahm & Co., is demanding it as ruthlessly as Karl Rove.
We need a warning label on such news coverage akin to tobacco warnings:
Not doing that is like reading an unregulated industry’s list of contents on what it’s sold you and are about to eat.
yes, but the rings are in a very, very private place which kind of explains the loss of blood to the brains of these turds.
i call it the “mmm,” the multi-millionaire media.”