Damned if you do, Damned if you don't

Huh?

Well, President Obama has been expedient in delivering information to the American Public, via, press conferences. And let us not forget he has had 2 Joint Session of Congress speeches. So, Fox News, who continues to prove the point of the White House as being as bogus a news organization as it comes, decides to pull the plug on President Obama's press conferences. Remember, the news organizations TODAY are not what they were back in Walter Cronkite's era, meaning the news is nothing but continued SPIN, meaning the news organizations lack depth of much information that they talk about. So, enter the whining of "he has not has any press conferences in four months." But, it was these very entities that whined that President Obama was asking for too much time on television.

Could it be that a lot of these television networks, just may not be making much as in money and don't have as many, as in eyeballs on their television line ups?

But Obama in 2009 is deeply relevant, and for a long time was burning up the wires to the press corps and regular folks. Then suddenly, the line went dead.

Obama is still, in his overall stats, ahead of President George W. Bush , who viewed the press as a kind of a species of cactus. But in a White House that regularly touts itself as a beacon of “openness” — and in some ways it has been — Obama in recent months has demonstrated that when he thinks he needs a little opaqueness, he can make it happen.

The president’s last full-dress U.S. press conference was nearly four months ago, a prime-time appearance in the East Room on July 22.

I continue to question the media, the same element that did not prepare, nor did their job in providing accurate information about the Iraq War. This same element that just re-read talking points of the Bush Administration and claimed it fact. For me, they have no credibility at all and should always be viewed with high skepticism, especially the 24/7 cable desk clerks.

Source

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Cable Desks Clerks, “I don’t care about Michelle Obama’s poll numbers!!!”

Damn, I mean really, “Who cares!!”

Is Michelle in charge of anything other than her girls and husband?

Does she make policy and twists arms to the likes of Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi?

Is she running around the country making speeches on White House policy and legislation?

Is she sittin’ up in the Oval Office tellin’ folks off???

I mean, “DAMN”, who really gives an EFF!!!

But today, all you heard about was Michelle Obama’s falling poll numbers, from the cable desk clerk group. Shit, when was the last time these teleprompter readers was out on the ground getting FACTS for a story, instead of lip reading a story? Huh?

Just let Michelle Obama, be. So far, cable desk clerks, she has performed a bang up job being our FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States).

So, my rant is leave Michelle Obama the hell alone. She is on her way to Asia, China and as usual “ALL EYES WILL BE ON HER”.

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TPM's Sunday Roundup on health care (Video)

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Chuck Todd is right the media, "created this drama that Obama's struggling to get health care reform done" (video)

The media has created this, full KNOWING that the public wants health care reform. Again, the Obama Administration can not be asleep at the wheel on this and I expect more calling out and toughness from President Obama moving forward, as we heard from him today. Along with a more populist theme coming from this White House.



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As we miss the most trusted voice in journalism....

one voice we don't miss or wish was not even on television is David Gregory.

Walter Cronkite's passing was a revelation of things, a reminder of what a real journalist was, a reminder of what we don't have on television today.

There is no real news on television now, since everything is about opinion and framing opinion for the public. Maybe this is the demise of news. Many of these organizations are not run by real news personnel, but the entertainment segment of its flagship. That is why the public don't trust news organizations any longer. These organizations are not straight shooters anymore, not like Walter Cronkite, one who gave you the story straight, honest and factually correct.

NBC has totally lost its luster. Here is David Gregory, moderator of Meet the Press, regarding the Mark Sanford fiasco:

Look, you guys have a lot of pitches.. I get it and I know this is a tough situation... Let me say just this is a place to have a wider conversation with some context about not just the personal but also the future for him and the party... This situation only exacerbates the issue of how the GOP recovers when another national leader suffers a setback like this. So coming on Meet the Press allows you to frame the conversation how you really want to... and then move on. You can see you have done your interview and then move on. Consider it.

What happened to asking hard questions, Mr. Gregory? But instead, inviting a Governor or staff member on his show to frame the conversation the way THEY WANT? David Gregory, Mark Sanford not only had an affair, but the man went AWOL from a state where NO ONE KNEW WHERE THE HELL HE WAS!!! He was totally irresponsible, totally neglected his duties and totally was wrong, but he is invited on Meet the Press in an attempt to CLEAN UP what he did by framing it his way?

This is why the public don't trust the media and this is why the media is a joke.

Read it all here.

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ABC's Jake Tapper, REVEALED

One thing I told my husband and brother about emails, especially Twitter, what you write about and feel is real, put out there and if controversial, you will be put on blast. As Jake Tapper.

Jake Tapper is a journalist, so he says, and works for one of the "big three" as in regular television channels in the United States of America. Being a journalist means whatever bias you have, needs to be checked and left at the door. Apparently, Jake Tapper forgot that from basic journalist class 101, because he has gotten caught in his own trick bag. This exchange is all about the absent, out of town and out of mind, Governor Sanford of South Carolina. This exchange is about how he is playing softball, instead of asking the hard questions, like "WHERE THE FUCK IS THE GOVERNOR AT?"

The e-mails show a range of strategies: ABC's Jake Tapper seemed to imply his network would not report a critical story, slamming NBC reporting as "slimy" (he's since apologized), a Fox News correspondent offered positive coverage to "dispell" the "ridiculous" story, and a Washington Times staffer (who was involved in Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign) offered "friendly ground."

One reporter who did not slam his competitors for negative coverage or promise positive coverage is Chris Cillizza of WaPo, who simply asked whether the office had anything to say about Sanford's disappearance and whether or not Sanford was okay.

Thanks to the continued good work of the reporters at The State, you can read the e-mails yourself.

Jake Tapper of ABC:

SUBJECT: NBC spot was slimy
For the record I think TODAY Show spot was pretty insulting...

SUBJECT: And fyi
David Gregory of NBC just tweeted: Fm First Read re Gov Sanford: U should be concerned if "your wife say(s) that she doesn't know where you are but that she isn't concerned"

Joseph Deoudes of The Washington Times (Deoudes was also apparently a Huckabee alternate delegate):

You know that you will be on friendly ground here!

Griff Jenkins of Fox:

If the Gov does an interview and its exclusive, it will make air on the tv channel and our radio news service all across the country. And I'm not sure if you've seen the stuff I do on the channel as a reporter, but I work mostly for our primetime coverage - Oreilly, Hannity, Greta, Beck -- so there likely would be primetime coverage as well for some soundbites of the gov dispelling this flap...

Having known the Governor for years and even having worked with him when he would host radio shows for me - I find this story and the media frenzy surrounding it to be absolutely ridiculous!

Please give him my best.

Read all the email from JOURNALISTS exchange here. h/t to Daily Kos, here.

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Remember Sarah Palin said Hillary Clinton should not complain about media coverage? (Video)

This coming from a former VP candidate, who now says the media is too tough and bias towards her. Pot calling the kettle black? Absolutely.

NEWSWEEK: Sarah Palin, you are a Republican and a conservative one at that. It's unlikely that you and Hillary would agree on too many issues. But, yet, as a woman, chief executive—someone who's been through the grinder—when you look at the coverage and you listen to the conversations, what do you see?

Sarah Palin: Fair or unfair—and I do think that it's a more concentrated criticism that Hillary gets on so many fronts; I think that's unfortunate. But fair or unfair, I think she does herself a disservice to even mention it, really. You have to plow through that and know what you're getting into. I say this with all due respect to Hillary Clinton and to her experience and to her passion for changing the status quo. But when I hear a statement like that coming from a women candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism or a sharper microscope put on her, I think, man, that doesn't do us any good. Women in politics, women in general wanting to progress this country, I don't think it bodes well for her, a statement like that. Because, again, fair or not fair it is there. I think it's reality and it's a given, people just accept that she's going to be under a sharper microscope. So be it. Work harder, prove to yourself to an even greater degree that you're capable, that you're going to be the best candidate. That's what she wants us to believe at this point. So it bothers me a little bit to hear her bring that attention to herself on that level.

Palin hatin' on the press

Ben Smith

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This is what the right wing, conservative media said about the DHS Report (Video)

.....and why they are quiet TODAY...and notice the shooter from the Holocaust Museum was a VETERAN.....and is morning joke laughing now?....



Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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Obama speaks to Arab Media, Al-Arabiya TV (Video and Transcript)

Obama had a full sit down with Al-Arabiya TV. Full interview in links, below. Clip from AC360.

Part One
Part Two
Transcript
NYT Article

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Obama meets the Liberal Media

Since, Obama met last night with the Right, today he met with the Left.

Obama held a meeting with several columnists and liberal commentators this morning, following up on last night's dinner with conservative writers, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting. Some of the writers there today are clearly on the liberal side, while others more moderate.

Here is the group:

9:45 a.m., in the transition office, President-elect Obama, meeting with: the Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan, CNN's Roland Martin, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, the Washington Post's Gene Robinson, the Boston Globe's Derrick Z. Jackson, the one and only Maureen Dowd, the New York Times's Frank Rich, the Wall Street Journal's Jerry Seib, Atlantic political director Ron Brownstein, USA Today's DeWayne Wickham and columnist E.J. Dionne Jr.

Source
Marc Ambinder

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Obama: Keep your enemies close

Tonight at George Will's home, Obama wined and dined with conservative journalists:

Obama Tuesday night trekked to the Chevy Chase, Md., home of conservative columnist George F. Will to talk politics and get to know some of his fiercest intellectual adversaries: Charles Krauthammer, William Kristol, Larry Kudlow, David Brooks, Rich Lowry, Peggy Noonan, Michael Barone, and Paul Gigot.

Remember, this is about opening dialogue, finding common ground. There is nothing wrong with talking to anyone, this is how Barack Obama won in November, he reached across the aisle. This country has been divided far too long, for the major hurdles in the country ahead of us, it is all hands on deck.

Many on the left may not like this, but Barack Obama was voted into office for CHANGE. This change starts with listening, building a bridge for everyone to cross together, and meaning it. Obama has talked about this ALL THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN.

Outrage, at this point, is not warranted. But getting solutions to help us out of the mess of George W. Bush, is necessary.

TPM
Politco
Source

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The Reality for the Obamas

I was watching MSNBC which actually had "Breaking News" that Barack Obama's plane was about to land in Washington, D.C. I turned off the television. Then I called a friend to tell her what I just witnessed and all she said was, "See, I told you."

The obsession of the Obamas is ratcheting up to a fever pitch. As Michelle and the girls arrived yesterday to D.C., everything at the hotel has been blocked off, as to you can't even walk in front of it without an id. That is where it is heading.

Obama even told his press pool on the plane leaving Chicago today, that the girls had a hard time leaving yesterday. I feel them. They live in a community with their lifelong friends, their house on the block, their school nearby, folks that they know.

It is all changing.

And I even got sentimental, a bit, when Obama told the press pool on the plane this:

" Malia's friend had dropped off an album of the two of them together. They had been friends since pre-school and I just looked through the pages and the house was empty and it was a little tough, it got me."

The Obamas lives have changed. Will it be better? In some regards, yes, and others no.

The word freedom is often ignored and taken for granted by many. We have the opportunity to go where we want and say what we want, that has been stripped from the Obamas.

Want to be a goldfish in a bowl? Do you want to be that one fish which everyone examines up and down, sideways, in and out? That one fish that eyes never let up on, but constantly is stared at?

That is the Obama Family.

And to the press. Leave the kids alone, respect what the parents are asking and let them provide some type of stabilization for them. We don't want or need to know every crack and crevice of Malia and Sasha Obama. They are kids; knock it off before you get your feelings hurt by their parents. Press and media respect that line, and the Obamas will respect you.

Now who wants to really be a goldfish?

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

••

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Obama, fighting as the bubble closes in

While everyone loves photos of the Obamas, and let's be honest, "WE ALL DO", the bubble called Secret Service is closing in at rapid speed.

“It’s just hard to know that there’s somebody with you all the time,” said Steve Elmendorf, who was deputy campaign manager for John Kerry in 2004. “Being able to get up and go biking or go for a walk, or hold hands with your wife — everything you do is not just under the scrutiny of the press or the pool.”

For Obama, who received a Secret Service detail earlier than any presidential candidate since the practice began, the scrutiny is much more intense.

The glare on his family is shaping up to be unprecedented, both because Obama assumes the presidency amid a 24-hour, Web-dominated media age where many traditional boundaries don’t exist and because of what he represents. He’s the first African-American to be elected president. At 47, he’s a young guy – as presidents go. He also has a youthful, attractive family that is social and active.

I was talking to a friend the past few days and she said, "Now the Obamas are finally realizing that the bubble is real and all the things they love to do, will be photographed from here on out and many things they will just have to stop doing." I pooh-poohed it, but sitting here she is right. After the paparazzo photo of Obama shirtless and the girls running around in bathing suits, along with Michelle Obama, pictures of that magnitude is over. It has to be, the family must have privacy and after having that one photographer, who sold the pictures to the paparazzi after taking pictures less than 200 feet, it will stop.

“There's still some things we're not adjusted to," Obama said in a “60 Minutes” interview after the election. “You know, the small routines of life that keep you connected, I think some of those are being lost.”

Does this mean that Barack Obama will become like President Bush? Totally out of touch, in denial, won't burst the bubble to reality not even once? It does not have to be. We don't want Barack to become like George W. Bush and his total lack of understanding what happened after Katrina, remember his aides had to burn a cd/dvd of the news coverage and give it to him so he could understand what actually happened. Remember Bush does not watch the news or television.

Please, we don't want that again.

I don't think Barack Obama will become GWBII in that regard, but he will lose much freedom, that is part of becoming President of the United States. It will be up to him if he will fall into the bubble or have it half closed. We will see.

The day before Thanksgiving, a sixth grader at a Chicago school asked Obama about his new life.

“You don't have a lot of privacy," Obama told some 200 children, adding that going to Walgreen's and riding a bicycle are now far more involved than before.

Those close to the Obamas have spoken to the media less and less since the election. Calls and e-mails to close friends and associates of the Obama’s were not returned.

“My husband and I have been asked not to speak with the press about the Obamas,” one of them wrote in an e-mail. “They would prefer that we stay out of the papers for now.”

It seems the narrower the gap between transition and reality gets, the more private Obama has tried to become.

“You can see how he chafes at it,” Elmendorf said. “It’s hard for people who like to do outdoors things. It’s also hard for people with young kids. … You decide at 9 in the morning, I’m not going out anymore, then at 2 p.m. you decide, ‘Hey let’s get some ice cream.’”

“Normal people can do that. The president or president-elect can’t do that,” he said.

It is getting that tough folks, the bubble that is.

Source

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Tribune Company, New York Times all in financial trouble

Well, the reality of the internet has hit the newspapers.

It really was only a matter of time. In fact, the only time I really craved a newspaper was after Obama won the presidency. All the newspapers here in Chicago, was flying off the racks. I had to end up ordering the Tribune and Sun-Times on line because I could not find a paper anywhere.

Tribune Co. _ owner of the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and other dailies _ filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday, the first major newspaper publisher to take such a step since the Internet plunged the industry into a desperate struggle for survival.

The media conglomerate was smothered by a drop-off in advertising and a crushing $13 billion in debt from the company's takeover a year ago by Chicago real estate mogul Sam Zell.

Chapter 11 would buy the Tribune Co. time to put its finances in order. Analysts said the company will almost certainly have to sell off some of its major holdings _ and that could prove extremely difficult because of the bad economy and the poor outlook for newspapers.

"When you look at the near term, prospects for the company and the industry are certainly not very bright," said Dave Novosel, an analyst with the Gimme Credit research firm.

New York Times had been rumored for months to have financial difficulties, well it was put it out there today.

The New York Times Company plans to borrow up to $225 million against its mid-Manhattan headquarters building, to ease a potential cash flow squeeze as the company grapples with tighter credit and shrinking profits.

The company has retained Cushman & Wakefield, the real estate firm, to act as its agent to secure financing, either in the form of a mortgage or a sale-leaseback arrangement, said James M. Follo, the Times Company’s chief financial officer.

The Times Company owns 58 percent of the 52-story, 1.5 million-square-foot tower on Eighth Avenue, which was designed by the architect Renzo Piano, and completed last year. The developer Forest City Ratner owns the rest of the building. The Times Company’s portion of the building is not currently mortgaged, and some investors have complained that the company has too much of its capital tied up in that real estate.

The company has two revolving lines of credit, each with a ceiling of $400 million, roughly the amount outstanding on the two combined. One of those lines is set to expire in May, and finding a replacement would be difficult given the economic climate and the company’s worsening finances. Analysts have said for months that selling or borrowing against assets would be the company’s best option for averting a cash flow problem next year.

Standard & Poor’s recently lowered its credit rating on the Times Company below investment grade, and Moody’s Investors Service has said it was considering a similar move. Times Company stock, which has lost more than half its value this year, closed on Friday at $7.64, down 30 cents.

Other stuff, here.

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Obama Evening Wrap Up....What shade is your lipstick?

barack in norfolk, virginia

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Lipstick, Faux Outrage and the "iffy" Press

If you don't know, then you should. Obama referred to the McCain/Palin Campaign as "putting lipstick on a pig." But, the McCain Campaign states he was talking about Sarah Palin.

Yes, this is bullshit, trivial nothing. But again, remember when you have a horrible record and parties of liars as in the Bush Administration, what can you possibly run on? The truth? Here is Barack's response:



Does anyone believe the GOP is outraged? This is a party that will do or say anything to win. They are even lying about the McCain/Palin record and have been called OUT repeatedly. As Barack says, "spare me the phony outrage." And with the media, it is starting to work.

CBS pulled that webad attacking Obama about the "pig" message against Palin. In fact, the McCain Campaign used footage of Katie Couric who was speaking on another topic. Youtube has pulled the webad.

What is happening is that the press is slowly, starting to perform their duty. That is to REPORT the facts. All three networks started out with some indication of the McCain/Palin ticket lying, distorting facts, untruthful, etc.

McCain can stay in the mud, but the viewpoint of him will eventually turn. We, that is, those that follow politics are always gnashing teeth at the possibility that the public will, fall again, for tricks instead of facts. The opinion is still out on that one, this time around. I do know people want to know what you are going to do to solve problems, not this continuous cry-baby game that the McCain Campaign is playing.

Lastly, when the debates come around, some truth must come out of John McCain's mouth and Sarah Palin's mouth. For now, it is the proverbial "he said, she said" game.

Oh, my lipstick shade is blood red. That is how badly the Republicans need to leave Washington, D.C. And read, "There is more going on than "Lipstick on a Pig".



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McCain-Palin Distorts Our Finding

A McCain-Palin ad has FactCheck.org calling Obama's attacks on Palin "absolutely false" and "misleading." That's what we said, but it wasn't about Obama.

Our article criticized anonymous e-mail falsehoods and bogus claims about Palin posted around the Internet. We have no evidence that any of the claims we found to be false came from the Obama campaign.

The McCain-Palin ad also twists a quote from a Wall Street Journal columnist. He said the Obama camp had sent a team to Alaska to "dig into her record and background." The ad quotes the WSJ as saying the team was sent to "dig dirt."

Update, Sept. 10: Furthermore, the Obama campaign insists that no researchers have been sent to Alaska and that the Journal owes them a correction. continue

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Matt Damon on Sarah Palin



::

and.....................

Biden: Second wife 'restored my life' after tragedy

Fact Check: Palin and the Bridge to Nowhere

New Obama Ads

McCain plays dirty on Obama & sex-ed

Palin lies could lead to Bridge to Oblivion

McCain's Integrity

As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone

And Obama Aide Slams McCain on Sexism



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Obama Morning Break...Handwringing? Do Something.

::

Polls and Handwringing

There is a recent poll out by USA Today/Gallup Poll.

The handwringers are out HEAVY. And if you don't know what handwringing is, read the following:

wring your hands - to show that you are very sad or anxious about a situation but do nothing to improve it

The reason for handwringing is that for registered voters it is 50-46, McCain up by 4. For likely voters, 54-44, McCain up by 10.

Obviously, folks don't understand the ebb and flow of polls. Did people think McCain would not get a bounce from his convention? Hell, he stepped on Obama the NEXT DAY AFTER HIS CONVENTION with the announcement of Palin. He did that because he had too. Picking Palin was a political move for his base, nothing else. He needed shock treatment and he got that with the Palin pick.

National polls mean NOTHING 7 weeks out of the election. Folks need to pay attention to state polls, period. National polling comes into play 10 days before an election.

For those handwringing, some of it is concern trolling by the other side, but the other is Obama supporters who can't seem to get from behind their computer and DO SOMETHING.

Did people think this would be easy? That Obama would just walk into the presidency? No, this election is about each and everyone of us, and we need to start doing out part, share instead of the continuous complaining on blogs and listservs.

We need the positive energy to win, that means getting off your duffs and working this campaign. All the tools to get started are at Barack's website. Instead of whining and complaining, do something to help this campaign win.

Lastly, here is an excellent writeup by Joe Trippi. Former strategist of John Edwards and Howard Dean. This write up states EVERYTHING of what this campaign is coming down to. The unknown.

The unknown are cell phone users, the continuous under polling of minorities, and new voters. This element was in Iowa and it is nationwide.

Read the article and then get f*cking busy to win in November.

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NBC are cowards. Matthews and Olbermann are out.

NBC kowtowed to the Republicans. Now David Gregory, who is the worst moderator on television will be the prime anchor person for any upcoming debates, election night. Can NBC see? Gregory is a biased Republican, period. NBC would be disastrous to even think Gregory can fill Tim Russert's shoes, for Meet the Press replacement. Russert is missed. Anyway, this is my opinion, everyone has one but I am done with these cable desk clerks.

Yes, David Gregory sucks.

Read it here.

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The Government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is serious. At least 50 percent of home mortgages are through these organizations. This is another indicator of the economy and the spiral downfall we are in. With the unemployment numbers at the highest in five years, for anyone to think the Republicans will fix this, while they have been in charge, keep whistling dixie. The Republicans are out of touch.

Read bonddad on the Fannie/Freddie situation.

::

When you are handwringing, look at this video



::

and...........................

Obama, McCain must set priorities on energy plans

Palin's first interview will be with Charles Gibson, ABC

ZOMG. SYFPH. by Elise

Obama needs better ads

New McCain/Palin ad, "The Original Mavericks"

and "This Week With Barack Obama", here

biden enroute and in montana



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Hypocrisy, Hypocrisy, Hypocrisy...That is John McCain

::

If the Republicans want to make hay or talking points on John Edwards, fine that means I can talk 24/7 on John McCain and Cindy to an extent of their shocking affair.

Everyone can agree that the John Edwards mess is distasteful, shocking (to a point) and reeks of hypocrisy. Nuff said.

But these blowhard Republicans need not go on ANY TALK NUT SHOW and blast Edwards when McCain got his second wife, almost the same way!!

It is public knowledge that while John McCain had a sick first wife and children at home, he was running after tail of the 20-something, Cindy Hensley.

Yes, love prevailed. Isn't that lovely? It always does in these situations, but McCain while running around with Cindy and taking out a marriage license was still a very married man with children. And Cindy Hensley McCain should not be excused, she knew John McCain was married and still had her roll in the hay.

The point is this; the GOP need not even talk about anything that has the word "affair" attached. McCain is a flawed candidate on this account and admitted it. So, why the GOP needs to go down this road is beyond me.

Chris Wilson, Republican pollster, said, “(Edwards is) running for president on moral values. His wife has been diagnosed with cancer and yet this is a man that we’re going to trust of leading the free world? ...That’s why this is an issue.”

Hannity smacked his hands together as he said, “If you can’t keep a promise to your family, can’t keep a promise to your wife, you’re having an affair, you’re lying about the affair repeatedly. Why should the American people trust you when you say you’re not gonna lie to them? Why should we trust you?”

“That’s a great question Sean asked,” Colmes said as he began his turn. To conservative Amanda Carpenter, Colmes asked, “Amanda, if that’s true, you can’t trust somebody who had an affair, how can we trust John McCain to be president of the United States since he cheated, by his own admission, on his first wife? He didn’t keep his marital vows. He didn’t keep his pledge to his first family.”

That’s when the fireworks started. Carpenter dodged the question by saying it's an issue that has been thoroughly vetted. Wilson made the laughable claim that Edwards had attacked Clinton for cheating on his wife. Hannity had a major hissy fit (most likely because he had been caught red-handed with his own hypocrisy) and insisted that McCain’s behavior should be viewed through the lens of having returned home from being a POW.

And here is the video of Hannity and Colmes:



The MSM does not want to go into detail about John McCain, but I believe that tide is turning. After getting egg on its face on the John Edwards mess and validating the tabloid magazine, National Enquirer, who got the story right, they are not going to sit on the sidelines. If you want to continue to talk affair, as the media is, then you must throw John McCain's infidelity into the pot, too. You cannot examine one without the other, since both ran/still running for POTUS.

Nobody reading this gives a ratsass on who is doing whom. Who fucking cares, but as long as the media is running with this story, we must endure it or turn the channel.

As for Edwards, my point is this; he should have come totally clean on Friday and shut this story down. I mean all of it. It is just not Fox constantly reporting this; it is all the news organizations. Until that happens, yes we have to listen to this bullshit.

Finally, no this is not the detriment to Barack Obama. His name is not John McCain or John Edwards and we, as Democrats need to be happy a bullet was dodged.

just my two cents.

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Media Stop Using "Exotic" as a code word for "Not American Enough"

posted @ Daily Kos

I blasted Cokie Roberts in yesterday's weekly, "This Week With Barack Obama" because she deserved it.

She put that red-herring, smoking gun word usage out that Obama is vacationing in some "exotic" place, called Hawaii and that he needs to go to Myrtle Beach, which implies "more American".

I have held my tongue on the media using this word exotic, coding for "Obama is not American" enough, but not anymore.

::

I am not going to go on and on about ABC or Cokie Roberts but I am going to examine what is American?

The Olympic Games opened Friday to one of the greatest extravagances we have seen in a very long time. Hats off to the Chinese, they put elegance back into the opening games and take notice if the next summer games are in the United States, "copy the Chinese".

But what caught my eye was the flag bearer, Lopez Lomong, a Sudanese refugee who is a United States citizen. It was not only his story, but that he is now one of us. An American.

So, as I watched these athletes, I started to ask myself, are they too exotic, not American enough, don't fit the bill? Are they?

Their names are exotic, it is not Smith, Jones, Brown or McCain, instead their names are:

Khatuna Lorig; Khan "Bob" Malaythong; Mesinee "May" Mangkalakiri; Raju Rai; Geno Espineli; Mike Koplove; Diana Taurasi; Luis Yanez; Sadam Ali; Javier Molina; Rami Zur; Levi Leipheimer; Christian Vande Velde; Hayley Ishimatsu; Mariel Zagunis; Gerek Meinhardt; Katelyn Falgowski; Amy Tran; Raj Bhavsar; Sayaka Matsumoto; Margaux Isaksen; Ken Jurkowski; Bryan Volpenhein; Natasha Kai....etc.

Again, these are Olympians, with names that are not Smith, Jones, Brown or McCain. Are they less American because they are representing the United States of America? Is Barack Obama less American because his name is not Smith, Jones, Brown or McCain?

See the main stream media is full of it. Some of their names are: Gibson, Roberts, Scarborough, Brzezinski, Mitchell, Stephanopoulos and Couric. Are their names less American? Are they? Don't they feel just as American or have as much pride for this country as the Olympians with those funny names or as Barack Obama does?

The media needs to stop now. This is called bias. It is. Because someone don't look like you or don't have the same name as you, does not equate this person does not feel a deep devotion for this country, AS YOU.

Look at those Olympians and their names. They are a melting pot. Some were born here and some became citizens, but they all bring out what is the BEST of this country, as Barack Obama.

So, media the next time you want to throw out that "exotic" word, why don't you look at yourself and where YOU came from, especially your name? Because I don't think any of you equate at all to the magnificent Olympians we have representing the melting pot called the United States of America, or even understand or know the depth of what Barack Obama feels and loves about this country.

Barack Obama is all of what the Olympians are, because America helped produced him. He is a prime example of one of the "better things" she has truly produced.

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Has Oprah Lost Her Touch?

I don't think this is a big deal. Why? Because many of us are not watching television as much as before, many of us are getting our information from the internet, many of us are watching video on line.

So, was the Obama endorsement a bust?

I don't think, so.

As the media has had to come to grips with the blogsphere, so does Oprah have to reinvent herself for the changing times.

Don't Fall for the Expectations: MEDIA HYPE

icebergslim, here.

on break in indiana, here.

to tell you all this: DON'T FALL FOR THE MEDIA HYPE

I don't know how many diaries must be written or trounced into heads here, but don't fall for it.

Here is why, below the fold:

::

Al G (that is what I call him), over at The Field has broken it down, brillantly.

Basically, it is a reminder that we have been through this drill already. That this is the 47th and 48th primary/caucus and by now we should know the DRILL.

I know many get excited, just reading the "Did I vote thread....", but the reality is this, a ground game.

This is a ground game, pure and simple. I don't expect Obama to win Indiana, so let's take that one out of our "yippeeee" column. I do expect him to win North Carolina, since it is a closed primary and Indiana is open. And yes, I expect mischief from the "Limbaugh Dummies", but not much in Indiana. Also, Obama did the one thing that Clinton did not do, due to lack of money, that is get his ballots cast early.

Now to what we should know.

We should know that Drudge ALWAYS leak Clinton expectations.

We should know that some nitwit from the Clinton Campaign goes on the cable shows and repeat expectations that were leaked.

We should know that the exit polls always show an Obama surge. And by now none of us should believe any exit polling.

We should know that Drudge then posts the Clinton "leaked exit polling".

We should expect the "why Obama can not close the deal". Yes, the cable pundits are nothing but desk clerks who read from a teleprompter and haven't been in the field, like forever. So, they are nothing but talking heads who in the end are full of nothing. We know this.

If Clinton wins Indiana, another plea for money for a not going nowhere campaign. And what did she raise last month? Haven't heard any bragging rights from that camp on money.

It will be torn apart, tomorrow by the desk clerks that Clinton has again cooled superdelegates heels, while the Obama Campaign continues to announce superdelegates in their CAMP tomorrow. Yes, desk clerks will look stupid.

In other words, we know better by now. We do.

Tomorrow there will be more superdelegates than remaining delegates for this primary. What does this mean? The backroom, smoking pits, deal joints have emerged and are working HARD. That is what is means.

North Carolina is the LAST big state left.

This is OVER, by every metric given. And if Obama blows out in North Carolina and stays close in Indiana, expect the supers to move rapidly, starting tomorrow.

So, Obama Supporters, stop drinking the same kool-aid every primary. We have won this already, now is just going through the steps. We know what the media will say, they have been carrying Clinton's water since, "see me in Texas and Ohio."

Unless Indiana is an upset, I don't expect it to be, but expect all the above. Stop getting caught up in the bullshit hype. You know what will happen.

And thanks to Al G at The Field, for keepin' it real.