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The "Gore-ing" Of Hillary Clinton

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only

Anyone wondering if NBC believes in wall to wall coverage of Hillary Clinton, even as they declare the Dem nomination race over, need only read the daily transcript of KO Keith Olbermann's Obama Screedcast Against Clinton. The first 30 minutes of Monday's version were devoted to attacking Hillary Clinton. But this was the highlight moment:

[DANA MILBANK:] . . . But in the interview, as people have found out, well, basically the guts of the story are true and probably, this woman [Trina Bachtel], had she gotten better care, things would have turned out better. The problem is, when you‘re in this sort of exaggeration position as previously Al Gore and John Kerry found themselves in, it‘s very hard to escape this. So, even a fairly innocent one like this, is just one more piece on the pile.

(Emphasis mine.) Keith Olbermann, NBC, the Media and the "progressive blogs" are now doing to Hillary Clinton what the Media did to Al Gore in 2000. This is what the "progressive blogs" and the Obama News Network (NBC) are about. As eriposte shows, the progressive blogosphere and its news reader mascot (Olbermann) died this campaign season. May they be reborn soon. More . . .

The Howler writes:

. . . Why did the Post spend its time and resources checking those public records? We can’t answer that. But the pattern here is quite familiar to anyone who has watched this film about other Big Dems, especially about Candidate Gore. By their own admission, the press corps “fact-checked” quite selectively when it came to Candidates Bush and Gore—and they mind-read Gore quite thoroughly. This allowed them to tell the story they loved: Gore is a big liar, just like Bill Clinton. When we read Kornblut’s report last week, we suspected Clinton was now getting Gored—that the press corps was now working to churn a novel about her own vast lying. Does everybody get fact-checked this way? History, and current experience, say that they do not.

Second, pundits shouldn’t have spoken with certainty based on a single hospital’s unchecked report. This was a dumb thing for people like Matthews to do: Sometimes, hospital spokespersons don’t tell you the truth; sometimes, as in this case, they may not actually know the full story. But Matthews (and others) weren’t doing journalism; they were mainly retyping a favorite old novel. And so, like Clinton, they failed to fact-check their story thoroughly. They asserted far more than they knew.

(Emphasis supplied.) Read the whole thing.

NOTE - Comments closed.

< SUSA PA Poll: Clinton By 18 | Clinton, McCain And Petraeus >
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  • Display: Sort:
    As you said yesterday (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by andgarden on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 12:49:41 PM EST
    Bob Somerby looks prescient.

    He is fantastic. (5.00 / 2) (#19)
    by ghost2 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:10:46 PM EST
    Bob Somerby was Al Gore's roommate in college.  I wish he had said to Al to speak up against Media treatment of Hillary, and how Michigan and Florida are treated.

    But the atmosphere is incredibly toxic.  The worst I have seen.  It's like the drumbeat to the War again.  There's a media hurricane, and any voice that dares speak into it will be ignored, ridiculed, and maligned.

    [ Parent ]

    He is fantastic (5.00 / 2) (#49)
    by delacarpa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:34:26 PM EST
    Gore remembers what he said in 2000:

    "This is so ironic that in 2000 Gore said that if the votes aren't counted in 2000 then years from
    now other votes won't be counted . He was right and read his words in a speech in 2000" and he should speak to this and hopefully he will at the right time and IMO the time is now.

    Mex

    [ Parent ]

    ??Roommate?? (none / 0) (#56)
    by mrjerbub on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:37:49 PM EST
    So was Tommy Lee Jones. Small world.

    [ Parent ]
    Wait a minute! (none / 0) (#171)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:11:22 PM EST
    I thought Tommy Lee Jones was Ryan O'Neal's roommate before the latter fell in love with and married Ali MacGraw, and then she died. ;-)

    [ Parent ]
    Vanity Fair (none / 0) (#183)
    by Kathy on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:34:16 PM EST
    did a great article on the lies the media told about Gore:  LINK

    Oddly familiar tactics.  The problem is that when we let them do this to one dem, we tacitly allow them to do it to all dems.

    [ Parent ]

    apparently, (none / 0) (#186)
    by cpinva on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:39:41 PM EST
    al had a tough time keeping roommates. :)

    [ Parent ]
    Heh (none / 0) (#219)
    by mrjerbub on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 05:54:14 PM EST
    That was my sister's fav. I hated it.  ;-

    [ Parent ]
    "Found themselves in" (5.00 / 4) (#2)
    by ruffian on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 12:51:41 PM EST
    Beautiful.  As usual, no mention that it was the dishonest and profoundly stupid work of the press that threw them into that position.

    I'm not sure about much in this life, but I am sure a Daily Howler mention is forthcoming.

    "Mistakes were made" (5.00 / 5) (#40)
    by litigatormom on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:28:51 PM EST
    And are still being made, as Fineman admits.  But hey, since the MSM has decided that Clinton is an "exxagerator" it doesn't matter whether the "guts" of the story are true. Clinton is fair game, and all statements by her are presumed false until proven true.

    In the meantime, has anyone on NBC slammed McCain for his rosy statements on Iraq?  Has anyone on NBC slammed Obama for condoning the disenfranchisement of FLA and MI voters.

    I thought not.

    [ Parent ]

    Whatever happened to (none / 0) (#70)
    by madamab on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:50:49 PM EST
    the McCain lobbyist story? There were possible financial as well as sexual shenanigans.

    [cricket cricket cricket]

    And what about McCain's asserting "The surge is working, I don't care what anyone else thinks?" Doesn't that scream "crazy old man" to anyone?

    [cricket cricket cricket]

    [ Parent ]

    Keith needs to drop his borrowed Murrow... (5.00 / 5) (#3)
    by Marco21 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 12:53:36 PM EST
    line from his show. Clearly, he no longer deserves to use it. Doing so insults Murrow's legacy and the truth itself.

    I found his anti Bush shtick (5.00 / 3) (#4)
    by Stellaaa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 12:55:43 PM EST
    to be a daily copy of the blogs.  He does nothing original.  He has a demographic and he bloviates.  Murrow, took a position, he bucked the tide and he educated the viewers.  This will take a few reincarnations for Mr. Olberman.

    [ Parent ]
    Olberman Has Always Been Boring (5.00 / 4) (#12)
    by kaleidescope on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:03:48 PM EST
    Even when I agree with him.  But TV sucks in general.  What television news doesn't suck?

    [ Parent ]
    worth watching (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by oldpro on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:28:25 PM EST
    for those who can receive Canadian TV...Manbridge on CBC News/The National (CBUT-Vancouver BC)

    on PBS...World News and News Hour with Jim Lehrer (although only the first 5-6 minutes are actual news...the rest is issues discussion)

    [ Parent ]

    That's true, but ... (none / 0) (#174)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:15:56 PM EST
    ... it's also pretty intelligent discussion with some of the people we really need to hear from, but who are otherwise crowded off the mainstream cable news airwaves by the likes of William Kristol, Dana Milbank, Howard Fineman, Glenn Beck and Lou Dobbs.

    [ Parent ]
    BBC World News (5.00 / 2) (#100)
    by eleanora on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:12:41 PM EST
    is pretty good, covers international events in greater detail than US news as well. They run it on my local PBS station at 10pm weeknights and on BBC America.

    [ Parent ]
    He (5.00 / 4) (#5)
    by rooge04 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 12:55:55 PM EST
    never deserved to use it. Never mind now. It was embarrassing before, now it's downright offensive.

    [ Parent ]
    I hope he continues to use it... (5.00 / 2) (#99)
    by Exeter on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:11:27 PM EST
    ...it is just as absurd as if O'Reilly signed off with "and that's the way it is" and just demonstrates to everyone that O'Lbermann has become completely deluded by his own ego.  

    [ Parent ]
    He doesn't deserve to (none / 0) (#224)
    by IKE on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 10:09:03 PM EST
    use it. Murrow believed in something and stood up for it. What the heck does Obamaman believes in? I respected him when he was neutral or at least pretended to be; now his entire show is delicated to bashing Clinton. He may not be the world's worst person, but he sure is the world's dumbest.

    [ Parent ]
    A polls pollster and now punster (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 12:58:17 PM EST
    what's next? Sad sad deal how this has all gone down!  Shame on like.....almost everyone.  But Joe Scarborough did acknowledge the situation this morning.

    Be reborn? (5.00 / 5) (#10)
    by ghost2 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:01:12 PM EST
    You know BTD, just before Alegre's strike diary, another long time user on DK wrote a good bye diary.  Someone said, I hope this blog improves and you'll be back.

    I said this: Why should she?? Why should we reward behavior like this and pretend they didn't exist?  

    This is the crunch time.  This is the time that character is on display.  Do you think I ever click on DK or TPM again?  They are lost to me forever.  

    You see, Josh was wrong on the war.  It was a bit of too much association with elites, a bit of cautiousness and lack of a good BS detector.  But I could forgive that.  It was an honest mistake.  

    There is no way I could forgive the behavior of kos and Marshall this time around.  No way.  This is intentional stabbing of an amazing woman.  This is the Gore-ing of Hillary Clinton.  This is about tipping the scale intentionally.  This is, in short, intentional hypocrisy.  Since they call themselves journalists, intentional hypocrisy is the same as corruption.

    There is no way I go back to those blogs.  Hopefully, TalkLeft, Taylor Marsh, The Confluence, mydd, and others continue their growth and replace those other pompous blogs.


    I agree ghost..... (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Maria Garcia on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:13:34 PM EST
    ...I just don't trust them anymore. In fact, in the future if I find myself agreeing with them I will take it as a sign to do some soul searching.

    [ Parent ]
    I haven't been to DK in a long while now (5.00 / 3) (#43)
    by litigatormom on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:31:49 PM EST
    I thought of going to the front page today because I figured someone would be live-blogging the Petraeus hearings.

    And then I decided I didn't need to give them the traffic. Besides, they may be too busy slamming Clinton to actually live-blog the hearings.

    [ Parent ]

    I checked it out (5.00 / 1) (#77)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:54:53 PM EST
    Left when Hillary was testifying because it got stupid as usual.

    [ Parent ]
    Same, (5.00 / 1) (#131)
    by abfabdem on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:36:25 PM EST
    I think of going to Kos and then decide, why give them the clicks.  A local Chicago site, Buzzflash, that I used to love and donate to, also got bizarre with huge headlines calling the Clintons racists.  Glad there are alternatives.  I will never go back to them after this. And now my money goes to the Clinton campaign which is far more gratifying right now!!

    [ Parent ]
    There's no reason (5.00 / 1) (#148)
    by nemo52 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:46:56 PM EST
    for me to ever go back.  I have found better, much more adult places, this blog among them.

    [ Parent ]
    Totally agree...total hypocrisy and (5.00 / 1) (#109)
    by lily15 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:19:20 PM EST
    corruption in a time of crisis should exclude them forever from anything but hacks and propagandists.  When push came to shove, they showed their true colors.  They should never get a pass...they should be punished by permanently losing readership.  Free market and all.


    [ Parent ]
    It's Pretty Sad What the Heathers are Doing (5.00 / 3) (#11)
    by kaleidescope on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:02:03 PM EST
    Given how they treated Bill Clinton over Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky and how they treated Wen Ho Lee, it's not very surprising, though. If she wasn't a Clinton, I'd put more of the blame on misogyny.  But there are different media rules for the Clintons and I think most of the "Gore treatment" has to do with irrational media hatred of all things Clinton.

    So, unfair as it is, Hillary Clinton has not been able to put the "credibility issue" to bed.  Is it possible this (mis)treatment will have no effect the continuing viability of Senator Clinton's candidacy?

    no effect? (5.00 / 3) (#16)
    by ghost2 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:07:19 PM EST
    It has a tremendouos effect. If she wasn't Hillary, she'd be politically dead ten times over.  

    She is amazing.  No one could have survived this.  Give her a small opening, and she turns it into gold.

    Of course, I wish she had assembled a tougher campaign team.  She needs a Carville. Maggie Williams is great though.  I think she matches Hilllary in toughness.  

    [ Parent ]

    The Heathers? (5.00 / 2) (#34)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:24:45 PM EST
    This is a funny blog today.  Remember what happened to the Heathers ;)

    [ Parent ]
    Sure do! (none / 0) (#178)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:20:25 PM EST
    "And if I have to sing Kumbaya just one more time --"

    [ Parent ]
    EXACTLY (none / 0) (#197)
    by allimom99 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:56:03 PM EST

    What goes around comes around - gotta love that karma.

    [ Parent ]
    the demographics of HRC and Obama (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Prabhata on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:05:29 PM EST
    skew the view most bloggers have.  Bloggers won't miss the visitors of their blogs that support HRC because we're a minority to their sites.  HRC's base is older blue collar working people, and yes, retired people.  Her base barely use email, and are not as likely to donate to candidates or read blogs online.

    I know where you're coming from (5.00 / 7) (#20)
    by madamab on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:13:25 PM EST
    but there are lots of us HRC supporters who do not fit that mold.

    Namely: Women.

    A lot of the A-list progressive bloggers seem to forget the massive presence we have in the Democratic Party. And we do blog and use email.

    Obama's biggest mistake has been discounting and dismissing those voters, and some Obama bloggers have done the same. I will absolutely never go to those sites again. The misogyny and hatred there is unacceptable.

    [ Parent ]

    Yes and not to mention (none / 0) (#182)
    by facta non verba on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:28:16 PM EST
    gay men and women as well. Never mind the Donnie McClurkin episode, Senator Obama seems to think that we should sit down and talk James Dobson and the FRC and negotiate. What do James Dobson and I have to talk about? Nothing, we are never going to see eye to eye. Obama has this penchant for telling people what they want to hear. It is all rather disconcerting.

    [ Parent ]
    facta, you are right on the money (none / 0) (#187)
    by lookoverthere on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:45:04 PM EST
    Why in the world would any LGBT person want to unite with folks like Rev./Rep. James Meeks?

    What in the world would I possible have to say? "Nice tie, dude. And it's okay if you hate me and wish me dead---no worries"?

    [ Parent ]

    This old f@$t (5.00 / 3) (#27)
    by PlayInPeoria on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:19:22 PM EST
    is not retired, is white collar worker and my kids call me to find out how to run anti-spam software.....and I run a corp network.

    So don't rule us out as online bloggers... And we email our displeasures to the media and elected officials.

    [ Parent ]

    Not so sure about that (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by ruffian on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:19:40 PM EST
    Any statistices that show that?

    The elderly use email a lot these days, and go online.  These are not your father's elderly <grin>

    [ Parent ]

    Women the majority on the 'Net now (5.00 / 1) (#191)
    by Cream City on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:49:15 PM EST
    per some study I saw, so maybe.  Point is, the blog boyz started when it was mostly boyz and are being left behind now.  Just don't know it yet, but will.

    [ Parent ]
    Hillary's Base (5.00 / 2) (#118)
    by grouse on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:24:22 PM EST
    I can't speak for all of Hillary's base, but based on the "seniors" that support Hillary, and there are many of us, we use email thank you and read blogs and sometimes dare to post a comment!

    [ Parent ]
    Hey! (5.00 / 2) (#130)
    by mrjerbub on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:36:10 PM EST
    I resemble that remark  ;-

    [ Parent ]
    It's not gonna stop. (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by lilburro on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:09:44 PM EST
    That's a lot of negative coverage coming towards Hillary Clinton.  It isn't as though once she's out of the race our negative scandal mongers in the media will change their tone and not look for the next person to attack.  They won't be able to handle an Obama - McCain match up fairly.  This race is going to be dirty and the media will make it so.  

    Great catch BTD.  No way really to say "What Olbermann meant."  If he's a liberal, I don't know what I am.  If he can't see the part he plays in the media's destruction of liberal candidates, while claiming to be a liberal, shame on him.

    It's like domestic violence... (5.00 / 3) (#64)
    by oldpro on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:47:06 PM EST
    the abuser almost never self-identifies and stays in denial as long as possible when confronted.

    [ Parent ]
    Remember that Keith's contract was renewed (5.00 / 1) (#122)
    by lily15 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:26:33 PM EST
    for millions of dollars and soon thereafter he turned from being fair to Hillary (remember the interview with her?) to despising her.  Keith is not a liberal.  Keith is a hack.  He has been paid off.

    Again, he did a 180 soon after his new contract was signed.  He built up his show with his anti Bush commentaries...and then got paid off...too convenient, I'd say.  The change was sudden and outrageous.

    [ Parent ]

    "It's very hard to escape this"? (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by stillife on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:10:24 PM EST
    "This" being KO, his buddies at MSNBC and in the blogosphere beating up on Hillary.  Talk about abdicating personal responsibility!  Keith is a victim of Hillary - he just can't help himself, any more than Tweety can stop those tingles going up his leg when he hears Obama.

    I'm hesitant to say this, b/c I know he's conservative and has been horrible to the Clintons in the past (see Wayne Barrett's recent piece in the Village Voice), but Joe Scarborough has been extremely fair to Hillary in recent weeks.  He almost seems to be turning into a fanboy.  His admiration for her came through clearly in the interview he conducted this morning.  For a battle-weary Hillary supporter, it was like a breath of fresh air.

    you can see the interview (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by bjorn on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:15:19 PM EST
    at Taylor Marsh site.

    [ Parent ]
    Thanks for that link! (none / 0) (#51)
    by nycstray on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:35:39 PM EST
    I sometimes have probs with videos on the MSNBC site, and this was one of them. But it works via other sites!  :)

    Nice interview.

    [ Parent ]

    And... (5.00 / 2) (#26)
    by michitucky on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:18:04 PM EST
    Later in the show when Pat dicussed people approaching him in airports thanking him for being fair to Hillary.  Go figure!

    [ Parent ]
    My first clue (5.00 / 7) (#33)
    by ruffian on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:23:24 PM EST
    that the tectonic plates had shifted underneath my feet was when I started agreeing with Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan on at least one or two points. Of course then they say something bats** crazy and I come back to my senses.

    [ Parent ]
    And Pat Buchanan isn't on as much (5.00 / 1) (#124)
    by lily15 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:29:40 PM EST
    Notice?  This is a set up by powerful GE, which owns NBC and is a big player in the defense industry.  Bob Somerby has it right.  DailyHowler.com is a must read for those that want to know the truth about the media.

    [ Parent ]
    And (none / 0) (#129)
    by michitucky on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:35:48 PM EST
    Craig Crawford is MIA...

    [ Parent ]
    That's right. Craig Crawford is disappeared. (none / 0) (#161)
    by lily15 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:02:58 PM EST
    And he was fair to Hillary.  Hard to escape this conspiracy.  It is a set up.  And Bob Somerby has been warning about it for a long time.  We should all take heed and fight back.

    [ Parent ]
    Where is Media Matters on all this? (none / 0) (#166)
    by TearDownThisWall on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:07:21 PM EST
    Didn't Hillary start that site...or at least have something to to with the founding of MM?

    [ Parent ]
    I go to Craig Crawford's blog (none / 0) (#194)
    by Cream City on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:51:35 PM EST
    to get my fix.  It's good -- and it's got video, so I still can actually listen to him being a sane (if funny with his breathiness) voice.

    [ Parent ]
    Yep (none / 0) (#83)
    by Lou Grinzo on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:01:00 PM EST
    Every once in a while Joe or Pat loses control and veers into the reality based zone.  But they usually recover and zip right back to Fruitloopistan after just a few minutes.
    What is The Cost of Energy?
    [ Parent ]
    Rehab KO? (5.00 / 4) (#25)
    by herb the verb on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:17:56 PM EST
    Why bother? The guy is a joke.

    The problem is that in 4-5 months Dkos, Captain Stubble, Huffy and all the rest will "graciously" invite all of us racist Hillary supporters back to give them our hits and our $$$$ while patting us low-lifes on the head and explaining just how lucky we are to have friends like them.

    You know what (and excuse my french) but

    F*CK THAT!

    I'm (insert word for livid)at how Hillary has been (insert word for poorly treated) on but even more (insert word for livid) at how WE, as faithful, dedicated, liberal DEMOCRATS have been (insert word for poorly treated) on.

    Nope, not ready to make nice. In fact, I have a different proposal for Obama and his (insert word for opposite of friendly and welcome) supporters. This proposal is that the Super Delegates should SAY RIGHT NOW THAT THEY WILL NOT SIGNAL SUPPORT FOR EITHER CANDIDATE UNTIL MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA ARE RESOLVED SINCE NEITHER CANDIDATE HAS THE MATH TO WIN WITHOUT THEM!

    I think that is an excellent idea. Imminently fair to all parties and I think that a fair and balanced Obama network should agree.  

    Not interested in KO anymore (none / 0) (#195)
    by Cream City on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:52:34 PM EST
    after reading of his treatment of women in his personal life, in addition to his allegedly professional life.

    [ Parent ]
    Mad as Hell video update (5.00 / 13) (#31)
    by IndyRobin on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:22:05 PM EST
    Hi All,

    I'm IndyRobin and I made the "Mad as Hell" video along with my friend GeekLove. I'm stopping by to give a sincere thank you to all who have helped
    draw attention to this video. It was very difficult to do, but I simply could not take another single day of watching the ongoing MSM slaughter of Hillary without responding. I am sending this update as a thank you for your help.
    We have now 'gone viral" ( just learned what that meant yetsterday:) Please continue to send the video out, stop by YouTube and watch it... just watching it will keep it alive. Thanks again

    Video update: YES

    Honors for This Video:
    #17 - Most Discussed (Today)
    #2 - Most Discussed (Today) - News & Politics
    #17 - Most Discussed (This Week) - News & Politics
    #79 - Most Responded (Today)
    #7 - Most Viewed (Today) - News & Politics
    #49 - Top Favorites (Today)
    #1 - Top Favorites (Today) - News & Politics
    #11 - Top Favorites (This Week) - News & Politics
    #50 - Top Rated (Today)
    #3 - Top Rated (Today) - News & Politics
    #28 - Top Rated (This Week) - News & Politics

    1590 clicks from http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/4/7/13263/90098
    923 clicks from http://www.talkleft.com/
    879 clicks from http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/
    650 clicks from http://www.taylormarsh.com/
    431 clicks from http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard...

    Terrific work (5.00 / 3) (#58)
    by BDB on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:39:53 PM EST
    After seeing it elsewhere, I posted it at Corrente.

    Thank you for putting it together. You have a much stronger stomach than I to sit through the MSM hate-o-palooza.

    [ Parent ]

    Thank you! (5.00 / 1) (#71)
    by Suma on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:51:28 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Thank you so much (5.00 / 1) (#96)
    by eleanora on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:10:54 PM EST
    for that video--I've sent links to everyone I know. If you need donations for hosting so that it could be downloaded easily and shared even more widely, I'd be delighted to contribute. Wonderful job, truly.

    [ Parent ]
    Great Work!! (none / 0) (#112)
    by AmyinSC on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:20:45 PM EST
    Thank you so much - I posted it on my blog, too.  Really exceptional work, even if it was pretty hard to get through those first moments..>Thank you for documenting what has been happening to Clinton, and to women, during this campaign.

    [ Parent ]
    It's well done (5.00 / 1) (#107)
    by facta non verba on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:17:45 PM EST
    It was hard to watch the first time around but each successive viewing left me more energized and committed to this cause. Thanks.

    [ Parent ]
    Thanks!! (5.00 / 1) (#139)
    by abfabdem on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:40:56 PM EST
    Your rock.  I sent it to several friends this morning and to a colunnist at the Sun Times who had an article today on sexism in the media.  

    [ Parent ]
    Awesome!!!! (none / 0) (#222)
    by Imelda Blahnik2 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 07:40:50 PM EST
    IndyRobin,

    Thank you SOOOO much for that video. It made me cry. It made me, well, mad as hell, not that I wasn't already mad as hell. But it was the latter part of the video ("I'm a b*tch") that I found so moving, and which was truly uplifting after all the misogynist trashing you cover in the first half. It really brought home to me the true, thorough, amazing gutsiness of Hillary Clinton, the depth and breadth of her stamina, her willingness to persist in the fact of terrible personal attacks and non-stop efforts at humiliation, and the level of her commitment to public life. I'm sure what she does is exciting....but you don't put yourself out there knowing you'll be attacked because it's fun. I was very moved.

    Thank you.  

    [ Parent ]

    "Gore-ing" of Michelle Obama (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by bjorn on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:28:25 PM EST
    Mrs. Obama is next if Senator Obama wins.  I for one, a Hillary supporter, will do everything I can to fight the "gore-ing" of Mrs. Obama should it become an issue in the GE.  We cannot let the MSM do this to any woman, especially a democrat.

    See the bloggingheads discussion about whether or not Michelle's "anger" will become a campaign issue.

    Ross Douthat of The Atlantic Monthly and Debra Dickerson of Mother Jones debate whether Michelle Obama could hurt her husband's campaign.
    http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=c7b4fad4226d08062ed32992ec0f378763c31c55


    Remember how they treated (5.00 / 4) (#42)
    by madamab on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:31:31 PM EST
    the magnificent Teresa Hines Kerry?

    God, that woman was terrific. I'll never forget how when Bush supporters chanted "Four More Years" at a Kerry event, she quipped "They want four more years of hell!"

    Yet oooooh, she was "outspoken." EEEEEEKKKKK! Heaven forbid a First Lady should be more than a Laurabot Stepford Wife!

    [ Parent ]

    I loved Teresa Heinz Kerry -- and (none / 0) (#196)
    by Cream City on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:54:47 PM EST
    was at one of those events where the despicable boyz went after her, but she handed it right back.  She was one of the reasons I voted for her husband.

    [ Parent ]
    The "Hillary-ing" of Michelle Obama (none / 0) (#142)
    by dwmorris on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:42:08 PM EST
    Sorry ... but I think the better analogy here is Hillary Clinton.  The national press really started to work her over during the '92 campaign and it hasn't stopped since.  Michelle will almost certainly get the special "Hillary treatment" from the Republican attack machine if Barrack is the nominee.  It ain't going to be pretty.

    [ Parent ]
    Sure (none / 0) (#149)
    by ColumbiaDuck on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:47:05 PM EST
    Democratic women are ball-busters, masculine, cackling, etc.

    Democratic men are feminine, breck girls, elitist non-bowlers.

    Republican men are manly men who bbq, have a beer and are "real" (even if they were Andover cheerleaders).

    Republican women are ... ?

    [ Parent ]

    Stepford wife-like. (none / 0) (#164)
    by jeffinalabama on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:04:43 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Please add snark to the above... (none / 0) (#165)
    by jeffinalabama on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:06:11 PM EST
    was going to put it in the body of the post, but hit the wrong button.

    [ Parent ]
    wives (none / 0) (#181)
    by boredmpa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:26:40 PM EST
    i know you were joking, but all the same I think stepford-wife like isn't correct.  After all, stepford wives as I understand the stereotype are active in the community culture completely and don't work--that's an image that no longer resonates with middle and lower class families where women ARE working and thus hurts the image of the republican nominee as an average joe.  

    So other than being trotted out for family pics and such, I don't see the stepford-ness being emphasized. Thus my somewhat snarky response below that they're invisible.

    [ Parent ]

    That's according to some progressives (none / 0) (#173)
    by ColumbiaDuck on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:15:26 PM EST
    And usually just about Laura Buth.  Actually I was going to say that, according to the MSM, Republican women are usually loveable mothers (Barbara Bush), or HAWT (Condi, Ann Coulter).  But it's not really standard at this point...

    [ Parent ]
    invisible (none / 0) (#177)
    by boredmpa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:20:00 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Welcome to the REAL WORLD. (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by narius on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:28:33 PM EST
    I wonder when people will wake up to the fact that if you want to win in politics, you have to play the media game and you have to play it WELL.

    Al Gore's loss has NOTHING to do with issues. In fact, how many people in the US can remember his policy positions except that he is green .. and that is only because of a popular movie.

    People remember that he is "wooden" (not true if you watch an inconvenient truth), and he claimed to have invented the Internet (which is also quoted out of context, i think).

    For the public, it is NEVER about the issues. It is about PR and perceptions.

    Indeed (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:30:58 PM EST
    And "progresives" like you are one of the main reasons why that is so.

    [ Parent ]
    I am not even a democrat .... (5.00 / 1) (#72)
    by narius on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:52:05 PM EST
    that is just an observation of how the political game in our country works.

    My observation is that whoever play the media/country like a fiddle better wins. It is little to do with issues and policy position.

    Look at how George Bush won in 2004. Karl Roves has the ingenuous idea of getting all the religious people out to vote using the gay marriage issue. It may be a dirty trick .. but tricks won elections.

    Look at Al Gore's come back. It is really not purely about the issue of global warming, but about how to "market" the idea. The science WAS THERE. There are tons of supporter. But it takes a well made movie, an oscar and a Nobel Prize to get people notice.

    [ Parent ]

    Ah (none / 0) (#73)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:53:11 PM EST
    I was wondering what type of Obama supporter you are.

    The Republican kind. thanks for the honesty.

    [ Parent ]

    actually i am not a republican either ... (none / 0) (#82)
    by narius on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:00:15 PM EST
    if you really want to characterize me, i am more of the fiscally conservation, super tough on crime, but "soft" on social issues (gays are fine with me, legalization of drugs is fine with me ...) and I think the Afgan war is great but the Iraq war is a terrible idea.

    And I am not here to vilify Hillary, I am just pointing out (and you can call me cynical) the importance of playing the media if a politician wants to win.

    Seriously I won't bet my money on her though. See, an hour her supporters spend defending her & ranting on the media is one hour not getting her message out convincing people to vote for her.

    People don't like apologies and someone on defense. Just look at Arnold. With all the womanizing stuff, he just came out and say "I am a bad boy" and shrugged it off. She is really not getting good help (duh!) with PR & strategy.

    [ Parent ]

    Sound crunchy con to me (none / 0) (#90)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:07:21 PM EST
    But you have nothing to do with the progressive movement. I was mistaking you with soemone else.

    sorry about that.

    [ Parent ]

    Hmmm.... (none / 0) (#119)
    by ColumbiaDuck on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:24:31 PM EST
    The media has consistently chosen to elevate Republicans over Democrats.  It really doesn't matter how great a Democratic candidate is at playing the media (or anything) if the media always has its thumb on the right scale.

    [ Parent ]
    Really? (none / 0) (#202)
    by narius on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 04:02:37 PM EST
    I think Bill Clinton did a great job playing the media on his campaign trail. The thing about talking about marital difficulty with Hillary on 60 min (is it 60 min or some other shows) is BRILLIANT.

    [ Parent ]
    The media (none / 0) (#204)
    by ColumbiaDuck on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 04:08:17 PM EST
    Made up Whitewater (see:  the Hunting of a President) and found common fodder with any number of crazy Arkansas conspiracy theorists.  And that wasn't some fringe American Specter - that was the Post and the Times. Not to mention that they even asked him about his "women problems" when it was a well-known rumor in Washington that GWHB had a long time paramour.  That little tidbit did not get nearly the coverage.  

    And even if they were slightly more fair to him in 1992 (debatable), they spent the next eight years trying to get him thrown in jail (or at least out of office).

    [ Parent ]

    Tricks win elections but destroy nations. (none / 0) (#81)
    by Stellaaa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:59:45 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    I may not even disagree with that .. although (none / 0) (#84)
    by narius on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:01:49 PM EST
    the jury is still out since our nation hasn't really been "destroyed" yet.

    This is just like hurricanes and floods .. something like a subtle force of nature. I highly doubt anyone can change it even if they want to.

    [ Parent ]

    No, he still has few months (none / 0) (#86)
    by Stellaaa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:04:53 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    No .. he only destroys (none / 0) (#98)
    by narius on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:11:24 PM EST
    OTHER nations. Ours is too strong although the subprime mess certainly will wound us badly.

    [ Parent ]
    You amaze me. (none / 0) (#160)
    by Stellaaa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:01:59 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    It is not about playing the (none / 0) (#154)
    by leis on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:52:50 PM EST
    media game; it is about being PLAYED by the media.

    [ Parent ]
    Now that is defeatist thinking ... (none / 0) (#206)
    by narius on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 04:11:54 PM EST
    You know that the media works on sensationalism, and extreme human emotion.

    The best two kind of stories are a) embarrassing to someone (you LIE, you CHEATED on your wife, you look at porno movies! ...), b) blatant heroism (oh boy, he singlehanded defeated 20 talibans!), and c) sob stories (oh boy, a woman died because she can't get health care!).

    The trick is to CREATE the marketing for those stories (and based in on real events) to gain an advantage over your opponent. One need to have enough media contact to pull it off but that is what big PR firms are supposed to provided (though at a steep price).

    Hillary should come out SWINGING saying the story is real and why Obama is smearing her as opposed to oops .. i messed up. No one likes someone who messed up ... particularly on issue with "honesty".

    In short ...

    • embarrass your opponent (ideally done by shadow groups working for your cause)
    • have hero stories associated with yourself
    • play with emotions of the public (DEFEND marriage ... I am for HOPE and CHANGE ....)
    • and anticipate and defuse attacks.


    [ Parent ]
    I am willing to bet good money, Euros not dollars, (5.00 / 2) (#53)
    by andrelee on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:35:53 PM EST
    that when all this winds up, the race, the election, it will be revealed that the OB campaign directly contacted Dkos, TPM, etc. and offered them something, who knows what, but something they wanted enough to bargain away their self-respect, credibility, and (professional) standing. Can you imagine that, Joe Scarborough is being...a....journalist, in regards to Clinton and not his regular Repug. self. Joe Scarborough for chrissakes.

    Caught up (5.00 / 2) (#54)
    by Stellaaa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:37:16 PM EST
    They are caught up in being kingmakers and lost their original role: questioning all authority.  

    [ Parent ]
    Bingo (none / 0) (#97)
    by Lou Grinzo on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:11:17 PM EST
    I strongly suspect that there was no contact between the Obama campaign and no deal of any sort.  The blogs simply decided they wanted to be Part Of A Major Event, so they piled on.

    I guess helping to elect a brilliant, dedicated Democrat president, who would just happen to be the first woman in that role, wasn't enough.
    What is The Cost of Energy?
    [ Parent ]

    complicated. (none / 0) (#168)
    by ghost2 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:09:18 PM EST
    I think politicians (and their advisors) are experts at schmoozing and manufacturing opinion.  Dave Axelrod has an astroturf company, which means he understands how media and manufacturing public opinion works and has elevated it to an art form.

    Remember, astroturf campaigns mimick a true grassroots campaign, but they are not crude, or they'll be found out very fast.  Christians evangelist political organizations did that too.  They would send letters to newspapers on behalf of "ordinary" citizens, which would get published.  With net and annonymity, it's much easier to do these things and cover your tracks.

    I still don't know how the initial seeding and contacts work.  My guess is that Axelrod initiated internet groups, facebook, and buzz.  Aggressively put together big rallies and drummed up attendance(I read a news account on this, that it was one thing the Obama campaign intentionally did), and also himself or someone high up in the campaign shmoozed with the like of kos and Marshall, and said what they wanted to hear.

    Before I had an opinion about any candidate in this race, I came across a link to the infamous 1984 remash video. It was either TPM or Kevin Drum, and the link post was very short, "someone emailed us this, what do you think?". When I clicked and watched the video, I was disgusted and appalled.  I couldn't believe that a democratic blog will link to this video, and help it go viral.  That's when my first doubts on blogsphere relationship with Hillary originated, and unfortunatly my hunch was proven right.


    [ Parent ]

    BTW (none / 0) (#170)
    by ghost2 on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:11:00 PM EST
    psychological studies indicate that people defend a lie much more vigorously if they have been paid very little for it.

    [ Parent ]
    It's more than that (none / 0) (#185)
    by boredmpa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:36:31 PM EST
    The union support for Obama shows the depth of the political games in leftist land.  In my opinion, the unions went Obama because they have declining membership and he has a movement with young people.  On some level, I doubt their leadership cares if he wins as long as it leads to positive thoughts from young people about unions or an increase in membership and/or clout.  Unions and Bloggers and almost any interest group are out for themselves.  The only difference is the bloggers may have been too short sighted (whereas the unions were strategic).

    And not to engage in US union bashing, but the unions were against universal healthcare in the beginning because it took a negotiating point out of their control.  They also offered to cave on universal care in california if the governator would log roll on allowing unionization of a subgroup of health care workers.

    Unions voted for the "movement" because they saw clear long-term benefits.  Bloggers supported the "movement" because they saw short-term $$$ increases.

    [ Parent ]

    If only it were that simple (none / 0) (#128)
    by gyrfalcon on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:35:24 PM EST
    Nobody paid them off.  They lost their senses entirely voluntarily.


    [ Parent ]
    Petraus hearings (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by Stellaaa on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:39:19 PM EST
    Watching now as Tweatie and Anne acknowledge that Hillary is well versed and has a great deal of knowledge about military issues.  Gee, but then they say, well she did not make a big campaign pitch.  Is it maybe because she was professional?   I guess Obama will speak later.  

    Dr. Phil said that memory problems (5.00 / 2) (#60)
    by athyrio on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:41:07 PM EST
    like the sniper one, is really common and no big deal....for whats its worth...

    and Bosnia wasn't DisneyWorld (5.00 / 1) (#156)
    by Josey on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:55:20 PM EST
      March 26, 1996
      Mrs. Clinton praises soldiers' efforts
      By The Associated Press

      MARKOVICI, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Protected by sharpshooters, Hillary Rodham Clinton swooped into a military zone by Black Hawk helicopter Monday to deliver a personal "thank you, thank you, thank you" to U.S. troops.
      "They're making a difference," the first lady said of the 18,500 Americans working as peacekeepers in Bosnia.
      Mrs. Clinton became the first presidential spouse since Eleanor Roosevelt to make such an extensive trip into what can be considered a hostile area, though others have visited hot spots.
    http://wvgazette.com/News/200803110472

    From "Living History"...
    Due to reports of snipers in the hills around the airstrip, we were forced to cut short an event on the tarmac with local children, though we did have time to meet them and their teachers and to learn how hard they had worked during the war to continue classes in any safe spot they could find...
    http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/03/25/hillary-and-bosnia

    [ Parent ]

    Yes (none / 0) (#65)
    by madamab on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 01:47:13 PM EST
    "the one that got away" syndrome. ;-)

    [ Parent ]
    Clinton v Obama = Gore v Bradley Race... (5.00 / 2) (#87)
    by Exeter on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:05:08 PM EST
    Bradley and Obama are very similar-- both attracted the same demographics, except for African Americans, which has obviously been huge for Obama. Bradley was designated the "chosen one" by the media, but despite almost all the positive coverage resting on Bradley and almost all the negative coverage resting on Gore,  Bradley was still unable to reach beyond a very narrow appeal of academics and a few moderates / liberal Republicans, like Obama when you look past his African American support.  

    I'm not diminishing in anyway Obama's African American support-- I'm just saying that if he didn't have it, his campaign would look alot like Bradley of 2000, who lost 19 straight and was unable to win a single contest.

    Good point (none / 0) (#133)
    by Manuel on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:37:10 PM EST
    Did anyone call on Bradley to quit that year for the good of the party?

    [ Parent ]
    Yet (none / 0) (#189)
    by BlacknBlue on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 03:46:44 PM EST
    Obama is winning the white male vote. Why is that?

    [ Parent ]
    OK... maybe not the perfect analogy... (none / 0) (#207)
    by Exeter on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 04:12:19 PM EST
    ...because Hillary is a woman and that has been a factor, but *I think* she has won white males in most of the big states, but not California.

    [ Parent ]
    This is true (none / 0) (#220)
    by Shawn on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 06:34:00 PM EST
    Also, Bradley was relatively strong with white males - he won them outright in the only close state (NH) and ran even with them in some states (CT, NY) where he was otherwise landslided.

    [ Parent ]
    Somerby (5.00 / 1) (#126)
    by Manuel on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:33:59 PM EST
    Someone upthread forecast a Daily Howler and here it is.

    Somerby is correct that we just accept this.  Far from fighting it, this season even the left blogs have joined in this kind of mindless storytelling.

    What we need to do is to stop supporting this kind of "journalism" with our money and time.  We can't ignore them, of course.  We need to remind them of why we won't be watching.

    Another thing we can do, particularly on the Internet is to reward those sites, such as this one, that provide thoughtful issue based analysis.

    No offense (none / 0) (#132)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:36:39 PM EST
    But did you read my post?

    [ Parent ]
    Ooops (none / 0) (#140)
    by Manuel on Tue Apr 08, 2008 at 02:41:21 PM EST
    Sorry.  Missed the part below the fold.

    [ Parent ]