NBC "Reporter" Falsely Claims WH Threatened Him

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Media
Posted on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 07:29:15 PM EST
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By now we all know CNBC's Rick Santelli is a buffoon. And NBC is the network for buffoons. But even NBC should take action for this:

CNBC’s Rick Santelli appeared on at least two radio programs today to promote his “rant” against President Obama’s housing program. On G. Gordon Liddy’s radio program, Santelli called attention to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs’s response to his tirade. He cropped a quote from Gibbs to suggest the White House was pursuing a campaign of intimidation against him[.]

To put it bluntly, Santelli is lying. Let's repeat that - an NBC "reporter" is going on right wing radio shows and lying. This merits action by NBC. More . . .

From the Think Progress report:

SANTELLI: He started that press conference saying, “I don’t know where he lives, I don’t know where his house is.” This is the Press Secretary of the White House. Is that the kind of thing we want? Is that —

LIDDY: It’s a veiled threat.

SANTELLI: It really is. […] I don’t really want to be a spokesman, but I really am very proud of a) the response I’m getting, which is overwhelmingly positive, and b) discourse, that is debate. That if the pressure and the heat I’m taking from the White House – the fact my kids are nervous to go to school – I can take that, okay.

Here is what Gibbs actually said:

GIBBS: I’ve watched Mr. Santelli on cable the past 24 hours or so. I’m not entirely sure where Mr. Santelli lives or in what house he lives but the American people are struggling every day to meet their mortgages, stay in their jobs, pay their bills, send their kids to school.

If NBC were an actual journalistic enterprise, Santelli would be fired for this. It is not, so he won't even have to correct his lie.

Speaking for me only

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NBC "Reporter" Falsely Claims WH Threatened Him | 56 comments (56 topical)

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For clowns like Rick Santelli (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by weltec2 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 07:59:05 PM EST

this is SOP. And Bob Somerby is horrified that Maureen Dowd is lying about Bill Clinton... again. Do these clowns really deserve more than mordant laughter? The outrage to my mind is that they have a platform at all from which to spew their poison stupidity.

: Further... (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by weltec2 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:03:15 PM EST

why should I even listen to a ranter like Rick Santelli or read the supercilious Dowd? If I did that I'd be ripping out my white fringe by the handfull.

: But they do have a platform (none / 0) (#5)
by BernieO on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:04:26 PM EST

and a lot of people are influenced by them, especially if no one challenges what they say.
NBC won't do anything unless they get a LOT of complaints. Even then, they might blow it off unless their sponsors complain.

I figure Rick Santelli really, really (5.00 / 1) (#25)
by Anne on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:24:29 PM EST

liked the viral buzz from his rant, and he's looking to keep it going. Carve out a niche for himself, get people to tune in to see when or if he'll go off again. I'm sure the powers-that-be at NBC are loving it - how long before he gets his own show, do you think?

Sad, isn't it, when "reporters" are more concerned with the buzz than they are with, you know, reporting?

Life is good in Bizarro World; just ask Matthews and Olbermann and the rest of the headliners.

If that is what you aspire to (none / 0) (#26)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:30:52 PM EST

I guess.

to be national jokes who make a lot of money is something I guess.


I'm pretty sure these guys (none / 0) (#29)
by Anne on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:52:47 PM EST

don't think they are jokes; I get the feeling they believe they are so much smarter and connected than we are that we must surely be hanging on every word.

And I'm sure they see the big paychecks as proof of their importance.


Well (none / 0) (#31)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:54:09 PM EST

They're wrong.


I know, BTD and (none / 0) (#32)
by Anne on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:58:09 PM EST

if they depended on us to pay them what we thought they were worth, they would probably have to settle for something a lot less than minimum wage.


: I missed Olberman.... (none / 0) (#56)
by NealB on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 01:15:36 PM EST

...last Friday when this must have aired. I was wondering if he'd cover it. Thanks for pointing it out.

Yeah, it beats being a national joke (none / 0) (#30)
by FoxholeAtheist on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:53:47 PM EST

who doesn't make a lot of money. I wonder how much Santelli makes.


Anne, you're right about all of that... (none / 0) (#27)
by FoxholeAtheist on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:51:18 PM EST

I rarely watch network news, NBC right? Was Santelli well-known before ThinkProgress brought him up? Now he's notorious, oh well.


Hey Fox (none / 0) (#55)
by DFLer on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 12:13:52 PM EST

Santelli really lives at CNBC...the cable business channel branch of NBC. I'd say he is/was familiar only to viewers of that channel.


: Good to know, thanks! (none / 0) (#57)
by FoxholeAtheist on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 07:19:57 PM EST

Santelli's rant (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by NMvoiceofreason on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:51:50 PM EST

About people who bought too much house pales in comparison to the 2 Trillion $ fraud he and his Wall Street friends perpetrated on our economy called Credit Default Swaps. Personally I would rather bail out my neighbor (which saves my own home value) rather than invest another dollar in paying for their Ponzi scheme. The piper has come due, and he is leading the Wall Street crowd off to prison. Bubba luve you long time!

Sure we do (5.00 / 1) (#41)
by rea on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 05:52:27 AM EST

You don't know Santelli is lying

Well, we can read. And we can see that what Robert Gibbs said was in no way a threat, but rather a comment on Santelli's ignorance of the foreclosure crisis.

Curious that Santelli would make such a remark to Libby, who as a White House operative, actually plotted to murder a reporter . . .

hm (5.00 / 1) (#50)
by connecticut yankee on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 11:07:42 AM EST

Well, If I hit myself with a hammer to simulate Santelli's reasoning ability, I would say that Gibbs is offering to pay Santilli's mortgage from his own salary. Either that or it's a proposition for sexual favors..

Oh wait, it's wearing off...

Mad Commentator (5.00 / 1) (#51)
by robert diogenes on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 11:16:52 AM EST

Some of the media are engaged in very biased news coverage. Every republican complaint gets headlines. The democratic reply is buried in the text.

Most of the public has no interest IN WHAT REPUBLICANS SAY. The republicans can not accept the fact that they are responsible for the terrible financial condition the nation is in and they lost the election.

This Santelli is a flagrant example. It is obvious that this person has not read the legislation he complains about He also does not mention the low tax rate he pays. He joins Joe the plumber has a media creation.

Prhaps Pres Obrma should appoint an oversight committe to make sure we have responsinle media.

Another Santelli thought: (5.00 / 1) (#54)
by steviez314 on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 11:50:50 AM EST

General Electric is having its commercial paper insured by the Fed under one of their backstop programs.

So basically, GE parent of NBC, parent of CNBC, employer of Rick Santelli, is gettings its own handout/bailout from the government. With maybe more to come the way it's trading.

What a "loser" corporation.

You don't know Santelli is lying ... (1.00 / 0) (#40)
by zaladonis on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 04:21:11 AM EST

... all you know is what he said doesn't jive with the way you heard what Gibbs said. We all hear through our own filter of experience and expectation. Just like that NYPost cartoon with the dead chimp wasn't necessarily racist if you weren't looking for that (there were many references over the years to Bush being a chimp), Santelli may genuinely believe he was being threatened.

Sheesh (none / 0) (#42)
by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 07:07:48 AM EST

oh, come on (none / 0) (#52)
by txpublicdefender on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 11:37:07 AM EST

The press secretary of the POTUS is threatening a reporter on live TV in front of a bunch of other reporters? It was obvious that he was referring to Santelli's "house" and "where he lives" in relation to the mortgage crisis, not as any kind of threat. And how rich to go on Libby's show and complain of the White House "threatening" him. Didn't Libby plot to murder a reporter?


: G. Gordon Liddy, not Libby. (none / 0) (#53)
by oculus on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 11:39:00 AM EST

I look forward to I8anapple2's ongoing (none / 0) (#1)
by Faust on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 07:40:25 PM EST

defense of Mr. Santelli's behavior.

: He's banned from my threads (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 07:41:32 PM EST

So you will have to find it elsewhere.

NBC has a flavor for every political cultist (none / 0) (#6)
by andgarden on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:15:00 PM EST

Exactly... (none / 0) (#7)
by weltec2 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:26:50 PM EST

no matter how ridiculous... with that Gong Show, what's the next silly thing, come on down mentality. What is it going to take to bring an end to this?


: Well.... (none / 0) (#8)
by Inspector Gadget on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:33:36 PM EST

What is it going to take to bring an end to this?

The media may just be biting the hand that feeds it. Enough people get financially desperate, and cable TV and internet could be the first things to get shut off.

C'mon, Liddy wouldn't participate (none / 0) (#9)
by magster on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 08:50:27 PM EST

in an unwarranted smear of Democrats. I'm sure Santelli was genuinely scared.

: Heh... (none / 0) (#13)
by weltec2 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 09:17:29 PM EST

We can't (none / 0) (#10)
by cal1942 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 09:04:32 PM EST

hold our breath on this stuff.

The news divisons of NBC et al are in the entertainment business not the news business.

Entertainment begets high ratings, high ratings begets more money.

If you tell them that news reporting is their public responsibility in exchange for use of the public's airwaves they'll look at you like you're an alien. They no longer understand the concept.

If you fire him then (none / 0) (#11)
by maddog on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 09:04:48 PM EST

If you fire him you might as well fire Olberman too, and Matthews and the new nut job on MSNBC.

They lie, exagerate and provide partial quotes all the time. This guy exagerates once and you want to fire him. Come on.

I think he speaks for a lot of people who don't think we should be saving homeowners who bought too much home. When did people start losing their common sense?

maddog (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by jharp on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 09:12:49 PM EST

You are a horse's ass.

We are in the midst of a majority of Americans' getting back their common sense.

Be patient.


Once? (none / 0) (#14)
by weltec2 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 09:33:30 PM EST

No, I'm sorry. Sully is a delusional hysteric and as such he exaggerates all the time. See his debate with Naomi Klein here, for an example.


Sully? Whaaa? (none / 0) (#15)
by Cream City on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 09:48:15 PM EST

The TL hitlist is getting confusing. I just figured out who Santelli is, and now you're talking about Sully again? Wasn't he the target in another thread?

What's really hysterical is to see the hysteria over these people who simply. do. not. matter.


Excuse me (5.00 / 0) (#16)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 09:56:54 PM EST

Would you point to one line of hysteria in any of my posts on these subjects.?

Your behavior at this site at times is well documented.

I think you should be more careful with your criticisms.


I was not responding to you at all. (none / 0) (#19)
by weltec2 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:06:28 PM EST

I'm sorry. My head was in the wrong thread. I was referring to Andrew Sullivan. You're right, I should have been more careful.


: I know you weren't (none / 0) (#21)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:15:05 PM EST

and my response was to CC.

Excuse me, but I was (none / 0) (#20)
by Cream City on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:13:36 PM EST

responding to a comment and talking about comments.

I think you're looking for criticism that isn't there. I don't get the back and forth at me, the attacks and then the apologies. Forget it.


: Excuse me (5.00 / 0) (#23)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:15:49 PM EST

I can read. And do not expect an apology this time. I thin you owe all of us one here. I will not hold my breath for it.

: Actually, CC was pointing out that (none / 0) (#37)
by FoxholeAtheist on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 12:05:35 AM EST

another comment was O/T. Of course, that wasn't the entirety of her comment - which we are all free to judge, or not judge, as we see fit.

Maybe not here tonight, BTD (none / 0) (#33)
by FoxholeAtheist on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:58:39 PM EST

(But 3 words: Mark Crispin Miller.)


: Don't follow your point (none / 0) (#34)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 11:05:15 PM EST

Sorry... (none / 0) (#17)
by weltec2 on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:03:09 PM EST

I was bouncing around too quickly between threads and responded completely inappropriately.


Obviously (5.00 / 0) (#18)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:06:13 PM EST

Just as obvious was CC's bile to us at this site.


Weltec (none / 0) (#22)
by Cream City on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:15:11 PM EST

sorry you got caught in another of the roller coaster rides here. It's not about you, as you can see. It's not about me, either, really -- but there it is.


: who was it about? (5.00 / 0) (#24)
by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 10:17:19 PM EST

I wrote the posts about Sully (apparently you are fan of his now). I wrote the post about Santelli (apparently a new hero of yours.)
Who was it about CC? Please do not insult my intelligence.
One thing you can never accuse me of is not giving due regard to your considerable intelligence.

: i agree that santelli (5.00 / 1) (#35)
by sancho on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 11:19:41 PM EST

and sully are blowhard idiots. but i also wonder to what extent aspiring left blogs enable them by talking about them. i dont read maureen dowd b/c her idiocy is self-evident and i cant imagine she influences anyone willing to read her for six months. so i am not sure what we accomplish by presuming to take down or expose self-evident idiots. having said that, i usually enjoy btd's putdowns of their idiocy and laugh right along with the already persuaded--not least b/c btd's outrage is a sort of inverse version of santelli's. maybe nbc will act but i doubt it.

The previous post caused me to (none / 0) (#36)
by oculus on Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 11:54:03 PM EST

google, which brought me to CNBC's bio of Santelli, which caused me to think--does anyone care what he says about the economy, given his background?

White House Bullies (none / 0) (#38)
by kidneystones on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 01:04:14 AM EST

I don't care much about the rant or his framing of the rant for talk radio. I do care that the Obama White House is burying Bush White House email. I do care that there is next to zero transparency in this government. I do care that the web page of the US president was purged throughout his campaign and after.

I'd prefer that the White House give clear answers to the American people rather than single out reporters from the podium. That may be asking too much.

BTD is correct about one thing. Obama's Teflon is intact. I hope he takes the same good care of the US economy and foreign policy.

So far, the jury is out. Huddling together at the knee of President Daddy isn't my idea of the best America can offer. Reagan and Bush policies turned too many Americans into counter-clerks.

Nuclear power and drug-testing for everyone.

Time to get off the pipe and back to work/school.

Social promotion time is over.

Drug Testing for everyone? (none / 0) (#45)
by kdog on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 10:19:59 AM EST

Talk about tyranny...you scare me more than Obama, Congress, and a real case of kidney stones put together!

fwiw, I get high everyday and have been gainfully employed paying my vig for nearly my whole adult life. Me and my stoner friends ain't asking for bailouts...just a little liberty to pursue our happiness.

People like you are the reason we are broke...spending all this money on things that are none of your business, like the contents of your neighbor's urine for example.


I have a dream... (5.00 / 1) (#48)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 10:37:57 AM EST

..that (wo)men will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the substances in their urine but by the content of their character.

Of course, anyone who makes statements like "its time to put down the pipe" most likely lacks any real character to begin with.


: If anything... (none / 0) (#49)
by kdog on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 10:46:31 AM EST

it is time to pick up the pipe, support your local black market economy.
It's the most honest market in town!

Rick the Reporter (none / 0) (#39)
by wickedlittledoll on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 02:33:24 AM EST

All Hail The Reluctant Hero Of The Opposition To Bailing Out Bad Behavior. America's Newest Robin Hood!

http://democralypsenow.blogspot.com/2009/02/reluctant-hero-rick-santelli-accepts.html

That was no threat... (none / 0) (#43)
by kdog on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 09:10:50 AM EST

Santelli has illusions of grandeur.

Still think he has a point about homeowner bailouts though...people should squat their homes and aggresively negotiate with their bank before they hit up lesser-off taxpayers.

Charity is for the sick, the old, the children, the disabled...not able-bodied adults who have the ability to provide for themselves, even if it is at a lesser of quality of life then they are used too. And especially not for corporations.

Every trader behind Santelli is screwing the (none / 0) (#44)
by steviez314 on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 10:09:55 AM EST

taxpayers. I forgot to mention this in other posts:

All futures transactions are subject to IRS Sec 1256...profits are taxed 60/40. That is 60% are considered long term capital gains and 40% short term (no matter how long the trade was held).

So while the regular joes ("losers" in Santelli's view) have to use the regular tax rates, traders get 60% of their income taxed at the lower capital gains tax rate.

: Good point.... (none / 0) (#46)
by kdog on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 10:21:55 AM EST

I've long advocated for equal capital gains and income tax rates...another piece of the Reverse Robin Hood puzzle.