Fleischer And O’Reilly: Bush Didn’t Call On ‘Dot Coms And Other Oddballs’ Like The Huffington Post
Fleischer And O’Reilly: Bush Didn’t Call On ‘Dot Coms And Other Oddballs’ Like The Huffington Post
After President Obama’s first prime time press conference last night, Bill O’Reilly asked former Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer for his reaction. O’Reilly noted that Obama had a prepared list of reporters from whom he planned to take questions. Fleischer explained that former President Bush used a similar method to avoid taking questions from “dot coms and other oddballs.” In response, O’Reilly suggested that Obama’s “oddball” screening was perhaps not as effective as Bush’s because the President called on the Huffington Post:
O’REILLY: George Bush came in with a list of guys he was going to call on?
FLEISCHER: Yes, I used to prepare it for him. I would give him a grid, show him where every reporter is seated. And there are some reporters, you know, in that briefing room, you can imagine, Bill, you get a lot of dot coms and other oddballs who come in there. They’re screened.
O’REILLY: Like the Huffington Post. Now it gets called on.
FLEISCHER: And I used to seat them all in one section. I would call it “Siberia.” And I told the president, “Don’t call on Siberia.”
Watch it:
If Bush was relying on Fleischer to screen the “dotcoms and oddballs,” he was poorly served. Take, for example, case of Jeff Gannon, the male escort-turned-White House correspondent for the right-wing news outlet Talon News. The White House press office granted Gannon access to the White House under an assumed name and with no background check. Once Gannon got in the door under Fleischer’s watch in 2003, he was called on by Bush at a press conference in January 2005. Gannon lobbed Bush a softball:
GANNON: Senate Democratic leaders have painted a very bleak picture of the U.S. economy. … Yet in the same breath they say that Social Security is rock solid and there’s no crisis there. … [H]ow are you going to work with people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?
By contrast, the Huffington Post’s Sam Stein put Obama on the spot, asking him to clarify his somewhat murky stance on investigating and possibly prosecuting any misdeeds of the Bush administration for its torture policies:
STEIN: Today, Sen. Patrick Leahy announced that he wants to set up a truth and reconcilation committee to investigate the misdeeds of the Bush administration. He said that “before you turn the page you have to read the page first.” Do you agree with such a proposal? And are you willing to rule out right here and now any prosecution of Bush administration officials?
And while Obama did rely on a prepared list of reporters to take questions from last night, he’s clearly not inclined to dispatch reporters that are generally critical of his policies to “Siberia.” Indeed, last night Obama took a question from Fox News. Bush, meanwhile, completed two terms without ever giving an interview to the New York Times.
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He should call on a variety of reporters from blogs, news outlets, etc. I think the Huffington Post is great. I was also happy to see that Helen Thomas is no longer in “Siberia”.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:22 pmYou rock, Helen.
I thought the Huffpo asked a good question. And Helen is back doing her good work after the childish treatment afforded her from Bush.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:26 pmSo refreshing to have a President who is not afraid to field tough questions. But where was Jeff Gannon?
February 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pmAll your hard work, Ari, trying to make George Bush look like he at least had a clue, and all for naught.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pmHe was, is, and forever shall be an incompetent and bumbling buffoon.
And, admit it or not, you and O’Reilly are the oddballs now…
Wow, Ari threw Bildo under the bus. O’Reilly expected him to lie and say that Bush called on reporters randomly. Idiot.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pmLOL! Can these guys be any more stupid? My Lord, everybody and his brother knows Faux News is a joke. Even my husband(who is not political) cant believe these buffoons. Do they honestly think Americans are that stupid?(Truth be told, a lot of Americans are)But finally after 8 horrible years, we are coming out of our celebrity induced comas. Lets hope it is not to late.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:30 pmImagine President Obama having to answer questions about whether he’s a U.S. citizen or not. Or whether he’s really a Muslim. Or whether he’s really the anti-Christ.
I don’t think you really want the President addressing those outside the mainstream. It’s a waste of everybody’s time.
Limiting the Q+A to those that represent the mainstream of political thought, probably makes sense.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:32 pmHow can these clowns call anyone an oddball?
¶ AIO
February 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pmOf course, Obama can be relied on to take care of himself in the press room and in Town Halls and in the Oval Office…
Obama is an actual adult, who thinks about things and takes his job seriously… that’s the big difference.
Ari can go work for Palin if he feels the need to babysit a ‘politician’ again, or he can work for Bill-O if he’d like to start babysitting a ‘journalist’
February 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pmMAybe the “press” would garner more respect if they were doing their job over the last 8 years, rather than being the propoganda mouthpiece for the Bush Admin, kowtowing to his every whim and desire, and aiding in “catapulting the propoganda.” However, since they are STILL “catapulting the propoganda” from the reich, they STILL deserve no respect. Their treatment of Obama in less than a month is far worse than their treatment of Bush. And the biggest detractor of their whining is that they are not only making kissey-face to the republicnas, they are licking the unmentionables of Wall Street and corporate America.
Report to and for the people, because that is what the blogs do, you greedy parasitic leeches (with exceptions).
February 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pmNow they’re attacking HuffPo, Giving Daily Kos a rest? Whatever, What hacks at Fox News. After the remarkable and informative press conf last nite, Bill O referred to the President as boring. The man has serious character flaws and anyone that listens to him has just as many. These people are not wired right
February 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pmbackup Says:
Limiting the Q+A to those that represent the mainstream of political thought, probably makes sense.
___________
Is that why Botch took questions from Jeff Guckert but bypassed Helen Thomas?
February 10th, 2009 at 12:36 pmbackup Says:
Limiting the Q+A to those that represent the mainstream of political thought, probably makes sense.
Who is suggesting otherwise? Lame cover for your anti-Obama talking points to be posed as a rhetorical question.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:37 pmOther than providing insight to the wingnut mindset about pressers, why is anyone even listening to Ari Fleischer?
February 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmdamn all of you basement-dwelling cheeto eaters!
how dare you be legit.
(note sarcasm)
February 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmBe sure to only call on the Morse Code operators – they are the real communications gurus!
February 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmI agree, it’s good to see Helen back; but Obama did dodge the second part of her question about ‘who in the Middle East has nuclear weapons’.
(answer, Israel)
¶ AIO
February 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmone thing the didnt mention is that bushco wouldnt let those with opposing voices into their staged townhalls…
lol. fu.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmReal men don’t rely on soft balls.
Questions, that is.
PEACE
February 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmWe’re glad you approve, Cap’n. Sternfurst.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:39 pmLimiting the Q+A to those that represent the mainstream of political thought, probably makes sense.
Read Stein’s question… seems pretty mainstream to me…
Besides, I thought you guys hated the ‘drive-by establishment’ media over on that side of the aisle… They were hopelessly biased and liberal, but now they represent mainstream political thought?
I’m spinning…
February 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pmThe press corps for years was made up of print journalists — because print journalism was the only way people got their news (except maybe in a few places where a town crier existed). Then came radio and newsreels. All of a sudden, broadcast journalists were as anxious for access to the President as the ink-stained guys, but they were considered “oddballs”, and therefore not worthy of respect by the WHPS. It took awhile, and they made some ground — just in time for television to unleash a new group of “oddballs”.
Broadcast journalists trailed behind print people like ugly stepchildren until Kennedy was assassinated. As tragic as that episode in our history was, it was good for the broadcast media, because it enabled them to show their prowess at getting news to the American people in a hurry. They’ve never looked back — especially now that more people get their news from television and radio than from print media.
Now blogs and other internet sources are the new kids in town. The “oddballs”. And they are suffering the same lack of respect all other “oddballs” have in the past. But the internet offers a couple of things the other media don’t. Like television and radio, they can deliver news as it happens. However, unlike television and radio, they can deliver it whenever it’s convenient for the reader to access it. They also offer a sense of a semi-permanent record, similar to a news clipping — many sites keep an archive, and if that’s not possible, there’s always downloading. And finally, in addition to providing news as it happens, it allows the reader to react immediately. For discussion groups to take place. A “full process experience”, if you will.
Internet news is today where television news was in the fifties, and where radio news was in the thirties. It’s the future of news distribution. Obama is smart enough to recognize this (is anyone really surprised?).
Oh — and one other point — Obama is also smart enough that he can call on reporters without the help of a cheat sheet prepared for him by his WHPS.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pmSo let me get this straight……. During Bush’s presidency “Siberia” is where they placed reporters with an I.Q. higher than the temperature in Alaska in winter. Hmmmm.
Even after all that “screenig” the idiot-in-chief still manage to spew nothing but STUPIDITY for 8 years! Go figure!
February 10th, 2009 at 12:41 pmComing from the guy who set Shrub up to have his balls cupped by a male hooker, this is mighty rich.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:41 pmliberalinaredstate Says:
After the remarkable and informative press conf last nite, Bill O referred to the President as boring.
Ah, yes. Our president should be exciting and funny and fun — someone you want to go have a beer with. Someone you want to help clear some brush, or who would make a good action movie star (in your best John Wayne voice, “Bring it on”). That’s what being president is all about. All that thinking and talking and stuff IS boring.
Don’t think — shoot from the hip, go with your gut, follow the feeling in your heart, see into the souls to tell who is naughty and who is nice.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:41 pmYou mean that Obama isn’t going to living in a ‘Bubble’?
How refreshing…
…and yes, bring WAR CRIMES charges against Bush & Co.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:42 pmThat’s cute, backup is worrying about Obama.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:42 pmTweedster. Nice try. Obama is a U.S. citizen. He’s Christian, not Muslim (although it doesn’t matter and I don’t think anyone should care). And, as an agnostic, it’s hard for me to take your claim that I’m secretly pushing the idea that Obama is an ‘anti-Christ’, when I don’t believe in ‘Christ’ to begin with.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:43 pmWas it just me dreaming when Bush called upon a reporter from Politico, then?
Bush: Who do you work for?
Allen: Politico.com
Bush: Would you like to take a minute to explain to the American people what politico.com is?
February 10th, 2009 at 12:45 pmFleischer explained that former President Bush used a similar method to avoid taking questions from “dot coms and other oddballs.”
Wasn’t Talon News, the one Guckert/Gannon supposedly worked for, just a “dot.com”? Did they actually publish any printed works? If they didn’t, this would mean Fleischer was lying. And if they did, there’s still the matter of someone who wouldn’t have passed the background check being let into the same room with the president.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:45 pmAnd citizens complained about pamphleteers, and pamphleteers complained about newspapers, and newspapers complained about radio, and radio complained about television…
February 10th, 2009 at 12:45 pmAnd good catch, Belac. Damn, is there ANYTHING that these guys are NOT reversing 180 on? Anything at all?
February 10th, 2009 at 12:45 pmMaybe if the MSM had been doing its job the last 30 years instead of answering to their corporate masters people wouldn’t have been forced go hunting for the real news.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:46 pmbackup Says
February 10th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Imagine President Obama having to answer questions about whether he’s a U.S. citizen or not. Or whether he’s really a Muslim. Or whether he’s really the anti-Christ.
I don’t think you really want the President addressing those outside the mainstream. It’s a waste of everybody’s time.
___________________________________________________________
Agreed. Which is why it would be stupid for the President to call on newspapers representing fringe views, or columnists or radio hosts like Ann Coulter or Michael Savage. You can look at any medium and find outlets that are completely looney toons.
I would imagine Obama and his team will view internet media the same way the do all others — talk to the serious ones and ignore the crazies.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:47 pmObama took a question from the Huffington Post. That’s cool. But, the guy over at the HP, asks Obama if he’s going to pursue criminal charges against the Bush Administration.
Well, Obama’s pretty savvy. He’s privy to a lot of information that we are not. If he really believed in the prospect of Bush criminality, how do you explain this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29498869@N07/3213584724/
Again, it’s cool Obama’s willing to entertain the Huffington Post. But, isn’t it really a waste of his (and our) time?
February 10th, 2009 at 12:48 pmBush certainly called on the gay hooker enough,Gannon Gugkert or what the heck is name was.Does anyone not see why the Bush yrs were a disaster for godness sakes! these Repukes only think a few were worthy of asking the PrezNitWit questions.Hubris wow!
February 10th, 2009 at 12:48 pmYou know, I am kind of enjoying backup’s contribution to the threads. He’s not your average troll.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pmI don’t agree with a thing he says, but at least he’s not as insane, or impolite, as some we have had.
Bush also called on Ken Timmerman, of Newsmax, for some softball questions. If Newsmax isn’t “oddball”, I don’t know what is.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pmYou’re right, miss molly.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pmbackup Says:
Nice try.
_____________
But… what you did do is SOOOOOOOO in keeping w/ your priors here, Capt.
Whether or not you “believe” those to be valid questions isn’t the point. You repeated the memes and got them into circulation, AGAIN. I’ve called you on this repeatedly. You’ve never acknowledged it and continued to do it, which is why I never quite trust you. You ALWAYS seem to have an agenda here.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pmSKdeA Says:
You know, I am kind of enjoying backup’s contribution to the threads. He’s not your average troll.
I don’t agree with a thing he says, but at least he’s not as insane, or impolite, as some we have had.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
We’re trying to help him see the light, SKdeA. And as long as he continues to be rational, we will be happy to do so.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:51 pmKdeA Says:
I don’t agree with a thing he says, but at least he’s not as insane, or impolite, as some we have had.
________________
But he is sneaky and determined as all get out.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:52 pmSKdeA Says
February 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
You know, I am kind of enjoying backup’s contribution to the threads. He’s not your average troll.
I don’t agree with a thing he says, but at least he’s not as insane, or impolite, as some we have had.
_______________________________________________________
No, backup isn’t a troll. He comes in and provides reasonably thoughtful points for discussion. Trolls come in here only to fling feces.
I welcome backup, Keltoi, and any other poster who genuinely wants to join the discussion instead of derailing it. And conservative viewpoints provide a nice diversity.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:53 pmbackup #35 12:48 pm,
I look at that picture and I see a man (Bush) holding back tears of gratitude for Obama because, at last, our long, national nightmare is over.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:53 pmDon’t be fooled. He’s still a troll and he thinks he’s smart. He smoozes and then injects idiocy into the equation to derail the thread……you’ll see.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:55 pmAgain, it’s cool Obama’s willing to entertain the Huffington Post. But, isn’t it really a waste of his (and our) time?
No.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:56 pmPress Briefings for the last eight years were a waste of time… now there might actually be some useful and insightful comments or clarifications from the President or the Press Secretary.
That’s why the press has started attending them again and why the ‘mainstream’ media is so pissed that HuffPo got a question…
backup Says:
Well, Obama’s pretty savvy. He’s privy to a lot of information that we are not. If he really believed in the prospect of Bush criminality, how do you explain this:
_____________
Oh, PUL-LEASE… all politicos have to put up w/ photo ops like that.
_____________
Again, it’s cool Obama’s willing to entertain the Huffington Post. But, isn’t it really a waste of his (and our) time?
______________
Who would be a better choice, Capt? Someone from Faux? An outspoken right wing shill like Hannity? Limbaugh? Someone from the WSJ (Murdoch, AGAIN…)?
Tweety? Who?
And by association, if HuffPo is a “waste of everyone’s time”, I guess that means TP is a waste too… but strangely enough, it’s worth your time to come here… REPEATEDLY… over and over and over again, just to tell us that…
February 10th, 2009 at 12:58 pmAgain, it’s cool Obama’s willing to entertain the Huffington Post. But, isn’t it really a waste of his (and our) time?
Some people, like myself, want Obama to answer that very question that the Huffington Post asked. You cannot allow have it both ways. That is, you cannot detain people for no good reason (gitmo), and you cannot allow people to be free that knowingly have committed crimes (Bush, Cheney, Rummy etc.). I liked Obama’s answer – if there were laws broken then the law should be upheld. I hope they will have enough evidence to prosecute. The anecdotal evidence is overwhelming, but of course, that doesn’t cut it with lawyers and judges.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:59 pmHow many Bush administration press conferences featured planted fake “journalists”? It seemed to be all the rage there for awhile.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:00 pmRepublic. I understand. But, I offered up what I thought to be crazy ideas that might pushed on conservative websites; as an example.
The idea that Obama is not a U.S. citizen is crazy. The idea that Obama is a Muslim is crazy. The idea that Obama is the anti-Christ is ridiculous.
But, these are questions being asked in media outside the mainstream.
I didn’t say it, but the implication is that their were probably similar examples from the left that Bush would have been wise to ignore. (9/11 was an inside job; is a prime example).
Additionally, why would I waste my time here, by trying to offer up ridiculous claims about Obama made by those on the far right. I’m sure you would agree, nobody here would listen.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:00 pmI could give a rats-ass who the questioner is……..
What I am concerned with the ANSWER !
In this case Obama responds in detail and with specifics.
Bush was always silly and simple-minded – HENCE, the last eight years of incompetence!
February 10th, 2009 at 1:02 pmYeah, I’d hate to see non-mainstream questions like, “Are all Republicans aliens from another universe?” or “Why do Republican’s favor trysts with stranger is public restrooms?”
February 10th, 2009 at 1:04 pmSorry backup but most of us feel the prosecution of crimes committed by the Bush Administration IS the most important issue after the financial crisis.
And TRoS is correct, you sneak in the talking points nobody else brought up recently. Your trolling is just the same as the faux progressives acting like Obama isn’t liberal enough for them. Give it a rest.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:04 pmbackup Says:
Additionally, why would I waste my time here, by trying to offer up ridiculous claims about Obama made by those on the far right. I’m sure you would agree, nobody here would listen.
___________
Nice 2 for 1 Captain… you deny what I say AND also manage to repeat your memes in the same breath. Now you’ve managed to work them into the thread twice.
On top of that, you’ve managed to link anyone who does question the “official” version of 9/11 to obvious crackpots, like those claiming Obama is “the anti-Christ”. Oh golly, and by making my point, I’ve done a little more of your work for you. I’ve repeated and thereby reinforced one of your memes even more.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:04 pmI’m not actually asking those questions. I’m just saying those questions are not in the mainstream.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:05 pmbackup Says:
_______________
Sir! Are you denying the rumors that you beat your wife?
February 10th, 2009 at 1:06 pmThe Huffington Post is tabloid journalism. Anything meaningful the have to say can be gotten from other, less tacky, more informative blogs.
On the other hand if you like getting your news at the checkout stand, well…
They do cover Paris Hilton quite well, though.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:07 pmTRoS, I met backup’s wife. And she said that backup did deny rumors that he beat her.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pmThe monopoly of the corporate media gasbags is being broken with new voices that have new perspectives. The old line gasbags are more concerned with getting rich and famous and could give a rat’s ass about serving as legitimate representatives of the 4th Estate.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:11 pmIt’s refreshing when the President isn’t afraid of the press or truth.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:12 pmFred, I know we’ve discussed this before, but I agree with missmolly and SKdeA. To me, backup isn’t a troll, nor is Keltoi. They both usually contribute to the discussion and they argue their points honestly, for the most part. I consider them part of the TP community.
Daryll, J.Davis, professorishj, T_5, these are all trolls not because they disagree, but because they are only here to disrupt, not to engage. They don’t argue honestly nor do they even try to make sense. The only reason they even read what we type is to try to figure out the easiest way to ridicule it. These are trolls, and sadly, most of the conservative voices who ring out around here fit that category.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:12 pmShayne Says:
And TRoS is correct, you sneak in the talking points nobody else brought up recently.
_______________
Thank you, Shayne. Whether backup claims those points are true or just uses them as examples of “silly claims”, he accomplishes the same end by repeating them over and over and over. They get into people’s heads and root themselves, which is the whole point of planting sound memes.
Somebody’s going to come along and read the comments. They’ll look at backup’s and those words will get into their heads. They probably won’t believe them, BUT… those words will be planted in their heads. They’ll scroll down a little further and read backup’s repeat of those words. Prolly won’t believe them the second time either, BUT… those words have now been reinforced.
After a while people don’t even question how those wordsand ideas got into their heads. They’re just THERE. And of course they must be true. Why else would they be such common knowledge?
Sorry, capt… I think you’re just nasty and infernally sneaky.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:13 pmAs to Ana Marie’s updated quote … It is going to be a hard, long slough to get the DC press to accept the changing ways of the Obama admin and their attitude toward the negative, virulent DC press corps.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:14 pmWow, backup is no longer denying rumor that he beats his wife.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:14 pmShayne Says:
TRoS, I met backup’s wife. And she said that backup did deny rumors that he beat her.
____________
The real question here is DID she deny the rumors?
Kinda ’splains the whole GOOPer problem these days.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:15 pmAnd TRoS I believe backup is a troll of a different color. Just like alphainfinityomega who used to be a major disruptor with Mr. P until he got kicked out and now is a faux progressive who lays in wait for the opportunity to pounce.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:17 pmThey better get used to it cause their days are numbered more and more people get their information from the internet . It’s going to be by by high priced on air talent hello getting the news on my puter and iphone
February 10th, 2009 at 1:21 pmbackup Says:
Again, it’s cool Obama’s willing to entertain the Huffington Post. But, isn’t it really a waste of his (and our) time?
I can’t imagine how it would a waste of your time, backup. You weren’t even there.
Asking difficult questions of people in power is exactly what the Press is supposed to do. Do yourself a big favor and read something about I. F. Stone and his attitude about the Press and Washington. And read “On Bended Knee” about the servility of the Press toward Reagan.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:27 pmRepublic and Shayne. It’s a little conspiratorial, but fun. I think you overestimate my efforts and significantly underestimate the reasoning ability of those that wonder onto TP.
I appreciate this forum to debate my positions. I feel that I learn more here than I could at other places. It is much more challenging for me. I don’t see the value in going someplace where other people share my beliefs.
If you want to think there’s more to it, that’s cool.
I dig the people here, even though I don’t innately share their ideology.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:27 pmWow backup I didn’t think you believed in conspiracies. Still waiting for your answer about beating your wife though.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:31 pmDid anybody see Jon Stewart last night where O’Reilly was on a rant about paparazzi not respecting privacy and then sending his stooges out to stalk people? I tried to get the link but am having technical issues today.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pmbackup Says:
Republic and Shayne. It’s a little conspiratorial, but fun. I think you overestimate my efforts and significantly underestimate the reasoning ability of those that wonder onto TP.
I appreciate this forum to debate my positions. I feel that I learn more here than I could at other places. It is much more challenging for me. I don’t see the value in going someplace where other people share my beliefs.
If you want to think there’s more to it, that’s cool.
I dig the people here, even though I don’t innately share their ideology.
*
usage error.
calm down. proofread.
learn. do.
***
February 10th, 2009 at 1:34 pmYou are either blind or stupid to not have noticed how slanted the MSM has become. Spinning stories, not correcting guests who make unknown facts and protray it as fact.
Are you too stupid to understand that we have a president who is tech savey, understands the corporate news is backed by the corps, and reads the web news. Try reading the web news and you will find, greater truth backed by facts which are easy enough to search your self. No corporate spin.
Ask yourselves this question, How many of you were informed that a bill was introduced to congress that would give every american single payer health care???? Answer…O
With 46 million people without health care wouldn’t you think that would be a major story????? It was on the Huffington Post!!!! Who do you trust for news????? Web news sites for me!!!
February 10th, 2009 at 1:34 pmWell I have to admit I am guilty of not proofreading myself. On the other hand methinks backup doth protest too much.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:40 pmShayne:
You’re wrong; I’ve never had anything to do with Mr. P., and I have never been ‘kicked’ out of here.
You need to get your facts straight if you want to be taken seriously.
¶ AIO
February 10th, 2009 at 1:43 pmListening to the conference, Obama took rather pointed questions. Gave answers including details of what he was doing.
Hasn’t anyone told him he’s supposed to obfusicate: Well I’m gonna talk to people, ya know.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:43 pmReally AIO, don’t you want to talk about when I was a bartender or what a bad mother I am?
February 10th, 2009 at 1:47 pmjoe. come on. I know you have more to offer here than spellcheking.
P.S. Left you a little something, just in case I’m wrong and you don’t have anything else.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:50 pmIt was refreshing to see Obama taking questions as opposed to Gibbs.
I’m sure Gibbs did a lot of favors for Obama during the campaign, but he really needs to replace him as press secretary. He lays the spin on so thick at the most awkward and uneccesary times.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pmBut bushie loved to call on gay Jimmy-Jeff, and the other perverts on Faux.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:56 pmectoendomezo my friend…the truth will come out in time.
Isn’t interesting how an entire 45 story building burns for 24 hours and DID NOT FALL!!!! Eplain that 9/11 commission.
Around the world, not one building has ever fallen from fire except the three buildings at the World Trade Centre…interesting!!!
The lies will come forth to be discovered by the truth…have faith.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pmNo list of worthless troll would be complete without Proud and LTDan. And it’s always fun to see what moniker Mr. P and Trajan are hiding under.
But T_5 is somewhere between Keltoi and Proud. I have seen some arguments from him that I can follow. Not agree with, but at least follow. Before he goes off on a rant threatening to kick everyone’s ass (in cyberspace) and that brief flash of lucidity is gone.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pmaw! i missed it all… forgot to refresh!
in case it hasn’t been mentioned, ed says he had to take a number like everyone else… must be a New Rule…
“take a number.” … i love it!
February 10th, 2009 at 1:59 pmSorry, I forgot to mention that the building is in China. The building burned yesterday. How many news agencies in the US covered the story??????
How many of you are asking questions today!!!!
February 10th, 2009 at 1:59 pmot – just heard on AP radio news:
“the massive economic stimulus package crafted by the democrats passed the senate…”
it’s all ours!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:02 pmShayne:
I’ll admit, I did pick up on P. calling you a lush, but you and someone else used to brag about drinking and blogging.
As far as your ‘motherhood’, I’ve never mentioned that.
I really do generally agree with your postings, though.
PEACE?
¶ AIO
February 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pmbackup Says:
Republic and Shayne. It’s a little conspiratorial, but fun.
_____________
And now you’ve sidestepped the issue completely and to boot, you try to undermine what I said by making a joke out of it.
Sorry, but I find you incredibly sneaky and manipulative.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pmRepublic. Trust me. If you were in my shoes, you’d find it humorous, too.
I understand your view. (I disagree, but understand).
I hope that some day, I will understand you better. And vice versa.
Gotta split.
Have a great day. (Sincerely).
February 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pm“The Huffington Post is tabloid journalism” ….really????? I guess Fox , Cnn and the rest of the MSM are doing there jobs ??? NOT.
If the press was doing its job, Bush would have been impeached for negligence in doing his job. Negligence you say??? Yes, On July 10 the FBI sent a report to the presidents desk. What was done??? NOTHING!!!! Anybody else would have been fired for negligence !!!!
When the president put his case forward to going to WAR, did any of the press push for answers ??? Did the MSM Investigate the sources of information the prez was submitting as his reasoning for going to war???? HELL NO!!! So how Fcuken dare you give credence to the MSM. Burn in hell for turning your head the other way.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pmThat July 10 report…..Terrorist attack via plane crashes!!!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:15 pmIt’s so funny when these guys call others oddballs.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pmShayne, I did watch the stewart show last night.His beat up of O’Rely was great. No one in the media is better at showing the hypocrites then he is.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pmThis may have been said already, but I don’t have time read through the comments –
Bush didn’t call on Helen Thomas either, because he was frickin’ scared of her. I’d hazard a guess that’s why he didn’t call on the “oddballs” as well.
Well done, blogs.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pmFYI, AIO, I don’t drink. But we can try to get along.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pmWhat’s up with that TRoS, he never addressed the wife beating issue. : – )
February 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pmObama did call on her preafacing it as a historic moment. She wanted him to admit that Isreal has nukes but he dodged her.Why has no American president admitted it
February 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pmWas O’Reilly talking to Fleischer via Satellite from ‘Siberia’ were he belongs?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pmHi Zoo!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm2 things.
1) Tracist__5 is a troll, plain and simple. Calling a female blogger a “useless c*nt” in my book does not a great debater make. And his propensity to frequently post in a nearly dead thread (so most no one can rebuttal) is weak, at best.
2) AIO has also posted as Razor_boy, forgetting his patented signature when he did. So, it’s reasonable suspect that AIO changes it’s posting name frequently.
I could be wrong about the latter, but definitely not the former.
Have a nice day.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm.
J E F F
GANNON !
.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:39 pmShayne Says:
What’s up with that TRoS, he never addressed the wife beating issue. : – )
___________
He must be in denial.
He never replied directly to the points I raised either. BUT, he did come back and try to reinforce the point that what I said wasn’t worth taking seriously. It was just a joke.
I repeat, AGAIN… I find backup to be sneaky and manipulative.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:41 pmsee JFK and Jimmy Carter
February 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pmbackup Says:
Sorry, but I find you incredibly sneaky and manipulative.
Republic. Trust me. If you were in my shoes, you’d find it humorous, too.
I understand your view. (I disagree, but understand).
I hope that some day, I will understand you better. And vice versa.
Gotta split.
Have a great day. (Sincerely).
*
no rest in the escort/troll business, eh?
sincerely.
:)
February 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pmLet me reinforce my own meme…
I find backup to be sneaky and manipulative.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pmfastek Says:
“Obama did call on her preafacing it as a historic moment. She wanted him to admit that Isreal has nukes but he dodged her.Why has no American president admitted it”
Helen Thomas will ask the toughest question imaginable.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:44 pmThat’s why Dubya would never call on her.
Even if he had, I’m sure she would have tailored the question to suit, like, “Did you feed Barney this morning, Mr. President?”
Proud Says:
What a complete joke this “news conference” was. We had Ed schultz in the front row, I thought a news conference was for journalists not talk show hosts. I cannot even stomach the fact that they rolled out that terrorist loving helen thomas from the morgue. Best part was Obama throwing Dan Quayle, I mean Biden, under the bus, priceless.
*
proud meet
backup.
^
February 10th, 2009 at 2:46 pm“Why has no American president admitted it””
Israel has become the 51st state, therefore it’s nukes are a state secret.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:47 pmWith a penchant to beat a dead horse for hours to distract from discussing the issue of the thread…..
February 10th, 2009 at 2:48 pmDoesn’t Bill-O remember the black reporter lady in one of Bush’s first news conferences asking about how Bush’s faith helped him get through the “trials and tribuations” of being in office? Or the gay escort guy who received press credentials and asked Bush how he was dealing with the Democrats who basically “weren’t getting it” or words to that effect? How about when Bush was running for the second term and all the WH personnel were made available to the right wing talk show hosts who were reporting to the lunatic fringe?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:49 pmHey proud, Fremon just gutted you and left you bleeding on the sidewalk……..
Excellent point Fremon
February 10th, 2009 at 2:58 pmAri Fleischer that old baldy. Always showing up like a bad shekel…
====
February 10th, 2009 at 3:04 pmObama should also take questions from Pacifica and other alternative media.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:05 pmfastek, aren’t Israel’s nukes common knowledge rather than a state secret?
February 10th, 2009 at 3:11 pmBut W did call on Jeff Gannon of Talon News, the fake organization that got access to the WH about 200 times. Later we found out that Jeff was a guy prostitute throwing softballs to W.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:20 pmWho is paying the trolls since W was sent out to pasture? Are these morons for real? Who in their right mind would publicly be a reichwingnut?
February 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pmrhf. since joe is not here to point it out, I guess it’s up to me.
When I point out your ‘Joe die’ mistake is that a VOCABULARY CORRECTION or am I SPELL CHECKING.
You seem to somehow know the difference. ROTFL.
glass houses…
February 10th, 2009 at 3:44 pm?
February 10th, 2009 at 3:45 pmActively discouraging certain members of the media from participating seems to be the preferred method for the Bush White House. The same logic, of course, was used to limit Bush’s network of advisors to party loyalists: disagreement, and questions about policy, simply leads to confusion.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:54 pmthings got tough so backie “split”:
backup Says:
Sorry, but I find you incredibly sneaky and manipulative.
Republic. Trust me. If you were in my shoes, you’d find it humorous, too.
I understand your view. (I disagree, but understand).
I hope that some day, I will understand you better. And vice versa.
Gotta split.
Have a great day. (Sincerely).
but then he came back:
backup Says:
ROTFL!! That was VOCABULARY CORRECTION and not SPELL CHECKING that Joe die!! ROTFL!! If you’re too dumb to know the difference, you might want to tuck your tail like the good little GOP B**CH that you are and mosey on along! ‘K cowgirl? ROTFL!!!
rhf. since joe is not here to point it out, I guess it’s up to me.
When I point out your ‘Joe die’ mistake is that a VOCABULARY CORRECTION or am I SPELL CHECKING.
You seem to somehow know the difference. ROTFL.
glass houses…
*
when the going gets tough
backie gets “splits”.
when the going gets easy.
backie re-appears.
:)
February 10th, 2009 at 3:54 pmjoe. show me exactly where it got tough?
February 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pmWhy would “W” call on the New York times? It’s a traitorous paper going back to WWII. Why do you think they’re practically going out of business?
February 10th, 2009 at 3:56 pmbackup Says:
joe. show me exactly where it got tough?
*
is that a request
or a question?
:)
February 10th, 2009 at 4:00 pmWhy would “W” call on the New York times? It’s a traitorous paper going back to WWII. Why do you think they’re practically going out of business?
But he could call on Gannon?
’cause his business is going like gangbusters!
No, wait… what’s the word?
Oh, Gang bangs! That’s right- Jeff Gannon’s business is Republican gang bangs…
February 10th, 2009 at 4:07 pmIf it gives you some comfort, feel free to believe I ’split’ when it gets tough. You’d probably have to show me in the thread where that happened to be credible. But, believe what you want.
Another possibility is that it seemed to me the thread was relatively dead. I decided to go for a jog. And when I came back, I checked for responses. Then, when I come across rhf claiming I’m ignorant for not knowing that ‘wonder’ should be ‘wander’ is a vocabulary correction and not a spell check (when obviously, it could be either). And to top it off, she offers up ‘Joe die’ ; a perfect example of the very ambiguity, she seems not to understand. (I assume ‘die’ should be ‘did’. mispelled? wrong word? could be either.) It’s so ironic, it was too difficult to pass up.
joe. If rhf, is going to tee it up like that, I’m obviously going to take a swing.
Back to the original point. I’ve seen some of your postings in the past. You’ve got way more going on then correcting spelling (or vocabulary).
February 10th, 2009 at 4:16 pmbackup Says:
If it gives you some comfort, feel free to believe I ’split’ when it gets tough. You’d probably have to show me in the thread where that happened to be credible. But, believe what you want.
Another possibility is that it seemed to me the thread was relatively dead. I decided to go for a jog. And when I came back, I checked for responses. Then, when I come across rhf claiming I’m ignorant for not knowing that ‘wonder’ should be ‘wander’ is a vocabulary correction and not a spell check (when obviously, it could be either). And to top it off, she offers up ‘Joe die’ ; a perfect example of the very ambiguity, she seems not to understand. (I assume ‘die’ should be ‘did’. mispelled? wrong word? could be either.) It’s so ironic, it was too difficult to pass up.
joe. If rhf, is going to tee it up like that, I’m obviously going to take a swing.
Back to the original point. I’ve seen some of your postings in the past. You’ve got way more going on then correcting spelling (or vocabulary).
*
like a-rod you went a long
way to say nothing.
if you don’t want to answer my
question just say so and we’ll move on.
:)
February 10th, 2009 at 4:19 pmShayne, It is common knowledge but Isreal for reasons I can’t understand will not admit it,go to great legnths to punish those who “leak it” Remember when the London Times wrote an article detailing it? Isreal mossad spent a great deal of effort of punishing who they attributed the leak to.
Helan Thomas who is tough cookie, and an Arab-American tried to get Obama to state it but he as other Presidents dodged it. Even after he answered, Helen muttered “name them”
February 10th, 2009 at 4:31 pmI tried, my friend. We can agree to disagree.
February 10th, 2009 at 4:38 pmbackup Says:
if you don’t want to answer my
question just say so and we’ll move on.
I tried, my friend. We can agree to disagree.
*
when did we become friends?
friendship must be earned
not presumed.
don’t be a salesman.
^
stand up, look in the mirror
and say to yourself,
“this is me, this is who i am!”
*
good luck.
#
February 10th, 2009 at 4:50 pmI would echo the same advice to you. If your mission is to correct spelling or vocabulary, share your wealth of knowledge with everyone. rhf seems to need your help. Why limit your tutelage to just me.
And speaking of rhf, where is she? Instead of postulating that I leave when things get tough, consider what has happened to rhf? She needs you possibly even more than I do.
And, if you ever change your mind about friendship, you know I’ll be here for you.
February 10th, 2009 at 5:02 pmHelen Thomas: Mr. President, do you think that Pakistan and — are maintaining the safe havens in Afghanistan for these so-called terrorists? And, also, do you know of any country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons?
President Obama: Well, I think that Pakistan — there is no doubt that, in the FATA region of Pakistan, in the mountainous regions along the border of Afghanistan, that there are safe havens where terrorists are operating.
____________________________________________
Notice how Obama did not answer either question that Helen asked. She asked if Pakistan was maintaining the bases for the terrorists—not are there bases in Pakistan. He wouldn’t answer the second about Israel having nuclear weapons. Some experts say Israel has 300 (more than France). Many could be put on subs directly off the coasts of Iran and destroy the country in minutes.
February 10th, 2009 at 5:51 pmbackup Says:
“this is me, this is who i am!”
I would echo the same advice to you. If your mission is to correct spelling or vocabulary, share your wealth of knowledge with everyone. rhf seems to need your help. Why limit your tutelage to just me.
And speaking of rhf, where is she? Instead of postulating that I leave when things get tough, consider what has happened to rhf? She needs you possibly even more than I do.
And, if you ever change your mind about friendship, you know I’ll be here for you.
*
be a voice,
not an echo.
*
“Let’s go. Yes, let’s go. (They do not move).”
- Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
• • •
February 10th, 2009 at 5:52 pmMiddleoftheroad,
Were’nt the Bushes traitorist going back to WWII?
The only thing I’ve ever seen in the miccle of the road are yellow streaks and roadkill.
February 10th, 2009 at 5:54 pmbackupSays:
You’ve got way more going on then correcting spelling
Should be than correcting spelling.
February 10th, 2009 at 5:58 pmDid I type “miccle”? Dang uncoordinated fingers, should be middle.
February 10th, 2009 at 6:00 pmMiddleoftheroad,
February 10th, 2009 at 6:04 pmYou might not have heard, but practically every newspaper in the country is practically going out of business. Washington Times has always been propped up by a strange foreign religious cult. And I see someone from that paper nearly every day on CNN.
joe.
“Come on, Gogo, return the ball, can’t you, once in a while?”
February 10th, 2009 at 6:15 pm- Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
“You’re just bastard people! And I’m goin’ home and I’m gonna… I’m gonna BITE MY PILLOW, is what I’m gonna do!”
February 10th, 2009 at 6:43 pm–Christopher Guest, Waiting for Guffman
Given that Bush’s White House let male escort Jeff Gannon ask questions of President Bush at press conferences, distributed phony government-produced propaganda pieces disguised as news stories, started each day by distributing talking points to Fox News, planted stories about Iraq WMDs with New York Times reporters and then used the same NYT stories as evidence of the existence of WMDs, and enlisted Rush Limbaugh and other right wing talkers to advance its agenda, you’ll excuse me if I don’t get worked up about Obama letting Huffington Post ask a question at a press conference.
February 10th, 2009 at 6:58 pmSo the Bush Administration didn’t consider online journalism to be relevant…how 20th century of them.
No wonder they used phrases such as “the Internets”. Did they share Stevens’ view that it was just a series of pipes?
February 10th, 2009 at 7:44 pmhttp://www.talonnews.com is still going strong!
February 10th, 2009 at 9:08 pmO’Reilly mocked and insulted Helen Thomas, referring to her as “the Wicked Witch of the East”.
It’s ironic that O’Reilly uses a “Wizard of Oz” metaphor in reference to Helen Thomas, because you can find all of the major players on FOX News:
Glenn Beck is obviously the Scarecrow, since we’ve all seen how brainless he is.
Sean Hannity is no doubt the Tin Woodsman–can’t get much more heartless than that guy.
O’Reilly not only acts like the Cowardly Lion, but he looks the part as well.
Ann Coulter makes a guest appearance as the Wicked Witch of the West.
The clowns on Fox and Friends are a perfect fit as the Flying Monkeys.
And of course, none other than Rupert Murdoch as “the man behind the curtain”, aka the Wizard of Odd.
Rachel Maddow can play Dorothy, who accidentally stumbles upon this strange, perverse land at Fox News and seeks help returning to the relative sanity of MSNBC.
February 10th, 2009 at 9:15 pmSo Jeff Gannon wasn’t relegated to Siberia? He wasn’t an oddball?
Sam had one of the best questions of the night. I’m all for online journalism being heard. The more issues covered the better.
February 10th, 2009 at 9:27 pmMissHusseinMolly,
I always enjoy your posts, and this one about the history of getting out the news is SUPERB. News and entertainment’s adding flavor to one another is an ancient tradition: the troubadours of EARLY medieval Europe were a mainstay of accurate news reporting, rhymed and tunes so hearers in a mostly non-literate society could remember it and pass it on.
Your serene and thoughtful analysis took the sour taste of Ari Fletcher’s smug snobbishness and egomaniacal assumption of superiority out of my mouth–thanks!
February 10th, 2009 at 10:21 pmDr. Hussein Matt Says:
#
Zooey Says:
This may have been said already, but I don’t have time read through the comments –
Bush didn’t call on Helen Thomas either, because he was frickin’ scared of her. I’d hazard a guess that’s why he didn’t call on the “oddballs” as well.
Well done, blogs.
Herr dubyah spent 8 long failed years in office and Helen Thomas was probably called on 2 or 3 times. How could herr dubyah lead if he was afraid of fragile old lady?
That’s an easy answer… he didn’t lead. Period.
February 10th, 2009 at 10:42 pmbackup, I, for one, don’t think you’re a troll. After 30 + years of teaching/analyzing rhetoric, I think you’re a damned smart commentator. Your ethical appeal stays firm even under fire–Hemingway called it “grace under pressure.” I look forward to reading more of your posts. [And I hope you'll join us in the occasional troll-bash? If you're new to these threads, you may not have savored LtDan, RaptureReady, Proud, and others of their ilk: militantly ignorant, irredeemably bigoted, mordantly monomaniacal, vehemently vituperative--and unceasingly proud of it all.]
February 10th, 2009 at 10:47 pmMiddleoftheroad Says:
Why would “W” call on the New York times? It’s a traitorous paper going back to WWII?
February 10th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Which in turn reminded him of his family’s traitorous actions in WWII. (And please don’t tell us you know nothing of the well-documented Bush Family connection to the Nazi war machine. They helped fund it.)
February 11th, 2009 at 1:49 amMiddleMoron
Why are you so stupid? Why are you so PROUD of being so stupid? Why do you repeat rightwing propaganda so incredibly ignorant you would have to be a braindead gerbil to even let the thoughts form in your head? Why are you such a pathetic piece of garbage? Why havent you comitted supuku in shame for your abject stupidity? You do know that you are so ignorant you embarass our entire species dont you?
February 11th, 2009 at 7:13 am# 138 “Why limit your tutelage to just me.”
I’m a little late to the party, but shouldn’t backup’s
February 11th, 2009 at 1:13 pmcomment end with a question mark?
George Bush is in Texas now.
Obama is still on the campaign trail
Who’s running the country?
The “Think Process” is where Liberals come to get their **** stroked.
Life is good.
February 11th, 2009 at 2:40 pmjay, would you clarify that statement? Are you really asking who is running the country? Do you need a link to the November 2008 election results? To the inauguration?
February 14th, 2009 at 8:10 pm