Rep. Lamar Smith: ‘The greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias.’
Rep. Lamar Smith: ‘The greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias.’
Yesterday, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) launched the Media Fairness Caucus, made up of about a dozen House Republicans, aiming “to fight liberal media bias.” The group will “point out unfair stories, meet with members of the media, and write op-eds and letters to the editor to highlight media bias,” Newsmax reported. Appearing on Fox News today, Smith declared that “liberal media bias” is a bigger threat to the United States than the recession or terrorism — and Fox’s Bill Hemmer seemed to agree:
SMITH: Let me just say — this is going to sound radical, I don’t mean for it to be radical — but to me, the greatest threat to America is not necessarily a recession or even another terrorist attack. The greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias. …
HEMMER: I would not necessarily call that radical.
Watch it:
Smith must be concerned about a media system that hosts Liz Cheney a dozen times in ten days, or invites twice as many Republicans on as Democrats to discuss the stimulus package, or consistently favors conservative commentators and politicians on the Sunday political talk shows. Not to mention an entire cable network that blatantly cheer-leads for the far right.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
I suspect the greatest threat to America might be the salinization of our water table due to all the wingnut tears shed at this retarded pity party.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:00 amGood to know the conservative fringe is always ready to protect us from fictional threats – socialism, terrorism, the gay agenda, and the “liberal media”
June 4th, 2009 at 11:00 amLIBERAL=REALITY BASED
Something the 4th branch of government (Freedom of the Press) was fundamentally based upon.
FOX NEWS MUST BE ELIMINATED.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:02 amTexas, please secede now…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:03 amYeah, because the CONservative media, who encourages brainwashed nutzoids to murder gynecologists, are so non threatening.
/snark
June 4th, 2009 at 11:03 amThe biggest threat to America is not Jihadists. He’s correct. It’s the right wing. THEY must be eliminated. Seriously. They are completely insane, and they’re going to take this country with them, come hell or high water.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:03 am…then again, I keep forgetting.
When everyone over the age of 55 dies, so does 90% of their audience.
That’s refreshing.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:04 amAnd yet no mention of bears? Who is this idiot?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:04 amwell then, all’s well and fine, IF the “greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias”…
if only it were true…
that one lie (lib media) has been the biggest undoing of the country…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:05 amthat’s for sure…
Ahhh the “Librul Media” Whine. Someone dial Whine One One.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:05 amYeah, well, they protected us from Saddam, didn’t they?
We libs just don’t appreciate the grave danger this nation faces from mythical threats.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:05 amSo Al Qaeda is no longer a problem?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:05 amSoon they’ll be calling liberals terrorists and getting their guns out.
I really didn’t think I’d live long enough to see things degrade so much.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:06 amIs this the best they’ve got?
Let’s talk about the hate radio bias, shall we?
Hal Turner will stand as an example of the clear distinction between one’s right to free speech and one with a national voice in the public arena advocating domestic terrorism.
The People are uniting to hold Bill O, Rush, and Beck personally responsible, along with the Fox Network, for fomenting rage in the public arena and suggesting that people take the law into their own hands with his “Tiller the Baby Killer” expose some 38 times.
It’s time that these domestic terrorists and their ’sponsors’ either change their rhetoric or face time in jail.
The people are sick and tired of being terrorized by the likes of Rush, Glenn, and Bill O.
These people are our true homegrown terrorists.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:06 amThe real enemy for this faction is reality. Until we accept that talking about the world “as it is” is completely unfair, they can’t compete on a level playing field politically. Only when we accept things like “taxing less =more revenue from taxes” as indisputable facts, than absurd self-contradictions can the two party system function properly by producing solid Republican majorities.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:07 amamazing that the corporate-owned, right wing mainstream media is so omnipresent that they have managed to convince the “less-than-observant” that the media is liberally biased
funny and sad at the same time
June 4th, 2009 at 11:07 amI contend that this tacit approval of domestic terrorism and people ‘inciting people to violence’ was clear and present in the McCain & Palin rallies last year. This was especially true during the Palin rallies where she either chuckled or smiled as people hurled death threats.
It’s time to call that Fort Myers, Florida “sheriff” (using the term loosely) into question regarding his domestic terrorist-inciting actions at Palin’s rally.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:08 amNo better place to speak of media bias than FuxNews.
PEACE
June 4th, 2009 at 11:08 am“Smith must be concerned about a media system that hosts Liz Cheney a dozen times in ten days, or invites twice as many Republicans on as Democrats to discuss the stimulus package, or consistently favors conservative commentators and politicians on the Sunday political talk shows. Not to mention an entire cable network that blatantly cheer-leads for the far right.”
***
and yet with all that they still lose.
and they’re getting smaller.
sucks to be a conservative.
:)
June 4th, 2009 at 11:08 amRep. Lamar Smith: ‘The greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias.’
… Newsmax reported. Appearing on Fox News today…
– - Self-parody watch.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:09 amRats gets desperate when they feel threatened.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:09 amThese paid prostitutes for the conservative-owned media outlets are a laughing stock. They’ve convinced no one about the so-called ‘liberal bias’ except if you actually use the term “liberal” properly.
These days it seems that those gun-toting, bible-thumping liberals and extremists are advocating murder so in that sense I guess they are correct:
THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF THE GOP AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:09 amHAHAHAHAHAH! Ok Mr. Smith. So in your fight against liberal bias in the media, which property of Rupert Murdoch will you be starting with.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:10 ammary lacewing Says:
Soon they’ll be calling liberals terrorists and getting their guns out.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:06 am
____________
What do you mean, “soon?” They’ve been calling us terrorists and clinging to their guns for decades now…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:10 amOf course there is a liberal media bias. Who else but a liberal would book the likes of Lizzie and Darth Cheney, Newtie Gingrich, mAnn Coulter, RoverBoy and Ricky Sanitorium to display their ignorance for everyone to see?
It’s a HUGE conspiracy, folks! Why, even Limpballs and Little Seanie Vanity are part of the liberal media. It’s called “reverse psychology”. After all, who can listen to them without being totally repulsed?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:10 amIn the strictest sense of the words ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ I would contend that people who believe in the rule of law are now called ‘conservative’ as in believing that murder and calling for violence against anyone who disagrees with you is now the conservative POV.
Maybe we should agree with these congressional pimps and throw it back into their faces….yes, we, the real conservatives who believe in the rule of law are definitely NOT being represented by the wholly owned subsidiary of the GOP and RNC – the corporate mainstream media.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:12 amHere’s hoping somebody plugs that little jerk Lamar Smith into E.J. Dionne’s column today, because E.J. gets it right: the media are tilted far right.
Case in Point: Politico is runnng a video which they title “early reviews” of President Obama’s speech at Cairo University. I won’t be watching it because the still shot is of Liz Cheney on MSNBC, & a Politico story by Andy Barr says Cheney is “troubled” by the President’s “moral relativism.” Maybe Liz Cheney, who is the daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, should be an expert on “moral relativism” or on no morality at all, but her comments over the past few weeks suggest she is no more moral than her despicable father. Is she an expert on the Middle East? I don’t think so. Why does Liz Cheney, who is essentially someone the media pulled in off the street, get air time & print space to pass judgment on the President of the United States? Who really cares what Liz Cheney thinks? Outside of her family & close friends, her views are irrelevant — except that the MSM is giving them lots of coverage, as if she were someone important like, you know, Not-Joe the Non-Plumber.
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
June 4th, 2009 at 11:12 amCampaign finance reform is the ONLY answer to ridding this incestuous relationship between the media and the GOP.
It’s time to begin posting two things daily on every blog you visit:
1) demand that touch screen voting machines become ‘illegal’
2) demand reform of campaign financing
Unless/until we stop these corporations from lining the pockets of Congressmen, this form of payoff will never be stopped.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:13 amThe American Taliban’s mouthpiece is Fixed Noise.
Right idiots like Smith wouldn’t have a forum for their extreme views if Fox didn’t exist.
In the infamous words of ‘The Beast of Blubber’,
I hope Fox News fails.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:13 am______
Guido the Benevolent Torturer Says:
There is no such thing and there has never been such a thing as a “liberal bias” in the media.
Of course there was, but it’s generally more balanced now despite what Repubs believe.
______
“Not to mention an entire cable network that blatantly cheer-leads for the far right.”
Fortunately, there is a liberal cheerleading network to provide balance. ;)
June 4th, 2009 at 11:14 amralph the wonder locust Says:
Rats gets desperate when they feel threatened.
And dangerous. Nothing more dangerous than a delusional cornered rat who is armed and willing to kill without blinking an eye. Dr. Tiller, the Unitarian church shootings and the Pittsburgh police slaughter are just a few examples.
PEACE
June 4th, 2009 at 11:14 amOnce again the GOP playbook……repeat crap enough and it magically becomes true….
June 4th, 2009 at 11:15 amliberal media bias…….chriatian nation……center right nation……..compassionate/conservative…….”we care about main st…..
GOP should be Goebbels obstructionist party
….
…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:15 amThe Greatest Threat to American is
the Limbaugh/Cheney Al Qaeda Republicans
The Republican Jewish Coalition’s Matthew Brooks:
President Barack Obama, in his major speech in Cairo this morning, struck a balanced tone with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that’s what was wrong with this speech. American policy should not be balanced – it should side with those who fight terror, not those who either engage in it or are too weak to prevent it. This conflict will not reach a peaceful conclusion until the Palestinians put an end to terrorism, violence, and incitement against Israel.
*************************************
And it is this type of stupidity, ignorance and hatred is the reason why violence continues. This type of attitude and the Rush Limbaugh/Dick Cheney Republican is nothing more than Al Qaeda in Republican Clothing; and that can’t be denied. Al Qaeda and this type of rhetoric only promote violence without giving any type of concern of everyone this affects.
When you look at the Republican Party you can absolutely compare them to Muslims
You have some Muslin who wants a peaceful discourse
And then you have Al Qaeda, who’s only mission is to cause destruction and harm
You have Conservative and Moderates Republicans who also want a peace discourse
And then you have the Limbaugh/Cheney Al Qaeda Republicans who only mission is to cause destruction and harm at everyone else’s expense
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/06/04/1953463.aspx#comments
June 4th, 2009 at 11:15 amconstant weeder: WTF was Liz Cheney doing on MSNBC in rebuttal of Obama’s speech this morning? This was the most overt and obvious “pimpery” of the right wing-owned media I’ve ever seen.
What is anything this brainwashed twit says significant, relevant, or important?
MSNBC has just gotten a HUGE ‘black eye’ from americans across the country for permitting the complicit daughter of one of the biggest criminals in our history airtime after such an important moment in our nation’s history.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:16 amYeah, liberal media, right.
So says the asshat on Faux Propaganda.
Fcuk the Republic Fascist Party
June 4th, 2009 at 11:17 amNot to mention our federal ‘nepotism laws’, eh, Lizzy?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:17 amIt’s time to let MSNBC know our feelings about permitting Liz Cheney to pimp so openly for her father on their programming.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:18 amthe last 8 years are proof that the greatest threat to this country is a republican majority.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:18 amThis is what I call the ‘Steam-bath’ effect. These guys are so far to the right that anything to the left of Ronald Reagan looks like liberal bias to them. It’s just like stepping out of the steam-bath — no matter what the temperature is like outside, it’s still too cold.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:19 amFer X sake, not ANOTHER stupid Texan lawmaker shoveling more shite? Yuk.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:19 amGood grief, I must be watching the wrong channels because I have yet to find anything close to ‘liberal media’ anywhere. I do not consider talking heads shows as ‘media’ they are entertainment at the very least and a waste of air time for the most part.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:19 amHemmer:”I wouldn’t necessarily call that radical.”
June 4th, 2009 at 11:23 amI might agree with that statement, if the follow-up was:”A better word to describe it would be ERRONEOUS at best and CRAZY at worst!”
Can we please get an “Honesty Doctrine” which would eliminate most, if not every, Conservative rightwing talker on the air.
If they couldn’t lie about there opposition they wouldn’t have a show! Savage would have to spend 3 hours complaining about the meal that he had last night and what horrible ethnicity was responsible for his sour stomach!
I guess when you’re stuck in a ditch on the right-hand side of the road, the median must look like it’s on the left side. That is, if you can see the median at all.
To these yahoos, any broadcast or print medium that doesn’t spout the wingnut agenda 24/7 must be hopelessly “liberal”.
Sheesh.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:23 amFOX News say, “The greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias.”
The greatest threat to neocons and Israel is a liberal media bias. There, fixed it.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:24 amliberal media bias?
WTF?
WHAT liberal media?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:24 amThere, fixed it…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:24 amExactly…if there had been a liberal media, would Bush have ever gotten close enough to steal the election the first time?…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:25 amblistex11 Says:
——————————————————————————–
It’s time to let MSNBC know our feelings about permitting Liz Cheney to pimp so openly for her father on their programming.
***************************
They will eventually grown tired of her first because 1st. she repeats the same thing over and over again; 2nd because her voice is like listening to nails go down a chalk board; 3rd she just looks like a worn out mess and they have probably have reached all the mileage they are going to get off of her. And let’s me clear, Joe Scarborough just brings her on to antagonize the left but what ever talking points she brings on his show are quickly destroyed by the evening.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:26 amThe greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias. …
And right after them comes magical unicorns that suck your brains out through their horns….
June 4th, 2009 at 11:30 amI’m beginning to sense a pattern here…
If somebody doesn’t defend the rule of white males in every sphere of life, say she’s a “racist.”
If a judge doesn’t overturn the law to favor the wingnuts, they call her a “judicial activist.”
And if somebody doesn’t warp the news to treat extremist right-wing positions as if it was mainstream, they say it has “liberal bias.”
These people actually think that if the deck isn’t stacked for them, that’s the same thing as it being stacked for someone else. As if they just can’t conceive of a version of actual fairness that favors and hinders no one. To them “fairness” means that they get whatever they want at the expense of everyone else. And “equality” only means that they get to rule. That’s not what America is about. Not at all.
These people are incredibly deluded.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:31 amIf these right-wing paranoiacs believe that the “liberal media bias” is such a grave threat, does this mean they now support reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:32 amThe greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias. …
… says the guy on TV. You know, if there really was a liberal media bias, these suckers wouldn’t stand a chance. If there was a true pervasive liberal media bias in this country, conservatism as we know it could not exist.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:32 amabout lizzie cheeeney on msnbc this morning… was it the joe show?
jon stewart really put it to joe last night… whoring for starbucks coffee, all morning long…
you can always tell when jon is disgusted…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:34 amThe greatest threat to America is the media consolidation that Bill Clinton, to his ever loving shame, signed into law. The fact that 85% of our MSM is owned by conservatives is proof positive that this guy is lying through his teeth.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:35 amOh pul-leeeeeease…
Everyone knows the Greatest Threat To America™ is the fluoridation of our drinking water and the contamination of Our Precious Bodily Fluids…
***eyes roll***
And Teh Stupid is flowing like wine this morning.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:36 amI’m from Iowa and I know hogwash when I see it. The reason the far right trots out this old saw is because it works time and time, again. It’s as if we are deciding to use hydrogen or atomic bombs and these are only choices; not bombing never seems to get an airing as an option. Advertising based media is the problem and public financing of elections is a main part of the solution. Media stars posing as insightful journalists is a joke because most of these people spend more time on their hair than researching the “news of the day” let alone serious economic or social policy. It’s a bad joke, sadly.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:37 amIf you were to ask a journalist or political figure “what is the greatest threat to America?”, they will automatically say, in some form or another, “the side I’m not on”.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:38 amExcellent question, missmolly.
After all, the Fairness Doctrine is supposed to mandate that both sides receive equal treatment in public affairs programming. If the media is so liberally biased, the Right would benefit from the reinstitution of the Fairness Doctrine.
Yet they are so afraid of it that they make up straw men to pretend that it’s a viable threat. That tells me that they know the media is not biased to the left, and in fact the Right would suffer if things were forced to balance out.
Either that, or they’re afraid that the FD would outlaw lying on news shows.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:38 amE.J. Dionne’s take on the “liberal media” myth:
“If you doubt that there is a conservative inclination in the media, consider which arguments you hear regularly and which you don’t. When Rush Limbaugh sneezes or Newt Gingrich tweets, their views ricochet from the Internet to cable television and into the traditional media. It is remarkable how successful they are in setting what passes for the news agenda.
“The power of the Limbaugh-Gingrich axis means that Obama is regularly cast as somewhere on the far left end of a truncated political spectrum. He’s the guy who nominates a “racist” to the Supreme Court (though Gingrich retreated from the word yesterday), wants to weaken America’s defenses against terrorism and is proposing a massive government takeover of the private economy. [...]
“Democrats are complicit in building up Gingrich and Limbaugh as the main spokesmen for the Republican Party, since Obama polls so much better than either of them. But the media play an independent role by regularly treating far-right views as mainstream positions and by largely ignoring critiques of Obama that come from elected officials on the left.”
From his column today. I think he’s got it correct. If far-right voices are characterized as mainstream, it shifts the center of political gravity. For all the talk about media adulation of the president, this dynamic produces “a deep and largely unconscious conservative bias in the media’s discussion of policy. The range of acceptable opinion runs from the moderate left to the far right.”
Single-payer healthcare is considered beyond the realm of reasonable discourse. So is the notion of reducing military spending. The idea of raising taxes to improve the budget outlook is characterized as ridiculous.
At the same time, there is ample media discussion over whether the administration’s fairly centrist economic policies and the president’s moderate instincts can reasonably be described as “socialism.”
Dionne concludes with a very compelling point that bears repeating: “Democrats love to think that Limbaugh and Gingrich are weakening the conservative side. But guess what? By dragging the media to the right, Rush and Newt are winning.”
June 4th, 2009 at 11:40 amOT Sorry. just heard Kung Fu actor David Caridene(sp) passed away…Found in his apartment in Tyland….P.B & J
June 4th, 2009 at 11:43 amThe greatest threat to America is Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! broadcasting on cable out of a converted firehouse?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:43 amobamawipe$ Says:
These people are our true homegrown terrorists.
BIG WHITE COSERVATIVES UNDER YOUR BED!
**
very scary.
:)
June 4th, 2009 at 11:44 amIs it too paranoid to think that (especially as there is no liberal bias in the news; and “Fair and Balanced” means Faux News), that fighting liberal statements is really an attempt to silence the speech of those who disagree with the party line ?
June 4th, 2009 at 11:44 amI thought it was “A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual, and certainly without any choice.”
PURITY OF ESCENCE
June 4th, 2009 at 11:48 amNice try, wipey, but that tactic is only effective on YOU guys. We tend to analyze threats and deal with them rationally, rather than reacting in fear like you guys tend to do.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:50 amAlong with death and taxes, you can put this in the list of political axioms:
The “Fairness “doctrine” is dead, and gone, and never, ever coming back…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:50 amobamawipe$ Says:
BIG WHITE COSERVATIVES UNDER YOUR BED!
I wondered what that smell was.
I guess the closet wasn’t big enough for toe-tapping good times!
June 4th, 2009 at 11:51 amOnly a dozen House Repubs signed up for this? Sounds like there’s not much fire left in those bellies . . .
June 4th, 2009 at 11:52 amAppearing on Fox News today, Smith declared that “liberal media bias” is a bigger threat to the United States than the recession or terrorism — and Fox’s Bill Hemmer seemed to agree:
These guys live in an irony free zone.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:57 am“I want the American people to get the facts and then be allowed to make up their own minds, not be told what to think,” he (Smith) says. “When you have network news programs and front pages of national newspapers reading like an editorial page or sounding like an oral editorial, then the American people aren’t getting the facts, they’re not getting the objective news. They’re getting opinion. And if all they do is hear is one side, that does have an impact over time.”
Oh, the irony…
June 4th, 2009 at 11:57 amSurprise, surprise, more fear and myths from a republican whack job. Who knew the liberal media was the greatest threat to America? Did Bush? If so why are we in Iraq and Afghanistan? Send troops to MSNBC and Air America immediately! *rolling eyes*
Obviously the GOP is so devoid of any new ideas and so desperate to hold onto the remaining 21% of their dying base that they feel the need to bring back the scary liberal media myth. Fear and lies is all the GOP has left these days.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:58 amshoeless – cheers!
June 4th, 2009 at 11:59 amMr. Smith, because he is an ignorant dullard who panders to ignorant dullards, fails to make the important distinction between a “liberal bias” and a “bias that maintains an unfair status quo for the ultra-wealthy”.
That’s how the ultra-wealthy employ panderers to dupe dullards and keep the whole crooked circus of our economy running in the favor of the ultra-wealthy.
Sad dummies, preyed upon by overprivileged megalomaniacs – good times.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:03 pmIt’s sometimes hard to wrap my head around the idea that I am CONSTANTLY disappointed in the media for not showing the objective facts of a situation, almost always leaning towards corporate (and by extension rightwing) bias- internationally and domestically. That people can keep up the idea that the media which has been bought and sold for decades is somehow liberal is crazy. It’s just hard to understand.
I think someone already hit it on the head, when pesky facts of a situation, scandal, challenge, or crisis come out, they expose the selfish rightwing for all its anti-democratic principles. The off chance of some REAL reporting, and they scurry to tamp down the truth by constantly holding the media suspect w/ “liberal bias.” meanwhile using it the majority of the time for its own propoganda.
Campaign finance will do a lot, but there’s needs to be a huge reformation of media ownership laws that reflect just how important a functioning media is to a democracy.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:04 pmMaybe to his America — hate, lies, what’s good for the rich is what everybody else gets — but not mine.
I long for actual liberal media bias.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:07 pmmisscoleopteramolly Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 12:08 pmIf these right-wing paranoiacs believe that the “liberal media bias” is such a grave threat, does this mean they now support reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine?
“““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
Nope, they will quickly and conveniently pass over the fact that right wing hate radio dominates the public airwaves and tell us the “liberal media bias” includes the print media and the MSM which to them is only NBC, CBS & ABC, they never mention local Fox stations or the fact that the Fox cable entertainment channel is pure right wing drivel 24/7.
The greatest threat to America… that’s a pretty serious question. International terrorism perhaps. Nuclear proliferation. A staggering economy. The potential decline and loss of our superpower status. I mean, there are some extremely serious answers to be given to that question. Smith belittles all of them with his claim.
But media bias is the problem, huh? What should we do about that? If only there were a systematic approach made to reduce bias in reporting as much as possible, methodology designed to identify biased words and statements and to replace them with objective terms. If only some of the media outlets held themselves to certain standards, utilizing boards of editors rather than single decision-makers and writing down an open editorial policy for others to review… perhaps we could call it “journalism.”
.
obamawipe$ Says:
BIG WHITE COSERVATIVES UNDER YOUR BED!
Usually they hide under their own beds. This one must be drunker than normal.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:09 pmSurprise, surprise! Another GOP idiot, one of the über-idiots from the Texas GOP, on Fox News, the only network explicitly and entirely dedicated to the GOP and its agenda.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:13 pmWhat Smith is saying is that the rethuglicans depend on propaganda and the stifling of the open and honest media to survive. The rethugs depend on low educated, misinformed, mental midgets and the open honest press, which shines a light on the darkness in government will be the demise of the wingnut party. I have personally watched this attack on the supposed liberal media bias since Spiro Agnew used it to defend against the crimes he committed and the press revealed. People like Pat Buchanan have used it with success for forty years. It is bs. The media is so afraid of being called liberal, they do a poor job. If they would shine a light on the darkness of government they would reveal the crimes being hidden in government. We the people require a open and honest media to avoid electing wingnuts who know nothing about conducting our business. We are the employers. Lamar Smith should be fired.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:14 pmThe biggest threat to this country is the American Taliban and all of their media mouthpieces who spew hatred, lies and racism and pro-big business messages daily.
I truly believe that their daily dose of hatred, lies and racism
will lead to more killings across this country and could ultimately lead to the revival of the frightening bill formerly known as HR 1955 “The Violent Radicalization Of Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act”
Keep an eye on all of this recent talk in the media about “Domestic Terrorism” and be afraid, be very afraid if the senate does revive this very frightening bill!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 4th, 2009 at 12:17 pmOn a good note, though, it does seem that the internet has shaken up a really calcified and dysfunctional media system. Information has become a great deal more available to people, and I think just the sheer number of voices still forces American citizens to have to think more critically about the subjective bias of the news source.
I mean it’s obviously not getting everyone to think critically, if you look at the trolls, redstate, free republic, but I still think it’s been helping a lot of people get at truth.
we need to make sure that any attempts at regulation of the internet be held highly suspect, unless we see the same ideological control MSM has fallen under.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:17 pmobamawipe$ Says:
These people are our true homegrown terrorists.
BIG WHITE COSERVATIVES UNDER YOUR BED!
June 4th, 2009 at 11:33 am
____________
Why should I be worried about that? I’m not a Congressional Page.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:21 pmthat’s the best one yet toasterhead!
June 4th, 2009 at 12:23 pmIf the librul media is the greatest threat, why do we need a $600B defense budget? F-18s wouldn’t be needed to take out the librul media. If the Pentagon thinks the librul media is the greatest threat, why do they have a public affairs office?
June 4th, 2009 at 12:32 pmAll the more reason for such nonsense to get widespread air time — thinking people will respond at the ballot box and, daily, in their focus against blatant stupidity.
Or in the case of Rush, Hannity, and O’Reilly — with less financial support of program advertisers.
[cue the chirping crickets]
June 4th, 2009 at 12:54 pmYeah, these monkeys have been whipping up the base for years now about how the left wants to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. And now this gem… it’s too much for me. I just can’t take it anymore!! These people are complete monkeys. They make my blood boil!
June 4th, 2009 at 12:55 pmThis meme that Rep. Smith is pushing is a tactic, not a truth. The strategy is to get media consumers to think that the Trad Media (TM) is biased, and at the same time intimidate the TM into asking ever more non-reality based questions of Democrats, while letting Republicans skate.
It’s so transparent, and I hope Move On or some other democratically inclined organization seeks funding to buy ad time refuting the myth.
One thing to consider, though, conservative-owned media or not, with the Internet being used as a news source much more by the demographically younger base of the Democrats than the older base of the Republicans – thus taking eyes and ears away from the TM – the TM is thinking $$ and ratings when they (aside from Fox News) play to the conservatives.
The tough part for them, and the real struggle they face, is that they (the TM) are losing out in the most desirable demographic groups, age- and education-wise, a group that increasingly is favoring Democrats and liberal ideas.
So, you could effectively argue that the TM, by playing to conservatives, are playing to their (the TM’s) advertising base. Ever notice the proliferation of pharma ads on the TM?
June 4th, 2009 at 1:03 pmLamar is protecting the wingnuts biggest asset – the republican hardwired MSM
What he meant to say was the biggest vulnerability to the GOP is de-consolidating the tight grip that mostly old white men have on ownership of the MSM.
The phenomenal thing about this statement is that Lamar may actually believe that liberal media is a greater threat to the US than terrorism, loss of Essence of Bodily Fluids, loose nukes or even alien attacks (Yes, Reagan was afraid of aliens attacking).
June 4th, 2009 at 1:03 pm.
Like this…?
Conservative radio host, popular onetime Hannity guest, charged with inciting violence
http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/06/conservative-radio-host-cinciting-violence/
.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:07 pmRep. Lamar Smith you cretin (R-TX) how much did Fix News contirbute or pay him to say that bullshyt?
June 4th, 2009 at 1:12 pmNow Liz Cheney is on with Andrea Mitchell and is allowed to spew her lies.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:18 pmLiz Cheney thinks what President Obama said in his speech is dangerous and naive.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:19 pmLiz, like her father, thinks America is weak and has to resort to torture and war to protect herself
June 4th, 2009 at 1:19 pmALL media in the USA is owned/operated by giant global corporations seeking to protect their own…..Despite huge losses, dwindling support, and their constant LIES and MISINFORMATION being outed, they KNOW they are the only game in town and control the messages American citizens hear repeated daily. They know that in order to continue their LIES, no differing opinions or truth can be allowed to interfere with their MISINFORMATION.
Thank God for the internet and sites like Think Progress, Media Matters, etc……
Look for and act against any attempts to control this medium, which is the last place left for Americans to hear and see TRUTH.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:30 pmCancervatives are so stupid they’ll believe the most ridiculous propaganda as witnessed by our idiot trolls.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:34 pmDoes anyone else see a parallel between what the repubs are doing and Big Brother’s government in 1984? I go back and forth between being amused and outraged/concerned when I hear this kind of garbage.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:34 pmThe idiot troll links to the site owned by Brent Bozell. Really people that stupid should be castrated so there’s no chance of dumbing down the gene pool.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:36 pmI can’t wait to see what propaganda these (cons)ervatives are going forge when Obama comes back from the Middle East?
The (cons)ervatives really hate intelligence and facts as it is pretty self evident, look at what “wanna-be” President Mitt said yesterday on the Today show about Obama’s trip to the Mid-East just for starters?
June 4th, 2009 at 1:38 pmThe right-wing has been using this argument for so long, that I considered it amusing, but this newest GOP Rhetoric is crossing the line. The simple argument can be made by the Cable News Ratings…when FOX has been the leader for the past 6 months. So is the GOP now saying that FOX is too liberal…do they think that Hal Turner is their idea of correct. It is time to call them out and have them either put up or shut up, and although I would prefer the latter, they need to be confronted.
The elected officials of the Right Wing need to stopped / questioned / define their standard…or their continued rhetoric via Fox, Morning Joe, etc will attempt to make this conventional wisdom. I wonder how they explain how the media that failed to questions the war in Iraq can dare be called a liberal media.
As it has been documented that Cheney has been portrayed on more media outlets than anyone else in recent weeks…how is that liberal bias?
June 4th, 2009 at 1:40 pmConservativeForProgress Says:
During the 2004 presidential campaign, for example, Newsweek’s Evan Thomas predicted that sympathetic media coverage would boost Kerry’s vote by “maybe 15 points,” which he later revised to five points.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
_____________
And we all know how well that strategy worked out.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:43 pmHow journalists personally lean has very little to do with the bias in the media, especially when compared to the owners and advertisers. This is true in most every industry.
The reality of the situation, CFP, is that the media is skewed to the right by a lot. The highlights of the data proving it are provided in this post. I wouldn’t expect you to believe it, though, because reality has a liberal bias.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:50 pmWould a “liberal” news have placed LIZ CHENEY, a non-elected, non-leader, legacy appointee, revisionist lair on NATIONAL TV as a REBUTTAL to our ELECTED PRESIDENT’S SPEECH . . . I think not . . . .
What a shameful whoring by Andrea Mitchell – must be those “liberal” tendencies that prevented her from questioning Liz’s NUMEROUS lies she spouted.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:58 pmExcellent anecdotal “evidence” there, C4Pee.
So one journalist overestimates what he sees as media coverage “sympathetic” to Kerry. I wonder if that includes the NY Times withholding its exposé on Bush’s warrantles wiretapping in order to keep from influencing the election?
And another, a network executive (no conservative bias among corporate execs, is there, C4Pee?) sounds like a clone of Bernard Goldberg.
Meanwhile, truly objective data like balance of guests on Sunday morning public affairs shows, detailed analyses of media coverage do not back up the personal impressions of your hand-chosen voices.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:06 pmLiz Cheney thinks what President Obama said in his speech is dangerous and naive.
““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
How dare President Obama try to reach out to millions of Muslims as he tries to rebuild our country’s image who in their eyes see’s us as an occupier of two of their countries. God forbid his message actually does some good and convinces many young and old Muslims that we aren’t the evil American Satan. God forbid that President Obama’s words actually may convince some would be Muslim, hell bent on hurting America or any of it’s citizens to possibly have a change of heart.
How naive of President Obama to extend an olive branch to the Muslim world in a hope to stop some of the violence, some of the misconceptions of our country which were brought on by the 8 years of the Bush administration with words like crusades, with us or against us, bring em on, money trumps peace.
How dare President Obama wanting to try some diplomacy in order to stop war, violence and death and strive for peace. He must anti-American, war is good, peace is bad! He must be stopped immediately! If he doesn’t embrace the Bush doctrine fully, there is no other choice than to demand impeachment.
*Rolling eyes and giving Liz Cheney the one finger salute*
June 4th, 2009 at 2:09 pmYeh, Tim McVeigh watched liberal TV, so did Akission, Nichols and Roeder
SNARK!!
June 4th, 2009 at 2:09 pmConservativeForProgress Says:
In 2004, a poll conducted by the University of Connecticut found journalists backed John Kerry over George W. Bush by a greater than two-to-one margin.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:15 pm““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
Perhaps after witnessing the first four years of Bush these journalists feared for the future of our country and came to their senses? I’m ashamed that the margin was only two-to-one, considering we were hit on 9/11 under Bush and his neocons were promoting a fascist type of government ruled by fear and propaganda.
Rumor has it that Osama Bin Laden is a big fan of the Fox entertainment channel. Some say he makes all of his new recruits watch it 24/7 to build up a hatred for the USA.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:17 pmFOX The Qaeda Channel
June 4th, 2009 at 2:36 pmWhat sympathic media coverage? You mean the media coverage which gave credence to the Swift Boat Liars? You mean the media coverage which failed to expose the easily debunked smears against Kerry?
Media coverage wasn’t sympathic, it was pathetic.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:57 pmThe greatest threat to America is a brain dead right wing run by the criminal rich and Zionist traitors. Period.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:57 pmConservativeForProgress Says:
Has anyone told you what a sympathetic assclown you are today? You are sickening.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:08 pmConflict sells.
Our for-profit 24/7 media cycle is what’s harming America. They need to fill all that time and sensationalize their stories to sell them to the apathetic public — and, boy, does the party-of-no deliver on conflict.
In the end what is reported, as “balanced journalism,” is reality vs. right wing nuttery — even tough they only consist of a small minority of the population.
June 4th, 2009 at 4:13 pmThe greatest threat to corporatist, right-wing hegemony is a free and liberal press.
But since we don’t have that, we’ll probably continue to have for-profit healthcare that excludes tens of millions – in service to corporate insurers.
And we’ll continue to coddle the rich, who already object to paying a marginal tax rate well below what it was under Reagan, even though we are in a huge crisis that will indebt the working and middle classes for decades.
And so on. Our pliant and compliant mainstream media is seriously compromised. And generally intellectually incurious and vain. Meh.
June 4th, 2009 at 4:26 pmConservatives have one news outlet “Fox News”, but people who lean left have the following:
New York Times, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNBC, NPR and CNN. and ALMOST every editorial in every major city in the US.
Also all three network anchors lean left.
Just because you don’t agree with conservatives, that doesn’t mean their liars.
What I find so funny is that you lefties get so upset with FOX News, you don’t have to watch it-turn it off.
Two thirds of the country is either lean to the right or are in the middle, that’s why Fox News is the highest rated cable news channel by far.
I don’t think people on the left are liars because I don’t agree with them, I just think they are misguided .
June 4th, 2009 at 5:01 pmDoodlebug Shayne Says:
Liz Cheney thinks what President Obama said in his speech is dangerous and naive.
Liz Cheney is dangerous and naive.
June 4th, 2009 at 5:31 pmHere’s an interesting piece by E.J. Dionne Jr. regarding media bias…
June 4th, 2009 at 5:50 pmThe biggest threat to America’s future is ignorant people like Lamar Smith.
June 4th, 2009 at 6:13 pmI’ll read this blog, then the comments after I’ve finished laughing.
June 4th, 2009 at 6:38 pmA STORM IS COMING.
June 4th, 2009 at 7:43 pm.
.
.
.
.
.At 4 this afternoon, it looked nightfall! The wind was blowing so hard it looked like a hurricane! It was raining horizontally! Thunder and lightening! WHOO HOO! The sweet smell of ozone! BOOM, BABY! My tech guy had to reset the modem! The lights are flickering! What a day—a good laugh at this headline and a thunderstorm—they’re rare in these parts.
.
.
.
I think the pathetic media and the failing economy are symptoms of the same perversion—the concentration of wealth.
Good journalism—especially investigative journalism has to be funded.
HAHAHAHAHA Quick, call Fox Entertainment and tell them to put the Nazi’s on in uniform.
dumb, dumb, dumb….DUMB
June 4th, 2009 at 8:50 pmRep. Lamar’s initiative and accompanying announcement adheres loyally to two long favored pages out of the Republican play book: 1) Working the Refs (see Eric Alterman’s “What Liberal Media?”) and 2) Demonize DemocRATS/Libruls as greater threat than terrorists.
Working the refs has, over the years, been a successful strategy employed by Republicans into cowing the corporate media which has led to their increasing irrelevance as the internet and–oddly–news satire has filled much of the void. With respect to the second tactic: The last two election cycles have shown that the electorate have become tone deaf to this kind of fearmongering, which voters are increasingly recognizing for what it is–a vacuous substitute for substantive policy debate.
Republican policy is designed to do two things: transfer wealth upward (no problem that can’t be solved with tax cuts for the rich) and to divert people’s attention from these transfers of wealth as they take place under our noses (DOMA, immigration, abortion, etc.). This “Media Fairness Caucus” betrays their growing desperation as it lays bare their willingness to throw anything at the wall to see what might stick.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:39 am#130
wiley, you in western Oregon?
June 5th, 2009 at 1:44 amFOIA Gras Says:
wiley, you in western Oregon?
I am. That was a heck of a thunderstorm what passed through today.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:20 amYep. An hour away from ElBruce. It was a marvelous storm.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:48 amOregon
June 5th, 2009 at 2:48 amupright left Says:
Fortunately, there is a liberal cheerleading network to provide balance. ;)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
No there isnt. This claim is flat out stupid and you have to be a brainwashed moron to take it seriously
June 5th, 2009 at 4:38 amConservativeForProgress
Gee just think. Well ecucated professionals that are paid to know and understand politics and what is happening in the world tend to vote Democratic and they chose highly intelligent and politically astute John Kerry over the moron from Texas and we are supposed to be suprised? Do you know what that DOESNT show? BIAS in their reporting. I am sure you THOUGHT you had a point but and perhaps you did but you certainly didnt make the point you THOUGHT you were making
June 5th, 2009 at 4:42 amkevin1 Says:
YOU are an idiot
Conservatives have one news outlet “Fox News”, but people who lean left have the following:
New York Times, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNBC, NPR and CNN. and ALMOST every editorial in every major city in the US.
Also all three network anchors lean left.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
You are a brainwashed moron. NONE of the networks are lefty at ALL much less lean left in the way FOX leans right and only by being stupid and brainwashed could you possibly take that seriously.
Just because you don’t agree with conservatives, that doesn’t mean their liars.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
NO they arent liars because we disagree they are liars because they, you know, LIE.
What I find so funny is that you lefties get so upset with FOX News, you don’t have to watch it-turn it off.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
What I find so funny is how stupid you are. If you dont LIKE us criticizing Fox you dont have to read it you can LEAVE.
Two thirds of the country is either lean to the right or are in the middle, that’s why Fox News is the highest rated cable news channel by far.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Highest rated CABLE chanell is just leading the minor leagues the networks STILL dwarf their ratings. The only reason they lead the cable chanells is that there are plenty of choices if what you want is NEWS and INFORMATION but for morons like YOU that want to be lied to and fed propaganda it is FOX thats it. So they get the lions share of the idiots.
I don’t think people on the left are liars because I don’t agree with them, I just think they are misguided .
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
I dont think the right are liars collectively just the ones that are shown, you know, LYING I just think a whole lot of them like for instance YOU are stupid.
June 5th, 2009 at 4:49 amThank You
June 5th, 2009 at 8:45 amseslisohbet seslichat sesli sohbet sesli chat
When the “MSM” starts advocating closing prisons, free public transportation, legalizing drugs and prostitution, giving teenagers the right to vote,etc, I’ll be more inclined to believe him.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:29 amI am appalled at some of the vituperation above. We do ourselves no good with that, but rather we should analyze the media, and argue logically against the Liberal Bias argument using facts to support our argument. That is always the best way.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:50 pmfilm izle
June 6th, 2009 at 3:41 pmonline film izle
sinema izle
film seyret
film
internetten film izle
porno film izle
porno izle
sex izle
porno
porno film
sex
sikis
filim izle
filmler
izlesene
izle
okey
oyna okey
giyim
yazlik giyim
kozmetik
film izle
klip izle
müzik
I knew he would still be wallpapering this thread. I take the Holocaust seriously enough not to wear it out. I am not nor have I ever been anti-semitic. I’m agnostic. Why in the world would I be anti-semitic? The assertion that I would “forget” or approve of any persecution and systematic murder is anti-social.
June 7th, 2009 at 12:08 pmSesli Chat
Sesli Sohbet
SesliChat
SesliSohbet
very nice
sikis
June 10th, 2009 at 4:05 amporno izle
sikis