There was G.Gordon Liddy on my teevee screen last night telling me that there's a deposition by Barack Obama's step-grandmother swearing that Barack was born in a Kenyan hospital or clinic. I don't know why Liddy didn't bring a copy of the deposition with him.
Liddy, a convicted felon from the Watergate glory days, and a regular on Corporate Media, suggested that not only was Obama not born in the U.S…..but that he probably is still an undocumented immigrant and should be picked up by law enforcement. Approximately 15 minutes was spent discussing this "serious" issue.
There was Liz Cheney, spawn of Dick, on my teevee screen refusing to say that Obama was an American citizen, instead, telling me that "people…are uncomfortable, for the first time ever, in having a President who seems so reluctant to defend the nation overseas."
There was Rush Limbaugh on my teevee screen telling me that white firefighters from Connecticut are "under assault by agents of President Obama", and that President Obama's comment about police officers "acting stupidly" in the arrest of Professor Gates in Cambridge, Massachusetts is proof enough that "now, white policemen are under assault from the East Room of the White House."
Was it Fox I was watching? No. It was that extremely liberal, bordering on communistic, network MSNBC that I was watching. The proof that liberal networks are, indeed, liberal, is found in their continual airing of the views of the most radical, right-wing celebrities. No, it isn't supposed to make sense.
This apparent contradiction, that liberal networks always make ample time for the screeds of the most extreme right wing celebrities, is rarely brought up on…umm… the teevee. Last night on Countdown was an exception.
David Shuster, filling in for Keith, had Charlie Pierce of the Boston Globe magazine on the last segment of Countdown. I'd like to shake Mr. Pierce's hand.
Listen closely to what Mr. Pierce says about Chuck Todd, the NY Times, Kathleen Willey, Jennifer Flowers, Chris Matthews, MSNBC, and coverage of the Al Gore campaign as he points out the extremely obvious…..this is must-see teevee….
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Pierce…."Why would these people (far right-wingers) think this wouldn't work again? Whitewater didn't hurt them, the Swiftboat accusations didn't hurt them…"
Shuster pushes back. "There's no truth, whatsoever, to the charge that Obama's not an American, there's absolutely no comparison." (with Whitewater, Swiftboat, etc)
Pierce, and this is beautiful…."There IS a comparison, because we're floating it David…..there was no truth to the Swiftboat…(Shuster shouts him down at this point)"
Shuster tries to get Pierce to bash Liz Cheney, asking why she says what she says. Pierce doesn't go along with Shuster's framing…"Because they've seen the advantage of doing the nudge, nudge wink wink stuff. This isn't any sillier than what Senator Imhofe(R-OK) says about global warming. It's just the id of the party rather prominently displayed."
Shuster tries one more time…"If Liz Cheney is unwilling to acknowledge the facts..on Obama's birth….why should she be trusted on anything else that she wants to talk about?"
Pierce hits a homerun with this response…"I don't know, I'm not the one who booked her." "She's a prominent Republican because she has been made one on teevee."
Shuster was visibly frustrated, completely oblivious to the razor sharp, truthful points Pierce was seeking to make about the corrupt and craven corporate media. Corporate media, even "liberal" corporate media, continually reserves valuable air time for the most insane conservatives to put voice to their insanity.
Radically extreme conservatives and Republicans will continue to say the most insane stuff because, as Charlie Pierce rightly said, "it works". The more insane the talk from far-right spokespeople, the better chance to be invited onto the teevee machine or have your video clip played….thus echoing and amplifying the insanity.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Rev, You and I see eye to eye on this subject except I feel the insanity is on both sides Lib and Con. There is to much creedence given to the talking heads, bloggers and other media sources.
Also, in my opinion, there is to much undeserved respect and reverence given to certain people. Liz Cheney? Come on. Bill Maher, come on. Glenn Beck, Rush? Come on. Al Franken? He is a comedy writer for crying out loud and worked his way to becoming a senator by taking on Rush Limbaugh.
The sad thing is that even though many realize the talking heads do what they do for a living and they are paid to keep us in a "Nat'l Enquirer World" many people believe what they are saying and it sways their vote and opinion on subjects. Like the Bible and it's preachers. We hear the words but are those the intentions of the passage? We hear soundbites but rarely hear the meat of the story.
But we can't shut them up, it will violate their rights. How do we stop the half truths and lying? I guess it starts with us. But where do we get our truths and opinions?
I think I have said it here before but I will no longer discuss politics with my neighbor or others for that matter who make accusations like the birthers are doing or others who are saying just plain stupid and hateful things about Obama. I feel it is demeaning to the office of President of the United States to defend him against the ravings of ignorant and uninformed people. My response to those who bring it up to me is to tell them to go use their energy to take back their party — then we can discuss policies. I am sure I do not make a difference but it helps my blood pressure. Average, I think it is possible to get the truth but it takes more time than many people are willing or able to commit to.
Simple. Present a certificate of live birth. Not a memo-title from Hawaii. It would be over that quick, and he could get back to ruining the country in peace. How about a viable third-party? Please?
Rev,
You're kidding about MSNBC not being liberal, I hope. They put all the wildest rhetoric on that they can find from the right BECAUSE MSNBC is liberal. It's done to make conservatives look stupid. Fox News does the same thing in reverse to make liberals look stupid. It's politics 101. Discredit the opposition. You have to be able to see it for what is is, on both sides of the political spectrum. That's why I read and watch both left and right media. It's the only way to separate the fact from the spin.
FYI – I roll my eyes at some of the things Limbaugh says too.
Only one "birther", so far?
Balkan….really, what happened was the Obama family hatched this conspiracy BEFORE Barack was born. They KNEW that he would become President…..and so knowing that….they picked Hawaii as the state where they would announce the birth of their son. Naturally, Hawaiian officials were in on it too, you know, some 50 years ago. Hawaiian officials did the bidding of, you know, Kenyans…..because they too KNEW that Obama, a black child, would grow up to be the President. They KNEW he would become President because there had never been a black President in the U.S…..and so it wouldn't be difficult for him to attain.
Sound about right?
King….in the video, Charlie Pierce is the liberal. Why does Shuster argue with Pierce and try to out shout him if, indeed, Shuster represents a liberal network?
Balkanize
Like I said demeaning. Why should he present anyone an offical birth certificate except for the any he has to present.
mary….Balkan says…"Simple. Present a certificate of live birth."
Balkan, apparently, does not realize that a "certificate of live birth" is exactly what Obama has made available on his website for the last couple of years.
Chris Matthews had a copy last night to show to the befuddled Gordon Liddy. Liddy said, "I'll have to take a look at it." As if he hadn't already seen it.
Apparently!!!!!
Rev, to give one example of MSNBC shouting down a liberal to show it is a conservative network is like saying I'm the hottest guy alive because my wife likes me. Oh, I guess I see your point, NOT. I don't like BHO because he stole my vote by saying "no more pork", "Gitmo will be closed", "transparent leadership", etc… Bring on the 3rd party, I'm ready, at least they may pay their taxes on time.
One "hottest guy" anecdote does not a consensus make. Yes, Shuster's work is only one example.
It's okay to not like Obama. This is America.
We disagree on the pork and Gitmo stuff, but that's fine.
Perhaps Palin can build that 3rd party. Would you be keen on that?
I've been critical of American presidents for over 40 years…..and I think Obama is the best I've seen. That doesn't mean he is flawless, far from it.
I'll hold off my ranking of BHO, my list would start with Reagan and Clinton, then a big mass in the middle, followed by the 2nd Bush.
Rev,
I didn't see any Birthers on this thread, just one person asking for Obama to present a certificate of live birth (an original birth certificate). Obama has NOT done that. Obama didn't release an original birth certificate, just a computer-printed copy (a certification of live birth).
But before you go calling me a Birther, you should know I don't believe in that conspiracy theory, and there's an awful lot of misinformation being peddled around it, as there was with the Truther conspiracy from which the Birthers derived their name.
If you don't believe in the conspiracy theory…then why do you seek answers to the same questions raised by conspiracy theorists?
Just presenting the facts, that's all.