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Balloon Juice

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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2016 / Skip The Middle, Go Straight To The Top

Skip The Middle, Go Straight To The Top

by Zandar|  December 1, 201510:56 am| 89 Comments

This post is in: Election 2016, Hail to the Hairpiece, Bring on the Brawndo!, Our Failed Political Establishment, Very Serious People

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The grift is on and in glorious prime-time, kids.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump threatened Monday that he may not attend CNN’s next debate unless the network forks over $5 million, which the real estate mogul said would go to charity.

Trump pulled the stunt once before, demanding that CNN donate the proceeds from its September Republican presidential debate to a charity. The network didn’t publicly comment on the request and Trump ultimately participated in the debate.

Trump again floated the idea of the network donating money to charity in exchange for his participation during a campaign rally in Georgia.

“How about I tell CNN that I’m not gonna do the next debate?” Trump said to his audience, as quoted by USA Today. “I won’t do the debate unless they pay me $5 million, all of which money goes to the Wounded Warriors or to vets.”

He may not be the game show host this city deserves, but he is the game show host that this city needs, ya see.

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Reader Interactions

89Comments

  1. 1.

    Mustang Bobby

    December 1, 2015 at 10:59 am

    I’m reminded of the O. Henry short story “The Ransom of Red Chief.”

    How about CNN give $5 million if he doesn’t participate?

  2. 2.

    rikyrah

    December 1, 2015 at 11:01 am

    I Got the Laquan McDonald Video Released, but Chicago Is Still Covering Up His Death

    The city hasn’t released all the dashcam videos, emails, and statements from eight other cops who saw Jason Van Dyke pump 16 bullets into the teen. What are they hiding?A week ago today, Chicago released a police video of Laquan McDonald being killed by Officer Jason Van Dyke. A week later, and more than 13 months after Laquan’s death, the city is still hiding most of the evidence about what really happened.

    I’m the journalist who sued Chicago and won the release of the video that showed Laquan being shot to death 16 times on Oct. 20, 2014. But I m not stopping there. With the help of attorneys, I’m continuing my Freedom of Information Act request of the city to release officer statements made to investigators, emails from city officials, and more. The public needs to know what as many as eight officers did immediately after the shooting, as well as how the department handled what should’ve been plainly seen as murder by one of its own officers that night.

    What did these officers do following the shooting? In the first video released, you don’t see them bending down to comfort or render aid to Laquan.

    Instead, police moved around some of their vehicles. We know this because video from a car that arrived on scene five minutes after the shooting shows a different configuration of cars than were seen when Van Dyke fired. This is important because each of these cruisers records what happens in front of them thanks to dashcams. Police have said that the five videos they released are the only ones from the scene that night, but police did not release video from the police car that likely shows Laquan’s face—and thus likely shows the shooting from the clearest angle.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/01/i-got-the-laquan-mcdonald-video-released-but-chicago-is-still-covering-up-his-death.html

  3. 3.

    geg6

    December 1, 2015 at 11:08 am

    Hilarious. He’s so yoooooogely rich and successful, why doesn’t he just give them $5 million out of his vast wealth?

  4. 4.

    Punchy

    December 1, 2015 at 11:09 am

    He’s shrewd, I’ll give him that. Instead of asking for CNN to donate the money directly to the charity (which bypasses him), he wants it paid to him, who’ll then rent every available spotlight in NYC, truck in 2000 wounded vets, and fill MSG to capacity in a giant $5 million oversized cardboard check-signing show to demonstrate just how he appreciates the military and their families. He will then tour the country as The Military’s Greatest Supporter (TM, of course) and challenge every other candidate to equallly donate the same amount; otherwise, they must hate the military and Merkah in general.

    This guy’s a shitty pol, but brilliant at manipulating our completely worthless, corrupt media.

  5. 5.

    AnotherBruce

    December 1, 2015 at 11:10 am

    Hey if Trump does contribute the 5 mil, he gets a nice tax write off. Sweet!

  6. 6.

    Betty Cracker

    December 1, 2015 at 11:15 am

    Well, Trump truly is the reality show star for our reality show political era. I won’t make the mistake of underestimating the appeal of his hucksterism again. Hell, he may actually win this thing.

    I’m sure plenty of people are eating this latest CNN shit up with a spoon, and not just the racist goons who enjoy Trump’s Muslim- and Mexican-bashing. People sense that big media outlets are dishonest and that people like Rove are manipulative hacks. They aren’t wrong about that.

  7. 7.

    MattF

    December 1, 2015 at 11:15 am

    @AnotherBruce: And with CNN’s money! I wonder… what the IRS would actually do about that.

  8. 8.

    rikyrah

    December 1, 2015 at 11:18 am

    the entire thing is a grift for them

  9. 9.

    peach flavored shampoo

    December 1, 2015 at 11:19 am

    So how does CNN respond? Talk about all-shitty options. If they decline, they look like they dont support the troops, and lose the biggest draw. Is a debate without the front-runner still a real debate? If they accept, they’ve set up a crazy-dangerous precedent, whereby other candidates begin to likewise demand all sorts of shit before participating.

    My guess is that they’ll call Trump’s bluff and tell him to eff off, but announce a direct $1 million donation to WW to offset any criticism about not being patriotic enough (whatever that means).

  10. 10.

    SatanicPanic

    December 1, 2015 at 11:19 am

    If it goes to actual vets, then I actually like this idea. At least some vets get something and if the networks don’t make money maybe they’ll run less of these dumb debates.

    That being said, this is Trump, so it would probably end up going to some phony veteran’s group run by one of his cronies.

  11. 11.

    What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?

    December 1, 2015 at 11:21 am

    Wouldn’t it be unearned taxable income if it’s a gift over $5,000? If so, a large chunk of the money would go to Uncle Sam doing it this way, when the whole chunk would go to Wounded Vets if Trump just gave it himself or CNN donated it directly, so…thanks for picking the ploy that lines the Gubmint’s pocket Mr. Trump. I’m sure that’ll go over real good with your base.

  12. 12.

    Denali

    December 1, 2015 at 11:21 am

    I don’t like extortion in any form.

  13. 13.

    Amir Khalid

    December 1, 2015 at 11:22 am

    CNN should call Donald’s bluff: refuse to make any public comment about a donation before the debate, but prepare a lectern for the Donald like they do for everyone else. If he doesn’t turn up, then they can show his unoccupied lectern all night. And he can take whatever consequences befall him.

  14. 14.

    Brachiator

    December 1, 2015 at 11:29 am

    So, CNN has been given a golden opportunity to take Trump down a peg. It would be so easy.

    Just say no.

    Otherwise, this isn’t even very newsworthy. Trump is merely being Trump.

    “There’s only one way to get to the top and it’s all through Trump, let’s face it.”

    So, CNN should disinvite Trump and put Christie in the center podium slot, on the basis of his recent endorsement by the NH newspaper. Give Trump an empty slot at the end, near the curtains. Put a spotlight on it. It would be funny as shit to see Trump whine like a banshee from the sidelines.

    Morons would be free to bray about how CNN was “censoring” Trump and hates veterans, Americans, and puppies.

    So the only question is whether CNN is going to allow itself to be suckered by this blowhard fool. When’s the deadline on giving in to Trump’s ultimatum?

  15. 15.

    Botsplainer

    December 1, 2015 at 11:29 am

    Remember how you’d get nice debates organized by the League of Women Voters? And how you’d have moderators that strived to ask insightful questions, controlled the pace and had a genuine role to play beyond that of a WWF referee?

  16. 16.

    NotMax

    December 1, 2015 at 11:29 am

    Including the word charity doesn’t make it any less extortion.

    Read between the lines.

    Trump’s buddy Joel needs the money. (more)

  17. 17.

    WereBear

    December 1, 2015 at 11:30 am

    Not that I’m surprised by Trump’s pick, but:

    Wounded Warriors a problematic charity

    Very sad when 30% of revenue goes to fundraising and only 60% of revenue goes to helping veterans. Based on program expenses, there are much better veteran charities to donate to than Wounded Warriors.

  18. 18.

    ? Martin

    December 1, 2015 at 11:35 am

    Presidential candidate Donaled Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Trump ought to be paying royalties to Mike Judge for this show.

  19. 19.

    bemused

    December 1, 2015 at 11:36 am

    Trump will keep upping the ante. He enjoys making people dance to his tune firing his pistol at their feet.

  20. 20.

    Felonius Monk

    December 1, 2015 at 11:41 am

    CNN should offer to donate the $5M only if Trump stays away from the debate. Then we will see who really cares about Veterans.

  21. 21.

    NotMax

    December 1, 2015 at 11:42 am

    @peach flavored shampoo

    Wounded Warriors is more than problematic as a charity. #1 – #2

    (Vets such as raven would, I’m sure, employ somewhat more colorful invective regarding that self-perpetuating money mill which cloaks itself in the flag they defended.)

  22. 22.

    RSA

    December 1, 2015 at 11:44 am

    If I were running CNN:

    Dear Mr. Trump,
    Veterans who have faithfully served our country, the richest country in the world, should not have to depend on charity for their well-being. Someone who is running for President should realize that.

  23. 23.

    Another Holocene Human

    December 1, 2015 at 11:46 am

    Thank you to everyone who had encouraging words yesterday (or who at least didn’t take the oppo to troll me).

    We’ve agreed that my dosage has dropped below therapeutic levels and we’re going to try upping it.

    In the meantime, I’m losing my fucking shit over here. FML.

  24. 24.

    Another Holocene Human

    December 1, 2015 at 11:46 am

    @NotMax: It’s amazing, they get exposed repeatedly as a grift-wheel and yet become ever more pervasive. Waiting for their goddamn Susan Komen moment.

  25. 25.

    Another Holocene Human

    December 1, 2015 at 11:48 am

    @Brachiator: They should get a Trump cardboard cutout and when “Trump” gets questions, play random 2:30 stream of consciousness from his tent revivals from the last few months.

  26. 26.

    Brachiator

    December 1, 2015 at 11:49 am

    @Botsplainer:

    Remember how you’d get nice debates organized by the League of Women Voters?

    Of course, the League stopped sponsoring debates because the campaign organizations insisted on controlling everything from selection of moderators to the composition of the audience. From their 1988 press release:

    The League of Women Voters is withdrawing sponsorship of the presidential debates…because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. It has become clear to us that the candidates’ organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.

    And now Trump would make it just another stop on the presidential circus tour.

  27. 27.

    rikyrah

    December 1, 2015 at 11:50 am

    They running scared, people.

    running scared.

    …………….

    Sneed exclusive: Emanuel fires McCarthy

    Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy has been fired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, sources said Tuesday.

    McCarthy was called into City Hall on Monday and when he left City Hall he still had a job. But overnight, the mayor called McCarthy to tell him he was out.

    Headlines from the Laquan McDonald controversy, as well those following the gang execution of Tyshawn Lee, had become too much, according to sources.

    http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/1143320/sneed-exclusive-mccarthy-fired

  28. 28.

    BGinCHI

    December 1, 2015 at 11:50 am

    Why can’t the NRA sponsor a GOP debate where the candidates are armed, get a hundred rounds of ammo, and are locked in a high school gym for 3 hours?

  29. 29.

    Peale

    December 1, 2015 at 11:52 am

    @Another Holocene Human: Illegal aliens are treated better than “insert group affected by the question” and I’m gonna stop that right away. As far as I can tell, that really is his only issue. Making sure that illegals finally get what’s coming to them after years of pampering.

  30. 30.

    El Caganer

    December 1, 2015 at 11:52 am

    @Another Holocene Human: Nah, that would just send his approval ratings up.

  31. 31.

    Botsplainer

    December 1, 2015 at 11:53 am

    @RSA:

    Veterans who have faithfully served our country, the richest country in the world, should not have to depend on charity for their well-being. Someone who is running for President should realize that.

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

    You’re talking about an organization that has never aired a program that said that the reason why we have a welfare state in the first place is that our hugely resource gobbling charities are poor purveyors of relief. The secular ones wind up board-managed into grifts and dens of nepotism, and our religious ones wind up being grifting dens of nepotism which can’t resist the urge to Great Commission the recipients into misery.

  32. 32.

    maya

    December 1, 2015 at 11:54 am

    Speaking of charities, does anyone else get solicitations from International Fellowship of Christians and Jews? Its spokesman is none other than Pat Boone. Apparently, in the land of milk and money and which boasts the highest GDP in the world, Israel, there are “starving widows” (which has been recently amended to “elderly Jews”) ” who are eating out of dumpsters.” OMJudeo/ChristianG! Does Bibi know about this?

  33. 33.

    Mike J

    December 1, 2015 at 11:56 am

    @WereBear:

    Very sad when 30% of revenue goes to fundraising and only 60% of revenue goes to helping veterans.

    So only twice as efficient as Ben Carson’s campaign.

  34. 34.

    SatanicPanic

    December 1, 2015 at 11:59 am

    @Brachiator:

    So the only question is whether CNN is going to allow itself to be suckered by this blowhard fool.

    Based on the blowhard fools they employ in their newsroom I am going to go with- yes, yes they will

  35. 35.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    @Amir Khalid: That is the best way to go. Which means CNN will probably do something the opposite of what you suggested.

  36. 36.

    NotMax

    December 1, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    @maya

    There’s a jape in there somewhere about funding the costs of buying separate meat and dairy dumpsters.

  37. 37.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    @WereBear: At least it’s not one of those where 90% goes to the fundraising and only 10% (or less) to whomever they are shilling for.

    There are ‘legit’ charities like that.

  38. 38.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:03 pm

    @Another Holocene Human: Hang in there AHH!! Want you around for many more years.

  39. 39.

    maya

    December 1, 2015 at 12:03 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Why can’t the NRA sponsor a GOP debate where the candidates are armed, get a hundred rounds of ammo, and are locked in a high school gym for 3 hours?

    Better with .44 magnums, the weapon of choice with Sharon Angle (remember her?) when she’s down at the range after a hard day taking care of the grandkiddies. Carly could be an equal contender then too.

  40. 40.

    jl

    December 1, 2015 at 12:03 pm

    @Brachiator:

    ” the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. ”

    It’s turning from a fraud into a farce, at least on the GOP side.
    If CNN decides not to pay Trump’s blackmail demands, maybe it could try to pull a Biden II: bravely put up a ‘Trump lectern’ and then hype it endless with breathless reports about their titanic struggle for integrity with Trump, with action video of the empty lectern, weeping silently on the podium.

    That would be media history repeating itself, first as farce, then as more farce.

    If Cruz wins the nomination, will he challenge the Democratic nominee on the morality of heading a party that includes most all the violent criminals in the country? That would be fun TV.

    Scary that the GOP can tear itself apart like this, and descend into complete BS, and whoever they nominate will still get at least 40 percent of the popular vote.

  41. 41.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    @maya: I get that one. It goes from mailbox to trashcan.

  42. 42.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:06 pm

    @maya: I hope she shoots it a lot. Google ‘large caliber handguns and effects on arm’ & you will see why I will never shoot another one (unless cornered by a bear or something like that).

  43. 43.

    jl

    December 1, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    @maya: Could have breaks in the NRA GOP debate for some up-close-and-intimate fun personal interest segments. Like who can cook bacon around a automatic rifle muzzle better. And a shooting fish in a barrel contest with machine guns.

    Ratings would go through the roof,

  44. 44.

    AliceBlue

    December 1, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    @NotMax:
    I am reminded yet again why I shouldn’t read BJ while eating and/or drinking. I have a ruined keyboard AND screen in front of me now.

  45. 45.

    Chris

    December 1, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    Donate five million directly to charity, then give a speech profusely thanking Trump for reminding them of their duties towards The Troops, and announcing that you look forward to seeing him at the debate.

    This isn’t rocket science, CNN.

  46. 46.

    rikyrah

    December 1, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    zizi brought it to Fast Talking Dyson

    she brought RECEIPTS!

    ……………………..

    m.e. dyson misses prez obama’s forest for symbolic trees

    by @zizii2

    Dyson says: “Yes She Can”

    In this very title lies the crux of a derailed argument that Michael Eric Dyson’s latest travelogue pushes in the New Republic about President Obama vs. SOS Hillary Clinton. How does Dyson arrive at this grand flourish? He traveled with Mrs. Clinton from New York to Atlanta, observed her interaction with the “old Black Guard,” Black Lives Matter activists, and concluded: “Yes She Can.” Can, What? Stay tuned.

    ****

    But first, some cold hard FACTS before we indulge Dyson any further. In case he missed it, Prez Obama ALWAYS says: “Yes WE Can”, not “Yes I can”. He never lost sight of the collective effort required to drive the disparate gears that grind within this country toward the collective good.

    ****

    And Contrary to Dyson’s erasure of the Obama Administration’s tangible achievements for Americans, and especially minorities, this is where we have been these past 7 years in three key areas: a) Economy & Employment, b) Healthcare, c) Incarceration rates

    http://theobamadiary.com/2015/12/01/m-e-dyson-misses-prez-obamas-forest-for-symbolic-trees/

  47. 47.

    jl

    December 1, 2015 at 12:10 pm

    @jl: How about a bagpipe band star spangled banner to begin the show, with the GOP presidential contestants firing machine guns for the snare drum section? That would be good too. Or maybe that should be the ending? I can’t decide. I guess the ending to keep the audience tuned in.

  48. 48.

    Elie

    December 1, 2015 at 12:11 pm

    I tell ya, I am loosing my stomach for Trump’s antics… I hardly want to think about them or him anymore. Not only is HE disgusting, but no one seems to be able to take it to his low class, greasy, corrupt, fat, swollen ass. They just let him move them around… past disgusting..

    I DO believe, however, that his day is coming. Don’t know how or when, but it is coming…

  49. 49.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    @Chris: They are not going to want to donate 5 million to anything beyond their executive’s pay raises.

    It would be a good idea, though.

  50. 50.

    boatboy_srq

    December 1, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    all of which money goes to the Wounded Warriors

    Typical. tRump can’t even find an effective nongrifting charity to mention. Humph.

  51. 51.

    maya

    December 1, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    @Paul in KY: Yup. Have a .357 which is usually loaded with .38 wad cutters for that very reason, but they do make an impressive noise when going off with correct ammo.
    I’ve given myself a The Good, The Bad and The Ugly theme ear worm now. Would be a great lead in to the next Rep debate.

  52. 52.

    benw

    December 1, 2015 at 12:15 pm

    @Amir Khalid: says right in the OP that CNN already called his bluff once and he folded like a cheap lawn chair. Don’t see why they won’t do it again.

  53. 53.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:15 pm

    @Elie: And it will be youge and spectacular!!!! Probably not so classy…

  54. 54.

    jl

    December 1, 2015 at 12:15 pm

    @Elie:

    ” I tell ya, I am loosing my stomach for Trump’s antics… ”

    I assume ‘stomach’ is a euphemism.

  55. 55.

    Chris

    December 1, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    @maya:

    Who’d be The Good? Clint Eastwood’s empty chair?

  56. 56.

    catclub

    December 1, 2015 at 12:17 pm

    @Botsplainer:

    our hugely resource gobbling charities are poor purveyors of relief. The secular ones wind up board-managed into grifts and dens of nepotism, and our religious ones wind up being grifting dens of nepotism which can’t resist the urge to Great Commission the recipients into misery.

    If charities actually did gobble enough resources to make a dent in poverty, that would be a big deal.
    They come nowhere close to getting enough resources.
    Also, the most cost efficient charities are generally Christian ones – you could look it up in charity navigator.

  57. 57.

    Elie

    December 1, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    @jl:

    I’m just so sick of this thin skinned bully that any number of people could take down — but don’t.

    He is defiling the public sphere and any remaining nobility around our electoral process. No one seems to be able to stop him or the other Republican grifters and its a complete disgrace that hopefully they will pay dearly for. I tell ya, I will never forget long after Trump is pushing up daisies.

  58. 58.

    Amir Khalid

    December 1, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    @benw:
    Exactly. The Donald’s trying a play that already failed once. Not very clever of him, is it?

  59. 59.

    maya

    December 1, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    @ChrisThey could have a wavering HRC hologram over the proceedings

  60. 60.

    Mike J

    December 1, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    @Paul in KY:

    They are not going to want to donate 5 million to anything beyond their executive’s pay raises.

    They already run PSAs for free. Calculate the maximum ad rate for each daypart, run their PSAs and call it a contribution in kind.

  61. 61.

    Enhanced Voting Techinques

    December 1, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    @Botsplainer:

    controlled the pace and had a genuine role to play beyond that of a WWF referee?

    You have to admit if Trump/Carson/Finonia broke a chair accross Jebs! back in one of these debates it would be must see TV.

  62. 62.

    Chris

    December 1, 2015 at 12:24 pm

    @Paul in KY:

    Well, I’m just saying they COULD. It would maximize the amount of egg on Trump’s face, actually do some good, and the disruption to their execs’ lives would be minimal.

  63. 63.

    Dork

    December 1, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    Should I assume the Wounded Warriors charity gives car rides and Meals on Wheels assistance to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson if/when they get injured?

  64. 64.

    benw

    December 1, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    @Amir Khalid: He’s been just repeating the same tired schtick for awhile now. I assume most gamblers would love to play Trump at poker. They’d fleece him like a goddamn sheep.

  65. 65.

    sherparick

    December 1, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    If you ever encounter a global warming denier, you can always show this chart of how plant zones have moved north and higher the last 55 years. http://www.almanac.com/blog/weather-blog/seedy-side-changing-climate and see also https://www.arborday.org/media/mapchanges.cfm

    Unsurprisingly, a lot of people have found this fact, that growing zones are moving north and climbing higher in elevation, objectionable. http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/01/long-overdue-plant-hardiness-map-hothouse

    One thing to remember is seed companies and nurseries only make money selling stuff to gardeners and farmers that will actually grow well in these zones.

  66. 66.

    ThresherK

    December 1, 2015 at 12:27 pm

    Too bad, CNN. You caved and cowarded their way into this corner. Not a one of you is gonna go “At long last have you no sense of decency?”, and even if someone in their camp did, it might be too late.

  67. 67.

    jl

    December 1, 2015 at 12:29 pm

    @catclub: I think main problem with private charities is that when most people need their help, which is during aggregate economic downturns, private sector cannot donate enough resources to put a dent in the problem.

    @Elie:
    I admit that I may lose my bowels following the GOP shit dhow primary.

  68. 68.

    catclub

    December 1, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    anybody know what is up with Lutheran Services for America:

    Food for the Poor (the columns are private support, total support, efficiency, charity work, donor dependence)
    1,023 1,030 97 96 100

    Lutheran Services in America
    373 20,980 81 85 -130

    Does LSA contract with the US Federal Government to provide services?

  69. 69.

    catclub

    December 1, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    @Dork: I just went to the Forbes site that shows top 50 Charity organizations in the US. #49 is the San Francisco Museum of Art.

  70. 70.

    rikyrah

    December 1, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Cleveland paper nixes Tamir Rice comment section: ‘A small army’ couldn’t stop the ‘cesspool’ of racism
    01 DEC 2015 AT 09:58 ET

    The Cleveland Plain Dealer explained this week that it had disabled comments on all of its stories about a 12-year-old black child who was shot by police because “a small army” of administrators could not delete the racist comments fast enough.

    In a column on Monday, Chris Quinn, the Northeast Ohio Media Group’s Vice President of Content, said that the paper had hoped that articles about the shooting of Tamir Rice would be “an ideal subject for us to meet one of our chief goals at cleveland.com, hosting community conversations on topics of widespread interest.”

    But he noted that comments had been disabled in October because “we don’t fancy our website as a place of hate, and the Tamir Rice story has been a magnet for haters.”

    “We enlisted a small army on our staff to monitor the comments and delete any that violated our standards,” Quinn wrote. “The trouble was that we couldn’t keep up. Just about every piece we published about Tamir immediately became a cesspool of hateful, inflammatory or hostile comments.”

    “Rather than discuss the facts of the case, many commenters debased the conversation with racist invective. Or they made absurd statements about the clothing and appearance of people involved in the story. Or they attacked each other for having contrasting viewpoints. In many cases, well over half of the comments on Tamir stories broke our rules and had to be deleted.”

    http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/11/why_we_turned_off_comments_on.html

  71. 71.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    @Mike J: You think like a media executive!

  72. 72.

    Paul in KY

    December 1, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    @Chris: Understand. Would be great if they did that.

    I’m just cold-bucket-of-water-Paul…

  73. 73.

    rikyrah

    December 1, 2015 at 12:49 pm

    ATTORNEY: CITY, CPD COVERING UP ANOTHER POLICE SHOOTING OF UNARMED MAN

    Updated 1 hr 2 mins ago
    CHICAGO (WLS) — Lawyers for the family of a 25-year-old African American man killed by police in October 2014 are pushing for dash-cam video of the shooting to be released.

    “The police department and the city are still covering this up. And that’s why we are here today,” attorney Michael Oppenheimer said. “The city has persisted in covering up that video. The taxpayers have paid for those dash cams, they’ve paid for those cars… They’re still denying justice for Ronny and his family.”

    Ronald Johnson, 25, was shot during a chase near East 53rd Street and South Martin Luther King Drive on the city’s Washington Park neighborhood on October 12, 2014, which is just days before Laquan McDonald was fatally shot by police. That dash cam video was released last week.

    Oppenheimer said the video shows Johnson running away from officers when he was killed. The video was released to attorneys, but not to the public.

    “I am 100 percent certain that Ronald had nothing in his hands when he was running,” Oppenheimer said. “That gun was not in his hand unless the police glued it to his hand.”

    Oppenheimer and Johnson’s family believe a gun was planted on the man’s body after his death. They want a special prosecutor appointed to handle this police shooting and others.

    http://abc7chicago.com/news/family-of-man-25-killed-by-chicago-police-wants-shooting-video-released/1105051/

  74. 74.

    Kay

    December 1, 2015 at 12:52 pm

    This kind of liberal jeering always makes me laugh:

    but worrying about ISIS distracts me from the critical grocery store task of looking out for people buying crab legs w/ EBT

    It’s funny because it’s true.

  75. 75.

    The Republic of Stupity

    December 1, 2015 at 12:52 pm

    @Denali: Extortion?

    Yup…

    I was just about to make that point…

    Threatening to do something nasty unless the other party in the exchange pays up?

    Extortion…

    That appears to be the basic Republican stand on damned near everything these days…

    “Nice country ya got here… be a shame if something bad happened to it…”

  76. 76.

    amk

    December 1, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    @Punchy: ”

    “brilliant at manipulating our completely worthless, corrupt media.”

    yup, shows the intellectual and journalistic bankruptcy of the media.

  77. 77.

    Iowa Old Lady

    December 1, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    I’m gonna be Grinch like and ask why CNN should give away anything just because Donald Trump says so? Good publicity, I guess, but who cares? If I were CNN, I’d ignore him.

  78. 78.

    Face

    December 1, 2015 at 12:59 pm

    Ratings would go through the roof,

    Almost certainly, bullets too.

  79. 79.

    Elie

    December 1, 2015 at 1:04 pm

    @Iowa Old Lady:

    I completely AGREE! Ignore is the best way also. Don’t even dignify it with a response. Who cares if he doesn’t show! Call his bluff, I say!!!

  80. 80.

    Elie

    December 1, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    @rikyrah:

    I am past appalled and the ugly horror of what you say is backed up by this law school professor in a NYT op-ed today.

    The whole Chicago leadership regime should resign in disgrace from Mayor Rahm Emmanuel on down to the DA. They are rotten, corrupt defilers of what sense of justice and order is left in my home town.

  81. 81.

    Zinsky

    December 1, 2015 at 1:32 pm

    Trump is truly shit wrapped in skin! We need to begin forming pie “attack squads”. A few dozen cream pies in his ugly mug and squirrels nest of a haircut, and he might learn a little humility.

  82. 82.

    Zinsky

    December 1, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    @AliceBlue: Did you spit coffee all over your keyboard? As some witty person commented the other day, it’s known in “tech speak” as “installing Java”! LOL

  83. 83.

    Patricia Kayden

    December 1, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    Is this an historical first? Has a presidential candidate for either of the major parties ever demanded $$$ in exchange for his/her participation in a televised debate?

    I keep wondering how low Republicans can go and they keep amazing me. After this is over, we need several books and movies to relive these days.

  84. 84.

    Amir Khalid

    December 1, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    @Patricia Kayden:
    No, Trump tried it only two months ago, as the excerpt from the linked story notes. No mention was made of any donation, but he did turn up for the debate.

  85. 85.

    justsomeguy

    December 1, 2015 at 5:56 pm

    1. Tell him to eff off.
    2. IF he does not show up to the “debate”, announce on-air SEVERAL TIMES, that Trump demanded 5 million, that CNN will not be blackmailed, AND that CNN is donating 5 million to wounded warriors (or some other charity that is deemed undeniably better). Possibly ask the other candidates if they think it was fair of Trump to demand money to appear.
    3. I would consider having CNN and Headline news STOP giving Trump any free air time on their stations – stop covering his campaign except for any major developments. Start by devoting a bunch of coverage to the lies he has told. Perhaps highlight on air that most of his money comes from personal appearances, books, and licensing his name – and NOT from Real estate.

  86. 86.

    Prescott Cactus

    December 1, 2015 at 11:36 pm

    This one is a ground ball.

    Ask Trump if he refuses to show up without the $5 million donation. If he says yes, un-invite him and make it permanent. . . Boy – Boy aka Bye – Bye. If trumps want to donate $5 million to Wounded Warriors, nothing stopping him.

  87. 87.

    prob50

    December 2, 2015 at 9:19 am

    @Brachiator: Good to see you are still attending this site. I’m still kicking and apologize for not keeping up personal contact with you. I have a different e-mail now from my old “prob4150”.

  88. 88.

    prob50

    December 2, 2015 at 9:25 am

    @WereBear: What really pisses me off is that the GOVERNMENT ought to picking up the the tab in taking care of wounded vets. If our tax money is there for the weapons and dealing with the fall-out from these ‘wars of choice” there shouldn’t be the need for any separate entities to go begging for individual support.

  89. 89.

    Matt

    December 2, 2015 at 9:32 am

    @Punchy: You left out the part where everyone involved in the MSG deal is working for a Trump-affiliated company, and the bill for the shindig comes to exactly $4,999,999.99 – taken out of the donation.

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