On CNN right this very minute, a panel being led by Stephen “Saddam was in league with Al Qaeda and I still think there are tons of WMD we just have not found” Hayes from the Weekly Standard, who just the other day was writing paeans to Michael Goldfarb for being made to look the fool by Rick Sanchez on national television. But, it gets better. The panel:
Brian DeBose, of the ultra liberal Washington Times
Amy Holmes, former speechwriter for Bill Frist and conservative commenter, last seen being openly mocked by every other panelist on Bill Maher’s HBO show
Kevin Madden, chief pretty-boy flack for Mitt Romney
The best part is listening to them give Obama advice. I will admit that over the past few months, I have grown to respect Kevin Madden a little from time to time for being his own man. Amy Holmes is just an idiot, and I think you all know what I think about Hayes.
Lesley
Stills of Amy Holmes from that Real Time show. Crazed much?
Comrade Stuck
That’s CNN throwin’ wingnuts a bone so maybe they won’t get flamed as liberally biased wienies. It’s on every week, I think, and affords pea brains like Hayes a platform to bloviate on epically FAILED conservative cons.
evie
They just had Hillary Rosen on with an equally progressive panel.
DeBose actually just said that Obama shouldn’t do anything to try to fix the economy other than reduce spending and stay out of regulating businesses. Really.
Amy Holmes makes my skin crawl.
And why does cable news always manage to make African American Republicans look like a majority of the party?
jnfr
I tuned into that and moved immediately on to the DIY channel.
Warren Terra
Obviously, it’s a liberal plot to force these ninnies to reveal the extent of their witlessness.
Jennifer
My favorite line from Amy Holmes from her last appearance on "Real Time": "FDR, when he was elected in 1929 at the start of the Great Depression…."
Unfortunately, no one on the panel called her on it.
sarah
CNN: The Best Political Team on Television at Pretending to Be Centrist, Ignoring Reality To Spite Our Audience
I gotta give props to Campbell Brown and Jack Cafferty, the only people on that network that seem to call out the facts even if, as Stephen Colbert described, "reality has a distinct liberal bias." They probably see that MSNBC has the liberal niche, and FOX the Republican, so they’re floundering. I wish they’d take up the hard task of speaking truth to power and calling out BS on both sides as opposed to trying to be the timid referee which feigns bipartisanship.
Libby Spencer
The good news is the movement conservatives are a dying breed. Behold what the electoral map would have looked like if only 18-29 year olds voted. I’m really starting to believe in this hope for the future thing.
Libby Spencer
One can foresee the day when these people will have become so marginalized and irrelevant that they won’t be appearing on the bobblehead shows anymore.
GSD
Like Rush Limbaugh, Amy Holmes should be identified as a Republican anal-cyst.
-GSD
smiley
@Libby Spencer:
Thanks for the link to that map. I’ll be sure to send it to all the wingnuts I know.
MattF
If you let a librul in, the whole studio an’ CNN an’ everything will be contaminated with librul facts and librul cooties.
Jennifer
Libby – great map. It bears out what I was saying from way back in January.
My best friend (from age 4 – that’s 41 years now) and I went back and forth – she was for Hillary and I was for Obama. She asked me on the phone one day what my reasons were for supporting Obama over Hillary. And I told her – the man is only a couple of years older than us, and the Republicans won’t be able to run a "he’s a DFH who BETRAYED us in Vietnam!" campaign against him, just like they have run against everyone else for the past 40 years, because he was a child during Vietnam, just like we were. I went on with how disgusted I was to be in my mid-40s and having NEVER been allowed the opportunity to vote in an election about what was going on NOW because every time, the Republicans turn it into a referendum on the 60s – and the Democrats take the bait. I told her, Hillary will too – just like Bill did – and this time we’ll lose because Perot isn’t running.
Well, of course I had other reasons I enumerated as well, but I continue to believe I’m dead-on about this. The Republicans already had their 60s culture war campaign strategy against Hillary all mapped out, and we know from the primaries that her team planned on running a 270+1 strategy, and yes, I do think we would have lost.
Happy to say that my friend got on board as soon as the primaries were over and called me on election night just bursting with happiness and marvelling over the "perfect" campaign Obama had run. I agreed – he never put a foot wrong. Then she said, "you were right – if we had nominated Hillary, we wouldn’t be here now."
Your map underscores what my feelings have been for a long time – I have been waiting so long for the country to finally age to the point that a majority of voters don’t remember – or give a shit about – what happened in the 60s. Those days are over now, and good riddance.
Libby Spencer
Smiley, it gives me a lot of hope for the future. If you click the link to the full article and look at the difference from 04, they’re losing the up and coming generation. These are the kids that don’t remember segregation at all and the only presidency they remember is Bush.
Considering the GOP’s big plan seems to be keeping the same old dinosaurs in control and playing even more to the fringers of their base, who are outside of the skinheads, an aging demo, my grandson’s future looks brighter to me.
I feel like I’ve exhaled for the first time in eight years.
Libby Spencer
Jennifer, I am also very glad to see the 60s culture war ending at last. And I think you’re absolutely right about what the GOP strategy would have been had Hillary won the nomination. That was one of my big reasons for supporting Obama over Hillary as well. I was far from enthusiastic about him for a very long time, but he won me over and I’m happy to say all the stuff I was bitching about during the campaign that I thought he was doing wrong, well — I was wrong about it.
He was right. Pitch perfect from beginning to end with very few minor stumbles along the way.
Comrade The Other Steve
Amy Holmes is simply deranged. I thought they yanked her from CNN as I had not seen her for a while.
I am happy to finally see some liberal commentators on CNN though, like Roland Martin and Hillary Rosen.
Richard S
Jeebus John, You’re having a lot of fun this afternoon – a pleasure to watch! Kudos from the upper west side.
Objective Scrutator
The media is generally liberal, John. Don’t fool yourself. Just compare the number of Obama endorsements to the number of McCain endorsements. Obama is the most liberal Senator, while McCain is probably the most liberal Republican that doesn’t live in New England.
So they had a panel with all conservatives; big deal. As ‘Comrade Stuck’ said, "That’s CNN throwin’ wingnuts a bone so maybe they won’t get flamed as liberally biased wienies. " Still, the general liberal leanings of journalists cannot be ignored. Media coverage of the Rather-Bush episode was pro-Rather, CNN doesn’t have a single regular conservative, MSNBC has the farthest left-wing nutjob hacks in the business, and even Fox News isn’t adverse to Palin bashing (although they are still a center-right news organization).
What if Obama had said, "The fundamentals of the economy are strong"? Would the media have treated him like they did McCain? What if Obama had said that he was going to suspend his campaign during the economic crisis? Would he be given the same flack McCain was?
Think about it, and realize that just about every organization other than FAIR and Media Matters realizes that the MSM is quite liberal.
Incertus
If he had said that, the media would have ridiculed him and he would have deserved it. However, Obama didn’t say it, so it’s a moot point. He’s called "No Drama Obama" for a reason–he’s not known for spouting off statements without thinking them through.
kommrade jakevich
Damn it. My SarcasOmeter just blew up.
I love the fact these clowns still have a microphone. I’d hate for anyone to forget how wretchedly insane they all are.
gwangung
Um, that just may be an indicator that editorial boards have an IQ over room temperature. I mean, you did see the campaign McCain ran, right? Only idiots endorse an incompetent campaign like that.
boonagain
When they tally up the positive/negative spin on the articles about the candidates, do any of these mental giants take the actual CAMPAIGNS into account?
Is there perhaps a REASON Obama got more positive coverage? Could it be that he and his campaign were better?
Idiots
Comrade Scrutinizer
@Objective Scrutator:
Ever stop to think that might be because John McCain was like, batshit crazy, with his selection of the Governess, and his inability to run a rational campaign, and his rattling from position to position like a Mexican Jumping Bean on a hot griddle?
LiberalTarian
This is the part where they try to work the refs, Obama being the ultimate ref. They think that they can manipulate him from the right, cuz he doesn’t know they are batshit crazy.
Well, as a voice from the left, lemme reassure you Obama isn’t going to reward spoiled children for pitching tantrums–regardless of his promise to be bipartisan. Act out? Get shut out. Behave? You get to sit with the adults.
It’s fun to watch them try though.
It is real apparent he expects Democrats to carry their own burdens, e.g. Lieberman. Lieberman should be stripped of his chair because he didn’t do the work, not because we hate his guts. Lieberman will try to argue that we are just being vengeful–but we can’t let him set that narrative. There was work to do on his committee and he sat on his hands. Now that Obama is president he is going to promise to investigate–OBAMA. Rat bastard. No, he needs to go cuz he ceded his authority and credibility during the Bush administration by being a sycophant for the neocons.
Any way, I digress. ;)
J.
Could someone please explain to me why all of these loser politicos/pundits/so-called strategists (by which I mean folks who worked for politicians who lost their races/seats/fell out of favor) manage to repeatedly get speaking gigs on the cable news networks, despite being LOSERS and/or idiots? WTF?!
And what IS the deal with Amy Holmes? I put her in the same (or a similar) camp as Tucker Carlson, who has mercifully gotten less and less air time. Is CNN trying to make a point/showing affirmative action/trying to be all "controversial" by constantly featuring her (i.e., look, an attractive black /African-American person who defends Republicans!)?
Am still waiting for my picture of Tunch and the Open Thread on the Steelers – Colts game. : )
Comrade Scrutinizer
That didn’t cause McCain’s decline in the polls, contrary to Schmidt’s statement in Newsweek. McCain’s decline started the day after the Palin-Gibson interview was aired (9/11). McCain made his "fundamentals" statement 4 days later. McCain might have survived the fundamentals kerfuffle, if he hadn’t run around like a ball in a Pachinko machine after that.
Jeffrey
@Objective Scrutator: The newspaper endorsements thing ignores the fact that a ton of formerly pro-Bush papers decided to endorse Obama instead, citing Sarah Palin and the need for steady leadership as primary factors.
Also, in spite of all the mistakes John McCain made (confusing Iran and Iraq, Sunni and Shia, picking Sarah Palin, the fundamentals thing, three straight poorly-received debate performances, etc.), he only lost the popular vote 48-52. If Obama made the same mistakes McCain did, McCain would likely have slaughtered him in the elections.
Dennis - SGMM
What if Obama had said, "Where de white women at?" Gimme a fucking break, your argument is absolutely devoid of meaning because it’s based on things that Obama didn’t say and that McCain did say. If Obama had said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong the media in general and the people on this blog in particular would have mocked him. Would you prefer that all politicians’ stupid statements and sham acts go unreported? McCain ran a self-contradictory, erratic campaign and he chose a VP who completely undercut his central argument. The media didn’t do that to McCain, he did it to himself.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
The traditional media isn’t librul, it’s scared shitless.
Of conservatives who bitch to them about their coverage. These people make sure they coordinate their input to papers and networks. They threaten to cancel their subscriptions or stop watching.
What happens is that the corporate bean counters watch the bottom line shrink. They then piss on the editors to reign in the reporters. The reporters are then told to make sure their reporting is so bland as to be worthless. Show producers are told to do the same thing or make sure a full slate of right wing gasbags are included in any given lineup.
That’s straight from a former White House reporter who covered the Bush WH until just recently.
Again, scared shitless.
Comrade Stuck
Hey now, Senor Scrotum. Don’t spin my ramblings into your spoofing silliness. I said "so maybe" they wouldn’t get flamed as liberally biased. I didn’t say CNN was liberally biased. My point was CNN and any other networks are stupid to think they can placate people like you, that is if you were sincere and not a spoof. It’s like petting a poisonous spider with hopes of not getting bit. The liberal bias charge is a mindless reflexive act to avoid self examination by weak minded wingnuts. Nothing more.
Punchy
I can’t wait to see Obama fill his cabinet. Will it be with Old English or Hennessy? Flava Flav for head of Dept. of Clock Bling?
Jennifer
Punchy – I hear he’s gonna appoint Mumia as Secretary of Kill Whitey.
Calouste
@Objective Scrutator:
Obama isn’t stupid, McCain is. Obama lives in reality, McCain doesn’t. Obama would never have said that.
This was another episode of SATSQ, for your convenience and entertainment.
Conservatively Liberal
Stephen Hayes has been tongue-bathing Bush and Cheney’s scrotums for the last eight years and I am waiting for him to cough up a hairball the size of a car. I think he even gave them a few rimjobs while he was in the neighborhood, just to show what a loyalist he is. Hayes is a certifiably insane blathering wingnut and has little to contribute of any substance in any conversation that doesn’t involve kissing Republican ass.
The Koolaid Kid has more credibility than Hayes does.
@Objective Scrotumlicker:
Librul media? Sure it is, and it is all owned by rich white libruls who only hire librul reporters to report on all things that are librul. That’s how we ended up in Iraq, right? The librul media kissed Bush’s ass because they are so damned librul and got us in a war that we never should have been in.
Fuckin’ idiot. Also, ubetcha.
pattonbt
Even if I were to cede that the bulk of the MSM is liberal leaning, I still hate them with a passion.
What they see as proper discourse is to take hyper partisans from each side and have them yell at each other for a while.
I want an adult media that asks all candidates of all stripes hard questions and calls all of them on their BS and lies when they try and obfuscate.
Id love to see some form of ‘question time’ come into American politics where politicians actually have to answer intelligent questions about policy and such.
The MSM as it currently stands reinforces the ‘sport’ aspect of American politics. It furthers tribalism, sound bites and screechy-ness when it should be reporting, questioning and investigating. This is not a good thing for anyone.
Napoleon
I have noticed that across the board with the rise of Obama during the campaign all channels seem to have more blacks on. I assume to avoid having nothing but whites on talking about him.
pseudonymous in nc
I’m not too fussed about this, to be honest. Wingnuts have a lot of time on their hands, and cablenews bookers have a lot of time to book. If you’re a Democrat, chances are that you’re busy right now, and if you’re not busy, you’re not relevant to the party’s plans.
Since the election, it’s basically been wingnuts on cablenews all the way, with a few old-fart institutional Democrats who aren’t getting any calls from people who matter.
It’s like garbage time at the end of an NBA blowout.
(and re: Amy Holmes: don’t forget that Michelle Bernard is also extremely well-off on wingnut welfare. ‘Conservative black woman’ was the must-have for cablenews this year from the primaries onward.)
rachel
@Objective Scrutator: You’re right, of course, and the reason is simple: Most people who pay close attention to what goes on in our word are liberal. Since paying attention is the media’s bread and butter, what else would you expect?
:D
Edited to add: the first suggestion for ‘Scrutator’ my spellchecker suggests is ‘Scrota’. Bwaaahh!! (is five)
Martin
Well, you wouldn’t know that they were losers and/or idiots and repeatedly getting speaking gigs if you weren’t watching them.
That’s why.
Martin
No. This election and particularly Obamas victory inevitably causes more discussions centering around race. How many times have you heard blacks called racist because they voted overwhelmingly for Obama? How many times have you heard Prop 8 being passed because of blacks? When the topic turns toward race, get people of that race involved.