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CNN is quickly becoming Fox News Lite. And Joe Scarborough, Andrea Mitchell & Pat Buchanan are on their way.
Perhaps the ONLY thing CNN has going for it is this
"Insta-Track" thing.
It is becoming more and more apparent that CNN is tilting right.
Just look at the two Johns, King and Roberts, John King is SO FAR IN THE TANK for John McCain it has to be embarrassing for those people sitting on the set with him during post debate coverage. I lost count of how many times John King went out of his way to say "It's hard to really tell about these polls because SO many more Democrats than Republicans are were watching"
Then John Roberts this morning kept saying "Didn't Palin win, because she was so much more appealing to the average American"
Then there is Lou "Crazy Eyes" Dobbs who is just pissed at everybody about everything all the time. He was better before he tried to make a killing with Space . com.
Joe Scarborough should go to FOCKS SPEWS already. The problem I have with "Mourning Joe" is that he tries to make everyone believe he is impartial. If he would just say he for electing Republicans and their Right Wing policies I wouldn't have any complaint. As a matter of fact I think he is dragging Andrea Mitchell into that Right Wing cheerleader area that Fox News has cornered the market on.
I am disappointed (though I really shouldn't be), by the bias Pat Buchanan has displayed since the conventions. Before the conventions he actually made a little sense and it appeared that he tried to be somewhat fair. But now, he is not just drinking the Republican Kool-Aid, he's "mainlining" the McCain/Palin Kool-aid.
When this election is over I think that "Mourning" Joe, Pat Buchanan, John King, John Roberts, Lou "Crazy Eyes" Dobbs and maybe Andrea Mitchell will be more than welcome at Fox News.
OH, I almost forgot, look for Sarah Palin to have her own show on Fox. She won't have mush else to do.
Cross Posted at TMCPAC
Comments (36)
I've noticed the same thing, too. There isn't a hint of objectivity.
October 3, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Then there is Lou "Crazy Eyes" Dobbs who is just pissed at everybody about everything all the time. He was better before he tried to make a killing with Space.com.
Yes, what the hell happened to Lou Dobbs? He used to seem rational, and certainly not an a venom spewer, but now, he's a total asshat. Dobbs is so full of anger and righteous indignation that he's uncomfortable to watch anymore.
October 3, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
You should have heard him on Imus the other morning. It was lunacy.
I call "crazy eyes" "crazy white teeth" or "King Tooth Whitener." Have you seen those chompers? Weird!
October 3, 2008 8:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think your avatar uses whiteners.
October 3, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Supa: Thanks for noticing! I brush his teeth everyday.
October 4, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
And you did not mention Tom Brokaw...
This is even worse because he will a moderator in one of the last 2 debates...
I just wish that the Obama team would ask him to retract because of the facts that he did lobby for McWar and because of his comments of last week at Meet the Press when he used old data...
October 3, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agree, Brokaw and McCain are old buddies. I wonder if McCain will bitch about that since he was so worked up about Gwynn (?sp).
We will find out JUST how "honorable" McCain and Brokaw are.
October 3, 2008 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, was I the only one who heard Brokaw make a reference to a bumper sticker that says "Alaska: Coldest State, Hottest Governor"? Was I the only one who heard that? I about died. I recorded the ABC broadcast while watching NBC, and I wish I would have done it vice versa because I can't replay it now. Did I dream that?
October 4, 2008 3:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I watch CNN because I can't get MSNBC. CNN totally sucks, with the exception of Jack Cafferty and some of their regular commentators. I love how CNN promotes themselves as the "most reliable news network". Uhm, yeah. Like there are dozens of news networks to choose from.
October 3, 2008 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't forget "The Best Political Team on Television." Hurrah
barf
October 3, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can watch msnbc.com online. That's what I do because I decided to get rid of cable and use an internet card as I have to travel a lot.
October 3, 2008 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, it has been so for some time. And most of the country only gets FOX 'news' and CNN as news channels with basic cable. Even MSNBC's first read Tuesday was 'spinning' the speech that Michelle Obama gave that I was at by quoting her in part
Michelle Obama said...'Barack and I just paid off our student loans....
and they skipped the part where she said 'several years ago'
so of course a lot of comments to their report called her a liar for saying that they 'just' paid off their student loans.
Maybe it was being just carelessness but it really pissed me off.
October 3, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Buchanan is completely delusional about Palin. He claimed that Palin was spectacular and that she wiped the floors with Biden.
October 3, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah...THAT annoyed me. I'm surprised Olbermann didn't tell him to go get a shovel too.
October 3, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Buchanan's got the right foil in Maddow, though. She just smiles and lifts her eyebrows and gently says, "But, Pat, don't little things like answering the questions, getting the name of our top Afghanistan general right, and demonstrating some understanding of the economy matter?"
Buchanan is then left to drool on about how attractive Palin is.
Remember, this election's all about the undecided voter. Anyone who is still undecided, watched the debate, and then watched Maddow and Buchanan afterward came away with only one opinion: both Palin and Buchanan need a check-up from the neck up.
(BTW: Can we have Rachel Maddow as Obama's White House press chief? Please? I could happily live with an ACTUAL Rhodes Scholar running the press conferences.)
October 3, 2008 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I approve of Press Secretary Maddow.
October 3, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait, doesn't CJ get that position again?
What? It was a TV show?
Dang.
October 3, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I predict Maddow will be one of the biggest stars of cable news, if not the biggest, by the end of Obama's administration.
But I must agree, she would be an excellent press secretary.
October 4, 2008 3:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
No no no no no. Rachel is so valuable as a voice for the people. She should not be the mouthpiece for any administration, not even Obama's. She is the voice for progressive America and she wields much influence by being brilliant, humble and lovable at the same time. We haven't seen anything like her and she is a very strong and growing counter voice to right wing media. One that is very refreshing and palatable, as such stands out like a cool drink of water in a sea of overbearing blowhards.
October 3, 2008 9:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're correct, Maddow should stay on TV.
But perhaps a different metaphor: She's more like a beacon of hope cutting thru the fog of lies, spin, and half-truths that keeps us safely from the rocks of despair.
October 4, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Buchanan has the hots for Caribu Barbie. It's really embarassing to watch. They need to dismiss him. And Mitchell. I don't see Scarborough very often, as I'm working and can't watch.
CNN sucks. Except for Jack Cafferty. MSNBC and CNN should swap out Buchanan, Mitchell & Scarborough for Cafferty.
October 3, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
The problem that has been growing in America, and accelerated by the media recently, is the notion that there are two sides to every issue and both sides need to be heard. The MSM adds to this problem with their skewed view of 'unbiased' reporting. We have de-valued expertise and overemphasized 'fair and balanced'.
I heard Noonan call Biden 'professorial', as if this is a bad thing.
I don't want a regular person crafting legislation to fix the economy, I WANT A FRIGGIN' ECONOMICS PROFESSOR!
I don't want a hockey mom crafting our Pakistan policy, I WANT A FRIGGIN' FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT!
I don't want a Christianist writing the science curriculum, I WANT A FRIGGIN' SCIENTIST!
I don't want a Halliburton CEO deciding what rights should be afforded to detainees, I WANT A FRIGGIN' CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR!
October 3, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well put!
October 3, 2008 11:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes. Exactly. Thanks, SilentCircus.
October 4, 2008 3:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Man I thought I was the only one that noticed. First they brought in Tony Snow, next Bill Kristol, now the group in the Situation room all leans to the right except for Cafferty. Now I try and catch Cafferty or go over to MSNBC Olbermann and Rachel Maddow... got to keep an eye out for these news outlets... hey and when it does happen I write them... when they brought Snow on I asked if Murdock had bought CNN like the WSJ
October 3, 2008 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like to check in with CNN to get David Gergen's take on things. I find him to be brilliant and I just can't tell what or if he favors one side or the other. He gives questionable situations the benefit of the doubt, doesn't run with anyone's talking points and when he speaks of what people are doing right or wrong in their campaigns he is always dead on. I like Roland Martin too, he gets fired up and is very articulate. I absolutely can't take Leslie Sanchez though, she makes my blood boil.
CNN seems to swing a bit, after they go a week or two seeming to swing right then they seem to come back to the middle for a week or two. Maybe it's just my imagination.
As for Pat Buchanan I really don't like him, He always sounds like he is yelling and stresses me out. But it's entertaining to watch him go toe to toe with Maddow because they are so opposite in their views but appear to have a genuine affection for each other. And Rachel is more articulate.
October 3, 2008 10:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I seem to remember that Gergen is a republican but I can't say where I got that. Was he perhaps in the press office of Bush 41? I can't remember specifically, but it seems to me I've heard he is a republican.
That said, I agree that he is professional and likeable. He is one of the few credits to CNN.
Another republican who I like is Smerconish. I think he is fair.
October 4, 2008 3:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
He has been an advisor to Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Bill Clinton. He is someone who probably best described as a moderate Republican. But he does seem to try to be fair, even if it makes the Repubs look bad.
And let's remember his take on CNN regarding Obama's acceptance speech in Denver:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUy0HmZGvZc
October 4, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes Gergan has been a moderate Republican -one of a vanishing breed- but he has been at Kennedy School of Government in the heart of the Peoples Republic of Cambridge. Maybe that has helped clarify his vision on issues
October 4, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
My advice is for people to routinely send email and to post comments on CNN's Political Ticker decrying their political bias.
If I recall, CNN's email addresses are of the format:
Wolf.Blizter@Turner.com
Not sure if this is still true.
If they hear enough from us, they will become self-conscious. Or at least, these media companies will be exposed.
October 3, 2008 11:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I do hear people on the right bitching about CNN's left bias also. So I think they try and keep balance by pissing off both sides, which makes it wobbly.
Campbell Brown's skewering of Tucker Bounds showed she isn't afraid of pissing off the right when a call out is necessary. Also right now Anderson Cooper is playing clips of wink after wink and folksy statements by Palin. Their undecided focus group panned the fauxy barbie moments. Even the dudes. Dudes liked "drill baby drill" though. Go figure.
Observer2 makes a good point about sending emails and comments when you see bias. It helps to weigh in.
October 3, 2008 11:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rollin Martin and Jeffrey Toobin are pretty good at keeping a balanced perspective on this election. They're definitely not in the tank for McCain. Toobin has visible disgust for Palin and her lack of qualification. Check out this vid of Toobin talking about what a McCain supreme court might look like, not pretty:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PS0BvkoVvA
October 4, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, what are we going to do with this conservative media? They have brainwashed Americans to vote for the Republican candi...oh, wait...let me go check who's ahead in the polls.
Seriously guys, how can you say with a straight face that any network besides Fox is Republican-leaning?
October 4, 2008 12:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pat Buchanan was another Rich Lowry after the debate. It was obvious that he was mesmerized by the little vamp winking at him--and only him--because it was obvious he wasn't critiquing substance. Buchanan said Palin wiped the floor with Biden. WTF? Has anyone narrowed her "answers" down and determined how much she actually had to memorize for this debate? Are those-that-are-taken-in-by-Palin feeling they have no choice but to defend her at all costs to save face?
October 4, 2008 8:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
If they admit Palin is unqualified, McCain and the Repubs might as well throw in the towel when it comes to maintaining the white house.
And even worse than Pat, is his sister Bay Buchanan on CNN. She gets into an absolute frenzy defending Palin.
October 4, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
The MAIN problem is that the news outlets try to outweigh THE TRUTH with being fair and balanced.I only watch KO for entertainment and Rachel because she does not BS me AT ALL. I watched the post CNN show and it was "ok" but they try way too hard to be balanced rather than tell the truuth. A PRIME example of that was when McCain really started ramping up the lying, they tried so hard to make it seem like it was even from both sides, that sickened me, it really did.
October 4, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
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