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UPDATED: Because Politico is really just a GOP bulletin board

June 24, 2009 9:07 am ET by Eric Boehlert

So whatever GOP operatives are whispering becomes news inside the Politico newsroom. And boy, are the results sometimes gruesome.

Behold Mike Allen:

A couple of surprising words were missing from President Barack Obama’s 55-minute news conference on Wednesday: “Iraq” — and “Afghanistan.”

Also MIA: “Korea,” “Pakistan,” “soldiers,” “surge” and “war” — as well as the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.


Forget that Obama (duh) talked about what reporters asked him to talk about (note to Allen: that's how pressers work.) Allen clearly contrasted Obama's presser with previous ones from Bush, when, according to Allen, the wartime president always mentioned those words. He always talked about war and conflict and the military, whereas Obama does not.

Really? Bush regularly mentioned "Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines" and his press conferences? Whatever you say, Mike. But a quick check of Bush's final WH presser shows no mention of the "Army," "Navy," or "Marines." Bush did mention "Air Force," but it had nothing to do with the war on terror; it was in the context of mulling over what he could have done differently during the Katrina fiasco. (i.e. "Could I have done something differently, like land Air Force One either in New Orleans or Baton Rouge.")

But no matter. The GOP wants to push the idea that Obama's not comfortable talking about the military, so Politico obliges.

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    • Author by Cannonball (June 24, 2009 9:15 am ET)
      4  
      Obama also failed to use the words: banana, spider, poodle, Greek chorus, Santa, Big Mac...I could go on and on, but to put it plainly, he should have taken some time to address the words that really matter to regular people. I like the word smock.
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    • Author by Bad News (June 24, 2009 9:30 am ET)
         
      I like Politico.


      Mr. News
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    • Author by LuvLuLu (June 24, 2009 10:39 am ET)
         
      The story above this is about how conservatives aren't real journalists.

      Real journalists would know that in a press conference, what the Prez talks about is mostly under the control of the press corps. How he answers is under his control, and he can certainly manipulate almost any response to fulfill his propaganda needs.

      So Obama isn't so much into creating fear in the minds of the public.
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    • Author by kfraz43 (June 24, 2009 10:48 am ET)
         
      I might be missing something here, but I read the Mike Allen article, and I thought it was pretty even handed. Allen even at one point states that Bush referred to himself as CIC "so often it seemed like a crutch", and I thought that Allen was implying that it was somewhat refreshing to not hear that rhetoric.

      Just one man's opinion, but I don't see GOP fingerprints here, Eric...
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      • Author by mk3872 (June 24, 2009 11:35 am ET)
           
        Because this WAS RNC talking points ... The GOP talking points are that Obama is weak on defense and did not even mention war, Iraq, etc.
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      • Author by LuvLuLu (June 24, 2009 1:28 pm ET)
           
        I don't understand how you can't understand what is being discussed here and what the problem is. You clearly are missing something.

        MMfA is pointing out that Politico laid the onus on Obama for not talking about those subjects, but it's the questioners who are to blame, but not Obama.

        And Bush mentioned things like war and Iraq to scare the citizens of the USA, because those on the right recognized that they had the ability to win elections by using fear.
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      • Author by kfraz43 (June 24, 2009 2:27 pm ET)
           
        I guess I'm just so used to GOP talking points not allowing for counterarguments that I miss the sheer outrage of this article. Allen quotes Gibbs and Axelrod and devotes space to a detailed explanation for the difference between the Bush rhetoric and Obama... and I didn't detect the snark.

        Maybe THAT's the sole function of Hannity and Beck - get us so used to hearing completely outlandish stuff that we start missing the subtle stuff (I still think there are bigger deals than this, but as I said before, one man's opinion.
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    • Author by goesto11 (June 24, 2009 11:38 am ET)
         
      If Obama had said "our brave men and women in uniform," I suppose Allen would have given him grief for not saying "soldiers."

      Is this really the best the Right can do? Is this all they have to attack Obama with? This is informed criticism of policy?

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    • Author by vwcat (June 24, 2009 11:49 am ET)
         
      Doesn't Politico exist to please Drudge and only Drudge??
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    • Author by rkcomments (June 24, 2009 1:40 pm ET)
         
      So now the list of words that Obama does NOT mention is news? Wow, I thougt Politico had some credibility. Silly and Naive, me.
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    • Author by bip84124092 (June 24, 2009 2:25 pm ET)
         
      So what Mike Allen took away from the press conference is what Obama didn't mention? And he actually took up space writing about this? Typical. When Politico first came on the scene Media Matters exposed them for exactly what there are, a conservative funded bunch of hacks who lost their jobs at the NY Times and the Washington Post, etc. I'm sure Dana Milbank will be folowing soon. Because they were familiar faces (like creepy Mike Allen) they turned up on every cable show spewing their "journalistic" take. They also take any and every bogus headline that appears on Drudge and report it like breaking news and fact. John Harris was one of the editors and he made it no secret that he worshiped Drudge. He also wrote a kiss up book with the likes of Mark Halprin praising the great genius of Karl Rove. Jim Vander Hei, another editor, or something along those lines, is a regular on Morning Joe. You can bet that every time he appears he's got some juicy tidbit of negativity about Obama and the Dems. He gets invited back all the time, naturally. Read some of the comments on most Politico pieces. They're usually dominated by some of the most vile and hateful right wingers. That's who they attract. I have no idea why these political cable shows continue to use these people. I'm especially dissapointed when they occasionly turn up on Olberman or Maddow. I guess even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
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