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The New Yorker and ABC News continue to validate right-wing media

August 04, 2009 1:28 pm ET by Eric Boehlert

The New Yorker publishes an embarrassing puff piece about hate merchant Michael Savage (i.e. he's "engrossing" and "fun" didn't you know), while ABC News invites factually challenged blogger Michelle Malkin on its Sunday round table show. Because of course Malkin fit right in sitting across from Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Cynthia Tucker, right? I mean they're practically equals, those two.

This on-going media spectacle is among the most sad to witness. Because if you took a private Beltway poll of media elites, 97% would concede both Savage and Malkin are nothing more than low level carnival barkers who cannot be trusted for any accurate information (i.e. they just make shit up) and who continue to pollute the public dialog with relentlessly vile and personal attacks on their political opponents.

So why are outlets like The New Yorker and ABC News validating them? It's just pathetic. Either in love with the allure of shallow contrarianism (i.e. The New Yorker), or spooked by the right-wing, which unleashed a phony jihad against ABC News regarding its Obama health care special this summer (Malkin slammed ABC as "The All Barack Channel"), media outlets continue to kowtow to the radical right.  

Think about it. How many glowing profiles of liberal radio hosts or commentators has The New York published recently? And has ABC News ever invited a far-left blogger onto its Sunday round table discussion? Members of the GOP Noise Machine make handsome livings attacking and undermining the so-called liberal media, condemning it as amoral and traitorous. So what does The New Yorker and ABC News do in return? They celebrate the attackers.

Why on earth would right-wing press haters ever stop when they get rewarded--when they get celebrated--for their outlandish behavior?

UPDATED: Savage this week wallows in birther mania. The New Yorker must be so proud.

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    • Author by Lost Left Coaster (August 04, 2009 2:11 pm ET)
         
      I wholeheartedly agree that the New York piece on Savage was terrible. I was very angry, as a subscriber and regular reader of the magazine, to read that softball article last week. You are absolutely correct to strongly criticize the New Yorker for publishing it.

      I did want to note, though, in answer to your question posed at the end of the piece, that the New Yorker published a generally positive profile of Arianna Huffington and the Huffington Post in October of last year, which can be seen here. Overall, the magazine usually avoids the smug contrarianism of the New Republic; let's hope that it stays that way, even if this subpar Savage piece points in the wrong direction.
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    • Author by seeryer (August 04, 2009 3:25 pm ET)
         
      ABC would say that they had Arianna Huffington on the week before so it is only fair to bring on Malkin. That would be a pathetic line but it is what ABC would use becasue that makes sense to simple minded thinkers.
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    • Author by only_myschly3567 (August 04, 2009 4:14 pm ET)
         
      Thing is... Bringing a "far-left blogger on" only means you get some new thoughts and opinions instead of the old monotonous drone.
      Bringing a "far-right blogger on" means misinformation, and the possibility for racial slurs, but mostly misinformation and lies.
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    • Author by pointybongo9213 (August 04, 2009 5:46 pm ET)
         
      Arianna Huffington is NOT a far-left columnist by any stretch of the imagination.
      To counterbalance Michelle Malkin on the left side of the spectrum, ABC would need to get someone like Ward Churchill or the lead singer for Rage Against the Machine.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by magnolialover (August 04, 2009 9:35 pm ET)
         
      This is what I never fully understood. The alleged and so called liberal media keeps bending over backwards to welcome these people, like Savage, like Malkin, like Limbaugh, onto their TV shows ALL OF THE TIME, and all they get in return, is scorn from them.

      Just blackball them. They want to talk trash about said media outlet, be it NBC, ABC, or whatever, just don't invite them on your shows any longer. IGNORE them. They trash you, why make them look good, or promote their books?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by blackglassesandastupidhaircut (August 05, 2009 3:04 am ET)
         
      This morning I woke up and had a headache. I went into my bathroom and all I had in the cabinet were several bottles of Advil. While I was in there, I noticed the cracks on both of my heels. I opened up my cupboard, took out the Gold Bond and applied it liberally. On my way to driving my neighbor to ITT Tech, I stopped off at Office Depot to put in my order for next year's Turbo Tax. On my way to ITT Tech, I was pulled over by an Irish Police Officer for failing to signal. He let me off with a warning. While fumbling through my glove compartment for my proof of registration, I noticed my car insurance had lapsed. Yep, I think you know whats coming next....a quick call to Geico and I saved $400 on my annual premium. Such a busy morning left me unable to go to the post office, but hey, a quick trip to Stamps.com sorted that out. Now it's just a matter of whether or not to buy that darn bookcase from those Swedes or from DirectBuy.com.........hmmm, decisions, decisions
      Report Abuse

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