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GOP mobs and the press

August 04, 2009 3:32 pm ET by Eric Boehlert

Jane Hamsher at FDL spells out the news media's delinquency:

Organizations like CBS and the New York Times do not report the news when it is right in front of them. They pass off these transparent lobbyist funded thuggery as a grassroots effort.  They do not say who is organizing these violent uprisings, or how they are being funded.  These media outlets are playing a critical role by telling the country that its people believe something that they don't.  It is blatant propaganda being passed off as news, and it is to "journalism" what David H. Koch is to "grassroots."

UPDATED: Irony alert. During the run-up to the Iraq War when tens, and often hundreds, of thousands of anti-war activists gathered to voice their opinion, the press often seemed to go out of its way to downplay the significance.

But today when a few dozen Tea Party protesters form town hall min-mobs, the press seems anxious to assign great meaning.

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    • Author by Vincenzo (August 04, 2009 3:36 pm ET)
         
      Judging from the video I've seen the mobs seem to be formed from the same birther-type people willing to believe anything they are fed from their hate-talk ringleaders and the GOP.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by The_Cat (August 04, 2009 3:48 pm ET)
      3  
      Well, it is certainly very convenient, if you are a multinational firm, to have a 'media' arm to comment on your 'lobbying' arm's efforts to protect you 'health' arm's profits.

      This is corporate aristocracy, folks, and if my only choices are between this, and socialism? I guess I'm going to have to go with socialism, because at least that way we all get health coverage.

      I wonder who will be the first to say "Aha! So you admit you are a socialist!"
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Meremark (August 04, 2009 9:28 pm ET)
           
        -
        Socialists make better media. And know more reading.

        Corporate media betrayed Americans, and democracy, to begin with, whereas in truth, for instance, if Gore had been inaugurated pursuant to being duly elected in fact, (having more ballots marked for him), then 9/11 never would have nor could have happened, since the plotters' sedition relied as prerequisite on Bush's intentional insubordination in Office.

        From the World Socialist Web Site- WSWS

        Anatomy of a right-wing riot—the Republican mob attack in Miami-Dade, By Kate Randall - 25 November 2000

        More details have come to light concerning the events on Wednesday at the Miami-Dade County Canvassing Board that led to the board's decision to halt manual recounting of ballots in the presidential election. The board's sudden announcement that it was abandoning the recount meant that hundreds of votes, mostly for Democratic candidate Al Gore, would not be included in the official state-wide tally.

        The protesters who mobbed the board's proceedings were not—as had been generally portrayed in the media—a collection of “outraged citizens” and rank-and-file Republicans who came together in a spontaneous outburst of indignation. The mini-riot was a carefully orchestrated operation designed by the Bush camp to halt the manual recounting of ballots that had been authorized only one day before by the Florida Supreme Court.

        According to a report on ABCNews.com, the participants were not for the most part local party activists, but rather Republican Party operatives who have been functioning out of a large mobile home in Miami, some having come from as far away as Washington DC and New York City. These individuals were tight-lipped when questioned by a CNN reporter about who was in charge of their activities.

        [ ... ]

        There was virtually no attempt to reveal who and what was behind the mob tactics. One MSNBC commentator argued that the protesters were simply exercising their “democratic rights.” The connection between the Republican assault and the decision by the Miami-Dade canvassers to abandon the recount was barely noted.


        Beginning and continuing by mob unruliness and massmedia complicity in silence.
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    • Author by peace4all (August 04, 2009 3:53 pm ET)
      2  
      if we lose this healthcare debate we will have no one to blame but ourselves. if the "blue dogs" block it then we need to let them get voted out of office. if htey are going to vote like republicans then lets replace them with republicans. also, i know i plan on showing up at any town hall i can near me to give support and to confront these ignorant people if they can't behave. we must not be intimidated by these thugs. they are like any bully, they will push until pushed back. thats when the yellow streak will really show up in them.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by vwcat (August 04, 2009 7:45 pm ET)
      1  
      the way the press sees things is if the republican far right are acting like thugs and organized by lobbying pros, then it is a grassroots everyman who is angry with Washington and 'big government'.
      If people on the left are protesting and doing things in a really grassroots way, then they are just far left radicals who are lunatics.
      It's like far rightwing ideas are mainstream. but, mainstream ideas that are in agreement with democrats are far left lunacy.
      Republican talking points and spin are deep truths written in stone.
      Democratic points are fantasy and lies.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by ryan3315 (August 05, 2009 12:13 pm ET)
         
      Not only that, but during the buildup to war, the press was endlessly citing statistics that the majority of Americans supported a war against Iraq or supported Bush. Now, a majority of Americans support health care, and...crickets.
      Report Abuse

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