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Mark Finkelstein, please define "fawning"

September 15, 2009 11:39 am ET by Jamison Foser

Boy, it's like the Newsbusters crew is trying to set some sort of record for inane media criticism in a single day.  Earlier, Tim Graham said the Washington Post's obituary of Patrick Swayze proved the paper's liberal bias by not mentioning Red Dawn until the 23rd paragraph.  

Now Mark Finkelstein attacks MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan for conducting a "fawning" interview of Barney Frank, with Finkelstein throwing around the words "sycophant" and "suck-up" and "appeasing" to describe Ratigan's behavior.

Here's the problem: the interview in question included a testy exchange in which Ratigan repeatedly interrupted Frank as he tried to answer a question.  

It's awfully strange to see an interview in which the interviewee feels the need to insist "I'm trying to answer it ... I'm trying to answer it ... these things are somewhat complicated.  And they can't all be answered in eight seconds. ... So I wish you would let me answer the question" described as "fawning," but that's what passes as media criticism on the Right.

Tags: Mark Finkelstein, NewsBusters

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    • Author by shaggles (September 15, 2009 11:58 am ET)
         
      I wonder if Newsbusters ever complained about the fawning interviews of John McCain on MSNBC. Like the one where Chris Matthews declared 'This man deserves to be President.'
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      • Author by teabaggers ♥ [wing]NUTS (September 17, 2009 5:46 am ET)
           
        ohh no, as we all know, newsbusters lives in the world of "the liberal media is evil"... and yet, as you mentioned, they miss matthews ACTUALLY fawning over mccain, not to mention guiliani, romney, etc., while bashing the hell out of hilary. amazing.

        here is some more SHOCKING leebrul media bias from that far left leebrul chris matthews:

        more matthews fawning
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    • Author by The_Cat (September 15, 2009 12:03 pm ET)
         
      I think just the fact that MSNBC actually bothered to interview Congressman Frank without immediately having a bunch of midgets run out and begin beating him with sticks is enough for some to describe the episode as 'fawning'.
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    • Author by mk3872 (September 15, 2009 12:05 pm ET)
         
      Classic conservative media attempt at bullying the MSM.

      Any positive story about a liberal in the minds of Newsbusters is indication of a vast left-wing conspiracy.

      Truly busting the news, indeed @ Newsbusters.
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      • Author by teabaggers ♥ [wing]NUTS (September 17, 2009 5:47 am ET)
           
        not only do they not do enough news busting, but they get busted for their own stupidity instead.
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    • Author by bilbo_dies (September 15, 2009 1:30 pm ET)
         
      We do realize that the problem here is actually Barney Franks.

      Like a lot of liberals he just hasn't learned that, when asked a question, his answer is best provided as an 8 second sound bite. If you can't get it down to 8 seconds, no one is listening anyway so you might as well shut up. That is why the interviewer kept trying to interrupt. He had his 8 seconds, it was time to move on.
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