Media Matters' Brock challenges Palin to release tapes
October 31, 2010 10:55 am ET by Media Matters staff
The following is the transcript of Sarah Palin's accusations against CBS affiliate reporters in Alaska made this morning on Fox News Sunday:
PALIN: As for Joe Miller, the things that this fellow has had to put up with up against the GOP machine and the Democrats and the liberal media in Alaska, it's no wonder that the numbers are tightening in that race. Just last night it was revealed that the rally that I had for Joe Miller on Thursday, it was revealed and we have the tape that proves it, that the CBS reporters, the affiliate in Alaska conspired to make up stories about Joe Miller.
We have the tape, Chris, and I can't wait until it busts out all over the nation to show what it is, that we -- kind of what I put up with for two years now with the media -- but what Joe Miller is faced with in dealing with somebody who feels -- Lisa Murkowski -- so entitled to that seat that she and some of her people, including some complicit in the media will do anything. They will stop at nothing to allow Lisa Murkowski to get back, elected.
WALLACE: You're saying. Wait a minute. You're saying -- I'm not saying you're bringing this story -- you are saying that local reporters in Alaska conspired with the Murkowski campaign to put out false information about Joe Miller?
PALIN: I am saying, and we have it on tape, that CBS reporters of -- in the affiliate up there in Alaska, on tape, are saying let's find a child molester in the crowd as supporter of Joe Miller, let's blast that. Let's concoct a Ron Paul moment there. Let's find any kind of chaos so that we can tweet an alert saying, "Ooh, there's chaos. Joe miller got punched." That's sick. Those are corrupt bastards, Chris. That's what is wrong with the media today, when they have their chosen one, and nine times out of ten -- heck ten times out of ten in the liberal media, it's going to be the liberal as the chosen one.
Statement by David Brock, CEO of Media Matters:
"Sarah Palin has made serious accusations of journalistic malfeasance. Either Palin accurately described the tapes, or she did not. America's news consumers need to know the truth about these serious accusations. The public in Alaska needs to know the truth so they are fully and correctly informed before they cast their ballots Tuesday. Palin has a responsibility to release the full, unedited tapes publicly and to all media."
Sarah Palin has endorsed Joe Miller in the Alaska Senate race.
Andrew Breitbart's discredited BigJournalism.com website has posted transcript of a purported voicemail left with an aide to Miller's campaign. Big Journalism claims, "The voices are believed to be those of the news director for CBS Anchorage affiliate KTVA, along with assignment editor Nick McDermott, and other reporters, openly discussing creating, if not fabricating, two stories about Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Joe Miller." Brieitbart has purported to post transcript and audio at Breitbart.tv.
Yea Sarah, Ronald Reagan ran for Office, lost & did Cameos for Winnie the Pooh.
It kills me to agree with Chinese Money Launderer Carl Rove, but he has Sarah Pegged.
And Breitbart has a gig on ABC? Should we change ABC's mind Via Boycott or should we Beg?
Speak truth to power.
Mr. News
Really?
Didn't we just document all the funny money from Beijing pouring into demorat coffers last week? Do you need a refresher?
Have you people examined this material?
Peace,
Gene
He's not a "paid" commentator, either.
MMFA did an article on this.
Here's the most recent ABC commentary on that subject.
Since conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart announced on his website that he was going to be a participant in ABC's Town Hall meeting at Arizona State University, there has been considerable consternation and misinformation regarding my decision to ask him to participate in an election night Town Hall event for ABC News Digital. I want to explain what Mr. Breitbart's role has always been as one of our guests at our digital town hall event:
Mr. Breitbart is not an ABC News analyst.
He is not an ABC News consultant.
He is not, in any way, affiliated with ABC News.
He is not being paid by ABC News.
He has not been asked to analyze the results of the election for ABC News.
Mr. Breitbart will not be a part of the ABC News broadcast coverage, anchored by Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos. For the broadcast coverage, David Muir and Facebook's Randi Zuckerberg will contribute reaction and response gathered from the students and faculty of Arizona State University at an ABC News/Facebook town hall.
He has been invited as one of several guests, from a variety of different political persuasions, to engage with a live, studio audience that will be closely following the election results and participating in an online-only discussion and debate to be moderated by David Muir and Facebook's Randi Zuckerberg on ABCNews.com and Facebook. We will have other guests, as well as a live studio audience and a large audience on ABCNews.com and Facebook, who can question the guests and the audience's opinions.
"The Media" doesn't have to do anything to Miller or Palin.There is proof that Miller is a liar and a phony.There is proof that Palin is a quitter......
Mrs.Palin wants to find lies put out by the Media,,,watch Hannity and Beck.
My brother actually posted the tape on Red County. McDermott admitted he left the message in the texted email. Lies? Oh my gosh, you are actaully stupid...and these reporters are idiots...worse, corrupt. They know what they did...priceless... You guys are all a hoot...hahaha
Universal, Disney and Viacom can only be puppies for so long, after all, it's still a man's world.
Hate. It's a democrat tradition.
But at least now he says she can be president. What a stooge.
( Her behaviours over the past two years she has been in public scrutiny, completely match those profiled in the sociopath next door: The Ruthless Versus the Rest of Us, by Barbara Stoudt, Ph.D., Crown Publishing, 2005).
Uh, head over to Fox News, the tape has been played there all day, it is real, it exists and it says exactly what Palin describes. Whether you are left or right you should be pretty outraged that the media is doing this, CREATING news, not reporting news.
Funny though, this should be front page news and I checked over on CNN and not even a passing mention of it.
I agree with what you write about reporting the news. I gave you a "thumbs up" because you checked with another media news, CNN. I would like the news reporting to be just that, reporting. Unfortunately, some people in the media are putting their own political views into their reporting, rather than simply stating the facts...all the facts, not censured ones.
I consider myself to be a liberal. I'm registered NP and have spent many hours volunteering for our local Democratic Party.
Take care,
David
Yeah! Isn't that president thingy something? Can't those people see that Todd bullied him into saying it? What a joke Alaskans are making of themselves by supporting her and Joe Miller.
The people who were actually having the conversation in a planning meeting at the local CBS affiliate have put the recorded snippet into context, and there is no substance to Palin's accusations.
They were NOT planning on disrupting ANY Miller event - they were simply brainstorming about how they would cover any unplanned events at that rally!
That's what newsrooms do before big events - they don't just simply "wing it" - they make plans about who will stand where, and who they'll try to interview, and when they'll try to do live shots and when they'll tape voiceovers for news promos and for the news program itself.
And they make plans for "what if's" too, like they were doing here.
Your explanation makes no sense and sounds as if you're simply swallowing their excuses hook, line and sinker; like you're apologizing for them.
Explain the female reporter giggling about it then, were there a child molester in the crowd.
Is that part of the "what if's".
marco, whoever you are, speak for thine own self and tell DellDolly that "I got this one."
Would announcing to the reporter group before any political rally that they should be on the look-out for any child-molesters so they can get to them and then get it on twitter that very night? Is that standard operating procedure?
Since when did child molesters become reporters' targets at political rallies, and exactly why should we care, and exactly why should reporters be thinking (and laughing, apparently) ahead of time how to get it out on twitter/facebook?
*********
FEMALE REPORTER: Kinda like Rand Paul…I like that.
[Laughter]
FEMALE REPORTER: That’s a good one.
*****
That kind of banter and laughing about it, is that brainstorming in everyone's manual, DellDolly?
Get a clue.
2. Doofus, this is a public forum, and ANYONE can reply to ANYONE's post. Your assertion that Marco needs to reply to you, and that I shouldn't have, is ludicrous! Get a clue, dummy!
3. My explanation makes total sense, and is the ONLY logical conclusion.
4. We can't tell by the laughter exactly WHO is laughing or what the context IS from this snippet, but we CAN tell from the explanation from the newsroom spokesman.
From the spokesman's statement
The group of KTVA news personnel was reviewing potential "what-if" scenarios, discussing the likelihood of events at the rally and how KTVA might logistically disseminate any breaking news."
Bever continues, "The perception that this garbled, out of context recording may leave is unfortunate, but to allege that our staff was discussing or planning to create or fabricate stories regarding candidate Miller is absurd. The complete conversation was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign, not what KTVA could do."
Hmmm, exactly like I wrote above!
Gawd.
Please explain a scenario where one would be anxious and excited about singling out a child molester to the point where 'we have to find him', laughing about it, and then discuss how you were going to get it on twitter/facebook that night.
Can you point me to a single incidence of a child molester in any crowd for a political rally ended up being a part of the story that night or the next, DellDolly?
I wrote
The people who were actually having the conversation in a planning meeting at the local CBS affiliate have put the recorded snippet into context, and there is no substance to Palin's accusations.
They were NOT planning on disrupting ANY Miller event - they were simply brainstorming about how they would cover any unplanned events at that rally!
That's what newsrooms do before big events - they don't just simply "wing it" - they make plans about who will stand where, and who they'll try to interview, and when they'll try to do live shots and when they'll tape voiceovers for news promos and for the news program itself.
THEY wrote
The group of KTVA news personnel was reviewing potential "what-if" scenarios, discussing the likelihood of events at the rally and how KTVA might logistically disseminate any breaking news."
Bever continues, "The perception that this garbled, out of context recording may leave is unfortunate, but to allege that our staff was discussing or planning to create or fabricate stories regarding candidate Miller is absurd. The complete conversation was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign, not what KTVA could do."
What I wrote is just like what THEY said, doofus! This isn't rocket science! That's why I wrote above "Hmmm, exactly like I wrote above!"
They were talking about how they would publicize ANYTHING that was unusual or remarkable that happened AFTER their recorded/live pieces for the nightly news broadcasts were completed!
They had set plans about what they would cover, and how, at the rally. They'd get some crowd shots, and some shots of the signs. They'd try to capture either the candidate walking up to the podium or walking off, or maybe both, and they'd go there with info that they wanted to quote during their verbiage - the most current poll results, or the next stop for the politician, whatever the bosses wanted to make sure got included in the script.
And THEN they said to each other, so what will we do if we come across some newsworthy items that aren't part of our plan - how will we handle THOSE?
There have been COUNTLESS times when someone went to cover ONE event and they ended up having more to cover at the event than what they THOUGHT they'd have to cover!
None of this has been rocket science, doofus.
Clearly, you aren't actually interested in discussing the ACTUAL topic - that Palin has said that SHE "has" tapes, and so MMFA's founder, David Brock has challenged Palin to provide that unredacted tape!
Why is it this place gives you carte blanche to make all the personal attacks you care to?
You won't address my question, which is, exactly what is the significance of a child molester being at the rally and why is it so important, and laughable at the same time, to be prepared to find that one potential deviant in the crowd, to tie him to Miller, to get him on tape, and to quickly get it out on Twitter/Facebook that evening?
Is that standard operating procedure?
And if it is, why are they laughing about it and comparing it to the Rand Paul/MoveOn.org provocateur, which they also thought was funny?
Care to speculate, or do you need the manager at KTLA to issue a statement first?
Because that's all DollySueQuixote's got. Personal attacks; Dummy, Doofus, Idiot, and a few other third grade retorts.
She'll never debate you on your points, just continually move the goalposts and call you stupid for not knowing the new rules.
Smack her down and move on to better educated posters. Your sanity will fare much better!
Personally, having spent a number of years teaching special ed, I'm inclined to accept the notion that they're intellectually challenged.
Do you believe the five sentences you wrote here are indicative of someone in a superior position to be calling other people you don't particularly care for, stupid and idiotic?
If they wait until Tuesday it is going to be too late. If they do it tomorrow, then Palin and her cronies have a tape implicating them.
I guess my entire point is this. If they have this so called proof, then why didn't they hold it, let the story come out, and then completely and utterly destroy the folks at CBS in Alaska for making stuff up out of thin air?
Unless of course, they made up the charges, edited the tapes to have them say what they wanted, and are playing the victim yet again. I am pretty sure that this is what happened, considering the sources of the allegations. Especially funny that Palin is of course so incensed, because Fox would never just make things up right?
It's pretty laughable how broad that "liberal media" brush is getting....
Meoow - is there a cat in here? - I thought I heard (read one). Oh, that was me. :?
Happy Hallowe'en to all.
Did she even listen to it? Did she read Breitbart's transcript, which is very incomplete and ambiguous?
Whatever source she had, she put the most dramatic spin on it possible and seems oblivious that there are other possibilities. Is she running for President or Drama Queen? I don't think American voters want both in the same person.
And if you'll buy that, I've got a cure for cancer you might be interested in.
People, please understand exactly how illogical that is. And please understand that both Palin and Breitbart will stop at nothing to foment the ruse of a "liberal media conspiracy" against them and theirs in the Tea Bag/neo-con GOP/take America back to the days of segregation, party.
Clearly the reporters were conspiring to set up some type of smear of Joe Miller. With glee, they even cite a recent controversy over an incident involving the Rand Paul campaign...
What "controversy"? A person opposed to Rand Paul was trying a stunt for publicity's sake. After some people chased her around Paul's campaign's car, other Rand Paul supporters grabbed her, forced to the ground, and one person stomped on her upper torso, neck and head to give her the message that she had better STAY DOWN on the ground, even though she wasn't trying to get up!
There IS no "controversy". All these things are well-known and NOT in dispute by any reasonable person!
Breitbart is NOT a reasonable person.
Where else except in this new dumbed down america could a person like this even exist,let alone be held out as a serious person on the national stage.
Palin, Breitbart, Fox News, that's three strikes.
How dare ABC give Breitbart any forum whatsoever, paid or unpaid they are sullying their brand.
But No that's not the problem on Media Matters For America, not one person had something objective to say!
It' all Hypocrisy all the time with you people!
Y'ALL MAKE ME SICK,,,,
So please lecture me sum more about FOX NEWS I'm all ears
So WHY are YOU here?
The Jets lost to Green Bay...
So what would YOU do as an editor/producer with a few reporters and photographers, and you have a Miller rally coming up? What instructions would you give? Oh, and you have 3 hours to go on-air or go to print.
Okay,....go
Maybe I'd tell them to follow the usual Journalism cliches like;
"Report the News don't become the News"
"Avoid Dog Bites Man headlines"
and gasp!"STAY FAIR AND BALANCED!"
There is a market place for what those CBS reporters were doing in that conference room but I'll be damed before I call it Journalism. This story is far from over and all I can say is I hope to GOD I'm proven wrong.
There just can't be this much vitriol in our news rooms...I don't want to believe it.
Okay, let's parse that.
Play the story down the line. What is "down the line"?
Report the News don't become the News. In a reporters asks someone at the rally a question, is that becoming the news? What if he runs after someone? Does just showing up mean one becomes the news?
Avoid Dog Bites Man headlines. Maybe you mean the reverse. Man Bites Dog is a popular term used to describe headlining the rare/sensational/unusual so often as to make it seem commonplace. Some consider only the unusual to be newsworthy, and even better, some like to transform the commonplace to the unusual to make it seem so. An example would be the Barack/Michelle fist bump described as a "terrorist fist bump." That was a goodie.
Stay fair and balanced. Sure.
Okay, so you armed your staff with 4 broad philosophical points and send them to the rally. Any editor/producer could have mailed that one in each New Year's Day without going to work until late December.
Who do they interview? What do they need to watch for, or what's worthy of a story? Where do they need to position themselves? When do they file, and when do they need to stick with a story? How does each communicate with the other? Why is the rally held at that location and does that reveal something? Should they plant a child molester to interview?
I wanna hear the nitty gritty from you. Anybody knows to present himself and a story as fair and balanced. What is fair and what is balanced, or what is unfair and unbalanced?
A thousand people show up at a rally, and 999 are pro, 1 against. Interview one pro person and one against person. Balanced? Fair? What if G. Gordon Liddy, a convicted felon, steps up to the mic and you describe him as such, is that a smear?
Go ahead and accuse unfairness. Back it up. Tell us what would be fair.
Contend hypocrisy. Fine, then explain the conflict.
Comments about the recording need to be objective? You say the reporters were joking, but that's subjective, eh?
Want to give another go at more detailed instructions for the reporters? You know where this is going, right? I ask that because I'm not trying to walk you into a trap, just laying out the landscape for us.
what I can do is remind you that confusing Advocacy Journalism with sound Journalistic procedures is a flawed argument (at best). The only defense I'm willing to accept is a fully recorded session where they place Lisa Murkowski's election team through
THE SAME POLITICAL SCRUTINY!
Wow, I didn't think you'd completely bail. Oh well. BUT kudos for giving a reply.
No reenactment needed. I built a hypothetical political rally to be covered by newspeople and I gave you the steering wheel. You didn't even take the chance to drive it into the ditch; you instead jumped out of the car.
Where I was going: I was ready to counter anything you say with accusation of bias, of advocacy. That would be like shooting fish in a barrel by using the sweeping generalities you gave as instructions to the reporters, using your own tools against yourself.
Advocacy vs. news? No confusion here, don't to "remind" me. I think you're confusing them. You treat the Palin/Breitbart presentation as news and KTVA as advocacy.
Back to the recording. You've assumed plotting and/or joking about potentially bad things at the rally by KTVA, based on the posted audio and the transcript. Posted by whom? Transcribed by whom? No advocacy there? This has been presented by Palin on Fox. Let's see: Fox pays Palin, Palin endorses Miller, Palin interviewed on Fox. How tidy! Rah, rah, go team.
Now KTVA, they know the score. They know there are plenty of people with your perspective, ready to pounce on something fishy as if it's fact, so they know what's required of themselves to maintain integrity. The inside joking you heard only reveals their cynicism, and it's justified cynicism about what is considered news.
What I find most fascinating is that AK Republicans are so disintegrated, in shambles, probably split in two in this race, and the Democratic candidate, McAdams, still barely has a chance, hardly noticed. Now that's a right-wing state.
Being unsure where the following golden nugget of information might best be positioned, among the full-barrel broadside at the liars wailin'Palin/ABC/not-so-Breitbart fired away in these MediaMatters rapid updates of the developing story, I am putting it here for support of the key concern:
- DEMAND: Palin COUGH UP the TAPES
-
or else choke on them and STFU.
--
The golden nugget of information is for folks to see that the rightwing extremists' most-often-used tactic is
Accuse decent people (called 'opponents' in the parlance of extremists) of what the RIGHTwing is GUILTY OF.
Rush Limbaugh demonstrates the mirror accusation LIE all the time, like every day.
It is Tactic #3 in a list of 15 so-called 'Rovian' Tactics compiled by professors and professionals in communications studies. These 15 Tactics (each listed with an antidote 'remedy' for it), constitute the entire bag of dirty tricks used by the rightwing extremists since George 'Him Wuss' Bush recruited and groomed Karl Rove in 1973 (and Newt Gingrich in 1989) to get where the 'Republican' LIARS are today.
It is exceedingly worthwhile to read the intelligent presentation of the 15 tactics -- and by knowing all of it, then stopping all of it -- in totalitarian propaganda used over and over in Republican campaigns for election.
Here pdf
Being accused of lies and despicable plotting by wailin'Palin & her not-so-Breitbart companion ... is like being called 'ugly' by a frog.
Either you believe these people were trying to prepare themselves in case a child molester showed up at the rally, or you believe they were trying to find a way to tie Miller to a sex offender. One makes no sense, the other makes perfect sense.
You wouldn't last five seconds where I come from - we're notorious for extracting the Michael out of credulous drongoes.
All of this tell-tale stuff from Frightfart, Silly Sarah and the rest of the rogues' gallery reminds me of a bunch of seven-year-olds.