CNN's Koch recalled "controversial" Pelosi Syria trip without noting GOP double standard in attacks
On the May 25 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, during a report on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) trip to Greenland, correspondent Kathleen Koch said that Pelosi's "last holiday break in the Middle East drew heated condemnation for her controversial visit with Syria's president," Bashar Al-Assad. But Koch did not report that Republicans criticized the Pelosi trip even though a Republican-led delegation had met with Assad three days before Pelosi's visit and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) met with him a day after. She also did not mention that a Republican -- Rep. David Hobson (OH) -- was part of Pelosi's delegation, as Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted.
As Media Matters has noted, according to the Dayton Daily News, Hobson said of the trip: "We reinforced the administration's positions and at the same time we were trying to understand and maybe getting some voice to some things people wanted to say that maybe they were not comfortable saying to the administration. The jury's out ... but this was not an anti-administration trip at all. ... I think actually we've helped the administration's position by showing there's not dissension."
In its coverage of Pelosi's trip to Syria, CNN labeled it a "big wet kiss to President Al-Assad," a "political stunt," and a "bad trip," and frequently noted Republican criticism of the trip without mentioning Hobson or the Republican-led delegation, as Media Matters documented.
From the May 25 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
KOCH: Well, Wolf [Blitzer, host], since becoming speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi has been getting increasingly involved in world affairs. Her most recent trip was focused on diplomacy; this one, literally, on saving the planet.
[begin video clip]
KOCH: When it comes to her congressional holiday recess, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is going from the frying pan into the freezer. Her last holiday break in the Middle East drew heated condemnation for her controversial visit with Syria's president.
Now, Pelosi and other House members will be cooling their heels on the ice-covered island of Greenland. First stop for the group: a research station camped out on a massive ice sheet. Their host, a Swiss camp, told us via satellite phone that the lawmakers will get plenty of help dealing with the frigid weather.
They still want to play the Syria game ha?
I wonder if the double standard is because she's a woman, or if it's because she's a Democrat, or if it's because she's from SanFran?
Knowing repub--all of the above.
I take "D" - All Of The Above. If Pelosi were a white Repugnant man, even if her message were identical, she would have heard only "hosanna!" from the Corporate Media: "Great to have a Speaker willing to go so far to reinforce the Bungle message!"
I would also bet D. They hate her because she is a women.
CORRECT ! And congratulations! You've just won an all expense paid trip to beautiful GITMO BAY. The resort where (I'm told) no one wants to leave! Listen to the surf as you sleep in open air semi private quarters with all the comforts of home (if your home is a cave in Afghanistan). You don't even have to leave your "room," since meals are served right at your door. Security is provided by armed guards to assure your safety 24 hours a day. TV, stereo, who needs them? Rest in the sunshine and bask in the moonlight. A place so wonderful, all you need is a cot, a pillow, and a little imagination.
Thanks for playing, see ya next time on POP GOES THE WINGNUT!
I go with "E". Because she knows what she is doing.
Darn you - so perspicacious! I hadn't even realized there was an "E", but it certainly appears attractive now that you draw attention to it.
Darn you - so perspicacious!
I heard bugs bunny in my head when I read that just now!
I see right through this, believe it or not, this Pelosi Syria double standard distraction is to draw attention away from another double standard: Talking to Iran...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070528/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_iran_talks
Forgot to "link" the link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070528/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_iran_talks
Oh, that's not going to go over well in reichwingnut land!
Oh, train, you'll love this little piece...
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/29/right-wing-bloggers-wrong-again-anyone-surprised/
Typical rightwing tactics, smear, distort, lie, deny, fabricate, obfuscate but when presented with solid facts.. run and hide like the rats they are.
because of these networks/shows' ridiculous bias against Democrats, I have long ago stopped watching them. CNN and the other mainstream media are worse than FOX because everybody knows FOX's bias...the CNN, NYT et al folks, are not thought of as being in the tank for the GOP....BUT they are.
Of course, we know that here....I keep telling myself that the culture will eventually tire of this bald propaganda geared against Democrats...but I can't see it yet.
The Democrats promised exactly one thing; "CHANGE".
They have even failed at THAT! They can't even pass a hollow bill for nothing more than "making a point" without buying each other off with 20-30 BILLION in pork.
She isn't authorized to conduct diplomacy. She HASN'T been any "cleaner" or more HONEST than any Republican. And I'm sick of the whole bunch of you "our crap is different" Democraps. That isn't a support of Republicans; don't want them either. But YOU are NOT a better choice.
Pelosi is hated by the Rightwing for MANY reasons:
A. She's a woman ("shrill" instead of "assertive", "pushy" instead of "decisive", "power mad" instead of "ambitious" ... you know, all the misogynistic labelling that the rightwing level at strong, smart, successful women.)
B. She's a Democrat.
C. She's from San Francisco (which means she's a "LIBERAL", which means she's a Communist/Socialist the same as we fought in the Cold War ... in other words, a TRAITOR).
D. She's Speaker of the House (having taken that power position from the Republicans, an unforgivable sin.)
E. She's CORRECT on the issues, as all polls show where the American People stand; the Republicans try to govern AGAINST THE WILL of the American People (for example, being AGAINST gays when the majority of Americans favor equal rights and treatment), and this explains why the "popularity" of the GOP after six years of absolute power is in the toilet. Americans DO NOT WANT Republican policies.
F. As a Democrat, she supports workers, average Americans, helping those citizens in need, and middle class values. (this is called "class warfare" by the Rightwing, because any policy which does not absolutely favor the already very rich at the expense of everybody else is considered "class warfare".)
G. She DARES to do her job, instead of just being a rubber stamp to the White House. She questions, she seeks correct information, she demands justifications -- all are unacceptable behavior to the GOP and the Administration. Those who do not obediently toe the line set forth by the president are to be destroyed.
H. She has out-maneuvered the President on the Iraq funding question. The White House decided to hold the troops hostage, demanding funding without any conditions. The White House believed that after the 2006 elections, the responsibility AND THE BLAME for Iraq could be handed off the the Democrats, when they started setting limits through the budget process. Bush could then say his hands were tied, and thus the DEMS had caused America's "defeat and surrender". Pelosi made sure that the Iraq debacle, including responsibility for all the deaths and injuries, remains solidly in Bush's hands ... and HE and the GOP will continue to have that smelly Albatross hung around their necks.
and finally,
I. Pelosi will use the Iraq issue and others to push for a VETO-PROOF MAJORITY of Democrats in Congress, and defeat another huge boatload of Republicans in 2008, worse than the drubbing they got in 2006. (Of course, that veto-proof majority will not be needed with President Hillary. LOL)
She out maneuvered the President on Iraq??.......Are you kidding?
I have never read such a masterful spin job on the most obvious Democratic talking points in some time, that was superb Tex - you should be working for the DNC........except that most of it is just whining paranoia on poor Nancy, it sounds good to fellow DNC'ers, anyway.
Actually, Tommy, yes ... she has outfoxed the White House.
The Democrats have given George W. Bush pretty much everything he wanted. Now, more than ever, it's George W. Bush's war - and when it continues to go south, as it no doubt will, there will be nobody to blame but Bush and his henchmen.
By passing the funding bill Bush wanted, the Democrats have taken the "You don't support the troops!" talking point away from the right-wing noise machine. It was always a lame talking point anyway, but the Kool-Aid drinking base swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.
It's a masterful political move - now we'll just watch Bush continue to sink lower in the polls. And in the fall, when violence in Iraq hasn't abated and the "surge" is proven to be the failure we already know it is .. we'll watch as Republicans fight to get to the lifeboats.
Then why did the top Democratic contenders for President vote against it?
It seems the media is reflecting the fear of global business that a true balance of power among the three branches could occur, which might make it more difficult for them to maintain the absolute control they seem to have now through the executive branch, despite the dismal performance of the legislative to represent the people.
Bullies are of course always the greatest cowards when a threat is perceived.
Simple Tommy,
To be consistent with their "responsible troop pullout timetable" message.
Yes, Republicans DID "visit". And were criticized by many, including Bush, for it. However:
They did NOT attempt unauthorized and illegitimate "diplomacy" on behave of the U.S. Nor did they SCREW UP an unauthorized and DEFINITELY illegitimate/inappropriate communique on behave of Israel.
And instead of doing things she is NOT authorized to do, shouldn't she work on all that crap they "promised" to do? How about just the stuff they were going to do in the first HUNDRED HOURS?
Democrats STILL do not offer a single SOLUTION. And they are acting just as dishonest as any Republicans could.
This is pathetically petty. Stop whining and FIX SOMETHING.