Attacking Obama, Beck's newsletter falsely claimed arugula is not grown in Iowa
SUMMARY: After
recounting how Sen. Barack Obama reportedly asked an audience of Iowa farmers how much
Whole Foods charges for arugula, a
recent Glenn Beck email newsletter asserted that "[i]t would have been a total
home run for the Senator if it weren't for the fact that there are no Whole
Foods stores in Iowa and arugula is not even grown in the state." In
fact, arugula is grown in Iowa
and is widely available in stores throughout the state.
In a section headlined "The Arugula Moment," the August 23 edition of Glenn Beck's daily email newsletter stated that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) "was in Iowa talking to some farmers and tried on some of his 'relating to farm people' material. 'Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?' the Senator said. 'I mean, they're charging a lot of money for this stuff.' " The newsletter linked to a recent Newsweek article describing the incident and went on to assert, "It would have been a total home run for the Senator if it weren't for the fact that there are no Whole Foods stores in Iowa and arugula is not even grown in the state."
In fact, arugula is grown by local farms in Iowa and is widely available in stores throughout the state, including Cleverly Farms in Mingo, Iowa, and Mariposa Farms in Grinnell, Iowa. Moreover, vendors at numerous farmers markets, including the Davenport Farmer's Market and the Ames Farmers' Market, sell arugula directly from farms to consumers. Several Iowa grocery stores also carry arugula; the website of Hy-Vee, a large grocery chain headquartered in, and with four stores in, West Des Moines, Iowa -- approximately 22 miles from Adel, Iowa, where Obama made his arugula remark -- offers tips on cleaning and serving arugula, as well as several recipes featuring it.
Furthermore, a Media Matters for America search of the Nexis database returned several articles from The Des Moines Register that reported the production and use of arugula in Iowa.
- In a June 25, 2003, article, staff writer Raquel Garza quoted small produce grower John Whitson describing one of his products as "a mix of gourmet greens, arugula, red mustard, purple kohlrabi."
- In a June 1, 2004, article, staff writer John Gaps III reported on the Ankeny Farmers Market: "Just remember: Saturday, farmers market, Uptown Ankeny, vendors, entertainment, clowns, balloons, arugula. You get the idea."
- In a March 8, 2006, article, staff writer Erin Crawford reported that "SalAmander Farms in Bondurant" hosts "up to 50 varieties of vegetables, including arugula, okra, red carrots, purple cauliflowers, multicolored potatoes and snow peas."
- In a May 23, 2006, article, staff writer Anne Fitzgerald reported: "Angela Tedesco, owner of Turtle Farm near Granger, made her first delivery this year of fresh produce to her Community Supported Agriculture subscribers last week. Members received spinach, green garlic, radishes, arugula and asparagus. There was so much spinach, it took two days to harvest it all, Tedesco said."
- In a June 8, 2006, article, staff writer Amanda Pierre reported on a local chef's use of arugula from a local farmers market: "His intention is to use as many local foods as possible, so some ingredients, such as the arugula for the salad, came from that day's farmers market."
As Media Matters noted, CNN's Candy Crowley suggested soon after the 2004 election that Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry (MA) was out of touch with "most of America" because he ordered green tea in Iowa, when, in fact, green tea could be purchased at many locations in Iowa, including the Dubuque Kmart.
I wonder if Beck will retract?
Lettuce all wag our finger at Beck for this misstep of his, for the fields of arugula are very romaine to this discussion.
Hey, that was pretty good, Tommy. But I'm afraid even as good as it was, it only garnered a chuckle because it followed the much-funnier concept of "Beck's newsletter". And that's why I have to nominate "Beck's newsletter" for funniest post of the week.
Tommy, you're simply a victim of bad timing. And in comedy, timing is everything.
Oh no, here we go again...
Where's my looseleaf?
Cos I want to take notes.
Although I may be forced to parsley my words, I must say I romaine unimpressed by Beck's extreme ignorance and determination to continue spreading that ignorance like infertile manure across the media landscape.
Beck's a butterhead. He doesn't know who he's mesclun with.
beets me?
I'm not gonna aragula with that, friend!
I can't believe y'all missed that one!
According to this newsweek article , some people did not know what he meant in Iowa?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20226452/site/newsweek/
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/aug/13/obama_disappoints_judicial_confirmation/
Recently, U.S. Presidential Candidate Senator Barack Obama used the word while in Adel, Iowa, saying, "Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and seen what they charge for arugula?" (Apparently, he was trying to make the point that grocers charge much higher prices for food than farmers get.) Unfortunately for Obama, the blue collar workers did not know what arugula was, nor did they commonly shop in Whole Foods markets. (There are none in Iowa: the nearest are in Omaha, NE; Kansas City, KS; and Minneapolis, MN). Incidentally, the Clinton campaign picked this up and wants to portray Obama as a member of the elite who does not know what a large percentage of the population faces.[
I've spent a bit of time near Des Moines. General ignorance there doesn't surprise me.
I'm glad you linked to these articles - they are instructive.
First we have George Will - a more patrician Beltway insider you will not find - using the dig at Obama to set up an attack on him on a completely unrelated subject. Will cites no example of any Iowans not knowing what arugula is, but, of course, in Will's world the rubes couldn't possibly eat anything but iceberg wedges and Cheeze Whiz.
Also worth noting is the way the story is used as a total non sequetur in the column; a meaningless chance to bash Obama before taking him on in the rest of the article for not rubber-stamping Bush's judicial appointees.
In the Newsweek article, one farmer - ONE! - who happens to be 74 heard SOMEONE ELSE say that that THEY didn't know what arugula was! Is the reporter, Andrew Romano, skeptical? Heck, no - again, these Iowan rubes can't possibly know about fancy lettuce!
Even better, who does Romano quote to demonstrate that this shows Obama is out of touch with Iowans? Another Iowan? Nope - he quotes WONKETTE, a real paragon of Midwest sensibilities; he also quotes a Washington consultant, as if that tells us anything.
What are the lessons here?
1) The Washington media thinks that the non-coastal regions of this country are filled with rubes and fools. Washington thought Al Gore was talking above the people when he discussed policy, and they gave Bush a free pass to lie on the 2000 campaign about his own budget, because they thought middle America was too slow to understand these things. The arugula flap is just another example of Washington looking down its nose at the rest of us. Fancy lettuce in Ames? Puh-leeze!
2) According to the media, elitism is a Democratic trait, and they feel it's their job to point this out over and over again, using any stupid anecdote they can find.
3) As Jamison Foser has quite brilliantly pointed out, it's bad enough that the media revels in useless trivia; worse, they cannot even get the simplest facts about that trivia right. Not one report here cites any Iowan directly who didn't know what arugula is. No Iowan is quoted saying Obama comes across as elitist.
Our media is a culture of privileged hacks who look down on the rest of us with disdain. And, to soothe themselves, they project that disdain on to Democrats.
Excellent analysis.
One of the links provided by MMFA say it is grown in Washington.
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M5662
I don't like arugula--kind of bitter tasting.
So even if they were giving it away I wouldn't want any.
Wow MMFA has put a lot of research into this haven't they? If I ever get to Iowa, I'll be sure to avoid those places that sell this lousy tasting lettuce.
Egg, meet Beck's face.
Thank you MMfA for defending Arugula everywhere.
Arugula is a cool word, but not a smart word for Obama to use in his example - he'll learn. But Beck is still a shameless twit.
I think what Beck is trying to say, is that Iowans are simple people, who are not sophisticated enough to understand or cultivate something as exotic as arugula. Why does Glenn Beck hate hard working, blue-collar Americans?
Glenn - prove to me, sir, that you are not working for the enemy.
This type of weird "attack" doesn't surprise me coming from Beck. What I find odd is no one's talking about the weird kick he's been on in recent days to single-handedly halt the reconstruction of New Orleans. Seems like a "talking-point" to me. Has anyone else heard him lately?
I listened to Beck via Podcast every day (I've drunk the Kool-Aid).
His comments about Katrina victims were about how people should not move back to New Orleans because they are sure to be hit with another hurricane. Since hazard insurance is almost unattainable in the area, he was lamenting that the Federal Government would provide insurance -which, when the inevitable next Cat. 4 hits, will cost taxpayers. Beck's point is that the money would be better spent moving people from the area altogether.
Regarding this item about Beck's take on Obama's Arugala comment: MMfA needs to lighten up
Goodfella
Why does MMFA need to "lighten up" if what Beck has said is a lie?
Because he is a rightwing bloviating screechmonkey and to the brainwashed koolaid krowd that means they have the God given RIGHT to lie as long as it slurs a Democrat.
"Why does MMFA need to "lighten up" if what Beck has said is a lie?" DORISRUSSELL
Well, I think SOLON answered your question for me...and quite eloquently I must say.
But really - to answer your question...Beck's comments were light hearted and intended to be humorous - as were Obama's original comments, and, after rereading the MMfA post, the item also seems to have a slight tongue-in-cheek quality. If that is the case, and MMfA is showing a bit of levity - I retract the 'lighten-up' comment.
Beck's comments were light hearted and intended to be humorous Goodfella
IMO Beck's comments were meant to chastise the Senator for trying his "I can relate to you card" (Beck's words). Obama got the market incorrect (Whole Foods) but he did not error on the fact that arugula is grown locally in Iowa and is widely available in stores throughout the state. Next time Beck decides to chastise he should get his own facts straight.
Yeah, I heard Beck's rationale for urging Katrina victims to not move back to New Orleans, but it just seems like a strange argument to make repeatedly. I suppose once an area of the country is ravaged by natural disasters (like the earthquakes here in Killa Kali, or tornadoes in "Tornado Alley"), those affected should all consider relocating? If we start doing this, we'll all be living in Nebraska within, like, a hundred years. Just seems like a really stupid observation, is all, urging these victims to not go home. Weird. There's something else behind his persistence on this matter. I'm wondering if this is his assignment for the week.
So they only people left are the moneyed elite? I see a republican administration with legislators attached in Louisiana's future.
Anyone have any good arugala recipes, I've never tried it.
It's a lettuce yuppies like to put in their salads. I tried it once [at a restaurant] ended up picking it out of my salad.
I think it can be saute too. But I won't be trying it anytime soon. Yuck.
Arugula is not just used by "yuppies" but by eye-talians too. In fact I think they have been using it for years, and years before "yuppies" did. Why in fact I remember eating it at my eye-talians friends house and my Aunts too.
Geez- but maybe it is just a terrorist plot.
Monk,
Take a boneless rib eye, grill it and right before you take it off the grill crumble blue cheese on top. Cut in semi-thin slices after it's rested for 5 minutes. Take french bread and slather horseradish mayo on the bread and place the sliced rib eye on the bread. Take your arugula and sliced (in half) grape tomatoes and toss in a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil and place that on top of rib eye. Slice sandwich in half. You can also skip the bread and grill the steak and top with arugula and tomatoes tossed in balsamic vinegar.
If you don't like it you didn't get the recipe from me. ;-)
Damn you, Pearlene!
Here I'm trying to go vegetarian... in order to relieve the crippling pain of my nearly chronic gout... & here you are posting meat-laden recipes that are making me salivate onto my keyboard.
If I end up limping pitifully around work next week... I hope you realize that IT'S YOUR FAULT!
Mescal, a little meat never hurt anyone..... at least that's what Sen. Craig said. ;-)
I am sorry you referenced mayo when talking about something someone might actually EAT. It put me in fetal position retching and shivering.
Hard to arugula with righties that have chard their cerebral cortex with Beck's framing. With his celery, he should fact-check and know that Iowans and their rich loam are aware of fancy greens. Not too much to criticise about Obama if that's all he can turnip.
By the way, I grew up in Omaha, site of one of the nearest Whole Foods Markets. It's condescending ignorance to think that Iowa farmers wouldn't know about these stores, even if not in their state. Farmers are very aware of the various grocery chains.
By the way, I grew up in Omaha...
I'm sorry.
But hey! There have been some great things to come out of Nebraska. I-80 remains one of the best. And those cool university football helmets with the "N'....for "nawledge"...
Sorry for that. Old habit. :-)
"There have been some great things to come out of Nebraska." Like me, I moved to Oregon...
however, I do like my home state. My brother still lives there & he & his wife say there are lots of letters to the editor against Bush & his war-mongering pals.
Say what you will about the plains farmer mentality - It's in their nature to catch on quick. (Kansas notwithstanding)
I also hear that Omaha is becoming quite the cultural center. (No, really!) Let's just hope it stays relatively small, and doesn't follow Denver's example.
I hope so, too. Denver is the gateway to the Rockies...Omaha, the gateway to...er? Council Bluffs?
As a native cornhusker, I'm spending entirely too much time on this arugula story.
Let's cut The Beaver some slack on this one.
First of all I don't think he knows what arugula is. Secondly I don't think he knows where Iowa is.
When all is said & done, every article on Glen Beck comes full circle to the same inevitable conclusion... the Glen Beck is a dumbf*ck's dumbf*ck.
"When all is said & done, every article on Glen Beck comes full circle to the same inevitable conclusion... the Glen Beck is a dumbf*ck's dumbf*ck."- mescal / Wednesday August 29, 2007 04:27:23 AM EST
The above message is another example of a typical lefty comeback: "When in doubt, resort to junior-high name calling"
I notice that you have nothing to add to the conversation except a blanket insult to a group you have no knowledge of.
And it is not MMfA job to lighten up. But it is Beck's job to at least try to not misinform people.
And it is not MMfA job to lighten up. But it is Beck's job to at least try to not misinform people- mookworthjwilson / Wednesday August 29, 2007 01:44:14 PM EST
Beck's job is to entertain people - and make money for his sponsors. Perhaps he didn't know about every farmer and local produce market that sells locally grown arugula - but who cares...The point is showing Obama trying too hard talking down to the folks in Iowa.
Hard to see how Obama was talking down to farmers here. He assumes they are familiar with the crops grown in Iowa and the Wild Oats chain. Which they are, since their business is farming.
It's the right wing posters on here who assume that farmers are hicks that need talking down to.
So then you are saying it is his JOB to spout off about things he doesnt know about? Bet they dont teach THAT in journalist school.
The Beaver was trying to make a point?
Alrighty then, let me add to the list of what the Beav does not know:
1) Arugula (but who does..and really, who cares)
2) Where Iowa is located (kind of important)
3) How to make "a point" (except for the one on top of his head...he he)
4) Entertainment (unless you're about 13 - 14 years old)
I think that covers it for another exciting episode of "What The Beaver Does Not Know"
His "newsletter" refers to arugula not being grown in Iowa as a FACT. It's pretty easy to check this. Call the Iowa farm board. I am sure they would have been able to tell his producer. If he had just said it in passing maybe he could get a pass, but it was written. These are things you check.