CNN's John King again failed to note that Cunningham has a history of referring to Obama as "Barack Hussein Obama"
SUMMARY: CNN's John King, reporting on the controversy created by radio host Bill Cunningham's comments about Barack Obama at a John McCain campaign event, again left out Cunningham's history of similar remarks.
On the February 27 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, while discussing the controversial remarks made by conservative radio host Bill Cunningham at a Sen. John McCain campaign event in Ohio, in which Cunningham repeatedly referred to Sen. Barack Obama's middle name, Hussein, CNN chief national correspondent John King again called Cunningham "a magnet for controversy" without noting that Cunningham has previously referred to Obama as "Barack Hussein Obama" and "Barack Mohammed Hussein Obama," as Media Matters for America has documented. Indeed, King uncritically aired a video clip of Hamilton County, Ohio, Republican Party executive director Maggie Nafziger asserting: "You're playing with a little bit of fire, but at the same time, I don't think anyone expected the comment," without noting that Cunningham's history of using Obama's middle name would give observers reason to "expect[] the comment."
The report in which King called Cunningham a "magnet for controversy" and quoted Nafziger aired again later, in the third hour of The Situation Room. After airing the Nafziger quote in the third hour, King stated: "So, I asked local Republicans, Wolf, who could pick up the phone, call Bill Cunningham and ask him to calm down and get off John McCain's case? They said no one. They said Bill Cunningham will continue this as long as he wants to. And Bill Cunningham told us today 250 days to the election, and every day he is on the air, he's going to take after John McCain -- Wolf."
From the February 27 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
[begin video clip]
KING: The best McCain can do is try to turn the dust-up to his advantage.
McCAIN: I will always do what I believe is right no matter what the political consequences are, whether it be on the war in Iraq or things like happened yesterday. That's the only way I know how to conduct my life.
KING: At issue is Cunningham's warm-up act at McCain's Tuesday Cincinnati rally.
CUNNINGHAM: Because now we have a hack Chicago-style, Daley politician. ... And maybe start covering Barack Hussein Obama the same way the ... All's going to be right with the world when the great prophet from Chicago takes the stand.
KING: Cunningham is a local legend, invited by local Republicans who know he's a magnet for controversy.
MAGGIE NAFZIGER (Hamilton County Republican Party): You're playing with a little bit of fire, but at the same time, I don't think anyone expected the comments.
[end video clip]
KING: Now, those local Republicans who invited Bill Cunningham to the event now concede privately that was a big mistake. And, Wolf, yesterday, they were saying Bill Cunningham was critical to the George W. Bush's two victories in the presidential races here in Ohio. Today, though, the party line is he doesn't have that much of an influence, he's a cranky guy on the radio sometimes. And despite his criticism of McCain, which Cunningham says will go all the way through the election, conservatives here say they are confident if they work hard, McCain can still carry Ohio -- Wolf.
Nafziger was clearly identified as a Republican party wheel within Ohio, so naturally anyone watching this report would easily assume she would soften any controversy and play down this whole silly incident.
Sometimes MMFA thinks the viewers of these shows are just too stupid, apparently, to accept party official's comments with a grain of salt. Newsflash, we aren't that clueless!
Mary, Thanks for the compliment, (I think), but I don't necesarily agree. Most people, I believe, that watch these types of shows, aka Anderson Cooper 360, are probably more involved and interested than those who do not. It isn't like flipping on Wheel of Fortune for some mindless entertainment, it requires some political savvy and knowledge otherwise can you imagine how boring it would be?
And let me know what to bring behind the barn, I mean, haybales get itchy.
Bring sloths and carp and anchovies and orangutans and breakfast cereals and fruit bats.
I'm not sure he's ready. Tommy is entirely too picky. Fruit bats and bars notwithstanding. And we must skip the gin and try to sober him up.
For her to give what is essentially a lie and not to call her on it, or at least prove the bald faced-ness of her statements, that is definitely a failure to follow through with what his role as a reporter is.
To let politicians tell lies and assume your audience is 'clever' enough to catch them isn't really how the news works.
How was it a lie? She said she doesn't think anyone expected the comments, you can't say she was lying, that is absurd. She may have tried to soften the controversy, but her identification as a Republican operative certainly made that an expectation.
It's a lie to say that no one on McCain's team had ANY IDEA that he would spout off the nonsense he does daily in the very area they were preparing a campaign stop. You want to say "soften the controversy," that's your own spin. But it looks like we agree, she wasn't fully honest.
Either way, King's job is to report all the facts. He didn't.
How was it a lie? She said she doesn't think anyone expected the comments, you can't say she was lying, that is absurd.
Tommy, is was a lie! Was that the first time Cunningham made those remarks about Obama? No. If is was the first time you would have a point but Cunningham has made those remarks about Obama on his radio show many many times before. McCain's people ask Cunningham to speak to the crowd because he was a influential conservative and Ohio was crucial to McCain winning the presidency. They were well aware of what Cunningham was all about and I bet that the night before when McCain was going over his schedule with his staff he knew Cunningham was opening for him and his staff knew what Cunningham was all about. It's a typical Republican tactics to let someone else do the dirty work and then the candidate comes along and pretends that they are offended. Sorry but I don't buy it for a minute.
King is just afraid of stepping on cunningham's toes. The moment he reports that cunningham will turn on him like a rabid dog in heat and let everyone know that King is going to denounce christianity in favor of judiasm just because his wife to be is one.
Oops! The cat's out of the bag!
TOMMY,
The real issue is not MMFA's bringing up the fact that CNN's King didn't speak of Cunningham's past use of Baracks middle name nor do I believe that MMFA was posting this thread because they don;t think that we aren't smart enough to know what's up.......
The real issue is that Cunningham and all the other right-wing blowhards are using his middle name and his middle name only, I have yet to hear any of these clowns use McCains or Romneys or Pauls or Huckabee middle name when speaking of them.
Pure and simple, it is a kind of racism by using his name this way..... if he mentioned Obama's middle name the first time and left it at that, I highly doubt anyone would care.....
Or if he was using all the other candidates middle name when speaking of them, perhaps with his little invective in his voice.... at least then he can say that he is an equal opportunity jerk!
And another thing......... what's with Bill Cunninghams having to yell when speaking?
I've yet to hear if he's deaf in one ear or has some hearing loss, is this the case? Or is he just a natural screamer that feels that he isn't being heard unless he screams....... like another Bill that we know over at FOX Noise....
Hagee exists because people who need answers to questions that have no answer are willing to listen to anyone who provides them with such answers. Life is all about the “pursuit of happiness” – Some people can’t be happy until they have all their questions answered, (but WHY mommy?) no matter how fantastic or illogical the answer is, at least then they can sleep at night and stop worrying about the boogyman or what will “happen to them” after they die.
"The real issue is that Cunningham and all the other right-wing blowhards are using his middle name and his middle name only, I have yet to hear any of these clowns use McCains or Romneys or Pauls or Huckabee middle name when speaking of them."
But, you have no problem when Fitzgerald, Baines, Milhouse and Jefferson are used?
"Pure and simple, it is a kind of racism by using his name this way..... if he mentioned Obama's middle name the first time and left it at that, I highly doubt anyone would care....."
The only racism is used by those who don't like his middle name being used. Obviously, Barack Hussein Obama is proud of his Islamic middle name. If he wasn't he could have legally changed it years ago. But, he is proud of his Islamic heritage and chooses to keep his Islamic name. Is there something wrong with using his name when even he is very proud of it?
"nor do I believe that MMFA was posting this thread because they don;t think that we aren't smart enough to know what's up....... "
I think mmfa reports this stuff for exactly that reason...that you aren't smart enough to find it on your own. And, if you don't keep hearing that doom and gloom are rampant in our nation mmfa isn't happy.
MARKER,
You said, in part "that works at a network that employs Glenn Beck"
It used to not be that way..... at least until sensationalism and FOX Noise came into existance.......
This is NOTHING compared to what the RePigs will do if BO gets the nom.
Makes you wonder WHY BO is taking millions of dollars from them to beat HRC
Can America really be this stupid?
So, are you saying that the use of a name can affect how voters choose? Is that why many liberals are upset that Hussein is being used? I think it's good that his middle name is used, it gives the American people the opportunity to experience the pride Obama has in his Islamic heritage. Just like every other race in our nation does...kids are named according to the pride the parents have in their heritage. Then, the kids are expected to carry that pride forward.
You are either embarrased by Hussein Obama's Islamic heritage or afraid of it. Either way, don't blame the republicans for using his middle name. If Hussein Obama wasn't proud of his Islamic heritage he would have changed his name years ago.
OK, Philib, as boring as your parroting Jeff Christie has become, I'm really starting to feel sorry for you. I'm going to give you some "starters".
Names do not have a religion.
Islam is not a race.
Work with these, and you may be able to figure out how you've been suckered.Or, I could be overestimating you.