Fox News aired two minutes of Democratic keynote address, discussed Ayers instead
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SUMMARY: On August 26, Fox News aired just over two minutes of former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner's keynote address to the convention. After returning from a commercial, Alan Colmes stated, "In other election news, an independent group supporting John McCain released an ad last week attacking [Sen.] Barack Obama's ties to former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers," and aired an ad from the Obama campaign responding to the independent ad. Colmes and Sean Hannity then interviewed Rudy Giuliani.
In its August 26 coverage of the second night of the Democratic National Convention, Fox News aired just over two minutes of former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner's nearly 20-minute keynote address to the convention. Rather than air Warner's entire speech, Fox News cut to commercial, then Fox News host Alan Colmes stated, "In other election news, an independent group supporting John McCain released an ad last week attacking [Sen.] Barack Obama's ties to former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers," and aired an ad from the Obama campaign responding to the independent ad. Colmes and co-host Sean Hannity then interviewed former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is supporting Sen. John McCain.
In contrast, both MSNBC and CNN aired the entirety of Warner's address.
From the August 26 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:
WARNER: Now, I have a unique perspective on this race for the future. Like many of you, I'm the first in my family to graduate from college. It was made possible by supportive parents, great public schools, and since my folks didn't have the resources, thank goodness for the student loan program.
COLMES: That is Governor Mark Warner, former governor of Virginia, giving the keynote address tonight. You can hear the crowd react. In just a moment, we come back.
Coming up next, Barack Obama strikes back after an ad tries to link him to the former Weather Underground leader William Ayers. Former presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani joins us, coming up in just a moment.
[...]
COLMES: In other election news, an independent group supporting John McCain released an ad last week attacking Barack Obama's ties to former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers. The Obama campaign responded, releasing this brand-new ad in Ohio, let's take a look.
NARRATOR [video clip]: With all our problems, why is John McCain talking about the '60s, trying to link Barack Obama to radical Bill Ayers? McCain knows Obama denounced Ayers' crimes, committed when Obama was just 8 years old. Let's talk about standing up for America today.
COLMES: With us now is former presidential candidate, John McCain supporter Rudy Giuliani.
GIULIANI: Alan, how are you?
COLMES: Mayor, good to have you with us. Are they treating you OK here?

















According to Brit Hume:
"Fox is handling the main web feed here, and it seems that Bill Ayers snuck in some time last night and removed all our cooling fans. The heat from our equipment tripped the Rezko tenement sprinkler system causing TheSurge™ of water which left a low pressure problem in some of the internets tubes for a minute, rendering them unable to catapult the propaganda of the angry and shrill MMfA comment section for a short time."
"Rudy 9iu11iani will join us shortly to discuss why the democrat party is weak on fire defense."
Fox News.
We Report (only what we want you to hear, and. . .)
(We're terribly afraid to let) You Decide.
MMFA cut away from the comments after two minutes.....
I was switching back and forth from MSNBC and Fox. I happened to be on Fox when they cut away from Warner, so I flipped over to MSNBC.
I forget now which channel I was watching but someone ripped Warner for his tepid, "look forward", "not Right or Left" speech. I was pretty amazed at all the banalities and talking points. It was one of those, "why can't we all get along" moments. About the only thing I got from this is that Warner was lucky enough to get in on the bottom floor of the cell phone industry. I found out I like Warner, but thought his speech was more about himself than being a "keynote" speech. All in all, it was dull.
I do remember at the end of Hillary's speech, Olbermann praising the speech, (duh!), then flipping over to Fox to see Bill Crystal opine that she gave the bare minimum to Obama. Reflecting back on it, I agree with Crystal. Her argument seems to be she wants people to vote Democratic even if a woman suffragette like her didn't quite make it. Hillary could have made the same speech if it were John Edwards who had won the nomination.
I also noticed at the beginning of Hillary's speech where she started out saying she was a "proud mother" and a "proud Senator from NY" and some other things she was proud about. Notably absent was "proud wife". Any one else catch that?
"Her argument seems to be she wants people to vote Democratic even if a woman suffragette like her didn't quite make it."
What part of her speech did you twist those words from?
Gov,
It was a joke son. :-) I was referring to her repeated references to the female gender in her speech.
"Reflecting back on it, I agree with Crystal..."
I get it now. Good one!
Billy Crystal was on Focks? Criticizing Clinton?
Doesn't seem in his character.
do remember at the end of Hillary's speech, Olbermann praising the speech, (duh!), then flipping over to Fox to see Bill Crystal opine that she gave the bare minimum to Obama.
Are you suprised? MSNBC and FOX are as partisan as both parties.
I thought she did great job, yesterday. She made it clear that it shouldn't be about her; it is about the people in dire need of healthcare and those seeking to end the occupation in Iraq. Obama is the one to do this, not McCain.
It those Hillary "supporters" who still want to vote for McCain (that is if they are not Republican operatives) can't understand that, then they are idiots.
It those Hillary "supporters" who still want to vote for McCain (that is if they are not Republican operatives) can't understand that, then they are idiots.
And if they ARE Republican operatives, they're also idiots.
I was pretty amazed at all the banalities and talking points. (AA)
You should try reading any one of your comments at this site.
I also noticed at the beginning of Hillary's speech where she started out saying she was a "proud mother" and a "proud Senator from NY" and some other things she was proud about. Notably absent was "proud wife". Any one else catch that?
I noticed that at no time today have you ever denied that you're a child molester. Tell us, just why is that?
I love repub logic. Absence of evidence is evidence of evidence.
Yeah, you GOOPers think you have a lot to gain if dems don't unite to elect Obama, so you are endlessly fascinated, watching us and over-analyzing anything and everything that gives you a little false HOPE.
HOPE is for us dems this year. You should consider voting for Obama if you want some of the real stuff.
Why tout your coverage of the convention only to not to cover it?
Are they so pressed for time being on the air 24 hours a day that they have to cut away to cover the p***ing contest going on in the gutter?
It is a good point. If you're going to advertise, which I assume they have been doing, convention coverage and then do it by "we'll keep an eye on it for you and you can see it in the background but you really don't want to hear these Democrats anyway, do you?", it's just pandering to their core audience, who are probably tuning in just to hear the Fox pundits tell us all what the speakers are really saying and what they really mean.
Once again, in my opinion, CNN is the best coverage. They have the most balance in speech reactions and the fairest analysis, overall.
I turned on ABC last night just for the heck of it and could only handle about three minutes of their BS. Back to PBS...
I tried all the networks and also came back to PBS. I wanted coverage of the convention! The other networks all seemd to run much more commentary. Not so much podium time. Plus all the time lost to advertising.
ABC_ TELLS US_ that a speaker is giving a real barn burner of a speech... "and now we go to our panel."
Re: Tommy who believes that "CNN is the best coverage"
It''s refreshing to find myself supported by at least four of you (EasytoRefuteWingnuts, Nerzog, Middlelef and Rabbitluvr) who recognize CNN for what it is [" nothing but FOX lite"] and that other than PBS most of the networks are doing a terrible job of covering the DNC! Is it any wonder that our MSM is losing its readership and viewership when it cuts away from what's happening and replaces it with pundit spin? I gag every time Blitzer reminds the viewer of his staff "working the story." I guess that's code for whipping the story into a soecific shape to satisfy his corporate employers. That's not news; that's classic propoganda. And it's remarkably similar to FOX's "no spin zone" which leaves you nauseated with vertigo. Does the viewer really get much insight from Chris Matthews or Pat Buchanan (Limbaugh lite)? It's hard to imagine that anything but a concerted effort that has catapulted so many fools into positions of preeminence in what should be information business. But then again, the point may not be about bringing us the news. It's all infortainment whose purpose is to erode the fabric of a democratic society. However, it's nice to be among those on the internet who probably understand the ancient Latin dictum: illigitimati non carborundum! ;-)
I hope they do bring out Mitt.
Who better to tell us how out of touch the Democrats are to the average middle class voter?
Who's more middle class than Mitt?
elitism is not a matter of money, but of attitude. - sandss981580
That creates a very convenient level of subjectivity for applying the label. It allows the term to be applied to pretty much anyone for any reason.
Not that the right wing would ever apply it for purely political reasons. Heaven forbid.
elitism is not a matter of money, but of attitude
I'm certain that I (and 95% of the posters on this site) am better informed than you. Does that make me an elitist?
Hey Fog, tThis is from Webster, since you would not accept the others Again, does not talk about money!!! Obama fits #3,
Main Entry: elit·ism Pronunciation: \ā-ˈlē-ˌti-zəm, i-, ē-\ Function: noun Date: 1947 1: leadership or rule by an elite2: the selectivity of the elite; especially : snobbery <elitism in choosing new members>3: consciousness of being or belonging to an elite— elit·ist \-ˈlē-tist\ noun or adjective
Like hundreds of millions of modern Americans, McCain comes from a long line of four-star admirals, attended Annapolis himself and dumped a sick wife to marry a vastly wealthy girl. He now lives in eight million-dollar houses and calls his wife "trollop" when things get a little dull around the house(s). These undisputed facts show that McCain is just like everyone else.
Attempting to twist a well-understood word like "elite" so the revised meaning favors your argument, that elitism is a matter of attitude, is a propaganda tactic. I, for one, am tired of RW propaganda.
Who's more middle class than Mitt?
Most of America.
Yeah, like a judge ruling that the White House must comply with Congressional subpoenas. Reckon FOX will cover that? DOH!
"There are many happenings going on in the political world right now"?
Nope there's one.
To say or do anything to preserve the status quo. The media is now standing between the voters and any kind of chance for change.
Is Fox News doing the dirty work for this administration?
Hey. Someone is saying something worth listening to, and it's intelligent.
QUICK! LOOK! OBAMA AND AYERS! OBAMA SUPPORTED AYERS WHEN HE WAS BOMBING BUILDINGS! NEVER MIND THAT HE WAS 8 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME... THAT. MEANS. NOTHING! AYERS! AYERS! AYERS! AYERS!
Now back to our convention coverage and commentary from Rudy G who can only speak about one thing, 9/11.
Yes, and we can all rest assured that there will be no democratic commentary on the republican convention.
Doh!
Well then, time for the right wing to explain McCain's terrorist and Mafia connections...
Jim Hensley vs. Bill Ayers
Felony Convictions: Hensley 1, Ayers 0.
Comment: In 1948, Hensley was given a six-month suspended sentence for falsifying liquor records to conceal illegal distribution of whiskey against post-war rationing regulations. Ayers has never been convicted of a felony.
Connections with Organized Crime: Hensley 2. Ayers 0.
Comment: Hensley and his brother were the owners of Ruidoso Downs racetrack, along with "silent partner" Clarence "Teak" Baldwin who had been banned from any ownership role due to illegal bookmaking activities. Long-time business associate Kemper Marley, Sr. was also connected with organized crime.
Illegally Acquired Liquor Licenses: Hensley 1, Ayers 0.
Comments: Hensley acquired a liquor license in Arizona despite the fact that he was not allowed to have one due to being a felon.
Killings Connected With: Hensley 21,000, Ayers 4.
Comment: While neither Hensley nor Ayers have personally murdered anyone, both were heavily involved with organizations that caused the deaths of others. For Ayers, that organization was the Weatherman. For Hensley that organization was Anheuser-Busch. In 2007, Arizona reported more than 700 alcohol-related deaths. Conservatively putting the average number of alcohol-related deaths in Arizona at 400, Hensley has been responsible for the deaths of more than 20,000 Arizonans. And while Budweiser cannot be blamed for each death, it is clearly a gateway drug to harder types of alcohol, thus culpability is Hensley's.
Divorces: Hensley 1, Ayers 0.
Comments: Like his son-in-law, Hensley divorced his first wife after having an affair and remarrying. Ayers has been married to Bernardine Dohrn for nearly 40 years.
Abandoned Children: Hensley 1, Ayers -1
Comments: Hensley abandoned his first child, Kathleen Portalski. Ayers and Dohrn raised two of their own children and adopted a third.
As anyone can see from the plain facts, Jim Hensley was far more dangerous man than Ayers has ever been, and profited wildly from his illicit activities. It is time for John McCain to stand up and explain his ties with the felon Jim Hensley.
Snoop, people should know about Jim Hensley, John McCain's father-in-law-, because it was Hensley who first put McCain in office. Hensley was an associate and front man for a big wheel Arizona guy with mob ties by the name of Kemper Marley. Hensley obtained his fortune, his Budweiser distributorship which is now Cindy McCain's, through Marley. In 1976 when a reporter named Dan Bolles was investigating Marley and his shady dealings, of which Jim Hensley and his brother had many, Bolles was murdered, blown up in his car. The hit man said the two men who hired him told him it was Marley, Hensley's benefactor, who wanted him killed. Marley skated free however. Read these pieces for more info...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/19/14448/7723
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/17/1520/13390/56/458621
People should really know about John McCain's connections and who vaulted him into politics. I'm tired of hearing people ask if we know enough about Barack Obama. Do people know enough about John McCain?
magnolia,
I'm not disagreeing with your thoughts on the Obama/Ayers connection or non-connection. But...
Defending Obama with the "he was only 8 yrs. old" when Ayers was a mad bomber argument is a non-starter. Just because he didn't carry bombs with Ayers or drive the getaway car...doesn't mean that he couldn't have been influenced by the later teachings of Ayers.
... doesn't mean that he couldn't have been influenced by the later teachings of Ayers. - Wesley
No, but shouldn't we actually have some reason to suspect that influence? Given that there is nothing in Obama's history, words or actions that could lead one to such a conclusion would seem to negate such suspicion.
I'm not disputing your point or logic.
The only point I'm making is that the "8 years old" defense doesn't fit the argument.
Just because he didn't carry bombs with Ayers or drive the getaway car
What bomb did Ayers plant?
Hello friends, I thought Hillery was great and helped unite us with Sen Obama leading us onward...
To what I thought was the point of this thread:
I am VERY concerned that the information in the papers released to the media WILL prove harmful to our candidate. Our party is protesting WAY TO MUCH for these to be "nothing". If indeed, as I hope, there is no evidence of wrong doing or money manipulations, then why not just address the issue with our own commercial? Why do we, the party of the common people, want to "look" as though we are hiding womething. Whether we here at MMA want it to or not, this story is out there... It is NOT going away until our side clears the air. Even if this is all Rebup lies, as I hope it is, we are not "acting" like it imho.
Comments?