Media crop Krzyzewski's comments on Obama's NCAA picks, leaving out his praise of Obama
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SUMMARY: On Special Report, Bret Baier stated: "Following news Mr. Obama picked North Carolina to win the NCAA championship, rival coach [Mike] Krzyzewski responded: 'Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets.' " But Baier -- and other media figures -- did not report Krzyzewski's following comment in which he praised Obama, saying in part, "I love the guy, and I think he's gonna be great."
On the March 19 edition of Fox News' Special Report, host Bret Baier cropped comments from Duke University men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski to suggest that Krzyzewski was criticizing President Obama following Obama's interview with ESPN's Andy Katz, during which Obama filled out his bracket for the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Baier stated: "Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has a message for President Obama: Keep your day job. Following news Mr. Obama picked North Carolina to win the NCAA championship, rival coach Krzyzewski responded: 'Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets.' " But as video of Krzyzewski's comments indicates, he was smiling when he made the remark and laughter can be heard in response, emphasizing the tongue-in-cheek nature of his comments. Moreover, Baier did not report Krzyzewski's following comment in which he praised Obama, saying in part, "I love the guy, and I think he's gonna be great."
During a March 18 press conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, prior to Duke's first-round game in the NCAA tournament, Krzyzewski said:
Somebody said that, you know, we're not in President Obama's Final Four, you know. And as much as I respect what he's doing, really, you know, the economy is something that he should focus on, you know, probably more than the brackets. And -- so why would I care about that? I love the guy, and I think he's gonna be great. But -- I love the fact that so many people are filling them out because the game is growing so much.
Other media figures similarly suggested Krzyzewski was criticizing Obama by omitting Krzyzewski's statement of praise, including:
- Time editor-at-large Mark Halperin wrote in a March 19 post to his site, The Page, that "Krzyzewski says the president should spend his time on the economy, not the NCAA bracket."
- During the 11 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on March 19, anchor Peter Alexander stated that Obama is "getting hard hit by the Republicans for filling out his brackets, picking North Carolina, which has the Duke coach, Coach Krzyzewski, basically saying, 'You know, maybe you should focus on the economy and less on your college basketball picks,' which -- a lot of Republican congresspeople have supported that thought."
- On the March 19 edition of his Fox News show, Sean Hannity said Obama's interview "caught the attention of many Americans who feel he should be focusing on more important things, especially during his workday. And one of those critics is a familiar face to the college basketball world, the legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski." Hannity then aired a clip of the same cropped Krzyzewski comment Baier read.
- On the March 19 edition of Fox News' On the Record, host Greta Van Susteren cited Krzyzewski as "one of the big names slamming the president" for his ESPN interview. Van Susteren stated that Krzyzewski "says the president shouldn't be wasting his time discussing basketball, he should be focusing on the economy."
From the March 19 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier:
BAIER: Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has a message for President Obama: Keep your day job. Following news Mr. Obama picked North Carolina to win the NCAA championship, rival coach Krzyzewski responded: "Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets."
Mr. Obama shared his tournament picks and completed bracket with ESPN Tuesday. The First Fan threw a challenge the North Carolina team, saying, "For all the Tar Heels who are watching, I picked you last year -- you let me down. This year, don't embarrass me in front of the nation, all right?"
From the 11 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on March 19:
ALEXANDER: Give us a sense then, if you can -- I mean, we saw just a moment ago his dancing with Ellen. But right now, he's getting hard hit by the Republicans for filling out his brackets, picking North Carolina, which has the Duke coach, Coach Krzyzewski, basically saying, "You know, maybe you should focus on the economy and less on your college basketball picks," which -- a lot of Republican congresspeople have supported that thought. Then he's showing up on Leno. So, what's the -- I mean, you know, isn't there some potential that tomorrow we all look at this and say, "Mm -- bad call," and it just goes all the wrong direction?
From the March 19 edition of Fox News' Hannity:
HANNITY: The economy is in crisis and tensions are rising in hot spots all over the world, but what is keeping President Obama busy? Filling out his NCAA bracket, of course. Now, earlier this week, the president granted an exclusive interview to ESPN's Andy Katz to discuss some of the most pressing questions of our time, like who is in his Final Four.
Now, the interview took place in the historic Map Room of the White House, where Franklin Roosevelt monitored the developments of World War II. Mr. Obama's use of the room wasn't exactly for matters of war and peace, and he's caught the attention of many Americans who feel he should be focusing on more important things, especially during his workday. And one of those critics is a familiar face to the college basketball world, the legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. At a press conference yesterday, Coach K told reporters this.
KRZYZEWSKI [video clip]: Somebody said that, you know, we're not in President Obama's Final Four, you know. And as much as I respect what he's doing, really, you know, the economy is something that he should focus on, you know, probably more than the brackets.
HANNITY: Now, does President Obama ever work? Ever? I don't see it. And by the way, just a reminder, Mr. President: You said that you wanted the American people to hold you accountable, right? Well, if your first two months in office are any indication of what is yet to come, you may be in the final four years of your presidency.
From the March 19 edition of Fox News' On the Record with Greta Van Susteren:
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, some are slamming President Obama for appearing on a late-night comedy show in the middle of an economic crisis. He's also getting slammed by some for going on TV to talk about his NCAA basketball tournament picks. Who is one of the big names slamming the president? Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. He says the president shouldn't be wasting his time discussing basketball, he should be focusing on the economy.
I love it when one of Hannity's writers place a truly inane piece of gratuitous and irrelevant word-play into his notes. They must really hate the man to intentionally make him appear dumber than he already is.
Which is made even funnier because Obama's approval ratings are still pretty darn good. Meaning, if his first 2 months are any indication, we'll see a second term for certain.
I just had an argument with a right winger who has been toting around the "Obama approval ratings are falling hard" line that I've heard recently. I went to Real Clear Politics, where they take an average of the major polling information for approval ratings, and he's still at 60% approval. Down from 65, which is still within the margin of error.
Are you saying that Obama will "pass" this test and his "net" approval numbers will "rebound"? That Hannity is just trying to "court" viewers with more of his "foul" "dribble"? Why, that's "March Madness"....
I love it when you talk "technical."
GW Bush spent the first two months in office learning how to speak english, and that didn't work.
Bush wasn't smart enough to have writers do the speeches and have a teleprompter at every event to avoid the embarassing slip-ups.
Whatever happened to President's that could carry an intelligent conversation without ghost writers and teleprompters?
One happened yesterday, in LA.
I commented on this yesterday- At the end of Obama'a picks, the interviewer asked if the board was going on his trip and Obama said 'No, we've got more important things to do'.
It would be funny if MMFA started to misquote Hannity. That would set off a flurry of angry boys and girls over there at FOX.
Coach K was joking becuase the President picked his team to lose. I heard Limbaugh and Hannity attempt to create controversy...by not playng the entire clip and by not providing the correct context of the coach's comment. It gets sillier and siller every day...it's just non-stop Obama bashing. When they have to resort to stuff like this they should give up and get with the program.
Yeah, because MMfA puts comment in context, and Limbaugh and Hannity do not.
On my local evening news yesterday they played the edited clip and then the reporter shook her head and said, "Harsh words...."
I emailed her to tell her, nicely, that she took Krzyzewski out of context and she replied, "I was merely reading a script written by a producer, with a soundbite chosen by a producer."
I wonder how many local newreaders across the country played the same misleading soundbite and read a similar misleading script.
Of course, she just had to pass the buck on to her producer. Pathetic excuse.
According to Craig's lovely correspondent:
Yeah, and Lance Corporal Shickelgruber said, "I was merely dropping Zyklon B provided by my captain, into a 'shower' selected by the sergeant." I win the Nazi-allusion prize for the evening... :)
But seriously, folks...I know she's simply a bobble-head news-reader, but couldn't we get even a little professional tresponsibility from these people? There's no way in sheol she didn't know the full quote, and therefore know that the script she was going to read was a deliberate misrepresentation of what Krzyzewski meant to say--at best, dissing Obama's bracketology, not the fact that he was engaging in it. Could she not, for professional decency's sake at least, have protested the editorial decisions she was going to present on-air?
Oh. Sorry. I forgot. Corporate-owned media. Forget I asked...
I was reading about FOX's editing of Coach K's clip over at www.Newhounds.us.
According to a comment in their Hannity post, in addition to Baier, Van Sustern and Hannity, the FOX and Friends hosts did the same thing on yesterday's show. Incorrectly reporting Coach K's remark so that they can try and damage Obama is an epidemic over there at FOX.
so that they can try and damage Obama
In a time of war? During a recession? During March Madness?
I am kind of surprised he didn't pick Duke, mostly because Obama's body man, Reggie Love, is a former Duke player. I'm sure he gave him grief because of that.
Cleveland State shocked the world last night!
After covering up for his champion of the previous administration whenever he was on 'vacation" Hannity all of a sudden expects this president to spend his life in the bunker.
As New Orleans drowned, who was playing air guitar in California and then flew to Gramps McCain's birthday bash in Arizona?
Who told the messenger, who interrupted his vacation on August 6, 2001 with the PDB named "Bin Laden Determined To Attack Within the US", "OK you've covered your ass now"?
If that behavior could be explained away by Bush's propagandists on Fox, I don't see how something as menial upsets them so much.
Exactly. The same guys who defended Bush failing to even leave his seat in that classroom on the morning of 9/11 while we were under attack are now OUTRAGED that Obama took 5-10 minutes to make his tournament picks the other night.
Oh, wow. I never looked at it that way. Makes the whole Krzyzewski thing much clearer.
Thanks.
Good job!
I'm always persuaded by a good simpleton analogy?
It's not like he's capable of any other kind. None of 'em are. They're all clueless. It's just a matter of degree.
The kind of people that dies in New Orleans couldn't make it to Washington either. Washington also wasn't under water at the time.
Well, I guess those folks holding the big screens out over their heads were in need of Bush too, huh?
Until you've been on a roof in a major flood, Unreality, I'd withhold judgment about them. Anyone want to bet you've never been any closer to a major natural disaster than your mommy's TV screen?...
Oy Gevalt, did you just fall off the back of the schmuck truck, little reality-challenged fella.
First, you clueless cons try to blame Obama for the incompetence of the bush administration for leavin' the biggest pile of gop-slime incompetence since ya gave us the Great Depression, and now you're trying to pin the rap on him for shrub's screwin' the pooch on Katrina and the cost of his inauguration.
Ya can't think, ya can't spell, ya don't know what day it is, which end is up or what the hell you're talkin' about.
You're right out of a central casting call for clueless cons. I couldn't buy a better punchin' bag than the lunatic-fringe likes of you, and, thanks to you, I don't even have to.
Don't get me wrong. As clueless cons go, it's very thoughtful of ya to present us with such a gift, but, c'mon, ya could at least try.
Christ, make an effort, little fella.
If the government-built levees hadn't failed, the ones who remained wouldn't have been in any trouble.
The poorest people in America didn't travel to DC for the inauguration. Some of the poorest people in America were stuck in New Orleans, afraid to leave their homes and their belongings in dangerous neighborhoods, not knowing when or how they would return, without an easy way to leave town, within any spare money at the end of the month of August!
People who don't have sympathy for the people stuck in New Orleans, or even the people who made what turned out to be a bad choice by staying in N.O. are scum.
And this is when he comes back and tells that they could have just walked out of NO.
I just had this disagreement with another right winger who said I was playing the "victim" card for blaming mismanagement of Katrina on the Bush administration.
Lots of right wingers seem to like throwing that out there, the old "victim" card, which doesn't even make sense 10 times out of 10 that they mention it. As in, if we call them on their BS, we're playing the victim somehow?
Well yeah, you guys blame Bush for not making your burger right. Do you know how many levels of bearocracy is in place and MANY more now that dems are in power.
And all of the nasty, ugly sarcastic twists of words and reality will not change that. Obama is not responsible for getting you out of a catastrophe zone folks!
Ah yes, the dreaded bearocracy. It's like, all I wanted to do was go get some berries, maybe a grub or two. But NOOOOO - "It's not berry season". So I says to myself, I says "Self", I says, "I think I'll scratch my butt on this tree, here". But again, NOOOOOO - the bearocracy tells me that I'm in a no scratching zone. So I asked 'em, can I go down to the stream and catch me a salmon? Sure, they says. But not without a license. And I'm all like "WHAT?!?" And they're all "Yep, it's a new bearocratic rule". So I told them "I'm like so mad, I could take a dump right here!! And they told me I better not, not without a permit.
So if anybody ever again asks "Does a bear crap in the woods?", you can tell them "Not any more, since the bearocracy took over".
By the way, one of the cutest bearocracies was during the first Roosevelt administration -
the "Teddy Bearocracy".
A poster named Reality said "Obama is not responsible for getting you out of a catastrophe zone folks!"
Yes, if he was the President when a large disaster hits any big city, and the city needs to be evacuated, then he and his Adminstration damn sure are responsible for getting everyone out of that catastrophic zone. The federal government is teh only organization that can help.
Just like a massive influx of Federal spending is the only recourse we have to fix the near depression we're in. Despite the fact that Obama would like to reduce the deficit, he has to spend this money to save our economy from a disaster. This catastrophe is too large to ignore. Bush ignored the people in N.O. for several days.
And this is when he comes back and tells that they could have just walked out of NO.
People did try. They were stopped at the bridge by gun-toting deputies.
So possessions are worth YOUR life?
Still suffering from reading comprehension issues I see. Go back and read my post.
Okay, back now? Did you read where I said that if the levees hadn't failed, none of the people would have been killed by floodwaters? And if the floodwaters hadn't hit, those people feared that their homes would have been vandalized, and didn't realize how bad the threat was.
Of course their possessions weren't worth their lives. But being the scum that you are, you imply that these people made that choice, and knew they were making that choice! Is there something lower than scum? Maybe slime mold?
The fact that they stayed to protect their possessions doesn't mean that they knew they were risking their lives. If I thought there was a good chance I'd be safe if I stayed, and a good chance my belongings wouldn't be safe if I left, I could easily make that same decision, and so could almost anyone else.
Slime mold. That should be your new screen name when you get banned again.
not the issue and not even needed. what the news should include is what is relevant and at least a slight attempt to give a little balance to the story.
Did you need more than ", and as much as I respect what he's doing, " to know that Mike Shuhsheffsky looooves your Obama? Please. Especially in a culture that demands short articles and 20 second soundbites, news has to be concise. If they cropped the quote to leave out anything positive he said about Obama, you and MMfA might have a point.
And it is an issue, unless no one is allowed to hold MMfA accountable for what they imply from their posts. It's unreasonable and unnecessary to imply that a news source is biased (even though Fox News CLEARLY IS BIASED) just because they didn't include information that was not necessary and/or was redundant.
"Especially in a culture that demands short articles and 20 second soundbites, news has to be concise."
That's the #1 reason why the 'news business' is going straight into the toilet. It's not even 'news' anymore... it's simply tabloid trash. And who really is to blame for this? The masses who allow themselves to be dumbed-down by it instead of demanding more from the media.
Never ever assume the news from one source only. It is important to know who owns the source you are receiving information from. A good example of this is FOX, who has tentacles everywhere, including the brits and maybe australian sources.
To me, it doesn't matter whether a source is owned by someone in particular or biased, it matters whether it's true or not. just saying.
Ah, no "counterevidence", eh? In other words, as long as you're on the pitcher's mound, you'd prefer to forget about the balls and just count the strikes ya throw.
OK. Got it. No facts. No evidence. No case. No clue. No balls. Just strikes. Sure thing, little fella.
In other words, if ya can't blatantly take stuff out of context in a patently obvious attempt to mislead and/or misinform, make stuff up outta thin air and you are required to confine yourself to the facts and demonstrate that ya can distinguish your sorry butt from third base, you gops are basically screwed.
Hey, ya get no argument from me on that score, sport. Well said. When you're right, you're right.
Nice try. No sale. While I'm sure the lunatic-fringe likes of you would find it a lot easier to stay in the game if we suspend the rules for ya, but that's just not gonna happen.
Clearly, you guys are toast if you're confined to the facts and the bounds of reality, but, nevertheless, that's your problem. Them's the rules. Deal with it.
It's been fun.
Psst... that's not the REAL reason they can't handle him.
I know, it is sad they can't get out of the box they cemented themselves into.
EVEN by the Germans and French?! Who cares???? I know you all want to be Germany and France, but come on!
you should care. the french and the germans are a power in Europe. Germany, for instance is the only tactical capable nation in Europe that stands between the russian and the rest of the continent.. In case you have not noticed, this new guy along with Putin, is rattling sabers over there.
can yopu explain your secoind sentence ? I think you are missing a verb .
and if I may digress from the original topic one more time, there is another country the US should pay close attention to and that is Brasil, very strategic location with a wealth of natural resources besides Ipanema beach and pretty girls.they recently lost their entire rocketry base in one explosion. This is a chance for the US to rebuild CNES and get a foothold on this nation they lost to the french in the 50's..
I would venture to say, wolf, that Unreality is missing a great deal more than that. For example, his mind probably went missing somewhere between Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity...
Hey, easy on the freedom fries there, little lost touch with reality fella.
Ya best take down your 2003 calendar before ya get yourself pulled over and get yourself stuck with a pop field sobriety test.
They may let ya skate when ya prove that ya don't know what day it is, but when you demonstrate that ya don't know who's President or what year it its, you're toast.
They did crop it!! How annoying. Reminds me of how the media fails to mention Obama's low-brow joke at the expense of the handicapped and the Special Olympics. :P
Did they not mention the appology either? Strange, somehow I heard of both. Not so strange, I heard niether on MSM.
Obama's joke wasn't about the Special Olympics. It was about how Obama did not perform up to reasonable standards for an athletic, healthy, non-disabled adult, yet Jay Leno praised his score. It was pointing out that Special Olympians, although they do well for their capabilities, don't do as well as a fully-abled person does. They get praised for less than fully-abled record-breaking performances because that's all they are capable of. Obama shouldn't get praised for his far-less-than-stellar performance.
From now on... I'm leaving this ---> link <--- for all to look at ... it is all anyone needs to know about what FoxNoise and corporate media is all about!
I have nothing much more to say as it pertains to FoxNoise and all other corporate owned media! With very few exceptions on MSNBC.
Free press it is not, as seen on the rachel Maddow show yesterday. As much as she may try to deny, i think the guest was cutoff by the pull the plug censor crowd.
Why not? It's worked for CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronical and the myriad of entrenched liberal media outlets for the last 40 plus years. Nothing to see here folks.
we're in for a long 4 years with media matters showing a very thin skin over the slightest of slights...
and for you fox news haters, due note that today neil cavuto said the president should have a life and it's ok that he shares it with us... and glenn beck, on obama's ill-advised bowling joke, said political correctness is out of control in this country and he should be given a pass... which is fine with media matters since they only target conservatives... perhaps liberal or progressive media matters would be a more honest name for this pathetic enterprise...
Uhh...check the mission statement here, flyboy--this place is about conservative misinformation. I think you're looking for the Media 'Research' Center; you can't miss it--it's the first insane asylum on the right, across from The Rush Limbaugh Discount Oxycontin Outlet...
Haha, because you cannot criticize the chosen one without adding "I love the guy". It's sickening that you liberals don't have the stones to outright tell people how you feel..We love him, but he's a screw up.
How many more daily affirmations does he need from you people? He hates Special Olympic Athletes who are far more heroic than he will ever dream of being, he isn't working so far as I can see...Town Halls and Jay Leno is not going to fix the mess. Oh, that's right, he has the Treasury Dept. full of thieves and cheats to take care of it all.
Hey, so did "Reality" get banned already?
I told you, you should rename yourself Slime Mold next time.
Coach Krzyzewski didn't criticize Obama. He made a joke at Obama's expense, and then explained it was a joke with his praise of Obama.
FoxNews and others pretended it was a criticism, and the only way to do that is to deceptively crop Coach K's comments.
He doesn't hate the Special Olympics. He hates hearing the praise for his 129 bowling score, like he's an Special Olympics athlete for whom a 129 would be something to praise!
What a dignified response. Slime Mold, how fresh and exciting that must of been for you to come up with!! Also, great spin doctoring you're doing as well. He criticized Obama and then followed up like EVERYONE else in the media who has criticized the Chosen one. The comments come out then the qualifier. He's Awesome BUT, I love the guy BUT. It is what it is. Your president is a joke. A punchline.
As if your original post was dignified. You're not really in a position to protest.
It wasn't serious criticism. He's saying he's going to win, that's what coaches do. If Duke had been in his Final Four picks, then some other coach could have made the same commentary. Would that mean that Obama screwed up because he didn't select some other team instead of Duke? Should he have picked twenty teams to make the Final Four, just to be safe?
Pick your battles. Trumping up Coack K's good-natured ribbing only makes you look desperate and dishonest.
Are you smoking crack? His picks themselves were not the issue. The issue is that you people are trying to defend the coach from the comments. There is a heavy punch behind "He needs to be working on the economy" to then have to follow up with an Aww Shucks "But I love the guy".
Come back down to planet Earth, the Oxygen is much better here on the ground.
The issue is the bunch of partisan hacks trying to make hay out of a coach talking up his teams chances. He's saying Obama's picks are poor because his team is going to get to the Final Four. It's not serious criticism to begin with.
As if it wasn't clear, my point was that someone could have made similar comments no matter what teams Obama picked. It doesn't mean anything. That's exactly why the "I love the guy" comment is there, to make that abundantly clear.
dammit, someone stole my paragraphs, again!
"Now, does President Obama ever work? Ever? I don't see it."
I thought the problem was that Obama was trying to do too much at once, since he was dealing with the economy and other bills at the same time. Maybe Hannity and Boehner should compare notes.
Besides that, I seem to recall Bush taking an awful lot of time off. He also ignored the warning of 9/11 instead of going to work on that, and was playing the guitar and giving McCain a birthday cake while Katrina was devastating New Orleans. Now, some would say that Bush can deal with problems and take a few minutes to do those things. By the same token, Obama can deal with problems and spend a few minutes talking to Jay Leno and commenting on college basketball. Let's also remember that Reagan took a lot of vacation time, besides taking naps. If people like Hannity want to put Reagan up on a pedestal as a great leader, then they're admitting that every damn second of the day doesn't have to be focused on making policy.
The real kicker, of course, is that Bush critics supposedly showed signs of "Bush Derangement Syndrome" for complaining about warrantless wiretapping, the outing of Valerie Plame, torture, lies that led us into a war where our soldiers needlessly die, etc. What petty and partisan whining, really. But if Obama takes a couple of minutes to comment on basketball instead of working on the economy, then by God the public is going to hold him accountable in 2012!
Well, YEAH! They had FOUR DAYS! Let's put it THIS way. If the government said a NUKE BOMB was going to hit New Orleans in four days, would folks have done anything different? I'm not so sure. For example, I heard a lady from the local government there complain about this last warning that was issued and nothing happened. THIS is how bright these folks are she said, "The next time citizens will not listen because it might just be another false alarm." Wow.