MSNBC "Pressuring President Obama From The Left": NYT

New York Times:

This is how it looks to have a television network pressuring President Obama from the left.

While much attention has been paid to the feud between the Fox News Channel and the White House, the Obama administration is now facing criticism of a different sort from Ms. Maddow, Keith Olbermann and other progressive hosts on MSNBC, who are using their nightly news-and-views-casts to measure what she calls "the distance between Obama's rhetoric and his actions."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Emerald1943]

Rachel is a breath of fresh air after years of constant right-wing "news" on the other channels. Rachel is one of the brightest and best! She has none of the CNN news' condescending tone and her work exposing corruption in Congress on BOTH sides of the aisle is invaluable. I hope she continues to shine a bright light on the C Street "Family"! I became a fan during the campaign last fall when CNN went over to "the dark side". It's great to have somebody on cable news tell us the truth!

[noaxe397]

This article sort of blows a hole in that whole liberal media bias theory the right like to always point to.

There is nothing wrong with news stations having a bias, left or right. As long as they are neutral.

That's the big difference between liberal biased media and conservative biased media.

Liberal biased media calls'em out on both sides when they do something wrong, as this article states, and so fits the description of neutral.

Conservative biased media only goes after liberals (to the point of selectively editing tape) and gives conservative wrong doing a pass. And, if not an outright pass, then a little "tsk,tsk" let's move on.
But you would NEVER see conservative media call out conservative wrong doing on a night by night consistent and on going basis the way this article describes RM as doing on health care with liberals.

And, since we sometimes refer to media as "the refs," isn't it critical that the refs remain neutral? I'm sure in sports there are on field officials with a preference for one team over the other (a bias) but they apply the rules fairly to both sides (neutral.)

[Rharte]

It's seems everyone today wants to "speak truth to power". That's what Glenn Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Dobbs, Olbermann, Schultz, and yes, Maddow claim they are doing. To be fair, some of them have their heart in the right place (and I'm not talking Faux news).

But simply illustrating what Obama isn't doing or how he is weak isn't enough in my book. It helps if they sometimes EXPLORE WHY IT IS THAT OBAMA IS HAVING A HARD TIME ADVANCING HIS AGENDA.

I'm sorry but only taking your news from the usual suspects (Keith, Rachel, Schultz) and then heading over to HP to opine does NOT make anyone a liberal. I know there are many die-hard keith and rachel fans who are easily swayed by what they hear from 6-11pm but honestly that really doesn't make you any different from the poor saps on the other side who watch Faux News from 5-11pm.

[Aerows]

We need people like Rachel Maddow to continue speaking truth to power. Yes, Obama is getting pushed from the left. The right is trying to run him completely down, and somebody needs to push from the left to at least keep him standing.

[Rharte]

It's easy to "speak truth to power" when you really don't have to do much but offer criticism. It's seems everyone today wants to "speak truth to power". That's what Glenn Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Dobbs, Olbermann, Schultz, and yes, Maddow claim they are doing. Some with good intentions, while others with hate.

Simply illustrating what Obama isn't doing isn't enough in my book. It helps if they sometimes explore why it is that Obama is having such a hard time advancing his agenda.

[Okieborn]

Someone needs to get the ship of Hope and change out of port !!!

[Lulubelle1]

Obama's getting pushed so hard from the right that someone has to push from the left just to keep him in the same place.

Works for me. Keep it up.

[Dhammi]

Gotta admit - Rachel is very good at having facts checked. She is also not afraid to admit when she has made an error. Bravo Rachel - keep up the good work.

[jsgaetano]

If Fox were even half as good as Rachel at fact checking, they might have a shred of credibility.

But then again, everyone knows reality is liberally biased.

[ohmetoo]

If Fox were even half as good as Rachel at fact checking, they might have a shred of credibility.

Yes but they wouldn't have enough material for an entire show!

[MarieNat]

I think this is true, actually. Whether or not you agree with the tactic, it certainly seems to be the case that progressives would like the president to go farther and faster on a lot of issues. I think it's a healthy tension myself, even though I don't agree in many respects with the need for this "instant gratification crap" to quote Chris Matthews.

[MED1025]

First they were fawning cheerleaders, now their left wing attack dogs? Which is it? They should call Obama out when his actions don't measure up to his rhetoric.

[skymuffin]

Uh, that's what they're doing.

[madcat007]

They were never fawning cheerleaders. That was your right wing web sites and tv making those claims and since none of you will watch anything but Faux, you wouldn't know for yourselves. However there's sentiment within MSNBC that Obama sure beats what just the WH! Just because Faux never called out Bush for his rhetoric doesn't mean the MSNBC folks are doing the same. They are actually doing what you're supposed to do regardless of who is in power.

[formerroadie]

You go Maddow and Olbermann. We need progressive voices in the media and it's about time we got them.

[Kevin Ehsani]

ed schultz is awesome, too!

[RJII]

Rachel and Keith's show are becoming consumed with talking about the daily baf00nery of the right. Tonight they spent way too much time (felt like the bulk of their shows) badgering Sarah Palins du mb book.

A little banter is fun, but lets talk more about issues that really count-- not the latest Michael Steele hip hop lunacy.

They are becoming to divisive to me. Both within the dem party and among the parties. Morning Joe and now the Ed Show are the worst.

I still kinda watch, but I look forward to Sunday's with Fareed Zakeria and Christine Amanpour on CNN. Plus, they don't have the same rotating Beltway talking heads on each week.

[jsgaetano]

If the right doesn't want to be portrayed as buf00ns, they should stop acting like buf00ns.

We all know that's not going to happen anytime soon, though.

[RJII]

the gift that keeps on giving. I wish someone would put together an annual Greatest GOP Bloppers video- great for cocktail parties.

[water57]

These commentators think they are doing the progressive a favor by holding their water for them. However, I see some of their bias efforts as igniting a civil war within democrat party with the progressives and the rest of the democrat party ( I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BLUE DOGS ). Modern history will show there has never been a progressive to win the house. The true of the matter, Obama has a wide base that is made up of different groups all claiming individual responsibility for putting Obama in the white house. Fact, most of these groups will not support a progressive presidential candidate. The country has proved they want to be lead from center right. Bill Clinton had to move to the center to win a second term. Their bias efforts are starting to resemble the tea bags efforts to purge modern republicans out of the party, and just like the tea bags they will verbally attack any democrats that does not think like them. In the near future, democrats will destroy other democrats to win the ideological war just like the republicans. The people in middle whether they are democrats or republicans have no place to go in TV land or radio. At one time, I did support the progressives goals, but I do not any more. This is not pressuring this is attacking the president of their own party. When I did watched the Ed show, I thought I was watching the Glen Beck show.

[CrzyRussell]

You can see it happening here on this website every day

[dagnew]

True.

[RJII]

agreed

[Tim303]

Evidence that we want to be run from the center right. Apart from having heard it once or twice on TV.

[madcat007]

Um no. Just because you and your pals want the country towards the right is not proof that, that is how it is. Times are changing. Particularly since the "right" has become the party of regression, not even the status quo. People are more open-minded. Bush was the worst president of all time and you think the masses want to return to that? Furthermore, I've never seen Maddow or Olbermann attack Obama as you claim, but they sure are holding his feet to the fire for promises made. That's their job. They don't work for the Democratic Party.

[ScarlettGA]

I agree with you. I'm glad that someone is trying to hold Obama to keeping the promises that he made.

[greysells2]

eminder to the press - "you ar enot THE story; you job is to WRITE ABOUT the story.

[mediamarv]

NYT, tirelessly bringing us the obvious for decades now.

An original thought would be refreshing...

[Jannsmoor]

Let me see if I get this straight. If the right wing makes up unbelieveable lies (death panels, privatization of social security, WMD in Iraq) that's 'fair and balanced' but if someone reports something resembling the truth - it's pressuring the administration to the left? Sounds about right.

[formerroadie]

Yup, that's how it works now for some reason. I say you go Maddow and Olbermann. Give um hell!

[skymuffin]

Yes, we have gone down the rabbit hole. Up is down and right is wrong and the chess pieces can walk about the chess board.

[madcat007]

Since Faux is an arm of the republican party, minions assume that MSNBC is part of the Democratic Party, and should follow the company line. Rachel, Keith and even Ed actually know how to do "fair and balanced" reporting! Matthews? Not so much.