Arianna, you are just touching the surface when you say the circus jumped on this again. You have a major up hill battle on your hands considering that the circus is so uniform in it's message. Maybe you should drop a line to Jon Stewart and Bill Maher and ask them to devote a lot of their programming to helping you get the message to the public. Since a lot of people get their info from people like these two, we need all of the help we can get. The election is coming and there are a lot of people that do not visit your site. Some editorials about having your sane visitors help get the message to all of those who tune out all news or tune in the wrong programs like right talk radio and fox(gage) news. We are taking on the machine when we go against the republicans and we have few national voices. Hey, maybe air america could help to get people to talk to their neighbors and co-workers.
Sunday Roundup
This week, the Rev. Wright circus came back to town, and the media reacted like a giddy five year-old, giving his clownish act -- and Obama's acrobatic effort to avoid falling off the high wire -- wall-to-wall coverage. Getting far less airtime was the fact that April was the deadliest month in Iraq for US troops since September 2007. Fittingly, we also saw the 5th anniversary of "Mission Accomplished" -- which produced the quote of the week from Dana Perino: "President Bush is well aware that the banner should have been much more specific and said mission accomplished for these sailors who are on this ship on their mission." I'm surprised she didn't tack on "...for the next five seconds; after that, all bets are off."
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Arianna - I really do admire you as a person and what you've created here at Huffington Post. My question is, why aren't you leading the call for Impeachment Hearings of this totally corrupt and criminal administration? More than anything Americans really, really need to address what's happened in and to our country since George Bush and Dick Cheney assumed power over seven years ago. Once this issue is addressed everything else follows. Until this issue is addressed nothing else matters and nothing else makes sense, or to put it another way everything currently going wrong with our nation stems from the incredible distortions stemming from the highest office in the land. This is so obvious that it pains me to have to point this out to someone of your intelligence and awareness. Please do something....!
Admittedly, the administration is totally corrupt and criminal. Expecting impeachment implies the other two branches function as checks and balances. Other wishful thinking includes heroic assumptions about law enforcement and fair elections.
The government controls the information fed the public by the pliant mass media. Who has the will and the power to impeach the highly placed perpetrators? Always, we should remember the nuclear weapons are in their hands. Innocent Americans are not that much different from ordinary Iranians.
We vaporize quickly.
That is a stunning quote from Perino. If I remember correctly the aircraft carrier was off the coast of California, and their mission was to provide a backdrop for a Bush photo-op.
"I'm surprised she didn't tack on "...for the next five seconds; after that, all bets are off."
Or another way to look at it ~ Mission Accomplished on this ship, with these sailors & media crews & and hopefully the Iraqis who will agree and we all can, then, snuggle together eat ice cream & cake and wait for the sunrise!
The entire Clinton campaign has zero class. Get them off the stage.
James Carville: "If she gave him one of her cojones, they'd both have two."
I hope this ends all whining about sexism from the Clinton camp. All gutter comments about Hillary's vagina are fair game, after this. Unfortunately. Not a good day for feminists.
Indiana and North Carolina voters, end this now. Please.
Vote Obama. For civilization.
Great post! I like it when I discover esteem in writings!
Why, oh why, is MSNBC showing an hour long "special" on Rev. Wright everyday since Friday night? This is totally biased. And just before 2 big primaries. How can the American people let such nonsense try, and I mean try, to control the outcome of this election? MSNBC has gotten so bad and one-sided, constantly, all day long, day in and day, assaulting Senator Obama, that I only tune in to watch Keith Olberman and then immediately turn to a movie or read the Huffington Post.
Hillary has turned the media into a sideshow and we are letting it happen.
That is right, we are letting it happen. And why do you think that MSNBC is going nonstop at J. Wright, who btw, is not a baffoon. He is right now, hurting Obama but until you have his history then you can't talk. I wish he would take a rest...maybe the MSM could get their feet on the ground and report something that has some substance. (well I can dream, can't I). The MSM has manipulated and controlled everything about this campaign from the start.....It is disgusting, dinengenuous and dishonest. They know who they want. The ones with integrity don't have the guts to say it like it really should be said...might lose their fancy digs, duds and hair stylists. I am embarrassed that America loves to sop up the slop that comes out of these people and will believe them.
It is unfortunate that no one posted an article about Bill Moyer's critique of the press coverage of Wright. In light of their love affair to cover this story...even now MSNBC's Abrams special of the story on the story on the story., Russert spent almost 20 minutes this morning on it I counted a total of upwards of 17 articles still fixated on Wright, as well as other racially slanted tinged statements. It is a sad state of affairs with the press, as Bill Moyers stated. See Moyers: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/05022008/watch.html
I am new to blogs and the internet, but I am so glad to be getting infor from sources other than corporate media. I applaud Arianna for presenting some balance here, but I worry not enough people are getting it. I wish she would get even tougher on some, especially somebody like Chris Matthew. I used to watch his show, and now I know he is just a very bad person who should not be allowed to influence anyone's opinions. In 2003 (direct quote): "AMERICANS LIKE HAVING A GUY AS PRESIDENT, A GUY WITH A LITTLE SWAGGER. THE WOMEN LIKE THIS WAR. I THINK WE LIKE HAVING A HERO AS OUR PRESIDENT. WE'RE NOT LIKE THE BRITS." Why the hell is he still making five million a year to dispense his propaganda? Because not enough people are allowed alternatives.
How far is ABC willing to go to get Hilliary nominated?A onesided disscusion,wrapped up in a phony debate like format,hosted by her favorite ABC stooge.
Plus they are going to give her a free hour long add tomorrow to use in Indiana and NC.
What has Rev. Wright got to do with your life or life as you know it? You would have never heard of Rev. Wright but for the swift boat tactics of Billary and McBush.
I totally agree with "happyfeelin" !!!
http://www.thefaithdebate.com
http://www.thefaithdebate.com
http://www.thefaithdebate.com
People, you are not listening.
I know it is extremely hard to believe, but if you think Pastor Wright is a nutcase, then you have been had by the media.
If you ever wondered how propaganda could actually fool intelligent people, you need to view the videos of the two sermons and Wright's recent three appearances. If most of you aren't disgusted at yourself for having been taken in by the media repetition of the big lie about Wright, then I'll eat my hat.
Since the media have the biggest loud speaker, we will all have to work together to out shout it.
It would really help if you would all take the time to listen to what Wright actually said. Then join the cause to shout down the propaganda.
I don't think Rev Wright is a nut; he's just an angry man who has a lot of experiences that are horrible to discuss and used his 15 minutes to do it. This man clearly has an education and experiences that is extremely impressive. He's also clearly experienced as well as had a lot of hate in his past that he experienced as a black man as well as a minister and church leader to deal with. He was an upstander during South African apartheid (the United Church of Christ was founded by abolishonists). He's a man of the 1950's and 60's...Civil Rights leader/minister. More outspoken than Jesse or Rev Al, and quite an upstart, saying things that most blacks simply are to polite to talk about unless its done intellectually (think Dr. Cornel West). What he said about Aids is what my white friends (gay and straight) said about Reagan not saying the word AIDS as it ravenged the gay community (and when it started killing straight people who got blood transfusions that were of the wealthy elite, he had to start talking about it). I think he's smart, but I still think that he used a poor timing choice to raise these issues in the manner in which he chose to do, using the cover of the black church as a buffer.
The Media didn't denounce Wright, Obama did.
In some churches ans synogues we hear the hierarchs preach some politics and social issues-- if these political and social issues have any relevant connection to the lives of the congregants-- then it's all right when spewed in the proper context up at the altar.. it all has to relate to the everyday lives of human beings... it has to be couched in empathetic terms- not angry rhetoric-- none of us has any use for our pastors and rabbis talking angrily-- they are not political reactionaries nor are they revolutionaries-- they should all be wise men like Moses, God, and Jesus.
I'm sure none of us can think of any examples of Moses or Jesus reacting angrily to a situation.
*cough* Golden Calf *cough*
*cough* Money changers *cough*
So 30 days of the most reverend wright is enough for Ms Huffington?
The rest of us must be quicker learners than Obuma; it took him 20 years.
Yes, screw gas prices, and inflation. This is the really important issue. You probably voted for Bush.
It's kind of too bad that the Sunday Roundup is posted and then the best stuff of the week comes out later that Sunday.
Arianna once again liberals say conservatives take things out of context. well Mission Accomplished is taken out of context. That sign was for that particular ship, which I might add was in San Diego harbor when that picture and video was produced. The sailors put the sign put the sign up because their mission was accomplished. They were going home after 6 months at sea. It had nothing to do with the war. It did not mean the war was over, it just simply ment their mission was accomplished.
Hey Raymondf, are you just being satirical OR
just what IS the Kool-Aid Flavor of the Month?
And no thanks, I'll stick with my Smartassacola.
You watch billo too I see.
You must be kidding. The Administration orchestrated this. Mission Accomplished stated that combat missions in Iraq were over. If you belive the Dana Perino spin, you are certainly among the under informed and easily fooled.
I don't remember seeing that on the sign you must have a lot better eye sight than me, of course you probably do since I'm 65 years old.
You mean San Diego harbor which wasn't even visible in the picture, because the video was shot to make it appear the ship was still out to sea? You mean the sailors who were held out at sea an extra day so Chimpy could make his entrance at sunset? You mean the personnel on board who were all color coordinated like a beauty pageant? So why was the banner in every picture if it didn't have anything to do with the war? Why did Chimpy use that exact phrase "mission accomplished" a few days later? If the banner had said something like "Done Deal", I might be convinced it meant the sailors' tours of duty, but "Mission Accomplished"? It makes no sense.
You got it.
The White House has already admitted that they printed and put up the sign. The sailors did not the white house advance team did. So I guess you are one of the 27% that think Bush is doing a great job. Well I am one of the majority that thinks he and his white house are lairs and that sign just proofs my point
I love the way you guys spin....LOL!
Obama '08!
I think Obama has been looking for a father figure all his life. He found it in Reverend Wright, who would have shown himself as a ranting fool to any discerning intellect after just a few encounters. Wright's charisma is unsavory, and his rhetorical flourishes insult the intelligence, although I give him that he could be a hoot on the Comedy Channel as a parody of himself. Obama's other friends, and his wife, are so far left of my comfort zone (though I tend to vote left) that I would encourage others to take a look at what he actually says. His abstract talk that repeats the slogans -- "change," "hope," "special interests," "what this campaign is about," and "who I am," -- causes me to wonder if his mind is mired in abstractions, ideals, and dialectics, rather than wired for specifics, pragmatic solutions, and clarity of focus. Outside a written speech, he seems inept at delivering anything memorable extemporaneously. Someone today suggested that his self-centering speech is full of "adolescent grandiosity," and perhaps that is why he attracts the very young.
Please read my reply to booksnmore4you below, but I will again echo what the summation of my comments are here:
The time spent on Rev Wright is nonsense if its not helping families of all races who faced foreclosure today and kept them from losing their homes then it's a waste of time and discussion for us.
So what do you thing of Hillary Clinton's speaches?
Eugene Rivers has explained that Obama was not always in church, and that the several minutes of soundbites continually played by the media obviously do not equate to twenty years, noting that Wright's 30-year body of sermons had been gone through by the media and that they had been unable to find any other controversial statements in them.
Rivers has also explained the motivation of Obama in attending the church and relating with Wright, noting such things as
--Obama was only twenty-four when he met Wright
--Obama at the time was struggling with his personal identity as a bi-racial person, half-Black people yet never having opportunity to understand black culture
--Obama's father had abandoned him at age two and that he never had a father-figure in his life and that he as a twenty-four-year-old may have seen this some in Wright
--Obama felt a loyalty to Wright because of the early positive influence Wright had in his life in helping Obama work through these issues
Rivers has described all this as "deeply personal and complex" for Obama. I think any reasonable person would wholly agree.
You are a reasonable person...these "over-explaining intellectualists" are what's wrong. Simply put, Rev Wright is a non-entity...the reason why its an issue is because the MSM won't let it go and they love having something to loop. We don't need to know what's wrong with Obama (nothing) or Wright...Simply put, Obama is having a diffucult time explaining to rural America about this angry old black man. When my dad called my white friends names (and when you're from NYC, everyone can become a nickname of ethnic/racial slur depending on the generation of your parentage and their experiences). I was angry why my dad did it, and he's dead, but he's a bit older than Rev Wright (would have been 78 if he were alive today). We need to get past this exploration of Obama/Wright and really realize that the issue of race in this country is a matter of several things...all of which we can move past if we spend more time facing what we have in common and less time in anger or exploration over nonsense. The time spent on Rev Wright is nonsense if its not helping families of all races who faced foreclosure today and kept them from losing their homes.
Dana Perino: "President Bush is well aware that the banner should have been much more specific and said mission accomplished for these sailors who are on this ship on their mission."
Dana, come on, now you've just gone too far. I almost fell out of my seat. Are you actually saying that the banner of "Mission Accomplished" was only for the soldiers on that specific ship? My 5 year old niece makes up better stories. How can you deliver this tripe with straight face? What about the part when Bush said, "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended"? Oh, that was also just for the soldiers on that ship too. Mmmhmm. Ugh. So weak, so weak Dana.
They do try hard, don't they?
Posted May 3, 2008 | 03:23 PM (EST)