CNN, Others Using "Fig Leaf" to Justify Whack-Job Coverage

Cable news, it's been noted, is the beast that must be constantly fed.

Lately, it's been on a junk-food diet.

On Howard Kurtz's Reliable Sources, a CNN media-examination show Sunday, one segment was devoted to the coverage of the loony-toon "Birther" alleged story about President Obama's supposedly bogus birth certificate. (The birther "movement" is probably a better noun, since the word "bowel" is interchangeable as the modifier).

Washington Poster Kurtz deserves praise for doing the segment, even though one couldn't help but notice the omission of an inconvenient truth: That his host network, CNN, was one of the chief offenders last week in spreading this psych-ward nonsense.

Maybe some left-wing extremist group should start spreading the rumor that Rush Limbaugh is the love child of Godzilla and the planet Jupiter. Fair and balanced.

Even better: Let's bring back Stephen Colbert's stories about Florida's "half-alligator" extremist GOP Congressman, Bill Posey, one of the nut jobs who've kept the Birther nonsense alive.

Politico's Roger Simon noted that CNN et al used what he calls a "fig leaf" by disclaiming,

"It's a huge story in the media, so we're going to cover it as a media story."

Simon: "That's just an excuse not to act responsibly."

The media acting responsibly? What's that all about?

"There's also a racial element to this story," media commentator Callie Crossley told Kurtz. "They're trying to de-legitimize his presidency."

Lauren Ashburn of USA Today noted that her paper isn't reporting this ridiculous non-story, and went even further, telling Kurtz:

"It's unethical for the media to be putting it front and center."

She also noted correctly that the Birther story is the latest dubious offering from "a cottage industry of conspiracy theorists. Why give voice to that? Why not cover health care and things that need addressing?"

A. Because it kills air time? Because it spikes ratings, even though it causes thoughtful and sober viewers to hold their noses? Because health care is "Bo-ring"? (You can sense that many viewers and their short attention spans are losing interest in getting universal health care passed. Ergo, the conveniently planned Congressional recess. )

"Does this amount to giving air time to flat-earth people?" Kurtz asked about the disgraceful Birther cable-news coverage last week.

Simon: "Yes, it does."

But CNN and MSNBC also went wall-to-wall with Michael Jackson coverage earlier this month when President Obama was in Moscow signing historic nuclear arms control agreements. The bar of journalistic integrity has been lowered to limbo levels.

And, of course, keeping whack job and Birther cheerleader Lou Dobbs on the CNN payroll further sullies the cable-news gene pool. It's also high-profile proof of the low state of cable news.

Maybe someone can promulgate a rumor that coverage of the Birthers by once legitimate news organizations is what really killed Walter Cronkite.

Now, there's a conspiracy theory I could buy into.

Follow Bill Mann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/newsmann

Comments

[RRonin]

One of the reasons old paper birth records have been phased out is because many of them contain data that is irrelevant or offensive.In some localities a newborn could be labelled as BASTARD or ILLEGITEMATE (or the parents described as UNMARRIED. In some states BO's birth cert might have read MULLATO. In a Catholic hospital he might have been described as NON-CATHOLIC (a one way ticket to Hell in an earlier era!). Are those the "good old days" conservatives always prattle about?

[jimsrule]

Walter Cronkite's passing seems sadder than the normal passing of an icon. Sad because it also represents the passing of an era of responsible "journalism". We are losing what little we have left of actual journalism to the tabloid "journalism" being practiced more and more by the networks, and almost exclusively by the cable networks. CNN long ago lost any credibility it had as a down the middle, straight news organization. While I am not accusing them of adopting an ideology, worse, they pander to whatever ideology may drive the days ratings. This is very evident by the coverage of the birthers and other non-stories, as well as anchors like Anerson Cooper. Let's see Walter Cronkite .... Anderson Cooper??? It is a sad time for journalism, and one I fear we will really miss when it is too late. Without a free, responsible and robust press, democracy cannot survive for long.

[Passenger57]

I like how, when the media "looks inward", 9 times out of 10 it talks about "the media" as if they AREN'T the media:
"Yeah, the media just kept believing Bush about WMD and never did any fact-checking..."
"Right, Jim..."
"After the break : the idea that President Obama shouldn't BE president just-won't-go-away...".

[Edward Current]

If you want a solid news show, I recommend American Morning on CNN -- 6 AM ET, 3 AM PT. The first half-hour at least is pretty hardcore news and smart analysis.

I don't think it's a good idea to watch any news program that's been on TV for more than one hour that day.

[mmerose]

Yes, and when are Sarah Palin's 15 minutes going to be up, already? I was appalled at "Michael Jackson Week." The slight distinction of the "birthers" story is that maybe it's not all bad for the rest of us to be reminded how divorced from reality a segment of the political spectrum is.

[JoeSausage]

On CNN it's Michael Jackson Month. I heard that they're turning their Headline News channel into the Michael Jackson Channel.

[DrZero]

I don't think this column is doing anything to end the controversy. Name calling ('birthers' 'wack jobs') and bathroom metaphors ('bm' 'teabaggers') are the new smart commentary we get in the blogosphere?

I sure hope not.

If our American political dialog is going to get out of the gutter some people on both sides are going to have to try ot lift their thinking and writing, even if the other side doesn't respond at first. It's funny but of the dozens of articles condemning the 'birthers' I don't think one has bothered to even acknowledge the long form / short form issue, or the fact that Obama's entire paper trail is hidden, not just the birth certificate.

I personally don't think there is any merit in the "born in Kenya" or "not legally President" aspects of the controversy, but I am equally convinced that Obama has taken great pains to hide much of the paper trail for his background. We know far less about his schooling, draft records, travel records, adoption then we did about similar material for Clinton, Bush, Kerry, McCain and all other major candidates and Presidents.

It would be nice to see someone on the left explore some of this instead of merely throwing scatalogical terms at people from the other side. Perhaps at some point such gracious acknowledgemnet of our political opponents as people, not monsters or morons, might be reciprocated and the political debate in America will start to elevate.

[ReedYoung]

The proper birth certificate by Hawaiian law to prove birth in Hawaii is available to all.
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/has_obamas_birth_certificate_been_disclosed.html

This is not and never was a matter of legitimate speculation from sparse facts. Birthers believe *despite* absolute proof that they're wrong and disrespect is all they deserve.

re: "draft records"

Go compute Barack Obama's age when the Vietnam War ended.

[Feesister]

Hawaii discontinued paper records of birth records, and they are now provided electronically. Thats why an "original" document isn't available (for ANYONE born in Hawaii). Also, two local Hawaii newspapers had the birth announcement of Barack Obama at the time. But, please, don't let the facts get in the way.

[MaryKathO]

If you are so worked up about being 'ignorant' of President Obama's personal history, may I recommend purchasing his AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL memoir, "Dreams From My Father"...all your frightened worrying should be put to rest, as this book contains much of the material you seek. Also, try the web site Factcheck.orgg (non-profit funded by non-partisan group) to look up the answers to these questions. However, since it is apparent that you have no wish to engage in FACT-FINDING of any kind, and wish merely to continue the hysteria, save your $12.99 and just keep listening to Rush, Glenn, Sean, Ann and all the other 'loose screws' out there.

[zanzig]

President Obama had draft records? What adoption? What a completely misleading comment yours has turned out to be with stingers like that hidden in the verbiage.

Amazing that I live in Australia and I have no difficulty accessing information about your President's school records, travel records and his life in general. Mind you, it might be because I can actually read (and in English, too) and have read both his books, and am marginally computer literate despite my advanced age, and can use "the Internets". It is clear that most on the right are lacking in both abilities.

[medici]

Draft records?? The draft ended in the U.S. in 1973, when Barack Obama was 12 years old. Also, see the reply to your entry by ZANZIG.

[powercosmic]

America has arrived at its end, and thank the universe for that.

We have discovered that in order to have a democracy you have to have people who want truth and justice and freedom.

The desire for these means there is no free ride, you have to work hard, be informed, be frugal, take care of yourself, your family, educate yourself, read constantly about history as well as the future, and be an informed citizen with an eye to good policy for the future. You also have to be able to find joy in our everyday mortal lives.

But therein lies the problem, only a small number of Americans want to be all that, the majority are lazy, ignorant, racists, with an axe to grind. All they are about is paralyzing our country with irrational god-talk, irrational racist non-sense, irrational gun-rights spew, and irrational anger.

These dim-wits care nothing about the future, or Freedom, or America, all they want to do is make the world pay for their ignorant, miserable existence by lashing out at nothing.

Obama is YOUR PRESIDENT and there is NOTHING you can do about it.

[longtalldrink]

Well said

[medici]

Powercosmic, I salute you. You have stated some of the main problems that afflict this country very concisely. Thank you!

[glitz]

The best way to get real news is squint...read the feeders running along the bottom of the screen.  Yesterday there were so many interesting feeders under Sanchez..I don't have a clue what the next episode is in the Palin soapopera. 

[ReedYoung]

I think that whole controversy will indeed be remembered as the "birther movement" by most who remember it at all, and for exactly the reason you suggest. Great minds think along similar lines:

http://open.salon.com/blog/mortimer_hayden_smyth/2009/07/22/shocking_report_lou_dobbs_birth_certificate_a_fake
The Birther Movement-- or BM, as it's called for short-- has gotten quite a bit of attention lately, as many small groups and individuals proclaim that President Obama has no US birth certificate. Within the BM, there is a smaller subset of people who realize that a birth certificate actually DOES exist, but who (like me) choose to assume that it is some kind of elaborate forgery.

[2zzday]

Like you! So you think the newspapers that published the birth announcement are in on the conspiracy too? Even WorldNetDaily.com (hardly a liberal site) has pronounced this nonsense as just that.

[ReedYoung]

That whole second paragraph is satire, and quoted from the salon.com article. I single-spaced to indicate that, sorry it isn't clearer, but unfortunately that's about the best I can do since no blockquote or any other html tags allowed in Comments.

I am absolutely not a "birther movement" participant! I mock and deplore it.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/25/757807/-Fire-BM-Exploiter-Lou-Dobbs

[writeon1]

"It's a huge story in the media so we're going to cover it as a media story". What the heck does that even mean? It sounds like when we were kids and wanted to do something stupid that all our friends were supposedly doing and our parents would say "If everyone else was jumping off the bridge would you?" Some of these news outlets make it so easy on themselves, it is much easier to do the nonsense pieces. and spout off the opinion crap rather than actually report thre news. Because then of course they might actually have to do their homework. It is so becoming a joke. http://newsy1.wordpress.com

[jotunloki]

Circular logic.

[littlepuffycloud]

Pretzel logic.

[badnana]

Why would any of these birthers think that Hillary or even John McCain wouldn't have exhausted all avenues to discredit their opponent?? I am truly amazed at the mouth breathers, talking heads included, that try to generate spin on this. It gets a knot in my pantaloons.

[ELS1976]

There you go using logic again.

[hark]

I think ratings and profits drive coverage into the tabloid sewer, and not some corporate conspiracy to keep the people ignorant and stupid. These stories get huge ratings. It's just the way it is.

You can see it on this site - which stories draw the most views, the most comments? It's the tabloid stuff, almost invariably. There has been interest in health care reform, and the Iranian protests drew a huge audience, but by and large, even among progressives, it's the titillating stories that get the biggest response, by far. Alternative energy and global warming, the two biggest challenges facing the world over the 21st century, hardly register on the meter, and half of them are trolls.

I'd venture that more time has been wasted bashing Sarah Palin over the last year than on any other story.

Programming reflects what we as a people want to watch.

[Bocababs]

Ahh...The Corporate Mainstream Media and their foaming at the mouth news stories when there is a Democratic President in the House........

[BushisLiar]

These "news" outlets never allowed any stories to air about Bush's insider trading involving Harken, his grandfather's involvement with the Navi party or Margie Schoedinger, a Texas woman who filed a rape lawsuit against George W. Bush in December 2002, yet they will provide a platform for any rightwingnut conspiracy just as they did when Clinton was in office. This should finally debunk the "left-wing media" BS the right has been slinging for years.

[David2]

As I have pointed out elsewhere (and will continue to point out), it's rather convenient that this whole "birther" issue somehow became a MAJOR talking point for the cable news channels right as the media started to focus on the "C Street Center" and their connection to the scandalous affairs of Senator Ensign and Governor Sanford.

You want a real answer to the question, Mr. Mann? Look into who are members of C Street and the history of the groups that support it.

Suddenly the "fig leaf" analogy you use will become VERY appropriate.

[Pupadup4oBama]

Not just C- street, but the focus on health care, the economy, etc.
They are all just distractions....to keep us from really knowing the true stuff. Unfortunately, for them, the "internets" is growing stronger than the MSM and they HATE it.