Don Lemon & CNN: No to "Real Americans," Yes to Real Journalism!

On Saturday, August 15, 2009, CNN's Don Lemon angrily confronted America's Town Hall Director Alan Hardage for Hardage's use the term real Americans. Below is the video of Lemon's heated exchange with Hardage:

Lemon's ire over Hardage's use of real Americans echoes the sentiments of millions in this nation who take umbrage with supremacist and exclusionary characterizations that undermine the Americanism of others.

While I applaud Mr. Lemon for confronting Hardage, I wonder where his and corporate media's outrage has been for the last eight years while the patriotism of those who opposed George Bush was constantly assailed. Instead of challenging accusations against Bush dissenters, corporate media embraced them. In fact they indulged them.

What's even more contemptuous and journalistically irresponsible is the manner in which corporate media enthusiastically grants wall to wall coverage of right wing anti-tax tea-parties and right wing anti-healthcare town halls, but barely covered the many well attended protests that preceded and followed the Iraq war. The disparity between the maximum attention corporate media gives the small numbers of right wing dissenters and the minimum attention it gave the millions on the left who dissented against the war is the height of journalistic dereliction.

On February 15, 2003, per the Free Press:

More than 12 million people all over the world loudly and visibly said no to war in Iraq. A total of between 862,152 and 1,033,874 of these were Americans, accounting for six to nine percent of the demonstrators worldwide. While the U.S. media focused on the two large protests that occurred in New York and San Francisco, between 222,152 and 333,874 Americans demonstrated for peace in at least 282 other communities of all sizes in all fifty states.

Large and small anti-war protests continued long after the Iraq war began in March of 2003. Many events reported tens of thousands attendees -- some 100,000 or more -- but still, corporate media barely paid attention. What little attention it did pay portrayed the peace movement as irrelevant throw-backs to the '60s or enemy sympathizers. The negative bias was flagrant.

Contrast that with corporate media's exuberant wall to wall coverage of the current under-attended tea parties and healthcare town halls, and corporate media's dissolution of a free unbiased press is palpable. Only the likes of Lou Dobbs, Michelle Malkin, Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and their devotees would deceitfully call corporate media "liberal."

In paying homage to the right at Saturday's anti-Obama healthcare event, Don Lemon actually did a near full day of coverage alongside his invited conservative guests, Alan Hardage of America's Town Hall and Virginia Galloway of Americans For Prosperity. The event Lemon reported from for nearly half that day drew an estimated 5,000 people, which its organizer, Hardage, pronounced a great success.

Imagine, in order to mount this one event, a coalition of 20 -- that's TWENTY -- conservative groups organized a full four weeks and the best attendance they could muster was (by their estimation), 5,000 people! And that's with American corporate media shilling on their behalf.

Yes, American corporate media actually shills for right wing groups. CNN, MSNBC and Fox promoted the right wing tea-parties for weeks before their scheduled April 15, 2009 events. But even with the daily free on-air plugs, the largest gathering topped out at 5,000 people -- this time in Denver, Colorado. (The website FiveThirtyEight offers a more complete list of the April 15th tea-parties and numbers of attendees.)

The peace movement, on the other hand, has held numerous marches, protests and rallies for the past six and a half years since before the Iraq war began and has mobilized tens of thousands -- even a hundred thousand -- at single events, with no advance promotion from the biased corporate press. On those occasions corporate media did do advance press, they were fear-based reports to scare off protesters with threats of police plans to control, constrain and contain the non-violent, unarmed peaceniks.

Were it not for independent domestic and international media's dedication to truth and disclosure, there would have been minimal to NO coverage in America of anti-war events, except for occasional broadcast blips and miniscule print blurbs that under-reported participant numbers.

Want to see proof of corporate media shilling for conservatives? Watch Don Lemon in the video below displaying a map announcing the locations of Saturday's town halls. Then remember back to the days preceding the April 15th tea-parties and corporate media's daily promotional countdowns to the events. Add to that the exhaustive coverage corporate media provided on-site at nearly every tea party held.

I'm trying to recall at what anti-war events or recent healthcare townhalls, that CNN, MSNBC or Fox ever sat for prolonged periods with any progressive leaders as Don Lemon did on Saturday with Hardage and Galloway to listen to their concerns. Can anyone tell me of any wall to wall on-site coverage of peace movement events over the past six years -- even those in Washington, DC that were attended by hundreds of thousands of people -- where the corporate press offered extensive air-time to listen to progressive leaders? I don't recall that ever happening. Do you?

Certainly no corporate anchors have had all day sit downs with progressive leaders discussing single payer healthcare. At least none that I recall. I would love to see that happen outside a healthcare town hall with progressive leaders like Tom Hayden, Norman Solomon, Lila Garrett, Dr. Jo Olson, David Swanson, Medea Benjamin, Brad Parker, Tim Carpenter, Marcy Winograd, Wayne Williams, Maureen Cruise and others who aren't given the equal time of the Hardages and the Galloways.

To be sure, I'm thrilled Don Lemon confronted Hardage on his use of the term real American. But I'd be even more thrilled if CNN and other corporate media provided progressive leaders -- in particular, highly informed members of Progressive Democrats of America -- equal air time to discuss the merits of single-payer healthcare.

So what say you, corporate media? How about equalizing the discussion and giving progressives the same visibility and voice you willingly give conservatives? You've disposed of the term real Americans, now make REAL JOURNALISM your cause!

Follow Linda Milazzo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LindaMilazzo

Comments

[Alabama John]

Takers only listen to news that gratifies their desire to take. So the problem is not a lack of truth, but a lack of desire to except truth.

Anyway, corporate news must always support government, as the only thing between their rich owners and the pitch forks of an enraged public is government.

[realman1963]

whatever happened to ethical reporters who do their job, report the news in unbiased fashion? is it any wonder when journalistic titans like cronkite, bob novak and company pass away there is this great mourning. its a cry for professionalism in reporting. its gone, dead.. no respect can be conveyed on todays press corp. unreal. i hope all news organizations fold, they deserve to, aint no wonder no oen watches this propaganda

[JRsNana]

These people never know what the hell they're talking about. George Bush prescreened EVERY SINGLE audience. Made them sign "loyalty oaths" and promise not to ask any potentially volitile questions. Obama has random internet lotteries and first-come­-first-ser­ved audiences and they accuse him of doing what Bush did! It's astounding. And if I hear "real Americans" one more time I'm going to scream. The gall of these people to accuse me of not being a real American because I don't agree with them. What they are doing is decidedly un-American. They are attempting to curb MY FREEDOMS. Does that irony just totally escape them?

[hollyhund]

I heard Don in this exchange and had to take a double take! CNN calling out a bigot I thought! Then I thought: Maybe only Native American should use the term REAL AMERICANS since the rest of us came as immigrants or slaves!!!
If we do claim it, then Don was right, we are ALL real Americans now!

[Haitiana4Obama]

I think it's about time someone challenged the Palin educated loons that anyone who's born in the U.S.A is in fact a REAL AMERICAN. For some reason they feel only those gun-totting, gin-slinging, bigots qualify as being American. If I wanted to be anal I could say anyone born in the the AMERICA's in an American, so Don Lemon isn't off base. Kudos to him for saying something and challenging these people.

[MED1025]

The right wing has taken over the major news outlets in an effort to get what they couldn't get from the ballot box.

[Mike Barden]

Heh, I was one of those "All we are saying" types.

[LLNYRN]

Yeah.

We can say that Lemon's "outrage" appears somewhat manufactured.
But I also believe that Lemon truly understands that as a Black man, there are some hidden racial component to that "Real American" tag. Black and Progressive-minded folks know the historical connotations with that tag.

I'm not saying that ALL these anti-Health Care folks are Racist.
But when one has heard all the Right-Wing radio crap since Obama's Presidency,
And all their fans following suit,
It's not like these same folks were everywhere when Bush and his cronies were chipping away at our civil liberties.

Now they all want to rise up when a (Half) Black Man becomes POTUS.

CNN may be wise to keep Lemon on his tangent.

[leftie613]

THANK you. Excellent contrast to point out. I think "100,000" is lower than the largest marches though, because I attended one in San Francisco before the war began that was announced to have had 200,000 in attendance, and I totally believe it because we were squashed like sardines throughout the march even though the street was cleared of all traffic for us and we were walking over many blocks. Also I remember that a peace march in Washington was supposed to have gotten 500,000 participants.

Even if the numbers were not on the left-wing side and even if the MSM had not consistently under-reported the turnout there, the difference in the way the media treats these two political camps is clear.

[Linda Milazzo - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks, leftie, for noticing. You're absolutely correct. I did use moderate crowd sizes in this article. Because crowd numbers are mostly unofficial estimates, I rounded off to irrefutable amounts. No one can charge inflated numbers here.

Like you, I was at the February 15, 2003 march in San Francisco and it was well in excess of 100,000 people. I'd say 200,000 seems correct.

I was in Washington, DC on January, 27, 2007 where we had a half million people (or more).

In New York City in August, 2004, during the Republican National Convention, all of Manhattan was jammed. According to wikipedia re: the RNC protests, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne stated: "You certainly had 800,000 on August 29th."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004__Republican_National_Convention_protest_activity)

There have been numerous occasions where protester numbers in ONE location exceeded 100,000 people - with related events on the same day scattered nationwide. Your observation is spot on. Yet regardless how large the crowds, corporate media mostly ignored them.

[miketothad]

More than the low information league of regular viewers, I'm astonished by the STUPID comments I hear from people I know who say that the non-Fox media is just as "biased". I'm constantly shaking my head.

[readyfornewleadership]

March on Washington for Health Care Reform – September13th

pass it on

[leftie613]

I'm all for it. Robert Reich calling for a march on Washington on Grandparents Day is a great idea.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/18/robert-reich-calls-for-ma_n_262310.html

[Mike Barden]

I wonder if I still got my "Uncle Sam Wants You" t-shirt that I wore to protests in the 70's?

[UnknownSolider]

Linda

BRAVO

Thank you for pointing out this out, I've noticed the same things too.

[Bozwellian]

A good majority of "us" ordinary folks, REAL AMERICANS to our core beingness.­..have noticed it for quite sometime !!! Many of us have written and spoken up and questioed just why MSM ignorred OUR VOICES and so very often came off as mere copy cats of FOX --SOme were not as overt or blatantly biased in their "reportings" but they sure have ignorred the TRUE MAJORITY and give ample coverage to thw whacked fringe elements especially of the righteous right !! Palin is a MEDIA phenom cuz THEY encouraged and covered her --even with her whine that the media maigned her used a promo FOR her --It has been and continues to be REPULSIVE !!! They shyed away ever so briefly when WE THE MAJORITY VOTED FOR OBAMA , but they have now reverted and THEIR biase in favor of OTHER than the MAJORITY viewpoint is centerstaged MOST often !!

[DragonflyChase]

I was stunned by Don Lemon's coverage on CNN last Saturday. Right after Josh Levins spent all this time Fact Checking, and doing a darn good job of it, btw, Don then comes on and TRIES to give credibility to the DIck Armey Rick Scott villains. I tweeted and commented, and others felt the same way. Does CNN think that we are stupid and don't know these are the people responsible for all of the lies being spread about healthcare reform. These people shouldn't be given free media coverage!

Shame on Don Lemon, Shame on CNN

[JanSP1971]

I am shocked that Don Lemon would give credibility to the likes of Dick Armey and saddened.
I agree 100% that the MSM and cable has been the right wings best friend getting their mobs at town hall meetings, I hope they help us get people to Washington on Sept. 13th to show our elected officals what real pro-Americans look like. You won't see us walking around with lies on our signs or guns straped to our legs. Our numbers will prove what we believe and who we are.

[reneejay]

Good when the media startl calling out the garbage an correct the lies we will start getting some where maybe even health care.

[Tanyars5]

that is the truth.....­..
Don Lemon could lose his job for calling out a lie.

[Linda Milazzo - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Tanyars5 -

This may seem like an odd observation, but I believe Lemon is being permitted by CNN to raise his profile as 'brazen & independent' in much the same way Anderson Cooper did while covering Hurricane Katrina.

The day after Lemon called out Hardage, he also challenged an ideological squabble and told the two men who were battling to basically 'grow up.' This is corporate media's inside and nuanced method of offering up their own person as a "challenger" to the status quo - while simultaneously BROADCASTING THE STATUS QUO! As I said, this is quite nuanced.

In my estimation, Lemon is in excellent standing at CNN. He's being given the reins he's taking and he's not in the slightest jeopardy of losing his job. IT'S ALL ABOUT RATINGS. This can be compared (TO A MUCH LESSER DEGREE) to Olbermann and Maddow on MSNBC - who despite their progressive programs are still on the corporate media payroll. Again, IT'S ALL ABOUT RATINGS!

The major difference is that Olbermann and Maddow's shows are ideologically profiled to fit their personalities, but Lemon's broadcasts are a wider ranging fare and NOT intended to be driven by HIS. However, Lemon's "MORE progressive-LESS conservative" persona is occasionally allowed to come through.

[wm1066]

Thank you for your article.
And might I add that the CNN and their ilk never let anyone say anything against bush but they go on and on about people who say the most outrageous lies about Obama, anyone that wants to disparage Obama gets an interview by Blitzer or Sanchez.