Any right-thinking American who watched the travesty of a debate on ABC last night should get mad. Very mad.
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Sweet - The perfect HuffPost add for MSNBC or the Net.
Because you people and 62 million other Americans are listening to me right now.
Because less than 3 percent of you people read books.
Because less than 15 percent of you read newspapers.
Because the only truth you know is what you get over this tube.
Right now, there is a whole, an entire generation that never knew anything that didn't come out of this tube.
This tube is the gospel, the ultimate revelation.
This tube can make or break presidents, popes, prime ministers.
This tube is the most awesome goddamn force in the whole godless world.
And woe is us if it ever falls into the hands of the wrong people.
" Howard Beale, 1976
A lot of these commentators do not try to give information to the public but try to frame their questions for their candidate. I just read Krugman and Kathryn Parker this morning. They are insisting that the term bitter means Obama is an elitist and Americans aren't bitter. Americans don't cling to their church in times of economy stress. I disagree. I have relatives who are working class people. They vote Republican every time. The reason why is abortion, and gun rights. They are jobless a lot of the time but their church is their anchor in times of trouble. A lot of the time they collect welfare, but they are better than the rest of us because God is on their side. It's those other people who collect welfare that are the problem. It's those immigrants that have taken their jobs. They are bitter. Why can't the government control the borders? It's not President's Bushes fault. They display the flag proudly but it won't be their children on the line in Iraq. They'll ask everyone to pray for the troops. They love their social security. They don't see it as an entitlement program. It's the Democrats fault that social security is running out of money or those damn immigrants. They don't see farm subsidies as welfare either. I'm not an elitist. I just listen and watch them vote.
Do Clinton and Obama have short term plans that would help the American people now with the price of gas at the pump? We know they have plans that will take years to show a difference. By the time these plans are in effect gas will probably be 5, 6, 7 or more dollars a gallon and we will think $4 was a real bargain.
Everyone is jumping on the Ethanol bandwagon as an alternative fuel source (very profitable for some) shows indications that it will lead to a devastating impact on the nutrition of poor families around the world, starvation for many, and will further increase the price of food. Do Clinton or Obama have a plan that would address this issue?
Instead of addressing issues that will affect us we got 50 minutes of flag pins, who knew who, who pardoned who and who didn't remember what they wrote instead of what they. We got all those things that divide us, get our dander up and have us saying my candidate is better than your candidate. We argue over who is the fighter, who is the wimp, who takes the better punch and who gives the better punch. Sadly we don't have a position on the above questions from either of them as well as many more issues that will face us in the next four years.
There were no winners, just the American people who were the losers. Another election and the tuff questions don't get asked.
The looser in that debate were the American people.
McCain doesn't wear a flag pin, Clinton doesn't wear one and the two moderators didn't have one on either. Still we feel we need to ask the question to Obama because people want to know. President Bush is always seen wearing the flag pin.
Personally, I would like to know where each of the two candidates stand on FISA. Are they in favor of it or not and why. No one in any of the debates have ask them that question.
I would like to know what they think of Water Boarding and why they are either for or against it.
I would like to know what the think of Torture and why they are for or against it.
I would like to know what they would or would not do if they found out someone had been tortured.
Obama says he would consider an investigation if there was evidence that War Crimes had been committed. I would have like to hear more explanation on that. I would also like to know what Clinton's position would be on that.
I would like to know what there plan would be to strengthen the dollar which is at an all time low.
McCain says he would take steps to suspend the gas tax to give relief at the gas pump. What are Clinton and Obama's position on that?
Continued in next comment.
By the passion that some bloggers and commenters (be it some of them are light years behind in brain development) have on this site,Obama better be able to feed five thousand people with five bags of skittles or i'll be PISSED.
Also I'm starting a grass roots campaign to re-elect Obama in 2012
"When many organs of the press adopt the same line of conduct, their influence in the long run becomes irresistible; and public opinion, perpetually assailed from the same side, eventually yields to the attack." Alexis de Tocqueville
The MSM has killed journalism, and with it our democracy. The influence it wields (despite our protest) numbs the senses, eliminates thought, obfuscates reality, and produces a blend of political impotence and public idiocy that leaves the corporate elite undisturbed and ever more powerful.
Right. Journalism has been replaced by marketing, and citizens have been replaced by consumers. The American cattle are mooing along on their way to the slaughterhouse.
100% agree. Americans are either fat and happy thus apathetic or too devistated by the Bush Administration and discouraged that their voice isn't heard and acted upon at the White House.
Americans need to vote for their financial interests and realize they have been living in fear for 8 years. George Bush is a fear monger and a war criminal. I'd love to see his ass in prison, better yet... lets give him the same fate he gave Saddam.
I wish that the American people would gather together and get a real grass roots movement together to complain about our government and the rest of the political crap, but unfortunately 80% of the people have really been brainwashed by the Bush administration , which goes to show you how dumbed down we have become. What we need is not less "elites" but more so we would have the guts to act and stop the madness before we actually become a third world country. The ones in power now, and hopefuls like Clinton, love to call "alites" wimps, but I have found that the elites or the actual intelligent or thinking people have got the most guts. Think about it, they have been the ones who have actually changed our country for the better. What did Bush and his cronies, neocons, right wing religious nuts do for the American people except put them deeper in debt, make them hated around the world, bankrupt us with a ridiculous war and there are still folks out there defending them. Doesn't anyone find this a reason to be bitter, angry, and want t complete 180 deg/ turn to the left?
hey sandy..
BLAH BLAH BLAH....
liberal stew......whine on.............................
I'll take liberal stew over conservative bullshit any day.
OH the HYPOCRISY.
When MSNBC moderated the last debate.....Brian Williams C O M P L A I N E D that the candidates spent too much time on health care because he had "much to cover" that night.
Well, then he proceeded to have HRC watch tapes of herself being "mean" to Obama and asked her to comment on it.
YOU CALL THAT A GOOD DEBATE?????
Damn you obama people are whiny! Poor Obama! Man up pal.
I'm mad as hell too.
I'm also mad as hell that "Hill" never refers to her opponent as "Senator Obama." It's ALWAYS "Barack."
Yet Senator Obama has the professional courtesy to ALWAYS refer to his opponent as "Senator Clinton."
Never "Hillary."
Please, Superdelegates, end this thing. Can't you hear the voices of the majority of voters shouting?
"I can't take it anymore."
I hope that Cleese does work for Obama... He's had experience with a media like Disneys Magic Kingdom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31FFTx6AKmU
It was just the ABC version of FOX News 24 hour reality show, "The American people arn't as smart as a 5th Grader",
Stop crying. You think Obama can withstand the republican barrage. Think again, who was the last Democrat to win the White House, and vote appropriately.
Or you can add to the losing list of Carter,Dukakis,Gore and Kerry
Ummm Carter won an election, and Gore got robbed by the SCOTUS. As for your insinuation that Bill somehow "won", he didn't. He would've lost handily in both elections had it not been for Ross Perot.
Oh I'm not mad........I'm bitter!
Wars make me mad. Homeless. People without health care. If somebody can't handle talking heads they are a light weight.
While I see your point, to an extent, Dunnage, let me reframe the issue a bit: From my perspective, I am mad about the quality of "news." Voting means making decisions. Any decision is only as good as the information made available upon which to act. IMO, too many of the gatekeepers of information (i.e., the Press) have abdicated this responsibility in an effort to provide infotainment instead of information.
IMO, it is not a matter of "not being able to handle the talking heads," but a degradation of a once-valuable function: Informing the citizenry. It is not a matter of "can they handle it" but "should they have to handle it?" And "what is not being provided, because we have such trivial dramas being presented instead of teh actual information we seek?"
if we don't get good information, too many people then start using stupid criteria ... like "with whom would I rather have a beer?"
And we all saw where that led.
Talking heads who could not be "handled" are a component of the war in Iraq; so be mad --very mad.
Great point!
May I also add this other clip from the late great Paddy Chayefsky's brilliant work Network, that has proven to be all too prescient.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MTN3s2iVKKI
what was that last night it , it surley was not a debate, it was a SLAM BARAK CONTEST, THREE AGAINST 1 BUT THE BEAUTY OF IT IS THAT THE PEOPLE CAN SEE THRU THE BIAS TORWARD BARAK, THIS WILL JUST GRANT HIM MORE SUPPORT IT WORKED OUT TO HIS ADVANTAGE !!!
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" (Gil Scott Heron)
When it comes to a network like ABC are we feeding beast because grows, or does grow because we are feeding it. How is it that such a powerful network is able to put its insatiable need for ratings and sensationalism above the real problems of people across the country? We need to look at network news coverage as part of the larger problem that brought to point we are at.
The Revolution will not make your teeth whiter... the Revolution will not go better with a Coke...
Didja notice all of Clinton's pharmaceutical sponsors had ads on that thing?
I use the parental lock on Faux News, and now it looks like I will need one for ABC News!
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
(me yelling out the window)
that felt good...anyone want to join me?
(walking back to the window)
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"I AM MAD AS HELL AND I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
shit...the cops are coming:-) --- Obama 08!
I'm pissed too.
ABC's comment section got over seventeen thousand (!) comments of which the overwhelming majority where very negative. There was a block of time last night where their phone bank in NY was inoperative because of the flood of complaints. Goodness, we had such a huge brouhaha when J. Jackson's nipple was flashed and fewer people complained.
The ABC morons created a genuine "firestorm" unlike the mostly bogus controversies that they manufactured to destroy Obama. Keith Olbermann and Dan Abrams seemed to be the only ones who recognized that fact tonight. But the rest of the media aren't going to report on that major story. They're circling the wagons and protecting there own. The media are the elitists who are out of touch with Americans.
well KEITH has "SPECIAL MOMENTS " with OBAMA and DAN addressed the same issues that OBAMA MISSPOKE ABOUT the flag-pin AGAIN and he misspoke about the Questionnaire, SO i dont know why you think he agreed
Typical gibberish.
"We have an old saying in Delta House: don't get mad, get even."
D-Day Animal House
So, Mr. Willis, do we know if there is a compiled list of debate sponsors yet?
my sentiments exactly - the other one I thought of was the V for Vendetta "speech" scene.
we need to take back our country from these bananabrains.
here's my prediction: obama wins nomination, kicks the living shit out of mccain in november. anybody want to bet?
McCain to Obama after the election, "you better put some ice on that".
McCain takes a nap, wakes up and the election is over, he lost.
Posted April 17, 2008 | 05:22 PM (EST)