The values of our tribe: Last night, speaking with Anderson Cooper, Bernie Sanders got it right.
This almost never happens on cable. Asked about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, here's what Sanders said:
COOPER (12/5/18): Joining me now is Senator Bernie Sanders. Senator Sanders, thank you so much for being with us. Why do you think the president won't admit the crown prince was involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi?Have 85,000 children (been) starved to death in Yemen? From way back on November 22, here's the relevant news report in the New York Times.
SANDERS: Well, I think the president, sadly enough, has a great fondness for authoritarian-type leaders around the world, whether it's Putin in Russia or Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia, or other authoritarian leaders.
Second of all, it is possible that the president, himself, through Trump enterprises, may have some financial dealings in Saudi Arabia.
But Anderson, I think I agree with, you know, what the other senators have said, what Graham and the other senator, Corker, have said. But here is the more important point.
What MBS did, and what the Saudis did, to Jamal Khashoggi is unspeakable and an absolute disgrace. But I will tell you what is even worse, which we don't talk about enough, is what the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen has done to 28 million people in that country, all right?
Khashoggi's death was terrible. But in the last three years, 85,000 children have starved to death. And according to the United Nations, you got millions of people who are facing imminent starvation. There are 10,000 new cases of cholera breaking out every single week.
And the resolution that I authored along with Senator Mike Lee and Senator Chris Murphy which I hope will come up tomorrow or next week, we got it out of committee, basically says that the United States has got to end its participation in this horrible, destructive war led by Saudi Arabia.
The most interesting part of Sanders' statement was this: "We don't talk about [this] enough." Perhaps more accurately, we don't talk about things like this at all, not even Over Here within our own self-impressed tribe.
When that Times report appeared, it rated one single passing remark on MSNBC programs from 5 PM through midnight.
(Those are the only programs MSNBC transcribes. The one remark occurred on the November 21 Hardball.)
When a Senate vote about the Yemen war occurred on November 28, three MSNBC shows gave the matter of the mass starvation a mention (Lawrence, Chris Hayes, Hardball). Meanwhile:
As we reported a few weeks ago, Yemen simply doesn't exist on the Maddow Show. The utterly pointless, past behavior of Spiro T. Agnew does.
We keep insisting that we're the good people. Tribal enthrallment is like that.
Let's take a look at the record: According to Nexis, Yemen has been mentioned on the Maddow Show only two times this whole year (August 15, November 19).
In each instance, Yemen was mentioned in passing by one of the top program's guests. Stating what is blindingly obvious, these are corporate values at work.
Discussing Agnew is pleasing and fun. Big stars are paid millions to do it.
As if Somerby cares about Yemen.
ReplyDeleteHe is promoting Sanders here.
This is my kind of philosophical discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LqZdkkBDas
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Sanders is hardly the only politician speaking about this right now. Many Democrats have been discussing it as well. There is proposed legislation to force the administration’s hand on this.
ReplyDeleteDo we have any impassioned comments about Yemen from Bernie over the past three years that the crisis has been going on?
"Sanders is hardly the only politician speaking about this right now." Straw man argument.
Delete@3:14
DeleteI’m not “arguing” anything. Nor am I disagreeing with Somerby. Just pointing out that Somerby chooses to highlight Sanders on this issue.
That is stating the obvious then. You are pointing out that Somerby chooses to highlight Sanders on this issue? No shit!
Delete@4:10
DeleteAnd the implied question is “why.” I don’t know the answer. But that he chooses Sanders, and not others who have been talking about this, is a legitimate question. Somerby has taught me quite well, to look for bias in reporting. It is an uncomfortable fact that that applies to himself as well.
Who are the others to which you refer?
DeleteWhat is your specific claim of bias?
Delete“Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy is one of the few lawmakers who has taken a loud and consistent stand against the war, even putting forward an amendment to cut off military assistance to the Saudi coalition.”
Deletehttps://theintercept.com/2018/09/13/meet-the-senator-trying-to-end-u-s-support-for-the-war-in-yemen/
Note the date.
Did Somerby single out Democratic Senator Chris Murphy in his blog, ever?
Would you like to play this game some more?
Bias? Gee, I dunno, Sparky.
Delete1. Somerby has praised Sanders before.
2. He has called Hillary first weak then a terrible candidate
3. He has trashed “liberals”
4. Today’s post was not about Yemen, but about Sanders being “right”
5. Sanders is likely running for President
The obvious answer is that Somerby likes Sanders and is supporting him for president. That would be my best guess. What’s yours?
It would be a wonderful world if we could only choose allies who govern morally. But, we can't. We allied with Stalin against Hitler. And, having Saudi Arabia as an ally against Iran is useful to the US.
Delete@David
DeleteYour point isn’t without merit. But Iran hardly falls into the same category as Nazi Germany, and the capability of the US to defend against Iran is in a completely different category from our capability in WWII, when we had to scramble to meet the threats. And none of this changes the scale of human suffering going on in Yemen, where millions of innocent people are suffering for some middle eastern assholes jockeying for power, with the US contributing to the suffering.
"Would you like to play this game some more?" Sure.
DeleteWhat you are missing is that Sanders was making a claim about media. (it's the focus of this blog and the point of the piece. Media.) He said Sanders is “right” to say, on national TV, that, despite what the Saudis did to Khashoggi, the Yemen intervention is worse and not talked about enough (on media). And you know that is true. The Yemen intervention is worse and not talked about enough (on media). It's never even mentioned by Maddow, as you know, and we are talking about almost 100,000 kids starved to death. Think about if that happened in your neck of the woods. It's been going on a long time. The statement was about media and what they choose to cover. The issue is media. CNN is guilty of it too - although I rarely watch I did see it last spring when they were going on about if or not Melania Trump was faking her own death and I thought of the vapidity of spending even 10 seconds on that with all the death and corruption swirling around.
The link from Chris Murphy is not about media coverage of Yemen and it's not in a high profile media outlet. (This blog is about media. The point of this piece is about media.) The claim that was made was that Sanders pointed out on mainstream media that the issue of Yemen is not covered there enough (on media), something that is true and you know is true. What other Democrat has made an equal statement on national TV recently about media and Sanders has here? (Maybe there is one, I don't know.) But the issue is media and about media and their choices. That's the only point. Everything else-- what you say about bias etc., is not fleshed out or articulated logically.
"Did Somerby single out Democratic Senator Chris Murphy in his blog, ever?" Although, he is mentioned in this very post, did Murphy ever call out media for burying the story? (He may have, I don't know.) But this is a media blog and the point has to do with media (the whole point of this blog post is about media) so Murphy should only be expected to be brought up in the context. You missed the whole point of today's post I guess but it is not about Yemen, it's about Sanders being right about the media covering more pleasing, less substantial stories at the expense of more important stories about involve thousands and thousands of dead children whose vicious and brutal deaths, you and I, as citizens of a democracy, are responsible.
The claim that was made was that Sanders pointed out on mainstream media that the issue of Yemen is not covered there enough (on media),...
DeleteHold on there, Kemosabe. Aren't you and TDH stretching things just a wee bit? Sanders said no such thing.
Here is what Bob quotes Sanders saying:
"We don't talk about [this] enough."
That's it. Who is this "we" Sanders is referring to. Does he call out the media explicitly? Maybe somewhere he has, but not in that puny little quote Bob found.
Sanders is on Chris Hayes so much he has his own dressing room at the MSNBC studio. This is the first and only instance I have heard talk about "we" in reference to Yemen.
I'm sorry, but 5:19 is right, Somerby has this thing for Sanders that is somewhat offensive and bewildering.
738 - the media doesnt talk about Yemen enough as you well know. Perhaps Sanders meant something other than media though like Congress and the public if you really want to stretch it. It is possible.
Delete"Somerby has this thing for Sanders that is somewhat offensive and bewildering." What does that mean? That statement contains no information.
Yemen? This is supposed to be one of our top concerns? If we are virtuous or something? Or true progressives?
ReplyDeleteI will admit that I don't care much. Yemen is no more important to me than India or Uzbekistan or Paraguay, etc.,etc.
Is 78,000 deaths over 3 years a lot? According to one website 4.2 million children die of hunger every year. That makes Yemen 0.65% of the total.
Their numbers seem high though as they claim 36 million deaths from hunger, or hunger related causes. Out of the total of about 55 million. It seems odd to me that hunger would account for 65% of the total.
Anyway, are the children dying in Yemen the most important? The most preventable? Or what?
There is a conflict there that I know pretty much nothing about. Can I be sure that it is NOT a bad thing if the Saudi side loses? Bernie apparently wants the Saudis to give up, to quit fighting. He may be right about that, but he does not make the case for it there.
I mean, you could just as well go back to 1863 and argue that Lincoln should stop fighting because of all the death and destruction that the war is causing.
"Bernie Sanders got it right"
ReplyDeleteReally? He sounds extremely dembotish, actually.
Reading Donald The Superb's mind? Calling The Dark Lord Putin - the second most popular politician in the universe (after Xi The Great, obviously) 'authoritarian' - like a motherfucking neocon or some such?
I'm sorry, but your Bernie the Demigod is just another scumbag, dear Bob.
Bernie isn't a "dembot". He isn't a Democrat. He doesn't like Democrats and repeatedly attacks them. He doesn't support Democratic candidates or interests. He is out for #1 -- Bernie himself.
DeleteThere is some irony that Somerby recognizes the con artist in Trump but not in his hero, Bernie, while warning the rest of us to watch out for scams.
Unsurprising that you don't get what is going on in American politics.
Ah, the dembot who fancies herself an expert in American politics by slandering everyone who's not her zombie cult leader as a 'con artist'.
DeleteThanks for the laughs, dear.
AnonymousDecember 6, 2018 at 3:56 PM
DeleteYou are just making things worse.
Mao,
DeleteI see you are taking some time off from cheering on Trump's EPA making it easier for the Establishment to pollute the land, air, and water of the citizens, so they can make another nickel of profit. Do your bosses know you're a slacker?
The Clinton Foundation has been working to end global hunger. What did Bernie say about it during the primaries?
ReplyDeleteBernie changed the subject on this guy during his interview, to highlight his own legislative initiative. That hardly seems disinterested. The guy is running for president in 2020, more seriously this time (presumably without Russian encouragement and funding). Is he wonderful because he used an interview to promote his self-interest, along with the welfare of the Yemeni children?
I didn't think he was wonderful before, but Somerby did. Apparently that hasn't changed. Only yesterday he talked about Clinton's awful candidacy. Same as it ever was.
FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting) was complaining a while back that MSNBC had barely mentioned Yemen in at least a year. Unlike Somerby, who sometimes makes false charges against MSNBC ( re family separation policy, for example), I tend to trust FAIR’s analysis.
ReplyDeleteSo, up until recently, Somerby is correct about this. But recently, the situation has changed, especially since the murder of Khashoggi.
But up until recently, even the Congress was relatively uninterested in Yemen. It took the Khashoggi murder to prod the Congress, including Bernie, and even the Republicans (well, some of them), to really care about this.
MSNBC certainly could have devoted some time to the story, at least giving it more attention. Perhaps that could have helped change public attitudes and goaded Congress into acting sooner. It’s not a guarantee that would have happened, though. Sometimes a significant event is needed to produce a change in public attitudes.
I don’t watch Fox, so I don’t know what their coverage of Yemen was like. Nor does Somerby.
I will note that, when I searched for Yemen+ MSNBC, this one of the items returned:
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/14-million-people-on-brink-of-starvation-in-yemen-1358665283787
(10/31/2018)
Ali Velshi has talked about it numerous times as well.
Not Maddow, but perhaps the pleas of FAIR made a difference.
Ultimately, it’s not entirely clear what “corporate value” was served by not reporting on Yemen. Fear of low ratings?
“BREAKING: Bernie Sanders gets it right!”
ReplyDeleteAnd you thought this post was about Yemen. Tricked you!
Yes the post was about media and what Bernie Sanders got right about the media's coverage of terror in Yemen that we, you and I, bear responsibility for.
DeleteThe issue isn’t whether “the media” covers Yemen. Up until recently, they hadn’t done it much. The issue is making Bernie the hero here. But as mm at 7:38 points out above, Bernie is **constantly** on Chris Hayes, right there on the hated MSNBC. Methinks Bernie has plenty of opportunities to bash the media, except that he is too busy using it as a platform for self-promotion. And that is the unexamined truth behind Somerby’s positive feeling towards Bernie. It is a bias on Somerby’s part.
DeleteNothing really wrong with that, except that Somerby wants to hoodwink you into thinking today’s post was just about the “evil media.”
And, another thing. In all his many appearances on MSNBC, did Bernie bring up Yemen before now? It’s only been going on for three years. Somerby faults the “media” (ie MSNBC) for not covering it, but Bernie is all of a sudden “right” when he himself suddenly discovers the issue in late November 2018?
DeleteSorry. This post is about Bernie Sanders getting it right when he said we don't talk Yemen enough, the mass starvation atrocity that you (and I) bear responsible for. And you know that he is right. The rest of your claims are idiotic. The number of appearances on Chris Hayes are irrelevant. There's no proof or logic to claims of positive feeling and bias. More straw men. You're fucking dumb as dirt.
Delete"Bernie is all of a sudden “right” when he himself suddenly discovers the issue in late November 2018?" Yes, of course he is right and you know he is right. There is no way you can argue he is wrong. We talk about Yemen enough? Is that what you're claiming? You're so, so stupid.
DeleteI must say, I'm in complete agreement with the dembot who is contemptuous of Bernie The Demigod.
DeleteBernie The Demigod is an entirely fictional character, hired by the DNC to embellish Old Psycho-Witch's primary campaign, and to emphasize her far-right credentials (for the globalist banksters, her real constituency).
Discussing this through-and-through fake and corrupt clown as if he were a real person - that is pathetic.
"an entirely fictional character, hired... to embellish ..."
DeleteLike calling yourself "Mao" and cheering on a kleptocracy?
Will the last person to realize every conservative accusation is a confession please turn out the lights.
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ReplyDeleteHello all my viewers, I am very happy for sharing this great testimonies,The best thing that has ever happened in my life is how I win the lottery euro million mega jackpot. I am a Woman who believe that one day I will win the lottery. finally my dreams came through when I email believelovespelltemple@gmail.com and tell him I need the lottery numbers. I have spend so much money on ticket just to make sure I win. But I never know that winning was so easy until the day I meant the spell caster online which so many people has talked about that he is very great in casting lottery spell, . so I decide to give it a try.I contacted this great Dr Believe and he did a spell and he gave me the winning lottery numbers. But believe me when the draws were out I was among winners. I win 30,000 million Dollar. Dr Believe truly you are the best, all thanks to you forever