tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post1581115803684498534..comments2024-03-28T08:51:18.908-04:00Comments on the daily howler: WHO LOST TRACK OF THE MAINSTREAM PRESS: Two journalists turn on the press corps!<b>bob somerby</b>http://www.blogger.com/profile/02963464534685954436noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-27139163784611448022012-10-25T10:45:56.215-04:002012-10-25T10:45:56.215-04:00I started this mini-thread and the follow-up to wh...I started this mini-thread and the follow-up to what I said suggests someone with an anger management problem- or an intellectual management problem- or maybe just plain 'ol ADD. It's astounding how anything approaching 'moderate' or even complimentary can't be said anymore- and nothing I wrote said or implied Bob Somerby provided me with critical thinking skills- hardly- as suggested by whomever replied. The comment 'agreeing in whole- (OK) or IN PART (excuse me?) with Somerby...makes someone a dittohead??' nuff said. Anon 4:17 got the point and has it right. I'm a full time pathologist for 30 years (if you actually believe you can do that without critical thinking skills give it a try), I've voted on both sides of the isle (often with later regrets) and am always glad to have a resource I can generally trust to give me a thoughtful opinion- and this is hardly the only one. I'm a bit confused by the need for a confrontational hostile response but stand by what I said- I'm glad blogs like this exist and someone's willing to take the time to do it- and Bob's good at it. Where's your blog anon 2:52 and I'll be happy to read what you have to say- or do you prefer snarky criticism which is juvenile and easy? I don't have time to do it (opinion blogs) but am glad others do and have the insight I see here on a regular basis (including some of the replys). If you don't like Bob Somerby go somewhere else and take a chill pill.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02129918888470264350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-25713932225502048282012-10-24T16:17:27.503-04:002012-10-24T16:17:27.503-04:00Sorry Anon 2:52 but Somerby frequently goes beyond...Sorry Anon 2:52 but Somerby frequently goes beyond the critical thinking busy people can engage in partly because he does the heavy lifting to find patterns of reporting from varied sources people don't always have time to avail themselves of.<br /><br />The MSM takes advantage of this and routinely insults your intelligence. So do politicians. <br /><br />One thing that impressed me about Romney in the debates is that he candidly mentioned his defeat to McCain and his father's defeat. A small but telling thing, unusual that a candidate gives the benefit of the doubt to a voter that they can handle that information and assign it its proper importance, contrasted to one who offers up cheap, rehearsed "zingers" ("1980 called...").<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-57517152304820815012012-10-24T16:07:49.214-04:002012-10-24T16:07:49.214-04:00Does it matter whether they're picked off one ...Does it matter whether they're picked off one by one from unprotected posts that should be protected vs all killed at the same time?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-37629601772868257672012-10-24T15:55:52.592-04:002012-10-24T15:55:52.592-04:00MacGillas's piece is O.K., but he should obvio...MacGillas's piece is O.K., but he should obviously be calling it "corporate media" rather than "liberal media." Unless you think "Morning Joe" is a liberal show..... Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288008924419574934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-92119082372379058132012-10-24T15:19:23.127-04:002012-10-24T15:19:23.127-04:00Well, as Anom one suggests, both sides are a littl...Well, as Anom one suggests, both sides are a little right. Maybe it's just too much to ask for one stop shopping on for all our bad Media needs. Media Matters does stick to the worst of the blowhard right (shouldn't somebody? they are possibly the most watched outlets) but I am not sure it's from wanting to get asked to the right cocktail parties. <br /><br /> As I have said before, I think Bob's is a strangely religious approach. When forced to confront the absolute worst of right ideology(47%), there must be no sin of pride, and we must do penance to admit that we are at heart no better. Somewhat interesting to note, in the old days when Bob would write about the bad guys, he often extended olive branches to O"Reilly (he's not as bad as all that) and Mary Matlin (he loved her spunk). <br />He doesn't seem to say anything nice about them anymore, but I don't think they give him much to work with. In recent years, he once wrote of O"Reilly on Gore "he was actually quite fair." But if you read The Daily Howler over the period in question, you know that he was not. <br /> Questions: is Labott dominating CNN's full coverage of Benghazi? Or is there some balance?<br /><br /> Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288008924419574934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-58574547008659107822012-10-24T15:18:16.806-04:002012-10-24T15:18:16.806-04:00Now that's why I get all MY critical thinking ...Now that's why I get all MY critical thinking skills from blowhard commenters on the internet! <br /><br />Agreeing in whole or in part with Somerby, any thinking person knows, is the very definition of being a dittohead.<br /><br />Thanks 2:52PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-134555802767867142012-10-24T15:12:22.194-04:002012-10-24T15:12:22.194-04:00Anon of 2:50 (and 10:14?) may be right, Somerby...Anon of 2:50 (and 10:14?) may be right, Somerby's criticism may be that "every blog should be like the Howler" but that actually sounds like butthurt hyperbole to me.<br /><br />So I'm going to say I agree: <br /><br />Media Matters goal of comprehensively documenting conservative spin in the media is best served when they find that spin wherever it may be.<br /><br />Sometimes they meet that goal, sometimes they don't. No reason not to point out when they miss it.<br /><br />Unless you just need to fill your Somerby-hate quota for the day!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-1462860495900007682012-10-24T14:52:50.815-04:002012-10-24T14:52:50.815-04:00So in other words, you didn't have any critica...So in other words, you didn't have any critical thinking skills intil Somerby told you how to think critically.<br /><br />Reminds me of the famous Limbaugh quote to one of his dittoheads: "The next time someone tells you that you can't think for yourself, tell them this . . ."<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-12370639368480207242012-10-24T14:50:21.977-04:002012-10-24T14:50:21.977-04:00Right. By focusing on what they focus on, Media Ma...Right. By focusing on what they focus on, Media Matters is obviously wrong in not focusing on what Somerby and his tribe should be focusing on.<br /><br />And to me, that's like the NYT taking reporting tips from the Bugtussle Times -- or Bob Somerby.<br /><br />But wouldn't the world be just fine if every blog was just like the Howler?<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-17085154362900005732012-10-24T14:42:44.347-04:002012-10-24T14:42:44.347-04:00I want to personally thank Bob for 'The Daily ...I want to personally thank Bob for 'The Daily Howler' and his insightful comments about the media in general and many of the particulars which he (like anyone) doesn't always get spot-on right but I've got to say. In the few years since I started occasionally reading here I often thought he was nitpicking, perhaps too critical about MSNBC, whatever- but the more I now read in the 'mainstream media' or elsewhere he's given me tools of analysis (I'd say a critical thinking toolkit app) that's forever changed the 'pass' I'd often given some pretty sloppy or flat out idiotic reporting that I'd have once taken as 'OK'- and I've never considered myself a pushover when it comes to idiotic commentary analysis as I've written and had three different 'rebuts' published to various articles I've read in local and national newsprint about some idiotic editorial that seemed to be written by a third grader from some nationally syndicated writer- and was annoyed some editor thought it was worth printing. Sometimes it can seem a bit tedious here but there's no doubt- Bob's expanded my mind and so much so I sometimes hate the toolkit because whether it's watching some nightly news or even some partisan channel of either persuasion (I'm centrist-liberal and Fox isn't worth the time) but when I've read media assessments of the debates they're insultingly stupid across the board. There's one I just read on 'Yahoo news' from ABC about how Obama was 'snarky' and even Rachel Maddow thought so..... but 'it seems to have worked'...and you read the whole thing and it just gets worse. Now where have I read this type of dumb media analysis on a blog who gets the big picture pretty spot on? Somerby might not always get narrow issue-oriented comments to everyone's liking but he could teach any college level class and do any university justice on how to properly dissect political arguments and especially on the 'media' and how getting spoon fed by ANY syndicated pundit- whether TV or in print- isn't such a good idea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-25723805502038138532012-10-24T14:40:42.954-04:002012-10-24T14:40:42.954-04:00When is Bob going to begin a crusade to transform ...When is Bob going to begin a crusade to transform the media from a corporatized for profit model to a non-profit model operating in the public intrest. During the long series of columns on the health-care debate he implied that greed and the for profit motive are what ails us. Why not the same model for the press.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-79702629014789892992012-10-24T14:40:05.712-04:002012-10-24T14:40:05.712-04:00When is Bob going to begin a crusade to transform ...When is Bob going to begin a crusade to transform the media from a corporatized for profit model to a non-profit model operating in the public intrest. During the long series of columns on the health-care debate he implied that greed and the for profit motive are what ails us. Why not the same model for the press.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-49507535267970533802012-10-24T14:34:46.563-04:002012-10-24T14:34:46.563-04:00What level of security would have been needed to r...What level of security would have been needed to repel that attack?<br /><br />And "killing an ambassador" is sure a different goal than bombing a U.S. warship, or simultaneously hijacking four planes and delivering three of them to their intended targets on U.S. soil, one of which was the headquarters of the entire U.S. military.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-42714373193521240232012-10-24T13:40:27.020-04:002012-10-24T13:40:27.020-04:00Because there was insufficient security and they c...Because there was insufficient security and they could succeed in killing an Ambassador?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-82206995319147433332012-10-24T12:53:51.814-04:002012-10-24T12:53:51.814-04:00Go back and study the record instead of the right-...Go back and study the record instead of the right-wing talking points you are being spoonfed.<br /><br />You might find:<br /><br />1. The security request was for the embassy in Tripoli, not the compound in Benghazi some 400 miles away.<br /><br />2. While the militia extremists who carried out this attack may be sympathetic to Al Qaeda in much the same way that neo-Nazis are sympathetic to Hitler, there not the slightest shred of evidence that whatever little is left of Al Qaeda planned and executed this attack, or are even capable of doing so.<br /><br />Now you might ask yourself this question. If Al Qaeda were truly "insurgent" (and I think the word you really wanted to use was "resurgent") and wanted to show off their strength, why would they choose the American compound in Benghazi, Libya, to destroy and not some much more high profile target? Like, say, the embassy in Cairo?<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-33283569000012880592012-10-24T12:44:43.356-04:002012-10-24T12:44:43.356-04:00What do you mean Reagan took no action? Why, just ...What do you mean Reagan took no action? Why, just a few days later, he invaded Grenada. (sarcasm alert).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-22526190248632133842012-10-24T12:44:33.929-04:002012-10-24T12:44:33.929-04:00There was an interest in making sure no perception...There was an interest in making sure no perception could be created that al Qaeda was insurgent or that the ignored security requests were the reason 4 Americans were murdered.<br /><br />Everything said by the administration including Rice was geared toward promoting a narrative that an unpredictable, spontaneous demonstration over a video accounts for the murders and no one could have seen it coming or prevented it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-74457177057919127032012-10-24T11:48:41.130-04:002012-10-24T11:48:41.130-04:00October 23, 1983. Our Marine barracks in Beirut wa...October 23, 1983. Our Marine barracks in Beirut was attacked. 299 servicemen died (241 American) under ruble as they slept. The barracks was protected by a flimsy barbed wire barrier and fenced gate at the entrance. The guards on duty were not allowed to carry loaded weapons at the gate. The suicide bomber barreled through and into the bottom floor lobby detonating 12,000 lbs of TNT. There was no retaliation or perpetrators captured. Three months later the Marines were pulled from Lebanon to an offshore location. Ronald Reagan was re-elect president by a landslide one year later. Does this put Benghazi in perspective?Paul Brainerdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17011082728649650992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-70135295795179575552012-10-24T11:30:10.569-04:002012-10-24T11:30:10.569-04:00The many, many Benghazi mis-statements that aren&#...The many, many Benghazi mis-statements that aren't from FOX or the Wall Street Journal are simply missing from the Media Matters account of the Benghazi coverage.<br /><br />Media Matters would in fact serve better if they included CBS, NYT, WaPo and other mainstream failures as well.<br /><br />Your (same old, same old) anti-Somerby rant doesn't change that fact.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-66226315149744494162012-10-24T10:14:57.969-04:002012-10-24T10:14:57.969-04:00"At Media Matters, it has been all Fox and al..."At Media Matters, it has been all Fox and all right-wing all the time . . ."<br /><br />Well, right back atcha, Bob. At the Daily Howler it has been all MSNBC and all-lazy-liberal-media all the time.<br /><br />And neither statement is exactly true, is it?<br /><br />You know how the game works, and in case you have forgotten, go back to the incomparable archives and read how "invented the Internet" happened.<br /><br />It began as a right-wing lie, then it spread to the "mainstream" media.<br /><br />By my reading, Media Matters attacks this game at its source, and you attack it when it reaches the "mainstream" media. Then you go beyond that and blame a handful of hated "liberal" TV pundits and op-ed columnists for allowing it to happen.<br /><br />And now you seem to be adding Media Matters to the list because they spend far too much time, in your opinion, on Fox News.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com