December 29, 2014

Chuck Todd Admits Mainstream Media Must Ask Softball Questions

I guess we can call it a quest for ratings when new Meet the Press moderator Chuck “The Todd” Todd (I think I stole that from someone, maybe Stephen Colbert … R.I.P.) decided it would be a good idea to invite a panel of comedians on the show to discuss comedy and cynicism within our news and political discourse. Of course, the major conveyance here is The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which was a frequent reference during this MTP segment. And I’m actually fine with the panel of comedians, which included Lewis Black, Laura Krafft, and W. Kamau Bell. Maybe I’m even fine with the premise, although I think it’s a vehicle to deflect blame away from the mainstream media, and the job it is failing to do, intentional or not.

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June 24, 2013

NSA Leak: David Gregory Suggests Glenn Greenwald Should Be Charged With A Crime

David Gregory - Meet the Press - image by DonkeyHoteyOn Sunday’s Meet the Press, host David Gregory asked Glenn Greenwald, “To the extent that you have aided and abetted [Edward] Snowden [NSA leaker], even in his current movements, why shouldn’t you, Mr. Greenwald, be charged with a crime?” Last week I wrote about “groupthink” within the ranks of the mainstream media, and David Gregory is now Exhibit A. I believe a journalist could cross a line from reporting the news, to becoming the news, but is that what Greenwald set out to do? Is that what he’s done? Or is the mainstream media out to get him? Right now I put my money on the latter. The mainstream media coverage of the Snowden story falls under complicit reporting of government affairs, not objective reporting. It’s the kind of journalism that kept the executive branch unchecked and led us into two wars.

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February 21, 2013

McCain’s Benghazi Hypocrisy

John McCain asks David Gregory on Meet the Press if he cares about four dead Americans. And why did McCain ask this question? Because Gregory dared to question McCain’s objection to Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense. See, McCain wants answers on Benghazi. He thinks there’s a cover up. When Gregory dared asked McCain to explain what’s being covered up, that’s when McCain invoked his “four dead Americans” rebuke. But John McCain has displayed incredible hypocrisy and bad faith when it comes to his search for answers about Benghazi.

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October 28, 2012

Is the President of the United States a Dictator?

It would seem many conservatives think the President of the United States is an impervious leader, capable of just about anything he puts his mind to. A dictator if you will. No, I’m not talking about the current president, Barack Obama, rather the office itself. How else do you explain their reasoning when they say the president ought to be able to show leadership and convince Republicans to come around to his position? Well, they don’t exactly say that of course, but the Republicans and conservatives who acknowledge that Obama has faced stiff opposition from congressional Republicans say that it is up to Obama to show leadership, essentially willing legislation to pass regardless of the level of opposition.

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