The Kurtzing of Obama
By John Amato Sunday Mar 02, 2008 2:50pm
Howard Kurtz is back with a new column on Obama..Yea, baby. He devoted a good portion of his CNN show on the same topic, (suddenly he is interested in the type of coverage the Democratic candidates are receiving in the press) but left the psychotic ramblings of Erick at Red State out of his teevee show...When I talk about media criticism regarding Hillary Clinton, I mean how much time the media spends on irrelevant---Matthews type--statements like these or how much money John Edwards paid for a haircut. I'm sure Chris Matthews will cover the John Hagee/John McCain endorsement just as closely. But for Howard Kurtz, that's the type of criticism he passes off as valid.
Tapper's litany: "That you didn't put your hand over your heart during the national anthem, that you no longer wear an American flag on your lapel pin, that you met with some former members of the Weather Underground, and now they are questioning your wife's comments when she said she hasn't been proud of the U.S. until just recently."
Obama dismissed the criticism as "nonsense." But did the exchange mark the end of a long period in which the media have gone easy on the man who could all but clinch the Democratic nomination in tomorrow's primaries?
Lapel pins and patriotism----this is what Kurtz calls "media scrutiny."
Some conservative commentators, after years of obsessing over Hillary Clinton, are now training their fire on Obama. Cincinnati radio host Bill Cunningham, appearing at a John McCain event, generated a wave of coverage last week by challenging the media to "peel the bark off Barack Hussein Obama."
In his Times column, Bill Kristol picked up on Obama's comment in October that he views wearing a flag pin as a substitute for true patriotism. "Obama's unnecessary and imprudent statement impugns the sincerity or intelligence of those vulgar sorts who still choose to wear a flag pin," Kristol declared.
Erick Erickson, editor of the blog RedState, wrote that voters should be wary of "the liberal anti-gun former cokehead whose feminist wife hates America."
Sorry Howard, that's called "smearing" a candidate or swiftboating. That's not criticism.
Erickson concedes that his "cokehead" crack was a distraction, saying he would not join the ranks of partisan commentators who "write in such a hyperbolic way that it destroys their credibility. It's going to be the template, as with the Clinton-haters, for the Obama-haters to report on the salacious and the rumors."
See, when you say things like this...
Erick Erickson, editor of the popular conservative megablog RedState, conceded that progressives currently enjoy an advantage over conservatives online — though he attributed it to an asymmetry in free time, since conservatives “have families because we don’t abort our kids, and we have jobs because we believe in capitalism.”
...you get treated like a man of substance by Howard Kurtz, the major media man of the Washington Post and CNN. Conservatives can say or write anything at all...
Glenn Greenwald has much more:
So according to Kurtz, the media has given "scant attention" to the Obama/Farrakhan matter even though Obama has never had anything to do with Farrakhan, and "little pickup" to the fact that Obama met once (ten years ago) with two Chicago law professors who were Weather Underground members 40 years ago. But the most beloved media figure in decades, John McCain, this week openly embraces one of the most extreme haters in the country, says how "honored" and "proud" he is to have his endorsement, and that still hasn't made Howie Kurtz's column.
That is what Kurtz is holding up as an example of what we need more of. The only type of "media scrutiny" our establishment press is capable of and interested in when it comes to Democratic candidates is: "Hey Barack, Rush Limbaugh says you hate America and Matt Drudge showed that you hate the flag and The Politico says you love Terrorists. Do you?" Howard Kurtz has spent weeks stomping his feet, demanding to know why there isn't more of this. Today, he optimistically suggests that these increasingly coordinated media/right-wing attacks mean -- finally -- that the media is doing its job when it comes to Obama...read on
Thank you Glenn. And Mark Halperin made an astute observation on Reliable Sources, too late of course.
I think our business is filled with too many people who are thin- skinned. It's not about being an advocate for one candidate or another. It's about, is the coverage fair? And I know plenty of smart people in politics who are neutral in this race, plenty of smart people in journalism who would tell you that the coverage hasn't been fair. It's great that this analysis is taking place now; it's a little too late.
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Fuck.You.Kurtz.
I can always tell "who REALLY supports the troops and loves America" from those that hate America. The ones who "love America" and "support the troops" are the ones who have the yellow ribbon on the back of their car or the flag pasted up in the window.
It's so easy.
Here we go ... We're gonna stop talking about issues now. Let the swiftboating begin!!!
I LIKE HILLARY!!
Without a doubt Obama has been handled with kid gloves this election, while Hillary Clinton has been hammered from every direction. Tim Russert and Chris Matthews should not be allowed to call themselves journalist ever again, they are anything but.
Who cares about his links to Farrakhan.
Its his links to Zbigniew Brzezinski - (Trilateralist/CFR/Rockefeller stooge) and also to a Skull and Bones member that should be of interest.
You know, Brzezinski - the architect of Al CIA'da, the guy who penned the strategy of empire in the Middle East in his book the Grand Chessboard.
Did Kurtz have his hand over his heart when he aired this segment? And a flag lapel pin? And a stars-and-stripes straw hat? And a WWJD bracelet? And a George Bush tattoo on his butt? What? He didn't have the tattoo?? WHY DOES CNN AIR SUCH A COMMUNIST? Call CNN, tell them to get this untattooed faithless anti-American swine off the air...
You know what, fuck these fuckers. They are loud and desperate, but all signs point to people being sick of and not buying this shit anymore. They are just driving away any reasonably minded people that would have previously listened to them and are ranting in an echo chamber.
Why do these people hate humanity, no less America, so much? I dont know, but their time is over.
I knew Kurtz when he used to spell his name with an "n."
I can no longer comment on WaPo articles. Because WaPo says I'm too dim and frivolous to read it.
But, if I were to comment, which obviously I can't, I'd say Howard Kurtz is an idiot. He's not talking about legitimate criticism. If he were he'd include McCain's open support for the bigot Hagee.
... that's an "n" instead of an "r."
Red State is a "mega-blog"? What the hell is a "mega-blog"? Funny, I don't remember them making the top five political blogs...
history will judge these fools as unamerican.
C&L, March 2, 2008: "FNS: Rove Claims To Have Standards On Negative Campaigning"
Does Karl Rove know about this??????? Hmmm.... Calling Dr. Turd B.
Red State morons. Bringing racism, bigotry, and mindless hatred and intolerance to a town near you.
fuck howie kurtz
Looks like the MSM has picked up the Hillary campaign. NYT looks like its edited by Bill Clinton, Wapo had a smear on Obama yesterday. I haven't heard a electronic MSM that didn't lead with Hillary is all that and Obamas not. Its about their love of the horse race. If Hillary comes out with a couple of wins, they trash her again. They want action until they anoint John the Patriarch of the village.
goodgirlroxie @ 3:
Only if we let them frame the debate. If we can't put them on the defensive, we deserve to lose. Such as, is it the patriotic thing to do to lie about a national security threat in order to nation build in Iraq? Is it patriotic to undermine the constitution? Can one be patriotic to the country without a sense of economic nationalism? Is it patriotic to borrow from China in order to finance tax cuts for the rich, allowing that country to exert economic leverage over the U.S.? We can build on this list.
Flag waving is the sole criteria that the Republicans have that can help them. That can only happen if we let them frame the issue. So, we can frame the issue ourselves.
The right is getting down right goofy. This kind of reporting is a sad commentary of our media. What about WhiteWater? Haliburton? Harriet Myers and Bolton? Sometimes I just want to scream!
It is a shame that with the over 300 scandals in which the Bush administration is involved, the war, the coming recession and the thousands of other major situations having a huge effect on our lives the media is not putting more time into the investigation of Obama's missing lapel pin.
The is viciousness coming from blogs on the left and the right. I still cannot believe somebody actually wished death on a sweet & lovely old gal like Nancy Reagan.
moondancer @ 17:
Yes, it's about the horse race. It's also about their relevance. If Obama wins, the dem race is over and his momentum will carry its steam right into the general candidacy regardless of what these various bumf*cks have to say. They can't help but reflect the fear of their corporate masters.
The Dems and Obama better get used to it 'cause they ain't seen nuttin yet as said in the vernacular. The Repugnatins are masters at it. They made a hero out of a draft dodging POS human being and vilified a medal winning Vietnam hero. Never underestimate the stupidity of the American people... as the UK Mirror said of us "how can 34,345,678 people be so stupid".
"Former cokehead, huh?"
I know one of those. He's called "President Bush."
At this point I am not sure if we are winning or losing this war on the truth. The right will still keep throwing mud to the point that after a while people will simply wonder if there is something to it all. Even though you can pick apart each and everyone of the attacks as untrue the number can become the story. People will today talk about all the investigations into the Clinton's, even though each and every one was investigated and found nothing, as proof that there must have been something there. I still hear people say that they heard that Obama is a Muslim.
Holy al-Irony! Middle Eastern Pol Struggles to Overcome Stigma of Middle Name: 'Smith'
That's so awesome that after calling Obama a cokehead, using the word "feminist" as an epithet and saying liberals abort their children and don't work, Erickson says he's not going to say stupid stuff. Anymore.
And I'm sure that if he completely accidentally falls off the wagon on that, people like Kurtz will give him another shot at a national microphone. It's so great how forgiving he is that way.
On MSNBC.com
Clinton suggests she'll stay in race after Tuesday
Says the competitive primary contest would be good for the party
She needs to get out of the way. Now she's starting to look like a) she doesn't care about the people who voted, b) she doesn't care about the party, c) she has a sense of "entitlement", d) she doesn't understand reality, e) she can't accept reality, f) she really intends to try and steal this nomination due to all of the above.
Ann Coulter's vagina @ 11:
How do you pronounce that? Is it like Dean Koontz?
Why does nobody wear two flag lapel pins. That would surely show twice as much patriotism.
rain @ 4:
With or without potatoes and gravy?
Headhunter,
Why stop at 2. If you REALLY want to show how patriotic you are, you should be wearing American flag pins all over from head to toe.
Leslie @ 32:
Yeah, and don't bother pinning them to your clothes. If you want to be a real patriot, feel the pain.
Kurtz is a pin head.
Clinton will not get out of the race no matter what happens tomorrow. It has never been about the party or the people as far as the Clintons are concerned. It is ONLY about the Clintons. They did more damage to the party in their 8 years in office than can possibly be measured. It took from 1994 until 2008 to regain the Congress. Don't let them do it again.
Leslie @ 32:
I wear an American Flag on my oversized codpiece.
Just to show folks like Marge that even though I'm a pathetic male...I'm still patriotic.
http://tinyurl.com/18r
we already knew that the media would attack Obama. the only question was the timing.
Well, here's a reason they switched from attacking Inevitable
Hillary to all-out assaulting of Juggernaut Obama:
At this point in the campaign, nothing seems to alarm Republicans more than the incessant sound of ringing cash registers coming from the other party.
L.A. Confidential @ 37:
Sorry
http://tinyurl.com/27fkz9
For those who think HRC got too much negative coverage, what do you expect? She's running on experience. That naturally leads to an examination of that experience. That she's totally misrepresented her experience leads to the coverage being negative. That's not bias, that solid reporting.
Watching Blitzer this afternoon is nauseating. He's so wanting the Dem fight to continue that he's throwing every old Obama smear out as a breaking scandel.
Figured out why he's fighting for telecom immunity after seeing the House republican's commercial for telecom paying his bills.
It's like watching crime happen without being able to intervene.
I'm confident Obama will counter these a**holes with ease, the way he's been doing. For example: Telling the Bushies, you want to talk about patriotism, let's talk about your patriotism. Lying us into a needless war, sending poorly trained troops into battle without the proper equipment, sub-par equipment, etc.
What Obama is doing is refusing to adopt those affectations of patriotism which serve as a pseudo-religion, a religion in which, as in Kristol's, Kurtz's or any other number of Über-Patriots cases, it quickly becomes apparent that the only thing they will ever achieve in that religion is apostasy.
It's hard to get patriotically excited over a piece of cloth in which the fibers within it, the looms which wove the cloth that made it, the dyes that put the color in it, the sewing machines that sewed it, the packaging that packaged it, and 100% of the labor in each step of manufacture came from China, whose workers were likely underpaid or maybe even prison labor. It's hard to get excited about a lapel pin which represents a similar bit of Chinese industry, and which is also the result of 100% Chinese content and labor. And all of that so that they could be sold in Wal-Marts'. The folks who had the flags made obviously didn't think enough of America to have the flags made by Americans.
Give me a fuggin' break.
SassySandy @ 35:
What a bunch of BS, all fucking evil does not stem from the Clinton's, I am getting sick and tired of the asinine hatred of the Clinton's coming from the so called progressives.
Filthy Harry,
Oh yeah, solid HRC reporting such as is she too emotional, and what about her calculating cleavage.
SassySandy @ 35:
Why doesn't Hillary just go up on stage and start singing.."It's My Turn".
Only in the US could patriotism be called into question in an election. Hell, I'll go one step further. Only in the US could it be considered at all to influence voters. Damn voters must be real stupid there if questions about a lapel pin and a hand on the heart, sways their votes. Yeesh.
I can hear it now:
"I'm not votin' fer him cuz he don't have a support da troops sticker"
Liberal AND Proud @ 28:
clinton is right. the party need to fight going in and then stand behind the winner in lock step to destroy the repug/MSM smear machine, just like Howard Dean just did to Wolf Blitzkreig. the higher energy level will be needed to confront the vicious campaign tactics that we all know are coming. shit! they're already ramping up on Obama!
this is good practice because the 60-minutes segment showed that the koolAid has a flavor that some people are willing to taste and the dems will NOT win acting like John Kerry or Al Gore. the Democratic nominee better put up a fucking fight.
Leslie @ 45:
Pocket calculator maybe.
RayC @ 44:
Just think, if she wins the nomination, you get to hear this for at least 4 years if she wins the presidency. Doesn't that sound like an administration that will get alot accomplished?
ENOUGH with this bullshit about wearing those damn flag pins. Is that all anyone can talk about??? Nice to know this country is in such wonderful shape that flag pins is our biggest issue.
Wearing those pins for a week or two after 9/11 was fine. But just like Chimpy's "war on terror", there's no end in sight for those stupid pins either.
abob @ 21:
That is sad...worse than Schiavo. What is it now, 80 years of no brain activity and they're still feeding her? She should really just let go, you're right.
P.S. How's that felching workin' out for ya?
It's no wonder Jerry Springer went out of business. To much competition.
The Truth Hurts @ 51:
Aw, c'mon, China needs the money.
RayC @ 44:
Excuse me. I voted for the Clintons not once but twice. I defended them for much too long. They gave us NAFTA, they became more Republican than the Republicans while in office. I am willing to admit when I make a mistake. Too bad Sen. Clinton won't do the same.
L.A. Confidential @ 53:
BANG! Hit the nail on the head again! LOL
Leslie @ 45:
Nah thats just the BS that Obama's been subjected too as well. "Is he black enough?" how long did that insane bull crap last? I mean in a race against HRC and John Edwards, the media is fixated for several months on that question. Embarrassing.
McClatchy Washington Bureau
Posted on Mon, Mar. 03, 2008
Out of bounds! Obama gets the facts wrong
Steven Thomma | McClatchy Newspapers
last updated: March 03, 2008 03:42:13 PM
Throw the flag against: Barack Obama.
Call: False start.
What happened: Obama ripped Hillary Clinton on Sunday for failing to read the National Intelligence Estimate before voting in 2002 to authorize the Iraq war. He said she should've followed the lead of Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., contending that he, as the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, did read the report and voted against the war.
"Jay Rockefeller read it, but she didn't read it," Obama told a rally in Westerville, Ohio. "I don't know what all that experience got her, because I have enough experience to know that if you have a National Intelligence Estimate and the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says, 'You should read this, this is why I'm voting against the war,' you should read it."
At the same time, an Obama campaign strategist was on ABC lauding Obama's endorsement from Rockefeller, referring to him as "the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee who opposed the war in Iraq, who read the intelligence before the war."
Why that's out of bounds:
First, former Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., was the chairman of the intelligence committee at the time of the 2002 war vote, not Rockefeller. It was Graham who read the top secret report and voted against the war.
Second, Rockefeller voted FOR the war resolution.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Sunday evening that, "Barack Obama was clearly referring to Senator Graham, not Senator Rockefeller today."
But that's not what Obama or Axelrod said.
Penalty: Five yards for sloppy fact checking.
McClatchy Newspapers 2008
Paul @ 43:
THOSE ASSHOLES don't believe their own words. they have to practice that bullshit so they can repeat their pat answers to non-existent questions. or "talking points" as we used to call them.
The Kurtzing of Obama
The man curtsied to Obama
What real man curtsies?
Proud2bHumble @ 52:
Bwaahahahahaha................not bad 2B, not bad at all........hey to be fair, Nancy ran the damn country though, while Ronnie drooled in the corner and counted his jellybeans.
ConcernedCanuck @ 50:
I voted for and support Obama, I hope Hillary gets out when she doesn't get the 62% margin that she needs tomorrow, that doesn't change anything about getting tired of the Clinton hate.
Ron @ 33:
That would make him a 'Prince Albert' patriot.
Hi Ron!
michelle @ 58:
pure rove!
a lie goes half way around the world before the truth is out of bed.
Tootie @ 5:
Did you ever think that maybe Obama doesn't have anything to be scrutinized on? I mean....how many times can you use forwarded false emails as a means for scrutinization?
Sen. Clinton has "35" years of experience in fraud, corruption, secrecy and collusion with old Willie to be scrutinized for the next 20 campaigns. Come on! Why would we want a well documented criminal back in the White House? Doesn't Obama's 11 straight wins tell you anything? Listen closely---it means the American people want OBAMA for our 44th President of the United States!!!!
BOn08
RayC @ 62:
They're gonna have to drag her kicking and screaming from the stage. Won't that be a grand way to start the campaign.
Some one, please. Get the hook.
RayC @ 44:
The loss of Congress in 94 was Congress's fault. They were more traditional Democrats whereas the Clintons were DLC when that was a good thing.
It was kind of like the enmity between Jimmy Carter and his Democratic Congress
But the Clintons scored a number of successes with Congress's controlled by different parties.
Now that's a history of unification for policy.
Leslie @ 32:
I thought REAL patriots get flag tattoos! Hoo-ahhh!!!!
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/14/family-guy-lois-griffin-adopts-...
Zogby: Obama Takes Narrow Lead In Ohio
By Eric Kleefeld - March 3, 2008, 8:39AM
This morning's Zogby tracking polls shows Barack Obama holding narrow leads in Texas and Ohio, though both results are well within the margins of error. Here are the numbers, compared to yesterday's tracking poll:
Ohio:
Obama 47% (+1)
Clinton 45% (-2)
Texas:
Obama 47% (+0)
Clinton 44% (+1)
So far, this is the only major poll to give Obama any kind of lead in Ohio.
RayC @ 62:
Oh I agree Ray. I wasn't being a smart ass. Was just pointing out that it is just the tip of the iceberg. No matter how good a candidate she is, just the venom alone makes it pointless to vote for her. I know people say, look at the support she has right now and the numbers of voters turning out.........uh huh.......this ain't the election, and last I checked, something like 10 mill or so (give or take) are supporting her, the same with Obama. That's only 20 mill (give or take).........that's a LONG ways from winning the presidency in a nation of over 300 mill.
Ron @ 33:
and not just pierced earrings, OK? I vote a good eyebrow and a lip pin as well.
Kurtz, like Matthews, Williams, Gregory et all are nothing more than CORPORATE HEMMROIDS that simply deserve a liberal dose of PREPARATION H .........
Liberal AND Proud @ 66:
I don't know I kinda think its doing the dems a world of good to keep the repubs off balance by not having a definite opponent. The longer our candidates have to establish who they are to the nation without too much overt interference the harder it'll be to swiftboat them. I hope.
Remember when Obama was saying that Hillary shouldn't get the nomination because she was too divisive—you know, because of all those phony-baloney scandals like the Vincent Foster murder case? Well, all I can say is good call Barrack! You da (O)bomb(a).
Let's hope he keeps throwing decent punches. If he doesn't, there's a good chance we're all fucked.
Dr. Acula @ 68:
On their penises?
Everyone makes fun of Giuliani...but c'mon...look at the Hillary parrot...sitting on Bill's shoulder.
"I've been vetted...IIIII've be vetted...buraaaaaaaah...sweee hooo"
Dr. Acula,
Flag tattoos, LOL.
Wooo-Hooo, Obama has been closing the gap. It's going to be tight. But I don't see how Clinton will be able to continue if she doesn't win Texas or Ohio by a landslide.
ConcernedCanuck @ 61:
She just said no. Knowing her limitations, settled for stopping progress in its tracks 'til the next contard, GHW could get us going back toward the stone age again, lol. Hi CC!
ysbaddaden @ 76:
"ooohh..c'mon baaby...unfurl my parade flag!!!"
Erick Erickson, editor of the blog RedState, wrote that voters should be wary of “the liberal anti-gun former cokehead whose feminist wife hates America.”
And: he wont take an oath on a Bible, only the Koran.
Obama attended a Madrassa and is a Muslim not a Christian.
Phony smears about sour real estate deals in the past, (sound familiar)?
The list goes on........and it has only just begun. The wingnuts are gearing up for the most bigoted campaign cycle ever. The people that these obvious hate filled remarks about Obama are meant for are just about all the GOP has left. Knuckle dragging, racist, scared silly............the GOP base.
CoIntelPro @ 64:
Then it either blows or it's fucked, but can't be both? lol Hi CIP, massage for you here.
Vic @ 81:
And after the election and Obama wins...the red states will look like the final scenes in "Mars Attacks"!!!
Proud2bHumble @ 63:
Hi 2b, how's your day going?
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
Leslie @ 78:
DIEBOLD To the Rescue!!!!!