What follows is truly pathetic and denotes exactly why media contributes to the “dumbing-down” of the nation. A CNN segment in which Don Lemon actually moved to a form of reality TV for sake on entertaining the inquisitive and added to a level of disrespect for the tragic losses of MH-370 on possible via cable network news.
My reaction to what follows is comparable to what it has to be like to sit and watch shows like Duck Dynastyand other inane mind-drowning TV shows. Shows that certainly offer a few chuckles, but in aggregate contributes to terrible television, and grubby looking facial hair where you would least expect to find it. Some reality shows seem to actually entertain to the point of inseminating and birthing clone-like behavior that can be described only as gossipy, voyeuristic and the out-right ridiculous.
What follows is an example of the out-right ridiculous.
CNN’s Don Lemon: Is Black Hole Theory For Missing Jet ‘Preposterous?’
Before we move to an example of one television talk show host who seems to have tired of the droning on and on speculation for sake of entertainment, allow me to reach back to my analogies above and admit to my victimization.
Why do I, from time to time, sit and watch “Findings Bigfoot?” I know damned well, the show will never produce an actual video of the legendary and fabled creature. In fact, and to be precise I also know that sounds the investigators claim to hear, that I never hear, in no way denotes what they call “Sasquatch.” Better yet, I think the more common vernacular on the show is “Squatch.” Read more after the break below
So, I surely know the attraction of entertainment for entertainment sake. I draw the line, however, when it comes to acquiring information and delving into serious topic exploration or some lack-luster alternative. The alternative directly contributes so what I call “LIVs” or “LIPS”(Low-information Voters or Low Information People). People who will spend little to no time on self -education or seeking information while preferring ‘false’ news (e.g., Fox News) developed to influence the minds of the gullible influence (able).
After re-watching the CNN spectacle and silliness, it was refreshing to see this 1:00 minute video from MSNBC.
Allow me to reach back to my analogies above and admit to my victimization, before we move to an example of a television talk show host who seems to have tired of the droning on and on speculation for sake of entertainment, . Why do I sit and watch “Findings Bigfoot?” I know damned well, the show will never produce an actual video of the legendary and maybe fabled creature. In fact, and to be precise I also know that sounds they claim to hear, that I never hear, in no way denotes what they call “Sasquatch.” For sake of being precise allow me use the vernacular the show investigators use for the fabled creature: ” Squatch.”
I often criticize Mika for cowering to Scarborough. Today was a bit different, but I will wager conversation ensued after the show was off the air. When, the conservative name sake want to move to ‘low-hanging’ reality TV, he is accustomed to having his way.
I stopped watching MSNBC’s Morning JoeShow about two years ago. The format induced aversions and Joe Scarborough exemplified why any comparison of Fox News and MSNBC is a false equivalence comparison. Scarborough (along with ample numbers of highly paid sycophant co-hosts and guest) and the show host (Chuck Todd) that follows Scarborough’s daily tirades against the Administration has changed my morning (dress for work) news viewing. Either the horrors of local news (with all early morning frivolity and giggles) or the waiting arms of CNN News Day became my options. In other words, morning news viewing for me has become a very much a fleeting activity. Of course, I do spend a few minutes with News Day and simply flip-it off when they start the network’s daily conservative guest programming.
Today, two peeps at CNN programming reinforced the growing perception CNN has gone all out “lean very Right.” Chris Cuomo started today’s horror show with early morning Newt Gingrich, working to appear super intelligent while selling the Keystone XL Pipeline during questioning about the Russia invasion of part of Ukraine. It should be noted Paul Ryan did exactly the same yesterday while appearing with News Day host Kate Bolduan. That discussion was also about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Obviously, the GOP Playbook for the week includes extemporaneous insertions of the Keystone XL Pipeline, while video taping segments about the Ukraine invasion. The GOP is so very shallow and all about the business of “Fake it, to Make it!”
Later in the day while taking a break from a daily chore, I attempted to avoid MSNBC’s The Cycle, via heading back to CNN. My knee-jerk dial tuning led me directly to Jake Tapper interviewing, of all people, Texas soon to be former governor Rick “oops” Perry. Needless to say, but I will close with, my viewing of Tapper and Perry ran 1.5 seconds.
I have expended a few minutes on CNN’s facilitation of conservative mantra and policy for one reason only.
While avoiding early morning Newt Gingrich on CNN, I ventured over to the Morning Joe Show. My traipsing around led me directly to Willie Geist and Joe Scarborough extolling the virtues of the Koch brothers. Geist was much more subtle in supporting his boss Joe Scarborough. Mika was sitting like a chastised puppy looking down at the set table not daring to make eye-contact with what appeared as the object of Scarborough’s posit: Harold (Deeply Blue Dog) Ford. Of course, I quickly hit the flat screen remote to another network. But, was there (on MSNBC) enough time to hear and see Scarborough yelping about the generous Koch contributions to the Arts.
Since, I knew Ford would not retort with serious concerns about the Kochs, I rejoined my Morning Joe Show paradigm and tuned away. The Kochs have via Koch 501 (C) (6) organizations (Freedom Partnersspecifically) funded anti-ACA campaign to the tune of plus $120 million dollars. If you follow current events, you may know the Kochs have worked to segregateschools in North Carolina. While undocumented, I strongly suspect the Kochs via their gargantuan wealth cast a “Just Say No” shadow on Administration proposals to raise the minimum wage, provide assistance to the long-term unemployed, and their very presence provides impetus “just-saying no” to all things Obama.
Ultimately Scarborough, the good conservative, opts to completely ignore the US Tea Party born of Tobacco Industry and Koch ideology dating back to 2002. Thus, the MSNBC conservative spokesperson cares nothing about a metastasized tea party that he has taken to task and he fails to factor a US government shutdown and a congressional approval rating below 12 percent.
Scarborough was given a “collar” he continues to wear by his co-host’s father, Zbigniew Brzezinski, in December 2008.
A less than 30 days after the first election of Barack Obama to the US presidency, Scarborough was fitted and dressed-down. he continues to wear collar fitted by Dr. Brzezinski.
His support for David and Charles Koch while expected and delivered, show shallowness unbecoming a major GOP pundit who reportedly earns in the range of $99,000 per week.
Contribution to the Arts! (surprisingly superficial)
The Raw Story ran a piece about the morning segment.
Democrats have targeted Charles and David Koch, the billionaire industrialists who help bankroll conservative politics, in advance of the congressional midterm elections. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launched a digital campaign Thursday…
Bob Woodward must have illusions of his days unearthing the goods on Richard Nixon’s C.R.E.E.P. Team (Committee to Re-Elect The President) and the Watergate Building break-in. He must have slept through a period of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and its associated dream state with images of “Deep Throat.”
WIKI NOTE: (for the young readers, the current event uninformed, Fox News viewers and to maintain civility in my comments section)
No, Bob Woodward there is no “Deepthroat” chain-smoking and whispering hints pointing to the White House. Your time in the lime-limelight and what you have done this week is comparable to a tired and worn-out Ted Nugent. Woodward’s contempt of the president and all things Obama is obvious in his choice of words (of which he is a master of wordsmith) and manifest in his actions. Woodward’s days of the following image are days far gone without prospect of return.
Watergate personnel diagram created by Woodward and Bernstein’s research assistant Al Kamen, 1974. (Image, http://www.utexas.edu)
Bob Woodward has literary and language acumen well beyond most people and he is linguistically capable well beyond most misinterpretation. His motives were clear. He was clearly practicing subterfuge, he was surreptitious and self-serving. Let’s not forget Woodward’s sudden insertion on every imaginable televised news show since he spoke his lie. During one appearance he actually pulled an Andrew Breitbart and read of parts of the email STRING, that best fit his ploy.
His motive? Woodward’s motive is clearly about money and exposure. If he was able to pull it off he would have cause to pin yet another book. He would literally have a Dinesh D’Souza like opportunity to make money. The man is obviously a conservative and he is using his celebrity and his paradigm just as does other conservative money-grabbers.
The Atlantic Wire published a piece and a video of Woodward just before his ploy. The shell of a once credible and award winning journalist actually mentions Ronald Reagan the day after a Reagan appointee to the SCOTUS said “.…the Voting Rights Act is a form of perpetuation of racial entitlements“. He mentioned George w. Bush; proof of a recent life spent in a dream state of unimaginable false reality. He mentioned Clinton with utter ineffectiveness.
Watch the short video…
Read more after the break
Since Woodward has not been on a 10 year mission on the Russian Space Station, I can only assume he is suffering from overactive dream states. Take a look at this once more.
Or George W. Bush saying, ‘You know, I’m not going to invade Iraq because I can’t get the aircraft carriers I need’ or even Bill Clinton saying, ‘You know, I’m not going to attack Saddam Hussein’s intelligence headquarters,…….”.
Yes, Bob Woodward actually used Bush’s fabricated crusade against Saddam to support a flawed premise that manifest as an intentional lie. He would have to have been locked into some far away zone or waiting years for Scotty to “beam him up”, to not realize the wrongs of Bush’s crusade. Media reaction to Woodward’s ploy…Morning Joe here….CNN (early morning segment with President Obama’s name right-up front in the segment) here.Whatever happen to giving it a bit of time, have researchers make a few calls, and report. Joe Scarborugh really should know better.Here is the full text of the email from Serling to Woodward and Woodward’s response.
Bob:I apologize for raising my voice in our conversation today. My bad. I do understand your problems with a couple of our statements in the fall—but feel on the other hand that you focus on a few specific trees that gives a very wrong perception of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here. But I do truly believe you should rethink your comment about saying saying that Potus asking for revenues is moving the goal post. I know you may not believe this, but as a friend, I think you will regret staking out that claim. The idea that the sequester was to force both sides to go back to try at a big or grand barain with a mix of entitlements and revenues (even if there were serious disagreements on composition) was part of the DNA of the thing from the start. It was an accepted part of the understanding—from the start. Really. It was assumed by the Rs on the Supercommittee that came right after: it was assumed in the November-December 2012 negotiations. There may have been big disagreements over rates and ratios—but that it was supposed to be replaced by entitlements and revenues of some form is not controversial. (Indeed, the discretionary savings amount from the Boehner-Obama negotiations were locked in in BCA: the sequester was just designed to force all back to table on entitlements and revenues.)I agree there are more than one side to our first disagreement, but again think this latter issue is different. Not out to argue and argue on this latter point. Just my sincere advice. Your call obviously.My apologies again for raising my voice on the call with you. Feel bad about that and truly apologize Gene
That’s 297 words of apology and advice with the “threat” tucked in as friendly advice. As bullying goes it achieves a special level of ephemeral subtlety.
Woodward’s reply, again from Politico:
Gene: You do not ever have to apologize to me. You get wound up because you are making your points and you believe them. This is all part of a serious discussion. I for one welcome a little heat; there should more given the importance. I also welcome your personal advice. I am listening. I know you lived all this. My partial advantage is that I talked extensively with all involved. I am traveling and will try to reach you after 3 pm today. Best, Bob That Woodward replied cordially can be written off to his being disingenuous with someone he wants to keep as a source (it’s not personal, it’s business, as they say). But given the full context of the exchange it seems he’s being disingenuous with more people than Gene Sperling.
One noted republican response.
Huffington Post
“We Got Played“: Conservatives Abandon Dubious Woodward Intimidation Story
Conservative media figures are abandoning Washington Post writer Bob Woodward’s over-hyped claim that he was threatened by a White House official.
In a CNN appearance and an interview with Politico, Woodward claimed that a White House representative (later revealed to be economic adviser Gene Sperling) had threatened him over his reporting on the history of the sequester cuts. Woodward’s assertion that the White House was trying to intimidate him was quickly promoted by major conservative media figures.
Bob Woodward may have thought that top White House economic adviser Gene Sperling was threatening him in an email exchange, but that’s certainly not how Woodward responded to the email, PoliticorevealedThursday.
Woodward made waves on Wednesday night when he took to CNN and Politicoto accuse the White House of deploying heavy-handed tactics with him after he questioned the Obama administration’s account of the negotiations over the looming budget sequester. Sperling — who he did not name at the time — had told him he’d “regret” moving forward with his narrative, Woodward said, making it clear that he saw this as a threat.
Read moreWe will close with a shortened segment from The Ed Show. The original video is available here.
Bob Woodward has again proven the shallowness and unethical side of American far-right conservatism. He exemplifies all that is wrong from people who simply have an aversion to the Obama Administration. He no more thought he was threatened than he once felt Richard Nixon ‘was not a crook”. He knew better, but could not resist the ‘money-grab” and an opportunity to wound an ethical, professional and effective Executive Branch of US Government.
Worse, yet some who once lived through a period when Woodward and Bernstein were unequaled in their influence on the nation. Influence over ridding the nation of a corrupt administration, influential in shaping career ambitions of millions (Including this journalism undergraduate) and influential in showing how “right” is “right” and, despite overwhelming pressure to forsake “right”, it wins out every time. Woodward accomplished something that considering his obvious political inclinations bodes well for some who prefer Fox News. I am hearing the lies is getting full press, many minutes of coverage, and providing additional close-up shots for Fox on-air entertainers.
The empty shell of a former American hero and
fomenter of international journalism through coverage of US History.
The old adage comes off the mantel once again.
“When you wallow with pigs, the pig loves it. You have lowered yourself to his pig pen….and you now Stink”
Now that John McCain has come clean on the full scope of his elderly childishness it should be obvious our nation is fortunate he was never really close to being our 44th President. McCain’s rationale for leading a “delay” in confirming Chuck Hagel as Secretary of State is proof positive he is “lost in space”. McCain consistently shows his hatred of his presidential campaign lose in 2008. His actions illustrate a need to consider retiring from the US Senate. CNN Blog “Republicans stall Hagel nomination“
McCain, R-Arizona, said Thursday evening on Fox News that Republicans approach to the Hagel vote was colored by past experiences.
“To be honest with you … it goes back to [that] there’s a lot of ill will towards Senator Hagel because when he was a Republican, he attacked President Bush mercilessly and [said] he was the worst president since Herbert Hoover and said the surge was the worst blunder since the Vietnam War, which was nonsense,” McCain said. “He was anti-his own party and people. People don’t forget that.”
“People don’t forget…“! Does that not answer the prospect that McCain has become a ‘king of resistance” to Obama based in “Not forgetting?” A few points about recent US history is noteworthy. First, George W. Bush and the GOP took this nation to the darkness of an economic collapse Bush and his liars denied the Great Recession until after the 2008 General Election. Bush and another set of liars and deniers took this nation to war for no reason beyond his personal desire to attack Saddam Hussein. He was a president who administered hiding war expenditures in federal budgets. Ultimately, (and most telling) Bush was hidden, by his own party, from the face of the Earth during the last two General Elections. How dare McCain and accompany ignore doing the right thing to pursue belated reactionary punishment against Chuck Hagel.
Second, would someone direct McCain to information that the “SURGE” is not touted by all as some glowing military success? The elderly and erratic Senator from Arizona reminds of Rudy Giuliani and is oratorical fixation on 9/11. US troops continued to die during and after the surge. US (Coalition) payments directly to Muqtada al-Sadrled to reduced fighting in Iraq.
The US government literally paid a Muslim cleric to hold his personal army out of all fighting in the cities of Iraq. No, the “surge” was no mastermind military strategy or glowing victory for the US. Despite candidate Obama’s proclamation of the surge as “…a success beyond its Wildest Dreams”, there are other schools of thought on the “surge” as a glowing success.
McCain’s comments also speak to how the US political climate has changed. Whatever happened to back room strategies with public rationale based in a lie. When our politicians can come forth and readily admit to child-like punishment (for a couple of weeks) before senatorial confirmation, we cannot hope for productive government other realms.
The following video includes and eight minutes exposition of one republicans frustration with his party. Before the relevant discussion of Chuck Hagel’s delayed confirmation, MSNBC producers chose to include the almost over-the-top reporting of the Carnival cruise ship Triumph re-entry to US harbor. The two minute exposition works to place critical news items and the media in perspective.
Morning Joe, MSNBC… The first 2 minutes of the segment is somewhat perplexing.
The Wall Street Journal is not a ‘liberal rag’. The following link navigates to an interactive presidential approval poll data that shows G W Bush approval ratings compared to 12 other recent Us presidents. WSJ Linked (Click a president’s name and watch the trend lines).
One last piece that relates directly to McCain’s affinity for George W. Bush.
A 2006 Siena College poll of 744 professors reported the following results:[9]
“George W. Bush has just finished five years as President. If today were the last day of his presidency, how would you rank him? The responses were: Great: 2%; Near Great: 5%; Average: 11%; Below Average: 24%; Failure: 58%.”
“In your judgment, do you think he has a realistic chance of improving his rating?” Two-thirds (67%) responded no; less than a quarter (23%) responded yes; and 10% chose “no opinion or not applicable.”
Thomas Kelly, professor emeritus of American studies at Siena College, said: “President Bush would seem to have small hope for high marks from the current generation of practicing historians and political scientists. In this case, current public opinion polls actually seem to cut the President more slack than the experts do.” Dr. Douglas Lonnstrom, Siena College professor of statistics and director of the Siena Research Institute, stated: “In our 2002 presidential rating, with a group of experts comparable to this current poll, President Bush ranked 23rd of 42 presidents. That was shortly after 9/11. Clearly, the professors do not think things have gone well for him in the past few years. These are the experts that teach college students today and will write the history of this era tomorrow.”[9]
A 2010 Siena poll of 238 Presidential scholars found that former president George W. Bush was ranked 39th out of 43, with poor ratings in handling of the economy, communication, ability to compromise, foreign policy accomplishments, and intelligence. Meanwhile, the current president,Barack Obama was ranked 15th out of 43, with high ratings for imagination, communication ability and intelligence and a low rating for background (family, education and experience).[10][11]
McCain’s 2008 public pronouncement of, “I supported 99% of George Bush’s policies“, his child-like application of legislative privilege and his telling revelations of holding grudges, all provide clear evidence of a need to excuse himself from federal governance while also providing validation of his presidential defeat in 2008. …..And The Band Plays On…..
We are not going to posit much at all on these post. The following video segments speak volumes about the splintering of the GOP.
Joe Scarborough seems to have turned 180 degrees on the GOP once Mitt Romney won the nomination to top of the 2012 Ticket. We have taken five minutes to locate and embed four segments that clearly show one conservative’s extreme frustration with his party. Can you imagine the dissonance of knowing you once held office as a Republican at a time when cooperation worked for the good of the nation? Now, imagine current obstructionism at every turn? The GOP is nothing shy of ‘silly’.
February 11, 2013
5:07 Minutes
February 1, 2013
8:29 Minutes
December 10, 2012
20:51 Minutes (But become relevant at the 10:00 mark)
November 2012 2:07 Minutes
Rumor has it House Republicans have invited the foaming at the mouth, extremely lewd, avowed racist, draft dodger, teenage sexual abuser, Ted Nugent as a guest at tomorrow nights State of The Union Speech. If the rumor is true, what does that say about the GOP and their respect for federal governance?
I titled this piece with Joe Scarborough as a Lifeline The The GOP You can rest assured, he will not be a “Lifeline” for long. His protests about his party will fall on deaf ears. You see most conservatives pay much more attention to Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, Hannity, O’Reilly, and Fox News.
The unimaginable is happening and it is hard to resist a bit of “….tell us something we do not or did not know”. The GOP is showing its true colors and those colors are as revealing as watching Karl Rove fizzle through a tizzy on election night. The GOP has metastasized into a,” we do not need to hear or see anymore, your agenda is now itched in granite” party that has no real interest in advancing the nation economically nor cooperating with politicians who are trying to do that right thing.
I have watched the standard GOP talking heads on camera over the past few days. They can say nothing of substance in rationalization of their party. They stumble verbally, they stutter for lack of words and they look unusually sheepish. They must get that on camera pay check, but they, post election and post Fiscal Cliff’, are being caught without cogent thought.
How about one who has a morning show on MSNBC. Joe Scarborough was clairvoyant in his assessment on the prospect of Mitt Romney winning the election Let’s take a moment to hear his reluctant reaction to post Fiscal Cliff GOPisms.
Also of interest is watching the very obvious conservative Mark Halperin sit through the interview.
The assessment is 11:36 minutes long. I would not watch every second of the piece.
I wonder what Scarborough feels any conservative could do to erase voter knowledge of obstructionism, voter suppression, facts the GOP manages the economy much worse, GOP lack of diversity, and how would he explain away the guttural use of race-baiting form the Right. I omitted one last point for a reason; it needs to stand alone.
How could any conservative explain obvious GOP “Shock and Awe” against women?
The Pardu's Scroll 
I wonder what Scarborough feels any conservative could do to erase voter knowledge of obstructionism, voter suppression, facts the GOP manages the economy much worse, GOP lack of diversity, and how would he explain away the guttural use of race-baiting form the Right. I omitted one last point for a reason; it needs to stand alone.
How could any conservative explain obvious GOP “Shock and Awe” against women?
Joe Scarborough is talking to an empty mirror.