Today's Must-Read: What Independent Press?

This morning's "Must-Read" is a comment thread (for which, unfortunately, Disqus won't give me a link, so you get the whole thing here), courtesy of commenter billbear1961:

From Political Wire:

disqus_lWwzrwNaw6 17 hours ago

Margaret Brennan on CBS pulled off the same little trick George did at ABC: in her interview with Liz Cheney, she struggled to get Cheney to say something critical about Donald's timing, or to acknowledge that "some might say" there's something an eency weency bit racist about how "some interpret" Donald's tweets, while allowing Cheney to get away unchallenged with vile, incendiary lies about what the four Democratic representatives actually said.

No challenge at all from Brennan on that ground. None.

Disgraceful: but over the last quarter century or so, this kind of journalism is how the Republican Party has taken total power.

I was horrified, although not even remotely surprised, by the extent to which George Stephanopoulos let the odious Mercedes Schlapp get away with suggesting that a) the old orange goon had denounced the chant but b) the representatives had indeed said terrible, anti-Semitic, anti-American things.

George challenged Mercedes a little bit on the idea that Donald had immediately denounced the chant, although that line of questioning got muddy as Schlapp pulled the usual Frank Luntzed agitprop routine, but he let stand without challenge the outrageous, incendiary, and deeply false suggestion that any of the four had said anything remotely anti-Semitic, inflammatory, or anti-American.

He let it stand, as one knew he would---most of the press establishment has decided the hair to split involves Fat Donald's reaction time, and whether Fat Donald really means it, and not the toxic, dangerous content of the allegations the Republican Party is making against these women, which may yet lead to bloodshed and death. It would be so impolite to force the Republicans to deal with that one.

This is not only open racism and fascism, but it's based on easily disprovable right wing agitprop, Frank Luntz mantras, and Murdoch Big Lies.

Yet the national press still equivocates about calling Donald a racist ("some say," "critics charge"), and still will not explode the lies about what the four members of Congress actually said.

The press is allowing the Republicans' Big Lie campaign to stand unchallenged.

The real disgrace is that the press is refusing to correct the record: refusing to point out, again and again, as often as it takes, that the Congresswomen didn't say any of the things the Republicans claim they said. This filthy Republican lie is hardening into fact because the press doesn't want to "take sides" and correct the record.

billbear1961

And this is ME speaking--just as the corporate-FASCIST press have, in effect, abandoned the children in the concentration camps, they are helping Trump and the GOP endanger the lives of the "Squad" be refusing to call them out for the LIES they are spreading about what these women have said.

And that pretty much echoes my thoughts on how the press is a failure.

More on Mayor Pete

This was farther down in the same comment thread cited in the last post, and again shows what the media is not telling us and, even more so, what the "activists" being featured are ignoring:

.@CNN @BrookeBCNN Don’t let the malcontents sway you. I am twice @PeteButtigieg age and spent my entire life in South Bend and worked 40 years in media. He has done more to try and mend our community than anyone I remember. https://t.co/9Pul3tM8h1

— Maureen McFadden (@MMcFaddenTV) June 22, 2019

It's worth following that whole thread to see how much support Buttigieg actually has in South Bend.

It's worth noting that, in addition to the media focusing on click-bait stories, the professionally offended are generating their own slant on events by the simple expedient of ignoring facts that don't fit their agenda. (Sound familiar?)

Today's Must-Read: It's Not Just Sour Grapes

For those who don't believe the major media outlets have been complicit (whether knowingly or not) in Trump's assault on reality, this is a must-read:

Major media outlets failed to rebut President Donald Trump's misinformation 65% of the time in their tweets about his false or misleading comments, according to a Media Matters review. That means the outlets amplified Trump's misinformation more than 400 times over the three-week period of the study -- a rate of 19 per day.

The data shows that news outlets are still failing to grapple with a major problem that media critics highlighted during the Trump transition: When journalists apply their traditional method of crafting headlines, tweets, and other social media posts to Trump, they end up passively spreading misinformation by uncritically repeating his falsehoods.

The way people consume information in the digital age makes the accuracy of a news outlet’s headlines and social media posts more important than ever, because research shows they are the only thing a majority of people actually read. But journalists are trained to treat a politician’s statements as intrinsically newsworthy, often quoting them without context in tweets and headlines and addressing whether the statement was accurate only in the body of the piece, if at all. When the politician’s statements are false, journalists who quote them in headlines and on social media without context end up amplifying the falsehoods.

There's more. There's lots more, with pictures. Read it.

Today's Must Read: That Scandalous Feinstein Video

You may have run across coverage of an interchange between Sen. Dianne Feinstein and a group of high-schoolers. I'd strongly recommend you search out the full video rather than the edited version that's being jumped on the media. Here's some level-headed coverage from Adam L. Silverman at Balloon Juice:

Earlier today Waleed Shahid, fresh off of getting dragged for posting barbered and highly edited clips of Senator Harris from her town hall on his twitter feed several weeks ago, decided it was time to set his sights on the senior senator from California. As I suspected in the comments to an earlier post, Shahid had once again posted heavily edited videos on his twitter feed to go after someone that doesn’t measure up to his purity fanaticism. Fortunately, just like the last time, someone came along to set the record straight.

Silverman goes on to include a twitter-feed with the full, unedited video, which puts things in a very different light. Then he goes on to discuss the "Justice Democrats," who seem to be interested in anything but justice.

To be quite candid, I'm more than a little fed up with the left-wing purity police and the rush to judgment (a prime example, this post at Crooks and Liars; at least she included a link to the full video, although she posted the edited version). They gave us Donald Trump, and now seem intent on a reprise for 2020. Assuming he hasn't been impeached.

(Footnote: yes, I've been largely silent, due in part to a slow recovery -- I think I pushed too hard too fast -- and in part to being sick of the news, which is full of breathless speculation on -- well, you name it.

Image of the Week

And it's so true. Thanks to commenter Calico Jane at Joe.My.God.

Today in Right-Wing Civility

Fromo "Pastor" Rick Wiles, one of the leading lights of the unhinged "Christian" right:

We’re in for the fight of our lives. If these people get power in this country again, you and I are toast, we’re done. Do you understand that? If they regain power, you and I are history. They’re coming after us. They will exterminate all opposition. Take my word for it. These people are ruthless. They’re murderers, they’re perverts, they’re pedophiles, they’re the worst scum that’s ever crawled on this planet and they’re dangerous. They will do anything to hold on to power, including exterminating their domestic opponents because they’re driven with madness, total madness. When you reject God, you’re opening your mind to madness. And these people have rejected God, they rejected God decades ago and madness has taken over.”

And of course, he has a TV show -- and, one assumes, an audience.

Via Joe.My.God.

Today's Must-Read: The Professor on Obamacare's Survival

As might be expected, Krugman nails it:

Why did Obamacare survive? The shocking answer: It’s still here because it does so much good. Tens of millions have health coverage — imperfect, but far better than none at all — thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Millions more rest easier knowing that coverage will still be available if something goes wrong — if, for example, they lose their employer-sponsored plan or develop a chronic condition.

Which raises a big question: Why did the prospect of health reform produce so much popular rage in 2009 and 2010?

As might be expected, it's because the right has a very effective propaganda machine:

The question then becomes why so many people believed these lies. The answer, I believe, comes down to a combination of identity politics and affinity fraud.

Whenever I see someone castigating liberals for engaging in identity politics, I wonder what such people imagine the right has been doing all these years. For generations, conservatives have conditioned many Americans to believe that safety-net programs are all about taking things away from white people and giving stuff to minorities.

And those who stoked Obamacare rage were believed because they seemed to some Americans like their kind of people — that is, white people defending them against you-know-who.

Read it -- he goes into detail.

And it occurs to me that this has implications far wider than health care -- I mean, this is how we wound up with that tweeting migraine in the White House.

Today in Projection: Criminal/Crazy Edition

Two stories illustrating how projection has become a major rhetorical device fo the right.

First, did you know that the American left was the inspiration for the Nazis? Well, none other than Dinesh D'Souza, convicted felon and right-wing hack, has the goods:

This week on Facebook, D’Souza said, "FACT: Hitler got many of his destructive, genocidal ideas from American Democrats."

On Amazon, his book's page reads:

What is "the big lie" of the Democratic Party? That conservatives—and President Donald Trump in particular—are fascists. Nazis, even. In a typical comment, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow says the Trump era is reminiscent of "what it was like when Hitler first became chancellor."

But in fact, this audacious lie is a complete inversion of the truth. Yes, there is a fascist threat in America—but that threat is from the Left and the Democratic Party. The Democratic left has an ideology virtually identical with fascism and routinely borrows tactics of intimidation and political terror from the Nazi Brownshirts.

That's a really stellar performance from a has-been-before-he-ever-was.

And, from one of our perennial favorite nutjobs, another has-been, Michele Bachmann, in response to the city of Minneapolis setting up a hotline to report hate crimes:

"What we're seeing is that hotlines are being set up by units of government for the purpose of encouraging people to call in and rat on their fellow man to report a hate crime," Bachmann blathered, clearly confusing hate crimes with hate speech.

"What they're trying to do is implement anti-blasphemy laws. They're trying to implement Islamic Sharia law locally in order to quiet churches and quiet anybody who would talk about what the truth is about Islam."

Installed during June, the hotline immediately received " viable" reports of assault, property damage, and " harassing behaviors." However, Bachmann maintained that the hotline is an act of "civilization jihad" against good Christian folk like herself who just want to tell Muslims how evil they are.

"What the truth is about Islam" -- I doubt that Bachmann can figure out what the truth is about anything.

At any rate, it's become obvious that the right has adopted projection as a major weapon in their war against America.

The Give-Away Continues

Now you can get Russian propaganda right here at home -- if you live in D.C.:

Russian state-funded Sputnik Radio has started its first broadcasts in the Washington, D.C., area, in an effort to reach more Americans with what it calls "alternative news."

Sputnik, which says it gives voice to minority views outside mainstream media and supports an anti-establishment agenda, broadcasts on the 105.5 W288BS frequency.

Critics say Sputnik functions as part of a Kremlin propaganda machine aimed at undermining Western institutions.

Sputnik Radio staffers say its broadcasts into the Washington area will allow Americans in the nation's capital to listen to them and not just to what is being said about them.

A sample of Sputnik's "alternative news" (read "alternative reality"):

For instance, Sputnik's webpage this week showed a front-page column headlined "Trump, Putin Up Against US Deep State," which argued that "the US Deep State comprising the military-intelligence nexus and their political media machine in Washington does not want to normalize relations with Russia."

The same writer, Finian Cunningham, in June wrote, "US global power depends on its presumed economic prowess and military force. With its economy in long-term decline, precipitated by the teetering dollar, the US rulers are relying increasingly on militarism to project power. That tendency is pushing the world to war."

It went on to say, "Fortunately, Russia and China may have sufficient military power to deter the desperate, waning American empire from trying to incite catastrophic war."

And just when did "catastrophic war" become a possibility? Why, on January 21, 2017, when Putin's preferred candidate was formally sworn in.

One question occurs to me: how did a Russian state propaganda station get a license to operate in this country? I mean, you don't just set up an office and start broadcasting.

Another Day, Another Campaign Rally

He's still running for president -- that's all he knows how to do:

Donald Trump cost taxpayers’ at least $400,000 last night to headline the Celebrate Freedom Concert last night in Washington D.C., utilizing his first 4th of July Speech as president to attack the media, praise an anti-gay pastor and pander for the evangelical and veteran votes.

Trump began his speech by praising Robert Jeffress, the anti-gay megachurch pastor who’s linked homosexuality to both pedophilia and disease. “Pastor, you… have stood with us since the very, very beginning,” Trump said, “and I will always stand with you. I’ve told you that, and I mean that, I will always be with you. I appreciate it.”

The president quickly began pandering for the evangelical vote, touching on the faux “War on Christmas” and promising “we’re going to start saying ‘Merry Christmas’ again.” And although he took the time to block VoteVets, which advises it “represents over 500K vets, military families and supporters” on Twitter, Trump didn’t shy away from seeking the veteran vote, either.

And it seems that pandering works both ways:

.@firstbaptistdallas' choir premiered a song composed to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan https://t.co/VhtAi0C2Qz #CelebrateFreedom pic.twitter.com/DeBQ9t3iHj

— Religion NewsService (@RNS) July 2, 2017

“Thank you to everyone from First Baptist Dallas,” Trump said at the beginning of his speech. “Tonight, we have been inspired by music that fills our hearts, stirs our souls and reminds us all of who we are: one nation, under God.”

“I heard them backstage, I said ‘let me out there, that is the most beautiful music,’” Trump said, momentarily leaving his teleprompter behind. “Your music honors our heroes more than words could ever do.”

There's video at the link, if you really have to see it.

Aside from the rank hypocrisy of his first comment, please take note: a reminder, if you will, that a certain brand of "Christians" strongly favor dictators. (Just look at the history of Europe and America in the 20th century.) That's what comes of following a religion that emphasizes subservience.

That's all the Trump news I can stomach for today.

Over the Edge

Presented without comment:

Conspiracy theorist broadcaster Alex Jones alleged on his radio program today that liberals are inciting violence and leading the U.S. into a civil war.

Jones claimed, absurdly, that liberals are advocating on “every publication outlet they own” for people to “kill the president, kill his family and kill his supporters.” The result, according to Jones, is that “people are getting beat up in the head with clubs, with bike locks, they’re getting stabbed. It’s happening everywhere. The Islamicists know it’s their time.”

Without referencing any specific events, Jones described what he interprets as signs of the impending war: “Communists here in Austin openly attacking our camera crew and our reporters, and having semiautomatic rifles with their fingers on the triggers. I mean, they are ready to go. They are ready to bring in the civil emergency.”

He then warned “our military, our police, and our citizenry” against acting “like cowards during the civil emergency” and instead encouraged them to “offensively in a defensive move, politically get back in their faces and also defend ourselves from physical attacks.” Otherwise, Jones said, the left will “intimidate the nation into a new dark age.”

“I’m encouraging people to hold the line, like Gandhi or Martin Luther King, and not strike out offensively because it’s politically hurting the left,” Jones added. “But if they launch a full offensive, then we’ve got to really launch back physically.”

I mean, what can I say?

Via Joe.My.God. Video at the link.

Today's Must-Read: Useful Idiots

Paul Krugman (and why has this man never been appointed to a high-level government position? We need someone like him.) lays it out:

On Wednesday an editorial in The Times described Donald Trump as a “useful idiot” serving Russian interests. That may not be exactly right. After all, useful idiots are supposed to be unaware of how they’re being used, but Mr. Trump probably knows very well how much he owes to Vladimir Putin. Remember, he once openly appealed to the Russians to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails.

Still, the general picture of a president-elect who owes his position in part to intervention by a foreign power, and shows every sign of being prepared to use U.S. policy to reward that power, is accurate.

But let’s be honest: Mr. Trump is by no means the only useful idiot in this story. As recent reporting by The Times makes clear, bad guys couldn’t have hacked the U.S. election without a lot of help, both from U.S. politicians and from the news media.

Let me explain what I mean by saying that bad guys hacked the election. I’m not talking about some kind of wild conspiracy theory. I’m talking about the obvious effect of two factors on voting: the steady drumbeat of Russia-contrived leaks about Democrats, and only Democrats, and the dramatic, totally unjustified last-minute intervention by the F.B.I., which appears to have become a highly partisan institution, with distinct alt-right sympathies.

He goes on from there, and no one gets away unscathed. Read it.

Footnote: The President's final press conference makes a nice coda.

A Point

And one I've been making for a while, even before the Orlando shooting. From Hank Plante, in the Desert Sun:

Every anti-gay politician, every bigoted preacher, every self-hating bully has blood on his hands. Make no mistake about it, the shooting in Orlando which targeted the LGBT community was the end result of decades of anti-gay hate speech and gay bashings.

Every time a politician or community leader has advocated second-class citizenship for gay Americans, it has given permission to the haters to strike out – in this case in a mass slaughter. . . .

The fact is, gays and lesbians are no strangers to violence. My friend David Mixner, a gay rights pioneer, reminded his Sunday readers on the site Towleroad of the 32 gay bar patrons who died in 1973 when someone fire-bombed the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans. Mixner is right when he says, “Every one of us knows someone who has been gay bashed.”

So imagine the message that anti-gay hate speech sends to someone who is mentally unstable, let alone such a person who has an assault weapon.

Harte makes a point: they don't even get it. They either don't understand or won't admit that they have created this environment.

You'll notice the number of right-wing figures who have been very quick to point the finger at Islam (when they're not blaming Obama -- and some of them manage both), when it's they themselves who have in some cases devoted their careers to creating the environment in which something like Orlando is not only conceivable, but inevitable. (And a special shout out to Wayne LaPierre of the NRA: you have lots of blood on your hands.)

There's history here.

I mean, come on -- this is a no-brainer: remember Mama Grizzly with her map showing certain congressional districts with targets on them? And Gabby Giffords got shot. But it wasn't Palin's fault, no, not at all.

These people really need to be called out, and our ball-less media isn't going to do it.