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Politics in the Media

Kromm

By Kromm
in Current Events & Politics

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Kromm

Kromm

I've already been noticing in many outlets a total 180 in how they talk about Trump. In many ways it's understandable. But in other ways I'm horrified that the Fourth Estate has been so easily cowed. 

Here's a place to talk about where and when we are seeing that, when it's understandable, when it seems like hypocrisy, or desperate, or if an outlet doesn't do it, when they seem brave vs. the ones that just seem bitter.  All sides of this issue.

If it were only TV and YouTube, I might have even put this on the General TV board, but it's here because I think newspapers, magazines, blogs, online written content should be looked at too.

For example, I was at a drugstore tonight and one of the papers (pretty sure it was USA Today) talked on the front page about how "analysts say that Melania Trump will be a more traditional First Lady, like Jackie Kennedy".

I kind of almost hurled.  Not just at the notions of Melania being traditional anything,  or how silly it was that this was even front page news (a sidebar admittedly but still front page), but the comparison to Jackie Kennedy. REALLY USA Today?  REALLY?  Ugh. 

I saw part of The View on Wednesday (not today) and to be fair to them... they at least seemed in their accustomed "positions". Whoopie and Joy grumpy about all of this and "keeping an eye on Trump", the two semi-conservatives who still didn't like Trump "hopeful" but not overjoyed, and Candace Cameron babbling on about how sad it made her to see "everyone around me unhappy, but I don't feel the same way". She also asked everyone to pray on it (I am not making this up). 

I suspect that Whoopie and Joy at least won't be pulling their punches, then again if they really don't and we hear about them mysteriously being fired at some point? Well...

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NewDigs

NewDigs

Decided to google around to see if there were any nearby marches and came across this FoxNews report about an almost-altercation in Tampa. I guess even if you're a peaceful protester don't pass a pub full of Marines.

And this was the Fox takeaway quote:

'“I think they don't really know the issues,” Johnny Gomes told the station. “I think that they are misinformed they followed, sorry, but the regular media and don't know the real story.”

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Lantern7

Lantern7

More comics news . . . Humberto Ramos and George Perez won't be attending shows at states that went red. While the logic is a little shaky, I understand the protest . . . especially from Ramos, whose people were characterized as "bad hombres." If that guy talked about Italians as mafia-types, I'd be offended, and I don't consider myself that much of an Italian.

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windsprints

windsprints

You're welcome.  It made me feel better too.  

I'm not surprised it would never occur to Trump himself to maybe write up a statement trying to unite people and ease their concerns. But what about the people around him? Is there no person in his circle that has a clue of how much this is needed? I guess they all figured hey he won, no need to bother.

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onthebrink03

onthebrink03

46 minutes ago, windsprints said:

You're welcome.  It made me feel better too.  

I'm not surprised it would never occur to Trump himself to maybe write up a statement trying to unite people and ease their concerns. But what about the people around him? Is there no person in his circle that has a clue of how much this is needed? I guess they all figured hey he won, no need to bother.

I keep asking myself the same question.  Are all the people in his inner circle amoral assholes?  No need to answer that as I'm pretty sure it's a rhetorical question.  

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windsprints

windsprints

I have this that people RT'd (its a screen shot) but my bleary eyes are having trouble finding the link the the original but I don't doubt at all that its legit. I like that he is specifically saying he does not agree with Trump.

 

weareny.JPG

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zxy556575

zxy556575

Article from Slate on how/why journalists failed 2016. We cannot make the same mistakes in covering the Trump presidency.

Scrolling down the page is another article "Journalists Should Be Terrified." I agree and can only Trump's threats of suppression and retaliation galvanizes them into productive action.

A couple of reader comments I liked (from upwards of 800):

  • There is a difference between covering these people and giving deference to things they believe that are flatly ludicrous. They want deference and respect on a host of issues when they hold views that aren't deserving of any such thing from a serious media. 
  • But the media had become so accustomed to the ideals of balance and parity in coverage of the two American parties that it continued covering the GOP as if it hadn’t descended into quackery and madness.
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Danny Franks

Danny Franks

10 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Wow. And Patton Oswalt said Germans don't have a sense of humor.

New from Bleeding Cool . . . Linda McMahon might be in line for a cabinet post. As somebody who sees the WWE that should be nuked from orbit, I can only sigh in despair. Fuck, why wasn't Vince the veep pick? Then the popular vote would've been sewn up.

Really? She's given up on trying to get into the Senate, then? Two bids, costing millions, and both abysmal failures. I have to say, I wish it was Vince instead of Trump. Vince McMahon is an absolute nutter, but in a way that seems so much less dangerous than Trump. Some of the stories about him make you hate him, but some make you wish he was your crazy old uncle.

I mean, who wouldn't vote for this:

vince-mcmahon_original_crop_north.jpg?w=

(I'm only half joking, here. I think millions of people would vote for this)

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windsprints

windsprints

Considering his campaign manager just said that its up to Clinton and Obama to calm down the protestors, who are, you know, paid protestors....I'm not too hopeful.

I completely disagree with that. Its up to Trump to calm people about Trump.  They're just looking to get Obama and Hillary to quiet people down so he can skirt the responsibility. 

Here's the article for anyone who wants to read it: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-donald-trump-protests-20161113-story.html

(moved from another thread since I was linking the article)

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editorgrrl

editorgrrl

 

 

"Dave Chapelle Hosts SNL and Addresses the Protests Against Trump"

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/13/arts/television/dave-chappelle-saturday-night-live.html

Quote

Mr. Chappelle concluded his monologue with an anecdote about how he recently visited the White House for a party that was attended mostly by black guests (and Bradley Cooper), and how it prompted him to reflect on the historical outcries that resulted when Abraham Lincoln invited Frederick Douglass there, or when Theodore Roosevelt hosted Booker T. Washington.

Looking at the party he attended, Mr. Chappelle said, “I saw how happy everybody was, these people who had been historically disenfranchised. And it made me feel hopeful. And it made me feel proud to be an American. And it made me very happy about the prospects of our country.”

He continued, “So, in that spirit, I’m wishing Donald Trump luck. And I’m going to give him a chance. And we, the historically disenfranchised, demand that he give us one, too.”

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MulletorHater

MulletorHater

13 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

I feel like I've been punched in the gut.  Seriously on the verge of tears now.

Me, too.  I remember being so disappointed that she wasn't selected to moderate one of the debates.  I guess I know why now.

I bought her book about the election of President Obama shortly after the 2008 election.  She was one of the few remaining real journalists out there  with real integrity, and she will be sorely missed.  

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Bastet

Bastet

If those papers started doing their job now, they'd have to answer why they failed to do so during the campaign.  This "unity" crap serves as a cover for them, and in normalizing Trump and his increasingly-frightening circle of advisers, they're continuing to fail the public.

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potatoradio

potatoradio

Vox posted an excellent article by Brittany Packnett: White People - What is Your Plan for a Trump Presidency? 

These words really stuck out for me in terms of explaining why I don't buy a simple "oh, time for a plot twist" explanation of a Trump vote - not from a white person:

"A vote for Trump may merely have been a vote for change.

But your change is our catastrophe. And your ability to ignore the catastrophe is evidence of blinding privilege."

And this quote was me to a T and explains why I will not ever accept Pennywise and his entire funhouse as anything other than a menace to our democracy and why it's so important that I don't "simmer down" and do nothing:

Chances are if you’re reading this, you didn’t even vote for him. You may even be finally realizing that what marginalized people have been saying for years is true because now you’re in the same boat — or at least realizing you’ve been wading in the same dangerous tide we’ve been swimming against for generations.

But know this: Whether you actively engage in the violent culture of hate or merely step out of the way to give it permission to persist and room to grow, you are complicit

Full article here, if interested:

http://www.vox.com/first-person/2016/11/14/13626404/trump-election-protest

She's completely right. I am so ashamed today as a white person who kept myself in my own little bubble assuming that racism was magically going the way of the dinosaur. I am going to figure out as many ways as I can to make this election the last gasp of outright supremacy in our democracy. 

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zxy556575

zxy556575

There have been many suggestions to contact elected officials to let them know how we feel, but I for one am going to do the same with the broadcast media. They cannot be allowed to continue shamefully lowering the bar on journalistic standards and hand-waving away the rhetoric of a man who calls for illegal, unconstitutional, treasonous behavior as well as actual war crimes, all in the guise of "fairness" or "impartiality." It is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

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NewDigs

NewDigs

Jack Kingston was on CNN yesterday claiming he had never heard of the alt-right. He has such a smarmy condescending tone it makes my teeth hurt. 

He has the talkover down pat.

And I have not seen any news to assuage my complete horror at Trump's kids not only handling the blind trust but the transition.

And it appears there's no way to compell him to abide by previous standards. Isn't it the freaking law!?!?!

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potatoradio

potatoradio

This is low-hanging fruit and a very small, obvious drop in the bucket, but I sent Rachel Maddow a letter of thanks. I know some people implicate her as a sellout, but her voice has never been more needed and I thought she might be able to use a few words of thanks. 

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zxy556575

zxy556575

My only hope is that the broadcast news and print publications will finally wake the hell up and stop normalizing Trump when he begins following through on some of his threats to sue, lock up, incite violence, get revenge, and limit their first amendment rights.

Although none of that seemed to trouble them much during the campaign. Reporters at Trump rallies WERE PUT IN PENS and not allowed to mingle! For fuck sake, what will it take?

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Duke Silver

Duke Silver

(edited)

I've alluded to this in a couple posts here, when citing fake stories written by teenagers in Macedonia being gobbled-up by willing/gullible Facebook users.  Zuck needs to recognize....

https://twitter.com/nytopinion/status/798494632711753729

Quote

Mark Zuckerberg is contradicting Facebook’s own research, and doing real damage to democracy http://nyti.ms/2gcmVZs

Edited by Lisin
Removed twitter embed
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zxy556575

zxy556575

Facebook needs to die. I wish I could protest by closing my account but I did that several years ago due to their privacy policies.

My only regret about FB collapsing would be for the loss to Zuckerberg's philanthropic charities.

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potatoradio

potatoradio

(edited)

I was just thinking about how Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. could do something huge - they have the money and the nation's eyeballs. They could totally, if so inclined, do a self-imposed black out for an undisclosed period of time and simply say, "you can't use our company to spread hate and destroy the democracy that we're a part of. Stop the flame wars. Stop the incessant need for attention. Go listen and talk to someone in person. Today." 

I know, dreaming. 

So, it's a weird place to be in again, not trusting the MSM at all. I can watch my local news, because they don't devote much time to national issues and do a reasonable job reporting it somewhat objectively. But establishment media like the NYT, WaPo, and all the major network news and cable pundit shows on MSNBC (Maddow and Joy Reid excluded), CNN, etc.? I just don't know how strong their ethics really are. Do they care about news as a source of information to a public that needs it? Or is it all just a ratings and fun show for their bottom line? 

I read an article on Bannon by NYT's Jeremy Peters, because I used to enjoy having a stupid crush on the guy (Peters, NOT Bannon) and thought he was a smart, slightly left-centrist reporter. And I felt sick reading his article completely blowing over Bannon's racist ties. And now, all I can see are two people playing some kind of game to maintain their own comfort and privilege. But one of them is supposed to report the news. (Let's not say anything about what the other is "supposed" to be doing in the future...shudder). 

I heard Peters on an interview once (with some right-wing loon woman) say, "I don't have a horse in this race - I'm not a Republican. I'm not a Democrat, either." 

You don't have a fucking stake? You're a goddamned journalist. 

I can see now that progressives will become the extreme that the MSM dismisses as quacks and out of touch and completely insane as they normalize white surpremacy. I can see MSM becoming nothing more than a propaganda machine if they're so willing to normalize what's happening in order to cover their butts and keep their riches. 

I mean, I don't want to end up as a tin-foil hat wearing paranoid, but I can totally see how it happens now. 

I think my new normal reading will be very different. I knew that crush was unhealthy...

Edited by potatoradio
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Duke Silver

Duke Silver

(edited)
14 minutes ago, windsprints said:

I couldn't get the link to paste but this is from Senator Al Franken's facebook page. I'm posting in this thread because its headlines that have appeared on Breitbart:

 

[snip]

I'm feeling all negative again.  How in TF can anything withstand the outright lies told by such trash outlets when the people who frequent said outlets are seeking exactly those types of stories!!!!!  I mean, we all live in our bubbles.  All of us.  But come on!!!  I can't fathom people who think they are being informed by such thinly veiled lies, whether it's Breitbart, Facebook, or the plan old batshit crazy like Alex Jones & his ilk.  I'm at an utter loss.  I'm in despair regarding what can be done.  The vast majority of people who voted for Trump have been hammered for decades to not believe in the traditional media nor government institutions.  No wonder those lost souls were so ripe for the picking by an authoritarian regime.

Edited by Duke Silver
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Bastet

Bastet

I thought I posted this last night, but I must have passed out in despair before I did.

NOW (the National Organization for Women) issued a press release yesterday stating that "by appointing Steve Bannon as his chief strategist and senior counsel, Donald Trump is elevating a leader of the 'alt-right' who has consistently denigrated women and trafficked in white nationalist, racist and anti-Semitic propaganda."  After giving examples, NOW went on to call upon Trump to rescind this appointment and, "unless and until he does, we call on honest journalists everywhere to stop normalizing these men and report the facts as they are. Our democracy depends on you to tell the truth."

Anyone think the corporate media will step up?  Anyone, anyone?  (Bueller?)

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crayon78

crayon78

(edited)
On 11/15/2016 at 11:00 PM, windsprints said:

I'm posting in this thread because its headlines that have appeared on Breitbart

If you want some more Breitbart headlines, there's always these (which have some overlap):

https://twitter.com/pbondi/status/797919671676731392

Quote

These are actual headlines Bannon published on his "news" site, this is Trump's chief strategist & sr. counselor:

CxLHs_YXcAAHsYO.jpg

I hate when people refer to them as conservative news media. There's conservative and then there's ... this.

Edited by Lisin
Removed twitter embed
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windsprints

windsprints

"The Solution to Online 'Harassment' is Simple: Women Should Log Off" - of course. Shut the womenfolk up. If they don't like being harassed then go bake a cake. Now that we have an admitted sexual assaulter as president this type of harassment is likely to be worse than ever.

How America Failed Women

Let's not forget the environment & wildlife are fucked too:

GOP Platform Proposes To Get Rid Of National Parks And National Forests

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potatoradio

potatoradio

I'm sorry, I don't have all the context for this (it's a response from a New Yorker editor who was a panelist on a CNN discussion of the election and was responding to some right-wing extremist whose name I wasn't familiar with), but THIS is how main stream media AND online media should be reacting, IMNSHO:

When I listen to Conrad Black describe Donald Trump, I think I'm hallucinating. When I hear him described as not a sexist, not a racist, not playing on white fears, not arousing hate, when he's described in a kind of normalized way as someone in absolute possession of policy knowledge, as someone who somehow is in the acceptable range of rhetoric, I think I'm hallucinating. And I fear for our country and I don't think it's unreasonable to to do so. And of course I accept the results of the election. Of course I do. At the same time, I also know that Vladimir Putin played a distinct role in this election, and that's outrageous. And we've normalized it already. Less than a week after the election is over, suddenly Washington is going about its business talking about who's going to get what jobs. You would think that Mitt Romney had won. It’s a hallucination, but I don’t think we can indulge that. And I think that if you are serious about serious opposition in this country, or serious journalism, or whatever your role is to play, the time is now.

You want credibility and ratings, MSM? Stop having so many g-damed panels on "is Trump racist?" or "Does Trump really mean what he says?" And put this question to the American people:

What we need to know, right now, is whether our country is in danger of becoming a white supremacist regime. 

That's the only question you need to be asking, MSM. Ask it everywhere - social media, cable, paper, whatever means you have. Enough with this farting around about getting back to normal. Grow a pair. Have some guts. Be accountable. 

You really don't want the liberal elites to not trust you, either.

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windsprints

windsprints

1 minute ago, stewedsquash said:

 

If you aren't familiar, many of those headlines are the work of Milo Yiannopolous, a gay writer and activist. He is a contributor to the site:

http://www.breitbart.com/author/milo-yiannopoulos/

The Pulse Club Massacre headline is also from another gay writer and activist, Jim Hoft: 

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/06/pulse-club-massacre-time-gays-come-back-home-republican-party/

The Gateway Pundit is Jim Hoft's website and was linked by Breitbart after the shootings.

The Renegade Jew headline was written by David  Horowitz, a Jewish writer calling out the Jewish Bill Kristol as being a renegade Jew.

I don't care who wrote the articles as none of the authors are being considered as part of Trump's cabinet.  No one said (at least in any media that I have seen) that Bannon himself wrote the articles. He helmed Breitbart while the articles were published, therefore in charge of the content, so the names of the authors changes nothing for me.

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potatoradio

potatoradio

10 minutes ago, windsprints said:

I don't care who wrote the articles as none of the authors are being considered as part of Trump's cabinet.  No one said (at least in any media that I have seen) that Bannon himself wrote the articles. He helmed Breitbart while the articles were published, therefore in charge of the content, so the names of the authors changes nothing for me

Any writer can write whatever she wants, for whomever she wants, and our current democracy allows for even the most vile hate speech. That there are gay, Jewish, female, POC writers that write pieces with the intent to shock or skew an argument to the fringes of rationality is not a reason to accept that rationality or deny accountability for it, especially if it's being considered as a "strategy" for governing.

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windsprints

windsprints

A few more article that came across my feeds, posting for anyone interested in reading:

BILL GROSS: Trump's presidency will be 'damaging' to the US economy, and America has taken a 'wrong turn'

telegraph uk: Downing Street warned to prepare for Donald Trump reversal on Syria and military support for the UK

Donald Trump’s gripes about the New York Times are usually about stories that are shown to be accurate

Donald Trump's infrastructure plan wouldn't actually fix America's infrastructure problems

China to Donald Trump: No, We Didn’t Invent Climate Change

LAPD Chief Says Department Will Not Help Donald Trump Administration With Deportations

Statement of NOW President Terry O’Neill On Donald Trump’s appointment of Steve Bannon as White House Advisor

Labor leaders call for careful rethink of US alliance, citing Donald Trump's foreign policy (Australia)

John McCain Slams Idea Of A Russian ‘Reset’ Under Donald Trump

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Bookish Jen

Bookish Jen

30 minutes ago, windsprints said:

A few more article that came across my feeds, posting for anyone interested in reading:

BILL GROSS: Trump's presidency will be 'damaging' to the US economy, and America has taken a 'wrong turn'

telegraph uk: Downing Street warned to prepare for Donald Trump reversal on Syria and military support for the UK

Donald Trump’s gripes about the New York Times are usually about stories that are shown to be accurate

Donald Trump's infrastructure plan wouldn't actually fix America's infrastructure problems

China to Donald Trump: No, We Didn’t Invent Climate Change

LAPD Chief Says Department Will Not Help Donald Trump Administration With Deportations

Statement of NOW President Terry O’Neill On Donald Trump’s appointment of Steve Bannon as White House Advisor

Labor leaders call for careful rethink of US alliance, citing Donald Trump's foreign policy (Australia)

John McCain Slams Idea Of A Russian ‘Reset’ Under Donald Trump

Thanks for providing these links. I will read them shortly. However, I made need a good, stiff drink...or twenty.

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Kromm

Kromm

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I suppose this is a good place to put the Glenn Beck interview with Anderson Cooper.

Geez, Beck. As glad as I am to hear you acknowledge how crazy and disgusting the Alt-Right is, and while I actually DO agree that they're actually only a small percentage of who voted for Trump, why didn't you have the BALLS to be this vocal about them a YEAR or so ago?

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windsprints

windsprints

(edited)
 

Charles Johnson ‏@Green_Footballs 
@WSJ Here's the director of the NSA stating outright that Russia used Wikileaks to influence our presidential election.
 
https://twitter.com/WSJ/status/798647324687929344
 
Quote

"A conscious effort by a nation-state to attempt to achieve a specific effect" NSA chief on WikiLeaks http://on.wsj.com/2geEat1

 

Edited by Lisin
Removed twitter embed
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