The most offensive thing in the campaign was the lack of fact-checking. Candidates could basically say whatever, without the media holding them accountable. Most of the time, after debates, networks directed you to their website if you wanted to check the facts. If you wanted to check the facts. Of course the vast majority of Americans don't know the facts and don't care to check them.
Once during the campaign the New York Times published an editorial by Barack Obama criticizing John McCain. John McCain wanted to write a rebuttal, but they refused.
When Sarah Palin recently appeared on Larry King Live, which used to be a somewhat good program, the screen read "Sarah Palin" Unscripted, Unedited, Unleashed." Is this show trying to give Palin a fair shot, an unbiased interview? Or are they pushing this idea that she is out of control and all about herself? It sounds like yellow journalism to me. Of course no one should think that Larry King Live is unbiased at all, with Bill Maher or Michael Moore on literally almost every week, and conservatives making few appearances except on panels.
It didn't bother me people asking about Sarah Palin's readiness or qualifications. That is a fair question. But the news media didn't do that. They tried to mold her as an idiot who didn't know anything. (And does really anyone think that you could go to college and become a governor and not know that Africa is a continent?) Of course, they labeled the supposed scandal in her state as "troopergate" before there was any ruling about her wrongdoing or possible culpability. Of course, the media also lied about Sarah Palin's comment about the Iraq War. She never said that the war was God's will. She said we should pray that we are doing God's will and that the war "really is a task from God". But they just played part of the clip, to take it out of context. That is one thing that in the past that couldn't have happened in the past. But in today's media, people can lie and get away with it. Of course, her wardrobe was also questioned (honestly, I couldn't care less. Who cares how much they are spending on clothes? Did they ever ask how much the Obama campaign was spending on clothes for Barack or Michelle or the Bidens or how much the speech in Denver cost?) They also sent people to go to her church to find out about her controversial views? I saw how segments about her views on evolution. Like I care? Was Obama ever asked about his views on evolution? I guess it is important, since anyone who questions evolution is an idiot. Her religious views were described as "controversial". Barack Obama's weren't, even though I saw much more proof of extremism at Trinity United.
Now, NBC and MSNBC are marketing their documentary film "Yes We Can: The Barack Obama story". NBC is running a commercial that says "Watch as a new leader renews America's hope". Why is a news organization doing this? They are there to report the news, not give their opinion. Now I have to watch commercials lecturing me about what I can do to stop global warming when I watch NBC, like I'm three.
1 comment:
NBC has definitely gone way off the deep end into leftist advocacy. The most salient example of this that I recall is when the hosts of NBC's Sunday Night Football pregame show spent several minutes discussing what they were doing to help the environment.
That, alone, wouldn't have been so unbearable (although I do fine on my own learning what I can do to help the environment—I don't need to be lectured when I just want to watch sports); but then loudmouth-cum-idiot Keith Olbermann talked about how his family stopped buying only bottled water for their hydration needs and instead bought a tap filter so they'd save money in the long run and no longer throw away so many plastic bottles each week.
Thanks for the insight, Keith. If only Middle America was dumb, profligate, or trendy enough to have ever drunk only bottled water, your thoughts would no doubt be useful.
Here's my advice for how you can help the environment: next time NBC or MSNBC (or even CNBC, some of the time) is on the TV, switch it off and go read some Hayek.
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