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Saturday, October 30
Bush's Propaganda Machine Can't Hide Wealth of Bad News
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 30 Oct 2004 04:07 AM CDT
 Bush's Propaganda Machine Can't Hide Wealth of Bad News
by Scott Lindlaw, AP, Sierra Times.com
YARDLEY, Pa.
- The presidency comes with powerful tools that can help incumbents
keep their jobs: a mighty public-relations machine, a bully pulpit, a
famous airplane. Yet George W. Bush has been powerless to halt a recent
tide of bad news, from surging violence and missing weapons in Iraq, to
missteps by his own campaign, to a potentially damaging new probe by
his own FBI .
...In a
Friday speech, Kerry hoped to stoke the latest revelation: news that
the FBI has begun investigating whether the Pentagon improperly awarded
no-bid military contracts to Halliburton Co., formerly headed by Vice
pResident Dick Cheney.
...For
four straight days, Bush had been dogged by a report that nearly 400
tons of explosives disappeared from Iraq's Al-Qaqaa military
installation. Bush aides winced when former New York City Mayor Rudy
Giuliani, a frequent Bush campaign partner and surrogate, said the
troops in Iraq, not Bush, bore the responsibility for searching for the
explosives.
There was more:
The U.N. nuclear agency said U.S. officials were warned about the
vulnerability of explosives stored at the installation after another
facility was looted.
Minneapolis
ABC affiliate KSTP-TV, which had a crew embedded with the 101st
Airborne Division during the war, released videotape that it said
showed soldiers examining explosives at the massive Al-Qaqaa facility
nine days after the fall of Baghdad. The video [undermines] Bush's
suggestion the explosives were looted before the U.S.-led invasion of
Iraq.
Other "headlines" hurting Bush:
--More than 1,100 U.S. service members have died since Bush launched is Iraq war in March, 2003
--100,000 Iraqis are dead because of Bush's war
--Bush will ask Congress for another $75 billion to finance his wars on top of the $215 billion already allocated
--The Bush campaign was caught using a doctored photo in a campaign ad
(Click here to read the complete article.)
Wednesday, October 27
Here Comes The GOP Stampede
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 27 Oct 2004 12:55 PM CDT
 Here Comes The GOP Stampede
by Joshua Holland, AlterNet.org
The
conservatives don't play politics with real grassroots activism. Their
top-down style and "buy the movement" approach is better suited for
Astroturf – and this week, they're on the march.
This
weekend, the Republican Party's ground game will be out in full force.
Bush strategist Karl Rove will unveil his "72-hour plan" to knock on
the door of every last uncommitted voter in America leading up to the
election. The strategy for the stretch-drive is unambiguous: red meat
for the base, inclusiveness and security for the swing voters and
making a mockery of Sen. Kerry. To get there, conservative leadership
will mobilize their network of grassroots activists like never before,
focusing on key battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Missouri.
...The
drive to get out the Republican vote will be but one part of a genuine
and dangerously effective conservative mass movement that has emerged
in recent years. But there's a difference between the right's activism and that of the left.
While most progressive movements tend to be organized spontaneously by
activists in true bottom-up fashion, the right's grassroots are
top-down, disciplined and hierarchical. Many of their ground troops
have been professionally inflamed to the point that they've become
another powerful media tool for conservative leadership. Beyond a base
of dedicated activists within the evangelical community and some other
true believers – an estimated 15 million of whom made it to the polls
for Bush in 2000 – the right's populism is often a smoke-and-mirrors
affair cultivated by GOP operatives, spread with today's easy activist
tools and underwritten – sometimes indirectly – by the usual
conservative donors.
This
approach works. We saw it performed perfectly in Florida in the days
after the contested 2000 presidential vote. Pro-Bush protesters
marching in the streets of Florida convinced the Miami-Dade canvassing
board to shut down its recount before the tally was completed, sending Gore v. Bush
to the courts. According to the New York Times, the decision to halt
the recount "followed a rapid campaign of public pressure." Republican
telephone banks urged voters of all stripes to protest the process and
conservative talk-radio hosts echoed the call. According to the Times,
one Republican attorney used a bull horn to egg the crowds on, and the
gathering protesters became violent, at one point even assaulting a
Democratic board member.
(Click here to read the complete article.)
[Well, good. I hope they waste
a lot of time and energy knocking on doors in states that aren't up for
grabs - just out of sheer greed. No one has ever accused the
neo-cons of having good judgment.]
Wednesday, October 20
Democrats Win Partial Victory as Sinclair Retreats on Airing Anti-Kerry Film
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 20 Oct 2004 05:05 AM CDT
 Democrats Win Partial Victory as Sinclair Retreats on Airing Anti-Kerry Film
Seattle Times
Under
mounting political, legal and financial pressure, Sinclair Broadcast
Group yesterday backed away from its plan to carry a film attacking
Sen. John Kerry's Vietnam record, saying it would air only portions of
the documentary in an hour-long special scheduled for Friday.
The
company's announcement came hours after shareholders challenged
Sinclair's plans to air the program, saying the controversial broadcast
might hurt their investment.
... "The
experience of preparing to air this news special has been trying for
many of those involved," Sinclair Chief Executive David Smith said. [Oh, waaaa!]
"The company and many of its executives have endured personal attacks
of the vilest nature, as well as calls on our advertisers and our
viewers to boycott our stations and on our shareholders to sell their
stock." [Well done, people!]
Democrats
have complained to three federal agencies about the Sinclair special,
arguing that the broadcast should be considered an illegal in-kind
contribution to the Bush campaign and noting that Smith and his three
brothers, who run the company, have contributed heavily to Bush and the
Republican Party.
(Click here to read the complete article.)
Media Matters Threatens Sinclair with Lawsuit
Threat of Shareholder Lawsuit Underwritten by Media Matters for America Sparks Sinclair to Change Plans
(Washington,
DC, October 19, 2004) -- At approximately 3:45 p.m. (EDT) on October
19, a representative of Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. called Mr. Jim
Glickenhaus, a general partner in the Wall Street investment firm
Glickenhaus & Co., to state that a response was forthcoming to a
demand letter submitted earlier in the day by Glickenhaus, whose firm
holds 6,100 shares of Sinclair stock. The demand letter, underwritten
by Media Matters for America (MMFA), threatened legal action if
Sinclair aired the anti-Kerry documentary Stolen Honor: Wounds That
Never Heal on all 62 of its stations reaching up to 25 percent of U.S.
TV households.
At
approximately 4 p.m., Sinclair representatives faxed Glickenhaus a
statement declaring that Sinclair Broadcast Group will not be airing
Stolen Honor in its entirety, but will instead air a "news special" to
be "produced with the highest journalistic standards and integrity." [I'll believe THAT when I see it.]
(Read the complete article here.)
Orwellian Twist on the Campaign
by John Nichols, The Nation
"Political
language...is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder
respectable, and to give the appearance of solidity to pure wind." --
George Orwell
George
Orwell shaped our imagination of a future in which a propagandistic
media produced a steady stream of up-is-down, right-is-wrong,
war-is-peace lies in order to impose the will of a governing elite upon
the subject citizenry.
Orwell
reckoned this ultimate diminution of democracy would come in the year
1984. Imperfect genius that he was, the author missed the mark by
twenty years. But, after watching the controversy regarding the
Sinclair Broadcast Group's scheme to air the truth-impaired
mockumentary Stolen Honor in an attempt to stall the momentum John
Kerry's campaign gained from the presidential debates, it becomes
evident that the future Orwell imagined is unfolding.
Forget
about the anti-Kerry fantasy film Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal.
That comic attempt at a documentary is nothing more than a 42- minute
"Swift Boat Veterans for Truth"-style television commercial produced by
a former longtime employee of Tom Ridge, the secretary of George W.
Bush's Department of Homeland Security--an agency that pays daily
homage to Orwell with everything from its name to those color-coded
terrorism warnings.
But
don't forget about the Sinclair Broadcast Group. If you want to see the
Orwellian media future that the Bush administration envisions, pay
close attention to Sinclair.
(Click here to read the complete article.)
Tuesday, October 19
Advertisers, Stockholders Leaving Sinclair
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 19 Oct 2004 09:01 AM CDT
Advertisers, Stockholders Leaving Sinclair
by Bill Carter, New York Times
As "Media" Company Stubbornly Continues Political Crusade, Advertisers and Stockholders Leave; Media Watchdogs Mobilize
Sinclair
- the nation's largest owner of television stations, many of them in
electoral swing states - is itself running a significant financial and
political risk by telling its stations to pre-empt regular programming
and carry the film. Already, Sinclair's decision has alienated some
advertisers; enraged consumer and media watchdog groups, who are vowing
to challenge its station licenses when they come up for renewal; and
given pause to some analysts and investors considering the company's
financial outlook.
Sinclair Stock Drops on Ad Concerns
By Jon Friedman, CBS.MarketWatch.com
NEW YORK
(CBS.MW) -- Shares of the controversial Sinclair Broadcasting Group
slipped almost 8 percent Monday in the aftermath of the political
firestorm that the company created last week.
Sinclair's stock (SBGI) fell 55 cents to $6.49.
The
shares dropped amid fresh concerns on Wall Street, with analysts
fretting over what looms as a loss of advertising revenue for Sinclair.
Some securities analysts, who demanded not to be quoted on record, said
that they're concerned about the potential development.
Sinclair Fires Washington Bureau Chief
by Kasey Jones, AP, Seattlepi.com
Jon Leiberman said he was fired by Joseph DeFeo, Sinclair's vice president for news, and "escorted out of the building."
"I
was told I violated company policy by divulging information from a
staff meeting to The (Baltimore) Sun in this morning's edition,"
Leiberman said late Monday.
"They're using the news to drive their political agenda," Leiberman said. "I don't think it served the public trust."
To stay up-to-date with the latest anti-Sinclair action in Iowa, sign up for the Rapid Response Network - Iowa.
For more information on how you can help, click here.
Tuesday, October 5
Call to Action: Help the Dems Manage Tonight's Debate Spin
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 05 Oct 2004 03:29 PM CDT
Call to Action: Help the Dems Manage Tonight's Debate Spin
DNC (ack!)
An "online coup d'etat." That's how CBS News described your efforts after the debate last Thursday.
John
Kerry did his part with a powerful performance that showed America they
can expect strong and principled leadership when he is our
commander-in-chief. But it was your efforts that kept the Republicans
from spinning their way to victory.
Now we
need your help again. Tonight, John Edwards and Dick Cheney will meet
for the only vice presidential debate of the campaign. Once again, we
need you to take action the moment they leave the stage.
There are three critical things you can do to help beat the Republican spin machine.
1) Vote in online polls.
2) Write a letter to the editor.
3) Call radio and television stations.
Your 10 minutes of activism following the debate can make the difference.
It is important that we double our efforts from the last debate, because the Republicans are now copying our strategy.
Vote in Online Polls
National
and local news organizations will be conducting online polls during and
after the debate asking for readers' opinions. Look for online polls at
these news websites, and make sure to vote in every one of them:
ABC News: http://www.abcnews.com/
CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/
CNN: http://www.cnn.com/
Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/
MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.com/
USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/
Wall Street Journal: http://www.wsj.com/
LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/
Akron Beacon-Journal: http://www.ohio.com/
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/
Orlando Sentinel: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Philadelphia Inquirer: http://www.philly.com/
South Florida Sun-Sentinel: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
And be
sure to check the websites of your local newspapers and TV stations for
online polls. It is crucial that you do this in the minutes immediately
following the debate.
Make sure swing voters know why you support John Kerry by sharing your thoughts on message boards in target states. Visit our 2004 Debate Center
after the debate for a list of message boards where you can fight the
Republican spin. If you visit chat rooms on AOL, MSN, Yahoo, or other
websites, be sure to let people know what you thought of the debate.
Write a Letter to the Editor
Immediately
after the debate, go online and write a letter to the editor of your
local paper. If you feel John Edwards presented an optimistic vision
for the next four years, put it in your letter. If you feel Dick Cheney
failed to explain the last four years of failed policies, put it in
your letter.
Writing a letter is easier than you think. It takes just a few minutes and just a few clicks using our online media center:
http://www.democrats.org/media/
Call Radio and TV Stations
TV
and radio coverage immediately following the debate is where much of
the spin is cemented. Make sure you call radio and TV stations to tell
them what you thought.
Find shows in your area on our media website:
http://www.democrats.org/media/find.html
Also...
Don't
forget to visit our 2004 Debate Center before, during, and after the
debate for important information and more ways to take action.
http://www.democrats.org/debates/
FOX News: We Deceive, You Decide
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 05 Oct 2004 05:42 AM CDT
FOX News: We Deceive, You Decide
American Progress
After Kerry's strong performance
during the debate Thursday night, it was no secret that Republicans and
the right-wing media were desperate to find a way to criticize Kerry.
But no one knew they were this desperate.
Carl Cameron, the top political reporter at Fox, made up ridiculous quotes which he attributed to Kerry
and posted on Fox's website as news. Cameron – who bills himself as an
objective journalist – falsely quoted Kerry saying, "Didn't my nails
and cuticles look great? What a good debate!" and "Women should like
me! I do manicures." Coincidently, Cameron's quotes parrot Republican
talking points that aim to depict Kerry as patrician and Bush as a man
of the people. Another Cameron doozy attributed to Kerry: "I'm
metrosexual – [Bush is] a cowboy." Fox pulled the story from its
website after journalist and blogger Josh Marshall exposed it as a
complete fabrication. Fox spokesman Paul Schur said that Cameron "made
a stupid mistake which he regrets. And he has been reprimanded for his
lapse in judgment." But Schur refused to say what discipline Cameron
faced, later saying "we're simply moving on." Cameron has declined to
discuss the incident and continues to report from the campaign trail.
Write Fox and tell them that Cameron lacks the objectivity to cover the
presidential race.
FOX NEWS
DOESN'T LEARN: The day after the Cameron incident, Fox News posted an
interview with a group called Communists for Kerry, which it presented
as a legitimate, pro-Kerry organization. Fox quoted 17-year-old
Komoselutes Rob, a member of the group, as saying, "We're trying to get
Comrade Kerry elected and get that capitalist enabler George Bush out
of office." The report concluded, "it is unclear whether the Kerry
campaign has welcomed the Communists' endorsement." What Fox didn't
mention: Communists for Kerry is a parody by a Republican front group.
Fox News later retracted the article and claimed it wasn't at fault
because "FOXNews.com's reporter asked the group's representative
several times whether the group was legitimate and supporting the
Democratic candidate, and the spokesman insisted that it was." If Fox
would have bothered to click the "About Us" link on the group's
website, it would have discovered "Communists for Kerry is a campaign
of the Hellgate Republican Club, a tax exempt non-partisan public
advocacy '527' organization that exists for the purpose of; Informing
voters with satire and irony."
CAMERON
PALS AROUND WITH BUSH BEFORE INTERVIEW: This isn't the first time that
Carl Cameron's objectivity has been called into question. In a scene
captured in the film "Outfoxed," Cameron is caught palling around with
Bush moments before an interview during the 2000 presidential campaign.
Cameron: "My wife has been hanging out with your sister." Bush: "Yeah,
good." Cameron: "She's been all over the state campaigning, and Pauline
has been constantly with her." Bush: "Yeah, Doro [Bush's sister] is a
good person." Cameron: "Oh, and she's terrific. When she first started
campaigning for you, she was a little bit nervous, but now she's up
there—" Bush: "Getting her stride?" Cameron: "She doesn't need notes,
she's going to crowds and she's got the whole riff down." Bush: "She's
a good soul." Moments later, the cameras turned on and Cameron slipped
instantly into his "objective journalist" persona. Cameron later said
that "The whole thing is, in retrospect, an embarrassment that I feel
really bad about."
CAMERON
REPEATEDLY DESCRIBES KERRY AS OUT OF TOUCH MILLIONAIRE: On July 3,
Cameron "reported" that "The problem for Kerry may be who he is. An Ivy
League millionaire, who has rubbed elbows with the world's wealthiest
sophisticates, while most of rural America is considered Bush country."
Cameron made no mention that Bush attended Yale, is a millionaire, and
has spent as much time as anyone rubbing elbows with "wealthy
sophisticates." On June 29, Cameron similarly noted that "Kerry has
always been one of the haves, educated at the finest schools [and with]
a billionaire wife."
Find out more about how Fox News anchors'
"reporting" often becomes indistinguishable from Bush campaign
propaganda.
CAMERON
PUSHES MYTH THAT BUSH NEVER SAID MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: On Sept. 27,
Carl Cameron "reported" that "Though the banner said mission
accomplished, the president never actually use[d] those words.
Nonetheless, a new Kerry attack ad repeats the charge." One problem:
Bush did say "mission accomplished." On June 5, 2003, Bush said to
troops in Qatar, "America sent you on a mission to remove a grave
threat and to liberate an oppressed people, and that mission has been
accomplished."
BRIT
HUME SAYS CAMERON IS FAIR TO KERRY: Days before Carl Cameron presented
fake Kerry quotes as news, Brit Hume, Fox's Washington managing editor,
said, "our day-in, day-out coverage by Carl Cameron has been extremely
fair to Kerry." Of course, Hume himself isn't the most objective
observer, either. In June, July and August, Kerry's evaluations on
Hume's show, Special Report, "were negative by a 5 to 1 margin."
Saturday, October 2
Newsdesk.org: Political News Credibility Survey
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 02 Oct 2004 08:27 AM CDT
Newsdesk.org: Political News Credibility Survey
Are you satisfied with news media during this historic presidential election season? How would you do it differently?
In
cooperation with the Associated Press Managing Editors, Newsdesk.org
invites you to answer these questions by taking a short survey about
media credibility and political coverage priorities.
You can fill out the survey online at: http://www.apme-credibility.org/survey/
Your answers will help guide our coverage not only this year, but in the future.
Please respond as soon as possible.
Newsdesk.org
has joined a nationwide network of newsrooms asking these same
questions in cities and towns across the country. Your responses might
be used in stories produced for either a local or national audience, so
we ask that you provide contact information (which might be used by
reporters but not otherwise shared with anyone.)
If you have any questions, comments or concerns about this process, please let me know. And thanks very much for participating.
Josh Wilson
Editor * Newsdesk.org
http://newsdesk.org/
Friday, October 1
Post-debate Spin Can't Save Lousy Bush Performance
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 01 Oct 2004 03:23 PM CDT
 Post-debate Spin Can't Save Lousy Bush Performance
These informal survey figures were compiled by Darrell Lewis over at the Drury for Iowa Senate blog. I stole the post with permission.
You may still be able to vote. The figures keep changing.
MSNBC
Kerry, 61% - Bush, 39%
CBS
Kerry, 91.52% - Bush, 7.76%
CNN
Kerry, 71% - Bush, 22%
Kerry, 88% - Bush, 8%
So,
did anybody count how many times Bush said, "It's hard work"...as
if the golden boy, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth,
actually knows what constitutes hard work?
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