The 2012 Presidential Campaign hasn't even fully left the starting blocks and already people are behaving oddly, saying stupid things and then blaming...of course...the Media.
The Lame....Stream...Media...
Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich:
Last Sunday, NBC's David Gregory, host of the long running Meet The Press, asked GOP contender Newt Gingrich about the Republican plan for Medicare. Almost a softball. Everyone expected Gingrich to spout off a few reasons why he liked it and why it was good for the Country. Apparently Mr. Gingrich felt this was a good time ignore his former boss, Ronald Reagan's eleventh commandment, "Thou Shall Not Criticize Republicans" and whipped out a 2 pack of whoop ass on Congressman Paul Ryan's proposal. Gingrich called it radical and added "...right wing social engineering is no better than left wing social engineering."
Huh? Why the hell didn't he just answer the question the way he was supposed to? The way Gregory expected him to. Certainly the way Congressman Ryan expected him to. For the next 48 - 72 hours Gingrich must've felt like he had a "kick me" sticker on his back. There was this exchange with a conservative at an airport in Iowa:
Then, the former Speaker of the House had glitter thrown on him at a book signing stop in Minnesota:
All the while being beat up by conservative media types from Rush Limbaugh to Fox News.
After apologizing to Ryan, Gingrich suggested that he'd been "set up" by Mr. Gregory. This wasn't some obscure, wonkish policy question. It was a hanging curve right over the middle of the plate that he should have knocked out of the park. Instead, he got cute and now looks foolish. Or rather, as many pundits on both sides have been saying since he declared, undisciplined.
Former United States Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum:
Early this week, Mr. Santorum said John McCain, a former POW in the Vietnam war, didn't understand enhanced interrogation techniques. It didn't take long before the shit storm began to rain down upon the Presidential hopeful. Late Wednesday afternoon, after taking much abuse in the press for this idiotic comment, Santorum released a statement:
"I disagree with Sen. McCain's view that the enhanced interrogation techniques used on a select few high-value terrorist detainees were unsuccessful nor do I believe they amounted to torture," Santorum said. " For anyone to infer my disagreement with Sen. McCain's policy position lessens my respect for his service to our country and all he had to endure is outrageous and unfortunate."
Yes, Mr. Santorum, its both outrageous and unfortunate. No one tricked you into saying what you did. You were in the very friendly confines of the Hugh Hewitt radio show with is quite conservative. You got carried away, just kept allowing words to leave your mouth with little to no approval from your brain. A statement from a McCain aid said Rick Santorum was the dumbest person to ever have served in the United States Senate. That's saying something.
Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade, Hosts of Fox & Friends:
These guys blamed the media for mistreating Donald Trump, thereby costing the Donald a serious run for the GOP nomination for President in November 2012. Trump is a very good businessman and a personality for sure, but totally not qualified to run for President.
See the video clip here:
What's next? A claim that the media cost Pat Paulson a shot at being President?
There are times the media doesn't do its job very well. Like when video is edited to make it appear to be one thing when its actually another. But these three examples are fairly clear. No "gotcha journalism" or vindictive hosts terrorizing innocent public figures.
Jeez, no one even asked these what magazines or newspapers they read.
Pfft....
Sources:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/david-gregory-on-gingrichs-claim-he-was-set-up-he-knows-thats-quite-silly/
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/05/rick_santorum_says_sen_john_mc.html
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/18/santorum-backtracks-on-mccain-criticism/
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/fox-and-friends-blame-media-trump-dropping
I don't know which to find most noxious:
ReplyDelete* That some people expect Gingrich to unilaterally endorse anything put forward by his party?
* That he immediately kowtowed to those people by walking back his honest comments in order to better toe the party line?
* That he went about seventeen steps further, and blamed David Freaking Gregory, of all people.
"Sir, we caught wind of Gingrich offering a nuanced opinion and --"
"Grrrr...dammit, I've warned him about that cutesy shit. Send him the standard 'Keep it black and white' memo."
"Well, yes, but sir, it's actually a bit worse than that. It seems he offered a dissenting opini -- "
"WHAT?! SQUASH THAT SON OF A BITCH. NOW."
do you think the public are catching on to this yet? it's been going on through 4 presidents..can we please catch on?
ReplyDelete