The Decline of the American Media III

[selmaborntidefan]

At this point I'm not sure how anyone can believe it's not deliberate - the pattern is well established.

I honestly think it began subconsciously, not that a bunch of journalists went to school and decided to slant the news a certain way upon graduation but rather it happened because:
a) mostly people of the same bent went into journalism (not all but most)
b) they weren't exposed to ANY contrary ideas or if they were, they dismissed all of them as cranks
c) they then so desired the approval of their peers (e.g. Pulitzers and Emmys) they slanted more
d) their reporting DID show them the underclass of American society and they were imbued with the human desire to help change it if they could.

On this last one - I'm referring here to the same thing that happens when a right-wing Southerner graduates from law school and gets out into the real world practicing law - MANY of them are hardcore supporters of the death penalty (for example) until they see it's much easier to execute or jail an innocent person than they realized. So in that sense as the late Jack Germond says, what happens is not so much that every journalist is a liberal but they start their careers (in most cases) reporting on things like local corrupt cops or homelessness or things that all of us should feel can be addressed, changed, and rectified. Just human decency, liberal or conservative.

That - of course - does not explain what happened with the rapid decline of Biden that they refused to address.

 

[Tidewater]

At this point I'm not sure how anyone can believe it's not deliberate - the pattern is well established.

Intelligence work is an art and different agencies will see different info and come to different conclusions. For this reason, a National Intelligence Estimate must include dissenting opinions (as appendices of the general document). I am not familiar with a "Sense of the Community" document is, but I did not see many dissenting opinions.

As for how media reports this, there is an enormous difference between "We saw no evidence of X" and "We verified that there is absolutely no X." I wish journalists would pay attention to that difference.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Watching them turn on Biden - as if they weren't unindicted co-conspirators in the deception - has been painful to watch in the sense that they're (the media) going to get away with it. The part that should concern us all as Americans with the freedom of the press (necessary for a free society) is that it has now become easier for ANY demagogue to pull off the kind of change that can dramatically alter this country's governance for the worse.

One does not have to be a conservative, a Republican, OR a Trump supporter to say to ANY press report now, "Yeah, but you're the same people who told me I couldn't believe my own eyes on YOUR networks for years"......

I think the vehemence of the turn of the press goes deeper than that. Have you not noticed how easily, even slickly, the personnel change sides from outside government to being government spokespersons? They are one club, spanning what's supposed to be a firewall. It's obvious now that Biden was trotted out and shown on "good" days. What's not obvious, but is my belief, that hundreds, at least, assurances were given privately to the "outside" media by former colleagues and associates that Joe was "OK." Of course, he wasn't and now the reaction to the breach of trust is understandable, Friends don't lie to friends and get away with it...

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Intelligence work is an art and different agencies will see different info and come to different conclusions. For this reason, a National Intelligence Estimate must include dissenting opinions (as appendices of the general document). I am not familiar with a "Sense of the Community" document is, but I did not see many dissenting opinions.

As for how media reports this, there is an enormous difference between "We saw no evidence of X" and "We verified that there is absolutely no X." I wish journalists would pay attention to that difference.

The general populace is unfamiliar with the fact that a negative can't be proved. That sets the stage for the citizenry to grasp and hang on to hollow assurances...

 

[Crimson1967]

I wonder if the left would be making as big a deal as they are if Harris had won.

Were the Democrats wrong to nominate FDR in 1944? They did get Truman on the ballot thankfully over FDR’s objections and that worked out. But should they have put someone else at the top and let the people decide? I wonder how many of the press knew how sick he was and kept quiet about it. I get there was a war going on and that probably played a role in the coverup.

 

[Tidewater]

The general populace is unfamiliar with the fact that a negative can't be proved. That sets the stage for the citizenry to grasp and hang on to hollow assurances...

I recently proved that the Loch Ness Monster does not exist. Of course, I haad to drain Loch Ness to prove it.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

CNN just called Trump showing the president of South Africa evidence of leaders calling for a White genocide and stealing their land an “ambush” of “debunked conspiracy theories”

Trump literally brought all the evidence and played it.

CNN saw it and are still denying it. Unreal.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1925257330234638691

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I wonder if the left would be making as big a deal as they are if Harris had won.

Nope.

Their version of history would be, "Biden did the big thing and stepped down and put the country first."
We know that - because they were trying that argument while the campaign ongoing. (MA Governor Maura Healey)

Dick Durbin:
He acted in the tradition of great Americans such as George Washington, and he put the interests of his country and his political party over his personal interest.

And a bunch of them right here:
What political leaders have said about Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid | PBS News


====================================

They didn't care about his age.
They don't even care he lied.
They don't care that they were involved in a cover-up.
And some who will never speak up are repugnant enough to wish that bullet killed Trump or actually do believe that was a staged assassination attempt.

They care about the fact they don't have the White House.
Or Congress.
Or The Senate.
Or SCOTUS.

The lesson they SHOULD learn from this is "it really does matter who the VP is." Let's be honest, if they had a stellar VP to put in Biden's place, do you really think replacing him would have been that difficult? They could have told him, "Resign or we'll remove you with the 25th Amendment."

The lesson they will learn is the same one they've learned since their New Deal/New Frontier White House dominance ended in 1968: excuses.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

“Here is why I think that the ‘cover-up’ of Biden’s ‘true condition’ is beside the point—and why I’m not really vibing with the umbrage-mongering: It’s pretty much impossible to ‘cover up’ for something that is hiding in plain sight,” @MarkLeibovich writes.

Biden’s Age Wasn’t a Cover-Up. It Was Observable Fact.

The story about the former president getting old is getting old.

theatlantic.com

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1924910582521602107

Translation: Yeah, we were lying our asses off, but you didn't believe us anyway so "no harm, no foul", right?

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Translation: Yeah, we were lying our asses off, but you didn't believe us anyway so "no harm, no foul", right?

What a pretentious clown.

"You see, even though we DID ATTACK every Republican who said it was true, it doesn't matter because, you know, people saw it blah blah."

I know Tapper is attempting to ca$h in on this (which was somehow wrong when it was John Bolton - not a problem for me, it's wrong in both cases)......but at least he's TRYING to repair his credibility with an admission of error. And what's so funny is that Rush Limbaugh largely made his name on stuff like this. "You ever notice that when they smear someone it's front page news but when they admit they were wrong, it's buried in a little two sentence small print story just inside the back page?"

 

[Its On A Slab]

What a pretentious clown.

"You see, even though we DID ATTACK every Republican who said it was true, it doesn't matter because, you know, people saw it blah blah."

I know Tapper is attempting to ca$h in on this (which was somehow wrong when it was John Bolton - not a problem for me, it's wrong in both cases)......but at least he's TRYING to repair his credibility with an admission of error. And what's so funny is that Rush Limbaugh largely made his name on stuff like this. "You ever notice that when they smear someone it's front page news but when they admit they were wrong, it's buried in a little two sentence small print story just inside the back page?"

I listened to Tapper on NPR's Fresh Air this week. Tut-tuting the Democrats for the Biden "coverup", and how it led to the return of the Odius One to the Oval Office. I don't know, he just comes across as a hack, insincere. Someone who would work for FoxNoise if they paid him enough. A Woodward wannabe/never-be.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I listened to Tapper on NPR's Fresh Air this week. Tut-tuting the Democrats for the Biden "coverup", and how it led to the return of the Odius One to the Oval Office. I don't know, he just comes across as a hack, insincere. Someone who would work for FoxNoise if they paid him enough.

I agree with you up to a point.

On the other hand, the rest of the Liberal Posse is trying to pretend they weren't part of the coverup.
So he gets that much from me.

(Hint: most of these folks are performative artists and can turn on a dime like wrestlers).

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Someone who would work for FoxNoise if they paid him enough.

Of course he would. Tucker Carlson was at CNN and moved over to FN. Eventually, he became the only halfway watchable host on the entire network (despite his weird laugh and "resting baffled face.")

 

[crimsonaudio]

“Here is why I think that the ‘cover-up’ of Biden’s ‘true condition’ is beside the point—and why I’m not really vibing with the umbrage-mongering: It’s pretty much impossible to ‘cover up’ for something that is hiding in plain sight,” @MarkLeibovich writes.

Biden’s Age Wasn’t a Cover-Up. It Was Observable Fact.

The story about the former president getting old is getting old.

theatlantic.com

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1924910582521602107

Translation: Yeah, we were lying our asses off, but you didn't believe us anyway so "no harm, no foul", right?

There were several people on this very forum that tried to convince us that what we saw with our own eyes wasn't true.

This isn't just a case where the 'fourth branch' abused their position, it's as blatant a case of binary-partisanship amongst the voter based as we see from the Trump supporters who cannot admit he can be wrong. Some of the very same posters who told us Biden was fine, just aging, stuttering, etc. are quick to point out Trump supporters who defend him beyond the pale.

I'm not sure whether it's complete blindness or hypocrisy, but it's a reminder that BOTH SIDES play these stupid games that damage our country.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

There were several people on this very forum that tried to convince us that what we saw with our own eyes wasn't true.

This isn't just a case where the 'fourth branch' abused their position, it's as blatant a case of binary-partisanship amongst the voter based as we see from the Trump supporters who cannot admit he can be wrong. Some of the very same posters who told us Biden was fine, just aging, stuttering, etc. are quick to point out Trump supporters who defend him beyond the pale.

I'm not sure whether it's complete blindness or hypocrisy, but it's a reminder that BOTH SIDES play these stupid games that damage our country.

It's called pride, brother, and I ain't talking about the rainbow group. The thought of being "wrong" on something they've invested their identity in is just too much to swallow. So they see things that aren't there, rationalize things that even a child wouldn't rationalize. And I'm also talking just as much about the Trump Tribe as I am the Biden Bunch. They are two sides of the same coin.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

It's called pride, brother, and I ain't talking about the rainbow group. The thought of being "wrong" on something they've invested their identity in is just too much to swallow. So they see things that aren't there, rationalize things that even a child wouldn't rationalize. And I'm also talking just as much about the Trump Tribe as I am the Biden Bunch. They are two sides of the same coin.

You and CA both nailed it. However, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that most people (especially men) have been programmed by natural selection to pursue a win over pursing truth. This goes beyond identity. The old saying, "to the winner goes the spoils" has always been true, particularly when the opportunity to mate is on the line. A man who easily capitulates to a different idea would be seen as weak by our ancestors and this includes mating-aged females. With a perception like this on the line, an open-minded person could easily see his entire blood-line bred right out of existence.

 

[AWRTR]

There were several people on this very forum that tried to convince us that what we saw with our own eyes wasn't true.

This isn't just a case where the 'fourth branch' abused their position, it's as blatant a case of binary-partisanship amongst the voter based as we see from the Trump supporters who cannot admit he can be wrong. Some of the very same posters who told us Biden was fine, just aging, stuttering, etc. are quick to point out Trump supporters who defend him beyond the pale.

I'm not sure whether it's complete blindness or hypocrisy, but it's a reminder that BOTH SIDES play these stupid games that damage our country.

BOTH SIDESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

Also, can we start tagging people that kept telling us that Biden was great and it was all our imagination?

 

[jthomas666]

Here is another example of how American journalists suck.
The Advocate presents a story about the "purge" of transgender service members.

A quick google search turned up 32 pages of medical disqualifications from military service:
Abdominal Organs and Gastrointestinal System

[lots of smoke screen material omitted]

Does the DoD hate people with hernias? Gastritis? Diabetes? Of course not. The peculiar requirements of the service make these people ineligible for sevice.
Why would a "journalist" not present a link to the 32 pages of medical disqualifications? Evidently, because the journalist has an agenda. If the facts get in the way of an agenda, jettison the facts.

The facts? The Secretary of Defense didn't say "If you have ANY of the conditions on these 32 pages, we want you out."

What he DID say was

“No more dudes in dresses. We’re done with the s**t.”

[Note to mods: that quote, with the "bleeped" word, is taken verbatim from the Advocate article TW linked to. It's not an instance of me attempting to get around language filters.]

The facts are that the administration has initiated a purge of transgendered people in the military. Pretty disingenuous to suggest otherwise.

With regard to the other medical DQs you list: It's pretty clear why those limits exist--they represent physical conditions that physically prevent someone from performing their duties. How does being transgender prevent that person from performing their duties? Answer: it doesn't. What it does is make some other people uncomfortable.

As far as that goes:

 

[Tidewater]

The facts? The Secretary of Defense didn't say "If you have ANY of the conditions on these 32 pages, we want you out."

What he DID say was

[Note to mods: that quote, with the "bleeped" word, is taken verbatim from the Advocate article TW linked to. It's not an instance of me attempting to get around language filters.]

The facts are that the administration has initiated a purge of transgendered people in the military. Pretty disingenuous to suggest otherwise.

With regard to the other medical DQs you list: It's pretty clear why those limits exist--they represent physical conditions that physically prevent someone from performing their duties. How does being transgender prevent that person from performing their duties? Answer: it doesn't. What it does is make some other people uncomfortable.

As far as that goes:

Gender re-assignment surgery and hormone treatments are expensive and making them available to recruits will mean some people will join the military simply to get that treatment. That is the medical equivalent of buying a Fiat. The medical standards are to protect the military as well as the recruits.