The Fox "News" Channel's decision to make a big deal over the recent White House performance by rapper Common is the latest example of the lengths they and the rest of the right-wing media will go to in order to smear President Obama. The killing of Osama Bin Laden was a huge victory for the Obama administration. Since the "Obama is weak on terror" meme isn't likely to fly with most people, Fox has chosen to milk the Common controversy (started by The Daily Caller) in an effort to paint the president as an angry black radical intent on harming America.
Their rationale for why Common shouldn't have been invited by First Lady Michelle Obama to recite poetry at the White House falls to pieces when you look at some of the individuals who've previously been honored and/or received invitations from presidents.
Fox cited Common's spoken word poem from a few years ago ("A Letter to the Law") which includes the following line:
Burn a Bush cuz for peace he no push no but-ton. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruc-tion.
According to Fox and others on the right, this line is a call to kill then-President Bush. Come on, seriously?! Take a listen to the entire piece and judge for yourself whether or not it was cause for Common not to be invited to the White House:
If violent lyrics are such a problem with the right-wing, why wasn't there an outcry when Johnny Cash (who was known for lyrics that feature violent imagery) was honored by then-President George W. Bush in 2002? Also, in March 1991, gangsta rapper Eazy-E (a member of N.W.A.) accepted an invitation to a lunch benefiting the Republican Senatorial Inner Circle, hosted by then-President George H. W. Bush. Although Fox wasn't around to pollute the airwaves during Bush 41's administration, do you really think they would have given him the "Obama treatment" for inviting Eazy-E to the lunch benefitting the RSIC?
Fox has also accused Common of writing a song which praises a cop killer. However, this is a blatant distortion. There are many who feel the accused cop killer (Assata Shakur) is innocent. Although Bill O'Reilly claims Common has no idea what happened, the rapper was inspired to write "A Song for Assata" after visiting her in Cuba (where she has lived as a political exile since 1984). In addition to detailing the improbability that Shakur could have killed the police officer, the lyrics to "A Song for Assata" also recounts the treatment she received by law enforcement officials and hospital employees, her experience in prison and her eventual escape. Here is a link to the lyrics of "A Song for Assata".
Where was Fox News and the rest of the right-wing propaganda machine when Bob Dylan performed at The White House in February 2010 at the request of President Obama? If you are wondering about the Bob Dylan reference, please note that one of his most famous songs (1975's "Hurricane") is a protest tune in defense of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (who was convicted in 1967 of a triple homicide which occurred the previous year). Other than the fact that Carter was freed without bail in November 1985, his case is similar to that of Shakur's: they are both people who many feel were wrongly convicted of murder. Apparently, it's easier to smear a black mainstream rapper that the average Fox viewer knows little to nothing about than it is a white rock-n-roll icon.
This latest attempt by the right-wing (with Fox "News" being the ring leader) to portray President Obama as a menace to society due to Common's White House invite is not only weak, but has the ugly stain of racism as well. It shows they are getting increasingly desperate as 2012 approaches.
Just to be clear, I have no issue with the previous presidential honors/invitations of Eazy-E, Johnny Cash or Bob Dylan.
Below, Jon Stewart gives his hilarious take on the ridiculousness that is Fox "News":
28 comments:
I agree with a lot of this.
As far as how it's being played politically, by Obama bashers and by Fox News bashers, I think Bernie Goldberg put it better than I can, so I'll leave that alone.
I find it ridiculous to act as if Obama's endorsing cop-killing simply because Common is invited to the White House.
Maybe there's a good point to be made about the judgment here. But I couldn't care less that Common believes Assata Shakur is innocent, and freedom-loving Americans shouldn't rightly care that an American holds that opinion.
I'm showing my bias here, though. I like Common.
Personally, I've never cared if an artist has a different worldview than I have. In fact, if I got hung up on what people believe politically, I'd have to boycott damn near everything.
Get over it!
I disagree about the racist bit though. That's just too easy.
These folks up in arms about Common's lyrics (not the ones taking the opportunity to bash Obama with it; that's a separate issue) are the same folks whose mothers and fathers were calling rock 'n' roll the devil's music and were panicking about Elvis' pelvis.
They should know better, but they don't.
They're the same old uberChristian, straight-line traditionalists who panic at the idea of single mothers and abortion and pretend they don't know what Twitter is.
Hip hop took rock's place as the culture demon. It just so happens that Common is black.
Honestly, if it were Eminem invited, I would expect the exact same overreaction.
Fox News is packed with Christian cape-wearers who collectively go bat-shit crazy when anything nontraditional breaches the nation's make-believe defenses. I don't see race as playing a role here.
Maybe if hypocritical Christian do-gooders didn't have a long, long history of pretending music--art in general--would be the nation's downfall, okay. I'd be more inclined to look at it through those glasses. But we can't toss aside the fact that, every once in a while, someone's art is taken and destroyed so that some people can preach to the rest of us about morality.
I'll give you this one. There are far more important things for a news outlet to be focusing on.
Josh: This may be a milestone... one of the first times (if not the first) you and I agree on anything. I actually took May 17th off to celebrate!
Although I still find it disgusting, I am no longer surprised at how deep some suffer from Obama Derangement Syndrome. In addition to it being ridiculous for anyone to suggest President Obama endorses cop killing, the same goes for those who accused Common of praising a cop killer. The key point the accusers are leaving out is the fact that Common thinks Shakur is innocent. Either their reading comprehension sucks or they are choosing to leave out that key point because it doesn't fit their narrative. There's no 3rd alternative.
Originally, I wasn't completely sold on race playing a role in this fake controversy. However, when I learned that Bob Dylan performed at The White House in 2010, I changed my tune. The right-wing noise machine and many of their followers already portray President Obama as a far-left radical; distorting the body of work of a black rapper was tailor-made for the narrative. Although there would have been some outcry if Eminem was invited to the White House, I doubt it wouldn't have been turned into a fake controversy on the level of this Common nonsense.
Trestin: This is one of the reasons I don't consider Fox a news operation.
Know that I am ultra-conservative. In my opinion fox news is juvenile. I can't stand to watch it.
The rest of the media are the democrat media however, willing to say anything to support obama. More importantly, it is what the don't report that is significant.
Seriously, you can see how the democrat media Pounded on Bush everyday for 6 years. They continue to pound on anyone that even appears to be a conservative. For everyone else it is not only a free ride but a supporting cast.
I'm offended that anyone pays serious attention to the Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS, msnbc(whoa..) the Christian Science Monitor, Al Reuters, not to mention the seriously rabid clown shows which comprise most of the rest of them.
Foreign 'news' sources are usually readable at least.
Soo, what I'm hearing is that Fox news has run out of things to talk about that actually matter. I swear with all the problems going on this is the kind of stuff they choose to harp on about Obama?
CC, sorta like msnbc going on and on about Michelle's toned arms. ?
Kid: You are the first conservative blogger I've ever heard openly condemn Fox "News". However, your claim that the rest of the media is in the tank for President Obama is false. Take MSNBC for example. I have heard plenty of criticism of President Obama on that network and not just from people like Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan. Liberals/progressives such as Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann, and Cenk Uygur have all been critical of President Obama at some point. However, their criticism is fair minded. I’d also say that conservative pundits such as Scarborough and Buchanan are objective with their criticism of the president. I think conservatives feel that if a pundit isn’t taking shots at President Obama on a daily basis (even if it contradicts their previous stance), they aren’t doing their jobs.
Sure, President Bush took heat from the media during his time in office. However, it is nothing compared to what President Obama has faced. Over the last few years, the right-wing has been practically in lockstep by running with phony controversies or outright lies in an effort to destroy President Obama. Here are some of the lowlights:
* They've questioned his patriotism, place of birth, and his religion
* Ran with a false claim about the cost of his trip to India.
I don’t have a problem with people criticizing President Obama on his policies. However, when members of the media create fake controversies or disagree with President Obama simply because he’s a Democrat, that’s a problem.
If you are offended that anyone pays serious attention to the numerous so-called "Democrat media" which you listed, are you also offended by those who follow Fox? Also, when has MSNBC gone on and on about Michelle Obama’s toned arms? Please provide me with some links.
C.C.: Like I often say, there is a difference between reporting news and creating it. I doubt if this is the last time we see this type of “reporting” from Fox and the rest of the right-wing media.
Malcolm, First Off I respect your position/opinion.
It is too easy to find justification for any opinion at opposite sides of the spectrum these days which makes decision making and true opinions hard to come by. Therefore, I respect your opinion as much as my own. I just happen to subscribe to my own on this matter.
Michelle’s Toned Arms Michelle's Toned Arms
The Dem media deployed the main weapons pre-election. This is when vetting, and examination and questioning should have occurred. All I remember from these goofs was tingles going up Chris Mathews legs and the other guys dumbfounded trying to figure out what Barry's IQ was. (Since he won't release his grades, I think we can assume they weren't 4.0 or close)
Point being that these guys can say whatever they want now ! Obama is in office already and in his first two years, he and the moron Pelosi We must pass the bill so we can find out what's in it ! For a bill that takes over 1/6th of the US Economy! Wow! and the rest of the dems have rammed through every liberal dream they've had since LBJ. What's left? The Dem media could rake the Obama and the Dems over the coals from now through the next election and they haven't lost anything.
You're right that Limbaugh, Hannity, and some others pound him with a hammer on a daily basis. But we're talking a few people that have been cast as 'radical right wing attack dogs' and not 90%+ of the Accepted Media which my accusation goes to.
(Con't)
Many of the points in your last two comments have nothing to do with the topic of this post. As a result, I'm not going to address them.
Thanks for the link about stories regarding Michelle Obama's toned arms. However, none of the stories you linked to were by MSNBC (the network you accused of going on and on about Michelle Obama's toned arms). The first story on the results page was a link to a CNN story from 2009 and most of other links were to articles in fitness/lifestyle magazines. In fact, one of the stories was by ABC and was about some of the criticism the First Lady has received because of her fashion choices.
I see nothing wrong with news outlets doing puff pieces on public figures. They did the same thing with previous first ladies so any criticism directed at a news outlet doing a story on Michelle Obama’s arms seems like nitpicking to me. I think the point CC was making about Fox is that they devoted a lot of airtime to a fake controversy in yet another effort to discredit President Obama.
Comparing what Fox did (the fake Common controversy) to the occasional puff piece by another news outlet about Michelle Obama’s arms is false equivalency. If you ever find evidence of any news outlet doing massive coverage on Michelle Obama’s arms, get back to me.
At the moment, I don't know anyone in the service. However, I've had several friends and relatives serve our country in the past.
Hey Malcolm, Well, these articles don't stay on the net forever, or for very long for that matter. You wanted a link, I sent a few.
This was back when the Dems, with Obama in the lead, were ramming the health care bill down America's throat that 70% + (say 100) were against, and I was watching msnbc daily during that time cause they've got it on in the lunchroom at work, and not once did msnbc bring up these monumental issues. Or any for that matter. Nothing but feel good warm and fuzzy nonsense.
Outside of Mathews and Olberman who are the left wing counterparts to Limbaugh and Hannity.
'Michelle's toned Arms, was a literal, but it was also a euphemism about how the mainstream media refuse to take the Dems to task.
Many times, it's not what the democrat media says, it is what they don't say. And it's still going on today. But I do still stand by my original comment that Fox news is for idiots. We're all being played.
I'm not against you or any other citizen, I'm against government. Please Consider the more government gets involved in our lives the more screwed up they get. Both party's.
All I'm sayin. The post was about Fox news - I wasn't going to stand by and let the MSM get off scott free is all. Live long and prosper baby.
Kid: You claimed that MSNBC went "on and on" about Michelle Obama's toned arms. That's different than articles being written about her arms. If MSNBC did go "on and on" as you suggested, one would think there would be video posted somewhere online.
I am wary of news media in general and watch them all with a close and objective eye. However, Fox "News" is the target of most of my criticism. Not because they lean right, but because they claim to be "fair and balanced" when they are not and because of the misinformation/outright lies they spew on a regular basis. If MSNBC, CNN or any of the "big three" networks had pushed this fake controversy about Common's invitation to The White House, I would have called them out in this post too.
Although you and I obviously disagree on many political issues, I give you credit for your comments about Fox. The question I have for you is this: Have you or would you criticize Fox as you did here on your own blog or another conservative blog?
Malcolm, I'd ask what lies but I don't watch FOX so I have no way to discuss. Anyway, as far as my blog, How's This
Thanks for the link to your post about Fox News being the problem. I read it yesterday and plan to comment on it shortly.
I didn't really see a problem with Common's poem. I may not agree with parts of it but that's no reason to say Michelle Obama should not have invited him to the White House.
I'm not sure if there's more behind the so called controversy or not. Something about Common defending a person who killed someone? There are much more important issues to cover.
Just wondering, how long did they cover it? Or how much, how often, and for how long?
Teresa: In addition to the poem, the fake Common controversy was also started because of his defense of accused cop killer Assata Shakur. Many on the right took this to mean he's in favor of cop killing. That couldn't be further from the truth. The key word is "accused". The same goes for Casey Anthony. Right or wrong, many believed she was not guilty. This doesn't mean these people are in favor of child killing.
Fox ran with this nonsense for at least a few days. I'm not sure if they dropped this "story" because it wasn't gaining any traction or if it was another reason.
Malcolm: A few days? Seriously? Geesh! I can understand some of the shows focusing on it for 5-10 minutes over a period of a day but holy heck a few days is ridiculous. Total overkill IMO.
Malcolm said: "However, your claim that the rest of the media is in the tank for President Obama is false"
Refer to the Pew Trust report, that shows MSNBC is really way deep in the tank for Obama. It is proven objectively, and this issue is settled now.
"Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruc-tion."
Common lied about then-current events, and betrayed nothing so outrageous. It's common currency in Washington. I don't see it as a call to kill him, myself. If Fox says it was, they are "unhinged" as well.
As for Common bashing black people using the N-word, it is not even discussed here.
Continuing with the REAL Common controversy, lets go to this sentence:
" the fake Common controversy was also started because of his defense of accused cop killer Assata Shakur."
Assata is a convicted murderer. She wasn't merely accused of killing the state trooper...she was convicted of it, along with several other felonies, in a court of law, and a fugitive felon. She actually went to kiss the ass of the worst killing tyrant in the Western Hemisphere, also. How can anyone defend this person? Well, a person like Common can, a person who lies about Bush and spews anti-black racist hate words in his crappy music/poetry.
Teresa: Agreed
dmarks: "Refer to the Pew Trust report, that shows MSNBC is really way deep in the tank for Obama. It is proven objectively, and this issue is settled now."
Please note that my disagreement with "Kid" was in regards to what he said about the democrat media. He wasn't referring to MSNBC solely and neither was I.
Also, do you believe that weapons of mass destruction were found?!
"As for Common bashing black people using the N-word, it is not even discussed here."
It's not discussed here because Fox didn't use it as a line of attack against Common. Also, simply using the N-word in lyrics is not bashing black people.
Also, it's possible for a convicted murderer to be innocent of that charge. When looking at the evidence, I can see why Common feels the way he does.
Finally, in regards to Common's so called "crappy music/poetry", how much of his work have you sampled to make such a judgement? Without looking it up, can you even name 5 songs by Common?
Also, Malcolm said: " However, when members of the media create fake controversies or disagree with President Obama simply because he’s a Democrat, that’s a problem."
Yes, Fox News does this. And MSNBC creates fake controversies, and disagrees with Romney, and before him McCain,and before him GWB just because they are Republicans. And to you... that is no problem. Like the fake Romney Bully controversy which MSNBC ran with (host Cornholio really went nuts over it) and it evaporated: no substance.
dmarks: Are you saying the Romney bullying controversy was fake because the story wasn't true? Also, who the hell is "Cornholio"?!
Malcolm: Also, do you believe that weapons of mass destruction were found?!
He does. I have debated dmarks on this topic before and therefore know he is referring to old buried barrels of chemical weapons. But bush scarred people by referring to "mushroom clouds". bush was talking about nuclear weapons or missiles or usable chemical weapons, not useless degraded chemicals in buried barrels.
dmarks is wrong about Common lying. Common told the truth. bush lied about WMD.
Malcolm: Also, simply using the N-word in lyrics is not bashing black people.
Agreed. But don't try to tell dmarks that. He thinks the MSNBC personality (and African-American) Touré "bashed" Herman Cain for being Black. dmarks likes to imagine that Black people are bashing other Black people, or bashing White people. I can't think of even one instance when he complained about a White person bashing a Black person.
Romney bashed a fellow student because he was perceived to be gay. The story was TRUE. It was confirmed by multiple people, as I recall. Apparently this is a "bashing" dmarks is willing to excuse? Romney was a bully when he was young, and a bully as an adult... when he shut down companies and stole worker's pensions. An all-around bad guy.
BTW, I also do not know what MSNBC host dmarks is referring to as "Cornholio".
WD is lying here on many things. The existing WMD in Iraq were prohibited by the cease fire agreements. The old weapons were usable, and were WMD and were outlawed. The accusers of Romney refused to come forward... if they ever existed. Toure did in fact bash Cain for being a typical black sexual predator. He is also a troll who has gotten banned on many blogs.... from mine for posting dozens of profanity-based comments per day in which has ranted about the length of his penis.
"Common" did indeed lie. Bush told the truth.
Dervish Sanders: Thanks for stopping by. You called it correctly about dmarks referring to the old weapons as WMDs. I've gone back and forth with him on the Toure thing and as I see above, he's still at it.
dmarks: If this doesn't convince you there were no WMDs, nothing will:
http://www.factcheck.org/2008/02/no-wmds-in-iraq/
As for the Romney incident, Phillip Maxwell (who took part in the bullying) confirmed that it happened around the time this story surfaced last year. The victim (John Lauber) has been dead for years and thus was unable to come forward. Romney's response to the accusation wasn't much of a denial. Considering the specifics given of the incident (holding someone down while you cut their hair), I don't believe Romney when he says he didn't recall it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/us/politics/years-later-a-prep-school-bullying-case-snares-romney.html?_r=2&
Also, it wasn't just MSNBC who ran with the Romney bullying story. I believe that most (if not all) the major news outlets covered it. If one wants to debate whether or not what Romney did in high school is relevant today, I can understand that. However, by all accounts, it did happen.
You're also distorting Toure's comments about Herman Cain. What he was saying is that there are people who are still threatened by what they perceive to be predatory black sexuality. I could post a URL to the clip here, but it would be pointless. You have your false narrative on Toure and you're sticking to it.
I am not a troll. I posted no comments containing profanity to dmarks' blog. I never "ranted about the length of [my] penis". These are lies. Also, I have been banned from three Conservative/Libertarian blogs, but these three people are all buddies who stick together, so it really only counts as one banning. See here for the truth regarding the first banning (from the blog of an individual named Will Hart), and here for the truth regarding why dmarks banned me from his blog.
dmarks' narrative regarding Toure is indeed false. Also ridiculous. He says a Black man can "bash" another Black man for being Black. This makes no sense at all. Another false narrative that dmarks sticks to is that WMD was found in Iraq. According to the link Malcolm provided, "the ISG report was sufficient to convince the Bush administration that there were no WMDs to be found". bush should have been convinced when the IAEA told him Iraq had no WMD PRIOR to the invasion, but at least he admits he was "wrong" now, unlike dmarks. In regards to people like dmarks, FactCheck says, "we suggest ridicule". Indeed, that is all these claims warrant.
Oh I agree about Common's lie about Bush not being a call for Bush's assassination. I think I said it before. Regardless, here it is again: Fox was wrong to imagine a threat out of Common's line.
-------
"I am not a troll. I posted no comments containing profanity to dmarks' blog. I never "ranted about the length of [my] penis". These are lies."
You did both. The penis length spams numbered in the many dozens, Dervish. You even admitted making these spams to "show" me what spam is like. You should apologize for it and not lie about it.
"He says a Black man can "bash" another Black man for being Black"
Any person if any color can make racist statements about anyone of any color. It is racist for you to excuse (and thus support) racial hatred by giving people a 'free pass' due to their skin color.
"Bbush should have been convinced when the IAEA told him Iraq had no WMD PRIOR to the invasion"
There was no evidence to convict bush. The International Criminal Court said this more than 100 times. In fact, there was not even enough evidence to warrant a trial.
"but at least he admits he was "wrong" now, unlike dmarks."
I stick to the facts: Saddam Hussein was stockpiling WMD. I would be a liar if I said otherwise. If Bush is lying, then it is about there not being WMD.
I read the Wikileaks reports summarized in Wired, and other reports previously.
"In regards to people like dmarks, FactCheck says, "we suggest ridicule". "
The FactCheck report is rather out of date. The Wikileaks evidence might cause them to revise it.
"Indeed, that is all these claims warrant"
Only if someone wants to lie, as you are. And ignore evidence.
And the truth is that I banned you from my blog for using profanity in your comments.
Before this, I deleted your comments because you used immature insults (like a typical troll). When you got angry and lost control and started to swear, DS, I decided never to post any of your comments again.
When you then decided to try to post scores of comments in which all you did was talk about member genitalia, I was vindicated that my decision was correct.
When you boasted of faking people's IDS in order to get comments on my blog, I knew I was dealing with a pathological liar. Oh wait. I knew that already.
dmarks: And the truth is that I banned you from my blog for using profanity in your comments.
That isn't "the truth", it is a lie. I never used profanity on your blog. Everything else you said is also not the truth. (for a truthful account of what actually happened, see here). That dmarks continues to peddle his lies everywhere he can has convinced me that HE is a pathological liar.
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