Media Matters Founder Joins RNC Head In Urging NBC and CNN To Dump Clinton Specials

left to right: Priebus, Clinton, and Brock

On August 5th in a response to announcements late last month by NBC and CNN that they would be producing Hillary Clinton-related specials (a miniseries starring Diane Lane and a feature length documentary, respectively), RNC Chairman Reince Priebus called for both networks to put a halt to these programs. If they didn't, Priebus threatened that the GOP would boycott any 2016 presidential debates hosted by the two networks.

Priebus' letter to CNN

Priebus' letter to NBC

Surprisingly, Media Matters founder David Brock wrote letters to NBC and CNN the next day also requesting they cancel their planned Clinton programs. In addition to the story on Brock's pleas to NBC and CNN, the link below also includes the letters he sent to both networks.

David Brock call on NBC and CNN to cancel their Hillary Clinton specials

Although Priebus and Brock want the same result, their motives differ. Priebus feels that NBC and CNN are in the business of promoting Democrats and the Clinton specials would be a boost to Hillary's bid for the 2016 presidency (assuming she runs). Brock believes that the specials could tarnish the reputations of the news divisions of each network (they are being produced by NBC Entertainment and CNN Films, respectively). Brock's other concerns are the potential criticism the networks could face for failing to provide equal time to all potential candidates and for not adopting the right-wing noise machine's ideological view of Hillary.

I disagree with both Priebus and Brock, although I do think the latter's intentions are sincere. Priebus' criticism of NBC and CNN comes off as whiny, especially since it's no secret that the Republican party has its own network. It also makes the GOP look desperate and scared of a potential presidential run by Hillary Clinton. As for Brock, he shouldn't be aiding the GOP and their accusations of liberal bias. I was glad to see that CNN shows no signs of caving to the demands of Priebus.

Priebus' appearance on the CNN program OutFront with Erin Burnett:



Although Ms. Burnett did a good job overall, she let Priebus off the hook by not asking him about the numerous Fox News hosts and contributors who campaigned for the GOP in 2011-2012. At approx. the 6:20 mark, Ms. Burnett gets ready to ask Priebus a Fox-related question. However, he seemed to anticipate a tough question and cut her off in what appeared to be an effort to run out the clock. Although it's not the one I would have asked, the question about Fox that Ms. Burnett asked near the end was a good one.

Priebus' appearance on Hannity:



Both Priebus and Hannity were in typical form. In their eyes, if you're a member of the news media and not demonizing liberals or giving every break to the GOP, it makes you liberal by definition. Also, they're still blaming the so-called liberal media for the damage the debates did to the GOP brand. So much for the conservative's belief in personal responsibility. Towards the end, Priebus discusses plans for the GOP to select the debate moderators themselves. Priebus' stance against the so-called liberal media no doubt plays well with the GOP base. However, in addition to the aforementioned "whiny" and "desperate", I think Priebus' latest moves make him and the GOP look weak as well. 

Michele Bachmann Runs From the Truth

In the "Keeping Them Honest" segment of his CNN show, Anderson Cooper shines a spotlight on people in the media who have issues presenting factual statements. In a segment this week, he called out Rep. Michele Bachmann for comments she made about spending in the Obama administration in her speech at the recent CPAC. Rep. Michele Bachmann's retreat from Dana Bash's questions is one of the funniest I've seen in awhile. Although funny on the surface, it does point out a serious problem... Bachmann's detachment from the facts and how she reacts when confronted with tough questions. I think Dana may want to invest in some Nikes for any future encounters she has with Rep. Bachmann.

Herman Cain: "Many African Americans Have Been Brainwashed"

Earlier this week during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain gave his explanation as to why a majority of blacks vote Democrat. According to Cain, blacks who don't vote Republican are brainwashed. In addition to being insulting, Cain's comments are one of the reasons why most blacks have no use for the GOP. Apparently, he cannot comprehend the reality that there are blacks who think differently than he does. Cain is indicative of many conservatives in that he's unwilling to take a hard look at the Republican party and entertain the possibility that GOP policies, attitudes towards minorities, etc. could be why most blacks vote Democrat.

Herman Cain is very useful to conservatives because when he makes derogatory remarks about a majority of blacks, non-black conservatives feel they have license to say it too. Both Bill O'Reilly (see 2nd clip below) and Pat Buchanan have backed up Cain's assumptions about blacks who vote Democrat. Rep. Allen West serves the same capacity as Cain because he's made similar comments.

Watching the GOP's attempts at obtaining the black vote is akin to a Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner cartoon. With each feeble effort, they go over the proverbial cliff... crashing to the ground leaving a cloud of dust. Meep, Meep!

Cenk Uygur and Jayar Jackson of The Young Turks give their take on Herman Cain's comments.




Bill O'Reilly discusses Cain's remarks with liberal Fox "News" contributor Jehmu Greene

The Unamericanization of President Barack Obama

In an effort to smear President Barack Obama, one of the sleazier tactics used by some on the right is to paint him as being  anti-American, "other", "different than us", etc.  The latest right-winger to jump on the "Obama is anti-American" bandwagon is Fox contributor/author/possible GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.  He began his journey into the muck during a 3/1 appearance on Steve Malzberg's radio show.  He then descended even further into it during subsequent appearances on Bryan Fischer's radio show and on "The O'Reilly Factor". Although I disagreed with his politics, I used to think Huckabee was decent guy who was above this type of stuff. 

Why has Huckabee decided to pander to the fringe element of the GOP?  Is he trying to boost sales of his new book, gearing up for a bid to run for POTUS, or both?  Whatever Huckabee's reasoning is, I don't see it as a winning strategy.

In regards to the depths some conservatives/Republicans have sunken to over the last couple of years, I used to ask, "Have we reached the bottom?"  I don't even bother asking anymore because sadly, I suspect there is no bottom. Credit to people like Chris Matthews, Lawrence O'Donnell, Cenk Uygur, and John King for calling out Huckabee on his nonsense.

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Shirley Sherrod: The Real Story and Its Aftermath

As you probably know by now, Andrew Breitbart posted a video on his website BigGovernment.com on 7/19/10 "exposing" the racism tolerated by the NAACP. In a speech she gave at an NAACP dinner on March 27, 2010, it appeared that Shirley Sherrod (the then-USDA director of Rural Development in Georgia) was admitting to once taking the race of a white farmer (Roger Spooner) into consideration when ultimately deciding how to respond to his request for assistance. The fallout was quick for Ms. Sherrod after the truncated video made the rounds. Not only did the NAACP come down hard on Ms. Sherrod, but she was pressured to resign from her USDA position. I hope the bus tire tracks on Ms. Sherrod's backside aren't permanent.

To many familiar with the sleazy tactics of Breitbart (the infamous ACORN nonsense), it came as no surprise that the video he originally posted on his site didn't tell the whole story.

The video suggested that Sherrod was retelling an incident that took place while she worked for the USDA

FALSE: The incident Sherrod was recounting took place in 1986, when she worked for an advocacy firm in GA.

The video made it look as if Sherrod didn't help Mr. Spooner

FALSE: Not only did Sherrod help the Spooners save their farm, she became friends with the couple.

What’s actually a story of racial healing was distorted into something ugly by Breitbart. Because of his beef with the NAACP over their legitimate claims of elements of racism within the tea party movement, Breitbart deceptively tried to show that it’s the NAACP whose racist. Unfortunately, his tactics did damage to an innocent bystander in the process.

If you're interested in watching the full video, please visit the following link:

http://www.naacp.org/news/entry/video_sherrod/

On Wednesday, Tom Vilsack (the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture) held a press conference in which he manned up and took the blame for asking Ms. Sherrod to resign so quickly. Vilsack said he also apologized to Ms. Sherrod and offered her a new position in the department. Also, the NAACP has apologized to Ms. Sherrod for their initial reaction (see below).

In light of the Breitbart “exposé” falling down like a house of cards, the reactions have been fascinating. There's been a mix of back pedaling, blaming, and B.S. throughout the blogosphere, The White House and the MSM (which does include Fox "News"). To their credit, some conservative bloggers posted retractions in which they apologized for rushing to judgment. Predictably, these posts also included jabs directed at three of their favorite targets: The Obama administration, The NAACP, and the non-Fox "News" portion of the MSM. Of course, no matter what these three entities did, the right would have found a reason to bitch about it. In a shameful sidebar, Breitbart made the rounds of various media outlets in which he told his side of the story. Amazingly, he even had the nerve to suggest that the Spooners were "plants" who fabricated a story in an effort to save Ms. Sherrod. Note to Breitbart: when you're in a hole, stop digging!

The left has also had their say too by blaming the aforementioned entities as well as Fox "News". Note to the Obama administration: don’t jump every time the likes of Andrew Breitbart and Fox "News" say “boo!” All it does is give them the power to be more reckless and irresponsible than in the past. Having said that, I do understand President Obama's predicament. As the first black President of the United States, he is held to a different standard than his predecessors when it comes to matters involving race. Although diplomacy is one of Obama's best assets, I wish he would sometimes go into MISTER Tibbs mode and figuratively slap down the right-wing noise machine when they get out of order.

The Shirley Sherrod story shows once again that we still have a lot of distance to cover when it comes to race relations in America. I also hope that it has made crystal clear to everyone that Andrew Breitbart and his ilk won't let a little thing like integrity get in the way when it comes to taking down those who have the guts to stand up to them. When Breitbart and his enablers claim to have any evidence exposing wrongdoing/corruption by their opposition, remember the words of Chuck D. and company: “Don’t believe the hype!”

NAACP Statement

To show your support of Shirley Sherrod, please visit Color of Change and join them in calling on the White House to reinstate Shirley Sherrod and to stop caving in to right-wing smears.

Black In America 2 Airs On CNN

Following last year's successful multi-part series "Black In America", CNN continues its investigation of the most challenging issues facing African-Americans with "Black in America 2." Soledad O'Brien is once again the host of this series of profiles detailing various issues facing blacks in this country. The special debuts on Wednesday July 22nd at 8 pm EST and concludes on Thursday July 23rd at 8 pm EST. If you happen to catch "Black In America 2", please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

Below is a preview of "Black In America 2". The segment profiles Steve Perry, principal of Capital Prep in Hartford, CT.

Link: