Palin/McCain Interviewed by Couric

On CBS News this week, Palin and McCain sit down side by side for interview with Katie Couric.

Two 1964 TV Ads

1964 ad from Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater: Strength will protect us from our communist enemies.

And one of the most famous attack/smear ads in history from Democratic President and '64 candidate Lyndon Johnson: Who will protect the world from Goldwater?

Swift Boat Ad

The original ad from "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." This 2004 ad, repeatedly calling Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry a liar over his wounds and medals from Vietnam, added the verb "swiftboated" to the political vernacular, as a synonym for "smeared." Kerry commanded a Swift Boat in Vietnam and won five decorations. It was a powerful ad to viewers unaware of the Republican campaign operatives and donors behind it or that the accusers had not served on Kerry's boat and that several had severely contradicted themselves.

The ad ran as a paid ad in only three battleground states -- but was aired hundreds of times on national TV, perhaps elevating in viewers' minds the seriousness of the claims. At the time, Sen. John McCain said: "I think the ad is dishonest and dishonorable. As it is, none of these individuals served on the boat he commanded. Many of his crew have testified to his courage under fire."

Obama ad linking McCain to Limbaugh

Obama ad in Spanish aimed at Latinos smearing McCain by linking him to Limbaugh comments he had nothing to do with.

"They want us to forget the insults we've put up with, the intolerance," in Spanish as a picture of Rush Limbaugh appears onscreen with quotes of him saying, "Mexicans are stupid and unqualified" and "Shut your mouth or get out." "They made us feel marginalized in a country we love so much," the ad continues. "John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One that says lies just to get our vote and another, even worse, that continues the failed policies of George Bush that put special interests ahead of working families."

McCain ad about immigrants as symbols of hope. Not typical Republican view on immigrants; one wonders in what select areas this ad will actually run.

Nader Wants Into Debate

A Ralph Nader video -- showing that Obama and McCain say similar things on many big issues (more troops to Afghanistan, keeping embargo on Cuba, nuclear power, etc.) - argues for opening up debates to another voice.

1988 VP Debate: "You're no Jack Kennedy"

During 1988 debate, Democrat VP candidate, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, utters his famous (and somewhat demagogic) put down of Republican VP candiate, a youngish Sen. Dan Quayle. See 1-minute video "Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine."

McCain Asked about Viagra/Birth Control

McCain's response when asked by a reporter about a comment by one of his top spokespersons (at the time) and his vote on insurance companies covering Viagra but not birth control.

Jokes about Iran off-limits?

Given that the two major-party candidates choose their debate questioners, can we expect hard-hitting questions?

I'm not holding my breath, for example, waiting for one of the hand-picked journalists to ask Sen. McCain something like: "Given the volatile state of the world and of strained relations between our country and a number of Muslim countries, is it helpful to make jokes about bombing or killing Iranians?"

Debate: Why Private? Why Secret?

Pro-democracy and reform groups call on the private, corporate-funded Commission on Presidential Debates to make the secret Obama/McCain debate contract public.

Palin: Raisng gender AND race issues?

The inclusion of Sarah Palin on the GOP ticket has renewed debate about alleged sexism in media coverage and our outlooks. But it has also raised racial issues, as well. A commenter on a blog post cited on Huffington put it this way:

"If you are biracial and born in a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs darn near 2 years and 3 major speeches to "get to know you." If you're white and from a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs 36 minutes and 38 seconds worth of an acceptance speech to know you're "one of us."

This piece by well-known white anti-racist author Tim Wise of Tennessee -- "This is Your Nation on White Privilege" -- has soared around the Internet virally.

Conservative says "liberal smears" go unchallenged

In arguing that "liberal smears" against Republicans get overlooked by mainstream media, leading right-wing media critic Brent Bozell in June cited several ads by left or liberal groups attacking McCain or Republicans.

Such as this MoveOn.org ad referencing McCain's comment about Iraq.

And this satirical short, "I'm voting Republican."

And this one about McCain and a Senate vote on insurance and birth control.

Later, a daily reporter asked McCain about his birth control vote?

Obama: Wrong for Your Family

McCain ad claiming Obama for sex ed for kindergarten.

Editorial asks: "What's the Pig Deal?"

Washington Post editorial blames McCain campaign for diversions; but is that campaign getting the frontpage news coverage it wants?

Does this reporting help voters, or confuse?

USA Today seeming to be "balanced" by giving credence to claims (about lipstick remark being about Palin) that it probably knows to be false.

Jon Stewart on Gibson/Stephanopoulos "Moderating" of Debate

Stewart goes after ABC hosts of crucial Obama/Clinton Pennsylvania debate for elevating sideshows/gaffes/flag pins above issues.

"Macaca": The video that helped end a political career

This obscure racial slur made by incumbent Senator George Allen (R-VA) -- and its posting on You Tube -- may well have decided that extremely close 2006 Senate race, and which party held the majority in the U.S. Senate.

Outfoxed

Robert Greenwald's documentary critique of Fox News.

Charlie Gibson on taxes

College crowd laughs at Gibson during a Democratic debate in New Hampshire when he says that "a family of two professors, here at St. Anselm, they're going to be in the $200,000 category that you're talking about lifting the taxes on." (at part 9, 2:30)

Do Facts Matter?

From Washington Post report by Jonathan Weisman: "As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone"

John Feehery, a Republican strategist, said the campaign is entering a stage in which skirmishes over the facts are less important than the dominant themes that are forming voters' opinions of the candidates.

"The more the The New York Times and The Washington Post go after Sarah Palin, the better off she is, because there's a bigger truth out there and the bigger truths are she's new, she's popular in Alaska and she is an insurgent," Feehery said. "As long as those are out there, these little facts don't really matter."

For now, there appears to be little political reason to back down. A Washington Post-ABC News poll taken Sept. 5 to Sept. 7 found that 51 percent of voters think Obama would raise their taxes, even though his plan would actually cut taxes for the overwhelming majority of Americans. Obama has proposed eliminating income taxes on seniors making less than $50,000 a year, but 41 percent of those seniors say their income taxes would go up in an Obama administration.

Matt Taibbi on the Obama Press Plane

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/22805322/obama_on_the_trail/print

The technology of campaign propaganda has advanced to such a degree that the concept of campaign-trail "journalism" is now indistinguishable from corporate PR. The wall that once separated campaign staff from the press corps has broken down completely; those paid by the candidate and those covering him might as well be two different shifts on the same factory ship, working together to bring the world frozen fish patties by the ton. On the shimmering 757 that Obama uses to jet around the country, reporters have plastered the press section in the rear of the plane with cheery, offbeat photographs of themselves captured with campaign staffers in various goofy scenes (clowning with boom poles, quaffing beers, drooling while asleep on buses). The collage seems lifted straight from a high school yearbook; the press might as well have titled it "Our Cool Campaign." Read more . . .

Conservative says: Dems can't break Maverick McCain narrative

Conservative pundit Fred Barnes on Fox News yesterday:
"Look, it is very difficult for the Obama people to break the idea that McCain is a maverick. This is an image that has been, I think, deeply rooted over the years. It's one the media has bought. Now it's one that he's trying to sell. I think it is very hard to uproot that now, very difficult."

Questions of bias

McCain's Favorite Network Anchor? asks Greg Sargent of Talking Points Memo/Election Central

Olbermann, who wears his biases on his sleeve, pulled from anchor seat, NY Times reports.

Critique of Obama-Clinton coverage

Interesting video wrap up after Hillary Clinton dropped out. From a former ABC reporter now at Al Jazeera English. June '08

Sermon at Palin's church: Israelis punished by God for not being Christian

Given the intense media attention paid to controversial statements from the pulpit of Obama's church (usually when Obama was not in attendance), why so little coverage so far of a bizarre statement about Israeli Jewish deaths at Palin's church just two weeks ago (with Palin present)?

According to reporter Ben Smith in Politico , citing a transcript on the Church's website, a leader of Jews for Jesus named David Brickner gave the guest sermon Aug 17 at the Wasila Bible Church. Jews for Jesus is a group that seeks to convert Jews to Christianity.

Brickner also described terrorist attacks on Israelis as God's "judgment of unbelief" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity.

"Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. It's very real. When [Brickner's son] was in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment — you can't miss it."

Palin was in church that day, Kroon [Palin's minister--jc] said, though he cautioned against attributing Brickner’s views to her.

Maverick No Matter What

Was selection of Palin a courageous choice of bold Maverick McCain or weak appeasing of the Republican Religious Right base that McCain needed to placate? Most in corporate mainstream media portrayed it as fitting in with their "McCain as maverick"storyline, according to the media watch group FAIR (which I founded).

Why the media should apologize

Media unfair to Palin? Sarcastic piece in Politico by longtime mainstream media correspondent/columnist.

What They Really Think: 2 Leading Conservatives Think They're Not Being Recorded

Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy, thinking their words not being recorded, discuss Palin choice. Noonan calls it "political bs" and Murphy says it reflects "cynicism" on McCain's part.

Conservative Writers Raise Doubts about Palin Selection

Ramesh Ponnuru: "Palin has been governor for about two minutes."

David Frum: "But question: If it were your decision, and you were putting your country first, would you put an untested small-town mayor a heartbeat away from the presidency?"

Shannen Coffin: "if John McCain has said that a year plus of statewide office (plus some small town politics) is good enough, why isn't state legislature and a couple of visits to the floor of the U.S. Senate?"

Jonah Goldberg: "Downside: She may not be ready for primetime. The heartbeat-from-the-presidency issue is a real one."

All from rightwing National Review Online. There were plenty more questions from conservatives. It's hardly "liberal media bias" to ask questions of a VP candidate.

Journalists & Activists Detained and Arrested

In the land of the First Amendment, a major story in Minnesota that has largely eluded mainstream media attention so far is law enforcement overheatedly/roughly arresting, detaining and invading the homes of journalists and activists. This release links to some of the footage, and victims.

"Pray for Rain" against Obama: Religious Right Attempt at Humor

"Pray for Rain" video from Focus on the Family leader in this Daily Kos post.

McCain Distorting Obama's Comment on Iran?

Is this ad misleading?

Timid headline in "he said/she said" mode.

Stewart & Colbert on Choice of Palin

Comedy Central Hosts offer their take on McCain's choice for VP.

Fox News Co-Host on Gov. Palin's Foreign Policy Knowledge

Steve Doocy on "Fox and Friends" explains Palin's foreign policy knowledge.

ABC News Producer Arrested While Covering $ to Dems

At 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver, news producer roughly arrested while doing his job on public street.

Gore Vidal-Bill Buckley Debate ABC News 1968

During tumultuous 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, ABC features regular debates between Gore Vidal and Bill Buckley, advocates for America's Left and Right. This famous

debate got overly heated. Unlike today's "TV liberals," Vidal defended antiwar protesters and more. Vidal/Buckley represents a broader debate than on today's mainstream TV, which tends to feature predictable surrogates and spin artists from elites of two major parties.