Blatant Bias: Why the GOP nominee had better be a real street fighter

I want to call your attention to an actual headline on CNN today.

Wingnut debt ceiling demands

Yes this is an actual headline on CNN Money today. If you click through to the article, the rest of if is as equally partisan. In 2008 the media came out of the ideological closet to help get Obama elected. In 2012, I fully expect them to operate openly like the communications arm of the White House. They will not hide their intentions and they will be all crazy kinds of unfair.

This is why time and time again on this blog, I have stated that what Sarah Palin has endured these three years will be standard operating procedure for the GOP nominee. It does not make one bit of difference if our nominee is Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin herself. The media will do their best to trash the nominee any way they can.

So as you go about picking your favorites from the potential candidates, make damn sure the person you are picking knows how to take a punch and give it right back in equal measure. In 2012 wimpy Republicans need not apply.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: CNN Money

Closet Journalism: Reporter confined to closet for Biden fundraiser

Drudge Report: Staffers with Vice President Joe Biden confined an ORLANDO SENTINEL reporter in a closet this week to keep him from mingling with high-powered guests gathered for a Dem fundraiser.

Reporter Scott Powers was the designated "pool reporter" for the vice president's Wednesday visit to the massive Winter Park, Fla., home of developer and philanthropist Alan Ginsburg. The veep hadn't arrived yet but most of the 150 guests (minimum $500 donation) had. They were busy noshing on caprese crostini with oven-dried mozzarella and basil, rosemary flatbread with grapes honey and gorgonzola cheese and bacon deviled eggs, before a lunch of grilled chicken Caesar and garden vegetable wraps.

Not so for Powers. A "low-level staffer" put Powers in a storage closet and then stood guard outside the door, Powers told the DRUDGE REPORT. "When I'd stick my head out, they'd say, 'Not yet. We'll let you know when you can come out.'"

And no crustini for Powers, either. He made do with a bottle of water to sip as he sat at a tiny makeshift desk, right next to a bag marked "consignment." Powers was closeted at about 11:30 a.m., held for about an hour and 15 minutes, came out for 35 minutes of remarks by Biden and Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida Democrat, and then returned to his jail for the remainder of the event. [MORE]

Joe Biden's staff has since apologized to the reporter:

ABC News: "Scott - You have our sincere apologies for the lack of a better hold room today," wrote Vice President Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander last Wednesday to Orlando Sentinel reporter Scott Powers.[...]

A statement from the VP's office noted that "It is standard policy for the Vice President's office that a print pooler cover the speaking program at fundraisers. This has been the consistent policy throughout the Administration. At times, these fundraisers are at private homes and 'hold rooms' are provided for pool reporters to wait for the speaking program to commence. A hold room, however, should not be a storage room. This was the unfortunate mistake of an inexperienced staffer and the Vice President's office has made sure it will never happen again."

I don't know what is sadder here. Is it the complete lack of transparency that a reporter cannot report on exactly whom the Vice President of the United States is associating with or that a reporter, whose job is protected by the Constitution, would actually submit to this kind of treatment? Whatever the case may be, the truth is both problems are the reason why we have such crappy government today.

In our nation the media is suppose to exist as the eyes and ears of the people. It is their job to keep close tabs on all politicians (from both parties) and alert us when these politicians go astray. Can any of us honest say this is what we are getting when politicians get to decide when they wish to be transparent and the media sheepishly goes along with it?

Great damage has been done to this nation, especially during this last decade, and much of the blame falls right at the feet of our lazy, lopsided and sheepish media.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Drudge Report
Via: ABC News

Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right: Paladino versus NY reporter

The New York Post: Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino and Post State Editor Fredric U. Dicker last night got into an angry confrontation -- during which Paladino threatened, "I'll take you out."

It started when Dicker asked Paladino if he had any proof of his shocking allegation that Democratic rival Andrew Cuomo cheated on his former wife during their marriage.

"What evidence do you have for something most people would consider a smear?" Dicker asked.

Instead of responding to Dicker's question, Paladino accused him of sending a "goon" to stake out his former mistress at the home where she lives with their love child.

Sunday's Post featured a front-page story about Paladino's wife, Cathy, and his ex-lover, Suzanne Brady. It included an exclusive interview with Cathy Paladino.

"You send another goon to my daughter's house and I'll take you out, buddy!" Paladino told Dicker.

When Dicker asked how he planned to do that, Paladino replied, "Watch!"

"Are you threatening me?" Dicker asked.

When the candidate's aides jumped in to separate the men, Paladino, referring to Dicker, told them, "F- -k him."

Paladino's campaign manager, Michael Caputo, then got involved, and began arguing with Dicker.

"You're out of here, you're off our campaign list, you get nothing more from us," he told Dicker, as stunned members of the state government press corps looked on.

"You're off the Christmas list!" Caputo bellowed to Dicker.

The argument took place at The Business Council of New York State's annual meeting in Bolton Landing, outside Lake George.

This is a perfect example of Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right. Regarding the media; yes, it is news that Paladino had a child out of wedlock, but there is absolutely no need to track down the child. There is no need to get photographs of the 10 year old child in question (as a freelance photographer, I would have rejected this assignment). If a child is not of legal age to agree to openly campaign for the parent, then LEAVE THAT CHILD ALONE!

It is not a hard concept to understand. In 2008, Chelsea Clinton, the Romney boys and Megan McCain, all adults, chose to assist their parents. Fine, then they are fair game for the media. The Obama girls and the Palin children (Bristol 2008, not today) did not and should have been left in peace.

Paladino, despite being justifiably angry, should not have issued the threat. “I’ll take you out, buddy”? There is no other way to take that but as a threat and it is caught on tape. Sorry Carl, but that is just plain stupid.

Luckily for Carl, New Yorkers, despite their liberal leanings are not the type of folk to get all squishy about threats. In another state, Paladino might have ended up on the chopping block for that one.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The New York Post

Video h/t: The Right Scoop