OPEN LETTER TO THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA: We are NOT Amateurs and we are going to kick your butts.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Fantastic. I should share the letters I got from Seth Borenstein, the Knight Ridder writer who passed on the bogus story about the "booing" in Milwaukee. The AP hasn't given me the courtesy of an answer yet -- and I'm not holding my breath. Neither has the original author returned my phone call.

The essence of Seth Borenstein's answer was that he made an "honest" mistake and corrected it later. To my righteous indignation (I was at the event standing about 10 feet in front of the President) he said that there is a difference in relying upon the word of a single person vs. relying on an old time news organization such as the AP. Barf!

And he made some cheap shots against some "internet group that likes to criticize the press." He went on to say that inclusion of the "booing" incident was just an attempt to balance his assertion that Kerry had announced Clinton's hospitalization and that the audience had applauded.

borenstein said he just picked up a "nugget" from the AP. In other words, he did not double check his source, which he should have. The very statement should have caused his antennae to go up; and he should have checked it further, but he relied on the AP. He was writing from Washington on the medical aspects of the story -- the "booing" part was non-essential and didn't even belong in the story, even if it had been true.

[Rome2000]

Our first great victory will be the downfall of Dan Rather.

If not for the fact that I have crossed paths with OJ twice and his poor son once in the last year I would be more optimistic.

OJ was talking up a brunette sitting next to me about "dinner in Coral Gables".

These people stick together.

[Pukin Dog]

Honored to get a song from you, buddy.

[WVNan]

Duh....forgot to post the e-mail.

When the printing press was invented and the Bible became readily available, the priests could no longer hold control over the people. When the old media (newspapers, radio, TV) came into being, it controlled and shaped what news people received. The invention of the computer (thank you Al Gore) has caused a seismic shift in the way the ordinary citizen accesses the news. The old media has buried its head in the sand and refused to recognize that it is no longer relevant. Lately I am amazed at the lack of knowledge exhibited by the talking heads. The question that reporters need to answer is this: Who is more likely to dig up the truth of a subject, one reporter or thousands of reporters from around the world? It's a new world that can't be hoodwinked by spin. Long live the bloggers.

[xzins]

Did you see that condescending main stream media puke on Tony Snow sits in for Oreilly last night?

He just kept up this grin throughout the words of a blog spokesperson.

His grin told me all I needed to know. He thought the world was stupid and he was the source of all knowledge.

Tony was weak last night, imho.

[afraidfortherepublic]

...tonight on Fox Media Watch, Jim Pinkerton pointed out...

Oh goody! I'll catch the re-run tomorrow AM.

[mass55th]

Here's the letter I sent to Fox News tonight:

Eric:

On your program tonight, Neal Gabler suggested that perhaps Dan Rather & CBS were trying to be fair, and provide equal time to counter the coverage allowed for the Swift Vets. Would you please ask Neal, if Rather & CBS are trying to be fair, why then in 1997, they found it newsworthy to attack Colonel David Hackworth over the medals he had listed on his website, yet they've totally ignored the allegations from the Swift Boat Vets regarding the medals that John Kerry earned? Why is it that the media was so willing to believe the second and third-hand tales of war atrocities from John Kerry in April of 1971? They accepted those tales as truth, despite the fact that Kerry never served with any of the men whose stories he told. Yet the press has refused to even consider the possibility that the Swift Vets, many of whom served within feet and yards of John Kerry on a daily basis, might be telling the truth?

The main stream media creates the lies, spreads them as truths, and perpetuates those lies. Dan Rather & CBS are prime examples of this. The public is fed up with the hypocritical, biased coverage presented as news today. They're also tired of today's journalists arbitrarily deciding which stories will be investigated & reported, and whose record will and won't be scrutinized.

George W. Bush signed Form 180 to release all his military records to the public. John Kerry refuses to sign Form 180. You tell me which man has something to hide.

And here's Dan Rather crying on David Letterman after he learns he's been terminated:

[The Doctor]

"If you don’t wise up, we will kick your agenda-driven ass. "

Correction: asses

[zot]

Right ON ! Your excellent essay is the voice of the new media speaking truth to the old media. The old media is dying because it is locked into liberal lies. The new media is living and growing and flourishing because it is free to speak the truth.

[Paladin2]

Exactly - It's Free News.

[RJL]

Well said!

[Budge]

Perfect analogy, CBB!

[ThreePuttinDude]

bump

[Pukin Dog]

Excellent.

[slimer]

Memo to CBS, 60 Minutes and Dan Rather:

You're doing a fantastic job! Keep up the good work. Don't give in to a bunch of Radicals. Igore all the opposition and throttle on full steam ahead. There are a lot of folks counting on you so hang in there. Move towards the light.

Watch out for that oncoming FReight train!

[Missouri]

That was my Daddy's war. He's gone now

Sorry to hear that. I'm lucky that my both my father (Navy, convoy duty) and uncle (2nd Armour), both WW2 vets are still around. Both despise the liberal democrats and the MSM. They are often fascinated with my stories about the goings on here on the Free Republic.

Help is on the way I tell them.

[microgood]

Persons with knowledge and experience are not only ignoring you, but replacing you as sources of information.

They just become one of many and their past and biases are exposed by all as they present an article. Instead of being the only source, they are marginalized and have to compete not only with the other two, but cable, the world media, the experts at FR, and the Net, all which can be reached with the click of a mouse. That is why FR is so addictive.

The era of three views of the world are over.

I do miss the kind of family part of gathering together at the end of the day and thinking: what happened today. Now its instantaneous and makes us all kind of neurotic.

Great post.

[savedbygrace]

This exercise has led Team Kerry to one important corrollary conclusion. They now know for absolute certain beyond any doubt that they never, ever want to sign the 180 to release all the documents.

We've proven to them that we will examine those docs with the finest of tooth combs (wait a minute, those are supposed to be combs with the finest teeth, not tooth combs) and find every error and fraudulent jot and tittle in them.

No, there is no way Kerry signs a 180 now.

[Bahbah]

I loved this so much that it made me cry.

[Brad’s Gramma]

EXCELLENT rant, Pukin Dog. Most excellent. I'm standing tall, right next to you.