Posted on 09/23/2004 10:50:02 AM PDT by FlyLow
Newsweek's Howard Fineman argued that CBS News producer Mary Mapes became "obsessed," with trying to prove that George W. Bush got special treatment in the National Guard, because she wanted to "save the world from a George Bush presidency, and in the last five years, she's tried to find that smoking gun that would allow her to do that." Appearing on MSNBC's Imus in the Morning on Wednesday, Fineman fretted that due to the CBS scandal, it is getting "increasingly difficult to prove" that the rest of the media strive for "objectivity" and want to be "fair" and "even- handed." Fineman also predicted that "if Roger Ailes and Fox had done something like this, you know, the world would be on fire."
The MRC's Jessica Anderson caught the exchange between Don Imus and Newsweek's chief political correspondent, who appeared by phone, on the September 22 MSNBC simulcast of the Imus in the Morning radio show:
Imus: "What do you all make of what's going on at CBS?"
Fineman: "...My take on what happened here is that the producer, who I've never met, and who has a great reputation, but the producer, Mary Mapes, became obsessed with this story. In 1999, she began looking for evidence that then Governor Bush, you know, had not shown up for and been derelict in his duty in the National Guard. She probably didn't like him politically, judging from everything I've read about her, and was gonna save the world from a George Bush presidency, and in the last five years, she's tried to find that smoking gun that would allow her to do that. And they went to this guy, Burkett -- I mean, to me, one of the most amazing things about this story is that they searched him out, even knowing what an unreliable source he was. And that, to me, means obsession, and as you pointed out the other day, you know, that's what editors are for. Editors are there to harness the energy, sometimes obsessive energy of reporters and they clearly didn't do it in this case."
Imus suggested: "...Rather doesn't have any friends who do not hate George Bush. His friends are all -- we know who they are. I mean, the Molly Ivans of the world, and they all hate Bush. Maybe Rather doesn't, but he's the only one of anybody who he ever talks to or hangs out with...He may not, but that makes him unique in his circle of friends."
Fineman: "...In a way, this is a Texas war. It's between what I'm assuming is Rather's sort of populous Texas notions, which I'm sure he holds deeply, and the Bush view. The problem with all of this is, for what's left of what we used to call the mainstream media or the national media, is that those of us who've spent a long time, indeed, a whole career, trying to argue that we are objective, that we strive for objectivity, that we're interested in the facts, that we want to be fair, that we want to be even- handed, it gets increasingly difficult to prove that when something like this comes along, and for other people in the national press corps, whether it's at other networks or at news organizations like mine, to take sort of any secret guilty pleasure in CBS's trouble is a huge mistake, because what's happening is that the national press core is crumbling. I've got to say, if Roger Ailes and Fox had done something like this, you know, the world would be on fire, but they didn't. It's CBS that did it."
I don't NEED anyone to save me from President Bush. I am perfectly capable of deciding how to vote all by myself. That just proves they think they are smarter than the rest of us.
It was a fairly simple matter to come out swinging at CBS instead of apologizing and deferring to Rather and Mape's reputations. The CBS story, at its core, was an exercise in bad journalism, bad fact checking and bad sourcing, made worse by its failure to mention the other side of the story when it finally went to air. The national media wasn't hurt by what Rather did, it was hurt by not gunning him down immediately for breaking every rule of their profession.
I'm sure that was an innocent typo on your part!
... My take on what happened here is that the producer, who I've never met, and who has a great reputation, but the producer, Mary Mapes, became obsessed with this story ...Here is the spin, epitomized. Mapes was a rogue agent, obsessed, out of control; the CBS debacle was an abberation, a case of professional journalists led astray by the wiles of a mad producer. Hang Mapes and the problem is solved. Mapes is the human sacrifice being offered to mollify the viewing public.
BTTT.
I hear ya on that one, Brilliant!
Brit Hume was talking about a Memo that one of the fox reporters had gotten their hands on that showed Mapes doing something underhanded or illegal regarding a Prison and communications between two PRisoners.
It was damaging enough that she lost her Prison privilages.
Anyone know anything about it?
Now the MSM is on the "Mapes is crazy" bandwagon, further relieving Rather of any responsibility.
Remember you heard it here, Rather will walk away clean, and Mapes will take the fall.
Fineman is a liberal and a Clinton apologist. Coming from him, this speaks volumes.
Grand justifications like saving the world makes liberals dangerous.
Rather will walk, but he Old goat will wear this tar babby around his neck for the rest of his professional days - AND into his retirement where he will have to suffer eternally for it.
A reporter is only as good as his last story, This is Dan's last story that anyone will pay any attention too.
Revenge is Sweet.
You're right -- and Mapes, herself, is also an "editor." When the MSM prates on about its system of "checks and balances," this is what it amounts to. When the "editor" is biased, whatcha' gonna' do? Having worked in the media with many a biased editor, I know what goes on.
...what's happening is that the national press core is crumbling. I've got to say, if Roger Ailes and Fox had done something like this, you know, the world would be on fire, but they didn't. It's CBS that did it."
Why not save the world from a treasonous, cowardly Ketchupman who would place our nation under the purview of the UN and raise to dominance the so-called "religion of peace"?
I am not big on the bible thumping.
So this does not come from a 'religiousity' mindset.
But there is a principle called repentance.
simple: turn around and go the other direction.
you can just do it,
not talk about it.
not have an inquiry over it.
ADMIT the mistake and simply don't DO it anymore.
It puts an end to all the turmoil deception and strife.
This would ALL blow over for CBS and Rather in two weeks if it was done in an obvious way. But instead, they will obsess over it, investigate it, put in new proceedures, talk it to death... and tomorrow, next week and next year, do the same old shit over and over and over and over.
Fair and balanced should be the mantra. EVERY news org should do their news style... hannity and colmes. One reports the facts one way, the other with an alternate set of words, and the viewers decide what the REAL facts are and what they mean.
The reason CBS won't do 'repentance' is simple. It interferes with their agenda... plain and simple. Changing their modus operandi, would derail their anti-american and communist/socialist leaning bent.
Since that is their core... we can expect NOTHING but more of the same, until their ultimate downfall via the new media... folks will just tune them out, more and more.
Affiliates will drop off and via attrition, they will eventually extinquish their own existence.
bon apetite CBS.
Mary Mapes has just been outed as a law breaker by Fox News.It seems that she was caught red handed by a Colorado federal penitentiary warden trying to put prisoners in touch with each other through a scheme involving the prison mail system. In violation of federal regulations.One of the prisoners was referred to as Peter Langan a white supremacist. Who is Peter Langan ?
Who is White Supremacist Peter Langan? What is his connection to Mary Mapes
While I posted info on Langan, who is connected to the OKC bombing and was on the witness list at Terry Nichol's trial, I am suspicious of the story as there is no link, and the poster is a fairly new freeper, I thought you might want to take a look at it and possibly follow up as I won't be around the next few days, my Mom is coming to town. I pinged Doug from Upland as well.
Let's not forget how more caring they are, too.
In case he hasn't noticed, the world IS on fire. And if the MSM had done something about Kerry 30 years ago it might not be. And it continues to do nothing about Kerry today. But no matter. The Fire Department is on duty and is extinguishing the flames. Too bad, but the MSM will be the last building to be saved, if it isn't too late by then. The new media is already taking over, in case they haven't noticed.
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