CNN correspondent labeled Safire's smear of Hillary Clinton "journalism"

Media Matters ^ | Nov 30, 2004 | N. C.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

On the November 29 edition of CNN's Wolf Blitzer Reports, CNN correspondent Mary Snow reported that New York Times columnist William Safire, who is retiring in January 2005, "is praised not just for his columns, but for his journalism." Citing a 1996 column as one of three examples of Safire's praiseworthy "journalism," Snow stated: "In the Clinton years, he once called Hillary Clinton a congenital liar for her role in the Whitewater scandal."

But Safire's January 1996 column calling Hillary Clinton a "congenital liar" was just one example of the numerous false accusations Safire leveled against Bill and Hillary Clinton. As Joe Conason noted in a March 14, 2000, Salon.com article:

Making headlines with a 1996 column branding the first lady a "congenital liar," he [Safire] confidently predicted that her lost-and-found Rose Law Firm billing records would prove "her involvement in a fraudulent land deal" called Castle Grande. On several occasions, apparently misled by his own sources, the columnist has blathered about her imminent indictment; and once, Safire even advised the president to hire separate legal counsel for his own protection.

Four years and tens of millions of dollars later, the first lady remains unindicted except in the minds of Safire and right-wing conspiracy nuts. According to the 1996 Pillsbury report, those billing records confirmed Mrs. Clinton's earlier testimony about her legal work in voluminous detail. By now it is hard not to wonder whether Safire -- who haughtily condemns "White House incompetence" -- ever bothered to read that federal report, which dismissed theories tying her to Castle Grande wrongdoing as "strained at best." Or whether he is aware that in testimony at Susan McDougal's contempt trial last year, deputy independent counsel W. Hickman Ewing admitted that despite his own Herculean efforts, no evidence pertinent to an indictment of the first lady was ever presented to any grand jury.

Media Matters for America has compiled a sampling of Safire's history of unsupported statements, distortions, and outright falsehoods. Click here for these further examples of Safire's "journalism."

[SideoutFred]

Considering this comes from the Media Matters for America organization, one of the most blatantly left wing organizations out there, this does not surprise me at all.

This is the same outfit that still doesn't see anything wrong with Dan Rather.

[digger48]

Boy, if I want the truth, I'm gonna ask Joe.

[TommyDale]

This should have been labelled "Humor" or "Satire".

[Reactionary]

How many times did dear Hillary! say she couldn't remember or couldn't recall anything under oath? Hundreds?

And this obviously impresses upon brainless liberals both her genius and her ability to tell the truth. Yes. Obviously.

[DaveTesla]

Mediamatters.org site "was devised as part of a larger media apparatus being built by liberals to combat what they say is the overwhelming influence of conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly." The "project was developed with help from the newly formed Center for American Progress, the policy group headed by John D. Podesta," Bill Clinton's former chief of staff. "Brock said he hoped it could help provide fodder for fledgling liberal radio talk shows being started across the country, including those of the comedians Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo." [4]

"Mr. Brock, who has also spoken with Senator Clinton, Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota and former Vice President Al Gore about his project, said he was ready to face skepticism. 'I think all ideological converts face a reality on that question,' he said. But, he added, 'I've found people very open to the idea that people can change.'"

Funded with "more than $2 million in donations from wealthy liberals." "Among Mr. Brock's donors is Leo Hindery, Jr., the former cable magnate; Susie Tompkins Buell, who is co-founder of the fashion company Esprit and is close to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, and Ms. Buell's husband Mark; and James C. Hormel, a San Francisco philanthropist whose appointment as ambassador to Luxembourg was delayed for a year and a half in the late 1990's by conservative lawmakers protesting what they called his promotion of a 'gay lifestyle.
http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Media_Matters_for_America

[Doctor Raoul]

There's no hissy fit like a David Brock hissy fit.

[mewzilla]

Funded with "more than $2 million in donations from wealthy liberals." "Among Mr. Brock's donors is Leo Hindery, Jr., the former cable magnate...

Hindery again. Mr. Hindery, formerly with Global Crossing, is on the short list to be the new head of the DNC. How fitting.

[Wolverine]

Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. Conservative misinformation is defined as news or commentary presented in the media that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda.

[Digger]

I thought Larry Klayman had The Hildabeast tied up in all sorts of depos. Again as I've always said these two will never get anymore than a short trip to the woodshed. They are ABOVE us sheeple. We have to take her out in the next election by running Rudy.

[wewon]

Cover for the hildebeast. She never lied - she was just smeared by the "vast rightwing conspiracy".

I'm sure this is only the beginning of story after story about "poor Hildabeast".

[KwasiOwusu]

"But Safire's January 1996 column calling Hillary Clinton a "congenital liar" was just one example of the numerous false accusations Safire leveled against Bill and Hillary Clinton"

No false accusations here.
Hilary Clinton was, IS and will remain a congenital liar all her life.
The woman is simple incapable of telling the truth.

[Southack]

"But Safire's January 1996 column calling Hillary Clinton a "congenital liar" was just one example of the numerous false accusations Safire leveled against Bill and Hillary Clinton. As Joe Conason noted in a March 14, 2000, Salon.com article"

Oh please.

"I learned about cattle futures from reading the Wall Street Journal" - Hillary Clinton responding to allegations that she was *given* $100,000 bribe masked as a cattle futures trade

NOTE: The Wall Street Journal hadn't discussed or even printed cattle futures when she made that comment

[elmer fudd]

Yes, I remember Leo Hindery from when I worked for TCI. Under his management TCI's business strategy consisted of negotiating monopoly contracts with local governments and then operating the shoddiest, most cut-rate cable systems they could get away with.

[spinestein]

Since Hillary Clinton has such a good reputation for integrity, and since she is so intelligent and politically shrewd, I think the Democrats should make her the nominee for '08. She'll be a shoe in to win the presidency.


Oh please oh please oh please oh pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease.

That would be more entertainment than AlGore and JohnF'inKerry combined.

[GSlob]

"she was just smeared by the "vast rightwing conspiracy".
Technically, the only way to smear hillary would be to smear her upon something else.

[Cicero]

Actually I thought that Safire was kind of a wimp during the clinton years. That column was one of the few where he slipped his leash and spoke out honestly.

[Howlin]

But Safire's January 1996 column calling Hillary Clinton a "congenital liar" was just one example of the numerous false accusations Safire leveled against Bill and Hillary Clinton. As Joe Conason noted in a March 14, 2000, Salon.com article:

Nobody needs to read ONE WORD further than that!

[Free_at_last_-2001]

Nobody needs to read ONE WORD further than that! - Agreed 'nuff said at that point!