Posted on 12/13/2004 4:32:33 AM PST by johnny7
Fake National Guard documents. Missing explosives. The draft. During the 2004 campaign, no story that made the President look bad was too petty, too contrived, or too false to command the attention of the establishment media. Yet there was a key, last-minute development that reflected none too kindly on John Kerry. And it aroused almost no press attention whatsoever.
In the video he released just before the election, Osama bin Laden was rather clear about which candidate he wanted to lead the free world. It sure wasn't George W. Bush, whom he savaged personally and at great length. According to some experts, OBL even threatened red states with attacks should they back the President. But the establishment media that swooned over the warnings of Michael Moore, and celebrated Bruce Springsteen's endorsement of Kerry, did its utmost to ignore these warnings and deny this endorsement by the world's premier terrorist. It was almost as though ABC's Mark Halperin--author of the infamous we-don't-need-to-be-objective-because-Bush-is-a-bigger-liar-than-Kerry memo--issued another advisory, this one directed to all the Fourth Estate: If anyone asks, Osama has no preference in this race. He's an "undecided."
MSNBC's Keith Olbermann was one of many journalists who seemed to get that memo. "There is...a new Osama bin Laden videotape," Olbermann told viewers. "And in it, he does not apparently take sides in the Presidential election." Sure. Bin Laden, who harbors strong feelings about the 1187 Battle of Hattin, has no opinion as to who will spend the next four years waging war against him. That's why he risked life and limb to put his video out four days before the election. That's why he spoke directly to the American public and not, as is his usual approach, to other Islamist fanatics. That's why bin Laden's rant picked up every DNC talking point that could possibly make its way to the caves of Pakistan--the Patriot Act squashes civil liberties, Bush stole the Florida election, Republicans are greedy, Iraq was invaded for oil, Bush is a liar, U.N. inspections were working so the war was unjustified, Halliburton is profiteering, even the Fahrenheit 9/11 claim that in continuing to read My Pet Goat to schoolchildren for a few minutes after the World Trade Center was hit, Bush proved he is an inadequate Commander in Chief.
The world's leading terrorist recited a stunningly complete list of the John Kerry/Michael Moore/Howard Dean mantras. And he was neutral? Sure. Just like the League of Women Voters, Rock the Vote, or the mainline media itself.
The respected Middle East Media Research Institute quickly offered a differing translation of bin Laden's speech. It noted that he warned very specifically that "Your security is in your own hands, and any U.S. state that does not toy with our security automatically guarantees its own security.... A rational man would not neglect his security, property, or home for the sake of the liar in the White House." A follow-up on bin Laden's climactic warning sentence appeared on the al-Qaeda-linked Web site Al-Qal'a: "This message was a warning to every U.S. state separately.... It means that any U.S. state that will choose to vote for the white thug Bush as President has chosen to fight us, and we will consider it our enemy, and any state that will vote against Bush has chosen to make peace with us, and we will not characterize it as an enemy.... Sheikh Osama wants to drive a wedge in the American body, to weaken it, and he wants to divide the American people." Big news, no? America's No. 1 enemy threatens violence to affect the election. Talk about voter intimidation!
So why did nearly all media outlets look the other way? The New York Post gave MEMRI's scoop a short story, but otherwise bin Laden's crude attempt to shape the election was given almost no attention. America is not Spain. Americans don't capitulate to threats; we like leaders who engender fear and loathing in terrorists; we're skeptical of those supported by our enemies. Sensing this, the media establishment suppressed bin Laden's true message. In doing so, they ultimately did his bidding--depressing the Bush vote, albeit not enough to make a difference.
But their real purpose was only to do Kerry's bidding, whether by reporting bogus news stories, or burying real ones.
We responded by re-electing President Bush.
The behavior of the "Newsmedia" is one of the most important things the people mean when they denounce the "moral values" of the Left.
The Patriot Act squashes civil liberties.PEST-therapists who hope to treat PEST-sufferers must realize that they will never recover until they recognize the falsity of each of these allegations.
Bush stole the Florida election.
Republicans are greedy.
Iraq was invaded for oil.
Bush is a liar.
U.N. inspections were working so the war was unjustified.
Halliburton is profiteering.
In continuing to read My Pet Goat to schoolchildren for a few minutes after the World Trade Center was hit, Bush proved he is an inadequate Commander in Chief.
For a therapist to refuse to assist PEST-sufferers in recognizing this reality and thus find the only path to recovery would constitute malpractice.
Say what you want about Kerry, but he's not stupid.
He blames the binLaden tape on his loss. Said so in an interview right after the election.
Even liberal Democrats know they have huge friends in the media. Their problem is now going to be how to extricate themselves from the leftist America-hating talking heads and editors in the MSM. I wish them luck.
You wish the Democrats luck?!
Sarcasm, my friend.
The first was held on to for a week before giving it to federal officials. They said that they were checking its 'credibility'. So I guess that the MSM fills in for the FBI, CIA and Homeland Security when they see fit.
As far as bin Laden's, when they aired it... it was immediately followed by “ ...but, bin Laden doesn't REALLY care who is elected president.”
To me... they have become nothing more than a whore of the DNC.
And how did FOX news handle this story? Not very well, that's for sure. A few of the commentators quietly said that OBL is obviously parotting the moveon.org talking points, but that's nothing compared to what they should have done: headlined this story in two parts.
Part I: OBL declares his support for Kerry
Part II: MSM covers up the story
But FOX, in an obsessive need to be "fair and balanced" relegated both those stories to the TV equivalent of the back pages.
Shame on FOX.
Ted Koppel did a show after that tape and stated OBL wanted Bush to win. What a disgusting propagandist!!!!!!!!
Really good essay.
Dan
Thanks for the ping. Great stuff!
It's a bit bizarre, isn't it, that we ping each other when somebody gets it? It's a man-bites-dog sort of thing.
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