Posted on 05/06/2006 5:31:24 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
May 6, 2006
Let's imagine it was, oh, Karl Rove who had been involved in a car accident under circumstances identical to those surrounding Patrick Kennedy. Think the Today show would be focusing on his 'courage' and largely taking at face value his claim that prescription medicines caused the crash? Or would they be asking another question: was Kennedy telling the truth when he claimed that no alcohol was involved?
That 'Today' was in a decidedly forgiving mood was clear from the show's very opening. Note the graphic Today attached to Kennedy's image: "Seeking Treatment". Not "Telling the Truth?" or "Drinking & Driving?"
In his subsequent report, NBC reporter Chip Reid clearly seemed to endorse Kennedy's version of events. We first were treated a clip of Kennedy's statement about his addiction to painkillers, concluding with his observation that "I struggle every day with this disease as do millions of Americans."
The very next words out of Reid's mouth: "That struggle came to a head this week in a bizarre traffic accident on Capitol Hill." Translation: Kennedy's version of the accident is true. It was the 'struggle' with prescription drugs, not alcohol, at the root of the accident.
Reid later referred to Kennedy's announcement that he was entering rehab as a "big step." Oh, the bravey! Again, had this been Rove or another disfavored Republican, one can imagine the MSM skeptically suggesting a decison to enter rehab was nothing more than part of a carefully-orchestrated PR campaign.
Now, it's true that Reid mentioned that Capitol Hill police officers suspected Kennedy was driving under the influence of alcohol. But Reid mentioned only the police report stating "Kennedy's eyes were red and watery, speech was slightly slurred and balance was unsure." No mention that police reportedly smelled the odor of alcohol on Kennedy. No mention that police at the scene wanted to perform a sobriety test and were prevented from doing so by supervisors who ordered Kennedy be given a lift home. Reid left it for viewers to infer that the police mistakenly confused Kennedy's pill-induced symptoms as stemming from alcohol.
We were later treated to file footage of father Ted Kennedy saying he was proud of Patrick, and to Sen. Kennedy's current statement saluting Patrick's "courage."
Not a word from Today of a reported eyewitness who saw Patrick Kennedy drinking prior to the crash at the 'Hawk & Dove' bar. No apparent investigative reporting on NBC's part to determine the truth.
Curiously incurious, those NBC folks, wouldn't you say?
Today Show/NewsBusters asleep-at-the-wheel ping.
I think the difference between Rove and Kennedy is that people actually give a flip what Rove does/says.
Hey, quit your bitchen, courage worked for Dan Rather, why not for Patrick Kennedy?
Did anyone see the photo that AOL/ABC had up yesterday? Didn't look at all like any of the other photos I saw... very presidential photo shopped pr picture... unlike every time they show a photo of the President or Vice Prez, he has a stupid look on his face.
Yeah, sorry about that ;-)
Of course, the question here is whether Kennedy's courage was of the liquid sort.
I thought it was interesting that he mentioned the names of 2 drugs he was taking,(neither a painkiller) and tried to blame his situation on them, and then said he was addicted to painkillers.
Why didn't he mention the name of the painkillers he's addicted to?
And how many of the R.I. voters knew he was an addict who had mental illness?
What, no mention of the fact that he very cleary stated that he had nothing to drink yet can't remember even getting up?
How do you not begin to question things when people say things that contradictory?
Excellent point. In fact, I will go revise my NewsBusters report accordingly.
Between this and the Cynthia McKinney episode, do you think there might be a morale problem in the Capitol Police forces??????
The left runs Washington & the MSM... why do you seem surprised.
I would like to know the name of the arresting officer who wished to test him, since he seemed willing to DO HIS JOB. I would also like the supervisor who tried to sweep this under the rug, because he was bought and paid for, or at least expected a favor in return for this little service of his. I think the press ought to covert eh supervisor and see how many other people he has done this for.
By the way, I also wish there really is a Santa Clause...
As I said yesterday, originally, we were apparently to believe that he was sleepwalking, sleepdrinking, sleepdriving, and then sleeptalking. None of which was his fault, of course.
Now he'll be in sleeptherapy until this blows over...
Anyone for a sleeprecall petition?
I believe what we have here is a "Culture of ......?" Need help here folks. What's the right word to throw in here.
I wanna know if he was in his jammies....or did he "sleepchange" his clothes too?
"Now he'll be in sleeptherapy until this blows over..."
Lol
Capitol Police are investigating the original reports. They have made inquiries at two bars close to Capitol Hill whether Kennedy was seen drinking. The watch commander on duty the night this took place has been reassigned.
Just as much will come of this as of the Cynthia McKinney incident last month; NADA!
I'd like to know where Kennedy got his meds, since any doc prescribing the Ambien and Phenergan to a patient with a history of addiction needs his/her head examined.
"I wanna know if he was in his jammies....or did he "sleepchange" his clothes too?"
He must have, cuz he was dressed for the "vote" he was late to.
My guess is that there WAS someone with him. I'm betting that's the hush, hush, not his willingness to say..."I'm going to therapy".
Would just love it if his car had a GPS system in it that tracked his movements....although by now, I'd guess it's in the Potomac.
Thank God for the blogosphere.
FoxNews reports that P Kennedy was seen at 2 different bars that morning.
[As more details on that develops, PK may be in for further embarrassment, but he's a Kennedy, so he will get a pass.]
CBS Early Show was pretty much the same - I think. I only surfed over to it while looking for updated radar screens on our storms locally, but I stopped to gawk at the Patches coverage.
They did have a reporter in Pawtucket, so they had to mention the accident of 3 weeks ago. But to a man, all the Pawtucketians said this was just a mistake and he'll be back and they'll vote for him again. Only one said, he probably ought to go now, but that was the very first one - you know, the one you'll forget by the time they've talked to 15 more people who think the Kennedys are royalty.
It's this STUFF that causes Congress People to be the class of professionals people trust least. Those surveys, put COngress leaders towards the bottom of the pile.
Big surprise.
I am a
VICTIM.
I've seen several posts and threads refer to Patrick Kennedy as 'Patches'.
Why?
I don't know that much about him, so I'm wondering what the nomenclature means.
Do we have any idea approximately where he lives? I missed the first few threads on this, so if it was posted, I haven't seen it.
He said it is just a few blocks to Capitol Hill - I just wondered which neighborhood/bars he sleeppubcrawled, if any other than the Hawk and Dove.
You know the answer to that question.
That is why Hillary will probably be the next President.
The old media is a protectorate and promoter of the Democrat Party........ plain and simple.
And still, most of the American people do not see the depth of the news distortions and lies.
This Kennedy event is a PERFECT example!
They've always been there to protect the politicians.
right
At least it's not in Poucha Pond.
Headline I expect to see:
"Drug manufacturer comes under scrutiny; Kennedy family mulls lawsuit"
Culture of Hypocritical Criminality...
It lacks pizazz, but that's all I could come up with....
a royal flush ......... down the toilet.
It's my opinion that a black-out is a black-out, whether it was caused by alcohol alone, drugs alone, or a combination of the two.
A black-out is a very serious happening, requiring immediate REAL treatment, not simply a drying out time in a "program". This man should not be taking ANY drugs or alcohol. Unless of course he just wants to "control" his problem, and not do the real 12 step program. Was he not just in a treatment program at Christmas time??
What is he waiting for? An accident which KILLS another person when he is driving while impaired???
Apparently his "bottom" is very, very low...
I don't have a clue where he lives. Someone in another post here states Fox has him seen in two bars that a.m.
None of this matters. This will be long gone in a couple weeks, just as McKinney's altercation passed quietly away. The fact of him going into rehab virtually assures this.
These two instances are proof that two realities exist when it comes to law enforcement (and subsequent media coverage).
It sounds as though he will never hit bottom as long as he is in office and able to claim no ill-effects in his life from his use of drugs and alcohol...
From a non-political point of view, the best thing that could happen to him is that he is thrown out of office. It may be the only thing that makes him understand that his path is the path of death and ruin for himself and many people around him who love him.
He is not just hurting himself, he is hurting many people around him as well, but he does not recognize the silent damage he is doing to those close to him.
Now thats a good question I have not heard asked yet. Inquiring minds want to know.
The names of the officers involved, both the ones who tried to conduct sobriety tests, and their superiors who prevented them from doing so, will come out in due course. The names are certainly no secret from "Officer Greg Baird, acting chairman of the USCP FOP", or from local DC reporters. The Watch Captain who was on duty at the time, has already been re-assigned.
Absolutely.
Without it, we would never have heard about the Kennedy patterns of irresponsibility.
When Vice President Cheney has a hunting accident, the media goons grill Scott McClellan with questions like, "Will VP Cheney be charged with criminal or violent conduct?"
When Kennedy pushes back drinks with his drugs, and then gets behind the wheel of a car, he is called "courageous" for admitting his "problem."
The MSM's bitter venom toward all things Republican is obvious (even for the slightest mistakes, IE a hunting accident). What is really pathetic about groups like CNN and the NYT is their refusal to report intentional bad behavior on the DNC side.
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