Just in time for lunch!!!
Posted on 04/25/2008 10:24:47 AM PDT by seanmerc
If history repeats, the loser of this year’s presidential election will blame the news media.
Richard Nixon, in the wake of his loss in the 1962 California gubernatorial race, bitterly taunted reporters, telling them, “You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.”
(Turned out he was wrong on that point.)
Barbara Bush also had some choice words about the press when her husband, President George H.W. Bush, lost his reelection bid in 1992.
The media could be even a larger target this year because of the influence of blogs and talking heads -- folks who are not shy about airing their political preferences. These so-called journalists are willing to go into an attack mode to bolster a favored candidate.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said “to be first lady you have to have the skin of a rhinoceros.”
That goes for politicians too. Heavy criticism, sometimes unfair, goes with the turf. It’s not easy out there with political opponents loaded for bear and spending big money for attack ads.
Then there’s the honey trap that smart reporters and politicians try to avoid.
For example, take Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the likely Republican presidential nominee. McCain has his share of admiring reporters because he often chooses to schmooze with them.
Are both sides of that conversation cozying up? Sure. Reporters are vulnerable when it comes to access; getting close to the candidate might give them some insights into the candidate’s plans.
But there is always the potential problem that the reporter or the candidate may become confused about their roles and mistakenly think of each other as friends. They’re usually not. It’s not that they’re enemies, either. They are simply professionals doing their respective jobs.
On the topic of loyalties, Sen. Hilary Clinton, D-N.Y., must have a few choice thoughts, now that some of her Democratic friends have switched to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. -- some believing that Obama has a better chance to win the presidency.
Among them was liberal former Labor Secretary Robert Reich who broke with the Clintons when he was still in the Clinton Cabinet.
Two conservative former Democratic senators, David Boren of Oklahoma and Sam Nunn of Georgia, have signed up with Obama. Obama also has the support of rock star Bruce Springsteen and Oprah, the TV and magazine mogul.
Once the Democrats’ civil strife is finished, one way or another, reporters should zero in on the November election candidates and ask relevant questions, such as:
How do we get out of Iraq?
What should be done in Afghanistan?
How can we get the economy moving and get more jobs created?
Do we need more tax cuts at a time of enormous war-time spending and gaping budget deficits?
Enough talk about universal health care -- how do we attain it?
Does our new national policy favor preemptive war? Torture?
What is the solution to global warming?
By now, the candidates should know where they stand on these pressing issues and the voters should be perfectly clear about their solutions when they go to the polls.
It’s the job of reporters to put the candidates on the spot. But if the past is prologue, you can be sure that the media will be blamed by the loser on Election Day.
Helen Thomas can be reached at hthomas@hearstdc.com
Just in time for lunch!!!
You just gave me a seizure.
I don’t blame the media...I blame the average American’s inability to think critically.
Came here early so I wouldn’t have to see that thing before lunch, and you went and ruined it for me on the first post...
Oh vey........that face in threes??????? What are you trying to do, torture me???????/Just Asking - seoul62........
If Obama loses, racism will be blamed.
If Clinton loses, sexism will be blamed.
If McCain loses, McCain will be blamed.
And if the loser is black they will always blame racism.
What is she blaming the media for?
And the Helen Thomas thread is safe for everyone.
Here is what I really believe has happened:
1. After 8 years of Moveon.ORG Bush hating and hating everything that is not radical leftist agenda and I mean Venomous hatred, they have been able to convince the media and their own contstituants that a candidate like Barack Obama is desirable. The most liberal left wing candidate they could find.
Now they tried to camoflouge him but the truth is that most Americans do not hate their country and do not hate their president and do not wish defeat for our troops in Iraq. So I believe that by dragging their entire party to the looney left they have created a situation in which even Hillary Clinton looks too far to the right for them. This will ultimately cause them to nominate someone that cannot win. This should be no consolation to true conservatives because Mccain is no conservative. It could be argued whether Hillary Clinton or Mccain would be better to win this thing I believe. At least Clinton would try to position herself in the middle once elected. Mccain would have no loyalty and try and distance himself from most conservatives
Crazy as ever. People ask if she is still alive. There is no way to tell from those pictures.
Other than her list of “issues” (”What is the solution to global warming” Blah!), she’s remarkably lucid in this article. You know what they say about a stopped clock....
Helen Thomas is blaming the media?
Do you really think Helen Thomas is right twice a day?
One other difference is that in the new media any lies, omissions, biases and mistakes are immediately and publicly pointed out, while the numerous layers of editors and fact checkers in old journalism are either asleep or join in the deception.
I better get back to reading the Friday Silliness Thread.
I think FR should only allow that picture in conjunction with extortion threats.
Such as, “If you don’t _____________, then we will post the Helen Thomas picture!”
That is the most disgusting, witchy/bit_hy picture I’ve ever seen in my life.
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