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NPR analyst compares Obama to Nixon, issues full apology
Washington Examiner ^ | 10/24/2009 | Byron York

Posted on 10/24/2009 10:00:02 AM PDT by JRochelle

It's pretty unremarkable to describe the Obama White House's growing enemies list -- the insurance companies, Chamber of Commerce, Fox News -- as "Nixonian." But there's one place where, if you venture such an opinion, you'd better be prepared to apologize -- quickly and profusely.

On National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" Wednesday, NPR political editor Ken Rudin said the White House campaign against Fox News is a bad idea. "It's not only aggressive, it's almost Nixonesque," Rudin said. "I mean, you think of what Nixon and Agnew did with their enemies list and their attacks on the media; certainly Vice President Agnew's constant denunciation of the media. Of course, then it was a conservative president denouncing a liberal media, and of course, a lot of good liberals said, 'Oh, that's ridiculous. That's an infringement on the freedom of press.' And now you see a lot of liberals almost kind of applauding what the White House is doing to Fox News, which I think is distressing."

It's not the usual thing you hear from NPR analysts. Reaction from the NPR audience was negative, and within 24 hours, Rudin was in backtrack mode. "I made a boneheaded mistake yesterday," Rudin wrote on his NPR blog. "Comparing the tactics of the Nixon administration -- which bugged and intimidated and harrassed journalists -- to that of the Obama administration was foolish, facile, ridiculous and, ultimately, embarrassing to me. I should have known better and, in fact, I do know better. I was around during the Nixon years. I am fully cognizant of what they did and attempted to do."

"I apologize for a dumb comparison."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: apology; bho44; byronyork; defundnpr; enemieslist; fox; foxnews; intimidation; liberaltalkradio; npr; obama; rudin
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1 posted on 10/24/2009 10:00:02 AM PDT by JRochelle
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To: JRochelle

Of course, then it was a conservative president denouncing a liberal media

Since when was Richard ‘We are all Keynesian now’ Nixon, a conservative? ‘Wage and price controls’? Anyone?


2 posted on 10/24/2009 10:02:05 AM PDT by griswold3 (You think health care is expensive now? Just wait till it's FREE!)
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To: JRochelle
The Stalinists forced him to recant. The "enemies list" and Nixon-style thuggery is good when Lefties practice it. Its all for the revolution and you can't make an omelet without bashing a few right-wing heads in.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

3 posted on 10/24/2009 10:04:03 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: JRochelle
"I apologize for a dumb comparison."

Apology UN accepted.

You were right the fist time, fool.

4 posted on 10/24/2009 10:04:54 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (I am Legend)
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To: JRochelle

He issued an apology to Nixon?


5 posted on 10/24/2009 10:05:39 AM PDT by plain talk
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To: JRochelle
"I confess to ThoughtCrime, and other offenses against the Party"


6 posted on 10/24/2009 10:08:03 AM PDT by FormerACLUmember (When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.)
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To: JRochelle

Sounds like the NPR reporter is correct in his initial assessment since, obviously, he has now been forced to recant his opinion.


7 posted on 10/24/2009 10:08:12 AM PDT by DallasDeb (USAFA '06 Mom)
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To: JRochelle

Well, unlike a lot of the so-called independent Media, NPR is beholden to the Feds. So when the Obama Administration barks, you can expect that the folks at NPR will cower and pee on the floor.


8 posted on 10/24/2009 10:08:46 AM PDT by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
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To: JRochelle

With boneheaded comparisons like that maybe he should just give up being a journalist.


9 posted on 10/24/2009 10:09:27 AM PDT by BillyBonebrake
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To: JRochelle

Back on the porch for you Rudin!


10 posted on 10/24/2009 10:09:30 AM PDT by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: JRochelle
"ya gotsta be a team player...

Photobucket

11 posted on 10/24/2009 10:10:13 AM PDT by digger48
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To: JRochelle

Report dissenters to flag@whitehouse.gov.

That was Nixon that did that...right?


12 posted on 10/24/2009 10:10:58 AM PDT by seowulf (Petraeus, cross the Rubicon.)
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To: JRochelle

The Obama commie/chicago thug tactics just keep on working against the timid. Thank GOD Roger Ailes has the backbone to rise above the Rahm Emmanuel/Axelrod/Obama slime and intimadation.


13 posted on 10/24/2009 10:14:56 AM PDT by hgro (Jerry Riversd)
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To: JRochelle
"Rudin was in backtrack mode. "I made a boneheaded mistake yesterday, Comparing the tactics of the Nixon administration -- which bugged and intimidated and harrassed journalists -- to that of the Obama administration was foolish, facile, ridiculous and, ultimately, embarrassing to me. I should have known better and, in fact, I do know better. I was around during the Nixon years. I am fully cognizant of what they did and attempted to do."

"I apologize for a dumb comparison."

"Ta-da! That's my boy!"


14 posted on 10/24/2009 10:15:12 AM PDT by avacado
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To: seowulf

Report dissenters to flag@whitehouse.gov.

That was Nixon that did that...right?

_________________________________________

**** applause **** Take a bow!


15 posted on 10/24/2009 10:15:36 AM PDT by JavaJumpy
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To: JRochelle

This guy ripped off Charles Krauthammer. Charles used “Nixonian” on Special Report with Brett Bair early this past week.


16 posted on 10/24/2009 10:16:04 AM PDT by library user
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To: BillyBonebrake

You got that right JR. Nixon had a few problems, but he was basically a very effective and decisive president and a workaholic. Plus, his staff was composed of intelligent adults, not the crib full of crybabies we currently have.


17 posted on 10/24/2009 10:16:58 AM PDT by CanaGuy (Go Harper!)
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To: griswold3
Since when was Richard ‘We are all Keynesian now’ Nixon, a conservative? ‘Wage and price controls’? Anyone?

Was that the same Milhous that promoted and signed the Environmental Protection (of Marxist policy) Act?

Or was he the one who allowed the Peacenik US Congress to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for the South Vietnamese people by allowing the defunding of the critical war material support for the South Vietnamese government? That "conservative?"

18 posted on 10/24/2009 10:19:26 AM PDT by Navy Patriot (Sarah and the Conservatives will rock your world.)
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To: JRochelle

His Borg implant must have malfunctioned.


19 posted on 10/24/2009 10:19:34 AM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham (It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government -- Thomas Payne)
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To: JRochelle

Looking at what the dems have done to the presidency, Nixon was an amateur.


20 posted on 10/24/2009 10:20:39 AM PDT by bannie
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