CNN Hypes GOP Links of Military Obama Critics

NewsBusters.org ^ | August 17, 2012 | Matt Hadro

[Kaslin]

CNN is harping on the "partisan" connections of a group of military veterans criticizing President Obama, likening it to Swift Boat, yet it has helped further liberal partisan attacks in the past through its own biased coverage.

"A new group of veterans, including former Navy SEALs, accuses President Obama of taking too much credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden. The group says it's nonpartisan. But a CNN investigation finds it has close links to the Republican Party," reported Joe Johns on Thursday's The Situation Room.

"I know you know some of the criticism, and the criticism is that even though you claim to be nonpartisan, that this group is actually very partisan," anchor Soledad O'Brien grilled former Navy SEAL Scott Taylor on Friday's Starting Point.

And CNN's words played into the White House talking points of a "Swift Boat" attack. "And this sort of has shades of 2004 and John Kerry," noted Joe Johns," to which correspondent Brian Todd added "And the Swift Boat campaign."

Todd later reported, "The Obama team denies taking part in any leaks and says the Republicans are resorting to Swift Boat tactics, a reference to the blistering 2004 attacks on John Kerry's Vietnam War record."

And CNN should look more closely at its own double standard, having praised and given generous airtime to Democratic talking points versus grilling veteran soldiers over their alleged GOP agenda.

For instance, CNN had praised a "nice clip" of President Clinton lauding Obama's leadership in the bin Laden killing, out of a "very slick" Obama campaign video.

Days before that, CNN aired two uninterrupted minutes of an Obama campaign video that touted the President's leadership. "It has the look and feel of a Hollywood blockbuster," hyped Wolf Blitzer, "but it's really an Obama campaign film."

In June, CNN aired four uninterrupted minutes of President Clinton praising Obama at a Democratic fund raiser.

And when liberal nuns launched a bus tour slamming the Ryan budget and saying it will "devastate our country," CNN did label them "liberal" and reported that the nuns supported ObamaCare – and actively cheered them, as anchor Carol Costello gushed "You go, girls."

[kabar]

I can agree with you 100%, but what matters to be is strategery. I want to win. They are going to have to win over most of the wishy washy voters, and those people are susceptible to thinking that this is piling on.

But if the GOP appears "wishy-washy," how many of its base does it lose by being politically correct and are you overestimating the influence of the squishy middle? We may need to pile on just to get some of our message thru the filter of the MSM, which is just another arm of the Obama administration.

Like most elections, this is about turnout. Our base needs to be energized and motivated. Obama, out first gay President, is pulling out all stops to pander to his base. His backdoor amnesty (1.8 million), evolution on gay marriage, leaking of national security information to burnish his reputation, his killing of the Keystone pipeline and crushing of the coal industry to appease the environmental nazis, his craven appeal to blacks, etc. should be a lesson to the GOP. Obviously, Obama could care less about how this is perceived. Yet, we are cowering in the corner afraid of our shadow when it comes to going after Obama's personal narrative.

We are in a street fight. If we don't get down and dirty, we will lose. Too much is at stake to pull our punches. Four more years of Obama will destroy this country. There will be no coming back.

[Paradox]

and are you overestimating the influence of the squishy middle?

No, unfortunately, they are essential, these idiots... I feel one reason that Bush won in 2004 was that the hyperbole by the left shifted many over to Bush. I could be wrong, not sayin this WONT help, I just have my reservations, would hate for it to backfire, and at his time, I dont think its necessary. Now, if Obama starts beating his chest over Bin Laden again, then the time would be right.

Like I said, I could be wrong, I just want to WIN, even if we have to pull some punches to do so.