Posted on 08/05/2005 10:58:36 AM PDT by wagglebee
CNN commentator Robert Novak's decision to storm off the set of "Inside Politics" yesterday has already received four times as much news coverage as a similar meltdown by ex-President Clinton.
Clinton walked out in the midst of a 1994 interview with NBC in Prague.
A Lexis-Nexis search conducted midday Friday turned up 39 stories on the Novak tantrum, detailing how the conservative columnist exploded during a debate with fellow CNN'er James Carville, yanked off his microphone and walked away.
Novak's actions were almost a mirror image of Clinton's, who pulled the plug on a Jan. 14, 1994 interview with NBC reporter Jim Miklaszewski after becoming angry that the NBC'er had dared to ask him about Whitewater.
"You've had your two questions, Jim," Clinton snarled. "I'm sorry you're not interested in the trip." The president then leaped to his feet, tore off his microphone and stormed off the set.
The next day, Clinton was asked about his tantrum during an interview on ABC's "Nightline."
"There's no point in going into it now," he insisted. "I don't have to talk about it anymore."
Despite the fact that the presidential meltdown came in the midst of a network television interview, the episode attracted surprisingly little media attention.
A Lexis-Nexis search turned up just 9 reports on Clinton's tantrum for the entire week after it happened.
I do recall it. Nothing he said, but the attitude and expressions were unmistakeable. Several people remarked on it on the election night threads here, maybe I did too, but I remember I wasn't the only one who noticed.
I agree with Rush Limbaugh on this subject -- there was nothing objectionable to me that Novak walked off stage, my question is why has he waited this long? If CNN owes an apology to viewers, it is for treating Novak in an unprofessional manner for years on Crossfire and The Capital Gang. Anyway, how many people actually saw this? All 5 CNN viewers?
I will look around to see what made Novak so mad...
It amazes me that people don't do this more often on these news shows.
It also amazes me that everybody gets so upset at a really nothing event. Shows how much the courtoise society in Washington, New York, etc., has degenerated into a bunch of narcissitic ninnies. Look at everybody get the vapors because Novak walked off the styrofoam set. Woooooooooo....
To just sit there as an interviewee, composed and ready to take another abusive loaded question, tacitly lends credence to a process that is often farcical or absurd. It lends authority to a group of persons who don't have the brains to run a lemonade stand. For crying out loud these are JOURNALISM MAJORS. Or worse, TELECOM majors!!!
Just because the news people are cute and theatrical, and their sets and graphics and music are polished, and their clothing and makeup are snazzy, doesn't mean these bozos have anything pertinent to say about any topic whatsoever.
Americans being interviewed should just get up and walk away from many, many, more interviews than they currently do.
And it should go all the way up to the White House. Bush should kick the whole press office out of the White House. OUT. And the information fed from the President to the press should be as it was in the Silent Cal administration. Presidents always lose when they try to outmanipulate a hundred professional manipulators. No president seems to understand that, from any party.
The press being taken seriously is the tail wagging the dog.
Could you imagine the media feeding frenzy if Bush stormed out of an interview after being asked about say Karl Rove?? The media would call him "prickly" and "defensive" and would crow over his "display of temper." Clinton does it and the media just finds it another reason to love him.
I recall when Clinton took a White House press corps member (Sam Donaldson?) to the woodshed for having the gall of asking a question that was off script. He wasn't accustomed to being asked the tough questions and it always ruffled him-the few times it happened. Imagine him getting the grilling that Bush does. Of course, we can only imagine it because it will never happen. The MSM abandoned all pretense of neutrality during the Clinton years and they're sure to blow this thing with Novak into Watergate II.
As much as I don't like Novak (piss poor oratorial representative of the Republican party), the media coverage against him is a lynching...Does anybody remember Lawrence O'Donnell?...Novak left with dignity comparatively.
http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/2004/10/breakdown.html
I had forgotten what a big baby Clinton really was. What a maroon. So much for being able to "take the heat." Meanwhile GWB faces a media 100 times more biased and abusive and he always manages to keep his cool. I might not agree with everything he does as president but his manner and character always impress me.
You raise an interesting question: (1) is the lamestream media a division of the dnc; or, (2) is the dnc a wholly owned subsidiary of the media?
In the impeached one's case, there's no question the media was bought and paid for. Today I think the delegation of authority is a bit fuzzy. Not to worry though; everything will be settled before 2008.
Why doesn't he QUIT CNN???
Well I am certain Novak will recover - they were announcing he would be interviewed on Fox this morning where he will no doubt get more coverage than on CNN - at any time.
It is probably the most exciting thing happening at CNN and while I am sorry I missed that little drama the thought of watching CNN any time of the day or night would be too much of a sacrifice.
One morning in error I hit the wrong remote button and there was Miles O'Brian and his nasty wife Soledad cooing at each other - ruined my breakfast!
Maybe BJ was late for a date.
Clearly CNN is lying thru it's teeth when they suggest Novak's walking off the set had anything to do with Valery Plame.
The boob didn't even have the grace or good manners to acknowledge the program became a DNC exclusive.
I remember reading about clintoon's tantrum. It was downplayed very successfully by Coccus Carville and his media goons.
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