Hey, wasn't Romney the "wacky" candidate in 2008? This is how MSM picks our candidates (VANITY)

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

This is commentary on how the media picked Saruman(R-AZ) in 2008, in comparison to the current 2012 race.

Michelle Bachmann was made to appear 'wacky'. Then Perry, the same. Remember the "big black cloud"? Now the media is trying to say he was drunk at the last debate. Now Cain and this stupid politico scandal. They're being whackified.

But what of 2008? Who remembers how Huckabee was made out to be a religious whackjob? Thompson was made out to be a whacko because he didn't even want to be president. And then there's Romney. Romney was a whacko because of his comments on Larry Craig. Remember that? Remember how the media went bonkers and mowed everybody down when Larry Craig's bathroom ordeal hit? I didn't at first, but I went searching:

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1657766,00.html

I remember all of this fairly well. The media was so hysterical, and of course, Time is lying. The dems smelled blood in the water and went on a feeding frenzy. But that's not the point. The point is THE MEDIA in the election. Here's politico and the Slimes:(who are relatively tame compared to how the TV journalists handled this)

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0807/Romneys_sinners_Craig_Foley_Clinton.html http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/romney-links-craigs-troubles-to-foley-clinton-scandals/

And of course here's NRO. The way this short article is worded, it's impossible to miss that the author is talking about the media's hysterical coverage:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/147842/craig-helps-romney/rich-lowry

Here's another scandal that the media puffed up against Romney(though conveniently, the LAT article is now gone)

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/003597/

Remember the pending scandal? It was just..... pending. Never happened.

www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/2008/01/the-allegedly-p.html

The media repeatedly went bonkers about Romney's belief in Mormonism.

But the best one(I saved the best for last) was Seamus Romney. Do you remember how bonkers the media went when they found out that the Romney's tied the dog to the roof for their trip? The media was so hysterical that even Ann Romney wrote something for the Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/06/ann_romney_reme_1.html

This is how the media picks candidates. They scandalize them both big and small, and only the most liberal republican candidate is reasonable. The scandalization of Christine O'Donnell in the media began long, long before the witch stuff. Joe Miller was turned into a whacko in alaska.

And don't forget, how the media arrogantly told us all that only Dede Scozzafava could win the race in NY23.

I could go on and on with this with examples.

This is how the media is picking our candidates and scaring off those republicans who aren't fond of conservatives anyways.

This is their propaganda. This is why republicans sound so zombified when they recite these tired old talking points that "only x is the most electable, because only x can get moderate votes". That's a tired line! They used it in 2008 to defend McCain against Romney, Yet now 2012 they have forgotten how they didn't want Romney because of his wackyness.

The media's not whackifying Romney. That's why to the republican establishment he is the front runner.

There it is.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Just to re-iterate, I AM NOT DEFENDING ROMNEY!(or any other candidates for that matter) I am simply commenting on the "whackification" of candidates in order for the MSM to drive republicans toward the most liberal republican candidate.

If the MSM didn't have competition from new media, Huntsman would be the current leader. I'm absolutely 100% confident about this. How liberal were the republican candidates in the 60's, during the height of the media's monopoly?

[rhombus]

How liberal were the republican candidates in the 60's, during the height of the media's monopoly?

Nixon in 60, Goldwater in 64, Nixon in 68.

[VanDeKoik]

McCain was the easier candidate to defeat. That is why the MSM dumped on Romney while treating McCain like a prince.

Now Romney gets the throne of the media for the same reason.

[CaptainAmiigaf]

For much too long, I have personally been referring the LameStreamers as the “JOSEF GOEBBELS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM”, and for that time, I sadly have found I am RIGHT.
The “BIG LIE” is the message. “CAIN a sexual predator” explodes overnight all every liberal media outlet. Ignore the facts of Clinton, Jackson, Kennedy, etc etc etc...they are good kindly liberals.
Bush once drove intoxicated. So did I once and so did most people (once) with the guts to admit it.
“SHE” is a witch, ignoring those who have for years proved they are.
This Conservative made (gasp) lots of money, while ignoring the ULTRA wealthy Democrats, many of whom seemed to have “earned” their wealth AFTER taking office.
It was once believed that a FREE PRESS was the strength an foundation of our nation. I fear (no, I know) that foundation now has the strength of a block of cream cheese.

[506Lake]

The GOP Establishment will betray you. The Republican Ruling Class will use you. RINO's are the enemy within. This should be a must read on Mitt Romney.

The most ironclad case against Mitt Romney

[rockinqsranch]

The “Old Media” is a tool used by the Left. The Left is represented by the Democrats going back to the earliest days of our Nations founding, and the history of what was known as “The press” even in the days of my youth, the all powerful MSM as we know it today has been possessed by the Left, and used as a tool by the Left to manipulate thought, or flat out destroy their competition, or opposition.

With the “New Media” rapidly overtaking the “Old Media”, and the people of this Nation, now seeking to get out from under the deluge of BS used by the MSM (”Old Media”) to torque our brains we have the opportunity to weaken their hold over the Nation with their disinformation.

Free Republic is just one of many tools we have of the “New Media” to stop the Leftist disinformation campaign, and that means not only the Democrats disinformation, but the Leftist Republican RINO disinformation as well.

Your post is important. The links are important, but the premise that it’s the MSM as the originating source of ALL of the disinformation, the mischaracterizations, etc. I think is erroneous.

It’s the Leftist machine, the Democrat war machine that albeit is ages old is well maintained, well oiled, and cranking out BS against all the Leftistsphere’s opposition 24/7/365 as usual. The MSM/The Press is their tool.

[jmaroneps37]

The money and support is pouring in for Herman Cain, but we cannot slow down now. Please help him by donating at http://www.hermancain.com/

Also to help join the buzz about Herman go to facebook.com and “like” him. In just the last week he has jumped 13% or 42000 with an impressive 10,000 in the last 24 hours. Make no mistake Karl Rove is watching Herman’s “likes” and so is Romney who gained just 1500 since last Tuesday. THIS is the way to stick it to the GOP establishment! Please tell your family and friends to “like” Herman as well.

[normy]

I forgot about the big black cloud. You have the hunting lease and the he’s a drunk. Man if he was black he could complain the media is racist. As it stands he’s just a Republican.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Romney was the “wacky” candidate, and the left learned that tactic was effective against Romney.

So, they’re confident they can use it on him and it will work.

That’s why they want him to be our candidate.

[backwoods-engineer]

I believe you are exactly correct, that the media/government/party complex has already chosen Romney to be the candidate, and it's up to the media to make it look believable.

In practicality, there is no difference between what will happen to our country under Romney and under Obama. There may be a difference between the rate of change, but the government/media/party complex will destroy this country no matter who the president is.

We are beyond a political fix to our troubles. That ship sailed almost exactly 3 years ago.

[backwoods-engineer]

With the “New Media” rapidly overtaking the “Old Media”, and the people of this Nation, now seeking to get out from under the deluge of BS used by the MSM (”Old Media”) to torque our brains we have the opportunity to weaken their hold over the Nation with their disinformation.

Here's the problem: the Establishment of both political parties ignore and despise the "New Media". They fear and are subservient to the Old Media (really the media/government/party complex), and want to please them. Hence, Romney.

[rockinqsranch]

“the Establishment of both political parties ignore and despise the “New Media”.”

They may despise it, but they don’t ignore it. The Leftists actually took the bull by the horns, and used the “New Media”, the internet to great advantage in the campaign of 2008 for example, and are using it again for 2012.

Going back to Clinton the “New Media” was an effective tool for them as well.

There was an article within the past several weeks posted here at FR about how the “New Media” is neck and neck with the “Old Media” as in 50% each in viewership/readership. I think that’s having a tremendous effect on the “Old Media”, and will continue.

It’s that sort of thing, the advancement of the “New Media” that says to me that we the people have a chance of fighting back. Free Republic is our tool (THANK YOU JIM) to fight the Leftists including the RINO’s of which Romney is a major one.

I think the major reason for the Romney push by the GOP actually is that he has played the old political distribution of treasure’s trick pre campaign, and has lots of support from those within the GOP he’s made many a promise to. That, and money. He’s bought, and paid for that endorsement I think, and it will be difficult to turn the RINO leadership of the GOP away from their deal with Romney, but the people en masse can, and hopefully will bust up their game.

It’s our country for the wheeling and dealing, not theirs. They are elected representatives, or they are elitists within the fringes of the government that are, or wish to control it. We had better be sure we take control of it completely, and put them out of their game.