Obama tossing the MSM off his plane...
(h/t to Always On Watch for the cartoon)
Could the honeymoon be over?
I started wondering about that after reading of the Florida TV station that was banned from any access to the Obama campaign after their reporter gave Biden some questions he couldn't handle. Since then there seems to have been a barely perceptible increase in news unfavorable to Obama (his 2001 speech where he opined the courts didn't go far enough by redistributing wealth) and items favorable to McCain (suddenly his political demise isn't automatically assumed).
I could be as wrong as a football bat on this. But the fourth estate is VERY arrogant (any argument?) and don't take kindly to someone trying to dictate to them. Thats something they believe they can do to the rest of us. If you've seen the movie, "Wag The Dog" you know exactly what their attitude is. We poor schmucks just sit around waiting for morsels of wisdom to drop off their table (Finding wisdom via the MSM is like finding virginity in a whorehouse. Theoretically possible but...).
So now some newspapers are booted from the press corp assigned to Obama and have to find their own way to various campaign stops. One is these is the Dallas Morning News, our local fishwrap which had the temerity to endorse McCain.
The DMN isn't independent though, it's a part of the Belo Corp. which also owns the Providence Journal. THAT rag is definetly not conservative and I'd bet if they had a rep on the plane with Obama their seat is still taken.
So what will the head honchos at Belo do about all this? Do they have their various newspapers and other organs of the MSM take off the kid gloves to remind Obama that he's owes them? And thats just an example that comes readily to mind, it could be built on to include other news organizations and their owners.
What might the unintended consequences for the big "O" be?
It's too late to really have any effect on the election. Forget that one. But assuming Obama gets into the Oval Office, how will the MSM treat him with thoughts of this little tiff in their minds?
Could they start ripping him apart as they've done for the past eight years to GW Bush? Bush handled it by turning the other cheek, sometimes that was pretty infuriating for his supporters to witness but it DID keep the damage to a minimum (IMHO).
Obama by his present actions doesn't seem to have anything like that patience for dissent. When he can't get away from it what might happen? Would he refuse all access to the press? Oh boy, THAT would be like dumping kerosene on a bonfire! Try to muzzle the MSM in some manner? Their arrogance and hubris wouldn't stand for too much of that, after a small taste you can bet the shit would be in Obama's personal fan.
One of the driving factors for his success has been the degree to which the MSM eagerly climbed into bed with him. What happens when they wake up the morning after and find they didn't even get a kiss?
I started wondering about that after reading of the Florida TV station that was banned from any access to the Obama campaign after their reporter gave Biden some questions he couldn't handle. Since then there seems to have been a barely perceptible increase in news unfavorable to Obama (his 2001 speech where he opined the courts didn't go far enough by redistributing wealth) and items favorable to McCain (suddenly his political demise isn't automatically assumed).
I could be as wrong as a football bat on this. But the fourth estate is VERY arrogant (any argument?) and don't take kindly to someone trying to dictate to them. Thats something they believe they can do to the rest of us. If you've seen the movie, "Wag The Dog" you know exactly what their attitude is. We poor schmucks just sit around waiting for morsels of wisdom to drop off their table (Finding wisdom via the MSM is like finding virginity in a whorehouse. Theoretically possible but...).
So now some newspapers are booted from the press corp assigned to Obama and have to find their own way to various campaign stops. One is these is the Dallas Morning News, our local fishwrap which had the temerity to endorse McCain.
The DMN isn't independent though, it's a part of the Belo Corp. which also owns the Providence Journal. THAT rag is definetly not conservative and I'd bet if they had a rep on the plane with Obama their seat is still taken.
So what will the head honchos at Belo do about all this? Do they have their various newspapers and other organs of the MSM take off the kid gloves to remind Obama that he's owes them? And thats just an example that comes readily to mind, it could be built on to include other news organizations and their owners.
What might the unintended consequences for the big "O" be?
It's too late to really have any effect on the election. Forget that one. But assuming Obama gets into the Oval Office, how will the MSM treat him with thoughts of this little tiff in their minds?
Could they start ripping him apart as they've done for the past eight years to GW Bush? Bush handled it by turning the other cheek, sometimes that was pretty infuriating for his supporters to witness but it DID keep the damage to a minimum (IMHO).
Obama by his present actions doesn't seem to have anything like that patience for dissent. When he can't get away from it what might happen? Would he refuse all access to the press? Oh boy, THAT would be like dumping kerosene on a bonfire! Try to muzzle the MSM in some manner? Their arrogance and hubris wouldn't stand for too much of that, after a small taste you can bet the shit would be in Obama's personal fan.
One of the driving factors for his success has been the degree to which the MSM eagerly climbed into bed with him. What happens when they wake up the morning after and find they didn't even get a kiss?
ADDENDUM: There I was, all tucked away in my bunky for the night when IT surfaced in my brain. (Yep, I have three little children. They're the origin of "bunky". Sue me.) The fact that I'm now up typing away only proves I don't have much of a life these days. Oh well. But back to what IT was.
The name of the only President in recent times who the MSM went after with tooth and nail. Richard M. Nixon.
Forget GW Bush, most of them hold him in contempt. Likewise his father. Reagan earned their hatred but nobody in my memory topped old Tricky Dicky. All of you other old farts reading this, correct me if I'm wrong. Nixon was in a class by himself as regards the hatred of the MSM. He held them in contempt and let it show, likewise his VP Spiro Agnew.
He was also a seasoned politician, which BO is not. Nixon knew how to give as good as he got. BO has had a relatively sheltered existence, coming out of the Chicago political machine as a state senator, moving on to his present post with less than three years into a term as a US Senator. He's pretty wet behind the ears when it comes to any long term enmity from the press.
Not only was Nixon a veteran of the MSM scorn, at that time the news organizations hadn't quite convinced themselves they could play the role of kingmaker. So there was still a bit of restraint on their part.
So has Obama screwed up big time here? Hell if I know, it's just a thought that wandered across my mind after reading of his treatment of the press.
First we'll have to see how the MSM takes getting their hands slapped for not toeing the Obama line. Time will tell.
4 comments:
Didn't Hitler start by controlling the news media? Hmmmm.
He sure did. But that was Germany in the 1930's, is it possible to do the same here in the 21st century?
These recent stories of Obama's and his campaign's treatment of any media who don't drink his Kool-aid. If he gets the Oval Office, freedom of speech and press will suffer greatly.
Thanks for the hat tip, BTW.
Obama and his devoted following are notorious for wanting only what they want to hear and have others think to be reflected in the media.
In this day and time it is sadly the fact that there isn't really a "Free press" in the sense that there are writers and editors who want to reach the truth of a matter and not the opinion that meet's the "Correct" popular views.
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