Jay Carney on why President Obama hadn’t called Attorney General Eric Holder regarding the AP phone records probe:
“A great deal prevents the president from doing that, it would be wholly inappropriate for the president to involve himself in a criminal investigation, that as Jessica points out, at least as reported involves leaks of information from the administration. I mean, imagine the story on Fox if that were to happen. So, that’s why.”
Fox has gone after this president so relentlessly, Carney was just stating the truth. It was good to hear a few members of the press laughing in response. Hey, I laugh out loud at ClusterFox all the time.
Carney confirmed that Holder recused himself from the investigation of The Associated Press, but said a call from the White House to anyone at the Justice Department would be inappropriate.
More generally, “a careful balance … must be obtained” between press rights and national security concerns, said Carney, who is a former reporter… Carney also defended Obama’s record on the freedom of the press, pointing to press shield legislation he sponsored during his time in the Senate.
Come to think of it, every time I imagine any story on Fox, I find myself reaching for a mug of wine and a few Tums.
All day there have been ferocious flurries of reports about whether or not there has been an arrest in the Boston Marathon bomb case. I caught this tweet of a concise recap of who got it right and who got it wrong:
I tweeted this in response: It appears that lefty, commie Marxist socialist Obama-owned MSNBC had more accurate reporting than other news sources. #CommercializedNews
It's been an embarrassment of scrambling news sources trying to justify their erroneous reporting. CNN much? Commercialized news strikes again, where profit trumps accuracy, and infotainment trumps real news.
Snarky, hilarious, harsh, and even poignant tweets have been flying all over the Twitterverses about how news outlets seemed to be more concerned about getting a scoop than about accuracy in reporting. Here are a few that I caught (one is a RT by me of another tweet):
RT @acarvin: CNN guest: "Now he knows he's a suspect." Host: "How does he know that?" Guest: "Because we just reported it."
Now check out this excerpt from an email from a TV industry executive, fresh from Politico:
It's not about getting to the truth or serving the public good, it's about who can make the wittiest joke to impress their friends. This is an important story for the nation, and reporters from organizations new and old are trying to cover it. People make mistakes.
Whatsamattayou? This isn't about getting to the truth! Hey, people make mistakes! Even the so-called professionals who claim they're the ones who you can TRUST!
As you can see in the video, here's what the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston division had to say:
Contrary to widespread reporting, no arrest has been made in connection with the Boston Marathon attack. Over the past day and a half, there have been a number of press reports based on information from unofficial sources that has been inaccurate. Since these stories often have unintended consequences, we ask the media, particularly at this early stage of the investigation, to exercise caution and attempt to verify information through appropriate official channels before reporting.
“Well actually, Jenna, again, if you did a little reporting, you’d know that the Easter egg roll is open for a lot of military families. It’s paid for by the sale of those eggs that come out as well as from donations on the outside. It’s a totally different budget. These are apples and oranges.”
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney had a Moment of Masochism and decided to appear on Fox News [sic]. “Happening Now” host Jenna Lee asked why the White House will still hold its annual “Easter egg roll” event but ended White House tours for “regular families.”
Yes, the geniuses at Fox are still fixated on the tours instead of how the sequester will affect millions of Americans all over the country. HuffPo posted a few examples:
More than 400 civilian contractors are going to be laid of at Tobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania because of sequestration and the end of the Iraq War.
“I’m not gonna second guess what other people have to say. Look, I don’t look back, I look forward.”
Sound familiar? Mitt still can’t seem to come up with an original thought. President Obama, 2009:
“On the other hand, I also have a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards. … My orientation is going to be moving forward.”
Ann Romney, “She-Lion”:
“I’m like a she-lion when it comes to defending Mitt… ” As opposed to a Cowardly Lion? Thank you for clarifying.
“People didn’t really get to know Mitt for who he was.” Yes, in fact we did, which is why he lost so badly.
“I believe it was the media’s fault… I’m happy to blame the media.” ‘Nuff said.
“There’s more bias in favor of the other side.” Oh really?
And then she went on to say that the Obama campaign portrayed her husband unfairly.
“He truly cared about the American people.” Tell that to the 47%, Latinos, African Americans, the poor and middle class, and family dogs everywhere.
“If Mitt were there, in the office, we would not be facing sequestration right now.” We’d be facing irreversible economic disaster.
“Yeah, it was a very unfortunate statement that I made. It is not what I meant. I didn’t express myself as I wished I would have. You know, when you speak in private, you don’t spend as much time thinking about how something could be twisted and distorted and could come out wrong and be used.”
“What I said is not what I believed.”
“[T]here is no question that hurt and did real damage to my campaign.”
“Unfortunate” is an understatement. It was an utter fiasco that showed his true colors. And even when one speaks in private, not expecting the truth to be taped and revealed on a continuous national media loop, one should realize that one is still vulnerable to being outed as the insulated, ultra-wealthy, uncaring, insensitive ass that one is.
“What I said is not what I believed.” Sure it was. It was precisely what you believed or you wouldn’t have said it secretly to your wealthy donor buddies. Then there’s that additional problem of your attitude and policies reflecting your own words, the ones that you believed.
Nothing was distorted, there was full context, and it did not come out “wrong,” it came out exactly as Mitt intended.
“Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring.”
Many have gotten in the ring, and few have embarrassed themselves as badly the Romneys did and continue to do.
Today’s guest post is by our pal and regular TPC contributor, David Garber.
IT’S AWARD SEASON
Okay. Tonight’s the night. I have my copy of the 85th Academy Awards ballot in front of me and I’m about to make my predictions. Oh, wait, what’s this? Stuck to the back of my ballot is another one. Why it’s the 112th Congressional Fool awards or as it’s better known, The Jerkies. How’d that get there? Better yet, let’s see who’s made the cut.
Best Bonehead Quote of the Year. The Nominees are:
1. Todd Akin for “Legitimate Rape” 2. Mitt Romney for “The 47 % Solution” 3. The GOP for “You Didn’t Build that…” intentional misquote 4. Newt Gingrich for “We will have the first base on the moon.” 5. Eric Ferhnstrom: “It’s almost like an Etch-A-Sketch.”
2012 Idiot of the Year. The Nominees are:
1. John Boehner for insisting his name is pronounced ‘Baner’. 2. Mitch McConnell for still trying to make Obama a one term president. 3. Eric Cantor for trying to convince the GOP he’s not after Boehner’s SOTH position 4. Chief Justice Roberts for leading the SCOTUS into believeing corporations are people 5. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell for signing the forced vaginal medical rape he calls an ultra sound test.
The Most Deserved Spanking of the Year Award”. The Nominees are:
1. The GOP led Congress for it’s obstructionism and anti-populist positions 2. The Democratic led Senate for cowardliness in settling on a handshake agreement on the flilibuster 3. The entire Congress for being scared poopless of the NRA 4. Rush Limbaugh for being Rush Limbaugh 5. Fox News for everything
Wow, that final category was pretty tough. They’re all so deserving. How do I choose? Wait, what’s this box I can check off over here:
Choice solutions for 2013: Best way to show our disgust with the current government:
1. Write/call your congress person and put them on notice that you’re watching them. 2. Attend political gatherings and speak up. 3. Educate yourself about the facts, not just accept what you hear on the TV faux news. 4. Speak out with your vote. Don’t take your eye off the ball and don’t let them take your vote away. 5. Dump the Chump — vote out all incumbents and replace them with new, responsive representation.
Boy, I better get my ballot filled out. This is really going to be a big award’s night. I can’t wait to see who wins.
Is the 113th Congress really nicknamed, “Django Unchainged?”
For the past 25 years, David Garber has been serving as the show runner and or writer on some of television’s biggest hits… Saved By The Bell, Power Rangers, 227, Bill Cosby Show and many other network series. His writing and producing have also netted David two very prestigious awards:the PRISM AWARD and the TV CRITICS AWARD – TV SPECIAL OF THE YEAR. Currently he’s authoring a short story series called “A Few Minutes With…”
Screen grab via my Twitter buddy @LJSearles who tells me it’s likely Photoshopped, and that he found it on Facebook. What is really pathetic is that it could very well have been a real conspiracy theory from the geniuses at ClusterFox who blame President Obama for everything, real or imagined… even a meteor that kaboomed in Russia.
[T]he cost of unchecked global warming could pass the combined cost of both world wars and the Depression. To understand how such a thing might happen, consider the costs of this year’s drought and Superstorm Sandy: $100 billion price tags start to add up (and of course the biggest price was born by poor consumers around the world, many of whom saw the price of their daily bread rise painfully out of reach).
The National Climate Assessment lays out how “Climate change is already affecting the American people.” It states, “Certain types of weather events have become more frequent and/or intense including heat waves, heavy downpours and in some regions floods and drought. Sea level is rising, oceans are becoming more acidic, and glaciers and Arctic sea ice are melting.” … One report estimates as many as 100 million people could die from climate change consequences by 2030.
Need a lift? Tired of all the political bickering? In the mood for a little upbeat news? Well, wait no more.
Ahem…
Fox News had its worst prime time TV ratings in twelve years, since back in 2001. HuffPo:
…Fox News had its worst prime time ratings in the coveted 25-54 demographic since August 2001, and its lowest total day ratings since June 2008.
There now, wasn’t that fun?
It gets better. Per Politico, The Rachel Maddow Show was the only non-Fox News program to enter the top 10:
And “The Rachel Maddow Show” topped CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” this month, and also ranked number one among the 18-34 demo.
HuffPo:
…and if Maddow were to continue creeping up the list, it would mean a real sea change. Overall, MSNBC… was the only cable news channel to grow its ratings from 2012.
Poor Fox. On 3, let me hear as insincere an “Awwww” as you can muster up. Ready?
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The Political Carnival is a fast paced Progressive political site that combines humor with dead serious, dementia with politics (synonymous?), and sprinkles in idiosyncratic posts with breaking news.
Lt. Col Barry Wingard is the lawyer for Gitmo detainee Fayiz Al-Kandari. For their ongoing story + related topics, please click on the link below: Kuwaiti Citizen Detained at Guantanamo since 2002
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