Y’know What This Country Really Needs? A Government-Run Media!
I’m not sure what compels me to read Powerline every day. I suppose it goes hand-in-hand with my affinity for the music of the Shaggs, or my love of Turkish re-makes of classic American movies. In other words, I enjoy suffering needlessly. Witness today’s nugget of genius from Hindrocket:
I haven’t seen a report on how many people watched Bush’s speech; in fact, I’m only assuming that it was broadcast by someone. My guess is that very few either saw it or will read it in its entirety. Instead, the overwhelming majority depend on what they read about Bush’s speech in the newspapers or hear on television news reports. Those articles and reports, with hardly any exceptions, will be carefully framed to minimize the speech’s impact.
People used to talk about the Presidency as a “bully pulpit,” but I think one lesson of the Bush years is that the President’s ability to communicate effectively with the American people, outside of the context of an election campaign, is limited. The real “bully pulpit” belongs to the mainstream press, which is just about unanimously devoted to undermining the President’s effort to communicate with, and thereby lead, the American people.
So there you have it: the President cannot effectively lead the American people because the press is always undermining him by fact-checking and providing context to his remarks.
Anyway, I’ve got some work to do. I’ll be back later today with a very, “special” Kaye Grogan… column.
Interesting. I had a completely different experience.
I actually listened to most of Bush’s speech live – unencumbered by the liberal media’s diabolical spin. And ya know what? It was complete gibberish. Equal parts mindless bravado, war-mongering and fear inciting cliches. I found myself amazed again at the realization that our President is a complete buffoon, or tool, or both.
Then I read in the paper the synopsis of the speech. All stutters and mispronuciations are removed. All smirks and grimaces and “he he he he” Bevis and Butthead laughs aren’t reported. We just get the hightlights as the White House wants them presented. He actually sounds sober when they print his words.
And the Cons complain about that now? That the media makes Bush sound like he’s making sense? Jesus.
If El Presidente has something important to say, he might try making a speech during the evening, when more people are at home. 10:30 am Eastern time? Suitable to making an exciting announcement about how YOU can make BIG MONEY working at HOME!
“Anyway, I’ve got some work to do. I’ll be back later today with a very, “special”[*] Kaye Grogan… column”
* And by special I’m sure you mean not really special at all, rather the usual making for of her grammar and punctuation.
Not only was his speech full of war mongering and short on facts, but his lower jaw was spasming at the end of nearly every sentence like it was trying to make a daring escape from his lying tongue.
Look at this shit.
I think all this stress is getting to him. Anyone want to venture to guess if it’s coke or booze that’s doing that?
Oops that was the mieres speech, not the war one… anyway can anyone explain that? Is that a sign of drug abuse or is there a more benign explanation?
I, for one, am glad that you (and Gavin, s.z., Tbogg, Atta J. Turk and others) take a leap in to the toxic swamp that is Wingnuttia and report back with your findings so that I don’t have to.
I, for one, am glad that you (and Gavin, s.z., Tbogg, Atta J. Turk and others) take a leap in to the toxic swamp that is Wingnuttia and report back with your findings so that I don’t have to.
I’m trudging through the Kaye Grogan Waste Dump right now. It ain’t pretty.
Brad, since you enjoy music that makes you suffer, and since some of you (at least the vocal minority at this site) have claimed to suffer from my music, I thought you might “enjoy” suffering to the sounds of my Halloween “tribute” to John Kerry. It features the scary sounds of comedian/impersonator Walter Stormont:
Scary Kerry
words and music by Dr. BLT (c) 2005
http://www.drblt.com/music/
scarykerry.mp3
or http://www.drblt.com
I popped over to RenewAmerica to see which of Kaye’s “columns” you will be reviewing. Damn if I can tell. They all suffer from the same poor writing and poor thinking that marks all of her stuff. Jeebus, that is one STUPID woman.
Wait a minute – wasn’t this speech broadcast at 10 am or something? Apparently the media used it mind control beams to make sure everyone was at work while the speech was happening so they could quote Bush as saying he blows goats.
Woodrowfan- it’s the one on gas prices.
Dr. BLT- thanks, I’ll be sure to check that out 🙂
Damn, VKW already elucidated my point… I need to read the comments less quickly.
No problem, Brad. Let me know if you experience the song as a trick, a treat, or a little of both. 🙂
I’m not sure what compels me to read Powerline every day. I suppose it goes hand-in-hand with my affinity for the music of the Shaggs…
Hey, “My Pal Foot-foot” is a great song!
Heh. Okay, I’m kidding. In fact, I didn’t even say that. Really, I didn’t.
“The real “bully pulpit” belongs to the mainstream press, which is just about unanimously devoted to undermining the President’s effort to communicate with, and thereby lead, the American people”
They. Are. Insane.
Juan Cole has a devastating takedown of the speech over on his site (www.juancole.com) today. Bush’s ignorance really has to be seen to be believed.
I might have found “The Turkish Powerline”– of course, he could be a commie for all I know (It’s in gibberish as far as my literacy skill goes).
He’s got Instapunit, Dhimmi Watch sitting aside Dr. Cole and David Corn, so who knows unless someone here reads Turkish.
There needs to be a Turkish LGF, seriously- that would be sweet.