When Rachel Maddow finished a 26-minute monologue that spanned two segments on her MSNBC program last Thursday night, her grave tones indicated that she thought she’d just delivered a whale of a story. But actually it was more like a minnow — and a specious one at that.
Convoluted and labored, Maddow’s narrative tried to make major hay out of a report from Moscow that a high-ranking Russian intelligence official had been dragged out of a meeting, arrested and charged with treason. Weirdly, Maddow kept presenting that barebones story as verification that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had directly ordered the hacking and release of Democratic campaign emails in order to get Donald Trump elected president.
It was a free-associating performance worthy of Glenn Beck at a whiteboard. Maddow swirled together an array of facts, possible facts, dubious assertions and pure speculation to arrive at conclusions that were based on little more than her zeal to portray Trump as a tool of the Kremlin. Even when sober, Joe McCarthy never did it better.
We might dismiss her performance as just another bit of stagecraft on “MSDNC,” but Maddow was in sync with widespread fear-mongering by pundits and Democratic Party loyalists who think they’re picking some low-hanging fruit to throw at Trump. But what they’re doing is poisonous — and extremely dangerous....
Keith Olbermann has jumped the shark, too.
They have strayed into conspiracy theory in their zeal to delegitimize the president.
"Lame-stream media" indeed.
The opposition needs to get a grip.
Rachel Maddow Plays Glenn Beck
Norman Solomon | co-founder of RootsAction.org
See also
This Philosophy Legend Has Some Hard Truths To Tell You About Our "Democracy"
Ben Schiller
Librul hatred for Trump is now becoming embarrassing. Is there no stupidity that they won't report as fact. They shy away from the truth because it's detrimental to their lame librul agenda. Tell the truth and shame the devil.
ReplyDelete"The opposition needs to get a grip."
ReplyDeleteNot competent to do so... couldnt find their own ass with two hands...
This endless Trump hate fake news is so over the top that when legitimate criticism of Trump is offered it will sadly be lumped in with all the nonsense.
ReplyDeleteMalmo: "This endless Trump hate fake news is so over the top that when legitimate criticism of Trump is offered it will sadly be lumped in with all the nonsense."
ReplyDeleteThat's the most perfect comment on MNE for a long time. That's why I hate the librul mudslinging. Concentrate on the truth. Trump will be bad enough without literally concocting the wildest of wild stories of him being a Russian agent. The librul news have been on the receiving end of rightwing fake news from Fox and others that they think they should emulate their headbanging craziness.
Good point GPS could be playing a role with the millennials... ie dumbing them down wrt geometry, time estimation, etc...
ReplyDeleteWondering why anyone is surprised, both sides play the same game.
ReplyDelete“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”
― Joseph Goebbels
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.”
― Joseph Goebbels
This endless Trump hate fake news is so over the top that when legitimate criticism of Trump is offered it will sadly be lumped in with all the nonsense.
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan.
It's also part of negotiation strategy.
idk Tom this linked on Drudge looks like MSM might just cave:
ReplyDeletehttp://pagesix.com/2017/01/29/nbc-wants-to-be-the-next-fox-news-insiders-say/?_ga=1.171046819.2011501536.1485774844http://pagesix.com/2017/01/29/nbc-wants-to-be-the-next-fox-news-insiders-say/?_ga=1.171046819.2011501536.1485774844
They got Greta and Megyn...
Might not fire the likes of Maddow but just may not re-new the contracts ...
Matt, the "news" people need access. Trump knows that.
ReplyDeleteThe thing to remember that as negotiator and dealmaker, Trump is all about leverage and applying leverage.
This is the basis of his m.o.
Few people understand that until he starts using leverage on them.
Tom one risk is that they dont understand this...
ReplyDeleteTake Mexico for instance... no evidence that they understand what he is doing...
Would be easy for any of these people to counter offer at any time yet nothing out of any of them...
Could be like LeBron James going into a game thinking he was going to be playing another NBA caliber team and what really shows up is a High School team... so Lebron starts kicking their asses all over the floor and then all of a sudden it hits him who he is really playing... then what? Lebron would have to stop playing and immediately turn the event into a clinic for anyone on either side to actually get something out of it....
His oppenents dont even play the game he is trying to play with them is what it continues to look like...
Its an acquisitor vs. intellectuals ... they are not playing the same game if you can see what I mean...
ReplyDeleteNot to worry, DJT will sit down with them and explain it to them. And they will thank him for it.
ReplyDeleteYou always want to be least one step ahead the other party.
BTW, DJT and VP apparently had a meeting of the minds. They seem to understand things on the same level or at least similar enough levels to communicate.
Its an acquisitor vs. intellectuals ... they are not playing the same game if you can see what I mean...
ReplyDeleteWe can see this in the US. The liberal elite, which is mostly comprised of intellectuals, is clueless about what DJT is about and what is actually doing.
Same with most people in the US about Putin. Clueless.
John and Malmo, exactly. Criticize Trump on legit stuff, and not this hysterical Putin Puppet BS that's been peddled lately. I criticize him plenty from the standpoint it might be better for him in the long-term to show the American people he can lead and not get into petty Twitter wars with people.
ReplyDeleteAll of you seem to be missing the forest for the trees.
ReplyDeleteAn intelligence official was in a meeting when people came in, put a bag over his head, dragged him out, and charged him with treason!!
Yes, he may have been wearing purple socks but who gives a shit.
Matt: "Take Mexico for instance... no evidence that they understand what he is doing..."
ReplyDeleteThere's good reason to believe they know exactly what he's doing. They're not stupid. Trump has this idea that everyone is stupid except him, including all those administrations before him who made the US the greatest power the world has ever seem. If Mexico folds like a cheap suit, they're ripe for a shakedown and a kick in the teeth any time the hegemon to the north feels like it, and they know it. Even if the Prez of Mexico wanted to kiss Trump's ring, it'd be political suicide. National pride's at stake, and never underestimate what a country is prepared to tolerate to keep some semblance of pride. Trump has to learn a bit of diplomacy and knowing when it is in your *own* best interests to back down and not insist on humiliating a friend and ally. Shouting at everyone he's the motherfucking king of the jungle and everybody else are nobodies who should be kissing his ass is not a good strategy. Friends and allies are not to be abused. It took a lot of time and energy for past administrations to build up strategic alliances, even though in Trump's crazed imagination they were all losers and stupid.
If he had any sense, he would keep to himself all this stuff about breaking up the EU. It'll only create a bond within the EU to mess with Trump, who have the clout to do so, and it's never a good idea to piss off Germany: they can make life difficult if need be. Publicly abusing Mexico is bad enough, although it may be good short-term PR for to show he's a macho and butch, but messing with a political bloc inching towards almost certain greater integration and is in a position to retaliate in meaningful ways can't end well. Having seen your prize trojan horse leave the EU, the EU can do things that will infuriate Trump. With China and Iran also in the crosshairs, Trump's doing a remarkable job of making allies of disparate countries: Mexico, China, Iran, the EU, and that's just week one. We also learned in week one that Trump's apparently afraid of stairs, perhaps even slopes, and that's why the macho king of the jungle took her hand: he was afraid he'd fall!!!!
Bloomberg had a good article today about how LePen's lead is getting stronger in the polls, but she has no chance of winning France. Because the rules of the election system in the second round, she is almost certain not to win despite her rising popularity. 60-40 in the second round polls now. She has to swing voters 10 percent of voters.
ReplyDelete"Because the rules of the election system in the second round, she is almost certain not to win despite her rising popularity. 60-40 in the second round polls now. She has to swing voters 10 percent of voters."
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it may be possible. The Conservative candidate has got himself caught up in some idiotic scandal, yet another financial one, I think, which is normal. The Socialists have been politically naive enough to find a semi-respectable candidate from somewhere. The vote could well split, letting in the well disguised neo-Nazi, because the French Socialist Party are no different in their contempt for working people as are the Democrats in the US or New Labour is in the UK, and conservatism in France means nothing more or less than embezzling government funds as soon as you get in power.