Blog Buzz: McClellan Ongoing, Obama Iraq Itinerary, and Liberal Media Bias
Corrected on 5/30/08: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified where reporter Jessica Yellin was employed when she felt enormous pressure from corporate executives to present Iraq war coverage in a patriotic light. She worked at MSNBC.
McClellan aftershocks
Jason Zengerle at TNR's The Plank wonders if the GOP is going to start saying that McClellan was misquoted in his own memoir. And while Fox News tries to place the blame on McClellan's publisher, Think Progress argues that McClellan was not "manipulated by a nefarious ghostwriter." Comparing McClellan to Lawrence Wilkerson and Daniel Ellsberg, Steve Clemons applauds the ex-White House flak on TPM Café, saying that history needs this sort of book. Meanwhile, Huffington Post's Dave Winer wonders whether those loyalists in the White House trashing McClellan feel they got scooped. Fivethirtyeight.com wonders whether the confessions of a reformed press secretary will be as interesting to be people not in the working press as to those in it.
Iraq Obama?
Carpetbagger's Steve Benen is amazed that Republicans think that Americans are so stupid as to fall for the Obama-hasn't-been-to-Iraq-enough storyline. NRO's Jim Geraghty thinks the he'll-make-it-if-he-has-a-chance approach is the politically soundest for Obama. The Fix's Chris Cillizza notes that McCain has shed his happy warrior persona for a stern professorial mien—and warns that it won't do the Arizona senator any good. Kyle Moore at Comments from Left Field argues that a second home in Iraq didn't help McCain's understanding of the conflict at all.
Liberal media bias I: Our nefarious corporate overlords
TPM's David Kurtz has video from CNN's Jessica Yellin talking about how, during the lead-up to the Iraq war when she was at MSNBC, news executives were in the bag for the Bush administration. Carpetbagger's Steve Benen notes the same video and wonders how often it still goes on.
Liberal media bias II: The media no longer McCain's base?
Ed Morrissey at Hot Air flags a Pew Research study showing that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have gotten better media coverage than McCain.
—Robert Schlesinger and Johannah Cornblatt
Reader Comments
Racists For McCain
Well it is official. Racists have apparently forgiven John "I was a POW for 5 and half years, that's why I'm qualified to be President" McCain and decided if they can't have the one they love, then they'll love the one their with.
However, it is saying an incredible great deal that all they can say about Senator Obama is that 1) he's black 2) he went to a black church 3) occasionally his black pastor yelled at "white" America and 4) Obama was able to rise above that acrimony and meet it with sympathy and understanding.
That these are the qualities of Christian love and charity of course, never seem to occur to them. Hate and acrimony is all racists understand and since Obama did not respond with either, he must be a racist himself.
Another fact that has escaped their notice is that Obama possesses the qualities of leadership, understanding and empathy needed in a President, as well as an instinct for foreign affairs that is penetratingly insightful. Bush and McCain have had to play “catch up” to Obama’s foreign policy statements to such a degree that both have now adopted his positions as their own. Withdrawal from Iraq, negotiation with Iran, a “surge” for Afghanistan – every position now taken by Bush/McCain was given by Obama months previous.
I pity these poor racist souls of today more than anything. They are creatures of contempt to be sure, but they are also the product of white America, “No Child Left Behind” education and popular culture. When we look at them we see and distorted image of ourselves.
respnse to adrian cruz
Wow, i am really impressed by your comments! They are coming from someone who can not write a grammactically correct sentence or spell. I know who you are supporting.
Obama
What change is Obama planning to bring to Washington? He has been a member of Trinity Church for twenty years. Now, after it impacts his presidential bid he decides to leave the controversial church. He has had plenty of time to distance himself from the Trinity Church. He could have helped make changes within the black community and stop the rhetoric within his own church. but he didn't do that, he continued to be a member of that church and continued his relationship with Rev. Wright. How can an individual that refuses to take action when he sees and hears that type of divisive language, that does nothing to unite or heal his own community, can say he is the candidate for change.... He had an opportunity to make a change within the black community.
What about Father Pfleger? Can someone buy him a mirror?? The priest obviously doesn't know he is white? I would love to be there when he finds out!
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