As Bob Somerby constantly reminds us, Jack Welch's "Lost Boys" are on a mission and you can bet your last penny that they will spew forth with every bit of acid-tongued rhetoric they can against Hillary Clinton. Of course, should Hillary not be the Dem nominee, well, then the "Boys" will simply dust themselves off and whistle off to work and spew forth reserve venom at whomever has the misfortune to be next in line. They're predicatable that way.
Posted by B Merry at December 14, 2007 05:00 AMThe MSM's (Main Seamy Media) memory is comparable to that of Bush and his thugs. Someone should do a video of the times Senator Clinton asked the boyz to attack the republics and not each other during the debates AS SHE WAS DOING. The MSM didn't get headlines or articles from civil discourse so insisted Obama attack her much the same way Edwards was attacking her, and when the lies against her starting mounting, she hit back. Women are not supposed to do that and the MSM is punishing her for it.
It was disappointing for KO last night to highlight the Shaheen flap and not the things mentioned in this post that Obama's team is guilty of. His guest Craig Crawford could/should have but that would ruin the let's-beat-up-Hillary story line. Bullies.
Posted by Sally at December 14, 2007 05:14 AMWell, I'm very unpopular for saying it, but I agree with Shaheen's concerns. His admitted cocaine use could be a killer for Obama in the GE.
Shaheen shouldn't have speculated as far as he did, though.
We also need video (miles) showing Matthews' venom toward Senator Clinton day after day, week after week, month after month.
Yes, the MSM and Obama supporters are ignoring the attacks he'll be subject to if he's the Dem nominee. Shaheen just touched the tip of that iceberg.
Posted by Sally at December 14, 2007 06:34 AM"Hillary is the real victim here. She always is."
Posted by Geek, Esq. at December 14, 2007 06:37 AMCredit is due Craig Crawford for saying on Countdown last night that the republics will be attacking Obama just as Shaheen said.
Posted by Sally at December 14, 2007 06:37 AMAttacking Obama is going to be easy picking for the GOP. That's why the Media is trying to kill off Hillary and crown Obama. Not necessarily easy because he has any more skeletons in his closet than any of the others (see Rudy), but because he starts off with the #1 most bad thing the GOP can imagine...he's black. So anything they throw at him will stick with their "base". And getting 100% of their base out to vote will probably make the election a squeaker. Believe me, they do not want to run against Edwards, and that's why all the pundits relentlessly downgrade him. Look at the CNN poll. Edwards kicks their collective butts.
Posted by T2 at December 14, 2007 07:16 AMUnfortunately Hillary is battling two things: the media's mindless hatred of her, and the usual fact that a woman is expected to take and absorb more hits than a man, and is furiously repudiated and slapped down if she dares hit back. This is not unique to politics; any woman who has climbed to the top of any field knows exactly how this works.
The good news is that this is not new to Hillary, and she can take it.
It has been a revelation to me that the entire left blogosphere, who for so long has screamed about corporate media bias, now seems to think that Tweety and Joe and even Fox are reliable, honest, and trustworthy news brokers. The disconnect from reality is astounding. Bloggers as a whole have done a disservice to their own credibility in the future, with their mindless sneering pile-on. Cautious and thoughtful people, many of whom do not in any way support Hillary for president, are shaking their heads over it.
The Big Left Blogs will pay a price for this going forward. They, like MSM, will no longer be seen by many of us as honest brokers, as carefully reality-based, but as the same sort of partisan hacks that populate the MSM. That, to me, is a loss of stature that few are thinking about in their frenzy. They have become what they purport to despise. It will be a problem, even after this primary and election is over.
Posted by MPSC at December 14, 2007 08:39 AMThanks again eripost for another great post. The double standards are astounding. My fear is that this type of coverage however blatant and misleading will actually influence the election. It is certainly true that both as a woman and as front runner HRC tends to be savaged for playing "attack politics" no matter how mild her attempt at distinguishing herself from the rest of the pack is. She has stayed above the fray in the face of continuous negative coverage. It is unfortunate that the media are so unwilling to recognise and allow bona fide attempts to fight back. The idea that Obama is some sort of messiah, above politics and in need of protection from even the mildest of criticism is bizarre. Politicians should be prepared to dish out criticism but also to accept it graciously. It's a campaign for President of the most powerful country in the world not President of a rotary club.
Posted by j at December 14, 2007 08:53 AMMPSC, exactly what I think but could not say as well as you have.
The left should scrutinize Obama's policies as thoroughly as they scrutinize Senator Clinton and her team for anything they can take out of context to villify her.
They should be careful of what they are wishing for because they may end up with Obama. Maybe that's the plan. Then they will have something negative to write about for four years unless they become Obama's 33% similar to Bush's groupies and everything will be glorious that BO does and says.
Posted by Sally at December 14, 2007 09:41 AMGreat comment over at Orange Satan I want to pass on:
http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2007/12/14/105036/57/148#c148
"George Bush nearly lost -- well, actually, he DID lose -- the 2000 race because of a last minute story about an old drunk driving arrest. I'm serious, Gore made up serious ground the last few days (I saw the internal polls) and won the race primarily because of that story.
That was a drunk driving arrest. This is using cocaine until he was 20 years old!
I don't like that it will be an issue. But grow up people! We need to come to terms that if Obama is our nominee, we'll be talking about cocaine the entire last month of the campaign. You KNOW how the media works."
I left out the last part of the comment, which I don't agree with... clinton bashing
Posted by at December 14, 2007 10:29 AMMarkL (I'm assuming that's you), we get it, the 'pukes might flog the cocaine thing. Just like you're doing right now. Not very subtly, I might add. If Obama becomes the nominee, you'll be wanting to downplay it, and this'll come back to haunt you. Why give the 'pukes a leg up now?
Posted by iamcoyote at December 14, 2007 10:51 AMI'm trying to figure out what Shaheen said that was wrong. My undersanding is that he pointed out that the Republicans would be likely to make political hay from the fact of Obama's past drug use (hard drugs), of which he, Obama, wrote in his autobiography, and also has recently spoken about.
What is wrong about what Shaheen said? Enlighten me.
Posted by Pilgrim at December 14, 2007 10:59 AMCoyote,
Sorry you don't like it.
I personally abhor cocaine use---and I'm not a Republican or conservative.
There's every reason to think this would be a deal-breaker for Obama in the GE, and little basis for concluding otherwise.
Unless there's any new information, I won't post on the subject again though.
Posted by MarkL at December 14, 2007 11:00 AMReady on Day 1 to fight bimbo erruptions and smear her opponents. This is Hillary's real experience and expertise. Democrats with an ounce of integrity have a choice between a return to a 90's "soap opera" with Nurse Ratchit in charge versus an inspirational man, all Americans can admire, Barak Obama. Take back the party from the Clinton hacks.
Posted by Tony at December 14, 2007 11:26 AMTony
If you "want to take the party back from the Clintons" as you say, then you should vote for Edwards. At least choose someone who could probably win the general. Having Obama as the nominee and losing will only prove the Clintons right.
Pilgrim:
I have the same question and I don't understand. Obama said it himself, Obama said it again to his supporters, Obama still says it on fundraising... Who is the one talking here ?
If Obama wins nomonee, it is very dnagerious. Take my words for it. Not many people know him.
Posted by Maryann at December 14, 2007 08:46 PMSorry for my spelling.
Posted by Maryann at December 14, 2007 08:47 PM