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shireen

(8,333 posts)
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 11:38 AM Mar 2016

Robert Reich's comments about what the NYT did to Bernie yesterday.

I was so excited about the positive NYT article that I posted about it yesterday here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1280145900

Then it got changed. A bunch of positive comments were removed.

This is Robert Reich's Facebook response. I don't think he'd mind me posting it here since not everyone goes to Facebook, and it's only 5 paragraphs.

The New York Times no longer reports all the news that's fit to print but only the news fit for Hillary Clinton.

Appearing in yesterday’s morning edition of the New York Times was an article entitled “Bernie Sanders Scored Victories for Years Via Legislative Side Doors.” It was the first article I’ve read in the Times that praised Bernie. This one focused on legislative victories he's achieved for working people and the poor by quietly and persistently amending and changing bills.

I was going to share the article with you, but by yesterday afternoon it had been significantly and mysteriously altered to become less praiseworthy and more snide. The headline was changed to: “Via Legislative Side Doors, Bernie Sanders Won Modest Victories.” Several complimentary quotes that had appeared in the morning edition were deleted (such as one from Senator John McCain, and another from Warren Gunnels, Bernie’s long-time policy adviser, calling his strategy “very successful.”) New paragraphs were added that criticized Bernie. (For example: “But in his presidential campaign Mr. Sanders is trying to scale up those kinds of proposals as a national agenda, and there is little to draw from his small-ball legislative approach to suggest he could succeed. Mr. Sanders is suddenly promising not just a few stars here and there, but the moon and a good part of the sun, from free college tuition paid for with giant tax hikes and a huge increase in government health care, which has made even liberal Democrats skeptical.”)

The original article had called Bernie an “effective, albeit modest, legislator.” In the altered version, an additional clause was added: “ — enacting his agenda piece by piece, in politically digestible chunks with few sweeping legislative achievements in a quarter-century in Congress.”

Many of us have long suspected the Times of anti-Bernie partisanship. This particular instance proves the point. I publicly call on the Times’s Public Editor, Margaret Sullivan, to explain how an article praising Bernie Sanders the morning before several critical primaries could, just hours later, turn into an article criticizing him. Ms. Sullivan: Who at the Times made these changes, and why?


I just canceled my subscription to that asshole newspaper. The customer rep asked why and I told her.


60 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Robert Reich's comments about what the NYT did to Bernie yesterday. (Original Post) shireen Mar 2016 OP
Well that's the liberal media for ya ghostsinthemachine Mar 2016 #1
Kicked and Recommended! KPN Mar 2016 #2
A decision was made yesterday it seems by ALL the establishment media to not cover Bernie. LiberalArkie Mar 2016 #3
and the Washington Post had one of its nastiest hit pieces yesterday. Merryland Mar 2016 #8
Corruption billhicks76 Mar 2016 #35
People responding to this on twitter bananas Mar 2016 #4
yup. 'news' as created in the corner office. oldandhappy Mar 2016 #5
Thank you. Gregorian Mar 2016 #6
what worries me is the reach of news media shireen Mar 2016 #13
It worries me also because our strength on sites like DU is jwirr Mar 2016 #23
I know. But we can turn that around quicker than it took to create. Gregorian Mar 2016 #36
the Long arm of the News mafia NT List left Mar 2016 #57
just when I think I can't be more outraged Merryland Mar 2016 #7
My subscription is now cancelled, too. DamnYankeeInHouston Mar 2016 #9
We should NOT give the MSM any of our attention or respect. stillwaiting Mar 2016 #10
Let's boycott NYT website bernbabe Mar 2016 #11
i'm getting international news from BBC and Guardian shireen Mar 2016 #16
I Get US News From Guardian billhicks76 Mar 2016 #38
K&R suffragette Mar 2016 #12
I suspect the change by afternoon was the plan all along Autumn Colors Mar 2016 #14
^^^ this. (n/t) Mike__M Mar 2016 #30
Yep, you nailed it... tex-wyo-dem Mar 2016 #34
Very Clintonian nxylas Mar 2016 #40
Exactly my thought. Ed Suspicious Mar 2016 #49
This happened to me. I was surprised when I got to the link and it wasn't very nice. cyberpj Mar 2016 #58
Some links Babel_17 Mar 2016 #15
thank you nt. shireen Mar 2016 #17
That the 4th estate is engaging in such manipulative propaganda is chilling. nt Skwmom Mar 2016 #18
The saddest part is Hillary supporters know this Lazy Daisy Mar 2016 #19
THIS ^^^^ AlbertCat Mar 2016 #27
Hillary Is A Bush Supporter billhicks76 Mar 2016 #39
unfortunately Lazy Daisy Mar 2016 #53
Hillary Hugged Him Giggling This Week billhicks76 Mar 2016 #56
Do you have a link for that... ljm2002 Mar 2016 #60
I'm glad Reich is using his platform Rebkeh Mar 2016 #20
Thank you Robert Reich for calling out the dishonesty mountain grammy Mar 2016 #21
One of the most disgusting, despicable actions in the history of journalism. Impedimentus Mar 2016 #22
K&R agracie Mar 2016 #24
Yeah... davidthegnome Mar 2016 #25
It might be safe for Hillary to take a stand now. TygrBright Mar 2016 #26
It might be safe for Hillary to take a stand now. AlbertCat Mar 2016 #29
That would require a focus group and some polling data Impedimentus Mar 2016 #31
She Giggled While Hugging Bush At Reagan Event billhicks76 Mar 2016 #42
What's tragic is that well-meaning "liberals" ... RufusTFirefly Mar 2016 #28
We really need to ignore all media that is owned nyabingi Mar 2016 #32
Corporate media is the enemy. GoldenThunder Mar 2016 #33
This message was self-deleted by its author guyton Mar 2016 #37
It's funny... Else You Are Mad Mar 2016 #41
The news media is too concentrated in the hands of a few. JDPriestly Mar 2016 #47
We need a massive movement for cancellations of subscriptions to the New York Times. JDPriestly Mar 2016 #43
I still source them though PatrynXX Mar 2016 #44
If you're ever considering posting a link to a MSM article Z_California Mar 2016 #45
The NYT cheered on the Iraq invasion SHRED Mar 2016 #46
War is good bu$ine$$. bernbabe Mar 2016 #48
I really wish ALL TRUE PROGRESSIVES would cancel their rag! Well done you! in_cog_ni_to Mar 2016 #50
When have I seen these tactics before? WHEN CRABS ROAR Mar 2016 #51
Chomsky an Herman talked about manipulation by the media as a Ed Suspicious Mar 2016 #52
America's Pravda nt LiberalElite Mar 2016 #54
Just when you thought the M$M couldn't get more loathsome. blackspade Mar 2016 #55
This message was self-deleted by its author CrispyQ Mar 2016 #59

KPN

(15,636 posts)
2. Kicked and Recommended!
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 11:43 AM
Mar 2016


Good for you Shireen. We need to hit them where it hurts -- their wallets!

LiberalArkie

(15,703 posts)
3. A decision was made yesterday it seems by ALL the establishment media to not cover Bernie.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 11:46 AM
Mar 2016

The NY Times made it so obvious that it was co-ordinated at a high level it seems.

 

billhicks76

(5,082 posts)
35. Corruption
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:02 PM
Mar 2016

If they think we are going to roll over and not change anything just because they have muzzled the media and the electoral process then they are once again fantasizing. Corporations will deal with this at their doorstep and government will in the streets if need be. This isn't a game.

bananas

(27,509 posts)
4. People responding to this on twitter
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 11:46 AM
Mar 2016
https://twitter.com/DemocraticSoc/status/710123119915171840

Progress for All
?@DemocraticSoc

@jestei Nice Job giving up all Journalistic Integrity when your editors hatcheted your Bernie Piece. Guess it was kind you tried at all.....

8:18 AM - 16 Mar 2016

Gregorian

(23,867 posts)
6. Thank you.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 11:52 AM
Mar 2016

And thanks for kicking them to the curb where they belong.

What we need is radical change in this country. I am no longer frightened in the least to say that.

shireen

(8,333 posts)
13. what worries me is the reach of news media
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:10 PM
Mar 2016

Look what Fox does to people who can't think critically.

NYT and WaPo have a long-respected reputation, and are partly syndicated by a lot of smaller media outlets, as are the big major networks and their affiliates. These companies have a monopoly on news, which grants them the power to manipulate.

Not everyone is exposed to other perspectives from alternate news sources. Not everyone knows how to ask the right questions and use good judgment. (Note. This comment is about the news media, not the campaigns!)

I'm sick about this. Just sick.



jwirr

(39,215 posts)
23. It worries me also because our strength on sites like DU is
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:02 PM
Mar 2016

that we get our news from the MSM, especially the newspapers. So what happens when the valid news sources dry up because they have been bought up by the rw oligarchy?

Where do we get our news? How are we going to learn what is happening in the world? We are actually very close to having that problem right now. Our access to the net are threatened. There is very little liberal news on either regular tv or cable. And what there is we have trouble trusting it (Thom and Ed are both disparaged because they are on RT) and our sources are not in most bundles we are offered.

Just how are we going to use the internet to keep our party/movements alive if the rw manages to take it over and they are trying.

Gregorian

(23,867 posts)
36. I know. But we can turn that around quicker than it took to create.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:02 PM
Mar 2016

That's our job, and that's just what we're doing. In fact, I wanted to say how upsetting it is to only have one Bernie. But there are others. Many others. And this isn't a nation of tv viewers. There are thinkers, as we've seen in this election.

I'm cynical about this country. I always have been. And I've waited 45 years for this day. But I keep getting a sense that this grand experiment isn't going to roll over soon. We survived Bush, one could argue.

Well, let's keep our chins up and keep fighting. We've made yooge progress.

Merryland

(1,134 posts)
7. just when I think I can't be more outraged
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:01 PM
Mar 2016

something like this comes along, so mind-blowingly obscene & disgusting it is almost beyond belief. The so-called great newspapers - the Washington Post & New York Times - are exposed as little more than water-carriers for the one-tenth of one percent. It is as if there is nothing to do but work outside the system & create new pathways for communication & organizing. A sad day for America when the press cowers & sneers at the one candidate who truly wants to make things better for all. As a journalist, and former reporter, I am sickened by this.

stillwaiting

(3,795 posts)
10. We should NOT give the MSM any of our attention or respect.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:05 PM
Mar 2016

We should not give them a red cent.

We should not allow for them to make money from their advertisers by giving them our attention.

They ARE our enemy.

Alternative media is the only thing worth our time these days.

There WILL be people that will still document the atrocities and we can remain informed as to the atrocities that will continue to be propagated in the media. We don't need to witness it ourselves.

Purge the propaganda from our daily lives.

shireen

(8,333 posts)
16. i'm getting international news from BBC and Guardian
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:19 PM
Mar 2016

The Guardian also covers US news.

I watch/listen to PBS and public radio news with some caution.

Democracy Now is hands-down the best US tv news source but i always end up depressed when I watch it because of the raw truth. Reluctantly, for my mental health, I can only take it in small doses. However, I love Amy Goodman and her team.

 

Autumn Colors

(2,379 posts)
14. I suspect the change by afternoon was the plan all along
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:12 PM
Mar 2016

People promoting Bernie would see the very nice article in the morning and start posting links to it all over the internet, social media, etc. By afternoon (when that link would be going viral), that same link brings you to the hit piece, thus tapping into those of us trying to promote and support Bernie and using our own efforts to hurt him.

That's even worse than if they'd posted the later version in the morning and done nothing.

tex-wyo-dem

(3,190 posts)
34. Yep, you nailed it...
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:00 PM
Mar 2016

This is manipulation of the public perception on the highest order.

Pravda was nothing compared to this...at least you knew it was propaganda for the USSR state.

 

cyberpj

(10,794 posts)
58. This happened to me. I was surprised when I got to the link and it wasn't very nice.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 09:27 PM
Mar 2016

I didn't understand it all until now.

 

Lazy Daisy

(928 posts)
19. The saddest part is Hillary supporters know this
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:46 PM
Mar 2016

and don't care because it advances their candidate.

Just like The Patriot Act, many are willing to sell themselves out for a false sense of security. When we all get hosed and our country turns into a mirror image of North Korea we shouldn't cry. Just fall in line.

 

billhicks76

(5,082 posts)
39. Hillary Is A Bush Supporter
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:04 PM
Mar 2016

Hillary supporters will eventually pay for this. They are too caught up now to realize their karma but it is coming.

 

Lazy Daisy

(928 posts)
53. unfortunately
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:58 PM
Mar 2016

That karma spills over on everybody. None of us voted for Bush but we got that karmic mess to clean up.

 

billhicks76

(5,082 posts)
56. Hillary Hugged Him Giggling This Week
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 05:22 PM
Mar 2016

And said her Iraq War vote was a favor to Bush and expected money for NY in return. Wow

ljm2002

(10,751 posts)
60. Do you have a link for that...
Thu Mar 17, 2016, 11:55 AM
Mar 2016

...statement by Clinton? That her IWR vote was a favor to Bush? If so please provide it, I'd like to send it to some folks...

Rebkeh

(2,450 posts)
20. I'm glad Reich is using his platform
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:47 PM
Mar 2016

So many are too trusting of the media. I'm glad he's shedding light on this problem.

mountain grammy

(26,598 posts)
21. Thank you Robert Reich for calling out the dishonesty
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:57 PM
Mar 2016

of the so-called liberal media. This is so blatant. Disgusting.

Impedimentus

(898 posts)
22. One of the most disgusting, despicable actions in the history of journalism.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 12:59 PM
Mar 2016

The NY Times is emulating FOX Lies. They are a cheap shill for the Clinton campaign.

davidthegnome

(2,983 posts)
25. Yeah...
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:08 PM
Mar 2016

You know, during every one of these primary battles, I alternate between reading here and watching CNN, or MSNBC - what the MSM is doing is extremely biased, almost deliberately biased.

Has anyone else noticed how the narrative always seems to strongly support either Clinton or Trump? It's somewhat subtle, but everything positive about Sanders seems to be downplayed, while everything positive about Clinton seems to be talked up. The comments made by the so called journalists, the comparisons that include super delegates that really aren't in play until the convention. The frequently condescending manner in which all of them speak of Sanders.

If you watch them, you will definitely notice the difference. It's nothing so extreme that we can point to it and say, "Look! They called him an asshole!", rather, it's a subtle contempt, a subtle attempt to downplay his significance, underwhelm their audience in regards to Sanders. We need better media, we need journalists with integrity.

Maybe it's time to found a new news organization. I don't know how to go about getting it started, because the funding should definitely be one of the top issues. A news organization that absolutely cannot be taken over by corporations, owned or funded by special interest groups.

I'm so sick of this shit. The NYT and MSNBC have both demonstrated, very strongly, in this election, that they no longer represent progressive principles and policies, if they ever did. They have also demonstrated that they no longer represent the truth, if they ever did. This is almost blatant support for Clinton and almost blatant disregard for Sanders. Who the individual journalists support on their own is a personal matter, and they are free to vote for whom ever they please - and support whom ever they please... but NOT when acting in their professional careers as journalists, experts - and so on. The bias is so obvious it's painful.

The oligarchy... corporate America, buying the media, buying elections, buying our politicians. It needs to stop. We need to stop it. We need to support Mr. Sanders for this reason among many, many others.

Let's Bern it down.

TygrBright

(20,755 posts)
26. It might be safe for Hillary to take a stand now.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:14 PM
Mar 2016

That is, if she wants to start making friends with Bernie supporters.

What would it cost her, to demand the mainstream media treat Bernie fairly?

Oh, never mind...

wearily,
Bright

 

AlbertCat

(17,505 posts)
29. It might be safe for Hillary to take a stand now.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:16 PM
Mar 2016

Someone will have to tell her to. She won't think of such a thing herself.

Impedimentus

(898 posts)
31. That would require a focus group and some polling data
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:31 PM
Mar 2016

Nothing she does in the race against Bernie is based on conscience.
 

billhicks76

(5,082 posts)
42. She Giggled While Hugging Bush At Reagan Event
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:09 PM
Mar 2016

That's her taking a stand. Nothing will change till people revolt. Both sides know this. They aren't satisfied with cosmetic figurehead gloss overs. Expect lots of violence in the next few years as previously predicted by many forecasters. I feel sorry for people with young children.

RufusTFirefly

(8,812 posts)
28. What's tragic is that well-meaning "liberals" ...
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:16 PM
Mar 2016

... actually think they're getting "the truth" or, even more pathetic, a liberal viewpoint, from

The New York Times,
The Washington Post,
MSNBC, or
National rePublican Radio

They look at you with a hurt expression or, sometimes, like you're nuts, when you have the temerity to suggest otherwise.

nyabingi

(1,145 posts)
32. We really need to ignore all media that is owned
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:31 PM
Mar 2016

by large corporations or wealthy individuals who have an agenda, television and news print.

I agree, The NYT is stocked full of a bunch of neoliberal assholes.

GoldenThunder

(300 posts)
33. Corporate media is the enemy.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 01:32 PM
Mar 2016

and they must be treated as such. They are the oil that greases the engine of fascism. Never forget that.

Response to shireen (Original post)

Else You Are Mad

(3,040 posts)
41. It's funny...
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:07 PM
Mar 2016

That the politically minded on both the left and the right complain about the MSM. I think it is because subconsciously it just seems off. That is everyone that has any idea of what is going on realizes they are being lied to at worst or munipulated at best by the corporate media in order for said multinational corporations to make money. And, in order to make money, the MSM has to skew the news in order to get their candidate in office or to keep them in office.

The problem this election cycle is that the MSM this election hasn't even bothered to try to hide their usual subtle skewing towards their favorite candidates.

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
47. The news media is too concentrated in the hands of a few.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:21 PM
Mar 2016

And if Hillary is elected president, I suspect we will lose the internet.

She is totally and wholly in the hands of the same people who own the media. Look what they do for her and Trump.

Here is a possible scenario to think about. May or may not be true:

Trump may be a construct set up by the media as a target for Hillary to beat in November. And if the corporate powers that be put up Hillary versus Trump, and they own Hillary, and she then wins because they destroy Trump, then they own the country. Hillary has done so many strange things that could be used to blackmail her.

Whether this theory is true or not, there is a bit of truth in it. The media has built up the Trump candidacy to inevitability. And Hillary is also by far their creation.

We really have to work for Bernie now. He really, really is our only hope for a democratic future.

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
43. We need a massive movement for cancellations of subscriptions to the New York Times.
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:17 PM
Mar 2016

The editing of that article was an act of silencing ideas and speech and the truth.

Feel the Bern and cancel your subscription to the NYT.

 

SHRED

(28,136 posts)
46. The NYT cheered on the Iraq invasion
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:21 PM
Mar 2016

Last edited Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:52 PM - Edit history (1)

This is expected from them.

in_cog_ni_to

(41,600 posts)
50. I really wish ALL TRUE PROGRESSIVES would cancel their rag! Well done you!
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:34 PM
Mar 2016

If people talked with their $$$ through a MASSIVE subscription cancellation, they might think twice about their INTEGRITY - which they now have none of. I guess they never leaned a lesson after the Judith Miller debacle. POS newspaper.

Have a CANCEL NYT DAY AND EVERYONE CANCEL ON THE SAME DAY BY THE THOUSANDS. That might make them sit up and take notice....only money talks to these assholes.

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

WHEN CRABS ROAR

(3,813 posts)
51. When have I seen these tactics before?
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:34 PM
Mar 2016

Oh, that's right, it was in the sixties when the press would hardly cover any antiwar events, or if they did, the facts would be all wrong.

Ed Suspicious

(8,879 posts)
52. Chomsky an Herman talked about manipulation by the media as a
Wed Mar 16, 2016, 02:43 PM
Mar 2016

a thing that exists, but they suggest it is a result of indirect influence of corporate interest that sort of seeps in unnoticed. I wonder what they would say now? After this election I cannot see how anyone could consider the media as anything other than a homogeneous PR firm for corporate interests. They are directly feeding us a corporate approved fairy tale.

Response to shireen (Original post)

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