Journalist Pushed Down A Flight Of Stairs-After Rep Weller Announces His Retirement

[kpete]

Mike Flannery, the veteran political editor for Chicago's CBS 2 television station, may need to negotiate a bodyguard the next time his contract is up.

Flannery, who can be heard in the video shooting questions at Weller, was allegedly pushed down a flight of the stairs today by a man accompanying Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) after the congressman announced his retirement. Here's CBS2's video of the incident.

Fortunately, he's all right. He plans to press charges against the person who allegedly pushed him.

VIDEO and more at:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/09/for_chicago_reporter_politics.html

[fasttense]

1. Damn, the radical right has gone from intimidation to physical assault of our journalists. n/t

[liberaldemocrat7]

3. When do some Republicans ever care about the rule of law unless it applies to Democrats?

To me, it looks like some Republicans act hypocritical about the rule of law.

[tom_paine]

7. Sure they have. It was and is inevitable. It is the natural outgrowth

of the Totalitarian Mindset.

Even IF BushCheney REALLY believe in Straussian' philosophy and the Noble Lie (as opposed to it being a cheap excuse for theft, fraud, and murder), they ae playing with fire by awakening the Totalitarian Mind in the 30% of Amerikans who have been or are being reprogrammed with Totalitarian Ideals and Mindset (including dehumanization of those "Liberals").

And that is something which no one can control. It will fester and continue to grow, and EVEN IF BushCheney are not the deeply evil people we know them to be, those things awakened will not again easily be put back to sleep.

[City Lights]

2. Here's more from CBS Chicago's site, including another video (at link):

CBS 2 Reporter Files Complaint After Scuffle
Mike Flannery Was Shoved By Aide After Rep. Weller Speech

(CBS) JOLIET, Ill. CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery has filed a complaint after he was shoved and sent down a flight of stairs while questioning a congressman Friday, knocking him into a woman who also fell.

The incident happened in Joliet, where Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) was announcing his intention not to run for reelection.

Weller spoke for about 15 to 20 minutes about his accomplishments in his district and in Washington, then he left with a phalanx of people around him, and "with no intention, evidently, of answering questions," Flannery said.

Flannery was pushed by a Weller aide right before he followed Weller into a stairway. The initial contact occurred off-camera. In the video posted on cbs2chicago.com, you can see Flannery stumbing into the view of the camera after being pushed. He is then shoved a second time once inside the doorway, which caused a woman inside the stairwell to fall.

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_264152104.html

[kansasblue]

4. "thrown" ? come on kpete. was 'shoved' or 'allegedly pushed'

Thanks for the story but I think your got a streak of yellow journalism going there.

[kpete]

6. agreed

wording changed, thanks, kp

[Mnemosyne]

5. Good.

Maybe if enough 'reporters' get tossed down stairs by the repukes they will grow some and start telling the truth about this administration.

Hope he's alright, but they all need a wake up call. Rather knows.

[rucky]

8. It's almost a good point...

but the talking heads don't get a whole lot of say in what they report (or more importantly, don't report). Rather's point is that ownership is dictating content, and that's the root of the problem.

[Mnemosyne]

10. Sorry if I was unclear. What I was trying to say is 'reporters' seem to

have some type of gag on them, possibly by ownership, that precludes them from covering anything they are not told to cover. Whether for "job security" or even out of fear or loyalty, they know way more then they have been "allowed" or "willing" to tell the citizens.

If they had any love of our country, of our democracy, they would say to hell with what they've been made to report and tell what they really know.

Much of the ownership are profit "friends" with administration, thus dictates come from further than simply the ownerships.


This says it better:

6.) Controlled Mass Media: Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

FBI Acknowledges: Journalists Phone Records are Fair Game

Report shows U.S. government has been engaged in illegal propaganda aimed at its own citizens and the story gets only 41 mentions in the media

Free Press details recent governmental propaganda efforts, from faux-correspondent Jeff Gannon to paid-off pundit Armstrong Williams, and from the demise of FOIA to video news releases passed off as news.

US seizes webservers from independent media sites

Bush's war on information: US editors forbidden to publish certain foreign writers

Much more @ link:

http://www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm

[tom_paine]

9. The Bushies meant this to be yet another intimidating example, like Brownshirts

And if you don't think such "mistakes" (yeah, like the Sopranos make mistakes) don't work, and work as well as they did when the Bushies were in a much more violent version of themselves, the Nazis, then I submit the condition, entirely, collectively and across the board, of the Amerikan MSM speaks volumes on the success of Bushie Intimidation Tactics, both the majority of nonviolent techniquest they use and these violent incidents, which will likely grow in frequency and severity as he Totalitarian Midset grows and festers further in the hearts of Bushie Drones.

[Mnemosyne]

12. I believe these are the most calculatingly evil beings on the planet.

Death and destruction, accidents, 'mistakes' and 'suicides' are left in their wake.

I used to believe that civil disobedience could change this country, now I fear we may be beyond any such tactic having any effect on these assholes.

I believe now that it will require stronger measures to evoke change here. (not a threat Agent Mary, just an observational opinion)

I've researched psychological manipulation for years, long before the internets, and we are truly screwn. It has permeated almost every aspect of life here now.

We can win, but it will take a miracle, or another horrid disaster, before many awaken to how long and hard they have been manipulated and played for fools.

Drones is a great word for the sheeple Tom.

Rather alarming isn't it? :hi:

[blogslut]

11. I vote for yellow legal pad guy

Flannery is a big fellow. He's basically his own blocking wall.

From watching the video, we see Weller and security enter the stairwell. Flannery comes between Weller, security and the rest of Weller's companions. One of Weller's security tries to close the door after them but Flannery maneuvers his way in to stairwell. Then a whole bunch of other people rush the door after Flannery.

One of the door rushers is holding a legal pad and is exceptionally brusque about fighting to get into the stairwell. I'm thinking he as part of Weller's entourage and that he rushed the door because Flannery moved his body between security and the congressman. The irony is the pusher also knocked aside that woman that was with Weller.

[Gabi Hayes]

13. thanks for this. just shows how little I watch the local new...this is the first I heard of it

recall who Weller's wife is

birds of a feather?

http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/jerryweller/