I just gotta say it: FUCK MSM

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

Especially you, Brian Williams, and your "defense" of merely having followed the public mood in the run-up to the Iraq War and afterward.

Give me a fucking break. Yes, of course, there's something more than a little fucked up about Scottie coming out now and saying, "oh, by the way, I was full of shit," but to watch MSM "reporters" and yakking heads close ranks over his "revelation" that they swallowed it all whole, with nary a single chew, is fucking ridiculous.

The major networks AND the cable "news" networks banged the drum. CNN ran a fucking red, white, and blue banner under its screen nonfuckingstop for weeks. If you wanted a photograph of a single (ONE!) victim of the war in Iraq, you had to visit a website across the Atlantic.

As for hard questions in the run-up to the war....sure, somebody asked if there really were WMDs. But the slant on every story was that of course there were, or we were sure to find them, or we can't take the chance, or blah blah blah. It doesn't matter if you ask a tough question but shoot a fucking fluff poster for war afterward.

And, hey, Brian Williams, you want a tough question or two? Who in 03 asked what the calculus is when one side has overwhelming force and can unleash it at will on token resistance bunkered down in the middle of a civilian population? Who fucking asked what number of civilian casualties would be acceptable? Who fucking asked what the fucking plan was to get out? Who fucking questioned the White House's fear-mongering rhetoric? Who fucking reported the White House's own inconsistent rationales? Who asked what the fucking goal was, or ran the numbers to see what it REALLY would cost, or reported on the difference between Sunni and Shia and what that might possibly mean, or reported the military's embargo on reporting from certain areas in Iraq, or emphasized that Blix had said there were no WMDs, or emphasized that the weapons inspections actually were working, or suggested that Iran would go batshit power crazy without the balance to its check in place anymore?

Which major American news organization followed a SINGLE Iraqi family in 2003? Which one questioned the timing and hyping of the Fallujah offensive just days before the 04 election? Which one investigated the corporate beneficiaries of US war policy in 02 and 03? Which major American news organization decried free speech zones as the most unpatriotic construction EVER during a time of war? Which took cameras inside Walter Reed in 03 or visited military families or took up justice for troops who were back-door-drafted? Which major American news organization held the feet to the fire of senators who voted for the IWR in the first place without reading it or the NIE? Who bothered to sample and present public opinion--not to mention the opinions of politicians, philosophers, authors, and spiritual leaders--from outside the US? Which major news organization counterbalanced the endless war chanting of the others by choosing the opposite slant and presenting only the anti-war story? Who showed any carnage, grief, despair, violence, death, or tragedy in 02 or 03? Which major cable news organization in 01, 02, or 03 did NOT use the colors red, white, and blue almost exclusively in its set design?

See, here's the thing, Brian Williams and friends, a little hint about how the public mood is supposed to work. First, in theory the MSM actually INFORMS the public, rather than pumping it full of garbage, lies, and regurgitated spew from a mama bird WH press secretary. Then, because the public eats actual facts, instead of misinformation and packaged jingoistic fervor, the public acquires a mood that, well, actually reflects the public. Some of us will still bang the drum; many more won't.

1.25 million dead Iraqis. They're yours, MSM. Over 4000 dead US troops. Tens of thousand of wounded troops, destroyed families, ruined relationships. They're yours, MSM. Billions of wasted dollars. As good as flushed by you, MSM. A massive power vacuum in the Middle East, a war with no easy end, a destabilized region, and now a nation--ours--that owes the world some serious global atonement. All yours, MSM.

Sure, you couldn't have done it without GWB. But he couldn't have done it without you, either.

[K Gardner]

1. We've never even seen ONE casket arriving home, with honors. Not one.

[DS1]

4. Well, they did show the infamous pictures of them which were later banned

by the Pentagon. They reported on them not being able to report them.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

10. This is major CYA time for the MSM. They think if they all get on

each others shows and proclaim to the high heavens they did their jobs everyone will believe them.

Sorry, we knew you weren't doing your job back in 2002 and early 2003 and we got a war. Then for the last five years the newies have had a love affair with the liars. The MSM rolled over and let the Bushbots do and say anything they wanted as long as they got invited to the cool kids' table. You let them stuff you in their lockers, give you noogies and wedgies and laugh at you in exchange for hanging out with them.

Too little, too late. You didn't do your job then and you aren't going to re-write history now. You have blood on your hands.

[bdamomma]

21. not one mention on the recent Nightly News about the casualities

either, only PBS shows the fallen soldiers. This is disgusting, journalism has reached such a low point. I remember watching the coverage from Vietnam every single night.

[malaise]

2. Great rant

They're all complicit.

[graywarrior]

3. Ratings are at stake.

Sponsors. Advertising agencies. SALES. Buy buy buy.

[eddierod]

5. You Hit The Nail On The Head

Bravo!:yourock:

[bdamomma]

23. welcome to DU eddierod!!

:hi:

[eddierod]

32. Than you!

I'm enjoying the discussions & opinions.:-)

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

34. welcome to DU...

and thanks.

[global1]

6. Where Were The In-Depth Interviews And Follow-Up On Ritter and Zinni?.....

We were that there were no WMD's by Ritter - nobody listened - in fact he was discredited by *Co? Why didn't we hear more from Gen. Zinni as to how many troops it would take to do this right - he was retired? I can't even remember the name of the guy that told us what this war would really cost us - they drummed him out too. What about all the other Generals that were quickly retired when they disagreed with *Co?

The media bought the 'embedded' concept. That helped as well in not providing the real story.

Scotty has given the media a chance to redeem themselves. It's up to the media now to replay all of the lies and point out how they/we were deceived by *Co. Don't let *Co rewrite history. Do you job now - even if it is after the fact. Help prevent this administration from taking us into Iran.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

20. exactly. Iran is at stake now. Will MSM cower again?

[Beausoleil]

26. Lawrence Lindsey

Lawrence Lindsey, then President Bush's chief economist, who gave an estimate in 2002 that sent the Bush administration into sticker shock. Less than three months later he was out of the White House.


snip


"Lindsey Predicted Iraq War Would Cost $100 Billion to $200 Billion." It is a line that I refuse to put on my tombstone, but there is little doubt that it will be the lead in some of my obituaries. As things turned out, my estimate was far too low. But it was far higher than other estimates that were circulating around Washington at the time, which is how I sparked a debate over the dollar cost of the Iraq war that continues today. In September 2002, as President Bush's chief economist, I committed one of the most grievous mistakes someone in government can make: I answered a hypothetical question from a reporter. The line of questioning was whether the prospective war in Iraq would be affordable, or whether the increase in government spending would drive up interest rates and sink the economy. I estimated that such a war, if it were to happen, might cost 1% to 2% of GDP and that it would not be economically damaging. Compared with the costs of possible future terrorist attacks, I said, it would easily pass a cost-benefit test. The President would have many other questions to consider, including the loss of life, but I didn't feel that money would be an issue.

For the past five years, whenever a reporter was around, despite my best efforts, the subject always came up. Washington teaches many ways to avoid answering a question, and I've probably used them all to avoid publicly commenting on the issue. Until now. Here is the true story behind my estimate of the cost of the Iraq war-and how the situation looks today.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/10/news/economy/costofwar.fortune/

[bbgrunt]

7. aside from a couple of intrepid reporters--mostly

banned from the corporate media--all the MSM is controlled by corporate interests and therefore all those "journalists" and media "news readers" are nothing more than whores who do what they are told. If they didn't, they wouldn't be given a venue. I don't blame the whores, I blame the johns.

[Echo In Light]

8. K&R...and here's to M$M:

[Fridays Child]

9. How does he dare to say that?

He was following the public mood? He and his cohorts literally conspired with the Bush administration to foment rabid pro-war sentiment, 24/7. And, even then, they couldn't change the fact that millions in this country and around the world rose up in protest against invading Iraq. They simply chose not to report it.

Brian Williams is guilty of aiding and abetting crimes against humanity.

[tblue37]

39. Propagandist broadcasters have been prosecuted for fomenting crimes against humanity before. We

should do so again.

[Fridays Child]

40. Where would one begin?

So many. So many.

[ogsbee]

11. Yes, let's step up the rhetoric!

MSM is too weak and doesn't say enough to the chance reader. Newswhores, Newslime, PRAVDA USA, Propaganda Ministry all carry much more of an immediate emotional punch.

[here_is_to_hope]

12. "dupe"...lol! n/t

[craz3z]

13. Hear! Hear!

All it would have taken was ONE cowardly person to either do their job or just stand up and tell the truth - ONE Sec of State or ONE Press Secretary or ONE Network "journalist" - and things would be a lot different today.

[Oceansaway]

14. Brian 'stretch face' Williams has always

had his head up W's ass...he fawned all over him in his interview...

he must like the smell of buttholes....

[JimboDem]

15. And You, David Gregory!!!!

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=rove%20damcing%20with%20gregory&rls=com.microsoft:en-ca&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&um=1&sa=N&tab=nv# Remember (before his Rove dance) when he asked tough questions?;(

[NanceGreggs]

16. This is one fantastic piece!!!

Just brilliant!

:applause:

[underpants]

22. One of the best I have ever read especially considering the understandable rage

The media can make the public mood pretty much anything it wants

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

30. thanks...that's what happens when I post before the first piece of nicorette kicks in

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

29. ....thanks....

that's high praise coming from you.

[RethugAssKicker]

17. Excellent ! K&R..... well worded !

[Swamp Rat]

18. Hey Brian Williams, how come you did not give a fuck about Iraqi children?

You war pig!

[KharmaTrain]

19. A Matter Of Public Trust Lost...

No matter which direction the corporate media tries to spin this story, they lose. They've lost a massive amount of their credibility and this just takes more meat off the bone (little remains), but they still don't get it. The more they try to "aw shucks" and "nobody said different" bullshit their way out of this, the worse they look. The sad thing, most inside the beltway and those cozy offices and studios still don't get it. Good chance they're at the usual drinkie-drinkie party brooding among themselves about how they're misunderstood and being picked on by us long-haired fuckin' hippies (those of us who still have hair) and how they are now being stabbed in the back by Snotty. They just don't fuckin' get it.

[ProgressiveFool]

24. Brilliant rant, but I'd add one thing

All those things the MSM failed to do in 02 and 03... who's doing them in 08?

The fucking MSM still isn't doing any real journalism. Now it's not so much to enable the Bushies, but more just to cover their own asses, as evidenced by the ongoing MSM blackout on coverage of the Military Analyst Scandal.

And still no one has tried to pin down any of the Bushies or McCainites on just what the definition of "victory" is. I mean, that's just fucking fundamental - impossible to report anything else of substance without it.

[fascisthunter]

25. Corporate Media Helped Bring America to War

fuck them... they are traitors to this country.

[chill_wind]

28. Judgement at Nuremberg

- I dream of a similar day


· Hans Fritzsche, journalist, was head of the news service section in the Press Division of the Ministry for Propaganda since May 1933. At the trial, he was in a way a substitute for Goebbels, who had committed suicide. Indicted on three counts, he was acquitted. In the subsequent de-nazification procedures, he was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment. Released in the fall of 1950, he died in 1953.


· Julius Streicher, elementary school teacher, founded in 1923 the virulently anti-Semitic weekly newspaper “Der Stürmer.” Even after his removal from a regional leadership post in southern Germany in 1940, he remained owner and publisher of this paper. He was sentenced to death.

http://www.willowstheatre.com/PressRoom/Nuremberg/Nuremberg_Press_2.htm

[rhett o rick]

27. K&R. Please call it the Corporate Media. It's the corporations we need to hold accountable. nm

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. You can thank BILLL CLINTON for this

the whole thing.

1996 Telecommunications Act, his baby and true legacy.

And unless the Smith Tafltey Act is ENFORCED and these monopolies are broken up... forgeeetttt itt!

By the way... what you are seeing is fascism by definition

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

36. yep.

[Echo In Light]

45. Yep, when one looks at the bigger picture, say, since the 80s, it's been an incremental...

Greasing of the skids for those who follow.

"We've Got A Bigger Problem Now" by The Dead Kennedy's

Last call for alcohol.
Last call for your freedom of speech.
Drink up. Happy hour is now enforced by law.
Don't forget our house special
It's called a Trickie Dickie Screwdriver.
It's got one part Jack Daniels, two parts purple Kool-Aid,
and a jigger of formaldehyde
from the jar with Hitler's brain in it we got in the back storeroom.
Happy trails to you
Happy trails to you

I am Emperor Ronald Reagan
Born again with fascist cravings
Still, you made me president

Human rights will soon go 'way
I am now your Shah today
Now I command all of you
Now you're going to pray in school
I'll make sure they're Christian too

California Uber alles
California Uber Alles
Uber alles California
Uber alles California

Ku Klux Klan will control you
Still you think it's natural
Nigger knockin' for the master race
Still you wear the happy face

You closed your eyes, can't happen here
Alexander Haig is near
Vietnam won't come back you say
Join the army or you will pay

California Uber alles
California Uber alles
Uber alles California
Uber Alles California

Yeah, that's it. Just relax.
Have another drink, few more pretzels, little more MSG.
Turn on those Dallas Cowboys on your TV.
Lock your doors
Close your mind.
It's time for the two-minute warning.

Welcome to 1984
Are you ready for the third world war?!?
You too will meet the secret police
They'll draft you and they'll jail your niece

You'll go quitely to boot camp
They'll shoot you dead
Make you a man
Don't you worry, it's for a cause
Feeding global corporations' claws

Die on our brand new poison gas
El Salvador or Afghanistan
Making money for President Reagan
And all the friends of President Reagan

California Uber alles
California Uber alles
Uber alles California
Uber Alles California

[Uncle Joe]

33. Outstanding post, dmsRoar!

Thanks for the thread,:thumbsup:

[butterfly77]

35. K&R

[Utopian Leftist]

37. RFK Jr. explained some of this

In that video (which if I remember correctly, was shot in 2005) that was circulating here a few days ago, the one where Robert Kennedy Jr. was ridiculing the media, he quoted a statistic that over the previous few years the mainstream media had reduced the number of investigative reporters by 80 percent.

If that's true, then it goes a long way towards explaining why the MSM so horribly dropped the ball on this one: there simply wasn't anyone around to ask those tough questions and put the various pieces of the deceptive puzzle together. It doesn't excuse the MSM but it does explain to some extent its absence of adequate reporting.

By that line of reasoning one could further say that it was the media consolidation and the death of the Fairness Doctrine that created the Iraq War. And so the evil legacy of Reagan continues to plague this nation and may continue to indefinitely until enough people wake up to what's going on.

[Supersedeas]

38. where is the self-reflection

[file83]

41. K & R, just on general principle...

[Preening Fop]

42. Given the illusion of conquering sub-humans, americans will always support govt sanctioned murder.

:nuke: :patriot: :nuke:

[lilyannerose]

43. MSM And The Pundits

Have much to answer for, however, who has the power to take them to task. I have this feeling that once this Admin is out of office and the Dems move in, the MSM will decide to get back on the job again. I don't know how some of those asses sleep at night, then again those big paychecks must buy them a lot of peace of mind.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

44. The Great Pretenders. That's what the MSM is.

[PassingFair]

46. And they flippin' wonder why Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert...

have the highest rated "news shows" in the country.

HOW OFTEN did I watch them and think,

"Why am I only hearing about this HERE?"

and

"It's REALLY NOT FUNNY, you know...."

[MessiahRp]

47. Ignored or Mocked: LARGEST PROTESTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

That's what pisses me off the most. The "Nobody Knew" or the "Mood of the World" bullshit is just that. WE KNEW. Millions upon millions of us hit the streets and tried to stop this and we were mocked, ridiculed, ignored or called a "focus group" by Bush.

We fucking knew. We fucking gathered en masse to stop this. You fucking ignored us MSM. Simple as that.

It wasn't the Mood of the Public you cared about. It was the Mood of your Corporate Masters that saw $$$$$ and salivated at war ratings.

Rp

[DaveT]

49. War ratings are just a tiny part of it

General Electric has made a lot of money off the Bush Administration and its wars. The rest of the corproate community that includes Murdoch, Redstone, Disney, Time-Warner and the rest have also made huge amounts off of Bushism.

Luckily for our republic, network television is a dying medium. Yellow journalism is as old as the printing press, but never before has so much one-way, top-down communications power been so tightly concentrated as over the last few decades.

Williams is a shill for GE, just as was Ronald Reagan before he became Governor of California.

My pet peeve is wondering how progressives would ever expect otherwise.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

48. MSM = Stenographers for the White House and other Corporate Politicians

The MSM continues its phony outrage over little bullshit while letting the
administration get away with murder.

While our soldiers get electrocuted by taking a shower thanks to KBR,
Dick Cheney pockets profit.

But the MSM will trot out "newscasts" that are little more than commercials
for corporate politicians.

Most of the real news doesn't get reported by MSM and never will.

That is why we need to ween the rest of the world off of that garbage.

[redqueen]

50. And not just the M$M here, either. The BBC happily printed the WH lies about Venezuela

after the attempted coup.