Hillary Clinton
Related: About this forumHow McCarthy's Benghazi 'Gaffe' Became A Game Changer For GOP -- And Should Be For The Press (HRC GRP)
As Republicans and their media allies scramble to contain the damage from Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) comments on Fox News, where he admitted the allegedly non-partisan Benghazi select committee was created to sabotage Hillary Clinton's political career, note that the other key player in this story is the Beltway press. And like Republicans, reporters and pundits who have feasted off Benghazi -- and the supposedly-related Clinton email story -- now have a chance to come to terms with a new political reality.
And that reality is that the cover of legitimacy has been blown away. McCarthy's comments revealed a poorly-kept secret and now everyone has to acknowledge their unobstructed view of the crass partisanship in play...
The fact is that for years the Beltway press has had the chance to cast a critical eye on the GOP's Benghazi obsession, to ask pointed questions about the clear abuse of power and the use of taxpayer dollars to advance a political agenda, through a committee virtually subsidizing Republican opposition research for a presidential campaign.
Instead, the press mostly checked any skepticism and was happily recruited to be part of the Republican "scandal" production. The press liked the story the Benghazi committee was trying to tell. (A swirling scandal in the Obama White House. Will Clinton's campaign be doomed?) Much of the press liked being fed morsels of information, which were then nearly always related to news consumers with strong GOP flavoring....
So in a way, McCarthy's comments didn't simply reveal the truth about Republican objectives, they also highlighted the press' pliant role. Going forward, journalists have a clear choice: they can finally decouple themselves from the increasingly farcical, and sprawling, Benghazi production, or become more deeply mired in the folly. (It's probably too late, though, for people like National Journal's Ron Fournier, who repeatedly backed all kind of bogus Republican claims about the White House and Benghazi.)...
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/10/07/how-mccarthys-benghazi-gaffe-became-game-change/206011 via Media Matters
underpants
(182,904 posts)The "news" sells drama now, that's it.
enough
(13,262 posts)The media, while apparently passive, is defining reality and therefore defining the fate of our country.
Though it didn't start in 2000, it was essentially made complete during that election, where the media portrayed the coup as if it was business as usual. From then on, we've been in never never land.
DeepModem Mom
(38,402 posts)and I watched in helpless disbelief on CNN International an election STOLEN in my country. I never understood the passivity that that theft was met with. But what can be done if, at the least, a free, mainstream press doesn't stand up?
I guess the press bows to the outlaw powerful and covers its success.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)honest for a change. This goes to others who are trying to under mind Hillary, tell all the lies but it does not rewrite history or her record. The RW talking points are so easily debunked.
Cha
(297,723 posts)President Obama Press Sec, Josh Earnest on McCarthy..
Leader McCarthy has committed the classic Washington gaffe of saying something everyone knows is true, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters...."
Josh!
Gothmog
(145,619 posts)brer cat
(24,615 posts)is that so many voters bought the lies as truth and will probably believe it until the day they die. I know many of them. Obviously most would vote republican anyway, but I know a couple of dems who believe HRC has been covering up something with Benghazi and the email faux news. It is a real uphill battle to counter the lies, as we see day in day out on DU.
mimi85
(1,805 posts)and she came up with four potential scenarios if no speaker is found. I can't believe someone hasn't come up with Eric Cantor who wanted the job and surprise defeat in his election is why Boehner didn't retire the end of last year. After hearing McCarthy's gaffes and speaking issues, good riddance. The GOP is in a mess of it's own making and I for one am having a party....and you're all invited. Plenty of popcorn and beer!
The whole thing about Benghazi is disgusting. I'm surprised Issa (the nearby rep in my area) hasn't put himself up for the job. He really is a giant asshole.