Russert Dumpster Diving on Meat the Press - promoting a lie

[Ichingcarpenter]

I think pretty much everyone knows now that that picture of Barack Obama with his hands at his sides that's been making the rounds of the right wing sites actually wasn't taking during a recitation of the pledge of allegiance. So why does Tim Russert repeat this canard on national TV? Here's Russert's question to David Axelrod this morning (emphasis added) ...

Let me ask about two final issues. David Axelrod, based on the last couple of weeks, many Democrats fear Republicans in the fall will string together an ad which shows Michelle Obama saying that she really never had pride in America until this campaign when Barack Obama was running, Barack Obama with his hands clasped in front of him rather than holding his heart during the pledge of allegiance, Barack Obama not wearing a flag pin, Barack Obama talking about clinging to faith and to guns, suggesting--Barack Obama meeting with Bill Ayers, a former Weather ground under--Weatherman underground figure. Are you concerned that all those kinds of issues could be strung together to create an impression of Obama that would make him almost unelectable to a lot of swing voters?

With his supposedly crack research staff, how does Russert manage to make a mistake like that? Where's the retraction and apology? Or is it intentional?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/190152.php

[EFerrari]

1. Contact form for Meat the Press. Make it so!

https://register.cnbc.com/email/EmailSupport.jsp

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. Thanks Captain Picard

"Shields up! Rrrrred alert!" Done!

[newmajority]

2. They don't call Timmie "Media Whore #1" for nothing.

It's intentional. But GE wants more war, and Timmiewhore is a company man.

[hisownpetard]

13. It is intentional and obnoxious. That's why I can't watch "Meet the Pest."

[mwb970]

3. The corporations seem terrified of Obama.

Timmeh's just doing his part.

[wurzel]

4. Any Right-wing accusation is a "fact" for Russert.

[DJ13]

5. hands clasped in front of him rather than holding his heart during the pledge of allegiance

Russert is reciting a right wing (Clinton) smear there.

It wasnt the Pledge of Allegiance being recited in that photo, it was the National Anthem being played, which unlike the Pledge, holding your hand over your heart isnt a usual practice.

[ErinBerin84]

6. yeah, I mentioned that in the Press the Meat thread, haha

Would have been great if Axelrod could have responded to the first part about the "national anthem" myth "Well, it starts with journalists fact-checking instead of perpetuating the GOP falsehoods, so I'll first correct you on that", before going on with his answeer. Was disappointed that he didn't catch it. Tim Russert has been distorting the Democrats' answers to his own debate questions for weeks, so I wasn't really surprised that Tim said that.

[Cosmocat]

7. It just DRIVES ME NUTS ...

that the MSM just blindly advances right wing BS ... Like they have no choice to do so ... Any specious nonsense that the right wing advances, they act like they have no choice other than to glare and demand that a democrat has to answer to it ...

WTF !!!

You have the RESPONSIBILITY, as a journalist, to vet out the crape and bring up what is meaningful ...

They are flat out Panzies, for letting the right wing beat them down as the "liberal media" and being afraid of that, for being afraid to not lean right as being the front men for corporations, for selling out to the power and prestige of being in DC ...

[TahitiNut]

11. You should be so lucky. Please don't say "nuts" like it's a Bad Thing.

Thanks. :hi:

This is a public service posting on behalf of the Association of Fruits and Nuts, International, DU Chapter.

[AndyTiedye]

12. These "Journalists" Are Doing What their Employers Tell Them to Do

Their job is to put McCain in the White House.

[GoesTo11]

17. Russert = MSNBC (GE) - remember how Jack Welch called the 2000 election

[AndyTiedye]

19. Jack Welch even Admitted That He Bought NBC to Control The Output of NBC News

It was in Time or Newsweek around the time GE acquired NBC. I can't find the original article, unfortunately.

[EFerrari]

8. People, send out the OP with the contact form in #1.

No one will know that you care unless you speak up.

Send the OP to your peeps with the contact information. ABC got rocked, why not these idiots?

[AndyTiedye]

20. They Know We Care. They Don't Care That We Care

This is NOT about ratings. This is about keeping the Repiglickans in power.

[izquierdista]

9. It's not a mistake

Timmy the Tool lines up his RW talking points very carefully for any of his appearances before the camera. He knows who pays his salary and will obstinately trot out their line until called on it again and again. He is as much of a journalist as I am an NFL quarterback.

[Speck Tater]

14. "Meat" the press? Like with steaks and burgers? NT

[Blue-Jay]

15. I'm grilling some burgers today.

If Russert was my neighbor, I'd invite him over. (What can I say? I don't hate the guy...)

[cliffordu]

16. I just took some time and wrote an email to those clowns.....

The MSM, I think, is waking up to the very real possibility that they are rapidly becoming obsolete.

They cannot publish or 'report' a story about Obama that is this patently false without major payback on the interweb emails. I hope this continues.



Here's the text of the email:


(Dear blah blah.....)

Russert's team of crack investigators needs to go to snopes.com and look at the film of Obama not holding his hand over his heart during the national anthem.

We don't put our hands over our hearts during the national anthem unless we face the flag. Where is the flag in the film? Why is Hillary and Richardson and that other crone looking in different directions?? Why aren't they facing the flag??

Why is it in Russert's interests to perpetuate a known falsehood?

If you need researchers I'll be glad to help out so Mr. Russert doesn't make himself look any more like a spokesmodel for the Right than he already has.


:patriot:

[klyon]

18. I'm afraid that the 4th estate is lost

which means democracy is not far behind.
If McCain wins, it will be the last straw that broke democracy.
We are dead.

[Ichingcarpenter]

21. This is the Video... Obama sang the Star Spangle Banner others do not

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4FD-j_Dqq8

[rodeodance]

22. I see you are stilling crying about hard questions/issues. Saddle up

[Ichingcarpenter]

23. It was a lie... that's not a hard question.... It is a lie.

It was a false statement. What is wrong with holding our 'press' accountable.
Do you know Chelsea said to write to ABC and complain about the debate also?

[rodeodance]

25. What is the lie?

[blogslut]

24. No kidding

Not to mention this Weather Underground business. The damned subject is so old even Timmy forgot how to say the name correctly. It's not going to resonate with the majority populace. The swifties were able to pluck heartstrings because it's easy to get the average person to empathize with soldier stories. The radical groups of the 60's and early 70's, not so much.

Say the name Weather Underground to anyone under 40 and they'll reply: "That's that website where you get the weather, right?

Petty, gossipy bullshit with a tin ear. Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. It's boring and it's tired.

[golddigger]

26. !!11!!11CALL MEAT THE PRESS RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!11!! Tell them we want our meat well done!

:silly: