Milbank: McCain-Palin's Attacks On Media Have Spawned Unprecedented Crowd Hostility Toward Press

[babylonsister]

The good thing is, if the hateful crowds are also attacking the media, maybe the media will report on what's going on.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/milbank_mccainpalins_attacks_o.php


Milbank: McCain-Palin's Attacks On Media Have Spawned Unprecedented Crowd Hostility Toward Press
By Greg Sargent - October 7, 2008, 2:35PM


Dana Milbank -- the Washington Post reporter who wrote this morning's piece about the Palin crowd's disgusting abuse of reporters at a rally yesterday -- tells me that the McCain camp's repeated attacks on the media have spawned crowd hostility towards the press that's running at a "degree of intensity" he's never experienced in covering presidential politics.

As Milbank wrote, one Palin supporter hurled an unspecified racial epithet at an African American sound man, and told him: "Sit down, boy."

I checked in with Milbank to get a bit more on what happened yesterday, because the ugliness unleashed by McCain-Palin's nasty crowd-riling tactics are becoming a story in this campaign.

"None of this is new, but the degree of intensity is different," Milbank says. "It's taken an uglier turn. I've been doing this for years, and there's never been anything quite like this."

Milbank says that after the Palin attacked the New York Times and Katie Couric in her stump speech yesterday in Florida, he and other reporters were pelted with boos, with some saying things like "screw you" and "fucking liberal media."

"McCain has so overtly taken on the media -- they're doing it to rile the base," he continued. "And lo and behold, the base is good and riled."

[myrna minx]

1. And McCain use to be such a media darling.

This is really scary.

[Mme. Defarge]

2. The honeymoon is over? n/t

[myrna minx]

9. If reporters are being threatened by the lunatic base,

I would say yes. It may not be so for the anchors on their cozy sets, but for those who are reporting about these events, yes.

On Edit: Jackpine, as always says it better than me. His post down thread sums up my thoughts.

[Cha]

11. And Dana Milbank has always carried

water for repukes! Change-o.

[myrna minx]

15. I don't think Dana likes to have to high knee it out of a rally, because he's an elite.

He * was* a carrier for the republicans and you're right--change-o.

[LeftinOH]

3. ..and when they lose, they'll blame the same media they have abused...n/t

[apnu]

McCain supporters in my office whine all the time that "...the media is electing Obama" (nt)

[Cha]

14. The media has covered up for mcain and palin a lot!

And, when they haven't it's only been about the facts like mccain's record and palin's troopergate and inability to answer simple questions.

[kwolf68]

4. This is...

The far-right uncovered, unmasked. This is a good thing in one respect that it exposes these extremists for what they are...however, they are also dangerous.

[OneGrassRoot]

8. I agree. n/t

[Cha]

17. Good points.. it's

always healthy to uncover vermin who attend the rallies where palin mouths off.

<snip>

"Want further proof of pom-pom Palin? Try this as an experiment. Put on an audio of a Sarah Palin speech. Close your eyes and listen. What you'll hear is the high pitched voice of a teenage girl, speaking in circular reasoning, incomplete sentences, and juvenile idioms. No sophistication. No leadership. No wisdom. Just the sound of a snarky school girl. Sarah Palin is America's greatest nightmare. Sarah Palin is George W. Bush in a dress!"

<more>
http://www.alternet.org/election08/101903/what_i_learned_at_the_sarah_palin_rally_before_they_threw_me_out/

[Cha]

5. Rec'd! Thank the Universe that

palin is such a dumbshit and couldn't even answer simple questions on Couric's interview! Otherwise this would just be inciting riots over Obama but now we have the media writing about it from their perspective.

Dawg, they're Dumb.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. I think another of their original intentions was to "work the refs--"

to punish the media for any negative press, thereby causing them to give more favorable coverage to McNutso/Failin out of fear. Unfortunately the press didn't like being treated that way and took some revenge in the form of negative coverage, so it backfired. Now McNutso/Failin are stuck with no way to backtrack, so they're playing it for the benefit of their base.

[Virginia Dare]

19. They knew that Sarah Palin had not been properly vetted..

that there would be all sorts of stories coming out about her, so they figured if they preemptively attacked the press and made it look like she was the victim of smears that they could get ahead of it. It worked for about a month until she showed herself to be a complete idiot, even in a very controlled setting.

Now, when they lose the race in spectacular fashion they can blame it on 1) the liberal media 2) the economy, thereby taking no responsibility as a party.

[Cha]

20. Law of Unintended Consequences.. it's not

the bush-cheney years anymore.

[Bozita]

7. The GOP cannot run a campaign without a bunch of demons to fear and hate.

[Jackpine Radical]

24. That is about as accurate and concise a statement of political reality

as I have seen lately.

[Overseas]

10. The desperate RNC churns up the culture wars to win through hate.

They play this dangerous game very cynically.

In the new Republican Party's immoral game, the Ends Justify the Means.

[liberal N proud]

12. This could be the one thing that drive the media to do its job

Providing facts, not commentary.

I am afraid however, they are driven by the powers that want the GOP in power at all cost.

[Helga Scow Stern]

13. Maybe Sea Smurf will be needed for these nutcases....n/t

[Abacus]

16. I posted the same conclusion a couple weeks ago

and got one of these: :eyes:

As I said then, I think this would be a great tactic to energize the base, but Palin already accomplished that; I think it will cost them independents and I don't see much sense in it.

[Cass]

18. Too bad the press won't tell Palin 'thanks, but no thanks' when it comes to

covering her events. The press is barred from asking questions and now she's whipping up a frenzy of hate that puts them in danger.

This campaign is getting real nasty and it is getting worrisome that the level of hate is being amped up big time.

edit: typo

[GAtomboy]

21. Sheeeeeeeeeeep

That's all they are - dumb sheep.

[barack the house]

22. McCain deserves no coverage for inciting this nonsense.

[babylonsister]

23. Coversely, if they get lots of negative comments, they might tone

down whatever they're saying that's inciting people.

[Raschel]

32. McCain and Palin - creating division wherever they go n/t

[rvablue]

28. And media outlets should publicly announce

that they can no longer staff McCain/Palin rallies for fear of bodily injury.

[BlueIdaho]

25. Its hard to imagine

how this naked hositility and blatant racism are a net plus for the republican party. This presidential ticket has shown a careless disregard for civil rights, racial equality, and basic human decency. In the end, most main stream Americans will not reward this hate filled behavior with their votes. I don't think I've ever seen a presidential campaign turn this ugly in my lifetime.

John McCain must be held responsible for the tone his campaign has taken. This looks like a return to the 1940's and 1950's and I am disgusted.

[JPZenger]

26. How dare a CNN Reporter ask a follow-up question to a McCain spokesperson??:

How DARE a CNN reporter ask a follow-up question to a McCain spokesman! Have you no decency? These questions resulted in McCain angrily cancelling his appearance on Larry King.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/05/brown.bounds/index.html

[Supersedeas]

27. McStraight Talk is a fictional darling, created by the Media -- NOW they complain

You've gotta EARN your seat on the Free Ride Express

[leftist.]

29. Reporters threatened, t-shirt wearers killed, children called nazis ...

McCain '08!!!!!!!!

[Schulzz]

30. It's their own fault.

If they would call her out forcefully, such bullshit could not not spread. But they even reward her with free airtime and cover all rallies.

[Quantess]

31. McCain - Palin is a train wreck, and

it's like they are trying to take as many people down with them as they can. While McCain - Palin is swirling down the toilet, everybody else had better hang on, and not get dragged down with them.