The Media is largely responsible for the the HATE & DIVIDE; They Fueled the Flames

[debbierlus]

It is surreal to watch the media act dismayed and surprised by the recent level of hatred and anger at McCain rallies considering they are the ones that flamed these feelings.

Everytime they allowed a Republican operative, sneering and vomiting out the word liberal in the same breath as the word 'terror/ism', to go unquestioned and unchecked, they fanned the flames.

Everytime they repeated these same talking points without any critical analysis or denouciation, they poured gas on the fire.

Everytime they allowed the Republican lies, smear, and propaganda to equate to balanced political 'debate', they legitamized & encourage the further use of the tactic, laying down kindling for the fire to spread.

Everytime they allowed the litmus test for Patriotism to be blind support for a President or Party, they singed the Bill of Rights.

And, now, our society is burning to the ground. Our economic system has collapsed. Our military is broken. Our people are divided. Our world is less safe. Our earth more polluted.

And, they are the ones that lit the match.

Fuckers.

[smoogatz]

1. They say what they're told to say.

I blame the neo-fascist corporate power structure: the CEO class and their Republican stooges.

[debbierlus]

4. Every individual makes a choice of what they will represent

Would you act as a talking head for this evil?

I didn't think so.

[smoogatz]

7. If I was unprincipled, ambitious and greedy enough

I would. If somebody offered me the kind of money the TV pundits make, and if I was sufficiently sweaty and careerist, I would. It's the people who pay them who are to blame: you can always find a spokesmodel to spout your point of view if you've got enough cash to throw around.

[WeDidIt]

2. Fuck, Tweety himself PLEADED with McCain Surrogates to go there

he did it for more than a week!

[NC_Nurse]

3. I think largely it's due to the misconception that being fair means showing

both positions in a fight, whether one is OBVIOUSLY wrong or not. They have forgotten how to
report facts and haver gone completely into "he said, she said" mode. The EPIC FAIL is that people
will believe bullshit if it's left unchallenged.

They have made some baby steps at fact-checking, but frankly I think the fact-checking should be going on BEFORE
something is reported. Isn't that how it USED TO work?

[debbierlus]

5. There is no excuse. Just look at the everyday people who post on DU

Cut right to the truth and the heart of the matter, often in just a sentence or two.

Truth is easy. It is the lying that get complicated.

[NC_Nurse]

8. Well, I know that. But they are such wimps that they are afraid of the RW

shouters who decry them as liberal or left-wing. It would be great if they weren't, but they are.

Another factor is they need an audience to keep a JOB. If all of the RW'ers turn off the show, they will lose half of their audience.

And remember who OWNS them. The likes of Rupert Murdoch and GE and the rest of the corporate GOP types.

[endthewar]

6. MSM coverage = gaffes + attacks + polls + campaign strategy - issues