E.J. Dionne: "Traditional media are so afraid of being called liberal" they'll run

[cal04]

Dionne: "Traditional media are so afraid of being called liberal" they'll run with "any kind of right-wing propaganda ... as news"

Video at link
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201007250019


Transcript
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38384219/ns/meet_the_press-transcripts
(snip)
MR. GREGORY: Right. Let me bring you into this, E.J., because you wrote in a column this week, "Yet the Obama team was reacting to a reality: the bludgeoning of mainstream journalism into looking timorously over its right shoulder and believing that `balance' demands taking seriously whatever sludge the far right is pumping into the political waters." What do we take from this?

MR. E.J. DIONNE: Well, that--yeah, that's my column tomorrow in the Post. I mean, first of all, you asked right at the beginning a good question: Can we have a good discussion on race? We can't have a good discussion on race if the facts don't matter. And I think it's, it's not only that Shirley Sherrod was smeared, it was a perverse smear. Because, if you look at that speech, what she was giving is a speech about racial reconciliation. She was saying poor blacks and poor whites have a lot in common. And this was twisted into a, an allegation, false allegation that she was somehow a black racist.

Now, what's going on here? I think the traditional media are so afraid of being called liberal, God forbid they be called liberal, that they are willing to run with any kind of right-wing propaganda and treat it as news. Challenging propaganda, or not running it, or taking your time before you run with a story, that's not liberalism, that's journalism. And I think that the right has been running this campaign for 30 years, they've had a lot of success, and we should worry about it. With the--you got to look over both shoulders, and you got to look at the facts.

[gratuitous]

1. I realize Gregory is asking the question as a means to spur discussion

But I can't help thinking that Gregory really doesn't know the answer to his question, "What do we take from this?" Except perhaps that he needs to genuflect faster whenever Breitbart, Drudge or Fox peddle some more nonsense.

[AlinPA]

2. "Dances with Rove" is why the MSM has turned to garbage. Daniel Shorr & Walter Cronkite were

journalists. Gregory is a stupid slob as are nearly every one of those Sunday morning TV hosts and commentators.

[OHdem10]

3. The Media Narrative has boxed them in. The Narrative is the

GOP will take over the house and possibly in 2020. This means
they must stand with the Republicans no matter how cockeymaimee
the story. This is why everyone of them have the kneejerk
response---No matter what the GOP does, they say the Left does
it too. The American people know they never see a real Democrat
on TV much less--a Lefty. This morning they had to go back
to 60s to find something about flag-burning. That is sick.

Mr. Gregory can you give me the name of a lefty? How much
do you really know about what is left, right and center?

Are you aware that if you had an in depth conversation with
Marcus (DailyKos) you find he is a Democrat who leans libertarian
(Civil Liberties).

The Media have contributed to loss of Democracy. We only get
a RW and I mean Right Wing View from Television.

May I remind the Media especially CNN: We were told that
when Clinton was President that because Democrats won the
election the Democrats would be given first consideration.

Like wise when GWB became President we were told the Republicans
would be given first consideration.

Obama won with one of the highest electoral vote in History.
His Party, Democrats won both Houses of Congress. Yet, from
day one, one would gather the Republicans are still in charge.

Where did our Democracy go.

[kckc]

4. E.J. was on fire this morning

though both he and David Brooks both had to introduce the "both sides are doing it" meme. At that point I went from cheering to jeering, but overall the discussion went better than I would have expected. I don't usually watch MTP because it just makes me crazy.

[lib2DaBone]

5. This is the result of the demonization of the word "liberal".. 8 years of Neocon Rule...

.. The Foxification of the Amereican Brain...

[indepat]

6. The term liberal is not used in the local media here except in the context of something vile,

treasonous, and putrid. :P