Monday January 25, 2010
INSIDE THE BELTWAY
By Jennifer Harper
Sins of omission
The mainstream news media spent 2009 protecting the Obama administration from the
viable findings of bloggers, independent videographers and "new media" mavens.
Where was the coverage of White House "green jobs' guru Van Jones, who signed a
petition suggesting the Bush administration played a role in the September 11 attacks?
Also mostly ignored: The follies of Climategate, of ACORN, and of revelations that White
House communications director Anita Dunn appreciated Mao Zedong, but not Fox News.
"Instead of acting as government watchdogs holding the people in power accountable, the
nation's broadcast news networks deliberately suppressed and de facto censored
embarrassing scoops — at least until President Obama or Congress took action and made
them impossible to ignore," says Tim Graham of the Media Research Center, which
publishes a lengthy study of the trend Monday.
"This resistance to real news extended even to newspapers like the Washington Post and
the New York Times, which are supposed to be more substantive and thorough than highly
paid TV news talking heads or unpaid bloggers," Mr. Graham says. "The news was not
only slow in arriving, it was fast in disappearing."
Both papers didn't mention Mr. Jones until he resigned. Broadcast networks did not
acknowledge ACORN's willingness to help out a faux "pimp and prostitute" even after
NBC's Jay Leno parodied it all. ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, Time, Newsweek, USA Today, and
the New York Times ignored Ms. Dunn; the major networks also suppressed Climategate.
"The 'old media' are in danger of losing even more audience members as long as they
refuse to acknowledge news until after Democrats in Congress or the White House decide
it's news," Mr. Graham says. "During the last administration, Newsweek editor Evan
Thomas insisted: 'Our job is to bash the president, that's what we do.' But in 2009, he
proclaimed that Mr. Obama was poised above the country, even above the world: 'He's
sort of God.' "
Mr. Graham adds, "The news media should not see its job as 'bashing' the president, but
in 2009, it should not have been their job to inflate him into a celestial being, either."
See the complete study here: www.mrc.org
The light brigade
Indeed, it is primarily the "new media" rushing to identify "Ellie Light," a deft Obama
defender who managed to place a heartfelt, pro-White House letter-to-the-editor in 42
newspapers in 18 states in the last week. Yes, The Washington Times ran the letter, along
with Politico. Is it "astroturf" — fake grass-roots support drummed up by PR pros? Is there
a real Miss Light?
"Some web sleuths believe that 'Ellie' is none other than Samantha Power, the former
campaign aide to Barack Obama who was forced to resign for calling Hillary Clinton a
'monster.' Ms. Power has recovered from that snafu rather nicely; she now serves on the
National Security Council. Power is also married to Cass Sunstein, one of the President's
many czars," summarizes the Infidel Bloggers Alliance.
"He's the guy who believes that animals should have legal standing to sue in the nation's
courts. Sunstein has also advocated 'secret' payments to experts outside the government,
to shape opinion and prod them into action."
Makes cents
Ten dollars, $20 — even 84 cents. It's the kind of "change" Republicans believe in. Even
in a credit-crazed world, the party has managed to keep a close eye on its treasure chest.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) netted $6.6 million in the month of December
from contributions alone, has $8.4 million cash-on-hand — and $0 debt. This brings the
year-end total to $81.3 million raised; the average contribution to the RNC during 2009
was $39.84. Currently, the RNC has 1.2 million active donors, adding a record-breaking
370,000 new donors in the last 12 months.
Give him space
Some people contend that lawmakers act like they're from another planet. Then
there are those convinced that otherwordly affairs play a distinct role in politics,
like Denver-based activist Jeff Peckman, who insists the nation needs an
"Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission" and demands that President Obama, in the
name of "transparency," release 60 years worth of official records about UFOs.
Mr. Peckman borrows Cold War reasoning from former President Reagan in an
impassioned plea:
"President Obama, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the United States
and the world, if you seek truth, come here to this historic opportunity. Mr.
President, open the files on UFOs and extraterrestrial visitors. Mr. President,
'tear down this wall' of UFO secrecy," Mr. Peckham says.
Something could be up, says Marek Kukula, public astronomer at Britain's Royal
Observatory, who warned Sunday that extraterrestrials may be, uh, hostile.
"Given the consequences of contact may not be what we initially hoped for, then
we need governments and the U.N. to get involved in any discussions," he told
the Times of London newspaper.
"During this election year, I believe that the brightest stars will be those political
candidates who are well-informed about the UFO-disclosure issue and the
rapidly growing public awareness of extraterrestrial visitations," Mr. Peckman
tells Inside the Beltway.
"These brightest stars will encourage open and honest discussion of disclosure
of government files on crafts and visitors of extraterrestrial origin. Political
candidates that do not shine with a respectful and informed response to
questions about UFO disclosure will regret it. They'll be left behind eating
stardust," he adds.
Bumper patrol
"Thank you, Massachusetts."
— Bumper sticker produced by Beltway reader David Denholm, who tells us, "In a fit of
irrational exuberance, I had some printed to give to friends, and I'm selling what's left on
eBay."
Poll du jour
• 49 percent of American voters are concerned that the federal government will do "too
much" to fix the economy.
• 76 percent of Republicans and 57 percent of independents agree.
• 76 percent of Democrats say the government "will not do enough."
• 35 percent of Americans overall say the $787 billion stimulus plan helped the economy.
• 31 percent say the plan hurt the economy; 29 percent say it had no impact.
Source: A Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 likely voters, conducted Jan. 18-19.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/25/inside-the-beltway-64915953/?page=2
INSIDE THE BELTWAY
By Jennifer Harper
Sins of omission
The mainstream news media spent 2009 protecting the Obama administration from the
viable findings of bloggers, independent videographers and "new media" mavens.
Where was the coverage of White House "green jobs' guru Van Jones, who signed a
petition suggesting the Bush administration played a role in the September 11 attacks?
Also mostly ignored: The follies of Climategate, of ACORN, and of revelations that White
House communications director Anita Dunn appreciated Mao Zedong, but not Fox News.
"Instead of acting as government watchdogs holding the people in power accountable, the
nation's broadcast news networks deliberately suppressed and de facto censored
embarrassing scoops — at least until President Obama or Congress took action and made
them impossible to ignore," says Tim Graham of the Media Research Center, which
publishes a lengthy study of the trend Monday.
"This resistance to real news extended even to newspapers like the Washington Post and
the New York Times, which are supposed to be more substantive and thorough than highly
paid TV news talking heads or unpaid bloggers," Mr. Graham says. "The news was not
only slow in arriving, it was fast in disappearing."
Both papers didn't mention Mr. Jones until he resigned. Broadcast networks did not
acknowledge ACORN's willingness to help out a faux "pimp and prostitute" even after
NBC's Jay Leno parodied it all. ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, Time, Newsweek, USA Today, and
the New York Times ignored Ms. Dunn; the major networks also suppressed Climategate.
"The 'old media' are in danger of losing even more audience members as long as they
refuse to acknowledge news until after Democrats in Congress or the White House decide
it's news," Mr. Graham says. "During the last administration, Newsweek editor Evan
Thomas insisted: 'Our job is to bash the president, that's what we do.' But in 2009, he
proclaimed that Mr. Obama was poised above the country, even above the world: 'He's
sort of God.' "
Mr. Graham adds, "The news media should not see its job as 'bashing' the president, but
in 2009, it should not have been their job to inflate him into a celestial being, either."
See the complete study here: www.mrc.org
The light brigade
Indeed, it is primarily the "new media" rushing to identify "Ellie Light," a deft Obama
defender who managed to place a heartfelt, pro-White House letter-to-the-editor in 42
newspapers in 18 states in the last week. Yes, The Washington Times ran the letter, along
with Politico. Is it "astroturf" — fake grass-roots support drummed up by PR pros? Is there
a real Miss Light?
"Some web sleuths believe that 'Ellie' is none other than Samantha Power, the former
campaign aide to Barack Obama who was forced to resign for calling Hillary Clinton a
'monster.' Ms. Power has recovered from that snafu rather nicely; she now serves on the
National Security Council. Power is also married to Cass Sunstein, one of the President's
many czars," summarizes the Infidel Bloggers Alliance.
"He's the guy who believes that animals should have legal standing to sue in the nation's
courts. Sunstein has also advocated 'secret' payments to experts outside the government,
to shape opinion and prod them into action."
Makes cents
Ten dollars, $20 — even 84 cents. It's the kind of "change" Republicans believe in. Even
in a credit-crazed world, the party has managed to keep a close eye on its treasure chest.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) netted $6.6 million in the month of December
from contributions alone, has $8.4 million cash-on-hand — and $0 debt. This brings the
year-end total to $81.3 million raised; the average contribution to the RNC during 2009
was $39.84. Currently, the RNC has 1.2 million active donors, adding a record-breaking
370,000 new donors in the last 12 months.
Give him space
Some people contend that lawmakers act like they're from another planet. Then
there are those convinced that otherwordly affairs play a distinct role in politics,
like Denver-based activist Jeff Peckman, who insists the nation needs an
"Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission" and demands that President Obama, in the
name of "transparency," release 60 years worth of official records about UFOs.
Mr. Peckman borrows Cold War reasoning from former President Reagan in an
impassioned plea:
"President Obama, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the United States
and the world, if you seek truth, come here to this historic opportunity. Mr.
President, open the files on UFOs and extraterrestrial visitors. Mr. President,
'tear down this wall' of UFO secrecy," Mr. Peckham says.
Something could be up, says Marek Kukula, public astronomer at Britain's Royal
Observatory, who warned Sunday that extraterrestrials may be, uh, hostile.
"Given the consequences of contact may not be what we initially hoped for, then
we need governments and the U.N. to get involved in any discussions," he told
the Times of London newspaper.
"During this election year, I believe that the brightest stars will be those political
candidates who are well-informed about the UFO-disclosure issue and the
rapidly growing public awareness of extraterrestrial visitations," Mr. Peckman
tells Inside the Beltway.
"These brightest stars will encourage open and honest discussion of disclosure
of government files on crafts and visitors of extraterrestrial origin. Political
candidates that do not shine with a respectful and informed response to
questions about UFO disclosure will regret it. They'll be left behind eating
stardust," he adds.
Bumper patrol
"Thank you, Massachusetts."
— Bumper sticker produced by Beltway reader David Denholm, who tells us, "In a fit of
irrational exuberance, I had some printed to give to friends, and I'm selling what's left on
eBay."
Poll du jour
• 49 percent of American voters are concerned that the federal government will do "too
much" to fix the economy.
• 76 percent of Republicans and 57 percent of independents agree.
• 76 percent of Democrats say the government "will not do enough."
• 35 percent of Americans overall say the $787 billion stimulus plan helped the economy.
• 31 percent say the plan hurt the economy; 29 percent say it had no impact.
Source: A Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 likely voters, conducted Jan. 18-19.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/25/inside-the-beltway-64915953/?page=2
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| "Mr. President, 'tear down this wall' of UFO secrecy," |
| "Mr. President, 'tear down this wall' of UFO secrecy," |
| Above top secret Arlington - MJ12 only access - Gulf Breeze Six - Roswell - Classified Iron Mountain |
