what Jonathan Alter said on MSNBC this afternoon about Gore

[illinoisprogressive]

He confirmed everything we have known but, still needed proof.
He was on early in the afternoon or later in the morning. He was talking about the gore article to the anchor.
He launched into how the press set out to destroy Gore. He said they painted him as a cartoon of him self and distorted everything he said and called him a liar with the distortions they used. And they laughed at him when he would talk about the issues which they said was wrong. The Washington Conventional Wisdom.
He said it later turned out Gore's stands were right and true like global warming.
Alter also said the media ignored the warning signs about Bush and did not do their job with him.
Alter trashed his own profession for what they did to Gore and how they did not do their job in vetting Bush and giving him a free pass because they were obsessed with the idea of having a beer with him.
Yesterday, Chuck Todd on the air said the media was not doing their job this time around. they are doing things the same as they did in the 99 primaries. He said the press is not picking up on stories and not discussing them though they are important in regards to the candidates. That the press is playing favorites.
So, it seems we all were right about how the press is being totally irresponsible, picking out our candidates and trying to destroy those that do not fit in with their ideas or storyline.

Just thought I would tell you the incredible thing I've seen the past two days. Some journalists seem to be very troubled by what the press has been doing and how they are misusing their positions for their own agenda rather than present the facts and the truth.

[napi21]

1. Yes, I saw that. It doesn't surprise me that there are a few

rporters who feel that way. I think the problem is, unless they are COMPLETELY SECURE in their job, (as very few are) they see what happened to Dan Rather, and several other long established journalists, and they're just not willing to take the risk. They do what they're told.

[Gloria]

2. Saw an ad on MSNBC yesterday...screaming about "scoring" the

campaign and election. Same old crap....like a sporting event....who cares about issues??

[RestoreGore]

3. Yes, it is the same

And they are now apparently working to set up the ultimate political brawl they want to see. They don't care about issues. It's good to see a few coming to this realization, though I really am tempted to say too little too late regarding what they did to Mr. Gore.

[sandnsea]

4. When they admit they did it to Kerry too

And that they do it now because they're afraid of the Clintons, then maybe I'll believe any remorse they have over Gore. As it is, I don't know what their game is, but I sure as hell don't trust them.

Who is suckering Gore into the race, why, and who does it benefit?

:shrug:

[MH1]

7. Exactly. n/t

[peacetalksforall]

17. They are really doing a number on Edwards - I believe it's all on

orders. Alter makes it sound like its all independent journalists. I don't buy that.

Few are going to spell out how the meetings and memos direct them.

It's the barons and the ceo's with all the other factions. They are following orders and may be doing it now.

I don't trust corporate journalists. Some fly above my radar and Alter just a little above.

[sandnsea]

20. Like Judith Miller

How can they continue to support her work when she was put in touch with the exact "sources" the White House was using to spin their WMD yarns. I think there are probably a number of "Judith Millers" out there, Jonathan Alter could even be one but he sees himself as just having good sources, like Miller. The idea that his trusted govt sources are all a bunch of liars using him to plant the "news", well he just doesn't see it at all. And since that's what all his colleagues are doing, well he sees them all as honest and independent as he believes himself to be. When you get one who really believes they're carrying an important story, like Judith Miller did, well then they'll say anything they're told. The hype and attention goes to their head, and there's no turning back.

Then you mix in money and the pressure from the Fox haters, and well here we are. They can't tell when they're being bullied by the right, the DLC, or their own bosses.

[cui bono]

30. And also when she used the "don't reveal your source" to save criminals

it's supposed to be there to protect whistleblowers and such, not traitors! That really pissed me off!

[aquart]

5. And the newspapers wonder why no one will read them.

Because they LIED. A student brought in an article about Gore clipped from the New York Times. I looked, read the first sentence, and told him that sentence, indeed, one single word in the sentence, told me not to believe a word of the slanted article. The word was "tinkering." It referred to a speech Gore had to give. He was "tinkering" with it. Not honing it. Not perfecting it. Not working hard to make sure it was as truthful and effective as possible. No. He was "tinkering."

Deliberate belittling.

[Harper_is_Bush]

6. That all sounds great, but is Jonathan Alter someone with any influence? n/t

[beberocks]

8. Now they are troubled--how many people had to die and billions wasted?

I think this little bit of introspection will last about a nanosecond, then the right-wing machine will start greasing palms again to get "their" message across.

[AX10]

9. This time around, we have the Internet.

The Internet, which the MSM Punditry has declared war on because we can fight these establishment mules inch by inch, is our new tool to fight the right wing with. The MSM may admit in part that they were wrong about Gore, but they are still full of shit. I have no reason to trust these SOB's who worked to bring Bush upon us and all the horrors that he has brought to this world. They lied and promoted the War in Iraq, they claimed that the people support tax cuts for the rich because they believe in that supply-side bullshit. There is much more that we all know about too. I am not interested in reading the local fishrags anymore. I use the Internet to get my news!

:dem:

[illinoisprogressive]

13. true. I thought about the net and that we can fight them this time.

[grasswire]

10. Jonathan Alter is a mensch

He has been speaking the truth for a long time -- the election night 2000 was one of those instances for him. He's fighting a serious illness right now. I wish him and his family a long and happy life.

[illinoisprogressive]

11. If they admit to Gore now, they will admit to kerry in 4 years. but

they need to stop doing this period. It is up to the voters to decide and their job is not to pick our nominee but, to tell us the facts and truth.

[illinoisprogressive]

12. I feel like Edwards is getting the Gore treatment.

[Exultant Democracy]

16. Edwards and Obama are both getting Gored right now

the media started in on Edwards first, but as soon as Obama started to win the money race they turned on him too.

[rosesaylavee]

24. Let's admit it - they are nasty and condescending with ALL the DEM candidates

and giving the Repuglicans a pass overall.

Seen much negative coverage of that the RW candidates? Seems like a love fest compared to what they do to our candidates.

And we here on DU support the negativity and diss each others candidates. Or we allow the trolls here to lead the way.

[emilyg]

18. He is. You're right.

[Clark2008]

22. On issues like his hair, yes, but the press is valid in

pointing out that he is spending this entire campaign up-ending his Senate voting career. That's valid.

[BlueStater]

27. Is your entire purpose on these forums to find posts about Edwards and then attack him?

I rarely see you post anything else unless it involves Edwards in some way.

[OwnedByFerrets]

14. The biggest piece of news that I see them all ignoring........

the proverbial "elephant in the room" is the ONE MILLION Iraqi's who have died because of the lies from this administration.
No one wants to say the words of truth. No one is willing to show the images that will horrify America.
Its just too ugly and too sobering, and would make any who had souls ashamed of this country they proclaim to love so much.

[emilyg]

19. Saw a picture tonight on truthout of an old woman weeping for a dead loved one

so many pictures like that. breaks your heart.

[Auntie Bush]

15. Jonathan Alter is so correct. The MSM only want a good horse race to

make the election exciting and get people interested and watching. They're afraid that if they discussed those old boring issues people would change the channel. They have no faith in the American people. We're just a bunch of lame brain idiots! Well, I must admit, some people are but they are mostly in the red states.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. I think Gore is playing this in an intelligent way.

He knows what is going to happen to his candidacy if he goes in without public and media support. So, I say, if you want Gore to make the run, we all need to play a little defensive guard.

[Mend]

23. I expect the candidates themselves to defend themselves as well, even

if they have to spend money buying ads to set the record straight. Remember how Lawton Chiles beat jeb bush for gov of FL and the reason why jeb isn't president. When bush ran rovian ads much like the Willie Horton stuff, soft on crime, blah, blah, blah, Chiles went after him in the debate, tore him a new one, called him a liar, told him he should be ashamed of himself, and then won the election. No one had to rely on the newspapers and their liars.

[otohara]

25. Maureen Dowds New Column is Nauseating

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-reardon/memo-to-dowd-and-the-pres_b_63192.html

Here we go again!

[glitch]

29. Ugh, she sure is boring isn't she? Same old same old. I'd say poor NYT but they deserve her. nt

[longship]

26. Recommended and Kicked

Good synopsis. People need to read this.

:kick:ed

[Alizaryn]

28. I like Alter

He always seems to be trying to be real