digby: Working The Kewl Kidz

[babylonsister]

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/working-kewl-kidz-by-digby-minute-i.html


Lots of imbedded Media Matter links in this to prove that's exactly what happened; McGrumpy's camp got a lot of play from the 'media' for false info that no one bothered to check.


Working The Kewl Kidz

by digby

The minute I read Ben Smith's report last Thursday that Obama had "refused" to visit the wounded soldiers, I wrote about it and suggested that it could have some legs. If you have followed the way the right wing noise machine and the press operate over the past couple of decades, you can smell a "sticky" story that pushes the desired narrative a mile away. And what do you know, Media Matters has spent the last few days documenting the press pushing the story:

Monday, July 28, 2008

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MSNBC's Hall falsely suggested that Obama did not "visit wounded American troops" on overseas trip
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Reuters uncritically reported McCain campaign's misleading claim that Obama "made time to go to the gym, but canceled a visit with wounded troops"


Sunday, July 27, 2008


MSNBC's Witt aired McCain ad without noting misleading claims about visiting wounded troops, Afghanistan hearings, military funding
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CNN's Bash declared as fact McCain view that Obama "stumble" in Landstuhl decision, not noting CNN analysts' position that he was in no-win situation


The story is a bit convoluted (you can click any of the links above for full explanation) but this flap is just so typical of the right's approach and the media's reflexive response. It also fits in with the arrogant, aloof, "presumptuous" (uppity) meme that's sweeping the village, which McCain himself is stoking with his plaintive cries of "feeling left out" by the media and as a spokesman for the poor neglected Real American who Obama allegedly doesn't care about in favor of liberal elites and Frenchmen (essentially the same thing.)

The McCain campaign is coming hard after Obama right now, being very aggressive and nearly hostile, adopting a tone of righteous indignation that this interloper is trying, basically, to steal the country from its rightful owners. It's pretty standard right wing populism and it's always been an effective approach for Republicans during hard times. We'll see if he can make it work, but I would hope that the Democrats start fighting this back right now. It's not going to get any better and there's no margin in letting it lie.

snip//

Update: Media Matters has more

MSNBC's Buchanan falsely suggested Obama did not visit wounded troops, repeated smears of Obama's patriotism

MSNBC on-screen text attributed to Obama camp claim that Obama met with troops in Iraq without press -- but NBC had reported it as fact

[babylonsister]

1. Hey, it's MM and digby. What's not to like? nt