Media Matters takes on Patrick Healy's slanted reporting on Kerry

[whometense]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200605240005

Patrick Healy, author of that slimy and yet negligible piece on the Clintons' marriage in yesterday's NY Times, worked at the Boston Globe during the 2004 campaign.

Media Matters:

Author of NYT tabloid story on Clintons has checkered record

Summary: Patrick Healy, the author of a New York Times article purporting to examine the married life of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and former President Bill Clinton, wondered in a 2004 report whether Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John F. Kerry (MA), was "a bit kooky" and openly questioned "what kind of marriage the Kerrys have" while filing other erroneous stories on the Democratic nominee that fueled Republican attacks. By contrast, Healy has let another prominent New Yorker and possible presidential contender, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, escape similar personal probing in three recent stories.

Patrick Healy, the author of a front-page, above-the-fold May 23 New York Times article purporting to examine the married life of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and former President Bill Clinton, wondered in a 2004 report in The Boston Globe whether Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John F. Kerry (MA), was "a bit kooky" and openly questioned "what kind of marriage the Kerrys have" while filing other erroneous stories on the Democratic nominee that fueled Republican attacks. By contrast, Healy has let another prominent New Yorker and possible presidential contender, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, escape similar personal probing in three recent stories.

[whometense]

1. In addition, Peter Daou uncovers this new Michelle Malkin sliming

http://daoureport.salon.com/synopsis.aspx?synopsisId=66e5fa07-d283-4c9e-92f5-368a2f545b9e

I won't link to the Malkin website, but I assure you, it's nauseating.

"Michelle Malkin, who seems to take great pride in slandering a decorated Vietnam vet, posts an obnoxious image of Kerry juxtaposed with Jesse MacBeth. It may be funny to her, but I'll bet it wasn't a joke to Kerry when he was taking enemy fire for his country so ingrates like Malkin could have the freedom to piss on his service."

Over the past few days we've seen rightwing extremists and various media cohorts ratchet up their anti-Dem offensive. As I wrote Tuesday in response to a detestable comment from ABC's Bush-propping tip sheet, The Note: "From attempts to paint Dems with the same "culture of corruption" brush as Republicans, to tabloid-worthy stories about the Clintons from Patrick "foreign leaders" Healy, reporters simply can't let go of their narratives.... this is emblematic of the ease with which the media establishment slanders Democrats."

Not content with revisiting the Clinton bedroom, rightwingers are going after their favorite targets: Al Gore and John Kerry. Media Matters tracks the anti-Gore assault. The Daily Howler adds perspective: "Al Gore was right about global warming—way back in the 1980s. He was also right on internal combustion. And oh yes, he was right on Iraq, in a prophetic speech in September 02—a speech Joe Klein praised at the time. In a rational world, this would make Gore a reigning star—but we live in the world of a millionaire press corps, and we suffer, every day, from its judgments."

Somerby continues, "Yes, (Kathleen) Parker and (Chris) Matthews are deeply stupid. In fact, they’re stupid to the point of national calamity, since these are the people in charge of our discourse. And all this week, we’ll note the ways our liberal elites accept this weird state of affairs. But please understand what we’ve shown you for years: This is the way the “press corps” treats you—if you’re the guy who was actually right! Throughout this segment on Gore-as-a-candidate, the Standard Themes were dragged out and promoted. Was Gore too “bitter?” Did he have too much “venom?” Could be possibly get over his “anger?” And, of course, what about his “authenticity?” Robots couldn’t stick to a script the way these bizarre magpies can."

Clinton, Gore... and of course, Kerry. Michelle Malkin, who seems to take great pride in slandering a decorated Vietnam vet, posts an obnoxious image of Kerry juxtaposed with Jesse MacBeth. It may be funny to her, but I'll bet it wasn't a joke to Kerry when he was taking enemy fire for his country so ingrates like Malkin could have the freedom to piss on his service. What a sorry spectacle...

[ProSense]

4. It's sickening. Repigs are just making up quotes now. Malkin

is no doubt becoming more bitter (albeit a genetic affliction) because of the thousands of e-mail she has received, including one from me, that calls her by her rightful name: Bitch!


Evil scum, all of them!

[ginnyinWI]

11. And not only these pundits. Even Gwen Ifil!

Did you see her on Newshour tonight--she could hardly contain her contempt and disgust of Gore and his documentary. It was like she was gritting her teeth asking the required questions of Gore's former chief of staff. Either that or she was suffering from a migraine--cause that's how she looked.

[whometense]

2. Everyone seen the cover of the new American Prospect????

:D




Article here: http://www.prospect.org/web/view-web.ww?id=11552

[Island Blue]

6. Love that cover!

I guess poor Bushie has Projectile Dysfunction.

[whometense]

7. hahahahahaahahaha

I love the look on his face!!!

[ginnyinWI]

12. TAP is getting as bold as The Nation in their artwork! n/t

[ProSense]

8. Cool!

Limp weenies!

[TayTay]

3. Jaysuz, What in hell does the Globe have against Kerry anyway?

Honestly, I once posted in this group that I know of only three things that can get you that kind of hatred: Steal someone's girlfriend, run over their dog or show up drunk at a funeral. (I'm still betting on the girlfriend. The vendetta is way odl, way old.)

This is why I was so surprised to meet a nice, new reporter for the Globe the other day at the live-blog for the Lt. Gov's race. So, this is what Globe reporters start out as, then they have to take the acid bath and get the venom dispensers installed.

You know, I do know why they do this, but it still doesn't make sense. Friggin bunch of jealous, provincial, myopic, lazy bastids.

Patrick Healy should be ashamed of himself. He, and the editors he reported to and who allowed his crap into print, should be ashamed of themselves. They are a dishonor to the First Amendment.

[whometense]

5. I agree.

I guess once the venom is installed, it stays installed. I am no fan of the Clintons, but for god's sake, their marriage should be off the political table. Give it a freaking rest.

I can't imagine there's a person out there who is not a kneejerk Clinton-loather who gives a flying crap, either.

Healy has apparently taken his poison pen with him to NY. The question is, why is the Times printing such utter crap? Paper of Record, my ass.

[Blaukraut]

13. The Times, WaPo, BoGlobe are all in this together

Here is an excerpt of a 5 part article on the media coverup of the 2000 Gore victory. I actually read all 5 parts and I really want to either throw up, or throw in the towel. Don't know which yet. BLM has it right; we need to be vigilant of the media buy-outs, and who benefits.
All reporters, Healy included, have their orders. BTW, isn't the Globe owned by the NYTimes now?

snip:

The Times reporter who was assigned to track Gore was Katherine Seelye, who sat on the campaign plane alongside her pal Ceci Connolly of the Washington Post. Together with the Times’ Richard Berke, they were able to wreak a level of havoc on the Gore campaign that the Bush team never even came close to approaching. Between them, these reporters who were working for America’s two leading “liberal” newspapers managed to falsely accuse Gore of taking credit for having invented the Internet, falsely accuse Gore of claiming to have discovered the toxic waste at Love Canal, and falsely accuse Gore of lying about being the inspiration for the male lead character in “Love Story”.

They also falsely accused Gore of insisting that he had been serenaded to sleep as a child to the tune of “Look For The Union Label”. The candidate had actually been making a joke that was greeted with laughter by his union audience.

After the crucial first presidential debate, the unholy triumvirate falsely accused Gore of lying about an anecdote involving an old lady and her prescription medicine (the lady confirmed Gore’s account), falsely accused Gore of lying about an anecdote involving a Florida schoolgirl having to stand in class because of equipment shortages (the girl confirmed Gore’s account), and falsely accused Gore of lying about going to a fire in Texas with the head of FEMA (it was actually the number two man at FEMA, but the mainstream media did not allow for the possibility that Gore made inadvertent mistakes).

snip

[sandnsea]

9. Dishonor to the First Amendment

Ya know, I've gotten a couple of reporters to change stories by appealing to the fact that soldiers died for their right to print the truth. I don't know what else will get through to these idiots. The Clinton marriage story is about as low as low gets, no other reason for that story than to remind people about blowjobs in the Oval Office. Where was the story about Bob Dole and his affair back in 1996?? I don't remember hearing a word about it.

[blm]

10. The GOP has had operatives at the Globe for decades.

I remember one of their past reporters actually moving into a WH job for Bush - Michael Ginsburg I believe was his name. I think they plant people to generate stories about the lawmakers they tend to fear. The Globe dogged Kerry from the 70s. I'd bet money that Donald Segretti started the tactic.