Krugman smacks down Halperin's pathetic NYT op-ed excuse for why the MSM hyped Bush in 2000

[ProSense]

November 25, 2007, 9:27 am

On coming across

Why I’m not a proper political journalist:

In his op-ed today, Mark Halperin describes George W. Bush during the 2000 campaign as follows:

He came across as a man of principle who did not lust for the White House; he was surrounded by disciplined loyalists who created a cheerful cult of personality about their candidate.

Meanwhile, I didn’t do the up-close-and-personal stuff; I looked at what he actually said about policy. And from my point of view he “came across” as someone who lied, systematically and consistently, about taxes and Social Security. I did notice the cult of personality — but it scared me:

This suggests a terrible prospect. Soon we may have a president who lost the popular vote, who won the electoral vote only after bitter controversy, who needs to act with unprecedented humility and discretion to avoid ripping the country apart. But he will have surrounded himself with obsequious courtiers.

But you see, I’m just a shrill Bush-basher; we should leave judgments about character up to the professionals who thought Bush was a bluff, honest guy you’d like to have a beer with.

The next question about Halperin's pathetic editorial is "what was the MSM's excuse for hyping Bush in 2004?

From Carpetbagger Report: Halperin’s mea culpa?

[AlertLurker]

1. "He came across as a man of principle who did not lust for the White House"

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

:rofl:

[gratuitous]

4. That was certainly the media narrative

I thought it was peculiar in 2000, and in every other election where it gets dragged out, and that is: My guy is just a principled person trying to do the right thing - the other guy will say anything, do anything to get elected. Which is just flat nonsense, but it gets peddled in practically every election anymore.

[Supersedeas]

2. accomplices in the Media

[blm]

3. They won't admit the REAL TRUTH - media didn't TRUST Gore or Kerry for THEIR needs

and they knew Bush would protect the legislation favorable to corporate media. The corpmedia trusts ONLY corporatist politicians.

Media doesn't think that American citizens have BOTHERED to figure out what they are doing to manipulate and rig perception.

Some of us DO take our roles as citizens seriously enough to see the big picture.


Kerry Seeks to Reverse FCC's "Wrongheaded Vote"

Commission Decision May Violate Laws Protecting Small Businesses; Kerry to File Resolution of Disapproval

Monday, June 2, 2003

WASHINGTON - Senator John Kerry today announced plans to file a "Resolution of Disapproval" as a means to overturn today's decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to raise media ownership caps and loosen various media cross-ownership rules.

Kerry will soon introduce the resolution seeking to reverse this action under the Congressional Review Act and Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act on the grounds that the decision may violate the laws intended to protect America's small businesses and allow them an opportunity to compete.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerry expressed concern that the FCC's decision will hurt localism, reduce diversity, and will allow media monopolies to flourish. This raises significant concerns about the potential negative impacts the decision will have on small businesses and their ability to compete in today's media marketplace.

In a statement released earlier today regarding the FCC's decision, Kerry said:

"Nothing is more important in a democracy than public access to debates and information, which lift up our discourse and give Americans an opportunity to make honest informed choices. Today's wrongheaded vote by the Republican members of the FCC to loosen media ownership rules shows a dangerous indifference to the consolidation of power in the hands of a few large entities rather than promoting diversity and independence at the local level. The FCC should do more than rubber stamp the business plans of narrow economic interests.

"Today's vote is a complete dereliction of duty. The Commissioners are well aware that these rules greatly influence the competitive structure of the industry and protect the public's access to multiple sources of information and media. It is the Commission's responsibility to ensure that the rules serve our national goals of diversity, competition, and localism in media. With today's vote, they shirked that responsibility and have dismissed any serious discussion about the impact of media consolidation on our own democracy."

[Alexander]

5. Bush got the MSM whores drunk on Ken Lay's jet. That's why they liked him.

Stories abound of the Bush campaign serving margheritas and reporters having trysts in the airplane restroom.

Meanwhile, on Air Force Two, the Gore campaign served water and snacks and didn't try to turn the plane into party central.

Hence, the reporters who covered Bush loved him because they were getting drunk and laid. The reporters who covered Gore were jealous and took out their anger on the candidate.

Oh yeah. That, and the MSM conglomerates like big business.

[Hamlette]

6. k&r for wider distribution, this is an issue we all need to be talking about or they'll do it again