Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

The Problem

by BooMan
Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 02:07:57 PM EST

I share Chris Bowers' frustration, but unlike him I know what the problem is. The problem is that the television coverage of this convention is so painfully bad and so biased against our message that the message is being destroyed. You can't blame this on the Clintons. You have to blame it on the media itself. Partisan Democrats can barely watch cable because it is so painfully harmful to our cause. But that is what uncommitted voters are consuming. It's a problem.

The Problem | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: The Problem (4.00 / 2)

Media coverage was bad in 2000 and in 2004 as well, but it seems worse this year. It's downright unwatchable. You have to think they are really frightened of a black man with a chance to win the Presidency who isn't named Colin Powell.

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. Franklin D. Roosevelt

by Steven D on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 02:10:44 PM EST

Re: The Problem (4.00 / 3)

And I really don't think it's because he's black. It's because he's an unknown quantity to the elite, and someone who professes to want to "change" everything. AND, he has a powerful number of people funding him, giving him more independendence from the monied interests than perhaps any candidate in our country's history. That has to be terrifying to those who wish to control him.

What if?

What if we finally got a president who did not owe his allegiance to anyone but the American people?

The possibilities are mind boggling (in a good way), and frightening (for his safety).

"If you look for the social economic motive, you will not have to wait for history to tell you what was propaganda and what was truth." - George Seldes

by Real History Lisa (lpeaseRemoveThis@gte.net) on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 02:36:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Before the primaries ended (none / 0)

I would have asked the question, as you do: " What if we finally got a president who did not owe his allegiance to anyone but the American people?"

Many of his stands taken since the primaries ended suggest to me that we got him to the party and he's now courting the big money. Needless to say I support him, but no longer with hope and enthusiasm.

by Heart of the Rockies on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 03:12:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Fox runs the camera feed (4.00 / 2)

Or so I have heard. This is intolerable.

by dataguy on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 02:16:08 PM EST

Re: The Problem (none / 0)

I've been watching mostly on Cspan and PBS and was nonplussed by Chris's reaction. When I did flip over to CNN or MSNBC all I ever saw was pundits yakking away, using the actual convention events as wallpaper. PBS was pretty good for seeing the real stuff and getting some diversity of reactions -- way better than what I saw of cable or network efforts. Cspan was the way I think it should be done.

I have to wonder what would happen if the parties gave Cspan and PBS full control over the feed and reduced the networks/cable to news reports. Anyway, as the tv/Net convergence continues there will be a chance to shape precedents for new ways of access that will change media power and influence for decades to come. I hope the Dems (despite their amazing Microsoft/Apple-only screwup on their Net feed) are getting ready to shape it to our ends, not the news corps.

FDR's response to progressive demands: "I agree. Now go out and make me do it."

by DaveW on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 02:49:59 PM EST

Re: The Problem (none / 1)

I wonder though. To what extent do average Americans see this crap. For the most part, they don't watch cable news - they are more inclined to watch the major networks.

But after a speech, would an average person watch the pundits, or would they change channels and watch a ball game instead?

by ericy on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 03:29:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thank you (none / 0)

For using 'nonplussed' correctly. No one hardly ever does that.

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by fabooj (fabooj [at} mail [dot} com) on Thu Aug 28th, 2008 at 01:16:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Problem (none / 1)

CSPAN here, too. I can't bear to listen to any of the talking ninnies with network coverage. I swear, they frame every single question in such a negative way when talking about Obama and speak with reverence about McCain. It's disgusting. I gave up watching the national nightly news for the same reason.

I even had to write a letter to the local news station about how they framed a lead story. "Is Obama Too Much of a Celebrity?" For pete's sake! It was a total smear story and I was furious.

Thank god for CSPAN or I wouldn't see any of the Convention at all.

by donnah on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 02:58:52 PM EST

Re: The Problem (none / 0)

CNN was already salivating over the prospect of Hurrican Gustav hitting right at the start of the Republican convention.

Pray (if you're a believer) that this doesn't come to fruition:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at2+shtml/143014.shtml?5day#contents

There's a bullseye on New Orleans.

by RollaMO on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 03:07:59 PM EST

Re: The Problem (none / 1)

The forecasts are pretty inaccurate this far out. If I were in NOLA, I would watch the news carefully, but I wouldn't evacuate yet. Heck if I lived anywhere on the Gulf coast, I would watch the news carefully.

All of this does remind people how badly Bush screwed up Katrina. Right in the middle of their convention. Not exactly the message they wanted to send.

Whatsmore, it means that fewer people will be watching, and people will be watching hurricane coverage instead.

by ericy on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 03:16:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Problem (none / 0)

Not to mention the risks of "Drill! Drill! Drill!" when offshore platforms could be whacked.

by RollaMO on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 03:53:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Problem (none / 1)

Gustav's driving up the price of oil, up another $2 to $118 today. If it gets near NOLA or Houston, I expect $130.

Yet another fun reminder for the RNC. Somebody in the Village is going to remember the movement by some in the GOP to hold this convention in NOLA.

More at Zandar vs. The Stupid.

by Zandar1 on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 04:19:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Problem (none / 1)

Another problem besides the media, is the caliber of some of the speakers. Last night listening to Mark Warner and Kathy Sibileus(?), they were downright boring. No Passion, no outrage, nothing. If i think that as a Democrat, imagine what the Independents and republicans think.

by judiper on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 04:30:36 PM EST

Re: The Problem (none / 0)

I was hoping Sebalius' SOTU response was a fluke due to being in a room with just a camera crew. But, man, was she wooden last night. Kucinich and Schweitzer rocked!

by RollaMO on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 04:52:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Problem (none / 0)

I have CSPAN on right now, and they are interviewing Johnathan Alter from Newsweek (haven't started the official stuff yet, so I guess no harm).

What is interesting is that even he says that CSPAN is better as you don't get all of the talk..

Q: A viewer's guide for tonight. What should people be looking for.
A: This is one of those nights where CSPAN has a lot to recommend it, because you don't want to hear a lot of the chatter. And by chatter I mean the chatter of all of us. You want to be able to experience Joe Biden's speech and Bill Clinton's speech in particular in their entirety without getting affected by the analytical comments coming before and afterward (and I am as guilty as anybody of making those analytical comments on television and the press). I really think you see the whole program on CSPAN.....

with Joe Biden

by ericy on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 04:55:36 PM EST

Re: The Problem (none / 0)

I heard this morning what the networks fear. Heard it on Bloomberg radio of all places. The fairness doctrine. They kept talking about the chances of Obama reviving the fairness doctrine. They saw that as a disaster of course.

by The Voice In The Wilderness on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 at 06:17:47 PM EST

Re: The Problem (none / 0)

The LA Times ran this HUGE spread on how there's no message, and how the Clinton's are the center of attention and how there's no interesting speeches. Since I'm not a sheep and I watch this on CSPAN, naturally I'm getting a fuller picture. But then I just had to laugh when the fucking LA Times started complaining about the media coverage of this convention.

After I regained consciousness, I tried writing an LTE, but the 'f-bomb' kept making its way into my letter. Oh well...personally, just as I refuse to speak about politics to people who say, "Oh, I don't pay attention to politics, it's boring.", I hold the same regard for those who willingly ignore CSPAN for chuckleheads. I'm not talking about flipping over once in a while. I'm talking like the lady on another site today who couldn't decided between CNN and MSNBC. When CSPAN was suggested she said, "But they just show what happens, they don't tell you how to think."

THUD.

~~~THIS SPACE FOR RENT~~~

by fabooj (fabooj [at} mail [dot} com) on Thu Aug 28th, 2008 at 01:13:40 AM EST

The Problem | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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