On Tuesday's Today, NBC's Ann Curry treated both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton as victims of unfairness -- worrying Obama will be “swift-boated” by Republicans and asking Clinton if she agreed “the playing field has been not level because you are a woman?” (Mark Finkelstein's posting this morning, “Curry Concerned About GOP 'Swift-boating'; Hillary: I'm Like Ginger Rogers,” highlighted these two questions.) My addition: This was at least the third time an NBC News host or anchor has fretted to Obama about him being “swift-boated” by odious Republican tactics, questions which presumed the criticisms of John Kerry in 2004 were mendacious. Two previous incidents:
The February 20 MRC CyberAlert, “NBC's Matt Lauer Raises Notion of GOP 'Swift Boating' Obama,” recounted:
Even though the general election campaign has yet to begin, some in the media seem pretty anxious to start condemning Republicans for dirty tricks. In an interview with Barack Obama shown Tuesday morning [February 19] on Today, Matt Lauer asked the Democratic frontrunner: "Have you stopped to think what the Obama version of 'Swift Boating' might be in this campaign cycle if you get to the general election? What they did to John Kerry, what's that version going to be with Barack Obama?"
My October 31 NewsBusters item, "NBC's Williams Suggests Obama Likely to Be 'Swift-Boating' Victim," reported:
During Tuesday night's [October 30] Democratic presidential debate on MSNBC, NBC anchor Brian Williams posed a question to Barack Obama which managed to simultaneously impugn Republicans as executors of disreputable campaign practices and portray Obama as a likely victim of it -- all based on Mitt Romney flubbing Obama's name and memories of the Bush campaign's attacks on John McCain in 2000.
Explaining that his question would be "about religion and misinformation," Williams, who co-moderated the debate with Tim Russert, raised how Romney "misspoke twice on the same day, confusing your name with that of Osama bin Laden," as if, apparently, that was some sort of effort to suggest Obama is Muslim. Williams proceeded to highlight how "your party is fond of talking about potential swift-boating," before he got to his charged political point in the form of a question: "Are you fearful of what happened to John McCain, for example in South Carolina a few years back, confusion on the basis of things like names and religion?"
Curry's loaded question to Obama, and his answer with “Can Obama Handle Republican Attacks?” as the on-screen heading, in the taped interview -- interspersed with clips from her session with Clinton -- as aired in the first half hour of the Tuesday, April 22 Today show on NBC (as transcribed by the MRC's Geoff Dickens):
CURRY: In the last presidential election John Kerry, a decorated military veteran, was "swift-boated" as being unpatriotic. Why do you dismiss the kinds of questions that are going to be the bread and butter of the Republican campaign, if you become the nominee?OBAMA: Just the fact that the Republicans bring them up doesn't mean they're actually helping the kitchen table issues that the American people are, are dealing with. You know this, this is an example of, sort of politics as being all about tactics and process and attack and counterattack, as opposed to solving problems. And look I guess I'm making a bet that the American people are sick and tired of that kind of politics. That they want something different.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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The only swift-boating going on here is..
April 22, 2008 - 15:33 ET by Gary HallThe only swift-boating going on here is.. is the swift-boating being done by the MSM on the Republican candidate and the GOP. As is usually the case, the vast majority of manufactured, untruthfull, mean sprited, out of context, misrepresentative and out and out lies about the candidates will be that presented by the MSM journalists themselves - and it will be almost entirely directed at Senator McCain, his supporters, his team and at conservative voices in the media.
Has anyone noticed.......
April 22, 2008 - 15:43 ET by connmanthat whenever the msm asks Clinton or Osama (oops) about negative campaigning, they compare it to how Republicans campaign. Their response is always something along the lines of "I don't want to do it but, it's how its gonna be in the general election when we come up against McCain". Meanwhile Maverick has gone way out of his way to take the high road against the both of them. Yesterday when Ann "Madame" Curry was reading the news to begin the Today show she sent it back to Matt & Catie then apologized to Viera saying that she wasn't herself today. The look on Merideth's face was Precious!
This town needs an enema! - The Joker
The Real "Funny" Here
April 22, 2008 - 15:52 ET by geoff.galeThe real "funny" part of this is that the alleged "swift-boating" hasn't even occurred. The only major swiftboating that's occurred to date is what the Democrats have done to each other. That's been the understated joy of this primary. Only a diehard (or is that deadheart) modern liberal could get her panties in a knot over something as emphemeral as this.
Remember to write in Ann Curry for Court Jester in November.
"All that is necessary for the trimuph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
Barry
April 22, 2008 - 16:18 ET by iveseenitallI love that Barry!
He's so far above the fray. Why, how could such a handsome fellow with such a kind-hearted, patriotic wife not be? She loves all (black) people. And these other pols. So petty, so frivolous. One of them actually considers himself a war hero. Can you imagine! Why just the other day a Reverend from Chicago was praising Barry...I think his name was Wrong, er no, Wright. Sometimes I think he loves America as much as Barry does. Then there's that other "professor" who tried bombing government offices a few years back...he loves Barry too. How could anyone not love Barry? Did you see him with the other Rev., some Louie guy, at the Million Man March for black young'uns? Barry and Louie called for "unity" at that affair too. And Barry NEVER stoops to mocking people's religion, or their way of life. He's just "misquoted". He says, for example, that having a baby would be a "punishment" for some girls-- but he didn't actually mean that the way it sounded. Why that just shows how "sensitive" he is.
How could anyone dare to "swiftboat" Barry? The nerve!
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
The talking heads are going
April 22, 2008 - 16:30 ET by bigtimerThe talking heads are going to be at the ready to swiftboat Hillary here in about an hour if she gets more votes that the msm wants her too....they are already panting and have lowered expectations....
I love this on going show....
Btw...did anyone else catch the wrestling thing with Obama and Hillary...too funny...he had huge ears and she was in her pantsuit....banging away at him....lol.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Have you stopped to think
April 22, 2008 - 16:06 ET by dscottHave you stopped to think what the Obama version of 'Swift Boating' might be in this campaign cycle if you get to the general election?
You betcha! And making an accusation in the attempt to dissuade us from doing so isn't going to work either... So go ahead and whine. In fact, I want you to whine because all the Clinton supporters can rightfully point to Obama's non-electiblity.
Swift Boat type issues just to name a few:
1. Reverend Wright and 20 years of condoning hate speech.
2. Michelle Obama and her condensending behavior, being a spoiled little brat, anti-American and big mouth.
3. Obama's faux claims of poverty: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/04/multiple_choice_quiz.html
4. Rezko affair.
5. connection to FARC: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/04/obama_and_farc.html
6. connection to William Ayers of the Weather Underground: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/04/obamas_terrorist_pal.html
We are going to have a field day. BTW- HRC isn't going to do any better as she has her own unending list of bad deeds and associations.
Lord Sidious / Darth Vader 2008 Long Live the Empire! Come to the Dark Side, it is your Destiny.
Here's another little swift
April 23, 2008 - 10:29 ET by dscottHere's another little swift boat item that will definitely be brought up should Obama actually beat the odds against the Clintons well laid plans with the superdelegates to get the Dem nomination: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/04/new_audio_of_obamas_terrorist.html
Lord Sidious / Darth Vader 2008 Long Live the Empire! Come to the Dark Side, it is your Destiny.
If Swift-Boating means
April 22, 2008 - 16:23 ET by the strugglerIf Swift-Boating means exposing Osama Obama...er...Obama Osama...er...the senator from Illinois as a fraud then yeah,he's gonna get Swift-Boated.
That's what I'd say.
April 22, 2008 - 20:14 ET by Republic1That's what I'd say. The leftists consider the term "Swift-boat" to be a synonym for "smear". That's the official propaganda line from the liberal elite who run 95% of our media. Curry and her comrades have done their best to obscure the facts. Fact is, those Swift boat adds were an enormous service to the American people. They punctured lies and hypocrisy spread by Kerry and his campaign. I only hope that if there is a call, that some brave citizens will stand up to the sinister, vicious, dishonest left wing colossus of the American MSM and do what those veterans did.
"Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him." -Muhammad
And he still hasn't
April 23, 2008 - 09:15 ET by pbanks7And he still hasn't released his military record.
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe.
CURRY: In the last
April 22, 2008 - 16:42 ET by MidAmericaCURRY: In the last presidential election John Kerry, a decorated military veteran, was "swift-boated" as being unpatriotic.
They are so frustrated. They thought kerry was untouchable because he was a veteran. Now they worry because, in their world, a black or a woman should not be criticized (especially by white males) but those mean, uncivilized, knuckle dragging Republicans do it anyway and get away with it. They don't seem to notice the irony that they aren't worried about McCain's welfare in this campaign, a man who truly suffered for years in service to his country as opposed to kerry's grueling three month tour.
Kerry a veteran?
April 22, 2008 - 16:44 ET by jefflebowskiI can't remember Kerry saying if he was a veteran? Are you sure?? If he was a veteran, surely he would have mentioned it every 3 seconds to anyone who would stand still.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure
April 22, 2008 - 17:00 ET by MidAmericaYeah, I'm pretty sure he was..... I remember reading it once in some obscure publication.
Gotcha! You nailed it.
April 23, 2008 - 09:29 ET by pbanks7“Can Obama Handle Republican Attacks?”
Never, NEVER will I see the headline, "Can McCain handle attacks from the Democrat Dirty Tricks Committee?"
They simply cannot understand why anyone would enlist to serve their country, let alone re-enlist, knowing that you are going back to Iraq, like my son is. My wife is starting a support group for families of deployed soldiers.
MSM - shaping all the perceptions you need to believe.
Campaign attacks
April 22, 2008 - 17:21 ET by SGriffisIt's bad enough that the two Democrat contenders are attacking each other; they haven't even started in on McCain. The liberal left-wing MSM has already started attacking the Republicans, even though the presidential campaign hasn't started yet.
I suppose Curry is right to treat Dems as victims; they're victims of their own elitist, socialist propaganda and their hate-filled agenda. How can Obama be "swift-boated", anyway? He doesn't have any character of substance to "swift-boat." Criticizing him for his highly questionable associations would only be telling the truth. Obama had better learn how to answer criticism's if he wins the nomination.
"CURRY: In the last
April 22, 2008 - 20:22 ET by Republic1"CURRY: In the last presidential election John Kerry, a decorated military veteran, was "swift-boated" as being unpatriotic. "
Wrong, Ann. He was exposed as being a hypocritical, back-stabbing opportunist who tried to look like a war hero while he portrayed his fellow Vietnam vets as raping, murdering, war criminals. But don't let the facts get in the way of playing the victim card for another hero of the American left.
"Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him." -Muhammad
→ Swiftboating Obama
April 22, 2008 - 20:27 ET by Cool ArrowSo he jets off to Frisco where he talks trash about Pennsylvanians behind their backs, and expects Pa. voters to let it slide?
♣ a seal
"Swift-boating",
April 23, 2008 - 00:21 ET by gfrrmanis pointing out the lies and distortions of your opponent from what I can understand from the last POTUS election. If Hussein and Hitlary can't take truth to power than they do NOT deserve to be POTUS. Damn the kitchen is getting hot!!!
"Eventually, Socialists run out of other peoples' money...." MARGARET THATCHER
placating Obama
April 23, 2008 - 00:53 ET by jrockbgThe reason Obama has gotten pass in the media until very recently is the fact that he is black. Bear with me. The MSM is so afraid of pulling an Imus they overcompensate. If they don't harp on him the way they do Republicans or Hillary they can't be accused of being racist. Another case of liberal "white guilt" strikes again.
Swift boating, defined for liberals
April 23, 2008 - 16:29 ET by wizardjrWhat they did: told the truth about the candidate that, you know, "served in Viet Nam". What they did wrong: told the truth about the candidate that, you know, "served in Viet Nam".
The cardinal sin here is blowing the Hollywood script of the made up life of ____ (fill in the blank) out of the water (pardon the pun) with the actual facts. Shrillary's Bosnia Sniper Incident is how she wants to be. It's how her sycophants want her to be. How dare you say "It's a lie!"? Obamasiah and his wife, She Who Must Be Obeyed, are selling tickets to their walking on water act showing January 22nd. How dare you print their own words of bigotry and America hate? How dare you show his true colors as an elitist, race mongering power grabber? You're destroying The Dream!
Of course they're afraid. They should be. And... ashamed.