Could this be a sign of things to come?
Now that CNBC Chicago Mercantile Exchange reporter Rick Santelli has mysteriously disappeared from the spotlight after his criticism of President Barack Obama's mortgage proposal in February and now that CNBC "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer has been marginalized after his lackluster appearance on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" on March 12, could the new target of the Obama machine and the left and their accomplices in the media be CNBC "The Kudlow Report" host Larry Kudlow?
James Rainey, a columnist for The Los Angeles Times, set his sights on Kudlow in his March 13 column. Kudlow's show is one of the last vestiges of pro-free market capitalism left at a time when populism has become the theme of the day.
Rainey's column, headlined as a critique of CNBC focused on two personalities - Kudlow and Cramer, even though Cramer has been raked over the coals since he made his March 3 remarks calling Obama's policies "greatest wealth destruction I've seen by a president."
Rainey suggested as a credibility measuring stick, that Cramer and Kudlow should have to reveal their financial portfolios and if they weren't at least keeping pace with a major stock index, they should voted off "the CNBC island."
"I see CNBC running a bar graph with a composite of Kudlow and Cramer's portfolios (no dollar amounts necessary) right alongside a graph tracking a broad stock index," Rainey wrote. "If the TV touts fall more than 10% behind? We vote them right off the CNBC island. Then there'd be more room for me and my timeless, slightly cowardly style of money management."
Perhaps Rainey is on to something here. We could apply his standard to the entire Los Angeles Times as a business model and if his newspaper's parent company's stock, the Tribune Company (PINK:TRBCQ), wasn't keeping pace with the major indices, we could vote it off of "mainstream media island," or at least its business coverage and the analysis of business coverage.
If that were the case, Rainey would have had to have taken a pass on this column. The Tribune Company was filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last December, forcing its stock to be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange and share price plummeting.
But, for whatever reason, Rainey thought it was necessary to mention Kudlow's past - describing him as a "conservative standard-bearer and onetime Reagan administration economist, who left Wall Street in disgrace over drugs and drinking before rehabilitating himself on cable TV."
Rainey dismissed criticism that the new coverage on the NBC channels - NBC, MSNBC and CNBC - was liberally biased based on Kudlow's employment with CNBC (who appears on the network two hours a day - as a co-host on "The Call" and host of his show "The Kudlow Report"). So, he urged CNBC "to include the other side."
"Second, and more important, don't the General Electric channels have some obligation to air the other side (real time, same station) rather than force us to flip to MSNBC's Keith Olbermann for a counterpoint we know will be off-point and gratingly smug?"
Rainey has made no effort of hiding his bias against conservative media. Last November, following the election, Rainey penned a column attacking Rush Limbaugh, another target of the Obama administration, headlined "Right-wing media feeds its post-election anger."
Memo to Rainey: If CNBC isn't doing it for you, there's always Bloomberg.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Rules for Radicals
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 18:51 ET by jdlybrandRule # 12
Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions. People hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works).
Saul Alinsky
"We have met the enemy, and he is us" Pogo
Wow, good thing we have the
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 18:32 ET by gopsteveWow, good thing we have the vaunted "right wing attack machine" I always hear about from the msm on our side.
Can you imagine how tough it would be if there was a "left wing attack machine," which, according to the msm, does not even exist.
Re Kudlow
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 18:35 ET by slickwillie2001Without Kudlow at 7pm ET, TV would be a total loss. On Fox you've got the crybaby Shemp, and CNN has the worst combover blowhard on the tube. Now Kudlow appears to be next on Captain Cowpatty's enemies list.
By the way, there is talk that Kudlow might be interested in running against Chris Dodd for Senate. As Dodd scandals pile up, he gets more and more unpopular. This is just another reason for the White House to try and destroy him.
As a citizen of the great
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 19:07 ET by dborschjr68As a citizen of the great "Constitution State" of Connecticut, I am so hoping he does run against Dodd.
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-About an hour later, it hit me: Those were the droids I was looking for!
Just add Kudlow to your
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 00:16 ET by goldbarJust add Kudlow to your party's growing list of circus freaks. Palin, Jindal, Victoria Jackson, Steele, Limbaugh, etc. If he's going to run, he better get off of the tube. Isn't that what the right said when Chris Matthews said he was thinking about running? Of course, the rules don't apply to the wingnut party.
goldbar, you ought to know
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 00:36 ET by ConservativeRexgoldbar, you ought to know all about circus freaks.
From a party that has Barney Frank, Ed Kennedy, Chris Dodd, Balgo, and on and on. I would think you'd be the last one to mention political circus freaks.
I don't normally respond to trolls goldbar, but I made an exception in your case. Really, don't ever bring anything like this up again. You are running out of room on the ledge.
For circus freaks on the
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 07:59 ET by midnight cowboyFor circus freaks on the left it's standing room only:
Keith Olberman, Chris Mathews and just about the rest of the MSNBC lineup, gaffmaster Joe Biden, gigolo John Kerry, Burris, Spitzer, yeeeeeeeaaaaahhhhhh Howard Dean, the android Algore, broomstick Pelosi, James "serpent head" Carville, "the smartest woman in the world and Russian linguist, Hillary "sniper fire" Clinton and her husband, "the great stainmaker", Nostrildamis Henry Waxman, Klansman and pork king Robert Byrd, Brown shirt Dick Durbin. and so many more.
Sure, Larry Kudlow is a
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 10:41 ET by fitzfongSure, Larry Kudlow is a "circus freak". That's brilliant analysis, as usual, goldbar. Why do I get the sense that you don't have the first clue who Larry Kudlow is? Let's put it this way, he's forgotten more about economics than your infantile Marxist President would ever know in 10 lives. I wish he would run and banish that fat, drunk, womanizing, bribe-taking thief Chris Dodd. If you actually had any intelligence, you wouldn't be so proud to exhibit what little you know for all to see...you might actually see that our federal government is polluted with economically illiterate crooks like Dodd, like Barney Frank, like John Kerry. And spare us the lecture on "circus freaks" when you've got the likes of Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Hillary "Reset Button" Clinton, Stretch Pelosi, Elliot Spitzer, Rod Blagojevich, Jim McGreevey, Kwame Kilpatrick, William Jefferson, Ted Kennedy, Al Franken, John Corzine, Rahm Emmanuel, Barbara Boxer, Jennifer Granholm, Tom Harkin, Debbie Stabenow, Bob Menendez and countless others piling out of your clown car.
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill
Yep, the Obamanistas are
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 18:46 ET by R D HelmYep, the Obamanistas are picking the dissenters off one at a time.
Although, something tells me Kudlow will do a far better job defending his position than his former business partner did with Jon Stupid.
-Dave
This coup has gone on long enough. The time to put it down is NOW.
As if this snide,
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 18:55 ET by fitzfongAs if this snide, arrogant economic illiterate wasn't already in over his head by picking a fight with the organizers of the Fullerton tax revolt, he further illustrates his ignorance by taking a shot at Larry Kudlow. The collective intelligence of their columnists, George Skelton, Steve Lopez and James Rainey, couldn't fill a thimble.
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill
The bald headed moron looks
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 18:57 ET by SlicksterThe bald headed moron looks like a sex offender. How about him making the first move and revealing his portfolio.
Cramer
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 19:08 ET by philipjamesWhat is going on? Everyone who goes on these idiot shows like Stewart loses their balls and becomes an apologizing pussy. No wonder the Republican party is in so much trouble. Does it have to rely on a woman to have balls in order to give idiots like Stewart some of his own medicine??
Until the men at the top of the Republican party stop apologizing for everything under the sun and get some balls, they might as well stay home.
No wonder Palin is staying in Alaska. Why would she want to come down south and be associated with a bunch of pussies that appear on Tv for the right? (it seems the only one who has the balls to say much is Rush, and the party needs more than him)
Cramer is a Democrat.
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 19:53 ET by robert108Cramer is a Democrat.
Diversions
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 19:39 ET by slickwillie2001Note the effectiveness of the diversions going on here. Instead of focusing on Fannie and Freddie and Barney and Dodd and Clinton and Raines et al, they are pushing the liberal media onto people like Cramer and Santelli and Kudlow. The idiot Stewart used words like 'you knew the bankers were doing this stuff, and you did nothing', as if it is Cramer's job to regulate the banks and the stock market. Some have even suggested criminal investigations of CNBC. Classic 'shoot the messenger' diversion from Captain Cowpatty's White House propaganda team.
Above all, let's not even think of investigating the real culprits in Congress.
Slick.. yes, they are
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 20:05 ET by celatorSlick.. yes, they are diversions from the genuingly disasterous steps Obama is taking to destroy the country.
It's revealing that there are already leftists and Marxists like Stewart and most of the non-Fox cable talking hyenas in place to carry Obama's swill.
Their role, we now can easily see, is to call forth American citizens who dare to publically criticize the Lord of the Flies and to humiliate them publically for daring to do so.
The last thing in the world Obama and his Clinton/Chicago political crime families want is to have citizens talking about the corruption in the White House, the Congress and the Media.
The Government cannot give to anybody anything which the government does not first take from somebody else. Dr. Adrian Rogers
Alinsky
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 22:34 ET by afuelRules for radicals are and have been in full play. We all need to know and understand them to be able to combat it and return fire. We are dealing wiht haters, true believers and followers who believe they have the upper hand and now want to crush the rest of us. These commentators tip toe around every topic, acting like politicians never taking a side, to be PC complaint, so they are easy to pick off.
The socialists don't care about the constitution or your rights or fighting fair, their goal is to win. They have no love of this country or our rights, they are to be used against us in their quest for power. Personal attacks are cheap and easy and stifle the people in our current PC world.
This is a war of perception vs reality.
No Representation in NorCal
kudlow
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 00:25 ET by traderjamesFirst off, Kudlow, unlike Cramer, has never, ever, ever recommended an individual stock. That's not what he does. He does not have a 'portfolio' His tag line is, 'free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity'. how bad can that be? Anyone who watches his show pretty has to have a masters degree in finance in the first place to understand what the hell they are talking about. I suspect that the writer in question has either never watched the show, or like me, admittedly, finds the content way over his head.
I don't think he wants to wake up this sleeping giant. Kudlow holds his ground always. Does not budge. Believes in core principles, does not back down.
I was very disappointed with Cramer's performance on whatever show that was. He should have at least mentioned that he was one of the first voices crying in the wilderness regarding the coming financial meltdown. I reference specifically the 'they know nothing' rant with Erin Burnett, (Erin is wearing the famed giraffe dress), which is readily found on you tube. He is also a principled man, even though his stock picks are terrible. He took a dive. Why?
Santelli mentioned last week that he was going to take this week off. He is not hiding from anyone. Hopefully getting his head straight for the next round of White House assaults.
Doubt not the anointed one, for his wrath shall be upon you. Santelli, Cramer, and now Kudlow, my CNBC friends, gird thyselves. Be warned.
sobriety
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 00:30 ET by traderjamesI would also like to add that Mr. Kudlow readily acknowledges his former addictions briefly from time to time, and is very proud, and rightfully so, of his sobriety. He is not ashamed.
I wonder what the writer of the piece drinks/smokes/snorts on a regular basis? Maybe there should be an investigation of his background...it's only 'fair'
Posters, Jeff Poor and NB -
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 00:51 ET by jdhawkPosters, Jeff Poor and NB - talking about the personalties instead of the issues is just what the leftist want you to do. We need to keep our "eye on the prize" - turning back this socialist onslaught at the next election in 2010.
Yammering about some no count drive by media type at a failed newspaper on the left coast instead of ensuring that everyone understands how we got to this point, who is causing the massive shift to the left and the conservatives that we must elect to get us out of this mess is what we need to concentrate on.
The rest is just Alinsky inspired noise . . .
By the way, Kudlow is a big boy that can take care of himself. After all, he has thrived on the most liberal TV network for years. Cramer is a dimocrat that makes his living telling tales about securities. Most of the time his "picks" will lose you money. He tried his hand at actually making money years back and failed. He wants what bambi, the first stupid liberal wants. It is just about the timing with him.
"obligation to air the other side?"
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 05:19 ET by Joe C.The other side of what?! The anti-capitalist side? The anti-wealth side? The anti-stock market side? Where are you going to find a communist on Wall St.? Besides, GE has a whole channel devoted to this anti-America viewpoint -- MSNBC.
Larry Kudlow
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 08:31 ET by VinncyGFirst let's get something straight, Kudlow knows more about the economy than Mr God ( Nobama). When Mr God announced last week that they are changing the accounting rules and Market to Market rule it was Larry Kudlow screaming at the top of his lungs to get the impostor to impose those rules at the cost to the American taxpayer of are you ready $0 Dollars. It seems Reagan did know who to pick for his cabinet, Larry Kudlow for one.
Mr God and his tax cheat administration don't have a 10Th of this mans knowledge when it come to the economy. And if Santilli, and Cramer and maybe Kudlow are silenced it would only be at the genuflection of the in the tank media.
Has anyone noticed all the stories about Mr Gods acting Information's officer's office raided for corruption???? Maybe it's because his name is Yusef Acar.
We are in trouble people.
Could it be even more sinister?
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 16:22 ET by ApacheI think something more sinister could be happening here.
CNBC, MSNBC, NBC all belong to GE
GE is run by Jeffrey Immelt who is on Obama's economic advisory board
Santelli, Kudlow, and Cramer are on various sides of the political specktrum but all want Wall Street to be successful
Obama's policies seem to be hurting Wall Street to anyone with a brain and most of the business talking heads are saying so.
Mr. Thin Skin Obama has Gibbs come out and attack them and this cues up Stewart
Stewart starts leveling ad hominem attacks against everyone at CNBC. Immelt has Cramer thrown under the bus. Using Santelli or Kudlow would risk Stewart receiving a smack down because they have also smacked down Cramer in the past and that would just drag this story out even longer.
Cramer comes off looking like an idiot and thus the criticisms leveled by him and others is treated as a joke in the MSM.
General Electric gets what amounts to a $140B Bailout for playing ball.
Cramer is a lifelong democrat who supported Obama. Stewy never had one word negative toward him until he went after Obama. They say a conservative is a liberal who has been mugged or assaulted. Cramer may be a conservative from this day forward.
In a way it's good to see
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 16:42 ET by RR GOPIn a way it's good to see the MSM going at each other.
They figure that FNN has been so thoroughly maligned that most Americans will not trust or watch it.
But anything with 'NBC' in the name, that's a different matter and they must be brought back into line...Comrades.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
Glass houses
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 20:22 ET by Radical1979Obama has his past also, and admits to drug use. So attacking Kudlow for his past seems irrelevent.
CNBC is supposed to cover business news, and it's logical they would be on the side of business. How ridiculous to suggest they cover "another side". It would be like Animal Planet giving hunting lessons.
Years ago Joe Kearnan mentioned he cannot manage a portfolio for himself since he would have inside information. I'm sure the same applies to other CNBC employees.