Lefty Blogger: Media Silence on Wis. Death Threats Is 'Intellectual Dishonesty and Journalistic Bias'
It seems that some on the left are beginning to notice the epic journalistic malpractice going on in the media's refusal to cover a litany of death threats - some specific and credible - against Wisconsin Republicans for their support of legislation trimming the power of public sector unions.
"Burying the death threat story is a clear example of intellectual dishonesty and journalistic bias," liberal blogger Lee Stranahan succinctly put it in a piece at the Huffington Post on Tuesday. Stranahan wondered "why progressives shouldn't expect more from our media -- and ourselves -- than we expect from our political adversaries."
He even linked to a post by our own Noel Sheppard demonstrating much of the media's - including all three news networks' - apparent lack of interest in death threats against Wisconsin's elected officials.
It's nice to see that a concern over a politically-stilted news media isn't confined to those directly disadvantaged by it. Stranahan, who has also been working with Andrew Breitbart of late to unearth fraud in the so-called Pigford settlement, wrote of one of the more explicit and disturbing death threats (also documented at NB):
After the Giffords shooting, authorities have to take this sort of threat seriously. The media should too, even if the disturbed person who sent that email was motivated by exactly the kind of rhetoric that's been used by many liberals against GOP officials over and over again during the Madison protests. And there are more threats floating around the internet, in varying degrees of scary and credible.
If you read liberal blogs, you might have heard of some of these threats. Indirectly, anyway. Sarah Palin said the rhetoric should be toned down. The threats themselves were ignored and Palin was mocked.
On the other hand, if you read conservative blogs or listen to conservative media, you know all about these threats because people like Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh and websites like Newsbusters and BigJournalism have not only been talking about the death threats for days now but they've been talking about the mainstream and liberal media ignoring the threats for days.
Ignoring the story of these threats is deeply, fundamentally wrong. It's bad, biased journalism that will lead to no possible good outcome and progressives should be leading the charge against it.
Just before writing this article, I did a Google search and it's stunning to find out that the right wing media really isn't exaggerating -- proven death threats against politicians are being ignored by the supposedly honest media. If you've never agreed with a single thing that Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly et al have said about anything, you can't in any good conscience say that they don't have a point here. Death threats are wrong and if a story like Wisconsin is national news for days, then so are death threats.
Let's hope that at least some of Stranahan's readers take his words to heart.
- Lachlan Markay's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
If a Death threat is not
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:11pm.
If a Death threat is not heard then did it really happen?Stranahan
Submitted by Blorg on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:20pm.
Stranahan has been blogging to shed light on the Pigford scandal and now this. If he's not careful they'll revoke his left-wing bloggers union card.Just sows how blatant it's gotten
Submitted by c5then on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:24pm.
I wonder if the upcoming election might have anything to do with it. The MSM wouldn't want to cast any dispariging light on their chosen team.Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
The news media (TV and print)
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:26pm.
The news media (TV and print) has fully declared open war on conservatives. There's not even a smidgeon of pretense any more.All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
What a Dreadful Thing to Wish For
Submitted by JustAl on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:30pm.
"Let's hope that at least some of Stranahan's readers take his words to heart."
We all know what his readers are capable of, and that they have zero tolerance for someone on the verge of stepping into reality from their groupthink.
If the threats had been addressed to President O'Bama ...
Submitted by CO2Maker on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:36pm.
Guys talking to their wrists and black helicopters with armed men on rappelling ropes would surround the sender's house. If the threats had been addressed to Jerry Brown, the gay-green-granola alliance would hold hands and surround his apartment in Sacramento to protect him. But death threats to the Wisconsin Republicans? Piffle! That's just passionate union supporters passionately expressing their passion to resist being made into slaves like the NFL players.It Doesn't Even Have to Go That Far
Submitted by JustAl on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:42pm.
As per: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/man-jailed-threats-against-...I guess it would be constituionally frowned upon...
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:50pm.
but that guy needs to be behind bars just based on the way he looks.
Jer
Poor blogger doesn't
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:48pm.
Poor blogger doesn't understand who he is talking to, they will threaten him next.He mentioned NB?
Submitted by Rukus on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:58pm.
I'm getting out my troll-brella, they'll be dropping from the ceiling in droves any minute now...Rukus, What you really need
Submitted by Scuba Dude on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 4:10pm.
Rukus, What you really need is a troll bat. The better to knock them around and make them wish they were born conservative.
Dave keeps one handy at all times.
CL4X just uses her heels on them.
You rang?
Submitted by Blonde on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 5:26pm.
.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
I'm shocked.
Submitted by almostacowboy on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 4:05pm.
And Stunned.Thesmokinggun*
Submitted by cajun2 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 4:12pm.
After reading the comments on the link posted by JustAl, and then NB mentioned again, we will not only see lots of trolls but they will really be a bunch of nut jobs.
Uh Cajun? Have we ever come
Submitted by Scuba Dude on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 4:20pm.
Uh Cajun? Have we ever come across one that was sane?Good point Scub*
Submitted by cajun2 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 4:29pm.
Shave this guy Crosby's head and compare police records, could be brothers
WOW. I would think that the
Submitted by ninerdog on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 4:13pm.
WOW. I would think that the author of this is going to be in the market for some woven carbon fiber clothing. I am just saying what you all are thinking.Speaking of Lefty's Who Should Watch Their Six
Submitted by JustAl on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 5:15pm.
I just read that Hillary has formally said she won't reprise her act as Sec. of State. I stick by my statements all along that the Clintons will not allow His "O"lliness to be the nominee again.
I'm sure she's as loyal a friend to him as Stalin was to Trotsky.
There should be a
Submitted by Miss_Me_Yet on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 6:11pm.
There should be a Congressional investigation into the criminal enterprise consisting of president Obama as the Don-na and the MSM and union thugs as his La Bozonostra.
This lying by omission and a concerted effort, led by Obama ( the affirmative action boss ) himself to distort each and every pertinent and newsworthy story throughout the country, to the point that many ordinary American citizens never see coverage or learn the truth, surely rises to the level of High Crimes against the State.
How can We the People, the ones who know the truth anyway, allow this imposter, and he is an imposter, to run a criminal enterprise directly out of our White House ? It's absolutely absurd.
Liberals ... we can't live with them, they couldn't survive without us ...
I just wish I was a WH reporter
Submitted by dirtydan64 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 6:38pm.
and Mr. jay picked me for a question, I'd ask if Arrinna is telling the truth in her latest story about those "Death Threats" to the Wisconsin Republican party just for clarification of course not to pin Obama or Arinna down or anything you know just for some trueism to the story.......I mean ThreatsI'll say it again...
Submitted by sherlock1 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 6:38pm.
All this moaning from Folkenflick at NPR about the "editing" of the Schiller video needs to be exposed as the hypocrisy it is, because NPR "edits" uncomfortable facts out of reality every day, such as editing out leftist-liberal death threats in Wisconsin right out of existence, to protect their political favorites!!Soon to be "Juan-Williamed"
Submitted by niner-four-whiskey on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 7:17pm.
Stranahan will soon be "Juan Williamed" by the leftinistas. Just read the comments in response to his article on the HuffPo. They're already calling him names, a turncoat, a right-winger and a liar and sellout. Absolutely predictable.No, it's not surprising. HuffPo
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 8:04pm.
is, after all, a progressive website. But it is also a place which for a long time now has been offering space to conservative pundits, politicians and bloggers for their commentary. Recently, Andrew Breitbart published a lengthy article at HuffPo--one which was typically unsparing in its criticism of of the left.
I don't know of any conservative sites which provide the same opportunity for notable libs. Do you?
Jer
Notable Jer*
Submitted by cajun2 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 8:46pm.
A conservative site like Newsbusters allows the Jerster to hang around and pontificate. Well Jer may not be a "notable" liberal....;-)
cajun...
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 8:49pm.
Just why do you think I hastily inserted the word "notable" right before posting? :-)
Jer
notable libs.
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 8:51pm.
Really? name one that isnt a total moron?So what?
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 9:00pm.
What does being a moron have to do with the issue? There are a lot of libs who think Breitbart is a moron.
Jer
So what your saying is
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 9:13pm.
A lot of morons think Breitbart is one? So what exactly does that mean Jer? Besides, libs dont think, if they did, they wouldnt be libs."I don't know of any
Submitted by niner-four-whiskey on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 9:23pm.
You mean like Fox News and, uhhhhhh, Juan Williams?
Megan Kelly with Sam Bennet,
Submitted by Radical1979 on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 9:26pm.
Megan Kelly with Sam Bennet, American Morning with the guy who talks with Mary Katherine Hamm...And Kirsten Powers---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 9:39pm.
and Mort Kondracke, and Mara Liasson, and Marc Lamont Hill, and the Reverend Al, and Ellis Hennican, et al.
MD
Shall I rattle off the names of conservatives
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 9:48pm.
who appear on the MSM sites? But niner makes a fair point about foxnews.com although it's not quite the web genre I had in mind when I posed the question.
Jer
Rattle away, Jer---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 10:23pm.
because it is surely obvious to all that having conservatives appear anywhere on a liberally biased medium, as often as they do, has definitely caused the liberal aura to fade into insignificance, right?
MD
MD: surely you remember "Olbermann & Gingrich"
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 10:30pm.
MSNBC's antidote to "Hannity & Colmes"Colmes was an Ailes-concocted "plant"
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 10:40pm.
who set back liberalism another notch every time he opened his mouth.
Jer
Don't waste time here. Get back to defending Behar.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 10:52pm.
.My pleasure, SoL...
Submitted by Jer on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 12:05am.
rather, I should say "my Joy".
[This just might be my entree to an appearance on The View. I think TV would be a more suitable medium for me anyway.]
Jer
I've seen your avatar. Stick to research.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 12:07am.
We good?
We were...until you trashed
Submitted by Jer on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 12:19am.
We were...until you trashed my TV career before I could get it launched.
Looks like I'm stuck here in this deadend job.
Jer
yeah...we good.
You think so highly
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 10:52pm.
Of yourself, Jer
: ) see, smile face.
Just think of me as a left wing comic
Oh yeah, SoL---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 10:47pm.
Of those four, all but Hannity have faded into insignificance.
Of the other three, it appears Ol' Newt just hasn't glommed onto that fact.
MD
The LSM is guilty of
Submitted by Kat Outta the Bag on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 7:39pm.
The LSM is guilty of censorship by means of the deliberate elimination of news they don't want the general public to know about. I'm constantly disgusted by their actions!Jer, try reading the big sites.
Submitted by Ashrak on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 8:43pm.
but to the article....
Embarrassment is setting in.
Don't get me wrong here, I am grateful for this being said by whom is saying it. However, I am feeling this moment just as I feel sometimes when I read something Walter Williams writes.
Walter writes something and it is given credence because he is black, whereas if someone who looks like me ( a white guy) says or writes the same exact thing - we are instantly deemed racists.
Here, because a self-admitted liberal, who likens biggovernment focus on Pelosi to Huffpo focus on Bachmann, says the same thing that has been said millions of times by millions of conservatives and libertarians, some kind of special props are supposedly due. Call me callous or whatever, but I think that is hogwash.
Truth carries weight because it is truth, it matters not who says or writes it.
I do understand why some folks would call it meaningful, or something, when someone on the political left admits something from reality. Personally, all I can muster is "its about time" as I do not forget that folks on the political left hold and wield an ideology that aims to destroy the only form of government where inalienable rights can exist. Folks will have to excuse me if I don't get all warm and fuzzy over an example like this.
Ashrak...the big sites??
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 8:53pm.
Are you referring to Breitbart's BigGovernment site? Not sure what you mean.
Jer
"From Our Media"
Submitted by Avus on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 7:17am.
I love the unintended admission in his "from our media" quote that the media belongs to the liberals.