The last time I wrote about Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, I described her as "ever-smiling." Scratch that. The Dem congresswoman from Ohio and Hillary co-chair just jabbed at MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell during a discussion of who is responsible for circulating the story about the Rezko trial: the media or the Clinton campaign.
At one point, things got heated enough for Tubbs Jones to tell O'Donnell "you know what? I'm enjoying talking to you but you can't talk on top of me in order for me to answer your question."
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The conversation was proceeding swimmingly until Norah broached the Rezko matter. And then . . .
NORAH O'DONNELL: What about, congresswoman, that many--and Barack Obama--essentially charged today that the reason he failed to win in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island last night is because Hillary Clinton went negative on him, and that that worked?It was shortly thereafter that Tubbs Jones let some temper show . . .
STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES: You know what? Throughout this campaign the Obama team has tried to say it's us going negative. Whenever you point out the differences in the records of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, it's that we're going negative. And that is not the fact. The fact is there is a difference between the two of them. We pointed it out and the people --
O'DONNELL: But pointing out that the Rezko trial is going on is not a pointing out of differences in records, is it?
TUBBS JONES: She didn't point out the Rezko trial is going on, the media reported -Leaving aside that moment of tension, O'Donnell raised an interesting point. When Norah stated that Camp Clinton has been pushing the Rezko story, Tubbs Jones retorted no, it's the media that's been reporting it. But hasn't Hillary's campaign been claiming that the media has been in the tank for Obama, or as Norah put it, "I thought the media was bad" -- in the sense of biased against Hillary?
O'DONNELL: Oh, her campaign has just about every day, yeah.
TUBBS JONES: Wait, wait, wait. The media pointed that out. And it's a fact. I'm a former judge --
O'DONNELL: I thought the media was bad?
TUBBS JONES: Excuse me.
O'DONNELL: I thought we were responsible for, for --
TUBBS JONES: You know what? I'm enjoying talking to you but you can't talk on top of me in order for me to answer your question.
O'DONNELL: I hear you, congresswoman. Go ahead.
TUBBS JONES: My response was, I'm a former judge, and a former district attorney, and trials are public trials and the media reports on them all the time. It's not our campaign reporting. It's a fact that a trial was going on, and it's being reported.
So which is it? If the media is hopelessly biased for Obama, why has, according to Tubbs Jones, that same media and not the Clinton campaign been pushing the Rezko story to Obama's disadvantage?
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Of course the Clinton
March 5, 2008 - 17:03 ET by bigtimerOf course the Clinton Machine has been pointing out the Rezko trial from day one, remember the debate with Hill bringing up the slum-lord Rezko and the msm saying how awful that little fact was...Hill was getting very frustrated that the msm refused to investigate this or make hay out of it...so she and her minions did everything they could to get this out one way or the other...
As to Tubbs...Give me a break, if anybody follows these political shows which she has been a regular guest on doing the bidding for Hillary...when she talks...she talks over EVERYBODY when she gets the chance...which has been often..talk about pot calling kettle.
bt...it's a good thing you
March 5, 2008 - 17:21 ET by motherbeltbt...it's a good thing you didn't finish that pot/kettle thing......LOL
mb... Priceless... You
March 5, 2008 - 17:26 ET by bigtimermb...
Priceless...
You have me ROFL...I never thought of that...unfortunately is seems that is what is happening anymore with PCness ...and it will get worse before this election is over.
Pathetic all the way around IMHO.
Wouldn't it be
March 6, 2008 - 10:44 ET by WhoIsJohnGalt"the Tubb calling the kettle black"?
fini
March 5, 2008 - 17:09 ET by the mad poleBarry should pull a hillary and say that "this is the last time I'll discuss this"."I've put it behind me".
This "eyeblast" video
March 5, 2008 - 17:19 ET by FairlightThis "eyeblast" video platform is really weak. There are plenty to chose from that aren't youtube and that arent't budget oriented.
Other than that, thank you.
Fairlight, thanks for your
March 5, 2008 - 17:22 ET by Mark FinkelsteinFairlight, thanks for your feedback on Eyeblast. Our editors have been working to improve matters. Could you give some specific comments on what you don't like about it?
The thought of Tubbs Jones
March 5, 2008 - 17:38 ET by stratmanThe thought of Tubbs Jones having a cabinet/diplomatic/judicial or other high ranking position in a Clinton presidency scares the living bejeebers out of me. She is manipulative, street smart, and social climbing but she is not book smart or wonkish. The upper echelon of our political and judicial strata is NOT the place for affirmative action hires.
So many reasons not to have Hillary as president.
RRAM Tough!
strat... I could not
March 5, 2008 - 17:55 ET by bigtimerstrat...
I could not agree more, every single time she is on, I mention to my husband that this woman used to be a judge...can you believe it?
Of course we do, but like you say it is downright spooky.
Btw...she loves to say she used to be a judge quite a lot to-boot. If I were her I wouldn't announce it that much on national television.
Tubbs Tidbits: In 1974,
March 5, 2008 - 23:42 ET by stratmanTubbs Tidbits:
RRAM Tough!
Uncivil war
March 5, 2008 - 17:48 ET by acumenThis war between the demedia and the Clinton machine is escalating into an all out civil war between the two. Clinton should have foreseen that the demedia people were not ready to accept the assault against their leader Hussein. Clinton should never have rushed into this unjust war. If both sides would have engaged in more dialogue to prevent this tradgedy America wouldn't be stuck in this quagmire.
ac.... ROFLMAO!
March 5, 2008 - 17:56 ET by bigtimerac....
ROFLMAO!
Crazy woman tubbs
March 5, 2008 - 18:06 ET by docbThey said the same thing about FDR that is being said about Obama...no foreign policy, not tested, naive, green politically.etc etc.. Oh, neither FDR not JFK won in OHIO.
Let us remember Norman Hsu and Tyrie, and white water, and stolen slogans and furniture, and no tax returns , or logs from Whitehoue and nothing but stolen experience. Tubbs is an apt representative- loud, vague, old , and unattractive...just like the candidate.
"So which is
March 5, 2008 - 18:35 ET by Chris Norman"So which is it?"
When one is representing the Clintons (or for that matter Democrats), it's hard to contort one's comments - complaining, obfuscating, denying, accusing - all over the map, all at the same time - and still make any sense.
Tubbs Jones is correct on this Mark
March 5, 2008 - 18:51 ET by PamTubbs Jones is correct on this particular point Mark. The Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune have been reporting this story for a couple of years actually. It was not gaining traction outside of a handful of blogs. Only after the SNL skits did the MSM decide to report. On Sunday, the NYT's ran with this story, which I feel did a good job covering the details. It should have been brought up sooner than Sunday though.
Here is the latest warning shot from the CST's: Sen. Obama, time to call us about Rezko: (312) 321-2417
Stories that remain local
March 5, 2008 - 19:14 ET by stratmanStories that remain local news events are not enough coverage when the person involved is a candidate in a presidential (or other national) election.
The NYTimes article you reference is woefully light in facts about the closeness of Obama with Rezko, the help Obama has given Rezko and his associates throughout the years, and soft pedals any tie of Obama to Rezko. In other words, the NYTimes is helping to keep the Obama myth alive by not reporting fully.
Yet, eight year old gossip about McCain which was found to be false back then and continues to be unprovable despite several NYTimes reporters "on the case" manages to make it front page with all the lurid non-details to slur the man and his candidacy.
Go figure there would be inequities at the NYTimes.
RRAM Tough!
The Point Is That Hillary Didn't Leak This
March 5, 2008 - 19:43 ET by PamThere were two points to be picked up in Mark's story:
1. Hillary is blamed for bringing up the Rezko story.
2. Tubb Jones tries to point out that it is the MSM, not HRC, reporting the story
O'Donnell seems miffed that the MSM is actually doing their job by reporting the story. I can only assume she wants the story to have no coverage, therefore she makes the charge that Hillary is keeping it out there. Untrue. The Chicago papers, and they aren't exactly small town newspapers, have been trying to get answers to some important questions. Many of us in the blogosphere have been following this story. It wasn't until Sunday that the story gained traction. Tubbs Jones is correct. Hillary may be the devil in disguise, and can be blamed for many things, but in this case, no.
Between this, and the most
March 5, 2008 - 20:06 ET by motherbeltBetween this, and the most recent post regarding Tim Graham's appearance, where the reporterette said Well, the media's liberal, and so's Obama, so how can you expect them to be tough on him??? just provides more proof that the media don't want to do their job with regard to the Obama.
I think we are on the same
March 5, 2008 - 21:39 ET by stratmanI think we are on the same side on this but are keying in on some different facets which create an aura of disagreement.
1) We both agree the MSM has been derelict in this story of Rezko and Obama.
2) I have no proof that the Clinton machine has not had a hand in helping this story to be more front and center at present. It would not be beyond them given their history. I do not know what she says at campaign rallies, which may be what O'Donnell is referring to in the interview. If so, Tubbs Jones is jiving us all. At this time, I'll grant Tubbs Jones the benefit of the doubt even though I shouldn't (see #3).
3) Tubbs Jones is a partisan huckster and was a crappy judge. Every word out of her mouth is calculated to give her pals the best spin regardless of fact to the contrary. Between her and the pathological liar from SNL, I'd believe Tommy Flanagan first.
4) I don't know if you are refering to SNL shows prior to the past two weeks as the spur to "awaken" the MSM, but the MSM was into this story months ago, albeit inadequately. IIRC, some time ago, Hillary commented on the Rezko link while on the campaign trail (or was it during a debate?) which brought the story to National consciousness in the MSM. Examples of big MSM coverage are here (A June 14, 2007 NYTimes article with more information on their relationship), here (January 23, 2008 LATimes), here (ABC News January 10, 2008).
5) The story does appear to have more traction now, though the jury is still out on how much. Rezko was indicted in 2006. Reporting was primarily local/State and has remained that way for the most part. Chicago newspapers do not have the same National or International gravitas (right or wrong) as the NYTimes or Wall Street Journal. I do not know how they stack up against the Washington Post, LA Times or the Boston Globe. The point I was making is that Chicago newspapers are mostly read by people in or from Illinois, much the same as other big city papers. The Rezko-Obama story was local politics for the most part, but should have become MSM material shortly after Obama's entrance into presidential politics. In the "information age" we live in, there is no excuse for the MSM not to have near instantaneous access to the story. Comprehensive and continual coverage will only occur if Obama is no longer perceived as the front runner or pisses off the media in a major way (like when Hillary chastized Russert and the MSM closed rank and spanked her until she genuflected appropriately). Otherwise the MSM will continue giving cover to Obama.
6) The internet has been important in helping to keep the Rezko-Obama story in American consciousness. If you have had a part in this, I thank you. Please help to keep us informed.
7) Norah O'Donnell is miffed, muffed and smurfed. She does nothing for me. More MSM as champion/victim. Two bullsh*tters yapping. Wah, wah, wah.
8) I've seen Morgan Fairchild naked. (see #3)
RRAM Tough!
Very interesting; thanks
March 5, 2008 - 19:30 ET by Mark FinkelsteinVery interesting; thanks Pam.
You are welcome
March 5, 2008 - 19:47 ET by PamYou are welcome. But thank-you..I learned how to attempt to analyze these shows based on reading this site. I mean that in all seriousness.
Keep up the great work!