Weeks ago, Rick Kaplan, executive producer of the "CBS Evening News," claimed that "Everybody, including Republicans, would have to say that (Obama's) first 100 days have been great." This week, Kaplan perpetuated a myth concerning Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
The event was a Katie Couric Roast & Toast held Wednesday evening as part of the American News Women's Club 15th gala. MediaBistro's blog FishbowlDC provides the pertinent details in "Ratings, Palin and Colonoscopies: Couric Roasted :"
Kaplan, Couric's executive producer at Evening News ("Beauty and the Beast," chided Donaldson) was first up. "Roasting your anchor... can be really dangerous," he opened. "We did have to edit out a couple of comments that Katie made during the interview, for instance, when Governor Palin said I can see Russia from my house, Katie actually said, well I can see Jersey from mine but that doesn't mean I know where Jimmy Hoffa is buried."
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The contention that "Governor Palin said I can see Russia from my house" is incorrect. Even Time Magazine corrected the error last October in "Palin vs. "Palin": When SNL Parody Becomes Campaign Reality." Reporting that Tina Fey's impersonation of Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live provided "a seamless blending of reality and parody," the article went on to note:
A Google search, for instance, turns up plenty of blog references to Palin's claim that she could see Russia "from [her] house" as her way of saying that being governor of Alaska is a foreign policy credential. The only problem: Real Sarah Palin never said it. Fey did, spoofing Palin's argument that one can see Russia from Alaskan territory. But who can remember those details? If Real You gets in an argument with Public You, Public You wins every time.
A post-election Zogby poll of Obama voters disclosed that 86.9 percent of respondents believed GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was the correct answer to the question: Which candidate said they could see Russia from their house?
One would think that the executive producer of the "CBS Evening News" would know better. Then again, with the detachment from reality demonstrated by his assertion that everyone would have to say Obama's first 100 days were great, perhaps he genuinely doesn't know any better. And it's not likely his mainstream media comrades would point out the error.
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This was a roast Mr Bates
May 22, 2009 - 01:46 ET by shawn228It was supposed to be funny and humorous and it was not like it was a segment on the evening news. As dumb as you believe the msm are, I doubt the executive producer of CBS news does not know it was Tina Fey was the one that coined that phrase.
He had my vote
I don't know. He did say
May 22, 2009 - 05:18 ET by kgI don't know. He did say Obama's first 100 days were fantastic for both Democrats and Republicans. You can't get any farther from reality then that.
"DumbAssity of Dope"
Why was Kaplan roasting
May 22, 2009 - 06:16 ET by NewsbusterbrownWhy was Kaplan roasting Palin instead of Couric anyway?
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
I doubt the executive
May 22, 2009 - 07:45 ET by motherbeltI doubt the executive producer of CBS news does not know it was Tina Fey was the one that coined that phrase.
And yet he blithely attributed it to Gov. Palin.....
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
MB
May 22, 2009 - 08:54 ET by shawn228I am just saying this was roast and not a segment they butchered with facts like the Bush air force thing that did in Dan Rather. This is a making a mountain out of a molehill
He had my vote
Hi Shawn
May 22, 2009 - 09:01 ET by sherylsimsI figure he probably knew who said it. But that makes it worse in a way. It is the old, "repeat a lie often enough and eventually it is true" tactic. And for many people, that particular lie has been repeated often enough for them to believe it. (along with other lies about her)
Hey, Sheryl~
May 23, 2009 - 10:40 ET by Georgia GirlI agree. And I wish they would give it a rest with her, but noooooo. It's so often going to have a distorted tinge because even when it's in a supposedly funny context, it's always a branch-off of the way the media spun "news" on her in a dishonest way.
"It was supposed to be funny and humorous" ???
May 22, 2009 - 08:31 ET by mom_roxShawn, Kaplan's repeating this myth as a truth perpetuates this "urban myth". He could have covered himself by adding a qualifier, such as, okay, Tina Fey said that, not Palin. (How do I know that he even knows that fact?)
By not doing so, he added another log to the fire that the CBS Evening News is liberally biased.
~~save your tea, dump congress~~
It's similar to the Gore
May 22, 2009 - 08:44 ET by JerIt's similar to the Gore "invented" the internet claim. He never said it nor intended any such implication. But it became an oft-repeated urban myth which the MSM helped perpetuate.
If the desire had been to really trash Palin at this roast, there are other, cheaper shots which could have been employed.
Jer
"During my service in the
May 22, 2009 - 09:32 ET by mattm"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet." - Al Gore
I did a little research and I have to say, if the people who claim Bush was falsely claiming that Gore said he "invented" the internet gave as much semantic leeway to Bush as they gave to Gore, there would be no legitimate criticism of the "accusation" that Gore claimed to have invented the internet.
Gore defenders say things like "he didn't say he 'invented' it, just that he took the initiative..." OK fine, but then you could also say that Bush never meant to imply that Gore thought he was a computer genius building the internet in his basement, but just that he was taking credit for something he has very little right to take credit for. In fact that is far closer to the truth than anything the Gore defenders are saying....and anything the Palin haters are saying.
Palin was LIED about, Gore was well depicted and described.
Give Palin 3 months of unbiased coverage and she'll have become the 2012 frontrunner. IMO
Jer
May 22, 2009 - 09:05 ET by sherylsimsI don't think the attempt was to trash Palin. I think he was just going for a cheap laugh. He figured he could get the bullies to laugh for sure by picking on the one he knew they all despised. (and from what I could tell, it worked)
During my service in the
May 22, 2009 - 11:00 ET by Dan The Man 2During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet.
If we llok at Gore's statements including his whoppers about AGW then this statement must mean he invented it. I am sure he wanted to leave the impression that he did indeed invent it. Just as with Duh One we need to look at all of his statements to determine what his intentions are.
And considering that Gore has not countered such ideas as him inventing the internet we can assume that he did indeed intend to make the impression he did invent it.
If we look at the wording create it can mean invent. So you are pretty far off teh beam here Jer.
Thats pretty pathetic Jer,
May 22, 2009 - 13:48 ET by MrSnugglesThats pretty pathetic Jer, Gore clearly and in no uncertain terms attempted to take credit for the creation of the internet.
I can't believe people still
May 22, 2009 - 14:00 ET by balboaI can't believe people still think that's what he meant to say. Read the whole thing.
During my service in the
May 22, 2009 - 15:14 ET by MrSnugglesDuring my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet.
Tell me oh enlightened one, what could he possibly have meant by that statement?
I love reminding Gore
May 22, 2009 - 14:05 ET by NL207I love reminding Gore Apologists like you exactly what Gore said:
In an interview with Wolf Blitzer: "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet"
The Interenet was 'initiated' back in the 1960's with ARPANET. Gore wasn't even elected to Congress until November 1976. --> Gore is a lying bastard.
This is what Snopes has to say about it, revealing what a bunch of losers they are.
Which is why Gore would
May 22, 2009 - 14:15 ET by balboaWhich is why Gore would never actually mean to say he created the Internet. And after that statement he said:
"I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system."
You miss the point. What
May 22, 2009 - 14:28 ET by NL207You miss the point. What he said about his role in the Internet was clearly a lie. He did not **Initiate** anything. He was a political tag-along.
Moreover, you pretend to know what Gore meant to say. What is your basis for this knowledge? I say it is nothing more than wishful thinking on your part. You don't know any more about what Gore meant to say than I do. He said what he said. That is the extent of our knowledge of Gore's intentions.
I see that he claimed to have initiated the creation of the internet. If he did not mean what that statement says, then he should have kept his mouth shut. Do you not agree?
He poorly stated what he
May 22, 2009 - 14:44 ET by balboaHe poorly stated what he meant. But since I'm a logical, rational human I can see that there's no way he meant to say he created the Internet because that's just too ridiculous for anyone to say and mean it (besides the guys that actually did create the Internet).
He poorly stated what he
May 22, 2009 - 15:02 ET by Dan The Man 2He poorly stated what he meant. But since I'm a logical, rational human I can see that there's no way he meant to say he created the Internet because that's just too ridiculous for anyone to say and mean it
I guess when Al Gore said there would be a 20' rise in sea levels he did not mean it or any of what he said in Inconveieneint Truth? Bal grow up, Gore is a politician of teh worst sort almost on par with Obama. He said it and meant it or he lied about it to make him look good.
Plus Dan, let's don't forget
May 22, 2009 - 15:08 ET by bigtimerPlus Dan, let's don't forget tht alGore is also in it for the $$$ when it comes to the GW BS.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
He poorly stated what he
May 22, 2009 - 15:22 ET by NewsbusterbrownHe poorly stated what he meant. But since I'm a logical, rational human
I can see that there's no way he meant to say he created the Internet
because that's just too ridiculous for anyone to say and mean it
(besides the guys that actually did create the Internet).
What is so ridiculous about his statement? He was attempting to take credit for the creation of the Internet through legislation, which would be more than reasonable and logical to anyone not familar with the fact that the Internet's roots are in the '60s (before he was even a congressman).
Now, he lied through his teeth, but it's not a far-fetched lie if you're ignorant of all of the facts.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
OK, shawn
May 22, 2009 - 09:11 ET by Mike BatesIt was supposed to be funny and humorous. . .
But isn't the roastee the person usually targeted for the barbs?
And since you feel that this is making a mountain out of a molehill, perhaps you shouldn't devote further effort to discussing it.
Thanks for your comments.
But isn't the roastee the
May 22, 2009 - 09:19 ET by motherbeltBut isn't the roastee the person usually targeted for the barbs?
Of course they are.
But don't forget, in a venue (WH Correspondents Dinner) where the press usually poke jabs at the President, most of the barbs were aimed at his enemies (Rush etc).
This was no different.
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
Not at all. If you watch a
May 22, 2009 - 13:57 ET by balboaNot at all. If you watch a roast, sure the guest of honor is a main target, but EVERYONE gets crushed.
Not at all. If you watch a
May 22, 2009 - 15:16 ET by NewsbusterbrownNot at all. If you watch a roast, sure the guest of honor is a main target, but EVERYONE gets crushed.
If they were at the roast, sure, but Palin wasn't even there.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
Roasts
May 22, 2009 - 15:37 ET by SpoonI wrote about this below. Most targets of the "jokes" are the roastee and the roasters. Roasters even skewer other roasters who have or will be speaking, with the roastee going last so he can get the "last laugh" on the roasters. Attacking someone not even there is crude, vulgar, and petty.
Agreed, Spoon. “There
May 22, 2009 - 15:58 ET by NewsbusterbrownAgreed, Spoon.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
EVERYONE gets crushed, Bal
May 22, 2009 - 19:39 ET by Mike BatesIf you watch a roast, sure the guest of honor is a main target, but EVERYONE gets crushed.
Sure they do. So what were the Obama and Pelosi put downs?
Oky Doky Michael
May 22, 2009 - 09:29 ET by shawn228"And since you feel that this is making a mountain out of a molehill,
perhaps you shouldn't devote further effort to discussing it".
Message read loud and clear, you don't want a opposite pov discussed. Your welcome, have a nice day
He had my vote
No, shawn
May 22, 2009 - 09:38 ET by Mike BatesProvide "a opposite pov" all you want. I was merely suggesting that since you obviously think this is much ado about nothing, that you move on to something you consider more substantive and meriting your attention.
But if you wish to supply "a opposite pov" on this item, by all means please continue.
Regards.
The problem with our young smart voters
May 22, 2009 - 01:57 ET by richb313The problem, especially with our supposed young smart voters, is that they are really ill informed. They get thier news from John Stewart and thier political opinions from Saturday Night Live. They also believe they are media savy when the exact opposite is true. In over hours of interview with Palin CBS news with Katie in charge got to pick and choose whatever minutes of video they wanted to use. We cannot even be sure that the answers are to the questions asked. It is the ease that the masses can be swayed by dishonest reporting and editoral content that is scary. These very same American Voters claim to be the most and best informed but I can tell you from personal experience they have no knowledge of history and do not know basic facts about how our Government really works. It really isn't thier fault because they have never been taught. We have the Teachers Union and all manner of Education Specialists which have designed the cirriculams and written the text books.
I do not have much hope when such a large portion of our population think they are so smart but can be so easily misled and lied to.
I watched Chinese students being taught history
May 22, 2009 - 03:07 ET by Daniel BakerTheir communist biased indocrination reminded me a lot of the teachers we have here.
-------------------------------------------
Liberal judges are the high priests of redefined marriage. Good men want freedom, Evil men want license
I talked to two a couple in
May 22, 2009 - 05:26 ET by kgI talked to two a couple in their early 20's who voted for Obama. They did not know Obama has spent trillions of dollars, his health care plans, his raise in taxes if cap and trade is enacted, U.S. paid abortions in Mexico, etc. Basically they commented with "really?" and "no way!" They were totally clueless, but did know all about Michelle's arms and Palin rumors.
It speaks volumes of how truthful and effective the MSM are.
"DumbAssity of Dope"
Same experience, kg
May 22, 2009 - 09:20 ET by Mike BatesI talked to two a couple in their early 20's who voted for Obama. They did not know. . .
I've had the same experience, kg, with folks in their 20s, but also 30s and even 40s. Almost totally ignorant of Obama's record and promises, they were nevertheless absolutely sure that he was The One.
No wonder my head hurts.
Ask these young, smart
May 22, 2009 - 06:02 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsAsk these young, smart voters if they think propaganda and disinformation can be used to sway peoples opinions. You will get a hearty 'Yes.'. Then ask them if they could be swayed by propaganda and misinformation, spoonfed to them during years and years of schooling and media manipulation. You will get a 'Well, ummmm, I, ummm, think I would be too smart to fall for that.'.
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
Dino
May 22, 2009 - 02:12 ET by CaringwhiteguyMike-buy yourself a few of those DVDs of Dean Martin roasts they advertise on late night TV. You'll get the drift of things after you watch them.
Those weren't Dean Martin "roast" jokes.
May 22, 2009 - 07:14 ET by Mike BrattonSuch jokes as the ones to which you refer are rarely grounded in the truth.
Rick grounded his in what he thinks is the truth.
There's a difference.
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport...
Tomorrow's headlines:
May 22, 2009 - 03:27 ET by JerWHAT DOES CBS ANCHOR KNOW ABOUT HOFFA'S DEATH?
Couric's boss, Rick "the Beast" Kaplan reportedly excises controversial references from interview.
Is producer protecting network's perky anchor? What is Katie hiding?
Developing...
DRUDGE
Lack of historical context is pervasive
May 22, 2009 - 05:48 ET by GRPruittI agree with an earlier post about the lack of historical perspective. I have noticed several statements by Obama regarding history that are ill informed at best. He is a little older than me, but probably ran into the same problem I did in school: We got to the beginning of WWII and then the school year ended.
Upon leaving high school I had little understanding of most events of the 20th century. I actually had very little appreciation for U.S. history in general. Over the next 20 years I have learned quite a bit, but it only happened because I took the time to read and had the desire to learn.
Barack Obama has been doing other things over those twenty plus years. Although it is not the critical element, the lack of historical context in economic and military matters does not help the political process. The uninformed are more easily swayed.
This is why liberals have such a hard time with reality
May 22, 2009 - 07:03 ET by c5thenTheir view of reality is distorted by false memories and incorrect history because they would rather perpetuate their view than see the truth. When you make decisions or try and predict other's reactions using your own flawed sense of reality, it invariably turns out bad and even worse, you can't understand why, which causes you to invent an even more twisted version of flawed reality.
Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!
www.loyaltoliberty.com
I can see economic disaster from my house....
May 22, 2009 - 08:02 ET by jondelwicheand we can thank the 2007-8 Dem Congress and Obama/Biden.
Be grateful you still have
May 22, 2009 - 08:24 ET by JerBe grateful you still have a house.
Jer
When I was growing up in
May 22, 2009 - 08:05 ET by Tom PaineWhen I was growing up in the 60s during the height of the Cold War, we learned about how people in the Soviet Union did not have access to any news about the outside world other than what was fed to them by their government. I remember feeling sorry for them because they didn't have access to the truth. Now let's fast forward to the United States today. We have literally hundreds of outlets to receive our news, but if you watch the networks, cable outlets and major newspapers there is an alternate universe in which all of the news is all filtered and edited to reach the same conclusion.
This is a world in which Barack Obama can do no wrong and all of our current problems are George Bush's fault. A world in which Obama commits gaffe after gaffe with his teleprompter, any one of which would have made George Bush the lead skit on Saturday Night Live, yet we don't hear a peep about it from the mainstream media. A world where government takeover of our key industries is applauded and capitalism is vilified. I don't know which is more sad; a totalitarian nation where all information is controlled by the government, or a free nation where a segment of the population is willingly fed only filtered news without ever asking why.
Secret
May 22, 2009 - 08:37 ET by JimboPeople in Washington can see the Vice President's secret bunker from their house.
We expect way too much of the old media
May 22, 2009 - 09:52 ET by slickwillie2001During CBS's Rathergate we saw how phenomenally stupid a producer could be in Mary Mapes. I would not give any of these folks a millimeter's worth of benefit of doubt. In the case of the 'anchors' like K-K-Katie, she got where she is because of her looks and her alligator-smile. There's not much upstairs.
It's easy to look good on the tube when you have total control of editing.
Roasts
May 22, 2009 - 14:01 ET by SpoonI love celebrity roasts and watch them whenever I can catch a new one. What I have seen in the Dean Martin and even the one's made today on Comedy Central, is that with very few exceptions (yes, there are some), the barbs are directed towards those in attendance. They get racy. They get vulgar. And they get insulting. But the subject of the comments are there and are usually going to be delivering their own brand of vicious comedy, too, so it's ok to laugh. Hell, sometimes the speaker will go around the room unscripted and insult everyone, leaving the best (worst) for the roastee. And when it's the roastee's turn, he in turn insults/jokes about everyone who just roasted him. Rarely (again, not set in stone) do they aim their nastiness at outsiders. That is the difference. If Rush (or Palin) had been there and was going to be speaking also, bring it on, Wanda (or Kaplan, or Obama, etc). Give him your worst (best). But he wasn't, so it was petty, vulgar, and partisan.
Good catch Mike
May 22, 2009 - 16:33 ET by acumenKaplan has hope nobody will notice his change of facts.
Thanks, acumen
May 22, 2009 - 19:40 ET by Mike BatesKaplan has hope nobody will notice his change of facts.
And among the MSM, that sort of hope is usually justified.
From my house I can see
May 22, 2009 - 23:05 ET by TN MomFrom my house I can see out-of-control spending in Washington, which is puting our nation's AAA Rating in jeopardy, causing inflation!
...Inflation knows no bias. No one is safe; not even Katie Couric and cohorts at CBS.