It appears now that Barack Obama is the favorite to win the Democrat nomination for president, media are reluctant to use Hillary Clinton's "vast right-wing conspiracy" tag.
Apparently, the new strategy when someone on the right says something someone on the left doesn't like is to blame it all on the "Rough Republican Attack Machine."
At least this was the way Time editor-at-large Mark Halperin defended Michelle Obama from talk radio and conservative blog reaction to her disgraceful remarks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Monday (emphasis added throughout, h/t NBer imaU2fan):
The [Obama] campaign has clarified her comment thusly: Of course she is proud of America and loves her country, but she recognizes its political system has not always been perfect. Like her husband, Michelle Obama has garnered extraordinarily positive press coverage, and, despite some cautiously critical commentary during the last 12 hours, the dominant Old Media has not yet pounced on her remark.
Makes you wonder why "the dominant Old Media" have been cautious with their criticism. This hypocrisy seemed to elude Halperin:
But if you sample talk radio and the conservative blogs, you will get a neat preview of what will happen if Barack Obama is the Democrats’ presidential nominee and his wife makes similar statements as a potential first lady. The opposition will launch a full-scale assault against her judgment and (at least indirectly) her character and patriotism, and all previous remarks, including this one, will be recycled, replayed, and condemned.
Halperin conveniently forgot how Jeri Thompson, the wife of former GOP candidate Fred Thompson, was eviscerated by the press months ago for being a "trophy wife."
Yet, maybe even more hypocritical was how Halperin's sense of chivalry didn't extend to John McCain's wife:
The clearest evidence: Cindy McCain, who almost never involves herself in the politics of the day and shies from controversy, struck back with this response: “I am proud of my country. I don’t know about you. If you heard those words earlier, I am very proud of my country.”
Hmmm. So, let's understand the thought process here: one candidate's wife implies that she hasn't been really proud of her country for many decades, and that's okay because "she recognizes its political system has not always been perfect." But, when another candidate's wife says that she is very proud of her country, that's a full-scale assault?
How astonishing. But, here was the money shot:
The Clinton campaign has often argued that Barack Obama is not prepared to face a general election onslaught from the rough Republican attack machine, but that contention has not yet been extended to Michelle Obama. This may change, given the pressures surrounding the current cluster of primaries.
And there you have it. You can toss your "Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy" buttons away, for now anytime you say something people like Halperin don't like, you are a part of the "Rough Republican Attack Machine."
Think sometime soon you'll hear the phrase, "He Got RRAMed?"
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
why are Democrats so afraid
February 20, 2008 - 12:00 ET by TruthMongerwhy are Democrats so afraid to embrace themselves
stand up and proudly proclaim your shame about being American, lefties!
the dixie chicks have fought and died overseas for the priviledge
Hey Noel...pretty good with the acronym there.
February 20, 2008 - 12:00 ET by WhoIsJohnGaltDid you ever work for the DOA?
Rough Republican Attack Machine
February 20, 2008 - 12:07 ET by pocomocoBOO HOO! BOO HOO!
Quick, somebody pass me a crying towel!
So an example of this "attack machine"...
February 20, 2008 - 12:16 ET by krendlerSo an example of this "attack machine" at work is Cindy McCain proclaiming her pride in America. How vicious of her.
The accusations of "racism" and "playing the race card" against McCain and The Evil Republicans for daring to stand in the way of Obama and His Destiny are just around the corner. I guarantee it. (Recall the IMMEDIATE shrieks of "race-baiting" from the Obama camp and surrogates in the media when Bill Clinton called Obama a "kid" and his voting record on Iraq a "fairy tale". They did that to a democrat and the "first black president". Imagine how low the bar will be for a Republican).
Both Americans and
February 20, 2008 - 13:03 ET by WhoIsJohnGaltBoth Americans and Republicans are screwed this November.
If Clinton wins, we're racist and ageist.
If Obama wins, we're sexist and ageist.
If McCain wins, we're racist and sexist.
Of course, the ageist thing against McCain won't go anywhere, because it would be against a Republican, which means that it's insignificant and not worth covering.
The Spin
February 20, 2008 - 12:57 ET by iveseenitallSo that's going to be the spin--it's not the anti-American comment from the Affirmative Action queen herself that is so despicable, it is the "nasty" Republican response. Typical lefty garbage. The Obama's want "change". They want to "change" the attitudes of future generations towards what our great nation is and has been. They want us to forget our accomplisments and concentrate solely on the times we haven't lived up to our creed--such as when a small number of people held slaves. "Never forget that"-- ignorant, spoiled Michelle tells us. That makes us the worst nation on earth in her blind eyes. Forget the fact that she'd be lucky to survive, much less prosper as she has, in any other nation on earth. How ungrateful both of the Obamas are. Did you hear him last night? The litany of complaints come from his mouth like a Puritan preacher. "Repent you sinners and follow me!". He and his wife spew the "liberal " religion of ungratefulness. The pied pipers of change for this nation and all it stands for--that's the Obamas--lefties to the end. There is no justifiable reason to attack America the way they do. I see little "hope" in these two complainers.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
An ad hominem pre-attack
February 20, 2008 - 12:22 ET by KC MulvilleThe brainwashing continues. They're going to do everything they can to block for Obama, just like football players blocking for the quarterback. All criticisms of Obama will be explained away. All criticisms of McCain will be used as "equal coverage."
From now on, the moment you see a MSM figure stare into the camera and assure you that the Republicans are going to use dirty tactics, you can identify that person as a card-carrying traitor to objective journalism. It'll be like hearing Tessio offer to protect Michael Corleone ... the moment he opened his mouth, he reveals himself to be the traitor.
Where do they get this
February 20, 2008 - 13:01 ET by Chris NormanWhere do they get this notion that we are linked together as an "attack machine"? It must be partially from Hillary, as she has been frequently quoted using the term. The Clinton's are engaging, once again, in transferrence. I wish we had an effective machine. If we did, maybe we wouldn't be where we are...
Chris, get used to it; this
February 20, 2008 - 13:50 ET by motherbeltChris, get used to it; this is going to be the template for any criticism of the Obamas. Look at what they've alread done to Mrs. McCain:
Mrs. Obama says something deeply offensive to most Americans. Mrs. McCain pointedly says the opposite.
The Obamas respond with a variation of the "How dare you question my patriotism!" gambit.
The MSM go John McCain to "explain" HIS wife's "knock" of Mrs. Obama.
That is the template they will follow for everything. Any criticsm of Obama will be an "attack" and John McCain will be expected to denounce it and "distance himself from it." And you know what will happen if he doesn't.
mb, I hope ol' McCain
February 20, 2008 - 15:08 ET by Chris Normanmb,
I hope ol' McCain is just ornery and contrarian enough not to fall for the media's demands. I hope he doesn't try to prove, like conservatives before him, that he is really a "nice guy". I hope this is an election that, not having much to lose, the GOP tries the new tact of showing some gumption and not playing by the new, twisted, "rules".
halperin
February 20, 2008 - 13:12 ET by dubuquemanI was surprised to see Halperin say these things, since he is not usually as in the tank for Dems as his MSM colleagues. I suspect that because he was on O'Reilly (rather rare for him, I think), he was straining not to display conservative "bias." I have no idea why he would say "Of course she loves her country." Like he has scientifically discovered that to be a fact. Technically, Halperin has no way of knowing whether that is true or not.
Shhhhhh!
February 20, 2008 - 13:15 ET by heldmywCareful!
Already, some lefties are suspecting the "RoughRidin' Republican Attack Machine's" existence.
While the RRRAM is RRReady, we'd also benefit from a few more weeks of Dems slagging each other off on goofy stuff like "I said the word "the" before she did, so she's a plagiarist".
We're advising McCain to tend to racking up endorsements, handing out compliments, and buffing up his weak conservative credentials. He needs to save the fight against the survivor of the Democrat political freak show for when he/she is broke, exhausted, and bloodied, with backers in shock, angry, bewildered and collapsing.
Then we get to RRRAMing. It'll be brutal.
Cupcakes and some of that wonderful Lapsang Souchon tea Brad and Glenda brought back from their China trip at Cheryl's house after.
The Rough Republican Attack
February 20, 2008 - 13:40 ET by bigtimerThe Rough Republican Attack Machine...
Surely you jest....
You have got to be kidding me Halperin and all your ilk...including the rebub's without a spine....
I wished we had a rough republican attack machine, we wouldn't be in the mess we are in now politically.
JMHO
I have no idea why he would
February 20, 2008 - 13:50 ET by katleeI have no idea why he would say "Of course she loves her country." Like he has scientifically discovered that to be a fact. Technically, Halperin has no way of knowing whether that is true or not. -dubman
well, dubman, RIGHT after Halperin stated this, he went on to say that he had spent many hours talking to and interviewing Mrs. Obama - I believe he has the ability to garner an opinion after that -more so than YOU
this whole thing is so 'a tempest in a teapot' what alot people leave out of this supposed quote is what she actually said --
in the excitement and enthusiasm of a campaign speech, she said that for the first time in her life she was REALLY proud of her country - emphasis on REALLY -
I've heard ALOT of people really reaching on this - its pathetic
Really KL?? First of all,
February 20, 2008 - 14:31 ET by JerryReally KL?? First of all, in her first rendition, there was no word "REALLY", she added that word in her second speech to make it more palatable. Regardless, is that supposed to make it ok??? If I said "this is the first time I loved my parents" and then changed it to "this is the first time I REALLY loved my parents", their hurt feelings would just be a silly tempest in a teapot?
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
MSN couldn't garner an opinion
February 20, 2008 - 14:52 ET by pagar" RIGHT after Halperin stated this, he went on to say that
he had spent many hours talking to and interviewing Mrs. Obama - I
believe he has the ability to garner an opinion after that -more so
than YOU"
We're seen 50 years of the MSN's opinion of Fidel Castro, with hundreds of hours maybe thousands of hours of interviews, and not one of them has labeled him a terrorist. What would make anyone believe that talking to Mrs Obama for "Many" hours would enable the MSN to form the correct opinion of her?
I have no idea why he would
February 20, 2008 - 13:50 ET by katleeI have no idea why he would say "Of course she loves her country." Like he has scientifically discovered that to be a fact. Technically, Halperin has no way of knowing whether that is true or not. -dubman
well, dubman, RIGHT after Halperin stated this, he went on to say that he had spent many hours talking to and interviewing Mrs. Obama - I believe he has the ability to garner an opinion after that -more so than YOU
this whole thing is so 'a tempest in a teapot' what alot people leave out of this supposed quote is what she actually said --
in the excitement and enthusiasm of a campaign speech, she said that for the first time in her life she was REALLY proud of her country - emphasis on REALLY -
I've heard ALOT of people really reaching on this - its pathetic
kat... This isn't a
February 20, 2008 - 14:38 ET by bigtimerkat...
This isn't a speech made off the cuff, she has given the same speech before...so she didn't make this speech in the excitement of anything...it was well prepared...and I believe she meant every single word of what she said, she just didn't expect the response from the American people who are outraged...as they should be.
I said that yesterday,
February 20, 2008 - 16:44 ET by motherbeltI said that yesterday, bt...if she meant she was proud of her husband or anything else, she would have said it. She's an educated woman; she's not flying off half-cocked; she says what she means to say. If she was proud of the political process, she would have said that.
And she said the same thing in two places on the same day.
You're right...she didn't expect the reaction she got.
Frankly, I'm a little hung up on this: She's proud of her country because Barack has done well and people are hungry for change?
HUH? Well, when it comes to speeches, I guess she and her husband are a matched set.
mb... You've got that
February 20, 2008 - 16:45 ET by bigtimermb...
You've got that right!
It makes me angry the way the msm is reacting, covering up for her and the endless spin, I heard Mika still say she sees absolutely nothing wrong with speech and what she said after Morning Joe with her follow up first hour, I wasn't looking at who she was talking to, but she will not let go of this...it is tiring, but more than that it makes me furious.
Michelle knew exactly what she was saying, and meant every single word of it...to defend this is outrageous, but then again I expect nothing less from the filthy msm.
Well, Mika's an idiot.
February 20, 2008 - 17:27 ET by motherbeltWell, Mika's an idiot. LOL
You know what I said about her job prospects with a different last name....
motherbelt, I didn't see that.
February 20, 2008 - 19:16 ET by R D HelmPlease tell me Mika's possibilities centered around the phrase, "Would you like fries with that?"
RD....they do indeed. I
February 20, 2008 - 20:31 ET by motherbeltRD....they do indeed. I have often said if Mika had a different last name, the only employment she would have at MSNBC would be waiting tables in the cafeteria. LOL
Why don't we ever hear of
February 20, 2008 - 14:36 ET by mattmWhy don't we ever hear of something called a Democrat attack machine? Oh yeah, it already has a name: the Media.
Excellent point
February 20, 2008 - 14:38 ET by JerryExcellent point mattm!
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
mattm... Amen to that.
February 20, 2008 - 14:39 ET by bigtimermattm...
Amen to that.
hear,hear
February 20, 2008 - 14:47 ET by iveseenitallHear,hear mattm!
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
matt, I've racked my pea
February 20, 2008 - 15:31 ET by Chris Normanmatt,
I've racked my pea brain trying to come up with figures within the GOP as vicious and agressive as James Carville, Paul Begala, and Company and can't come up with one single name. Just to whom are the media referring? Lee Atwater? He's been dead for years, but they seem intent on acting like he's still alive (I wish)- not that he was ever as vicious as portrayed. If they're referring to conservative talk show hosts, who has been nastier than Air America? This right wing attack machine bogeyman has been created from whole cloth and no one in the GOP ever protests or denies it - proving that they are a bunch of wusses.
It is frustrating that the
February 20, 2008 - 16:59 ET by mattmIt is frustrating that the GOP never calls out this 'bogeyman' for what it is: a deliberate, calculated tactic by the Democrat attack machine which was designed to focus attention away from them and toward the imaginary Republican attack machine. Succeeding in this they can attack and attack 24/7 while claiming victim status and painting their opponents as bullies.
Goebbels would be proud.
Sean Hannity, Bill
February 20, 2008 - 20:54 ET by katleeSean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingrahm and let's not forget Rush the King
Sean Hannity, Bill
February 20, 2008 - 20:54 ET by katleeSean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingrahm and let's not forget Rush the King
And is it a smooth Liberal compliment machine
February 20, 2008 - 15:35 ET by Dee Bunkthat calls people liars, racists, homophobes and warmongers? The claims of War for oil based on flimsy conspiracy theories are smooth liberal compliments? Hummm
"George Bush Hates Black people" - smooth liberal compliment?
"Bush Lied people Died" Smooth liberal compliment?
Implying Bush is like Hitler - Smooth liberal compliment?
"Culture of Corruption" - Smooth liberal compliment?
Man I'd hate to see what these liberals do when they mean to attack. I've never heard such annoyingly loud and obnoxious compliments in my life.
The Audacity!
February 20, 2008 - 16:10 ET by Santino CorleoneIf you gathered say, 50 mainstream US journalists and asked them which of the statements is more offensive and news worthy I would would bet my house that a good 80% would pick Cindy McCain's statement over Mrs. Hope's---..or is that Mrs. Change?
It is simply the nature of the liberal media and liberals in general to be ashamed, guilt-ridden and in some cases filled with hatred about this country. These emotions are the core curriculum of what our schools and media have been force-feeding us for years. So it should not be a surprise.
Sickening but not a surprise.
SC... Mrs. Hope or Mrs.
February 20, 2008 - 16:15 ET by bigtimerSC...
Mrs. Hope or Mrs. Change...
What audicity...how dare you!
You have me LMAO!
Cindy McCain...........hope she is half the wolfhound McCain is
February 20, 2008 - 16:12 ET by Lame CherryBefore this is done Cindy McCain is going to be ravaged as a pimped up whore, doped up on Rush Limbaugh meds, feeding Strangecain buckets of horse tranquilizers and viagra and a homewrecker who likes stealing colored kids out of 3rd world countries.
The McCains are going to grow a leather hide on their souls before summer is over. I will be surprised if John doesn't beat the bajesus out of someone and Cindy doesn't jam a high heel into some liberals scrotum........male or female reporter.
This is going to get really nasty.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
Another Brick
February 20, 2008 - 16:16 ET by rammingspeedThis and other examples of the news media's bias will be duly noted and, yes, brought up to continue to inform and educate the American public.
The truth always wins out.
An "explanation" from Barack himself on Michelle's statement
February 20, 2008 - 16:54 ET by krendlerHere it is! Finally!! From Barack Obama himself on what wife Michelle actually meant:
"What she meant was, this is the
first time that she's been proud of the politics of America," [Obama]
said. "Because she's pretty cynical about the political process, and
with good reason, and she's not alone. But she has seen large numbers
of people get involved in the process, and she's encouraged."
AHHHHHHHH!!! She meant the "politics of America", not the country itself. Thanks for clarifying, Mr. Uniter.
Gee. I wonder why she didn't simply say "This is the first time in my life I've been proud of the politics of America" rather than "This is the first time in my life I've been proud of my country." (saying the latter TWICE).
So, rather than apologizing for her disgusting remarks, Mr. Words Have Meaning is simply going to try an utterly laughable spin job, necessary because comments made at the Obama Professional Victim Rally (where they played well) are grabbing the attention of the media and mainstream America.
One of McCain's campaign slogans should be "John McCain. Proud of his country...and not ashamed to say so" or something to that effect.
For years
February 20, 2008 - 19:02 ET by iveseenitallFor years my wife has said that the Democratic Party is anti-God, anti-family, anti-country. Michelle's words leave no doubt about the country part. But I believe the others too.
By the way, hon. We're not proud of you either.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Let the Little Woman Speak
February 24, 2008 - 23:26 ET by CobraManIt looks like Obama is now speaking for his "little woman." I wonder how the feminists feel about that? Do you suppose that he also orders her dinners for her when they eat out?
LOL Cobra... Me thinks
February 24, 2008 - 23:31 ET by bigtimerLOL Cobra...
Me thinks Obama does NOT order Michelle's dinner or anything else when it comes to her...
I tend to think it may be the other way around.
Remind you of another couple...eh?