"Let me be precise here: Fox News peddles a fair amount of hateful crap. Some of it borders on sedition. Much of it is flat out untrue."
So wrote Time's Joe Klein Friday at the magazine's Swampland blog in a piece intended to be the columnist's critique of the Administration's recent demonization of the Fox News Channel.
Comically, with virtually every admonishment of the White House's strategy to attack Fox Klein offered -- wait for it! -- an attack on Fox:
I don't understand why the White House would give such poisonous helium balloons as Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity the opportunity for still greater spasms of self-inflation by declaring war on Fox.
If the problem is that stories bloated far beyond their actual importance--ACORN's corruption, Van Jones's radical past--are in danger of leaching out of the Fox hothouse into the general media, then perhaps the Administration should be a bit more diligent about whom it hires and whom it funds.
If the problem is broader--that Fox News spreads seditious lies to its demographic sliver of an audience--the Administration should probably be stoic: the wingnuts will always be with us. The best antidote to their garbage is elegant, intelligent governance. The next-best antidote is occasional engagement: I thought Obama came away from his O'Reilly and Chris Wallace interviews much the better for it. (Though you don't want to sit down with a thug like Hannity or a weirdo like Beck.)
Hmmm. In the same article he accused Fox of peddling hateful crap he referred to Hannity as a thug and Beck as a weirdo.
Don't journalists understand that they can't accuse others of hate with the same keyboard they dole out invective of their own?
Possibly a stupid question for someone that wrote:
The Administration has tried to pursue a sophisticated, difficult domestic and foreign policy. It doesn't offer the quick-fix irresponsibility of a tax cut or an invasion. It needs space, time and patience to explain. This is an enervating, midstream moment. It's not certain that the President's efforts from health care to Afghanistan will succeed. We'll know a lot more in a month.
So, tax cuts are an irresponsible quick-fix, but "[w]e'll know a lot more in a month" if "the President's efforts from health care to Afghanistan will succeed."
Staggering logic, wouldn't you agree, especially for a man who will likely continue to blame any failures of the current president no matter how long he's in office on George W. Bush.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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Mr. Anonymous strikes
October 24, 2009 - 15:05 ET by bigtimerMr. Anonymous strikes again!
...and nobody cares.
Must be attempting to make sure he is included at the WH Christmas party list.
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart
Just another Leftist Prestitute
October 25, 2009 - 13:48 ET by Thinking.ManKlien is a clown like every other leftist Prestitute, but he is an interesting case study into the liberal mind.
To the leftist sedition is defined as resistance to their agenda, hate is defined as any real debate, and facism as anything that does not give them what they think they desrve.
They invert the common definition of everything, which is why their monologs sound so strange, go and read some speeches by Mao or Lenin and you will see the same kind of oxymoronish stuff
FUN FUN FUN
October 24, 2009 - 15:09 ET by TWOTIMETUNAif it wasn't so tragic, it would be fun taking obozo the clown down. unfortunately, with the democrat socialist party in charge, so many people are hurt.
But it is fun, watching hussien go down the tubes. he is less than 50 % popularity now.
The Government is the Enemy
Speaking Truth to Power?
October 24, 2009 - 15:16 ET by allanfWhat ever happened to that liberal aphorism, "Speaking Truth to Power?". Do liberals not find the truth salubrious?
Good point, allanf
October 24, 2009 - 16:53 ET by GalvanicI guess the corollary as practiced by the Obama Administration is "Speak Truth to Power, Until You're in Power."
Mr. Klein! Lots Guts!
October 24, 2009 - 15:09 ET by rammingspeedJoe Klein is a bug-eyed, spitting hysteric who you wouldn't allow to be around your children. And he calls Hannity a thug and Beck a weirdo?
Klein doesn't think ACORN and Van Jones were big stories? Geez. They were at least as big as the wide-stance-in-the-men's room story that the MSM ran with forever in order to wound the GOP.
Oh, well, Klein is a cloistered, brain locked "progressive" who thinks getting sidewalk spit on the soles of his shoes while strolling around Manhattan means he's getting out a lot.
Joel Klein is beyond disgusting
October 24, 2009 - 15:10 ET by Worriedhe's a mashed up bag of meat (thanks Olbergagme).
"Some of it borders on
October 24, 2009 - 16:18 ET by Chris Norman"Some of it borders on sedition."
Great. A member of the news media sets up the argument to prosecute... segments of the news media. Way to go, "First Amendment Joe".
Barak Obama has brought out the inner fascist nastiness in the liberals and now the bile flows freely.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Sedition and the Founding Fathers
October 26, 2009 - 18:48 ET by MikeBHey, Joel, does this sound familiar: " That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness" ? Damn! That sounds pretty seditious to me. I wonder why they didn't say something along the line of "except for this government, because it is perfect."
How about these words: "A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.", or "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them", or " It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world", and finally, " The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants".
All of these words, Joel were written by that nasty old seditionist, Thomas Jefferson. So, if you are intellectually honest, you must ask yourself, "Has this government become destructive to the ends for which it was originally established? If the answer is "yes", then that government needs to be changed by whatever means necessary, preferably peaceful, but not necessarily peaceful, as such a destructive government will not give up its power willingly.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
Okay. Well. Hmmm. Let
October 24, 2009 - 15:15 ET by BKeyserOkay. Well. Hmmm.
Let me.... Alright, I'll just limit my comments relative to this particular paragraph:
It doesn't offer quick-fix irresponsibilty of a tax cut or invasion...
It needs space, time and patience to explain...
A month? Delusion is unfortunate Joe. Get well soon.
Spot on BKeyser...
October 24, 2009 - 18:45 ET by JPR1Blind to contradiction they are. What a ridiculous statement.
So everything will be just peachy by Christmas eh Joe? Joe, have you seen any of the Rasmussen poll graphics over the past 30 days? I think they are wonderful myself and expect they’ll look even better in a month. Joe, ten dollars says your neophyte marxist president hasn't made a decision on Afganistan thirty days from now.
This explains why I consider TIME and Joe Klien the go-to source for cogent analysis of current issues. /sarc
Fox reports news-Obama administration and congress acts on it.
October 24, 2009 - 15:17 ET by Gary HallWell, if the view that "Fox News spreads seditious lies to its demographic sliver of an audience--the Administration should probably be stoic," has any element of truth to it; then why, after Fox has run news stories and opinion pieces on Acorn, Van Jones, the activities of the administration and the NEA, did the Senate, the house, the IRS, the census bureau immediately act on Acorn, why did the Obama administration force Van Jones out (and not defend him) and why did they issue new rules in the NEA scandal?
Seditious lies? Klein's looking under the wrong barrel.
(;~/ gary
Danger! Danger! Unimportant Story Ahead!
October 24, 2009 - 15:17 ET by miss911ninjaIf Mr. Klein truly believes that Fox stories like ACORN's corruption and Van Jones' radical past are "bloated far beyond their actual importance," then what could be the "danger" of them "leaching out of the Fox hot house and into the general media?"
No details
October 24, 2009 - 15:21 ET by another_old_veteranThe leftwing noise horns are quick to claim FOX spreads lies and untruths but never bother to provide details to back up their asinine rhetoric. But I guess that must be an Alinsky tactic (never read the trash).
The Democratic party makes the Keystone Cops look like a precision drill team and 'their' Congress wins the Rube Goldberg award.
Fox's audience just a "sliver," eh?
October 24, 2009 - 15:27 ET by carolina09Like Klein could draw an audience without a taxpayer bailout to pay people to listen.
carolina... I noticed
October 24, 2009 - 15:35 ET by bigtimercarolina...
I noticed that 'sliver' line as well.
The left can only wish...talk about the green-eyed monster syndrome.
Instead of taking a few clues from FOX...they do the opposite.
Hence their ratings in television/radio and print as well.
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart
Klein is just angry he did
October 24, 2009 - 15:27 ET by d1carterKlein is just angry he did not get invited to the love fest at the White House.
Klein
October 24, 2009 - 15:51 ET by rockyracoonIt seems that the Pravda media is more concerned with FOX news and covering it, than it is in doing their job and reporting on the 0beyme's administration.
Does Klein offer any examples of seditious statements? Reporting facts and disagreeing with the present administration is not sedition.
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
it is times like this...
October 24, 2009 - 15:54 ET by dostacosThat I wish I had a subscription to cancel!
Back in the day Time mag made the Ayatullah Khomeini man of the year, my dad sent a letter to Time saying he did not want a picture of Hkomeini in his waiting rooms being declared man of the year. He then cancelled 32 subscriptions to the magazine
Everyday these people add
October 24, 2009 - 16:09 ET by jkwtradingEveryday these people add more injury to insult...Everyday the desire to do more than talk back prevails, until all talk is completed and the only avenue of expression is by physical force.
It is one thing to talk, feel free as a bird to say what you want as long as you feel perfectly safe. It is another thing to back up talk with pure physical action.
Hey Joe
October 24, 2009 - 16:25 ET by smgxIs it time to put Obama on the cover again?? Hahaha
Time's Joe Klein.....
October 24, 2009 - 16:38 ET by hetookuazyI bet he knows more than a little about treason and sedition. I bet his friends do too. In fact, I bet he and his friends think that treason and sedition are about the most patriotic things one can do. But only if it's to support a Marxist cause and other Marxists. Bet he still claims he's a liberal progressive but only a dedicated Marxist is willing to do what he and his friends are now attempting to complete.
After they've won, not long after, I imagine they'll pull out that red beret they've been so carefully hiding and wear it proudly every May day. Actions do speak to us very loudly indeed if one listens. Unless someone is messing with the volume control. They've been doing that too, for decades and it stands to reason that they would want to do more of it because they can only win and stay in power if they do so.....
From what's mentioned in
October 24, 2009 - 16:51 ET by Radical1979From what's mentioned in this post, Klein isn't specifying the "lies" FOX news has broadcast. He just doesn't like the weight given the stories on FOX. It doesn't make FOX wrong, it just makes me wonder (again) why Obama feels so compelled to hide so much.
He`s just doing the
October 24, 2009 - 17:05 ET by chessplayerHe`s just doing the customary salute to the Dear Leader. Bending over and grabbing his ankles.
These People
October 24, 2009 - 17:16 ET by justbob223These people are such hypocritical, pompous, ignorant doofuses.
These People
October 24, 2009 - 17:16 ET by justbob223These people are such hypocritical, pompous, ignorant doofuses.
'Let me be precise here....'
October 24, 2009 - 17:21 ET by SlyrrLet me be precise here; TIME magazine is a dying publication, it's decaying corpse being propped up solely because of it's once noble history. The current heads of the magazine are presiding over it's death, and emitting very loud and bitter death-throes.
Obama has done nothing and
October 24, 2009 - 17:22 ET by TenebrousObama has done nothing and has no stance on Afghanistan, nine MONTHS into his presidency, and all you can say is that "we'll know more next month"? How long should a sitting president wait before formulating a position on a war that his country is involved in, Joe? What the heck? To say that Obama is "dithering" is putting it mildly. I'd say he's hanging our troops out to dry.
-----
Random-jumbled-thoughts.blogspot.com
Notice how the liberal
October 24, 2009 - 17:26 ET by Chris NormanNotice how the liberal talking heads all end up going on MSNBC to say their most heinous things? It's like a "Sanity Free Zone".
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
'Sanity Free' is
October 24, 2009 - 17:29 ET by bigtimer'Sanity Free' is right!
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart
bt,It's like, "Come on
October 24, 2009 - 17:43 ET by Chris Normanbt,
It's like, "Come on MSNBC. No need to mince words here - get all your liberal bile out. The more insane, the better we like it".
- Actually, I should have said blogs and MSNBC. They have to watch their words somewhat when appearing on the majors and in some of their writings - but on a blog or MSNBC - watch 'em go!
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
X2 Si Vis
October 25, 2009 - 00:06 ET by ConservativeRexX2
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
Know thyself, Joe
October 24, 2009 - 17:49 ET by needleJoe Klein proclaims: "Fox News peddles a fair amount of hateful crap. Some of it borders on sedition. Much of it is flat out untrue."
Hey Joe, that sounds like a mouthful of “hateful crap. Some of it borders on sedition. Much of it is flat out untrue." In fact it is not much of an improvement on what you squeeze out in your mag each week. Mind you, Joe, I do not read your bunwad, but some of the people here at NewsBusters put on special gloves each week and then review TIME to report on its seditious excrement.
- Relying upon the Liberal Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.
- I didn't leave the Republican Party; the Republican Party left me.
So what Mr. Klein is trying to say is...
October 24, 2009 - 18:51 ET by Iowa Boy...we'ns is too stoopid to know'd wutz good fer us.
Whatever.
Post script: Did you notice when Mr. Klein said that FNC was "seditious" that he gave no examples of what he believed to be seditious. In other words, you uneducated and unwashed readers should just accept what I say is true.
"Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." Official Motto of the State of Iowa
I guess you just have to...
October 24, 2009 - 20:19 ET by Trickletown...love every last thing about Fox News. From the news anchors to the opinion folks. From straight news to the promotional aspects (tea partys, for example). If you admire Bill O'Reilly, Chris Wallace, and Major Garrett among others, but Hannity and Beck aren't doing it for you, I guess you're just a hated RINO, or something equally as despicable.
Basically, it's " Stand Up an Follow Glenn Beck, or you aint no kind of Conservative, you stinkin RINO.
It's no wonder only about 20% of the populace identify themselves as Republicans.
yet 41% call themselves
October 24, 2009 - 21:12 ET by Free Thinkeryet 41% call themselves conservative and another 41% call themselves moderates, while only 21% identify themselves as liberal - hence the outrage from the American public over this radical agenda the left is attempting to cram down. You need to worry about the polls in 2010 and 2012. But the poll you need to worry most about are the dominating ratins (as Obama likes to say) FOX News commands over the the other white House identified propaganda sources.
Tthe thing that strikes me about this disaster of a pr issue the White House has is that I thought Axelrod worked in advertising or at a public relations firm. Surely he would have known the failure an attack on the most respected cable news network would be. I gotta believe the idiot that came up with this idea is feeling alot of heat from within the higher ups in the administration.
You're half right...
October 24, 2009 - 21:31 ET by JerThe survey linked here a couple of months ago found that Fox was both the most respected and the least respected cable news network.
By the way, your per centage aggregate is 103%.
Other than that, I agree with your post.
Jer
Klein is the last person
October 24, 2009 - 20:24 ET by celatorKlein is the last person around who should be deciding what is truth and what is not truth.
No citizen's right to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, or property is safe as long as Obama is President of the United States.
what's one more title?
October 24, 2009 - 21:24 ET by jon_torlinIf being against the health care makes me a racist, so be it.
If being against tyranny makes me seditious, so be it, I'll be damn proud to be called that.
If being for the Constitution makes me "right wing" or whatever it is they are using, so be it.
If I don't want to give my money that I make to anyone else makes me "stingy" well, so be it. What I do with it ain't any damn business of yours anyway, dorkoffs.
If I don't want to be at peace with the rest of the world and that makes me a warmonger, so be it. I don't play well with other socialists and communists.
Did I leave anything out? If so, so be it.
-Jon
Cheer up REAL AMERICANS!..
October 24, 2009 - 22:47 ET by Trickletown...FOX NEWS CHANNEL is going to run for President in 2012! ( No, not that Roger Ailes rumor, I'm talking the entire news channel.)
I don't know how they will work it out, exactly, but I can see Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity standing guard, wearing three pointed hats.
Fox is close to sedition????
October 25, 2009 - 08:32 ET by Patriot III wonder about airheads like this! Where do they come from? Do they all escape the home at the same time or do they dribble out like the garbage they spew? What does this ignoramous think of his hero oblahma taking over banks, car companies, telling ceo's what they can pay their people..firing a ceo? sounds like treason to me, way beyond anything in the constitution and this piece of filth is going to talk about Fox? These bleeding heart liberal, lying chunks of bovine excretion are nauseating to say the least imho!!!!
"Muckracker Of The Day
October 26, 2009 - 09:43 ET by bpjamFor once, I agree with MSNBC (PMS-NBC, DNC-NBC, etc)....
Joe Klein is absolutely a muckracker and should be labeled as such.
Undoubtedly, they missed the irony of putting that chyron under his face while he was lying about people on other networks. But as the old saying goes, "If the shoe fits...."