Canadian Commentator: The Press Gave America 'An Untried, Unknown,' 'Incompetent' President
Maybe what America's press really need is a Canadian television commentator to explain how atrocious their coverage of Barack Obama has been since the moment he tossed his named into the presidential ring in February 2007.
Although they may not be familiar with CBC's Rex Murphy, they should certainly heed the marvelous piece he wrote for the National Post Saturday entitled "The Media’s Love Affair With a Disastrous President":
As the bad economic news continues to emanate from the United States — with a double-dip recession now all but certain — a reckoning is overdue. American journalism will have to look back at the period starting with Barrack [sic] Obama’s rise, his assumption of the presidency and his conduct in it to the present, and ask itself how it came to cast aside so many of its vital functions. In the main, the establishment American media abandoned its critical faculties during the Obama campaign — and it hasn’t reclaimed them since.
Murphy then walked through some of the press's most egregious examples of malpractice:
- Gliding past Obama's pretentions
- Ignoring his arrogance
- Not reporting his gaffes
- Side-stepping his connection to Rev. Jeremiah Wright
- Trashing Hillary Clinton
- Burning Republicans
- Ransacking Sarah Palin and her family
"Palin, in particular, stands out as Obama’s opposite in the media’s eyes," wrote Murphy. "As much as they genuflected to the one, they felt the need to turn rotweiler toward the other."
After offering further examples of so-called journalists' unforgivable obsession with attacking the former governor of Alaska, Murphy gave his strongest criticism.
"As a result, the press gave the great American republic an untried, unknown and, it is becoming more and more frighteningly clear, incompetent figure as President."
Murphy crescendoed to his spot on conclusion: "To the degree the press neglected its function as watchdog and turned cupbearer to a styrofoam demigod, it is a partner in the flaws and failures of what is turning out to be one of the most miserable performances in the modern history of the American presidency."
Almost on cue, "American Conservative's" Jim Pinkerton observed a few hours later on Saturday's "Fox News Watch" that some of Obama's enablers are starting to get it.
"There’s a strange thing happening in the media which is, I think, liberalism has sort of concluded that Obama is kind of a turkey, and they're sort of trying to distance themselves from him."
They might try, but too many observers know the truth: the press aided and abetted this national disgrace, and they're going to have a lot to answer for in the coming years regardless of how much they try to distance themselves from the current White House resident.
Hopefully more members of the foreign press will assist those of us in the States that have been sending out warning signals since February 2007.
Maybe with their help, the media malpractice will be totally acknowledged by the guilty parties, and America will never have to witness such a disgraceful episode again.
A conservative can dream, can't he?
- Noel Sheppard's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
Well, the guy is right, isn't
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 9:24pm.
Well, the guy is right, isn't he??? I'm sure that he won't be getting invited to any MSM press parties anymore............
He's Absolutely Right!
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 9:33pm.
If Obama wasn't black (half) and Democrat, we'd have had numerous stories about his pot smoking buddies in high school and his coke dealer.
I Don't Think...
Submitted by GeneralAl on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 9:27pm.
I don't think the press or the media has the guts or the desire to admit they're wrong. They will continue to blame Bush and the Republicans long after this bozo is gone!
"Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away"!
And racism, Al....
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 7:41am.
Don't forget racism!!
It should be noted that more and more of the country is becoming racist, as his plummeting poll numbers show.
Even blacks are becoming racist! His approval number is slipping there too!
The BS media has this much
Submitted by Edhenry on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 9:38pm.
The BS media has this much influence, unfortunately.
Keep hammering their follies NB. Need it now more than ever.
It's your decision!
Submitted by Lgbpop on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 9:00pm.
They only have the influence because of their readers and viewers. Ignore them; cancel your newspaper subscriptions; change the channel to an objective broadcaster! As Governor Reagan used to tell Democrats about voting Republican - it only hurts a little bit the first time, then it feels great. I tear into them every chance I get now. I am definitely making some people remember me.
An outsider's view
Submitted by Lakewood Ed on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 9:46pm.
Maybe his comments will carry weight since he's a foreigner? Naah!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Submitted by GregE on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 9:46pm.
http://www.hark.com/clips/ybljzxghpw-sound-of-victory
This seems to be the media
Submitted by bkeyser on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:00pm.
reading the writing on the wall. It is increasingly likely that the GOP regains the White House, and most likely the Senate while increasing their majority in the House. The media knows that even as Obama goes away, they will remain. As such, they're positioning themselves now as objective so they can "fairly" criticize the incoming president and congress.
It's all politics.
'You Have To Pinch Yourself!' 10/14/08
Submitted by Winghunter on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:48pm.
"You have to pinch yourself – a Marxist radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshipped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And it's considered impolite to say so!" - Melanie Philips, The Spectator ( UK ) 10/14/08 http://bit.ly/4E6s2V
END the MainSlime Media's stranglehold on America with a lesson learned from Useful Idiots: Refuse to buy their corporations and advertisers products.
Look Out
Submitted by rammingspeed on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:12pm.
Mr. Murphy better be looking over his shoulder (metaphorically speaking.) Make no mistake, the US mainstream news media has clout with the Canadians. Our MSM, and of course the democratic party's operatives, are vicious and absolute with their take-no-prisoners ways.
Can there be any doubt
Submitted by texasborngranny on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 10:06am.
Can there be any doubt that Mr. Murphy has been reported to attackwatch by numerous snitches?
I love it
Submitted by shawn. on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:15pm.
.........most of the time us Canadians are told to mind their own business :-)
Do you wonder why??
Submitted by Winghunter on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:51pm.
For the last 20 years, what political influence has dominated Canada? Exactly right, Socialists.
Canada
Submitted by Unsane on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 12:13am.
Only 20??? Their founding documents call for "peace, order, and good government". The Liberals have been regarded as the "natural ruling party" of Canada for decades. Only recently have their fortunes changed. And just take a look at some of their other Leftist parties, like the NDP or the old Social Credit party.
Anyways, Rex Murphy is awesome, and whenever his commentaries come up on The National, I make it a point to stop what I'm doing and pay close attention. Because I know he will make some good points, and he will be quite sarcastic about them.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
Yeah, who woulda thunk that
Submitted by killa37 on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 1:03am.
Yeah, who woulda thunk that Canada would be doing better economically and be more conservative politically than the good ol' USA??? Thanks for everything, Barry................
Oh, and Barry...........the Canadians DO DRILL for their oil, and USE IT TOO!!! I don't think they're sending a bunch of money to Brazil, throught your puppetmaster George Soros, so that he can make a ton on it, and we can be one of their 'best customers'!!
And I doubt if they have the Chinese or the Cubans or the Vietnamese or the Venezuelans (or whoever else) drilling for oil right in their front yards.
A word of caution...
Submitted by DumbCanuck on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 8:19am.
The CBC is our version of PBS, but thankfully, Rex Murphy is to the CBC what Charles Krauthammer is to PBS. He's the exception. (Don Cherry is the other noteworthy exceptioon. That's it!)
In fact, I'll go further and say that the CBC is even more radically left than NPR or PBS. I've said it before, but it bears reiterating:
Only the CBC could have a political debate between reps of the far-left Huffington Post, and the far-far-looney-bin-left Daily Kos, and call it a fair and balanced debate.
Conservatives (yes, we're still here. Get used to it, shawn) are battling our own 'conservative' government over CBC funding of well over a BILLIION dollars a year, without any accountability to the public. (Access to Information requests regarding financial issues are constantly denied) Recently, the CBC hosted a celebrity bash during the Toronto Film Festival, and yes, all expenses were paid by the taxpayer.
"There... Are... Four... Lights!"
The Press gave us...
Submitted by shimauma on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:20pm.
And the GOP gave us mcshame as an alternate, and they are trying to do the same with perry and romney. One good thing barry hussien has done is making US conservatives to get active, but if we don't get a conservative choice, we are going to have another 4 years of barry hussien. soros is donating to the perry and romney campaigns right now to make sure of it. Please Father God give us a conservative president in 2012!
Yes, dreaming optimistic thoughts is a righteous;and admirable
Submitted by Rush Fan on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:27pm.
behavior. Until you awake and discover to your horror the pain and suffering this President and his lapdogs in the media have thrust on this great nation.
It doesn't hurt to be optimistic. You can always cry later. ~Lucimar Santos de Limam
Jumping the Shark
Submitted by GerryC on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:21pm.
We, the American people (ALA Nancy Pelosi on ObamaCare), had to elect him to find out what he is about, since the liberal media would not report on any of his associations, or history. The media jumped the shark in vetting this man. They did not even try. This man is our president, and never even had a job outside of "Community Organizer" (OK, he was a Senator for a year, rarely showed up, and voted "present"). It is like hiring a person that never even worked a day in a retail environment to be the president of WalMart. The greatest capitalistic society in history elected a man that has never even worked a day in it!!!!!!!!
I have 25 years of professional business experience and can't even get an interview in this economy, unless I want to do "scams" for a living. The Scammer in Chief is still not even questioned about anything he has done, and he has no idea how to create a job. All we get is pictures of him looking serious and angry (I personally think he is just mad about not having a freaking clue about anything).
Fortunately, I made a lot of money before this Bozo came along. I just feel for the others that didn't, or can't now.
See, Gerry.............it's
Submitted by killa37 on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 12:59am.
See, Gerry.............it's guys like you who Boy Bozo is talking about - the ones who 'made a lot of money'!!! Can't you understand that YOU'RE the problem,not Boy Bozo!!! So just eat your peas and share the wealth..............
Bravo Rex!
Submitted by MyDogDarby on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:31pm.
As a Conservative Canadian,we view Rex as a National treasure! He works for the ultra-liberal Canadian Broadcasting Corp,and I'm sure they wonder why they keep him! He's a Newfie that speaks the truth,no BS..and totally non-partisan.I think we'll keep him!
On the other hand we also have the vile disease known as Heather Mallick (or Mallice as she's known in Cons.blogs)..check out her handiwork re Sarah Palin,and bring a puke-pail!
Interesting
Submitted by Unsane on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 12:17am.
As a Texan that keeps an eye on the countries of the world to include yours, my impressions of Rex Murphy have long been favorable, ever since I first caught his commentaries on CBC during a memorable drive through Canada in 2002.
I saw Mallick's tripe referenced in a Maclean's article ripping her arguments to shreds. IIRC it was in response to a Mallick article ripping the EVIL Wal-Mart. That was enough for me.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
I submit that the MSM is
Submitted by dscott on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 10:39pm.
I submit that the MSM is mostly to blame for Obama's failure as a leader. Their refusal to discipline him with (positive) criticism coddled an inexperienced person to continue in his ignorance instead of grow into a leader. You the MSM failed and Rush Limbaugh has been vindicated in saying he hoped Obama would fail (in his agenda). Obama never learned from his mistakes and thus he failed as a leader.
Perfection is not the absence of a mistake, it is the culmination of many experiences in correcting the mistakes you have made. Experience is surviving your mistakes, not being lucky enough to avoid them. This is the wisdom of life experience and not the PC flavor of the month so often prattled by liberals.
As I see it
Submitted by texasborngranny on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 10:14am.
As I see it, the media can't be held responsible for the fact that the inexperienced Obama continued in his ignorance instead of growing into a leader. The potential just wasn't there and the media would have known that if they had done their homework.
It's fun watching the
Submitted by Van Halen on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 11:00pm.
It's fun watching the JournOList media start to turn on Obama after years of the stupid halo crap we had to endure.
The Candidates must get together and plan on promoting Non-MSM
Submitted by Avitar on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 12:21am.
We have had the same cadra going in and out of the media corporations for the last hundred years. This is the time for new people and new faces. We have only a handful of people who ever bring new light on subjects. The one guy at CNBC and the rest have to work at FOX. It wasn't always like that. NYT had their moderate and so did the Washington Post. All that is left of that era is one or two old timers who are more Tory than conservative.
The news programs used to be owned by
Submitted by Uruk Hai on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 1:23pm.
the networks themselves and the networks had to pay for the news programs; in other words, they were not allowed to run commercials during the news. All that ended when the news networks were allowed to be purchased by private people/corporations. Now they report what their owners want them to report, regardless of the facts.
MSM support
Submitted by johnksharp on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 12:42am.
Perry is not even the Republican nominee but his transcript was "released." Obama has never had any college or government employee "release" any information about him. Again we have a liberal being protected and a conservative being gored.
Year, the left is saying that
Submitted by ThisnThat on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 9:08am.
Year, the left is saying that Perry didn't get the best of grades. But here's my question: How do o'bama's grades in Organic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering compare with Perry's?
Also, Huffpo obtained a quote from one of Perry's classmates: “A&M wasn't exactly Harvard on the Brazos River,” he said. "This was not the brightest guy around. We always kind of laughed. He was always kind of a joke." What were o'bama's classmates saying about him?
I'm sure our revered MSM is working on these questions as we speak, aren't they? So that voters can be well informed? After all -- if it's important to know about Perry's grades, it must be equally important to know about o'bama's.
__________
“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court
Hmmmmmm,
Submitted by texasborngranny on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 10:16am.
"What were o'bama's classmates saying about him?" What classmates?
Or more pointedly what were
Submitted by dscott on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 4:20pm.
Or more pointedly what were the professors saying about him?
Obama’s Encounter With A Library
http://www.publiusforum.com/2010/06/08/obamas-encounter-with-a-library/
Exactly, Granny,
Submitted by UpNorth on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 5:21pm.
His classmates have yet to surface, and I've yet to read of any of his "constitutional law" students saying anything.
What a huge disservice the
Submitted by michael lofrano on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 7:02am.
What a huge disservice the media has done to some municipality. Somewhere out there is a city or town sorely in need of a mediocre community organizer.
Judging the "competence" of TOTUS
Submitted by SmartyMarty on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 7:28am.
in the context of whether he is attempting to do what is right for America misses the point. He is, in fact, moving an agenda, designed by his puppeteers, to destroy America, as we know it and deconstruct western civilization. For reasons not difficult to recognize, he is enabled, given a pass and supported in this endeavor by those self-serving entities, foreign and domestic, that we hear about daily (if we look hard enough) as well as so many of our countrymen who act out of ignorance and/or prejudice.
All true...
Submitted by Morganfrost on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 8:48am.
The American people allowed themselves to be snowed by a media that abandoned any pretense of journalism and was openly working to get Obama elected.
Well, the American people got exactly what we deserved, I regret to say.
Our economy will, in time, recover from Obama (he's going to be gone pretty soon). The MSM's credibility is gone forever (and they have only themselves to blame).
I sincerely hope that the mainstream media will be able to reinvent itself; a free (and active) press is essential to a functional democracy. Perhaps a straight-forward, unbiased reporting of the news isn't really possible and it's better for Americans to have a choice between overtly liberal and overtly conservative news sources, with facts to be distilled by the intelligent reader.
Now, reporters cherry-pick the facts that suit their causes, and editors "editorialize." It might be a great advance for journalism as a profession if reporters would just report and editors would just edit out the portions that didn't appear to be reporting.
All true...
Submitted by Morganfrost on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 8:57am.
The American people allowed themselves to be snowed by a media that abandoned any pretense of journalism and was openly working to get Obama elected.
Well, the American people got exactly what we deserved, I regret to say.
Our economy will, in time, recover from Obama (he's going to be gone pretty soon). The MSM's credibility is gone forever (and they have only themselves to blame).
I sincerely hope that the mainstream media will be able to reinvent itself; a free (and active) press is essential to a functional democracy. Perhaps a straight-forward, unbiased reporting of the news isn't really possible and it's better for Americans to have a choice between overtly liberal and overtly conservative news sources, with facts to be distilled by the intelligent reader.
Now, reporters cherry-pick the facts that suit their causes, and editors "editorialize." It might be a great advance for journalism as a profession if reporters would just report and editors would just edit out the portions that didn't appear to be reporting.
Not to worry, Canada, we will
Submitted by jessieH on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 9:22am.
Not to worry, Canada, we will deal with the treasonous media, right after we get rid of the imposter in the White House. And the corruption in our House & Senate. And the fraud in our Justice dept & Homeland Security............
Jan. 2013 can't come soon enough
Submitted by ohio granny on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 10:33am.
I hope the republicans will not forget what got us into this mess. They were too were afraid to tell the truth about Obama. They did not want to be called a racist. He brought his Chicago thugs with him. Will we ever get the stench of thuggery and incompetence out of the white house, the justice department, the IRS and the Treasury??
Obama is merely a symptom of a far deeper problem in America
Submitted by Dave. on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 9:28am.
And that problem is the mentality and thought processes of the people who voted to put him in office.
If this country has any chance whatsoever at near-term recovery, and especially long-term survival, we have to get the moochers, leeches and ticks out of the voting booth.
If we don't, the government-educated stoopid zombie sheeple are going to vote this country right onto the ash heap of history.
If they haven't already.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Thank you, Dave.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 10:58am.
I was reading down the entire chain of comments, and you are the first to put the blame squarely where it belongs.
The press didn't give us this pile of Shiite who is president. The majority of dumb-assed voters who voted for Him gave Him to us.
Unfortunately they are still with us, and just getting more and more numerous.
We can hold them off, maybe, for a few more years, but soon they will be a super majority.
I tell my kids everyday that they better get interested in this stuff or their kids will never know freedom except what they read in history books --- if there are any books --- and if they are allowed to read --- and if they CAN read.
Oh (Thank You) Canada...
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 9:45am.
Wouldn't it be nice just to see our corrupt media just for once actually report the facts? No, we are too busy demonizing anybody and everybody that poses a threat to Comrade Zero. It is bad enough that we are a country that is seriously divided, but when the "free" press refuses to report objectively, it will be nearly impossible for the society to heal itself.
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
Press Is Guilty
Submitted by HopeChangeInAZ on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 12:52pm.
As frustrated as I have been while watching our Neophyte in Chief get a pass time and time again from the media, I really do lay a lot of the blame for this mess at the media's feet. If the media had done their job or at least done it like they do if it’s a Republican, chances are that they would have had Hillary in the White House and maybe things would be a lot different. At least the Clinton’s experience was a proven commodity whereas Obama was literally a blank check with no experience.
For the most part with an exception or two, the media has become the lap dog for the Democrats and unions. I can't even begin to count the ways they have dropped the ball and continue to do so to this very day. A recent example is when the media was inquiring about Perry’s military record after giving a total pass on the President’s background, which he has worked overtime to hide. Can you imagine a Republican trying to hide his past like Obama has? At least people remember Perry from his military days. When was the last time you heard anyone talk about Obama's days as a community organizer or as a college student or as anything else. And the media just sits there smiling heaping kudos on this guy and hoping the public will buy it. The fact remains that we elected one of the most inexperienced people to the highest office of the land in very perilous times and we are paying for it day by day. Hopefully a majority of the general public has woken up to this ridiculous Hope & Change crap and continues to correct this anomaly in 2012.
Lame Stream Media is never at fault...just ask them!
Submitted by sunergeos on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 1:07pm.
We all know how this game is played. No one will admit that they should have done their job and researched Obama. Instead, you can guarantee that you'll hear one of the following if not all of them:
-"Obama would have been successful if the Extreme Right Talk Radio had not sabotaged his ascendancy into his position as President."
-"Obama, being the smartest and most poised President ever, could not overcome the legacy that was left behind by Bush and so his popularity suffered as a result. After all, Obama was well liked throughout his term." (yes, you'll hear the contradiction and see it said with a straight face)
-"Obama's staff had made decisions to follow after their own political careers and bailed on Obama at the time he needed them most. This caused Obama's leadership team to be in disarray and disserviced Obama greatly."
Only after Obama leaves office will they find out where all the bodies are and then you have to put up with the gutless RINOs not wanting to dig into the corruption, but rather "move the country on to better times and into a better demeanor for the country's sake." All the while the beleaguered Dems and their liberal cronies will be sniping at every Republican in office hoping for that one head shot to get ahead on (no pun intended). That's who they are!
I wish there were options on this stuff - it would be a solid investment.
Excuse to Scrutinize Conservatives
Submitted by ecnirP on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 1:06pm.
I like this piece, but its points about the failure of the media to scrutinize Obama in the last cycle will serve as a convenient excuse for the media to perform all-out hit jobs on all conservatives running next time.
ecnirP
Submitted by Model850 on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 5:07pm.
Interesting take on the matter, but the media needs no excuse to do "hit jobs" on conservatives.
Just being a conservative is reason enough for them to go after someone.
Untried, Unknown, Incompetent
Submitted by Rackie on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 1:38pm.
that's a trifecta
we won big time, right?
Amen
Submitted by B.Soetoro on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 1:48pm.
AMEN!
You should read the "indepth investigations" by our Texas newpapers (with liberal bias) about Rick Perry.
If Illinois press had done their job, Obama would be in jail.
I blame the MEDIA for our country's problems.