The New York Times has just shocked us with this news: the CNN anchor on Election Center, Campbell Brown, is shifting over to commentary.
This is quite hard to believe since Brown conceals her own views so well that it is impossible to detect the slightest trace of bias on her part. The Times informs us of this most unusual transition:
Campbell Brown said she was sitting in a doctor’s waiting room on Sept. 23, scrolling through BlackBerry messages about Gov. Sarah Palin’s having been cordoned off from reporters at the United Nations, when the thought of drafting an impassioned, on-air commentary seized her.
“I didn’t even have a scrap of paper,” Ms. Brown, the CNN anchor, said on a recent afternoon. “I ripped something out of a magazine.”
Video of the self-described “rant” that she delivered later that night on her show, “Election Center” — the gist was that Ms. Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, should be freed from overcautious and sexist handlers — became an Internet sensation.
Yeah, it will be very unusual to see Campbell Brown drop her veil of utter neutrality. I wonder if the viewing public can ever get used to it.
Yet, after often laboring in relative obscurity since she began hosting “Election Center” in March, Ms. Brown said she was less concerned by any blowback than she was elated at finding a voice and identity for her program — and a means to be heard over the cacophony of prime-time cable news.
Hallelujah!!! Campbell Brown has found a voice! But what voice can that possibly be? Is it conservative or liberal? Republican or Democrat? Gee, Campbell, don't keep us in suspense.
The challenge Ms. Brown faces in her newfound outspokenness, though, is in distinguishing it from the loud advocacy of Mr. Olbermann (who often argues from the left in “special comments”) and Bill O’Reilly (who is typically more comfortable leaning right in his opening “talking points”). CNN, after all, has sought to build a brand for its journalism by positioning itself as objective, which would seem hard to reconcile with Ms. Brown’s increasingly expressing opinions of her own.
Newfound outspokeness? Oh, that's right! Until now, Campbell Brown kept her opinions under wraps so effectively that they were unknown to all.
In an interview in her CNN office, wearing jeans, her laceless Converse All-Stars tucked beneath a desk as seemingly cluttered as the cable landscape, Ms. Brown went to some pains to try to separate her approach from that of her cable competitors.
“They’re partisans,” she said of Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Olbermann in particular. “You’re not going to see me ever be partisan. I’ll never take a position on a candidate or an issue.”
They're partisans but you, Campbell, you are as pure as the driven slush! Your non-partisan purity shall remain eternally virginal, unsullied by the slightest hint of bias.
As evidence that her program is more down the middle than might at times be apparent, she argued that rather than attacking Mr. Bounds, she had persisted only in trying to get him to answer her questions.
I think I see the point here. Rather than attack Bounds, she merely badgered him. An important distinction.
In response to the many viewers who posted messages at cnn.com complaining that her “Free Sarah Palin” monologue was unfair to the McCain campaign, Ms. Brown cited an array of other reports on “Election Center” — many of them by Tom Foreman and Joe Johns under the heading of a “No bias, No bull report card” — that had been skeptical of Senator Barack Obama, Mr. McCain’s Democratic rival.
For example, after showing a clip on Sept. 22 in which Mr. Obama asserted that “if my opponent had his way, the millions of Floridians who rely on it would have had their Social Security tied up in the stock market,” Mr. Foreman made the following observation: “Well, Campbell, if retirees are afraid John McCain wants to take away their checks as Obama suggested, they need to know that it’s just not true.”
See how unbiased Campbell is? She won't say anything critical of Obama but once in awhile others on her show will criticize him. That's Campbell playing it perfectly down the middle via what others say.
“As journalists, and certainly for me over the last few years, we’ve gotten overly obsessed with parity, especially when we’re covering politics,” Ms. Brown said. “We kept making sure each candidate got equal time — to the point that it got ridiculous in a way.”
You have no worry, Campbell, about being caught engaging in such "ridiculousness."
“So when you have Candidate A saying the sky is blue, and Candidate B saying it’s a cloudy day, I look outside and I see, well, it’s a cloudy day,” she said. “I should be able to tell my viewers, ‘Candidate A is wrong, Candidate B is right.’ And not have to say, ‘Well, you decide.’ Then it would be like I’m an idiot. And I’d be treating the audience like idiots.”
And by amazing coincidence, Candidate B always seems to be a cloudy day Democrat.
—P.J. Gladnick is a freelance writer and creator of the DUmmie FUnnies blog.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
ALL BIAS...ALL BULL!!!
October 5, 2008 - 20:38 ET by TheSterLOOKS LIKE WE GOT US A CNN FEMALE OLBY!! LETS DO A NAME GAME!!! Camp-bell Brown...Thinking... Ster.
name game
October 5, 2008 - 21:16 ET by MazziJust call her Alma, that's her real name anyway.
"We just want truth, we want fairness. We want that balance." ~ Sarah Palin (re: hypocricy of the press)
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Kappa Kappa Campbell
October 5, 2008 - 20:43 ET by sawing battathis gal has always been in commentary. CNN probably realized they couldnt get her to cork it and had to move her in order to not shine that floodlight on the joke that is their "no bias, no bull" pledge...
Hey CNN, newsflash.....it's too late.
sb... I ditto that...you
October 5, 2008 - 20:51 ET by bigtimersb...
I ditto that...you beat me to it, and saved me a lot of typing...
No Bias...No Bull...
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
uh, yeah,,,,,Biased Brown Bull for oBama
October 5, 2008 - 20:56 ET by gordonand her dad is.......
James Harvey "Jim" Brown, Jr. (born May 6, 1940), is a political consultant and commentator based in Baton Rouge long active in Louisiana Democratic politics. In 1972, he was elected to both the Louisiana state Senate, to which he served two terms, and to the 1973 Constitutional Convention. He was secretary of state from 1980-1988, and he ran unsuccessfully for governor in the 1987 jungle primary. He was elected insurance commissioner in 1991 and served until his resignation in October 2000. Brown's political career closed with a six-month prison sentence for lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about the status of an insurance company.
gordon...What what a
October 5, 2008 - 21:14 ET by bigtimergordon...
What a treasure trove of info you have given us, well me anyway...the apple doesn't fall from the tree now does it...
thanks...
That is why I love this site...to learn from others.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Oh Campbell
October 5, 2008 - 21:03 ET by ConLosRepublicanosNoOh Campbell where do we
start? Its not like this is stunning news everybody knows you are as partisan as
Olby, you are not a blogger for daily loon but you are a partisan nonetheless.
You still treat your audience like idiots as evidence by your mini-special
comment about Sarah Palin. Nobody is asking for equal time for the candidates
but I have yet seen a positive report about Sarah Palin on your show, and
believe me its not difficult to find something good to say about Sarah Palin.
If you would be as tough on Obama as you are on Palin's 5 month old son maybe
you wouldn't get all the angry E-mails. Also the notion that CNN is right down
the middle is laughable. CNN is just as leftist as MSNBC and everybody knows
it, stop kidding yourself, it’s not even close. CNN, the most bias (Or
distrusted) name in news.
These talking heads who
October 5, 2008 - 21:00 ET by suzycreamcheeseThese talking heads who truly believe that their bias isn't showing reminds me of young children who think you can't see them when they put their hands over their eyes. Stop being delusional, people! Thinking it doesn't make it so. Do you think we can't hear the snark in your voices or the smarmy expressions on your faces when you're trying to "report" on the opposing candidates?
“So when you have
October 5, 2008 - 21:42 ET by motherbelt“So when you have Candidate A saying the sky is blue, and Candidate B
saying it’s a cloudy day, I look outside and I see, well, it’s a cloudy
day,” she said. “I should be able to tell my viewers, ‘Candidate A is
wrong, Candidate B is right.’
And when one candidate tells the country that he is the embodiment of America's finest traditions, and he is going to remake the world, I should be able to tell my viewers that he is absolutely right!
This is typical of leftists. When they think they are right, they think that gives them the OK to shut down opposing viewpoints. We're now at the point where AGW proponents think tit's downright irrresponsible to allow presentation of the arguments on the other side.
And other earth shattering news:
October 5, 2008 - 21:01 ET by MexNobamaClay Aikens admits that he's gay.
The Oakland Raiders Fire their head coach
The Chicago Cubs lose in the first round of the playoffs
The Pope declares himself to be Catholic.
MSNBC continues its ratings free fall
OJ Simposn is found guilty
Odd Marriage???
October 5, 2008 - 21:02 ET by TheSterShe's married to Dan Senor!!!
Another Mary Matlin - James Carvile thing??
Ster.
Entirely
October 5, 2008 - 21:04 ET by killbill2Laughable... I don't even know where you would begin with this. First off, she is actually claiming she wrote something? Secondly, if she did write it... it was utter nonsense. A six year old could see what her true intentions were. Non partisan? Oh please... Stop... you're killing me.
Holy S !!!
October 5, 2008 - 21:04 ET by TheAssessorAnyone see Hannity? He connected every single radical dot between OHB from Columbia to today. That's the scariest freaking thing I ever saw. This should have been about someone under indictment, not a potential president.
..Barak Obama, Psychopath
Its sad and telling that
October 5, 2008 - 21:49 ET by KevpotIts sad and telling that all of this info regarding Obama's connections to the radical left has never been brought to light by the MSM. Equally distressing is their refusal to report on the true cause of the economic meltdown. FOX hit it out of the park on both of these issues tonight. That's why they are so hated by the libtards. They speak the TRUTH.
Our MSM is a freaking disgrace. They have become PRAVDA. They send people to dig through dumpsters searching for anything to pin on Palin (ohhh, she owns a tanning bed! They have a 30 yr old airplane!) yet fail miserably to investigate the most obvious questions concerning Obama. It makes me sick to my stomach. If Obama loses the election next month my faith in America will skyrocket and I will know with 100% certainty that we are on the right track.
it's worse than you say...
October 6, 2008 - 05:02 ET by sawing battaif you DO highlight these striking concerns, you will be branded a racist.
AND HAVE YOU SEEN THIS VIDEO?
October 6, 2008 - 05:06 ET by MrShyhttp://www.youtube.c...
NOW PLAYING:
Governor Palin Get Your Gun
To Me it Will Be Alma Brown
October 5, 2008 - 21:08 ET by allanfTo me it will always be good ole Alma Brown. I wonder if the Times was able to ordain what candidate Alma is backing.
GMA Didn't Want Her
October 5, 2008 - 21:10 ET by Lee BoggsSince when was CB not a commentator?
ALERT!!!
October 5, 2008 - 21:11 ET by TheSterFOX RUNNING AN ECONOMY MELTDOWN SHOW NOW!!
If this is as good as Hannity's America...
WOW!!! THEY ARE TYING ACORN, OBAMA, AND THE DEM'S TO THE MELTDOWN!!!
THIS WILL BE GOOD!!!
Ster.
I am getting "The Unit" on
October 5, 2008 - 21:15 ET by Scuba DudeI am getting "The Unit" on TIVO so I can watch this. Looks like Fox is the only media that is not afraid to show THE TRUTH!!
Correction Scuba...
October 5, 2008 - 21:37 ET by TheSterFOX will be the only media that touches this!!!
The MSM knows they can take 30 more days of "media bashing"...get Obama elected...then enact the FAIRNESS DOCTERN...no big deal to destroy peoples 401 K's for another month and ride the destroyed economy to get Bambi elected.
I'm really getting PISSED OFF at this...
Ster.
I Stand Corrected Ster
October 5, 2008 - 21:49 ET by Scuba DudeGet's me pissed too. My 401k lost about 30k because I did not have the time to get my Lehman Stock out of it.
Still hard for me to believe my old company is no longer.
Kinda amazing this is happening with a little more than a month away from the election when Sen. McCain was pretty much tied with Obama.
Blown away
October 5, 2008 - 21:21 ET by MazziI just watched the Obama & friends expose on Hannity's America, and I am terrified! I am glad that I converted a bunch of US Dollars into Euros - it may be the only way to escape if Obama is elected, and I am not a paranoid person!
There is too much to just be a series of coincidences. One of the commentators said something to the effect that "the socialist machine will shut down anyone who is not supportive of them." All I could think was.. yeah... MSM.
"We just want truth, we want fairness. We want that balance." ~ Sarah Palin (re: hypocricy of the press)
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
You said it..
October 5, 2008 - 21:32 ET by TheAssessorThis guy needs to be arrested with and all his connections. How in hell can the FBI ignore this?? It's a threat to the USA to have him in the country and not locked up! Hannity pulled the thread on this and it's up to the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT to do something about it!!!
"I have a bracelet too" ..Barak Obama, Political Psychopath!
As I said in another thread,
October 5, 2008 - 22:19 ET by SeashellAs I said in another thread, Hannity better watch his back after this. Obama and his thugs I am sure are not happy right now.
Drip, drip, drip.....
October 5, 2008 - 21:17 ET by Scout FinchThe sound of viewers falling away and not watching CNN anymore. By the way, what ARE your ratings these days, CNN?
And she thinks we are all
October 5, 2008 - 21:27 ET by d1carterAnd she thinks we are all stupid enough to believe this crap! Arrogance...
Fuhrer Obama Hitler Youth - Sing for Change
October 5, 2008 - 21:28 ET by Clear thinkerI bet Ms. Brown knows the words to this song... Fuhrer Obama Hitler Youth - Sing for Change
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
Is Obama fattening? Campbell Brown looks hefty now
October 5, 2008 - 21:36 ET by Lame CherryDid anyone else notice since Campbell Brown went on the Obama ranter diet that she has been putting on Oprah weight?
Apparently dark meat is not just juicier, but it gains weight in liberal women.
Now the question is what is this medical evidence that liberal skinny chicas who now support Obama look like they put on the feed bag.
Does Obama cause women to binge eat?
Does ranting about Sarah Palin cause such a massive hunger that liberal women can not help but go home and devour everything in site from the Friskees to the gold fish food?
Worse part is I notice these liberal women all look like they put on 10 years in now being old liberal nags on the hefty feed bag.
Enquiring minds want to know National Enquirer. Why is Campbell Brown not only now a nag, but has become a hag and is working on being a bag.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
The Creepy New Way Of Things
October 5, 2008 - 21:50 ET by rammingspeedMs Brown wears a brown shirt. She is to be the interpreter of what is right and what is wrong, and then tell her audience what to think? Her weather analogy - which was laughably inappropriate - gives her that right, it seems. Zieg Heil! Her job is to let the audience decide, and she's lost sight of that. She has no credibility, and should not be on the air.
Arianna Huffington also has said that there should be times when it's decided that there is only one right way of things, and that we should not allow a discussion about something that is obviously wrong.
These people are aiming at subjective material and they must be ferociously countered.
ALERT!!! EVERYBODY WHO MISSED HANNITY'S SHOW!!!
October 5, 2008 - 22:18 ET by TheSterIT IS "RE-AYERS" AT 11pm CST ON FOX NEWS!!!
RECORD IT!!! WATCH IT!!! TAKE NOTES!!!
I WANT NOEL, MATT, ET. ALL ON THIS!!!
CAPS INTENDED!!! I'M PISSED AND I'M NOT GONNA' TAKE IT ANY MORE!!! WHO'S GONNA' HELP ME???
You guys are a lot better than me...here's some links...GET 'ER DONE!!!
HANNITY'S AMERICA.
http://www.hannity.com/
http://www.foxnews.com/hannitysamerica/
Ster.
Can you imagine this SOBama
October 5, 2008 - 23:31 ET by Delsawith a security clearence?
He could never get one under normal circumstances. Ever.
SOBama scares the hell out of me and these teenyboppers voting for him cause me to tremble.
I hope the polls reflect people not wanting to be called racist rather than real votes for this scum bag.
As for Brown...can't stand her or CNN
Media Missing the fun!!!
October 6, 2008 - 02:27 ET by Radar_OneI think the media is missing all the fun on reporting Obama. You know all the cool stuff he's done
1. Alligned ith terrorists and convicted felons.
2. Shunned his caucasian roots to appeal to the African-American voters.
3. Approves of indoctrination of our youth(see link)
http://www.youtube.c...
4. I'm shocked that the talking heads of the MSM aren't wearing brownshirts with the Obama "O" behind them when they report how"amazing and inspiring" he is.
Now isn't there a way we can get the transcripts for the what is it 4 colleges he attended??
Barack Obama= Half Honkey...ALL Donkey
RE: My youtube link
October 6, 2008 - 02:37 ET by Radar_OneBecause of Obama...I'm voting McCain Palin
Barack Obama= Half Honkey...ALL Donkey
SOP For Networks
October 6, 2008 - 08:52 ET by CapedConservativeCapedConservative
When their "info babes" begin to age or gain weight, they move them to something less visible. Ms. Brown may just need to look in the mirror....
CC
Ranting is something that
October 6, 2008 - 13:08 ET by XfreeXRanting is something that Brown is oh-so-very-good at, but most of Browns ranting consists of fabricating the truth or all out lying.
Brown has shown through her segment "Black in American" her most radical and racial views. As the election grew closer and closer Brown like most at CNN news took to the far left and pounded Hillary Clinton on ever issue not only making their support for Obama widly known, but playing in a very bias and sexist role.
Today CNN is not even trust worthy for factual information. They have more so became a mere smearing smut machine in their support for the Obama campaign. Now they are working very hard to keep the lid on Obama's corruptive past and dealings with various criminals and terrorists associations.
Even CNN's Lou Dobbs have call a few of the anchors out on their obvious sexist and bias reporting.
Biggest Whore of all Times
October 6, 2008 - 14:04 ET by BW222Campbell Brown is a bigger fraud than her father (and as a former Louisiana Democratic politician, he actually did time for fraud).
Brown has been in the tank for Obama since her show started. She constantly vents against Sarah Palin because she simply can't stand the thought of a conservative woman who is pro-life running for national office. Brown is one of the most partisan people at CNN, which sahys a lot. Lou Dobbs, Glenn Beck and possibly Anderson Cooper are the only ones at CNN that aren't totally in the tank for Obama.
Question: how can someone with a voice as annoying as Campbell Brown be on nationwide cable? She defines "cute" and probably is good in the sack.
BW222
Campbell = Olbermann
October 6, 2008 - 15:16 ET by TjexciteI was shocked when watching CNN they actually finally dropped the pretense and called Roland Martin an Obama supporter rather than CNN contributer. Now with Campbell it goes be on Obama supporter to Republican hater regardless of what republican it is, they are the scum of the earth in her mind and actions. She is CNN's Olbermann, all she needs is a "Worst person in the world" segment which will always be a Republican and make the voices and it is a lock.