Lead Los Angeles Times scold Patrick Frey, aka Patterico, ripped into the Times's Saturday story on Barack Obama and the sermons of Trinity United Church of Christ Pastor Jeremiah Wright, giving us yet another reason to be thankful for New Media:
Patterico accurately notes the following (bold and italics are in original):
(The Times) downplays the 20-year relationship Obama has had with the pastor, and fails to report or accurately describe the most incendiary things Wright has said. For example, the article doesn’t even bother to tell readers that Wright screamed “God damn America!” in a sermon, or that Wright suggested America deserved to get attacked on September 11. Nor does the article tell readers any details regarding the intimacy of the relationship between Wright and Obama.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓A reader unfamiliar with the facts will come away with exactly the impression that Obama wants to convey: that 1) Wright is nothing more than the pastor of Obama’s church; 2) Wright has merely spoken forcefully about racism in this country; and 3) McCain has had a similar problem in being linked to a religious figure with objectionable views.
Well, gee then, what’s the big deal??
..... (The article) says merely that Wright “drew parallels between the tragedy of the Sept. 11 attacks and the suffering of blacks through years of American history.” Wright did much more than that; he suggested that this country deserved to be attacked on September 11. In his first sermon after September 11, he mocked the idea that we would be “indignant” about the attacks, screaming out: “America’s chickens are coming home to roost.” You can view the footage in Brian Ross’s report on Rev. Wright here.
The editors know that this statement by Wright is poisonous to Obama’s campaign — but somehow, they don’t get around to mentioning it.
..... Obama’s campaign must be thrilled with the “scrutiny” of this L.A. Times article.
Other things that Patterico didn't mention in Scott Martelle's report (I'm not going to say he missed them, because when it comes to monitoring the Times, he misses very little) include these:
- The mandatory "mean Republicans will jump on this" citation -- "'It's the kind of thing that in the general election the Republicans will really work him over on,' (Clinton Democratic strategist David) Doak said."
- An attempt to equate a controversy over a supporter's previous statements to one over a pastor and 20-year mentor -- Martelle spent six paragraphs on John McCain's endorsement by San Antonio-based pastor John Hagee. McCain, in case Martelle forgot, is from Arizona, doesn't attend Hagee's church, hasn't called him a "mentor," and hasn't written a book whose title was inspired by the preacher.
- Holding more bad news which should have been at least mentioned earlier in the piece until the very end -- news, reported by the Chicago Tribune, that longtime Obama fundraiser and now-indicted Tony Rezko had raised a great deal more money for Obama than previously thought.
It is coverage like that seen in the Times, which in this case I would call a "Wright-wash," that makes one grateful for New Media watchdogs like Patterico.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
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ICYMI
March 17, 2008 - 08:23 ET by third eye"Nearly three weeks before the 40th commemoration anniversary
of the murder of the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr", the statement said,
"the Rev Jeremiah A Wright Jr's character is being assassinated in the
public sphere because he has preached a social gospel on behalf of
oppressed women, children and men in America and around the globe".
Trinity United Church of
Christ in Chicago released this statement on Sunday.
I'm getting dizzy
March 17, 2008 - 08:36 ET by OneZeroThere's already so much spin this week that I'm getting dizzy... And it's only Monday!!!
There are 10 types of people. Those who understand binary and those who don't.
CLEVER!
March 17, 2008 - 08:43 ET by pocomocoCLEVER!
almost no coverage of his most crazy statements
March 17, 2008 - 09:27 ET by dronetekI've heard almost nothing about the fact he blames white people for creating the AIDS viru.
Future Obama statements to be embraced by the MSM
March 17, 2008 - 08:42 ET by Mica the Magnificent1) I support my pastor, but not his message
2) I just figured out what the problem is: Pastor Jeremiah Wright has a twin brother also named Pastor Jeremiah Wright, kinda like George Forman's sons are all named George, but this Jeremiah preaches love for all races and love for America. He was my preacher.
3) I spoke to Jeremiah about his 'America deserved 9/11' and you should have seen his reaction; "Did I say that?' What he meant to say is America deserves 7 Eleven if they insist on buying from that convenience store chain with their high mark-ups.
Bonus clarification:
This is the first time I've been proud of America. --What Michelle was really talking about was the 70's rock group America. She hated that band until I made her listen to the lyrics of Sister Goldenhair. Now she not only loves that group, she is proud of that group.
The Obamas
March 17, 2008 - 12:02 ET by iveseenitallMichelle and BO are arrogant children of the 80's. They've been brainwashed into the victimhood mentality of many blacks. They have a deep seeded resentment toward white people in particular and America in general. For example,"Teach more African American history" is what he just said a high school stop. He's got to be kidding. Our kids don't know much about American history in general, but I'll bet many more of them could identify Martin Luther King than they could Benedict Arnold. And look at Michelle's "thesis", a "we must stand together against oppressive whitey" tome if I ever read one.There is much more than meets the eye, or is being reported in the MSM, concerning these two young, angry, radical socialists. But ironically, they think the are "entitled" to the White House. What a joke.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
“America’s chickens
March 17, 2008 - 10:25 ET by motherbelt“America’s chickens are coming home to roost.”
Isn't that exactly the same thing that Ward Churchill said, which caused great outrage? Why is it suddenly just harmless rheotric when it's in the mouth of a black preacher?
And yeah, that's right, LA Times, the problem is not what he said, but what those mean nasty Republicans will try to do with it. And of course, whenever there's a Democrat scandla, they always protray it as a "bipartisan" problem, no matter how hard they have to work to bring a Republican into it.
The reaction of the congregation
March 17, 2008 - 10:32 ET by nwahsBrit Hume hit the nail on the head when noting the reaction of the congregation to these comments. If the comments were aberrations as Obama contends, why in the world did the congregation go wild in excitement (literally backslapping Wright) instead of grumble?
Only a fool would believe anti-American sentiment is ( or "was" now as I expect them to walk on egg shells for the rest of the campaign) unusual in that church. The reaction of the crowd to anti-American and racist statements makes it impossible to believe that ideology is uncommon or unwelcome in that community.
nwahs:
March 17, 2008 - 12:12 ET by iveseenitallSo right,nwahs. This has has been "acceptable" rhetoric in churches and in educational institutions for decades in America. In the beginning, it was challenged; now it is not. In fact, if you dare to speak up, you are branded a racist. As so many college students know, if you want a poor grade, simply tell the truth. I, for one, thought I'd never see the day when this garbage would come to light. Now it has in the form of Barack and Michelle Obama and their "mentor". I hope he gets the nomination. Maybe then America will finally wake up to who are the true "racists"( sexists, homophobes) in this country---angry, radical "liberals".
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Tom. LA Times is hiding a view about the Clinton's
March 17, 2008 - 12:51 ET by Gary HallTom. Very good analysis. In addition, it appears that a part of this LA Times' effort here is the all to common want to hide certain truths about the Clinton's from the reader (the voters).
The Rev. Wright, in one of the aired clips, is seen screaming with hatred, as he thrusts his hips forward repeatedly, suggesting that Bill Clinton had f_____ed the black community just as he did Monica...
Actually, it's not such a a rare statement from the leftist black community. Such was written and said often during and just after the Clinton era -- just was not a heck of a lot of interest from the MSN to get the information out to the voters. Shh... is the name of the game - or is that actually called censorship?
And, according to the official record, Bill Clinton never f----d the 37 year younger intern, a volunteer worker who was on his staff in the office of the people in the people's house; rather he just got 10 or so bj's from her and did the cigar thing, etc. The Rev. is telling a big one here.
Usually when someone publicly accuses Bill Clinton of doing something that he didn't do, other than him having a pissy childish tantrum, the entire MSM comes running to his defense.
Where are they on this one? How about writing an piece condemning the Rev. Wright for publicly lying to his congregation - Bill Clinton did not f--k Monica Lewinski. This reverend should be held accountable for spreading lies - and our MSM should be out there taking him to task for smearing their guy.
I think
March 19, 2008 - 12:03 ET by Tom Blumer.... that the press would rather stay silent than talk about whether it was oral sex or intercourse. I can almost defend that -- do we need to chase our younger kids out of the room during the evening news all over again? But I guess in the interest of accuracy it should be noted.
If the Clintons were offended, they'd say something. But if they do, it brings it all back into the discussion, so I'm guessing they're actually OK with letting it, uh, ride.