Last week, NewsBusters bloggers Scott Whitlock (here and here) and Mark Finkelstein (here and here) separately addressed "Good Morning America" anchor Diane Sawyer's softball interviews with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
It's a shame it didn't come out before then, but this weekend Parade magazine released its 2007 World's Worst Dictators list. Al-Assad came in at number 10, up 6 slots from the 2006 list.
Oh well, I guess it's helpful to have the next time Sawyer enlarges her carbon footprint by flying around the world just to ask another thug completely innocuous questions while enjoying the touristy trappings of a Potemkin village.
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I think the real story here i
February 11, 2007 - 03:58 ET by GalvanicI think the real story here is that Parade magazine didn't list George Bush among the worlds worst dictators. The LA Times would've. The PBS series Now would've. How did Parade miss the boat?
LA Times, PBS, Get Real!
February 11, 2007 - 04:48 ET by boomerHopefully we can count on Parade mag for having more class than either of those 2 . It would have been more appropriate for Sawyer to ask Assad why he continues to support terrorism!
People did say Bush should be
February 11, 2007 - 05:25 ET by CCCPPeople did say Bush should be on there, but they're retarded.........literally...look at what they typed.....
I was disappointed that no one from the Balkans was on there Syria, Libya, Burma, Pakistan, and Egypt should be higher....
“The people who cast the votes don't decide an election, the people who count the votes do.” - Comrade Josef Stalin
Giving ABC and Diane Sawyer t
February 11, 2007 - 08:09 ET by dahliatraversGiving ABC and Diane Sawyer the doubt for a minute, could they have had a larger reason for this puff piece? One possible explanation is they thought they could help head off an imagined invasion of Syria. If so, a series of human interest stories on the "average" Syrian would have been the way to go.
Instead, they went this way. Sawyer didn't just fail to ask challenging questions. That would have been inept but fairly harmless. She and ABC actually cast him in a soft, sympathetic light.
There are four comments on the Parade Web site.
February 11, 2007 - 08:54 ET by acaiguanaThere are four comments on the Parade Web site. Here they are:
#1: "From Us President to "Worlds worst "Dictator Bush" By stormymn on 2/10/2007 10:06:PM
"Nano on this vote. How can one think they can force Peace in a Third world country is turning the US in to one if all this does not turn back soon we will be One, if not already. Along with 9/11 and Paul Wellstone Conspiracy, he was Bushes biggest threat. Can we survive having Bush in his full term? Cmon everyone I hope you have joined that list for impeaching Bush , we can not safely move along or survive along side of Bush running our country. He is what one would call Hitler (except for an insult to Hitler comparing IQ's)..Scarey thought but not far from the truth. Lies. lies, lies is right on! Bush is only out for himself and others , being the ones that control our government he is their puppet.(For those who know what I am saying)There is others above Bush running our coutry, he is only the puppet. Let's all hope for the best for people and the US to get out of this and gain back integrity and be prouod to be an American once again. Can anyone name what good Bush has brought since he has been in Office?
#2: "worst dictators 2007 By giss on 2/10/2007 7:45:PM
"I second the nomination of George W. Bush. He has transformed a peaceful and prosperous democracy into a fascist dictatorship. He claims the right to torture and detain people without trial. He launched an unprovoked and illegal war based on lies. He wasn't even elected to office, and his cocaine bust and war desertion should have disqualified him from running. He took a record $127 billion surplus and turned it into a record deficit. Tax cuts for the rich are his highest priority. He has cut benefits for the poor while claiming to be God's chosen one. He is the worst because he has weakened and looted what had been the most wealthy and powerful nation on the planet."
#3: "George W. Bush should be number 1 on the list. By btamovalley on 2/10/2007 6:44:PM
"Why isn't the 'decdier' on the list. With his track record over the last few years, he should be number one the list. Messing up Iraq, blundering Hurricane Katrina are just a few of his mistakes. He is quite a character."
#4: "The World's Worst Dictators--2007 By fiifibenyin on 2/10/2007 5:00:PM
"I think George Bush should be added to the list of the world's worst dictators--2007"
+++++++++++++
Are these people nuts or what? Really sick.
ACA
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Hillary Clinton says: "I want to take those profits."
It's amusing to see how the
February 11, 2007 - 13:36 ET by Ken ShepherdIt's amusing to see how the commenters are skewing liberal. Parade has always struck me as tending to be typical weekend-filler fluff for newspapers across the U.S. We've found some liberal bias in it before but it's mostly cooking recipes and celeb interviews and stuff.
I'm in a playful mood today,
February 11, 2007 - 15:22 ET by Chicago RepublicanI'm in a playful mood today, so I'm going to take this booger-eater’s post and have some fun with it.
"I second the nomination of George W. Bush. He has transformed a peaceful and prosperous democracy into a fascist dictatorship.
Fascist Dictatorship? What civil liberties have you lost? Name one American Citizen that you know that is living in a concentration camp or being held as a “political prisoner”. I’ve said countless times before, GWB has legal standing to shut down media outlets like the NY Times and he refuses to do it. How is that the action of a Fascist? This entire post is psychobabble, but calling an American President (any president) a head of a Fascist Dictatorship is utterly stupid.
He claims the right to torture and detain people without trial.
“detain people”? What people are you talking about? Enemy combatants taken on the battlefield? What kind of Torture are you talking about? Playing Barney the Purple Dinosaur at top volume? In that case my nephew should be in front of The Hague at this minute.
He launched an unprovoked and illegal war based on lies
We’ve said it countless times on this site, 17 UN Resolutions went unheeded. At some point the UN has to enforce its resolutions or they become impotent. Based on lies? Saddam was removed from power for not disclosing the whereabouts of weapons everyone knew he had, among other things.
He wasn't even elected to office WRONG, and his cocaine bust and war desertion should have disqualified him from running - Is this Mary Mapes we’re talking to?
He took a record $127 billion surplus and turned it into a record deficit.
The surplus was projected. And, deficits are a result of the Left’s sacred runaway social spending.
Tax cuts for the rich are his highest priority
Because the Rich pay the vast majority of the taxes. Classic ignorant Class Warrior. This comment is as stupid as Daschle et all saying that the rich are getting enough of a tax break to buy a Lexus while the middle class gets enough to buy a muffler. The rich get enough of a tax break to buy a Lexus because they pay enough in taxes to buy an entire Lexus Factory.
He has cut benefits for the poor while claiming to be God's chosen oneBenefits continue to increase. Nothing gets cut. I’m pissed off that Bush hasn’t cut social spending at all. That’s the problem. Any cuts have been reductions in the rate of increase.
He is the worst because he has weakened and looted what had been the most wealthy and powerful nation on the planet
There have been countless foiled attacks since 9/11. The economy has been vibrant and growing for years now. Millions of Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq no longer live in fear societies. And we are STILL the most wealthy and powerful nation in the world. As long as people like you are kept in check, we’ll continue to be.
Get your finger out of your nose.
Islamics and leftists
February 11, 2007 - 23:13 ET by halfmanhalfamazingAs far as I can tell, the entire list is made up of either islamics or left wing marxist communist socialist types.
Funny how on alot of the list that isn't mentioned.
Only three could I not make out any distinctions, but I'm sure I know what the answer would be if I put more time into it.
She's now off to Iran isn't s
February 11, 2007 - 10:08 ET by ucShe's now off to Iran isn't she? What does she think of Hillary argueing against "fighting for freedom" while campaigning in "Live Free or Die" state? When Hillary visits (if) "Lone Star State" will she say don't try to be a star and especially not a star of independent note? Hillary, many people from even just left of center all the way to the far right still have long term memories. Many still smartly recognize that President Bush stood for international justice and strengthening UN by holding those lines against Saddam and that Saddam had every chance to come clean and thoroughly articulate his FULL compliance. It still looks like Saddam is the one who most brought on this War.
Is a fully fueled commercial jet yet described as a possible WMD?
Top ten in worst dictators? T
February 11, 2007 - 14:53 ET by NazarethTop ten in worst dictators? That has got to be like catnip to a lion for the left. Get set for copious amounts of reports showing the 'softer side of the misunderstood mass murdere... err, I mean righteous crusader.'
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