If, as I am, you're stuck in a seemingly endless winter, here's something to bring a sunny smile to your lips, courtesy of that one-man cavalcade of mirth, Paul Krugman. The New York Times columnist this morning blames the election of George Bush in 2000 on -- ready? -- the MSM! Yes, according to Krugman, Bush
"got within chad-and-butterfly range of the White House because the public, enthusiastically encouraged by many in the news media, treated the presidential election like a high school popularity contest. The successful candidate received kid-gloves treatment — and a free pass on the fuzzy math of his policy proposals — because he seemed like a fun guy to hang out with, while the unsuccessful candidate was subjected to sniggering mockery over his clothing and his mannerisms."
Krugman can't leave the high school theme alone, a paragraph later quoting Newsweek’s Howard Fineman to the effect that “presidential elections are high school writ large.” Declares a horrified Krugman: "Oh, my goodness." Sounds like the columnist might be suffering from Post-High School Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Note also how Krugman blames "the public" along with the media for bringing high school values to a presidential election. Shades of Peter Jennings declaring, after the 1994 Republican revolution, in an MRC Notable Quotable, that "the voters had a temper tantrum last week." The MSM loves to love the American public -- except when it doesn't behave as it should at the polls.
In any case, as the MRC documented here, two different studies showed that about 90% of the elite media voted for Al Gore when he ran for Vice-President. Does Krugman seriously believe that those numbers were significantly different when Al went for the top spot?Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Gore
February 26, 2007 - 10:25 ET by iveseenitallSo we should have elected nutjob Algore? To quote noted "journalist" Paul Krugman, "Oh, my goodness."
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
noted "journalist"
February 27, 2007 - 08:52 ET by John in CAnoted "journalist" Paul Krugman
otherwise known as Ferret Face Krugman
Give a Democrat Party free America a chance!
Krugman
February 26, 2007 - 10:43 ET by pbthinkerDoes anyone remember how many clarifications it took for Krugman to admit that the Florida recount wouldn't have elected Gore President? Seems to me there were 3 or 4 and none of them really clarified the situation.
Krugman will be reliving 2000 until a Democrat wins the White House. With people like him around it could be a while.
For the record, there never w
February 26, 2007 - 14:50 ET by blarsenFor the record, there never was a statewide Florida recount. They were in the process of recounting rwo counties, when the counting was stopped by the Supreme Court. Bush was essentially made president when Katherine Harris certified the Florida electoral votes for Bush.
There were media sponsered st
February 26, 2007 - 14:53 ET by florida_chadThere were media sponsered state wide recounts. The AP, NYtimes and others were involved. Bush won every recount they did.
correct.**************Support
February 26, 2007 - 17:20 ET by Chicago Republicancorrect.
**************
Support the Spread of Open Society and Capitalism around the World. Do it for the Children.
Wrong. When ALL the votes wer
February 27, 2007 - 19:39 ET by curiousWrong. When ALL the votes were counted, Gore won Florida. But that wasn't Krugman's point. He claims that the MSM handed the election to Bush, and, though anathma to readers of this blog, he is right. And I can't believe anybody who has dispassionately researched this topic could come to any other conclusion.
Yes clones, the MSM is not the liberal bogeyman you depict. The left can, and has, shown that in fact the MSM is more conservative than liberal. The truth is obviously more complicated than either side's ideologues will, or can, admit. But then what would blogs like this or the Daily Howler have to say if they were seriously interested in the truth.
curious
February 27, 2007 - 19:48 ET by BlondeNo,
Gore did NOT win Florida.
Not the first time.
Nor the second time.
Nor the third time.
Nor the fourth time.
Gore could have won the election by carrying his own state.
He's a losing LOSER.
Your revisionist history notwithstanding.
Nice try, tho.
In a way the Caped DBM Crusad
February 26, 2007 - 10:45 ET by RightOfMostIn a way the Caped DBM Crusaders (Finepan, Krudman) are right in that the Presidential Elections are treated by (too damn) many like voting for Homecoming King. Specifically I think of Der Schliekmeister. Twice.
To think the girls (and some big-city guys) would vote for the Empty Suit Obama because he looks good in a swimsuit is downright dangerous.
Oh, did I misspell something? Sorry!
I wonder why the Democrats are stuck on 2000?
February 26, 2007 - 10:46 ET by acaiguanaI wonder why the Democrats are stuck on 2000?
Don't they have anything more recent or better to discuss?
No matter how many columns Krugman writes about the 'unfairness' of it all; Bush is still President until 2009.
Or unless the Democrats impeach him and then an insane Senate votes him out. HaHaHaaaHa
Maybe Bush's after Presidency book will name names and call out these useful idiots. Naw, never happen.
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana Notes from the Bomb Shelter' (soon to be a movie at theaters near you)
Interesting double speak and
February 26, 2007 - 10:49 ET by ucInteresting double speak and timing. Seems he is bashing Gore for still being as he was in 2000 and still worthy of "sniggering mockery over his clothing and mannerisms." Did Gore dress himself this time? I guess the NYT isn't that bad after all.
Apparently Mr. Krugman is int
February 26, 2007 - 10:54 ET by MikeBApparently Mr. Krugman is into some heavy drugs. What LibMedia outlet gave W a free ride? Nearly every major opinionjournal (I can't bring myself to call them "newspapers") and every broadcast and cable opinion station, with the possible exception of Fox News Channel, pimped for the Democrats, as they do with every election.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
God lord! How does a mind as
February 27, 2007 - 19:46 ET by curiousGod lord! How does a mind as closed as yours get through life. It is obvious that you got your opinion of the MSM second hand, from bised, self interested blogs such as this. Have you ever even read the papers you trash? Are you even capable of thinking for yourself?
Yuck.
February 26, 2007 - 10:56 ET by Dave PierreKrugman echoes the recurring theme heard in many of the liberals' recent talking points: That the media was a "cheerleader" for the Iraq War; that the media "didn't question" intelligence; that the media was "soft" or "rolled over" for Bush.
This is simply more revisionist history by Dems. Ugh!
I think it's even more than t
February 26, 2007 - 11:37 ET by GalvanicI think it's even more than that, Dave. I think they realize the MSMs liberalism is too evident and pervasive to be denied, so they merely declare that the MSM is conservative, whille offering no data to substantiate the claim.
This is the common Liberal pr
February 26, 2007 - 12:58 ET by mattmThis is the common Liberal practice of "self-fulfilling prophecy by the power of suggestion" - for lack of a better term.
What they do is report ,as fact, whatever it is they want people to accept as fact. They do this over and over until the people are sufficiently brainwashed.
I guess Krugman forgot the MS
February 26, 2007 - 10:57 ET by mattmI guess Krugman forgot the MSM's obsession with W's smirk (I guess you can judge a book by its cover - when you're judging a Republican - that is). Then there was the last minute DWI hype and the scare-mongering about Bush's faith being "dangerous"....
Of course it was O.K. with them for Algore to launder illegal campaign funds through a Buddhist Temple, and turn his White House office into a fundraising office...and, of course, I don't recall Paul Krugman, or any other member of the MSM, raking Al over the coals for failing to recognize statues of Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin....and the list goes on and on and on.
Krugman's either a deceiver or he belongs in an asylum - with Algore...
He is half right. The blame
February 26, 2007 - 11:00 ET by appst38He is half right. The blame should be laid at the feet of the MSM. They were the ones calling the election for Al Gore before all the votes were counted and in in Florida. Snared by their own technology, Brokaw and the like were calling Florida for Gore when the streaming crawl on the bottom of the TV had like 90 % of precincts reporting and Bush was well ahead. But why get stuck on the facts. Besides if the election was stolen the mighty MSM machine should have been powerful enough to produce witnesses to that fact.
appst38 - they tried. They launched several high investigations
February 26, 2007 - 11:17 ET by acaiguanaappst38 - they tried. They launched several high investigations into the Florida silliness and found...
Nada, nothing, zilch, zip, no evidence, no trail, no smoking gun, no ChadGate memo or tape, no malfeasance of office, no...
umm...
Nope.
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana Notes from the Bomb Shelter' (soon to be a movie at theaters near you)
Even though all the recounts
February 26, 2007 - 17:17 ET by msh1973Even though all the recounts had Bush winning Florida...Ellen had to make that crack last night at the Oscars. The never ending mantra, "Bush stole the election in 2000".
Krugman in High School
February 26, 2007 - 11:49 ET by d1carterKrugman is stuck in his high school mind set where he was the nerd with thick glasses and plastic pocket protector always on the outside looking in with disdain for the more popular. The geek has got his platform now to publish his revenge on those that pushed him around decades ago. What an immature and in many ways a sick man stuck in the past!
Sir, you malign Nerds here. I take umbridge.
February 26, 2007 - 12:03 ET by acaiguanaSir, you malign Nerds here. I take umbridge.
(Umbridge was my Reader's Digest word of the month)
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana Notes from the Bomb Shelter' (soon to be a movie at theaters near you)
Taking umbrage
February 26, 2007 - 12:07 ET by dagdaAnd having taken umbrage, where are you taking it?
Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow. Dwight Eisenhower
Geez, did I mispell agin?
February 26, 2007 - 12:09 ET by acaiguanaGeez, did I mispell agin?
Hate when that hapens
ACa
:-)
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana Notes from the Bomb Shelter' (soon to be a movie at theaters near you)
Buck up, ACA
February 26, 2007 - 12:12 ET by dagdaI know that speel cheek can hlp in thes situatins. Buck up, little buckaroo.
Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow. Dwight Eisenhower
Be careful, Aca, or Jon Cary
February 26, 2007 - 12:23 ET by MikeBBe careful, Aca, or Jon Cary wil hav yew shiped off to Irak, jest as soon as Charlie Rangel reintroduces the draft.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
I take umbrage for occasional
February 26, 2007 - 12:10 ET by QueenMumI take umbrage for occasional problems with constipation. :)
I use an umbrage when it ra
February 26, 2007 - 12:23 ET by Eric TurnerI use an umbrage when it rains real hard.
rain
February 26, 2007 - 12:32 ET by iveseenitallOr hide beneath 'um,... a bridge.
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
trolls hide under 'em
February 26, 2007 - 12:42 ET by Eric TurnerI know now! That's where trolls hide - under umbrage
Umbridge
February 26, 2007 - 22:09 ET by d1carterSir, I would like my umbridge back, please.... tehe
Krugman the never ending bad joke.
February 26, 2007 - 12:35 ET by CTKrugman is and has been a bad joke all his adult life.
Paul blinks and its a new day, there is no history, no established facts, no reality until he creates it. Unfortunately his obvious politics precede all his commentary and poor pathetic Paul remains the pessimist pissant of petty politics another day.
Gosh, I can't wait until his
February 26, 2007 - 14:29 ET by GregEGosh, I can't wait until his next column! I look very forward to his writings on a subject with similarities to that which he has described above about Bush, that being the subject of how how the media is treating Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Gosh, he's probably working on that 24/7 right now! Can't wait! I'm all goose-pimply!
Oh, and the American public threw a temper tantrum in 1994 mid-terms? Kruggerman, how did you describe it in your first article post-2006 midterms? Describe it the same, old chap?
Duplicate Post
February 26, 2007 - 14:34 ET by GregEDuplicate Post
I am not GWB's biggest fan.
February 26, 2007 - 21:04 ET by dahliatraversI am not GWB's biggest fan. But my recollection of the 2000 campaign is that the msm's coverage of him ranged from libelous all the way on up to lukewarm - and that last fairly rarely. Mr. Krugman has been struck by a bout of selective memory that I would excuse in my 94 year old grandmother, not in a middle aged news analyst.