Put aside for a minute the chuckles over a leftist magazine, dedicated to the poor of the earth and the worship of Mother Earth, holding a cruise for the rich on a big, polluting cruise ship. Guess who's coming to dinner on The Nation's Tenth Annual Seminar Cruise? Mary Mapes, touted on the Nation Cruise website as the "Peabody Award Winning Former CBS News Producer." It should read: "Phony Document Specialist/Celebrated Smearer of Bush's National Guard Record."
For those who would protest this environmental violation, the Nation Cruise website also pleads its case that "The Nation has partnered with EcoLogic to reforest an area in Guatemala recently devastated by mudslides, planting enough trees to offset the carbon emissions produced by each Nation cruise passenger on this 7-day cruise." Of course, "the cost is $11 and is strictly optional." Imagine: the cruise could cost $8600 per person, but you can't spare the carbon offset change?
There's nothing on the website or in the print ad in The Nation magazine that suggests what topic Mapes will be speaking on. Let's hope it's not journalistic integrity.
There are other old major-media names on the speaker list. Robert Scheer, a long-time correspondent and columnist for the Los Angeles Times, is advertised. He may be best known to long-time MRC followers as the man who won our worst Quote of the Year in 1997 for lamenting conservative opposition to a Ted Kennedy-Orrin Hatch health plan for children: "The mood of the Republican congressional leadership is so ideologically obtuse as to doom even this modest first step down the path of responsibility. They would rather kill people than raise taxes."
Last year, one of the Nation Cruise speakers was Farai Chideya, who's served at Newsweek and ABC News, but now hosts National Public Radio's daily black-oriented News and Notes talk show.
The ad in The Nation promotes the cruise with an odd religious theme (especially since the current issue also carries an American Atheists ad):
Sunday: Dinner with Richard Dreyfuss
Monday: Q&A with Ralph Nader and Liza Featherstone
Tuesday: Ogling the Hubbard Glacier next to Mark Hertsgaard
Wednesday Night: At the blackjack table with Victor Navasky
Thursday: Cocktails with Katrina vanden Heuvel
What's going on here? Did you die and go to heaven?
Nope, you're on The Nation's Alaska Cruise!
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
BULLSHIP!When limousine lib
May 24, 2007 - 16:22 ET by dervishBULLSHIP!
When limousine liberalism just doesn't do it for you any more.
Why shouldn't liberals be a
May 24, 2007 - 16:26 ET by daenku32Why shouldn't liberals be allowed to go on cruises?
No reason I know of, if the
May 24, 2007 - 16:32 ET by dervishNo reason I know of, if they pay their own way. But why should they feel the need to justify it with an $11 tip?
I'm pretty sure they are ju
May 24, 2007 - 16:48 ET by daenku32I'm pretty sure they are justifying with the speakers. The $11 donation just allows them to offset some of the pollution it causes. Since when did caring for the environment mean that you had to live in a tent by the river eating pinecones?
I'll tell you when. When we a
May 24, 2007 - 16:55 ET by ThisnThatI'll tell you when.
When we are told to not use toilet paper by the same people who have 5-bathroom mansions.
When we are told what cars we can't drive by people who drive gas guzzlers.
When we are told to take public transportation by people who take private jets.
When we are told what kind of light bulbs to buy by people who use 10x more electricity than we do in their mansions.
Finally, when we are told to do anything by people who think they don't have to do it because they can purchase "offsets" to justify their extravagance and not feel guilty.
The $11 donation doesn't offset anything. What kind of Alice in Wonderland world do you people live in, anyway?
Here,here. I couldn't say it
May 24, 2007 - 16:59 ET by RESTLESS 1Here,here. I couldn't say it any better myself, so I won't try.
When we are told we can't dri
May 24, 2007 - 17:03 ET by bigtimerWhen we are told we can't drill within our oun boundries of the US to be self-depent for oil instead of relying on the middle east/ terrorist couintries that hate us and want us dead... along with the likes of dictators like Chavez.
Oh come now. Please note t
May 24, 2007 - 17:46 ET by dervishOh come now. Please note that the nascent Guatemalan rain forest is going to be paid for regardless of whether the cruisers pony up. The $11 is just an optional warm fuzzy to let participants assuage some of their guilt -- like a Greenpeace bumper sticker on a Ford Excursion. I submit that, if they really felt this was bad for the environment and really cared, they wouldn't go in the first place.
Again, I couldn't care less about the cruise, but spare me the air of moral superiority.
I say let 'em pay it, they us
May 24, 2007 - 17:48 ET byI say let 'em pay it, they usually tax ME to assuage THEIR guilt
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
convert , botg
May 24, 2007 - 17:50 ET by LionKingIf you converted to illegal alien status, you wouldn't have to pay taxes.
Thought libs shouldent do thi
May 24, 2007 - 16:33 ET by bassndudeThought libs shouldent do things to upset the natural enviourment. A crusie will do just that. All that waste dumped into the ocean, oil and diesel fuel...not very green of them.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
liberals cruise
May 24, 2007 - 16:35 ET by SportPoliticsliberals cruise all the time, cruise the strip, cruise past the authorities since there is no constitutionally controlling one, cruise downtown for the dope run, heck they cruise all the time, go cruisin' for a bruisin'.
I was wondering however, isn't Katrina Vanden Heuvel married ?
I wonder why they all plan on having cocktails with her ?
Yes, I'm sure I already know why.
Isn't "cruising" a
May 25, 2007 - 01:04 ET by jmad627Isn't "cruising" a euphemism for gay men searching for love/sex, with other gay men. I'm sure that they would fit in well on this ship.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. LOL!!
I sure hope some of these peo
May 24, 2007 - 16:23 ET by RESTLESS 1I sure hope some of these people don't fall off.<sarc off>
"What's going on here. D
May 24, 2007 - 16:41 ET by RESTLESS 1"What's going on here. Did you die and go to Heaven? Nope, you're on The Nation's Alaska cruise"
On second thought, I kinda hope the ship sinks.
Leaky ships, sink loose lips.
May 24, 2007 - 17:26 ET by ThisnThatLeaky ships, sink loose lips.
Just think, they wouldn't hav
May 24, 2007 - 20:02 ET by RESTLESS 1Just think, they wouldn't have to buy carbon offsets. They could earn them by cutting their own co2 emissions. Inhale, "gasp,,,cough,,,hack,,," done. No more co2 from any of these losers.
Tim, if you get me a ticket t
May 24, 2007 - 16:26 ET by bassndudeTim, if you get me a ticket to that shindig, I will go and try not to upset to many carts:-) I can promise you a good story.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
bass,Speaking of tipping over
May 24, 2007 - 16:38 ET by bigtimerbass,
Speaking of tipping over carts, glad I do not work in Ak. any more at the deep port bay I worked/lived on at Prince William Sound we would get those cruise ships in all the time....take it back I would love to work there again knowing what I know now about politics and leftists and who they are, I would have a blast waiting on these people....just thinking about it makes me giggle with pure pleasure....hehehee...too much fun to be had.
BT..Im with ya, lol...just th
May 24, 2007 - 16:42 ET by bassndudeBT..Im with ya, lol...just the thought of all those libs, traped on a ship with me, unable to run away just makes me bubble with joy...I wonder how many would jump over board while out at sea...:-)
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
Mapes has had over three year
May 24, 2007 - 16:27 ET by GalvanicMapes has had over three years to deliver the evidence that would clear her of journalistic fraud and collusion. To my knowledge, we have see no more information now than we learned back in Sep-Oct 2004.
But the real cap on this story is the carbon off-sets. Once again, wealthy Leftist elites will offer indulgences for hastening the GHG armageddon, and we're supposed to take them seriously.
I hope some crewmembers gets some video with their cell phones.
I'm glad we now have a cost assessment for carbon neutral
May 24, 2007 - 16:37 ET by SportPoliticsI'm glad we now have a cost assessment for carbon neutral.
Thirteen one hundredths of a penny on the dollar
Here is an excerpt from the d
May 24, 2007 - 16:37 ET by jdhawkHere is an excerpt from the day-to-day itinerary of a past Nation's Cruise that was posted to the web site that Tim provided:
10:15-11:45am Topic: Let's Hear from the Audience Fifty Ways to Defeat George W. Bush in 2004: What Every Progressive Can Do
Facilitator: Victor Navasky - This will be an open discussion addressing pro-active ways progressives can help defeat George Bush in 2004. Ideas will be taken from the audience by the facilitator.
The above discussion doesn't seem to have born much fruit! Wonder if they asked for their money back? lol
Two years ago Mapes was ask
May 24, 2007 - 16:38 ET by JDWTwo years ago Mapes was asked if she was a registered dem. Apparently she has the sen Clinton syndrome, could not recall.
JDW
News media: Scoreboard for terrorists
How low will they sink ?
May 24, 2007 - 16:52 ET by tumblerExample of the Democrat Party imagination; saw this on Drudge:
By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News
May 24, 2007
A former Democratic Party activist who left dog feces on the doorstep of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave's Greeley office during last year's 4th Congressional District campaign was found not guilty Wednesday of criminal use of a noxious substance.
A Weld County jury deliberated about two hours before acquitting Kathleen Ensz of the misdemeanor count. Her trial began Tuesday.
Ensz's lawyers never denied that their client left a Musgrave campaign brochure full of feces at the front door of the congresswoman's office. . . .
Cool electioneering. By their standards.
It is just a little bit curio
May 24, 2007 - 16:54 ET by jdhawkIt is just a little bit curious that the Nation cruise passengers, presumably AGW advocates one and all, would pick Hubbar Glacier to cruise by. For the reasons stated below:
Calving Glaciers are Unresponsive to Climate Hubbard Glacier is defying the global paradigm of valley or mountain glacier shrinkage and retreat in response to global climate warming. Hubbard Glacier is the largest of eight calving glaciers in Alaska that are currently increasing in total mass and advancing. All of these glaciers calve into the sea, are at the heads of long fiords, have undergone retreats during the last 1,000 years, calve over relatively shallow submarine moraines, and have unusually small ablation areas compared to their accumulation areas.
No global warming to see here; move along now . . .
Sssshhhhh . . . Don't tell Albore!
"Ogling the Hubbard Glac
May 24, 2007 - 16:57 ET by ThisnThat"Ogling the Hubbard Glac
May 24, 2007 - 16:58 ET by ThisnThat"Ogling the Hubbard Glacier". I'll bet the polution caused by the cruise ship breaks off a chuck of ice somewhere, and then Bush and the rest of us get blamed for Global Warming! Sheesh.
"Mission Accomplished"
May 24, 2007 - 19:04 ET by Del Dolemonte"Mission Accomplished"
Hmmm, $11 bucks to plant a tr
May 24, 2007 - 18:12 ET by JPR1Hmmm, $11 bucks to plant a tree.
I wonder if the labor is being paid a fair wage.
Will the passengers get to watch video while they sip champagne and nibble their fancy crackers on the air-conditioned top deck?
As a tree farmer myself, let
May 24, 2007 - 19:11 ET by Del DolemonteAs a tree farmer myself, let me answer this one.
To paraphrase Billy Jeff Clinton, it all depends on what the definition of "planting a tree" is. Here in New England, most of our trees grow without being planted at all. The seeds fall off the bigger trees, and sprout. The National Forest Service here also plants trees, but I doubt they spend $11 a tree-they probably spend 50 cents for each sapling, and then about 1 or 2 minutes per tree planting time. If that 2 minutes is worth 11 dollars, that comes out to $330 an hour.
When planting my Xmas trees, it usually takes me about one minute to dig the hole, and another minute to plant and cover and water.
Del, You’ve revealed too mu
May 24, 2007 - 22:10 ET by JPR1Del,
You’ve revealed too much! To the left you are nothing more than an evil Capitalist, pillaging the Mother Earth for your selfish personal gain. (Supporting a custom tangentially allied with the Christian religion to boot.) Watch your back my friend! :-)
That said, I believe your numbers and now find myself wondering…. $11 bucks income and maybe a buck-two-eighty in expenses; someone is putting some jing in his pocket!
Maybe Laurie David and company. Of course they get carbon credits.
They must have raised the min
May 24, 2007 - 22:14 ET byThey must have raised the minimum wage in Guatemala.
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
Yes, “prevailing rate” re
May 24, 2007 - 23:04 ET by JPR1Yes, “prevailing rate” requirements in every contract. Right there in the small print, along with the “legal resident status” language.
Work that Guatemalans don’t want to do?
You need to consider the hand
May 25, 2007 - 05:51 ET by ThisnThatYou need to consider the handling charges ($5.50). And shipping ($7;.50). So your total now comes to $5.50+$7.50+$2.80 = $15.80. You're exactly $4.80 short on each tree.
How to make up the difference? Taxes, of course. The libs need to start a tree-replacement program. Let's see, we probably need to plant, say, 5 billion trees a year somewhere. Since the $11 charity contribution (excuse me, carbon offsets) doesn't cover the costs, Congress needs to allocate an additional $24 Billion. But, since the libs can write off their $11, we'll need to account for that: another $6 Billion or so. Then, the contract will be set aside for only English-challanged speaking persons. These people need to be trained; provided with housing; provided "living" wages; another $50 Billion or so should take care of it.
So, this little cruise could end up costing taxpayers on the order of $80 Billion dollars. In the first year.
Anyone here have a money tree
May 24, 2007 - 19:03 ET by Del DolemonteAnyone here have a money tree growing in their back yard? It would be hilarious to send a sleeper agent on this cruise to see just how looney these toons are. With a phone cam, of course!
That's a great idea!
May 25, 2007 - 07:40 ET by Sergeant ROCKThat's a great idea!
Man, the "Christopher Wa
May 24, 2007 - 21:04 ET by Roger the ShrubberMan, the "Christopher Walken" look does her no justice.
You guys better snatch up "Truth and Duty" before it sells out. It is holding steady at 520,599th @Amazon.com...
I must say, she is a very a
May 25, 2007 - 14:40 ET by MilesDI must say, she is a very attractive woman