We’ve often noted in this space the enormous advantage President Obama derives from having the mainstream media firmly in his pocket. But it appears the geniuses running his campaign don’t understand that the best way to exploit this edge is not to make it so obvious as to remove any doubt that the press has gone in the tank. That was exactly what they did when they used a clip of NBC’s Andrea Mitchell spouting Obama talking points on the air in a new web ad.
NBC has reacted to this breach of the informal rules of engagement between liberal journos and the Obami with high dudgeon and has asked the Democrats to take the ad down. Much as they did when the president’s re-election campaign used a clip of Tom Brokaw, the network says that since they haven’t granted permission for the use of the material it ought not to be aired in the context of a partisan ad. But this complaint merely highlights the fact that people like Mitchell often carry the water for the president in segments that are labeled straight news when they are nothing more than partisan spin.
Mitchell has come under increasing fire from media critics for conducting a series of hit and run attacks on Mitt Romney, exposed in a series of encounters on MSNBC with GOP surrogate John Sununu in which her partisanship is not debatable. In the clip used by the Obama campaign, Mitchell quotes a liberal group’s claim that Romney’s tax plan will cost $4.8 trillion and will therefore raise taxes on the middle class, a charge that other, more credible analysts, have debunked. This is a point on which even liberal fact checkers have concluded that the Democrats’ pants are on fire, but Mitchell loyally spouted the allegation on the air as if it were objective fact.
The scandal here is not, as NBC seems to be saying, that the Democrats are stealing their material without permission, but that the Democrats were not charged for the air time taken up by Mitchell’s flacking for Obama in the first place.
Mitchell is hardly the only partisan hack masquerading as a fair-minded journalist on one of the networks and perhaps isn’t even the worst (CNN’s Soledad O’Brien certainly gives her a run for her money in this category). But the Obama ad removes even the flimsy veil of false objectivity from her conduct.
But what is interesting is how obtuse the Obama campaign is about using Mitchell. Making her the star of an Obama ad just reinforces the point Sununu and others have made over and over again about her bias. But while the ad is paid for by the Democrats, the in-kind contributions they have been receiving from Mitchell and other liberal media spinners continues to be free of charge.
"The scandal here is not, as NBC seems to be saying, that the Democrats are stealing their material without permission, but that the Democrats SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN charged for the air time taken up by Mitchell’s flacking for Obama in the first place [emphasis supplied]." n nThe point has been somewhat mangled here, I think. Much preferable would have been ". . . that the Democrats WERE NOT charged for the air time . . . ."
Why she doesn't just scotch tape an Obama/Biden button to her forehead is beyond me. n nIt would save her a lot of gum flapping.
Or just staple it to her forehead.
You mean "lip flapping". Unless Andrea Mitchell is a full denture wearer, her gums don't flap, they simply gyrate with falsehoods.
Over her mouth would be preferable; over her whole face would be better still.
A tattoo of the Big Zero's campaign logo on her chest would be better. All of her fellow media hacks should get an Obama tattoo.
I wonder whether, if the Democrats pass their constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United and limiting campaign spending, whether the (MS)NBC budget will have to be treated as an in-kind campaign contribution? n
Andrea Mitchell is an advocate, not a journalist.
So much for our "Free" press.
You get what you pay for. Are you surprised?
Some of it is still free. n nBut not NBCCBSABCMSNBCCNN and the LATBostonGlobeNYTWaPChicagoTribAtlantaJournalConstitution and others of their Democrat/liberal/leftist stripe. n nI think they should all have to register as lobbyists for the DLL Party.
Well, it is free for the Democrats.
Andrea Mitchell and countless other media “journalists” have been outing themselves for years. Their blatant spin has become so egregious and unacceptable that, one by one, I have cancelled all my newspaper and magazine subscriptions and run for the TV remote when the news comes on. I can pick and choose and get all the information I need online without being subjected to partisan windbags masquerading as objective reporters. There was only so much fawning and idolatry of Obama that I could stand. I cried “Uncle” about six months into his impotent presidency.
The Media doesn't care if anyone "discovers" that they are part of the Presidents campaign. The media just keeps dishing out the pro-Obama line and expect everyone to believe it. And the advertiser only care about sales. The advertisers need to learn the voters are not fooled and will turn off these partisan shows.
It is about the sacrament of abortion. There are “those amongst us” who will go to any length to support the MOST pro-abortion candidate.
Stopped reading after the first sentence – no need to go further, to know that this was yet another article whining about conservative “victimhood” …
Has it been noticed how “reporters” like Mitchell seem to hypnotized or like deer in the headlights when they cannot possibly understand the truth?
A newsperson reports facts, the facts back up one side in a particular argument, the other side decides to attack the newsperson rather than shore up their own position to be more in line with reality. This is why our country is in such terrible shape right now.
Speaking of useless mouthpieces, whatever happened to Debbie Wasserman-Schultz? Has she been seen alive lately? n nThose Chicago types play pretty rough; perhaps she's hanging out with Hoffa for the duration of he election run-up . . . n n
I think she went into the "witness protection" program. Sure do hope so.
Aha! Perhaps Debbie was in on the debate prep and helped coach the hapless John Kerry as he played Romney. That could explain Obama's poor performance–it's all Blabbermouth-Schultz's fault! At least this vindicates the altitude.
Anyone who can tie his or her own shoes and doesn't already know that Andrea Mitchell is partisan doesn't deserve to vote.
Not only is Andrea partisan, she is ugly as home made sin, too!
What are you guys talking about? All I see is right-wing hacks on MSM. Look around. Foxnews is loaded with them. And Andrea Mitchell's husband is a Republican. Take off the blinders.
Thank you, CPT Obvious. The CriminalLibralNewsMedia have been the unpaid whores for the Dem-Cong since at least the LBJ campaign against Barry Goldwater in 1964.
Romney's tax cut will cost at least 4.8 trillion. It is not in dispute by any reputable organization. The WSJ concurs with this number. Do America justice by having an honest discussion of the issue's. There may be a case to be made for Romney's plan but you have no credibility when you misrepresent facts. Your are not entitled to your own facts.
Funny how David Gregory spews Romney talking points and right-wingers never complain.
The mainstream media in it's unrelenting pro obama bias is perpetrating an outrageous conflict of interest, and defaulting to a fundamental failure or abdication of their journalistic obligations. Mitchell’s actions have taken the situation to a level of absurdity. In most industries an employee would be fired for what she did based on conflict of interest. I am a Democrat (soon to be Independent), and the most amazing thing to me is that the Democrats through it all assume they own the high moral ground.
It's almost funny how the Tax Policy Center is "nonpartisan" to conservatives, except when it tells the truth about your candidates and you don't like it. Then it's "a liberal group." Once again, the truthiness: it's *reality* that has a well-known "liberal bias." n
The BIGGEST left-wing, partisan, Obama-loving hack in the MSM? n nChrist "Tingles" Matthews. n nHe's sooooooo pro-Obama he makes even Andrea Mitchell look like a fraking novice.
This would qualify as today's BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious).
You comment that “Weu2019ve often noted in this space the enormous advantage President Obama derives from having the mainstream media firmly in his pocket. ” Really? The #1 rated news show on television is Fox. The #1 listened to radio program is Rush Limbaugh and the most read newspaper in the country is The Wall Street Journal. How is it that you figure that Obama “has the mainstream media firmly in his pocket”? You must use the same fact checker employed by the head of your ticket.
Maybe hubby Al G should pay NBC some cash. I hear he is loaded from his time in the US banking system.
One word rebuttal. n nFox.
I don't know why, but NBC News became more left-wing after being bought by Comcast. It could be coincidental, but something happened. I have to blame Brian Roberts, since he's the boss. I hope they go bankrupt.
Mitchell is married to the architect of the mess we now… ahem… "occupy." n n'Nuff said?
Her misleading edit that falsely implied Romney was surprised at a WaWa Market by the technology followed by her shameless doubling down on the "story" the next day should never go unmentioned when her bias is up for discussion.
She is someone who makes me ill. Probalbly why I don't watch NBC. In all of it's iterations(MSNBC.NBC,and the weather channel). They should just bill the DEMS.Also. its true I
Andrea Mitchell is a full time misinformation propagandist working for M.S.N.B.C.which everyone knows takes their orders from Obama and the Democratic party.M.S.N.B.C.will say and do anything to get Obama reelected.Mitchell is a disgrace.
It's merely another sign that the powers that be have noticed the Obama campaign getting 'wobbly' and are taking some basic steps to claim an impartiality they need to continue doing business as usual. They invested so much in this Obama fellow and have not gotten the kind of reciprocal love they expected and now that they can see him phoning it in, they're ready to cut their losses and , to coin a phrase, move on.
The real "scandal" is that her husband was chairman of the Federal Reserve for nearly 20 years! Who is he, in fact? What chance that Greenspan and Mitchell could have stayed married all this time, if they didn't share a "common outlook," including in political matters? n nBut she is an extremist, a partisan with a rather sharp tongue, a woman who plays loose with the distinctions between what is true, what is not! How about Alan Greenspan? Is he cut from the same cloth? Did he also have a talent for stretching the truth while in charge of the Fed, or even of ignoring the truth altogether? Who are these people? All of them!
If you want an explanation of the landscape read "totalitarianism, How the Socialist Faith is Destroying America" by Ray Peach. Chapter 14 explains the political party system and how it doesn't matter what party you vote for the ruling elite are running the show. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying don't vote cause it won't matter, I'm saying vote and vote Conservative all the way. Vote for constitutional traditionalists who believe that the constitution and the bill of rights, as written not interpreted by some relativist court, are the frame work for the country.
"Hillary's political career may have ended with what most likely was her serving that political imagery rather than the security needs of her personnel in the field. nHillariy and Barry's careers both ended when our dead fellow citizens were in their coffins at the airfield (families and coworkers present no less) and our President and Secretary of State blamed their death on a youtube video- when they knew better-you do not get many chances in life to lie in such an absolutely sickening way. nUnless you leave a young girl trapped and submerged in a car still alive (for 4 hrs they say), and leave her so you can cover your A$$. No folks, us mere mortals do not get the chance to answer the BIG call in our lives as some of our democratic leaders. So sad and so tragic really. One might even think someone like that unfit to govern or lead anything!! n n