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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2007-09-11

Media Lies--Here's What Really Gets Me 

A lot of very smart people have already written about the execrable MoveOn.org ad, so I won't add anything to those except to link them here, here, here, and here.

What I find most interesting is that this ad was run at all. When you consider that many of the NBC networks refused to run the ad produced by Freedom Watch, you have to wonder what the hell the media is thinking. Why does this ad not get put to the same scrutiny as the Freedom Watch ad? Sure, they're two different news organizations, but, c'mon. This is no longer an issue of mere un- or sub-conscious bias; this is blatant advocacy.

And, for that matter, have you seen the headline of the AP story regarding Gen. Petraeus' testimony before Congress today? Here it is:

Petraeus Outlines Troop Withdrawal Plans

That's the headline? Somehow, they missed this as a possible headline:

As a bottom line up front, the military objectives of the surge are, in large measure, being met.

Or this:

One reason for the decline in incidents is that Coalition and Iraqi forces have dealt significant blows to Al Qaeda-Iraq.

Or this:

We have also disrupted Shia militia extremists, capturing the head and numerous other leaders of the Iranian-supported Special Groups, along with a senior Lebanese Hezbollah operative supporting Iran’s activities in Iraq.

The downright malfeasance of the media with regard to this story is breathtaking.

And, for that matter, how much of the actual testimony did you see this evening on your local news program? I would be staggered if anybody were able to report that they saw and heard more than 30 seconds of actual footage from the actual Petraeus/Crocker testimony from today. Contrast that with the minutes of footage devoted on what seems to be a weekly basis to the efforts of Harry Reid to convince America that we are "failures," or of Jack Murtha to convince us our military is "murderous," or of Nancy Pelosi to portray all of our efforts as pointless and futile. And that time doubles when its a Republican who waves the white flag.

And, yet, it feels like all complaining about the media is little more than howling at the moon. The media filter is so complete that even complaints don't get through.

Conservatives left the battlefield in the 60's, and we've never been able to get back on it. And, don't tell me talk radio or new media--they can only preach to the choir. They never reach the so-called "middle" of the political spectrum. Not like the "Today Show" can.

The GOP needs to begin strategizing--and implementing--a strategic, structural, long-term approach to massive messenging, or we'll never see an even-handed political debate ever again.

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Posted by: Michael / 9/11/2007 12:27:00 AM

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