An Ode to the Odious

[NanceGreggs]

Well, I wasn’t about to open my big fat mouth unless I had the facts to back me up. And I do.

Acutely aware of the current state of the MSM and what passes for news these days, I decided to tune-in to CNN tonight – and I wasn’t disappointed. The fully-expected wallow-in-the-mud pig-fest was underway, and it was – and continues to be – of mammoth proportions.

Yes, indeedy, the media is all over the Edwards story – because this is big news, and the people have a right to know.

Of course, the naïve approach would be to say there are all kinds of things we people have a right to know. But apparently the network news outlets, what with their legendary journalistic integrity and all, can’t be expected to waste their time investigating trivial fare when the story of a man sleeping with a woman not his wife might break any second. And apparently, it has.

“I understand there was a secret meeting between Edwards and his mistress in a hotel.” Hey, you want to talk about secret meetings? How about the one between Cheney and his oil buddies at the White House? Funny, I don’t remember any probing questions about that event. Maybe if the vice president had screwed a young and fecund assistant or two on the boardroom table in the midst of those “secret” discussions, that story might have been deemed important enough to make the bottom-screen crawl.

“We’ve been told that money changed hands.” Oh.My.God. Really? Was it anywhere near as much money as Chalabi got from this Administration? Was it even close to the amount of cash that “went missing” in Iraq? THAT wasn’t even John Edwards’ campaign money – that was US taxpayers’ money. Any details on that story – yet? Or are you still verifying the details?

“He betrayed the trust of the voters by lying about his affair.” Well, put away the tar and feathers and throw a noose over the sturdiest oak, ‘cause this is a hangin’ offence. A man who would lie to his fellow citizens – well, I can’t imagine anything worse. Except maybe a president lying his country into war – maybe even forging documents, or planning faked “incidents” that might lead to war under totally false pretences – whoa, now that would really be something. And no doubt you MSM guys would be right on top of it if something like that happened. Thank God it never has.

Really, it’s understandable that networks like CNN would jump all over a juicy scandal involving a politician and a sexual liaison. Poor John McCain has had his sorry old ass hauled over the coals continually for months now: “Ambitious politician dumps disfigured wife to wed young heiress.” I realize the man is a candidate for the presidency – but will the focus on that story never die?

In the same vein, will the MSM ever get off Gingrich’s back – or Vitter’s, or Foley’s, or Larry Craig’s?

Well, I, for one, am willing to cut CNN and the rest of the TV news media some slack. I can appreciate how zeroing-in on a gossipy little trifle like the Edwards affair can take the edge off the day-in/day-out drudgery of covering the stories the media has been focused on for years now: stolen elections and vote fraud, illegal wiretapping, torture, secret US detention sites, no-bid Halliburton contracts, Blackwater, abuse of executive power, the shredding of the Constitution, the mistreatment of veterans, the sixteen words, cherry-picked and misleading intelligence, ties between the White House and lobbyists, the politicalization of the Justice Department, inept appointees to powerful positions in the DHS, FEMA and FDA, tax subsidies to the oil industry amid record profits, the outing of a covert CIA operative – the list of what the news media has been on top of is truly endless.

So why should it be so surprising that when a “news” story of no consequence – one that titillates but has no impact on the economy, the war in Iraq, the healthcare crisis, or the outsourcing of American jobs – comes along, our ever-vigilant news media isn’t expected to take a break from the serious news they’re famous for and just let it all hang out?

In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t send out much-deserved kudos to the media types who keep bringing up Elizabeth Edwards in all of this, by reminding the audience that she is battling cancer. It’s always a nice touch to wring your hands on-air and tearfully point to a woman’s personal health tragedy - just before launching into yet another hour-long segment of dragging her husband, her children, and herself through the news cycle mud.

Well done, media. I would have been shocked had you handled this earth-shattering news in any other way.

Let’s hope a pretty blonde teenager doesn’t go missing between now and Monday – it could seriously ruin a truly memorable weekend of American TV journalism at its finest.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Nance!

Wow!

I love it!

You skewer better than anyone I know!

K&R

:yourock:

[ddeclue]

2. Well said! n/t

[cliffordu]

3. Absolutely spot on again Nance!!! K&R!

And off to the greatest with you!!

[RayOfHope]

4. k&r n/t

[devilgrrl]

5. K & R

:thumbsup:

[saltpoint]

6. I bet Brit Hume hates you, Nance.

And you just KNOW he lurks on DU.

Wonderful.

Just wonderful.

Damn and wow.

[yardwork]

7. This one is up with your very best.

:patriot:

[DearAbby]

8. Watch these little smileys yell GO NANCE

:applause: :applause:

[Divine Discontent]

9. GIVE THE HYPOCRITES HELL, NANCE!

My sadness over hearing this is true about John is really not important, as he is still with his wife, and they proclaim their love. Since he's not running anymore, I am over my first few minutes of anger at him for lying --- however --- I am in FULL swing all afternoon and night about my anger with the MS"MEDIA" and their RESPONSIBILITY they must feel to detail the Edwards story as such important news.

Thank you for pointing out their hypocrisy.

The son of a bitches...




Here's what I wrote on the AOL story comments section, "Edwards cheats on cancer stricken wife"


You know DON'T you?

I cannot wait for Ross Perot to detail this even more than he has already, as he and his family helped Carol McCain after her car wreck, at the request of John McCain, who was in 'Nam.

McCain then came back from 'Nam, found his first wife, Carol, gnarled and crippled and overweight and mostly wheelchair-bound, her spine and legs shattered in a car crash. This "man of character" immediately began screwing multiple women, before eventually cheating on her with Cindy -- a wealthy heiress more than 15 yrs younger than him -- and then abandoned his crippled wife to marry her. Want to talk about THAT affair?

John McSame said Carol was - "not the same woman I married" as his excuse for divorcing her - my GOD in heaven that's perverse... at least Edwards and his wife have stayed together. McCain ran away from the crippled wife and jolted to a younger prettier richer woman!

GOOGLE ---- MCCAIN PEROT
All other people that know the truth put that message IN EVERY POST FROM HERE ON OUT - we WILL make a difference with this effort.
Again - Please Google - MCCAIN PEROT to see some damning articles!

[mak3cats]

10. I'm truly awed by the power of your pen...

...thank you on behalf of all of those who feel it and think it but just can't express it. This is one of your finest.

[Lugnut]

11. K&R, K&R, K&R

Nobody tells it like it is like Nance. :toast:

[madamesilverspurs]

12. You remind us yet again

to be thankful for the internet. With our mainstream media almost entirely in the thrall of the right wing, we'd be dead in the water without the net. The failure to anticipate the power of the blogosphere is the only Bushevik shortcoming I'll ever be thankful for.

[Hekate]

13. Kick for excellence

:kick:

Hekate

[magellan]

14. This is about the only "Edwards" thread I haven't put on ignore

Thank you for writing so well about the real travesty going on here.

[FrenchieCat]

15. Anderson Cooper, "as we continue to discuss this for days and weeks"........

Why AC, why? :eyes:

[madrchsod]

16. once again.... i bow to your awesomeness

:applause:

[rasputin1952]

17. I have yet to figure out why everyone is os obsessed with sex...

but the deaths of our youth in the Middle East rarely get mention anymore?

bush and his liars brigade has tossed this nation into turmoil, and once again, some stupid story about a sexual liaison that is no one's business is suddenly a news "event"...no wonder no one has respect for the Press anymore.

edited for typo.

[Kaleko]

18. Since we can't strangle them, we need to starve these propaganda organs to death.

Boycott fork-tongued shows. Boycott their sponsors. Expose their corruption with letters, ads, YouTube campaigns. Hit back with our greatest weapon: sharp wit and creative intelligence.

Work locally to make sure everybody gets a computer who wants one.

Alex Jones is right in that we ARE engaged in an information war.

Namaste, Nance, for using what you've got.

[zeemike]

46. Now your talking...go on the offensive

And watch just enough of them to note the sponsors and don't buy there stuff and let them know why.

Meanwhile Nancy can keep us sharp with here great writing skills.

[MonteLukast]

19. Thank you for this!

You always say what NEEDS to be said. At exactly the right moment.

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[iconicgnom]

20. Very nicely put.

[JDPriestly]

21. Cute, cleverly written, great humor, acceptable style,

and insulting to those of us who supported Edwards, spent many hours talking to our neighbors, making calls, vouching for Edwards, defending Edwards, only to be told now, months and months later, that he lied.

Nobody cares whether Edwards had an affair. That's not the problem.

The problem is that he pretended to be different. He pretended to want to bring change to our system. He had great ideas. He knew what it was like to grow up in a little town with a dad who worked in a factory, to go to public schools and a state university, to get justice for ordinary people from faceless, soulless corporations. We believed he had integrity. We trusted him.

And now, once again, we have to admit, we were wrong. He did not have the courage to simply admit that he had made a stupid mistake, a stupid little mistake, something that happens over and over in lots of marriages, something that hurts but can be forgiven. He just couldn't bring himself to say to us, "I did something I'm not proud of, but I'm not doing it anymore, and I'm going to try not to do it again." Had he said those simple, honest words, that's all it would have taken. His message, his ideas were important enough to earn him our respect even if he did admit to having made a mistake. But he didn't do the right thing, so here we are.

What does this have to do with the important, earth-shattering news like war in Georgia, like Bush's lies and fraudulent letters and the rampant corruption in our government. Here's what.

Bush and Cheney are crooks, liars. We all agree on that. But why do they do it? Why did Nixon and Johnson and Reagan and all the rest lie?

For the same reason Edwards lied about his mistress: to save face.

And you know something else, these big lies, these horrible schemes some of which have caused many deaths, they all start with one little lie, just one little lie about something small like accepting a donation of golf tournament tickets that isn't legal or some Rovian campaign trick, something really petty. That lie leads to the next lie, and the lies got bigger and bigger until Bush or Cheney or Johnson or Reagan or Nixon or Edwards gets the habit of lying. After a while, they don't even notice that they are lying. It's just business as usual. They begin to see the lies as necessary, just a part of doing business.

Well, lying is not just a part of business when you are doing the people's business.

When you are doing the people's business, you have what is called in the law, a fiduciary duty, a duty of loyalty and honesty. You must hold yourself to a high standard. You must admit your mistakes. You don't get to have two separate faces, one public and one private. You are a servant, a public servant. It isn't about you. It is about serving the people.

What is so painful about Edwards' lie is that he knew that it was about being a servant of the people. He said over and over, "This is about you, not me." But he still lied. That's what hurts.

[JeffR]

22. It IS and always has been about you (us) and not him.

Where he dipped his wick at any point in time is none of my business, or yours, or anyone's else's except his wife's.

He lied about his "mistress" because he knew that Idiot Nation just can't resist making such things into issues when they don't matter for shit. And you apparently fell for it. Congrats. Next time, throw your support behind a Jesuit, but make sure he's been castrated first, now.

[NanceGreggs]

23. Man, did you pick the WRONG night ...

... to get on MY last nerve.

This isn't about Edwards, or what he's done or hasn't done; what he's said or hasn't said. Because, quite frankly, whatever he's done is his own business, not yours.

THIS is about the God-damned media once again filling the airwaves with inconsequential garbage - the same media that looked the other way while this administration lied the country into an unnecessary war that has cost millions of lives, billions of dollars, and untold grief in this world without ever asking a single fucking question.

THIS is about that same media being too busy spewing bobble-headed nonsense for weeks on end about Angelina & Brad, Britney, Paris, Madonna, and who's wearing WHO at the Oscars to even indulge their curiosity when it came to signing statements, secret WH meetings, spying on US citizens, or the outing of an undercover CIA operative.

THIS is about mindless overpaid hacks sitting in front of the American viewer, night after night, holding themselves out as "reporters" and "journalists" while deliberately misinforming the public, misrepresenting the facts, and aiding and abetting high-powered criminals - all the while rambling on self-righteously about how true patriots shove a flag-pin in their lapel, slap a bumpersticker on their SUV, and keep their mouths shut about things like torture and slave labour and suicidal veterans because it might upset the viewers to know this kind of shit is going on.

To put it bluntly, I am not the least bit interested in the major tragedy YOU are going through because John Edwards - or anybody else - disappointed you, or outraged your precious sensibilities.

If your need for attention is that dire, I would suggest you contact CNN immediately - I've no doubt they'll want to do a nine-part, in-depth story about how you are coping with the life-altering catastrophe of having your feelings hurt.

And don't forget to post when that series is going to air - I'm sure we'll all want to watch - and have our hankies and violins ready as you share your heart-wrenching grief.

[Number23]

25. Wow, that's harsh

I understand your righteous and justified anger at a ridiculous, craven news media.

But I don't understand why you would rail so harshly against someone who obviously had great faith in and respect for a politician and is now upset that their candidate has come crashing down to earth. Some folks become so attached to a politician that they somehow cease to see them as human (see a certain sub-set of Hillary supporter) and as some almost divine figure. I don't think it's that hard to understand why someone would be heartbroken to have their rose-colored glasses ripped off.

I'm sure that poster will eventually get over their feelings of betrayal and they may even feel stupid for having had them in the first place. But I don't think those feelings are all that unusual.

[1Hippiechick]

48. Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuse me! Nance attacked the media, and JeffR chose to attack Nance?

What is wrong with this picture?

[bertman]

79. Hippiechick, I may be wrong, but I think JeffR was responding to JDPriestly.

[1Hippiechick]

82. For shame.....I was on the wrong line! Apologies!

:blush:

[annabanana]

30. right as rain ma'am... n/t

[1Hippiechick]

49. AMEN! n/t

[Bright Eyes]

35. ......

:applause:

[zeemike]

50. You are right Nancy...people need to understand the game

they are playing with peoples heads.

They even make some of us outraged at our own by there not so subtle propaganda.

[bridgit]

54. Naw, your rage against a dysfunctional media is the fall-back position. The little mouse trap...

With a little piece of cheese. And you didn't need John Edward' penis to make the point that M$M writes for none but fame, money, ego (accent on the ego) & oligarchy. Nor his human foibles now seen by all from the depths of his soul to the tip of 'it'.

This is far less a "gossipy little trifle", as it is an attempt to steer a careening, myopic little yellow school bus off in yet another direction entirely, by the nose, while utilizing the penis of John Edward' as the shifter. And thus contributing to the donnybrook.

This is secular liturgy over & again: 750+/- words: 80-85 recs, 750+/- words: 80-85 recs, 750+/- words: 80-85 recs, 750+/- words: 80-85 recs; and so I remain convinced...

You would be more than able; more than enabled to copy/paste Page #37 of the Sarajevo phone-book and receive 80-85 recs.

Jealousy? No. Leave us not be too silly. Just a little stick pin on a Google Map indicating the cul-de-sac where Mrs. & Mr. Raptor defend their curbs against the freely expressed opinions of others.

[SammyWinstonJack]

72. !

:thumbsup:!

[Number23]

81. Damn, da-da-da- Damn!

You would be more than able; more than enabled to copy/paste Page #37 of the Sarajevo phone-book and receive 80-85 recs.

How does one respond to such a charge????

Just a little stick pin on a Google Map indicating the cul-de-sac where Mrs. & Mr. Raptor defend their curbs against the freely expressed opinions of others.

:rofl:

I do believe you will be equal parts castigated and lauded for your comment.

[JeffR]

86. I thought it was pretty funny

:)

[Number23]

87. so did I!

:hi:

[JDPriestly]

69. You have not responded to my premise -- which is that this

story is important because it epitomizes how lies feed the cynicism of the media that is destroying our system of government.

To trace the progression from a beginning to an end:

A politician makes great speeches and has great ideas -- example, Gary Hart, John Edwards

Young reporters enthusiastically cover the politician and report his statements

One of the statements the reporter covers turns out to be a lie

The story about the lies and scandals sells more news/product than the stories about the great policy statements ever did

Big lie, little lie, no matter. It sets off a process in the reporter's approach to his or her work: the real big stories, the exciting stuff is in the lies, the scandals.

And the cycle has begun.


And that is how we got where we are with scandal dominating substance in the news

I looked to Edwards and now look to Obama to make the policy and the positive human values the story. When, once again, the politician tells a whopper and the whopper becomes the story, I am disappointed.

When I have campaigned for the politician (and I campaigned a lot for Edwards), I am out there repeating that person's lie. Nance, I suspect strongly that you are a person who is very careful about trying to tell the truth. I have observed frequently that you try to take a compassionate, centrist view on issues -- to be fair and honest in your statements. I do too.

When a person runs for office and asks ordinary people like me to campaign for them, to talk to neighbors and friends, to make calls, to say to people, "I'm so-and-so, and I'm voting for Mr./Ms. X because ...... and because we need to return integrity back into politics," the candidate needs to take an inventory of his/her life and ask him/herself whether what he/she is saying is really true.

Hopefully Obama is doing that. I don't always agree with him on everything, and I do not expect him to be a saint, but I do expect him to admit, when asked about something he may have done, the truth. I can easily forgive a mistake, but I do not want to be repeating, defending, advocating for a lie.

It's like the House that Jack Built. The lie leads to another lie, to another lie, to a cover-up, to a false report, to an expose of the cover-up, to an expose of the false report, to a scandal, to a huge increase in viewers on TV, newspapers, etc. to a cynical press and a cynical public. It's that process that is destroying us.

And that is why the Edwards matter is not just some hurt feelings over a little fib. It is symbolic not only of what is wrong in D.C., but what is wrong in the media. And it isn't all the fault of the media. A lot of it must be blamed on the lack of courage and integrity of our politicians and their families.

[NanceGreggs]

85. First, an apology.

I'm afraid your post last night really did hit my last nerve.

When I saw the reference to "Bush and Cheney are crooks, liars. We all agree on that. But why do they do it? Why did Nixon and Johnson and Reagan and all the rest lie? For the same reason Edwards lied about his mistress: to save face," my head truly exploded. The idea that the lies told by people like Bush and Cheney are in any way comparable to what Edwards lied about makes my blood boil.

But that doesn't excuse venting my temper and lashing out at you the way I did; and for that, I sincerely apologize.

However, I still take issue with the idea that Edwards' supporters were personally betrayed, because he somehow wasn't the man he held himself out to be. I assume you, and those who campaigned for him, did so on the merits of his political positions, and not on the basis of his personal life. And whether he had an affair or not doesn't change anything there.

All people lie; it happens - and sometimes we lie for some rather noble reasons, like not hurting someone we love unnecessarily. But the fact remains that Edwards was talking about returning integrity to politics; he never spoke about monitoring the integrity in people's personal lives - his or anyone else's.

So he had an affair - something which should have remained a private matter between himself and his wife. How does that one mistake turn him into a completely different person?

You talk about politicians 'taking inventory' of their lives and determining if what they are saying is really true. Did Edwards lie about his stance on poverty, the need for transparency in government, the importance of education?

If you are only willing to support a candidate who has led a totally blameless life, whose closets are skeleton-free, one who has never done anything that the media can't dig up and blow out of proportion, I'm afraid you are going to be sorely disappointed on a continuing basis. Such a man or woman doesn't exist.

The problem here is not the fact that every politician is, like everyone else, flawed and prone to mistakes. The problem is a lazy, incompetent, bought-and-sold media that keeps riling-up the populace's outrage over molehills, while mountains of dung loom in the background, threatening to bury us all.

Again, I apologize for my own conduct in responding to you last night. But I still respectfully disagree with your position on this entire farce.

[frogcycle]

89. hey Nance, you were spot on

Your op was great. It might even get an award :)

It was NOT about Edwards, nor about his disillusioned supporters. It was a well-developed rant against the near-non-existent Fourth Estate. It made points very well.

I don't blame you one bit for "losing it" when someone just blows past the entire thrust of the piece to whine about their hurt feelings. That was all too representative of the pervasive ADD of our self-centered society. People read or hear one word in an entire paragraph and off they go on their pet topic. Yell "fire" in a crowded theater nowadays and instead of a panicked rush for the exits you'd have some people arguing over the second amendment, others over smokers rights, and a few whining about having lost their jobs.

Very people actually comprehend the enormity of all that you referenced and more. They think politics is American Idol. When you point it out so eloquently and get such a non-sequitor of a response, I don't blame you for losing it. Sometimes I just want to slap people and say "Wake up, you fool! Next thing you know they'll be herding you onto railcars, and you'll be whining you want to take your iPod."

People should not NEED the press to deliver that message to them, but they do. And it is not doing it. Kudos to you for stating it so well.

Stand by for news.

[JDPriestly]

98. I appreciate your response and your compassion.

I prepared a long response explaining further what I think, but then deleted it because my the basis for my disappointment about Edwards is that, had he told the truth, I would not have wasted so much time on his campaign. So, at this point, I have decided not to waste any more time on the issue. I've had my say. I stand by it.

I know that no one tells the truth all the time. But Edwards' lies were material. It's Edwards' lies, not his sex life, that are the problem. I care very much about honesty and fairness in government. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it is just too much to ask politicians to simply be honest and open about their views, their lives and themselves. Why do I care? Because the lies, whether they are large or small, cause or at least justify the cynicism that is destroying our country.

I guess a lot of other people, including a lot of DUers, either don't agree with me or maybe they really don't care.

[NanceGreggs]

99. Well, there's no way I'm going to argue ...

... with the idea that we should all care about honesty and openness in our politicians, and in ourselves.

However, there is an equally important need to recognize that we are all human, all fallible, all as likely to make mistakes as we are to do great things.

And the things we are capable of accomplishing should never be undone by the weaknesses we fall prey to on our way to doing anything of value.

[JDPriestly]

100. But now Edwards will be remembered not for the wonderful

things he said or the admirable work he has done -- but for having lied and covered up. It's really a tragedy -- a great man felled by his own hubris. I hope he picks himself up and continues to do good work in spite of the scars that his lies have carved on his reputation. It will be a long time before he will be as effective as he was before his mistake.

[NanceGreggs]

101. The admirable work he has done ...

... will not be undone - unless people who choose to allow its undoing prevail.

Pick a side.

I know that's harsh, but it is nonetheless the reality of the situation.

There are those who would un-do the lifetime of fine work done by this man, and those who would uphold its value in the face of any adversity.

Pick a side.

[BrklynLiberal]

105. Damn. I wish I could rec this post!!!!!!!

[The Wizard]

70. Your attempt to conflate

lying about personal issues with serious the issues of foreign and domestic government policy sounds like the thought disorders and loose associations coming from Pox News watchers and Limbaugh listeners.
In fact, it sounds a lot like the Saddam Hussein/bin Laden connection our fearless leader used as a pretext to an immoral invasion and occupation.
If you hadn't noticed, the media marginalized Edwards the minute he said it was time for the media to stop selecting our candidates.
We have war criminals occupying Washington, and the corporate media thinks our attention should be on a guy who lost in the primaries.
The people's business is one thing; personal business is something else entirely.
It's crap like this, stained blue dresses and the Bush/Cheney cartel that have made the United States the laughing stock of the Universe.
At least the citizens of the now defunct Soviet Union understood their news media was a propaganda operation. We have some catching up to do.

[ChiciB1]

92. JDPriestly... YOU Just Bought Into Exactly What MSM Wanted You To...

I thought you were better than that. What was done was wrong, but your tongue lashing is the response THEY wanted, so "the beat goes on." And because so many react this way to THIS TYPE of story, THE BEAT will go on.

Thank You Nance, I'm on your side!! When I think about so much that has gone wrong these past 7 plus years, and how "we the people" have been lied to, spied upon and watched OUR CONSTITUTION ignored and trampled on, then look HERE at DU and see the OUTRAGE over this, it shows me more than ever that MSM will always win!

They feed it as they see it and almost everyone gobbles it up and swallows it down their gullets!! Even HERE, even HERE!!

I've stayed away from DU for quite some time, just recently venturing back into the fray because I'm a junky. I tried very hard to close my heart and mind to the destruction I've seen going on. I thought... out of sight, out of mind... it didn't work as it never does, but I'm even more distressed than before. Not because of John Edwards and his evil ways, I understand he went down the path of deception, but I can forgive him and do. On a bad day I still believe he cares more about this country than the whole of THIS ADMINISTRATION on a good day!!

Remember those famous signs from so many marches... Clinton Lied -- Nobody Died! Ya'll think about it if you can get past the jaw dropping!

And should you feel the need to attack me, have at it, my PC turns on and off!

[RNdaSilva]

24. Yep....

[namvet73]

26. As always, very eloquent.

You have pointed out what most of us at DU are aware of, but in a way that is so eloquent, as usual, that it is like opening a fine, gift wrapped birthday present, giving us the best of new insight to what is going on. My posting number is very low for the time I've been a member of DU and that is because I am less knowledgeable than most posters. I come here to learn and to be pointed to news articles and video clips that posters took the trouble of finding and linking to for my convenience. This is my "Action Central" of politics.

I am a freelance writer myself, but my writings are all technical. A whole different genre of writing, which is, by it's own definition, dry with facts, possibly seasoned with some occasional wit. Editors of magazines and even one technical book I co-authored, instructed me to keep it at the level of a 6th grader! What does that tell you? The publishers know what even what many of the most educated people can comprehend is not impressive. I have to admit that I often struggle through Maureen Dowd (to use an example) columns with her references and analogies to great literature and I have to keep my electronic dictionary handy to translate many of the words she uses. Shame on me!

The bottom line, here, is, of course, that that MSM is totally WORTHLESS. It is like buying one of those trashy magazines at the grocery store checkout counter about an "Elephant Gives Birth to a Yak." I just watched the movie, "Good Night, and Good Luck, which used Edward R. Murrow's exact words from his speeches and interviews. Even 50 years ago, he saw what was happening to journalism.

But, that being said, I am very disappointed in John Edwards, for whom I was a supporter. I hung on to his words because they were bold and spoke to my gravest of concerns, especially about the abuses of corporate America.

John Edwards is a very smart man as is Bill Clinton. They should have been smart enough to have known that the media and the Republicans would destroy them. It is a pity, but I am now glad that Edwards will never be our president and now and there is probably no hope that he might be appointed Attorney General. As unfair as reality is, reality is reality. We have a MSM whose first concern is $$ and not OFFENDING those who serve their own best interests. I do not get my news from them as of several years ago, so their clients are not getting any of my money through advertising on nightly news programs.

What's even more appalling is that we know damned well that many of the very people in the MSM, who focus on personal indiscretions, are guilty of the same indiscretions many times over and will never have the courage to come forth with them.

The fact remains, however, that if Edwards had ever become president and tried to cover this single act up, someone would have eventually found out about it and his partner in this act might have even pulled a "Paula Jones" on him-- He would have been "Jones Boated!" His presidency, would have been virtually over before he could do the work that he promised to do.

I do not minimize the hurt that has occurred within his family and feel terrible for Elizabeth Edwards. She is a wonderful, strong and brilliant woman. I have seen some of her own writings and heard her go up against many creeps with strength and dignity and I think she might have made an excellent presidential candidate herself.

I am a happily married man and I can't understand why some men can't keep their damned "peckers" in check when they should know that the 5-10 minute cheap thrill will hurt their loved ones and ruin their own lives, even if the MSM has no interest in them. My heart goes out to Elizabeth.

[Hubert Flottz]

27. “We’ve been told that money changed hands.”

It's what happens between Johns and Whatchamacallits! Look at the watergate Poke-her games!

[Apollo11]

28. I am such a hypocrite!

I gleefully joined in with all the Edwards-bashing threads and now here I am giving your latest post a recommend and a kick! ;-)

[DeeDeeNY]

29. Nance, once again you put the mainstream media to shame

:applause:

[geiger]

31. There is nothing amusing about this really, but I found it ironic this morning

that Fox News was too busy slamming the Chinese and their "over-produced" Olympics to spend a lot of time on this one.... Hmmm. I cant help but wonder what that forbodes for McCain.

[AllyCat]

52. Nothing. It forbodes nothing for McCain because the media are bought

They will report nothing.

[1Hippiechick]

55. Faux News doesn't want any attention drawn to McBomb's philandering. AND, I caught a re-broadcast

of O'Liely this a.m. Not a regular viewer, but I was particularly interested to see how he would spin the Edwards debacle. Laura Ingram (sp) addressed this issue rather than O'Liely. Hubby and I think everybody in the media and politics who has been caught cheating is ducking.

As far as Edwards' career, who knows? The times, they are a-changing. Our country re-elected Bill Clinton after Monica Lewinsky. I don't know if most of the posters at DU are old enough to remember Gary Hart and Donna Rice. The irony there is that thier liaison was on a yacht named Monkey Business. Regardless, it ended his bid for presidency.

[dansolo]

60. Monica Lewinsky was in Bill's second term

You could argue that the Monica Lewinsky affair hurt Al Gore's chances in 2000.

[1Hippiechick]

83. Oh, hell...the paramours and their timelines start to run together...Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones..

one of them came to light during an election, but Clinton was elected anyway, unless my memory fails me.Not worth it to me to go back and get in timeline order. :)

[KharmaTrain]

32. It Also Muddies The Waters And Helps Gramps

Well written as always Nance...but if we're gonna go down this road, let's shine a little light at how the corporate media's "need to know" was very stunted...the case of Vickie Iseman...the telcom lobbyist who made a nice living playing the "McCain Card" in pushing the "deregulation" and destruction of our public airwaves...all the while as Gramps claimed he was against it. Saying one thing in public, taking the money and who knows what else from Iseman and her clients in private. And, when the scandal broke, the corporate media couldn't get away from it fast enough...claiming that there wsa no there there...not wanting to go near the real "screwing" that was going on.

We see two dynamics of play here...and it's so damn predictable now. First is the sex noise...people just can't get enough of powerful people being powerful people when it comes to sex. It's like a bunch of high school adolescents learning that someone "did the deed"...and we got what I'm now terming a round of "Clenvy" (Clenis envy). Their life's are so superficial that orgamsms (or the lack thereof) trump the undermining of the public airwaves or the military or the economy.

The other is a major cover-up cause the Iseman scandal came too close to home...and a major reason, IMHO, the corporate media is in the tank for Gramps. As a member of the Senate Telecommunications committee, he had a major voice in how these corporations could cash in on billions using public airwaves. Moreover, Gramps "maverick" game was really on display here...pretending to be against any more "deregulation", positioning himself as a "swing" vote in a divided Senate...all the while the contributions flowed in and then when it came down to vote, he would either quietly vote a dissent that didn't matter or just not vote at all if it got too close. Of course the corporate media hasn't gone within a country mile of Gramps' voting record...or lack of it. They'd rather obsess with Obama's in the Illinois State Senate.

So will Vickie Iseman's name resurface now as the "Clenvy" is out in full force? Remember, even if Gramps loses, he goes back to the Senate and that telecommunications committee...and there's sure to be favors called if an Obama administration attempts to roll back "deregulation"...and be assured Gramps will return the favor.

Cheers...

[windoe]

33. There's the tabloid news network and the real news network....

I miss the days when newscasters had ethics and used the public airwaves for more pertinent and usable information!! Will we ever see that again?!

edited to add: BTW we should always keep a sharp eye out for what real events are going on while these pseudoissues are paraded out as important.

Who knows what was going on when Clinton was caught with Monica, or when the OJ trials were going on? Thank you Nancy for a great post--again!!


:)

[nc4bo]

34. K&R nt

[GeorgeGist]

36. Elizabeth was a willing to making you ...

an unwitting victim of her ignorance. If she can endure the pain, she has something to gain.

[malaise]

37. Superb post NanceGreggs

Some lies have all the luck
K & R

[yellowdogintexas]

38. Thank You Nance...once again, putting things in perspective

far better than I ever could.

[jules1962]

39. Damn straight

Where are the priorities? Thank you Nance.
Julie

[Irishonly]

40. Thank You Nance

We recently pulled satellite and I am glad. Hundreds of people died yesterday but the media reports about an affair. Bush kissed Putin's patootie and the MSM covered an affair. For the life of me, I will never understand why a democrat's lie about an affair is soooo bad while republican caught lying about an affair are to be forgiven.

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

41. No kidding

[Overseas]

42. K&R !! Thanks for telling it like it is!

It has been tough watching the TV news chat hours ignoring stories of major treason in favor of ugly gossipy news.

[Richard Steele]

43. K&R

[Faygo Kid]

44. 2,000 dead as of this morning in Ossetia. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

You nailed it with this one. The media sucks, absolutely sucks.

And I say that with a long-ago journalism BA.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

45. Perhaps sexual purity should be added to the Oath of Office.

Of course, that would make 90% of the populace ineligible.

[DFW]

47. I sent a letter to the Boston Globe, which I doubt they'll run (or even want to read)

I couldn't believe it. Edwards got Page One. McCain's ads insinuating Obama
was the Anti-Christ got page ten. Maybe because Salem Mass. is so close by,
and the 17th century wasn't THAT long ago after all, who knows?

Here's what I wrote them, for all the good it will do:


The story of the Edwards affair ran on Page 1. The story of greater
importance to the nation, namely that the McCain campaign is so bereft
of positive things to say about their "wrinkly, white-haired guy" that
their best argument to vote for him is that Obama might be the
Anti-Christ (must be his Romanian accent), merits page ten.

What is the matter with the American press? My father, a past
president of Washington's Gridiron Club (of journalists), bemoaned the
start of this trend ten years ago, shortly before he died. The state
of American journalism now probably would have killed him if cancer
had not.

Iraq, the economy, the price of energy, the woeful state of our budget
and our foreign policy, as well as the base level of discussion in our
presidential campaign--these rate lower status than the extra-marital
affair of someone who is not running for anything? The fact that John
McCain abandoned his (then still-) wife to pursue a much younger
heiress to $100 million doesn't even get honorable mention as a
comparison.

From the Globe, at least, one might be excused for wishing for a
different order of priorities.

[AllyCat]

51. As always Nance, you are right on.

If only it happened to even a tenth of what you write.

[saltpoint]

53. Kicking this as allegory for kicking the

sorry butts of the mainstream media.

[1Hippiechick]

56. Nance, why don't you videotape this and post on YouTube?!? We would recommend the hell out of it!

[kestrel91316]

57. O.M.G. Best. Post. Ever. And sportsfans.......

I believe we've got us the TRUE heir of our beloved Molly Ivins right here at DU!!!!!!!!

[rustydad]

58. And what pray tell is really happening

Well how about Georgia and Russia at war? Or the largest naval armada sense WW2 steaming towards Iran? Bob

Thursday, August 7, 2008

http://europebusines.blogspot.com/2008/08/massive-us-naval-armada-heads-for-iran\
.html

Massive US Naval Armada Heads For Iran

Operation Brimstone ended only one week ago. This was the joint US/UK/French
naval war games in the Atlantic Ocean preparing for a naval blockade of Iran and
the likely resulting war in the Persian Gulf area. The massive war games
included a US Navy supercarrier battle group, an US Navy expeditionary carrier
battle group, a Royal Navy carrier battle group, a French nuclear hunter-killer
submarine plus a large number of US Navy cruisers, destroyers and frigates
playing the "enemy force".

The lead American ship in these war games, the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN71)
and its Carrier Strike Group Two (CCSG-2) are now headed towards Iran along with
the USS Ronald Reagon (CVN76) and its Carrier Strike Group Seven (CCSG-7) coming
from Japan.

They are joining two existing USN battle groups in the Gulf area: the USS
Abraham Lincoln (CVN72) with its Carrier Strike Group Nine (CCSG-9); and the USS
Peleliu (LHA-5) with its expeditionary strike group.

[ChiciB1]

94. But, But, But... What About John & Elizabeth Edwards??? Are You Insane Man???

Get with the program! You're complicating the issues here! It takes too much brain drain to understand and comprehend your premise. You're breaking the rules!

Fifty lashes and back to the dungeon you go!

[Patsy Stone]

59. K&R

Excellent, excellent synopsis of the sad state of the media in our time. :thumbsup:

[FloridaJudy]

61. Spot on, Nance!

The Edwards affair is a private tragedy. The Repuke crimes are public disasters.

If someone is so dense that he or she can't tell the difference, I have a few facts: 4000+ dead Americans. One million Iraqis dead, two million in exile. Over $600 billion spent with no end in sight. Torture and the suspension of Habeas Corpus as public policy, along with spying on US citizens without the frivolity of a search warrant. Skilled experts replaced with incompetent demagogues in virtually every government agency.

Makes an extramarital affair look puny, doesn't it?

[last1standing]

62. Can we expand this to all the DU hypocrits doing the same thing?

Thanks Nance. Excellent as always.

[fascisthunter]

63. It Helps Take the Focus Off Of People's Own Lives

you nailed the media's bias... incredible that so many fail to see it, especially on DU of all places.

[JEB]

64. There real scandal

is the shallow, entertainment based coverage that is passed of as NEWS by the mainstream media. Disgusting.

[lilyannerose]

65. You have more strength of character, than I do

I'm been avoiding the 24/7's as if I'd catch a life threatening disease from watching. Shame on John, that said can we move on to the important events, like the cost of tea and eggs?

[bjobotts]

66. Excellent. It's just pathetic and I refuse to participte by watching or reading

about this fiasco. What the MSM considers news or journalism is pathetic. the dumbing down of America means directing Americans minds to the gutter and keeping them there. For years it has not been what the press reports that is news...it is what they refuse to report. Little do they know the great numbers of people like me who have stopped watching TV news shows and don't bother reading their nonsense. They pass themselves off as relevant but only to other people like themselves...they entertain and inform each other then pat each other on the back. It's enough to make you want to barf.

[indepat]

67. Just reading the excoriation of the heinous in your inimitable style always makes one's

day. :D

[bow-tie]

68. Why do people have a

"right" to know about others personal matters? I don't believe they do.

[FirstLight]

71. Nance! Shout this from the rooftops!!!!

Aircraft carriers going to the persian gulf?

2000+ dead in Georgis and more clusterfuck bound for the region?

...and all these idiots can speak of is where a democrat put his wanker?

Yes, I am upset by JE too, I supported him too, I don't like the idea of money changing hands either.

But, dear sweet Nance, you SAID it!
What about the 935 lies , torture, and cheney's evil and countles other war crimes against humanity?

I am glad I haven't been watching the news, because I would have broken my tv by now!

PLEASE - send this letter to editors across the nation, to tv station producers, to xecs...
I wish someone would listen and get a grip! maybe Jon Stewart is one of the only ones who would agree with you...so sad

and I used to call myself a journalist,
but the definition has changed and I don't want to label myself as one of these scumbags, ever!

[Raster]

73. Error: You've already recommended that thread.

And I would do it again and again and again. Thanks, Nance!

Wake up America!:kick:

[nikto]

74. NANCE---I hope this was OK...

Nance,

I loved your piece today very much, and a piece by Tim Rutten (LA Times),
the day before, on the same basic subject, WAS PUT TO SHAME by your piece.

Anyway, I got excited, and emailed Mr. Rutten, along with my criticism of his column,
a copy/paste of YOUR piece----I presented it as vastly superior to HIS piece (which it is).

I credited you by name, and included mention of the DU site, so authorship is clear.

Then I realized, I had forgotten to ask permission from you.

Hope that was alright.
:)

I won't do it again without permission, I promise.

If I was bad, feel free to flog me in your response.


Anyway, here is Rutten's piece:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-newrutten9-2008aug09,0,3175773.column

[NanceGreggs]

75. No problem!

None whatsoever!

And thanks for the compliments ... :hi:

[nikto]

84. Hey, Nance, did you get to read the Rutten piece?

Thanks for your kind reply.

That Rutten piece is so lame and dishonest, I wanted to throw up!

Your piece was like medicine for me.
:)

But my God, is our Korporate Media diseased and distorted, or what?

I'm not sure the Korporate Media will ever be "fixable".

Replacement is the only option, IMO.

If it were up to me, YOU would have Rutten's job.

[Sunnyshine]

76. MSM = Malevolent Supressive Machine

Big ass hammer meets gnarly rusted nail:

"I can appreciate how zeroing-in on a gossipy little trifle like the Edwards affair can take the edge off the day-in/day-out drudgery of covering the stories the media has been focused on for years now: stolen elections and vote fraud, illegal wiretapping, torture, secret US detention sites, no-bid Halliburton contracts, Blackwater, abuse of executive power, the shredding of the Constitution, the mistreatment of veterans, the sixteen words, cherry-picked and misleading intelligence, ties between the White House and lobbyists, the politicalization of the Justice Department, inept appointees to powerful positions in the DHS, FEMA and FDA, tax subsidies to the oil industry amid record profits, the outing of a covert CIA operative – the list of what the news media has been on top of is truly endless."

Exploiting the American people is what they do best:

"It’s always a nice touch to wring your hands on-air and tearfully point to a woman’s personal health tragedy- just before launching into yet another hour-long segment of dragging her husband, her children, and herself through the news cycle mud."

Muy Gracias Senorita Nance Greggs! This OP deserves to be on the front page of every Sunday paper in these United States.

[Gold Metal Flake]

77. K&R and I'm sending out links to this post in your diary section now.

Outstanding!

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

78. Well put NanceGreggs

:kick:

[bertman]

80. How dare you insinuate that our magnificent media celebretards have fallen down on the job.

Excellent snark, Nance.

As for all of you who are so hung up on John Boy's infidelity, maybe you should try to talk W into running again. I'm sure he's always been faithful to Mrs. Laura.

As a nation we will never get over this fixation on sexual mores as long as the corporate MSM is controlled by the Reich. It's a control mechanism that they have perfected for demonizing Dems, while they give Repubs a pass.

[Usrename]

88. It's so disgusting I just want to puke.

What is wrong with these people? Do they enjoy being fascist assholes? They should be tried and hanged.

[me b zola]

90. On the mark, and with elegant snark

:applause:

[eppur_se_muova]

91. The ONLY thread about Affairapalooza I'm going to K&R! nt

[Willo]

93. K&R n/t

[gateley]

95. K&R!! Thanks again! nt

[trevjr]

96. I hardly ever post

but this was one of the best articles I have ever read on here. We no longer have a media and you pointed this out so well. In fact you have made me discover the bookmark feature. Thanks!
A few things have happened since you wrote this; Mark Green tried to bring up Mkkkain's affair and was immediately cut off and the subject was changed. ABC has edited out Edwards mention of Mkkkain from both the transcript of the interview and the complete video is not available, the Mkkkain reference is gone. This is in addition to CBS changing Mkkkain's answers.
So in addition to the media not being able to focus on important stories, they actively change things to protect Mkkkain. How can this be? Are they still going to say the media is favorable to Obama?
Thank you so much for your great posts.

[sellitman]

97. Log into DU (Check) , Go to Greatest Page (Check), Rate up a Nance Rant (Check)

Ok....Now to read the rest.

[treestar]

102. Exactly, I cannot believe the attention given to this story by the M$M

Edwards is not even the candidate. Yet when it comes to the repblicons, McSame is their candidate, so his character and personal life should be more relevent (since the M$M insists that character and personalities are more important than issues). Yet the M$M doesn't even find McLame's past amours to be so fascinating. Gee, I find it terribly interesting that Mclame might have cheated on Cindy! Why don't they find those women and interview them! :rofl:

[mother earth]

103. Bravo, Nance. I am so sick of the endless bashing of Edwards.

I was an Edwardian & truth be known, I still am. I don't condone his behavior, but I take it for what it is, between he and his wife. On their worst days, John & Elizabeth care more about this country and I've no doubt will continue to do so.

The idiot media people who are focusing 24/7 on this need to wake up to real issues and start doing their jobs instead of acting as the gossip tabloiders they've become. And as for the DU'ers who will bash John, I truly hope they too wake up, lest they be caught up in the web of fools they claim to be against.

There are far bigger issues & real crimes committed, and the silence of the media on those issues is unforgivable...they have been bought and paid for.

Thank you, Nance, for this thread.

[BrklynLiberal]

104. Another Grand Slam..RIght out of the park,.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: