Note to Chris Matthews

[yellerpup]

Thank you for debunking the RNC's website claim that John Kerry "fli-flopped" on his Iraqui War position and that he was the "anit-war" candidate. Matthew Dowd deserved to have his feet held to the fire on this issue. I appreciated the way you presented the true context of your question and John Kerry's answer by replaying the segment three times in a row at the end of your show last night. Truth, justice, and the American Way are not just Superman's bailiwick, but every broadcaster's obligation. Thanks again.

[meegbear]

1. Tweety seems to be changing his tune ...

I read in Media Matters when he had John ONeill on, he refuted some of his claims. The article ends:

After listening to all of O'Neill's claims, Matthews concluded the program by stating: "Well, I've already heard enough that he's (Kerry) done more than I ever did for my country and a lot more than anybody else ... and more than the president."

Let's hope he keeps this up.

[yellerpup]

2. He bitch-slapped O'Neill

with that reply. Read directly from Dept. of Navy documents to refute the Swift-F#@*s claim. I tune in to see if I can stand it after watching the Daily Show. He has posted his actual interview alongside the unfair byte that the RNC uses on their website.

Web address on this issue: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5445086

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Or [e-mail]

[polmaven]

3. He made a good point, but didn't take it far enough.

What do we know about O'Neill's service record? And Corsi's, for that matter. What medals did they earn? What commendations came their way? Did they enlist or were they drafted? Did they volunteer for Viet Nam duty?

These are questions to which I don't know the answers. Have the media even asked them? I certainly have not watched every minute of any coverage, so maybe I missed it if they did.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

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[Irishladdie]

4. Great Job!

I sent an email to Crhis also!

[wildflower]

6. I agree, and positive reinforcement is always a good idea

This is my first post, so please forgive me any errors, as I'm still getting used to the system :)

So many of us are quick to complain when something is wrong. But I am a firm believer in thanking people when they do something right. It helps them and it helps us.

For example, I once sent a thank you card to a nurse. She had gone out of her way to look up a test result on the computer for me the same day the test was done, and call me immediately--rather than letting me wait to get it by mail, the usual procedure--because she knew I was worried.

Nurses have such a hard job and are so harried. I imagine she probably gets far more complaints than thank yous. I hoped the card would give her encouragement.

In the same vein, I believe thanking any media figure for even the tiniest example of courage and truth-telling encourages them to keep doing it, and will have as much an effect (or even more) than our negative messages.

-Wildflower

[faithnotgreed]

7. wildflower - right you are and welcome to du. were glad to have

positive/thinking/caring/involved people here (if we cant be all 4, we can still be 1 - right?)

positive reinforcement is very important

[wildflower]

8. Thank you, faithnotgreed!

Thank you for the welcome! :hi:

I've read the forum for a long time, but now that I'm posting, I'm trying to figure out how to do things such as private mail (I haven't yet determined how this is different from e-mail) and editing messages.

Back to positive reinforcement...

I noticed an adopt-a-journalist program someone listed (is it on the moveon site?) I thought that was a good idea.

What if each person here were to focus on one journalist. Write down an important development that *was* reported (and reported accurately) in the news that day, and write a favorable message or letter to the journalist.

Thereafter, continue writing the journalist, with omissions and corrections as well as thank yous. The reports of omissions and corrections will be more likely to be heard, in my view.

Sometimes watching the news drives me up one wall and down the other. But when I think about writing to a journalist, I try to put myself in his/her place at that moment and focus on the issue.

I remember the convention in Boston--how long ago it seems now! I can feel how all of us stood as one, filled with hope and unity. I feel such deep consternation over the way our unity as a people--nationally and globally--is being torn apart in our current environment. I hope we can continue to spread a message of hope, and heal the fabric of our country, while always standing up for what we believe in!

-wildflower

[NightOwwl]

9. Welcome to DU, wildflower

Excellent posts, hope to read more from you in the future. :hi:

[wildflower]

15. Thank you, NightOwwl, and is that your kitty

in your avatar?

-wildflower

[faithnotgreed]

10. adopting a journalist is a good idea. there are always threads on media

but recently (im sure youve noticed) there are multiple threads to blitz the media/cnn to point out their egregious errors

perhaps if you see one of those you should pop in to offer that suggestion theres nothing exact but thoughtful input is always important

we are most definitely united that the media is an alternate reality. it truly can be strange, to the point that we can now
which is unfathomable to say out loud

that we can now have an idea what those in severely communist russia or nazi germany felt any of

but we must keep fighting the good fight.
someone just posted randi rhodes reported that hardballs web site had 5 million hits last night. chris has definitely been a good guy the past couple shows

well im off to email chris and say thanks!

[newyawker99]

14. Hi wildflower!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[wildflower]

16. Thank you newyawker99...I may be able to post here only intermittently,

but I hope I can contribute something useful. I appreciate the welcome.

-wildflower

[Generator]

12. Excuse me but why our we CONGRATULATING someone

for doing their fucking job!!!

These are the kinda of things your "hero" Chris Matthews has done in the last few weeeks.

Compared the flags at the DNC to the propaganda of Leni Refinsthal (sp) ie, Nazi flags! There is a thread about it on DU

Said, "Can we really trust a first lady that can say Shove it in five languages?"

I don't have the bandwith to list all the smears and shit that Chris Matthews has thrown in the last six months at Kerry or Dean or Clarke or anyone that isn't that "Great guy most Americans like and want to have a beer with. The one most trust to lead the war on terror."

And let me remind everyone he voted for Bush in 2000. Chris Matthews is not our friend, and I don't know when he lost his soul but it's not going to be redeemed overnight.

[mzmolly]

13. Because most of 'them' don't do their jobs.

Compare Matthews with Crawley or O'Reilly or Scarborough?

Chris attempts to be reasonable, and I appreciate it. :shrug:

Though I do agree with you in principal.

[wildflower]

17. I think you're right, Generator...

and what awful things for him to say! I don't think we have to congratulate these people or even thank them necessarily. But I think we can encourage them. And we don't have to hold our tongue to do it, IMO; we can tell them how their previous comments made us feel, but also that we were glad to see the truth being told.

My husband listens to NPR and he said there was an interview of Ted Koppel the other day, in which Koppel said that the problem in the media isn't so much one of leaning to the left or to the right. The problem is that they as journalists are cowards; easily cowed into being afraid of offending people. (I can't find a link for this. Did anyone hear it?)

Similarly, Jon Stewart remarked on Al Franken's show that the media is like a group of six-year-olds playing soccer; they all follow the ball one way and pile on top of one another (I'm paraphrasing), then they all run the other way.

I had no idea of the influence the White House has on the media until I read George Stephanopoulos' book a few months ago. He often recounts instances during the Clinton years in which he said to a journalist things like "Come on, you know this story has no legs" or "Can't you wait till Friday to publish this?" I can only imagine what the atmosphere is like now. So I can believe that most of them are afraid.

Of course, there are some we will probably never have any hope of convincing, because they are simply too deeply conservative, and driven by fear and anger against what they perceive as a fearsome extremist left who wants to take over the country.

But as for the rest of them:

If there is the slightest opening--the smallest example of a journalist daring to tell the truth--we have a wedge; and partly with positive reinforcment, we can push that wedge a little further, until more and more journalists are speaking up. We can help encourage them: to en-courage them.

As Dr. Dean inspired millions of depressed Democracts by finally speaking out, perhaps with our encouragement, journalistic integrity will snowball as more and more become emboldened. Maybe it's already starting to happen.

Anyway, as I said, I do agree with you. As you can probably tell from my posts, I'm a "sensitive" liberal:)--but I'm also practical to the bone. I believe in positive reinforcement not only because it's kind, but because, in my experience, it's effective. I don't believe it's the only tool there is, but it's one more at our disposal.

-wildflower

[dennis4868]

18. AND DONT FORGET.....

The Monica ordeal....he was crazy during that period of time.

[neoSattva]

19. Tweety backed down last night

Although he basically said that Bush lied about what Kerry said, he also said that Kerry sounded wishy washy. He showed the clip of his interview with Kerry a few times. We were astounded that anyone could find it wishy washy. Kerry said that he was an anti war candidate ONLY IN SO FAR AS Bush has been totally incompetent in both the way he went to war, and in prosecuting the war.

It's like saying that your boss is wishy washy because he gave you responsibility to get something done and then complained when you screwed it up. I think Chris was backing down from pissing off the repubs.

[Joanne98]

20. A cautious thankyou

I don't trust it yet but I'll take any effort at this point. We'll see what he does tonight.

[wildflower]

21. Al Franken on now, says he's going to talk about Dowd/Matthews...

coming up...I imagine he'll play clips (he usually does). Just to let everyone know...

-wildflower