Media Tries to Sabotage Obamas With Pseudo Stories on Faux Gaffes But No One Buys It

[babylonsister]

Media Tries to Sabotage Obamas With Pseudo Stories on Faux Gaffes But No One Buys It

By Leslie Savan, The Nation. Posted April 3, 2009.

In search of a scandal, the media blows hot air about President Obama's overseas etiquette instead of actually covering the G-20 summit.


The real question about how Barack and Michelle Obama are being received on their Rolling-G-20-Summit/Euro-Tour '09 has nothing to do with how the Europeans treat them, but all about the American mainstream media itself: What infinitesimal nit will they find to pick about the new president's conduct abroad that can be blown up into a two- to three-day pseudo-international incident?

You know the sort of story I mean. We're not talking about serious systemic issues, such as the different perspective a country like Germany (with universal health care, generous unemployment benefits, and a highly unionized work force) might have on the need for a global stimulus when compared to the U.S., where the party Obama just turned out of office has proposed effectively privatizing Medicare. That would be too much like journalism, and way too MEGO.

We're looking here for a truly small-bore, utterly irrelevant, content-free distraction, like the ones the MSM entertained us with during March Meme Madness.

You know the media nitwit-pickers have struck when, at some point, they've made the exact opposite charge -- that Obama's too serious, too off the cuff, or does too little, all well-worn themes from the campaign. On Tuesday, for example, a Fox News promo tried to scorch the president with the tagline "Rock star no more," suggesting he's lost his touch. Of course, that's the B-side of McCain's complaint last summer (megaphoned all over Fox) that Obama drew too big a crowd in Berlin, proving he was the "world's biggest celebrity" -- and if the Eurotrash love him, how could straight-talkin' 'muricans ever accept him as president?

But let's face it: However unpopular American and British financiers may be in Europe, even Fox is having a hard time insisting that the populist firehose over there is aimed at Obama himself. The press spent two weeks in this country trying to hang Obama with the AIG bonuses, and his popularity went up.

more...

http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/134832/media_tries_to_sabotage_obamas_with_pseudo_stories_on_faux_gaffes_but_no_one_buys_it/?page=entire

[LiberalFighter]

1. That type of reporting I thought was the mainstay of scandal tabloids.

[Cha]

6. The US corporatemedia is a giant

yellow celebrity rag.

[firedupdem]

2. They can give up on that. This trip has been a major success.

No matter how they try to spin it...The Obama's are representing this country well.

[babylonsister]

3. But they won't. Too bad they have nothing to work with, isn't it.

;)

[firedupdem]

4. Yes it is...I'm loving every minute of it! They just keep reaching

and coming up with nothing but major FAIL!

:rofl:

[Cha]

5. Rec'd~ This is imporant to

get out about the corporatemediawhores. The US media should be friggin proud of how our Prez and First Lady are doing for their first trip abroad..but NOooooooooooo.

They're busy salivating, fangs out.. trying to gaffe them in the back.

[NatBurner]

7. good read

i'm sifting thru the commments now

[asphalt.jungle]

10. here is the same article on her home site (the nation), with different comments

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/state_of_change/423753/beware_media_bearing_gift_gates

[Supersedeas]

8. the Lords of superficial GOP Talking Points -- where is the Corp Media to turn? Not substance

[Jennicut]

9. They cannot come to grips with his popularity at home and overseas.

They are in denial.

[prolesunited]

11. People who are losing everything

just aren't amused anymore by the trivialities the MSM is feeding them. The whole thing about "How dare the first lady touch the queen!" just doesn't seem to matter when you have no health insurance and don't know how you are going to pay the mortgage this month.