"Take a Look at the Ad"

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There they go again, the vapid vapors media doin' the heavy lifting for the McCain campaign of the latest whine-and-sheesh ad attacking Barack Obama.

Shame on MSNBC and CNN. This kind of propaganda-pushing we've come to expect from Faux News. But I guess now that McCain's made it the in-thing to toss your honor and integrity out the window, you in the BBQ media are going to play right along.

If you think this is some kind of "fair and balanced" for the media coverage Obama justifiably earned last week for his visits to the Middle East and Europe, let me be blunt: it's not.

And it is pathetic.
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UPDATE: For further thoughts on dogwhistle tactics and the media who help push them, this from digby.

Snow Job

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Digby's blog must've started something, or it's the great minds think alike scenario, but following up on digby's list Saturday of hot and steamy summer flicks for the holiday weekend, the local newspaper here in Fargo published a list of hot'n'sultry summer flicks today.

Enough, I say!

If I want hot and steamy all I have to do is step outside. In the tall timber the wee window air conditioner coughed and did its darnedest to reach the other end of the cabin, but 'twas not to be.

And with $4 gas, there's only so long you can stay in the air conditioned car. And even in Fargo the temps seemed to overheat this weekend.

Oh, wait, that was the hyperverbiliating McCain campaign and its tag team partner, the BBQ media, goin' ga-ga over Obama in Fargo sounding like, you know, a responsible commander in chief, willing to refine his policy based on reality. Don't you hate when politicians do that? Makes it so much harder than just goin' along with the sheeple media right into the McCain bar-be-que.

So I propose we all chill out. And here are a few starters:

The Shining
Smilla's Sense of Snow
Star Wars: Episode 5—The Empire Strikes Back
Day After Tomorrow
Jeremiah Johnson

Yes, you do have to do a little work to learn about these films once you get to imdb's homepage. But then that's what this season's all about, isn't it? Fire up...
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Bobbleheads

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Bob Schieffer guested on the Imus Show this morning. Imus sidekick Charles McCord interrupted their conversation to point out to Mr. Schieffer that Imus was flicking his Schieffer bobblehead all the while Schieffer was talking.

Pretty much summed up the conversation.

Although Schieffer deftly deflected his own complicity in the whole controversy over Wesley Clark's response to his "question" about whether getting shot down over Hanoi qualifies one to be president. I say, Schieffer deftly deflected his own complicity over....

Yep, another media "who, me?" clown commentator blithely in self-denial about his role in pushing a narrative.

"It wasn't politick," Schieffer said about Clark's response—virtual repetition—to Schieffer's question/statement.

What wasn't politick was pulling a brief statement out of the whole, thus distorting the entire meaning of what Clark said.

Oh, and, after skewering Clark, both Imus and Schieffer gave fluffers to loveable ol' misunderstood Lieberman, explaining to all of us yokels who watch RFD-TV what he really meant.

Same ol', same ol' bobbleheads....

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FURTHERMORE: Last night on Dan Abrams' MSNBC show, General Clark had this to say:
"I honor John McCain's character. As I said in the show he's been one of my heroes for a long time. He's been over to my house. This is about the qualifications to be president. It is also about the nature of politics today that a comment can be taken out of context so much to create a hullaboo."
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EVEN FURTHERMORE: McCain agrees with Wes Clark...see Thinkprogress' report.
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Clark Tells Truth, Part 2

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Amazing. General Wesley Clark tells truth to power on Face the Nation.

And stands by what he says.

Furthermore, he insists on presenting the context and content of what he said, instead of allowing the rightwing McCainiacs and BBQ media framers to distort his words to fit their false narrative.

Statement from Wes Clark:

"There are many important issues in this Presidential election, clearly one of the most important issues is national security and keeping the American people safe. In my opinion, protecting the American people is the most important duty of our next President. I have made comments in the past about John McCain's service and I want to reiterate them in order be crystal clear.

"As I have said before I honor John McCain's service as a prisoner of war and a Vietnam Veteran. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. I would never dishonor the service of someone who chose to wear the uniform for our nation.

“John McCain is running his campaign on his experience and how his experience would benefit him and our nation as President. That experience shows courage and commitment to our country—but it doesn't include executive experience wrestling with national policy or go-to-war decisions.

"And in this area his judgment has been flawed—he not only supported going into a war we didn't have to fight in Iraq, but has time and again undervalued other, non-military elements of national power that must be used effectively to protect America.

"But as an American and former military officer I will not back down if I believe someone doesn't have sound judgment when it comes to our nation's most critical issues.”

All day Monday, the Usual Media Suspects were busily having the vapors.

This morning, Bob Schieffer is scheduled to appear on the Imus Show. Will he add to the handwringing BBQ media's distortions? Or will he tell his colleagues to get a grip, snap out of it, deal with the truth?