Media provide Damage Control for Democratic Scandals

Rich Noyes present an excellent timeline and analysis of how the media sheltering Harry Reid from criticism and ultimately "morphed the story from one of an embarrassing racial gaffe by the Senate's top Democrat into one about Republican over-reach in going after Reid"

This is a summary of Noyes timeline:

Day 1: TROUBLE -- CBS anchor Jeff Glor calls it "a controversial remark [that] is shaking the political world."

Day 2: SUNDAY FODDER -- ABC's Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos sounded like a Reid shill: "This was a private conversation....His choice of words, obviously, was unfortunate. The Senator knows that."

PBS anchor Judy Woodruff relayed the White House line: "This is the Mormon from Searchlight [Nevada] with an ear of tin and a heart of gold."

Day 3: CIRCLE THE WAGONS -- NBC's Andrea Mitchell calls Reid's remark "demeaning" of Obama which was met with PBS host Gwen Ifill "I don't understand what's demeaning"

Harold Ford, Jr.: "I don't believe in any way that Harry Reid had any animus, racial animus."

DAY 4: ANNOUNCE IT'S OVER -- CBS's Early Show, co-host Harry Smith was itching to be done with the controversy: "Is the Reid story over, and should it be?"

At this point the debate turns on Republicans, who are being "too critical" of Reid and playing partisan politics.

Maybe so.

Let's look to another story that the media are ignoring: John Edwards has been caught cheating AGAIN.

We have to rely on the National Enquirer to report on the most recent affair with Stephanie Breshears.

Edwards relations with Rielle Huner resulted in a child who turns two in February. The Presidential candidate's infidelities have occurred while his spouse Elizabeth battles cancer.

Let's be fair, where's the coverage of Mark Sanford, whose wife filed for divorce in December. The only recent story I could find was that the official "rebuke" of Sanford has been delayed. This FOX story describes the rebuke as "the two-term Republican was derelict in his duty and abused his power. It has no practical effect on the final year of Sanford's tenure."


Conservatives toss around "liberal media" and "media bias" to often but this is the unfair reporting and handling of stories that drives such accusations. Democrats get a pass on racial insensitive comments while Republicans would be demonized or forced out of office. Family values and hypocrisy will fill the headlines describing an unfaithful Conservative, but someone like Edwards faces no such scrutiny.

Many of us don't care about their party - I want them out. It's so incredibly frustrating that Mark Sanford is still the governor of South Carolina.

The corruption, dishonesty and abuse of power is at the nucleus of problems with the political landscape. If the media cannot or will not provide that "fourth rail" to aid us in gathering information then they should be rewarded the same way -- put out of business.





http://newsbusters.org/blogs/rich-noyes/2010/01/14/mrc-study-after-negro-comment-71-network-coverage-supported-harry-reid#ixzz0cy7Sj1ku

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/14/rebuke-sc-gov-sanford-sidelined/

Healthcare is coming...even though it may be slavery

To Health care reform opposition, Senate majority leader Harry Reid stated:


"You think you've heard these same excuses before, you're right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said, slow down, it's too early. Let's wait. Things aren't bad enough."

Appalling.

Democrats are supposed to be the intellectuals, capable of debate and that's the response to reform opposition. Moreover, Reid needs to recheck history in which the Republicans NOT the Democrats brought us civil rights.

Yes Republicans are a joke and did nothing for years, but this is a 2,000 page bill that NO ONE has read, we don't have the money for and most polled Americans are opposed to. This bill doesn't fix ANY of the problems, except put insurance out of business.


I will stand by my prediction: we will have a socialize health care takeover bill by the end of the year. NO QUESTION, NO DOUBT.

While every "expert" predicts delay after delay and debate after debate, only one focus lines the backdrop of distractions - get health care done.

The Senate will pass a bill and it will go to the House for a vote WITHOUT changes - this will not require more debate, financial analysis or conference. Nancy Pelosi has the votes and will deliver the bill - all but gift wrapped for the President to sign.

Public Option Back - Surprised? You Shouldn't Be.

The latest report from the Senate is that Harry Reid will ensure the public option is added to the current healthcare bill.

In the ABC headline, it reads "Back from the Dead" -- remember, as I've been stating, IT WAS NEVER DEAD, IT'S THE GOAL!

We know the House fulling supports the government takeover and several members of Congress has admitted to their support of the public option. Combine the cheap government plan with the hostile taxes and penalties imposed on the insurance companies and the government takeover will be inevitable.

Reid: "As soon as we get the bill back from CBO, and people have a chance to look at it -- which we'll have ample time to do that -- I believe we clearly will have the support of my caucus to move to this bill and start legislating."

You will hear much about the "public option" and "triggers", possibly "co-ops" -- it is ALL, I repeat, ALL designed to allow a government plan to be implemented and ultimately the default for all of us when the current carriers go bankrupt or our employers discontinue health coverages.

Stay strong, the battle is still looming. Call and write your reps and Senators.

Healthcare Redux

So after taking some time away from the Great Healthcare Battle, we find ourselves in deeper trouble than we ever imagined. Roland Burris, shunned by many after the Rod Blagojevich nomination (and scandal) to replace President Obama's vacant Senate seat, has joined Dennis Kucinich in his clear support for a public option. Kucinich has been HONEST in describing the goal of a one payer system, a complete overhauled government controlled healthcare reformation.

Meanwhile, the corruption and backdoor deals continue.

First we learned how the Obama administration had garnered the $80 billion support from "Big Pharma" for a promise to NOT lower the Medicare prescription fee schedule. So, the drug companies will provide support because their profit margins are guaranteed.

Then we learned that half a trillion, yes $500 billion, will be cut from Medicare, most specifically, targeting the secondary insurance Medicare Advantage. Was it a surprise to hear AARP supporting the bill that will reduce benefits for their own membership? No surprises here as Medigap is AARP's version of Medicare Advantage so AARP's profits and interests will be protected.

The Max Baucus bill became under attack while denying the taxation and penalties drive the cost savings. The Baucus bill became high profile because it cost LESS than the $1 trillion price tag bouncing around. Soon we learned that the taxes and penalties would take effect IMMEDIATELY while the plan would not start until 2013.

Seven years of coverage on ten years of funds - of course it would be less!

Over the weekend further examination revealed that four states (Rhode Island, Oregon, Michigan and Nevada) have some special benefits carved out for their state budgets. There is a five year umbrella protecting those states from increased costs to their Medicaid programs.

Harry Reid's own state, Nevada, headlines the states that get a free pass on the backs of the other 46 states.

Furthermore, Chuck Shumer added language to protect New York's "Cadillac plans" from rate hikes as well. The current bill taxes these expensive plans to fund the healthcare reform's expanded coverages.

So the ABC's of Healthcare has resulted in the same ole CDE's: corruption, deceit and earmarks.

Earmarks? Yeah, didn't I mention any of those.

Let's continue with Harry Reid who wants to ensure that the Nevada Cancer Institute, a cancer treatment center with no particular national reputation, reaps "a big gain in federal reimbursements as part of the health-care overhaul."

Blanche Lincoln, considered a swing vote in the Senate, proposes Medicare coverages for home infused therapy "championed by a medical entrepreneur in her state."

Read the above comments in its entirety here from the NY TIMES!!!

Hope and Change hasn't reached the Senate. Evidently as the same ole players are pilfering through our money - this time in healthcare reform.