Friday News Roundup - Hour 1
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-03-25/friday-news-roundup-hour-1
House Speaker Boehner questions President Obama’s strategy in Libya. U.S. home sales fall to the lowest level in half a century. And South Dakota opens a new front in the war over abortion. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.
Guests
David Corn
Washington bureau chief, "Mother Jones" magazine; author of several books, most recently, "Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War."
Susan Davis
congressional correspondent, National Journal.
Stephen Hayes
"The Weekly Standard," author of "Cheney - The Untold Story of America's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President"
Comments
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I commend our politicians for wanting an answer to our involvemenet with Libya, but where were the Republicans when we entered Iraq for no good reason whatever?
Mary- disagree completely. Sadaam had violated the terms of his armistice and the leaders of Russia and Germany told Bush, as well as his own director of the CIA that Saddaam had WMDs. Which, by the way he had already used on his own people. He deserved no benefit of the doubt and got none. He had to go, his existence was a threat to the security of the Mideast as well as the civilized world. Surely you have to admit that the Iraqi people, the USA and the world is better off without him.
This is the domestic hour but no mention of health care reform or the labor movement and the governors that motivated it. Pro labor rallies have consistently outnumbered tea party rallies with barely a mention from the media, two important issues.
Republicans continue to be the party of NO and have done every thing to undermine President Obama administration and platforms as well as attack every social program that serves the public.
We dont have a democracy, we have a plutocracy. We are becoming less informed by the major media including the Wall Street Journal which is no longer an unbiased purveyor of news and information...WSJ is owned by Rupert Murdock who does not advance honest discourse in his media empire only his own agenda as experienced by the editorial attack by a WSJ editor Kissel (who is a former Goldman Sacks employee) on Elizabeth Warren, an advocate of serious financial reform.
Wealthy autocrats along with corporate financial interests have sacked our democracy and claiming that the stock market is rising is no indicator of our economy as the toothless SEC cannot pursue regulatory management of short transactions and hedgefund activities at manipulating stocks through technological advantages.
America is so dysfunctional institutionally that even this show seems to lack the insight to bring to light that our government is lacking the commitment to the "of the people, for the people and by the people".
wolfie wrote:
"We are becoming less informed by the major media including the Wall Street Journal which is no longer an unbiased purveyor of news and information...WSJ is owned by Rupert Murdock who does not advance honest discourse in his media empire only his own agenda."
But you are OK with uber lib Punch Sulzberger's New York Times? Pinch does not advance honest discourse in his newspaper, only his own agenda. As long as his agenda is your agenda, everything is peachy.
ranlr....
Diane Rehm has had many programs devoted entirely to the issues you mentioned. Go to the archives and listen.
Regarding the lack of substance or bias in network news coverage, all you have to do is pay attention to the commercials. Example: Meet the Press sponsors include mainly oil companies, health insurance giants and fianancial institutions.
No wonder there is a campaign against NPR & PBS...the only reliable source of the inbiased truth.
rainir wrtoe,
"Pro labor rallies have consistently outnumbered tea party rallies with barely a mention from the media."
Come on. Are you living under a Geico rock? The lame stream media covers the teacher union protests with glowing tributes to them. What they do not cover are those union members brandishing their Nazi signs. You know. The same type that the lame stream media obsessed about when the sign holders were TPP members.
In reply to pjnuge…
The intelligence that the administration used to justify the invasion into Iraq was manipulated. Congress gave authorization as a last resort. The German and Russian intelligence was a decade old. The Russians and Germans were on record in their opposition to the war. When the CIA director said “slam dunk” he later admitted his regret for making the statement saying he felt pressured, no excuse though. The 90-page report in his hand had many caveats in it that Bush admits he did not read. Hans Blix the UN inspector was not finding any WMD and begged Bush for more time before he was forced to leave. And who can forget Curveball the admitted liar who was at the time discredited by the CIA but was still the darling of Wolfowitz, Cheney, and Rumsfeld. They used his “inside intelligence” as a justification. There’s also the Niger yellowcake claim, the false connections to al queda the list goes on. Saddam was a thug but the war was still a war of choice that was incompetently executed. We are still paying for it in blood and treasure. As far as the world being better off without Saddam Iran couldn’t agree with you more.
Joyce in Arizona wrote,
"No wonder there is a campaign against NPR & PBS...the only reliable source of the inbiased truth."
Please. During last week's Friday News Round Up, Diane Rehm and Susan Paige were fawning over each other on the air. Two liberal NPR news commentators gushing about the other is indeed a perfect example of "inbiased truth." Whatever that means.
Ah, the "intellegence was manipulated" argument. Well Bush didn't manipulate it- he had to go by the evidence that he had. World leaders told him as well as the CIA director that the WMDs were there. Dems believed it, Kerry, Clinton, etc proclaimed that Saddaam was our biggest threat. The reason the germans and Russkies didn't go along was because of significant business interests in the region , not because of their conscience and sense of justice.
imagine the potential consequences of inaction- a subway full of sarin, a dirty bomb in SF bay. Saddaam had to go- thank God he is gone.
All wars are "wars of choice", (an incredibly stupid expression) btw.
Well said. I'd also like to comment on the caller from Columbia, MO.
"Majority/Minority defined": Majority will always be the people with power and affluence. But are we ready to educate the masses on this fact?
The guest speaker who mentioned that the Hispanic population may not be using their voices (vote) is correct, but again are you (the media) letting them know that they must. And that goes for all populations (Americans).
The "dominant culture" "power majority" not only control, but "causes" the problems we have. Do you really think that someone other than the "power
population" or power majority is allowing "illegal immigrants into the country? Do you really think that someone other than that same group is allowing the drugs into the country? Even the housing boom & bust; Some one had to plan it and approve its implementation. It wasn't "Joe Plumber".
I'm sure others realize this. America -- speak up!
to cicero who wrote:
Two weeks ago the rally in Madison at an estimated crowd of 125,000 with no mention on Fox unless it’s to demonize the teachers and other public workers, CNN maybe spent 5 minutes on it. The largest tea party rally in DC had 70,000 and got all day coverage from the media and its own personal mouthpiece from Fox. The public workers especially teachers are being demonized. It is a bizarro world where the ones responsible for our economic mess are walking around with millions in their pocket with no accountability and teachers with their $19,500 pensions and meager health benefits are to blame. Take off your blinders.
When talking about the housing market, did I hear Stephen Hayes say, "Me and my wife are thinking about selling our house...?" Did I hear that correctly: A noted journalist saying "me and my wife?" Appalling! Apologies to Stephen, if it was David Corn; but, either way, still appalling use.
rainir wrote:
"Two weeks ago the rally in Madison at an estimated crowd of 125,000 with no mention on Fox unless it’s to demonize the teachers and other public workers"
The teacher unions do not need any outside sources to expose their benightedness. They manage to accomplish this all by themselves. Got to love the intelligence exhibited by these protesting teachers. This teacher has trouble differentiating the usage of "are" and "our."
http://laborunionreport.blogspot.com/2010/04/teachers-union-protests-mis...
to pjnuge who wrote:
So you go to war with intelligence that’s ten years old (even at the time wasn’t conclusive) with someone that wasn’t ever a threat to the US. Many of the reasons that Bush and Cheney sold the Americans were debunked while they were making their case. That’s what you call a war of choice. Clinton and Kerry voted for authorization as a last resort and the intelligence they had access to was lacking some of the caveats. By invading Iraq Bush robbed Afghanistan of resources and kicked the can down the road with no end in sight.
kaymo wrote:
"Apologies to Stephen, if it was David Corn;"
You must excuse these NPR commentators. They are the product of the U.S. public school system.
Why are you two re-arguing Iraq? What I want to see discussed is Obama's war of choice with Libya! Why will no one on the left call it that?! The hypocrisy is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
I give Dennis Kucinich and Code Pink more credit for consistency than any of the rest of you. Paraphrasing Medea Benjamin, their co-founder,
"If this were President Bush, the left would be asking, Why didn't he go to Congress? Can we afford this? What's it going to cost in blood and treasure? Don't we need jobs and not bombs? Is this really going to help the Libyans? Why not Bahrain or Yemen or Saudi Arabia? (and perhaps my favorite ...) What is the EXIT strategy?!"
C'mon left. Where are you?
David Corn is a perfect commentator for NPR. His anti-conservative inanities surely send a thrill up the legs of NPR executives.
"Juan get off my lawn." D.C.
David Corn's notion of being whimsical, if not racist, in his description of Sen. McCain's view of illegal immigration.
"The key difference between the Obama Administration and the Bush Administration is that as Obama tries to contend with these very thorny issue there is much more respect and desire for due process and checks on the system than there was in the Bush/Cheney cowboy days." D.C.
David Corn again exhibits why he is a favorite of Diane Rehm and her mimic, Susan Paige.
to ecgberht:
After ten years in Afghanistan and eight years in Iraq I’m suffering, like most, from war fatigue. I’m also concerned about being involved in a third conflict in a Muslim country. But unlike Bush in Iraq Obama worked for a strong coalition including the Arab League, the UN, with the operation being led by NATO, big difference. Another difference this is part of a homegrown revolt that has spread across the region. US involvement is limited.
Seems like the no one talks about the Iraq war and its consequences. So far it’s absent from the Republicans who are thinking of running for President and was noticeably absent from the 2010 midterms.
Maybe if more had asked the hard questions (the press was missing in the dialogue and a lot of the left) during the lead up to the invasion in Iraq we would not be there now and Afghanistan would be a memory.
1. When I heard somebody say that "If Sarah Palin doesn't run she would be an excellent understudy" I think she is a nut case. I wouldn't want her to represent any party.
2. About immigration, they are "undocumented workers" not "Illegals.
Nobody is illegal. this is racesist; everyone knows not to use other racial epitats.
3. The military troops are getting spread a bit thin.
Wars are very expensive to have. We should cut wars instead of benefits for the poor and middle class.
4. The government are so corupt,makeing corporations the rights as a person. Then giving them More protection than citizens.
Pammity wrote:
"1. When I heard somebody say that "If Sarah Palin doesn't run she would be an excellent understudy" I think she is a nut case. I wouldn't want her to represent any party."
VP Biden is a filbert. Do you have a problem with him understudying Obama?
Pammity wrote:
"2. About immigration, they are "undocumented workers" not "Illegals.
Nobody is illegal. this is racesist; everyone knows not to use other racial epitats."
Of cause those who enter the U.S. illegally are illegal aliens. There is nothing racist about this accurate and proper description. You need to dial down your PC meter.
Pammity wrote:
"3. The military troops are getting spread a bit thin.
Wars are very expensive to have. We should cut wars instead of benefits for the poor and middle class."
Why can't we cut both if the federal and local governments do not have the funds for public employee pensions?
Pammity wrote:
"4. The government are so corupt,makeing corporations the rights as a person. Then giving them More protection than citizens."
Right. The federal government is not only corrupt, but incompetent as well. Yet you favor more government control over the lives of citizens.
A caller said:
"Nobody (as in Presidents) has gone to Congress when they try to start a conflict since Johnson."
And yet none of the geniuses on the panel, including Paige, bothered to correct this guy that Bush 43 went to the Congress for both Iraq and Afghanistan before going to war.
-But unlike Bush in Iraq Obama worked for a strong coalition-
No he didn't! He waited around and did NOTHING until the French took the LEAD!!!
-But unlike Bush-
By the way, educate your self on UN Resolution 1441
Here's a link to get you started:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resolution_1441
cicero on March 25, 2011 @ 11:58 am wrote: "Please. During last week's Friday News Round Up, Diane Rehm and Susan Paige were fawning over each other on the air. Two liberal NPR news commentators gushing about the other is indeed a perfect example of 'inbiased truth.' Whatever that means."
Please, and this week we have Susan Davis (formerly of that "liberal rag" the Wall Street Journal) and Stephen Hayes of the "ultra-liberal" Weekly Standard! I do wish you Republi-Cons would stop playing the game of "count the guests" - especially since you're always highly selective as to which shows and episodes you do your counting on (to say nothing of how subjective your standards turn out to be - anyone who says something you disagree with must be a liberal).
I bet I could be just as selective and prove NPR is a conservative mouthpiece - as many who are as far-left as you are far-right claim.
The fact remains that public broadcasting is the most honest, intelligent, and complete source for news and political discussions. That's probably why conservatives frequently appear there when they want an adult conversation (as distinct from the silly shouting matches the other media provide). It's certainly why I listen!
cicero on March 25, 2011 @ 11:46 am wrote: "This teacher has trouble differentiating the usage of 'are' and 'our.' "
Very amusing, especially since the article clearly states the sign was made and carried by a student, not a teacher. I guess you have trouble differentiating between those words.
(And before you make a crack about what a bad job the kid's teacher did - tell me, do you know of any school that doesn't have poor students?)
On the other hand, how do you explain all those TeaBaggers carrying signs that read "No socialized medicine. Hands off my Medicare"?
cicero on March 25, 2011 @ 12:32 pm wrote: "David Corn again exhibits why he is a favorite of Diane Rehm and her mimic, Susan Paige."
Hey, "good buddy", instead of just engaging in an ideological rant, how about comparing the number of times Corn has appeared on this show with the appearances by others, especially conservatives like Byron York or Mr. Hayes? Then we can decide just how much of a "favorite" he is.
Pammity on March 25, 2011 @ 12:59 pm wrote: "About immigration, they are 'undocumented workers' not 'Illegals."
Sorry, but if they are in the country illegally then they are indeed illegal. The problem is that people wrongly equate the word "illegal" with "criminal". They are not the same. It's illegal to breach a contract, it's not necessarily criminal.
cicero on
March 25, 2011 @ 1:10 pm wrote: "Of cause those who enter the U.S. illegally are illegal aliens."
Oh No! We agree on something. Let's try not to make it a habit.
;-)
By the way, one can enter the country legally and then overstay the visa, thereby becoming illegal.
cicero on March 25, 2011 @ 1:10 pm wrote: "Yet you favor more government control over the lives of citizens."
But of course (warrantless wiretaps) Republi-Cons (abortion restrictions) always favor (bans on gay marriage) less government control (drug laws) over (bans on assisted suicide) "the lives of citizens".
Etaoin Shrdlu wrote:
"The fact remains... "
When ever I hear a statement start that way, I know the bias (with emphasis on the 'b' and the 's') is sure to follow. First, I know you are a leftist because of your offensive use of the term "teabagger" in another post, so don't even bother trying to deny it. Now, why is it that the only ones who EVER are trying to sell that NPR (and/or PBS) are in any way "fair" are the leftists? Hmmmm? Usually these statements are accompanied by a slam at Fox News, although this post of yours does not. The reason is, because NPR (and/or PBS) are NOT fair. Just ask Ron Schiller. I believe two things about American media: 1) that the left has had it their way in the media (going back to the big 3 networks, then CNN, newsprint, weeklies, etc.) for so long that they think it is the "norm", i.e. middle-of-the-road. 2) Fox has been wildly successfull, beating not just other "news" channels (like MSNBC, CNN, and CNBC) in its evening timeslots, but now beating up on many "free" channel programs too (CBS, NBC, ABC). I believe the reason is that Rupert Murdoch looked at the news media landscape and realized one simple truth; approximately 50% of the American public was not being served. Now THAT's a niche market!
So believe what you wish, Strudel. If NPR (and/or PBS) is so "fair and balanced", they should have no problem getting funding from other than the taxpayer teat.