Don Irvine Blog - Accuracy In Media

Lieberman’s Chairmanship Upsets Liberal Bloggers

2008-11-20T13:54:52-05:00

Liberal bloggers expecting Joe Lieberman to be stripped of his chairmanship Homeland Security Committee vented their anger at Barack Obama and the Democratic party.

From the Washington Times

The liberal blogosphere that helped elect President-elect Barack Obama has erupted in fury over his successful push to let Sen. Joe Lieberman stay as chairman of a key committee despite the Connecticut independent’s active support for Mr. Obama’s opponent during the presidential campaign.

Many in the “netroots”—the Web-based movement of progressive bloggers and activists—had insisted that Senate Democrats strip Mr. Lieberman of his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and howled in protest when he was not.

“Apparently, the American people didn’t vote for change,” complained Markos Moulitsas, founder of dailykos.com, in an entry posted on his site that was laced with angry sarcasm.

To calm the waters, Obama ally Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee and one of the first politicians to harness the power of the “netroots,” did four separate conference calls with liberal bloggers within hours of the Senate’s Tuesday vote allowing Mr. Lieberman to retain his chairmanship.

On one call in particular, Mr. Dean faced an angry audience.

“With all due respect, Governor Dean, we were all just told to go screw ourselves,” said Jane Hamsher, the top writer at firedoglake.com, a widely read liberal blog, according to a transcript of the call with Mr. Dean that was posted on her site.

“We were told to go ‘Cheney’ ourselves,” she said, referring to the vice president’s famous 2004 use of an expletive directed at a Democratic senator.

The episode served as a warning to the future Obama administration. Although the blogosphere has been used to rouse and mobilize passionate supporters, those supporters can be fickle.

With the Democrats on the cusp of gaining a filibuster proof majority in the Senate this move was more about the political advantage of keeping Lieberman in the Democratic caucus than payback for his supposed betrayal during the campaign.

The Hillary Gamble

2008-11-20T09:45:28-05:00

Ben Smith from the Politico has an interesting take on the potential selection of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

What is Barack Obama thinking?

We’ve heard all the rational arguments: Hillary Rodham Clinton has more star power than Richard Holbrooke, more discipline than Bill Richardson, fewer bad jokes than John F. Kerry. She’s tough and competent. She’s a woman and a Democrat, making space for a Republican guy at Defense. It would get her out of the Senate. Both Obama and Clinton loved Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, “Team of Rivals.”

But the sum of those parts seems something less than the whole explanation for Obama’s first great presidential gamble: his move toward giving his former adversary, whose judgment on foreign policy he criticized relentlessly, by offering her the most important Cabinet position in his administration.

Neither Holbrooke, Kerry nor Richardson would bring Clinton’s downsides: Her towering, volcanic husband; her own ambitions; and the endless speculation about the two of them.

“She brings so much to the table,” said Abner Mikva, a former Clinton White House counsel and an Obama mentor. “On the other hand, there are the obvious downsides, the conflicts that that her husband has.”

Insiders around Obama say the X factor at play is Obama’s icy tolerance for risk, and his belief in the power of the grand gesture.

Throughout his political career, Obama has had a tendency to “go big,” as his aides say, with dramatic moves and giant spectacles punctuating his run for president — his head-on race speech, his presidential-style tour of the Middle East and Europe, an acceptance speech held in a football stadium.

The Clinton move, like those, marries an arguably practical choice with lofty symbolism: He’s enlarging his own administration by bringing in one of the leading figures in American politics, and delivering on a promise of a new politics that doesn’t play favorites or hold grudges.

“It says that he has the personal confidence to engage someone of the notoriety and substance of Sen. Clinton,” said Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler of Florida, an early Obama supporter and prominent campaign surrogate. “Implementing change is an exciting exercise.”

Cardinal Rails Against Obama

2008-11-20T00:45:14-05:00

Cardinal J. Francis Stafford didn’t mince any words when speaking about President-elect Barack Obama at the Catholic University of America last week.

From ABC News’ Jake Tapper

President-elect Obama is still two months away from taking over the Oval Office, but one U.S. cardinal is already having visions of the apocalypse before the abortion-rights-supporting lawmaker’s tenure has even begun.

Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, speaking last Thursday at the Catholic University of America in Washington, denounced Obama’s agenda as “aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic,” as reported by the school newspaper, The Tower.

Stafford, who has worked at the Vatican for 12 years and heads the Apostolic Penitentiary, said that, on Nov. 4, “a cultural earthquake hit America” when Obama was elected, after campaigning on an “extremist anti-life platform.

“He appears to be a relaxed, smiling man. His rhetorical skills, as I mentioned, are very highly developed,” Stafford noted.

“But under all of that grace and charm, there is a tautness of will, a clenched jaw, a state of constant alertness, to attack and resist any external influence that might affect his will.”

Huck Takes Aim at Mitt

2008-11-19T13:26:04-05:00

The elections have been over for just a little over two weeks but Mike Huckabee is already taking shots at Mitt Romney as he makes plans for 2012.

From the DC Examiner

Mike Huckabee sure seems to be considering another White House run in 2012. After all, it’s only two weeks past the 2008 election, and he’s already out with a memoir-cum-campaign tome, “Do the Right Thing.”

More telling, however, is that he apparently expects Mitt Romney to be an opponent of his once again. About 10 percent of the pages in the book have at least one reference to Romney, and they’re usually none too kind.

It begins on page four, when Huckabee discusses his win in the Iowa caucuses. “It’s ... common for the losing candidates to phone to congratulate the winner ... it’s just a matter of both protocol and courtesy,” Huckabee writes. So John McCain called him, as did Rudy Giuliani. “The call from Romney,” however, “never came, which we took as a sign of total disrespect—something that would continue to be a source of angst among our team, even though we had grown used to this type of treatment from the Romney camp.”

Then it’s onto issues, where Huckabee accuses Romney of being insufficiently conservative on taxes, guns, abortion and marriage.

Then it’s back to the disrespect angle, something Huckabee writes “trickled down through [Romney’s] ranks. ... He was usually accompanied by a phalanx of eager young aides who bullied their way through events as if they were all carrying badges, guns and the authority to move the ‘little people’ out of Mitt’s way.”

Eric Fehrnstrom, a spokesman for Romney, was having none of it. “This is petty stuff,” he said. “We need to focus on moving the party forward with new ideas. Unfortunately, Mike Huckabee seems more interested in settling scores than bringing people together.”

There was no love lost between Huckabee and Romney and this could be the start of a bitter nomination battle.

Limiting Bill May Kill Hillary as SoS

2008-11-19T09:28:32-05:00

Just when we were all getting used to the idea (I didn’t say liking) of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State comes word that the Obama team may have killed the deal with their desire to limit what Bill does in the future.

From ABC News’ Jake Tapper.

Behind the scenes of the Obama Transition Team’s vetting of the finances of former President Bill Clinton in order for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, to be named Secretary of State, a complication has emerged.

Sources say the complication is not what Bill Clinton is willing to disclose in terms of the people who have donated to his presidential library or his charitable organizations; those names are being provided to the Obama Transition Team, led by John Podesta, who was also Bill Clinton’s White House chief of staff.

What seems more potentially problematic is not revealing what’s happened in the past—but what the Obama Team wants to do about the future.

The view from Camp Clinton is that the Obama Team would too severely restrict what Bill Clinton is able to do to simply make a living. One source says the Obama Team seems to think it can demand that the former president abide by the restrictions put on a general government official, which just isn’t tenable.

Or is this just the Obama team’s way of saying we really wanted to work with Hillary but Bill wouldn’t cooperate so they could find a more palatable person to take the job?

Kurtz: Expectations for Obama are “Out of Control”

2008-11-18T12:04:08-05:00

Excerpts from Howard Kurtz’sweekly online chat on the media.

Reston, Va.: Howie, thank you, thank you, thank you for today’s column.

I was flabbergasted last week when I saw two Newsweek.com headlines asking if Obama could save the print media and capitalism itself.

It may be that putting Barack on a pedestal of monumental expectations may spur him to greatness, but it may also set him up as the disappointer-in-chief.

If Chris Matthews (and other fawning “journalists”) wants to do all he can to help Barack succeed, shouldn’t he be tamping down expectations as soon as humanly possible?

Howard Kurtz: I do think the expectations for Obama are out of control, that no human being, no matter how smart and talented, could fulfill them. I think the president-elect and his team recognize this dilemma. In the final weeks of the campaign and since the election, we’ve heard him emphasize how there are great challenges ahead, it’s going to take time to tackle them, and otherwise signaling that no one should expect instant results.

New York, N.Y.: In your Media Notes piece today, you worry and fret over the excitement that Obama’s win has caused. You go on to suggest (though never really support with facts) the idea that journalism guidelines have been violated in the process. But I for one found your examples to be exceedingly thin: in fact, you can apparently only point to some ‘opinion’ writers who used too many “eye-popping superlatives” to describe the Obama win. How come you didn’t use any actual news reporting examples of unseemly devotion or Obama water carrying? Couldn’t you find any?

Howard Kurtz: Are you serious? In the space of four days, Time runs a cover story likening Obama to FDR and Newsweek runs a cover story likening him to Lincoln?

Besides, my point goes well beyond news coverage. It’s the cultural coverage of Obama (who has just been named GQ’s Man of the Year) and Michelle (America’s new fashion icon) and the kids (where will they go to school and what kind of dog will they get?) that is taking them into another stratosphere, and being milked for profit by some organizations.

As I wrote this morning, I don’t see anything wrong with the country coming together behind a new president. If you weren’t stirred by the sight of an African-American winning the nation’s highest office, regardless of your politics, you don’t have a heart. But journalists are supposed to maintain some degree of skepticism.

Obama has raised the bar very high by creating the impression that he will be able to solve all of our nation’s ills. Now that he has won he will have to deliver and that won’t be easy even with a Democratically controlled congress.

Media Profiting from Obama Win

2008-11-18T11:58:57-05:00

The mainstream media who solidly backed Barack Obama’s candidacy is now profiting from his victory with a plethora of products for sale.

From TVNewser

“Are the media capable of merchandizing the moment, packaging a president-elect for profit?” asks The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz today. “Yes, they are.”

Although Kurtz’ story focuses mainly on newspapers and magazines, there are a few networks preparing special memorabilia about Sen. Barack Obama.

“Perhaps it was the announcement that NBC News is coming out with a DVD titled ‘Yes We Can: The Barack Obama Story.’ Or that ABC and USA Today are rushing out a book on the election,” writes Kurtz.

The NBC DVD, currently available for pre-order in the NBC store, runs four hours and ships on December 15 (just in time for the holidays!).

In an otherwise dreary time for the media the Obama victory has given them a tremendous lift.

Far Left Unhappy With Clinton Flirtation

2008-11-18T11:00:17-05:00

Left wing supporters of Barack Obama aren’t happy with the possibility that former rival Hillary Clinton is being considered for the Secretary of State position.

From the Politico.

Barack Obama’s serious flirtation with his one-time rival, Hillary Clinton, over the post of secretary of State has been welcomed by everyone from Henry Kissinger to Bill Clinton as an effective, grand gesture by the president-elect.

It’s not playing quite as well, however, in some precincts of Obamaland. From his supporters on the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, to campaign aides of the soon-to-be commander-in-chief, there’s a sense of ambivalence about giving a top political plum to a woman they spent 18 months hammering as the compromised standard-bearer of an era that deserves to be forgotten.

“These are people who believe in this stuff more than Barack himself does,” said a Democrat close to Obama’s campaign. “These guys didn’t put together a campaign in order to turn the government over to the Clintons.”

An overlooked theme in Obama’s primary victory was his belief that the Clinton legacy was not, as the Clintons imagined, a pure political positive. The Obama campaign had no compunctions about poking holes in that legacy and even sent out mailings stressing the downside of the last “8 years of the Clintons” – enraging the former president in particular.

And the clearest opposition to the Clinton appointment comes from Obama’s backers on the left of his own party, whose initial support for him was motivated in part by a distaste for the Clinton dynasty, and who now view her reemergence with some dismay.

The far left is expecting payback for their support not reconciliation with someone who hammered their candidate during the primary.

Obama’s Gun Check

2008-11-17T14:24:46-05:00

The NRA thinks the Obama administration may be going a bit too far in asking potential officials about whether or not they own a gun.

From ABC News’ Jake Tapper.

Question 59 on the Obama Transition Team’s intrusive and extensive list of questions for potential officials of the Obama administration:

“Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun? If so, provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries or property damage.”

The question has raised the ire of the National Rifle Association.

“Gun Owners Need Not Apply?” the organization asks. “Obama Personnel Questionnaire Shows Anti-gun Bias…the questionnaire does not ask similar questions about any other type of personal property. For example, applicants are not asked to list any cars they own, who drives the cars, or what accidents the cars have been involved in—even though far more deaths and injuries each year involve motor vehicles than involve firearms.”

The new administration is trying to avoid being blindsided by any surprises but they may be getting a little too big brotherish for comfort.

Kos Calls Nader Irrelevant

2008-11-17T11:40:39-05:00

The lefty website Kos shows no love for Ralph.

2008: 695,446 (0.5%)
2004: 465,650 (0.38%)
2000: 2,882,955 (2.7%)

The good news (for him), Nader increased his showing from 2004. The bad news (for him), like in 2004, he’s still irrelevant (as are his supporters). The worst news, too bad he wasn’t irrelevant in 2000. Yet through it all, Nader’s ego never fails to amaze.

We believe history will treat the Nader/Gonzalez initiative kindly in part because its reading of the necessities of the American people was accurate as was its condemnation of the concentrated powers that have for so long denied them livelihoods of decency, security and voice.

I doubt “history” gives a rats ass about the “Nader/Gonzalez initiative” (they used to be called “campaigns”), and after I hit submit “post” on this little piece, neither will I.

That brought some interesting response from readers and then Kos fired back with some less than flattering language.