Tag: Martin Bashir

CNN Anchor Does Not Apologize For Hateful Rhetoric. She “Misspoke”.

On By kingsjesterIn Uncategorized1 Comment

thGGEPSEJOA moment happened on one of the National Cable News Networks recently, that left the majority of Americans shaking our heads in disbelief, as we said to ourselves, about the female news anchor in question,

She said WHAT?

Yesterday afternoon, Mediaite.com reported the following…

As you may have heard, CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield is having a bad 24 hours. But the following column won’t primarily focus on what she said on-air Saturday afternoon that has social media in a frenzy (we’ll touch on it in a moment). Instead, it will analyze how the comments were handled from a PR perspective and damage control by the both anchor and network afterward. 
 
First, the comment itself verbatim as it pertains to the man who opened fire on a Dallas Police headquarters while discussing it with CNN legal analyst Philip Holloway:

“It was very courageous and brave, if not crazy as well, to open fire on the police headquarters, and now you have this scene, this standoff. So you believe these are the hallmarks of more than one person’s involvement.”

Obviously, it’s the whole “very courageous and brave” part that has many folks in a tizzy, accusing CNN of being anti-cop and this being example of how many of its anchors/hosts/commentators/contributors really feel. But when taking a step back and looking at this objectively, it’s obvious Whitfield–not exactly a magnet for controversy during her 13 years at CNN or seen as someone who leans on particular way or the other–chose precisely the wrong words at the wrong time. And if you believe that a 50-year-old anchor would put her career in jeopardy to openly advocate a crazed maniac intent on killing police officers, it might really be time to take the blinders off. Live television can be a perilous business. Even the most seasoned can offer up a poor choice of words (“brazen” would have better applied here without incident). Whitfield’s comments were patently tone-deaf, but not malicious toward the Dallas-Fort Worth PD (which is calling for an apology) or police officers in general.

Of course, Whitfield should have absolutely known better having sat in an anchor chair during situations like this for nearly two decades, having worked for the NBC Nightly News before CNN since 1995. And of course, everyone in the business knows what happened to then-ABC’s Bill Maher when he seemed to praise the 9/11 hijackers for bravery (or whatever “not cowardly” equates to) while calling the U.S. cowardly. Here’s what he said on his show shortly after 9/11:

“We have been the cowards. Lobbing cruise missiles from two thousand miles away. That’s cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building. Say what you want about it. Not cowardly.”
Maher was fired soon thereafter. So should Whitfield be fired as well? Not even close. Suspended? Don’t think so…only because there was no intent here (unlike, say…ex-MSNBCer Martin Bashir, who wrote his recommendation that someone should defecate in Sarah Palin’s mouth beforehand and had it loaded in prompter).

Back to Whitfield, here’s where the real error occurred: not apologizing either during the show after coming back from break (where the executive producer should have demanded it), or on Twitter immediately after the show. By not doing so, the steady drumbeat on social media and online publications have featured the same question: Has Fredricka Whitfield apologized for her (insert derogatory term here) yet? CNN PR had no comment for nearly 24 hours. Whitfield’s Twitter account went silent. Why let this story grow and fester when it so easily could have been snuffed out via apology? Instead, publications from Mediaite (who was first with the story and reached out to CNN for comment at the time) to the Washington Times to ABC to Variety to The Hollywood Reporter all ran stories on the comment.

Whitfield finally did address the issue during her 2:00 PM ET broadcast today. Punishment is likely not forthcoming, nor should it. She deserves some credit for making her statement in the same forum (on her CNN program as opposed to a Twitter-only mea culpa or through a statement off-air), although she stopped short of apologizing for misspeaking… something she should have done at least to the Fort Worth police officers association, who, as mentioned earlier, specifically asked for an apology.

When have Modern American Liberals EVER accepted responsibility for their words and actions?

As I have related before, I was a Radio News Director in college, with a staff of 20 students, who received class credit for producing and performing a 50-minute radio newscast, once a week.

This was back in 1978-1980, and, even then, I could see America’s Newsrooms headed in a Liberal Direction, through their Liberally-slated reporting of the inept President Jimmy Carter.

Now, almost 40 years later, National Anchors are making no pretense about being “objective” anymore.

They wear their subjectivity on their sleeve.

As it was in the case of this “cool chick” on CNN.

Buoyed by her “Dear Leader”, Barack Obama’s never-ending Strategy of gaining power through the use of the Rhetoric of Racial Division and Class Warfare, like a little child who just blurts out what she thinks, because she doesn’t possess an “adult filter, so did this chick “let it all hang out”.

As you no doubt noticed, as even the liberals at Mediaite did, she did not even really apologize for her outrageous comments.

Is it just me, or do you also remember that we are supposed to be living under the first post-racial president?

It sure does not seem that way. Ever since Obama got into office, all I have heard from him is the Rhetoric of Racial Division and Class Warfare.

It reminded me of all the historical conflicts which I used to read about, during the course in college which I took, titled “The Rhetoric of Social “.

Karl Marx knew long ago that all you needed to do to touch the heart of the common man was to convince him of a shared struggle.

Vladimir Lenin took this a step further, by using the concept of a shared struggle to convince the Bolsheviks to help him overthrow the Czar of Russia and murder him and his family during the Russian Revolution.

Forgive me for stating the obvious, but fiery rhetoric spoken by a national leader has consequences.

President Barack Hussein Obama is as responsible for what is happening in Baltimore and elsewhere as any thug wannabe in those cities.

However, he is not alone in his responsibility.

Also responsible are the black political leaders, including the mayors, and “Community Leaders” in those cities, as well as those of the Main Stream Media, who forego their duties as an impartial observer and become a cheerleader. Their silent duplicity speaks volumes.

By the mayor in Baltimore, giving carte blanche to the rioters to destroy, she, like the Roman Emperor Nero, lit the match that has set her kingdom ablaze.

I remember, as a 9 year old in Memphis, Tennessee, watching my parents’ black and white television as the National Guard was called into action on the night that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.

I remember after that Civil Defense Announcement that President Lyndon Johnson come on national television to make the announcement of Dr. King’s death. I remember a feeling of helplessness and of fear, as a nine-year-old, that I had not felt before.

It wasn’t just the fact that we were living in Midtown Memphis, that made me afraid.

It was the fact of the out-of-control violence itself, that caused my consternation.

And now, all these years later, I have the same feelings tugging at my gut. It’s not because I can’t take care of myself, trust me, I can.

It is because, those leaders, who have sworn to protect American Citizens, up in our nation’s capital and in Baltimore, have skirted that responsibility.

And those, who are supposed to report the facts, seem content to instead, spew Racist, Hateful Propaganda.

God help us.

Until He Comes,

KJ

The Democrats: Using Hurricane Sandy as a Photo Op?

On By kingsjesterIn Politics3 Comments

Yesterday, as local authorities in the Northeast performed the arduous and perilous task of digging their constituents out, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sunday, the Democratic Party, their Presidential Candidate, Barack Hussein Obama, and their minion, Martin Bashir, at MSNBC, were busy trying to score political points.

Bashir had some guests on with him on his program on MSNBC, offering their analysis of Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney’s charitable work with the American Red Cross, as part of the Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort.

Noel Sheppard describes the scene, in a post on newsbusters.org: 

…Imagine that. A presidential candidate who gives millions of dollars a year to charity does a storm relief event in Ohio, and an MSNBC anchor is disgusted by it because the Red Cross would prefer people donating cash.

Yet according to the Washington Post:

The stop was billed as a “storm relief” event, and attendees were asked to bring non-perishable foods and other items for those affected by the storm. Long white tables to one side of the cavernous James S. Trent Arena were piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods.

Two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: “Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.”

So besides the food and supplies that Ohioans generously donated, two large television screens asked participants to send money to the Red Cross.

But this didn’t make Bashir happy. Ditto his Obama-supporting guests.

“I think that this is just another moment where you see the clear striking difference between a president who has a heart for the American people and someone who simply wants to be president of the United States,” said Mayor Reed.

“Indeed,” replied Bashir who then asked for Peterson’s input.

“I would agree,” echoed Peterson. “It’s compassion that shows through in times like these. It’s humanity that shows through in times like these, and it just seems clear that the President, in addition to stepping up and doing what he does as Commander-in-Chief, demonstrates compassion in these remarks and in his approach to this kind of serious disaster.”

“All we’ve seen from Romney and from his surrogates is all kinds of politicizing and misdirection,” Peterson continued, “and I think the American people in this sort of disastrous moment can really see in bold relief the differences between President Obama and former Governor Romney.”

So having a storm relief event with tables “piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods” along with two large television screens calling for donations to the Red Cross demonstrates a lack of compassion on MSNBC.

Yet the network didn’t end there.

About a half hour later, Bashir brought GQ’s Ana Marie Cox on to trash Romney’s event.

“I found that sort of fake, relief rally, whatever it is, to be pretty offensive, and also wrong-headed,” said Cox. She actually called Romney “craven” for doing it.

I’m not kidding.

This was followed by MSNBC contributor Karen Finney saying, “As a former governor, I would think that he would know that what the Red Cross needs in times like this is money and blood.”

Yes, that’s why there were two large television screens asking for people to donate to the Red Cross.

And, what was the Democratic Candidate doing yesterday? Well, according to the Washington Times:

President Obama may have suspended his campaign rallies due to Hurricane Sandy, but he managed to squeeze in his campaign slogan — intentionally or not — during a briefing Tuesday with federal emergency officials.

“The president made clear that he expects his team to remain focused as the immediate impacts of Hurricane Sandy continue and lean forward in their response,” the White House said in a statement about Mr. Obama’s video-teleconference that he conducted from the White House Situation Room. “Forward” is the slogan of his re-election campaign.

Mr. Obama canceled all campaign events on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as the storm lashed the East Coast, causing billions of dollars worth of destruction, resulting in several deaths and interrupting power for millions of residents.

He was joined on the video conference by Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and other federal officials.

The White House said Mr. Obama “expressed his concern for those impacted by the storm, as well as the heroic first responders who are selflessly putting themselves in harm’s way to protect members of their communities. He also noted his sadness over the loss of life associated with the storm so far.”

There’s more…from breitbart.com:

Today [Tuesday], during a non-campaign campaign stop at the Red Cross, President Obama told the nation something his administration obviously didn’t believe during the seven-hour attack on our consulate in Benghazi (and a nearby annex) on the night of September 11, 2012: That when an “American is in need… we leave nobody behind”:

This is a tough time for a lot of people; millions of folks all across the Eastern Seaboard, but America’s tougher. And we’re tougher because we pull together, we leave nobody behind, we make sure we respond as a nation and remind ourselves that whenever an American is in need, all of stand together to make sure we’re providing the help that’s necessary.

So, while Romney was pitching in and helping out with The Red Cross’s Relief Efforts, Obama was having a Photo Op.

Par for the course.

As I tweeted yesterday,

“We leave nobody behind.” – Obama 10/30/12 The 4 brave Americans murdered by Muslim Terrorists in Benghazi remain unavailable for comment.

Class Warfare Being Turned Into Race Warfare?

On By kingsjesterIn Politics11 Comments

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, said the following while delivering a very famous speech at the base of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Unfortunately, sir…we aren’t there , yet.

“Romney is very, very comfortable, it seems with people who are like him,” Politico’s Joe Williams said on MSNBC’s Martin Bashir program today. “That’s one of the reasons why he seems so stiff and awkward in some town hall settings, why he can’t relate to people other than that. But when he comes on “Fox & Friends,” they’re like him, they’re white folks who are very much relaxed in their own company. So it really is a very stark contrast, I think and a problem that he’s not been able to solve to date and he’s going to have network harder if he’s going to try to compete.”

And evidently, it’s not just Mitt Romney that’s a bigoted silver-spoon sucker.  It’s all of us “crackas”.

The University of Minnesota – Duluth (UMD) is now sponsoring an ad-campaign designed to achieve “racial justice” by raising awareness of “white privilege.”

The project disseminates its message, that “society was setup for us [whites]” and as such is “unfair,” through an aggressive campaign of online videos, billboards, and lectures. The ads feature a number of Caucasians confessing their guilt for the supposed “privilege” that comes along with their fair features.

The self-titled Un-Fair Campaign, is sponsored and supported by the University of Minnesota – Duluth, along with several liberal organizations including the NAACP, YWCA, and The League of Woman Voters.

“You give me better jobs, better pay, better treatment, and a better chance – all because of the color of my skin,” reads one poster that features a close shot of a Caucasian male.

The Un-Fair campaign also held a series of lectures and events on campus last semester. One included a presentation by Tim Wise, author of Dear White America. In his book, Wise confesses a “longstanding fantasy” where he turns to a man with a “God Bless the USA” button and asks him, “why can’t you just get over it?”

These lectures were publicly endorsed by university Chancellor Lendley Black. Black sent a message to the campus community in April describing his effort to “create an inclusive campus climate for all” through providing “support and… leadership to the Un-Fair Campaign.”

FLASHBACK: UMD Administrator Calls Conservative “White Supremacist” for Giving Away Free Pocket Constitutions

Documents obtained exclusively by Campus Reform this week, through a public records request, however, show that students on campus have expressed outrage over the administration’s support of the racially-charged campaign.

One student, whose identity was redacted in the documents released by UMD, e-mailed Chancellor Black expressing his discontent, writing that the Un-fair campaign “is in fact UNFAIR.”

The student proceeded to write: “It may be drawing awareness to factors that we might otherwise not pay attention to, but it’s creating a gap between people. It’s only making people more racist on both sides.”

LI’s Campus Reform contacted the school seeking further comment, but was unable to reach a spokesperson for comment by the time of publication.

On April 25th of this year, wsj.com ran the following article:

After securing victory in all five Republican presidential primary contests last night, Mitt Romney told an audience in New Hampshire that President Obama is resorting to class warfare because he can’t run on his record.

Last week, Mr. Obama told an audience that “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth,” a clear swipe at the privileged background of Mr. Romney. And yesterday the president told a group of college students that student loan debt “is something Michelle and I know about firsthand . . .. [W]e’ve been in your shoes. Like I said, we didn’t come from wealthy families.”

In his speech last night, Mr. Romney pushed back. “You might have heard that I was successful in business, and that rumor is true,” he quipped and then went on to defend his background in private equity. But the real issue in this campaign, he added, is what do we have to show for three-and-a-half years of President Obama.

“Is it easier to make ends meet? Is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one? Have you saved what you needed for retirement? Are you making more in your job? Do you have a better chance to get a better job? Do you pay less at the pump?” asked Mr. Romney. “If the answer were ‘yes’ to those questions, then President Obama would be running for re-election based on his achievements, and rightly so. But because he has failed, he will run a campaign of diversions, distractions, and distortions.”

Ol’ Mitt sure called that one, didn’t he?

Given the failure of the OWS movement, could this be a new tactic to distract from Obama’s miserable record?

You betcha.