Biased Mainstream Media is at it Againgreenspun.com : LUSENET : Poole's Roost II : One Thread |
Biased Mainstream Media is at it AgainThe revised 3rd quarter GDP was lower than the 3rd quarter rate back in 1992 when Bill Clinton ran on the poor economy (2.2 versus 2.7 percent), but instead of pointing that out the broadcast networks all led Thursday night with how the White House castigated George W. Bush for daring to suggest an economic downturn may be ahead. All the December 21 newscasts ran a soundbite from Clinton economic adviser Gene Sperling warning the talk may be a self-fulfilling prophesy.
CBS’s Dan Rather scolded: "Is talk of a recession responsible?" Some in the White House, Rather relayed, "accuse the Bush team of economic fear-mongering." Rather soon even blamed Bush for depressing Christmas sales: "The talk from the Bush team of a possible recession could not come at a worse time for the retail industry. The stores are afraid all this talk is encouraging consumers to close their wallets." Reporter John Roberts aired a clip of Bill Clinton claiming, "we are now in the longest economic expansion in our history." Roberts called that "a pointed lesson in economic history," but failed to point out how the expansion started well before the 1992 election.
Only FNC’s Steve Centanni, in a piece run on both Special Report with Brit Hume and the Fox Report, reminded viewers of how "if, as some say, Bush is playing politics with the economy, he wouldn’t be the first. Eight years ago candidate Bill Clinton campaigned on the economy, ignoring signs that an economic recovery was already underway. And as President-elect, Bill Clinton convened a Little Rock summit to talk about mending a broken economy that he claimed to be inheriting from George Bush."
-- ABC’s World News Tonight. John Martin began the lead story: "This particular argument is over whether George W. Bush is deliberately low-balling the prospects for economic growth for political gain."
After a soundbite from Bush defending himself against the charge of playing politics about the slowdown, Martin explained: "All this has blown up in the wake of Bush’s comment yesterday that he saw signs of slowdown just ahead and his suggestion that his tax cut plan could soften the impact."
Martin went on to relay the complaint from Sperling that Bush’s talk itself could hurt the economy, a charge Dick Cheney denied, and while Wayne Ayers of Fleet Boston agreed negative forecasts from leaders could impact the economy, he didn’t think Bush had yet stepped over the line.
-- CBS Evening News. Dan Rather’s up front tease: "Where will the economy go? There are some new signs the economy is slowing some, but is talk of a recession responsible? We’ll talk to the Treasury Secretary as some others in the White House accuse the Bush team of economic fear-mongering." Rather then opened the program, as transcribed by MRC analyst Brad Wilmouth: "Good evening. The outgoing Clinton administration put out new numbers today showing the U.S. economy is cooling somewhat after growing at a red hot pace earlier this year. The Commerce Department says economic growth slowed in the third quarter to an annual rate of 2.2 percent. That’s less than half the rate of the second quarter. Economists are hoping the economy will come in for what’s called a ‘soft landing.’ That’s defined as slower growth without a recession. But the incoming Bush administration continues to talk about the possibility of a recession, and the Clinton White House accused the President-elect today of talking the economy down for partisan political reasons -- among other things, to make his big tax cut plan more attractive, say the Democrats."
John Roberts began the lead story: "Dan, at a time when the President-elect should be focused on transition, he finds himself embroiled in a fight with the outgoing administration, a fight he feels he had to pick if he hopes to survive past his first four years...The President-elect today tried to beat back criticisms that by saying the economy could be headed for a recession, he just might make it happen." George W. Bush: "I, in all due respect, have said that there are some warning signs on the horizon. I think that people are gonna find out that when I’m sworn in as the President, I’ll be a realist, and if there are warning signs on the horizon, we need to pay attention to them." Roberts: "Earlier in the day, it was Dick Cheney on Capitol Hill for a conciliatory meeting with Senator Joe Lieberman, who rushed to counter charges that he and Bush were playing politics." Dick Cheney: "We don’t want to talk down the economy, clearly, and I think both President-elect Bush and myself have tried to be cautious in that regard." Roberts: "The dust up has pit the incoming administration, anxious to avoid any blame for a downturn, against President Clinton, who today issued a pointed lesson in economic history." Bill Clinton: "We are now in the longest economic expansion in our history. A critical part of our strategy to get there was to put our fiscal house in order, to replace record deficits with record surpluses."
Without pointing out how the expansion started in early 1992, Roberts continued: "White House officials acknowledge that the economy has slowed to its lowest level of growth since 1996 but say no one thought the blistering pace of the last few years could be sustained." White House Press Secretary Jake Siewert: "We’re not trying to muzzle anyone. I think we’re just urging a measured tone, one that is line with the facts -- 2.2 percent is higher than the average rate of growth during the last Bush administration." Roberts: "On his last day as Governor of Texas, Bush trumpeted his record of spurring growth through bipartisan cooperation and tax cuts, a model he said he will take to Washington and the nation."
After a clip from Bush, Roberts concluded: "Democrats have accused Bush of acting more like a candidate than an incoming President, but Bush is all too well aware that if the economy goes south on his watch, Democrats will beat him over the head with it for the next four years just like they did his father."
Rather then introduced the next story by suggesting Bush is in danger of exacerbating poor Christmas sales: "The talk from the Bush team of a possible recession could not come at a worse time for the retail industry. The stores are afraid all this talk is encouraging consumers to close their wallets at the peak of an already disappointing holiday shopping season."
-- NBC Nightly News. Tom Brokaw was far more direct than Dan Rather in acknowledging how the economy is slowing. He opened the show: "Good evening. Everyone agrees the American economy is slowing, it’s moving directly from the fast lane to the right hand lane. Now the question is will it keep on going right into the ditch? President-elect Bush says this is a dangerous time and his massive tax cut, he believes, is the best course correction. But the White House and Democrats countered that scenario is too radical. They think it will bring only more trouble."
-- Anonymous, December 22, 2000
UB:Whew; when you said mainstream media, I thought that you were talking about Rush or Jeff:
You were actually talking about the media. 8<)))
Best Wishes,,,,
Z
-- Anonymous, December 22, 2000
Bush is an idiot, just like his Poppy. Stock markets are crashing, Christmas retail sales are way down, all because this idiot wants to blame the current administration for the economic fuckups that he will cause when he takes office.
-- Anonymous, December 24, 2000
Biased? Yea sure. It appears that ANYTHING negative said against Bush is biased now doesn't it? The truth hurts now doesn't it? Or are you trying to say that Bush couldn't possibly do anything wrong?The economy has been good and did nothing but get better under Clinton. The knowledge that we are going to be taken over by Bush may be the problem with the economy. Bush needs a reason to justify his tax cut and with a good economy he can't. So he does as was done all through the campaign, he states something as fact and expects us to lap it up. Sorry, too many people are pissed and not falling for this propaganda. We have found too many things that were said had no bases in fact.
He will be the president, he gets what was given to Clinton. Why not? Is he some kind of little god who is exempt from the scrutiny all others have to endure?
-- Anonymous, December 24, 2000
You really have to wonder when you see people blaming an economic downturn on someone who wasn't even nominated when the downturn started, and has yet to take office at all, much less get any legislation passed.I can understand the natural preference for one candidate or party over another. But this preference should not render even women utterly stupid. What is going on here?
-- Anonymous, December 24, 2000
"What is going on here?"Pretty obvious isn't it? It's the typical NWO "problem-reaction-solution" scenario.
Create the PROBLEM: Dubya had his little meeting with Greenspan and asked him not to cut interest rates and to give the PPT a vacation until he gets into office. Then he gets on national media and starts feeding the public the idea that we are heading into recession.
Wait for the REACTION: After a couple months of blitzing the media with negative talk about recession, the people will get scared and beg Dubby to do something to save them.
Produce the SOLUTION: Feed the people the big lie about how a huge tax cut will put so much more money in their pockets, and how it will spark our economy into prosperity. Dubya will have the people backing him when he signs a huge tax cut for corporations and the wealthy elite. Most will be unaware that down the road this will only put them even deeper into debt and at the mercy of the multinationals.
-- Anonymous, December 24, 2000
Politics isn't all that complicated, but nobody will ever understand any of it if they insist on checking their sanity at the door when they enter into a discussion.
-- Anonymous, December 26, 2000