Day: December 14, 2005

Life in the Propaganda Age

Trish

Excellent commentary by The Week’s Eric Effron on the revelation that BushCo has been planting propaganda in the “free” Iraq press. You know, ala some dictator, like Saddam Hussein maybe.

…after decades of tyranny, the Iraqis don’t need better or different propaganda; they need less of it

Propaganda may be a reality of war. But after decades of tyranny, the Iraqis don’t need better or different propaganda; they need less of it. And it’s hard to see how planting articles with headlines such as “The Sands Are Blowing Toward a Democratic Iraq” and “Iraqi Forces Capture al Qaida Fighters Crawling Like Dogs” could ever fool anyone.

In its own defense, the Pentagon says that its phony news stories merely reported the truth to a populace steeped in anti-American lies. But as an old journalism teacher of mine used to say, the difference between journalism and propaganda is not a matter of accuracy—it’s a matter of “intention.” One is meant to inform and enlighten; the other, to screen out contradictory information and promote a narrow agenda. That distinction, sadly, is being erased, and not only in Iraq. From the blogosphere to 24/7 cable news to a mainstream media desperate to keep our attention, it’s ever harder to find information not tainted with an ideological or marketing agenda. Rather than seek some semblance of the truth, we’re now encouraged simply to pick a source consistent with our biases. The Information Age, it would seem, has been mislabeled. We’re all actually living in the Propaganda Age.

New reports reveal the Pentagon has launched a $300 million psychological warfare campaign to plant more propaganda throughout the world. I remember when America didn’t need to be sold to anyone, but that seems so last century now.

The Talking Points President

Jon Ponder

[An] “interview” or a “conversation” implies some equality between subject and questioner, some mutual respect that, if asked a question, the subject will answer that question. Not with George W. Bush, though. [NBC News anchor Brian] Williams asked Bush about his morning intelligence brief and Bush quickly veered into “Listen, there’s an enemy that wants to attack us. And I vowed after September 11th that I wouldn’t rest.”

And so the “interview” went, with Williams asking to comment on those who say Bush only listens to a small circle of advisors, and Bush responding, “I’ll tell you one thing I firmly believe in: I think I believe liberty is universal. freedom is the deep desire of every human being and that a country with influence like ours ought to do things to free people.” When Williams asked Bush about Teddy Roosevelt, who the President had said he admired, Bush answered by talking about Abraham Lincoln. Eventually, he did answer some questions about Katrina, but by that point the Rude Pundit’s eyes had glazed over and he wanted the sweet relief of vodka shots and an iPod with the new My Morning Jacket playing on it.

— Rude Pundit

Christmas Wars: Bill O’Reilly Caught Lying, Said School Banned Christmas Attire

Pensito Editors

Shameless: If his lips are moving, Bill O’Reilly is lying:

O’REILLY: Plano, Texas, north of Dallas. Students were told they could not wear red and green because they were Christmas colors. Let me repeat that. Plano, Texas. Students can’t wear clothing that have red or green colors because they were too close to Christmas colors. Can you believe this? This is fascism. In addition, it’d be grossly disrespectful.

The facts:

On December 9, Bill O’Reilly falsely claimed on both Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor and the nationally syndicated The Radio Factor with Bill O’Reilly that the Plano Independent School District (Texas) “told students they couldn’t wear red and green because they were Christmas colors.” He labeled the alleged ban “fascism.” On December 12, the school district released an official statement by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto refuting O’Reilly’s contention:

“The school district does not restrict students or staff from wearing certain color clothes during holiday times or any other school days,” noted Dr. Otto, who said that the school district’s attorney has requested that Mr. O’Reilly retract the statement.

2005: The Year in Errors and Corrections

Buck Banks

Oops, they did it again: It’s the time for round-up lists of the year’s whatevers, and Regret the Error is out with its list of 2005’s worst and funniest errors and corrections from the mainstream media. Here’s the Correction of the Year for 2005, as published in the Denver Daily News on July 27:

The Denver Daily News would like to offer a sincere apology for a typo in Wednesday’s Town Talk regarding New Jersey’s proposal to ban smoking in automobiles. It was not the author’s intention to call New Jersey ‘Jew Jersey.’

First Runner-Up
From the Dallas Morning News:

Norma Adams-Wade’s June 15 column incorrectly called Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk a socialist. She is a socialite.

Second Runner-Up
This jolly typo/correction comes from the Liverpool Daily News in England:

Technology has revolutionised most of our lives in recent years and the media has particularly benefited from developments in IT and communications. But all technology should always be treated with a degree of caution. This was a lesson brought into sharp focus last week following a review of the Welsh National Opera’s double bill performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci at the Empire Theatre. The problem arose when the computer spell checker did not recognise the term “WNO” (Welsh National Opera). A slip of the finger caused it to be replaced with the word “winos”. All stories in the Daily Post go through a series of checks for error, but unfortunately this one slipped through the net. It just goes to show that it’s hard to beat the good, old-fashioned dictionary.

For more errors, corrections, typos (“beef panties” from Reuters) and other examples that the MSM has lost it big time, check out the site here.

Poll: Public Not Buying Bush’s Iraq Rhetoric

Buck Banks

Battle for hearts and minds at home: While the political debate over the administration’s Iraq policy is heating up, the Busheviks’ insistence on staying the course is not swaying the electorate. Americans remain about evenly split over whether we should be there at all and whether we should pull out. The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted among 1,502 adults Dec. 7-11 found:

  • Fully 61% of the public believes that progress is being made in training Iraqi forces, while nearly as many (58%) see progress being achieved in establishing a democracy in Iraq. But on balance, more Americans say the U.S. is losing ground in reducing civilian casualties and preventing a civil war.
  • The nearly even division in the public over whether to keep troops in Iraq obscures a more complicated set of opinions about what to do next. Most of those who say they want the troops home “as soon as possible” apparently do not mean “now.” And not everyone who wants the U.S. to stay is opposed to setting a timetable for a troop withdrawal. Americans also are wary about consequences of a quick withdrawal – 58% say terrorist organizations will become stronger if the United States withdraws its forces soon.
  • There is modest optimism that tomorrow’s elections in Iraq will lead to a more stable situation in the country. Roughly four-in-10 (37%) express that opinion; that is significantly greater than the percentages who said that before previous balloting in Iraq, in October and last January (29% each).

The survey also shows that President Bush’s approval ratings have not improved. Just 38% approve of his job performance which is little changed from November (36%). Only about three-in-10 (28%) say he has a clear plan for bringing the situation in Iraq to a successful conclusion.

The Bubble Boy and His Clueless Cluelessness

Jon Ponder

That’s Mr. Bubble to you: Maureen Dowd captures the very bubble-iciousness of our president’s abject unawareness that he’s cut off from the real world:

First he claimed Bush didn’t know about the Newsweek story saying he was in bubble, and now he’s forgotten it already? That’s the alluring, memory-cleansing beauty of the bubble.

“This says you’re in a bubble,” [NBC News anchor Brian Williams] told W. “You have a very small circle of advisers now. Is that true? Do you feel in a bubble?”

“No, I don’t feel in a bubble,” Bubble Boy replied, unable to see the bubble because he’s in it. “I feel like I’m getting really good advice from very capable people and that people from all walks of life have informed me and informed those who advise me.” He added, “I’m very aware of what’s going on.”

He swiftly contradicted himself by admitting that “this is the first time I’m seeing this magazine” – his version of his dad’s Newsweek “Wimp Factor” cover – and that he doesn’t read newsmagazines…

Brian struggled to learn whether W. read anything except one-page memos. Talking about his mom, Bubble Boy returned to the idea of the bubble: “If I’m in a bubble, well, if there is such thing as a bubble, she’s the one who can penetrate it.”

“I’ll tell the guys at Newsweek,” the anchor said impishly.

“Is that who put the bubble story?” W. asked. First he didn’t know about it, and now he’s forgotten it already? That’s the alluring, memory-cleansing beauty of the bubble.

Scandals Collide: DeLay & the Dukester

Jon Ponder

Go Ronnie: Brent Wilkes is the guy who gave Schwarzenegger $70k and received a cushy post on the board of the Del Mar racetrack. Looks like he may have also bribed Tom DeLay – allegedly:

A Texas prosecutor has issued subpoenas for bank records and other information of a defense contractor involved in the bribery case of a California congressman as part of the investigation of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

District Attorney Ronnie Earle issued subpoenas late Monday afternoon for California businessmen Brent Wilkes and Max Gelwix, records of Perfect Wave Technologies LLC, Wilkes Corp. and ADCS Inc. in connection with a contribution to a fundraising committee at the center of the investigation that led to DeLay’s indictment on money laundering charges.

Perfect Wave contributed $15,000 in September 20, 2002 to Texans for a Republican Majority, a fundraising committee founded by DeLay, R-Texas.

Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham resigned in late November after pleading guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes to steer defense contracts to companies.

On Tuesday, Earle subpoenaed written testimony DeLay and two others gave in a 1994 lawsuit brought by DeLay’s former pest control business partner. Ex-partner Robert Blankenship alleged in the suit that he was unjustly cut out of the business by DeLay and another man. The lawsuit ended in a confidential settlement in 1995.