Attacking Freedom of the Press – A Slow Ride to Socialism?
Cartoon depicting a decree enforced Sept. 27 by Honduras coup “president” Roberto Micheletti suspending constitutional rights of free speech and press, among other rights. (Courtesy NarcoNews)
RANKINGÂ members of the Obama Administration have publicly denounced and derided what they see as a major threat to their agenda – FOX News. This ongoing battle between the White House and a cable news outlet is just the latest example of the many dangerous obsessions of Obama’s White House: dangerously skewed priorities, image-obsessed leadership that expresses an ever-growing need for control, and the petty, undignified truth behind their campaign rhetoric of hope and change.Â
“When one makes a Revolution, one cannot mark time; one must always go forward – or go back. He who now talks about the ‘freedom of the press’ goes backward, and halts our headlong course towards Socialism.”
– Vladimir Lenin, Communist Leader of the Soviet Union (1870-1924)
The White House’s anti-democratic, anti-free press effort to bring down a major news outlet – a move that most pundits agree is a public relations disaster in the making – is being led by (of all people) White House Communications Director Anita Dunn. As a former public relations executive myself, I’m astounded Dunn has made it this far in her career making decisions this idiotic. There was Rahm Emanuel –
And David Axelrod –
And let us not forget Chairman Mao loving Anita Dunn herself –
A columnist with the Baltimore Sun sums up the fracas well -
Where are their priorities?
I will take the press critics in the West Wing like Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod seriously when they condemn MSNBC for the same sins and worse than Fox.
And I will take this administration more seriously when it starts doing the real work of governing instead of worrying primarily about its image and trying to silence anyone who would be critical of it.
– David Zurawik, Z on TV
Although a select few in Norway may see Obama’s rhetoric – mere words, carefully crafted by well-paid speech writers – as worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize (did his speech writers get to share in this Nobel Prize?), I liken it more to a highly successfully advertising campaign worthy of a Clio or an Addy® Award – an attempt to sell Americans a shell of an ideal.
Buyers’ Remorse
All too often, products fail to live up to their hype – as do politicians. President Obama has failed to deliver in any meaningful way, shape or form resembling his advertising campaign of Hope and Change.
The White House’s petty, strong-arm tactics with FOX News are hardly evidence of the new era of bi-partisan American politics repeatedly promised by Candidate Obama. On the contrary, this White House vendetta serves as further indisputable evidence of an administration that is perfectly content to further divide our nation by catering to the sentiments and musings of one segment of our society while openly and brazenly dismissing another.
Cenk Uygur, host of a low-rated satellite radio show, advertised in his analysis on the Huffington Post the reason why folks just aren’t listening to his show. In his editorial, Uygur declares himself an authority on media bias, labeling various news outlets/shows as either opinion, partisan or straight news.
Either he refuses to acknowledge, or simply cannot conceive that a subjective concept such as media bias is largely in the eyes/ears of the audience. It certainly cannot be credibly determined by a member of its own ranks.
But that screaming moment of hubris aside, his greatest affront was not in his lengthy, narrow diatribe on the horrors of biased media, but rather, his anti-democratic perceptions of the relationship between a government and the news media – stated upfront in his headline, “Why the White House is 100% Right to Challenge Fox News.”
A Threat to Democracy
The fact that White House leaders like Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod and Anita Dunn have focused such caustic vitriol on, and had threatened to cut off, a prominent news media outlet is a threat to democracy – not to be taken lightly be any American on the left or right.
In any free society, the power of the press is evident in its ability to influence national opinion and priorities, serve as watchdog over governments, and spark open, healthy debate over public policy. For this reason, government coups throughout history have always made government control over the news media an immediate priority. It’s a sudden and dramatic take-over supplanting legitimate news with endless propaganda.
But a sudden and forceful takeover isn’t the only way to gain control of a free press. It can be accomplished slowly, and insidiously; so slowly that many of us may choose to dismiss the warning signs – the proof – preferring to interpret the shift in media control as no more than a reflection of a shift in public opinion. That is a dangerous misinterpretation.
In a democracy such as ours, it is the role of the news media to gauge the legitimacy of a government. It is NOT the role of a democratic government to assess the legitimacy of the news media. When the government assumes such a role, our democracy has been turned on its head, and our government is no longer accountable to the people.
First off, your writing is excellent.
We will see where the rest of the media takes their cues from. When Axelrod said ‘and the rest of the media ought not treat them as actual news’, what he meant was, if Fox breaks it, ignore it. They’ve been doing it the whole time anyway. However, is the media so willing to put their subservience on public display?
their trying to deflect from healthcare, want to push it thru when no one is looking, MISDIRECTION
This goes beyond Liberalism all the way to TREASON, against the citizens of the United States, directly opposed and against the constitution of the US, against our military, and it is boiling to a direct head!!
I welcome the administration’s descent into this childish name calling. It is one more straw added to the camel’s back that exposes it for its immaturity, thin skin, and attempts to lead through image. Much like debate, when the name calling begins the target has won. Based on the spike in Fox’s ratings, I think we can safely declare a winner.
I happen to believe the course that this administration has taken in regard to FOX news is very dangerous. I have to wonder if the heads of the other nets understand if the adminisration can destroy FOX they can do the same to them? Is this a new form soft tyrannical methodology? I have to believe it will fail and that this are the marxist that cannot shoot straight.
Maybe they should have setup “free speech zones” like Bush liked to do.
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from a PBS Newshour broadcast – http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/july-dec01/dissent_10-16.html
BILL MAHER: We have been the cowards, lobbing Cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That’s cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, not cowardly.
TERENCE SMITH: Maher’s comments ignited a firestorm. And some local stations dropped or suspended his show. At the White House, Press Secretary Ari Fleischer issued a cautionary note.
ARI FLEISCHER: There are reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do. This is not a time for remarks like that. There never is.
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In a democracy such as ours, it is the role of the news media to gauge the legitimacy of a government. It is NOT the role of a democratic government to assess the legitimacy of the news media. When the government assumes such a role, our democracy has been turned on its head, and our government is no longer accountable to the people.
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Yeah, anyone who would try to do that would be “sick puppies” indeed!
The Whitehouse has waged war both on Fox and to middle class America. At the same time Obama and his administration act like cowards towards our enemies. So scary. Instead of standing up for America, Obama is tearing us down. We have to get this regime out before it’s too late. Traitors in the Whitehouse!
Karen:
An excellent analysis of the WH/Fox situation. I think Emanuel is the architect, Axelrod his project manager. It has their stamp, postmark Chicago. But we cannot blame entirely those cunning culprits. The remainder of the American media has a load to carry. Shame on them. The media’s responsibility should be, as it once was in this country, to challenge — with facts. The WH has a right to challenge the media — with facts. Today we witness a one-sided argument: Fox has the facts, the WH has the power. I have seen this fungus spread in other countries, experienced its resultant chaos and devastation. The “slow” ride to Socialism is picking up steam, and soon we’ll be heading downhill without brakes.
The whole of Mr. Obama’s policies, foreign and domestic, reminds me of the saying “those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it”. The reaction of most of the country, although many seem to be waking up, reminds me of another, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”. We are, indeed, in dangerous times.
Karen N.,
You have to excuse Lance T., he trolls the site and drops bombs intended to start an argument or anwers to his innane, irrelevant comments.
Obama is still in full swing compaigning mode. Without the Bush administration to blame, he has chosen other targets as diversions from his lack of leadership, decision making, and veracity. The guy just doesn’t get it. This ain’t Chi-town and he ain’t dealing with the political mobsters that he is familiar with. The American public response to his pathological lies and inactivity is very apparent, and he is not accustomed to being rebuffed,questioned, and met with resistance. He is undoubtedly shocked that the public is not falling to their knees in support and gratification of his presidency. We are left with the picture of an emperor with no clothes on. All that is Obama and his staff is out there for all to see and hear. The Red House is full steam ahead to curb or eliminate our freedoms and institute a comunist government of elitists. Axelrod and Emmanuel are the front men for the Obama circus and it’s 3 ring’s of socialists, communists, and Maoists.
Lance:
there is a huge difference between your referenced material and what the WH is doing. Your reference is about those that wish and do express their opinions and ideas freely in the public eye via programs that they work and gain money from as part of their job are in a free market driven by those that wish to partake in it. as a result of his statement he lost market share and also advertising.
“TERENCE SMITH: Maher’s comments ignited a firestorm. And some local stations dropped or suspended his show. At the White House, Press Secretary Ari Fleischer issued a cautionary note.”
So the comment: “ARI FLEISCHER: There are reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do. This is not a time for remarks like that. There never is.” is nothing more than a reminder to those that the public will choose what they think and who they will support for their entertainment/news.
This is completely different than what the WH is actually doing today. They are intentionally targeting an entire news organization and saying they are the enemies. They are targeting any conservative or even mildly conservative outlet (radio, paper, blogg, organization, activist group, etc..) as the enemy. They have sent out trolls to intentionally place supportive comments for O’s plans on websites, they have been blogging (from the WH blogg) in absolute support for the plans, they openly deny that people and organizations are actually reporting with facts and news, yet they respond with accusations of racism, and outright lies.
As a result there is a resurgence of patronage to the more conservative media in all its forms due to these actions. Your example is nothing more than advice to those during a time when tensions were high and people reacted faster due to one’s comments. What is happening now is a direct attack against free speech. This is the same Pattern that many other leftist governments have taken. Research the ley de medios/Radiofusion/Grupo ClarÃn if you don’t believe me. *careful, I’m fairly well versed in it*
LT –
That is a tenuous comparison – at best. Which means you likely had to dig deep to find even that. Regardless, this is not a partisan issue – by any means. Unless we demand a stop to this government intrusion into the First Amendment, it will continue to fester and grow and threaten our constitutional democracy.
So you give me an (tenuous) example of a Rep administration commenting on the news media (but hardly equal in severity or tone). So what? What’s your point? That fair is fair? Two wrongs equal a right? Lead by example? Follow the leader? It’s okay to bully the media and threaten the First Amendment as long as you think someone else did it before you?
Your argument is the equivalent of the oft-used children’s defense – “S/He started it!!!”
Don’t quite SO stupid, Lance, there is quite a difference between criticizing one remark by one person which all administrations do and attacking an entire network. To call that ” setting up free speech zones” is way over the top.
Karen,
Your very good point regarding what this white house is trying to do to FOX, that is to say literally waging war against a media entity, as compared to the comment Ari Fleischer made regarding Maher’s idiocy is, to use another vernacular, light-years away from each other. A presidential administration has a duty to stand up for it’s policies against ridicule and misrepresentation (something by the way that the Bush administration was extemely remiss in doing, much to the dismay and frustration of republicans/conservatives), but has no business using the substantial power of government to attempt to destroy those entities, especially the press. The latter falls under the category of Stalinism.
KN – Your argument is equivalent to, “Let’s not dwell on the past when it was our guy doing it and we remained silent. Let’s pretend this originated with your guy.”
Rememeber it was during the Bush misadministration that Helen Thomas got moved to the back of the bus when she dared to ask probing questions, and shill questioners like former gay escort Jeff Gannon/James Guckert were treated like legitimate news reporters as they lobbed slobber-covered soft balls. Bush Townhall meetings were screened to allow supporters only though touted as open to the public. Those looking to gain access were harassed by security, threatened with arrest or actually detained, and/or escorted off the premises (and these were public venues and the people were not even carrying firearms). People were also ejected or otherwise mistreated for t-shirts or buttons or signs with political messages on them. BushCo gave Fox eclusives with their people knowing they would receive a “friendly” reception. BushCo granted access to those who played ball and froze out those who wouldn’t. And on and on… Bush team members were on record saying that they could count on Fox to promote their agenda.
The Obama adminsistration is just choosing not to validate an adversarial propaganda outlet.
You have to excuse Lance, he’s a very, very ‘Sick Puppy’! Actually there’s no excuse for him, I’m just joking.
You’re welcome to be as stupid as you are able, Tom. And Bill Maher is clearly *not* a news org but he was singled out by Ari’s “caution” as if Maher does not have a right to express his views as he sees fit.
Can a president/administration choose how and when to do interviews and press conferences? Then he can choose who to do them with. He explained his rationale and I find his concerns valid. Fox can try harder for balance or continue to parade their ideologues across the screen to spout their contrarianism.
Apologize for your own shortcomings, Judy. I’ll deal with trying to defend my own positions (or not).