OBAMA: What? The President-elect is black? I didn't know that!

Well so much for a color-blind society.

The number two man at NBC News believes Barack Obama's skin color gives him more legitimacy around the world than possibly any American leader in history.

I think it goes beyond the Middle East, and I think it's a bigger phenomenon which is the leader of the biggest democracy in the world is now a person of color and that is going to give him what political scientists would call a legitimacy in the street around the world that I don't think an American leader has had, ever perhaps.

[News Busters; via Marc Shepherd at American Thinker]

After watching the left, the MSM, and the Democrats fawn all over each other for six months and noticing they brought up BHO's race ad nauseam, I'm convinced almost half of our citizens never considered the man's ethnicity an issue. And they lost the election.

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NEWS MEDIA: Once in awhile!

Yes, every once in awhile someone puts fingers to keyboard (we used to say pen to paper) and writes something so clear, so prescient, so common-sensible that it needs to be passed on to others ... often.

Alan Nathan writes such a piece regarding the abysmal and embarrassing self-destruction of the national press in America ...

What chance do arguments have to rise and fall on their merits if they're framed by a seemingly party-owned press?

And once that party comes to power, won't its lackey journalists constitute a type of state-owned press? In other words (after Inauguration Day), how can the blushing news media keep from sharing President-elect Barack Obama's political bed - given they have already serviced his electoral needs? [Washington Times]

Not a rhetorical question, by any means, but a question with only one possible answer.

Some day the whole lot will awaken and ask, "My god, my god, what have we done?"

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MSM: The media, undergirded by cultural ignorance, reveals perverse fantasy!

Increasingly and suffocatingly, Americans are being exposed to MSM and liberal bias (h/t News Busters), a bias not always well hidden.

WARNING: NOW ENTERING OBAMALOT

What's been revealing to this writer is their continued and persistent desire, on the one hand, for a Messiah figure in our national leadership and, on the other, for a royal family (h/t News Busters). As far back as March 2008, Kathleen Parker discussed the public's Messiah fixation.

I seriously doubt that anyone in the MSM or on the liberal left would acknowledge the existence of such a perversity in American politics, but I predict the existence of just such a phenomena will one day be reported by historians and political researchers as they uncover this kind of piffle ...

It’s a symbiosis in which shows such as “Access Hollywood” and “Entertainment Tonight” cover the Obama family like royalty, bringing back a Camelot mythology to the White House. In return, they are enjoying a ratings bump with unexpected staying power. [TV Week]

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PALIN: And so soon it begins ... !

Party at war as Palin 'goes rogue' | The Australian

The MSM and the left begin their destruction of the thing they fear most, a 2012 run for the White House by Sarah Palin. As I mentioned yesterday - "it's a shame Sarah Palin is not at the head of the ticket [now]" I'll support her in 2012, unless "the MSM and the federal super majority in DC ... fix it so she can't" run.

Even the foreign press cites "unnamed campaign insiders" and "aides close to both candidates" and "a senior Republican" and "four Republicans close to Ms Palin" and "a Palin associate" and "reports" and "advisers to Senator McCain" and "McCain sources," ... eight common unnamed sources in a single article and not one named source, NOT ONE! These are all journo-speak for "I don't have a source, but I trust my rumor mongers."

UPDATE: The fix is in, and proof of it is here. [26 Oct.'08; 12:57 PM]

Election 2008, Foreign press,
Geopolitics, McCain, Media,
MSM, Palin, Politics

PLUMBER: Joe, don't listen to the damn fools!

Call him Samuel the unlicensed plumber, tax cheat | SF Chron - SF Gate

Some estrogen deprived, middle-aged bitty at the SF Chron (probably a lesbo who plays mattress polo with Gavin on their lunch hour) does a hit piece on an everyday Joe and feels good about it. Great, go back to your Mill Valley nest and sleep the sleep of a child of Dracula.

Good grief, what makes these people tick? What kind of parents foist kids like this on the landscape?

First, the man "Joe the plumber" never said he was a "licensed" plumber! Only that he wants to buy his employer's plumbing business.

Second, a lot of people in the Democratic party owe back taxes; does the name Charley "the cheat" Rangel ring any bells? The fact that taxes are owed doesn't make anyone a "tax cheat." Gawd!!!!

Third, how can anyone in the media, with a straight face, use the phrase "Joe the Plumber's story"? It was never his story! It was and still is the media's story!

Fourth, what has happened to the media? We live in a free nation, with open borders between our member states. My wife and I have lived in six different states: Southern California, Northern California, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, and Mizzurah! What are we illegal gypsies?

I am so sick of the role the media plays in our daily lives; can someone please find a cure for them?

Election 2008, McCain,
Media, MSM, Politics

PALIN: An open letter of apology from a fellow American!

Republican Fires Back at Matthews' Palin Insults | NewsBusters
Sarah Palin and “Big Tent Feminism" | brain terminal

Dear Sarah -

Over the past few weeks, my heart has been repeatedly broken for you and your family as I've witnessed the most caustic, imbalanced, ill-tempered, unreasonable, biased, unjustifiable, hypo-vitriolic, and satanic personal attacks to have ever been foisted on a public figure in my lifetime, and perhaps in the history of this country.

On behalf of roughly half of the adult American population, I apologize for the treatment you and your family have endured from the other half of our adult population; most significantly from our Main Stream Media (MSM), but also from Europeans, the democrats, the entertainment industry, the far left, feminists, and a group I can only describe as a mass of secular and ignorant.

Their irrational portrayals, stereotypical characterizations (or rather mischaracterizations), duplicitous fabrications, immoral labeling, insensitive slurs, and carnal propaganda must hurt you all during your precious family times.

For all of this, to the limits of my freedom to do so, I apologize. Shame on us all.

Since my elder sister had the pleasure of meeting you and your family in passing, and because she said you all are exactly what you seem to be, I know you have the grace and spirit to forgive and move on. God bless you and the rest of the Palin clan ... especially God's special gift, Trig.

John Gillmartin
The SHEEP'S CRIB

Apology, Christianity,
Election 2008, Forgiveness,
McCain, Palin, Politics

MSM: Turned off or turning off?

As Campaign’s Intensity Peaks, Interest in Big 3’s Evening News Continues to Wane | BizzyBlog
Evening News Ratings Decline | Media Bistro

There is a general feeling (here in the heartland) that the MSM cannot be trusted to just "do" the news; especially the Big 3 evening news machines.

The continuous decline in viewers forces us to ask: is the decline due to "turned off" viewers or to viewers turning them off?

In the past two weeks, Big 3 evening newscast viewership has actually declined by 360,000, or 1.6%. What's more, in percentage terms, viewership among "The Demo" of ages 25-54 has declined even further (220,000, down 3.1%).

My guess is the former; the human mind can only take so much dysfunction before it seeks to protect itself. Perhaps only history will know for sure.

In our home we expect at least the appearance of "fair and balanced."

ABC, CBS, Election 2008,
Media, MSM, NBC, Politics

PALIN: A few well placed notes do not make music!

Memo to snobs: Go suck an egg. -| Maggie's Farm

Bird Dog at Maggie's Farm sure sums up a lot of our feelings (link above) ... especially his link to Jungle Trader's link to Michael Goodwin's thoughts at the New York Daily News.

"Some day, we will look back with disgust at the abuse Palin has taken and wonder how it could happen in this great nation, circa 2008."

My short answer is that far too many Americans are fundamentally selfish, self-centered, ego-centrists.

Christianity, Election 2008,
McCain, Palin, Politics, Religion

FINANCIAL CRISIS: Let the evidence speak for itself!

Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending - NYT
HT - '99 NYT Article Reveals True Cause of Current Crises | NewsBusters

News busted by NewsBusters causes sever headache at the paper of record - The New York Times; Congressional Democrats are having sympathy related stress.

Surely they knew it would all come out (after Fox traced the affair for us; includes video)? Maybe that's why the Democrats were in such a rush to go on campaign recess?

From the eight year-old Business section article ... [CRIB emphasis]

In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.

Then there is this ...

The action ... will encourage ... banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans.

Perhaps that is why they are called conventional loans; perhaps instead of calling them subprime, they should have been called subconventional?

Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people ....

That's a good idea looking for a crisis!

In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans ....

As a friend said, "Pressure is what pressure is!"

''Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990's by reducing down payment requirements,'' said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman and chief executive officer. ''Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.''

More pressure from the guy who walked away with $90 million!

And the author of the article warned ...

In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.

And a expert in the field gave this prophetic and dire warning!

''From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us,'' said Peter Wallison a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. ''If they fail, the government will have to step up and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry.''

Wow! But you know what? Slick Willie and the Democratic choir will skate on this too! Why? Because, I predict, mainstream media won't go after it!

They would rather see the country fail than see their leftist friends have to admit fault! Which is the greater sin: greed or standing by and watching your neighbor or brother suffer when you have the ability to help him?

Bailout, Election 2008, Financial Crisis,
Fannie Mae, McCain, Obama, Politics

MEDIA BIAS: Don't give me facts, I'm content with my ignorance!

FRC Action Summit: Newt Gingrich | Hot Air
HT - Gingrich Criticizes Media for Anti-Religion Elitism; Chastises ABC's Gibson | NewsBusters

Newt Gingrich, former Republican Speaker of the House, blasted the media for its religious intolerance and historical ignorance at the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C.

"And I want to take a minute or two because I want to put in context how bad things have gotten in the elite media and how utterly alien from historic traditional American culture some elements of the elite media are and I'll let you decide for yourself as you watch them which people accurately fit this," Gingrich added. "But there's a secular, at a minimum skeptical to religion, at a maximum overtly hostile to religion bias in the mainstream media."

I'd vote for overtly hostile.

Much more ...

CROSS POSTED: Cristophobia Watch

Christianity, Cristophobia, Gingrich, Media bias,
Palin, Religion, Religious Intolerance