Lately, I've been reading many "articles" on the blog networking sites (Digg shown in examples) that have been obvious mud-slinging toward the Republican candidates and their party candidates.
Of course, this is to be expected from the mainstream media outlets, due to their general alignment with the democratic party. However, these articles are so obviously ridiculous, reflecting a lack of strength in character of both the media outlets that are participants in these biased attacks, the democrats backing those outlets, and the comments left on the networking sites where these are re-submitted.
A clear indication of Americans interested in bonding with these outlets/article producers is that of the vocabulary used in the comments following the article submissions, either directly on the main media sites or on the blog networking sites where they are increasingly being re-submitted for their controversial value and popularity rating. Comments from Americans, who should be proud of their country and care about its reputation, seem to begin with four letter words (I choose not to use in my vocabulary), include these same words in the content of their comment and end with these same profane words. Wouldn't someone who has pride in the outcome of their nation be more educated than to use such language? Wouldn't someone who desires to actually be heard regarding their comment actually articulate it in English that everyone should be able to relate to, instead of words that fill vacant space for no apparent reason except to be vulgar? Are these a real reflection of America today?
And what about those articles anyway? Allow me to show you a few and let you judge for yourself if they reflect what I am stating above.
Huckabee on AIDS, CBNnews.com...Click Here
DIGG SUBMIT...CLICK HERE
NEWSWEEK...SAME ISSUE...CLICK HERE
Of course they will pull something out of 1992 when we were not at all sure about AIDS. I am sure that he was NOT the only person who was worried about the issue at the time. This just happens to be a convenient time to pull that tidbit out of the archive. Does he still stand by his moral beliefs as a conservative Evangelical Christian? Of course. Why should he lie?
McCain Is Out Of Touch...Click Here
DIGG SUBMIT...CLICK HERE
USA TODAY...CLICK HERE
Obviously, in this report they are making a mockery of McCain, who has made regular effort to visit Iraq and keep aware of what is going on there. He has more clout with General Petraeus than some reporter. This report was obviously pointed directly at discrediting McCain.
MITT ROMNEY'S WINDY, WORTHLESS SPEECH...Click Here
DIGG SUBMIT...CLICK HERE
This "author" has obviously not done any homework on the "Mormon" religion, officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Reading the review about his thoughts on the speech, I found myself laughing out loud! There have been so many critics of Romney and his religion...all of whom have not been educated fully on the details...but this guy...can you say NUT JOB!!!??? Read this one for a good laugh!
Guiliani...The World Trade Center Collapse...Click Here
DIGG SUBMIT...CLICK HERE
This is a conspiracy theory being brought out pointedly toward Guiliani at a convenient time. This conspiracy theory has been defunct many times over, so to have it brought up again and in pieces directed at Guiliani is pretty darn vindictive.
Ron Paul...CNBC took down the polls...Click Here
DIGG SUBMIT...CLICK HERE
Copy of Polls Before Pulled...Click Here
An interesting item to be noticed...that a network like CNBC would purposely remove the results of the polling from one of the candidates. Would that be considered legal? What would their agenda or end game be in doing such a thing?
Poll finds Republican field isn't touching U.S. voters...Click Here
This is a biased report about the weakness on the end of the Republican Party and the strength of the Democratic Party. MAJOR BIAS!!!
There are so many other articles and I know I have lacked to include all of the candidates, but isn't this representation enough of an example?
Judge for yourself.
Please feel free to leave your opinion. I'd love to know what my readers think.
6 comments:
I once worked for a political party, the mud slinging that went on from all sides was a messy affair, day after elections the two who were slinging the mud were busy wheeling and dealing for support on pet issues; since then I view all politicians in the same light as lawyers, cant really believe much what they say, can only judge by deed.
You ask why should Huckaebe (or any of them) lie? To get elected! I think that unfortunately you are looking for virtue where there is little. Don't underestimate them and think they are not capable of lying. Both Democrats & Republicans.
Natasha: I think you'll find that there's plenty of mudslinging going around against both the Dems and the Republicans.
In many cases, the media outlets are trying to sell advertising, so they will focus on the sensational. It's the way that it is, but maybe bloggers, public radio and TV, and smaller outlets can balance out news coverage.
If you are concerned about bias in the media, I recommend a book called What Liberal Media? You might find it interesting and informative AND you might see a different point of view on whether the media are really biased towards the Democrats.
I think the overriding directive of people who are communicating in public forums is first and foremost to be heard and to establish a reputation by creating name recognition. The content of the message is often secondary.
The unfortunate reality for anyone who wishes to attain political office is that you become a target for other agendas. However, it seems to me that many political candidates understand that reality and engage in similar behavior to further their own agendas. Political office has become a race for many who want to acquire fame, fortune, and power.
So, are the people in mainstream media, or alternate media, reflective of society in general? I'd say no... and yes. I think the reality is that society continues to be a fragmented and fractured clustering of ideologies and interest groups. The shared common interests are becoming harder to find due to the increasingly heterogeneous nature of American societies.
I commend you for the clarity of your writing and the obvious concern that you feel.
I think your final sentences represent the best path forward:
Judge for yourself.
Please feel free to leave your opinion. I'd love to know what my readers think.
I'm not a reader of yours, but I happened across this article and thought that I would give you a valid view from the left.
The so-called "Liberal Media" has been carrying the flag for this administration and blindly following the line given by McClellan and Snow at press conferences. While Clinton was attacked for a long time over a frivolous charge (Who really cares about a sex scandal - how does that really affect anyone else?), Bush gets away with lie after lie to all of America and taking our basic rights set forth in the constitution.
If you want to know why the majority of America is turning against the Republican party, its the overall theme behind why the statements were made.
Huckabee made the statement in 1992 - at least a decade after the AIDS epidemic had really come to light. And the reason why his views as a conservative Evangelical Christian have been attacked is because they're not shared by most Americans. The Moral Majority is neither. Most of America is sick of this viewpoint being foisted upon them.
McCain has said for years that the war was going well in Iraq especially at times when it wasn't, and that's why his judgment is questioned. When opposing viewpoints are simply ignored about how troops feel, of course there is a right to make a mockery of McCain for pretending to speak for all of the troops.
I'm skipping a few since I'm bored - and because there are far better deconstructions of Mitt Romney's horrible screw-up of a speech, and the other posts...
As for the Ron Paul poll, many networks have removed polls that his supporters flood. Whether it's a bot network, lots of supporters, or just surprising results, many have been removed. And it's really funny that you mention the legality of that, because of course its legal. Faux (Fox) News won a court case in 2003 in Florida that specifically stated they have no duty to be truthful in news (I dare you to look that up). A poll is a matter of opinion and they can simply choose to remove it at will.
I think its rather funny that your last article purports major bias when most polls are finding the same result. RCP should have that recurring theme: Dems tend to like the candidate choices this year, while the Reps see far too many raving loonies (either to religious or not religious enough depending on party faction).
And finally, I think you've pulled some of the least relevant articles. There are FAR more on the digg.com popular page that really highlight what you're arguing - but not with the slant you present. A much better article would be: Why is America turning against the Reps, with a long listing of the legitimate and popular articles like: Another Republican scandal, Mitt Romney wants to have national religion, the religious right thinks this needs to be a christian nation, and many more boneheaded statements that the rest of America is simply sick of.
Hey Natasha, what makes you think "liberals" would benefit from attacking GOP candidates in a PRIMARY election? These attacks are coming from opposing candidates within the GOP, fighting for their party's nomination. If you don't like the tone, I suggest switching to a more civil political party.
Big ups to JJ for saving me the time I would have taken saying many of the same things. I would however like to add that your view on "four letter words" lacks any concessions or appreciation for interesting reading, and borders on being downright offensive in and of itself. I've foregone my typical dialect because you, Natasha, seem to hold some incomprehensibly moronic belief that people who curse in the normal course of speech are using it to mask ineptitude or ignorance of the English language. I can only hope that the painfully formal tone, would bore you just enough to encourage a reassessment of the whole issue. Cursing lends its considerable weight to the overall message of a written work, when used appropriately.
People can be intelligent and curse. These are, after all, just words. Simply writing them requires intellect superior to that of lesser primates.
Based on the examples that you've cited above, I would guess that their usage is less a reflection of the speakers intellect, and more a vessel for his frustration with the constant attempts by some to obfuscate and redirect the attention actually given to critical issues who instead opt to totally ignore the source of that frustration and use it as an excuse to wag a finger. I'm thinking of someone in particular.
I'll give you two guesses, but something tells me that you'll only need one.
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