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A Chicago Tribune “Dewey Defeats Truman” Moment: An Embarrassment to CNN, Fox News Channel And National Public Radio!

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Electronic journalism did not have a great moment this past Thursday, when two cable channels, Fox News Channel and CNN, and National Public Radio as well, botched the first report of the Supreme Court decision on “ObamaCare”, declaring the plan had been declared unconstitutional!

It was a startling blunder, particularly for CNN and NPR, as Fox News Channel is infamous for distorting news on a regular basis!

A tremendous embarrassment it is, which will not give confidence to news junkies, while at the same time, MSNBC got it correct from the first moment, so let us salute MSNBC for its accuracy!

This whole situation reminds us of the Chicago Tribune headline in 1948, declaring GOP nominee Thomas E. Dewey the winner over President Harry Truman, leading to a photograph of Truman holding up the newspaper headline and beaming in victory, a priceless moment in American history!

Mitt Romney And The National Rifle Association Convention: Total Hypocrisy!

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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, seemingly secure in being the GOP Presidential nominee, gave a speech at the National Rifle Association convention in St. Louis, Missouri today, utilizing his wife Ann to mention how much they both admire all mothers, part of their hypocritical response to Hillary Rosen, a Democratic strategist and CNN contributor, who said that Ann Romney had never worked a day in her life.

Losing the woman’s vote by a vast margin at present, the two are exploiting that comment by Rosen in a despicable manner, but even worse was the pandering of Mitt Romney to the NRA, a group which has been lukewarm to him.

Why should not the NRA be skeptical of Mitt Romney? Because when he ran for Senator against Ted Kennedy in 1994, and as Governor of Massachusetts from 2003-2007, Mitt Romney emphasized gun control and criticized the NRA.

This is another example of the total hypocrisy and phoniness of Mitt Romney, and does anyone really believe him? If so, such persons are extremely naive!

And of course, after the Trayvon Martin murder in Florida, Romney should have condemned the “Stand Your Ground” laws backed by the NRA, and in effect in 25 states, but Romney has no interest in anything but winning the White House, no matter how much he comes across as disingenuous!

So Mitt Romney is really Pinocchio, as he continues to lie and deceive, and his nose is getting longer and longer!

Keith Olberman Vs. Al Gore And Current TV: Not Good For The Progressive Movement!

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Former Vice President Al Gore has been actively involved in the promotion of a new public affairs cable channel, Current TV, in the past year and a half, and it looked as if he might have scored a victory with the coming of former MSNBC talk show host Keith Olbermann a year ago.

Olbermann was supposed to be the beginning of a channel to compete with MSNBC, CNN and Fox News Channel, and signs seemed to show that it was working until recently.

The addition of Cenk Uygur and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm a few months ago, and then the addition a week ago of Bill Press and Stephanie Miller, boded well for the new network.

But underlying the surface was a bitter dispute between Olbermann and the management of the Gore cable channel, with Olbermann, always a difficult and prickly personality, becoming what was clearly a prima donna, who had a horrible and explosive personality that led to his firing from ESPN and MSNBC, and now has led to his firing from Current TV, because of his refusal to cooperate on conditions and work rules, including refusal to share anchor duties on the night of the Iowa caucuses, constant absences on a level much more than would be considered normal, and complaints about petty things that any employee would ordinarily accept as part of being an employee for any company.

Olbermann is now threatening to sue, and the situation does not make him look better one iota! For a man who reportedly was on a contract worth $50 million, and a lot of input to the development of the channel, one has to wonder why he has so much trouble getting along with management now at THREE channels!

The man is not a positive force for journalism anymore, and his ego and obnoxious personality makes him the news, instead of his ability to be perceptive about the personalities and issues of the news.

This is a major factor in the decline of journalism as a profession. The selfish, self centered Olbermann has worn out his welcome in cable journalism, and it is hard to imagine any other channel hiring him in the future.

But don’t feel sad for Olbermann! His total earnings over the years are something only the top one percent that he constantly attacks, but is a member of, would possess, and he can just write, rather than speak, and will NEVER have a problem paying his bills like most of us in America!

What Olbermann has done is NOT good for the progressive movement, but Al Gore looks ever the better, since he tolerated the temperamental nature of Olbermann, until he finally had to put his foot down and decide to fire him.

The sooner any lawsuit is resolved, the better for those who observe, and feeling sadness of what the dispute does to those of us who advocate progressive values, but have to be embarrassed at the spectacle that has developed!

Meanwhile, former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer, who was dropped by CNN, even though this author thought he had done an excellent job, has now replaced Olbermann, and despite criticism of Spitzer’s sex scandal a few years ago, which led to his resignation from the governorship, he has redeemed himself in the author’s mind, and will be a positive force for Current TV, which hopefully will continue to develop and overcome this disgraceful dispute between them and Keith Olbermann!

More Political Media: Current TV Expands To Include Bill Press and Stephanie Miller Starting Monday!

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For those of us who are political “junkies”, political “addicts”, Current TV, stared by former Vice President Al Gore, and having as its first “star’ the controversial Keith Olbermann, formerly of MSNBC, is rapidly expanding, with a goal of becoming another MSNBC, but maybe even more progressive than that cable channel is!

Starting next week, Current TV, available on most cable systems, will have Bill Press on live from 6-9 AM as competition for Joe Scarborough’s “Morning Joe” on MSNBC; and will have Stephanie Miller on from 9 AM-12 Noon.

Bill Press used to be on CNN and MSNBC, and is one of the leading progressive commentators; and Stephanie Miller, the daughter of William E. Miller, Vice Presidential running mate of Barry Goldwater 48 years ago in the Presidential Election of 1964, and formerly on CNBC and on radio for the past eight years, and traveling all over the nation as part of the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour with comedians Hal Sparks and John Fuglesang (which this author was pleased to be able to witness when they were in Fort Lauderdale a few months ago), is also a delightful addition to cable television.

Both Press and Miller will join the station which, in its evening hours during the week has Keith Olbermann, Cenk Uggur, and Jennifer Granholm (former Michigan Governor).

There will also be a two minute political news break from 6 AM through 11 AM daily, as an added feature.

Since there is plenty of talk radio and Fox News Channel on the right, we can certainly use more progressive alternatives, so Current TV and Al Gore must be applauded for deciding to compete with CNN and MSNBC. The more the better!

Zbigniew Brzezinski’s Characterization Of The Republican Presidential Field: Priceless!

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Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, was on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS today, and was asked, as part of the interview, his feelings about the final four contenders for the GOP Presidential nomination.

His response, in one paragraph, was absolutely priceless, the best characterization yet heard about them.

Rick Santorum—sounds like a medieval Savonarola, referring to medieval Catholic monk Girolamo Savonarola, who lived in Florence, Italy, and condemned what he considered immoral art, promoted book burning, and attacked the Catholic Church leadership and the Pope for being corrupt and immoral. For a while, he ran a personal theocracy in Florence, but was then excommunicated, tortured and executed by order of Church authorities.

Mitt Romney—spends his time explaining why some of his wealth is in the Cayman Islands, rather than in American banks.

Ron Paul—wants to take America back to the 1780s and the Founding Fathers.

Newt Gingrich—using his credentials as a repudiated Speaker of the House (by his own party) to claim he should be President.

Brzezinski said all four are embarrassing as candidates for the Presidency, and progressives will certainly agree with this assessment!

Robert Gates Challenges Republican Presidential Candidates Who Call Barack Obama Weak On Defense And National Security

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Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates tonight, in an interview on CNN, challenged Republican Presidential candidates who have asserted that Barack Obama is weak on defense and national security matters.

Gates, a Republican who served at the Pentagon under both George W. Bush and Obama, said that when you look at the record, Barack Obama has been very willing to use aggressive tactics against terrorists, referring to the death of Osama Bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders.

Gates also said that Mitt Romney’s charge that Obama promotes “Pretty Please’ tactics to adversaries has no basis, as there is nothing wrong with reaching out to enemies and hoping that one can reason with them, get them to do what we want, and utilize the military option only as a last resort. Without actually saying it, he was clear in believing that promoting confrontation is not the best tactic for a President to start off his administration, a slap at Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich, who all seem ready to declare war on Iran on Day One in the White House.

While not willing to take a stand on GOP Presidential candidates, Gates smiled and said he has voted in the past for Democratic Presidential candidates, without specifying whom, and that he would keep his vote this November to himself, refusing to say he would back the Republican nominee because of party loyalty.

Based on earlier assessments of Obama by Gates, one would not be surprised he voted for Obama, who it is clear he has very high regard for. Gates was a tremendous help to Obama in the first two plus years of his Presidency, and will go down in history as a truly decent, caring, patriotic Republican who was willing to help a Democratic President, rather than be petty, vindictive, obstructionist, all in the name of partisan politics, rather than doing what was right for the nation as a whole!

Mitt Romney’s Psychological Self Destruction Again Evident!

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Imagine this: Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor, is able to accomplish a major victory in Florida, and he goes ahead in the next 24 hours or less to destroy what he has accomplished!

Mitt had this urge to tease second place finisher Newt Gingrich by pointing out that Gingrich had failed to call him, and maybe had forgotten his number, said with a hearty laugh! That is very stupid, to make fun of the loser, and yet expect that the very competitive and vindictive Gingrich will eventually come around and drop his challenge. After this idiotic move by Romney, he has only guaranteed more grief longer term for his campaign. It also shows the level of arrogance that Romney has, something known before, but made worse by his cockiness after his Florida victory!

But then, Romney, in an interview on CNN, declares that he is not concerned about the “very poor”, as they are well protected by the “safety net”. This is an outrageous statement, as the very poor are in dire straits, and the so called “safety net” is full of holes, and it is no fun to see the working poor struggle to make ends meet every day of their lives! But of course, many Americans, including Romney, would like to forget these people, as they are an inconvenient annoyance!

He is also not concerned about the very rich (like himself) as they don’t need government, a totally true statement, but showing how he can only relate to his own aristocratic class of citizens. But of course, the government must not take away any of the wealth from his class in the form of taxes!

Romney claims he is there for the middle class, but he has shown no evidence of concern, and seems to fail to realize that much of the middle class has become poor due to the policies and programs of the Republican Party for the twelve years they controlled Congress, and their unwillingness to do anything to help these people because it might help make Barack Obama look better.

Romney just shows how out of touch he is with reality, and to expect him to do anything economically in the next four years for the middle class is a hallucination, as his whole record shows he is only concerned with protecting his own, and other wealthy people’s, assets!

Even conservatives, who truly don’t care about anyone but the wealthy, have expressed shock and dismay that Romney actually said what he said. They may, quietly agree with his statement, but trying to be elected and making such statements is tantamount to suicide.

What Mitt Romney has done in one day is guarantee a longer battle for the Republican Presidential nomination, and more “red meat” for Barack Obama and his campaign to use against him. It is almost as if Mitt Romney has a “death wish”, and really does not want to be elected President of the United States!

Newt Gingrich’s History Of Smears, And His Self Righteous Smear Against John King Of CNN

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Anyone who investigates Newt Gingrich’s long career of twenty years in the House of Representatives, and his involvement in speeches, books, consultancy, and political action since his years in the House, knows that Newt is infamous for his use of political invective to the extreme–character assassination, heated language designed to inflame, innuendos, smears–really anything to gain his goal of “stirring the pot” to promote his own personal agenda.

Newt Gingrich has proved in action and in speech that he has no limits to his indecency, his willingness to destroy the opposition. He has absolutely no ethics, morals, or scruples, and yet he is able to “push the buttons” of ignorant people who will hang on his every word, because of his constant self promotion as an expert, as brilliant, as talented, as more educated and knowledgeable than anyone else. His erratic behavior has been noted even by fellow Republicans, including Rick Santorum in last night’s debate.

Gingrich has once again been, at least temporarily, successful in deflecting criticism of his personal life. He pursued Bill Clinton, but we cannot have the news media do the same to him without his self righteous indignation! He is willing to smear anyone who stands in his way.

To say that cheating on and divorcing two wives, the first with cancer, and the second with multiple sclerosis, is acceptable behavior, shows how crooked and corrupt many evangelical Christians are, who will not display an open mind toward Democrats, the poor, gay Americans, or women who choose to promote their own human rights against the male chauvinism of those who claim divine guidance!

As a result of his ability to manipulate people, Gingrich has now smeared John King of CNN for having the nerve to ask him about his infidelity. And as the audience turned against John King, it has now been revealed by John King that at the first rest break in the debate last night in South Carolina that he approached Gingrich, who was very friendly and warm. King said he was surprised that Gingrich would speak to someone who he called “despicable”, and Gingrich’s response was to smile, and to say that King knew what the game was all about, meaning make your point to gain support from the crowd. After the debate, Gingrich and his wife approached King and continued to be warm and friendly. This shows just how phony Gingrich is!

And when one thinks about it, Gingrich is the later generation of Richard Nixon, who loved to demonize the opposition throughout his career. And he is also the epitome of the “Big Lie” technique, that the more one tells lies, the more people will believe it!

When one thinks back in history, as to whom was the master of the “Big Lie”, one is sobered to realize it was Adolf Hitler!

Rick Santorum The Winner In CNN South Carolina Republican Debate

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has had a good day, as he was declared the winner of the Iowa Caucuses this morning, belatedly, by 34 votes over Mitt Romney.

And tonight, Rick Santorum put both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich on the defensive, with strong assaults on their backgrounds, records in office, and suitability to compete with Barack Obama in the fall, during the CNN South Carolina Presidential Debate.

Having been ignored much of the time in earlier debates, Santorum really shone in a way that makes trying to predict the order of finish in the South Carolina Primary this Saturday impossible to predict.

But Santorum, for all of his faults and shortcomings, impressed tonight, in the sense of taking his opponents on in an aggressive manner!

The “Last Stand” Of Jon Huntsman: New Hampshire Primary

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Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, seen by many political experts as easily the best candidate the Republican Party has to offer for President, has been languishing all along in the polls since his announcement in June of this year, usually with no more than three percent.

It is clear that he has little hope of doing well in Iowa or South Carolina, and is unlikely at this point to do well in Florida, but that reality COULD change IF Huntsman can follow through and win the New Hampshire primary on January 10, one month from now.

However, at present, in the latest polls from CNN, Huntsman scores only eight percent in New Hampshire, behind front runner Mitt Romney having 35 percent, Newt Gingrich having 26 percent, and Ron Paul 17 percent, meaning 78 percent of the voters are locked up at this point by Huntsman’s opponents.

It looks highly unlikely that Huntsman can recover, but if he does, it could affect Florida. If neither happens, Huntsman may as well look ahead to 2016, with him being the only candidate in the present race who could be seen as legitimate in 2016.