The best blog piece I've read in the past week is Sanity 102's remembrance of 9/11. You can find it at: http://outsideofthebox.townhall.com/
In the week of September 17 (today) through September 23, I'm going to write about a variety of political issues and personalities.
One of the my subjects (see the previous column) will be Track Palin, Sarah's 18-year-old son who has enlisted in the U.S. Army. Adam Brickely, the brilliant young political analyst and operative, has written (on http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/) that he doesn't believe it's proper to discuss elected official's children. I understand his point, and in fact I believe that Gov. Palin -- who refuses to comment on (publicize) Track's decision -- probably agreed with Adam.
However, since this is my year to be disagreeable, I'm going to take a different approach. One blogger (Hartford, CT independent journalists) has asked why Barbara and Jenna Bush aren't in the military, if the WOT is as critical as their dad says. Some bloggers and old media journalists have asked similar questions about Mitt Romney's five boys, especially given their father's constant emphasis on the centrality of the WOT.
I believe those questions are quite appropriate. I don't think it's going to happen, but I'd recommend that George Bush and Mitt Romney suggest that their children follow Track Palin's lead. If the future of our civilization rests largely on the shoulders of American fighting men and women, then elected officials' children shouldn't be "sitting out" the war.
George Bush's daughters played significant roles in one of their father's campaign: 2004. Romney's five boys have campaigned hard for him several times, and with their "FiveBrothers" site are big factors in his presidential race.
Frankly, the number of children of top federal and state officials in the military is pitifully low. There are 535 members of Congress and 50 Governors, and the number of their offspring current in the military is about five. (It might be six -- I'm still checking.) Whatever the exact number, it's disgracefully low.
The chances of one of Ted Kennedy's offspring or relatives joining the military is about the equivalent of their setting up a memorial at Chappaquidick. The one liberal with a child in the military is Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia. There are no others, and the chances of there being another one are close to zero.
Another subject I'll discuss is CNN's "Howard Kurtz Show" that appears on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. There's no evidence that the show -- supposedly designed to examine media reporting and analysis -- is anything other than an exercise in left-wing manipulation of viewers.
Today's show featured a discussion of liberal and media criticism of Gen. David Petraeus. The guests included one (moderate) conservative: David Frum of National Review Online. It also had one center-left person, Ann Compton, of ABC News. It also had two extreme liberals, Jamie MacIntyre of CNN and the thoroughly obnoxious Arianna Huffington of "The Huffington Post."
Kurtz -- himself a liberal who never does anything to offend the Beltway-View-of-Life -- generally has one conservative on to "balance" the usual Huffington-type liberals. In fact, the conservative guest (sometimes it's Mary Katharine Ham of Townhall, sometimes Debra Saunders of the San Francisco Chronicle) functions as a fig-leaf to cover programs that are relentlessly liberal in their outlook.
This week I'll focus on Arianna Huffington, who blog Technorati ranks as the 5th-most-popular in the blogosphere. My own blog is far superior to Huffington's frankly, but I draw perhaps as one-hundredth of one percent of the visitors she generates.
My blog is center-right but often criticizes officials and commentators who are themselves conservative. I regularly point out where conservatives are taking positions that might pay short-term political dividends but cause major long-term problems. Ms. Huffington is far-left and never criticizes liberals -- except, occasionally, for not being liberal enough.
In Arianna's blog, you're never going to read a discouraging word about the "Kurtz" show. On my blog, you're going to read exactly that. On "The Huffington Post," the only material you're going to read about Rudy Giuliani will consist of personal attacks. On this blog, you'll read about Rudy's 50-state-strategy and what it means for the future of the Republican Party.
The "Huffington Post" attracts millions of visitors. Unless they're going there only to get their "left-wing fix," they'd be much better off visiting me (and other quality blogs).
Stephen R. Maloney
Showing posts with label CNN "Weekend Morning". Show all posts
Showing posts with label CNN "Weekend Morning". Show all posts
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Presidential Politics and CNN
Note: I've written a lot in recent week about candidate Mike Huckabee. I'm going to sit back for awhile and see how his campaign evolves (if it does in fact evolve). In early October, we'll see how he did in fundraising -- he must raise at least $4-$5 million to remain an effective candidate. As for Mitt Romney, his fundraising dropped by $6 million in the second quarter (to a still impressive $14 million). Romney's "unfavorables" are quite high, and he needs to overcome that by spending large amounts of money -- and by being very consistent (for a change) in his statements about social issues. Giuliani's unfavorables are very low compared to Romney's, and "America's Mayor" still looks like the man to beat. Fred Thompson launched his campaign and, rather than taking off, it seems to have landed with a large thud. McCain's national number have gone up in the past month, but he MUST win NH to remain a viable candidate. Hunter, Brownback, Tancredo, and Paul are finished, although they may not be aware that they're "Dead Men Walking." Paul "wins" all the online polls but stays steady at about 2% in the real surveys. As I've suggested before, Mike Huckabee's strong supporters in the evangelical and home-school movements have him hog-tied him when it comes to broadening his appeal.
"We've all probably been surveilled in Vegas . . . doing something or other." -- T.J. Holmes (CNN Weekend)Holmes
T. J. "Why did the chicken cross the street?"
Betty Nguyen (CNN Weekend): "To get to the other side, right?"
T. J. "Oh, I thought it was because there was a Starbucks over there."
On CNN's "Weekend Morning" show, the two anchors are very different people. T. J. Holmes, an African-American, is the ultimate in what used to be called "coolness." The female host is Betty Nguyen (Nah-win), an Asian (Vietnamese) and Anglo person who mentioned once that she speaks on the phone to her mother "every day."
Her mother should be very proud of Betty's ability and fairness, as T. J.'s family should be proud of their son. She comes across as the combination cheerleader/class valedictorian while his image is that of the high-school quarterback who was -- perhaps semi-secretly -- also a very good student.
T. J. flirts regularly with the very attractive (and relentlessly capable) Betty. At one point he asked her if she liked to drink his favorite beverage, "malt liquor" (beer), and she reacted as if he'd asked her if she liked the taste of possum.
Holmes and Nguyen both present the news objectively and fairly -- without any of the bias and manipulation characteristic of many other CNN people. T. J.'s and Betty's "agendas" are to give viewers the news as well as possible.
For about six weeks recently, Betty was absent from the show. She was in Africa, doing a series of programs about that continent. In one episode, African children flocked around her, intuitively recognizing her friendliness and approachability.
When she returned to "Weekend Morning" last weekend, T. J. said the following. "Betty, welcome back. While you were gone, one woman after another sat in for you. And I want you to know one thing."
Betty looked at him expectantly, and T. J. said: "All those women who sat here in your chair . . . meant absolutely NOTHING to me."
Betty smiled demurely.
These two terrific young people have unlimited potential. Watch them go!
Stephen R. Maloney
Ambridge, PA
T. J. and Betty present the news honestly and accurately, as does Kiran Chetry during the work-week. Kyra Phillips in the afternoon is a serious journalist and, when she was in Iraq, did some of the best stories I've ever seen from that country.
But who are the CNN people you should avoid because they tend toward Leftist manipulation?
Arwa Damon, the network's regular correspondent in Iraq, traditionally has been awful. She's an Arab who acts as if she's personally outraged by the presence of "infidels" (Americans) in Iraq. Ms. Damon should be ashamed of herself, but shame doesn't seem to be her strong suit.
John Roberts on the CNN "Morning Show" has a history pf skewing news. He's the only journalist in the Western World who tried (unsuccessfully) to defend John Edwards' $400 haircut. ("He was running late. It was after-hours and he had to pay time-and-a-half," etc.)
Wolf Blitzer ("Dunderhead and Blitzen") is nothing short of horrible. During the first Gulf War he announced after the first night's bombing that "The [Iraqi] Republican Guard has been decimated!" At the time, the Republican Guard had about six divisions, and they had NOT been decimated.
William Schneider may be the absolute worst of the CNN crew. He reports mainly on political statistics, and he never misses an opportunity to say that things are going from bad to worst for Republicans. Schneider never ever departs from Beltway platitudes, and he has no business being on serious news shows.
Richard Ware, a CNN correspondent in Iraq (and at one point in Lebanon) has absolutely no understanding of what the War in Iraq is about. If al Qaeda in Iraq conducts suicide bombings that kill 500 members of a religious sect, Ware doesn't get even mildly disconcerted. He would fit in fine on Al-Jazeera. He's the one who reportedly hecked John McCain at a press conference.
A mass firing (but not of T. J., Betty, Kyra, and Heidi Collins) would make CNN a much better news network.
"We've all probably been surveilled in Vegas . . . doing something or other." -- T.J. Holmes (CNN Weekend)Holmes
T. J. "Why did the chicken cross the street?"
Betty Nguyen (CNN Weekend): "To get to the other side, right?"
T. J. "Oh, I thought it was because there was a Starbucks over there."
On CNN's "Weekend Morning" show, the two anchors are very different people. T. J. Holmes, an African-American, is the ultimate in what used to be called "coolness." The female host is Betty Nguyen (Nah-win), an Asian (Vietnamese) and Anglo person who mentioned once that she speaks on the phone to her mother "every day."
Her mother should be very proud of Betty's ability and fairness, as T. J.'s family should be proud of their son. She comes across as the combination cheerleader/class valedictorian while his image is that of the high-school quarterback who was -- perhaps semi-secretly -- also a very good student.
T. J. flirts regularly with the very attractive (and relentlessly capable) Betty. At one point he asked her if she liked to drink his favorite beverage, "malt liquor" (beer), and she reacted as if he'd asked her if she liked the taste of possum.
Holmes and Nguyen both present the news objectively and fairly -- without any of the bias and manipulation characteristic of many other CNN people. T. J.'s and Betty's "agendas" are to give viewers the news as well as possible.
For about six weeks recently, Betty was absent from the show. She was in Africa, doing a series of programs about that continent. In one episode, African children flocked around her, intuitively recognizing her friendliness and approachability.
When she returned to "Weekend Morning" last weekend, T. J. said the following. "Betty, welcome back. While you were gone, one woman after another sat in for you. And I want you to know one thing."
Betty looked at him expectantly, and T. J. said: "All those women who sat here in your chair . . . meant absolutely NOTHING to me."
Betty smiled demurely.
These two terrific young people have unlimited potential. Watch them go!
Stephen R. Maloney
Ambridge, PA
T. J. and Betty present the news honestly and accurately, as does Kiran Chetry during the work-week. Kyra Phillips in the afternoon is a serious journalist and, when she was in Iraq, did some of the best stories I've ever seen from that country.
But who are the CNN people you should avoid because they tend toward Leftist manipulation?
Arwa Damon, the network's regular correspondent in Iraq, traditionally has been awful. She's an Arab who acts as if she's personally outraged by the presence of "infidels" (Americans) in Iraq. Ms. Damon should be ashamed of herself, but shame doesn't seem to be her strong suit.
John Roberts on the CNN "Morning Show" has a history pf skewing news. He's the only journalist in the Western World who tried (unsuccessfully) to defend John Edwards' $400 haircut. ("He was running late. It was after-hours and he had to pay time-and-a-half," etc.)
Wolf Blitzer ("Dunderhead and Blitzen") is nothing short of horrible. During the first Gulf War he announced after the first night's bombing that "The [Iraqi] Republican Guard has been decimated!" At the time, the Republican Guard had about six divisions, and they had NOT been decimated.
William Schneider may be the absolute worst of the CNN crew. He reports mainly on political statistics, and he never misses an opportunity to say that things are going from bad to worst for Republicans. Schneider never ever departs from Beltway platitudes, and he has no business being on serious news shows.
Richard Ware, a CNN correspondent in Iraq (and at one point in Lebanon) has absolutely no understanding of what the War in Iraq is about. If al Qaeda in Iraq conducts suicide bombings that kill 500 members of a religious sect, Ware doesn't get even mildly disconcerted. He would fit in fine on Al-Jazeera. He's the one who reportedly hecked John McCain at a press conference.
A mass firing (but not of T. J., Betty, Kyra, and Heidi Collins) would make CNN a much better news network.
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