Video: Guess who’s out of favor now?
posted at 10:10 am on January 23, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
Just a year ago, media outlets like CNN praised and courted independent voters, both explicitly and implicitly as they ran endless stories about partisan bickering and bipartisan outreach — that inevitably focused on getting Republicans to vote with Democrats in Congress instead of the other way around. Suddenly, independents are “feathers in the breeze,” drama queens with a constant need for attention fixes, people who have no idea what they want and can’t articulate any principles at all. Tony Harris compares independents to people who take the Fifth in Congressional hearings, and clips in a portion of Tareq Salahi’s appearance on Capitol Hill this week to emphasize how weaselly Harris believes independents to be:
When did CNN’s treatment of independents change? Why, right after they stopped voting for Democrats. Instead of being post-partisan, common-sense, salt-of-the-earth voters who rejected the partisan sniping, suddenly they’re vapid, inarticulate, cowardly voters who demand to be courted.
So, independents …. how does it feel to be treated like Republicans and conservatives by the media?
Update: Jazz Shaw wonders why CNN wants to alienate the people who will decide the 2010 midterms.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2
1. Obama
2. Pelosi
3. Reid
4. MSDNC
5. CNN
6. The TSA
7. Eric Holder
8. The Health Care Bill
9. Labor Unions
10.Anyone and everything associated with the Political Left
ronnyraygun on January 23, 2010 at 11:24 AM
I wish the whole country would switch to “I”
Really freak out the ‘establishment’
bridgetown on January 23, 2010 at 11:26 AM
Eh that appeared to all be in good fun. I don’t see a need to be upset by this.
brandozilla on January 23, 2010 at 11:27 AM
by the way charles blow called indies a “mob” today.
rob verdi on January 23, 2010 at 11:28 AM
The liberal media has hitched it’s wagon to the flailing far left agenda, that is so unpopular with Majority of Americans Why? They are corporate owned……A Progressive is not a Liberal. CNN is shedding Democrat viewers too, everyone in the Democrat Party is not a far left progressive elitist loony. Bill O’Reilly has referred to the MSM as Big, Dumb, and Clumsy. I think he was being kind.
Dr Evil on January 23, 2010 at 11:28 AM
Priceless.
Okay, so they may be at least a little right about independents. But that just means they were a little wrong about them before. The turnaround is just naked in its display of bias.
(I’m betting the use of the word nekkid throws this comment into moderation)
There Goes The Neighborhood on January 23, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Well, you learn something new everyday! To wit:
The legislation that authorized the Interstate highway was only signed into law in early summer of 1956 and construction started later that summer. Ike must have gone on the biggest spending bender ever to have spent “billions” on the system by autumn of 1960. Many billions of dollars were spent on Interstate highways, but the overwhelming amount occurred after 1960. Try again.
ya2daup on January 23, 2010 at 11:32 AM
Reminds me of Peter Jennings sniffing that we had a hissy fit in Clinton’s first mid-term debacle.
jgapinoy on January 23, 2010 at 11:33 AM
CNN , tell the indies what you really think, it’ll smack em straight.
the_nile on January 23, 2010 at 11:33 AM
Cowardly Nasty Nincompoops? :D
capejasmine on January 23, 2010 at 11:35 AM
Trying to climb out of the Obama tank, eh?
Yeah. Good luck with that. CNN’s cred is gone.
Mew
acat on January 23, 2010 at 11:37 AM
Say now, that would really confuse them, I like it…
JusDreamin on January 23, 2010 at 11:38 AM
Bad bet, apparently. Oh well.
There Goes The Neighborhood on January 23, 2010 at 11:39 AM
DID ANYONE HEAR OBAMBI SPEAK IN OHIO??? HE WAS HUSTLING THE H1N1 VACCINE, HE REALLY DID SOUND LIKE THE VOODOO SNAKE OIL SALESMAN HE IS!!!
AMERICAN VETERAN on January 23, 2010 at 11:41 AM
Welcome to the party indys. How does it feel to be a racist!
conservnut on January 23, 2010 at 11:49 AM
That had to be one of the DUMBEST videos ever. For the host to make a comparison like that is of the utmost stupidity.
CWforFreedom on January 23, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Keep it up liberals, feed us your venom, show us your true nature. 2010 will benefit all the more from it.
Daemonocracy on January 23, 2010 at 11:54 AM
CNN is starved for ratings.
Kini on January 23, 2010 at 11:55 AM
The left and the MSM have the maturity level of a five year old…and I’m being generous.
jukin on January 23, 2010 at 11:56 AM
If the media is looking down at the “unruly mob”, then they must fancy themselves looking down from the towers of the castle.
They remind me of the fancy pants prince and his lover, “The expert warrior”, who never broke a nail from Braveheart.
Off with their heads. !Vivia la revolucion!
LA Conservative on January 23, 2010 at 11:56 AM
CNN, the Air America of television.
mossberg500 on January 23, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Harris is a raaaaaaaacist.
royzer on January 23, 2010 at 12:04 PM
CNN just doesn’t get it, or at least the commentator whose video was just displayed. Independents only get capitalized at the beginning of the sentence. They (myself included) are not affiliated with any of the two parties that have run this country into the ground and to the edge of bankruptcy. They get belittled because they simply will not wear a label, and thus confound the MSM; and it is fun to watch the apoplectic behavior of MSM commentators as they make feeble attemps to place them in a box.
oakland on January 23, 2010 at 12:14 PM
Since the majority of moderate democrats and Independants are now being drawn away to watch other make believe soap opera shows over some cable news networks, I’m afraid that the Liberal News Network programming directors have upped the ante’ a tad. The directors and producers are now telling their on air people to fully remove their masks and expose themselves with the “How do you like me now you disloyal boogerheaded Independants” mantra’s. Will it work? We’ll have to wait and see if the advertisers for Scott paper products and Kleenex open new accounts at the cable news networks to cover the returning no longer disloyal boogerheads.
Americannodash on January 23, 2010 at 12:34 PM
I hope all independents see this!
What strikes me is the delicious irony when he trumpets his ignorance saying independents don’t know what independents are. Nah, just idiots like this don’t know what independents are.
Did he even bother to ask anybody, “Hey, anybody? What do independents want?” Nah, that’d be journalism, and it would interfere with his sense of superiority. Can’t be elite without feeling elitist. Just wouldn’t be right.
Pablo Snooze on January 23, 2010 at 12:38 PM
Frankly, if you are not a lockstep liberal, in favor of whatever the flavor of the day is, then you are…nothing, in the liberal mindset.
Go ahead, and go after the “Indies” and the Right.
The day of reckoning is nigh…and the avenging angels in the form of registered voting US citizens are gathering.
And, from what I’ve seen, they ain’t happy with this Hopechangey nonsense.
coldwarrior on January 23, 2010 at 12:38 PM
Switching to “Independent” is the absolutely wrong thing to do. Last I checked, lots of MA dems and independents voted “R”. Purging RINOs and fielding Candidates who eat and breath core Conservative principles is the way to go. You know, just like Reagan did. Reagan is not known as the great “Independent” is he?
Bleed_thelizard on January 23, 2010 at 12:42 PM
Last I checked, the Repubs didn’t stop the massive deficits that we have now accumulated. Did they just not notice? Or were they too busy pretending to be conservatives to care?
oakland on January 23, 2010 at 12:46 PM
Sounds like projection to me.
DDT on January 23, 2010 at 12:47 PM
Well that was a dumb thing to do. Independents seem to control the way an election goes, why would you insult them? But that’s the way the libs are, not one bit useful, but they’re great at throwing insults and smears.
4shoes on January 23, 2010 at 12:50 PM
“Switching to “Independent” is the absolutely wrong thing to do.”
The Republican Party is just a political organization to get people elected. I am a libertarian leaning conservative, not a Republican. If the Republicans act like Democrats, they may not get my vote. If they appeal to my values, then they will get my vote. They have to earn it, I will no longer be taken advantage by the Washington political establishment, which in my mind, there is not much of a difference between the two parties.
LA Conservative on January 23, 2010 at 12:53 PM
The Great American Mugwump?:
Gov. Gary Johnson: “It would be a mistake for Republicans to view this as some sort of a mandate. I just see (voters having) a real disgust with those in office. It isn’t a shift to Republicans. It’s just, ‘Get whoever’s in there out.’”
Rae on January 23, 2010 at 12:56 PM
…and I was wondering if I were the only one who felt that way.
oakland on January 23, 2010 at 12:59 PM
He got a lot of good, thoughtful answers from indies, I wonder what kind of screwballs he is going to highlight.
Enkidu on January 23, 2010 at 1:00 PM
Petulant children!
“You better agree with me,
Or I’ll call you names!”
Haiku Guy on January 23, 2010 at 1:19 PM
I wonder why you don’t start a movement to call independents what they are. Moderates.
- The Cat
P.S. Evil evil moderates.
MirCat on January 23, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Charles Blow is a racist thug. Over 98% of those who voted for Brown were white, many of whom voted voted for Obama. “Mob” is liberal speak for an angry crowd of white people wearing sheets.
I can’t wait for Maureen Dowd’s interpretation of the Massachusetts election, hopefully she won’t take her meds for a few days and bless us with another histrionic,barren old maid rant about white men.
Speaking of white men, things look pretty damn good here in the USA, a country built and paid for in blood by old white men, when you take a look at Haiti, South Africa (hell any country in subSaharan Africa), Latin America, or if you are a woman in any of the “compassionate” Islamic countries.
IraqVet on January 23, 2010 at 1:56 PM
Wow, I’m shocked, shocked. More whining from the liberal left. Can’t be.
ranzofola on January 23, 2010 at 2:37 PM
CDC results for flu deaths from August 30 to Jan 9 is 1779 well below seasonal averages. So much for the 90,000 projected way back when.
chemman on January 23, 2010 at 2:45 PM
You paint with way too broad of a brush. I’m an independent because the GOP left me in the early 2000′s.
BTW I am a Fiscal Con, Small Government Con, National Defense Con and Social Con.
chemman on January 23, 2010 at 2:48 PM
Independents aren’t Nazis and racists, well, not mostly. That is Republicans.
However, I think a lot of indies are clinging to guns and Bibles or are even “typical white people” and you know how they are
IlikedAUH2O on January 23, 2010 at 3:02 PM
O…kay. If you want their votes, court them! Sugar them rather than vinegar them.
Maybe this is why Fox has the lead.
unclesmrgol on January 23, 2010 at 3:05 PM
There is only poverty due to white exploitation.
Statehood for Haiti NOW!
And DC, too.
Four more Senators!
IlikedAUH2O on January 23, 2010 at 3:06 PM
CNN’s management is a bunch of morons. They could have been the middle of the road option. You have msnbc on the left and fox on the right. So instead of doing the obvious and being the middle network, CNN went hard left too.
Which is stupid for 2 reasons. You lose all credibility from right viewers. And as a leftie given the choice between CNN and msnbc, you go with the far far far left network over the just far left network.
Which leaves CNN with nobody.
angryed on January 23, 2010 at 3:07 PM
I don’t think so. At least with respect to Republicans being Nazis and racists. Most Nazis won’t have anything to do with the Republicans due to their civil rights record, and any party which says that race should have nothing to do with how an individual is treated by the government certainly isn’t racist by my book.
unclesmrgol on January 23, 2010 at 3:08 PM
It’s so nice to see that CNN guy laughing again. He was so upset when Rio was selected over Chicago for The Olympics, I thought he might not make it. I have a feeling he is in for a very upsetting November.
redwhiteblue on January 23, 2010 at 3:17 PM
I’m also wondering what a gate-crasher to a Presidential state dinner, standing in the docket and being abused by a Democratic operative, has anything to do with being independent. Personally, I’d take the 5th in front of Pascrell myself.
And the Salahi’s did have a position that day:
Those words must have truly warmed Mr. Pascrell’s heart.
unclesmrgol on January 23, 2010 at 3:23 PM
Well Evil Anyway GRIN.
Dr Evil on January 23, 2010 at 3:46 PM
I’ll drink to that!!!!
BTW–TXUS–check your facebook…
lovingmyUSA on January 23, 2010 at 3:55 PM
CABLE NEWS RACE
TUES. JAN. 19, 2010
ELECTION NIGHT
O’Reilly and Hannity by themselves,lay waste to CNN,MSNBC
total line up combined!!!……
Well the networks that have been demonizing anyone who dares to question Obama or go against his policies seem to have one thing in common……..
…………they are getting their a$$es kicked by the network that actually provides objective news in conjunction with conservative,factual commentary.
…keep up the good work liberal activists….
…..it’s a lot easier,and quite hilarious, watching you sink your own ship.
Baxter Greene on January 23, 2010 at 4:02 PM
The only problem is that no one watches CNN–the indies don’t know they’ve been dissed!! *Sigh…
lovingmyUSA on January 23, 2010 at 4:10 PM
Who cares? It is absolutely fReaking awesomely AWESOME. I hope CNN and MSNBC continue to make fun of me and my ilk. PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE continue to call us teabagging racist angry bitter homophobic bible-thumping masturabtors. All it does is drive me and those who are like-minded into the loving, welcoming arms of FoxNews where me and my peeps get actual information.
Keep. On. Talking.
HUA!
JustTruth101 on January 23, 2010 at 5:19 PM
Maybe toni should look at what independents are voting for instead of being blinded by the glimmer of his nose ring.
oakpack on January 23, 2010 at 6:57 PM
CABLE NEWS RACE
TUES. JAN. 19, 2010
ELECTION NIGHT
FOXNEWS HANNITY 6,809,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 6,399,000
FOXNEWS O’REILLY 5,228,000
FOXNEWS BECK 3,446,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 3,338,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 3,241,000
CNN KING 1,681,000
CNN COOPER 1,508,000
CNN BROWN 1,308,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,274,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,236,000
CNN BLITZER 1,135,000
CNNHN BEHAR 845,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 798,000
Baxter Greene…You seemed to have left out toni’s show. By the way, what is the name of his show?
oakpack on January 23, 2010 at 7:00 PM
I registered (at 18) as a Democrat because in the South that is what you did. A big plus was: being registered could get you out of jail on minor offenses for a buck. That didn’t affect how or who I voted for .
Flash forward a few (O.K. more than a few) years and the last voter registration card I filled out didn’t ask for affiliation–hence I’m an Independent.
I now swim silently beneath the D and R radars forming my own opinions without the junk mail every couple of years from being on someone’s “list”.
gstep58 on January 23, 2010 at 7:37 PM
Tony Harris is snarky and annoying. Go away talking head.
RobCon on January 23, 2010 at 7:48 PM
Here is the answer to your question, Jazz. CNN does not consider themselves to be alienating these voters. They think they’re cajoling them. And maybe it will work. Unlike us right-wing troglodytes, independents/moderates care what the media and other people think about them. They want to be liked and they want to be believe in popular things. They want to be “with it”. They are fickle and impressionable.
chris999 on January 23, 2010 at 8:15 PM
Correction: I don’t think all independents think this way. Just the ones who voted for Obama.
chris999 on January 23, 2010 at 8:18 PM
The black journalists and TV anchors that white liberals choose – like this guy and Charles Blow – are just peas in a pod. All alike. What a bore.
chris999 on January 23, 2010 at 8:23 PM
Because they’re already convinced that indies will skewer them in November no matter what.
And I think they’re right.
HondaV65 on January 23, 2010 at 11:13 PM
I am not an independent, but if I were, I would want snotty Harris and CNN just gone. Poof! Gone. By the way, I am neither a republican or a democrat. I am a realist. That makes me mostly a republican but usually right of republicans. These days “real” anything is in very short supply. So I belong to the School of the Real. Is a given something real? Is it true? That is the School of the Real.
I am Sherman1864 and I belong to the School of the Real. You wanna join, come to a meeting. Tell the truth to the best of your knowledge, admit gaps in your knowledge and be willing to let others fill those gaps. If you don`t agree, get a book or go on the Net and research it good. And you gotta have a sense of humor. Not be all serious as a front for the fact that you know practically nothing.
I can tell you liberals other than Classical Liberals do not last long before they are politely asked to leave the premises. Illiberals will out quickly. Regardless, those with open minds are welcome. Harris need not apply. Some CNNers may find themselves getting a real education so I urge them to give us a try.
Sherman1864 on January 24, 2010 at 12:20 AM
To quote Barry, “let’s be clear.” And honest. There is plenty of snark on HA directed at independent voters. We get too warm-and-fuzzy about the dreaded RINO’s. And what’s our alternative? We don’t like the left’s love affair with big government, but we don’t like the right’s obsession with social issues. Here in New England, the only kind of Republican that can get elected is a RINO. Personally, I miss Chris Shays, as do my “independent voter” friends. Damn RINO.
Well, he was miles better than the Democratic tool who now represents us (to use the term loosely), just as Scott Brown was far superior to Martha Coakley. I expect the conservative purity brigade to turn on Brown in 3…2…1…
Meredith on January 24, 2010 at 5:22 AM
Meredith,
Most “independents” are “independent” because they have no core beliefs, so the only thing they have to base their vote on is which candidate sounds best (some even vote on good looks – isn’t that special). They sway in the wind with the current breeze.
It seems they’ve “swayed” in our direction for now, and hopefully will keep leaning right through November. But don’t assume anything when it comes to someone who doesn’t truly understand the word “principle”. They may be great to have a beer with, but half the time they’ll cancel out your vote. And give us “hopenchange”.
Oh, and Meredith? For Massachusetts Brown is as good as we could ever expect. We’ll be happy enough, assuming he is who he appears to be.
Squiggy on January 24, 2010 at 7:28 AM
“Most “independents” are “independent” because they have no core beliefs”
Speaking for myself, I am an Independent because no party represents my complete core beliefs, and I’d rather keep my core beliefs intact, rather than have to compromise them like a partisan, in order to stand behind a party. This is why your assertion is exactly false.
LA Conservative on January 24, 2010 at 1:04 PM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2