Gallup: Americans’ distrust of the media hits a new high
posted at 11:21 am on September 21, 2012 by Erika Johnsen
Whaaaaat? The American public is growing increasingly suspicious that they’re being fed a steady stream of waffle by a media establishment that does everything within its power to not only play up Romney’s “gaffes,” but to tell us in advance exactly how we should feel about them and to steamroll over President Obama’s failures, all while more or less glossing over the disastrous goings-on of the world at large? What is the world coming to! From Gallup:
Americans’ distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004. …
This year’s decline in media trust is driven by independents and Republicans. The 31% and 26%, respectively, who express a great deal or fair amount of trust are record lows and are down significantly from last year. Republicans’ level of trust this year is similar to what they expressed in the fall of 2008, implying that they are especially critical of election coverage.
Not surprisingly, when broken down by party, Democrats place the greatest trust in the mainstream media with 58 percent feeling a-okay with their news coverage, but only 26 percent of Republicans do. What is interesting, though, is that after independents’ trust in the media fell below the 50-percent mark in 2004, it’s only continued on a downward trajectory, and only 31 of independents today are feeling good about about the media painting a fair, accurate, and complete picture of the current political scene.
What has me really raising my eyebrow (the left one, to be specific), however, is how people replied to the question of whether or not they’re paying particularly close to this presidential-election news cycle.
48 percent of Republicans are following presidential politics closely, but only 39 percent of Democrats are. So, in conjunction with yesterday’s study suggesting that only 15 percent of Democrats believe that recent economic news is mostly poor, and if Democrats are really leading Republicans in the enthusiasm contest… Help me out here, folks: Are the more committed members of the Democratic faithful just in straight-up denial? Kind of like, oh, maybe a media establishment that skews unabashedly liberal and is hell-bent on constantly jabbing the public with less-than-subtle suggestions that Romney-voters should be discouraged and that President Obama has this in the bag? Is reality no longer of any consequence?
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Tell me about it. Did you hear about T-Paw’s “abrupt departure” from Team Romney as its co-chair to take a job k-street as a lobbyist for financial interests? You would think that T-Paw could easily score a cabinet position in a Romney presidency only T-Paw no longer believes that Romney will win, nor does he even believe he’ll be able to cash Romney’s checks when the balloon finally goes up.
Funny how Romney failed to release one of those “Hey, we love him, he’ll be missed, we wish him the best of luck” press releases. Funny how T-Paw didn’t even bother with the usual “I need to spend time with my family” alibi. Funny. Funny. Funny, honey.
But we can still turn this ship of fools around and win this thing for the Romney! All we need is faith, trust, and pixie dust.
casuist on September 21, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Speaking of distrust…
CNN making Libya connection to YouTube right now.
faraway on September 21, 2012 at 12:09 PM
There’s a user account here with ID “Bishop” who is well respected and has a long-term history of commenting, AND, used to be the first poster in comments on a frequent basis.
That account ALSO took to intervening at some point when there were arguments breaking out in comments sections.
Others here (including me) took to writing “Bishop!” when we found the “first” place in as-yet-uncommented-upon posts to just joke about the real Bishop along these lines or in this general atmoshpere as to meaning:
“we beat Bishop to the first place,”
and/or “instead of ‘first,’ write ‘Bishop’” (because the site discouraged people from writing “first” as the first comment),
AND, later, it became a “call to action” to forewarn against the inevitable Liberal comments that would follow (thus, “calling out for ‘Bishop’ first because it was assumed that the arguments would inevitably ensue).
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:09 PM
It took Gsllup to tell us this?
Old Country Boy on September 21, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Something like this?
PatriotGal2257 on September 21, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Republican (48%) = dark green, Independent (33%) = light green, Democrats (39%) = pisss yellow.
The War Planner on September 21, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Maybe T-Paw can be of good use from where he’s now relocated.
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:11 PM
I actually have a friend who has a mounted jackalope in the Great Room of her bed and breakfast.
Rio Linda Refugee on September 21, 2012 at 12:12 PM
OT: Alex Wagner can’t be a Dem. She’s too hot.
faraway on September 21, 2012 at 12:12 PM
.
.
Erika – UE perfectly illustrates the denial for you.
PolAgnostic on September 21, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Too true. Team Romney is a lost cause, and crying about it won’t bring it back. Time to concentrate on the Senate that we may no longer win or the House that we may lose because of the “rolling calamity” of Team Romney’s campaign performance to date. You do what you can with what you have.
casuist on September 21, 2012 at 12:14 PM
The Obamabots will follow Dear Leader right over a cliff. And then blame Republicans for putting the cliff there in the first place.
GarandFan on September 21, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Hopefully with what Roger Ailes is doing at Fox News, and the advent of internet journalism, more conservatives go into journalism and at some point the playing field levels off.
However, up until that point, these numbers will continue because the media is a joke. And the sad thing is that they dont even see it.
For example, take BusinessInsider. On a daily basis they run like 30 negative stories about Romney and say nothing bad about Obama (granted, there is nothing bad to say about Obama, ever/ The man is simply perfect.). Today, they posted that Gallup poll result (which is no longer on the main page), on which several people commented that BI is part of the problem. What did they respond with? A post with some obscure newspaper in Florida hammering Romney. This just exemplifies how clueless the media is. They post the article, and dont even think about how they are part of the problem. And because of their bias, people lose more and more respect for them.
As another example, take the NYT. When Drudge links to their articles, the articles explode in popularity because conservatives and independents flock there. Otherwise, they get their usual liberal readers. Well, as a business that seeks to make money, how do they not see the correlation between added views from conservative readers and the need to try to be balanced. They should want to make as much money as they can, yet their bias is so engrained that they cant even see how that bias prevents them from maximizing profits.
And that is why the Gallup number shows what it shows.
milcus on September 21, 2012 at 12:17 PM
…I know that!…I was asking you if they were new…have not seen those names…and you have been here longer.
The septic has been backing up quicker and more often since the conventions.
KOOLAID2 on September 21, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Not what I meant, “casuist”.
Romney’s not a “lost cause” and obviously T-Paw (and Romney) are intelligent people who are aware of what they’re doing and why, particularly as to the economy and financials.
T-Pay relocating to a lobbying group suggests there’s work to be done there that Romney-trusts-TPaw to manage. Only a Liberal would “interpret” that action as something “lost” instead of constructive.
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Are critical thinking skills no longer used? Who do you think built those roads and bridges? Or I should say who paid for it? Those very same businesses through massive taxes levied upon them.
Capitalist Infidel on September 21, 2012 at 12:19 PM
..while meant for the Cenozoic era HG registrants, this relation of the history and tradition of this venerable bastion of right-wing truth and justice is welcome to we Mesozoic (c. 2007) joiners as well.
Keep it coming! For example, has rogerb always been the wonderfully prescient archivist he is now — dropping those absolutely embarrassing blasts from the past at precisely the most inopportune times? When did QOTD evolve into the besotted, enjoyable free-for-all it is today?
(I wonder if anyone has contemplated writing a Field Guide to Posting on HG or something like that?)
The War Planner on September 21, 2012 at 12:20 PM
ROFL! That’s hilarious!
I want one.
PatriotGal2257 on September 21, 2012 at 12:20 PM
T-Paw relocating…
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Well, what we have here is a flaw in Gallops methodology. It looks like they’re gauging enthusiasm by asking, “are you enthused, yes/no?”
The problem with that is anybody can, “SAY,” they’re enthused polls rather cater to the, “the lazy man.” You don’t have to do anything to say you’re enthused, but if you’re not following the race daily, not discussing the race with friends, and not making yourself a part of the hope-n-change hype machine, chances are you aren’t that enthused.
WolvenOne on September 21, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Obamas lead in all polls over the last month works out to 47%. You can’t win with that.
jazzmo on September 21, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Lots of sites and shops sell Jackalopes mounted on placques for wall-display. The Jackalope is a Southwest humor legend, usually aimed at people from elsewhere who come there and start ‘askin’ questions’ that only someone from somewhere else would ask. So the joke goes, ‘you send em on a Jackalope hunt’.
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:22 PM
Excellently Articulated, Perfesser! You must have been an Englsih Major at the junior college you gradiated from.
Please define “large accurate and effective established news media”.
Are you perhaps referring to CNN’s falsely accusing the US of dropping nerve gas on Laotian civilians, or CNN covering up Saddam Hussein’s atrocities against his own citizens for a decade, or CNN’s CEO being forced to resign in disgrace after he falsely accused US troops of murdering Iraqi journalists?
Or are you talking about Newsweak spiking the story about a sitting pResident engaging in adultery in the workplace with a female subordinate young enough to be his daughter?
You might also be referring to C-BS “News” happily running a “news story” based on forged documents in order to try and influence the outcome of a Presidential election.
EPIC FAIL
Also the stupidest thing you have ever posted here.
Del Dolemonte on September 21, 2012 at 12:22 PM
he did release one. I read it. I don’t remember were i saw it. maybe politico?
gerrym51 on September 21, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Maybe we can now include “send ‘em on a Jackalope Hunt”…
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:24 PM
The noting of EITHER side D or R trusting the LSMrs at any percentage above 10% (and I’m being generous) only serves to blatantly (and sadly) display the ongoing and seemingly never ending “dumbing down” of America………….these fools likely cannot even SPELL ‘Journalism’ much LESS define it accurately
Katfish on September 21, 2012 at 12:24 PM
So the Team Romney’s many failures are all just a part of the plan. I’m just not seeing the big picture. I’m just not well enough positioned to experience the awesomeness of the grand design. This may look like cowardly rats jumping the listing garbage scow of a sinking ship to mere mortals with scales on their eyes. But to the elect chosen few this is actually a mighty victory of subtlety and subterfuge to throw the wolves off the scent or something.
This would probably make more sense to me were I taking whatever drugs you’re taking to dull your critical faculties.
Seriously? Because Romney runs the k-street lobbbying firm too?
casuist on September 21, 2012 at 12:26 PM
No, what’s FUNNY is that someone would think Romney and T-Paw can’t or won’t be in contact just because T-Paw has relocated from campaign staff to lobbyist associate. I think Romney (and T-Paw) understand how to use a telephone and keypad. Throw some hand-signals in there if need be, I’m sure both of them can handle all of that, no need to “be missed” and make “farewell” announcements.
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:26 PM
47%…….hmn…..I know I have heard that number thrown around lately……can’t recall where.
VegasRick on September 21, 2012 at 12:26 PM
“casuist” is serious! Seriously!
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Actually you’re right. He did. You can read excerpts of it here: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/pawlenty-quits-romney-campaign-co-chair-132022573–election.html
casuist on September 21, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Must read. Excellent comment from an insider. And I nominate Ms. Coulter to head up an internet news hub for straight-shooting reporters: citizen, professional, conservative or liberal as long they report.
Sites like Drudge’s are indispensable because he gets stories out there that otherwise would be buried, and the sheer concantenation of linked stories manages to add up to something approaching actual reportage of events– the clever arrangement of which provide Drudge’s own insight and commentary.
Sites like this one encourage a lot of sharing and digging up of undisseminated information leading to the same result.
But what’s needed is a one-stop-shopping site where raw or modestly-edited reportage of all kinds of stories are linked, Drudge-like, as an alternative to the utterly unreliable universe of “information” provided by the traditional media.
That, and someone needs to buy a mainstream broadcast outlet like NBC. Had I the prescience to purchase Newsweek for a dollar I’d have done that… except the brand was already so degraded that it wasn’t even worth that.
de rigueur on September 21, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Now that first paragraph, that right there was one healthy dose of snark! Well done! What they probably think tho, is that ALL of the deception and lies come from one channel…Fox News.
scalleywag on September 21, 2012 at 12:29 PM
*laughs* Um, saying Ed Schultz is a straight shooter and totally unbiased is essentially a /sarc tag.
Nethicus on September 21, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Heap Funny, Kemosabe!
You really need Axelrod to pay you more.
Tomahawk-
Del Dolemonte on September 21, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Total lack of perception duly noted.
F-
Del Dolemonte on September 21, 2012 at 12:31 PM
We call it ‘bishing’ in reference to that jackalope Bishop Q. Bishop.
Rio Linda Refugee on September 21, 2012 at 12:35 PM
From another thread:
ABC news trying a token truth telling?
Chip on September 21, 2012 at 12:36 PM
yo discredit the imperfect but large accurate and effective established news media
urbane effetist on September 21, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Nope, we discredit your Idiocy in posting that Opinion.
ToddPA on September 21, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Except that he did. Wow, the Leftist Stupid is strong in this thread.
Don’t you Leftists read the Puffington Host? I don’t, because I get allergic smellink hay.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/tim-pawlenty-bank-lobbyist-mitt-romney_n_1899774.html
F-
Del Dolemonte on September 21, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Funny how you don’t see King Gold, Moesart, or the other Usual Suspects around here pimping Romney as the New Jesus who will conquer all before him and beating up on Palin and other “TrueCons”.
Seems they’ve sort drunk a huge cup of Shut The F**k Up now that we’re finding out what a deada$$ candidate Governor Marmalarde has become.
Palin was right all along.
victor82 on September 21, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Don’t worry, I just kicked our stupid friend’s getalife into low Earth orbit by actually citing Romney’s statement, as reported by HuffPo. Even included the linkee.
Del Dolemonte on September 21, 2012 at 12:42 PM
You really need to rub your 2 brain cells together before you type.
Del Dolemonte on September 21, 2012 at 12:44 PM
Noting the predictable, ugly and stupid reference to “drugs” t here, casuist. Surely , if you ARE “serious,” you can express yourself without trying to despicably smear someone else on the internet?
Because your irresponsible language there suggests it’s YOU who is under the influence. The Smear Campaigning just doesn’t work, I’m sorry for you that you haven’t noticed.
RELATED:
If you are like most people, you are worried about the direction of the country, and for good reason. Calling the current economic situation a “recovery” is an insult. The government has failed to address important matters such as taxes, spending, and debt. American embassies across the Muslim world are under siege. The situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating, Putin just ejected USAID from Russia, and China and Japan are hurtling towards conflict. The candidates agree: This election is a choice between two futures. You get to say which path you would prefer in a little over a month.
Just kidding! The election is over, and Mitt Romney lost. He’s toast; his goose is cooked; put a fork in him he’s done; he’s yesterday’s news. Disagree? That’s too bad. The American media have made up their minds. And on this they are certain: Barack Obama is a lock for reelection. They may not be sure when Romney lost exactly—was it his trip to England, Israel, and Poland? Was it the Clint Eastwood speech at the RNC? Was it Romney’s response to the attacks on our embassies in Benghazi and Cairo? Was it his leaked remarks on government dependency? The exact date doesn’t matter. What matters is that the chorus has spoken. The politburo has decided. A consensus has been reached. Romney will lose, and the only question is by how much. The voters might as well stay at home.
The conceited arrogance with which our most sophisticated and well-schooled editors, writers, and journalists voice this conclusion makes it that much more annoying. Their eagerness to judge Romney a failure is not only premature but also erodes whatever credibility they had left. Indeed, the ridiculous manner in which the political press has covered the 2012 campaign suggests that “bias” is no longer a suitable description of the character of the media establishment. “Partisan toadies” may be a better one. “Obama’s army” is another.
Here is where the campaign actually stands. The Real Clear Politics average of polls has President Obama in the lead with 48 percent of the vote, and Mitt Romney close behind with 45 percent. That is a tight race, with less than seven weeks before Election Day. The fundamentals, moreover, seem not to have changed much at all, despite hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising. Americans remain disappointed in Obama’s job performance while liking him personally, but recent history and Romney’s personal and political nebulousness make them reluctant to embrace the challenger.
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:46 PM
No one is that goofy? Try looking at Carney. Now that’s goofy!!!
logicman_1998 on September 21, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Yet still our dauntless GOP leaders are unwilling to take them on.
What do you want, Republicans, permissions slips from your mommies?
rrpjr on September 21, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Exactly all 3 paragraphs are right on. It’s the New Media where the news is now and sites like HA that thru links provided we are informed.
Great comments!!
bluefox on September 21, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Hhey, Rio Linda, we’re not all of the Hive Mind here.
Though I thank you for explaining what “bishing” means in this site’s context, or, as to some of you who comment here — I was wondering about that expression.
Jackalope Hunt works for me.
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:50 PM
LOL! You’re funny!
Night Owl on September 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
With all the cell phones capable of video it very tough to lie to someone showing video of a politician doing their thing when the msm says different. The only time I see the msm is in the stores video section. I tired of FoxNews with the interruptions of both sides, so rude and nothing is discussed just a shouting match from both sides. Newspapers are dead with three day old headlines. The net is the best source but even then one needs to separated the trash from the truth and the truth stings sometimes like iodine that does the job with an, ouch!
mixplix on September 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
.
Hmmm . . . . . imperfect, an effective seem to fit (until recently).
I guess two outa’ three ain’t bad.
But pretty soon, they’ll just be ‘imperfect’.
listens2glenn on September 21, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Yes, and thanks.
I’m finding it funny but predictably so that the naysayers and other Concern Trolls (thinking of Peggy Noonan here and a few who are commenting) are expressing “concern” and backward thinking with their silly assumptions that T-Paw relocating means some sort of “fail” for the Romney campaign.
I mean, it’s not as if they can’t continue to communicate and won’t. Maybe to Concern Trolls, there are only Twinkles and soup cans with string. To the rest of us, there are telephones, meetings and networks.
Lourdes on September 21, 2012 at 12:54 PM
The Gallup poll actually explains why the media is becoming more biased. If conservatives and independents have given up on the media, then it makes sense for the media to give up on them. Most media executives surely understand that the decline of current media outlets cannot be reversed, so they are looking at how to best keep what audience they have left. This also explains why Romney’s “47%” comment didn’t do him any damage in head-to-head opinion polls, but did rile up the Democrat base. Most of America has stopped paying attention to the the 47% comment, but I heard just this morning NPR is still dutifully, pitifully putting together stories on it. They know their audience is shrinking, but they also know who’s still listening.
EricW on September 21, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Of course, if the Donk base believes that The Wun has it in the bag, they may not bother to come out. If Conservatives and conservative leaners are motivated enough to come out no matter what, the media may work for us, not against us.
njcommuter on September 21, 2012 at 12:57 PM
ABC realizes that Univision is eating its lunch.
ABC: Hey, look, we report true stuff, too!
de rigueur on September 21, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Well….Yeah
There are Conservative Artists out there but most of us don’t get hired to teach at the University/College level…Cause we make Art too hard.
Most of us don’t receive Public or Private grants…Most of us don’t have swanky gallery representation.
So there’s that….Carryon
workingclass artist on September 21, 2012 at 1:04 PM
Breath a little Del!
Plus, I would challenge you on that; I have no doubt, that even as stupid as that was, urban elitist has posted something “stupider.”
pain train on September 21, 2012 at 1:06 PM
I think we’ll see a couple of related, interesting anomalies in this election:
– The impact of a phenomenal drop in households with landlines, which badly skews polling
– The return of the Bradley Effect
– The return of the Reagan Democrats, in this case, union members who realize their jobs are at stake, but tell the pollsters they’re voting with the bosses and actually pull the lever for the GOP
– A much larger percentage drop in the black vote for Obama than anyone’s anticipating (great column in American Thinker about this – Why Romney Is Going to Romp over Obama in November)
As much as old media tries to tell us that Obama is a sure thing, he’s actually anything but.
Which is why, for example, he’s in Wisconsin this week.
directorblue on September 21, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Gallup Poll: U.S. distrust in media hits new high, quick, someone call Captain Renualt.
SWalker on September 21, 2012 at 1:07 PM
LOL! Thanks for the background info.
I bet someone also sells a mounted jackalope that “talks,” similar to the “Billy Bass” wall-mounted fish that a photographer friend of mine owned.
PatriotGal2257 on September 21, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Actually no. As was pointed out earlier, businesses through taxes paid for those roads and bridges, not government. But also, if you want to be accurate, he should have said you didn’t build “those” or “them” in reference to the roads and bridges. Instead he said “that” in reference to multiple things. The great orator. But that’s nitpicking maybe.
Even still, IMO and many would agree with me, he was referring to not building the business yourself. Earlier in the speech he basically told the crowd that it wasn’t an individual working hard, or that it wasn’t that they were smart that they achieved something, government was the reason for that achievment. So yeah, he was saying government was the reason. Government built “that”.
jazzmo on September 21, 2012 at 1:13 PM
Agreed. Some of us conservative artists do teach, but usually at technical schools or community colleges, where the emphasis is more on practical info that will get a student a job in graphic design/printing trades/production houses rather than creating a body of work for a gallery.
Almost all of the working graphic designers I know — me included — work in that field while doing painting, photography, sculpture, etc. on the side.
PatriotGal2257 on September 21, 2012 at 1:18 PM
Ruh roh.
Doesn’t Gallup realize that sleazy Eric Holder probably will sue them again for suggesting that the Palace Guard Liberal media are lying ineffectively?
viking01 on September 21, 2012 at 1:19 PM
Obamacin!
http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/21/obamacin/
*snicker*
workingclass artist on September 21, 2012 at 1:22 PM
Yes, of course, but the attacks on Obama did not frame it that way. It was framed that “you didn’t really build your own business, if you have one”.
AlexB on September 21, 2012 at 1:28 PM
Ha! Too funny!!
PatriotGal2257 on September 21, 2012 at 1:34 PM
As I pointed out earlier, that is because Obama framed it earlier in the same speech as “You didn’t do it because you were smarter or because you worked harder than others, it was government.” So it’s a little difficult to believe that a bit later he was reffering to the individual as having built their business.His whold point was that government made it happen. Also, keep in mind the guys redistributionist views for chr!st sake.
jazzmo on September 21, 2012 at 1:38 PM
This is a terrific idea and something that is badly needed.
PatriotGal2257 on September 21, 2012 at 1:39 PM
That’s the thing. When looking through the text of what he said, you COULD argue that he meant what you said, or that he meant the roads and bridges. To me it was clear with 99% certainty after hearing that line for the first time now, after hearing the “you didnt build your BUSINESS” commentary for a month, that he definitely meant you didn’t build the roads and bridges.
And that’s the thing. It’s clear his comment was innocent, but it COULD be argued that it wasn’t innocent. And that’s what the pundit class is dong 24 hours a day, and then the other side’s pundits respond just as maliciously, and then it gets personal and offtopic, and on and on until the next such “gaffe” is blurted out.
No wonder politicians have multiple handlers and scripts to read from, and people laugh at Obama’s telepromter usage. I’d like to mention at this point that I’m largely pro-Republican and pro-USA as a non-American, but I do give Obama a break on the teleprompter use. I bet he wasn’t using it when he made that “didn’t build that” comment, or he went offscript for a second.
AlexB on September 21, 2012 at 1:40 PM
That is a real picture he posed for, not a photoshop to make fun.
Fleuries on September 21, 2012 at 1:44 PM
I’m pretty sure he wasn’t using one, at least when he said that.
But Alex, the easy way to put “you didn’t build that” in context is simply to look at his record, his “share the wealth” mentality. His redistributionist comments and actions. Do you really believe he thinks the government is not responsible?
jazzmo on September 21, 2012 at 1:49 PM
To exemplify that Erika, I can relate an experience I had a few weeks ago in a political discussion that I engaged in after hearing for the 100th time about how “scary” Mitt Romney is.
What are the most important issues for the guy who said that? Abortion, gay marriage, women’s “equality”, and the “human rights” that are somehow being violated in this country. “I’m voting for Obama because he is talking about these things.” Of course he couldn’t name what human rights were being violated, and had no clue what was the difference in average pay for men and women (or what really causes that difference). Much less, that two of those 3 issues he mentioned are supposed to be taken care of at the state level and not the fedseral one.
I asked then, “what about the economy, rising unemployment, the deficit, debt, skyrocketing inflation, high taxes, etc?”. His answer was he didn’t care: “whoever is not working is because they are lazy”, he said, adding “all my friends are working so the economy is fine”. (This is in the nutty state of CA, where you live in a bubble depending what group you interact with).
By now I had been pulling my hair long and hard as anser after answer was more shocking. The coup de grace, and best example of your question above, was when I asked about Obama. “I like what he is saying” he said (this was on the final day of the DNC convention). After everything he had said I asked “Have you seen what he has done in the last 4 years?”
His answer: “I don’t know what he has done. I don’t follow politics. I just like what he is saying”.
So, yes, there is some straight up denial but also, from the reaction of other people around me at the same time, just a reactionary behavior based on feelings, not logic or common sense, and certainly not information.
ptcamn on September 21, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Or maybe “T-Paw” was offered 3x what Romney could pay him in the government and decided to make some money for his family and get a nest egg. What would you have liked him to say? “Thanks but I can make a buttload of money doing this with about a tenth of the stress so BYE BYE”.
Sometimes a good job is hard to turn down. The government will always be around. Not so a good job.
But you go play with your tinfoil hat.
HTH, YW, HAND.
kim roy on September 21, 2012 at 1:55 PM
That was one of Rush Limbaugh’s great strengths back when he did his “audio montages” more frequently.
The clips of Anne “clench face” Compton, Angria “Palin stalker” Mitchell, Diane “Stoner” Sawyer, George “feminine and proud of it” Stephanopoulos, Peter “tantrum” Jennings, Tom “mumbles” Brokaw, Bob “huggy bear” Schieffer, Dan “fax machine” Rather, Katie “ratings wrecker” Couric, Chris “no audience” Bury, Jim “good enough for gummint work” Lehrer, Marvin “Hahvahd pretense” Kalb, David “snide” Gregory, Billy “have a drink” Moyers, Judy “sniff, Algore lost, sniff” Woodruff, Paul Begala, James Carville, Bill Schneider, Peter “baby milk factory” Arnett, Jeff “tailwind” Greenfield, and Forrest Whatshisface all parroting the same talking points for BJ Clintoon or the DNC were revealing of how willing the Old Media were to prostitute themselves for the Lieberal agenda as Obama’s same pimps in Old Media do today.
viking01 on September 21, 2012 at 1:57 PM
Perhaps Pawlenty just wanted to make a more “profitable” change. Nothing to do with Romney imo.
Concern trolls, trolls and Obots will be on HA more and more. The two open registrations brought what, 4,000 + or -? We know they haven’t been posting; just biding their time:-) Distraction, hi-jack the threads and everyone is talkin to them and about them. That’s their purpose. Soup cans with string, LOL
Within my circle of influence their comments certainly don’t get repeated, so they die here:-)
bluefox on September 21, 2012 at 1:58 PM
No doubt the concepts of career advancement and gainful employment elude you.
viking01 on September 21, 2012 at 1:59 PM
Speaking of polls, Romney is still tied with Obama on Gallop, and Obama’s two point lead on Rasmussen yesterday is down to one point.
There are two possible explanations for Rasmussen. Either yesterdays polling was the result of an outlier, or the damage was real but almost immediately offset by Obama’s own bad week. (Fast and Furious, Libya, redistribution, small d democracy, you can’t change government from inside, etc etc.)
Frankly, my own theory was that yesterday was an outlier, but its currently in the process of being offset by Obama’s huge missteps. sure the media may not beat the drum on these issues, but people still hear about them, and come to their own conclusions.
WolvenOne on September 21, 2012 at 2:07 PM
What I see from his background and actions is that he is more of a socialist than Republicans are, which isn’t a very big surprise given that he’s a Democrat and that’s what Democrats are known for. And especially given this huge economic problem that the US has been facing, he’s been “redistributing the wealth” much more than he probably would have otherwise, with all these trillions’ worth of rescue packages.
But that particular “you didn’t build that” statement was very specifically about the roads and bridges. And now realizing the wolfpack spin that was created by the side that I actually support, I don’t like that at all. And this happens all the time. And I know the Michael Moores and Bill Mahers of the world do similar things. That’s what I was talking about in my first comment… that’s the culture.
AlexB on September 21, 2012 at 2:08 PM
When you listen to the entire context of that speech, it was readily apparent that the “You didn’t build that” was implying way more than roads and bridges. His earlier paragraphs talked about how somebody gave you a hand, or you had a great teacher and then also went on to say there were lots of people who work hard or who are smart. Hie “you didn’t build that” fit in with the entire context that you owe others for your success.
In addition, accepting the premise that this was only referencing roads and bridges, that, on its face is factually incorrect. First, those businesses pay taxes that go to building and maintaining roads and bridges, so yes, in fact “they did build that”. Secondly, in our country, in new development areas, including business parks, cities and municipalities do not put in the roads, bridges, and utilities. Those infrastructure construction costs are born by the land developer who then passes those costs on in the prices of the lots it sells. Thus, the cost of the lot upon which businesses build their buildings includes the cost of the roads and utilities. Therefore, those businesses can rightly say, “Yes we did build that!”
AZfederalist on September 21, 2012 at 2:18 PM
You may like this site. I’m sure it doesn’t have all of Fox, but some.
http://radio.foxnews.com/
bluefox on September 21, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Yes, exactly. Rush doesn’t do the audio montages nearly as frequently as he used to, and even he has said recently that he can’t do it all by himself.
PatriotGal2257 on September 21, 2012 at 2:26 PM
+ 100..Very nice post..Very nice..:)
Dire Straits on September 21, 2012 at 2:31 PM
So,… another way to put it is that Obama is a “victim of the circunstances” (that he inherited?!). I thought that, after this week, we learned no one feels like a victim in this country. Certainly not 53% of the country, and certainly not the remaining 47%. /sarc
ptcamn on September 21, 2012 at 2:43 PM
tommyhawk on September 21, 2012 at 11:26 AM
What a fool you are, sadly.
Schadenfreude on September 21, 2012 at 2:48 PM
EricW on September 21, 2012 at 12:54 PM
The MSM is actually losing money – quite alarming actually. ABC would seem to me to the network news source in the most trouble. We know the NYT and all the other liberal rags are losing huge readership numbers and the advertsing revenue to boot. At some point you cannot write off 66% of the population. CNN has almost no viewers.
The facts are these – Obama has very little obvious ground game and little enthusiasm. Polling has been all over the place but none of it correlates with each other.
Romney pretty consistently is winning men, independents by double digits, losing women less badly than McCain, losing high income earners less badly than McCain, the GOP has higher enthusiasm in almost every poll – and 60% of the population distrusts the media.
We are winning.
Zomcon JEM on September 21, 2012 at 2:50 PM
Oh. That explains the frequent nausea.
Finbar on September 21, 2012 at 4:07 PM
Re: Capitalist Infidel at 12:18 PM
If Obama meant you didn’t build roads and bridges, the he needed to say, “You didn’t build THEM.” Words have meaning. Grammar is important for clarity. A president should choose his words carefully; this one doesn’t.
francesca on September 21, 2012 at 4:21 PM
Your friend is the epitome of the low-information voter.
Many people do like what Obama is saying — when I actually listen to his speeches, where he is not explicitly advocating socialist policies, so do I!
However, I, and most of us at HA, also take the time to look at what he is doing (and what he says outside of the spotlight), and conclude with good reason that whenever he voices approval of an idea we might like or proposes an action we could agree with, he is almost certainly lying about what he has done or will do to implement that idea or take that action.
AesopFan on September 21, 2012 at 4:31 PM
Memeorandum actually does this pretty well.
Here is their “about” sidebar, and a sample entry.
All of the sites linked are biased, of course, but you can see who is doing the spinning and contrast the reports so as to get some triangulation on the actual event.
No one reports news without some kind of angle.
AesopFan on September 21, 2012 at 4:40 PM
And they also know that for every reader they gain by eliminating their existing bias, they will lose one who now believes they have “sold out” to the other side and can no longer be trusted.
Honest reporting requires a commitment to the truth that is stronger than any partisan belief, and a willingness to jettison that belief when the evidence warrants.
AesopFan on September 21, 2012 at 4:45 PM
sheeple
Terrye on September 21, 2012 at 5:16 PM
Thanks! :-)
SoRight on September 21, 2012 at 6:25 PM
CNN actually puzzled for several minutes this morning… that Al Queda didn’t actually take credit or send a video or anything.
Wasn’t the video before? And then didn’t they take credit afterward. Why do I know this and CNN doesn’t.
Can we sue the media for having a monopololy and just demolish the fake news altogether? They no longer serve a public good. They are now a public menace… we need to get rid of those stations completely.
We can have news, but not by the generationally entrenched liberal networks. They lie. And they have been allowed too much power for too long.
They need to end.
petunia on September 21, 2012 at 9:29 PM
If I am ever first… Bishop can be second. Sorry. But it would be a proud moment for me… I dont’ want to share.
petunia on September 21, 2012 at 9:31 PM
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