Thursday, November 02, 2006

WHO KNEW?

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Who knew? Liberal ideology really does pay. Jon Stewart has proven over the last 5 years that bashing Bush and his regime is not only easy, but profitable. Steven Colbert, likewise, spun off and is making his living by mocking ultra right talking heads on FOX news like O’Reilly, Hannity, and Gibson.

But, you say, that is comedy, everyone knows that comedy has always flourished making fun of the powers that be. Not so fast my friend. Let us look at Keith Olbermann who started exposing Bush regime absurdities on MSNBC and whose Worst Person in the World segment took bold swipes at right wing media types like Limbaugh, Coulter, and O’Reilly. Olbermann, once a sportscaster, is not only skilled at his comedic shtick about the worst persons on the world, but also well-spoken and succinct in his serious comments and criticisms of the most egregious of Bush policies and actions.

It is no surprise to liberals that MSNBC numbers are up by double digits for October, the month when Keith began his campaign of special comments on the state of our nation. But, there is more. Chris Matthews unapologetically is coming out in no uncertain terms against the fiasco in Iraq, and he's clear in his condemnation of dirty GOP tricks. And, Joe Scarborough who is a former GOP Rep himself broke new ground when he asked, "Is George Bush and idiot?" It looks like MSNBC is leading the way in ratings increases, and the only thing I can say to that is, "It's about time." Sanity really does have a place in George Bush's America.

And, CNN is following suit. Lou Dobbs who started the ball rolling on the loss of American jobs overseas and south of the border is now hosting specials spotlighting the assault on the middle class. This in direct opposition to the White House spin that the American economy is strong and all credit goes to Bush. Jack Cafferty a long time conservative pointed out early on the problems with Bush's surveillance program which most certainly targets Americans, all of them, and not just those supposedly talking to "terrorists." Wolf Blitzer felt the sting of Lynne Cheney's words in response to his simple questions about her husband’s admission that he is for water boarding. What else could he have meant? Overnight, Wolf becomes one of us.

The most successful campaigns are those that portray their opponent or themselves as other than George Bush. Those who a few short years ago were afraid to criticize Bush or his war will now stand the best chances to win if they decry both. How is that for an about face?

The Dixie Chicks, after being blacklisted are on the bounce back with their new movie, and even though NBC would not run the ads for the movie, Chris Matthews did interview them at length on Hardball. And, even though the right wing has had a little fun at our expense over the problems of Air America Radio, the real truth there is that liberal radio is here to stay. The problems were management, not with the audience.

As more and more Republicans implode or fall victim to their own greed and lust through scandal after scandal, commentary critical of them and their inability to govern sells. Liberals are returning after a long self-imposed exodus from viewing TV news. And, that return is notable. Pay attention networks!

Print news circulation suffers as blogs and internet sites take up the slack and meet the challenges of truth in reporting that the TV networks and major newspapers have neglected. When print news stated to play the enabler to George W, liberals bailed on them in large numbers. Americans did not give up the news, we gave up on the mainstream sources. We turned to Buzzflash, Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, Eschaton, Bartcop, FireDogLake, and a host of others (I cannot list you all, you know who you are.)

I hear it said that Americans are stupid. But, Americans are NOT stupid. It may take some time to turn the tide, we are a huge nation, but the tide is turning and has been turning. Americans have been led astray by the sound bites from the mainstream media and the hands off reporting done by many news outlets in the U.S. Many of us on the left knew early on that there was no limit to the damage that a George W. Bush presidency would do to this nation. His past was covered up and his gaffes were downplayed. His actions were excused time and time again by the mainstream.

But, here is the flash that we have for those who would have paved the way for George Bush to be King, the ones who had their hands in our pockets and in George's. We know crazy. We know corrupt. We know when someone is trying to put one over on us. We may give you the benefit of the doubt; that is what Americans do, but in the end, we will call you on it. We may be the media generation. We may watch the Super Bowl just to see the new ways corporate America is going to sell us beer and insurance this year, but we know bullshit when we see it. We may love special effects, being the Star Wars generation and all, but we know when we are being played.

Given the real poop, the facts, mam, just the facts, we will do what is right. Let me repeat that, given accurate information Americans will do what is right. We will be effective, and we will solve problems. History seems to run in streaks, trends if you will. From time to time we are called upon as to introspect, to search our collective soul. We are doing that. Some of us were ahead of the others by years, but it looks like we are all on the same page now.

More and more I am not afraid. The shift has occurred. We are wise to you Mr. Bush. Oh, and, “Say good night, Dick.”

-Mags

10 Comments:

At 6:31 PM, Blogger Phil said...

Great piece, Howie.
The country has pretty much awakened and is now smelling the coffee.Now all we need is to wait for tuesday and see how bad we can counter punch them.

I WANT INDICTMENTS!!!

 
At 6:51 PM, Blogger TSop said...

Right on the money Howie!

 
At 7:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more, Howie. I would add that its my oppinion that the movement in the media back to reality is due in large part to the pressure of this very medium. Had it not been for the blogs and journals that include areas for comments(what a great idea) from those of us who are part of the great unwashed, we would never have created the community that is so vibrant today. That community allowed us to focus ourselves in a way that made the MSM feel our presence in a profound way. They had to take us seriously.

I commented a few weeks ago, I believe on this site, about how I believed that the Founding Fathers would be proud of what has been accomplished through this media. We bring disperate people togather from all over the country in "Common Cause" to make this "A More Perfect Union".

Isn't that all they ever asked of us?

 
At 7:47 PM, Blogger Don Surber said...

O'Reilly draws 3 times as many viewers. Yea, really paying off

 
At 8:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent article. I have noticed the change in the attitude at MSNBC.
I do hope the MSM keeps noticing that they drove a huge audience away with their trying to be like FOX. Obviously if the wingers watch FOX they are not going to go elsewhere and so that leaves moderate and left without programing.
I do love the change.
My one question: Why didn't anyone get the memo to Nora O'Donnell

 
At 8:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Howie,

AirAmerica's problems have been content-related too. A lot has been and is being learned, but the further progressive radio is from far-right radio the better, both in content and format. The comedy needs to be stronger. That, or be more firmly controlled by the producers, which would kill it. There must be hundreds of young comedians who are politically and culturally savvy enough for a smart producer to start auditioning them. Or hold some contests?

 
At 10:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mags wrote this piece.

 
At 4:48 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, that was the first thing I have read in ages that gives be a positive and hopeful feeling - thank you.

Although I know that honesty (long missing from media) is both funny and essential in the current political climate and I have begun to see evidence of it both in the US programmes (Olbermann and Stewart are brilliant) and the UK (Channel 4 does good work and Bremner, Bird & Fortune combine intellect, insight and humour into a gorgeous bundle of honesty and smooth delivery for the masses)...reading your words that put together all the wonderful changes in media, is a revelation.

Thanks for the smile I'm wearing and the optimism I'm feeling - maybe we are finding a better way forward? Maybe we will oust the demons from their thrones and just maybe....we will stop killing Iraqis with no good reason? Maybe.
Namaste,
Tina Louise

 
At 9:12 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Compete.com's blog today has a posting about web traffic to a few popular political websites. Some interesting trends in there. The October 23 posting is about the Olbermann vs. O'Reilly battle too, measured by web traffic. Some interesting trends there.

 
At 1:05 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent piece of work! I couldn't agree more. Perhaps you're right in pointing out that it would appear that Jon Stewart started this wave.

 

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