Obama WH Secret Phone Conferences Bear Fruit With TV Media's Limbaugh Attack

NewsBusters ^ | March 2, 2009 | Warner Todd Huston

[Delacon]

Back on January 29, we discussed [1] the daily strategy phone call engineered by Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel for friendly TV commentators and "reporters." Politico reported that Emanuel has a daily phone conference call with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, and CNN's James Carville and Paul Begala. With Rush Limbaugh's raucous CPAC address, as he termed it his "first address to the nation," we can see at least one example of what is likely an attack strategy resulting from the Emanuel phone session with a rush to bash Rush the day after the appearance. [Image credit: politico.com]

As soon as the sun rose on the day after Limbaugh's CPAC appearance, three of the four of the phone call participants attacked Limbaugh with the same talking points. It seems obvious that they coordinated their attack together in the Obama secret strategy session. It is amazing that a president's staff can have such power over major media figures without a peep being heard from those that only months ago bashed former presidents over a perceived undue, even "dangerous," control of the media.

The morning after Limbaugh's CPAC speech, Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel appeared on CBS News' Face the Nation [2] and told Bob Schieffer that Limbaugh was the "voice of the Republican Party," and that he "hasn't stepped back from" the "hopes for failure" he expressed for Obama's administration.

James Carville, obeying his Obama marching orders, said pretty much the same thing in his CNN commentary headlined, "A history lesson for Rush Limbaugh [3]," where Carville began by saying that Rush is the "moral and intellectual leader and most influential person in the Republican Party."

As for ABC's George Stephanopoulos, he employed the same talking point [4] about Rush's hope that Obama's socialist policies would not succeed -- though it is sure that Stephy didn't call Obama's policies socialist. In an interview with Eric Cantor, Stephanopoulos said, "So the Rush Limbaugh approach of wanting the president to fail is not the Eric Cantor, House Republican approach?"

So, what we see here is the combined attack emanating out of the secret phone call strategy session pushing the themes that Rush is the "voice of the GOP" and that he wants Obama to be a failure -- both talking points that are not exactly in context with the facts. The strategy at work is that these three Democrat activists pretending at members of the media have concocted with the White House through Emanuel an effort to tar all Republicans with the Rush brush.

These Obama strategists think that making Rush the "voice of the GOP" will drive away moderates and make the GOP seem to be leaning toward right-wing extremism. And, by adding Rush's hope that Obama's socialist policies fail, these strategists are attempting to claim that Republicans hate Obama merely because he is president (veiled racism) and not because the GOP is against these unAmerican polices Obama is pushing.

Once again, I have to ask, why are these secret phone call strategy sessions not a matter of public discussion? That the White House is orchestrating media messages with the supposedly independent press corps, is it nothing to raise an eyebrow about? Should we not see this as the sort of collusion between the press and the White House that leads to public information controlled by political spinmieisters in the belly of the White House instead of journalists interested in truth? Where are those that only until recently claimed to be interested in a free press dedicated to the real story? Why are they so suddenly quite?

Lastly I’d like to suggest something. These folks are all eager to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, of course. So, I am wondering if it would be “fair” that Rahm include a few conservatives in the secret phone sessions he has with his lap dog media pals? Let’s say along with Stephy, Carville and Begala, Rahm might include Rush and Sean Hannity?? Seems pretty fair to me, anyway!

[Delacon]

 

PETITION TO BLOCK CONGRESSIONAL
ATTACKS ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS

To: U.S. Congress, President of the United States, Supreme Court of the United States

Whereas, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution clearly states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances";

Whereas, members of Congress are recently on record saying they want to re-impose the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" on U.S. broadcasters, or else accomplish the same goal of censoring talk radio by other means, and thereby establish government and quasi-government watchdogs as the arbiters of "fairness" rather than the free and open marketplace of ideas;

Whereas, the U.S. experimented with the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" for 38 years - from 1949 through 1987 - during which time it was repeatedly used by presidents and other political leaders to muzzle dissent and criticism;

Whereas, the abandonment of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" in 1987, thanks to President Ronald Reagan, resulted in an unprecedented explosion of new and diverse voices and political speech - starting with Rush Limbaugh - that revitalized the AM radio band and provided Americans with a multitude of alternative viewpoints;

Whereas, talk radio is one of the most crucial components of the free press in America, and is single-handedly responsible for informing tens of millions of Americans about what their government leaders are doing;

Whereas, it is a wholly un-American idea that government should be the watchdog of the press and a policeman of speech, as opposed to the uniquely American ideal of a free people and a free press being the vigilant watchdogs of government;

Whereas, the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" - either under that name, or using a new name and even more devious methods - represents a frontal assault on the First Amendment, and its re-imposition would constitute nothing more nor less than the crippling of America's robust, unfettered, free press:

 

                                SIGN THE PETITION at http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=87882

 

Freepmail me if you want to join my fairness doctrine ping list.

[Delacon]

ping

[relictele]

Emanuel is the Ahab of the Obama administration. He is fixated on one target in the expectation that it will cure all ills.

[sofaman]

the target is the villification, followed by the stifling of any opposition to the Stalinist currently inhabiting the Oval office.

[jwparkerjr]

I remember a science fiction story I read as a kid, have no idea now what it was, it was 50 plus years ago. Both sides in a space war had ray guns and they would duke it out until one side made a lucky hit on the other. Then one side quit firing. The opponent saw this as a sign of victory, or least a turn in the tide of battle to their side. Then suddenly the quiet ship let loose a giant, huge burst of ray energy, a thousand times more powerful than anything they had unleashed before. It vaporized the over confident side and the battle, and the war, was over. Turns out the quite side had figured out a way to gather the energy of the rays being directed at it and store them up. Then when they had enough of the enemy's own energy they used it to destroy them!

I suspect that's what the Democrats run the risk of having happen to them if they keep messing with El Rushbo.

[The Great RJ]

Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has become the new Joseph Goebbels... head of the Obama Propaganda Ministry.

[Man50D]

These Obama strategists think that making Rush the "voice of the GOP" will drive away moderates and make the GOP seem to be leaning toward right-wing extremism.

Driving out moderates would be a positive step since moderate is socialist spin for a socialist pretending to be conservative. If demanding we abide by the Constitution is right wing extremism then I couldn't be more of a right wing extremist.

[Patrsup]

They are all crooks and liars - I hate generalizations but I can’t fine one upright man among them.

Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. It comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday. - John Wayne

[gracesdad]

Is it OK for Republicans to push talking points? You do realize that the Bush admin did it all the time?

[TexasCajun]

[bray]

The Establishment press corpse is a willing accomplice.

Pray for America, Our Troops and obama’s failure

[saganite]

“It is amazing that a president’s staff can have such power over major media figures without a peep being heard from those that only months ago bashed former presidents over a perceived undue, even “dangerous,” control of the media.”

I’m sure this is meant as a laugh line. No serious commentator can make that claim with a straight face.

[USA means Freedom]

So why are they so afraid of little old Rush? Aren’t they the “WINNERS”? My my my, could it be that he is hitting a nerve? How dare anybody question the cult leader and the cult?

We must keep pushing these bullies. They can’t take it. They can’t take it from ONE person. This is very revealing.

Be strong and keep dishing it out- like they did. Watch them overreact, it is their weakness. Push them like RUSH.

SUPPORT RUSH LIMBAUGH-now more then ever!

[mcshot]

“They are all crooks and liars - I hate generalizations but I can’t fine one upright man among them”...

I couldn’t agree more and I was disappointed that Rush spoke so highly of 0’s abilities as he is clearly an evil crook being manipulated by those who want us destroyed. And it looks like within it will be with 0 on a throne somewhere.

[sobieski]

I hope that the President succeeds in realizing how his half baked plan is the road to ruin and that he changes course

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

It's an old Clinton strategy and talking point.
You can go back to the 1990s during Slick Willy's administration
and find this Rush Limbaugh/conservative talk radio meme.

Hillary, Slick Willy, Gore & Co. were all blaming conservative talk radio for the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995.
The "Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy" supposedly was responsible for all of Clinton's self-inflicted scandals.

It reflects the way liberals view the Right. They despise Rush so they make him the whipping boy and poster boy.
Carville, Begala, and Stephanopolous were all playing this same card over ten years ago.
They claimed Limbaugh was the cause of all of their problems.

[An American!]

Is it OK for Republicans to push talking points? You do realize that the Bush admin did it all the time?
Although the Bush White House worked with common phrases and lingo, and the press secretary made sure to use them over and over, I never saw any reports of behind the scenes manipulation of media such as this one. There are some reports on the usage of things like "more tough fighting ahead" in Iraq, these were done publicly and the the media picked up on it that the Bush Admin was setting expectations etc. That is entirely different than what this article is describing.

[fremont_steve]

yeah -but unfortunately - your little parable could just as easily be taken the other way. Rush lands a thousand small hits on the Obama administration and they release one giant Fairness doctrine strike and take down the entire media.

[trooprally]

bookmark

[fremont_steve]

yeah -but unfortunately - your little parable could just as easily be taken the other way. Rush lands a thousand small hits on the Obama administration and they release one giant Fairness doctrine strike and take down the entire media.