O'Reilly Factor - Left-wing "reporters" met with John Kerry in Al Franken's apartment

03.22.04

[kcvl]

In an effort to galvanize the message Kerry wants to deliver in the time remaining, he convened a powerful roster of journalists and columnists in the New York City apartment of Al Franken last Thursday. The gathering could not properly be called a meeting or a luncheon. It was a trial. The journalists served as prosecuting attorneys, jury and judge. The crowd I joined in Franken’s living room was comprised of:

Al Franken and his wife Franni;
Rick Hertzberg, senior editor for the New Yorker;
David Remnick, editor for the New Yorker;
Jim Kelly, managing editor for Time Magazine;
Howard Fineman, chief political correspondent for Newsweek;
Jeff Greenfield, senior correspondent and analyst for CNN;
Frank Rich, columnist for the New York Times;
Eric Alterman, author and columnist for MSNBC and the Nation;
Art Spiegelman, Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist/author of ‘Maus’;
Richard Cohen, columnist for the Washington Post;
Fred Kaplan, columnist for Slate;
Jacob Weisberg, editor of Slate and author;
Jonathan Alter, senior editor and columnist for Newsweek;
Philip Gourevitch, columnist for the New Yorker;
Calvin Trillin, freelance writer and author;
Edward Jay Epstein, investigative reporter and author;
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., who needs no introduction.

We sat in a circle around Kerry and grilled him for two long hours. In an age of retail politicians who avoid substance the way vampires avoid sunlight, in an age when the sitting President flounders like a gaffed fish whenever he must speak to reporters without a script, Kerry’s decision to open himself to the slings and arrows of this group was bold and impressive. He was fresh from two remarkable speeches – one lambasting the PATRIOT Act, another outlining his foreign policy ideals while eviscerating the Bush record – and had his game face on. He needed it, because Eric Alterman lit into him immediately on the all-important issue of his vote for the Iraq War Resolution. The prosecution had begun.

[maica]

Speaking of color ----


I happened to be watching a TV show sponsored? by or connected with Howard University Sunday night , at which the host, Kojo something, used his commentary at the end of the hour to criticize this new leftist "network."

Apparently the stations that have been purchased in 4 markets, at least, used to be stations which supported the "minority" voice. I presume he meant the black voice in those listening areas. He was not amused! I wonder if this perspective will be aired more widely than a Sunday evening local cable show.

[metesky]

Bill needs to blow this story wide open.

IMHO, O'Reilly shows just where he stands with this statement:

in an age when the sitting President flounders like a gaffed fish whenever he must speak to reporters without a script,

W doesn't need Bill 'It's All About Me" O'Reilly's help.

[arasina]

I love that BINGO game idea! People need to know that some members of the media have taken it upon themselves to determine the outcome of this year's presidential election. This sickens me. Campaign donations in the form of so-called news stories. Blatant bias.

[isthisnickcool]

I contacted all the "journalists" involved and Al Franken. They all said there is nothing to this, they were just having their monthly Botox party. /sarcasm off

[kcvl]

Kojo Nnamdi is the host of The Kojo Nnamdi Show (formerly Public Interest with Kojo Nnamdi), a live, two-hour program that airs each weekday on WAMU from noon until 2 p.m.

A native of Guyana, Mr. Nnamdi immigrated to the United States in 1968. Since 1985, Mr. Nnamdi has hosted Evening Exchange, a public affairs television program broadcast by WHUT-TV at Howard University. From 1973 to 1985, Mr. Nnamdi worked at WHUR-FM, where he served as news editor and then news director, producing the award-winning local news program The Daily Drum.



http://www.wamu.org/about/knnamdi.html

[cyncooper]

Pitt is a major contributor over in the DUngeon.

I know. Ick

I find it very informative that Pitt was included in that group. No, I didn't have illusions to the others' allegiance, but I'm surprised they would openly cavort with his ilk in this fashion.

He also has that truthout.org place. The place that took Doug Thompson's piece that turned out to be false and "just happened" to circulate it.

[Pharmboy]

Yeah...it sure does read like the Men's Club of Temple Emanuel. Sheesh. Makes me ashamed that so many of my coreligionists eat up this bravo sierra.

[7thson]

No, it would not be acceptable and there is even an event that backs me up on this. Remember a year or so back, when it was discovered that Roger Ailes sent a letter to President Bush after 9/11 asking if there was anything he could do to help the war on terror? The partisan media went balistic on that!

[Just mythoughts]

"Send it to Rush. He's got a Stack Of Stuff devoted just to all things John Kerry. :)"

One has to wonder if this meeting took place prior to JFKerry going shopping with media to buy his "jock strap"!

Might be old Al's advice that sent him shopping.

[familyofman]

"...John Kerry met with these "journalist" at Al Franken's apartment to "grill" him."

According to the "Scalia Doctrine" this proves nothing about bias - just friends getting together. Did they all arrive at this party in limos provided by Kerry?

[OldFriend]

Your post #17 was brilliant analysis..........will keep a smile on my face for the rest of the day!!!

[OldFriend]

Any token hispanics or african americans in the group?

[hoosiermama]

Love how you worded it!LOL He stuck his golden shoe in his mouth all week

[Purdue Pete]

Keepin' it bumped!!!

[kcvl]

bttt

[kcvl]

"Pot meet Kettle"...


In a letter to Ginsburg, Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) and 12 other Republicans, including Reps. Dave Weldon and Sue Myrick, pointed to a March 11, 2004 LA Times report that said "in January, Ginsburg gave opening remarks for the fourth installment in the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Distinguished Lecture Series on Women and the Law."

"Two weeks earlier," the paper reported, "she had voted in a medical screening case and taken the side promoted by the legal defense fund in its friend-of-the-court brief."

"It is well known that NOW Legal Defense engages in active lobbying on behalf of pro-abortion activists and regularly submits briefs to the Supreme Court in a variety of cases," the congressmen wrote to Ginsburg. "As a matter of fact, an entire section of the NOW Legal Defense website is dedicate (sic) to cases that are heard before the High Court.

"Furthermore, the NOW Legal Defense homepage highlights your speaking engagement and pictures you next to the President of the organization, Kathy Rodgers," the congressmen wrote.

"Nevertheless you have continued to involve yourself with this legal activist group. Such a relationship casts serious doubts on the impartiality that is so important in judicial matters," they added.

The Republicans reminded Ginsburg of the federal courts' code of conduct that warns jurists to avoid outside legal activities that "would cast reasonable doubt on the capacity to decide impartially any issue that may come before them."

They also pointed to a federal law that states a judge or justice "shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned."

[wardaddy]

On the bright side....I hear from younger Jews here that the Red Diaper Baby syndrome is fading and that most Jews in NY under 35 voted for Lazio over Her Royal Cankleness....and Lazio was a weak offer in my view.

All of these yokos need to go spend a year in Hezbollah range in Northern Israel for some perspective outside the cozy confines of the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

I know quite a few Jewish conservatives here in Nashville if that's any comfort.

[tubebender]

BUMP...

[wardaddy]

Well....compared to Eric Alterman...lol...he is.

I didn't find the post funny. I find it troubling. That most of the media apparently feels it's not enough to be partial to Kerry....now they must coach him.

That's sort of beyond the pale.

Sometimes I think the media is our biggest enemy.

[safeasthebanks]

Don't even bother wasting your time with this one ("familyofman"), unless you're ready for the typical leftist "up is down", "left is right", "what is the meaning of IS" type of argument (as seen in her usual dissembling message in #210)

Just a friendly warning.