Posted on 11/12/2004 3:30:06 PM PST by SierraWasp
Why Bush's America hates the media
Commentary: Also, Time ponders the person of the year
By Jon Friedman, CBS.MarketWatch.com Last Update: 12:01 AM ET Nov. 12, 2004
NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- If nothing else, President Bush's re-election underscores his supporters' profound hatred for anything that smacks of liberalism -- especially the non-Fox News media.
Take it from me. I know.
On Nov. 5, I wrote in this space that American pop-culture mavens could've easily recognized which way the political wind was blowing. I noted that "The Passion of the Christ" dwarfed the anti-Bush film "Fahrenheit 9/11" at the box office. It's a good bet that the folks who flocked to Mel Gibson's epic, a favorite movie of devout Christians, voted for President Bush.
Then, in an attempt to poke fun at my own decidedly liberal, out-of-touch sentiments, I noted, tongue-in-cheek, that I couldn't understand how I had gotten the election so wrong! With a nod to my fellow blue-state provincials, I joked that I'd religiously read The New York Times and the New Yorker and watched CNN.
(For the record, I watch Fox News' "Fox and Friends" program, too.)
At the end of the column last week, I invited readers to give me their comments. I'll say this for the "Wal-Mart Republicans," as the column dubbed the Bush loyalists: They're a bunch of sore winners!
Unfortunately, most of the 100-plus liberal bashers who sent me e-mail messages missed my stab at self-deprecating humor.
They reminded me of a football player who, not content merely to celebrate his touchdown in the end zone, feels compelled to also engage in some trash talking and finger jabbing.
With all the subtlety of a punch in the face, many of you gleefully mocked my alleged ignorance. Clearly, the right wing's thrill of victory on Nov. 2 hasn't diminished its red-meat loathing of the liberal press. If anything, it has triggered an outpouring of we-told-you-so anger.
Here are a few examples from my e-mail in-box:
"The fact that you don't get that is just laughably telling," wrote a gentleman named Eric T. This caring response came from Todd D.: "If you want to understand why President Bush won by such a large amount, get outside your informational cocoon. And, when you go there, don't snort or hoot or chuckle about what idiots, morons or religious zealots we are." (Funny, I don't recall using those fightin' words -- or any other pejoratives even remotely like them -- to describe the Bush supporters. As a matter of fact, the only person I remember slamming, on purpose, in the last column was me.)
Stuart S. weighed in by saying: "You, sir, are clinging to a failed world view. You are on the wrong side of history and probably eternity as well."
Sandi C. added: "It is so sad to see someone who has access to the world market, and can influence so many people, be such a total stupid jerk. You don't have a clue about how most people live or what they think." Phil said: "I'm sure glad people like you are in the minority. At least you have the decency to admit you are a liberal, which most of your buddies can't do." (And I do admit it!)
John K. from Nebraska took the time to offer me a little unexpected advice: "Maybe you and your media elite friends in the blue states should petition to have the Northeast and the West Coast join Canada. We'd both be happier then. Whatever you do, don't move here." He took pains to add a postscript: "And -- by the way -- I do NOT shop at Wal-Mart."
At the very least, I wish the readers could get my name straight when they give me a raspberry. You know who you are, Kris S., who wrote: "Come on, Joe. How could you be so ignorant?"
Most of the readers told me to watch Fox News, the right wing's favorite TV operation. It has been notoriously sympathetic to the Bush White House's agenda.
Meanwhile, the so-called liberal media -- aka The New York Times -- made their point with some subtlety after the election. The Times' clever television critic Alessandra Stanley, discussing the acclaimed Fox comedy "Arrested Development," wrote on Nov. 6: "The jokes are sly and smart in a blue-state kind of way."
Have no fear, right wingers. Fox, your network of choice, isn't taking that sort of claptrap lying down.
On the Nov. 5 "O'Reilly Factor" program on Fox, viewers were asked "What influenced your vote?"
The answers offered:
Iraq?
Terrorism?
Economy?
Anti-Bush media?
I didn't stick around to hear the answer, but I'd kind of be surprised if the "anti-Bush media" finished out of the money.
As if the liberals out there weren't downcast enough, I had a thought. Taking the success of Fox News one step further, I wonder why the right wing hasn't mobilized yet and created a print version of that TV network.
Sure, there already are the well-right-of-center Washington Times and New York Post as well as a slew of magazines, Web sites and blogs preaching the gospel according to Cheney and Bush.
I wonder, though, if those media that claim to promote family values aren't getting too big for their britches.
ABC's newest show: 'Desperate Programmers'
Take, for example, the terrible decision by the ABC (DIS: news, chart, profile) affiliates that decided not to broadcast "Saving Private Ryan" on, of all days, Veterans Day. See full story.
They fretted that the violence and cursing in the movie would prompt a reprimand from the Federal Communications Commission, in the wake of the action taken against CBS following the Super Bowl halftime fiasco early this year. When singer Janet Jackson bared a breast on TV, some viewers were horrified and wrote angry letters to the network and the FCC. A hefty fine ultimately was leveled against CBS, owned by Viacom (VIAB: news, chart, profile) (VIA: news, chart, profile), which also holds a significant stake in MarketWatch.
Never mind that "Saving Private Ryan" amounted to director Steven Spielberg's salute to what NBC's Tom Brokaw aptly called the "greatest generation" of Americans, those who defeated the Nazis.
The right wing had better watch itself. Perhaps Bush's victory over John Kerry is going to their heads. Maybe it really is true that you're never more vulnerable than when you're on top.
Time's person of the year
On Tuesday, Time will host a media lunch to begin the countdown to the publication next month of its widely followed person-of-the-year issue.
The POY, as Time likes to call the designation in its typically snappy magazine-speak, is often a subject of controversy. Before Time's selection in 2001, I wrote that if Time had guts, it would name Osama bin Laden because he had had the biggest effect on our lives. Read archived column. (Instead, Time named former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, but I came to realize that the magazine had justification -- and, as it turned out, guts, nevertheless. See column.)
A year ago, I wrote that Time should pick The American Soldier. See full story. A month later, the magazine did just that.
Pressing my luck, then, I'd choose as the 2004 POY The Bush Loyalists. Call the large bloc The Religious Right or identify it as The Revenge of the Red States or, as Media Web did last week, dub it The Wal-Mart Republicans.
By any name, and for better or worse, they've had the biggest impact on our lives in 2004.
bttt
"Times Man of the Year - 2004:
The American Voter"
AMEN!
thank you SW!
He could have also mentioned Kerry's huge mistake in downplaying The Passion of The Christ while millions of Christians were in its thrall.
With that commment, Kerry aligned himself with the Hollyweirdos whose hatred for The Passion of The Christ is unfathomable. So deep is the Christian-hating moguls aversion to the film about Christ that they intend to ignore the $650 million film at the Academy Awards.
Kerry unwittingly sent the message that he would strengthen Hollywarped's chokehold on American culture.
In the typically warped thinking of liberals, Hollywood firmly believes that 24/7 of sexually salacious and violent TV, movies and music they produce are not harming kids, and our culture.
OTOH, they also believe----with the religious fervor of Tammy Faye Baker---- that a single 15-sec commercial will compel tens of millions of Americans into thousands of stores to buy billions of dollars worth of soap, soup, breakfast cereal and cars. They can't have it both ways.
I don't hate the Old Media ... I hold them in contempt.
Not the same thing ... Mr. Friedman might want to ponder the difference.
Swift Boat Vets for Truth!
Thank you so much. I love this pic, that face. It has a very personal meaning for me. Thanks again. b.
Man of the Year is the "Blogger". The men who fight for truth and accurancy around the world, see Dan Rather.
Response: Try treason, sedition, vice for starters. All of course, under the guise of fact, objectivity, rights, justice, fairness-in general all the big words are used to cover spiritual bankruptcy.(By 'spiritual' I do not mean the old time religion.)
BUCKHEAD!!!!
Let them gallop over the cliff, the more they disparage the majority of the nation, the more that majority will vote.
The way that the media have been downplaying the role of the Swift Boat Vets in deciding this election is shameful, to say the least.
I doubt that they'll give them the credit they so rightfully deserve, considering the fact that John O'Neill et. al., played a great part in exposing the media for the lying shills that they are.
I think there's a real possibility they could make BLOGGERS the POY.
My dream cover, though, would be PERSONS OF THE YEAR:
"THE LIBERATORS"
GEORGE W. BUSH
JOHN HOWARD of Australia
& TONY BLAIR of Great Britain
I would add the outpouring for Reagan to that list, it sure befuddled the MSM.
On the Nov. 5 "O'Reilly Factor" program on Fox, viewers were asked "What influenced your vote?"
The answers offered:
Iraq?
Terrorism?
Economy?
Anti-Bush media?
What this Lefty cannot see is that no other network even recognizes that they are "Anti Bush" and would not have asked such honest choices.
Swift Boats Vets should be everyone's People of the Year.
Pedantic mainstream trash rolls on, even when dead.
Shhhh. Be verwy, vewy qwiet. We're hunting wiberals!
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