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Today Show Portrays Hillary Plantation Remark Putting Her on Offense, Not Defense
Today Show/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

Posted on 01/18/2006 4:45:54 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest

by Mark Finkelstein

January 18, 2006 - 07:38

When Republican leader Trent Lott made racially insensitive remarks, the MSM was immediately flooded with speculation as to whether he could survive in his political leadership post.

But when Hillary Clinton did the same, the Today show portrayed her as going on the offense, not being on the defense.

You might have imagined Today's graphic for this morning's segment would have read along the lines "Hillary Feeling the Heat". Imagine again. In fact it read "Off and Running? Hillary Attacks GOP". Offense, not defense.

Today also conveniently omitted mentioning that her 'plantation' comment was made in church. Even the New York Times was constrained to acknowledge that her remarks came at "the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem."

It would also appear that NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell is a proud graduate of the Bob Woodward School of Political Mind-Reading. Mitchell informed us that Hillary's comment was "ad-libbed." And just how would Andrea know that?

RNC chairman Ken Mehlman was given five seconds to criticize Clinton, but Mitchell undercut the message by describing Republicans as "pouncing on her remark." In Andrea's world, there was nothing inherently objectionable about what Hillary said, only in the way it was exploited by those tigers of the GOP.

Despite Hillary's underlining to the Harlem audience that "you know what I mean" by her plantation remark, former Clinton aide Lisa Caputo managed to keep a straight face while claiming "It's not about a race issue. I think we all know that." Right.

Black NYC Congressman Greg Meeks was then brought in to second Hillary's notion.

Finally, NBC political analyst Charlie Cook was heard from,hauled in to let Hillary off the hook: "I think it was probably just saying something that she thought the people in the audience would nod and agree with like all politicians do."

That's probably what Trent Lott was thinking too when he made his ill-considered remark. It cost him his leadership job. But with help from her MSM friends, Hillary's comments are seen as a savvy way to launch a presidential campaign.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: charliecook; gopplantation; hillary; liberalmedia; mediabias; nbcnews; plantation; todayshow
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Thanks for the report, Governs. I have to tell you, CNN was not kind to her at all on Anderson Cooper last night. I was surprised.


41 posted on 01/18/2006 5:32:56 AM PST by katieanna
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To: katieanna

Glad to hear it. As I posted here last night, Chris Matthews gave her, and Sharpton, a hard time too.


42 posted on 01/18/2006 5:33:58 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show Since 2002 So You Don't Have To.)
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To: TheForceOfOne

yup , recall NYTimes film critic Pauline Kael's 1972 quip

"...how can that be ??,,,??
I don't know anyone that voted for Nixon!"

they're all in their bolshvik gulags , er ah PLANTATIONS


43 posted on 01/18/2006 5:36:27 AM PST by Dad yer funny
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To: Mo1

Oops .. I just realized today is Wed. and not Thurs.

The Report is due out tomorrow

Off to make more coffee


44 posted on 01/18/2006 5:36:46 AM PST by Mo1 (Republicans protect Americans from Terrorists.. Democrats protect Terrorists from Americans)
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To: R.W.Ratikal
Massa' Clinton forgets that she is one of the slave-owners

She hasn't forgotten.

Why do you think she was "down on her plantation" reminding her peoples whose plantation they work for?

45 posted on 01/18/2006 5:41:53 AM PST by joshhiggins
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Mitchell informed us that Hillary's comment was "ad-libbed." And just how would Andrea know that?

Right. Mitchell is just another smirking lib phony. It's easy to see she'll be one of Hilly's chief propagandists. Put Gloria Borger on that list too.

If Hilly is going to run, I want to know what they are going to do to electronically soften that campaign voice of hers. It peels paint from the wall and makes you want to hide under the floor. Imagine being cooped up in the house with that for about 40 years. I almost feel sorry for Bubba, but, nah, I don't. I serves him right.

46 posted on 01/18/2006 5:51:40 AM PST by FlyVet
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

It would have been news if she followed up by saying Mahatma Gandhi worked at a gas station in St. Louis.


47 posted on 01/18/2006 5:53:01 AM PST by jaydubya2
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

The MSM goes to bat for their heroine Hillary. In related news, the sun rises in the east!


48 posted on 01/18/2006 5:55:47 AM PST by Rummyfan
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To: FlyVet

yup, that is the BIG dilemma over there

blind supporters of Sir Edmund Hillary Clinton ['til the last dog dies]

and seasoned democRAT politicos that KNOW she is unelectable


49 posted on 01/18/2006 6:06:22 AM PST by Dad yer funny
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Mitchell informed us that Hillary's comment was "ad-libbed."

Which, if true, just goes to show you what she is really thinking when she's not on script. I'm sure Mrs. Greenspan thinks she was doing Shrillary a favor by this remark but, if you think about it, it doesnt help her. Hopefully this will be the spin for the day today, that she was just ad-libbing.If so, it wont help her.

50 posted on 01/18/2006 6:10:04 AM PST by capydick
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Hillary 2008: "YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN"


51 posted on 01/18/2006 6:13:08 AM PST by ishabibble (UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL)
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To: ishabibble

LOL! Perfect!

I think you've put your finger on how Hillary will run in the Dem primaries. She will be saying centrist-sounding things , while telling her supporters with a wink and a nod "you know what I mean."


52 posted on 01/18/2006 6:15:56 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show Since 2002 So You Don't Have To.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Katie wore black today. It was a sad day...but then they found Andrea Mitchell was willing to turn this around! And to have the comment turn into something "all" politicians have been known to do, no big deal.

One tactic which applies only to Democrats: when something looks bad for them, it is defended first by the media, and then the actual comments are shown deep in the story. Opposite for Republicans.


53 posted on 01/18/2006 6:16:24 AM PST by soloNYer
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Trent Lott's comments at a 100th birthday party for Senator Strom Thurmond, "I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either,"

It was definitely a lapse on his part and he shouldn't have said it. He was simply trying to compliment Senator Thurmond. BUT THEN, HE APOLOGIZED IMMEDIATELY. Still, he was eventually forced out of his position as majority leader by the MSM.

Contrast that to Hillary's over-the-line comments about the "plantation". They were profoundly racist. She gets a pass by the MSM.

54 posted on 01/18/2006 6:25:47 AM PST by REPANDPROUDOFIT
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Actually, I was thinking that a clip of this monster saying that in a black church to black people on MLK Day would be the second best campaign ad that the RNC could run during the 2008 race.

The first and foremost would be a clip of Hillary's speech in SF some time ago, in which she told the adoring SF audience, "We're going to take things away from you..." etc. She let her mask slip during that speech and showed her naked socialist mindset. Let Mr. and Mrs. JoeSixPack with the four kids and two jobs and big housenote see what a President Hillary Clinton has in store for them. Let the very happy and affluent people (retired from the need to be involved) here in the Golden Ghetto see that a President Hillary will threaten the wealth that they've worked hard for all their lives.

Hillary 2008: WE CAN ALL BE EQUAL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL.
55 posted on 01/18/2006 6:31:53 AM PST by ishabibble (UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

"...She gets a pass by the MSM."

Yep. But while radio dial surfing this morning I did hear Bob of Bob and Sherry (syndicated radio drive time "humor" show) say that Hillary was being so stupid with her plantation remarks. Of course Bob and Sherry combined have the IQ of a backward clam but still they are TRENDY and saw HC's remarks as political negatives.


56 posted on 01/18/2006 6:33:39 AM PST by Monterrosa-24 (France kicked Germany's teeth out at Verdun among other places.)
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To: Monterrosa-24

How I would love to see Trent Lott make a public statement about her comments and the unfairness of the media's contrasting reaction to both.


57 posted on 01/18/2006 6:40:45 AM PST by REPANDPROUDOFIT
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Gosh, I'm running out of examples of why I hate the BIASED Today Show.
58 posted on 01/18/2006 7:24:42 AM PST by demkicker
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To: demkicker
Gosh, I'm running out of examples of why I hate the BIASED Today Show.

Don't worry - I'm sure I'll be able to provide lots more in coming weeks ;-)

59 posted on 01/18/2006 7:58:54 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show Since 2002 So You Don't Have To.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
"It would also appear that NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell is a proud graduate of the Bob Woodward School of Political Mind-Reading. Mitchell informed us that Hillary's comment was "ad-libbed."

Right, Sandworm, just like her identical "plantation" usage was ad-libbed in '04. You DUmmies are so screwed!

60 posted on 01/18/2006 12:36:26 PM PST by StAnDeliver
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