The MSM are winning

Instapunk ^ | May 16, 2006

[Roscoe Karns]

It's called Chinese Water Torture. It works.

NOSTALGIA. The princelings of the blogosphere are proud, perhaps justifiably, of the impact their new form of media has had in recent years. They brought down Dan Rather, they helped reelect George W. Bush in 2004, and they have played a part in the steady erosion of the credibility and circulation totals of major newspapers like the  New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Boston Globe. They see themselves as a potent new political force climbing atop the crumbling ruins of the Mainstream Media.

The only problem with this view of media matters is that it's wrong. Think back to September 12, 2001. Imagine that an omniscient seer had told you then that four-and-a-half years later, the U.K. and Spain would have experienced al Qaeda attacks in their own countries; France's appeasement-oriented government would have been rocked by Islamic riots in Paris and other cities, Denmark would have had its citizens and embassies targeted for Islamic terror attacks on account of political cartoons portraying Muhammed; Russia would have endured a deadly hostage siege by Islamic terrorists at a school full of children; and in all that time, the United States would not have experienced a single additional terror attack on its own soil. Imagine the seer had told you further that the United States would, in the same period of time, wage and win two wars in the middle east, overthrowing the Taliban in Afghanistan and midwifing the formation of a parliamentary democracy there, then driving Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and bringing that destitute country to the verge of its first parliamentary government, elected by nation-wide vote and backed by a western-trained police force and a non-Baathist army, while Saddam himself sat in the dock awaiting the verdict of his trial for crimes against humanity. Imagine he had told you that American combat deaths in these two wars over three years time would not have exceeded 5,000. Imagine that he also told you the American economy would have fully recovered from the 9/11 attack in this timeframe, returning to employment, interest, inflation, and growth rates rivalling if not exceeding those of the Clinton years, despite wartime budget deficits and huge increases in gasoline prices caused by the inevitable uncertainties in the middle east, while the socialist economies of Europe stagnated or shrank. Then imagine that he told you George W. Bush's approval rating just six months after his reelection would stand at 29 percent.

Would you have believed him? Would you have believed that the predicted accomplishments could be achieved so speedily, if at all, in the post-9/11 world? And would you have believed that a man who led such bold endeavors would be the least popular president in modern history save for Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter?

Yet that is the case. And here, courtesy of CNN, is the unkindest cut of all:

The poll of 1,021 adult Americans was conducted May 5-7 by Opinion Research Corp. for CNN. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Respondents favored Clinton by greater than 2-to-1 margins when asked who did a better job at handling the economy (63 percent Clinton, 26 percent Bush) and solving the problems of ordinary Americans (62 percent Clinton, 25 percent Bush). (Watch whether Americans are getting nostalgic for the Clinton era -- 1:57)

On foreign affairs, the margin was 56 percent to 32 percent in Clinton's favor; on taxes, it was 51 percent to 35 percent for Clinton; and on handling natural disasters, it was 51 percent to 30 percent, also favoring Clinton.

Moreover, 59 percent said Bush has done more to divide the country, while only 27 percent said Clinton had.

When asked which man was more honest as president, poll respondents were more evenly divided, with the numbers -- 46 percent Clinton to 41 percent Bush -- falling within the poll's margin of error. The same was true for a question on handling national security: 46 percent said Clinton performed better; 42 percent picked Bush.

Wouldn't we all like to go back to the paradise of pre-9/11 America?

How could this have happened? Bungles, scandals, corruption, and bad luck? Well, in case anyone has forgotten this elementary fact, every presidential administration has its share of bungles, scandals, corruption, and bad luck. These are the whales, sharks, and other monsters that swim ceaselessly in the political ocean. But the ocean itself -- the medium in which the monsters swim -- is the MSM. In this context, the blogosphere is no more than the foam on the whitecaps stirred up by the vast currents and movements in the ocean below. And while the bloggers were fighting their various and diverse battles in the name of truth, justice, and common sense, the MSM ocean was harnessing its entire immensity on just one story, told an infinite number of times, in every possible inflection, from every direction, and with the deadly persistent accuracy of a dripping tap: George W. Bush is no good.

It doesn't have to be true, it doesn't have to be fair, it doesn't have to be consistent in its terms. All that matters is that it is repeated with uniform constancy: drip, drip, drip. George W. Bush is no good. George W. Bush is no good. George W. Bush is no good. Change the headlines, seem to change the subject. Abu Ghraib. European disdain. Tom Delay. Katrina. Deficits. Valerie Plame. Gas prices. Karl Rove. Death in Iraq. Angry mothers. NSA wiretaps. Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, the lede is always the same. George W. Bush is no good. George W. Bush is no good. George W. Bush is no good. George W. Bush is no good. George W. Bush is no good. George W. Bush is no good. Forget the good news, bury the accomplishments or ignore them altogether. Drip, drip, George W. Bush is no good, George W. Bush is no good, George W. Bush is no good.

It took the MSM three years to bring George W. Bush's approval ratings down from their post 9/11 high to 52 percent on election day 2004. It's taken them just six months to bring him down another 20 to 25 points. They never forgot their mission. While the princeling bloggers pissed and moaned about Harriet Miers, and immigration, and federal spending, the MSM kept on dripping out its one story, and now they are within reach of their goal -- Democrats restored to the majority in both houses of Congress and the stage set for the vengeful impeachment and dismissal from office of the most courageous president in modern times.

We're just one bubble among the tens of thousands in a single patch of foam on the MSM ocean. Who are we to stand in the way of the American tidal wave of nostalgia for the great Bill Clinton presidency? We can only submit. Here are a few of the moments we're sure everyone wants to savor again and again, like fine wine, from the days when the President single-handedly created a booming economy, took care of everyone's needs, minded the national security faultlessly, and was so thoroughly honest in all his dealings with the American people.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The Seinfeld presidency."

I've also had the thought that Seinfeld and the Clinton presidency were a perfect match. In both cases, lying was the normal way of life, and people reinvented themselves to suit the needs of the moment, e.g., "I'm an architect . . . Art Vandelay . . . Professor von Nostrum . . . " and so on.

[griswold3]

"Admittedly it's a partial list"
I have a LIST!!
I believe this is a "water torture" treatment. But, has anyone considered what will be left? So if we have a Dem in '08, do they really really really believe the damage they've done now to our Nation will be corrected? There are no do-overs. The left needs to get in touch with REALITY.
If you dance with the devil, the devil don't change. He changes you.

[narby]

the MSM just gave up on all journalistic objectivity during the 1988 election

They started earlier than that. The Nixon resignation was completely MSM driven. All Nixon did was operate in the normal Washington mode established since FDR, and the MSM turned that into a crime.

Nixon still hasn't been rehabilitated, even after his death. And still today the "bad guy" president on the TV show "24" is a Nixon look-alike.

[Jameison]

Umm.. I think you got your wires crossed.
I didn't make that quote you just ascribed to me.

[Tokra]

No common sense American with any traditional American values watches CNN and believes their drivel. Their polls reflect the views of the Leftist Wacko's who respond to them; no more, no less. Get a grip

Don't we wish.

Every single poll taken gives Bush lousy numbers. It isn't just CNN. This article is right on the money.

The vast majority of Americans believe what is spoon-fed to them by the MSM. Now that many conservatives seem to hate Bush as much as Michael Moore does - it just magnifies the poor numbers.

If something doesn't change soon, the dems will sweep November and then this country will be in a world of hurt.

[uncitizen]

Umm.. I think you got your wires crossed. I didn't make that quote you just ascribed to me.

Oh, I know you didn't make that quote. The quote came from the article or essay that was posted. I posted my remarks to you just because i agreed with your remarks and so i wanted to add my two cents to see if you had anything to say about it.

[Texasforever]

The MSM disliked him for all the wrong reasons, but they were correct that his administration would be largely repugnant.

Another 2004 sign-up. You are not a very good troll.

[GOPJ]

But the ocean itself -- the medium in which the monsters swim -- is the MSM. In this context, the blogosphere is no more than the foam on the whitecaps stirred up by the vast currents and movements in the ocean below. And while the bloggers were fighting their various and diverse battles in the name of truth, justice, and common sense, the MSM ocean was harnessing its entire immensity on just one story, told an infinite number of times, in every possible inflection, from every direction, and with the deadly persistent accuracy of a dripping tap: George W. Bush is no good.

We're down - not out...

[Jameison]

"Every single poll taken gives Bush lousy numbers. "

Apart from the only poll that really counts..the one in November 2004, where President Bush won with a whopping 62 million votes (the highest ever in American history), and the highest percentage of the popular vote in 16 years, certainly much higher than BJ Clinton (who won with a measly 43% of the popular vote in 1992) ever did.


"The vast majority of Americans believe what is spoon-fed to them by the MSM"

They don't.
That's why the same polls also show the trust of the American public in the rabid liberal media is currently at all time lows!


"Now that many conservatives seem to hate Bush as much as Michael Moore does - "

In your dreams.
Few people on this planet are as vile, rancid and evil as Michael Moore is, or as capable of visceral hate as he is.
But hey, you are on a roll here, don't let me stop ya.


"If something doesn't change soon, the dems will sweep November and then this country will be in a world of hurt."

Been there done that.
Heard the same rune back in 2002 , when DNC Chairman Terry Mcauliffe guaranteed that the RATS were going to win congress.
He and the RATS got clobbered but god.

RATS were even more confident of winning in 2004.
As usual, they were sent packing.
Americans are not assuicidalasyou think.
It takes a really careless voting public to hand a whole country to stark raving lunatics like Howard Dean. Do we need to act decisively on immigration and take strong steps to close our borders? Oh yes.

[Jameison]

"Oh, I know you didn't make that quote"

Apologies.

"They started earlier than that. The Nixon resignation was completely MSM driven. All Nixon did was operate in the normal Washington mode established since FDR, and the MSM turned that into a crime."

Totally agree.
That is why the MSM were so smitten over Rathergate.
There was plenty of gnashing of teeth over the "good old days", when they could bring down Republican governments they didn't like, with biased reporting, without being actively challenged on facts and content by what one top MSM'er contemptpoulsy refereed to as "men in pajamas".

[sauropod]

While I am quite unhappy with 43 right now for a number of reasons, I have to say the author is correct.

The abuse and vitriol heaped on this man by the MSM from before day 1 has completely gutted his presidency.

Truly remarkable. I have never seen anything like it in my lifetime.

[sauropod]

No common sense American with any traditional American values watches CNN and believes their drivel.

Get real. CNN is piped into airports all across the nation. They have a captive audience.

[Constantine XIII]

History will look back on President Bush as one of the few leaders in our country in this age who wasn't a complete nutjob or crook.

IMHO

[sanjacjake]

No poll is ever taken of those who ride the horse
and buggy...they are the real voters. Jake

[mikeus_maximus]

The MSM disliked him for all the wrong reasons, but they were correct that his administration would be largely repugnant. Another 2004 sign-up. You are not a very good troll.

Correct. Possibly, that's because I'm not, although that's an irrelevant fact to those who've pledged their souls to Bush II.

[sanjacjake]

No poll is ever taken of those who ride the horse
and buggy...they are the real voters. Jake

[Stentor]

Another 2004 sign-up. You are not a very good troll.

They're as numerous as baby roaches.

[traditional1]

the dems will sweep November

That's what they said in 2000, and 2002, and 2004, also.....pickin' up a pattern ?

[traditional1]

"Get real. CNN is piped into airports all across the nation"Yeah, and how many of those in airports are responding to the polls, please enlighten me.?

[Buckhead]

Thanks for the ping. A very well written piece. The lying MSM, and Hollywood, and the whole cultural arsenal of the left threw everything they had at W in 2004 -- even the CIA did all they could -- and the bastards still lost.

The reason they are ahead is that Bush is not fighting back - he's been taking the blows without comment. He fought back briefly, and his numbers improved, but it was not a sustained effort, and now they have trended lower than ever.

There is a well established pattern of conservatives and W supporters despairing over millions of unanswered attacks over a period of months to years. And then, in a strategically planned campaign, W fights back and wins.

They may have waited too long this time. Tony Snow is a good start. The long thread on his first presser was very enthusiastic. A more combative tone from now til November is devoutly to be wished. All of us here should do our part, however small it may seem.

I think we're going to win because Americans are never going to vote to lose a war or surrender to head chopping savages, which is the Democrat plan.