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Did the MSM drop the ball on John Edwards?
SFGate: Bronstein at Large ^ | 8/8/8 | Phil Bronstein

Posted on 08/08/2008 2:32:37 PM PDT by SmithL

John Edwards. There, I said it.

I guess it's too late to be dramatic, now that Edwards has talked to a MSM outlet (ABC) about his affair. I really meant to say something earlier, when almost every daily newspaper, including The Chronicle, was not touching a story broken by, gasp, the National Enquirer, but I was tied up.

Most MSM in general had stayed away, picking at it with their noses held, as if looking for something valuable in a moldy dumpster. Of course the New York (City) Times said they were "looking into it" but certainly not printing a story. Oh, no. On journalism sites, the finger-pointing, self-loathing, self-righteousness and tut-tutting was massive. Don't touch that dirty tale! Don't trust but verify! Why are we ignoring this?

It's the same old problem when the most scandalous of the tabs breaks an actual story. It happened a lot with Bill Clinton, and Edwards now seems a little Bill lite-like ("I had sex with that woman but she meant nothing to me." I'm sure Rielle Hunter feels as good as Monica Lewinsky did about that.) The perp is a little ashamed but leave it to the Mrs. to take the real humiliation hit.

As always, the most interesting thing (OK, to me) about this are the cultural currents and implications. Is it worse when a darling of progressives betrays you than if it's Newt Gingrich? Better? The same? Was there a conspiracy to out Edwards hatched in a political brain? Will the MSM ever figure out the journalistic etiquette following a big tabloid scoop? Does anyone really think that a story splashed in the tabs and debated on blogs like a powerful fire back draft is somehow...

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: edwards; ididnothavesex; johnedwards; mediabias; newsblackout; philbronstein; riellehunter
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To: KarlInOhio

hits->hints


21 posted on 08/08/2008 2:41:40 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (Whale oil: the renewable biofuel for the 21st century.)
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To: Jet Jaguar

But you could see the big lump - elephant shaped - right in the middle of the living room.


22 posted on 08/08/2008 2:41:54 PM PDT by Notwithstanding ("You are either with America in our time of need or you are not" - Hillary from Senate well 9/12/01)
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To: SmithL

They didn’t drop the ball. They set it down carefully behind the garbage cans where, they hoped, nobody would spot it. They do not want to display evidence that would tarnish the reputation of one of ‘their own’.


23 posted on 08/08/2008 2:42:34 PM PDT by meyer (...by any means necessary.)
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To: the anti-liberal
I would think that someone from SF would be applauding Edward’s sexually indulgent behavior!

Not so fast...
He had sex with a woman this time.

I was sure he was gay.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

24 posted on 08/08/2008 2:43:17 PM PDT by Bon mots
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To: SmithL
That's one nice thing about being a Donk, you can screw up big time and it will never be covered by the MSM.
25 posted on 08/08/2008 2:44:08 PM PDT by ANGGAPO (Layte Gulf BeachClub)
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To: icwhatudo
The choice not to run this story and to help make it fade away is just a typical example of the major networks doing everything they can to help the liberal agenda!!!!
There is not acceptable excuse for this one sided biased behavior. This action is totally transparent clearly demonstrating their socialistic bias and misuse of their place in our society.
This action is shameful and dishonest.
Not one of these POS’s will have the gonads to step up and take responsibility for their inaction and participation in this attempted cover-up.
26 posted on 08/08/2008 2:44:48 PM PDT by oldenuff2no (Retired AB ranger and damn proud of it!!! I served to support our constitution and our way of life.)
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To: icwhatudo

So if good Democrats are involved in sexual type scandals it should be ignored. If Republicans are so involved, they should be crucified.

So if a Democrat is involved, the MSM will say that we shouldn’t be investigating people’s private lives, and that their private lives will not impact any public policies or their actions as a public official. But if a Republican is involved, the MSM takes the position that their private lives will impact their public positions, and besides, Republicans are hypocritical because of “family values” and the notion that adultery is wrong. So they should be nailed for that point.

Democrats never talk about family values or adultery being wrong, no nobody can nail them on that point.

Add it all up, and we see the MSM template for reporting depends on which political party or political ideology one holds. I think nowadays, Al Gore could get away with anything because he’s so active with global warming, and the MSM loves that.


27 posted on 08/08/2008 2:46:27 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: SmithL

“Did the MSM drop the ball on John Edwards?”

Drop the ball?? DROP THE BALL???

You have to touch the ball before you can drop it.


28 posted on 08/08/2008 2:47:01 PM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: Bon mots
Ah, good point!
Not so fast...
He had sex with a woman

29 posted on 08/08/2008 2:47:33 PM PDT by the anti-liberal
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To: the anti-liberal

In S.F. it was virtually a non-story about Gavin Newsom’s affair with the wife of a campaign aide of his.


30 posted on 08/08/2008 2:47:45 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: SmithL
Did the MSM drop the ball on John Edwards?

Drop the ball?

H-ll, the MSM spends about 90% of their energy playing "dodge ball"
when a Democrat has done something immoral, illegal and/or
totally Un-American!!!!!
31 posted on 08/08/2008 2:49:07 PM PDT by VOA
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To: SmithL

The MSM is only interested in Republican balls.


32 posted on 08/08/2008 2:49:09 PM PDT by Enterprise (Let all Democrats have a half vote. They deserve it!)
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To: SmithL

For this person to even ask the question like he doesn’t know the answer, clearly proves that he is in on the cover up.


33 posted on 08/08/2008 2:50:03 PM PDT by airborne (Don't hate me because I'm white!)
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To: oldenuff2no

To me, “the liberal agenda” seems to be increasingly the “Marxist agenda...


34 posted on 08/08/2008 2:50:04 PM PDT by the anti-liberal
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To: SmithL
Was there a conspiracy to out Edwards hatched in a political brain?

Hey, Phil, google the name "Clinton, Hillary".

35 posted on 08/08/2008 2:50:19 PM PDT by Free State Four
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To: Spok

As Monk says, “I L-O-Led out loud!”


36 posted on 08/08/2008 2:51:39 PM PDT by tang-soo (Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks - Read Daniel Chapter 9)
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To: SmithL

Bear, Catholic, Pope, Woods


37 posted on 08/08/2008 2:51:43 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (College kid: "Do you have a minute for Obama?" NVA: "Not now or ever.")
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To: Dilbert San Diego
Figures.

I don't understand why major corporations stay in that city.

Heck, I don't understand why families stay there.

38 posted on 08/08/2008 2:55:14 PM PDT by the anti-liberal
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To: SmithL

Bronstein, you were an accomplice, if only indirectly.

Too late now to claim any credibility. you ARE PART OF THE MSM that ignored the story.

Need photos? Who are you kidding. You are just like Edwards, who is EVEN NOW saying, he’s 99 per cent innocent.

No, he’s 99% guilty, as are you.

Why don’t you just say it — YES, I AM PART OF THE DINOSAUR MEDIA. PLEASE PAY NO ATTENTION TO ME henceforth.


39 posted on 08/08/2008 2:56:20 PM PDT by detch
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To: SmithL

40 posted on 08/08/2008 2:56:35 PM PDT by mirkwood
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