Posted on 09/22/2009 11:07:19 AM PDT by nickcarraway
People live in their own little worlds and have a tendency to shut out or ignore information that makes them uncomfortable. This is particularly true of liberal politicians and journalists, who find it easier and easier to ignore facts and developments that run counter to their view of how things ought to be.
This fact has been on stark display recently as liberals have dismissed anyone who questions the wisdom of President Barack Obamas demands on our national priorities as cranks or, worse, racists. One can easily demonstrate ones racist tendencies these days by simply attending town hall meetings or Tea Parties or coming to Washington to express views contrary to those of our president.
Nothing in years, however, brings this home as clearly as the way the media and the president have reacted to the unfolding story of how their friends at ACORN have misused public funds and engaged daily in a nationwide criminal conspiracy to rig elections and advised their clients on how to evade taxes and the law. ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Change Now, is a huge quasi-grassroots left-wing pressure group largely funded via earmarks, grants and contracts from its friends in Congress, who channel tens of millions of tax dollars to it every year.
Until recently, ACORNs web of influence included 400,000 members, offices in 75 cities and something like 300 affiliated organizations. So close was the groups association with the Obama administration that Congress increased ACORN funding in the stimulus package and it was announced that ACORN would play a major role in gathering the census information so essential to the conduct of fair elections.
All of that seems to be coming to an end, however, because two young conservatives, convinced the major media were missing a big story, went into ACORN offices as part of a sting theyd dreamed up and taped ACORN officials advising them on how to get mortgage and government money to run a brothel and bring young girls from Latin America to work in it.
Although most in the major media tried to ignore them, they managed to get their proof to the public, with earth-shattering results. ACORN has been revealed not to be a high-minded group of reformers, but a bunch of cynical borderline crooks who care more about money and power than law, morality or the people they claim to serve. Congress has voted to cut them off, their offices are closing and most of those who supported them hardly remember doing so.
Still, it has to be remembered that the major media tried its best to ignore the story, with reporters claiming they simply didnt know it was out there. Andrew Alexander, The Washington Posts ombudsman, admits his paper was slow to report the story, but claims it wasnt bias, but the fact that Post reporters dont even bother to follow whats going on among conservatives.
The president himself says the smoking-gun videos ought to be investigated by someone somewhere, but dismisses the whole affair as neither very interesting nor important. Besides, he said on Sunday, he didnt even realize ACORN was getting the federal funds that Congress wants to cut off. His, after all, is a presidency that thinks in terms of trillions of dollars and presumably cant be bothered with smaller sums, regardless of where they end up or how theyre used. Focusing on such trivialities, he implies, would distract him from the important work he was elected to do.
Its hard to believe that this is the same president who often finds time in his busy schedule to nitpickingly critique Fox, Rush Limbaugh and others when he disagrees with them.
This is the same president who toiled for ACORN as an attorney and assisted the group in Chicago as a community organizer; he also funneled nearly $900,000 to it during his 2008 campaign. One can only conclude, I guess, that busy as he is saving us all, he didnt recognize the acronym this time around. After all, those things took place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Fortunately, Congress was watching, and at least two members of Obamas administration, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Census Director Robert Groves, sensed early that ACORNs day was done. They announced, perhaps after watching Fox News and even before the Post knew it was a story, that they would sever all ties with the group.
That was good politics, good for America and a good story.
This is proof we can take them down.
ACORN still has long roots and will sprout elsewhere of course but it is DOABLE folks, they haven’t had to deal with tough scrutiny before. The MSM protects them. Get around the MSM, they FALL!
(WABC's) Charlie Gibson on Acorn Scandal: I Don't Even Know About It
BigGovernment.com ^ | Publius
Posted on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 4:02:59 PM by ETL
This morning, the ACORN scandal was raised to Charlie Gibson in an interview on WLS AM Chicagos Don Wade & Roma Morning Show.
TRANSCRIPT:
Don: Ok heres my question, Senate bill yesterday passes cutting off funds to this group called ACORN. Now we got the we got that bill passing, we got the embarrassing video of ACORN staff giving tax advice on how to set up a brothel with 13 year old hookers. It has everything you could want corruption and sleazy action at tax funded organizations thats got government ties. But nobodys covering that story why?
Charlie Gibson: (laugh) I dont even know about it. Uh, so you got me at a loss, I dont know. Uh, uh, but, but My goodness if its got everything including sleaziness in it we should talk about it this morning.
Roma: This is the American way
Charlie Gibson: Well maybe, maybe thats one you just leave to the cables.
Roma: Well I think that this is a huge issue because theres so much funding that goes into this organization and its a multi
Charlie Gibson: Well, I know weve done some stories about ACORN before but uh, uh this one I dont know about.
Roma: Jake Tapper did some blogging on it. I know hes at least blogged once on this scandal.
Charlie Gibson: You guys, you guys are really up on the uh on the website.
~~
Footage of the San Bernardino investigation was not available at the time of the interview.
Thank you to WLS AM Chicago for providing the audio.
Listen to the audio here:
[begins about 4 minutes, 30 secs into the audio clip. More incredible audio clips from the new Acorn videos later in the audio (apprx 11 mins into it) - total length of audio: apprx 35 mins. you can slide the bar over to the 4-1/2 min mark]
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/MediaPlayer/AudioPlayer.aspx?ContentGuid=8e38a801-07a5-41be-b6a1-fac443716e71
The part on the under-aged prostitution ring begins about 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the 35 min audio segment. And it continues on at about 11 mins into it (following other news). Note: you can slide the bar over on the site's audio player to the 4:30 mark in order to skip pass the other stuff. Audio of Charlie Gibson's inexcusable ignorance on this latest ACORN scandal is on there as well (after 5 days into it!).
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LOL! What a headline!
“It’s hard to believe that this is the same president who often finds time in his busy schedule to nitpickingly critique Fox, Rush Limbaugh and others when he disagrees with them.”
((Smirk)) he’s so worried about appearances..that’s what’s most important to him.
Did you notice he got the name ACORN wrong? According to him it should be ACOCN!
Did you notice he got the name ACORN wrong? According to him it should be ACOCN!
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