ENOUGH! Crossfire bleeding and liberal bleating, help Ailes smack Isaacson

Hotline (National Journal) ^ | 4/23/02 | Paul Begala

[stromsfriend]

Small Rant: I am sick of hearing this crap from CNN for several reasons:

1) Crossfire has been getting a dismal 0.5 since the intial hype after it debuted. That means that normal people see the obvious bias of show (carville & begala beating on carlson and novak), and would rather watch a Don King boxing match for a more fair and balanced fight.

2) CNN is throwing $$$ at Crossfire (a million $ set, a big blow out bash at Carville's DC restaurant to congratulate them for "kicking ass") while its parent company, AOL/Time Warner just announced a $54 billion loss for the quarter! Walter Isaacson (CNN head) should be strung up by their stockholders.

3) CNN just brought on Jeff Toobin as their head legal analyst. He wrote the book, "Too Close To Call" about the 2000 election where he insinuates that Republicans used the courts and manipulated the system in FL to make sure Bush won the White House - saying that the wrong man is in the White House. Now there's some liberal bias!

4) Because of the supposed "success" of Crossfire, liberals have been inundating Roger Ailes with emails telling him how fair and balanced Crossfire is BuzzFlash-Roger Ailes. I say we send roger some support (roger.ailes@foxnews.com) and email Walter Isaacson isaacson@aol.com and give him some of his own medicine!

-Thanks,

Stromsfriend (trying to even the odds)

[Billthedrill]

I have a message for the nameless, gutless whimperers out there. Quit whining.

Hmm...well, Paul, you might try taking some of your own advice. Show up here on FR and prove what a tough guy you are...or shut up.

[antivenom]

The show will die...we are witnessing the last death throes...this is the reason Carville kept all of this at arms length...he knows that Begala is a BOOB.

Carville is NOT an idiot...thats why he signed the once a month appearance and got his BIG payment up front...he KNEW this would die and he would have to only show up once or twice before it's death.

Begala and Crossfire will be the Jerry Springer of Cable news "talk shows".

[Lazamataz]

The more they squeal, the worse their ratings. I give the show 2 months.

Tops.

[DoughtyOne]

Could someone please explain what a CNN is? Some of us can't remember.

[ifhult45]

Don't get me started on that whole Toobin issue. The guy's a bitter idiot. How can you trust a legal correspondent who's obviously so biased? With regard to the mess at CNN, though, how much can you really say. I mean they're blowing millions on sets for the show and celebratory soirees for the hosts-- the hosts of a sickingly biased show drawing ratings equal to those Oprah would draw if her show moved to ESPN. The whole thing's a debacle, and if I were an AOL/Time Warner stock holder I'd be after Isaccson in a hurry. I'm sending Mr. Ailes an e-mail right now. At least someone in charge knows how to run a network.

[spald]

I can't stand "Crossfire" anymore and it's been awhile since I did. I try to tune in but I never last more than 3-4 minutes. Truth is, Begala and CarVile are two of the best reasons I could NEVER trust a Democrat. They are such poor representatives, evil and gloating all the time.

The only redeeming aspect is the uncontained distain and dislike Novak has for Begala. I wish more TV people would treat this lapdog in such a manner.

This show can't last very long. I think it will be typical of the type of programming we can expect as an outcrop of CFR.

[JoeGar]

All of the "shouting heads" shows give me a headache.

[COBOL2Java]

You should hear the commercials here in the Washington DC area. In addition to their usual hype about how great the show is (you know, the boxing bell ringing, sound effects in the background making it sound like a true match, etc. etc.) the end of the commercial spot practically begs people to come and buy tickets at the George Washington University auditorium where the show takes place. "COME ON, IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE REAL ACTION LIVE, BUY YOUR TICKETS" blah blah blah.

They're desperate, folks...

[Psycho_Bunny]

"Carville is NOT an idiot"

No, he's not. He IS a Rhymeswithstick, though.

[montag813]

CNN's bias outweighs their business sense. No wonder AOL stock is in the toilet.

Begala and Carville are fine, but what is with the senile Arab butt-boy Novak and the fairy WASP "Tucker"?

Have these producers never heard of Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin? How about Joseph Farah or Mark Steyn? Any of these individuals would clearly make the show more even and exciting (and make Carville blow a gasket). But Issacson seems only to care about fulfilling his quota of propaganda as instructed by Terry McAulife.

Pathetic.

[cynicalman]

They're desperate, folks...

Objectivity is what we need. How are they actually doing in the ratings?

[Howlin]

": "I have a message for the nameless, gutless whimperers out there. Quit whining. Unlike some other shows, we here at 'Crossfire' actually present both sides of the issue. Every single night, we welcome the leading lights of the Republican right on to battle against their ideological foes. Carville and I make no apologies for being tough, nor do Tucker and Bob. That's what makes this show different. Look, if you want namby-pamby one-sided arguments go to Fox. But if you're tough enough and you're smart enough to go toe-to-toe with people who actually know how to debate, welcome to CNN. Welcome to the new 'Crossfire.'

ROFLMAO. He got the last part wrong though: it should have said

"Welcome to the new and IRRELEVANT 'Crossfire'"

[Howlin]

...Begala and CarVile are two of the best reasons I could NEVER trust a Democrat. They are such poor representatives, evil and gloating all the time.

Isn't it great that THEY are out front for the DNC?

[Howlin]

How can anybody trust a "journalist" who has had to REVISE not one, but TWO books he has published because he was WRONG??????????

[Dave S]

if I were an AOL/Time Warner stock holder I'd be after Isaccson in a hurry

Isaccson is no where near as bad as his predecessor. AOL/Time Warner earnings from operations are UP. The big loss yesterday was from the company writing off "Goodwill" on their balance sheet from AOL merger. They thought AOL was goign to do great things. So far its a dud. Rest of company, presumably including CNN, is up, which is not shabby for bad advertising market.

[winin2000]

For that 98-lb, limp-wristed panty stain Begala to direct that kind of trash talk to anyone is unreal.

The reason elected Republicans are boycotting Crossfire is because politicians simply cannot utter the kind of in-kind venom they would have to to compete with the snarling and sputtering of Begala and Carville. A natural response to some of the wild-assed accusations and insults of those cretins by a GOP Congressman would make headlines. Hell, If I would deck one of them if they gave me the kind of berating I'm seen them give conservative guests!

Thus, elected Republicans are forced to fight them with one hand tied behind their back, and they damn well know it.

Debate shows should ideally be hosted by pundits, not active party hacks who approach them not from the realm of honest opinion, but of naked political strategizing. Novak and Carlson aren't paid consultants who spend their time off-camera doing party work. They don't shill for the GOP; they defend their views.

[Grampa Dave]

If you have cable or a satellite system that allows you to lock out or block channels, just block out all CNN channels to prevent any weakness to allow these maggots to abuse you. The blocking prevents visitors from viewing CNN which will give CNN hits.

AOL/Time Warner is bleeding and will become terminal if they don't stop the massive $ losses at CNN. Eventually the long knifed bean counters at AOL/Time Warner will have to slice and dice CCN and sell the hardware and sites to highest bidder on EBay. No one will buy the clymers who appear and scream and shout and lie!

[linn37]

Buttgala is a moron,does he think he will get us to watch his sinking show by insulting us? LMAO

[Trueblackman]

Hell I will go on the show I mean I am The Director of Government Affairs for The African-American Republican Leadership Council. I wish I could find the contact information.