Posted on 02/24/2013 5:02:49 PM PST by Sub-Driver
CBS's Bill Plante: Obama Administration 'Undercutting First Amendment,' 'It's State-Run Media' By Noel Sheppard Created 02/24/2013 - 4:01pm
Bill Plante, CBS News Senior White House Correspondent, made a rather shocking statement Sunday about the Obama administration's media strategy.
Appearing on CNN's Reliable Sources, Plante said that to the extent the White House is able to "put out their own material" without the Washington press corps, "they're undercutting the First Amendment...it's state-run media" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST: Bill Plante, you've been patrolling that building since Ronald Reagan. Does the White House press look a little self-involved, a little whiny as I said earlier, complaining about this Tiger incident?
BILL PLANTE, CBS NEWS SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We've gotten used to being called whiny lapdogs. I've heard it for 30 years. But this is not about a picture of Tiger Woods. This is about access to the president. And access to the president has been cut and pushed and curtailed over every administration I've covered.
And here's the nub of it, Howie: this administration has the tools to reach people on their own. They don't need us as much. And to the extent that they're able to do that, they're undercutting the First Amendment, which guarantees a free press through many voices. If they put out their own material, it's state-run media.
Conservative radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Mark Levin have been talking about state-run media since Obama was elected. It's nevertheless extraordinary to hear this from someone at CBS News.
Of course, it would have been nice for Plante to say this before Election Day.
Regardless, it's going to be interesting to see whether more in the media begin making this case or if the lapdogs will just continue lapping.
Stay tuned.
Vastly ironic that Americans elected the man who will enslave them - and he isn’t even constitutionally eligible to run for president.
The list, Ping
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Mr. Plante should be getting a good talking to from the higher ups in the very near future.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Lap dogs in every administration? Sam Donaldson, Helen Thomas et al falling over themselves to catch out the president/press secretary is what comes to mind. If there were lap dogs in a Rep. presidency there were always a counterpoint to that in spades.
Interesting comments by Plante, but I’m afraid he wouldn’t have said it if he thought it would have an effect on this presidency.
“Transparency” can be a real **tch when a fascist dictator does it.
Lap dogs in every administration? Sam Donaldson, Helen Thomas et al falling over themselves to catch out the president/press secretary is what comes to mind. If there were lap dogs in a Rep. presidency there was always a counterpoint to that in spades.
Interesting comments by Plante, but I’m afraid he wouldn’t have said it if he thought it would have an effect on this presidency.
It would be even nicer if Plante would do something about it. He could start by asking Obama real questions.
Oh oh! Did Bill Plante just plan his retirement? His fellow lefties in the media will isolate him or someone at CBS News will force him to make an apology for his “unfortunate” choice of words.
Four and a half years and he finally, just finally has a moment of clarity?
Then it’s back to the usual propaganda.
Good grief.
Just the 1st Amendment, Mr. Plante?
So if Obama goes straight to local outlets, or puts out his message via campaign-style media events, that’s undercutting the First Amendment and amounts to a state-run media?
But if Obama goes straight to Steve Kroft or Bill Plante, and they report what he says word-for-word, unchallenged, with a little brown spot of Obama on their noses, that’s considered journalism?
Try some reporting, Bill. If you even remember what the bleepin’ word means. Dipstick.
A wise FReeper pointed out to me shortly before the FR outage last week that liberals may have declared victory, consider Republicans will no longer even be competitive, and are beginning to eat their own.
Ref: Stalin’s purges
There have been multiple examples in the last few days.
This Plante guy is gonna get crushed by the Regime for speaking out.
Well, like duh, Bill Plante of CBS. What a grasp of the obvious.
Well, like duh, Bill Plante of CBS. What a grasp of the obvious.
Well, like duh, Bill Plante of CBS. What a grasp of the obvious.
Now it's their turn. Did they think they could escape?
This is why they're refereed to as "Useful Idiots." Their usefulness has ended. Their job is done. It's off to the ovens for them, too!
But when you do it for them, Bill, you call it 'balanced journalism'.
Right?
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