Posted on 05/31/2013 11:45:05 PM PDT by grundle
The verdict is still out on how much political damage the current trio of scandals will inflict on the Obama White House.
What this verdict misses, however, is two important realities. The first is that—unlike the IRS and Benghazi scandals—the facts of the DOJ's press intrusions are clear and uncontested. We know Justice has seized records of reporters, that Attorney General Eric Holder himself signed onto a warrant that suggested a journalist was a "co-conspirator" in a national-security leak. We also know that government has violated its own guidelines on probing journalists.
So this is a scandal that can't be ignored or dismissed as a Republican witch hunt. Moreover, it is a scandal that has, for once, outraged two groups that Mr. Obama deeply depends on for his political success: the press and liberal activists.
For years, much of the Washington press corps has served as this White House's front-line defense. As recently as a month ago, the press was still playing no-see-um with Benghazi.
Yet since the AP story broke, the Beltway media have been doing a passable impression of a credible Fourth Estate. White House press secretary Jay Carney's daily briefings now resemble "Survivor" episodes, with journalists firing off questions, rejecting answers, and even rolling their eyes at responses. The White House's evasiveness on the press scandal has suddenly got the press corps wondering what else this administration isn't being straight on.
It has even led to the extraordinary sight of major media outlets this week banding together to boycott meetings planned by Eric Holder to discuss Justice's press investigations. The organizations balked because the meetings would be off the record. Since the press is not known for resisting the spin of anonymous Obama officials, this reaction is progress.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
From the leaks coming out of AG Holder's “off the record” press meeting, the kinds of things he said ought to be very worrisome for anyone in the MSM. Holder came across as offering a velvet glove that contained a mailed fist. His unstated message was to be a tame journalist and tow the Obama line to be rewarded; ask embarrassing questions and we will get you. The Fox News reporter's phone taps and other intrusions, were meant to send a message.
You have news outlets comparing Obama’s scandals to Nixon's Watergate fiasco — especially his “enemies” list. The MSM hated Nixon and Nixon hated the MSM. The MSM sought to destroy Nixon and he resigned, but Nixon, like Obama, misused various federal agencies like the IRS and FBI.
Some of the old hands who were around in those days, still remember the kinds of things that were done to people and organizations. Perhaps more than a few of the journalists are now seeing what others have seen for years: The Chicago Way of politics. Reward your friends and destroy your enemies.
Obama has never liked the fawning press corps, but they have been willing useful idiots. Now the useful idiots are seeing that their supposed friend is not a friend at all, but a petty little tyrant that wants things always done his way. He has staffed his administration with bureaucrats that are political zealots just like him and they don't take prisoners; they clear the playing field.
Is the MSM love affair with Obama and his ilk over? Do the media types understand the kind of administration that is emerging into the light of public scrutiny? Initial readings appear hopeful, but it is too early to tell.
I’ll believe it when I see it and even then I won’t trust the LSM.
Make that 4 !...Fast and Furious isn't done yet!!..that's a accessory to murder rap just like Benghazi..the others are just treason...
The leftist media will try to take out Holder because they instinctively sense that he will irreparably tarnish their main man in the White House, if left in place.
So, what we are seeing is not the MSM turning on Obama, but in their view, protecting him.
Leftists never seem to understand the law of unintended consequences, because this is absolutely the worst thing they could do for Obama. When Holder is out, even if replaced by Deval Patrick, Obama is in deep trouble, IMHO.
So after 5 years the MSM has suddenly woken up and realized there might be a problem with the government slapping treason charges on the press. It is a bit like a dog owner who fails to watch and properly train a dog suddenly being surprised that the dog is now trying to gnaw the owner's leg off.
The MSM have been too totally invested in Obama to make a switch. Remember, 90% of MSM vote dem, so the peer pressure is enormous ... if you as a lap-dog presser begin to express any doubts about his highness, others will call you down. It’s a self-perpetuating support.
It leads to preposterous excuses by the press for Obama. Just a few:
1. He sat in a pew in Rev. Wright’s church for 20 years. Wright was a mentor to him ... but as soon as Wright’s bigotry became news, the press excused Obama because he never really listened to the sermons!
2. Brochures were distributed for 16 years by the publishing house for Obama’s books. For Obama’s descriptive bio, the brochure said he was born in Kenya. But the press said this was an inadvertent error, and anyone who believes Obama was born in Kenya is a “birther”! So since Obama signed off on the brochure, he must be the original birther.
3. The head of the IRS, Doug Schulman, has visited the WH 160 or more times. Something like once a week for the entire Obama term. Obama is his boss, but he is supposed to carry out the law with regard to taxes, laws created by Congress. So what is there for them to talk about, so much? Yet we are told they never talked about targeting conservative opponents of Obama’s using the IRS as a weapon. Right! He was there just for the Easter Eggs.
we get what we deserve... :-(
Scandals?
You mean scandals like:
Fast and Furious
Benghazi
IRS
Justice dept. going after newsmedia
....Where should I stop? How many more scandals do you need before he gets brought down?
I watched the Boston baseball game where the young man who had his legs blown off at the Boston Marathon came out to throw out the first pitch. There folks, you see the results of Benghazi. The Boston bombings are tied to Obama and his inept foreign policy. Benghazi and Boston are tied together. The Democrats would like everyone to forget that.
He did?
As I recall, he got the intel but he did not order these agencies to go after individual Americans and organizations. Obama has, but the MSM has been covering for Obama’s criminal deeds.
Actually, he ranted about it "we ought to go after those guys" but never even attempted to do it. Nixon himself was audited by the IRS.
Obama has, but the MSM has been covering for Obama’s criminal deeds.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg, even if they truly turn on him, we may never know the extent of his carnage and destruction to the US. Just like most Americans don't know of the Gore and Clinton shenanigans and traitorous behavior.
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