http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790 Helen Thomas and Chip Reid Challenge Obama Admin. On 'Controlled' Town Hall Meeting Thursday, July 2, 2009 9:30 AM By:&nbsp;Kenneth D. Williams &nbsp; &nbsp; White House spokesman Robert Gibbs and the Obama administration found the press corps slightly less friendly than they are used to yesterday, when CBS's Chip Reid asked why the questions for Wednesday&rsquo;s town hall on healthcare were being selected beforehand. &nbsp; Gibbs tried to dodge the issue, and asked for it to be asked after the town hall meeting in question, but then Helen Thomas became involved, saying, &ldquo;We have never had that in the White House. I&rsquo;m amazed that you people &hellip; call for openness and transparency.&rdquo; &nbsp; Reid and Thomas didn't let up for a second, especially Thomas. &nbsp; To see the video, of the full exchange, Go Here Now. &nbsp; Karl Rove opined on Fox News this morning that, to some extent, Gibbs had a point in saying that, since people are free to ask whatever questions they want, the president should be allowed to answer whichever questions he wants. &nbsp; But Thomas didn't see it that way. After the press conference, she told CNS News that Obama's grip on the media is even greater than that of Richard Nixon. &nbsp; &quot;Nixon didn&rsquo;t try to do that. They couldn&rsquo;t control [the media]. They didn&rsquo;t try that. What the hell do they think we are, puppets? They&rsquo;re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them. I&rsquo;m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well - for the town halls, for the press conferences. It&rsquo;s blatant. They don&rsquo;t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.&quot; Helen Thomas and Chip Reid Challenge Obama Admin. On 'Controlled' Town Hall Meeting Thursday, July 2, 2009 9:30 AM By:&nbsp;Kenneth D. Williams &nbsp; &nbsp; White House spokesman Robert Gibbs and the Obama administration found the press corps slightly less friendly than they are used to yesterday, when CBS's Chip Reid asked why the questions for Wednesday&rsquo;s town hall on healthcare were being selected beforehand. &nbsp; Gibbs tried to dodge the issue, and asked for it to be asked after the town hall meeting in question, but then Helen Thomas became involved, saying, &ldquo;We have never had that in the White House. I&rsquo;m amazed that you people &hellip; call for openness and transparency.&rdquo; &nbsp; Reid and Thomas didn't let up for a second, especially Thomas. &nbsp; To see the video, of the full exchange, Go Here Now. &nbsp; Karl Rove opined on Fox News this morning that, to some extent, Gibbs had a point in saying that, since people are free to ask whatever questions they want, the president should be allowed to answer whichever questions he wants. &nbsp; But Thomas didn't see it that way. After the press conference, she told CNS News that Obama's grip on the media is even greater than that of Richard Nixon. &nbsp; &quot;Nixon didn&rsquo;t try to do that. They couldn&rsquo;t control [the media]. They didn&rsquo;t try that. What the hell do they think we are, puppets? They&rsquo;re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them. I&rsquo;m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well - for the town halls, for the press conferences. It&rsquo;s blatant. They don&rsquo;t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.&quot; en-us Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:50:31 PDT <p>woooooooooooooooooo yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa FINALLY!!!! somebody is wising up! took them long enough!!</p> <br /> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418478 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418478 <p>woooooooooooooooooo yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa FINALLY!!!! somebody is wising up! took them long enough!!</p> <br /> <p>Wish they'd done that eight years ago.&nbsp; We might not be in Iraq.</p> <p>If the press wants to ask tougher questions, you won't find any objections from me.&nbsp; Obama can handle them.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418479 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418479 <p>Wish they'd done that eight years ago.&nbsp; We might not be in Iraq.</p> <p>If the press wants to ask tougher questions, you won't find any objections from me.&nbsp; Obama can handle them.</p> <p>I think you'll find that the &quot;liberal media&quot;&nbsp;(which is to say, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman) might well agree.</p> <p>In related news, conservative media outlet Washington Post poo'ed the scrooch today:</p> <p><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ombudsman-blog/2009/07/wps_salon_plan_a_public_relati.html">http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ombudsman-blog/2009/07/wps_salon_plan_a_public_relati.html</a></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418481 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418481 <p>I think you'll find that the &quot;liberal media&quot;&nbsp;(which is to say, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman) might well agree.</p> <p>In related news, conservative media outlet Washington Post poo'ed the scrooch today:</p> <p><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ombudsman-blog/2009/07/wps_salon_plan_a_public_relati.html">http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ombudsman-blog/2009/07/wps_salon_plan_a_public_relati.html</a></p> <p>witters, Yes FINALLY, and I hope it is contagious.</p> <br /> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418490 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418490 <p>witters, Yes FINALLY, and I hope it is contagious.</p> <br /> <p>I don't think there is such a thing as liberal media, especially in television. The corporate media's policies and coverage of issues are determined by what they think will <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">make the most money</span>.&nbsp; The media and both political parties gave more attention to Generals, politicians, and pro war advocates, than people who were questioning the Iraqi War.&nbsp; Phil Donahue got fired from MSNBC and was replaced by Michael Savage. </p> <p>Currently, important events and issues are being debated and the media is feeding its audience information on Sanford and Michael Jackson. Sanford is a jerk, and South Carolina needs to examine whether he took state money for his trip to Argentina, but it doesn't warrant 20 minutes of an hour newscast. Jackson was very popular in the 80s, but it should be left to Entertainment Tonight. </p> <p>I haven't been following the healthcare legislation closely, but it appears that single payer healthcare is off the table before it was even on the table. I&nbsp;doubt that pharmaceutical companies will lose any profits. They donate heavily to both Democrats and Republicans.&nbsp; People who defend pharmaceutical companies need to realize that they charge US customers higher rates for the same medicine as Canada. They also receive huge public research grants from the USA. They then use that research to patent a medicine and charge a ridiculous price. </p> <p>Insurance companies are a different issue. Their function is to make money, so from a business perspective they are going to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, to avoid losing money. So, I&nbsp;believe that the government should provide people health care needs through taxes, similar to Medicare and Medi-Cal programs. Let's face it national politicians have the best health care policy in the US, and it's funded by the public. They need to allow the public to have the same options.</p> <p>My favorite news shows are The Colbert Report and The Daily Show, because they provide information on important issues while making fun of how mainstream news overreports on trivial matters.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418500 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418500 <p>I don't think there is such a thing as liberal media, especially in television. The corporate media's policies and coverage of issues are determined by what they think will <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">make the most money</span>.&nbsp; The media and both political parties gave more attention to Generals, politicians, and pro war advocates, than people who were questioning the Iraqi War.&nbsp; Phil Donahue got fired from MSNBC and was replaced by Michael Savage. </p> <p>Currently, important events and issues are being debated and the media is feeding its audience information on Sanford and Michael Jackson. Sanford is a jerk, and South Carolina needs to examine whether he took state money for his trip to Argentina, but it doesn't warrant 20 minutes of an hour newscast. Jackson was very popular in the 80s, but it should be left to Entertainment Tonight. </p> <p>I haven't been following the healthcare legislation closely, but it appears that single payer healthcare is off the table before it was even on the table. I&nbsp;doubt that pharmaceutical companies will lose any profits. They donate heavily to both Democrats and Republicans.&nbsp; People who defend pharmaceutical companies need to realize that they charge US customers higher rates for the same medicine as Canada. They also receive huge public research grants from the USA. They then use that research to patent a medicine and charge a ridiculous price. </p> <p>Insurance companies are a different issue. Their function is to make money, so from a business perspective they are going to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, to avoid losing money. So, I&nbsp;believe that the government should provide people health care needs through taxes, similar to Medicare and Medi-Cal programs. Let's face it national politicians have the best health care policy in the US, and it's funded by the public. They need to allow the public to have the same options.</p> <p>My favorite news shows are The Colbert Report and The Daily Show, because they provide information on important issues while making fun of how mainstream news overreports on trivial matters.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p><em>I don't think there is such a thing as liberal media, especially in television.&nbsp;</em></p> <p>Certainly not anything like what is claimed.&nbsp; The&nbsp;vast majority of the media in the country lean right.&nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418503 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418503 <p><em>I don't think there is such a thing as liberal media, especially in television.&nbsp;</em></p> <p>Certainly not anything like what is claimed.&nbsp; The&nbsp;vast majority of the media in the country lean right.&nbsp;</p> <p>What's the over and under for when Gibbs gets tossed under the Obama bus.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418528 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418528 <p>What's the over and under for when Gibbs gets tossed under the Obama bus.</p> <p>I'll say January, 2017.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418529 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418529 <p>I'll say January, 2017.</p> <p>Where's old Nj....? Not the right story for his agenda?&nbsp;Ha!! They are wising up because we are refusing to watch them, and emailing all of them on their slobbering love affair with the fraud running this county into socialism.</p> <p>They really should get on board with the rest of America, as it is, they are hanging on my a fingernail, especially the Liberal Rags out there, the Huff n Puff, Washington Post, etc.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418537 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418537 <p>Where's old Nj....? Not the right story for his agenda?&nbsp;Ha!! They are wising up because we are refusing to watch them, and emailing all of them on their slobbering love affair with the fraud running this county into socialism.</p> <p>They really should get on board with the rest of America, as it is, they are hanging on my a fingernail, especially the Liberal Rags out there, the Huff n Puff, Washington Post, etc.</p> <p>The vast majority of the media does NOT lean to the right. MSNBC, NBC, CNN, ABC, all those chanels. Reps have 1 channel, Fox. Now tell me how media leans to the right. Hogwash!! Do you think reps are having some kind of imaginary takeover?</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418538 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418538 <p>The vast majority of the media does NOT lean to the right. MSNBC, NBC, CNN, ABC, all those chanels. Reps have 1 channel, Fox. Now tell me how media leans to the right. Hogwash!! Do you think reps are having some kind of imaginary takeover?</p> <p>If I&nbsp;could have the exact same care that Obama and congresspeople have NOW I might go along with nationalized health care.&nbsp; But it would have to be the SAME with the SAME choices, doctors and hospitals and the same cost to me as it is to them.</p> <p>Think there's a chance of that happening?</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418539 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418539 <p>If I&nbsp;could have the exact same care that Obama and congresspeople have NOW I might go along with nationalized health care.&nbsp; But it would have to be the SAME with the SAME choices, doctors and hospitals and the same cost to me as it is to them.</p> <p>Think there's a chance of that happening?</p> <p style="text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); "><span style="font-size: x-large; ">INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM IS DEAD!</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">The death of investigative journalism is directly proportional to the ability of the government to lie with impunity. &nbsp;To exacerbate the problem, reporting something critical of a politician will result in the news organization being denied access to political events and news conferences. &nbsp;</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">It's a vicious cycle. &nbsp;</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">The only thing that gets reported is complimentary information and the detrimental information is killed at the editors desk - as they are afraid of being denied the ability to gather more news. &nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">That's why we are spoon-fed celebrity mis-steps as if it <em>were</em> news - to divert our attention from newsworthy events which we may find controversial.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Don't look for anything to change soon. &nbsp;No one has the balls to go against the system.</span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418543 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418543 <p style="text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); "><span style="font-size: x-large; ">INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM IS DEAD!</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center; ">&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">The death of investigative journalism is directly proportional to the ability of the government to lie with impunity. &nbsp;To exacerbate the problem, reporting something critical of a politician will result in the news organization being denied access to political events and news conferences. &nbsp;</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">It's a vicious cycle. &nbsp;</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">The only thing that gets reported is complimentary information and the detrimental information is killed at the editors desk - as they are afraid of being denied the ability to gather more news. &nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">That's why we are spoon-fed celebrity mis-steps as if it <em>were</em> news - to divert our attention from newsworthy events which we may find controversial.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Don't look for anything to change soon. &nbsp;No one has the balls to go against the system.</span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>RF: Obama can handle them. But his mouthpiece, Gibbs, can't!&nbsp; What a yo-yo!!!</p> <p>I'm with you Nancy!!!</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418545 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418545 <p>RF: Obama can handle them. But his mouthpiece, Gibbs, can't!&nbsp; What a yo-yo!!!</p> <p>I'm with you Nancy!!!</p> <p>Obama may be able to answer the tough questions but Gibb can't.&nbsp; He's a nothing and not up to the job.</p> <p>Obama has a habit of getting snotty with reporters who insist on him answering questions he isn't preparred for.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I guess transparancy was just a campaign slogan after all.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418546 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418546 <p>Obama may be able to answer the tough questions but Gibb can't.&nbsp; He's a nothing and not up to the job.</p> <p>Obama has a habit of getting snotty with reporters who insist on him answering questions he isn't preparred for.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I guess transparancy was just a campaign slogan after all.</p> <p><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">Established Main Stream Media...</span></span></span></p> <p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Selling access?</span></span></span> &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24441.html">http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24441.html</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Contempt for Internet Bloggers (news) ?</span></span></span> &nbsp;<a href="http://gawker.com/5305089/cnbc-host-driven-to-cursing-freak+out-by-bloggers">http://gawker.com/5305089/cnbc-host-driven-to-cursing-freak+out-by-bloggers</a></p> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Conglomerate ownership biases?</span></span></span> &nbsp;<a href="http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership">http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership</a></p> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Tell me again why I should believe the media.</span></span></span></p> </span></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418557 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418557 <p><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">Established Main Stream Media...</span></span></span></p> <p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Selling access?</span></span></span> &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24441.html">http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24441.html</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Contempt for Internet Bloggers (news) ?</span></span></span> &nbsp;<a href="http://gawker.com/5305089/cnbc-host-driven-to-cursing-freak+out-by-bloggers">http://gawker.com/5305089/cnbc-host-driven-to-cursing-freak+out-by-bloggers</a></p> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Conglomerate ownership biases?</span></span></span> &nbsp;<a href="http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership">http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership</a></p> <p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); "><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Tell me again why I should believe the media.</span></span></span></p> </span></p> <p>Neverleft:&nbsp; If Gibbs couldn't say &quot;uh,&quot; his press conferences would be 15 minutes shorter.&nbsp; Every other&nbsp;utterance out of his mouth is &quot;uh.&quot;&nbsp; He's not as glib as some press secretaries have been in the past.&nbsp;</p> <p>And I must agree with CurtDalton that real press journalism is dead.&nbsp; DOA.&nbsp; Sad.&nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418565 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/Neverleft/46790/#c_418565 <p>Neverleft:&nbsp; If Gibbs couldn't say &quot;uh,&quot; his press conferences would be 15 minutes shorter.&nbsp; Every other&nbsp;utterance out of his mouth is &quot;uh.&quot;&nbsp; He's not as glib as some press secretaries have been in the past.&nbsp;</p> <p>And I must agree with CurtDalton that real press journalism is dead.&nbsp; DOA.&nbsp; Sad.&nbsp;</p>