That the organization that gave us Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite has drawn from the Trump cesspool tells us a lot about what's wrong with television news
IMHO Mick Mulvaney is a cancerous pseudo intellectual that has spread from Faux News to CBS. For anyone, including some big time news executive, to think Mulvaney is not an arrogant self serving jerk and a liar for trumps dictator delusion has not been paying attention. A disappointing move by CBS.
Mulvaney should only be allowed on CBS News as a guest, and only with an introduction that states that he was an important member of the Trump administration, and a purveyor of the big lie. Also, what he says should be clearly identified as opinion when necessary, not fact.
It's telling that Neeraj Khemlani, co-head of CBS News, is saying that having 'both sides of the aisle' is important because the Republicans may win. It seems that this message is everywhere on MSM. It would not be the first time that major news has put its influence into an election. Remember the endless 'breaking news' image with tRump on the phone and some blurb about him, essentially free advertising? Sickening, and far from 'fair and balanced'.
I have been been very disappointed with our media, CNN has Rick Santorum (at least had) and other Republican extremists as contributors (very few from the Progressive side) and though MSBC still has some unbiased media hosts, to me it has watered down its lineup (thoughthecurrentoneis stillgood), Keith Olberman, Steve Schultz, relegated Al Sharpton to a weekend slot and, most disturbingly, has dramatically reduced the presence of television's top anchor, Rachel Maddow (though she is saying she is working on other media projects). Now this, which only confirms that our fourth estate could soon no longer be relied upon as the guardrail of our democracy.
Twenty nine years ago, I called "breakfast" and the kids did not come to the table. I called again "come and get it, breakfast is on that table". I found my children in front of the television. They did not hear me come in and they did not hear me when I said, hey turn that off, its time for breakfast. They really and truly did not hear me. I walked over the tv and turned it off. All through breakfast, we talked about this strange event and off they went to school. I called the cable company and had cable shut off. My children, now in their early thirties, never had cable television again - not even in their own homes.
Once a week, I join my kid's families for family dinner together and we still talk about politics, religion, money and current events as easily and regularly as always. We have different opinions about why this comes easily to us, but we agree on two things. One, is our unbroken tradition of sitting down together at the family dinner table. Two, none of us has cable tv in our homes.
None of us are Facebook or social media users - some of us have accounts, but no one uses them - in fact, how we're coping with people who expect us to use them is a common topic.
Many years ago, I read statistics about how many hours the average American spends watching cable television and understood the reason, my family reads so many books, accomplishes so much when we are off work and spends so much time with each other.
Do not mistake me. I am not bragging. I am merely saying, that my time belongs to me and I am not giving the time in my lifetime to strangers talking at me - instead of with me.
While my family is liberal, many of the in-law families are conservative, but we share the same habit of sitting down at the table to eat together. We are convinced that that habit, is the reason we are all comfortable discussing politics, religion and money together. You see, everyone keeps a level head, cause we know we will be right back at this table, with the exact same people next week, and every holiday of the year.
It's been obvious since things were obvious that the mainstream US media is right of center; the ownership of these media are corporate people. Since the gutting of the equal time demand from the FCC, and rise of outright lying reactionary channels, these mainstream ones appear to be neutral. They are not. The reason Biden's very good social programs and aims are regularly mocked as "socialism" or not discussed at all in favor of talking about inflation, is US business wants no return to the middle consensus behavior which produced extensions on and improvements of FDR programs (like Medicare). They still want all FDR programs ended, including social security. So they diss Biden and present him as unpopular. They had hoped he would do nothing; but his mild FDR-like attempts have incensed them and they want him out. They want a return to oligarchy of the 1920s - and have been succeeding in getting it.
I think Mulvaney needs to go. I am deeply concerned and angry that Mulvaney is with CBS. Our Democracy is hanging by a thread. Where are the Myrriws when we need them? Mr Reich IMI you come close to ERMurrow. Thank you. (GMason)
A big, big thank you for the "Heads Up." And pointing it out? an excellent piece of old fashioned muck raking. Collective letters of protest to CBS from all of us might just have an impact -- particularly if your comparison to McCarthy is included.
Media Matters and Matt Gertz identified this issue as a five alarm fire for “Press” in this country over two weeks ago. CBS News is just the latest, Gertz wrote, to risk its credibility in order to carve accessibility to and influence from a future far-right, anti-democratic regime.
We already know this won’t end well. Mulvaney wrote a piece for the WSJ in November ‘20 saying how he had unique insight into Trump. Media Matters reminded me that the headline for that screed was “If he loses, Trump will concede gracefully.” Mulvaney harshly criticized media outlets for suggesting that Trump would not “participate in a peaceful transition of power.” None of that “aged well.”
Mulvaney, when he was WH chief of staff, also had the power to craft US response to the novel coronavirus just as it was spreading across the country in February ‘20. But it was more important to him that he go to CPAC and excoriate the real villain of the unfolding disaster: the press. Yup, this SOB criticized journalists for giving too much attention to Covid-19 because “they think this is going to be what brings down the president. We know how to handle this,” he said. That’s not “aged well” either.
And please, please let us not avert our attention and effort from the work of real reporters who showed us that Trump “had conditioned vital military aid to Ukraine on its government’s willingness to open an investigation that would benefit him politically, [while] some Trump partisans denied that there had been an explicit quid pro quo. But Mulvaney, who as head of the Office of Management and Budget had overseen the scheme, had the guts to go to the White House lectern and explicitly say that’s exactly what had happened and that reporters should “get over it” (though he later blamed the media for misconstruing his words).”
What is it exactly that CBS thinks it’s getting from putting this guy on air? There is only ONE WAY to deal with this hot mess, which RR elided but which we already know: Call out Mulvaney as an active member of Team Coup, turn away from CBS and make this gambit too costly for them, and remind all the players — including ourselves — that democratic nation has no coin for kleptocrats, sycophants and liars with their hands on the till of authoritarianism.
IMHO Mick Mulvaney is a cancerous pseudo intellectual that has spread from Faux News to CBS. For anyone, including some big time news executive, to think Mulvaney is not an arrogant self serving jerk and a liar for trumps dictator delusion has not been paying attention. A disappointing move by CBS.
CBS is now part of the problem. Excellent expose, as usual. I don't watch the network anyway.
Mulvaney should only be allowed on CBS News as a guest, and only with an introduction that states that he was an important member of the Trump administration, and a purveyor of the big lie. Also, what he says should be clearly identified as opinion when necessary, not fact.
Unfortunately CBS has become like other large corporations, following the money is more important than protecting our democracy.
It's telling that Neeraj Khemlani, co-head of CBS News, is saying that having 'both sides of the aisle' is important because the Republicans may win. It seems that this message is everywhere on MSM. It would not be the first time that major news has put its influence into an election. Remember the endless 'breaking news' image with tRump on the phone and some blurb about him, essentially free advertising? Sickening, and far from 'fair and balanced'.
Just added CBS to the list of stations I never watch, along with Faux News. They can feed the lies, but I don’t have to listen.
I have been been very disappointed with our media, CNN has Rick Santorum (at least had) and other Republican extremists as contributors (very few from the Progressive side) and though MSBC still has some unbiased media hosts, to me it has watered down its lineup (thoughthecurrentoneis stillgood), Keith Olberman, Steve Schultz, relegated Al Sharpton to a weekend slot and, most disturbingly, has dramatically reduced the presence of television's top anchor, Rachel Maddow (though she is saying she is working on other media projects). Now this, which only confirms that our fourth estate could soon no longer be relied upon as the guardrail of our democracy.
Twenty nine years ago, I called "breakfast" and the kids did not come to the table. I called again "come and get it, breakfast is on that table". I found my children in front of the television. They did not hear me come in and they did not hear me when I said, hey turn that off, its time for breakfast. They really and truly did not hear me. I walked over the tv and turned it off. All through breakfast, we talked about this strange event and off they went to school. I called the cable company and had cable shut off. My children, now in their early thirties, never had cable television again - not even in their own homes.
Once a week, I join my kid's families for family dinner together and we still talk about politics, religion, money and current events as easily and regularly as always. We have different opinions about why this comes easily to us, but we agree on two things. One, is our unbroken tradition of sitting down together at the family dinner table. Two, none of us has cable tv in our homes.
None of us are Facebook or social media users - some of us have accounts, but no one uses them - in fact, how we're coping with people who expect us to use them is a common topic.
Many years ago, I read statistics about how many hours the average American spends watching cable television and understood the reason, my family reads so many books, accomplishes so much when we are off work and spends so much time with each other.
Do not mistake me. I am not bragging. I am merely saying, that my time belongs to me and I am not giving the time in my lifetime to strangers talking at me - instead of with me.
While my family is liberal, many of the in-law families are conservative, but we share the same habit of sitting down at the table to eat together. We are convinced that that habit, is the reason we are all comfortable discussing politics, religion and money together. You see, everyone keeps a level head, cause we know we will be right back at this table, with the exact same people next week, and every holiday of the year.
Where. What. Who. How. Can this be happening? The Republicans are disaster and why are you and anyone who thinks giving them space?
Excellent summarization. I will never watch 60 Minutes again. (The ONLY reason I ever tuned in to CBS.)
It's been obvious since things were obvious that the mainstream US media is right of center; the ownership of these media are corporate people. Since the gutting of the equal time demand from the FCC, and rise of outright lying reactionary channels, these mainstream ones appear to be neutral. They are not. The reason Biden's very good social programs and aims are regularly mocked as "socialism" or not discussed at all in favor of talking about inflation, is US business wants no return to the middle consensus behavior which produced extensions on and improvements of FDR programs (like Medicare). They still want all FDR programs ended, including social security. So they diss Biden and present him as unpopular. They had hoped he would do nothing; but his mild FDR-like attempts have incensed them and they want him out. They want a return to oligarchy of the 1920s - and have been succeeding in getting it.
Thank you for always stating the issues so clearly.
Robert I think that you are correct. Again. Still. Correct
I think Mulvaney needs to go. I am deeply concerned and angry that Mulvaney is with CBS. Our Democracy is hanging by a thread. Where are the Myrriws when we need them? Mr Reich IMI you come close to ERMurrow. Thank you. (GMason)
A big, big thank you for the "Heads Up." And pointing it out? an excellent piece of old fashioned muck raking. Collective letters of protest to CBS from all of us might just have an impact -- particularly if your comparison to McCarthy is included.
Media Matters and Matt Gertz identified this issue as a five alarm fire for “Press” in this country over two weeks ago. CBS News is just the latest, Gertz wrote, to risk its credibility in order to carve accessibility to and influence from a future far-right, anti-democratic regime.
We already know this won’t end well. Mulvaney wrote a piece for the WSJ in November ‘20 saying how he had unique insight into Trump. Media Matters reminded me that the headline for that screed was “If he loses, Trump will concede gracefully.” Mulvaney harshly criticized media outlets for suggesting that Trump would not “participate in a peaceful transition of power.” None of that “aged well.”
Mulvaney, when he was WH chief of staff, also had the power to craft US response to the novel coronavirus just as it was spreading across the country in February ‘20. But it was more important to him that he go to CPAC and excoriate the real villain of the unfolding disaster: the press. Yup, this SOB criticized journalists for giving too much attention to Covid-19 because “they think this is going to be what brings down the president. We know how to handle this,” he said. That’s not “aged well” either.
And please, please let us not avert our attention and effort from the work of real reporters who showed us that Trump “had conditioned vital military aid to Ukraine on its government’s willingness to open an investigation that would benefit him politically, [while] some Trump partisans denied that there had been an explicit quid pro quo. But Mulvaney, who as head of the Office of Management and Budget had overseen the scheme, had the guts to go to the White House lectern and explicitly say that’s exactly what had happened and that reporters should “get over it” (though he later blamed the media for misconstruing his words).”
What is it exactly that CBS thinks it’s getting from putting this guy on air? There is only ONE WAY to deal with this hot mess, which RR elided but which we already know: Call out Mulvaney as an active member of Team Coup, turn away from CBS and make this gambit too costly for them, and remind all the players — including ourselves — that democratic nation has no coin for kleptocrats, sycophants and liars with their hands on the till of authoritarianism.