If you want a lesson in how right-wing pressure on corporate media works, look no further than the ACORN story. Right-wing talkshow hosts have targeted the community organizing group for years, primarily on charges of vote fraud. Then two conservative activists produced some embarrassing videos of ACORN workers at some local offices giving tax advice advice to a couple passing themselves off as a pimp and a prostitute. From there, the story turned to right-wing gloating–and complaints about the media being too slow (and of course too liberal) to pick up on the right’s anti-ACORN crusade.
And some in the media agreed. Washington Post ombud Andrew Alexander (9/20/09) criticized his paper for running just two early stories about the recent scandals involving the group. The problem was that the paper apparently doesn’t pay enough attention to the concerns of the right–a feeling shared by the paper’s executive editor, who called for more coverage of the group.
Over at the New York Times, public editor Clark Hoyt reached a similar conclusion (9/27/09), writing that when the paper misses such stories, it can “wind up looking clueless or, worse, partisan itself.” The Times was clueless, apparently, because they ran just one story about the anti-ACORN campaign, a piece that upset conservatives because it looked at the issue as a political matter–explaining that the videos and talk radio brouhaha was a way for the right to try and do harm to a group it opposes, and to try and connect ACORN to the Obama White House. This is undoubtedly true. But editors at the Times, like the folks at the Post, offered the same self-criticism: We don’t pay enough attention to the complaining of conservatives.
Sure enough, only a few days later, readers would see how this was changing. On October 6, the Post ran a piece on Republicans going after the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, for their ties to ACORN. The union has paid ACORN for various services over the years. A nearly identical story appeared in the next day’s New York Times (10/7/09). So the completely-blown-out-of-proportion case against ACORN has now become a drive against SEIU, with no apparent news hook other than the fact that right-wing Republicans are trying to make this non-story into a story–and succeeding.
I guess editors at the Times and Post can rest easy knowing that they’re not ignoring the whining of the right-wing.
What an interesting, although frightening website you have. At least you aren’t blatantly trying to hide the fact you are Liberal to the hilt…but in looking over some of this crap..it wouldn’t take long to realize that if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, etc., it must be a Liberal DUCK!!
Well Peter, if that is the dismissive way that liberals feel about child prostitution, I am very surprised. Maybe it is just you and the seemingly general ideology of ACORN that feels this way but I would challenge anyone to respond to this. If you believe it is OK for an organization that receives government funding to give tax advise to people who are trying to set up a child sex ring, then defend ACORN. Is it possible that selling children into prostitution is something that the far-left liberals aspire to? Maybe CPS should be checking out people like Peter Hart who condone this type of activity. At the very least, the children of these liberals who support ACORN’s underage prostitution values, will see their parents for the monsters they really are. (If they don’t already know from experience.)
ACORN does not support child prostitution. It is possible that the videos were dubbed and even if they weren’t ACORN put the accused people on probation and they are investigating the allegations. The people who made the video were turned away from numberous ACORN offices in several cities. This scandal is a complete fraud. ACORN is a fine organization that works for democracy and the rights of the poor. It is one of the most effective group of community organizers in the country and that is why it is such a target for the right.
Thank you Sean Mulligan. The radical right had me thinking I might have been wrong about ACORN.
I’ve heard that the police were called in on this pair of shucksters but no arrests were made. I expect their innocence of prostitute promotion was proved. Still, ACORN should’ve had a national alert out for these & others like them. My biggest disappointment of the whole affair was the craven posture of the Democrats.
Yes- Acorn has some bad apples. However the GOP has tried to crush Acorn -for a long time. Why ”
They registered some black – brown folks to vote. GOP can not have that . Folks- believe it or not- We have all been duped- manipulated- lied to for years- worst from 1980-2008- all under Reagan – Bush toxic policies that LEGALIZED UNETHICAL / DEALINGS – -PREDATORY LENDING ON WALL ST that led – over time- to global collapse.
Bush Sr gave safe haven to the tyrant- Shah of Iran – W had many ‘ business deals ‘ with Royals- and Rumsfeld was a exec with big pharma Co- same Co’s that received such ‘ favored ‘ treatment form Bush 1 & 2 .
Sadly- millions refuse to acknowledge these facts – so we will be fooled / tricked over and over. again.
The sins and corruption of Cheney’s Halliburton makes Acorn look like childs play.
The Bush family OIL Dynasty ‘s with very close ‘ connections’ to Saudi Royals- OPEC- has made them billions over the
years . Same for Cheney . Call them kick backs- or whatever you please. .also- Condi Rice was an exec at a huge Energy CO- Recall the Enron ? The Scandal that screwed Enron workers – lost everything-
that ‘ deal ‘ led to Sen Phil Gramm’s wife – a lobbyist to make 900 K .
Enron got many many ‘ perks ‘ from the Bush admin inc – the Enron Loophole – that made it all possible,
We have all been screwed so badly- but we remain clueless. From 1980-2008 Only 1 Dem Pres- Clinton- who left and millions of NEW jobs.
Bush’s 8 years took all that away and then some- Trillions to fat cats- – lied into Iraq- using fear tactics-
as they do even now. y Death panels- birthers- lies- smears- misinformation.
We have been so gullible- and been so manipulated – that hs to stop. If we get ours’ news;’ from FOX or Loimbaugh- we are not geeting true reporting- we are getting biased ‘ news’ to confuse us and cause us to put
GOP BACK IN POWER. They had power 20 of 28 years -1980-2008 Look what that got us .
Just remember that Carter did it too and since the Shah was our puppet and ally he was protected till he got sick and the right wing dictatorship was overthrown for a theocratic dictatorship in 1979. We may be next for a theocratic dictatorship if things continue as they are for the past 29 years.
ACORN was on the list for a multitude of sins including working for a living wage. Anathama to the corporations who want as close to slavery as they can get away with it. Now ACORN just may be stopped as they had hoped for for years.
So, when do the liberals get to have this same effect on FOX?
Intelligent people (the liberals, in this case) test and doubt themselves. They try their convictions. Conservatives do not (any part of W’s regime, Republicans, and FOX).
How about this, let them spout their lies and propaganda and refuse to analyze, discuss, reprint, or link to any of their garbage? They don’t care about FAIR and we don’t care about them.
We must not play their game their way. Or else we will turn into them. Nietzsche warned against this an you should be wary of following your own advice. We must always play above board and speak to clarify not to hide as they do. We should part the clouds they create shine the light and see the flaws and lies they manufacture. That is the best way and FAAIR is doing the right job for it.
You cannot reason with those who refuse to reason or show the truth to someone who is wedded to the lies. There are no curious bystanders looking to FOX for real reporting. They spend 100% of their time preaching to their base.
I live in an area where my friends and neighbors have nearly all dismissed non-FOX news as a pack of lies. It’s all about the spin, not the truth.
In our county, 70% supported McCain despite Obama winning the State handily. McCain received even this 70% grudgingly as the primary results favored Mike Huckabee. Stop for coffee and Rush is the topic of conversation. The father of one of my daughter’s friends died earlier this year, at age 38. He was out of work and lacked the health care he needed – collapsed in a stairwell. During the election, while he was out of work and without care, he voted for McCain so that we wouldn’t get “socialized medicine” (his words).
You’d think this was Wallace’s Alabama listening to what the locals think of our President. But it’s in the Northeast.
This is the FOX audience. It is not becoming them to deny them ad revenue or website hits. It is not becoming them to ignore their politics, the loyal FOX listener is not capable of facing the truth – that’s a prerequisite for becoming one. There are real issues, real stories, which can be brought to light without reference to FOX as a trigger. Reacting to them and citing them is only dignifying them. The best course is to tell the truth without citing the source of lies. Short of being struck on the road to Damascus, FOX fans are immovable.
Republicans hate poor voters and really hate anyone voting who is not voting for them. ACORN helps the poor and has worked for democratic policies like registering voters in black communities. Therefore ACORN has been and will continue to be an enemy of the GOP. Too bad that the most corrupt republicans in office now are managing to get their way to stamp out ACORN unjustly.