New York Times TV reporter Jim Rutenberg (11/2/08) tries to make a case that Fox News and MSNBC are (in Tom Rosenstiel’s words) “reverse images of each other.” Here are the actual quotes used by Rutenberg to demonstrate this supposed parallelism—first, Ann Coulter on Fox (10/30/08):
I feel like we are talking to the Germans after Hitler comes to power, saying, “Oh, well, I didn’t know.”
And then Chris Matthews on MSNBC (10/29/08), addressing those who wouldn’t vote for Obama because he’s black:
He’s been a good father, a good citizen, he’s paid attention to his country…. Give the guy a break and think about voting for him.
Again, these are the quotes Rutenberg picks to show how similar the coverage on Fox and MSNBC is—one arguing that you shouldn’t vote against a candidate based on his race, and the other comparing that candidate to a genocidal dictator.
If anyone was wondering if the New York Times was a measure of quality above the other commercial news outlets, they can see for themselves by Jim Rutenberg’s reporting that not only does the bottom line rule the page, but the other commercial news outlets rule the minds of the New York Times reporters.
Interesting how Matthews chooses to emphasize Obama’s being a supposed “good father” … is the implication that he’s the exception to the rule among black men?
And what the hell does having “paid attention to his country” mean? That he’s mastered the time-dishonored Democratic strategy of promoting form over substance?
It does work, sadly, in these here United States, doesn’t it? See Clinton, Carter, Johnson, Kennedy, Truman … and yeah, even Saint Franklin.
(Although FDR, in his crusade to save capitalism, did change the face of gummint for the better … a very limited better.)
Interesting how the above two posts manage to ignore Ann Coulter’s offensive statements.
And isn’t it interesting how Fox “News” chose to emphasize Obama’a being a supposedly “angry black man” – with nary a mention of John McCain’s volatile temper?
Maybe Fox should go back to promoting tea parties and editing sparcely attended gatherings with Glenn Beck’s manufactured “9/12” event. It’s something they’re geniuses at…