Professional truth-teller and self-appointed Russian counter-propagandist Jake Tapper had Arizona Sen. John McCain on his State of Union show (CNN, 9/10/17) for a chummy interview Sunday night. The interview began with Tapper lobbing softballs at McCain about his mortality and reminiscing about buddying up on the 2000 campaign trail (Tapper was, according to his then-editor David Talbot, a McCain “groupie”) before moving on to “issues.”
Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.), during a CNN interview (State of the Union, 9/10/17) in which he seemed to threaten to exterminate 25 million people.
After letting McCain claim that the US ushered in, after World War II, the “longest period of peace and prosperity” in history (what, one is compelled to ask, was McCain dropping on Vietnamese peasants, Ovaltine?), Tapper let the Republican lawmaker pivot to his default position of warmonger (“We have got to spend more money on defense“), with no pushback of any kind.
The ritual was kicked off with a distortion by McCain that Tapper didn’t challenge. “The Korean defense minister, just a few days ago, called for nuclear weapons to be redeployed—we had them there once—in South Korea,” McCain said. “You think the US should do that?” Tapper asked, when what he ought to have said was, “That’s a mischaracterization of the defense minister’s comment.” What Korea’s Song Young-moo actually said, according to the Washington Post (9/4/17), was that “the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons is an alternative worth a full review.”
But the crusader against Fake News can’t be bothered with messy details that complicate McCain’s regime-change advocacy. Also left unmentioned was that the weapon systems McCain touts, like the THAAD anti-missile system, are opposed by the majority of South Koreans, and the current president was elected with a mandate to halt THAAD—which he promptly did.
The question Jake Tapper didn’t ask: “What do you mean by ‘extinction,’ senator?’
But the real lowlight of the interview was the casual genocidal threat by McCain: “If Kim Jung Un acts in an aggressive fashion,” he told Tapper, “the price will be extinction.”
Note that McCain didn’t even say “if North Korea attacks the US,” but simply if it “acts in an aggressive fashion.” What constitutes an “aggressive fashion”? More importantly, what does McCain mean by “extinction”? As McCain seems to be threatening to kill 25 million Koreans, isn’t it worth clarifying what precisely he’s calling for?
Tapper did no such thing; he simply moved on to DACA. And just like that, a distorted pro–regime change narrative is cemented, without so much as a hiccup from “the most trusted name in news.”
What struck CNN‘s Chris Cillizza (9/11/17) about the McCain interview was not the call for mass slaughter but how happy he seemed.
Building on this corporate synergy, CNN’s resident dullard Chris Cillizza wrote a creepy hagiography for the senator the very next day (9/11/17), headlined “The Inspiring Joy of McCain.” (Not to be confused with the creepy McCain hagiography he wrote two months ago, “The Absolutely Remarkable Life of John McCain”—7/20/17.)
After assuring the reader McCain was “no saint” who had “made mistakes” (borrowing from McCain’s own faux-humble language in the linked interview), Cillizza went on to praise the lawmaker with generic flattery, noting his “willingness to get knocked down seven times and get up eight,” whatever that means.
In a political world in which it seems like the worst behavior is rewarded the most and which people appear to have lost total faith in the men and women they have sent to Washington to represent them, McCain’s joy should matter.
It should be a reminder that most politicians are in politics for the right reasons. That politicians can represent the best of us rather than our worst impulses. That getting knocked down isn’t a death sentence. That we are a resilient people and that our politics can once again be not only resilient but downright joyful.
What does any of this mean? How can Cillizza possibly know that “most politicians are in politics for the right reasons”? He doesn’t; it’s simply groveling, power-serving flattery of a sitting senator from a news network that maintains, at least in theory, that its purpose is to hold power to account.
Clearly it’s commentary—though not labeled as opinion—but of what use is it? What did Tapper’s interview or Cillizza’s vacuous write-up of it accomplish? A bit of legacy-buffing for McCain, some deeply pernicious pro-war talking points, and a few chuckles between two old friends.
Messages to CNN can be sent to here (or via Twitter @CNN). Please remember that respectful communication is the most effective.
Offhand, I can’t think of a Beach Boys parody that works with “North Korea”
But I’m sure it would be a joy to Tapper’s and Cillizza’s ears.
“Building on this corporate synergy, CNN’s resident dullard …”
Name calling serves no useful purpose, unless one wants to be dismissed as a child incapable of making a case that stands on its own merits. Clearly there is an argument worth consideration here. FAIR should do itself a favor and abide by the advice it gives readers on action alerts: respectful communication is the most effective. Otherwise, they may wake up to find that only people who enjoy food fights are reading.
This is respectful communication. Is truth not a defense? CNN is a schlock network. I gave up on them when they cheer-led Bush’s invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The job of the Fourth Estate is to report critically on the other three. Not to give them metaphorical blow jobs.
When privilege like Tapper’s and CNN’s is completely absent a reciprocal return, there is no depth to name-calling Adam Johnson, FAIR, or anyone else can stoop to. Indeed, I daresay FAIR’s is a rather ramshackle austere office. Although it says more truth-telling in one report than CNN does in an entire 24/7 news cycle. Blissfully, FAIR is absent any advertisement. CNN can’t say that. In local corporate news in Chicago, the advertisements are essentially the real news. The reporting there is merely filler. At this late date corporate news in Chicago still allows itself to be patronized by automobiles adverts. Cars being a major driver of global warming and climate change. They don’t report critically on that of course. And from the pharmaceuticals. In the 21st century we’re still being propagandized, on corporate news, by the health care for profit paradigm.
you seem really dumb
Project much?
Newsflash: CNN is not going to change its mind based on this article. And people who refuse to read an argument because it insults them are idiots.
I guess sometimes we want to reach idiots, i suppose and i don’t see how namecalling helps in any way.. On the other hand i do not understand movements well enough, it might be important to say things forcefully.
Trusted name in the news?
Power makes stupid wrote Nietzsche. The US ruling class proves that repeatedly. Good on FAIR for holding the Fourth Estate, here as usual remiss in its duties, to account. What an embarrassment. What’s Tapper’s salary? Near 8 figures I’d venture.
WTF was Cillizza even talking about? That quote from his CNN article actually made me gag a little.
“Most trusted name in news” Now thats hilarious!!
thanks for your writing. I found it helpful to separate the wheat from the chaff…good stuff. I look forward to more.
Concise example of CNN behaving more as a PR firm for the US Gov’t than a news organization. Good work Mr. Johnson – keep it up!
The real John McCain is a basic f**k up and a loser, on the arrogant wrong side of Far Too Many important issues most vital for society and general ‘civilization’, such as our U.S. version is and were it’s been heading.
He’s celebritized hero because he was captured and a POW, a clueless idelogical loudmouth and had/has brain cancer.
None of which are personal selfless, giving, character accomplishments heroes’ are normally recognized for.
A celebrity because he’s a celebrity.
Well, he is a weird person. Mr. Concillation when running for president and then again in that speech where he said he had brain cancer. So, the end of his health story, made him express what the Senate should be doing and all the ways they need to work together. Wow, I thought he really must be dying and this will be the speech they all use in his obit. Hmm, am I being rude, cynical and hatd hearted?
I guess not, because after that speech ( obit speech) he went back to being his regular short fused and take no prosoners self and ready for any genocide , anywhere, and anytime mentality. Poor deluded America, DEATH is now our most exported product… we are certainly exceptionl in that. Oh and could someone redesign the eagle in the seal with the bird holding the olive leaf in one claw and the arrows in the other….could you have the bird go back to looking where America really is? Always focused on the arrows. : (
once again those roaring chants at Trump rallies which I agree with get louder and louder “CNN SUCKS!”