This Joe Oliver is on HLN right now trying to squeeze out crocodile tears

[Ecumenist]

and insisting that it had nothing do with race. This man needs to step back. He's talking about he's tearful because he has an 18 year old son, he's a black man and he's trying to do what right by George...WELL WHAT THE HELL ABOUT TRAYVON??!! WHAT ABOUT HIM??!!
He claims that his heart goes out to Trayvon's family...REALLY??!! He seems as genuine as a 3 dollar bill.

I hate to say it but it felt like someone doing method acting and took time to work up some water in his eyes. I'm not buying it.

[csziggy]

1. I wish I could remember why he left CNN

Was there some kind of scandal? From what I can find with the Google, he went to Orlando and was an anchor there for a while, but the article that mentioned that was dated 2004. Until he came out for Zimmerman, there wasn't much information about him I could find after 2004.

Hmmm - more info here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002475727

[gordianot]

2. Very little is known about Zimmerman even less about his apparent mouth piece.

How and why did he get his latest information? Why has he been allowed to weigh in publicly on an ongoing investigation? This entire situation gets worse by the minute.

[Ecumenist]

3. I thought it was just me... It seems that these are proxies sent out by the family

and the legal team. Sickening, just vomit inducing. You know that his "lawyer" Sonner, bolted from the Last Wod with O'
Donnell last nght leaving him high and dry. Got scared, nervous and bounced. If I were Zimmy, I'd would be sweating bullets right abut now with this guy.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Trial By Media...

In the void of facts due to the lack of a thorough investigation, speculation runs rampant. The media glammed onto this story for all its juicy qualities...murder, race, civil rights, gun control...it hits so many hot buttons and many have jumped in to connect dots to suit their perspective or agenda. Emotion has replaced any sense of due process since none appears to be forthcoming...thus expanding the void.

The cables love these kind of stories as they yank on chains and this is what draws eyeballs which means ratings which means revenues. With a lack of hard facts conjecture can and is running rampant and opens the door for opportunists to get their 15 minutes.

The sad side effect is this trial by media will distort any real investigation that does occur. No matter their results there will be sceptics claiming results to be "politically motivated".

[zeemike]

5. Well to paraphrase Orwell.

He who controls the message will win...and he who controls the present controls the message...

The cops gather the facts as they please...and no one can make the gather information if they don't want to do it...
Same for the media...they report what they are told to report or their cushy well paid on air personalities will come to an end...and there are plenty more where they came from that will not question things ready to take their place...
Competition is such a wonderful tool...

[yardwork]

6. There never would have been an investigation without the media attention.

I don't disagree with anything you say about the failings of the media and their real (profit-driven) goals, but the even sadder fact is that without media attention, this case would have been closed as justifiable self-defense. That's what the Sanford police chief said.

The local police had not - and still have not - charged George Zimmerman with anything and it was clear that they had no interest in further investigation.

Now a grand jury will be seated and the state of Florida is investigating - due entirely and only to intense media attention. Whether anything comes of that or not we don't know.

[SpencerShay]

9. Poor George Zimmerman. Not.

"...it hits so many hot buttons and many have jumped in to connect dots to suit their perspective or agenda. Emotion has replaced any sense of due process since none appears to be forthcoming...thus expanding the void."


What do you expect? There's been no arrest. These assholes who are leaking stories about pot, and the people who are complaining about this story getting any attention, and apologists who don't want George Zimmerman arrested at all, so he can stand trial, are the ones with the "agenda."

Trayvom Martin is the unarmed teenager, who was shot dead, and can't tell his side of the story. People want an arrest. Those are facts. Nothing "politcally motivated" about that at all. Only George Zimmerman can tell his side of the story, and embelish it with new stories of being "punched" from behind. Therefore, I have no problem with a "trial by media" for George Zimmerman, who some people are trying to prevent from having to stand trial EVER.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Unless Joe Oliver was riding along with Zimmerman on that night he has no clue. n/t

[messenger of god]

8. I don't think you're doing the right thing here.

I just heard on CNN that Zimmerman's being treated for depression. The zeal to make him and anyone defending him is disgusting and appalling. Are you as outraged about all the innocent victims of drone attacks ordered by THE PRESIDENT?

Nope. Thought so. It appears you have selective outrage (and in this case, without even knowing the facts).

[Ecumenist]

10. Oh yeah?? But this man WHO FREELY ADMITS THAT HE IS ONLY REPEATING

WHAT ZIMMERMAN TOLD HIM.... BTW, welcome to DU, for what might be a VERY short stay!! Selective outrage? I think you wandered into the wrong site, my dear...

What does the drone attacks, that were btw, begun UNDER CHIMPY MCFLIGHTSUIT have to do with A FELLOW American CHILD beng MURDERED by some hotdog , gunslinging idiot?!!

[Life Long Dem]

17. The political lines have been drawn.

You see it in the media and you see it here on DU. Three post? They know how to get off to a good start don't they.

[Ecumenist]

19. It was SO OBVIOUS, Life Long. We've been getting so many freepers here lately

it's like they're panicking and feel the need to try to "sneak" onto our forum and think we're not going to notice RIGHT AWAY who they are. They're as subtle as a mud window.

[RZM]

32. I have to ask. What is a mud window?

I've never heard that before. If you're trying to say that they are 'transparent' (i.e. obvious freepers), then 'mud window' perhaps isn't the best choice. But I'm thinking of a window covered in mud. Do you mean a mud hut where the windows are just square holes in the mud?

[HooptieWagon]

25. Did he say Zimmerman told him that?

Wow, interesting. He is not protected by attorney/client... could be called as a witness if Zimmerman keeps changing his story. Whomever is directing Zimmermans defense (father?) is really doing a poor job.

[bee vomit]

28. The fact that you "wecolmed" me (rejoiced in my short stay)

says loads about you, including your true openmindedness and agenda. A real progressive (as I am, including voting for Obama) is eager to hear all points of view, even those with which conflict with his or her opinions. I have found conservatives (the few that I have come across in my very progressive, non-hillbilly environs) tend to be much more tolerant of librul (sic) ideas than so-called liberals are when it comes to ideas with which they disagree. DU gives progressives a bad name, IMO. Which brings me to...:

So your reasoning is that if another president began unjust killings and the next president continues it, that president (Commander-in-Chief) should NOT end the wars and drone attacks on Day 1? He's had four years to bring home the troops from Afghanistan! If he had done so, we wouldn't have had that mass murder on women and children the other week. The fact that you said "Chimpy McFlightsuit" just shows your parroting, non-thinking sheeplesque tendencies. So what shall we call Obama then? He's a REAL man because he killed Ghaddafi and his kids? Whatever.

I know you're an intuitive and all, but sometimes they tend to be self-deluded due to over-subjectivity. You are contradicting yourself all over the place, dearie.

[Ecumenist]

30. Who are you? I wasn;'t speaking to you. It was Messenger of God I was speaking to...

Ummm, I don't even know how you are.

[maddezmom]

31. that person is a repeat zombie

and PPR'd again.

[Ecumenist]

36. Okay, I was wondering. That's what I thought. Not too bright...

[Ecumenist]

33. Were Meesenger of God, Vomit? Because that's who I was referring to..

Confused? Unless you have more than one account, ( not good form, btw), I wasn't speaking to you. HMMM.. What does the Murder of a child have to do with something overseas that had NOTHING to do with what I was speaking of? I have firsthand experience in young black children being murdered...IN THE SOUTH and having the murders covered up...What the fuck are you talking about?

[LoisB]

11. To: Messenger of god - Go away, please and thank you

[Ecumenist]

12. and one last thing, I don't give a f*ck what you think. You conflating two things

which have NOTHING to do with one another.

[SpencerShay]

13. To Message of God: Fuck George Zimmerman!

Do you care that a racist killer is still free, and there may be a possible police cover-up. No? I thought not. It appears you have selective outrage too, and have already sided with George Zimmerman without knowing all the facts yourself. That charge works both ways. I see through your bullshit. You are nothing but another George Zimmerman apologist who is trying to change to the subject by making people feel guilty for having the RIGHT to talk about something else. The fact that you come here, and try to make people feel sorry George Zimmerman, and make him out to be the real "victim" just because he is allegedly being treated for depression, makes you just as "appalling," and "disgusting." I don't think YOU give a shit about the drone strikes. You're just trying to change the subject. Nothing more.

Fail.

[1monster]

14. There has been a lot of outrage here on DU regarding drone attacks, innocent and not

so innocent, and due process regarding the drone and other attacks ordered by the President.

Not so selective outrage. Maybe you should read back a while before drawing a conclusion.

[Blue_Tires]

15. oh? and I've been keeping up with this from the start

pray tell, what facts am I missing?

and if you want to share outrage over drone attacks, just scroll back a couple of pages and comment in that thread...

Of course Zimmerman is depressed...He racially profiled and SHOT an innocent, unarmed kid, and instead of getting a plaque and the key to the city he expected, is being called a murderer and facing a possible jail cell...

EDIT: nevermind, I see you're just a 3-post wonder...I hope your 5 minutes of trolling has at least been profitable...

[AlbertCat]

16. about all the innocent victims of drone attacks ordered by THE PRESIDENT?

So, you admit Florida is a war zone....

I'll take your and raise you two

[K Gardner]

21. The Messenger of God is no longer with us. RIP. n/t

[leftynyc]

22. Are you too simpleminded

that you cannot feel outrage at more than one thing? As far as your first sentence in your block, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[bee vomit]

29. When the same people kvetching on here

rail against the drones, the Black-on-Black shootings...THEN I will believe that you guys are genuine.

[leftynyc]

38. Genuine what?

Another poster who thinks everyone can read minds or who has determined we're just not "pure" enough. Blech.

[Blue_Tires]

18. I'm still trying to get it...What is Oliver's stake in all this??

[Ecumenist]

20. I hate to say this but my husband and I were trying to figure out what the reasons might

be behind Joe Oliver's brown-nosing. One of 2 things: Perhaps he owes a favor, money or the zimmerman's somehow have something over him OR he was paid...

[leftynyc]

23. Zimmerman's father was a judge

Perhaps he helped keep this miscreant out of prison.

[Ecumenist]

24. You know too, alot of people, when they lose civil suits run to Florida. I wonder

if that's why he's in Florida, ala OJ, if you'll recall. There's something VERY wonky here.

[RZM]

34. I believe the reason is that in Florida, your home cannot be seized for non-payment of a debt

Hence OJ's move, since he wasn't planning on paying up in the civil suit.

I know a family who was in serious debt and moved there for that reason alone.

But it's also a popular place to move/retire to as well. Perhaps he got a job there as well.

[HooptieWagon]

26. I think Oliver is related or friends with Zimmeans SIL or something. NT

[RZM]

35. Or it could be more mundane

Perhaps Oliver really is friends with Zimmerman, doesn't believe him to be a racist, and feels he's getting a raw deal in the press and online.

Not everything is a conspiracy. It could be that there are shenanigans afoot, but a friend coming to another friend's defense isn't exactly unusual or unlikely.

Oliver being black is probably part of it, but remember too that Oliver has television experience and has spent time in front of the camera. That counts for something as well - he knows how to conduct himself in front of an audience, which makes him an even more attractive choice to make Zimmerman's case to the media.

[Ecumenist]

37. RZM, he was here in Sacramento and not a very likable person AT ALL!!

Trust, His being black DOES not help, I'm black too. Their friends and have been friends since he was 22 years old? Oliver said that the connection is that HIS wife is Zimmy's mother's best friend.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

27. The answer to all these very strange comments and the general handling

or lack there of this case, may lie in Judge Zimmerman's case records. He is obviously powerful
enough to keep his murdering son from being charged. My concern now is what records are being
disappeared, who is being bribed and what other back room arrangements are going on. Alot of
stalling going on while they craft their public message.