Clinton Library Releases Memo Explaining How Republicans Manipulate the Media With Lies

[babylonsister]

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/04/18/clinton-library-releases-memo-explaining-republicans-manipulate-media-lies.html

Clinton Library Releases Memo Explaining How Republicans Manipulate the Media With Lies
By: Jason Easley
Friday, April, 18th, 2014, 7:59 pm



The Clinton presidential library has made public a 1995 memo where the White House explained how the right gets the media to cover their conspiracy theories, and it still explains how Republicans do it today.

Here is the explanation of how the right infects the national conversation with their conspiracy theories:



The memo was written before Fox News was born, and years before the Internet became the dominant force that it is today.

Not surprisingly, the basics of how the infestation works still hold up today. The conservative think tanks are still out there ginning up their conspiracy theories and ideological justifications. There are still conservative newspapers that happily reprint this stuff. International conservative tabloids still try to spread stories, and members of congress like Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) still try to give the conspiracies legitimacy through show hearings.

The difference, today, is that the Internet has replaced newspapers, and talk radio along with Fox News has replaced newsletters. Part of the purpose of Fox News is to take the right’s conspiracies and push them into the mainstream press. Advances in technology have made the process of smearing a Democratic president much faster, but the dynamic is basically the same.

The goal is to manipulate the media into treating bogus conspiracies like legitimate news stories. One of the most recent examples of this effort is the IRS scandal. Republicans took advantage of the laziness of the mainstream press to spread the conspiracy theory that was centered around President Obama using the IRS to target conservatives. The truth is that there is no evidence that Obama had anything to do what was going on at the IRS and that the agency itself targeted both liberals and conservatives.

This nearly 20 year old memo from the Clinton White House explains why Darrell Issa keeps holding so many hearings on the ACA, IRS, and Benghazi. Issa is trying to lift those conspiracies to the realm of legitimate news, and infect the rest of the country with bogus conspiracy theories, by giving them the congressional hearing treatment.

The game is the same as when Bill Clinton was president, and this memo provides some great insight into how Republicans take conspiracy theories and get the media to turn them into legitimate news.

[Dustlawyer]

1. Don't call the MSM lazy, they don't dig for stuff they don't want. They chose not to report

the truth!

[OnyxCollie]

2. So Clinton knew in '95

Last edited Sat Apr 19, 2014, 07:36 PM - Edit history (1)

how the RW spread conspiracy theories through the media, yet he went ahead and signed the Telecommunication Deregulation Act into law in 1996.

Oops! Sorry!

[obxhead]

3. Oops! Here's the account number for the direct deposit.

The Clinton's, sprinkling sugar on the burnt toast breadcrumb scrapings we received.

[merrily]

4. I don't know if the media is manipulated or just pretends to be.

I think, for example, that people like Tim Russert, Dick Gregory and Morning Joe do a lot of manipulating of their own, on their own initiative.

And I don't think one party owns media manipulation. I don't think the Clintons think that, either.

[rhett o rick]

5. k&r thanks for posting. nm

[PeoViejo]

6. Laundering lies is like Laundering Money

Just gin it through the 'Media' enough times, until it becomes generally accepted as the 'Truthiness.'

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. I can already hear the Right Wing Echo Chamber denying this...

...and Republicans in the House wanting to hold a hearing to prove it's false.

[underpants]

10. If they mention it they will dismiss it due to the RW MSM mention

and use it play victim.... and then mention how they are #1!!!

[certainot]

8. their analysis was deeply flawed and explains why clinton was so ineffective and

pushed so far right, why we got clarence thomas, two bushes, the iraq war, no single payer, all that wall st deregulation and no major reforms.

there's no mention of radio- by far the best tool for establishing lies the last 25 yrs. it has been and will be more effective than internet because it is single voiced in messaging, has a large near-captive audience, and is free.

talk radio was recognized for the psyops possibilities and they bought up a monopoly after reagan killed the fairness doctrine in 87. it was really getting going during the clinton years and they didn't recognize it. it's been kicking left ass every since.

internet is relatively democratic and offers plenty of easy access choice for people who are looking for politics- but in most parts of the country it is unavailable and not free while working or driving

dems had no idea then and still don't, much like the left for the last 25 years.

fox is talk radio's stupid little brother but talk radio can't be read so it gets a free speech free ride. out of ear out of mind.

[underpants]

9. This tactic is also known as "The Big Lie"

Joe Conasin's book of the same name is excellent.

[MynameisBlarney]

11. The vast, right wing conspiracy...

Don't sound so crazy nowadays, does it?