Parry: Gore attacks media complicity. Media proves him right - again.

[blm]

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/060507.html


New Assault on Gore
by Robert Parry

>>>>>>

Starting the ball rolling was a dismissively brief two-column review in the Washington Post’s
Book World on May 27, largely ignoring what the book said while making clear that the
Inside-the-Beltway hostility toward Gore endures.

“Al Gore possesses a skill that no other American politician can match – or would want to,” wrote
Washington Post reviewer Alan Ehrenhalt. “He has a consistent ability to express fundamentally
reasonable sentiments – often important ones – in ways that annoy the maximum possible number of people.”

But how Ehrenhalt ascertained that “the maximum number of people” felt annoyed by Gore’s book is not explained.
>>>>>

[JNelson6563]

1. Beltway assholes

President Gore is taking it right to the people. They can scream their little heads off, it doesn't matter. He's got the world's attention and what he is saying is correct the everyone knows it. I really think he could beat them at this little game they like to play this time around. He's faced the greatest fear of every pol, lived through it and been much stronger and wiser for it.

I look forward to watching him continue to take it to these bastards.

Julie

[marlakay]

2. People respect him and thats not allowed

I sat reading his book a few days ago at Applebees in a 95% red city and when asked what I was reading by waitress i showed her thinking she would say...oh, ready to order? But instead she went on and on about how much she likes Gore.

You have to know this is a town that is run by "them" it was surprising to me to hear that and hopeful.

[blm]

10. Yes - it was the MEDIA and Dem powerstructure who had a vested interest in

pummeling Gore's character mercilessly the last 8 years. I have no doubt Gore, like Kerry after him, was targeted and undermined intentionally.

[davidwparker]

3. that's probably annoys the maximum possible corporatist snd their

shills.

Gore is fine with me. I hope he runs and runs on a totally populist platform to capture the mood of the people: disdain and distrust of the US gov't.

[glitch]

4. K & R especially for this:

"Even now, after grudging recognitions that Gore was often right and even prescient, the major news media still can’t let go of its reflexive habit of demeaning him, like a junior-high in-crowd forever making fun of some well-meaning nerd."

"Junior-high in-crowd" really fits the beltway and their media cheerleaders better than any other description I've seen.

[Sapere aude]

5. I am reading his book. When I see him on TV I think to myself that his personality

can turn a lot of people off. When asked why the press picked on him so much in 2000 I heard the answer that the press just didn't like him.

He as the right message but he isn't the best messenger. I think the most good he could do for us is to keep doing just what he is doing.

[Conscious Confucius]

6. Gore should pick a more hip running mate to counterbalance

I find Gore illuminating. The masses of uninformed American Idol morons do not, however, so if he picked a younger, more media friendly vice president, then he would be able to spread his logical message in a rasonable fashion, while the VP could hype it up. I'm thinking Feingold, Obama, or someone along those lines.

[Dr Fate]

41. It dont get more hip than Obama. n/t

n/t

[Larkspur]

7. The pro-corporate Media will destroy anyone, including Obama, if they want

The corporate controlled media want to keep the masses uninformed and any candidate who tries to make sense they will relentlessly smear. Unfortunately, no single candidate can defeat the Media assault. The Internet and us are the best hope to reclaim our democracy and restore Reason to this country.

[gratuitous]

12. The Daily Howler has extensively chronicled this

And I do mean extensively. But one of the best quotes Bob Somerby has is one from a campaign 2000 reporter who said that the press pool made fun of Gore mostly because it was easy and fun. If you imagine the cute and catty cheerleaders sitting around a table in the cafeteria savaging some schlub who was largely oblivious to their tittering, you'd get a pretty good picture.

[tblue37]

15. That was Margaret Carlson's remark. She claims to be a liberal,

but this is the sort of "voice" that is allowed to rtepresent liberals in the corporate media.

[blm]

16. Margaret Carlson lost her soul after Mike Kinsley left DC to start up Slate.

He used to influence her sensibilities back in the day. She quickly became putrid.

[tblue37]

17. She used to chase after Fred Thompson because she wanted to date

him when he was still single. She now sings his praises as a possible Republican nominee, but she doesn't mention her well-known romantic interest in him when she comments on him in the MSM.

[Uncle Joe]

13. I believe Bush's personality and speaking style

could and do turn a lot of people off. He's already alienated most of planet Earth.

This begs the question why didn't the mass corporate media pick up on his defects back when it mattered, prior to the selection of 2000, as opposed to the continuous non-stop slander, obfuscation and demeaning they heaped each and every day on Al Gore.

I'm left with but one conclusion, it's not the messenger which is the problem, it's the message. The message being, "the people were going to be empowered with a voice of their own again with the advent of the internet". The second part of this message, "as a result the mass corporate media's bullhorn was going to be reduced in size and scope, their ability to brain wash the "unwashed masses" diminished, making it more difficult for them to cheer lead us off to a war based on lies for example. The upshot; information is power, influence and money, the MCM had a monopoly on this until the internet came along, this is the real beef they have with Al Gore.

I believe this message is why it was so vital to American Journalism for the people to consider, who we would be more comfortable having a beer with in determining the new occupant for the most powerful job in the land.

It's sort of like the chicken and the egg, is Al Gore any more stiff and boring than the rest because some think so or is it because the Mass Corporate Media told us he was, every day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and the midnight snack motivated in large part because he empowered the American People when he championed the internet. I believe it's the latter.

[Sapere aude]

21. I like the way you put it.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Thank you, here is my full blown synopsis of the situation

The Power of Myth and Al Gore AKA; Remember the Titans!

Bill Moyers had an excellent interview with the late Joseph Campbell regarding his book "The Power Of Myth". In it Campbell speaks of the commonality of all the world's religions and mythologies, even when they are separated by time and distance. He goes on to state that there are many lessons and much wisdom to be learned from myth. Here in Nashville (The Athens of the South), the home of the only full scale replica of The Parthenon of the Acropolis, mythology is never too far away.

What does this have to do with Al Gore? The lesson of what happened to Al Gore has repeated it self throughout history and myth. A hero or leader comes to the aid of the people and the ones in power trash him for it. When I think of Al Gore, I think of Prometheus. Prometheus, the son of the Titan Iapetus who took pity on the misery of mankind, huddling in the cold and dark, so Prometheus stole fire from heaven for their benefit. Zeus (Jupiter), enraged at this loss of power caused Prometheus to be chained to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where a vulture each day devoured his liver, which was made whole again each night, this was supposed to go on for all eternity.

Al Gore, the son of Tennessee Titan Al Gore Sr. took pity on the American People as they were fed scraps of information on the vital issues of the day. Al, while he was in congress believed the people should have equal access to the same information as the rich and the powerful. Al Gore recognized ahead of the curve (as he usually does) that for democracy to flourish, the people should have control over the flow of information that will ultimately control their lives. Information is power, influence and money so Al decided to become the primary champion of the relatively new technology (now known as the Internet) controlled by the defense dept. and some universities and to open it up for everyone. CNN recently held a poll as to the most revolutionary creation of the 20th century and the Internet won hands down. So one might expect praise for such vision, service and dedication to the people, however that would be forgetting the lessons of Prometheus.

The Mass Corporate Media were enraged at this loss of power, how dare he! They wanted to remain the sole gatekeepers to the truth so that they could regale us with great stories of O.J. Simpson’s trial, Michael Jackson, Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, runaway brides, missing pretty white women, shark attacks and various other lurid tales, etc. they could continue to do this for all perpetuity. The MCM wanted to create a fictitious bubble or Matrix for the American People to live in and Al Gore had endangered their project.

Why would "American Journalism" want to do this to the American People? Because if you are ignorant, you are more easily controlled, and this is all about power. So Al had to be punished for empowering the American People. The MCM has no taste for liver with the possible exception of pate de fois gras (goose liver), so they decided to slander, trash, ignore and demean him in every way possible. It still goes on to this day to some degree.

The trashing of Al started in earnest in 1998, although I believe that the witch hunt against Clinton was in truth a back door way for them to hurt Al's chances of coming to power. The “War Against Gore” began in 1998 with a Wolf Blitzer interview; in it Blitzer asks Al what separates him from Bill Bradley? Blitzer asking Al of and Al is speaking of his record in congress. As anyone would do in a job interview, Al speaks of his achievements, primarily in helping to bring about the creation of the Internet as we know it today, which in fact is the truth; nothing is said by Blitzer at the time because he knows this is the truth.

One or two days later Dick Armey begins spouting his Republican Talking Points slamming Al for his hubris, and the MCM begin goose stepping in unison and take up where Dick left off. The MCM says that "Al Gore claims to have invented the internet" which of course is a lie, and it does not end there. "Al Gore claims to have discovered Love Canal" another lie, although he held hearings on toxic waste in Toone, Tennessee which expanded to include Love Canal. The MCM said that Al Gore was wearing earth tones, so he must be a fake, besides being stiff and boring, etc. etc. Al Gore has led a remarkable life and sometimes it reads like fiction such as being an inspiration (along with Tommy Lee Jones) for the lead character in the book "Love Story" but it’s the truth. The MCM even did a 180 after the 2000 debates overruling their own focus groups and changing their reporting as to who won those debates over night, someone had apparently heard him sigh (I did not). The only time terrorism was ever brought up during those debates was when Al mentioned it. With the MCM, the vital issue of the day (and keep in mind this was after Osama had declared war against us attacking two of our embassies in Africa, was who would you rather have in your home for a beer? The nation has been drunk ever since.

The result of all this slander, demeaning and trashing of our best and brightest is the Pottersville that we’re currently living in today. But think how much more difficult it would have been for us to get the truth out regarding the Iraq War, the Downing Street Memos, Gannon/Guckert, supporting Cindy Sheehan and or the peace movement, keeping in touch with your family or friends stationed in Iraq/Afghanistan, aiding the victims of Katrina, getting the truth out regarding Bush/Cheney's policy of wiretapping the American People with out judicial approval, or Bush/Cheney’s policy of enabling torture, and the current administration’s overall corruption and incompetence etc. without the internet. Think how much more difficult it would be for you to put your opinions out for the masses or praise your favorite leader’s virtues if we didn't have the Internet. Even the Freepers and Bush owe Al; they’re just too clueless to know it. It’s for these reasons and many more that I will always support Al Gore for President.

P.S. For a historical refresher, click on link below and Google “War against Gore” or “2000 debates”

http://dailyhowler.com/

Update, for anyone believing the MCM has changed after 6+ years of catastrophic, corrupt, incompetent Bush/Cheney rule, I submit the following small samples of the current state of American Journalism.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200705010003?f=h_side

Summary: On his radio program, Glenn Beck stated that Al Gore is using "the same tactic" in his efforts to fight global warming that Adolf Hitler used to vilify Jews in Nazi Germany, but Beck said that Gore's "goal is different. The goal is globalization. The goal is global carbon tax. The goal is the United Nations running the world. That is the goal."
<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7052402685.html

Al Gore possesses a skill that no other American politician can match -- or would want to. He has a consistent ability to express fundamentally reasonable sentiments -- often important ones -- in ways that annoy the maximum possible number of people.

<snip>

Couldn’t find the links to the Brooks or Milbank reviews of “The Assault on Reason” but they can be eye opening as to much of the MCM’s cynical opinions of the American People's capabilities or intelligence.

[Psyop Samurai]

27. Wow, that's quite a synopsis...

...more like a mythic reframing...

...with considerable resonance, I might add.

Maybe deserves its own thread.

Cheers. :toast:

[Uncle Joe]

40. Thanks Psyop Samurai,

Cheers to you:toast:

[The Count]

28. WRONG! Everyone wants to have a beer with W! get drunk and let him drive

their kids around. I know it's true because the MSM told me. Gore wears earthy tones, sighs too much and invented the internet. The choice was clear, non?

[blm]

34. The media told us he was authentic - a straightshooter - while they were on camera

at his fake ranch where he is too scared to ride a horse and saying there are no plans to attack Iraq.

[Uncle Joe]

42. Well now that you put it that way Count,

Bush/Cheney's car ride does remind me of all the giddy optimism surrounding Thelma and Louise's last car ride.

[IndyOp]

8. “Imagine the Iowa hog farmer cracking open Assault on Reason, and meeting Abraham Lincoln,

Thomas Paine, John Kenneth Galbraith, Walter Lippmann, Johannes Gutenberg, John Stuart Mill, Thomas Jefferson and Marshall McLuhan – all before finishing the introduction,” (Dana) Milbank wrote.

The key point in Parry's article: "It turns out that the written word can be as irrational as the content of any TV show."


More from/on Milbank:

“Reading Gore’s book, or listening to his speeches, may remind some supporters what they liked least about him the first time he ran, in 2000. Gore is usually smart and sometimes prophetic – but, all too frequently, pedantic,” Milbank wrote.

Of course, The Assault on Reason might not remind Gore supporters of any such thing. Indeed, many Americans might be in the mood for a leader who actually knows stuff after six-plus years of listening to Bush speak in his trademark ill-informed didactic prose – and watching, in horror, the consequences.

But Milbank, like many Washington insiders, sees average Americans as stupid know-nothings who would be offended by know-it-all Gore.

In that line, Milbank reflected the elitist disdain toward the “Iowa hog farmer” and other common folk. But who knows? Maybe the great unwashed masses are smart enough to find Gore’s commentaries not only reasonable and engaging but respectful of their own intellects, that Gore is speaking up to them, not down to them.

:grr:

[On the Road]

9. OK, Mr. Milbank

Conceding your depiction of Al Gore: We could have a president who is smart and visionary. The downside is that he is sometimes pedantic and annoys certain people. Is that a good tradeoff to make? Oh, no, of course not!

On Edit:And I believe you underestimate Iowa hog farmers.

[IndyOp]

11. So long as he annoys the right people - that sounds great to me! (n/t)

[glitch]

18. His implying that Iowa farmers are ignorant is just one of many reasons to despise Milbank. nt

[blm]

19. Ironic, isn't it? All the while he's attacking Gore as elitist, he's the one being elitist.

Typical. They attacked Kerry like that, too. Yet not a ONE of them doing the attacking would've put themSELVES in front of machine gunfire to save another human being, especially ones from blue-collar backgrounds, as Kerry did nearly every day in Vietnam.

[glitch]

22. Junior high really fits them doesn't it? Immature little pissants and we're supposed to

what, respect? them. I actually think they crave something different than respect, something far less healthy, but I don't quite know what it is. Whatever it is that narcissists crave. Adulation?

[beachmom]

20. What blew my mind is how influential Milbank is to OTHER pundits.

Andrew Sullivan read the Time magazine article that contained the excerpt from "The Assault on Reason", and was intrigued -- he liked what he had read. So he ordered the book. Then the nasty press came out, especially Milbank. And it was like you saw Andrew's opinion turn right at that second -- like, oh, I don't want to be caught being the nerdy one who likes Al Gore. So then, instead of reviewing the book which apparently he had quickly read, he immediately went to the meme said by Milbank -- that Gore was basically sighing at all the stupid, ignorant American people who watch too much TV. Then he immediately talked about how Gore had a "talent" of losing elections and still had that "talent". You know, that's just unbelievable bunk -- Gore's book was and is NOT about Gore personally running for president. I haven't had the opportunity to read it yet, but I hope to read it with an open mind, and take it for what it is.

This is how it works. In real time. A pack brat mentality that permeates the media world. Oh, and btw, now Sully does joke posts where he links to Brittany Spears (or any of the other celebrities) and calls it his assault on reason, the end of democracy, etc. So apparently, any serious conversation about what is going on isn't going to happen in the MSM. What a shame.

[blm]

24. Complicit media - plain and simple. They are a bunch of wusses afraid to be called wusses for

using their brains for a change.

[Pirate Smile]

25. I saw that. I was hoping Sullivan was smarter then that by now but no, apparently not.

It's disappointing.

[The Count]

30. Even Maher reverted to his 2000 idiocy: "Do you think his personality hurts the

message on global warming?" he asked barney Frank - who rightfully answered that only corporate interest hurt the message.

[The Count]

29. Milbank on Gore/bush: "Gore makes you feel he's better than you - while he is not

but bush makes you feel he's not better than you, while he actually is"

[karynnj]

31. What a telling ridiculous statement

Simple transitivity says this means Bush is better than Gore. There is no level on which Bush is a better person than Gore.

[Uncle Joe]

14. Thanks for the thread blm

Kicked and recommended

[Psyop Samurai]

26. Truly a stomach-turning account....

You know, when I read things like this, I'm forced to consider the nearly inconceivable - that, contrary to every rational interpretation of events, there's no conscious conspiracy to destroy the country!

There's only the vain, shallow, vacuous posturing of a grotesque assortment of insecure opportunists and pod people. Somehow, as the corporatocracy advanced, these are the people whom the system rewarded. And it was a "natural" selection, of sorts.

Ironically, the Iowa hog farmer is probably better able to comprehend Mr. Gore's thesis than 90% of Mr. Milbank's ivy league brethren.

[blm]

33. Nah - I think the conspiracy was to PUT these people in as the pundit class

to assure the news will always be filtered to the public through the pro-fascist lens.

[Kurovski]

32. Brooks says:

“every time I brush against Bush I’m reminded that this guy is different.”

Not really, punk. The world is full of bisexual men. But maybe Brooks is more specifically attracted to wealthy and powerful psychotic men.

K&R.

[otohara]

35. Nauseating - I'd Be Embarrassed

to say something like that, much less write it!

[Kurovski]

37. What I said, or what he said?

:D

[otohara]

39. Brooks Man Love Statement Towards *

bleeeeeech......:puke: :puke: :puke:

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

36. Al has it right...

And points out what the Founding Fathers put forth as the foundation of this country as what we need to respect; he's completely on the ball. Unfortunately, in the last few years, it hasn't been about the will of the people or the laws of the land - it's been about *'s greed and insecurities. Brooks is dead wrong - we've had a taste of the "primitive and more emotional" mindset for 6+ years, and it's obviously not working. Bush is "different" alright; we haven't had such a blundering of domestic and international policy to this degree in a while, if ever. Even a few of the Freeper faithful are starting to see * and his crowd for the bottom-of-the-barrel slime they really are. The masses outside the Beltway certainly see it. If they didn't, the whole discussion would have blown over a long time ago.

[closeupready]

38. Millionaire journalists hate Gore because he would prob. raise their taxes

I no longer trust highly paid media commmentators/talking heads. I've seen this same principle at work over and over and over. And with their money, we aren't talking about a couple thousand dollars more - we are talking in the 10's and hundreds of thousands of dollars - sometimes millions. Who would enjoy the thought of that? But I still blame them for their obvious greed.