"White House Officials", "Some People Say", the Media and Citizen Kane

[LynneSin]

"Dear Wheeler: you provide the prose poems. I'll provide the war." - Charles Foster Kane, Citizen Kane


That was a quote from Citizen Kane. It was said that Kane was based on William Randolph Hearst, a giant in the world of News who was also rumored that he would help start a war so he could create the news.

There is no Citizen Kane and even William Randolph Hearst is no longer with us today. Instead we have been provided the Corporate News giants - Fox, MSNBC, CNN etc. etc. I swear when Fox first decided to create a 24 hours News Network they channeled the spirit of William Randolph Hearst and the idea of "Citizen Kane" to create their network. They would not report the news, they would create it. CNN & MSNBC didn't stand a chance and have been playing catchup ever since.

About 5-6 years ago, director Robert Greenwald came out with the documentary "OutFoxed", a behind the scenes look at how Fox News creates the news. One of the methods used over and over again by Fox was "Some people say". The powers to be at Fox News decided if they couldn't find a source to back up their statement they would just rely on innuendos of some random group of people out there in the world who could possibly make some off the wall remark that was too crazy to be true but became the truth by the time Fox News was done with it. What's crazy with Fox is they only need to start these stories and give it about 2-3 days it'll be headlines across all forms of Mainstream Media.

Because of the reporting style of Fox News and how it's mimicked by other News Networks, DUers have become distrusting to any source related to Mainstream Media. We have shouted time and time again that Mainstream Media is the enemy with Fox News being the general in charge. It was suggested we find our news at alternative sources such at Alternet, DailyKos or Huffington Post to name a few. We can't trust the news from regular sources because they are not to be trusted - they are owned by the Corporation whose only goal is to do what it takes to generate ratings and make money.

So what I don't get is why we believe ANYTHING said by some anonymously quoted "White House Official". This seems to be the new "Some people say" being used by Mainstream Media. What better way to make Barack Obama and his administration look bad by finding some random person connected to the White House or better yet, just make it up - who can track down these names - and connect them to a story that would make Barack Obama look bad. Today's story coming from some unnamed White House Official - The Unions look bad for spending millions of dollars in the Arkansas primaries. Next thing you see is a link on the DU home page and dozens of DUers, many who have posted their distrust of Mainstream Media, denouncing Obama for such a horrible quote.

Seriously, are we crazy? Did we switch team and decide the media CAN be trusted?

This has been going on for a year and it seems anytime there is something really controversial out of the White House, lately it's been about drilling, it's always connected to that unnamed source within the White House. And we assume Obama is part of it or perhaps he has no control over his staff. Have you ever thought perhaps the Media just used that phrase to create dissent amongst the left side of the political spectrum? What better way to piss off progressive democrats then to make them think Obama would want to piss on the unions. Chalk one point up for the Media because some of us our buying it like gangbusters.

I'm not saying Obama is perfect and he has done stuff that has pissed me off totally. I'm just saying that when we see these random unnamed White House sources we should question the source that wrote it. Unless Obama says it, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs or someone else who would name their name, I hold suspect ANYTHING quoted by that 'White House Official'.

[pruple]

1. K&R

interesting post

[LynneSin]

3. For what it's worth - if Obama said it either himself or through another person

that person would give their name.

I also post at a gaming website where there is alot of badmouthing and backstabbing. It's setup thru Wordpress so you have to enter a name but I can give myself any name I want. It's odd that those who want to badmouth others will hide behind anon. names, but those of us who defend them will proudly use our names.

[shraby]

2. Bingo! I thought the same thing when I saw the term "white

house official". I find it extremely difficult to trust any "news" item that doesn't name it's sources. When people don't want their name attached to a comment they shouldn't be making it.

[LynneSin]

5. Some people say that's the only way you can create the story

it's the truth!

[Orrex]

4. I love how people happily attribute any ugly comment by an "unnamed WH official" to Rahm

Sure, he's an asshole, but the eagerness to condemn him has overtaken the need to confirm unattributed statements.

[LynneSin]

6. Rahm has enough balls to use his name even when he'll piss off people

seriously.

[Orrex]

8. Truly!

Far from hiding his assholery behind anonymity, he'd go on live TV to proclaim it!

[mopinko]

30. +1

[treestar]

Good point

good post. Suddenly Faux Noise is to be trusted? Very suspicious, too.

[LynneSin]

9. Suddenly ANY media to be trusted

Honestly Fox plants the seeds because they know that all the other outlets are busy trying to catch up to Fox. Within a week they can take a non-story and make it headline news with simple things like "White House Offical" and "Some People Say".

[treestar]

7. Good point

good post. Suddenly Faux Noise is to be trusted? Very suspicious, too.

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. If you're predisposed to believe it, or if you have an agenda....

no source is too suspect. My question is, why don't we demand that Politico (who seems to have a special relationship with 'White House Official') let us all in on it. I'd really like to know who this joker is. But of course, you probably couldn't attribute inflammatory headlines to a named official.

And you're right, it certainly wouldn't be the first time a "journalist" made up the news, and got caught at it. The whole jab at the unions story, reeks to high heaven.

[LynneSin]

11. And btw there is a chance the story is real

Thing is we don't know. And to be honest, Obama is the type that he won't sink himself to the level of justifying these stories. So it really does make it hard on us. I guess that's why I'm at the point that I'll believe what named people will say and hold suspect what unnamed people are 'quoted'

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. Granted, it could be true. But you're right, we may never know. Since

no one will make Politico reveal the source, this puts the WH in the position of having to fend off the accusation. It's tabloid journalism at it's worst.

[LynneSin]

16. If Obama fends off the accusation then he adds flames to the fire

and only builds the story.

I'm sure all of us at one time or another way back in school we had some sort of rumor said about us. I know I did, just stupid petty jealous stuff. It was hurtful and when I got home I did cry alot. But my father said I should just ignore what they said. If I fought the rumors, kept denying it all I did was propagate the rumors even if they were false. And who would I fight - I had no clue who started it, everyone said it was a friend of a friend of a friend. Sure enough I just held my head high and about a week later it was some other poor schmuck whose name was process thru the middle school rumor mill.

[Tarheel_Dem]

20. It really is sophmoric, isn't it? That's the trouble with rumors, they can travel

around the world and back, before the truth ever gets its shoes on. (Can't remember who said that, but it's true). The Washington press corps consists of junior high rumormongers.

[Whisp]

32. if Obama had to address every rumour out there

that would be his full time job. The hits would keep on coming and he would be claimed ineffective because he is working on squelching rumours and not presidentin'.

the guy can't win.

what bugs me tho is that so many of those hits are coming from this side. I'm pretty disgusted that obvious moles are allowed to thrive and grow here.

[LynneSin]

33. And the media would keep creating more because they know he'll react

And they would have their next big headline!

[Whisp]

38. exactly. What Obama is doing now (ignoring the stupidity, which is...

pretty well driven by Fox News and relayed to other media and too many DUers (DUers now believe FoxNews when back in the Bush day, how would That have gone over here?).

I don't mind honest criticism of the WH, I don't think anyone really does. But these one liner snappers that hold no reasonable contest are a blight on the site. yeh but BP is his largest donor, thats why the thing ain't plugged yet.
yeh but he's a corporatist shill worse than Bush
yeh but yeh but...

[KharmaTrain]

12. Any Port In The Storm...

I find it amusing to see how the corporate media can truly manipulate people in some pretty amusing, and also some destructive ways.

For example...all of a sudden seems like everyone on the teevee is an expert on off shore drilling and oil clean-up. Tweety starts humping his leg for "oil tankers" and it's a meme all over the place. Everything has a solution and it's always framed in a political context. On the teevee every issue is black and white, every "debate" has to be "fair and balanced" no matter how absurd it is and the more confrontation the better. It's all about keeping eyeballs watching and sucking up the ratings.

And we see how those same games play out here and on other internet sites. Those with an agenda will find their "sources" and those with a similar mindset will glam on. We live in a short attention span world where the lies and spin get the attention while the truth lags. By the time one lie is debunked the next one is already out there.

If there was ever a time the term "trust but verify" fits, its our "information age" where the rumors and drinkie drinkie party chatter will always speak louder than the truth and facts.

Cheers...

[uponit7771]

14. AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!! Post of the morning!!!

[Tarheel_Dem]

15. Wow. You struck a nerve, cause it's already being unrec'd. Good job. (nt)

[LynneSin]

25. I'm not looking for DU home page - Just hoping a few people read it

and perhaps 1-2 of them actually believe I am not full of shit.

[Tarheel_Dem]

26. I know. I just found it interesting that the unnamed "White House Official" story

had tons of recs, and seemingly smart people weren't even questioning it.

[HughMoran]

17. Yeah, I agree

It really bothers me that some who dislike Obama bring that rumor shit here. It bothers me even more how many people believe every word they read here from their 'idols'.

[Scurrilous]

18. K & R

:thumbsup:

[LynneSin]

19. BTW - as for denying the rumors, Obama is doing the same thing I was told by my dad

Even if the rumors are false, even if you deny deny deny all you do is add flames to the rumor mill and keep the rumor alive. I highly doubt Obama will ever address this issue because as soon as he does it'll become headline news and only hamper his administration.

That's the same advice I got back in middle school when there was a rumor about it. My father insisted I hold my head up, I'd find out who my true friends are and the rumor would die out from lack of interest. It was tough but within a week some other kid was the source in the rumor and my life was back to normal. Had I kept denying that rumor (and it was a rumor) it would have only kept it alive and allowing it to grow.

[HughMoran]

21. I usually give people the death stare for asking about stupid rumors

Repeating rumors that could hurt a person is a sign of laziness or stupidity or bitterness or a combination of all 3. (rumors about the Verizon iPhone are OK to discuss :) )

[KittyWampus]

22. I once posted a thread on Ratfucking. DU'ers are gullible in many cases, complicit in others.

[LynneSin]

23. But in general DUers are good people

And like any bad rumor this too shall pass. As for people who swear they are now voting 3rd party (or not voting) because of this - I suspect that was the case all along and they were just looking for the excuse to justify their cause.

[Tarheel_Dem]

24. ...

:rofl:

[madrchsod]

27. politico has been recognized as a crap source for several years but...

there`s people here that believe anything they write.

my 8th grade english teacher would have rapped benny and his cracked up staff on their knuckles. that`s how my teachers rolled in the 50's....

[madrchsod]

28. there was 42 voting places and yesterday there were 2 for 80,000 voters

but let`s not mention that as a possible problem...

[pinboy3niner]

29. In D.C., you don't know that a rumor is true until someone denies it. nt

[blogslut]

31. Don't forget the pork pie!

Businessman on Train: I see the police have made another lightning raid.

Priest on Train: I suppose young girls was involved?

Businessman on Train: One found naked in the bathroom. "Breasts smeared with peanut butter. The police also found a bag containing 15 ounces of cannibus resin. The bag may also have contained a small quantity of heroin."

Denis Dimbleby Bagley: Or a porkpie. The bag may also have contained a porkpie.

Businessman on Train: I hardly see what a porkpie's got to do with it.

Denis Dimbleby Bagley: Then how about a turnip? The bag may also have contained a large turnip.

Priest on Train: The bag was full of drugs. It says so!

Denis Dimbleby Bagley: It's the oldest trick in the book.

Priest on Train: Book? What book?

Denis Dimbleby Bagley: The distortion of truth by association book. You all believe heroin was in the bag because cannibus resin was in the bag, but the chances of it actually being there are certain 100 to 1.

Businessman on Train: A lot more likely than what you say.

Denis Dimbleby Bagley: About as likely as the tits smeared with peanut butter.

Priest on Train: The tits were spread with peanut butter! It says so! Who's a man you are to think you know more about it than the press?

Denis Dimbleby Bagley: I'm an expert on tits. Tits and peanut butter. I'm also an expert drug pusher. I've been pushing drugs for 20 years, and I can tell you a pusher always protects his pitch. We want to sell them cigarettes, and we don't like competition, see? So we associate a relatively innocuous drug with one that is more deadly, and the rags go along with it because they adore the dough from the ads!

Businessman on Train: I'm getting off at Datchet.

link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097531/quotes

[LynneSin]

34. Nice reference +1

:D

[blogslut]

37. My father was a newspaper man

He taught me to read between the lines. :hi:

[Echo In Light]

35. M$M = Lying, enabling corporate PIGS

[redqueen]

36. K&R

[chill_wind]

39. Ambinder confirms. Gibbs tap dance.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8523670

[laughingliberal]

40. I noticed Gibbs did not deny the message came from someone in the administration.

Unrec.

[underpants]

41. Great article

:hi:

[dorkulon]

42. Silly.

No reporter could get away with completely fabricating quotations and sourcing them to "White House officials." Not for long, not even for a week. That's just bullshit.

You think these leaks aren't authorized? You think Rahm or Axelrod or whoever don't say things to reporters that they don't want sourced to them by name? You have no idea how this stuff works, do you?