On Libya, " About Those Incredibly Loud and Usually Wrong Media Pundits..."

[FrenchieCat]

About Those Incredibly Loud and Usually Wrong Media Pundits
March 21, 2011

If you’ve been watching cable news lately, you have been listening to a multitude of pundits pontificating to no end on all sorts of issues as shit happens in our world. Witnessing their sideshow recently, I have been amazed at just how little they know, and how unwilling they are to concede to all of the facts, instead of just some.

For the past few days, the big story has been concerning Libya and the United Nations’ actions implementing the No-Fly Zone. I believe that pundits were caught off-guard on this one, and were somewhat surprised that the UN has acted so forcefully and so quickly. In fact, instead of calling it what it is, an intervention, pundits have declared that a legally sanctioned UN action is an act of war. No matter that the real war is between a dictator’s imported army of rented mercenaries and thousands of Libyans whose only crime was publicly and peacefully gathering to voice their justified frustrations with their government.

Most of these pundits won’t bother reminding us that it is precisely the 8,000 Libyans already dead at the hands of Colonel/Dictator Muammar/Moammar Gaddafi/Qhadaffi/Qaddafi which prompted the United Nations to act as they did in the first place. In addition, they forget to own up to their own words of a few weeks ago, telling us that the United Nations was bureaucratically ineffective and downright good for nothing, and would never, ever act, period.

Yesterday, the pundits were suggesting over and over again that perhaps the United Nations took too long to act. Many of the pundits have included the US President in their accusations of dithering. Of course, if the United Nations had acted three weeks earlier (which seems to be the pundit-approved timeline in this case) the death toll may not have been high enough to get the countries needed to ratify a resolution for a No-Fly Zone on board, but never mind that. If only, “as some say,” the United States had simply acted alone three weeks before, all would have been just perfect. Except of course, had it happened, the pundits would have simply lost their marbles then, which some are now doing anyway.

While today the brilliant pundits ponder aloud in unison as to whether enough Arab states are participating in the No-Fly Zone, and if not, why not. They are also playing up.....
continue reading http://www.democratsforprogress.com/2011/03/21/about-those-incredibly-arrogant-and-usually-wrong-media-pundits/

[jaxx]

1. Well said.

Thanks.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Let's file this in the "Time will tell" drawer, shall we?

[FrenchieCat]

5. I file it under media pundits working overtime influencing public opinion

on this. I don't recall so much second guessing on each and every Bush move, nor translating each of those actions into a negative critique....even after Mission accomplished was declared.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. I don't recall very much second guessing about this thing in the last day or two

and I was pretty much glued to the tee vee/NPR & inner tubes all weekend.

"Mission accomplished" was a real turning pt. for jr in the media, a very big story & a blunder as I recall.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Mission Accomplished was not discussed at the time as a failure.....

only a long time after, when casualties on the American side continued mounting.


as for the 2nd guessing, from Obama didn't act quickly enough, to what is the end game (has it been articulated well enough?)...I'm seeing these pundits' premature pronouncements intimating a certain feel of failure pretty much all over the place.

So I do believe that Pundits/news readers are reacting more with a negative bent in their analysis of this event, than they ever did in reference to anything Bush did....

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. It's a small point, but I recall that the bush camp had to make up stories

the next day about where that banner came from & how they got busted for it.

If this thing turns out okay or fails it will turn out okay or fail based on the strategy & merit, not on what any media people have to say about it.

As I said, time will tell.

[FrenchieCat]

10. Do you have a link?

I remember seeing those stories a long time later....
for pundits, who generally react minute by minute,
we are talking about ages later!

in October of 2003, on the May 1, 2003 speech and sign:

White House pressed on 'mission accomplished' sign
http://articles.cnn.com/2003-10-28/politics/mission.accomplished_1_aircraft-carrier-conrad-chun-banner?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS

in 2004:
'Mission Accomplished' Revisited
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/30/politics/main614998.shtml


in 2009:
Former Bush Aide: 'Mission Accomplished Banner Was My Fault'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/13/dan-bartlett-mission-acco_n_157568.html

If you find something earlier than October 29, 2003, please post it.
Thanks!

During Bush times, the news and the pundits were too busy making stories up about war heroism like Prvt Jessica Lynch, and PR shows like the Saddam Statue being torn down. In essence, they were all so busy being positive about Bush's actions, i.e., making shit up that didn't even happen; they never pushed the negative then....although that is what they are doing now, minute by minute.

Some might want to think that they learned their lesson the last time, but I believe something more sinister than that. I think they are looking for failure ...that of the United Nation generally, and of this President specifically. How dare he gets all of the UN nations (normally sold as ineffectual) in line enough for them to respond timely and get this...militarily for something that could be supported based on the facts? Actually saving brown people, as opposed to killing them goes against pundit instints, as does making this President or the UN look strong and doing the right thing. That's my feeling.

[bahrbearian]

12. 10-23 2003 CNN

http://articles.cnn.com/2003-10-28/politics/mission.accomplished_1_aircraft-carrier-conrad-chun-banner?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS

[FrenchieCat]

13. Mission accomplished happened on May 1st......

so reporting something critical 6 months later reinforces my belief that this President has gotten different treatment from the media all along.......

[damntexdem]

16. We need no time to tell us that the MSM pundits are dopes.

We need no time to tell us that the intervention was "just in time."

The "time will tell" drawer is needed only for the outcome.

[FrenchieCat]

17. True.

[countingbluecars]

3. Yep, this morning the Morning Joe crew

suggested that this decision was based on emotion and pushed by Clinton, Powers and Rice. Oh those silly emotional women!

[FrenchieCat]

14. I can only imagine........

which is sad that there is no need to watch most of it,
and yet still get their drift. :(

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. Excellent Analysis......

:thumbsup:

[dennis4868]

7. Thanks for posting....

but you won't get alot love here at DU because most posters here will automatically hold a view opposite of Obama's view no matter the facts or circumstances.

[FrenchieCat]

11. I should hope not! That would make them in league with the Corporate paid pundits!

:(

[FrenchieCat]

15. New meme pushed last hour.....

Pres. Obama and UN policy differ....