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ZonkerHarris

(25,577 posts)
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:13 PM Jan 20

I had people defending CNN in a few threads the other day, here's how CNN reported Musk's Nazi salute.

In very odd and circumspect language, CNN’s Erin Burnett first called Musk’s action an “odd looking salute.” Her on-screen companion added, “it’s not something you see at an American political rally.” Newsweek Opinion Editor Batya Ungar-Sargon had another take. “This is a man with Aspergers exuberantly throwing his heart to the crowd,” the journalist said, calling Musk “a friend to the Jews.”

Fuck all TV news media.
they are all corrupt and on the side of fascism

Yeah Jim Acosta and any good reporter should get the fuck out of there and work someplace better..
68 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I had people defending CNN in a few threads the other day, here's how CNN reported Musk's Nazi salute. (Original Post) ZonkerHarris Jan 20 OP
This was no mistake-Elon Musk gave two back to back Nazi salutes at the Trump inauguration parade LetMyPeopleVote Jan 20 #1
The Roman Salute preceded the Nazi/Hitler Salute no_hypocrisy Jan 20 #2
Yes it has been used by other facists. ForgoTheConsequence Jan 20 #5
May they perish in similar fashion... Evolve Dammit Jan 20 #28
"We who are sbout to die, salute you!" ProudMNDemocrat Jan 20 #19
However, since WWII, it has been uniquely identified with the NAZIs karynnj Jan 20 #39
This message was self-deleted by its author ForgoTheConsequence Jan 20 #3
CNN is still miles and miles ahead of Fox. ificandream Jan 20 #4
Why support either? CNN has gone way right a while back except for a few anchors like... brush Jan 20 #11
The news isn't right or left ificandream Jan 20 #14
Naivete. News is news but the way it's presented can and quite often does lean one way of the other. brush Jan 20 #17
No, it's called commentary, not reporting. ificandream Jan 20 #21
Ok. Like I said, news is news, but rarely are just the facts reported. Very rarely. brush Jan 20 #23
It's there, but sometimes it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. ificandream Jan 20 #26
Try C-Span. That's where you get most straight facts. brush Jan 20 #41
It's normalizing... Dem4life1970 Jan 20 #33
Agreed. Seems all the billionaire news platform owners are rolling over for trump and moving way right. brush Jan 20 #38
Attributing an obvious Sig Heil salute with "Asperger's" isn't being impartial. tenderfoot Jan 20 #18
Ideally, news would be thorough and impartial. Practically, it is not. 0rganism Jan 20 #20
I don't agree completely. ificandream Jan 20 #24
A person that supports the German AfD party lapfog_1 Jan 20 #30
The commentary doesn't deserve that much importance. ificandream Jan 20 #36
It's not that hard... Dem4life1970 Jan 20 #37
I'm not questioning what he did. ificandream Jan 20 #40
You're kdding right? Evolve Dammit Jan 20 #29
This idea is like living in a dream world. erodriguez Jan 20 #44
WTF else are you going to watch ? underpants Jan 20 #27
MSNBC Nicole Wallace and afterwards is about it and C-Span. MSNBC is being sold and probably... brush Jan 20 #34
Central Nazi News. Stopped watching 15 years ago. Haven't missed any MSM. Tuned out 12 years ago. Magoo48 Jan 20 #42
No, no, no Cirsium Jan 20 #53
Thanks for the dose of false equivalency. I'm gonna have to build up a tolerance the next four years. ZonkerHarris Jan 21 #66
so now they're using Aspergers as an excuse ecstatic Jan 20 #6
I don't think he's on the spectrum - he's just a psycho tenderfoot Jan 20 #48
Yeah the Asperger's "social inappropriateness" is all they have left to hang their hat on... thesquanderer Jan 21 #67
Gosh, the people I now with Aspergers don't mzmolly Jan 20 #7
Corporate "news" gaslighting (R) BoRaGard Jan 20 #8
Gaslighting and fart blowing on truth telling. La Coliniere Jan 20 #10
They step lightly these days. They might get sued. Klarkashton Jan 20 #9
I;m keeping a wary eye on my favorite evening MSNBC hosts hoping they don't waver: Peregrine Took Jan 20 #12
If you wouldn't mind, please update. SilasSouleII Jan 20 #22
Well, I call CNN the "Conservative Nazi Network" for a reason. REMEMBER WHEN... CousinIT Jan 20 #13
There's a difference between news and news commentary ificandream Jan 20 #16
Yes, there is a difference senseandsensibility Jan 20 #35
Exactly right. Seems some need that explained. brush Jan 20 #54
K&R; nailed it Evolve Dammit Jan 20 #32
I think its forced controversy osteopath6 Jan 20 #15
Both the swastika and salute go back a long way in history. Aussie105 Jan 20 #25
We had controversy here over saluting the flag during the Pledge of Allegiance state of stupid Jan 20 #31
"Friend of the Jews"???? Good lord that is thoroughly disgusting LymphocyteLover Jan 20 #43
Said by someone with a Berkeley PhD SouthBayDem Jan 20 #47
Ah, I've looked her up before after seeing Steve Bannon rave about her. She's bad news LymphocyteLover Jan 20 #55
Obscene salute... mamajudi Jan 20 #45
Typical sanewashing nt SouthBayDem Jan 20 #46
DU taught me that this was the Nazi salute LittleGirl Jan 20 #49
And here I pondered that was being hyperbolic UTUSN Jan 20 #50
He has Ass-bargle Syndrome rpannier Jan 20 #51
Yes, they will be the death of America alarimer Jan 20 #52
Vichy Democrats Baron2024 Jan 20 #56
No idea. alarimer Jan 20 #59
Good Analysis Baron2024 Jan 20 #62
The death of America is in the freaking White House now. ificandream Jan 20 #57
The ADL said it isn't a Nazi salute. WarGamer Jan 20 #58
Agree. Think if you look at the whole motion, Musk is just an oddball POS who'd still be in his basement but for money. Silent Type Jan 20 #60
What's next? LudwigPastorius Jan 20 #64
I'm not living my life in fear of nonsense, though Musk is a POS. Silent Type Jan 20 #65
I'm not letting the ADL gaslight me. I know a Nazi salute when I see it done twice like that. ZonkerHarris Jan 20 #61
The ADL is giving him a pass, too tishaLA Jan 20 #63
Went to Hebrew school': Elon Musk reveals SA 'Jewish roots Tickle Jan 21 #68

ProudMNDemocrat

(19,424 posts)
19. "We who are sbout to die, salute you!"
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:45 PM
Jan 20

Yes. The Third Reich was modeled after the Roman Empire down to the use of the Eagle and huge banners.

karynnj

(60,102 posts)
39. However, since WWII, it has been uniquely identified with the NAZIs
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:41 PM
Jan 20

In popular culture from comedy to drama to documentaries, it is known immediately at least to people of a certain age.

Response to ZonkerHarris (Original post)

ificandream

(11,011 posts)
4. CNN is still miles and miles ahead of Fox.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:19 PM
Jan 20

I would support CNN over Fox any day of the week. Where are all the complaints about Fox?

brush

(58,753 posts)
11. Why support either? CNN has gone way right a while back except for a few anchors like...
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:29 PM
Jan 20

Acosta, Keilar, Coates.

brush

(58,753 posts)
17. Naivete. News is news but the way it's presented can and quite often does lean one way of the other.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:41 PM
Jan 20

Like CNN reporting Musk's Nazi salute as Aspergers enthusiasm. That's called slanting the news to make magat actions not seem so fascist.

ificandream

(11,011 posts)
21. No, it's called commentary, not reporting.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:18 PM
Jan 20

It was commentary by someone looking for words to say. It wasn't smart, but it also wasn't news. The problem today is too much commentary is called news. Commentary isn't, no matter who does it.

News is factual and adheres to the who-what-when-where-why formula that reporters use in writing stories. Commentary is commentary, dumb as it may be.

Oh, and I worked at a daily newspaper for over 35 years.

brush

(58,753 posts)
23. Ok. Like I said, news is news, but rarely are just the facts reported. Very rarely.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:22 PM
Jan 20

CNN swung way right a couple of years ago when Licht was in charge and pledged to voice more rethug views.

ificandream

(11,011 posts)
26. It's there, but sometimes it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:29 PM
Jan 20

One other point -- I don't appreciate pundits. Their views are all over the place in terms of commentary. There are a few good ones -- Lawrence O'Donnell is one. As is Rachel Maddow. I also like Chris Hayes. But too many people make their living off of commentary. It makes hard news hard to find sometimes.

brush

(58,753 posts)
38. Agreed. Seems all the billionaire news platform owners are rolling over for trump and moving way right.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:41 PM
Jan 20

We're losing the republic. That bloviating, convicted, lying criminal is not worth it. That bastard is the best the rethugs could come up with.

We're fucked.

0rganism

(24,861 posts)
20. Ideally, news would be thorough and impartial. Practically, it is not.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:55 PM
Jan 20

Today, it's very much a "cheering section", no serious attempt to hide it either.

ificandream

(11,011 posts)
24. I don't agree completely.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:25 PM
Jan 20

Again, it has to do with the use of commentary. News commentary is a little too prevalent for my tastes, but that's where the cheering is. But on the other hand, real news can include things we don't like -- as in comments from Trump. If you're looking for CNN to characterize Trump in a negative way, they do. Maybe not like Fox does or as often, but they do. The thing is real news outlets have standards they have to follow -- something Fox as a non-news station doesn't do. Real news is not the same as what Fox does. It never will be.

lapfog_1

(30,497 posts)
30. A person that supports the German AfD party
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:34 PM
Jan 20

which is so far right that France's Marie Le Pen will have nothing to do with them.. and is trying to divide the British government and create an far right wing takeover in Britain... and is the world's richest person by many estimates... gives an out and out Nazi salute to the new President of the United States... that is actual news.

And the "commentary" as you put it is the lame "Because he has a mental condition or he was awkwardly throwing his heart to the crowd" is not news... that is commentary on the motivation. The NEWS would be "Elon giving a Nazi salute to the new President"

ificandream

(11,011 posts)
36. The commentary doesn't deserve that much importance.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:40 PM
Jan 20

Yes, the Nazi salute is news. But the evaluations of it are commentary -- and nothing important. Commentary doesn't deserve the importance it's getting sometimes.

Dem4life1970

(691 posts)
37. It's not that hard...
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:40 PM
Jan 20

if Elon Musk stood up showed his middle finger up, all of his other fingers down and/or the two closest to the middle finger crouched slightly, a kindergartner could tell us he was flipping us off. I know a Nazi salute when I see one, esp. from a South African apartheid loving, ADF supporting, X ruining person like Elon. It's really not that hard.

ificandream

(11,011 posts)
40. I'm not questioning what he did.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:42 PM
Jan 20

I'm saying the evaluations of it really don't mean as much as we apparently think it does. If some dumb commentator tries to stretch the meaning, it doesn't change the facts.

brush

(58,753 posts)
34. MSNBC Nicole Wallace and afterwards is about it and C-Span. MSNBC is being sold and probably...
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:36 PM
Jan 20

won't be around much longer. So many are rolling over for trump now. The nation is in bad shape and no telling for how long.

Cirsium

(1,704 posts)
53. No, no, no
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 07:45 PM
Jan 20

Don't do that. Do not set the bar that low. Being better than Fox, being better than MAGA, being better than Republicans - I should damn well hope so! That is a woefully inadequate standard.

We need to demand, and to do, much, much better. "At least we are better than them" has not worked. It is an excuse for poor performance, compromise and complicity.

thesquanderer

(12,480 posts)
67. Yeah the Asperger's "social inappropriateness" is all they have left to hang their hat on...
Tue Jan 21, 2025, 06:09 PM
Jan 21

... because the only other two possibilities are that he's a nazi or he's a moron. It's a stretch, but it's all they've got.

Peregrine Took

(7,556 posts)
12. I;m keeping a wary eye on my favorite evening MSNBC hosts hoping they don't waver:
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:30 PM
Jan 20

Chris, Lawrence, Rachel and Joy. NO wavering!

CousinIT

(10,892 posts)
13. Well, I call CNN the "Conservative Nazi Network" for a reason. REMEMBER WHEN...
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:33 PM
Jan 20

....the media all had a HISSY FIT (and the MAGAts too) over the Obamas' "terrorist fist bump"?

The double-standard is SHOCKINGLY obvious. Still.

Screw the MSM (for news). Other than a few MSNBC hosts, I don't watch them anymore. AT ALL.

senseandsensibility

(20,852 posts)
35. Yes, there is a difference
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:37 PM
Jan 20

I don't think anyone said there wasn't. The point is there is too much rightwing commentary. And we criticize the networks for CHOOSING to air too much RW commentary. This decision is theirs, and calling it commentary does not absolve them.

osteopath6

(172 posts)
15. I think its forced controversy
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 05:34 PM
Jan 20

People only have so much energy for such things. The throwing his heart out thing makes sense. He was excoriating racists over H1 visas, I don't think its a nazi thing

Aussie105

(6,699 posts)
25. Both the swastika and salute go back a long way in history.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:25 PM
Jan 20

But Elon is just a bit suss using the salute, don't you think?

(Elon is offensive enough without it.)

SouthBayDem

(32,530 posts)
47. Said by someone with a Berkeley PhD
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 07:09 PM
Jan 20

and who (from what I’ve seen elsewhere) is a practicing Jew. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batya_Ungar-Sargon

Ungar-Sargon had been a liberal just 10 years ago but somehow decided to hop on the MAGA gravy train.

mamajudi

(55 posts)
45. Obscene salute...
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 06:59 PM
Jan 20

While I was in Australia this past October, I guy was convicted of using an obscene gesture. I thought it would be flipping off a cop, but nope! He was giving the Nazi salute... The guy earned himself some jail time giving it. Makes me sick seeing what Elon did.

LittleGirl

(8,562 posts)
49. DU taught me that this was the Nazi salute
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 07:23 PM
Jan 20

I consider myself informed but I did not know until today that what .musk did was that salute. Not to defend CNN but those analysts are young and may not know it either.

I’m disgusted by Musk. It looked intentional to me.

alarimer

(16,807 posts)
59. No idea.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 08:58 PM
Jan 20

I feel that most people will only be able to keep their heads down and get on with things and I can't really blame them. I hope it never actually comes down to actually fighting and that maybe some institutions will hold.

I don't think most Democratic politicians are up to the moment, either. I think they are still trying to play the usual game, like this is just some other GOP politician they disagree with. But he definitely isn't.

ificandream

(11,011 posts)
57. The death of America is in the freaking White House now.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 08:13 PM
Jan 20

And thank the stupids who voted for him. The media didn't do that.

Silent Type

(8,234 posts)
60. Agree. Think if you look at the whole motion, Musk is just an oddball POS who'd still be in his basement but for money.
Mon Jan 20, 2025, 10:10 PM
Jan 20

Just looked it up after reading your post.

“It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety. It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge,” the ADL stated.

"“In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath,” it added. “This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.”"



This may be best piece of advice I've seen today.

Tickle

(3,496 posts)
68. Went to Hebrew school': Elon Musk reveals SA 'Jewish roots
Tue Jan 21, 2025, 06:12 PM
Jan 21

Elon Musk has reflected on his “Jewish roots” during his childhood in South Africa. The world’s richest man – who was born in Pretoria – shared his experience during the European Jewish Association conference, which took place over the weekend.

Musk – who is the owner of the X platform – emigrated to Canada and later the US as a young adult.

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