Ladies and gentlemen, the most effective propaganda technique employed by Fox 'News'.
Much more on the failings of all media at Journalism.Org
I chose the wrong law school in 1995 but so did the entire country. I know this because Pat Robertson's Regent University School of Law was not an accredited law school until 1996 and few would ever bother attending a non-accredited law school. Clearly even becoming accredited didn't do much to inspire applicants as three years later 60% of the graduating class failed the bar exam on the first attempt. Yikes! Guess there is a reason Regent is ranked a "tier four" (the worst possible) law school by US News & World Report.
All of which explains why more than 150 Regent University alumni have been hired by the Bush administration to fill those positions that used to go to Harvard, Yale and Stanford alumni. One such hire was the now infamous Monica Goodling, Regent class of 60% failure rate, who was apparently responsible for firing and appointing US attorneys. From the New Republic website:
"It used to be that high-level DOJ jobs were generally reserved for the best of the legal profession. . . That a recent graduate of one of the very worst (and sketchiest) law schools with virtually no relevant experience could ascend to this position is a sure sign that there is something seriously wrong at the DOJ."
But it gets better. One 2004 graduate describes being interviewed for a job as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department (imagine Pat Robertson working in the Civil Rights Division). Certainly the recent Regent grad channeled Robertson when, during the interview, he answered that the worst Supreme Court decision in the last 20 years was the striking down of a law against sodomy because it violated gay people's civil rights. The Regent student goes on to explain in the school's newsletter, that he knew he answered correctly when one of the interviewees agreed with him calling the decision "maddening". Luckily he got the job since it was the only offer he received after graduation.
Of course, there is not so much something wrong at DOJ but with the Bush administration as a whole. And the hiring of 150 Regent University graduates with negligible experience is a symptom of the problem. As is the US attorney scandal. As is the funneling of hundreds of millions of dollars to the right kinds of faith based organizations. As is Tom Delay's redistricting of Texas. As is the vast election shenanigans that have sent tens of GOP faithful to prison despite the packing of the attorneys and the courts! As are the e-voting efforts that led to both Bush victories. As is the K-Street Project. As is getting rid of habeas corpus. As is the invasion of privacy to read the email and listen to phone calls of all Americans. And none of it is about al-Qaeda or terrorists. Instead it is about the realization of Karl Rove's dream - a one party state.
And at the rate Rove is succeeding in filling the ranks with loyal Bush supporters and simultaneously tearing down our Democracy, we may not need a 2008 presidential election. And impeachment remains "off the table."
Is Ken Mehlman gay? Who knows. But it does appear clear that he has some friends over at CNN.
Part 2 of the three part Keith Olbermann series based on the new book:
"Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction" (David Kuo)
Technorati Tags: bush, David Kuo, olbermann, tempting faith
Catching up on some reading this weekend I came across a fascinating New Yorker article on Rupert Murdoch from the October 16th issue. Quite literally a modern day Kingmaker, Murdoch has top government officials from the US, England, Australia and beyond sucking up to him at every turn because of his enormous influence. But it is not all depressing. Murdoch does not come across as the staunch partisan one would expect from the man behind Fox News and The Weekly Standard. Instead, he seems partisan only to tax cuts, media consolidation and defense spending, while feverishly opposed to labor and welfare.
So he's conservative. But, he refuses to join either of the "clubs", has supported liberals on more than a few occasions and recently threw a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton who "has been a good senator...tireless[ly] working for the people of New York...was very impressive when she came in for breakfast...was very, very gutsy originally on the war in Iraq" and "has amazing energy." While Murdoch has succeeded in making the Fox News guys nervous, he says a Hillary endorsement is "unlikely." That endorsement, will more than likely find its way to the "great American" John McCain.
Certainly Murdoch finds value in picking front runners just as politicians find value in winning his approval. In fact, since Murdoch will let his hundreds of editorial staffs around the country and globe know his choice for president, it is probably a political necessity to kiss his ass. Because even if the Democrat candidate loses Murdoch's endorsement, he or Hillary will certainly need Murdoch to call off the Swift Boaters to have any chance.
There are plenty more juicy details in the article which is essentially a how-to guide to world politics at the highest level.
Just one of about twenty five pictures taken by Arlen Parsa of The Daily Background during President Bush's million dollar fundraising stop in Chicago yesterday. Who even knew that protests follow the President around the country and around the world when he travels abroad? Must be that damn liberal media working its magic.
FAIRness & Accuracy In Reporting has released a study on PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer that is indicative of the mass media as a whole. PBS is generally considered the most liberal main stream media outlet while Jim Lehrer has always received high marks for evenhandedness and serious news reporting. Yet, as the FAIR study evidences, NewsHour skews heavily right with Republican guests outnumbering Democrats by 2 to 1. Considering that everything in the MSM is likely to the right of NewsHour, here are a few more startling statistics:
Public interest groups accounted for just 4 percent of total sources. General public—"person in the street," workers, students— accounted for only 14 percent, while current and former government and military officials totaled 50 percent of all sources
Male sources outnumbered women by more than 4-to-1 (82 percent to 18 percent). Moreover, 72 percent of U.S. guests were white males, while just 6 percent were women of color
At a time when a large proportion of the U.S. public already favored withdrawal from Iraq, "stay the course" sources outnumbered pro-withdrawal sources more than 5-to-1. In the entire six months studied, not a single peace activist was heard on the NewsHour on the subject of Iraq.
Oh that liberal bias. Get the rest of the study
