-
John Ziegler, Katie Couric, Marty Kaplan, Norman Lear, Sarah Palin, University of Southern California
Video: The USC Trojan Frogmarch of John Ziegler
John Ziegler is handcuffed, detained and escorted off the University of Southern California campus, April 15, 2009Apparently, the University of Southern California does NOT appreciate this type of journalism. The video above shows John Ziegler as he is handcuffed, detained and then escorted off the USC campus for attempting to interview people attending the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism.Also, Ziegler wanted to give away copies of his film on Sarah Palin
Professional television journalists from across the county and a group of USC Annenberg students and faculty gathered April 15 for the 5th Walter Cronkite Awards Ceremony, administered by the Norman Lear Center, at USC’s Davidson Conference Center. The ceremony included a roundtable discussion and a luncheon where winners received their awards and gave remarks.
Katie Couric made the trip to Los Angeles, taking time from her position as anchor and managing editor for the CBS Evening News to accept her award for “Special Achievement for National Impact on the 2008 Campaign,†which she won for her interviews with Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. At the podium Couric told the audience she went to great lengths to be unbiased in her interviews, focusing on every facial expression and body position.
The Norman Lear Center in the USC Annenberg School for Communication, you say, sponsored these awards. Might they be a little nonplussed at the conservative Ziegler and called out – “SECURITY?”
The Norman Lear Center was founded and is directed by Marty Kaplan, associate dean of the USC Annenberg School, who has been a political speechwriter, Hollywood studio executive, and screenwriter-producer.
And, who is Marty Kaplan,the Director of the Norman Lear Center?
Marty Kaplan is the Norman Lear Professor of Entertainment, Media and Society at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the founding director of the Norman Lear Center for the study of the impact of entertainment on society.
Since May 2005 he has been a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post. In 2008 he became a weekly columnist at The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. He hosted the radio show So What Else is News? on Air America Radio until September 4, 2005.
He has worked as speechwriter and deputy campaign manager for Vice President Walter Mondale, a contributor to the public radio programs Marketplace and All Things Considered, a Disney studio vice president, a movie producer, and a screenwriter (Noises Off, The Distinguished Gentleman).
No, left-wing political agenda there, huh?
I have two degrees from USC and I can tell you have never witnessed such strong arm tactics. The fact is there were few people there, and no commotion (except when security accosted Ziegler).
The universiity would have been better off allowing Ziegler to continue. Now, conservative donors will wonder why Norman Lear and his left-wing fascists now have a foothold on the campus.
Technorati Tags: John Ziegler, University of Southern California, Marty Kaplan, Norman Lear, Annenberg School of Communication, Sarah Palin, Katie Couric
-
Behind The Scenes: The CNN Vs. Chicago Tea Party Flap
The Founding Bloggers go behind the scenes of CNN’s Susan Roesgen’s biased performance yesterday – Adult Language WarningYesterday CNN reporter Susan Roesgen ended an interview at the Chicago Tea party event and called the event “anti-government, “anti-CNN and “not really family viewing.”
But, the above video shows the rest of the story as she is confronted by the Tea Party activists after her interview.
Technorati Tags: CNN, Susan Roesgen
-
links for 2009-04-16
-
t's a good list, but it appears to have left some events off, which would boost the numbers even higher. I don't see Macon, Ga., listed, and that was reportedly "almost 600" and "about 500" at Warner-Robins, Ga.
Roanoke, Va., is not listed, and the local newspaper article mentions "325 people."
Perhaps most glaringly, Columbus, Ohio doesn't appear on Silver's list, which had, according to organizers, 7,000 people. Even if you think the organizers are overestimating the number, it's more than the zero that are in Silver's current count.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Okay, this is starting to look like a fairly significant undercount. While Silver uses 7,000 for Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Public Safety estimated the crowd at 15,000.
-
Obama is a very popular President, at the moment, his unpopularity among Republicans notwithstanding, and it's awfully hard to see the Tea Parties doing much to change that reality in the short run; if anything, they're far more likely to reconfirm the majority in its opinion that American conservatism is increasingly wacky, echo-chamberish, and out-of-touch.
Still, here we are in the sixth year of the Iraq War, and all those anti-war protests, their excesses and stupidities notwithstanding, look a lot more prescient in hindsight than they did (to me, at least) when they were going on. So if you're inclined to sneer and giggle at the Tea Parties, keep in mind that just because a group of protesters looks ragged, resentful, and naive, that doesn't necessarily mean they're wrong to be alarmed:
-
We hear that John Garamendi is getting ready to jump into the Congressional race against Mark DeSaulnier for Ellen Tauscher’s vacant, East Bay Congressional seat. Garamendi has name ID in a race that will likely feature low turn-out, and has to be seen as a front-runner (this from a column that has not seen a lick of polling in the race). So, let’s go to the dominos, shall we? Of course, it’s bad news for DeSaulnier and Joan Buchanan, who both wanted to run for the seat. Of course, everyone’s got a free run at it, so there’s nothing to stop DeSaulnier or Buchanan from plunging into the race. DeSaulnier already has some top endorsements, and is unlikely to back down now. It’s also bad news for Dean Florez and Alan Lowenthal, who were mounting Lite Gov campaigns for 2010. If Garamendi wins, Schwarzenegger will get to appoint a new lieutenant, and Florez or Lowenthal would have to run against an incumbent. Of course, that didn’t work out too well for Bruce McPherson, so all is not lost..
-
A number of press reports have characterized the tea parties as anti-Obama exercises. The Wall Street Journal carried an online story headlined "Anti-Obama 'Tea Party' Protests Mark Tax Day." CNN introduced a tea-party story by saying, "This is a party for Obama-bashers." The Los Angeles Times ran a column headlined, "Anti-Obama Taxpayer Tea Parties Steeped in Insanity." But in Winchester at least, the atmosphere was not so much anti-Obama — organizers posted a note on their website asking that everyone "Please DO NOT personally attack the President or any member of Congress by name" — as it was a classic conservative Republican, limited-government, anti-spending talkfest. Anyone who covered the GOP primary contests in 2007-2008 would have recognized it immediately.
-
THE top suits and some of the on-air talent at CNBC were recently ordered to a top-secret meeting with General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt and NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker to discuss whether they've turned into the President Obama-bashing network, Page Six has learned.
"It was an intensive, three-hour dinner at 30 Rock which Zucker himself was behind," a source familiar with the powwow told us. "There was a long discussion about whether CNBC has become too conservative and is beating up on Obama too much. There's great concern that CNBC is now the anti-Obama network. The whole meeting was really kind of creepy."
-
But if 100-1,000 people show up at a town council, city council, etc. meeting, in most places, that's an earthquake. It varies widely, but most local government budget meetings are sleepy affairs, and many local lawmakers are used to settling their spending with minimal scrutiny. They've never seen anything like several hundred people showing up with the same message of "don't waste my money."
In other words, if conservatives want to make sure stimulus funds don't get spent on crap, applying pressure at the local level is a way to leverage the tea party energy into something with real impact on the ground. Who knows? It might even get some conservatives involved in government on a more regular basis.
-
This is an update and probably the last one. Those of you who are interested in extending the analysis (there are undoubtedly many events missing, although most of the major ones should now be covered) are encouraged to do so at Wikipedia or elsewhere.
But, based on news accounts of 306 "Tea Party" protests in different cities across the country yesterday, I get a cumulative attendance of 262,025, with a fair number of (probably mostly smaller) events still unaccounted for.
-
1. The jury remains out (to say the least) on the Michael Steele era (see especially: nuts and bolts, communications, fundraising).
2. The inordinate actual power that radio and cable hosts have over the actions of Republican elected officials.
3. The media's fascination with the actual (and exaggerated) power that radio and cable hosts have over the actions of Republican elected officials.
4. The failure of John Boehner and Mitch McConnell to agree on and/or execute a daily, disciplined coordinated message plan.
5. The worst nativist instincts on immigration, that will cripple any chances the party has to survive the here-and-now and impending demographic changes.
-
I told Michael Reagan it was the best political event I have ever attended. At least 5,000 and maybe 10,000 anti-tax grass roots advocates descended on our State Capitol West Steps today mid-day for three hours with one simple message: enough is enough! No more taxes! Jon Coupal of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers and Peter Foy of Americans for Prosperity were the key people that made this hugely successful rally happen near the lore of the liberal Democrats! Earlier, I joined with Reagan in his private meeting in the Capitol with the truest of our conservative true believers: Assemblymembers Miller, Logue, Duvall, Silva, Hagman, Conway, and Knight; and State Senator Jim Neilsen.
-
Mr Sarkozy is pouring cold water on President Obama's efforts to recast American leadership on the world stage, depicting them as unoriginal, unsubstantial and overrated. Behind leaks and briefings from the Elysée Palace lies Mr Sarkozy's irritation at the rock-star welcome that Europe gave Mr Obama on his Europan tour earlier this month.
The American President's call "to free the world of the menace of a nuclear nightmare" was hot air, Mr Sarkozy's diplomatic staff told him in a report. "It was rhetoric – not a speech on American security policy but an export model aimed at improving the image of the United States," they said. Most of Mr Obama's proposals had already been made by the Bush administration and Washington was dragging its feet on disarmament and treaties against nuclear proliferation, the leaked report said.
-
But, why isn't Foy in Ventura County today at the Ventura County Tea Party?
Because he wants to run for California Governor and will vacate his Ventura county Supervisor seat. -
Huckabee says Armey and his cohorts "never listened to what I was saying, but just spoke out to protect their pals who were funding their faces—there’s a word for people who get to paid to show love, but polite people don’t use it openly. I’ve found it amazing to watch the huffy puffy types who skinned me alive during the campaign jump out and support TARP, and then change their tune when Obama and the Dems proposed stimulus. Let the record note, that I opposed TARP—I called it the Congressional Relief Action Program from the beginning. I could say more, but have to go catch a plane!"
-
Last week was horrible here in Pittsburgh, so it's nice to settle back into the warm embrace of sniping between Arlen Specter and Pat Toomey.
The Arlen squad sent off this letter to Toomey today, regarding changes in his official bio. Besides being a nice catch, it's likely a way of blunting Toomey's criticisms of Specter editing a campaign ad after it was shown to be partially inaccurate.
-
I have my minor quibbles with the Tea Parties — I wish the movement could articulate a clearer agenda besides "don't do this", and I think the argument would be more persuasive coming from "ordinary American" small businessmen, instead of from quasi-politicians like Alan Keyes. But listening to Pete Dominick, afternoon host on XM POTUS yesterday, argue that the motivation for the event stemed mostly from racism and opposition to President Obama, I find the Tea Party critics even less serious or compelling.
Up in New Jersey, GOP gubernatorial candidates Chris Christie, Steve Lonegan, Richard A. Merkt and Roger Baconwill attend the Morristown Tea Party. But I suspect many attendees would agree with my sense that the day ought to be about positions and policy, not candidates and personality.
-
Fox News isn’t the only media outlet extensively covering today’s anti-tax tea party protests: Huffington Post is also flooding the zone.
“It is a perfect citizen journalist story,†Arianna Huffington told POLITICO, “because it’s something happening around the country at the same time where people who are involved with us in our citizen journalist project can report back.â€
There are roughly 760 tea parties planned throughout the country, and according to a Huffington Post spokesperson, more than 1,800 citizen journalists have signed up.
Huffington said that they’ll abide by traditional rules in doing pen-and-pad reporting, taking photos, making short films, and using Twitter. Anyone who doesn't follow the rules, she said, will no longer be part of the citizen journalism project.
-
-
The Obligatory Susan Boyle – Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover Post
Singer Susan Boyle on Britain’s Got TalentThe video is up on You Tube here and has gone viral.
Some voice, wouldn’t you say?
Technorati Tags: Susan Boyle, Britain’s Got Talent
-
Video: One Question Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on MSNBC Avoids Right Wing Extremism Report Flap
Joe Scarborough on the DHS Report classifying Veterans as right wing extremistsNow, the White House is trying to contain Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and her access to the media.
“Apparently, when the Democrats promise an open administration, they really only mean open as long as you ask the questions they want asked and no follow-ups on controversial topics that everyone is reporting on…..”
How embarassing that “The Obama Network” of MSNBC is even revolting. One question ONLY?
How long will it be before Obama throws Napolitano over the side?
Previous:Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano APOLOGIZES To Veterans Over DHS Report
Technorati Tags: Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security
-
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano APOLOGIZES To Veterans Over DHS Report
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was feeling the heat over the Obama Administration’s controversial DHS report targeting rightwing extremism.Republicans on Wednesday said a Homeland Security Department intelligence assessment unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists.
House Republican leader John Boehner described the report as offensive and called on the agency to apologize to veterans.
The agency’s intelligence assessment, sent to law enforcement officials last week, warns that right-wing extremists could use the bad state of the U.S. economy and the election of the country’s first black president to recruit members.
The assessment also said that returning military veterans who have difficulties assimilating back into their home communities could be susceptible to extremist recruiters or might engage in lone acts of violence.
“To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable,” said Boehner, R-Ohio.
The commander of the veterans group the American Legion, David Rehbein, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano expressing concern with the assessment, which made its way into the mainstream press after conservative bloggers got wind of the analysis.
Rehbein called the assessment incomplete and said it lacked statistical evidence. He said the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing by military veteran Timothy McVeigh, cited in the report, was one instance of a veteran becoming a domestic terrorist.
“To continue to use McVeigh as an example of the stereotypical ‘disgruntled military veteran’ is as unfair as using Osama bin Laden as the sole example of Islam,” Rehbein said in the April 13 letter.
Napolitano defended the assessment and others issued by the agency.
“Let me be very clear — we monitor the risks of violent extremism taking root here in the United States,” Napolitano said in a statement. “We don’t have the luxury of focusing our efforts on one group; we must protect the country from terrorism whether foreign or homegrown, and regardless of the ideology that motivates its violence.”
Now, the Secretary has apologized – finally and belatedly.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized to veterans after a report issued by her department said troops returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were at risk for being recruited by right-wing extremists.
“To the extent veterans read it as an accusation … an apology is owed,” she said during an on-air interview on FOX News Thursday, a day after veterans’ groups and members of Congress blasted her for the report, which they said libeled members of the armed forces.
“This was an assessment, not an accusation,” Napolitano continued. “It was limited to extremists those who seek to commit violence within the United States. And all this was meant to do was to give law enforcement what we call ‘situational awareness.'”
“The last thing I want to do is offend or castigate all veterans. To the contrary, let’s meet and clear the air,” she said.
A footnote in the report, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” said that while there is no specific information that domestic right-wing terrorists are planning acts of violence, such acts could come from unnamed “rightwing extremists” concerned about illegal immigration, abortion, increasing federal power and restrictions on firearms — and singled out returning war veterans as susceptible to recruitment.
“If there’s one part of this report that I would rewrite … it would be that footnote,” Napolitano said.
Obviously, someone in the Obama administration has gotten to the Secretary and instructed her to apologize and let the flap blow over. I don’t think it will and her ill-timed remarks has alerted the public to the heavy handed tactics of this Secretary and Obama.
Comparing American veterans to a domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh is over the top. And, the broad generalizations about veterans, pro-life groups, federalists and supporters of gun rights is BIAS and an unfair political characterization.
Will such pro-life organizations like the Knights of Columbus be visitied by your friendly DHS agents for possible subversive activities? How about the Catholic Church? The National Rifle Association?
Now, Secretary Napolitano should RENOUNCE this report and then RESIGN.
Previous:
Department of Homeland Security Sends Police 9 Page Report Warning of Rightwing Extremist Activity
Technorati Tags: Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security
-
Day By Day by Chris Muir April 16, 2009 – UnPlugged
Day By Day by Chris MuirPresident Obama will want Texas Governor Rick Perry’s help in controlling the major Mexico drug cartel problems that have spread throught the United States. But, Perry made it clear that the federal government should NOT interfere with the state’s rights of Texas.Now, the secession talk is political theater and cannot be taken seriously. However, Americans must remember that the United States is a union of 50 individual states – each with their own laws.
Just a little history lesson.
And, Texas can form four states?
Previous:
Technorati Tags: Day By Day, Rick Perry, Barack Obama
-
Flaps Blog Links for April 16, 2009
I told Michael Reagan it was the best political event I have ever attended. At least 5,000 and maybe 10,000 anti-tax grass roots advocates descended on our State Capitol West Steps today mid-day for three hours with one simple message: enough is enough! No more taxes! Jon Coupal of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers and Peter Foy of Americans for Prosperity were the key people that made this hugely successful rally happen near the lore of the liberal Democrats! Earlier, I joined with Reagan in his private meeting in the Capitol with the truest of our conservative true believers: Assemblymembers Miller, Logue, Duvall, Silva, Hagman, Conway, and Knight; and State Senator Jim Neilsen.
Mr Sarkozy is pouring cold water on President Obama’s efforts to recast American leadership on the world stage, depicting them as unoriginal, unsubstantial and overrated. Behind leaks and briefings from the Elysée Palace lies Mr Sarkozy’s irritation at the rock-star welcome that Europe gave Mr Obama on his Europan tour earlier this month. The American President’s call “to free the world of the menace of a nuclear nightmare” was hot air, Mr Sarkozy’s diplomatic staff told him in a report. “It was rhetoric – not a speech on American security policy but an export model aimed at improving the image of the United States,” they said. Most of Mr Obama’s proposals had already been made by the Bush administration and Washington was dragging its feet on disarmament and treaties against nuclear proliferation, the leaked report said.
But, why isn’t Foy in Ventura County today at the Ventura County Tea Party? Because he wants to run for California Governor and will vacate his Ventura county Supervisor seat.
Huckabee says Armey and his cohorts “never listened to what I was saying, but just spoke out to protect their pals who were funding their faces—there’s a word for people who get to paid to show love, but polite people don’t use it openly. I’ve found it amazing to watch the huffy puffy types who skinned me alive during the campaign jump out and support TARP, and then change their tune when Obama and the Dems proposed stimulus. Let the record note, that I opposed TARP—I called it the Congressional Relief Action Program from the beginning. I could say more, but have to go catch a plane!”
Last week was horrible here in Pittsburgh, so it’s nice to settle back into the warm embrace of sniping between Arlen Specter and Pat Toomey. The Arlen squad sent off this letter to Toomey today, regarding changes in his official bio. Besides being a nice catch, it’s likely a way of blunting Toomey’s criticisms of Specter editing a campaign ad after it was shown to be partially inaccurate.
I have my minor quibbles with the Tea Parties — I wish the movement could articulate a clearer agenda besides “don’t do this”, and I think the argument would be more persuasive coming from “ordinary American” small businessmen, instead of from quasi-politicians like Alan Keyes. But listening to Pete Dominick, afternoon host on XM POTUS yesterday, argue that the motivation for the event stemed mostly from racism and opposition to President Obama, I find the Tea Party critics even less serious or compelling. Up in New Jersey, GOP gubernatorial candidates Chris Christie, Steve Lonegan, Richard A. Merkt and Roger Baconwill attend the Morristown Tea Party. But I suspect many attendees would agree with my sense that the day ought to be about positions and policy, not candidates and personality.
Fox News isn’t the only media outlet extensively covering today’s anti-tax tea party protests: Huffington Post is also flooding the zone. “It is a perfect citizen journalist story,†Arianna Huffington told POLITICO, “because it’s something happening around the country at the same time where people who are involved with us in our citizen journalist project can report back.†There are roughly 760 tea parties planned throughout the country, and according to a Huffington Post spokesperson, more than 1,800 citizen journalists have signed up. Huffington said that they’ll abide by traditional rules in doing pen-and-pad reporting, taking photos, making short films, and using Twitter. Anyone who doesn’t follow the rules, she said, will no longer be part of the citizen journalism project.