Media Matters Calls for "Action" against MSNBC over Clinton Remarks

Posted on February 12, 2008 by mondoreb | 

Clinton Media Group Has Panties in a Bunch

Media Matters’ David Brock recently testified
(in the MM newsletter) about the scurvy journalism
practiced at MSNBC against MM beneficiary, Hillary Clinton.

“As a journalist, I cherish Oscar Wilde’s opinion of sincerity: He called it “the highest form of acting.” Few of my subjects have told the whole truth, though many were honest. That’s why the best reporters multi-source their stories. But there’s no way to check out David Brock’s account of his illustrious career as a professional liar.”
–Richard Goldstein

Media Matters, the Hillary Clinton-sponsored front group–which tries to pass itself off as an impartial “press watchdog”–has issued its weekly newsletter.

If you’re looking for a source of unintended laughter, you could do worse than get on its mailing list–we did.

It rarely disappoints.

Last fall, Media Matters was busy attacking popular conservative commentators over their philosophical disagreements with liberal/progressive issues.

With Hillary Clinton locked in a nomination dog-fight, Media Matters has dropped its pretenses of looking out for all liberals and focused on those it feels are biting the hand that feeds MM.

This week’s Media[About Hillary]Matters’ target is foaming-at-the-mouth liberal network, MSNBC.

What did the network of Kountdown Keith Olbermann and Chris Mathews do that has upset the “media about Hillary watchdog”?

Well, they’ve made the same remarks about the former first lady usually reserved for conservatives. MM mouthpiece, David Brock, is obviously concerned that some regular viewers may become confused and think Clinton is running on the Republican ticket.

During the past year, three MSNBC commentators have been suspended, reprimanded, fired, or forced to apologize for their sexist and/or racist comments. Rather than address these problems by proactively moving to make certain they do not happen in the first place, MSNBC has instead decided to use these controversies as part of an advertising campaign to promote its political coverage.

That’s right — MSNBC has turned the recent mea culpa by Hardball host Chris Matthews for his sexist comments into an advertising campaign, using clips of his statement to push MSNBC programming. Left on the cutting room floor, of course, are the portions in which Matthews acknowledged having been “callous,” “nasty,” and “dismissive” toward Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Thank God for the Imus affair, or the MM newsletter would have had to been declared a Clinton contribution under campaign finance law.

Reaction was swift when Media Matters first called itself
an impartial “press watchdog”, with no links to Hillary Clinton.

Brock goes onto to lament the coverage of another MSNBC newsperson who deviated from the lapdog position.

The latest example of the systemic problem of sexism and misogyny on MSNBC’s airwaves came last week from correspondent David Shuster when he stated, while talking about Chelsea Clinton’s campaign activities on behalf of her mother, “doesn’t it seem like Chelsea’s sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way” by Sen. Clinton’s presidential campaign. Following criticism from many who found Shuster’s comments indefensible and demeaning, MSNBC suspended Shuster indefinitely and aired an apology from him that evening.

Of course, MSNBC wouldn’t suspend one of its newscasters for remarks made about either President Bush or conservatives–Olbermann alone has labeled Bush as “stupid” and “facist”. But it did after a wayward comment about Chelsea Clinton.

But for this “press watchdog”, suspension is not enough: they want the reader to take action!

The newsletters says “news organizations like NBC News and MSNBC have a sacred duty to be good stewards of accurate, balanced, and responsible political discourse.”

It may be a first for Media Matters: using the word “sacred” in a sentence without the accompanying words: “dumbass”, “conservative” or “Christians”.

“Media Matters is a “press watchdog”?
“Impartial”?? Stop it! You’re killing me!!”

The newsletter ended on a call to “take action today – contact MSNBC president, Steve Capus”.

We just might.

Soon as we quit laughing.