Tag Archives: newsweek

Halperin-Meacham: Obama’s No Ideological Liberal

All you need to know about the MSM: two of its stalwarts don't think Barack Obama is a real liberal . . . Time editor Mark Halperin, and Jon Meacham (until recently head Newsweek honcho) expressed–to the astonishment of Joe Scarborough–their fact-defying views on today's Morning Joe. View video after the jump. read more

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Halperin-Meacham: Obama’s No Ideological Liberal

Zero Hedge, Kaus Catch GM ‘Channel Stuffing’ Ahead of and After IPO; Press Ignores

A few weeks ago, just before GM's initial public offering went to the market (at the

Newsweek Uses Same Excuse for Obama as Carter: Presidency Too Big for One Man

In the November 22 issue of Newsweek magazine , Daniel Stone defended the Obama administration by blaming the institution of the presidency for failures rather than the chief executive himself: “The issue is not Obama, it’s the office….Can any single person fully meet the demands of the 21st-century presidency?” The same argument was used to excuse an overwhelmed Jimmy Carter 30 years earlier. The sub-headline for the piece read: “The presidency has grown, and grown and grown, into the most powerful, most impossible job in the world.” At one point, Stone explained: “Among a handful of presidential historians Newsweek contacted for this story, there was a general consensus that the modern presidency may have become too bloated.” A January 13, 1980 Washington Post article made a similar conclusion about the beleaguered Carter administration: “Voters have lowered their expectations of what any president can accomplish; they have accepted the notion that this country may never again have heroic, larger-than-life leadership in the White House.” read more

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Newsweek Uses Same Excuse for Obama as Carter: Presidency Too Big for One Man

Tina Brown Is a Hagfish [Media]

Let us explain. The hagfish is a blind, slimy, deepwater eel-like creature that darts into the orifices of its prey and devours them, alive, from the inside. Which is what Tina Brown is doing to Newsweek . More

Howard Fineman Gives Newsweek’s Print Edition Five More Years

Are you one of the many Americans who can’t stand Newsweek Magazine’s unending tripe of liberal condescension? Good news: you may not have to put up with it much longer – at least not in its print form. Outgoing Newsweek columnist Howard Fineman, who recently announced he would exit the sinking ship for the Huffington Post, gave the magazine’s print edition five years. “My guess is that there will be several years of a fond embrace of the traditional magazine,” he said. “But that stuff is going because the economics are too difficult.” Pressed for a specific time frame, Fineman gave his five-year prediction. Since it was sold for a dollar to media mogul Sidney Harman, Newsweek has shed some of its most prominent names. The Business Insider reported that “of the roughly two dozen Newsweek journalists who have run for the door in recent months, some of the most high-profile names have joined news outlets without dead-tree versions.” Fineman is perhaps the most prominent, but other reporters and commentators have departed as well: Economics editor Dan Gross is headed to Yahoo Finance. Longtime investigative reporter Mark Hosenball is joining former Newsweek worldwide special editions editor Arlese Getz at Reuters. Michael Isikoff, the magazine’s other longtime investigative ace, took a job at NBC News. Marc Coatney (granted, he was a digital staffer in the first place) is now working for Tumblr. The Business Insider posits that Newsweek’s troubles are a commentary on the state of print media generally. Though the magazine’s unique troubles are of course a factor, posited BI reporter Joe Pompeo, the departures also hint at an ever-growing anxiety about what the future holds for print media in general. More and more old media journalists are starting to map out digital futures, and the publications where they are plotting their courses are embracing the credibility, gravitas and, above all, readers, that their bylines can bring. The BI misses one key point: whereas most print media outlets are profitable – and simply owned by companies that are not – Newsweek was anything but, and was draining WaPo’s coffers when it was sold. So why was Newsweek sold for a dollar and debts while competitor Time magazine posted healthy gains in revenue from both ads and subscriptions? Well, according to World Editors Forum, Time decided to go with the conventional “liberal-but-not-too-liberal” approach, maintaining a semblance of news value. Newsweek, on the other hand, turned hard left, according to Stefanie Chernow, who wrote for WEF’s Editors Weblog. Time differed from Newsweek on the direction of its content, writing straightforward analysis of stories that took a left of center spin. Newsweek took a dramatically left approach to its content and produced more opinionated essays and columns. A year later, Time’s strategy seems to be proving much more successful than that of Newsweek. Perhaps Newsweek should opt for an approach that doesn’t alienate anyone less than five notches left of center, regardless of the medium it chooses to emphasize.

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Howard Fineman Gives Newsweek’s Print Edition Five More Years

MSNBC’s Wolffe Repeats Debunked Newsweek Claim of Koran Flushed Down Toilet by Guantanamo Interrogators

Appearing as a guest on Friday’s Countdown show, MSNBC political analyst Richard Wolffe – formerly of Newsweek – referred to the debunked story that was retracted by Newsweek in May 2005 which had incorrectly claimed that American interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had flushed a Koran down a toilet to intimidate Muslim prisoners. But Wolffe did not inform viewers that the story was untrue as he accused conservatives of a double standard for criticizing Newsweek’s inaccurate Koran desecration story from 2005 while not being aggressive enough in condemning Pastor Terry Jones’s declaration that he would burn the Koran on September 11. Wolffe: I’m struck all the time with this story about the experience of those of us who worked in Newsweek – not the least of whom is Mike Isikoff now at NBC News who wrote a story about the abuse of the Koran in Guantanamo Bay , and there were riots and people died and the overwhelming torrent of abuse from conservative, the echo chamber, more than elected officials I think, certainly from conservative media, was that Newsweek had lied and people died. That’s what they said. Newsweek’s erroneous story inspired riots and a significant number of deaths in 2005 before it was retracted by the magazine, although, as previously documented by the MRC, Newsweek buried its retraction. Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, September 10, Countdown show on MSNBC: KEITH OLBERMANN: The Republicans, on the other hand, are sounding like almost nothing. We reported Tuesday on the deafening silence of the leaders who previously told us, “Listen to General Petraeus,” and this time they had nothing to say, and obviously some have broken their silence since, but even then most have been tentative or brief or even offensive at the analysis that, or the analogy I made to Captain Chowdhury, equating the book burning to building buildings. Do you have a perception of what Republicans are trying to do or not do about this issue? RICHARD WOLFFE: Republicans are in a strange situation now, as well. The politics is weird for them. Remember that, for all the confidence about taking about Congress, there’s a certain amount of fear in the Republican party. They’re worried about the challenge from the right from the Tea Party, which in the first incident has been directed at fellow Republicans, not at Democrats. But, you know, if you’re going to equate something with Koran burning, you know, I’m struck all the time with this story about the experience of those of us who worked in Newsweek – not the least of whom is Mike Isikoff now at NBC News who wrote a story about the abuse of the Koran in Guantanamo Bay, and there were riots and people died and the overwhelming torrent of abuse from conservative, the echo chamber, more than elected officials I think, certainly from conservative media, was that Newsweek had lied and people died. That’s what they said. And I don’t hear similar things now about someone who’s abusing, threatening to abuse the Koran and the kinds of impact that the generals, the commander in chief is saying is going to happen. So if you’re going to equate things, let’s treat apples with apples.

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MSNBC’s Wolffe Repeats Debunked Newsweek Claim of Koran Flushed Down Toilet by Guantanamo Interrogators

Never Forget – But Have We?

Never forget. Those are the two most prevalent words uttered or typed on this tragically historic day.  Never.  Forget. For many, September 11, 2001, was a day that will forever be seared into the minds of those who were witness.  On that day, the nation was awoken by a harsh reality that some people want nothing more than to destroy our freedom, our way of life.  It was a day that 19 hijackers, four airplanes, two towers, and one deranged ideology brought the threat of terrorism to the forefront in our country. But a mere nine years after 9/11, has the leadership of this nation, both administrative and media related, already forgotten? Yesterday, on the eve of the anniversary of 9/11, the President of the United States of America had the tone deaf audacity to ignore the concept of time and place, choosing to defend the building of the Ground Zero victory mosque.  In his news conference, President Obama said that the proposed New York City mosque has run up against the “extraordinary sensitivities around 9/11.”  In other words, he hears the sensitivities, he simply does not care.  Obama elaborates: “As somebody who relies heavily on my Christian faith in my job, I understand the passions that religious faith can raise.  But I’m also respectful that people of different faiths can practice their religion, even if they don’t subscribe to the exact same notions that I do…” This demonstrates Obama’s willingness to cling to the concept that the mosque controversy is based on freedom of religion.  It is not.  Controversy surrounding this building has nothing to do with religious tolerance.  Muslims are not being prohibited from practicing their religion.  They are simply being asked to display a sense of decency by building the mosque in an area not directly involved in such an emotional event for our nation; away from the site where thousands of lives ended in a declaration of war from radical Islam. Americans overwhelmingly oppose this project, because they understand common sense and decency.  It appears our president does not.  And on the eve of 9/11, Obama wasted a major opportunity to stand up and actually play the role of a leader.  To stand up and say, ‘I’m with the American people, not against them .’  Essentially, to start acting like a President.  Instead, he chose to lecture Americans on the legal right for Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf to build his mosque.  Unfortunately Mr. President, part of your job is to guide a country still healing from the emotional scars of 9/11.  You’re not teaching Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago anymore.  You’re no longer a community organizer. Most of us remember 9/11 a little differently than our liberal leaders.  We remember being attacked on that day.  We remember watching over 3,000 of our friends and family dying that day.  We remember the screams of the heroes on Flight 93, the screams of women and men, mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, who desperately made an attempt to take back a plane scheduled for a suicide mission which surely would have killed many more. Yet the President would prefer to stand up for the rights of an imam with questionable motives, planning to build a mosque practically on the gravesite of those killed on 9/11.  This isn’t the only example however, of a forgotten tragedy. In 2003, this same imam of current fame, Abdul Rauf, said in the midst of a training session with the FBI that “the U.S. response to the Sept. 11 attacks could be considered a jihad.” Along those same lines, Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek recently penned a steaming column in which he claimed the American response to 9/11 was an overreaction. Zakaria claims that, “September 11 was a shock to the American psyche and the American system. As a result, we overreacted.” Susan Crawford , Convening Authority for the Guantanamo military commissions, claimed in 2009 that some prisoners complicit in the murder of over 3,000 people were (gasp) tortured, and what she discovered in that job left her aghast. What torture tactics left her aghast? Standing naked in front of a female agent; Strip searches; Insults to the detainee’s mother and sister; Threatened (not attacked) with a dog; Forced to wear a woman’s bra; Having a thong placed on the head during interrogation. The BBC portrayed two inmates at Guantanamo Bay, one of whom had confessed to attending an Islamist training camp where he learned how to operate an AK-47, as a real-life Harold and Kumar, innocently sightseeing and smoking dope. Both the media and the administration spent a great deal of effort in trying to portray Nidal Malik Hasan , a man who had contact with radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, carried a business card with the acronym SoA (Soldier of Allah), shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, and subsequently murdered 13 soldiers and an unborn child, as anything but a terrorist. This is but a short list that calls to question the liberal administration and liberal media’s remembrance of 9/11.  Imagine being privy to the knowledge of the above referenced events just days after the actual attack.  You would say that it would be impossible.  It would be impossible, because it would mean that we had forgotten.  Have we? Crossposted at The Mental Recession

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Never Forget – But Have We?

Chris Matthews and Howard Fineman Have Mutual Obamagasm on Hardball

Chris Matthews and Howard Fineman on Friday had a mutual Obamagasm while cameras rolled on MSNBC’s “Hardball.” As the adorable couple chatted about the Koran burning scandal, and of course blamed the entire controversy on Republicans such as House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Oh.), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, the Newsweek columnist unashamedly started the love-fest. “Well, sitting there in the press conference today with President Obama, you could almost hear sort of the classical music in the background,” cooed Fineman. “It was a stately thing, and a mature discussion.” “I get you,” echoed Matthews. “This is an Oxford don, he’s so well-turned, he comes in there elegantly, presenting himself elegantly, presenting himself on a very high-level tone.” One imagines both of these so-called journalists needed a cigarette and a shower during the break (video follows with transcript and commentary): HOWARD FINEMAN, NEWSWEEK: Well, sitting there in the press conference today with President Obama, you could almost hear sort of the classical music in the background. You know, I don’t mean to be facetious… CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: No, I get you… FINEMAN: But, you know what I mean. It was a stately thing, and a mature discussion, you could agree or disagree, let’s all be reasonable about this… MATTHEWS: This is an Oxford don, he’s so well turned… FINEMAN: Yeah! MATTHEWS: …he comes in there elegantly, presenting himself elegantly, presenting himself on a very high-level tone… FINEMAN: And he gave a very… MATTHEWS: …against this menagerie… FINEMAN: Yeah! MATTHEWS: …that’s biting at his heals. FINEMAN: That’s why I’m saying, those people that you cited, Boehner and Gingrich and Palin, are not playing the same ballgame that Barack Obama is. MATTHEWS: I shouldn’t them the Three Stooges, they’re a lot smarter than that. I think they know it. They’re not stooges. FINEMAN: Sure they know what they’re doing. MATTHEWS: Stooges are the people that buy their act. Honestly, do you think anyone  at MSNBC is the slightest bit embarrassed to see male journalists gushing and fawning over the president this way? Or do the folks running this pathetic “news” outlet share such sentiments and therefore think men behaving like teenage girls is appropriate? 

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Chris Matthews and Howard Fineman Have Mutual Obamagasm on Hardball

Newsweek’s Alter Blames Fox News, Conservatives for Birtherism, Obama-is-Muslim Sentiment

In an August 28 online column, Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter ripped into Fox News and conservative Republican leaders for painting Barack Obama as a closet Muslim and potentially a foreign-born person illegible to hold the office of the presidency. But while he tarred the Left’s usual bogeymen with the specious charges, Alter failed to produce documented evidence of any instance in which any mainstream conservative Republican leader or Fox News talent specifically charged that President Obama is either a Muslim or was not born in the United States. Instead the Newsweek veteran resorted to an all-too-typical refuge: insisting that conservative opinion leaders speak in some sort of “coded language” which apparently their followers understand instinctively and only enlightened liberals like Alter can see through as a cleverly-deployed Jedi mind trick: When the racist Gerald L.K. Smith charged in 1937 that FDR was a secret Jew (he later called Dwight Eisenhower a “Swedish Jew”), no one could have imagined that the Senate minority leader would be asked about it, much less tacitly endorse the claim. But there was Mitch McConnell last week saying that “I take the president at his word” when he says he’s not a Muslim. That’s what’s known in politics as a “dog whistle”—a coded message to followers. Many conservatives don’t accept Obama’s “word” on anything. McConnell was thus giving them permission to consider the president’s faith an open question, even as he said it wasn’t in dispute. Beyond validation by politicians and the right-wing media, the best explanation for why growing numbers of Americans think the president is a Muslim is that more and more voters don’t like him personally, and so are increasingly ready to believe anything critical (and to them, being Muslim is a negative) about someone they are already inclined to resent. Call this associational distortion. It’s a good bet that if the economy improves, so will the percentage of voters who say that Barack Obama is a Christian. Not only, apparently, is Alter capable of discerning the motives of McConnell’s heart, he’s somehow able to divine that many voters’ misperceptions about Obama’s religious faith are tied to their economic anxiety alone. Who knew Alter was a brilliant psychotherapist and sociologist on top of being a left-wing political journalist?

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Newsweek’s Alter Blames Fox News, Conservatives for Birtherism, Obama-is-Muslim Sentiment

Former Majority Leader Dick Armey Credits CNBC’s Santelli for Sparking Tea Party

February 2009 was a pretty dark time for the conservative movement. The arguably most liberal president in the history of the United States has been sworn in to office just weeks early. The Congress had solid Democratic majorities in both chambers. And there were overtures that only way to save the nation from suffering the worst of a downtrodden economy was through an avalanche of costly legislation that would create huge budget deficits and ever-expanding bureaucracy. But in the midst of that dark spell, CNBC’s Rick Santelli lit the spark that ignited the conservative pushback. On CNBC’s Feb. 19, 2009 “Squawk Box,” Santelli called for a “tea party” in Lake Michigan to protest the idea the Obama administration was preparing to enact a massive housing bailout to reward people who took part in risky behavior by purchasing a home they couldn’t afford. According to former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, now the chairman of FreedomWorks , often portrayed as a Tea Party villain by the American left , Santelli really is a father of the movement. Armey, along with Matt Kibbe, president and CEO of FreedomWorks, credit Santelli in an Aug. 17 Wall Street Journal op-ed and more extensively in their book “Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto.” And on CNBC’s Aug. 19 “Squawk Box,” Armey explained the importance of Santelli. “The Santelli rant, which we talk about with great affection in our book, immediately went to the Internet and the Internet is so important to this movement, in terms of the baffled liberals who can’t understand what’s going on without a George Soros,” Armey said. “It’s the Internet, because that went viral. And everybody said – and that’s where the term ‘tea party’ comes in.” Armey explained that his organization served as a mechanism for the activists to coordinate the Tea Party movement. “So what we found happening very soon is with people who had found us because they said, ‘I like that guy on TV. I want to have a tea party. How do you do it? Well, let’s go see who does it.’ That’s how they found FreedomWorks and they asked us, ‘Give us some, you know, advice how to do this, how to put it together,’ and so forth. And we developed this mentoring relationship.” Despite accusations of opportunism , Armey explained his organization predated the Santelli rant and the entire movement. “We’ve been doing this since 1984, and we are the best there is at,” he added. Later in the program, Santelli responded Armey’s appearance on “Squawk Box.” “[T]he rant was a year and a half ago,” Santelli said. “The Tea Party movement is really moving along. It’s pretty cool after a year and a half.”

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Former Majority Leader Dick Armey Credits CNBC’s Santelli for Sparking Tea Party