Tag Archives: politics

Joe Scarborough Says TSA Screening Controversy ‘Most Ginned-Up Story of the Year,’ But Recants Position When Guests Disagree

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Joe Scarborough Says TSA Screening Controversy ‘Most Ginned-Up Story of the Year,’ But Recants Position When Guests Disagree

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough blasted protesters and opponents of the new TSA screening procedures on Wednesday's “Morning Joe,” only to recant his position on the show's next hour when he realized two panel members criticized the new checks. “I was saying this was a made-up debate – this is a real debate, I guess,” Scarborough admitted on the second hour of his show. While Scarborough and co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist, as well as MSNBC political analyst Harold Ford, sympathized with TSA workers and defended the new checks, two guests opposed the new search methods. Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan and New York Magazine columnist John Heilemann criticized the TSA procedures. Early in the first hour of the show, Scarborough ranted against the “opt-out” protestors who would be forgoing the body scanners at airports Wednesday to be subjected to pat-down checks, deliberately frustrating and slowing down the process on one of the busiest travel days of the year. Scarborough has recently promoted civil discourse on his show with the mantra “Keep Calm and Carry On,” but let loose at the protesters Wednesday.

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CBS’ Smith Conducts Soft Interview of TSA Chief, Begs Him to ‘De-mythify’ Controversies of Screenings

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on CBS’ Smith Conducts Soft Interview of TSA Chief, Begs Him to ‘De-mythify’ Controversies of Screenings

Labeling the uproar over new TSA screening procedures as a “tempest-in-a-teapot,” Harry Smith avoided pressing TSA chief John Pistole on CBS' “Early Show” Wednesday about the controversies of the new methods. Rather, Smith deferred to asking Pistole to explain the process further and “de-mythify” false rumors. “There are so many myths about this, not the least of which is 'Well you know, the TSA guy, he's standing there, he can see your – you know what',” Smith told Pistole Wednesday on CBS' “The Early Show.” Smith asked Pistole to “De-mythify this process a moment” and clarify that “somebody is in another room looking at this stuff. They never see your face.” “That is misinformation,” Pistole responded to the “myths” Smith referred to.

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Don’t Get Groped; Take the Train.

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Don’t Get Groped; Take the Train.

Image credit: White House As Brian has noted, In Ohio, the new Governor says “Passenger rail is not in Ohio’s future, That train is dead.” High speed rail is under attack by Republicans across the country. As people line up to get irradiated by the pornoscatter machines, or felt up by the TSA inspectors, perhaps they should give a thought to writing to the leaders they just elect… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Don’t Get Groped; Take the Train.

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Schultz’s Strange Mind-Melt: Confuses Palin With . . . Michelle Obama

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Schultz’s Strange Mind-Melt: Confuses Palin With . . . Michelle Obama

With the Thanksgiving weekend coming on, today somehow feels like Friday.

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CBS Early Show Frets Over ‘Passenger Gridlock,’ Glosses Over TSA Civil Liberties Abuses

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on CBS Early Show Frets Over ‘Passenger Gridlock,’ Glosses Over TSA Civil Liberties Abuses

“Early Show” co-host Maggie Rodriguez today glossed over the TSA's use of intrusive pat-downs while drilling down on the potential for “gridlock” if distressed passengers cause “chaos” this weekend over the enhanced security measures. “There is, as I'm sure you know, this online movement that's gaining more and more momentum calling for people tomorrow to opt-out of those full-body scanners and get pat-downs instead to create chaos at the airport,” noted Rodriguez, interviewing aviation expert Peter Goelz. “The head of the TSA told me yesterday that will only serve to further delay and further irritate passengers. How bad do you think it could get?” Parroting the TSA chief's talking points, the CBS anchor failed to question Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, about the potential for civil liberties abuses. Instead, CBS displayed graphics hyperbolizing “TSA Turbulence” and fretting “Will Passenger Gridlock Hamper Holiday Travel?” Rodriguez even shifted the burden of responsibility from the government to the passengers: “Is there anything, Peter, that you suggest that people do as they travel in the next couple of days to make things go smoothly?” read more

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CBS Early Show Frets Over ‘Passenger Gridlock,’ Glosses Over TSA Civil Liberties Abuses

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A Very New York Times Thanksgiving: An Interfaith Service ‘Transcending’ Christianity for Woody Guthrie

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on A Very New York Times Thanksgiving: An Interfaith Service ‘Transcending’ Christianity for Woody Guthrie

Thanksgiving may have begun in America as a Christian event, but The New York Times is much fonder of an event that “transcends” that persnickety Jesus-is-the-way-and-the-truth Christianity and celebrates the vaguely Unitarian left. Longtime Times reporter Peter Applebome championed an event in Pleasantville, New York in his “Our Towns” column on Monday : Maybe it took a country-and-western rabbi to put together the interfaith Thanksgiving service that ended Sunday with Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists singing “This Land Is Your Land” along with Woody Guthrie's daughter, Nora Guthrie. Rabbi Mark Sameth of the local synagogue (who told Applebome that “George Jones is God”) and Rev. Stephen Phillips, the local Methodist minister, put together the interfaith hootenanny, but don’t call it liberal. Just call it… “off-center.” read more

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A Very New York Times Thanksgiving: An Interfaith Service ‘Transcending’ Christianity for Woody Guthrie

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Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing at JFK Airport Due to Engine Failure

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood

A Delta Flight made an emergency landing at the John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday. According to New York Daily News, Delta Flight 30 is bound for Moscow and was carrying 193 passengers and 11 crew members.  It left New York around 4:40 PM but only an hour after it took off, it had Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing at JFK Airport Due to Engine Failure is a post from: Daily World Buzz Continue reading →

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David Gregory to Hillary Clinton: Might GOP Hurt U.S. Prestige and Obama on World Stage

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on David Gregory to Hillary Clinton: Might GOP Hurt U.S. Prestige and Obama on World Stage

David Gregory is clearly concerned that if Republicans don't vote in favor of the START treaty with Russia, President Obama's international image, as well as American prestige abroad, will be damaged. On Sunday's “Meet the Press,” Gregory asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “Is this going to potentially be a problem with the president not being able to get what he wants on the world stage because of Republicans?” (video follows with transcript and commentary): read more

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David Gregory to Hillary Clinton: Might GOP Hurt U.S. Prestige and Obama on World Stage

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Robert Reich: Palin ‘Realistic Candidate’ for President, Not Clear GM Bailout Was Necessary

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Robert Reich: Palin ‘Realistic Candidate’ for President, Not Clear GM Bailout Was Necessary

Former Clinton labor secretary Robert Reich made a couple of rather startling comments on ABC's “This Week” Sunday. During the Roundtable segment, the devout liberal not only defended former governor Sarah Palin as a “realistic candidate” for president, but also questioned whether or not the government bailout of GM was necessary (video follows with transcript and commentary): read more

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Robert Reich: Palin ‘Realistic Candidate’ for President, Not Clear GM Bailout Was Necessary

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Dan Rather: GOPers ‘Seek to Cut Out President Obama’s Heart & Throw His Liver to the Dogs’

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Dan Rather: GOPers ‘Seek to Cut Out President Obama’s Heart & Throw His Liver to the Dogs’

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