Tuesday, July 02, 2013

The Fox and The Grapes



This morning Glenn Greenwald appeared on the most Fox-ariffic of all Fox "news" programs, "Fox and Friends" (lead graphic this morning "The GREATNESS Of America".)

Mr. Greenwald was asked many questions by Very Serious Journalist Eric Bolling about Edward Snowden, the United States government and the media.

After Mr. Greenwald was done knocking Mr. Bolling's softballs over the back yard fence, Fox and Fiends wished him well and went on to its usual bill-of-fare: "interviewing" their very good friend Rush Limbaugh via telephone and seeking his probing insight into exactly how the Kenyan Usurper is not-so-secretly in league with the Muslim Brotherhood to destroy America and how Obamacare will absolutely and beyond a doubt destroy America.   Later, John Bolton's moustache was wheeled into the studio to give its opinion about the degree to which the abject failures of the Kenyan Usurper's foreign policy will destroy America.

So, three things.

First, watching the video, the careful viewer will note how Mr. Greenwald's statements are treated with exactly the same amount of friendly deference as were Rush Limbaugh's: no pushback, no scrutiny. Which is to be expected. After all, for the moment, from Roger Ailes' point of view, Rush Limbaugh and Mr. Greenwald occupy adjoining drawers in the Fox Media toolbox: big hammers with which to pound the shit out of That Black Man in their White House.

Second, for all of the easy collegiality afforded Mr. Greenwald by Fox News during his time on the air, Mr. Ailes' network has been anything but kind to Mr. Snowden. Of course, Fox hasn't let the NSA story crowd out it's wall-to-wall coverage of the Worst Scandal in America History (The Great IRS Fizzle) or the Second Worst Scandal in America History (Benghaaaaazi!), but when they do find a place to slot it, Mr. Snowden is almost always either described is the starkest, most villainous language (worse than the Dixie Chicks even!) or cited as further "proof" that the Kenyan Usurper is a pussy who does not take American security seriously and does not know how to run a government:
... No one paid a price for those leaks, although the Obama Justice Department did target Fox News reporter James Rosen because he was told of a classified report that discredited the administration’s North Korea policy.

Enter Snowden and Hong Kong into this picture. Is it that surprising that Hong Kong took a look at a weak president, seemingly committed to American withdrawal from the world, and an administration that only cares about protecting secrets when it’s useful for domestic political purposes, and then decided to flip Washington the bird?
Which, again, should surprise no one. Once Reagan, Bork and Scalia conspired to knife the Fairness Doctrine in the shower, the way was finally open to create a new wingnut media conjured directly out of every Bircher's wettest dream.  And thus Fox News and Hate Radio were born: bastions of unremitting Republican fraud and slandermongering, eagerly trafficking in the most ludicrous rumors, anti-science fairy tales, outlandish conspiracies and straight-up lies manufactured by the sketchiest con artists and demagogues imaginable, all highly focused on the goal of advancing the most radical Conservative agenda in modern American history while making Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch very, very rich in the process.

Remember, it was only a week ago that Mr. Greenwald was invited on "Meet the Press" where he was more than willing to very aggressively pushed back against the debased Beltway media mores as embodied by Senior Establishmentarian Testicle Cozy, David Gregory.

And so, a week later, drama was high as the very same Mr, Greenwald, girded by promises of a "shocking" new leak and righteous indignation, venturing into heart of the Wingnut Ministry of Truth itself -- the the very headwaters of the Media Disinformation Industry which Mr. Greenwald claims to hate with the heat of 1,000 suns!  Where, prompted by a question by Fox News tailor's dummy Eric Bolling, Mr. Greenwald obligingly used a chunk of his limited air time...to call Fox News competitor and Senior Establishmentarian Testicle Cozy, David Gregory, a douchebag one more time.

Well, that's all the time we have!

Thanks, Glenn!  

Up next, The Top Ten Ways Barack Obama Is Conspiring with our Enemies to Destroy America!

Third, never let it be said that Roger Ailes does know how to learn and adapt.  Because rather than actually asking Mr. Greenwald any provocative questions while he was on their air, Fox News clowns wisely elected to wring what partisan and competition-bashing value they could out of him while he was live and then wait until a half an hour or so after he was gone before cutting him up like a paper doll (and --bonus! -- slipping in a "Benghaaaaazi" reference at no additional cost to you the viewer!) 

And thus did Roger Ailes get everything he wanted: Obama slammed by a famous, Serious, non-Fox employee, NBC cock-punched right in its Sunday lineup and the guy who obligingly did all of Mr. Ailes' heavy lifting for him sliced up and tossed overboard less than an hour later.

All for the price of a Skype call to Rio.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

And this is the point where I step into this ongoing fray....

"Fox and Friends" is something I find physically painful to watch. The clip of the two men trying to roast marshmallows over a fire is, to me, their most quintessential essence. They either are or play stupid and uneducated to appear non-threatening to under-educated stay-at-home mothers and old people. They are repulsive for trying to make ignorance mainstream. They are actually worse than Regis and Kathy Lee.

Eric Bolling was a replacement for Glen Beck. He's only about 90% of Beck's crazy, but with Bill O'Reily's arrogance and belligerence. He has no place in the media.

I must officially say that for Greenwald to wade into that pig sty and act like he was talking to journalists has really shaken what respect I had for him.

Mike.K.

Lit3Bolt said...

B-b-but Glenn Greenwald is the next Noam Chomsky! He's a saintly iconoclast who has the perfect Manichean world-view! He's never done anything underhanded, dishonest, or self-serving in his life! He's surely not in "journalism" for the money and the TV exposure! He just wants the truth! He's a blameless, egoless, unique political snowflake who makes babies spontaneously laugh and gumdrops rain from the sky and is the only media personage who can interact with whomever he wishes and emerge untainted and unbiased.

Everyone who disagrees with him is just a craven, power-worshiping, boot-licking apologist loyal to the Ministry of ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ. But you'll see. Once Greenwald writes a new book, on sale at Amazon.com for $ 27.99, all civil liberty abuses in the country will magically cease and all journalists and bloggers will bow from the waist down in Mr. Greenwald's general direction.

Cinesias said...

Lit3Bolt-

You forgot the most damning charge of all:

Droneglass.

Also:

SNOWDEN!!!!!

Unknown said...

I'm sure if the other liberals didn't look like such shit-smeared lackeys to state power - Greenwald would seem so pure in comparison.

Anonymous said...

I sure hope Lumpy still post here as he falls out of love with Glenn Greenwald, because watching that happen is going to be good fun.

I can actually see it starting to happen already.

- Nonny Mouse

mahakal said...

Obviously Glenn conspired to have a friendly interview, and obviously he's on the same side as Fox since they "sliced up and tossed [him] overboard less than an hour later."

You've become incoherent, Driftglass. But you know it takes a tough man to make a tender forecast or something.

Anonymous said...

Hey Drifty,
So you decided to show up for that "new job" of yours. Good for you!

Me, I can't decide if I can stomach watching the Fox/Greenwald clip or not, but I've been critically analysing what I watch on teevee and read in the newspaper since I was about 16.

I cant agree with everything you have written here because i havent seen the clips. I know You are right about one thing though, acting as a responsible citizen does not give you a parking space near the front door or dental care.

Anyway, good luck with your new job.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

I'm sure if the other liberals didn't look like such shit-smeared lackeys to state power - Greenwald would seem so pure in comparison.

Well, I admit I am not such a snow-pure 99 44/100% pure ideal model such as yourself. It must be SO DIFFICULT when nobody else in the world lives up to your example.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

I'm sure if the other liberals didn't look like such shit-smeared lackeys to state power - Greenwald would seem so pure in comparison.

OK, I admit my first response was kind of a quick reaction. But upon re-reading this, can I say WTF? There are some misplaced modifiers or negatives in this that make it nonsense.

Lumpifer, even more than your worship object GlennWald, you need an editor.

I kind of THINK I know what you were trying to say, but since I am not your editor, merely an undead kibitzer, I would merely say 'revise and resubmit'.

Anonymous said...

"I'm sure if the other liberals didn't look like such shit-smeared lackeys"

What a revealing way to start your comment.

Mike.K.

JerryB said...

Despicable as they are, you got to give them credit. They have successfully accomplished what they set out to do. Set back the progressive agenda for a generation and get filthy stinking rich in the process. I can't help but respect their determination, loathsome as they are. I just wish the left had the same determination to succeed.

Anonymous said...

*THE* fox and friends clip!!!

http://mediamatters.org/video/2010/11/19/fox-amp-friends-attempt-to-roast-marshmallows-w/173553

This is all you need to know about Fox and Friends. It occurred in 2010.

I find it difficult to muster respect for anyone who goes to these people.

Mike.K.

OBS said...

I'm sure if the other liberals didn't look like such shit-smeared lackeys to state power - Greenwald would seem so pure in comparison.

Careful there Lumpy, you grouping St. Greenwald in with "other liberals" might get you kicked out of his church. And you I think you meant "wouldn't."

Also, you forgot "Droneglass" again. You may be losing your touch.

Redhand said...

Don't usually comment here but learning that Greenwald went on "Fox & Friends" brings me out out of the lurker shadows into the open.

This move clearly puts Glenn in the ring with John McCain as contender for the title of worst public-figure/attention whore. I no longer have any reason to take anything Greenwald says seriously.

kfreed said...

Greenwald on Fox. Raise your hand it you didn't see it coming.

Birds of a feather.

Anonymous said...

All's fair in Greenwald's ultimate crusade against partisan Dems. Any port in the storm. As long as you agree 100% in whatever Glenn says, and give him an unquestioned platform upon which to chuck spears, you are good. Otherwise you are part of the "most Dems" poison demographic who would follow dusky Dear Leader into the abyss of Worse than Bush.

Anonymous said...

mahakal accuses Drifty of incoherency, while apparently striving mightily to miss the point ENTIRELY. Mission accomplished.

Anonymous said...

Journalism is like comedy. It's nothing if you don't have the timing down. If Greenwald had criticized the actions of the federal government between 2001 and 2008, this site would be nominating him for a Pulitzer instead of calling him a hack.

Anonymous said...

As for Greenwald on Fox:
I haven't seen a so-called progressive work this hard trying to get a pat on the head from conservatives by sucking-up to them since both Obama Administrations.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 12:27 PM:

Greenwald *did* criticize the federal government during the Bush Presidency. What are you even talking about?

-- Nonny Mouse

Anonymous said...

Still watching Chicken Porn, Mahakal? Oh well, different strokes for different folks, I guess.

- Nonny Mouse

Anonymous said...

"If Greenwald had criticized the actions of the federal government between 2001 and 2008, this site would be nominating him for a Pulitzer instead of calling him a hack."

Actually, I think in the Bush administration, the "DG-BG Podcast" called him "Glenn Greenwald Urgent". He made good points, but he expected everyone to jump on his bandwagon, and follow him in whatever direction he was charging that week. Every story was "Urgent!".

This whole current scenario is that pattern handled badly. He is, as Blue Gal said, shaking out one piece of macaroni from the box every day. He is also not getting someone with a technical background to vet the story. Nor is he bringing up the point that Snowden had stated earlier that leakers should be shot. Nor is is brought up that it seems the plans for this were laid for this in advance.

Because the technical information is a bit sketchy, that raises questions of validity. If you want to see a *good* technical analysis, read an analysis of Anonymous' letter to the RNC about alleged vote switching in Ohio.

Mike.K.

Fritz Strand said...

It's completely beyond me why anyone who is not sleep walking would want to go on FOX news.

This is compounded by the tendency of many on the far left like Greenwald but also including great folks like Dennis Kucinich and Russ Feingold to come across like real 'Debbie Downers' most of the time.

Greenwald in particular seems to want to come across as your grumpy old uncle at the family get together complaining all the time about the families favor aunt.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, Greenwald is the leader of some sort of cult because he is criticizing Obama for what Bush was doing.

I mean, Obama never even got Congressional authorization for his filibuster down in Libya, but it's Greenwald who is the problem.

Maybe if you feckless losers didn't decide that the Bush Doctrine was ok Greenwald wouldn't make you guys look like foamy mouthed hypocrites?