Wednesday, October 21, 2009

White House Versus Fox News

Well crack out the violins the White House doesn't like Fox News. The first two to pull out their bows are sure to be Senator McCain and Secretary Clinton, who will likely also be playing in the percussion section as they simultaneously bang their heads against the wall. Both have repeatedly noted the media's incredible Obama love-fest during the election. Secretary Clinton even stated that Fox News treated her most fairly of any network at that time.

President Obama has received the most favorable media coverage of any politician in my lifetime, and likely of all time. Yet that does not appear to be good enough for the Obama White House. Apparently all news network must feature personalities who fawn over the President's good looks and eloquence. If your station is not packed with people whose legs tingle when the President talks then clearly you are not a legitimate news organization. Robert Gibbs today cited Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity as proof that Fox is not truly a news network. Now I'd rather poke myself in the eye then watch the Glenn Beck show, but isn't he really just Kieth Olbermann in conservative clothing? Yet no admonishment from the White House for MSNBC being fully in the Obama tank? Isn't good journalism what happens when those in power are questioned and challenged? Clearly at this point in history Fox News, while obviously filled with conservative programming, is far more likely to ask a probing question of the White House than an organization like the New York Times whose reporter literally asked the president at a press conference what he was most enchanted by as president (seriously they asked him about being enchanted).

Now as for Sean Hannity, he has been full of tough but legitimate questions for candidate and President Obama. ACORN who was given a pass by other media sources was researched by the Hannity show. President Obama's personal and public associations are frequently questioned by Sean Hannity. He is a self-ascribed conservative, and that apparently not acceptable, particularly if thy have a lot of questions. Most candidates go through a series of tough questions when they are vetted, but candidate Obama was able to avoid this scrutiny because the media's school-girl crush on him. The White House's criticism of Fox News really isn't about Fox News, it's about the administration's incredibly thin skin. This adminstration wasn't tested by the media during the election and therefore is completely unprepared to handle even the mildest of criticism from prominent conservative comentators. As Senator McCain has repeatedly stated 'this aint beanbag,' and maybe this president and administration just don't have the stomach or the backbone for politics.

From Politico Fox 'not really news,' says Axelrod
"It’s really not news — it’s pushing a point of view. And the bigger thing is that other news organizations like yours ought not to treat them that way, and we’re not going to treat them that way. We’re going to appear on their shows. We’re going to participate but understanding that they represent a point of view.”

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Fox "is not a news organization so much as it has a perspective."

"It’s not so much a conflict with Fox News," Emanuel told John King. "I suppose the way to look at it and the way … the president looks at it, we look at it is: It’s not a news organization so much as it has a perspective. And that’s a different take. And more importantly, is not have the CNNs and the others in the world basically be led in following Fox, as if what they’re trying to do is a legitimate news organization …

Crack Out Your Violins The White House Doesn’t Like Fox News

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Health Care Reform Call - Orrin Hatch

Senator Orrin Hatch held a blogger call last Friday where he explained the numerous problems with the Democrats health care reform plans. It should be noted that Senator Hatch has a history of working across the aisle on health care issues. He definitely wants health care reform, but believes the current attempts at reform are fatally flawed.

The most glaring problem with health reform plans is the cost. Only the Baucus plan attempts to be budget neutral and it does so by raiding Medicare, Hatch described the plan to cut Medicare by 4.4 trillion as, "a joke". It also appears that Congress may try to address the problem of doctors' Medicare compensation outside the scope current health care reform plans. This issue, commonly referred to as the 'doctor fix,' will cost a significant amount of money, therefore labeling it as something other than 'health care reform' is a way of adding the cost to the deficit while masking the true cost of health care reform.

Senator Hatch also noted that the head of the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) Doug Elmendorf has proven himself as a honest and reputable person. He explained that one of his major concerns about reform plans is that the CBO has stated that they have no idea what effect reforms will have on the cost of health care and the cost of health insurance premiums. Senator Hatch, like Senator McConnell, also stated that the Democrats should make good on their campaign promise of transparency and at minimum should have the CBO grade any congressional plan and post their online 72 hours prior to a vote as promised last election by President Obama.

It should be noted that their are currently several different health reform plans that have come out of committee. The Baucus plan from the finance committee is the only one that can make any claim that it is budget neutral. It reaches budget neutrality through huge cuts to Medicare, and increased taxes on things like medical devices. However the other plans, one out of the Senate HELP committee lead by Senator Dodd, and those from House committees are nowhere near budget neutral as promised by the President. Now these plans are being merged together behind closed doors in a decidedly un-transparent manner. What the final bill will look like is still a bit of a guess, but considering how poor the committee bills are that the final bill will be based upon, Senator Hatch's assessment that the best hope for real health care reform is to defeat the current plans and make the Democrats start over and truly attempt a bipartisan bill appears to be right on point.

Orrin Hatch Details Serious Flaws with Dems Health Care Reform Plans

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Charlie Davies in Serious Accident

From Yahoo/Reuters - U.S. striker Charlie Davies hurt in deadly car accident
ARLINGTON, Virginia (Reuters) – United States forward Charlie Davies is in a serious but stable condition following surgery after being injured in a deadly single-car accident in Virginia early on Tuesday.

Davies, 23, underwent several hours of surgery after sustaining a lacerated bladder and fractures to his tibia and femur bones in his right leg, the U.S. Soccer Federation said in a statement.

A person in the car with Davies was killed in the accident, federation spokesman Neil Buethe said in the statement.

Davies's injuries were not considered life-threatening, but would rule him out of playing the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Poking Fun At residential Politics

President Obama has attempted to sell his health plan to the American people on two previous occasions by by standing in front of a large group of supportive nurses. Yet this failed to do the trick so this time President Obama invited two doctors from each state in the union to the White House to show people out there that there really are professionals that support the President's health care reforms. This time would be serious, this time they'd have their doctor's outfits on. One poor doctor who showed up without his white coat looked sadly out of place, but never fear the Obama administration is here with a spare coat at the ready. Don't want a doctor to lose all his super powers with no white coat, and besides who wants to wreck a pretty picture of 100 properly attired doctors with the President of the United States.

This photo op was such a powerful image that the administration looked for other ways to visually convince Americans to support other Obama administration proposals.



In fact they held one doctor over and convinced another familiar face to help sell the President's second stimulus plan...



This was such a success that later that same day came the announcement the the Justice Department would be addressing the concerns of illegal aliens...



Then came President Obama's surprise announcement of the appointment of his two new green job czars...



Finally President Obama, under advisement from his most recent appointments, decided green aliens would receive a government stimulus check if they cashed in their used space ship for a newer more fuel efficient model...




Obama - How to Sell a Plan

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Obama's Pitch

President Obama has attempted to sell his health plan to the American people on two previous occasions by by standing in front of a large group of supportive nurses. Yet this failed to do the trick so this time President Obama invited two doctors from each state in the union to the White House to show people out there that there really are professionals that support the President's health care reforms. This time would be serious, this time they'd have their doctor's outfits on. One poor doctor who showed up without his white coat looked sadly out of place, but never fear the Obama administration is here with a spare coat at the ready. Don't want a doctor to lose all his super powers with no white coat, and besides who wants to wreck a pretty picture of 100 properly attired doctors with the President of the United States.

This photo op was such a powerful image that the administration looked for other ways to visually convince Americans to support other Obama administration proposals.



In fact they held one doctor over and convinced another familiar face to help sell the President's second stimulus plan...



This was such a success that later that same day came the announcement the the Justice Department would be addressing the concerns of illegal aliens...



Then came President Obama's surprise announcement of the appointment of his two new green job czars...



Finally President Obama, under advisement from his most recent appointments, decided green aliens would receive a government stimulus check if they cashed in their used space ship for a newer more fuel efficient model...



Obama - How to Sell a Plan

Monday, October 5, 2009

Man Arrested on USF Campus

Foxs is reporting an arrest after it was reported there was a man on campus carrying a gun.


Police arrested a suspect on the University of South Florida in Tampa Monday afternoon after the man was believed to have entered the campus with a gun.

The suspect, described as an African American male in a green and yellow striped shirt, was seen as he entered a police car.

Students had been told to stay indoors and away from campus Monday afternoon, according to the university's Web site.

A message posted by the university said that officers 3were on scene and began searching the area just before 2 p.m.

Authorities said an off-campus call was transferred to USF police from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The caller reported that a man with a gun was in front of the university's library.

The campus transit system was shut down while police searched for the suspect.


Police Arrest Suspect After University of South Florida Lockdown