Saturday, March 22, 2008

Assertions of Independent Thought are Three Times More Provocative Than Noxious Groupthink

Finally, are there some declarations of independent thought coming from the noxious groupthink at Fox News?

First, Brian Kilmeade walks off set in disgust over the Obama dispute.



Then, Chris Wallace pops off at Fox & Friends for their orgies of Omama-bashing.



Let's face it, folks. Fox News is nothing but a pathetic shill cum propraganda mill for the GOP neocons. There were hints of reporters asserting their independence as far back as the Katrina hurricane debacle, where Shepherd Smith squared off with Sean Hanity over the government's botched response to relief efforts. Smith, whose sympathies lied with the hurricane victims, took offense to Hanity saying, "Show some perspective," with Smith shooting back "This is perspective."

But it took former CNN anchor Catherine Crier to put all this into proper perspective in this excerpt from the Hufffington Post:

"We are in one of the most critical presidential races in our lifetimes. The issues are monumental; a collapsing economy, the never-ending war in Iraq, global climate change. Yet we watch as the networks loop Rev. Wright sound bites (with not a single one offering up the easily accessed sermons in long form so viewers can form a reasoned opinion about the man and his agenda), or maybe they debate the phrase 'a typical white person' ad nauseam. I have no problem challenging Barack Obama on his association with the minister, but as with most stories, a few phrases from Wright's career do nothing to inform people about the man or his mission. It is the duty of the media to offer the big picture on this (and so many other stories) so viewers can make a reasoned decision, but unless I've missed it, no news organization has tried. The purveyors of news must bravely offer information that may challenge the audience despite the backlash from time to time."

She goes on to add, "I applauded (when) Brian Kilmeade walked off (the) set when his companions on Fox and Friends blathered on insanely about Wright and again when Chris Wallace chastised them for their diarrheic oratory on the subject. This response should be repeated on the other outlets as well."

Martha Roundtree, the creator of NBC's "Meet the Press", must be rolling in her grave laughing hysterically over all this.

But then, Fox News is a cruel joke in the eyes of the journalistic world. Now you know why John Gibson lost his soapbox.

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