Correct Matalin's Lies

From tmorange
Sent Tuesday, February 21, 2006 10:53 pm
To +NBC News Meet the Press Questions
Subject Correct Matalin's Lies

Dear Meet The Press,

Mary Matalin lied on your show Sunday February 19.

In reference to the hunting accident in which Vice President Dick Cheney shot Harry Whittington, Matalin said: "this tragedy is conveyed as 'Vice president'--she [New York Times colunnist Maureen Dowd] just characterized it--'The vice president sent people out for four days to blame the victim.' No such thing occurred."

In fact that's precisely what occurred. And Matalin should know because she was involved. First, Katherine Armstrong told the Associated Press on Sunday February 12 that Whittington "came up from behind the vice president and the other hunter and didn't signal them or indicate to them or announce himself." Then at a White House press briefing the next day, Scott McClellan referred to Armstrong's statement, saying "she pointed out that the protocol was not followed by Mr. Whittington, when it came to notifying the others that he was there." Finally, that same day, Matalin herself told Washington Post reporters about a conversation she had with Cheney the day before: "He felt badly, obviously. On the other hand, he was not careless or incautious or violate any of the [rules]. He didn't do anything he wasn't supposed to do."

Matalin lied her way through the rest of her repsonse as well: "In the first story it was clear from his spokesman and Katharine Armstrong that he took responsibility and he was apologetic. [untrue] He did not send anybody out to take the blame. [untrue] I’ve explained how these stories go from putting out facts to issuing denials. He wasn’t out—he wasn’t out—and he wasn’t not out for four days. If you go through those four days, the first day the story was out there in as complete a fashion as we could humanly do. [untrue]"

Since Tim Russert did not correct her lies at the time, will Meet The Press issue a correction of Ms. Matalin's lies on the program this Sunday? I'll be listening for one.

cowering democrats on MTP

the dems are making a pretty pathetic showing on meet the press this morning: i'm hearing tim russert vigorously making the dem's case to the republicans for them solo. i'm hearing the case and the burden of proof being turned back on the dems: "everyone was briefed on this program, why didn't you raise objections then?" brilliant technique, making it the dem's fault for not objecting vociferously enough. sorta like powell et al saying it was up to the iraqis to produce evidence of having destroyed WMD, and failure to produce evidence of destroyed WMD thereby must and can only mean possession of WMD. the republicans are flinging everything they can out there: outdated, time constraints, inch-thick warrant applications process, every president has this authority, etc. etc. where is the opposition? "the briefings this week were very helpful...," "the program should continue...," etc. pathetic.

the democrats should really pack up and go home. why do they get harmon (who's not been pretty soft on this) and daschele (who's got zero clout now) instead of feingold or leahy who can speak forcefully on this? and why do we not get specter or graham or some republicans who have opposed this? we get the weakest dems and the strongest reps on this issue.

then it turns into an attack and defence of james risen and his sources. daschele: "well tim i deplore leaks and i think a lot of what hookstra says is right." pathetic.

this is all even more ironic given how on this week, donna brazille says how the dems are ready for a fight with the president on this one, how they are not going to let themselves be portrayed as week on national security, etc. (and this time it's george will making the opposition case.) do the dems coordinate their message AT ALL?

at least the NYT editorial page has the good sense to tell it like it is...

Obama and Belafonte: a Meet the Press non-reply

From tmorange
Sent Friday, January 27, 2006 0:32 am
To +NBC News Meet the Press Questions
Subject Meet the Press non-reply on Obama and Belafonte

Dear "+NBC Meet the Press Questions,"

With all due respect, this reply is rubbish. You cite a quote buried deep in Jeff Zeleny's Chicago Tribune article "The first time around: Sen. Obama's freshman year" (December 24, 2005) that Belafonte "corresponds with Obama by telephone and e-mail," but what does this prove? Your implication is that there is some sort of personal relationship between Belafonte and Obama; do you have any other sources to back this up? Zeleny provides no information on the nature, frequency or extent of their correspondence. All the results of a LEXIS-NEXIS search of major newspapers for "Obama" and "Belafonte" turned up was that they have appeared and spoken at some of the same fundraisers and commemorative dinners.

Additionally, none of your examples of the "sound and fair" journalistic practice of "ask[ing] a political figure about comments made by a prominent supporter" have any relevance to this purported Belafonte-Obama relationship.

1) Obama has not given a presidential primary campaign speech at a university named after and/or formerly run by Harry Belafonte, as was the case with the question put to George W. Bush about Bob Jones.

2) Obama has no controversial campaign managers (neo-confederate or otherwise) who have made statements about Belafonte, as was the case with the question put to McCain about statements his campaign manager Richard Quinn made about David Duke.

3) Belafonte has never made automated phone bank campaign recordings for Obama, as was the charge put to Karl Rove regarding a Pat Robertson phone bank recording.

4) Obama has not, prior to Russert's question this past Sunday, volunteered any opinions about Belafonte for the record that I am aware of, as was the case when Tom Coburn was asked about comments he had previously volunteered about Alan Keyes.

Honestly, how stupid do you people think we are?

Still awaiting a REAL explanation from Meet The Press as to its reasons for questioning Obama about Belafonte, I remain...


----- Original Message -----
From: +NBC News Meet the Press Questions
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 1:00 pm
Subject: Thanks for writing

> Thank you for your e-mail.
>
> The Chicago Tribune of December 25, 2005 said the following:
>
> "Harry Belafonte, the entertainer and civil rights activist,
> corresponds with [Senator] Obama by telephone and e-mail."
>
> The article continues quoting Belafonte as saying:
>
> "I think Sen. Obama is a force...We've seen so many others
> who have come to high places and have failed so miserably. I think he could
> be our exception to the rule."
>
> It is sound and fair journalism to ask a political figure about
> comments made by a prominent supporter. That same standard is
> consistently applied
> on Meet the Press. Here are just a few examples: on February 13,
> 2000, presidential candidate George W. Bush was asked about comments
> made by Bob Jones; on February 20, 2000, Sen. John McCain was asked about
> comments made by his political consultant about David Duke; on February 27, 2000,
> Karl Rove was asked about comments made by Pat Robertson; and on October 3, 2004,
> Republican Senate candidate Tom Coburn was asked about comments made by Alan
> Keyes.
>
> Thank you for writing and watching.
>
>