Of all the arguments I love to have with my Lefty friends in Hollywood, the arguments of facts is my best and above all my favorite. I’m good at it. Damn good.
My Lefty friends have this aversion to facts like a crack addict has an aversion to going to rehab. Or, celebrity rehab.
CNN’s Daniel Irvin Rather School of Journalism provides such a foundation for my arguments that journalism is dead, has been dead and if, by chance, is still breathing — is on it’s death sidewalk. Sidewalks where crack addicts go to die.
Rick Didn’t Get Rolled — He Got Rushed
Rick Sanchez an anchor with CNN, some characterize as the ‘Communist News Network’, had colored Rush Limbaugh a racist because that is precisely what Sanchez wants you to believe — facts be damned. As old and tired as it gets, it’s still a common refrain from Leftys, one of calling all conservatives racists. That tag no longer bothers me. It only shows the ignorance of the Leftys.
The essence of a great magic trick is to deliver exactly what the magician’s audience was expecting.
Dan Rather absolutely abhorred President George W. Bush with or without the application of facts, hence Dan gave us RatherGate. Rick Sanchez absolutely abhors Rush Limbaugh, hence the fall enrollment period of CNN’s Daniel Irvin Rather School of Journalism.
So, Sanchez found it just tasty to quote from a book, “101 People Who Are Really Screwing America” by John Huberman (2006, p. 231). I bet Huberman is thankful for the bump in book sales now. To be fair, I have not read this book and it appears this quote is listed at page 231. Amazon has excerpts of the book available online yet, strangely, has blocked page 231. Sales gimmick? You decide.
Now here’s the twist in the story of how Rick got Rushed. From most accounts, Sanchez quoted from a column by Bryan Burwell, Sports Columnist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
“Let’s face it, we didn’t have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: Slavery built the South. I’m not saying we should bring it back. I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark.” — Bryan Burwell, Sports Columnist St. Louis Post-Dispatch 10/14/2009
Burwell writes, he quotes from Huberman’s book. My belief is ‘if’ the quote exists, it is at page 231. Only a theory since Amazon has blocked online access to that page.
Now this is where I’ll give Sanchez a little professional slack. Just a little. News readers — anchors — have staffs. His staff should’ve used Journalism 101 techniques to verify any quote before it’s scripted and goes out over the air. Especially, something which has the propensity of starting a media war, not to mention a possible slander/libel suit from Limbaugh.
It took me approximately fifteen minutes to do a Lexus/Nexus and online search to sort out most of these details. Why couldn’t CNN flacks have done the same? They don’t want to. They believe what they want to believe.
Do you remember the fiasco CNN averted nearly reporting the death of George H. W. Bush on January 8th, 1992 went he got sick at a state dinner in Japan? A CNN producer had to rush the news reader live on air by yelling, “Stop! Stop!”
My theory? This is how it went down. Poor journalism techniques used by staff at CNN, who’re Leftys to begin with, lets Sanchez run with an unconfirmed quote from a sports guy who quoted a 2006 book bashing Limbaugh, unlike Rather who personally approved all content of his RatherGate.
You see? It didn’t matter — the facts — so long as Sanchez could stick it in Limbaugh’s eye or mic.
Rick’s Forced/Faked Apology
My theory? CNN lawyers said ‘we be gettin’ sued if ya don’t apologize live on the air’.
Hence the forced/fake apology …
SANCHEZ: Earlier this week, we provided quotes attributed to Limbaugh to illustrate why some people and players felt that he was too divisive to be a NFL owner. It was one of the stories we did earlier this week. One of these quotes, which was in a column in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, and taken from a book largely about conservatives, was refuted by Limbaugh. I mentioned that to you Tuesday. We have been unable to independently confirm that quote. We should not have reported it- not have reported it- without independent confirmation, and for that I apologize. I feel it’s important on this show to hold folks accountable whenever they make mistakes- that’s what I try to do- and you know what? That should include myself and that should also include my team. It’s important to let you know that. — NewsBusters.org
Notice how he blamed his staff and made it look like ‘he’ was falling on his sword — taking one for the team?
Here’s some ‘inside baseball’ er, ‘inside news media tricks’: CNN’s director fires off a sweeping graphic ‘just’ as Sanchez says, “I apologize.” That way, no other media outlet could use a clip with Sanchez on-camera saying, well, you know. I did not miss that one.
I wonder if Rush got an apology via the telephonic device?
Moral of the Story
Main stream media (MSM for you hip kids) knows the ole adage ‘people believe what they want to believe’. If they say it often and enough, people will believe it. MSM ‘makes’ the news; it doesn’t report it.
Unless you see someone on video un-censored — question the messenger.
I am,
The Hollywood Republican
[Editorial Note: Yes, Leftys ... you can question me. If you want to be beaten by facts.]
