I saw this earlier on CrooksandLiars. Thank goodness someone in the media is saying this.

You know, if they just did their job (reported FACTS) and OCCASIONALLY did their homework, maybe they'd still be relevant, and considered an important resource by the majority of Americans.  (Giveing them the power to say... have unfettered access to major political candidates, let's say?)  And they wouldn't be mocked like this by their own.

(Do you ever remember Walkter Kronkite being mocked like this?  Or Edwin R. Murrow?  They've let the Republican's make them irrelevant.)

 -- if they just did their job (reported FACTS) and OCCASIONALLY did their homework, maybe they'd still be relevant -- eddie

I agree wholeheartedly about the "facts" and "homework" you referred to.

I'll only take a small exception to the "relevant" part. These media types and reporters are basically the same slanted agenda driven people that they've always been. But today, the issue is magnified because there are hundreds and hundreds of them...all jockeying for their share of fame, power, and wealth.

Their calling is not of some higher order...they are all about themselves.

In the "old days"...pre-cable and internet...Kronkite was one of only 3 network anchors reporting on national news...and they had a hammerlock on reporting the news in whatever angle they chose. We had few resources to contradict them or few reasons to doubt them...and in Kronkite's case...he benefited in the trust category because of his soothing delivery and the fact that he reminded many of Uncle Walt Disney.

No, I don't think much as changed in the agenda of the media...they're just more visible today with their slanted journalism.

I would partially agree with you Wes...

There are definitely more of them now.  Certainly an illustration of the truth the "more is not always better."

But I would also suspect that the level of journalism itself has declined markedly.  I don't know of any studies to back this up, just my opinion. 

 I find it hard to believe that a piece like the one Media Matters cites here--which is nothing but an infomercial for John McCain--and on the supposedly more balanced CNN, could be found on the airwaves 40 or 50 years ago.

 -- I find it hard to believe that a piece like the one Media Matters cites here...could be found on the airwaves 40 or 50 years ago. -- Homes

Agreed...and one of the main reasons is that there were no airwaves to put them on.

The programmers in today's bloated airwaves are scrambling to find someone...anyone...to help them fill this cavernous void of air time...and one of the things it has accomplished is exposing these self-absorbed lightweights...posing as unbiased, truth reporting, intellectuals.

For the proof of that pudding...one need look no further than this site...which has exposed many of them.

Yeah, but it's maddening that this guy Steve Hayes is given equal weight and allowed the last word.

HAYES: He's pulled his ads down, too, Wolf. False

BLITZER: Well, let me let Steve weigh in on that. Go ahead, Steve.

HAYES: ...You can't snap your fingers and get these ads to come down...
Oh, so because he CAN'T stop his ads, it's okay to say "He pulled his ads."

HAYES: No, of course, it is [campaigning]. So he's suspended his campaign, but he's campaigning.

HAYES: So of course both sides are playing politics. Yes, both sides are "playing politics." A) Politics is what's played in a political campaign, so why are you trying to make it sound dirty, and B) One of the participants announced that he was NOT going to be "playing politics." See your last three bumbling comments for verification.

What an ass.

I don't know who this AJW is, but I posted this on the first thread today hours ago...

Sure, Snoop, but did you have a video clip with yours? Quit smearing AJW. ;0)

McCain's wackiness is just getting too out of hand to even believe he's trying to be serious anymore. I'm starting to wonder if he's being used as a rodeo clown while the deals go down re: the bailout.

Oops, you did have the video.I was wrong, but I blame MMFA for allowing somebody as unqualified as I am to post here.

But on a clear day, you can, like, see the city of another commenter, so you ARE qualified to be vice-poster.

Exactly.  I have the credentials to post here because I can see the Colonel's house from up here in SF.  And I'm sure, if the Colonel tried hard enough, he could see my house.  That makes him qualified as well.

Hey, did you know Moscow is closer to New York than it is to Juneau? Gosh, Obama made a fatal mistake not picking Hillary for VP, she actually has a few more miles of foreign policy experience than Palin!

Palin is also an avid scooba diver...

She is now claiming this gives her "special insight into off-shore oil drilling.  I know where all the whoppers are!"

Toobin, Cafferty, and Martin are the only three folks at CNN worth their salt.

The rest? Rubbish.

I watched this 4 times.  Outrageous!  A 5 minute COMMERCIAL for John McCain!  It wasn't until Jeffery Toobin got a word in that we heard the truth.  Even he, usually cool and collected, seemed to be completely floored by the obvious stupidity of Blitzer (no surprise, there) and the rest.  Of course, McCain had his shills sitting around as well.  From the visuals to the audio commentary the whole 5 minutes was an "ad" for McCain.  Blitzer should take his pencil and his little hand-full of papers and shove them in a very dark place.

You are so right Donaldmaddog...

This is one of the more amazing things I've seen at Media Matters in a while.  The goal by Mr. Buttzer and his pals was to provide a "safe haven" for Grampah McCain, as they desperately try to paper over his pathetic groveling, grandstanding and flip flops.

Would have worked completely too--they, or course had shut out all Democratic voices--except that Toobin came in and made them look like a bunch of silly, disgusting, corporate hacks.  Which is exactly what they are.

To 8 Homes McCain:  I am scared s**tless!  With a Main Stream Media THIS STUPID, what chance do we have?  Is CNN going to pull Toobin the way MSNBC pulled Olbermann and Matthews?

blitzer probably heard his "facts" from limbaugh.  i heard him interview mr. "i did so many pills i went deaf and then lied about it" a few years ago, and blitzer said, when i was listening this afternoon, "as i always do". 

I recently expanded my cable for the rest of the campaign. Before that, I've only had the four networks, PBS & CSPAN. Other than those, I've been listening to radio and reading for info.  The last two weeks I've been objectively watching CNN, MSNBC, etc, (all except Fox, that is - waste of time).

I've been amazed at the bias that CNN exhibits, the closest thing to CNN on MSBNC seems to be Moanin' Joe & the Slavic Doormat.

Here I thought ABC, NBC & CBS were the one's having the bias issues.  It is refreshing to see people like Cafferty, Toobin and a few others than go out of their way to be accurate and correct themselves when wrong.

Some how many of these 'professional readers & cheerleaders' have come to believe that after letting the McLiar campaign spew their lies and specious spin, they are serving the public good by then giving an Obama supporter ALMOST enough time to counter the lies, it's disgusting.

Blitzer has completely sullied his journalistic integrity with stunts of this nature it's not the 1st or 5th time in this long election coverage. the only thing i can count on from wolf is his slant against obama and his subtle bias for either mccain or hillary.

Thank you for confirming the gut feeling I've had for some time that CNN is little more than FOX lite.  Without the rare and refreshing intrusion of Toobin or Cafferty, the Situation Room is but another dizzying "no spin" zone!  Our MSM has been functioning as a propoganda machine for the corporate world that owns it.  Should we be surprised?

This morning I heard some commentators describing the debate and they were talking about JohnnyMacs supposed campaign suspension,and the word that the commentator used to describe JohnnyMac,fits Blitzer to a Tee"drama queen".

I rest my case.

What's up with Wolf Blitzer?  After Biden did his interview on debate night, someone asked why Sarah Palin wasn't going on CNN too.  Wold chimed in with something like: "She's awfully busy right now getting ready for the debate" as if he inability to do a spot was the most natural think in the world, as though she was a teenager cramming for her SATs.

Again, why does Wolf, cheerfully allow himself to be demeaned in this way?  Any theories?