Good times. A nice, long, historically grounded post from eRiposte. Read the whole thing, from which I extract this snippet:
In the 2000 election campaign, one of the key stories that led to Gore being falsely savaged as a liar and exaggerator was the "Love Story" incident. The basic story was simple. Vice President Gore claimed in passing during an interview that a friend of his - Eric Segal - had told a reporter in TN that the lead characters in Segal's book "Love Story" were based on Gore and his wife Tipper. The reality was that Gore had been a model but not Tipper. However, Gore had in fact accurately stated what the TN newspaper had claimed based on an interview with Eric Segal. It just so happened that the newspaper's claim was partly in error. The press corpse and the right-wing used this incident, among others, to character assassinate Gore in the 2000 election. (Read one of Bob Somerby's posts on this for more details.)
Today, we have the Trina Bachtel story. Believe it or not, my first reaction after I saw some alleged "liberal" bloggers go after Sen. Clinton? on this in knee-jerk fashion was: it's Love Story all over again - except Frank Rich, Maureen Dowd, and the dozens of other frauds in the media now have willing pals in parts of the formerly "liberal" blogosphere. To me, the 2008 Democratic primary campaign is a watershed event in the history of the progressive blogosphere. It has revealed that some of the alleged "progressive" bloggers are fundamentally no different than the media and the deranged right-wing bloggers they have long claimed to detest. The Trina Bechtel incident is the "crowning" event on a sickening trend in this election campaign - where Gore was replaced by Clinton and the "media" was supplemented by an influential portion of the allegedly "progressive" blogosphere. I can easily see an entire book being written on the work of these jokers who have turned the credibility of the blogosphere to dust because of their Clinton-hatred. There used to be a time when bloggers like Glenn Greenwald and Atrios used to write again and again about how the right-wing blogosphere was almost always wrong, especially in their attacks on Democrats. Today, it is clear that such blog posts could equally well be written about a prominent section of the formerly "progressive" blogosphere.
It has become crystal clear that Sen. Clinton had been truthful on the Trina Bechtel story. There's some video and updated information debunking the attacks on Sen. Clinton - posted by Fleaflicker at No Quarter, BTD at Talk Left (see Part II and Part III) and Taylor Marsh ... . BTD also has this update (bold text is my emphasis, throughout this post):
...Olbermann wanted to attack Clinton on the Bachtel story, but it seems NBC got the memo that they were wrong (Olbermann graciously "gave that one" to clinton) then attacked Clinton for an argument she did not make (but should) - that the Media LIED about the Bachtel story....But Hillary Clinton would be wrong to even suggest your network and you Keith Olbermann are biased against Hillary Clinton. Suuuure. The man is Obama's O'Reilly. NBC is Obama's Fox Noise. But the kicker for me was Dana Milbank, who said well yes the Media got the Bachtel story wrong, but LIKE AL GORE IN 2000, it is Clinton's fault. the sad thing is I read the same thing at the so called "progressive" blogs now. We are through the Looking Glass - the "progressive" blogs who once saw their mission as countering the Media's bias against Dems like what happened to Al Gore. Now the cher it on and inded LEAD those charges [sic].
Nice work, there, A listers.* Thanks for pissing in the well we all have to drink from.
Remember how we're always being told, especially by A listers for Obama, that we should quit defending Hillary, and start focusing on the real enemy, McCain?
Well, the McCain critique is a media critique. McCain wouldn't have a prayer in this campaign if our famously free press didn't polish his shriveled knob whenever he opened a bottle of barbecue sauce.
So you'd think a functioning, fierce media critique would be a really, really important advantage to have in the fight against "the real enemy." Unfortunately, our extremely "progressive" "creative class" [cough] managed to piss that advantage away by constantly pulling the kind of crap they just pulled on the Trina Bachtel story (among much else).
Well done, all. I'll be waiting for signs of the slightest signs of self-awareness or self-criticism by these clowns, so when it comes time to fight "the real enemy," what used to be our sharpest weapon isn't fucking broken. I'm not even asking for an apology. Just stop sucking, wouldja?
And I'm sure they'll get right on it. Right after they finish their pathetic circle-jerk on Clinton tax pr0n.
NOTE * With, of course, the happy exception of Lord Eschaton.
UPDATE The Daily Howler has more. My forehead hurts. All the banging.
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no one should be surprised that media people act like
media people. the whole environment is corrupted and corrupting. that's all i'll say about that, except to suggest that progressives need to think up new models for information distribution. a friend of mine put it thusly, "it's depressing to see people take the freedom of the internets and use it to recreate the oppressive models of existing systems." he was speaking of something else, but the principle applies to the political bloggosphere. the minute it became about celebrity, the progressive element to it was doomed.
i don't know if that can be undone. blog readers seem to be pretty set in their habits now, the gate doors are sort of closed when it comes to being well read. what i find interesting is how just like we complain about the electorate being wrongly focused on brittney and the like instead of politics, many bloggers follow a media narrative that is a construction, a distracting mischaracterization of the issues. it's as if despite being bloggers who should know better when it comes to psy-ops and propaganda, many are addicted to the Game, but not to the extent that they are willing to do the harder thing, and focus on what's not sexy.
Crushing the Democratic Soul
I think this comment by Edgar08 in that Talk Left thread got it exactly right:
One of the most depressing things about this campaign season has been the importation of the MSM standards into so much of the blogosphere. Instead of fighting the bullshit they pulled on Gore, the blogosphere reproduces it in the service of their chosen candidate.
Make no mistake, this will haunt us - way more than the continuing primary season - in November. Because a lot of voices on the left are either contributing to the Clinton is a lying bitch meme that will be used in the general if she is the nominee (much as Bradley first fed so many of the negative narratives about Gore to the MSM) or they've agreed to the Gore standard for judging statements by Obama (a standard no human being can possibly meet). Either way, it puts the democratic candidate at a distinct disadvantage when going up against McCain, who the media love above all others because it limits the ability to pushback. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
The media has done almost as much damage as Republicans to this country. Fighting the MSM should always be at the top of any democrat's or liberal's agenda, right under driving Republicans from electoral office.
Remember when left blogistan
called itself the "reality-based community?
Do you recall the days when they criticized the "main-stream media" for it's lack of journalistic ethics and pack-mentality?
In the words of Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and they are us."
Sad, isn't it?
"The key marker of a Hillary Hater is the willingness to state, in almost the same breath, that it is out of control and then to plunge in for a full-throated round of it." - Anglachel
Negatives is the minor problem in November
The pretend progressive in the blogs have damaged way more than their own reputation. They have damaged the Democratic party. It is a reasonable guess that about 10% of the supporters of Obama will not vote for Hillary while 10% of Hillary supporters will not vote for Obama.
The negatives are always a product of primaries and this campaign isn't any different. But never before has a Democratic primary campaign been waged as a hateful and racial one. This new phenomenon is due to Obama and his supporters; it will also guarantee president McCain.
Hate
is cancer; no healing cancer.
it's the double (triple?) standard that's galling--
this Rockefeller thing would have been big news for a week in blogs and on-air if he was a Hillary supporter-- http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/...
(that's the only place i've seen it--and it's Rovian in its "attack their strengths" focus)
Death of a Thousand Nitpicks
For all those who like their MCM (Mainstream Corporate Media) nitpickers nitpicking Hillary now, killing her with the death of a thousand pecks, what about when they decide to nitpick Obama? How're you gonna like them apples? or pecks?
Yeah, I'm lookin' at you, Josh--
04.07.08 -- 8:53PM // link
Hillary partly vindicated on hospital story.
--Josh Marshall
Has Josh joined in defending the nitpicking part of the MCM? Nitpicking of Dem candidates worked so well in giving us the Bush Maladministration. How about "almost totally vindicated," Josh? "Essentially accurate," maybe? "Basically true"? (And, yes, I am very disappointed in Josh and find it harder to trust how he reports on other matters besides the Clinton campaign.)
From Josh's link:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Cl...
But at an earlier time, Casto [deceased woman's aunt] said, Bachtel lacked health insurance and ran up unpaid bills when treated at a clinic near her home in Middleport. When she returned for treatment when pregnant, the clinic demanded $100 per visit to help retire the outstanding debt, Casto said. Because Bachtel could not afford the fees and found it difficult to travel, her aunt said, she postponed receiving treatment.
SNIP
Clinton erred in telling audiences that the Ohio woman lacked insurance when seeking help for her troubled pregnancy. But according to Casto's account, Bachtel's medical tragedy began with circumstances very close to the essence of Clinton's now-abandoned account: the lack of insurance created a $100 barrier to needed medical attention close to home.
Video of Deputy Sheriff Brian Holman telling Hillary about this woman's sad tale:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wqpEt_Cd...
For now, the MCMers (members of the MCM) are not nitpicking their current fave Dem candidate. Just you wait, Obama backers, just you wait.... When they're out to diminish a candidate's viability, truth is not of the essence--driving up negatives and driving down enthusiasm is. The MCM is not our friend.
Thank goddess for Digby and her work. For Somerby and his explications and great historical archives. For all the bloggers who have pursued this story.
And fie on those who have flogged it without owning up to the truth.
Nitpicking, and leaving out details that contradict the meme
Here from Anne Kornblut's account of her follow-up to the story, the opinion of Trina Bachtel's aunt regarding Hillary:
Neither the NYT nor Whoever Kidnapped Josh nor Kos nor anyone else from that crew seems to have included that little tidbit. Wonder why?
Sorry...
but atrios* has been eerily silent** on this*** and other issues****.
*yes Lord Eschaton
**yes it's his blog and he can blog what he wants to
***hasn't said a peep about this issue, 2 semi-anti-clinton posts on Monday...nada on Tuesday except for a very ironic criticism of Jake Tapper defending (wait for it) Obama against some smoking rumor!!!!!!!! And the Bill Clinton 'Global Warming' incident!!? And some comments that Hillary made about Iraq during the hearings yesterday.
****hasn't said a peep about Josh Marshall. Not one word, except to link to TPM and semi-agree with Josh's points
Just Sayin Homeskillets.
I still want to know what brand Obama smokes
What Bill Clinton "global warming" incident?
[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.
Jake Tapper did a story
about comments Bill Clinton made about global warming and the economy, took them out of context (per standard journalistic standards)
Media Matters