Look at this from over the weekend where Joe Biden was interviewed by a central Florida newswoman:
Ok, so this has gotten some airtime in the last day or so, and I've seen two sides to the argument on this interview and Biden saying "is this a joke?" Today, I watched a bit of Studio B with Shepard Smith on Fixed News, and it was my first look into the situation. He was pissed at the insinuation that Biden question the journalistic integrity of the newswoman (WFTV's Barbara West). He said he could not see why it was not a valid and apt interview. He mainly focused on the section of the interview where she quotes Marx and asks Biden if Obama should be equated to socialist ideas and Marx. He interviewed a clearly conservative public relations expert who agreed with Shep. Shep was visibly annoyed at the situation. Here is the segment in its entirety (I found it on Studio B's page on FoxNews.com, and it was the MAIN video staring me right in the face):
Then, when I got home from work, I tuned into my favorite news show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann. He had, obviously, the exact opposite opinion of the situation. Also, a much shorter segment. I hate to bore you with videos, but I like the information to come directly from the source instead of through my filter of a brain. (Notice how Palin pronounces "inaugural". Great stuff!)
Now he says that West, the woman who interviewed Biden, stated that she's a health correspondent. I followed up on that. This link kinda say that: http://www.wftv.com/station/1874549/detail.html. The other purported piece of info is that her husband is a Republican strategist or consultant. She's a registered Republican and her husband, Wade West has consulted numerous Republican candidates in the past (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2008/10/wftvs-barbara-1.html)
Here's the thing: Politics have polarized this country. It is getting harder and harder for a journalist not to show their bias. For some, they love to hold it on their sleeve. In this case, what I take issue with the is Shep's reaction. I do not understand the outrage. Why is comparing Obama to Marx so apt? I do not think it is. Redistributing wealth is the name of the game when you tax someone. Person A makes $10. The government taxes Person A $2. They then take that $2and use it for anything their hearts desire. Like funding polar bear mating rituals or beaver DNA. Scientist B then receives said $2 to do said research. I don't know about you guys, but that seems like a redistribution of Person A's wealth to me. I don't understand why so many Americans think socialism is so bad. It's already infused with our capitalistic society. Schools, some energy providers, some forms of health care, and at least in the US, Social Security, are all forms of socialistic principles working for the betterment of our capitalistic society. "Spreading the wealth around seems OK to me, since the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, mostly by no fault of their own. I love Biden's response of asking whether these questions were jokes and real questions.
I think Barack Obama hits the nail square on the head when he says people like him can afford to pay higher taxes and still live comfortably. The middle class drives the economy. If consumers are not consuming, the producers aren't producing, which means workers aren't working, and around the down spiral we go. Economics can be simple. We have to make sure the right people are getting the help they deserve, Democrats, Republicans and the other crazy people who inhabit this country.
Perhaps this Barbara West character could stick to reporting on health stories and not asking the tough questions. Unfortunately for the folks who watch Fox news, the line reads, "HOW DARE BIDEN TREAT HER SUCH A DISRESPECTFUL WAY!!! SHE'S A JOURNALIST!!" So much for the facts, and so much for journalistic integrity. "....Senator Biden, is it true that Barack Obama is a Muslim?...." The world may never know.
I hope that post was cohesive. It is late and I'm tired. Thanks for reading.
2 comments:
That was kind of funny, so I guess that puts me on Biden's side.
I don't know if I'd call it "gotcha" journalism, at least not more than any other journalism at times like this is, but those questions are bloody stupid. At the very least, they show a preference of "being tough" over making any sense.
I think it was a dumb move to ban the station - it just makes it sound like they were on to something - but I guess that they're just stressed so near the election.
Finally, I think it's a bit sad that in America it's an insult to be compared to Sweden. Somebody's priorities are wrong. And if the name "Marx" still has the same connotations as "Hitler", then the Red scare isn't truly over yet. I don't think politicians would be as frightened of the comparison in most of Europe.
Yeah, I thought it was a bit odd to make it sound as if it would be bad to be like Sweden, when they have some of the highest living standards in the world. (If you look at the UN human development index, they are ranked #6 (the USA is #12)
I think the Republicans need to go back and have a look at what Socialism actually means. Countries like China and Cuba are socialist.
The way Western Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand operate etc is not what you would class as socialism.
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