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Comments

• [1] jawbone from Lake Hiawatha, NJ January 28, 2008 - 10:22AM

  Oh, dear, who do I believe? the MCM or my lying eyes and ears?

  Just turned on Brian Lehrer Show--to hear an excerpt form Obama's victory speech in SC and to hear Brian Lehrer say that "Hillary did not give a concession speech." That she sent Bill out to say something.

  Of course, the MCM (Mainstream Corporate Media) was playing that up big time Saturday night onward--however, when Hillary did concede SC to Obama in her appearance in Tennesee, saying she'd called to congratulate him, then saying the campaign was now focussing on the ongoing race and the upcoming Super Tuesday states, and continued her speech, MSNBC cut away. CNN also did, I read.

  I read that when Obama used about the same number of words in one of his "losses" to "concede," the cables covered his entire speech.

  No tilt to this playing field, huh, MCM?

  Anyway, here's our Brian, who is usually better than most commercial MCMers, who has absorbed the line of the commercial MCMers, Village subset.

  Gee, you'd think the MCM was trying to choose the nominee!

  Or, or does a concession from Hillary require that she fall face down prostrate on the floor and declare she is vanquished? Sheesh.

  
  
• [2] Diane from New Jersey January 28, 2008 - 10:34AM

  What Brian was referring to is the fact that Bill Clinton gave a speech from Missouri before Hillary's Tennessee speech which sounded very much like a concession speech.

  Hillary's speech only mentioned Obama's win with that one sentence and then she went into her tired old stump speech.

  The fact that Bill spoke first and addressed the race in South Carolina to a much greater degree than Hillary did struck many reporters and viewers (myself included) as very odd. It is difficult enough to tell who is running Bill or Hillary and this was one more example of her seeming not to be able to speak for herself. Not the strongest image for the woman who wants to be the first president.

  
  
• [3] chestine from NY January 28, 2008 - 10:34AM

  I am wondering if Teddy's mad at Bill/Hillary for something. Any idea?

  
  
• [4] jawbone from Lake Hiawatha, NJ January 28, 2008 - 10:40AM

  My major point in my comment about the MCM creating a story line which can ignore reality, such as saying Hillary did not give a concession speech, is to emphasize how pervasive and persuasive the MCM story lines can be. If Brian doesn't correct this misinformation, another brick is laid on the yellow brick road the MCM wants to lead voters down. Plus, Brian absorbing this misinformation and saying this is truth positive of the power of the MCM story lines.

  Now, interestingly enough, Hillary Clinton made perfectly reasonable and historically accurate comments about how social movements and political leaders must cooperate to make changes permanenent, to codify them in law. Yet, the MCM truncated her comments to just a few words and worked to create the impressions in the public's mind that Hillary had dissed MLK. That went on to be a sign she was racist, just like those NH voters who didnt't vote along the lines of most of the poll numbers for Obama.

  
  
• [5] jawbone from Lake Hiawatha, NJ January 28, 2008 - 10:40AM

  Part 2 of MCM influence comment

  Now, it was on Brian's day or so after NH show that I heard Mirigoff (sp?) say that Obama got all the votes the polls had predicted--there were changes after the Sunday polling which moved in Hillary's direction. But the MCM continued for days and days to emphasize The Bradley Effect, the effect of racism (or race or racial something/anything) on NH.

  Then other words by both Clintons were essentially taken out of context--and now the Clintons (the Clintons!) are being tarred as "racist" or "racially insensitive" or "racially labeling Obama."

  I see a line of attack by the MCM, Village subset on Hillary. I think they saw they couldn't continue to attack her gender, as they came off too sexist, but the race issue? Brilliant--especially if it leads to weakening both Democratic candidates. Which is what the MCM has done for at least two very important presidential elections now.

  Suggested reading: DailyHowler.com

  
  
• [6] Jeff January 28, 2008 - 10:43AM

  Chestine, Teddy -- indeed all the Congressional Dems -- never got along very well with Bill when he was POTUS. Remember triangulation, etc.

  
  
• [7] et from here January 28, 2008 - 10:44AM

  I missed this episode, but I wonder if Brian also revealed that Kathleen Kennedy, former Gov of Maryland and Robert Kennedy have both endorsed Hillary Clinton...

  
  
• [8] Lisa from Manhattan January 28, 2008 - 11:26AM

  Couple of people commented that "electability" is important, but they seem only to referring to the primary, and worrying that Edwards won't win the primary, so they've limited their choices to Obama and Clinton. But it's important to vote for Edwards 1, because he's probably more electable against a Republican than either of the 2 celebrities, and 2, because it's important to keep Edwards in the race -- he's keeping the 2 celebrities tied to the important issues....

  
  
• [9] Robert from New Jersey January 28, 2008 - 11:38AM

  A natural-born American citizen, a resident for more than fourteen years, well-educated, private sector employment,....and she will be 35 on February 27, 2015.

  Is anyone thinking what I am thinking?

  
  
• [10] Kashish from New York. January 28, 2008 - 11:47AM

  In Reference To The Previous Segment's Mention of Obama's "Present" Votes in Chicago:

  "...Take Obama's abortion votes. It is true he voted present several times between 1997 and 2001. But it was part of a strategy designed by Planned Parenthood. Republicans in the Illinois Senate had repeatedly tried to pass bills restricting abortion. This put Democrats in a difficult position. They wanted to vote against the bills, but worried they would be smeared by Republican opponents for opposing legislation with names like "The Born Alive Infant Protection Act." So Obama and a group of Democrats and moderate Republicans cut a deal with Planned Parenthood. The politicians would vote present as a bloc. The bills wouldn't get enough votes, and the pols would have political cover. Everybody would win.?"

  http://www.newsweek.com/id/91755/page/1

  
  
• [11] Shawn January 28, 2008 - 12:47PM

  Kashish, thank you for the post. I'm so tired of hearing misinformed and uninformed people talk about Senator Obama's voting record in the Illinois State Senate. These are the same people who complain that the media is the enemy but then they rely on the same media they criticize for all their information. I bet most of the people who make issue of his votes have not taken any time to research any of the facts. Misinformed people make bad choices. We saw what happened when Hillary was misinformed, she voted for a war that was without merit. Get real folks, Billary is bad for the country. I voted for her husband twice only to see him first loose the senate and then lose the power of the presidency because he couldn't control his sexual desires. I for one am not willing to take that chance again, i want a fresh new politics, and the promise of Senator Obama in the White House gives me hope that we can move on as a country.

  "This race is about the Future, not about the past"

  
  
• [12] Michael from oceanside January 28, 2008 - 03:24PM

  In the interest of full disclosure. Mrs. Hernadez neglected to point out that Dolores Huerta's be offended by the Obama camp picking up "si se pueda", was possibly more politically motivated as she is heavily entrenched in the Clinton campaign. In fact, she is the head of the Hillary's Latin Outreach.

  Brian, you have been fantastic on the campaign coverage in a very tricky cycle. Thanks.

  
  
• [13] Owen from Rochester January 28, 2008 - 04:33PM

  Brian, quick Spanish lesson: it's pronounced "see say PWEH-day"--that is, "puede," not "pueda." Good show, though.

  
  
• [14] Lucy Garnett from Lower Manhattan January 29, 2008 - 10:45AM

  I am more impressed by Ted Kennedy's actions as a Senator than I am by the JFK legacy.