The Perfect Storm (an observation in passing)
My personal political memory only goes back as far as the early 1970s, so I’m not exactly the Voice of the Ages. But within that limited frame of reference, I note the following:
1. Barack Obama is the most corrupt national politician I’ve seen since Richard Nixon. Based on how he’s run his campaign — from the huge voter fraud operation in the caucuses, replete with thugs and busing in voters across state lines, to the grotesque smear tactics he used against Clinton and is using now against Palin — he may very well be worse than Nixon.
2. Our national media is going to unprecedented lengths to swing the election Obama’s way. They relentlessly bury or ignore anything bad (which is to say true) about him, and equally relentlessly push the image of him as a haloed savior, a “Lightworker,” the Hope of the Nations. Hitler didn’t get press this good. Meanwhile they gleefully smear his opponents — or at least the female ones — with all the lies and trash-talk and derision they can muster. The benchmark before this year was the election of 2000, when the media blatantly favored Bush over Gore, but that was nothing compared to this.
The most corrupt politician in 35 years, and the most corrupt media in…I don’t know how long.
It strikes me as an exceedingly unfortunate coincidence that these two things should be happening together.
37 Responses to “The Perfect Storm (an observation in passing)”
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creeper says:
Now we have the media reporting how outrageous it is that McCain supporters are urging him to get tough on Obama, after they completely ignored Obama’s “get in their faces” instruction to his minions. No wonder media reps at McCain events are getting booed.
The last time the media went even half this far in the tank for a candidate we got George W. Bush in the White House. That alone should be enough to convince voters they’re as corrupt as Obama himself.
October 11th, 2008 at 9:23 am EST -
qaz says:
“…to the grotesque smear tactics he used against Clinton and is using now against Palin…”
and you can thank women for helping him do it.
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octogalore says:
I’m still in shock that the Alice Palmer incident, the “sit there and look cute” verbiage, the strange inconsistency between O’s minimal charitable giving and his public statements about the importance of sacrifice, and numerous other contradictions got so little press and attention from voters.
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myiq2xu says:
The most corrupt media since William Randolph Hearst and the Spanish-American War.
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Foxx says:
It isn’t a coincidence. The media is being controlled by the same money that is financing Obama and orchestrating his campaign. The whole thing is much, much dirtier than we have yet recognized.
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Anna Belle says:
Speaking of which, myiq, do you recall the name of the military guy who blew the whistle on that? I thought he was Navy, something like Dudley or Smitty something or other. Sacrificed his whole military career (he was pretty high ranking, IIRC) to tell the truth about “conflicts” and how they are really just government assistance for corporate expansion. I wish I could remember that guy’s name…
Anyway, spot on, V, as usual.
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Kat says:
This process is very systematic, and the source of anger: so many people have been shut out from public discourse, “disappeared” as legitimate voices, from so many points of the political spectrum. I’m continually astonished (I know, I shouldn’t be) by how thorough and enthusiastic the game is played in the corporate media.
Hey, does anyone remember that the corrupt BO-supporting media largely accused Hillary Clinton of wanting her political opponents *assassinated*, like RFK? They accused a public official of advocating crimes. They got away with it, handily. BO supporters learned from those Clinton lessons — they could escalate. They could escalate and they would not be held accountable. Who was left with any power or voice who would hold them accountable?
I don’t agree with many people who call themselves Republicans. However, I don’t believe they should be silenced and I don’t believe it serves the civic life of this nation to “disappear” them as legitimate voices. Quite the opposite.
Even more, I am increasingly filled with dread and wariness at Democrats who claim some high moral ground while they vilify and silence their opponents. Anyone who doesn’t conform with the value-less values of Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and the NY Times is treated like they are members of some lower caste, hardly deserving of a vote. This is what I’m seeing: the entrenchment and legitimation of such tactics. I think as the BO regime is handed the keys to the kingdom by corrupt, big money media, a few corners of the coalition will wake up and see what they’ve done. I think it won’t matter much at that point.
If this were happening in any other country, not viewed through the lens of mythic American exceptionalism, what would we call it, I wonder?
Exceedingly unfortunate indeed, Violet, agreed.
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kenoshaMarge says:
I don’t think it is an unfortunate coincidence Dr. Socks.
Without a corrupt media Oblahblah would have never made it out of the primary. Obama’s success is a direct result of the corrupt-corporate media. IMHO
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song says:
On my Chinese scholar’s chest, in which I keep my dearest books…
I have, a shrine…and you are a goddess there..
love to you.
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pacific-cali says:
Peope WILL learn of all the things the MSM hid from the electorate & obfuscated for Obama in order to manipulate and undermine the democratic process.
The msm’s behavior in this election cycle is a matter of record that will live in infamy- and certain names (like olbermann, matthews, zucker etc.) will be reviled as personifications of the msm corruption, bias, and greed. -
Yanni Znaio says:
Y’all may be way ahead of me on this one, but I just came across the Clinton campaign’s letter to the the Nevada Democratic Party complaining about abuses committed by the Obama campaign during the Nevada caucuses. [PDF]
I am hopeful that the stench of corruption surrounding the 0bama campaign’s practices is coming to the surface despite McCain’s reluctance to attack and the media’s reluctance to discuss it unless their “noses get rubbed in it” and they can no longer avoid it.
Best regards,
YZ
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Yanni Znaio says:
Oooh!
I just became a trusted poster who does not need moderation.
Thanks, Violet, your trust just became the bright spot in what has been a personally very depressing weekend.
Best regards,
YZ
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K2 says:
Thanks, Violet. I can’t believe this is happening. I think I must be nuts, but then I read your blog and realize other people are having the same reaction.
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creeper says:
How does one know if one is a trusted user? Does the box with the numbers you have to enter disappear?
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orphic male eyes says:
Yanni, you just uncovered a gem of a document - I wonder why Hillary never had Barry/Barack/whoever investigated further when she had the resources to do so.
It is a fact that both Clintons dislike mister Obama and to me it seems, not certainly yet proven based on documents, but hinted at in interviews, statements and etc…, that the Democratic party leadership forced their hand everytime they say they support him.
BTW - this might be the same Democratic leadership than rode to the Congress and Senate in 2006 promising dramatical differences in the situation in Iraq.
Where has all that hype gone from not only the democratic senate/party/whatever leaders, but also from the frontpages of dailykos.com/americablog.com/crooksandliars.com - concering Iraq I mean.
Money wasted in Iraq - supposed to be investigated - not done. End or a plan to end military presence in Iraq not presented or even close to be implemented - military corruption and abuse of female officiers and/or not investigated. Guantamono not closed - but the prison population of secret prisons shared between weak Nato members who need US support.
I say there is a striking similiarity between the promises to “end the war on Iraq” that Democrats used in 2006 and the way Obama proposes to “fix” the economy and healthcare.
All promises not kept, broken immedeitaly after achieving office - further fuelling the downward spiral of corruption and perversion of governing ideals and practices that started with Reagan - further surfaced in the later Clinton years - made a quantum leap of dominance in the Bush decade - no positive activities or results in sight.
Conclusion: never did I think a politician from the place called Chicago, the most corrupt place on continental america - also known as - the Windy City - would be sought after by the opressed as a saviour. I can’t write anymore - I am disqusted.
Catch phrase: Barry Obama is to what I consider real political change as cocaine is to a healthy dose of medical maryjane.
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PGH says:
IMHO, Obama is one of many stealth candidates the Saudis have been quietly grooming in the US & indeed throughout the West..He is the anti-Hillary..They “surfaced ” him four years ago, probably earlier then they had planned.The reason was Hillary..Four yrs ago, with the Iraq War going to hell & scandals ripping the Bush administration, it looked like the Dems could run Elmer Fudd and win in 08…… But they weren’t going to run Elmer Fudd, they were going to run Hillary and the Saudiis couldn’t have that..They don’t want to face Hillary as leader off the most powerful nation on earth….Because, I believe, she GETS IT, (Plus she’s female)…People in the military & elsewhere have been slowly waking up to the political influence & media power that the Saudiis have been slowly purchasing with their petrodollars over the last several decades…Hillary ,McCain, & no doubt, Palin, plus many senior military officers now GET IT and understand the threat that Western Civilization faces…. I suspect that the proliferation of anti Obama blogs, many written by liberals and democrats, are evidence that people are slowly waking up…I just hope that it’s not too late, like it is in Europe….
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Yanni Znaio says:
creeper says:
How does one know if one is a trusted user? Does the box with the numbers you have to enter disappear?
The deal with entering the numbers is to avoid spambots. Same thing with the sites that have the squiggly letters.
What I was talking about was that you post, and the top of your post says “your post is awaiting moderation”.
Mine don’t any more.
Thanks again, Violet.
Mine don’t any more.
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Cate says:
Heartbreaking times, to be sure. Can someone tell me what is with today’s news that ‘the Clintons’ are getting on the campaign trail with Obama? WTF?? He’s ahead isn’t he, couldn’t they just spend their time working for down-tickets? What I think is that they really do support Obama and all the corruption is just fine with them. How’s that for a shocking thought? Makes me want to take down these Hillary for President buttons I have festooned all over my office.
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Violet says:
Actually there is no such category as “trusted user.” I have a bunch of filters set up and I’ve added to them over the years, and some comments will trigger a filter no matter how long the reader has been an approved commenter — and “approved commenter” just means I’ve approved a certain number of comments in the past for that person. Mysterious are the ways of the Mope!
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Violet says:
But not to take away from Yanni’s happiness — yes, you are now an “approved commenter.” However, a comment from you could easily trip one of the other filters I have set up. That happens all the time with people who have been commenting here for years, just so you know. It doesn’t mean your status has changed.
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simply wondered says:
i always have to enter the numbers in the box. i think it’s because it makes better reading than what i put in this bit.
and i don’t even trust myself to post - you can never be too vigilant, you know. with them saudis and all. -
simply wondered says:
or it could be that the alpacas who do the proofreading for the site just happen to like you, yanni! (they got a reference from the briards)
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Violet says:
Even I have to enter the numbers in the box. Everybody does. (Not sure about the alpacas.)
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mAndrea says:
Um…
http://texasdarlin.wordpress.c.....formation/
Didn’t want to derail your fresh post, but this is rilly fascinating — and is a very good example showing why people (cough transgendered cough) shouldn’t be allowed to change their original birth certificates.
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Violet says:
I am frankly skeptical of the birth certificate stuff. There are some odd conspiracy theorists out there, and from what I’ve seen the birth certificate stuff seems to be their bailiwick.
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lobogris says:
Re Kat: I don’t agree with many people who call themselves Republicans. However, I don’t believe they should be silenced and I don’t believe it serves the civic life of this nation to “disappear” them as legitimate voices. Quite the opposite.
Just change “Republicans” to Democrats and you know how I feel. Yep, I’m one of “Them”. But, I bet I’m more liberal than most Liberals. I am definitely more liberal than most Conservatives.
I agree with you, Violet. And I agree with you, Kat.
Like you said, what is happening is unfortunate.
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rev al paca says:
of course we don’t enter the numbers:
a) we are too busy plotting against obama
b) we have llamas to do the menial tasks for us
c) we got hooves, lady -
Yanni Znaio says:
Violet says:
But not to take away from Yanni’s happiness — yes, you are now an “approved commenter.” However, a comment from you could easily trip one of the other filters I have set up. That happens all the time with people who have been commenting here for years, just so you know. It doesn’t mean your status has changed.
Well, I haven’t tripped any of them.
I guess my Momma was right when she raised me to always say “Yes ma’am” and “Yes sir” and to not address people with words that one would feel uncomfortable uttering in church.
:-)
Best regards,
YZ
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votermom says:
I think it’s because Obama is corrupt that he was picked by Big Money as their candidate. Big Money realizes the GOP brand is trashed, so they’ve dicarded it. They want to use and trash the Dem brand now, and Obama is their candidate. And the msm is simply Big Money’s Pravda.
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Annie Oakley says:
Take General Electric, parent of CNBC and MSNBC, which has worked so hard to elect Obama that they should have had to declare it as a gift on an FEC filing.
Among the many things GE is, it is a defense contractor, a health care company, and the 7th largest commercial bank in the country (was, who knows now.) They get large chunks of their income from taxes.
Yet they do not disclose their biases to the millions they daily hookwink. Clearly they will benefit from an Obama presidency, yet we have no idea what types of business they might have planned.
Sumner Redstone of CBS was an early and important donor to Obama. CNN is in the tank, but I have no idea why. All that seems clear is that they want him to be president and expect something in return. That’s not democracy. That’s not one (wo)man one vote. That’s not a free market place of ideas.
Got to get the money out of the elections. All Obama did was increase the entry fee. At this point it is almost impossible to get a president who would put the people’s welfare first. That’s why I’m voting for McCain. I think he was expected to just be a place keeper for the Republicans. He wasn’t expected to win, but if he does, I think he actually wants to help the people of this country. That’s dangerous for the corporations who are busy consolidating their power.
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ea says:
Thing is, when there are people brave enough to expose the corruption (especially if they are women of color), they are trashed and ridiculed and called all sorts of names. Two come to mind right away from recent history: Anita Hill and Cynthia McKinney.
One of these ladies is running for President this year.
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Eric Paulsen says:
As an avowed Liberal, not a Democrat necessarily, who can certainly sympathize with your feelings that Hillary was pilloried during the primaries (though I do not agree it was due to her gender alone) I have to question your definition of “leftist”. I haven’t read some Rethuglican sites that contain as much bile as you spew at Obama. Look, I have decided that this is the last election that I will vote for a Democrat due to the Reid/Pelosi “No impeachment for OBVIOUS criminals” stance - but I DAMN SURE WILL vote for Obama THIS TIME! From November 3rd on it’s progressive 3rd parties all the way, but I guess if you really don’t care if Palin/McCain gets into office keep up the pressure on Obama. It’s not like I give a crap anymore for the future of the party.
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Violet says:
I have to question your definition of “leftist”. I haven’t read some Rethuglican sites that contain as much bile as you spew at Obama.
It’s your definition of leftist that’s got me puzzled. From the above I take it you think “leftist” means “supporting Obama,” or perhaps that Obama is himself a leftist or espouses leftist values.
He doesn’t.
Obama is more crooked than Nixon, more fascist than Bush, and he and his supporters are sexists. It’s precisely because I’m a leftist that I oppose him with every fiber of my being.
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Eric Paulsen says:
I’ve been known to wear a tinfoil hat or two in my day but “Obama is more crooked than Nixon, more fascist than Bush”. Seriously?
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Violet says:
Mr. Paulsen, I’m printing only part of your last comment, so that I can answer your question. The rest of your remarks — “uterus” insults and trash-talk about Hillary, etc. — will not see the light of day on this blog.
Yes, Obama is corrupt. One of the projects I’ve spent much of time on these past few months is documenting the extent of the fraud perpetrated by his campaign. For starters, you could go to http://www.caucusanalysis.org. There are also at least two major documentaries in the works.
Everything about Obama, from the fraud to the sexism to the ugly cult-like fanaticism of his campaign, spells disaster to me. I’ve written repeatedly on why I think Obama needs to lose, but you can start here:
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Greenconsciousness says:
It would be important for some researcher (not the current crop of so called media monitors) but an independent researcher with a background in business and economics to publish a report on who actually OWNS the US media. There are rumors that Murdock is actually a Saudi front man. His shareholders are mostly Saudi princes. So the owner of US media outlets and his shareholders need to be named. Follow the money to find the manipulation. I wish there was a way to find feminists who would fund this if there are any woman identified feminists with money.
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atheist woman says:
Greenconciousness, why would it matter if he was?
In any case, here ya’go
Top twenty stockholders as at August 18, 2008.
The following information regarding the top twenty stockholders of record is based on information provided by News Corporation’s transfer agent
as of August 18, 2008.
Class B Common Stock
Cede & Co 538,908,980
Chess Depositary Nominees Pty Limited 257,348,790
Fayez Sarofim 1,085,440
Charles Wilson 59,240
David L. Nelson Trust 32,000
Audrey Christine Cohen 26,160
Ann T.P. Allen-Stevens 25,384
Alfred C. Glassell Jr. 20,000
Maguire Resources Company 20,000
Woodchester Investments Inc. 20,000
Henry R. Marten 16,552
Forbar Custodians Limited 15,200
Julian R. Stow 14,896
Kenneth B. Ullman 14,589
Salpean Nominees Limited 12,500
Timothy Allen Alexander 10,000
David Hill 10,000
Alene J. Oneill 10,000
Ernestina and Eric Lipman 9,920
Annie Campbell Fookes 8,640
797,668,291
Class A Common Stock
Cede & Co 1,773,847,538
Chess Depositary Nominees Pty Limited 68,727,041
John C. Siegel 2,428,208
Ogier Employee Benefit Trust Limited 1,687,856
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. 1,397,189
Fayez Sarofim 542,720
Howard Arvey Trust 235,328
Barbara Grace Phillips 228,050
Abe Rosenstein 155,368
Brian C. Kelly 131,542
Jane Siegel 98,068
Holly Siegel Trust 82,730
Jack Siegel Trust 82,730
Computershare Trust Company of NY as Agent for Unexchanged Holders of Cert News 66,436
Rajendrababu Raojibhai Patel Chandrakantaben Rajendrababu Patel 58,330
Cruden Financial Services LLC 57,000
Equiserve as Exchange Agent for Hughes UNEX13 & Co. 50,947
Shirley R. Popper & Royal T. Popper Trustees 48,356
Clarence Mayer 45,000
David Hill 43,000
1,850,013,437I got this info from the corporate section of their annual report
xttp://www.newscorp.com/AR2008Flash/NC08.html
