March 17, 2005 by s.z.

Nice Media You Got There - Be a Shame If Somebody Sent It to Gitmo Hindrocket lists some of the questions posed to Scottie McClellan about President Bush's judicial nominees and the nuclear option, and then says: It didn't seem to occur to any of the reporters that they were exhibiting the same kind of anti-administration partisanship that got Newsweek into trouble. Yes, the reporters who asked Scottie his thoughts about the constitutionality of a ban on filibusters should have known such questions could have caused riots in Afghanistan.  Anyway, the lesson of what happened to Newsweek should be clear to the rest of the media -- if you don't play along with the administration, you will be called traitors and terrorist-collaberators.  It looks like Hindrocket (and Scottie) are taking policy lessons from Ann Coulter. Back to Hindrocket: Speaking of Newsweek, here were the questions on that subject. One might have thought that journalists would be a bit chastened in asking questions about this debacle. But no: [...] Q. With respect, who made you the editor of Newsweek? Do you think it's appropriate for you, at that podium, speaking with the authority of the President of the United States, to tell an American magazine what they should print? MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not telling them. I'm saying that we would encourage them to help -- Q. You're pressuring them. Damn that MSM -- it still seems to think that the White House isn't the boss of it! Anyway, here's Hindrocket's grand finale after more press conference transcript: This is just unbelievable. Newsweek publishes a false report libelling the U.S. military, which contributes to riots and fatalities abroad, and, in the eyes of American journalists, who are the villains? The Bush administration, the military, and--how bizarre is this?--Pat Robertson. I guess he's a villain for all occasions. At some point, if I were running the administration, I would re-think whether it makes any sense to continue being polite and cooperative toward reporters. Asking Scottie why he thinks Newsweek is responsible for restoring peace to Afghanistan (and why they should should do it by writing pro-military propaganda) means that you're villainizing the Bush administration.  Quoting General Eichenberry, who said that the violence in Jalalabad was "more tied up in the political process and reconciliation that President Karzai and his cabinet were conducting," is libelling the military.  And saying that people like Pat Robertson have defamed other religions in the past (with the implication, I guess, that the President never denounced them for any anti-American sentiment they may have stirred up) is unfair Christian bashing (or something). Anyway,  I think that the administration should consider Hindrocket's suggestion, and should quit being polite to the media.  Scottie should have news gaggles where he responds to every question by telling the reporters to "f--- off!"   That would be good TV!  Oh, and the White House should cut off the MSM entirely, and only speak to Jeff Gannon (a voice of the new media), who could then spread the word by faxing WH press releases to fine, patriotic blogs like PowerLine.  I bet that's what Hindrocket would do if he were running the administration. 11:32:17 PM

Those Meddling Kids Remember the item from last week about how State Senator Michele Bachmann wanted you to send her stories of how your liberal high school was repressing you?  Well, a lot has happened in the past few days.  English Teach alerted me to the fact that the Star Tribune published an editorial criticizing the effort.  And then apparently teachers from all over the state contacted Ms. Bachmann to tell her off, causing Bachmann to tell the Trib and the Pioneer Press that she never asked the Teen Age Republicans to send her their stories of mistreatment, since she's only concerened about instances of college repression.   Ryan Flugaur, the young man who posted the request on the TAR site, said he talked to Bachmann about her Academic Bill of Rights (you know, the David Horowitz scheme), and offered to help her by contacting the teens who belong to TARs.  She evidentally didn't tell him not to do it (and it's still there, so it doesn't look like she demanded he take it down) -- but once there was some heat, Bachmann left Ryan hanging in the wind.  (Hey, Ryan's mom told the Pioneer Press that Ryan would have to toughen up if he was going into politics, so I guess this was a good lesson to him.)  See DumpBachmann.com for all the details.  And see English Teach's post detailing all the opression that young Ryan probably suffered at his hippie-run high school. Oh, and I really liked this quote from when Michele announced in February that she was running for a congressional seat: An outspoken social conservative, Bachmann signaled she won't back down from her opposition to gay marriage, abortion and her views on other hot-button issues. Even as she mounts a campaign, Bachmann said she'd remain chief sponsor of the gay marriage ban, which Republicans plan to push again this year. "I want to be a voice for all the people who do everything right when they wake up in the morning," said Bachmann, a mother of five. So, she wants to be the voice of those who brush their teeth??? 4:18:30 AM