Daily Howler - AFTER the recall, the Media gives America the facts

[StlMo]

Daily Howler THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2003
Two days after California’s election, the Post takes apart its state budget


Even the Times could only stretch the “estimate” up to 20. But Meyerson’s column describes what happens when your mainstream “press corps” refuses to play its steward role in your discourse. While the press corps clowned and played, telling all on Mary Carey, the pseudo-con spinners who rule your discourse kept flogging that “$38 billion.” It felt good to keep using that very-large number, and so the spinners kept throwing it out. Result? There was CBS’ Harry Smith using the number this past Monday morning (see THE DAILY HOWLER, 10/8/03). That’s right—when the mainstream press corps slumbers and plays, the spinners’ “facts” get treated as law. Indeed, Arnold’s cable campaign manager also used the false figure on Monday. Rubbing his thigh with his usual glee, Chris Matthews used the phony fact too:

MATTHEWS (10/6/03): This governor has a $38 billion deficit. Why would any voter think he could get rid of it later when he hasn’t been able to get rid of it before?

Of course, Davis had “gotten rid of it before,” lowering the figure from 38 down to 8. But how thoroughly clueless is Hardball’s Chris Matthews? As late as last night, he was still presenting the bogus figure to one of Schwarzenegger’s official chiefs, congressman David Dreier:

...

Did use of that one bogus fact change this race? We know of no reason to think so. But just take a look at the shape of your discourse. Two days after the election ends, the Washington Post lays out the facts—and right up through election day, Smith and Matthews, paid millions a year, were repeating the Schwarzenegger camp’s bogus facts. They’re lazy; inept; in some cases, corrupt; but more than anything, your millionaire pundits couldn’t care less about your discourse and interests. What is the actual shape of your discourse? While your mainstream “press corps” slumbers and plays, those half-witted, “populist” talk-show hosts keep scripting the terms of your corrupted debate. Tomorrow, we’ll see how stupid it actually gets when incompetents like Smith and Matthews keep power.

...

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh100903.shtml

[Cha]

1. Kick for the Howler!

:kick:

[Old and In the Way]

2. No, they use the $38BB for another reason.

So they can say Arnold "solved" the problem when it get's it "down" to $15BB.

It's not laziness...it's planned deceit to make the Republicans look better in 2004.

[StlMo]

3. The Daily Howler makes it clear that they are being deceitful.

Somerby does point out that while the News Media is often lazy, their primary fault is complicity in Republican lies.