Anyone else notice how hard NPR tries to repair damage Allen is doing to

[1932]

himself?

To me, the story of this Allen thing is that (1) he slipped up by uttering the word Macaca, which raised the question of whether he was a bigot, and (2) he confirmed that he was, indeed, a bigot when he said that being asked if he was jewish was the equivalent of raising scurilous accuations against one's religion, as if it were bad to be Jewish. And then the stories started to flow -- people who knew him in college are confirming these stories, but NPR isn't touching these corroborating witnesses' stories. Instead they're doing damage repair for Allen.


In the last week, I've heard NPR do a long story about Allen and about how Jewish families hide their heritage from their children to protect them from the legacy of the holocaust. NPR was assuming that Allen wasn't lying when he said he didn't know his mother was Jewish, and even if that were true, they're assuming that that's the reason the mother didn't tell him without even interviewing the mother so that we could hear her reason or guage for ourselves whether she sounded credible. The story implied that anyone who made a big deal about this was inflicting the horrors of the holocaust on the Allen family all over again. That was nothing more than table-turning damage repair by NPR.

Then, yesterday, they did a jokey story about Allen during which the take-home messages were (1) that Webb is too incompetent to take advantage of this, and that, (2) if elected, Allen would be the first Jewish African-American man elected to the Senate, which, in my mind were subtle plugs that were supposed to totally mititgate the real story here which is that Allen is a religious and racial bigot.

For me, the real take-home message is that this Allen thing might be the difference between Democratic and Republican control of the Senate and the MSM is working overtime to protect the Republican advantage.

[leveymg]

1. Yes. NPR has turned into GOP Radio Moscow

Of course, the Republicans have taken over the NPR/CPB Board and management, and hold the purse strings.

As for Allen, is he really a "Jewish African-American man"? I knew that about this guy, but is George Allen Black?!?!

[Buzz Clik]

2. that's silly n/t

[Shipwack]

4. The "joke" was...

Allen's mother was from Tunisia. Tunisia is in Africa. Therefore, he is an African-American! :eyes:

::edited to correct country Allen's mother was from::

[Jai4WKC08]

30. I agree with you about NPR

Here's a link I happen to run across today
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec06/newyork_09-29.html
a story about the Massa/Kuhl contest in NY-29. Notice how the NPR guy validates Kuhl's whisper smear of Massa, that somehow there's something wrong with a guy who only made commander/05 in 24 years of service (never mind he was medically retired). If you listen to the audio clip, it sounds even worse.

[fuzzyball]

34. Since jews have roots in Egypt and since Egypt is in Africa, it then

follows that jews have African roots. I don't understand
where the big deal is here? Heck from what I have read,
the human species originated in Africa as the
digs at Olduvai gorge have revealed. That humanoid "Lucy"
they found there is considered the grand mother of all
humans.

[tularetom]

3. I don't listen to NPR but it sounds like they haven't got the message

To me it seems like Felix Macaca is radioactive to the repubs. You don't hear Faux news defending him and you don't see any high profile repubs coming on any of the punditfests to take his side of the issue. All you hear is the daily drip drip drip of yet another person coming forth to recall another "N-word" incident. It's almost like the higher ups in the repub party want to derail his presidential campaign before it starts. The thing I don't understand is why they would risk losing control of the senate to torpedo Felix's presidential aspirations. Perhaps they think Joementum will get elected and switch parties.

[1932]

9. He's 43:43 in polls and still has a chance of winning.

Fox is ignoring the story because it doesn't want to do anything to undermine Allen with their audience and NPR's doing damage control with middle class and upper middle class voters who imagine themselves as not being overt racial and religious bigots and who might actually be disturbed by this story, unless they were to think that it was the reporter who asked about religion who is the anti-semite, and unless they think, "oh, he's a Jew and an African-American? I'll vote for him!"

[1932]

32. I guess Fox isn't ignoring the story.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2854635

Do you have a revised theory?

[Buzz Clik]

5. The only story left is his damage control...

By discussing Allen's clumsy efforts to paint himself as anything by a racist piece of shit, NPR keeps the story alive.

They aren't pandering to the GOP, they're keeping Allen's face in the water as he slowly drowns in his own sputum.

[1932]

6. Check the NPR archives and listen to these stories.

They aren't trying to help him. They're forgiving him. They're turning the tables by saying it's antisemitic to ask him about his religion when his mother is clearly trying to protect him from the holocaust (which was an implication unsupported by any real journalism) and they let someone say he was a "Jewish African-American" after calling Webb incompetent, when the fact is Allen is a racial and religious bigot who is still neck and neck with his opponent.

[Buzz Clik]

11. How the hell do you hear that?

I listen to NPR several hours per day.

Never heard them say "antisemitic to ask him about his religion".

All the archives are readily avaiable. Provide a link.

[1932]

13. Here's the link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6147487

Listen to that story. It's obviously not black and white and some people will hear what they want to hear. However, I think a very strong argument can be made that the main purpose of this story is to turn the table on the reporter who asked about religion to make it seem like it was an invasion of Allen's family's privacy to aks him that question, that it's almost an attempt to reinflict the holocaust on them, and that it could be considered anti-semitic.

And, mind you, I think the real story is that Allen has revealed himself to be a racial and religious bigot and I also think there's absolutely no reason to believe a bigot would tell the truth when he says his mother never told him she was Jewish, and there's no reason to believe that, even if she didn't tell him, protecting him from the holocaust was the reason. (Judging from George Allen's sisters biography in which she said Allen was physically abusive as a child and teenager, I'd be more inclined to believe his mother was afraid of George than I'd believe the NPR spin on this story!)

[Buzz Clik]

15. Okay. I heard it during the broadcast, and listened to your link twice.

Who in this piece supposedly was forgiving Allen? Who was claiming that it's anti-Semitic to talk about his mom's lineage?

[1932]

16. What do you think the average NPR listener is left thinking

after hearing that piece?

[Buzz Clik]

18. That Allen is racist piece of shit, and his base in VA doesn't care.

That's accuracy in reporting.

[1932]

20. From the piece about Jewish families protecting their children by not

telling them they're Jewish?

Do you mind if I ask you which lines in that story gave you that impression?

[Buzz Clik]

25. No idea what you're talking about.

You still have not produced a link to a story where NPR says it's anti-Semitic to ask Allen about his mother's religion. Are you backing off that claim?

[1932]

33. The link to the story is above and I'm asking you to tell me what

quotes from that story support your theory.

I asked you above what you thought of the story, you told me, and now you say I didn't provide a link to the story? M'kay.

[Buzz Clik]

36. I'm serious -- your post was incomprehensible.

I don't have a clue what you're trying to say.

[1932]

37. Cleary you don't have a clue.

Start from the top, read to the end, and tell me at which sentence you got lost.

[Buzz Clik]

38. That's correct -- I'm fluent in English, not jibberish.

Please reword your post. Is that so hard?

[1932]

40. Where did I lose you?

Which sentence?

[Buzz Clik]

41. LOL! Read the thread.

You're just stalling now.

Be sure to document your claim about NPR claiming that asking about being jewish is anti-Semitic. That is, if you ever quit fucking around.

I'll be here.

[1932]

43. Did you listen to the story?

I think you did, because you answered my question above when I asked you what you think people would have taken as some of the central themes of that All Things Considred piece. My next question was, "what exactly in that piece -- which words and sentences -- gave you the impression that you posted."

I think you've been stalling ever since I asked that question, since you haven't answered it, and that's when you started pretending that I didn't post the link and that you don't know what I'm talking about.

So back to where I seemed to have lost you:

What do you think the message of that story was?

And if you give the same answer you gave above, then:

What exactly in that story made you think it was about Allen's racism (since what they talked about was how Jewish families protect their children from the legacy of the Holocaust by not telling them that they're Jewish)?

[Buzz Clik]

46. Yes, as I already said. And again for the fourth time.

In the first 20 seconds of the piece from the link you gave: "Three members of the Virginia senator's college football team said he frequently used racial epithets to describe blacks when he was at the University of Virginia."

That translates to "racist piece of shit" in my book. I did not, however, find much in there about jewish families hiding their heritage from their children. I believe we are discussing different stories.

[1932]

48. But did they interview those people?

They left it hanging as to whether they were true or not. They spend the rest of the time buttressing the claim that it's OK for Jewish families to hide their religious ancestry and that it's unseemly to force them out of the closet when there was NO FOUNDATION AT ALL that these were even questions relevant to Allen's situation.

The real story IS whether his teammates accusations were true. But where's the investigation and analysis of that story?

To investigate that story is to end Allen's viability as a candidate. Which is, I believe, why they don't touch that part of the story.

[dorktv]

7. Actually NPR seems to be anti-Democratic because they keep

saying "what are the Ds doing?!" Yet no matter how many times it is pointed out to them that the Ds are not in power they never get it.

[blm]

8. NPR turned into a GOP tool after Newt threatened cutting $$$ in 1995.

.

[Joe Bacon]

10. NPR = National Propaganda for Republicans.

Got to http://www.fair.org and see if you can tell any difference between NPR, PBS and Fox.

You'll see that NPR and PBS are just as "fair and balanced" as Fox is. When NPR and PBS went all out supporting Clinton's impeachment, that was the last straw for me. The time has come to cut off their funding.

I'm tired of my taxes going to finance Republican propagandists like Jim Liar, Mara LIEsson and Cokie the Presstitute.

[Buzz Clik]

12. Great. We'll forgive the Dems who voted for torture, but for NPR?

It's their fault and this is a Saturday morning gang rape.

Anyone who convinces themselves that NPR is a GOP mouthpiece is clearly suffering from a bad case of "nothing better to talk about".

Pure bullshit.

[1932]

14. See post 13.

And here's the one where they called him "Jewish African-American": http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6165624 (and in this web extra story there's an allegation that he's possibly being swift-boated). You have to listen to the link to hear the comment about Webb -- the transcript isn't available for free, although you get this summary when you search "Webb" on Morning Edition (which is how I got to that page):

Analysis: Democrats See Senate Gains in Election
Sep-29-2006, Morning Edition
...absolutely right. By the way, we haven't even mentioned the Democratic nominee, who's running against him, Jim Webb. And this has nothing to do with how Webb is campaigning, and he's...

Here's the web extra Q&A with the guy who gave the commentary yesterday (and this guy is really hitting home the meme "Allen is a Jewish African-American" to the NPR audience, and notice he's also using a frame of reference, swift-boating, that would anger Democrats:

Q: What does the latest flap involving Sen. George Allen (R-VA) do to his presidential aspirations? -- Alan Feld, Silver Spring, Md.

A: The gentlest way to put it is to say that Allen is no longer a serious contender for the nomination. And that's a shame, because he was on track of becoming the first Jewish African-American president in history. Seriously, I don't know what to make of all that's been happening to him. Does he have a history of using the "N" word? Or are we seeing the "Swift Boating" of George Allen? It's been a surreal month or so for him. And for everyone trying to figure out what's going on.

I really think this NPR commentary is designed to help Allen in the Northern Virginia Suburbs with middle of the road NPR listeners.

[Joe Bacon]

17. Did you look at FAIR's website?

NPR's ONE-SIDED "Liberal Media Debate"...

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1658

NPR slaps down "Left Wing Extremists" who oppose the war...

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2668

Wal Mart buys off Tavis Smiley on NPR...

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2770

NPR kisses Cheney's ass..

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1594

NPR says it's OK to kill Palestinians...

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1594

NPR's "fair and balanced" treatment of Palestinian deaths...

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1086

NPR shows contempt for a real liberal

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1509

Study by FAIR shows the right wing bias in NPR..

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2605

NPR joins the Kill Mumia thugs...

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1333

These are just a few examples of NPR's RIGHT-WING SLANTED BIAS!

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[1932]

21. Overidentify with NPR much?

It's OK that you and I listen to NPR. However, we should at least be honest about their reporting. And FAIR is NOT FreeRepublic.

[ShortnFiery]

22. They're in major Pledge Drive, but this time I'll *Wait Wait* until

the Republicans relinquish control of NPR, this ONCE great radio service. :-) :hi:

[Joe Bacon]

23. Not one nickel to the liars on NPR. Not one

I REFUSE to finance Republican Propaganda!

[Buzz Clik]

26. I'm a major donor. That won't change because of DU hysteria.

Give this some perspective -- only two months ago, the DU frothing-at-the-mouth crew was calling Keith Olbermann a turncoat and shill for the GOP because he wasn't hard enough on some issue or another. Now that he's cranking out his weekly in-your-face screed against BushCo, he's suddenly the pin up boy again.

This would be amusing if you people were teenagers. From adults, it's nauseating.

[ShortnFiery]

29. Well gee, if you think you can pigeon-hole everyone in DU, you're wrong

I'd bet there's at least a dozen people who share your warmth about the "good programming" on NPR. I'll admit that it does exist. However, when you jump the shark and generalize TO EVERYONE here at DU ... well, I just don't think you're happy here?

I can respect anyone countering an opinion here, but I will also flatly shut-down on them if they use a victim's mentality by knee-jerk stereotyping a huge message board. :thumbsdown:

BTW I'm also not that hot on KO, I judge his behavior, not his fan following. However, I don't think THE ENTIRE MESSAGE BOARD either hates or is "in love with him." That would be intellectually dishonest. ;)

[Buzz Clik]

35. My point is not that NPR does or does not do your bidding.

My point is simple: this thread is pure hysteria and immature whining.

Do I "love" NPR? No. Are they perfect? No. But they the very best source of radio news in this country, and not by a little. If you desire to watch or listen mindlessly to any newscast while the talking heads spoonfeed you your daily affirmations, then you are not looking for news at all. You want to hear only those news bits and opinions that support your preconceived notions. That kind of "news" is not news at all. That is what Fox provides to the knuckledragging morons from the other side of the aisle. Do you respect Fox for providing unadulterated bullshit for their mouthbreating clientele?

By the way, I also enjoyed your invitation for me to leave because I refuse to march in lockstep with your phenomenally immature "thinking". Why should I leave? Does my dissenting opinion shake your weak philosophical foundation? I'll stay, thank you, if for no other reason than to provide the hysterical, whining thumbsuckers among us some level of grounding in reality.

[1932]

44. I agree NPR is the best source of news among the national news networks

but that doesn't make them above criticism. And I think it's very important to hold them accountable when they're bad and when they're wrong.

By the way, a little free associating: Cokie Roberts. Mara Liason. Juan Williams. What comes to mind? Do you think, "they're above criticism because they appear constantly on NPR"?

[Buzz Clik]

45. Hold them accountable for their mistakes? Absolutely.

I never indicated they were perfect; I am disputing this stupid concept that they are a mouthpiece for the GOP.

I like your free association, and have two follow-ups:
1. Cokie Roberts: was more liberal until she was discovered by network tv. She now clumsily straddles the fence on all issues. She essentially stands for nothing.
2. Liasson. No opinion. She's pretty damned liberal, however. I was diasppointed to see her popping up on the tube as a token left-leaning pundit. Television screws up everything and everyone on it.
3. Juan Williams. Shallow, no vision. His opinions and reporting are amazingly disappointing.

You neatly brought up the names of three of my least favorites on NPR. (I truly hate Susan Stanberg; she makes my skin crawl). However, they're just personalities. They don't represent or epitomize the network. In sharp contrast:

1. Scott Simon. Year after year, the best show broadcast on any medium.
2. Dan Schorr. Decades of wisdom. A truly brilliant man.
3. Nina Totenberg. Unparalleled in her ability to interpret and summarize Supreme Court daily interactions. She is truly fascinating.
4. Wade Goodwin. His reporting from Texas, like Totenberg's, is amazing. He's captivating, interesting, and insightful.

These are the brightest stars. There are many, many more that are truly outstanding.

NPR continues to receive critical federal funding, particularly the local stations. They cannot be blatantly biased in their broadcasting or they would lose this money. Despite this, they spit in the eye of national seats of power every single day.

[1932]

47. OK, now that we've acknowledged that we can be critical

What do you think of that ATC piece? Did you notice that it anticipated by 4 days exactly Allen's defense of himself.

And, as I said above, I think this line of argument is founded on assumptions not established (specifically, that Allen's mother did not tell her kids she was Jewish and that the reason she didn't was to protect them), and, therefore is attrocious journalism. And given that it defies the logical rules of journalism, and given that it mirrors a republican campaign strategy, we should at least be willing to accept that the issues I raised in the OP are worthy of discussion.

No?

[Buzz Clik]

24. "Blame the media!" Who does that sound like, children?

Time to mature.

[Joe Bacon]

27. Someone hasn't looked at Media Matters indictment of NPR.

Mara Liasson lies for Nancy Johnson

http://mediamatters.org/items/200609200005

NPR broadcasts the Republican Spin on National Security

http://mediamatters.org/items/200609050009

Cokie the Whore lies for LIEberman

http://mediamatters.org/items/200608140005

NPR shows it's hatred of Gays being parents

http://mediamatters.org/items/200608030003

NPR's so-called "ombudsman" endlessly spits out Republican Talking Points

http://mediamatters.org/items/200605160008

NPR lies about Reid and Stabenow of taking money from Abramoff

http://mediamatters.org/items/200605050002

Bigot Juan Williams spits out his hatred of Hispanics marching against the Tancredoites

http://mediamatters.org/items/200603300016

Mara Liasson denounces Helen Thomas

http://mediamatters.org/items/200603230006

NPR lies about Kempthorne's antienviroment stances

http://mediamatters.org/items/200603210008

Oh, this time, you can actually see and/or listen to attached clips.

[annabanana]

28. bingo

And it used to be a nice place...

[Buzz Clik]

31. I listen daily -- extensively -- and can think for myself. How 'bout you?

:shrug:

So ... The NY Times is a conservative mouthpiece, ditto WashPost. And the alphabet soup networks. And Fox and all the Murdoch empire. And someone said the same of C-SPAN (I almost laughed till I peed on that declaration). And all of MSNBC except Olbermann lately.

And now NPR is doing the devil's work.

I'll be damned.

And you know who else is saying exactly the same thing about everyone but Fox? Freepers, Congress, the President, Cheney, Rove, blah blah blah. And they hate NPR worst of all.

Gee, that seems confusing. Somebody is totally full of shit. I'm guessing its everyone making these claims. Every one of you. No exceptions.

Read all lot. Listen objectively. Quit whining.

[Tesha]

39. Stopped clocks and all that...

> Somebody is totally full of shit.

Well, you're at least right about one thing.

Now go look at all the references you've been provided.

Tesha

[Buzz Clik]

42. Stopped clocks -- great debating point.

Even the most accurate of time pieces are not correct all the time. Shall we toss them all out? Or, shall we correct them and keep on ticking? I suppose you'd rather never consult your watch for fear it might be a second or two off. Or even a minute or two. Gasp!!!

I read the references, Tesha. It changes nothing. If you wish to despise NPR, no one can stop you.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

49. Actually, y'all are both correct.

A great deal of NPR decisions are made on a local station-by station decision. Some of this is based on local sponsorship or advertising.
What someone in DC sees may not be the same story as someone down here in NC or even up in Boston. There's a plethora of stories for editors to use- and with the larger affiliates/stations doing local programming, some of the national stuff can be disguarded in favor of local/state information...

:shrug:

And then again, those streaming it online probably hear a different (perhaps with more national focus) edition than those listening to any of the broadcast stations...

[1932]

50. I'm not sure that's the case with Morning Edition and All Things Considr'd

at least with my affiliate.

I talked to the station of my local affiliate about this. I suggested that they broadcast more local news and take the time out of some of the more insipid stories on ATC and ME. The station manager told me that their contract requires them to play the entire ATC and ME program. The only opportunities they have to broadcast local programming is in the gaps that NPR provides in their programming.