Memo to Tim Russert: Dick Cheney thinks he controls you. - WaPo

[TacticalPeek]

In Ex-Aide's Testimony, A Spin Through VP's PR

By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 26, 2007; Page A01

Memo to Tim Russert: Dick Cheney thinks he controls you.

This delicious morsel about the "Meet the Press" host and the vice president was part of the extensive dish Cathie Martin served up yesterday when the former Cheney communications director took the stand in the perjury trial of former Cheney chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Flashed on the courtroom computer screens were her notes from 2004 about how Cheney could respond to allegations that the Bush administration had played fast and loose with evidence of Iraq's nuclear ambitions. Option 1: "MTP-VP," she wrote, then listed the pros and cons of a vice presidential appearance on the Sunday show. Under "pro," she wrote: "control message."

"I suggested we put the vice president on 'Meet the Press,' which was a tactic we often used," Martin testified. "It's our best format."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012501951_pf.html


Correction: It's their best doormat.

[LibraLiz1973]

1. Ahhhhhh Haaaaaaa

Fuck u Tiny Tim!!

[smtpgirl]

2. I'd like to think of Tim as the Timster

his face looks like a hamster

[tularetom]

4. So does that ill fitting toupee on his head n/t

I'd love to see the look on his fuckin moon face when he realizes he's been gettin played all these years. He thought he was part of the in crowd but he turned out to be just a useful tool.

[Rageneau]

9. How can Timmy be surpised by something everyone always knew?

Nobody but a mainstream journalist has considered Russert was anything but a shill for wingnuts for years and years now. Not even Russert himself believes he is objective; he couldn't -- he had a Catholic education, and he knows how to read.

For a full decade now, not only has he purposely gone easy on the RNC, GOP and BFEE, he also purposely undermines the Democrats, especially the Clintons. BartCop's little Flash animation of Timmy saying "Clinton's cock! Clinton's cock!" over and over like a parrot is as accurate a press critique as has ever been seen.

Timmy won't be surprised that he's been used a shill -- he like that just fine. What might surprise him is that and OTHER reporter ever told the truth about him.

And even THAT took a federal court case, a subpoena, and a hostile witness to bring out.

[pamela]

11. I think he looks like Michael Devlin...

[burythehatchet]

3. TIMMAYYY

[kath]

5. Hey, it ain't for nothin' that Timmy won MWO's MediaWhoreOfTheYear poll at least once, if not

twice.
MediaWhore extraordinaire.


Man, I STILL miss the Horse...

[salin]

18. me, too... missing the Horse...

and rather chuckling at the thought of Russert reading the WaPo item - and his reaction. Not flattering - and these folks only like flattering.

[blm]

27. It's because Russert also influenced the conventional wisdom in DC re any news story.

THIS is what Dems were really up against for the last ten years.

[Lex]

6. NBC = GE = defense contractors = Bush/Cheney lovers

nt

[NNN0LHI]

7. Dick Cheney thinks he controls you. Thinks? Who is kidding who here? n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

8. K&R

[Tatiana]

10. First off, Kudos to Dana Milbank for putting what we already know in print.

"Washington Bureau Chief" indeed! Do they take us for fools? Why else would scooter call up RUSSERT of all people to complain about Tweety? Why not just call up Tweety instead? He obviously called Russert, not to register a telephone "consumer complaint" but because he knew Russert would do whatever the VP told him to.

It will be *very* interesting to see how Timmy responds to this...

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. Now we know why the M$M has been avoiding this story

because it is going to be a very embarrassing trial for the talking heads. All their dirty laundry is going to get hung out to air for the whole world to see.

[malaise]

15. It's going to be delicious

:popcorn: :popcorn: :rofl: :rofl:

[maine_raptor]

13. Nevermind how Timmy responds

I wonder what "Big Russ" will say.

[H2O Man]

16. I think that his response

will be his testimony in this case. I do think this scandal has exposed the unhealthy relationship between the politicians and journalists in Washington, to an extent that the average American can see what progressive democrats have known all along. And so I get a chuckle out of how yesterday's testimony showed how the OVP considered Russert a tool for their use in struggle against the Wilsons.

However, Russert's testimony will do severe damage to Libby. And it will show another very ugly side of the OVP.

[Tatiana]

30. Good point. Russert has made it pretty clear that he will tell the truth.

At least this time, he isn't going to carry water for Cheney & co.

It's unbelievable to me how much people are unaware of the loads of unethical relationships Fitzgerald is exposing with this one trial. It may seem like an inconsequential matter (as opposed to being charged with the actual "leaking"), but the testimony given is paying dividends.

How scary is it that there is a complete media blackout on this topic (because they are ALL involved, one way or another)?

[Hubert Flottz]

14. The cherry on top is in sight!

Strong ammo for those democrats in congress, who believe that the MSM needs to be made a little more "Fair and Balanced" for real!(REGULATED)

[leftchick]

17. wow! She Explains the Friday News Dump!

shocking to see it admitted like that. And Timmy should hang it up now and pass MTP off to someone credible. If there are any left.

<snip>

It is unclear whether the first week of the trial will help or hurt Libby or the administration. But the trial has already pulled back the curtain on the White House's PR techniques and confirmed some of the darkest suspicions of the reporters upon whom they are used. Relatively junior White House aides run roughshod over members of the president's Cabinet. Bush aides charged with speaking to the public and the media are kept out of the loop on some of the most important issues. And bad news is dumped before the weekend for the sole purpose of burying it.

With a candor that is frowned upon at the White House, Martin explained the use of late-Friday statements. "Fewer people pay attention to it late on Friday," she said. "Fewer people pay attention when it's reported on Saturday."

[bklyncowgirl]

19. "With a candor that is frowned upon at the White House"

Amazing what being under oath will do for one's honesty.

[notadmblnd]

20. and he's right

he does control little Timmy. Go ahead Timmy.... show us he doesn't own you too.

[carolinayellowdog]

21. Takes one to know one

If Milbank calls someone a whore, consider it an expert diagnosis.

[progressoid]

23. Milbank sounds jealous that Tim gets all the good "business"

wink wink

[susu369]

28. Now that's the truth

"If Milbank calls someone a whore, consider it an expert diagnosis."

[maxrandb]

22. What would "Big Russ" think about

his boy being "punked" by Cheney.

"Hey Tim! Where's all that courage, integrity, grit and honor you supposedly learned from 'Big Russ'".

I'd call Timmy a "two-bit whore", but I'm afraid he'd smack me with a sack of quarters.

[Jacobin]

24. Tokyo Rose has got nuthin' on Timmaay

[City Lights]

25. Bend over, Timmah.

The big dick's a-comin'.

:rofl:

edited for typo

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

26. So which Democratic rep will use quotes from this article on Timmeh?

You know how Timmeh loves to use snippets from newspaper articles and Op Ed pieces in his interviews...and the Post is one of his favorite sources.

I'd love to see a Dem guest on his show quote from this piece. MKJ

[tinfoilinfor2005]

29. Good point.

Fortunately for Timmy, they put very few Dem guests on MTP.

(and Lieberman doesn't count...)

[mtnester]

31. From your mouth to God's ear my friend

I would pay money to watch that one.