The Wash. Post and Fox's "leading Democratic political analysts"

[babylonsister]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201011150035

The Wash. Post and Fox's "leading Democratic political analysts"

November 15, 2010 5:05 pm ET by Matt Gertz


Let's get this out of the way: the reason Sunday's op-ed by Doug Schoen and Pat Caddell calling on President Obama not to seek another term is getting a lot of play is that The Washington Post helped them present themselves as mainstream Democrats selflessly acting for love of country. This portrayal is simply inaccurate.

I've already pointed out how the Post neglected to mention that Schoen has repeatedly served as the pollster for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a position he would likely continue to enjoy if Bloomberg were to run for president in 2012. Thus, the Post gave him space to try to push his potential client's opponent out of the race.

To their credit, the Post has now acknowledged that they should have disclosed Schoen's ties to Bloomberg. But that wasn't the only problem with how the Post characterized the pollsters.

The Post also didn't disclose that Caddell and Schoen both work for Fox News, which spent the last election cycle pulling hard for Republicans, up to and including providing millions of dollars in donations from its parent company to GOP-linked groups. Indeed, today Fox reported on the op-ed from "two leading Democratic political analysts," with Schoen appearing to discuss opposite Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell:

snip//

Schoen donated to one GOP congressional candidate this cycle, and headlined a fundraiser for a second. In February, Caddell was fired from the campaign of Colorado Democratic Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff after video emerged of Caddell at a conservative retreat saying that "{t}he whole idea of the environmental movement" is "to basically deconstruct capitalism."

We're shown how on issue after issue, it's difficult to find daylight between the commentary of Schoen and Caddell and that of Rush Limbaugh and other right-wing figures. Caddell has accused Obama of conducting a "Potemkin village presidency" and "Chicago gangsterism." Schoen has claimed that the "real question" raised by the White House's actions is "Is this a democracy?" And on, and on, and on.

more...

[CBHagman]

1. Thanks for posting that.

Sometimes I think The Post brings these guys out of storage on a regular schedule to pillory the Democrats, using their roles in earlier Democratic administrations as a way to cover what they're doing today.

[struggle4progress]

2. Watch the exciting National Policy Debate between Republicans and faux-News Democrats

Republican: I'll respect President Obama when he licks my boots

faux-News Democrat: I think it's enough for him simply to concede to your every demand

Republican: If he's going to be that partisan, he ought to be impeached!

faux-News Democrat: Nonsense! He simply shouldn't run for a second term

[glitch]

3. Classic shills playing the mighty wurlitzer. K & R

The work Mediamatters does is priceless.

[Nancy Waterman]

4. Saw this Sunday in our Washington Post

And went berserk!! Thank you for the clarification.

[bigdarryl]

5. Caddell is a dope Obama has already won a second term

http://american.edu/media/news/20100712_Lichtman_Predicts_Obama_Wins_Reelection_2012.cfm

[Turborama]

6. K&R Tanks for posting. It's well worth reading the whole piece & following the embedded links

And watch the embedded video that goes with it.

:kick: