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Mainstream Media Discover Ron Paul
By Wolf Richter www.testosteronepit.com
The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The New York Times, and other mainstream media have engaged in an obvious and silly boycott of presidential candidate Ron Paul. Report after report about the Republican primary excluded him, though occasionally they’d mention his name—to be fair and balanced. For example, the media coverage on October 11 ahead of the GOP debate that evening looked like this:
- The Wall Street Journal’s front-page article, “Debates Take Candidates for a Bumpy Ride,” didn’t mention Ron Paul.
- The New York Times’ front-page article, “Five Things to Watch for in the G.O.P. Debate,” mentioned Ron Paul's name at the bottom, in a parenthetical remark that acknowledged his presence.
- NPR's four-and-a-half minute report covered Sarah Palin's and Chris Christie's exit from the race; Herman Cain's from-the-outside strategy; Mitt Romney's 25% ceiling and his “Mormon problem”; and Rick Perry’s lousy performance during debates. But no mention of Ron Paul.
Ron Paul simply didn’t exist. Maybe the mainstream media were trying to relegate him to oblivion because his anti-Fed and anti-war viewpoints were inconvenient. But even people who weren’t supporters of Ron Paul were outraged: a democracy that wants to be vibrant needs adequate news coverage of major political players. And their outrage lit up the blogosphere, social media, and other outlets.
But a new era has dawned: The New York Times has discovered Ron Paul. Or were the editors afraid that, by sticking to their boycott, they’d have to make do with this headline: "Romney finishes second in Iowa Caucus, Perry Third, and Gingrich Fourth." Which would have been a riot.
Instead: “Paul Moves into Lead in Iowa Forecast,” was today’s headline in the NYT. The article discussed the dynamics in Iowa, where Ron Paul is now expected to beat Romney and demolish Perry and Gingrich. And then the author mused that "...all bets would be off if Mr. Paul won New Hampshire too."
I was stunned to read this in the NYT. And there was one article after another that at least mentioned Ron Paul in some significant way. So I did some counting:
- December 19: 5 articles (as of noon)
- December 18: 6 articles
- December 17: 4 articles
- December 16: 11 articles
OK, a couple of them were by Paul Krugman who was firing off ineffectual broadsides at Ron Paul. But others were outright positive.
For example, an article today on Gingrich's tax plan paid a compliment to Ron Paul—the Tax Foundation had given Gingrich’s plan a C+ and Ron Paul’s plan a B (Huntsman scored highest with a B+).
But he hasn’t won the mainstream media battle just yet. Yesterday’s article, “G.O.P. Contests Near, and the Pace Picks Up,” discussed the major Republican candidates:
- Newt Gingrich—3 paragraphs, 168 words (which ironically included "Mr. Gingrich is leading in polls in Iowa").
- Mitt Romney—3 paragraphs, 181 words.
- Ron Paul—1 paragraph, 73 words.
- Rick Perry—2 paragraphs, 127 words.
- Michele Bachman—2 paragraphs, 133 words.
- Jon Huntsman—1 paragraph, 94 words.
- Rick Santorum—1 paragraph, 41 words.
Of all the contenders, the leader in Iowa, Ron Paul, was given the second smallest piece of verbal real estate. Nevertheless, and unlike before, he was there bright and visible.
But it gets better for Ron Paul: "Paul’s Ground Game,’ in Place Since ’08, Gives Him an Edge” admired the depth, longevity, and effectiveness of his campaign organization in Iowa. And even potential issues came across as oblique praise:
His consistent positions over the years also set him apart from other candidates bedeviled by charges of flip-flopping. But they could also undermine him, as his debate performance Thursday highlighted a rigid antiwar stance out of sync with many Republicans.
After reading it, one wonders if the reporter wasn’t secretly rooting for Ron Paul. And it isn’t just The New York Times. NPR and others have followed. This kind of mainstream media coverage is a huge win for Ron Paul—and for democracy in America.
For the whole debacle of the mainstream media boycott, read.... Where the Heck is Ron Paul?
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i don't think obummer is an islamic, i think you watch too much tv...try reading....and what sealed records? he's another wall st puppet...wake up you douche bag.
This one isn't nice! I wish I could punch this mofo: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/blame_america_first_republican_5mqj6XU1tO0WLPPvWiHedM?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=
No punching. that would be using force. Besides when you punch a piece of crap, you get your hands dirty.
"Or were the editors afraid that, by sticking to their boycott, they’d have to make do with this headline: "Romney finishes second in Iowa Caucus, Perry Third, and Gingrich Fourth.""
LOL. Exactly. The avoidance of he-who-shall-not-be-named has been so glaringly obvious that this little bit of recent coverage is more CYA than actual journalistic integrity. NPR has mentioned him a few times in the last few days, but compared to the time given to 'Grinch, it's mind boggling, and shows at last how low mainstream journalism in this country has sunk. Anymore, they are sycophants, not journalists. They are there to guide the masses towards the outcomes pre-decided by the moneyed powers, but I will say it's very interesting to see their messages and techniques failing. That is encouraging.
We will see how this plays out (and soon with the Iowa primary coming up), but I do find it a bit odd hearing so many ZH'ers boostering Paul. Even if he gets the nomination, and even if he beats Obama, he's just one guy. The fed gov is a massive entrenched organization stuffed to the gills with career bureaucrats and other species of parasites that I have for years now considered the government unreformable. And how would you keep him from being assassinated? These are the big-boys and they don't have any compunction about killing a president. Or two.
I'm not bashing here, just mildly poking with a stick. I'd love to hear some (rational?) reasons why folks think Paul is different and how one person can change this system?
The POTUS:
A great deal of damage can and has been done in the above-mentioned areas. It's not the whole enchilada, but it's a start!
+1
I agree and this is the course I have chosen. I am still trying to work out the particulars and have struggled with my own personal failures towards that end, but this approach seems much more logical (and feasible) than waiting for the White Knight to show up. Being the change you want to see in the world is heavy lifting and the very definition of personal responsibility.
Oh yeah, You're absolutely correct. Paul's victory is his death sentence.
But when you got a stick stuck in a soft spot of the propaganda system, you just gotta twist it a little.
No, victory has nothing to do with it. It is whether or not attempts are made to dismantle the Fed or in any way interfere with banking (legalized theft). I can tell you've never been bullied and had your lunch money stolen. Some people believe might makes right. They don't care about ideas. They use force. Got it?
Perhaps you should re-read my post.
My apologies Misean. I think we're on the same page, but it's sad that we agree that anyone who might conceivably change things for the better from the top would be assassinated. This seems to lead to the only possible course of action: to change things from the bottom up.
Yeah. Implosion is probably the only hope. Although TPTB occassionally are too clever by half. Just ask Papen and Hindenberg (and NO, I AM NOT making any further implications with that analogy).
Did you mean that seriously? I took it as satire!
Deadly serious. (Yes, that's a pun there.) But I do agree with you.
HAI GUYZ I'M LOOKING FOR TEH RP LOVEFEST AM I IN THE RITE PLACE?!!
Nope. This is the HP LOVECRAFT room. The room you want is down the hall on the right. It's behind the door with the tenacles squirming through the cracks.
they have squids in the Boom Boom room?
ewwwwwwWWWWWWWW!
Well...
Fox says that if RP wins, the election doesn't count: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/12/15/chris-wallace-iowa-wont-count-if-ron-paul-wins/
Then masked men threaten to hack the Iowa elections: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IOWA_CAUCUSES_HACKING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-12-19-18-28-32
If RP wins, they will deny it.
Blowback, baby! The MSM pretended RP didn't exist. No matter your political leanings, this should piss off every true American. Anyone paying attention should be wondering just what TPTB are so intent on hiding from the minds of the People. My hope has been all along that the attempts to quash RP would be backfire.
The MSM is bought and paid for by the giant money-sucking leech that is the military industrial complex: "Let's launch a PR offensive that'll make the gullible masses terrified of those evil brown people so that we can keep stealing trillions from the taxpayers to maintain the offense defense budget."
Iran is a military threat to the U.S.? Possibly to Israel, yes. You gotta be cognitively challenged (P.F.S.) to not see that it is really about the oil and maintaining the Sugar Daddy funding to the M.I. complex.
Time for a xanax and shot of tequila.
It looks like ignoring Paul might in the end be a huge tactical blunder by the MSM. Perhaps they thought it inconceivable that Americans traditional penchant for rooting for the underdog would manifest itself in supporting Paul if for no other reason than him (justifiably) receiving a spotlight more inline with his trending popularity.
inconceivable...
Someone's gotta do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2y8Sx4B2Sk
"his debate performance Thursday highlighted a rigid antiwar stance "
As opposed to what a "flexible " antiwar stance?
Anyway I am voting for RP in 2012 even if he is not on the ballot. I too have this "rigidity " thing. It's called principles.
A.K.A - A backbone. It's a prominent feature in all vertibrates.
You need a flexible loophole for wars that can be sold under the rubric of humanitarianism, wherein said USeless Storm Troopers slaughter anti-humanitarian humans to save the village and hand the loser's mineral rights to good humaitarians like George Soros.
the MSM has been trying to cram that "humanitarian war" bullshit down my throat since Vietnam. Well I am here to say that BS does not taste like Orange Sherbert to me no matter what the MSM says.
Agent Orange Shebert....just sayin...
Get used the idea of "President Romney". You are going to love him!!
With the new Enabling Act just passed by the Reichstag, ol' Mittey can just shred the people making FOIA requests.
Oh, is Mittens going to run for the presidency of Israel?
Gotta love those "patriotic", wardrum-beating dual passport holders!
Dr. Paul will never be allowed to live paseed the oath of offal...
Unless his VP is even MORE terrifying to TPTB...
Jesse Ventura perhaps?
What if he fullfill his promise and take Dennis Kucinich? They'll be both dead in no time ....
Jesse Ventura would be AWESOME. heads will be smacked together in the halls of CONgress, and there will much splattering.
Wouldn't Gary Johnson be a good choice? Young, sharp and basically the same point of view.
Or Ralph Nader!
if called, i will serve.
MSM=CIA...........got it?
NYT....what a joke - they despise RP and will do all they can to sink him. The best he can hope for is for them to ignore him.
Do not look to the MSM for support, but hopefully one day we will overthrow the MSM and there will be an intelligent discussion about our future. Until then it is all a charade.
He is a Constitutionalist.
His voting record proves he does what he say's.
He refused to vote for the new Defense Bill, which has been signed into law BTW. Now were all Al CIAda, especially OWS protesters.
And Ron Paul can't win, Mitt Romney will be their noninee because he will lose against Obama, that's why they want him, he is their Golden Boy to throw the election. The Federalist hate Ron Paul.
I wish he could win, but he stands to correct as much as he can and TPTB will not have a turd placed in their punch bowl
Sorry Ron, I hope you do win though.
Ron Paul 2012.
C'mon Wolf, don't be getting my hopes up.
It's disturbing and funny how the one constant knock against him is that he's "anti-war". On the planet I'm from...we view that as a good thing. Obviously, here it's not so good. You people are strange.
Concur but from I can deduce it is one of America's last vestiges of prestige. Sort of like - "Yeah, okay, we may be in decline economically and DC a pathetic joke. We may be ignorant, overweight and easily distracted by the mundane and trivial. BUT WE CAN STILL KICK YOUR ASS!!! USA! USA! USA!"
That's the angle the MSM is shooting IMO. "NEWSFLASH: RON PAUL WANTS TO TAKE AWAY ONE OF THE REASONS YOU ARE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN".
That and the whole Military Keynesianism thing.
What planet are you on?
I'm on planet Arizona. I can't speak for the others, but in my house we're anti-war. Four Dr. Paul voters.
Could you imagine how far ahead he'd be now if the MSM gave him a fair shake instead of trying to mock and minimize him when they aren't ignoring him? It's too late for them. He going to win the nomination. And it won't even be a contest when he goes against Obama. MSM better start sucking up now or lose complete credibility.
I gots news for you. the MSM has already lost complete credibility. Sometime about a year ago, Alternative Media surpassed MSM. More people get their news from AM then from MSM. At this point the biggest thing that MSM could do to hurt RP would be to come out in support of him. The people that rely on MSM are still asleep and most of them don't vote anyway. Those who are poltically aware, laugh at the MSM.
10% of the population determine what 90% believe. And now, with full confirmation of what a lot of us have been saying for years, more and more people seem to be listening.
Absolutely ten percent drive the rest of the herd. All the like-minded must band together and make the rest understand; we're talking survival of our country. Too many good people have died giving us what's about to be taken away in terms of liberty, and riches which already been taken away and can never be recovered. People must understand that once taken, it will take a fight to regain our liberties. We'll probably never again see the wealth.
As a Liberal you are an Atheist as it is impossible to be a Liberal in the USA at this moment in time and be anything but,(an Atheist).
What we have lost has been lost to people sucked into Liberal thought patterns, voting for the eating of the crops of the industrious, for free.
Monopolisation is of course, an equal evil to the Liberal path.
BALANCE is the path we all desire, i believe, and such can only be acheived by CORRUPTION REDUCTION not bureaucracy.
Lose the paper pushers, lets go human?
Less paper work, more buyer beware hot dog stands with no limits, think about it?
I build a hot dog stand,roll it up to the highway, people buy if they are good or don't come back if they are bad,no licence,no fire department,no health department, if no one complains, money moves, people thrive, a few people die from eating shit burgers, but that is the price of utter liberty, far less expensive than Keynesian war think
.
As I've written previously, RP doesn't lose supporters, only gains them so his numbers have to grow. The fact that he is now number one in Iowa means that he's essentially locked it up. Since keeping him out of the mainstream media hasn't worked, the next thing they are going to try is to parade him around and attempt to make him look like a fringe lunatic. That's not going to work either. It will expand his support.
I really think what RP should do is keep quoting the Constitution and the Founders, especially Washington's Farewell Address in support of his foreign policy. That is the only way to shut up and shut down "conservatives" complaints that he is a lilly-livered pascifist!
When neocons respond with, "Well, well...b-b-b-b-ut, we live in a different world now....," that's when you call them on the carpet by saying, "So...you want to pick and choose which parts of the Constitution we follow? And you are smarter than the Founders?"
I think THAT approach could really be effective!
MSM interview with Ron Paul:
Mr Paul, why do you support anti-semitism?
Mr Paul, a majority of your supporters are child molesters. Does this bother you?
Mr Paul, as someone who supports Al Qaeda, do you also support the killing of our service men and women?
Mr Paul, why are you a racist?
Mr Paul, why do you hate America?