MSNBC Reports Defense Cuts, Guest Corrects Record
Here's MSNBC reporting "STEEP CUTS IN MILITARY SPENDING".
More specifically, they're reporting "DEFENSE SECY. GATES ANNOUNCES STEEP CUTS IN MILITARY SPENDING", when what Gates has announced is modest increase in military spending. In fact, as they reported this, their guest William Cohen, a Republican who served as Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton, was on the air trying to set the record straight--that the Gates proposal constitutes a four percent increase over last years budget. Watch:
I should say, I don't think this tendency stems from an intentional malice--it's more of an epiphenomenon rooted in years of being led to believe that the president is obligated to a). increase military spending, and b). do so in a way that preserves or expands all existing Pentagon programs, however wasteful. Anything else computes as a "spending cut".
Josh
Matt
Eric
Corrected screen graphic:
"WE ARE STUPID. THAT IS, WE LACK THE INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS OF ADDITION, SUBTRACTION AND RESULT. NEWS AT EVERY GODDAMN MINUTE, EVERY GODDAMN DAY"
April 8, 2009 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
"epiphenomenon"? I like that word.
I think you are being quite charitable in this instance. rooted in years of being led to believe
Who led the media to believe anything? Are they mindless zombies incapable of thinking differently from Republicans?
I think it's already too late at this point to stop the "OBAMA IS GOING TO CUT THE MILITARY!!!!"
But I understand most people seem to think everything's A-OK with the Obama Administration's handling of this change in spending priorities for the military.
April 8, 2009 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
And yet the MSM's "why does the public hate us so much?" navel gazing continues...
Seems a pretty simple answer -- stop kissing ass on the politicians you're covering, merely repeating what they say, and find the story they're not telling you. That post-Katrina honeymoon we all had with the media sure didn't last long, did it?
April 8, 2009 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
i guess i just don't get what the big deal is.
the defense department is cutting spending to programs.
yes, overall, the budget has increased, but that doesn't mean there aren't also cuts. like say, to the missile shield, the f22, future combat sytems...etc etc.
and should it surprise anyone that the corporate media is reporting on these cuts? isn't that their job?
and, isn't a good thing to cut spending to wasteful programs? and if it is, why is TPM so worried that those cuts are being reported?
April 8, 2009 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Setting aside the politics for a moment, the fact is the media is giving an impression that is misleading at best and outright false at worst. Whether that happens to be good for liberal Democrats or not is beside the point. The media shouldn't blindly report lies.
April 8, 2009 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just wonder if the GOP really thinks a majority of Americans think we shouldn't make defense cuts as we draw down the war in Iraq and are facing an economic crisis. I believe most Americans will welcome a cut in defense spending and certainly better oversight on how the money is spent. Heavy spending on defense is just not popular, and is one reason the Republicans lost the election. We would rather spend that money here on our country.
April 8, 2009 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
The MSM still relies on the GOP furnishing them talking points that they mindless repeat as news. They for the most part are lazy and idiot based in their approach to the public. I tune them out.
April 8, 2009 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Republicans are going to try to scare people with the message that the Obama administration is "cutting" military spending - then my reply to those republicans would be:
"So you think it was okay that Halliburton overcharged taxpayers with their No-Bid contracts?"
And then remind them that this Defense budget contains the highest increase for Veterans' care - than ever happened under bush.
"So when you idiot republican says "cuts" you mean that you are trying to mislead Veterans about the increased benefits for better care?"
April 8, 2009 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Much scarier to me is that he is NOT cutting defense spending and the public may be lead to believe that he is. He should get no credit for NOT cutting defense spending
April 8, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
This meme is a complete crock. Aren't people in the news SUPPOSED TO TELL THE TRUTH?
April 8, 2009 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not an epiphenomenom of anything. This was part of the plan. You need to go back to late Nov. and early Dec. and look at the stories reporting how the Bush administration was getting the Pentagon to put in requests for huge budget increases. The GOAL was to set it up so that any decrease from the requested amount would be spun as a cut. They were at it all along.
April 8, 2009 7:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Contessa Brewer along with Moron O’Donnell of MSNBC are two of the most unqualified and intellectually lazy newsreaders on TV. These two twits have no idea what it means to be a reporter or to dig for the facts. Instead these two dopes spew every false republican talking point and have a total disregard for journalistic integrity and the truth. Every question poised to a guest is framed from what some wing nut republican said. They are unwatchable
April 8, 2009 10:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do all the thinkers and people who can read at MSNBC work for Keith and Rachel
April 8, 2009 10:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
War profiteering.
MSNBC is 80% owned by General Electric.
Of course Olberman & Maddow are there too.
So I guess MSNBC is trying to be "Fair & Balanced"
April 9, 2009 5:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank god for Fox News? The other cable and network news stations can simply point to Fox and say, "We're not that bad." So with Fox being the standard, and the bar so low, executives everywhere can slide down to one notch above Hannity and OReilly and pretend they are "news."
April 9, 2009 8:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wait wait! Who wears these pants?
Oh! That's who wears the pants!
Oh well.It's not like we didn't know.
Everyone ready to go back to late 40's post wwii and research how the mic made agency changes to be sure the spending never decreased?
See who fits the pants now?
You know pants? Who really wears the pants?
btw: who owns the media?
duh
sorry, too easy
April 9, 2009 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're very generous, Brian. I think it's intentional malice, all the way.
April 9, 2009 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink