Every media outlet has about three “People on the street” interviews about the U.S. financial crisis and none of the “people” interviewed really has a clue what it all means. And the media dutifully reports the public’s ignorance, not noticing for a second that it’s their job to help inform said public.
–WKW
African-Americans have the NAACP. White folks have MSNBC’s Chris Matthews.
During MSNBC’s post-presidential debate coverage, host Chris Matthews asserted that “we don’t know who won this debate ’til we know how, to put it bluntly, the white working class guy, the regular working stiff out there, responds.” He later asked Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson: “[D]id it surprise you that he [Obama] was so un-ethnic tonight? That he never once talked about the condition of African-Americans in this country, never once talked about poor people, never once mentioned poor people, never once talked about the underclass.”
Matthews has previously questioned whether Obama can “now win over the regular folks, white folks, against John McCain,” and has asked whether Obama can “connect with regular people” or if he appeals “only appeal[s] to people who come from the African-American community and from the people who have college or advanced degrees.”
Chris Matthews - he’s one of us. Provided “us” means rich white men.
–WKW
Fox News has a channel on Brazilian cable that broadcasts all of its programs. Brazilians get to see Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and the rest in all their untranslated shrill glory.
As you can imagine, however, ratings aren’t so great for Fox News in a nation where most speak only Portuguese. So they get absolutely no sponsors. At commercial breaks, Fox News normally shows teasers to their upcoming shows, as well as something they call “Fox News Extras.”
I really don’t know if they show Fox News Extras in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world, but here in Brazil, these extras are extremely liberal. These two-minute fillers discuss things like global warming, clean energy technologies, health care issues, the plight of Iraqi civilians and other Progressive concerns. Some of them are actually quite interesting.
What’s even better, is that Fox News celebrities introduce the taped segment. There’s nothing quite as amusing as seeing Sean Hannity introducing a segment on global warming. So, at least in Brazil, at commercial breaks, Fox News becomes Daily Kos.
–WKW
From one hour of Fox News’ Live Desk, here’s a breakdown of the major topics covered:
11 minutes: Discussion of Fox News Presidential polls
5 minutes: Bailout
5 minutes: Pennsylvania as an Election battleground state
3 minutes: Upcoming Bush speech on bailout
3 minutes: Catholic Church mad at Nancy Pelosi
2 minutes: Maryland bank robbery
2 minutes: Man hit and killed by train in Sylmar, Ca.
Oh, sorry, we’re not supposed to be talking about that.
–WKW
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a dangerous and stupid theocrat who looks like a fool whether he’s speaking at Columbia University or the United Nations. But he never said “I want to wipe Israel off the map.”
What he said was this: “بايد از صفحه روزگار محو شود”
From Juan Cole:
… I object to the characterization of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as having “threatened to wipe Israel off the map.” I object to this translation of what he said on two grounds. First, it gives the impression that he wants to play Hitler to Israel’s Poland, mobilizing an armored corps to move in and kill people.
But the actual quote, which comes from an old speech of Khomeini, does not imply military action, or killing anyone at all. The second reason is that it is just an inexact translation. The phrase is almost metaphysical. He quoted Khomeini that “the occupation regime over Jerusalem should vanish from the page of time.” It is in fact probably a reference to some phrase in a medieval Persian poem. It is not about tanks.
Ahmadinejad is obviously no friend to Israel, but he did not promise to obliterate Israel from the planet. Of course, in the West, it makes no difference what he really said, as the over-riding anti-Iran and anti-Arab sentiments have defined his statements as they see fit, rather than examine the fact that he speaks a completely different language and comes from a completely different culture.
Whatevere one’s opinions are of Ahmadinejad (who is not Iran’s leader, by the way), the simple fact is that his statement’s were purposely twisted. Hasn’t the West reacted radically enough to lies for Westerners to demand truth?
–WKW
“My friends, the mainstream media of the United States is broken. And I am ready to fix it. That is why I come to you now, asking for your support behind my campaign to become a well-paid media pundit.
Having been a professional writer and journalist for more than 40 years, I have the journalistic experience necessary to make the transition from humble blogger to mainstream media superstar. More than that, however, my life is an example of how I will reform the U.S. mainstream media.
As a child, I moved to Alaska, where I helped reform the Alaskan media as a respected journalist. Between stories, I personally reformed oil from the Exxon Valdez off of thousands of otters, liberating them to a life of frolic. And while many otters died in the clean-up effort, the end result was that the survivors grew stronger and gave Alaskans what they had always dreamed of - tougher otters.
My maverick determination was recognized nationally when I won the 1991 Itidarod. Having the utmost respect for canines, I also made history as the first man to win the Iditarod without actually using dogs. The reformation I brought to this race reverberates until today.
Despite the end of the Cold War, my days in Alaska were tense as I was forced to fend off Russian advances. The closeness of Russia and Alaska was something I took very seriously, and I am still proud of the fact that not one Alaskan was killed by Russian soldiers during my tenure as an Alaskan.
While I was in Alaska, every Alaskan received a yearly payment of more than $1,000. Being a reformer, I made sure that this payment was always made in a timely manner. Overall, my time in Alaska was a time where I fought the entrenched establishment and won. I also shot and killed several polar bears, thus saving ordinary Alaskans from imminent death.
I departed Alaska and moved to New York City. My time there was spent working to clean up the city, and I succeeded. Times Square improved radically during my two years as a New Yorker and I am proud to say that there were no terrorist attacks on New York, or on America during these 24 months. My reforming maverickism was far too intense for terrorists to even attempt to fight.
Now in Brazil, I have helped reform this country and have presided over the greatest economic growth this South American nation has ever seen. Brazil has also established itself as a global soccer powerhouse, mainly due to my punditry and reformishness.
I also have experience as a sports writer and America has thrived due to my independent spirit, with Michael Phelps winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics while I was an American citizen. Working on the side as a golf writer, my reform instincts helped the United States defeat Europe in the 2008 Ryder Cup.
My friends, it is high time I be selected as a high-paid media pundit. My record speaks for itself, and anyone who questions any one of my accomplishments is jealous and in the pocket of Bill Kristol. Any attacks on me are scurrilous and normally made by those who are just plain bastards. Select me as a high-paid media pundit, because I have proven myself when it matters most, and you can trust me when I tell you that. I will assume the position ready on Day One. I refuse to be questioned by Anti-Wolfrum types who would deny me. Give me the position I want based on what I have told you. It is all true, because I have told you it is.
My friends, I have lived my life as a tireless reformer. Anyone who says differently can choke and die.
I will accept no questions and I have retained counsel in this matter.”
–WKW
It was less than six weeks ago when a man walked into the Democrat Party Headquarters in Little Rock and murdered Arkansas Democratic Party chairman Bill Gwatney.
Since then, there have been two high-profile cases of men with guns have come frighteningly close to Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama. Or at least, they would be high-profile if anyone seemed to care that men with guns and other instruments of assassination were haunting one of the United States’ most prominent politicians.
During the Democratic national Convention, three men were arrested in Denver with methamphetamines, guns and bulletproof vests and had made racist threats against Barack Obama. Federal authorities immediately announced that they had no intention of killing the Senator from Illinois.
Today, a man drove up to the security perimeter around Obama’s Illinois home with a gun on the floor of his car and a bulletproof vest.
Try to find that story in the mainstream media today, even though it ran in the Chicago Sun-Times.
When President Bush was handed a daily briefing titled “Bin Laden determined to strike in the U.S.” he promptly ignored it. And while there’s no need to panic over these two instances involving Obama, ignoring danger rarely has good results. If people with guns haunt a U.S. Presidential candidate, the stories need to be told and not brushed away as nothing.
–WKW
In John McCain’s ongoing fight to completely destroy any semblance of a free and independent media in the United States, yesterday McCain advisor Karl Rove Steve Schmidt threw a bit of a tantrum in slandering the New York Times:
“Whatever the New York Times once was, it is today, not by any standard a journalistic organization. It is a pro-Obama advocacy organization that every day attacks the McCain Campaign, attacks Senator McCain, attacks Governor Palin, and excuses Senator Obama.”
Don’t expect McCain’s War Against the Facts Media to end any time soon. Here is a list of other liberal publications and pundits that have taken McCain to task in their efforts to get Barack Obama elected President:
We anxiously await McCain’s attacks on these jealous, lying liberal devils.
–WKW
WASHINGTON - Following a weekend of number crunching, the Federal Government and leading U.S. economists have found the main culprit for the current financial crisis affecting the United States - Tim Johnson of Tupelo, Mississippi.
“When the Community Reinvestment Act became law in 1977, it sat dormant for more than a quarter century,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. “After much research, however, we found that Tim Johnson received a home loan of $98,323 in 2003. Johnson received the loan despite not qualifying for it and ultimately defaulted. Bada-bing, badda-boom, here we are.”
Reached for comment at his shack outside Tupelo, Johnson apologized for destroying the U.S. financial system.
“That was me?” asked Johnson, who saw his marriage end in divorce in 2006 due to their immense financial problems. “Really, you know, I always thought real estate was the way to go and they offered us the loan. Seriously, sorry about that.”
Paulson, who will have complete and total control of $2 trillion to give away to anyone he sees fit for any reason with no review or oversight whatsoever, said Johnson will be on the hook for the full amount of the government bail out.
“In a free-market economy, accountability is vital,” said Paulson. “So as soon as Mr. Johnson has a permanent address, you can bet we’ll be sending him a bill.”
Noted economist Larry Kudlow agreed with Paulson that Johnson was to blame for destroying the U.S. free-market system, adding that all Democrats should share a portion of the blame.
“Congress’s liberal guilt consciences forced banks and lenders to make lousy substandard loans,” said Kudlow. “All you need to do is follow the paper trail and it leads directly to Johnson’s loan. After that, yadda yadda, financial meltdown.”
Johnson, who has been out of work since Ford Motor Company eliminated his job in 2006, said he would do whatever he could to pay back the estimated $1.8 trillion of taxpayer money that the Federal Government will soon dole out to U.S. and foreign financial corporations.
“I just feel awful about this,” said Johnson, who has no health insurance and suffers from an untreated herniated disk. “I’ll do what I can to make up for this. I’m the kind of man who does all he can to pay his debts.”
–WKW
For those of you making your way here from The Huffington Post or from a link to a post here that has left you wondering who the hell this William K. Wolfrum person is, I figured I’d set up a post here to showcase some of my greatest hits, as it were. Of course, they aren’t that great and really aren’t hits, but I’m all about branding.
So with thanks to Diane Tucker at The Huffington Post for her story on me today, and with appreciation for any and all who have made their way to my humble abode, here are a few posts that may give you a better idea of just who the hell I am:
I hope you enjoy your stay.
Bill
Vice-Presidential nominee and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was interviewed by Sean Hannity on Fox News in an interview that was fair to Republicans and balanced to Conservatives.
The main thing we learned is that. Sarah Palin is pro-big government, anti-corporate, and blames the subprime fallout on “Wall Street Corruption.” Basically, Sarah Palin is an extremely anti-choice Democrat. Palin is Joe Lieberman, except the exact opposite.
Other observations on the interview:
–WKW
The following column - which I endorse fully - was written by Teresa Combs of The Northern Light, the newspaper of the University of Alaska Anchorage*:
“Palin puts Alaska in the spotlight but not for the best”
A once largely ignored state is suddenly thrust onto the world stage. Out of the darkness, it has been unceremoniously cast into the spotlight, an unexpected and unsure candidate for such attention. People are trying to understand this strange, foreign entity. Cautious whispers arose from across the country.
“Isn’t that the place where people live in igloos?”
“I hear it’s total darkness for six months.”
“They pay you to live there!”
Then, shuddering from the earth, as if being forcibly ejected from the planet’s belly like last night’s bad Chinese take-out, an accented, nasally voice penetrated the calm, vomiting forth broken promises and cleverly disguised phrases of conservative propaganda. With a permanent “deer-in-the-headlights” stare peering over wire-rimmed glasses, and a modest hairstyle piled on high to let you know she’s about “Business” with a capital B, Gov. Sarah Palin has gracefully stomped and smirked her way into the nation’s heart.
And the Democrats go running! Panic-stricken, they flee, scattering like cockroaches in a kitchen when the light is turned on. This was an attack completely out of left field. No one could see this coming. What could six years of being the illustrious mayor of Wasilla, and not even two-years of governing over a state that has nearly a sixth of the population of the city of Los Angeles, truly prepare her for this? Certainly, this could not be a ruse by McCain to try to woo women voters.
Hillary supporters around the nation are suddenly succumbing to the sheepish mindset of accepting McCain because he was so understanding and took a woman under his wing. Not at all considering Palin’s views completely contradict that of a democrat. McCain’s plan has women falling to their knees in praise, raising their arms to the heavens and thanking God for such a gift!
Finally, a woman who endorses the religion-based “theory” of Creationism, who earmarks money for laughable projects, who values diversity if it’s only concerning conservative heterosexuals, and who would love to enforce her spiritual beliefs with complete ignorance of that handy phrase “separation of church and state,” but who cares! It’s a woman!
Read The Rest of This Insightful Column Here …
* Full Disclose: I was once the Sports Editor and then the Editor of The Northern Light (You can find some other of my Alaskan adventures here!). Thus, I have an obvious bias. But, that’s why you’re still reading this. You share my biases. We are one in bias. But I digress.
Teresa rocked it. Go Seawolves!
–WKW
WASHINGTON — In the latest escalation of the battle between Republican Presidential nominee John McCain and the mainstream media, John McCain’s campaign lobbyist Rick Davis has distributed a lengthy letter that he recently sent to all media outlets demanding they “cease and desist from using facts” against his candidate.
“The usage of facts in this election creates a natural bias toward John McCain. John McCain proudly served the United States and was a Prisoner of War for five-and-a-half years. He is a Maverick reformer. He is his own man. He has been married nearly 30 years. He is ready for the job on Day One. And he’s a Maverick. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is a hockey mom, a Maverick reformer, fought the Bridge to Nowhere and stood up to Republicans in government.
These are the issues that matter to Americans. These are the issues that count - character, personality, heroism. Trying to sully these issues with facts is not just dangerous to National Security, it’s un-American. This is what we mean by ‘Putting Country First,’ ” read the statement in part.
At least one media outlet responded quickly and forcefully to the charges. NBC immediately fired lead news anchor Brian Williams, replacing him with Meghan McCain. “We trust she understands how to separate family loyalties from true journalism,” said an NBC insider. NBC also announced that it’s nightly news program will now be aired only at 4 a.m. The 7 p.m. hour will now be occupied by reruns of older, popular NBC shows like “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” and “Fibber McGee and Molly.”
At MSNBC, “The Rachel Maddow Show” will continue, but the liberal Maddow will be balanced with new co-hosts, including Karl Rove, Bill Kristol, Charles Krauthammer and G. Gordon Liddy. John McCain and Sarah Palin will also be on the show, reading prepared messages, ala Andy Rooney on “60 Minutes.”
“The McCain campaign was assertive,” said an MSNBC spokesperson. “We have no choice but to respond.”
While CBS and CNN have yet to respond, Rupert Murdoch of Fox News Channel said he agreed with the McCain camp completely.
“This changes nothing for us,” said Murdoch. “Nothing at all.”
–WKW