Bozell: When Even Helen Thomas Denounces Obama Media Manipulation, You Know It's Out of Control


At yesterday’s White House briefing, CBS’s Chip Reid and Hearst Newspapers columnist Helen Thomas confronted Press Secretary Robert Gibbs over how "very tightly controlled" the media are by the Obama Administration. After the briefing, CNSNews.com reports that many members of the press corps went out of their way to thank Thomas for making her stand.

In a subsequent interview with CNSNews.com, Thomas again articulated her outrage at how the media are being controlled.

"Nixon didn’t try to do that. They couldn’t control (the media). They didn’t try. What the hell do they [the Obama Administration] think we are, puppets? They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them."

Thomas continued, "When you call the reporter the night before, you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you. I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences. It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame."

Media Research Center President Brent Bozell commented:

"Good for Helen Thomas and Chip Reid for standing up for journalistic principles and integrity. The fact that so many of their colleagues congratulated Helen for doing so shows that the press may finally have had it with being led around by the nose.

"To which I say – fantastic. But if the media are fed up with being manipulated, there’s an easy solution: stop allowing yourselves to be manipulated, and begin reporting with the skepticism these two exhibited and you all applauded.

"If every member of the media refused to stand for the White House tightly controlling them, the White House would have to stop doing it."

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Helen?

Not the Helen I knew!!!

If you take that phrase

What you say. That phrase really got me to think.

If you take that phrase -- "Not the Helen I knew!!!" -- put it in Obama's mouth, mean it in the biblical sense, and look at Gibb's response to Helen Thomas, then we can conclude the MSM's one night stand is over and they found out they were screwed.

Wham, O'bama, thank you mam.

I have this image of a dishelved Thomas throwing on her clothes and leaving the room while the One sits in bed smoking his cigarette and smiling as she leaves and yells at him. He got what he wanted. She bought his lies. She was a willing accomplish in her own downfall.  It is her disgrace, not his.

Yeah, that about sums it up.

We get dissapointed with leaders in the GOP who fail to live up to their marriage vows and we are called right wing zealots.

They get dissapointed with leaders in the DEMS who never keep their word, but get their way, and they claim they were "being managed."

Well, if you jump into bed with someone, you lie along with them.

legacy - great comparison!!!

Remaining mental images is an entirely different matter however ;-)

Let's hope this is just the beginning of the end of the mass love affair!  America will certainly benefit if so!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

They have no business being

They have no business being upset with Obama for assuming that they'd simply fall in line at his command. 

They are the ones who propped him up and got him elected.  They should just shut up and keep on being the Demonrat lapdogs they have always been. 

Their feigned outrage is falling on deaf ears with me.

Me too

Thomas' remark that "You are our public servants" doesn't seem to have rung any bells with people, but it sounds to me as if the "our" is supposed to refer to the press and not to the American people in general.

db - my Massachusetts 'public servants' sure act the same way

toward me...and I shower at least once a day, too, but their noses remain up up up up in the air toward the great unwashed knuckle-dragging masses! 

We Baystaters are prone to repeat our senator's famous statement "Do You Know Who I Am???"

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

I'm in shock

I'm in shock!  Shock I tell you!  When even the smiley face on the kool-aid pitcher turns dour, it could be a sign...please let it be a sign...that The One's halo might be slipping just a bit.

I really liked the part where Gibbs almost (not quite, but almost) seemed to want to blurt out "if he didn't have the questions in advance, how would the teleprompter know what to tell him to say?".

and now this update.  Anyone see a pattern developing? 

 “The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should berefilled.  Public debt should bereduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, andassistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work,instead of living on public assistance.” Cicero, 55 B.C.

why do i get the feeling

why do i get the feeling chip and helen are about to be audited by the IRS

gopsteve - and when do you think they'll get called on again???

Leave it to Helen, though. I don't think she'll sit idly by as she is passed over for another HuffPo blogger ;-) 

And let us all 'hope' that this is just the beginning of a gigantic msm awakening to the fact that they have been USED - just as a one-night stand - to satisfy the never-ending narcissism of 'the one'

Arise, all ye so-called journalists and follow Chip and Helen into the darkness in search of your credentials that you so willingly tossed aside in your unquenchable desire to elect this mystery person.  He is proving his lack of credentials more and more every day until soon the America that allowed YOU to prosper to the point of becoming a member of the elite White House Press Corps will be nothing more than a figment of your imagination. 

Just remember, in these days of equality for all regardless of character, integrity, education or effort, you just may be the next cast aside to allow further leveling of the playing field.

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!! It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

I certainly hope we can

I certainly hope we can expect that kind of turnaround, but I wouldn't count on it. The world hasn't really been known to turn around overnight like that.

LOL

You made me laff. Thanks.

She was an enabler

On one set of silly question, she let him get by with worse responses.  Obama has not had tough questions and not given accurate answers.  His behavior was shaped.  Now it is impossible to change.  He has been trained to get puff questions and to render shwmansip for answers. 

At her age, she should know a woman can't change her man.

7 - not to bust you

for your spelling or anything....I just really had to laugh at what I know was a typo...shwmansip.

That may be THE perfectly apt description of Obama's canned answers to canned questions....he doesn't even make sense when he knows the answers.

Thanks for the giggles.

 

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

Shake up in the MSM

Heads will roll as Czar One, Gives em, stink eye

Ok so Gibbs will NEVER call on them again. yawn.

Will this piss off any of the press that much, enough to start a surge of bias free reporting?

When exactly will the MSM do some of the hundreds of investigations, that are festering out there?

 

Reagan VS Liberalism

Call your cable or satellite

Call your cable or satellite company and demand that they remove CNN, MSNBC, and MTV from your entertainment package.  Stop subsidizing the liberal left.  

LOL! I'm sure they'll be

LOL! I'm sure they'll be happy to provide an entertanment package tailored to just your taste..good luck with that.

Senility can be a wonderful

Senility can be a wonderful thing.

"You should always tell the truth, because if you tell the truth you make it the other person's problem." Sean Connery

Idea

When this idea popped into my head, a lightbulb went on. One of those squiggly energy and planet saving bulbs, of course.

Why doesn't Obama name Helen Thomas to be his Press Czar?

Problem solved. The Administration should not have to deal with pesky questions and journalists looking for truth.

He could be like Jabba the Hutt and she could be that pet that sits by him in his lair and giggles. A reporter will ask Obama the Hutt a question. If he doesn't like it, Czar Thomas pulls a lever and the journalist falls into a pit where they get eaten by the Rancor monster. Czar Thomas giggling the whole way. Unless one of these journalists uses the force and defeats the Rancor and destroys Obama the Hutt's lair. Maybe Palin in one of those Princess Leia slave gear outfits can choke him while he's trying to ingest a frog.

Yeah, that's hot. Let's go with that image.

76U - WOW!!!!!! You tell 'em!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

"Palin in one of those Princess Leia slave gear outfits "

Uh, what were you saying? Oh yeah, droppin' "journalists" into the deep-deep-dark-dark-deep-dark-deep-dark-pit. Yeah, works for me, both ideas. ; )

Gary

I want my country back!

The MSM had no problem

with the Obama Administration manipulating and lying to the public but by God how dare they manipulate and lie to them, after all they are the ones that got him elected and continue to this day being his lapdogs. It makes a difference when that choker collar is around their necks now. I hope and pray this is just the beginning of the backlash and the MSM is slapped out of their kool aid induced stupor before it is too late. Everything, I mean everything is going to hell in a hand basket while the media is fawning and weeping over Micheal Jackson doing himself in by a drug overdose. Just another hollywood weirdo that couldn't control themselves and cause of death was blatant stupidity. The day before he was just a washed up has been entertainer but now he is an "icon". The Media had better figure out what is really important and start doing their jobs.

Note to Chris Matthews:   He does not need to worry, he isn't a journalist or a serious contributor so he can keep his man crush going for as long as MSNBC will keep him on the payroll.

doug - Sad to say, the mainstream media - AND Fox went

totally BONKERS with over the top coverage of the Michael Jackson death. 

24/7 MJ and NOTHING about the House of Representatives voting for the most disastrous bill in our history, (okay, along with all the other trillion dollar fiascos, I'll relent and say 'one of the most') and NOWHERE later (other than Glenn Beck & Rush) could you find any news coverage of the sham politicians who sold their souls to the company store while ignoring thousands of phone calls from their constituents.

How can we ever get television to stop being a digital version of the National Enquirer?  It would be so nice to see a little honest, serious reporting of the FACTS - does anyone remember the Huntley/Brinkley Report?

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

Too Little, Too Late!

So now the MSM finally starts to wake up from its Obama trance! Hard to feel sorry for them - they were the ones who worked overtime to ensure The One was elected in the first place.  You reap what you sow!

AMEN - northone - AMEN! A classic example!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

I caught this

I caught this yesterday...I'm still grinning, it really took me by surprise for a change.

Maybe it's change we can hope for...briefly.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

jessieH          

jessieH             If this kind of questioning keeps up, I may start watching it again.                             " give em enough rope & they'll hang themselves".  my father

Remember when Helen told

Remember when Helen told Bill Clinton that his administration was "going down the drain"? Rush use to play that clip. That would be fun to resurrect so we could hear that again...LOL!

 

msh... I must have missed

msh...

I must have missed that one.....wished I hadn't.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

I am positive Rush won't let this gem slip through his fingers!

I can't stop myself from watching it over and over again!  I love Chip's look as Helen followed up on his comments...methinks the fellow had had ENOUGH from Boy Giggles!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

Rush didn't miss it

Rush didn't miss it CC...

Giggles and all.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Cudos to Reid and Thomas

It might behoove the White House Press Corp to stop acting like a bunch of starry eyed high school kids, yucking it up every time Robert Gibbs offers them one of his quirky Southern retorts.  You're there to ask questions and get answers.  When White House goes out of it's way to circumvent your own protocols (bringing in questioners, bypassing accommodations for you to be present at events, etc.), it will not stop until you insist they stop.  The press made this bed, and they're now getting annoyed because they're being taken advantage of, not to mention, being made fools of.  What a shock!  Get some spine and start holding them accountable.  I once heard a panel of former WH Press Secretaries say what's most important for that job is the secretary maintaining his or her credibility w/the press.  Accepting that at face value,  someone needs to convey this to Mr. Gibbs because he has repeatedly tarnished his credibility with his flippant dismissive answers when the press corner him.  Someone should poll the White House press corp on Mr. Gibbs' credibility and publish the results.  Perhaps then he'll take White House Press corp's roll more seriously and dispense with the staging of question. 

Bourbeau - perhaps we might enjoy watching them as they

find out just how much fun it is to be USED & ABUSED!  The American public has been feeling that way for several months now!  Join the club, pressers!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

Im kind of leery about this

Everyone knows that Gollum is tricky.

She(?)must be up to no good.

Someone is fixin' to "go away"

Will it be Smeagol or Gollum?  Hmmmm...

Gary

I want my country back!

Unrotunatly even if the MSM

Unrotunatly even if the MSM "wakes up" and realizes they are nothing more than ponies being led around, it will not change the reporting style or change the "investigative" reporting. It has been abundantly clear that all of the "Ones" policies are their policies as well. They got him elected, they stil want what he wants, its their liberal and personal mindset getting in the way of actual reporting. Sure, there might be some hurt feelings, and maybe a tough question or two which will be brushed off. But ultimatly they are happy with the policies, there are a few minor questions of how he's going about implementing them.

WOW

I would never expect a member of the mainstream media to mention something like this. I'm doubly surprised by Helen Thomas mentioning it. Perhaps at least a few people in the press might eventually get around to doing their job.

Paychecks

It's personal now, thier viewership & revenues are down.

Hot stock tip

Koolaid stock is about to fall. Sell baby, sell.

it's too late

I'm shocked, the media was lied to.  My kids call this a "duh" moment.  Methinks it's too late to undo the damage he's already done.  Happy 4th. 

I'm just waiting for a

"Thank you, Mr. President"

Heh heh heh

Liberalism is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it.---  Mark Twain(paraphrased)

News by TMZ

I was watching Bernie Goldberg on Fox,  he made a joke that the public would be better informed if TMZ was handling the news.

I think it is a good idea, get some young journalists to hound these politicians demanding answers.

As for Helen, 

While I never agreed with the premise of her questions about the war....directed to Bush Admin.

I respect her for not being manipulated by Obama and his cronies. 

ye gods its about time

job before party? say it ain't so! 

___________________________________________ 
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984

The answer is yes Helen.

"What the hell do they [the Obama Administration] think we are, puppets?"  And useful idiots as well. You have a long way to go before you have me on your side. You have done so much damage as "journalists" that WE may never recover from the unchallenged changes YOU have allowed to be implemented by your puppet master.

 

"Live for yourself...there's no one else more worth living for.
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more"- Rush--Anthem

when i read this on heritage.org's morning report

i thought, "whoa!  i never expected her to turn on their messiah."  just wait until unemployment hits 15%.  and don't think it won't happen.  the effect of gm's bankruptcy haven't been hit yet.  when that ripple shakes through it's going to make the last quarter of this year very ugly.

 

swing hard in case you hit it.

...plus if Cap and Trade

...plus if Cap and Trade gets by the Senate....talk about big time trouble coming ahead....in more ways than one.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart