Communists

Venezuela Orders Food Providers to 'Divert' Output to Empty State Stores
By Tom Blumer | July 29, 2015 | 6:23 PM EDT

The news out of Venezuela has apparently become so grim that the arguably Chavista-sympathetic press barely bothers to report it in any kind of sutstantive fashion. Inflation has gone wild, the level of violent crime has become frightening, and the government has taken to jailing citizens who dare to tweet their dissatisfaction with the regime of Nicolas Makuro (note that the linked report was prepared by a freelance journalist and not one of the worldwide wires; where have they been while this has been going on?).

One telling Associated Press dispatch from Venezuela last week concerned what's left of the nation's food distribution system. The item revealed that the press refuses to get over its classist obsessions, even as an entire country falls apart. A video seen after the jump will show that the government's "solution" has no realistic chance of fixing the problem.

MSNBC Hypes 'Jubilant' Pro-Castro Activists Near New Cuban Embassy
By Matthew Balan | July 20, 2015 | 4:14 PM EDT

On Monday's Rundown, MSNBC's Luke Russert repeatedly touted the supporters of the communist Cuban regime who rallied outside near the newly-opened Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C.: "I would say, from talking to people, those who are in favor of this outnumber those who are opposed to it...probably, at least, five to one – just from my anectodal conversations." Russert also hyped that "this is something that is President Obama's...signature foreign policy achievements in his second term, and at least in terms of people who are here, it's getting rave reviews."

Pro-Hillary Begala Brags About Her Being Tagged 'Bolshevik' by Her Husband's Advisors
By Brad Wilmouth | July 2, 2015 | 6:59 PM EDT

As he appeared on Thursday's New Day, liberal CNN political commentator and Hillary Clinton supporter Paul Begala hinted that being called a "Bolshevik" communist is resume enhancement for a Democratic presidential primary as he recalled that, what he referred to as the "very moderate Clinton economic team" from the Bill Clinton administration, used to deride Hillary Clinton and her staff as "the Bolsheviks." Begala, who runs a superpac promoting Hillary Clinton's candidacy, made the comments to bolster her credentials against socialist Bernie Sanders as someone the left wing of his party should support.

CNN's Blitzer: U.S. and Cuba Resuming Diplomatic Ties is 'Almost Breathtaking'
By Matthew Balan | July 1, 2015 | 6:23 PM EDT

CNN's Wolf Blitzer trumpeted the resumption of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba on his Wednesday program. He asked colleague Andres Oppenheimer, "When you think about what's gone on...over these past 54 years, it's almost breathtaking to see what's happened over the past six months or so. Don't you agree?"

ABC Ignores Criticism of Obama Admin. Removing Cuba from Terror List
By Matthew Balan | May 29, 2015 | 8:56 PM EDT

On Friday's World News Tonight, ABC's David Muir avoided mentioning the critics as he reported on the Obama administration removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Instead, Muir spotlighted how "President Obama [told] us back in December his plans to restore diplomatic ties with the Cuban government," and that during a January 2015 visit to the island country, "the children of Cuba [told] us they want to visit America."

NBC Hails Cuba’s Removal from Terrorism List; ‘Another Remnant of the Cold War Fell Away’
By Curtis Houck | April 15, 2015 | 2:51 AM EDT

Hours after President Obama moved to strike Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, Tuesday’s NBC Nightly News cheered the decision by the President as “another historic step” and “another remnant of the Cold War” tumbling down. Interim anchor Lester Holt began with the announcement that “[w]e are witnessing tonight another historic step in thawing relations between the U.S. and Cuba” with “[t]he White House announcing that President Obama will remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.”

CNN, While Showing a 'Vintage' Car: 'See Cuba Before American Investors Ruin It'
By Tom Blumer | April 14, 2015 | 4:13 PM EDT

Journalists' and leftists' (but I repeat myself) misguided love for Cuba goes back decades. Y'know, free healthcare (cough), yada-yada.

Now that President Obama is unilaterally changing the relationship between the two nations, and as usual getting nothing in return, you'd think that they'd be happy. Heck no. It started several months ago when Fox News's Shepard Smith fretted about how a thaw in U.S.-Cuban relations might "ruin the place," and has been echoed in many quarters since then. Early today, CNN International went over the top, essentially communicating in one picture their concern that the changed situation will "ruin" what has already been ruined:

Chris Matthews: 'I Hate' the Castro Regime
By Mark Finkelstein | April 13, 2015 | 8:57 PM EDT

We conservatives have countless beefs with Chris Matthews.  But in contrast with the current crop of liberals inhabiting MSNBC, the American left at large—and the Oval Office—Chris is much more of an old-school Cold Warrior, and, dare I say it, a patriot.

And so it was that on this evening's Hardball, Matthews flatly declared "I hate" the Castro regime. How many other denizens of the left—from Rachel Maddow to Barack Obama—can you imagine saying the same? Matthews thus aligns himself more closely with Ronald "Evil Empire" Reagan than with Barack Obama, who just today was hailed by Tom Friedman for being able to see America from Iran's perspective.

Reuters Ignores Obama's Venezuela Executive Order About-Face in Covering His Meeting With Maduro
By Tom Blumer | April 12, 2015 | 11:33 AM EDT

A Reuters report published late Saturday evening ("Obama meets Venezuela's Maduro at time of high tensions") is astonishing for what it ignores.

The unbylined report from Panama City opens by referring to how "the United States recently placed sanctions on Venezuela." Indeed, President Barack Obama did just that in an executive order on March 9, stating that he was "declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela." But Reuters completely ignored the fact that Obama told the world this week that he didn't mean it.

CNN Spotlights U.S. Cop-Killing Suspect Harbored By Castro's Cuba
By Matthew Balan | April 9, 2015 | 5:47 PM EDT

Thursday's CNN Newsroom zeroed in on "one of the issues that needs to be resolved" between the U.S. and the communist regime in Cuba – namely, its providing a safe harbor for U.S. fugitive Charlie Hill. Correspondent Patrick Oppmann interviewed Hill, and noted that he is "accused of killing a police officer in New Mexico. He's accused of hijacking a plane 43 years ago to Cuba." Oppmann then asked whether he was a cop killer – which he denied – and whether he missed the U.S.

NBC Touts North Korea Apologist, 'Ardent Communist' Teen Athlete
By Matthew Balan | April 7, 2015 | 12:52 PM EDT

Alexey Eremenko spotlighted "teen weight-lifting wunderkind and ardent Communist" Maryana Naumova in a Tuesday item on NBCNews.com. Eremenko, NBC News's Moscow producer, played up how "sports is only part of Naumova's agenda. As a member of the youth arm of Russia's Communist Party...she tours schools and orphanages across Russia to promote weightlifting." However, the journalist never mentioned the brutality of Soviet-era communism.

Halperin: Dems Happy With Hillary Like Cubans With Their 'Choices'
By Mark Finkelstein | March 26, 2015 | 7:50 PM EDT

Mark Halperin just compared the way Hillary has been foisted on Dem voters to the empty "choices" that Cubans have when it comes to their leaders.

On this evening's With All Due Respect, when Dem strategist Steve McMahon claimed that Dems are happy with "the" choice they have in the person of Hillary,  Halperin retorted "like the way Cuban voters are happy with their choices."