Permanent link to MTA daily media news

Big diff (by Joseph Cannon at Cannonfire)

Voters’ Trust for McCain on Key Issues Growing (Rasmussen)
John McCain is now trusted more than Barack Obama on nine out of 14 electoral issues tracked by Rasmussen Reports. The latest national telephone surveys find that McCain has the biggest advantage on the war in Iraq, by a 51% to 39% margin. Perhaps the most interesting finding of these polls is that McCain has expanded his leads on nearly every issue he had previously had the advantage on, while Obama’s leads have diminished over the past two weeks.

America is losing faith in Obama (by garychapelhill at The Confluence)
While the daily tracking polls are showing a neck and neck race, other polls are showing a definite downward trend in Americans’ faith in Barack Obama to lead our country as President… The fact that McCain has a double digit lead over Obama on who would better handle the war in Iraq is staggering… But it gets even worse for Obama:… “The Republican also has pulled ahead on the issue of balancing the federal budget… “The economy is the top issue for the majority of voters this election season. Voters have consistently trusted the Democratic Party more on this issue, but the two presidential candidates are tied at 45% as to who voters trust more.” And that’s a downward trend.

Obama hasn’t closed the deal yet (by Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune)
Some of my Chicago friends who support Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) already are speaking as if his victory is a done deal. I hate to burst their bubbles, but a nagging question still haunts the Obama euphoria: Why isn’t he further ahead in the polls?… I think a big reason is McCain’s refusal to be cast as scary or outrageous… A second big reason that journalists love to cite is McCain’s advisers. He hired Steve Schmidt, a protege of Karl Rove. Schmidt threw Rove’s famous brand of hardball attacks at Obama’s perceived weak points and recast him as an empty-headed “celebrity.” His freshness is recast as inexperience. His seriousness is recast as hubris and arrogance.

Tension you can still cut with a knife (by Howard Fineman, Newsweek)
Does Barack Obama think he needs the Clintons’ help this fall? And do the Clintons really want to give it to him? The answer to both questions seems to be a resounding “no.” And this could very well be the reason why a slam-dunk Obama victory in November becomes a down-to-the wire race against John McCain. Obama says he wants to use his natural diplomatic skills to bring peace to the planet. But if he expects to be given a crack at it, he must first use those skills inside his own party.

Wounds That Won’t Heal (by Alegre)
We may or may not forgive much of what went down during the primaries, but I think I can speak for millions of Hillary’s 18 millions supporters when I say that Camp Obama stepped over a serious line when they tarred the Clintons as racists in the lead-up to the SC primary (and since).  Those attacks were simply unforgivable and may be a big reason (among many!) why many of us won’t get on that unity pony of Howie’s [Howard Dean]… [The] attacks on Bill Clinton and his legacy have left wounds that won’t heal any time soon folks, and BHO will pay a heavy price among Hillary’s supporters come the general election for his hateful campaign tactics.  And quite frankly, after the way they treated him I wouldn’t blame him a bit if he suddenly found himself too busy with his foundation’s mighty work to find time to lend a hand with his attackers in the general election.

Is Obama Fatigue Setting In? (Political Wire)
According to a new Pew Research poll, 48% of Americans say they have been “hearing too much” about Sen. Barack Obama lately.  “In contrast, if anything, Pew’s respondents said they want to hear more, not less about the Republican candidate. Just 26% in the poll said they had heard too much about McCain, while a larger number (38%) reported that they had heard too little about the putative Republican candidate.”

Here’s the cure for Obama fatigue: No Crisis Is Immune From Exploitation Under Bush (by Hillary Rodham Clinton, writing in the Wall Street Journal)
If we’re going to get serious about putting our nation’s fiscal house in order, let’s talk about putting an end to billions in no-bid contract awards to unaccountable contractors. Let’s talk about the number of lucrative contracts and bonuses being paid for duties never performed, promises never fulfilled, and contracts falsely described as complete. And let’s talk about reforming the federal contracting system so that we can take on the real waste, fraud and abuse in our federal government. I’ve proposed a comprehensive overhaul to root out corruption in no-bid contracts and other shady deals.
Click through to read the sane and sensible list of reforms.

I Think I Figured It Out (by Alegre)
People have been asking for months now why the DNC and Howard Dean have been doing everything humanly possible to keep Hillary out of the White House.  Well folks I think I’ve finally put my finger on the reason. For all their talk and bluster about how they want to change how things are done in DC, they’re really quite happy with the status quo.  They like the lack of accountability and oversight because – well let’s face it – even though they’re Democrats they want things to continue on just – the – way – they – are…

There are millions more out of work – people who are losing their homes as we speak because they ran out of money after getting that pink slip.  They could really use the money being wasted in DC… Our bridges and roads need fixing… Gas & heating oil cost too much and we desperately need to develop cheaper, cleaner, and renewable sources of energy… Schools need improving… Families are living in poverty… Rather than continue lining the pockets of the rich and well-connected, we should clean up DC’s act and use the money to lift people up.  Hillary gets that you guys.  And she wants to make things happen rather than pay lip service to what she knows we want to hear…  It’s time the superdelegates put a stop to this BS and backed the one Democrat who’ll make it to the White House, roll up her sleeves and make things happen.

From Ricki Lieberman, via email
This evening at a “thank you, Hillraisers” event, Senator Clinton told me how honored she is by the people who are working to have her name put into nomination and appreciative of those signing the petition. [Emphasis added.]  So, like the proverbial laser, I am focusing on getting Hillary’s name in nomination and nominated in Denver.  This means zooming in on the decision makers and the opinion makers with thoughtful, persuasive communications.  Please help in any way you can!…  Delegates: please write to hrc300delegates@yahoo.com to be sure to get the correct petition to sign.  This is important – remember Alice Palmer!!!

Sen. Hillary Clinton Seeks Democratic Convention Voice (ABC News)
Sen. Hillary Clinton told a gathering of supporters last week that she’s looking for a “strategy” for her delegates to have their voices heard and “respected” at the Democratic National Convention — and did not rule out the possibility of having her name placed into nomination at the convention alongside Sen. Barack Obama’s. “I happen to believe that we will come out stronger if people feel that their voices were heard and their views were respected. I think that is a very big part of how we actually come out unified,” Clinton, D-N.Y., said at a California fundraiser last Thursday, in a video clip captured by an attendee and posted on YouTube.

Clinton backers not giving up as convention looms (AFP )
Diehard Hillary Clinton backers stepped up a campaign Wednesday to get their heroine onto the nominating ballot alongside White House hopeful Barack Obama at this month’s Democratic convention.

Help Donna Brazile Keep Her Promise to Quit the DNC (video, by GeekLove)

Join Howard Dean’s Rally in Pittsburgh + Let Your Voice Be Heard at the Platform Meet (by NewHampster at Alegre’s Corner)
If you can find ANY way to get to Pittsburgh this weekend, YOU could make the difference at both the Denver convention and for ALL future Democratic primaries. This is a historic gathering in that it is a rare instance in which the platform committee has high-stakes matters to debate and vote on, and where there is significant division within the party as well as which rules should govern the democratic process. Imagine if we could change future primaries so that there are never again any caucuses – that alone makes going to Pittsburgh worth it! Imagine if we can ensure that Democratic candidates must endorse “universal health care,” that alone is worth it. Imagine if we can ensure that Democratic candidates must speak out for ALL human rights, including gender and sexual equality, that alone is worth it.
Click through for the details.

Judge upholds DNC protest zones (Denver Post)
A federal judge has ruled that the city and county of Denver and the U.S. Secret Service do not have to alter their security plans for the Pepsi Center portion of the Democratic National Convention. Advocacy groups and the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado filed a lawsuit against the government challenging security restrictions during the DNC and arguing that their free-speech rights were going to be infringed upon… The demonstrators wanted the public-protest area moved closer to the delegates coming in and out of the Pepsi Center, and they wanted parade routes to end closer to the venue.
You have the right to protest, but not the right to be heard by anyone.

Lifetime TV poll: Women say Clinton didn’t lose because of her gender (On Politics, USA Today)
A new poll of 500 women, conducted July 25-29 for Lifetime TV, finds that most reject the idea that Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic nomination over her gender. For all the to-do about sexism, Lifetime says, only 21% in the poll said Clinton lost “because she is a woman;” 34% said she lost “because of the kind of campaign she ran” and 31% said because of “who she is and what she stands for.”
Uh, sure.  Despite the fact that every day I learn of more and more women, Democrat, Republican, non-aligned, politically inclined and not, who are infuriated by the way Hillary Clinton was treated.  I don’t know how Lifetime managed to find so many women who are clueless as to what happened in this campaign.

Inventing Terror at Home (by Cynthia McKinney, Green Party candidate for president, writing at the Black Agenda Report)
U.S. so-called “intelligence” agencies have always been in search of enemies, real and imagined. They are abetted in this evil enterprise by corporate media organs that spread domestic hysteria, and by a Congress that seems eager to classify all dissent as “homegrown terrorism.” The author, a former congressperson and current presidential candidate on the Green Party ticket, dissects legislation that would classify as terroristic “the activities of many organizations of the civil rights era.” By such definitions, “Dr. King’s type of resistance to the U.S. version of apartheid could surely be considered homegrown terrorism.”

Corporate Media Makes Greens Invisible (by Glen Ford at the Black Agenda Report)
Democracy is impossible when corporate media act as “supreme arbiters of which ideas, parties and candidates are permitted to effectively compete in the public arena.” Big Media in the U.S. specialize, not so much in disseminating information, but in spreading ignorance by censoring realities they don’t like. The Washington Post refuses to cover the Statehood Green Party, despite the fact that they are the number two vote-getters – outpolling Republicans – in the nation’s capital. As Green Party national standard bearers Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente point out: “It is equivalent to rigging an election.” Democracy has nothing to do with it.

Just when you thought it was safe, Nader’s coming back (McClatchy)
WASHINGTON — Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader is quietly making headway in his third bid for president.

Obama and the Apotheosis of Co-optation: The Audacity of Despair (by Eamon Martin, Counterpunch)
[T]hat a candidate’s electability has been degraded and reduced to the extent to which they can generate and foster mere “hope” for the future is a testament to just how pathetic and demoralized our collective disenfranchisement is… Best illustrating the political debasement of this zeitgeist is MoveOn.org’s brand new, prize-winning Obama commercial… This short, insipid advertisement is based on the suspense of fleeting, non-sequitur, PSA-style testimonials from hip-looking thirty-somethings fessing up to what the viewer might expect to be an STD or erectile dysfunction. But in the end (big laughs, now)… the punchline is that it’s not drug addiction they’re talking about, but presto –it’s hope! Hope –that amorphous and pliant, feel-good, four letter word that needs no explication… Screw the facts! Have a big, mushy helping of hope on your plate instead. It goes down much easier than critical thinking. Hope trumps Thought…

Clearly embodying and best exemplifying the symptoms of this political illness –this hope– appropriately enough, is none other than MoveOn.org scion Eli Pariser who in a recent McClatchy article revealed his complete ignorance about Barack Obama, much less U.S. Foreign policy… [F]or my own dignity and for the millions o[f] people whose hearts will be broken when the “change they can believe in” never appears beyond the color of Obama’s flesh, let it be said that “hope” as a political commodity reached it’s apotheosis of co-optation… and what really transpired was the most audacious exploitation of despair.

The destruction of the Democratic Party is complete. (by John: south of Melrose at Liberal Rapture)
The Obama phenomenon is the result of a country in despair. He is not bringing hope – he has capitalized on a deep fear and anger at the loss of an idea we had about what this country was supposed to be. If Obama had a track record and ANY proven leadership skills beyond gaming the system, I might be able to get on board. He does not. If Obama had not said almost the exact opposite of what his campaign has lead people to believe he believes – I might be able to get on board. If Obama had not railed against lobbyists while taking boat loads of cash from the exact same GOP bundlers as Bush- I might get on board. But he has done nothing that speaks to any kind of internal integrity… “Hope” is a canard, a sedative, a bromide for the beaten down and the foolish. Our great leaders of the past never gave us “hope” alone. They gave us faith -in ourselves and in our country. Obama inspires no faith.

Obama Won’t Address Specific Black Concerns (by Glen Ford at the Black Agenda Report)
“Barack Obama has hard-wired himself to avoid” answering questions on redress of specifically Black grievances in the United States. To pull this off, he must deny the legitimacy of such grievances – which in turn requires him to constantly lie about the state of the nation, and to lay the blame for Black suffering on African Americans, themselves. The logic of race-neutrality cannot stand up to the facts of American life and history, but the Black misleadership class “has abdicated their responsibility to confront” Obama with hard questions. Last week, the Uhuru Movement tried to flush Obama out on his plans for the Black community. He did not cooperate.

Obama in Ohio: “I Fear No Man When I’ve Got Truth On My Side” (by Jake Tapper at Political Punch, ABC News)
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, faced a raucous crowd here in Berea, Ohio. It started with a young man on one of the press platforms who demanded that all 2,700 people in the room recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Obama, once he made out what the man was saying, complied and led the pledge, thanking the man afterwards, defusing what could have been an ugly scene… “Our politics has gotten so – ah – nasty – that’s the word I was looking for,” said Obama. “But not just nasty, also cynical and manipulative, right?… So I’m happy to have a battle of words because I’ve got facts on my side,” he concluded. “I’ve got truth on my side! I fear no man when I’ve got truth on my side!”
But Jake, doesn’t kow-towing to the heckler say that he does fear what they think?  And what good does it do him, when the right wing will turn it to their advantage, anyway.  See below.

FOXNews Flips Heckler Story, Says Obama SKIPPED Pledge Of Allegiance (by Logan Murphy at Crooks and Liars)
[H]ow does FOXNews frame the story? Obama SKIPPED the pledge of allegiance! He hates America, don’t you know. Since when is the pledge of allegiance required to be recited before all campaign events?
Click through to watch the video.

Obama’s new positions on offshore drilling worries some
Forget terrorism or Social Security. The 2008 election is increasingly turning on $4-per-gallon gas.

Texas Dems waiting for support from Obama (Houston Chronicle)
Weeks ago, Texas Democratic officials got an important commitment, or so they thought, from Barack Obama’s campaign. The Democratic presidential candidate would do more than milk money from Texas for his own race. He would use his rock star appeal to raise money for the Texas party with an event to be scheduled before Election Day. There still is time, of course, but the clock is ticking, and some Texas Democrats are worrying that Obama’s handlers may forget about the idea or permanently postpone it.   ”We have sensed a lack of enthusiasm (from the Obama camp),” said one Texas Democrat, who didn’t want to be identified, perhaps out of fear of being perceived as making negative comments about his party’s presumptive nominee… It seems, he added, that Obama has had too many scheduling “conflicts” to fit in the Texas party.

Obama versus the Press (by Larry Johnson at No Quarter)
Notice anything missing in the list of moderators chosen for the upcoming presidential debates? Each campaign had a veto. And they agreed on three debates and three moderators: Jim Lehrer of PBC, Tom Brokaw of NBC and Bob Schieffer of CBS. Who’s not here? You guessed correctly if you said: ABC. McCain has no motive to exclude ABC. What about Obama? What would his motive be?… [In the primary debate hosted by ABC, George] Stephanopolous asked Obama a question he never wanted raised. “STEPHANOPOULOS: A gentleman named William Ayers. He was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol, and other buildings. He’s never apologized for that… Can you explain [your relationship to him] for the voters and explain to Democrats why it won’t be a problem?”

Now we begin to see a pattern of Obama’s thin-skinned responses to media criticism. Obama will cut out any news group or reporter for being so impertinent as to raise factual questions about his past or current record. Anything less than cultish worship will be treat as an enemy attack. Obama’s enemies list will undoubtedly grow. For now it’s Lizza, Milbank and Stephanopoulos from The New Yorker, The Washington Post and ABC… Obama as JFK? With his enemies list, he’s more like Nixon.

Obama, The Paper Lion? (by Pat Racimora at No Quarter)

Bring on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and every other unfriendly world leader and Obama will sit down and chat with them directly. And, according to the Associated Press, “In May, when a McCain adviser proposed a series of pre-convention appearances at town hall meetings, Obama said, ‘I think that’s a great idea…Obviously, we would have to think through the logistics on that, but … if I have the opportunity to debate substantive issues before the voters with John McCain, that’s something that I am going to welcome.’” Alas, not unlike the Lion from the Wizard of Oz, Obama was just messin’ with us… I guess it would look too suspect for Obama to duck out of the three traditional post-convention debates, that is, if you can call asking canned questions (some of which are invariably stupid) with tightly timed answers and no opportunity for sustained interaction “debates.”

It’s Not Lost But…. (by eriposte at The Left Coaster)
[U]sing race as a weapon in the general election is more likely than not a strategy for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory (it’s not that I didn’t point this out during the primary). The issue is simple. The GOP has a history of using “dogwhistle politics” against Democrats and there’s no reason to think those tactics won’t be in play in this election – against Sen. Obama or other Democrats. However, by its very definition, a “dogwhistle” is only significant to those who are tuned to understanding the code behind it. What that means is when liberals try to generate an uproar over something that most people don’t consider racist, it invites predictable backlash… I can understand people genuinely calling out the GOP for legitimate issues pertaining to the latter’s exploitation of racial dogwhistles. What I cannot understand is a desire by some to see racial connotations in every little thing. This appalled me during the primary and I’m not going to sit around and be quiet about this now because doing so will only help McCain and the GOP and hurt Sen. Obama’s campaign…

P.S. Now for some comic relief. Keith Olbermann wrote a diary at Daily Kos (predictably on the Recommended list) establishing his moral high ground over Dana Milbank of the WaPo. Milbank is hardly known for his objective journalism and I could care less if he is on anyone’s show, but for Olbermann to write what he did after his non-stop lying and character assassination of Sen. Clinton during the primary is completely hilarious.

GIVING PEACE—AND OBAMA—A CHANCE: (by Bob Somerby at the Daily Howler)
We’d love to stop criticizing Bob Herbert, but he needs to get a grip on his imagination—instantly. Here’s what he said on Monday’s Morning Joe, discussing the Spears/Hilton ad: “…There is an image right there in that very beginning of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and there is an image of the Washington Monument. Look at the beginning of that ad again. And you tell me why those two phallic symbols are placed there—pow!—right at the very beginning of that ad…” Except that isn’t the Leaning Tower of Pisa—and that isn’t the Washington Monument. What you see is a structure at the Berlin location where Obama was giving his speech.
Sometimes a victory column is just a victory column.

Paris Hilton for President! (by madamab at The Confluence, cross-posted at Oooh, nuance!)
Okay, maybe not. But man, I wish Barack Obama could borrow her sense of humor – and her ad shop… If only Obama had the first f*cking clue about how to fight the Republicans, I might feel a little better about him… Anyone who thinks that the next president can achieve real change without bitter confrontation is living in a fantasy world. Confrontation is not the same as whining that McCain is being mean to you because you’re black. You need to take on the Republicans on the issues, and make them back down. Up the ante. No matter what they do, laugh it off and refocus the debate.

This is so simple, Paris Hilton can do it; but apparently, Barack Obama can’t… I sure hope the SuperDelegates have the courage to do their jobs, because it looks like, despite the best efforts of the DNC to prevent any choice at the Convention, Hillary WILL be in nomination and on the ballot. It’s simple, SuperDelegates – do you want to win in November, or do you want to lose? I’ll bet even Paris Hilton could answer that question correctly.

The Paris Hilton Campaign Commercial: Funny or Die Finally Has Another Hit (by Adam Ostrow at Mashable)
You know an online video has gone viral when your mom is asking if you’ve seen it. And that’s exactly what happened to me this morning as the first thing my mom said to me was “Have you seen the Paris Hilton campaign video responding John McCain?”  Remarkably though, my answer was “no.” The video went live on Funny or Die just [Tuesday] night, but has already been viewed more than 3 million times, making it the 6th most popular video of all-time on Will Ferrell’s much-hyped (and heavily funded) video startup. At this rate, Paris could challenge the video that first put the site on the map – The Landlord, which has been viewed more than 58 million times since being uploaded more than a year ago.

Fascinating Nuggets of Ad Information (by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
Whose videos do you think are the most popular this week at You Tube? McCain’s or Obama’s?
–> McCain’s video channel comes in 5th. Its 230 videos have been viewed by 1,155,207 people this week.
–> BarackObamadotcom’s video channel comes in 36th. Its 1,079
videos have been viewed by 364,351 people this week.

HOT: McCain’s New Ad Hammers Obama’s Creation of a Cult Personality (by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
While this blog does NOT endorse John McCain, we are — quite frankly — in awe of his latest strategies. We have written for months and months about our concerns that Obama’s campaign is entirely reliant on developing a “cult of personality,” which has nothing to do with governance and policy deliberations.
Click through to watch the ad.

A Coif You Can Believe In (by Jake Tapper at Political Punch, ABC News)
A new hairdo revealed itself at an Obama rally in Elkhart, Indiana, [Wednesday], sported by Dwayne Taylor, 33. Call it the Obama fade, call it a Coif You Can Believe In, call it an O-hawk.

Michelle Obama: Barack’s not an ‘elitist’ (On Politics, USA Today)
Those TV ads of Republican John McCain’s that say her husband is one of the world’s biggest celebrities and imply that he’s an elitist are all wrong, Michelle Obama tells ABC News.
Oh.  Well.  THAT settles it.

Gas station TV network refuses Obama ads (On Politics, USA Today)
It seemed like a brilliant idea from Democrat Barack Obama’s campaign: Show an energy ad across Florida on Gas Station TV, those TV monitors on gas pumps. But the network refused the ad, which accuses Republican John McCain of failing to help the nation develop alternatives to oil. The company issued a statement saying it does not run political ads. The Obama campaign distributed e-mails that suggest GSTV accepted the ad and then reneged, and charged that the company “will not run ads that are damaging to oil companies.” The ad, called “National Priority,” is on regular TV in battleground states. And the other part of the Obama plan to highlight his energy proposals — sending campaign workers to distribute them at gas stations in 24 states — is going on this week as planned.

Why Are Democrats Taking Money From Wal-Mart? (by Jonathan Tasini at the Black Agenda Report)
Hordes of congressional Democrats from the Left to the Right wings of the party accept contributions from Wal-Mart – the political equivalent of dealing with The Devil. “There may be no corporation in America that has attacked the rights of workers and undercut the living standards of Americans more than Wal-Mart.” Nearly half the Congressional Black Caucus takes money from a company that has “fired workers repeatedly for trying to organize.” The author advocates that Big Labor “write to every member of Congress declaring that any Democrat receiving or keeping Wal-Mart money can kiss any labor donations or labor support good-bye.”

McCain: We need an ‘Economic Surge.’ (Think Progress by Satyam)
[On Wednesday], Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — who last year famously admitted to not understanding economics — called for an “economic surge” in a speech in Ohio …: “What we need today is an Economic Surge to keep jobs here at home and create new ones. We need to reduce the tax burden on businesses that choose to make their home in the United States of America. We need to open new markets to U.S. products. And we need to reduce the cost of healthcare. And we need to end the out of control spending in Washington that is putting our debt on the backs of our children.”
Click through to watch the video.

McCain’s Rewards Program for Online Commenters
Spread John McCain’s official talking points around the Web — and you could win valuable prizes! That, in essence, is the McCain campaign’s pitch to supporters to join its new online effort, one that combines the features of “AstroTurf” campaigning with the sort of customer-loyalty programs offered by airlines, hotel chains, restaurants and the occasional daily newspaper.
All Obama gives you is a ticket to watch His Awesomeness speak.

How the Cablers Have Covered (or Not Covered) the Edwards Story
Since the John Edwards National Enquirer story broke more than a week ago, the cablers have largely ignored it. There are various theories as to why that’s the case. But as time goes on, producers are finding creative ways to work the story in. Fox News Channel has covered the story the most, although still only four times. CNN has not covered the story yet.

Tabloid’s claims threaten Edwards’ role at party’s convention (McClatchy)
RALEIGH, N.C. — Former Sen. John Edwards has a deadline to save his spot on the national stage.

Gingrich Threatens Government Shutdown (Political Wire)
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich “indicates his party is seriously considering another shutdown threat to force a vote on offshore oil drilling in September,” CNN reports. “The precise maneuvering of a shutdown threat is complicated, but it revolves around the fact that key government spending bills expire when the fiscal year ends September 30 and Congress must vote next month to keep the government operating.” Said Gingrich: “Are [Democrats] really prepared to close the government in order to stop drilling? Because I think the country will find that to be a suicidal strategy.”

Boehner At Home Golfing While House Colleagues Conduct Oil Drilling Protest On Capitol Hill (Think Progress)
Since last Friday, House Republicans have been engaged in a political stunt on Capitol Hill, staging fake sessions on gas prices while Congress adjourned for recess. Over the weekend, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) urged Members to return to the Capitol, “although they themselves didn’t show up“.

Conservatives Try To Take Credit For Drop In Gas Prices: ‘The Market Is Responding’ To Our Political Stunts (Think Progress)
House conservatives, engaging in a third day of political stunts on the floor of the House, are now claiming that gas prices across the nation have dropped in response to their theatrics calling for a vote on offshore oil drilling. “I think the market is responding to the fact that we are here talking,” said Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) in a GOP press conference today. Shadegg claimed that “gas prices have gone down” because of the “pressure” coming from pro-drilling conservatives:

John Dean Confirms Suskind’s Book Focuses On Impeachable Crimes (by Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars)
I don’t know that the revelations from Ron Suskind’s new book The Way of The World are truly bombshells, so much as confirmation of what we in the liberal blogosphere have always said: the Bush administration wanted to go to war in Iraq and were willing to do whatever they had to to sell it to the American people. But what is key to me is that there is very little left to which people like Nancy Pelosi can hold on to claim that there is no proof of criminal wrongdoing on the part of the White House.  John Dean–no stranger to impeachment proceedings–has been saying that this administration is worse than watergate for years.  On Tuesday’s Countdown, he confirms that Suskind’s findings absolutely signal impeachable offenses on the part of the administration and why it is critical that Congress find their spines and pursue it.

Alarums and excursions (by Avedon Carol at the Sideshow)
I had that world-turned-upside-down feeling when I saw that Musharraf has canceled his trip to China because he has to fight impeachment at home. The guy is a military dictator, for godssakes, and he can be threatened with impeachment while our own so-called democratically elected Congress acts all helpless in the face of our White House being occupied by the criminal government of BushCheney? Jeez.

White House Denies Author’s Accusations of Document Forgery (Washington Post)
The Bush administration joined former top CIA officials in denouncing a new book’s assertion that White House officials ordered the forgery of Iraqi documents to suggest a link between Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the lead hijacker in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The claim was made by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Suskind, whose book “The Way of the World” also contends that the White House obtained compelling evidence in early 2003 that Iraq possessed no significant stocks of nuclear or biological weapons but decided to invade the country anyway.
OF COURSE they deny it.

Burnett: NBC’s hiring of young Russert is a ratings gimmick
James Burnett says that Luke Russert was kissed by the Nepotism Fairy, paternal twin of the Affirmative Action Fairy. “I can’t be mad at Russert,” he writes, “but my big question is how many critics of favoritism and special treatment and fast-tracking at work will look at this hiring and finally acknowledge that it is not ‘mostly’ a minority thing or a female thing. It is a who’s best connected thing.” He adds that “this has ratings gimmick written all over it.”
OF COURSE it does.

Media Matters for America headlines

• Ignoring key facts, MSNBC’s Witt agreed with Freddoso that Obama’s opponents in 1996 race were disqualified on a “technicality”

• NBC, CNN repeat McCain’s criticism of Obama for 2005 energy bill vote, but neither report included Obama response

• CNN Headline News’ Glenn Beck on Obama: “[T]his guy really is a Marxist”

• NRO’s Kirsanow and Hanson falsely claimed Obama has not given his views on reparations

• Note to NPR: The only time Mississippi has ever gotten anything out of the federal government is … always

• Confronted by Brewer over falsehood, Corsi responds with two more

• LA Times missed its own reporting, didn’t note McCain’s absence from Congress

• Writing in WSJ, McGurn falsely claimed McCain “push[ed]” for Bush “to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld”

Press Rights: If Only the Truth Were Known… (by John Maxwell at the Black Agenda Report)
The author, with nearly 60 years of reporting under his belt, reflects on the state of journalistic freedom in his native Jamaica and elsewhere in the world. Mr. Maxwell is keen to distinguish between the “freedom” of the owners to publish what they wish, and the individual reporter’s obligation and right to tell the truth. “In the western world journalists can mostly say what they want, as long as they agree with the positions of their publishers.” The worst abusers of reporters’ rights are often their bosses, who “will defend their corporate right to speak, but not mine nor that of any other independent journalist.”

Online Newspaper Chief Flees Russia
The editor-in-chief of an independent online newspaper in the Caucasus region of Ingushetia has fled Russia and will seek political asylum in Europe.

Belarus: Despite Protests, Lukashenko Signs Restrictive Media Law
The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled to learn that President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a restrictive new media law, which, according to CPJ research, will allow authorities to further restrict press freedom in Belarus.

News Remains Vital — It’s the Business Model That’s Failed (by Winston Wood, Columbia Journalism Review)
If you’re interested in journalism, even now, give it a shot. It’s a great way to learn about the world, develop communication and analytical skills, and provide a public service. But over the long haul, there’s more stability and better money to be made panhandling.

Chris O’Brien: Five steps to foster innovation in newsrooms
The Mercury News business reporter on how to promote innovation: Make it a priority; create a process; foster new collaboration; offer incentives; then evaluate and learn.

Supporting reporting (by Jeff Jarvis)
I just pledged to support David Cohn’s effort to prove that the public will pay for reporting at Spot.us. Won’t you? It’s not the only solution to the future of journalism. But it’s one.

Journalist seeking paycheck? Try India
[W]hat’s an underemployed journalist to do? Some move on to academia or cross over to the dark side of public relations. But a few forward-thinking souls are heading to a land where journalism jobs not only aren’t disappearing, but are more plentiful by the day: India.

The New Media Religion: ‘Platform Agnostic‘
It’s probably inevitable that in these brutal times for news-gathering operations, a new lexicon would take hold to describe the baffling challenges of the industry. One phrase we’re hearing a lot lately is “platform agnostic.” What does it mean, though? There doesn’t seem to be much agreement on the Web.

Washington Times to outsource printing to Baltimore Sun
“There are many advantages of being printed by The Sun,” Times GM Dick Amberg tells employees. “Its big, modern presses allow us to print six sections instead of four, to print many more pages, to have more color, to print more quickly, to do more zoning, and to have better inserting.” Amberg’s memo doesn’t say how many jobs will be lost.

Mag Industry Sees Poor Circulation
The magazine industry is bracing for one of its worst beatings in years on the newsstand front as the Audit Bureau of Circulations prepares to release on Monday its full report on the first half of 2008. Consumers, faced with a dearth of celebrity scandals and a souring economy, have seemingly turned skittish on many of their favorite magazines.

Time Inc. to Produce In-House Films
Time Inc. Studios, together with management-production company the Collective and XYZ Films, will produce features and documentaries based on articles published in Time Inc. publications such as Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, and Life. The company has identified its first project, optioning the April 14 Sports Illustrated article “Breaking the Bank.”

DVD Burning-On-Demand Not So Much In Demand; Players Delay Plans (Paid Content)
Earlier today we wrote about DVD rental kiosks from Blockbuster and Redbox’s delayed IPO. Now, another variation on the theme, kiosks burning DVDs on demand, are not so in demand, it turns out. After the major studios OK’d the burn technologies last year, everyone expected large scale pilot and some roll outs this year, but it looks like those would now be delayed into 2009, reports VideoBusiness, in a detailed story.
Click through to read some details on the lack of interest in this technology.

CBS’ Entertainment Tonight Expands Content Deal With MSN; Seven Figure Guarantees (Paid Content)
CBS’ long-running magazine show Entertainment Tonight will be expanding its presence on Microsoft’s MSN portal next month. While ET has been providing some content to the Microsoft property already, the new arrangement has the show providing articles, videos and photos across the entire site, including MSN Television, MSN Music and MSN Movies. B&C reports that MSN will handle ad sales related to the ET features. Under the deal’s terms, CBS is promised a cash guarantee, plus a split of the ad revenue. The two sides say the partnership will produce more than $1 million in the first year.

WEtv Plans to Make Original Movies
Look out, Lifetime, WEtv is getting into the longform game. The Rainbow Media-owned women’s network plans to start making original movies, with an eye toward releasing the first title late next year. WE has hired veteran longform programming executive Laurette Hayden as a consultant to help liaise with the talent community. She was senior vp longform at USA Network and vp original movies at Lifetime.

Disney to Target Boys With Rebranded Cable Channel
Someday, Disney hopes its princes will come. The entertainment giant, which has made billions catering to the princess fantasies of young girls, plans to relaunch Toon Disney as Disney XD, a cable channel that will target boys. The move, under wraps for more than a year, is an attempt by the company to capture a market that has long eluded it.

Sony Bets on Rocketboom Distribution for Push Into New Media
Aiming to step up its new media game, Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired worldwide, exclusive distribution rights to Rocketboom, one of the oldest news-oriented video blogs. Not much will change at the show for now, but Sony hopes that acquiring a successful show can bring some sizzle to its web-based video entertainment network, Crackle.

Time Warner Earnings Drop on AOL Troubles
Time Warner suffered a 26 percent drop in second quarter income as its troubled AOL internet division continued to weigh on its performance. Time Warner said it had moved to separate AOL’s traditional dial-up internet access business from its online advertising platform during the quarter. That move is considered crucial for a sale of either or both businesses.

Google launches free music search in China
Google Inc. said Wednesday that it has launched a music search service in China that allows users to access music legally online in a forum backed by some record labels and supported by advertising revenue.

Google Goes Gaudy With YouTube Ads
YouTube clips embedded in blogs now can be covered with ads, creating a look that is far more clustered than the clean aesthetic that Google usually aspires to.

Looking at Amazon’s ‘Kindle’
TechCrunch has a source saying that the online retailer has sold 240,000 of the e-readers in their first eight months on sale, for a total of almost $100 million in revenue. It’s not difficult to imagine that, thanks to its aggressive Kindle marketing push, those 240,000 units represent a good portion of the total market for the device out there.