Why are Fox viewers so unaffected by revelations that Fox News personalities didn’t believe the “fraudulent election” story they were pushing, and privately loathed Donald Trump while singing his praises?
The morning after Tucker Carlson aired video of some non-violent moments in the January 6th insurrection, a reader emailed me to criticize me for saying “insurrection.” It was peaceful, he insisted. Tucker Carlson’s video proved that.
He asked why a guard shot Ashley Babbit, “a diminutive woman.” Maybe because she was coming through an opening at the head of a mob (some armed) that was invading the Capitol, threatening lawmakers, and attacking Capitol Police?
No matter that hundreds have pled guilty, many blaming Donald Trump. No matter the abundance of violent acts caught on video, or the tearful testimony of police officers.
I asked why election-deniers had struck out in sixty-plus legal cases, some before Trump-appointed judges, if there was so much evidence of fraud. He responded that the Supreme Court had gotten things badly wrong in Dred Scott, Plessy v Ferguson, and Roe v Wade. You can’t trust judges, I guess.
Does he realize he’s quoting the insurrection minimization rhetoric of a man who privately wrote that Trump not only was responsible for January 6th but was “a demonic force, a destroyer?” Carlson supported election denial while privately urging Trump to disavow “crazy” election lawyer Sydney Powell.
The Fox revelations remind me of the six months co-hosting a show on a local commercial radio station. Keith Whelpley and I discussed events and took calls. We were followed by Rush Limbaugh and preceded by local attorney Kelly O’Connell. Callers harangued us for our progressive views, though many expressed appreciation for our willingness to engage. Shows were exhausting.
The station provided a “How-to” guide to doing talk radio. The key? Make the audience afraid of someone or something, then convince them that only you can protect them. That so perfectly described Limbaugh’s conduct that I was amazed to see it in writing.
Many find Fox’s hypocrisy startling.
So why are many folks (like my correspondent) not startled? If my private emails mocked what I publicly pronounced as important truths, you’d sure question my credibility. You likely read critically a variety of sources.
Fox viewers watch Fox. A friend says Fox isn’t really mentioning all this. One Fox guy, somewhat of a journalist, apparently alluded to the scandal but said he couldn’t talk about it. So it didn’t happen. Besides, whatever folks like me are reading obviously comes from fake sources like the New York Times, PBS, court cases, hearings, and the like.
Marjorie Taylor Greene wants the House Oversight Committee to visit accused insurrectionists. There are 2,200,000 prisoners in the U.S. Inhumane prison conditions were not of interest to her (because so many prisoners are Black?) until we jailed white folks charged with trying to support a presidential coup. We must treat them right!
You could say Greene’s an outlier; but who released January 6th footage to Fox, though not to actual news media? Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House, a position once held by powerful figures with strong characters, such as Henry Clay, Thomas Reed, Joseph Cannon, Sam Rayburn, and Nancy Pelosi.
Trump’s dwindling power won’t relieve conservatives from making a choice on whether stuff like decency, truth, and democracy matter. That guy in Florida censoring every voice he dislikes doesn’t stand for those values.
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[The above column appeared Sunday, 12 March 2023, in the Las Cruces Sun-News and on the newspaper's website and on KRWG's website. A related radio commentary will air during the week on KRWG (90.7 FM) and on KTAL (101.5 FM / http://www.lccommunityradio.org/) and be available on both stations’ websites.]
What the GOP can't admit is that the party stopped all charades of 'conservative principles' and started following 'cult of personality' worship, even though the cult leader is a failed loser in jeopardy of civil and criminal litigation as an ex-president. Fox News is/was decidedly in collusion with Loser tRump with its admissions that its pundits were broadcasting bullshit, but spinning the lies as the lesser of evils in the face of an existential crisis of shedding viewers, and by extension, the advertisers who pay to keep the bullshit on the air.
ReplyDeleteI never thought I would see America follow the path of fascism and autocracy after learning about Hitler and WW II some 50 years ago in K-12 schools. But here we are ruminating the propagandized editing of Jan. 6 by Fox News/Tucker Carlson as an obvious ploy to revise history in favor of tRump and his insurrectionists; many of whom already pled guilty and/or are serving time for their participation in a traitorous rebellion seeking to 'Hang Mike Pence'.
Funny how the liberals regularly leverage the word “Democracy” while juxtaposing it with, ‘BE QUIET for all those who oppose my views.’ Censorship anyone? To the contrary, why are Democrats so “unaffected” by such revelations by Mainstream media that prove absolutely FALSE: 1)Russia, Russia, Russia…Trump is a secret agent of RUSSIA, 2) Hunter Biden’s laptop is nothing more than Russia disinformation, 3) “Based on our rigorous studies, if you take the [Covid] vaccine, you can’t get the virus and you can spread it to others.” 4) Only tin-hat-wearing freaks believe Covid come from a lab-DEBUNKED.
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts: Barack Obama earned 69,498,516 votes in the presidential election, the most ever. But wait! Joe Biden, far surpassed that with more than 81,284,000 votes. ~ Rather surprising, considering Biden ran his campaign from his basement and could barely string a coherent sentence together.
Lots wondered, how did that occur? A genuine head scratching question. Considering Biden’s extensive history of racist remarks, credible sexual complaints (no shortage of creepy neck and hair sniffing). Least not forget, his daughter documented in her diary as to dad taking showers with her. As she stated, “probably inappropriate.” Ya think? But where is the Media -- Nothing but crickets. Not to say agencies weren’t listening, the FBI was all over it! So much so, they conducted a raid to find the diary. Hells-Bells, sure wish I could employ the FBI to find my lost stuff at my request.
January 6th: Inciting a riot is wrong. Anyone who participated in this incitement should be held responsible. Wait, who is Ray Epp’s? Strange….this guy somehow received a free pass; still others, sitting in confinement without due process. Perhaps until this question is resolved, the “Official” narrative carries little credibility.
Democrats do have a gift for selective outrage.
“Hypocrisy” you say? Recipients of mainstream media are no strangers to a barrage of hypocrisy. CNN’s Don Lemon claimed (prior to Jan. 6th) the violent, weeks long, police riots were justified as it sits on the platform of social justice. Joined by Chris Cuomo, “Please, show me where it says protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful.” Democrat politicians chanting, “No justice, No peace.” All of them reasoning, --- their causes of violence are righteous no matter the destruction to people, place, or property.
Jail time? No, no…. that’s racist! Hollywood, BLM, (and our very own Vice President) established high level fund-raising efforts to provide get-out-of-jail cards for the “Social Warriors” they were. Some of which (conveniently not mentioned on CNN) let out, only to harm others.
Least let us not forget Obama’s very good friend- Eric Holder who coined the famous phrase, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Yes, indeed Liberal’s wrote the book on exploiting any crisis to their advantage. Their popular bible mantra…. “Guns kill people.” The same as spoons cause obesity.
“Racism” you say?......Who said, “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or [the devil incarnate] then you ain’t black.” Obey!
“Dwindling power” you say?.... Then why the outrage in this article? Why desperate democrat machine push for massive censorship to silence, and ridicule opposing views all in the name of disseminating mis/disinformation that threaten their very sensitive feelings.
To answer the question posed, the alternative Mainstream News machine is x10 more dishonest alternative. Truth, decency, and democracy be told, democrats may want to embark inward on a quest for humility, with strong dose self-awareness before crying foul and throwing temper tantrums with their selective and narrow-sided arguments as related to questionable events.
Consider self-editing in future posts for the benefit of argument, but I'll take a shot responding to each paragraph:
Delete1.) Posting as a Liberal, I think Democrats welcome bipartisan debate. In fact, after tRump's failed Jan. 6 insurrection, President-elect Joe Biden said "We need a Republican Party that is principled and strong." We agree to disagree on policy, but our country absolutely needs its elected representatives to deliberate public policy, negotiate compromise where practical and/or dismiss legislatives bills that fail to garner support.
Trump/Russia doesn't appear to be true so far. Hunter Biden's Laptop is still under investigation. The COVID-18 vaccine is one of very few accomplishments that tRump gets credit for even though his administration failed at managing the disease which killed more than 1 million Americans, destroyed the economy causing massive unemployment and to this day damaged the manufacturing/distribution supply chain effecting goods and services.
2.) Invoking President Obama is pure deflection unworthy of a response. President Joe Biden beat Loser tRump by 7 million votes in 2020; most Red State Republicans admit that tRump lost because millions of Republicans voted for nobody that year, they voted 'down ballot' candidates but not Loser tRump. Your opinion of Biden is wrong, but you're entitled to bias based on ignorance.
3.) No response warranted to your opinion.
4.)Your invocation of Ray Epps advances a conspiracy theory without substance. Here's Snopes' take on that: https://www.snopes.com/articles/389126/who-is-ray-epps/
5.) You appear to claim CNN's coverage of Jan. 6, 2021 is hypocritical, but it is Fox News being sued for $1.6 billion for lying about its coverage and false reporting of tRump stolen election claims; see also THE BIG LIE, including Tucker Carlson confessing his hatred of tRump. Now THAT'S hypocrisy.
Okay, I give up. I'm tired of responding to your silliness. But I will fight to the end for your right to promote fascism because you have a right to your ridiculous opinion/BS.
Bottom Line: tRump lost, he's a loser. He was fired by American voters and is now facing threatening civil and criminal litigation. tRump and MAGA are dead, they're collective stench still offends American politics.
Good luck with your failed logic and confirmation bias.
Bless your heart "rightwentwrong", while you don't seem to know it, you validated my message perfectly. As a true democrat would, you initiate an argument with minutia. Then concede how hard it is to argue facts (you do try, I'll give you that). It always entertaining to offer up an argument only for democrats to refer you to their 'fact-checkers." Guaranteed, you had no idea who Ray Epps was before. Glad I could be of assistance.
ReplyDeleteIn typically Dem style, claim one thing -then do/say the other: "Democrats welcome bipartisan debate." (Really?) While in same the breath [reverts to 3rd grade name calling] "you're entitled to bias based on ignorance - No response warranted to your opinion- I'm tired of responding to your silliness [hmm....did not ask you to respond] - promote fascism because you have a right to your ridiculous opinion/BS. - Good luck with your failed logic and confirmation bias." :) Ever get the feeling that when you can't win an argument, and instead revert to words like "Poo-Poo on you" .....You've already lost the argument, because you never had one.
Good night, God bless, don't let enlightenment give you a headache.
ReplyDelete