The Senate confirmation hearings for the nomination of Robert Gates to be the next Secretary of Defense were not carried live on any broadcast or cable news networks. Neither C-SPAN 1 or 2 carried it live either, although they have an excuse (by charter, as we understand it, they must carry live coverage from the House and Senate floor when in session.)
It’s a good thing we’re not at war, that we have a broad national consensus about the direction of the nation and its military, and that the matter of who will lead the Pentagon as the next Sec. of Defense isn’t all that important to the country at this time.
Otherwise, we might have suggested the cable news outlets’ decision to carry live coverage of a press conference on a missing man in Oregon (he’s still missing), the auction of Princess Diana’s death car (she’s still dead), and Gwyneth Paltrow’s comments about America (she didn’t say them), was somewhat less than responsible or in the best interests of the nation they like to suggest they are serving.
Just one of the benefits of being at peace around the globe. Thank you, media.
(P.S. We were able to listen to the hearings live on the radio via NPR. Gates says we’re not winning the War in Iraq, blah, blah, blah, who cares…)
UPDATE: Who needs cable? David Swanson of AfterDowningStreet.org decides to be the media, he’s live blogging the event from within the hearing room.
I don’t buy it for CSPAN1/2. Will they not cover other congressional hearings then? Instead they’ll show clerks shuffling around empty chambers? What’s that charter again, maybe they need to regroup…
Hi Brad, I have an exclusive story on my blog, it’s about the US Army advertising on porn sites, if your interested in reading it, Part 1 is now up and Part 2 will be up tomorrow. I apologize if this is not the appropriate place.
What was on CNN then here in Canada at around 9:30 am when I switched on the TV..?
I remember seeing John Warner speaking…..saw Gates speaking, plus some others….think one of them was Ted Kennedy…..but I wasn’t paying too much attention to what was going on as I had visitors coming and going for most of the morning.
I was sure it was the hearings. It reminded me of the Q & A sessions that I saw when Alito was nominated for a seat in the Supreme Court.
I thought Levin said on MTP on Sunday that he was going to ask Gates about involvement with Iran-Contra & Nicaragua. Ortega (the guy who’s military Gates wanted to destroy) was just reelected in Nicaragua… weren’t any of the senators interested in Gates’s opinions on that?
Mar – I’ve received a note from someone else who said they saw the hearings earlier on CNN. I watched all three cable news channels (plus both C-SPANs) for the last hour and a half or so of the morning session. While each of them tuned in from time to time to allow their reporters to speak over the actual hearings, none of the carried the hearings as is.
Perhaps they carried more at the beginning of the session (which I didn’t see), but they definitely moved away to cover “more important” issues for the American people as the “thrills” of the first part of morning session no longer piqued their interest, I suppose.
Very good, Brad. That’s exactly right! Cover the missing Oregon man, and not the hearings for the sec of defense during wartime! Exactly!
Where is the story in indy media, of who is doing this? I want names! It’s on purpose! Keep us stupid, CMSM.
You know what pointed this out? The movie “Bowling for Columbine” by Michael Moore.
2 more stories not as important as the missing Oregon man (to the CMSM):
1. Oaxaca uprising and fistfight in the Mexican congress during the inaguration of Calderon…the revolution going on in Mexico because of a stolen election.
2. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese protesting in the streets for the U.S. backed leader of Lebanon to resign.
Hey! Look over here! One missing man in Oregon!
That’s why I watch Democracy NOW! on DISH linktv & fstv.
Hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez
Tuesday, December 5th, 2006: Listen/Watch entire show.
Click here to buy today’s show at our online store.
Headlines for December 5, 2006 (listen to the headlines, they start the show for the first 10 minutes everyday)
http://www.democracynow.org/art.../12/05/1452213
– Bolton Resigns As UN Ambassador
– Robert Gates Confirmation Hearings Begin
– U.S. Death Toll in Iraq Tops 2,900
– Annan: Iraq Situation is Worse Than Civil War
– Bush Meets With Iraqi Cleric Tied To Death Squads
– Supreme Court to Rule on School Integration Cases
– Police Arrest APPO Leader Flavio Sosa
– Oaxacan Judge Releases Two Tied to Brad Will’s Death
– State Dept Rejects Diplomatic Talks With Cuba
– Morales: Chavez Victory Strengthens Democracy in Area
——————————————————————————–
Bolton Resigns As UN Ambassador Ending Controversial 16-Month Term
http://www.democracynow.org/art.../12/05/1452222
Robert Gates’ Former CIA Branch Chief and a CIA Analyst Who Testified Against Him on the Politicization of Intel During Iran-Contra
http://www.democracynow.org/art.../12/05/1452228
Top Cuban Official Ricardo Alarcon on Castro’s Condition and Cuba’s Future
http://www.democracynow.org/art.../12/05/1452233
Fidel Up Close: Filmmaker Jon Alpert on His Many Encounters With Castro Over the Past 30 Years
http://www.democracynow.org/art.../12/05/1452238
No commercials, nothing about missing Oregon man.
Maybe Sensenbrenner chased C-Span out of the room, like when the Democrats had those hearings on detainees.
What is it with the Democrats sailing this guy through like it is a great choice just because he said the war wasn’t going well, before saying it wasn’t too bad! This is very disturbing.
If they put him in, I say impeachment should go back on the table (if it ever really was taken off.) These son of a bitches have to realize their party is over and the American people aren’t gonna stop until the WHOLE CESSPOOL IS EXPOSED, DRAINED AND IN JAIL! Anything less is just the same shit different day, and I for one do not intend to leave my child America as the BIGGEST FUCKING TERRORIST GOVERNMENT ON THE PLANET! Every mind in this country isn’t bought, sold, brainwashed, or drug numbed yet! Can’t Congress take the clue of how far denial, secrecy, and grand delusion have taken the “WORST PRESIDENT EVER!” Try doing your jobs with real morality, not lip service!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OT,..
Excellent Rolling Stone article, “The Great Wealth Transfer” by Paul Krugman about the growing disparity of incomes and political power found in American society since the onset of the gwb administration. We are rapidly becoming a third world economy where 75% of stocks, bonds, dividends, assets, resources, real estate, and funds held in savings accounts are controlled by the very very rich.
Link to article – disparity of wealth in America – by gwbu$$h.
Thanks OLDTURK. Excellent article I’m printing it out for my Republican brainwashed father! After he read the last (I think it was a RollingStone article on what some of the retired generals had to say about Iraq, although he didn’t know it came from Rolling Stone) he actually admitted he never agreed with Bush about the war!!!!!!! Maybe this one will show him the bullshit economy he’s leaving his children and grandchildren, and probably all future generations if these bastards aren’t STOPPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh yeah, sorry Rolling Stone it was the only way to get him to read it!
Krugman is the greatest truth teller. That’s why he is never on television anymore.
I can’t believe that “greed is good” line from the movie “Wallstreet” was taken from an actual speech. I liked that movie a lot.
Krugman says:
“You might say that the Bush administration favors people who live off their wealth over people who have a job.”
That’s right! Where do you think blog trolls and Limbaugh callers and come from. Pathetic traitors, sitting on their asses, protecting their daddy’s stock inheritance. Sure beats workin’, (not really, but when you’re certifiably pathetic, you might think lying for a living is neato).
In the not too distant past, people like Krugman, who made contrasts between rich and poor were screamed out of the room by people yelling “CLASS WARFARE”! That is rarely heard now, due to the fact the nobody wants to call attention to it.
Democrats and Republicans don’t want to call any attention to voting machine fraud either. Why is that? Hmmm!
A long time ago, when Hannity was pimping his book on the war against liberals, at his book tour/war rallies, I bought a book and after he signed it, I told him he could stick it you-know-where. The next day, he was on the air, telling what happened and saying that the station manager, Rod Arkett (spelling?), had “seen the whole thing”.
Not too long ago, I was making one of my regular calls to the local station that plays Hannity, asking them why they broadcast this lier, (you have to call the “news” line to talk to a real person). It must have been a slow day, because when I got transfered to his answering machine, Rod actually answered.
I’m not sure why he talked to me for so long because I was pretty worked up about something Hannity had said. I asked him why they put this fascist on the air. He said that whenever they do a poll, 90% of the calls are in support of him. I said that those were people who were rich on stock that have time to sit home and call in to those polls. He said yeah, I wish I had that kind of setup. I said, sarcastically (laughing greedily), yeah, that would be great. He said yeah (greedily laughing) it would. I said yeah it would.
He went on to say that if it wasn’t for Hannity bringing in so much revenue, they wouldn’t be able to stay in business. He said they had to pay 40 news reporters. I asked him if he had ever heard of Bruce Funk. He said no. I said, you’ve got 40 news reporters, and you’ve never heard of Bruce Funk?
He had to end the call because there was an important story coming through!