The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Why Was NY Times Reporter Jeff Zeleny Doing Romney Campaign’s Bidding?

Posted on | March 26, 2012 | 50 Comments

Rick Santorum has been using the “uniquely disqualified” line against Mitt Romney in his stump speeches for weeks to describe how RomneyCare makes the Massachusetts governor a poor choice to face Obama in November.

So, while people are making a big deal of Santorum yelling “bulls–t” at New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny for asking him about the line, they’re missing the important point: Why did Zeleny ask the question?

During an interview today with CNN’s olf Blitzer, Santorum explained the part of the story you haven’t heard: Zeleny and other reporters asked him similar questions repeatedly after being prompted to do so by a Romney staffer who attended Santorum’s speech.

“This is the kind of stuff that we’ve been seeing from the Romney spin machine. Their press secretary was back in the back of the room, out there feeding lines to the national press. . . . It’s the third time I was asked that question in the matter of four minutes,” Santorum told Blitzer on CNN’s Situation Room. “They sent a Romney person to our speech. He fed the line to all the reporters. We saw it happening. And every man in that room, even reporters [said] ‘Yes, we understand what you meant. But, you know, the Romney people said this to us, so we had asked about.’ That’s what happened.”

Think about this: The Romney campaign sends a staffer to a Santorum speech, the staffer is feeding questions to reporters at the event and — like little lapdogs — the reporters do exactly what the Romney staffer wants.

Santorum’s right: This is bullsh–t and Zeleny’s editors should be asking why their reporter went along with this “gotcha” game.

UPDATE: I’ve said before that I don’t like “gotcha” reporting, where the aim of the enterprise is to try to embarrass somebody on camera. To be doing “gotcha” reporting at the behest of an opposing campaign? C’mon.

UPDATE II: Linked by That Mr. G Guy — thanks!

Reporters shouting questions at a candidate while he’s “working the rope line,” shaking hands with supporters after an event, is a phenomenon I’ve witnessed often during the campaign, but never done myself. It just seems like such a low-yield activity as to be a waste of time: What, you think he’s going to give you a worldwide exclusive, right there on the rope line?

Zeleny has claimed Santorum blew up at him as a sort of publicity stunt, but when a New York Times reporter decides to play errand-boy for the Romney campaign, who’s zooming who?

UPDATE III: Speaking of journalistic ethics, yesterday I said on Twitter that if Santorum had punched out Zeleny, the viral video would have been worth a million dollars of fundraising.

But that’s just a Neutral Objective Fact.

Category: CNN, Election 2012, Health Care, Media Bias, Mitt Romney, New York Times, Rick Santorum

Herman Cain Concept Ad. . .Whoa

Posted on | March 26, 2012 | 9 Comments

by Smitty

Small business as a cuddly animal given the medieval treatment?
Sick of Stimulus is intended as an economic statement, but one is left to wonder: is the catapult a subtle DoD remark?

Category: Herman Cain

Roll Over for Romney?

Posted on | March 26, 2012 | 54 Comments

Kiss my ass!

Between his inevitability and his electability, Romney’s advocates would have you believe their man is an unstoppable electoral juggernaut, a lead-pipe cinch to become the next President of the United States, and they’ve managed to sell that proposition with the assistance of journalists who seem suspiciously eager to ignore all evidence to the contrary. So when Santorum won his 11th victory Saturday in Louisiana by a margin much larger than anyone had predicted, the media went out of their way to pretend that this result was neither surprising nor significant. Fox News actually interrupted coverage of Santorum’s victory speech in order to permit their reporter Carl Cameron to provide the pro-Romney angle on the Louisiana vote. Sunday morning, Fox brought on Romney surrogate John Sununu and gave him 10 minutes of airtime to pour cold water on any notion that Santorum’s 22-point margin of victory in Louisiana might portend any meaningful revival of conservative resistance to Mitt. . . .

Read the whole thing. (Hey, if Rick can yell “bulls–t” at the New York Times, I think I’m OK yelling “kiss my ass” at Al Cardenas.)

UPDATE: Daria DiGiovanni stands by Santorum:

It’s refreshing to watch a GOP candidate for President express the outrage so many of us are currently feeling.

Read the whole thing.

Category: Election 2012, Fox News, Media Bias, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum

Newt Campaign Death-Watch Begins

Posted on | March 26, 2012 | 13 Comments

Just got back from Louisiana — if you haven’t hit Lisa Graas’s tip-jar yet, do it now — and I’m about to take a nap, but first I want to share something I just posted at The American Spectator blog:

The Gingrich campaign death-watch — see today’s New York Times article by Trip Gabriel as a sort of first draft of the obit — is now underway. By delaying their dismal February financial report until the last minute (they blurted the ugly truth to Politico the day the FEC report was due), Gingrich’s campaign was able to maintain a mirage of viability for nearly three weeks into March, but that’s all over now. . . .
Just imagine yourself as a vendor to the Gingrich campaign, waiting for an overdue payment, and then reading that New York Times story about Newt rolling across rural Louisiana, where “a 10-car motorcade conveys him like a head of state, three police cars with flashing lights leading a Secret Service detail and shiny S.U.V.’s for Mr. Gingrich and his staff.” All this, to get 16 percent of the vote?

The lavish campaign style, rolling like a rock-star contender, becomes impossible to maintain once “the little people” figure out you’re actually broke. Expect to see more stories in coming days about Newt’s final meltdown.

Category: Election 2012, Newt Gingrich

What If The Left Threw A Race War, And No One Came?

Posted on | March 26, 2012 | 61 Comments

by Smitty

No right thinking person should seek to diminish the tragic facts of the Trayvon Martin case, which merit full investigation and trial. On the other hand, American Power notes: “Trayvon Martin Case Threatens Race War in America“. The coverage on the local news has been at saturation level. Do any right-thinking people not grasp that the media frenzy has nothing whatsoever to do with justice, and everything to do with power?

When #OccupyResoluteDesk said “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon” he owned this whole thing. Should further violence be piled upon violence, Obama is culpable.

Arguably, this is the most leadership Obama has displayed in over three years of occupying the Resolute Desk.

From Wikipedia:

The Resolute desk is a large, nineteenth-century partners’ desk often chosen by presidents of the United States for use in the White House Oval Office as the Oval Office desk. It was a gift from Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880 and was built from the timbers of the British Arctic Exploration ship Resolute.

What an interesting conjunction of memes, between the #Occupy movement, Hayes, Obama, and even Obama’s contempt for the British.

Would that there was less at stake, for all that.

Update: linked by Don Surber, Dyspepsia Generation, Katy Pundit, and That Mr. G Guy.

Category: American Power, Barack Obama

#OccupyResoluteDesk Meets Strongest Allies. Someone Named ‘Abovetheirweight’ Hardest Hit.

Posted on | March 26, 2012 | 6 Comments

by Smitty

Smart diplomacy’s real reset button:

via the whole blogosphere, most recently Fausta.

Update: linked by Daily Pundit, Best Social Program, and that TrogloPundit, who sees a job opportunity. Working for #OccupyResoluteDesk. Now that is a below-the-bog level of shamelessness.

Category: Fausta

LIVE AT FIVE – 03.26.12

Posted on | March 26, 2012 | 1 Comment

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Supreme Test For ObamaCare Today

The arena for the Super Bowl of constitutional law

Three days of arguments in HHS v. Florida to result in June decision on whether healthcare act is constitutional

Obama Says Reducing US Nuke Stockpile Won’t Affect Security
Also promises to respect us in the morning


E-Mail Ties Corzine To Missing MF Funds
Gave direct instruction to move $200 million in customer funds three days before securities firm collapsed



POLITICS
Santorum: Romney “Worst Republican In The Country” To Campaign Against Obamacare

Rick Santorum

Rips into reporters for distorting his speech in Fond Du Lac

NY Redistricting Leads To Competitive Elections

Bachmann Urges Unity, But Won’t Endorse

Jury Still Out In Corruption Trial Of PA Senator Orie

MN Senate Passes Voter ID Bill

Former Congressman Bob Etheridge Running For NC Governor

Delaney Far Outraises Garagiola In MD-6



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
National Average For Gasoline Hits $3.93; NYMEX Crude Just Shy Of $107
Asian Shares Struggle As Growth Worries Linger
Japan Down To One Reactor After Shutdown
Goldman Succession Fight Roiled By Infamous Op-Ed
Square’s Payment App Goes Over To Android And Over The Counter
Processing, Labeling, And “Pink Slime”
Feds Ready To Loan Billions to Harry Reid’s Bullet Train From Nowhere
Facebook, Blumenthal Blast Bosses Who Ask For Passwords
A Game Explodes, And Life Changes Overnight For A Struggling Start-Up
TacoCopter To Deliver Food Via Drones?
FCC Leaks Details On Sony Chromebook
Bioware To Rewrite “Soul-Crushing” Ending For “Mass Effect 3” To Placate Furious Fans
Latest “Silent Hill” Clever And Creepy, But Faulty



SPORTS
Final Four 2012: No Room For Cinderellas

The madness is almost at an end...

It’s Louisville, Ohio State, Kentucky and Kansas for all the marbles

Some Formerly Famous Golfer Finally Wins Another Tournament

Durant Leads Thunder Past The Heat, 103-87

Grizzlies Hold On Late To Upset Lakers, 102-96

Devils Tripped Up By Penguins In Pittsburgh, 5-2

3-2 Loss to Bruins Brings Ducks To Edge Of Elimination

Tony Stewart Wins Rain-Shortened Auto Club 400

Ryan Says Tebow Will Be More Than a Backup QB For Jets

Nats GM Rizzo Hopeful Morse Will Be Ready For Opening Day



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Camille Grammer Not Returning To “Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills”

Camille Grammer

Not willing to expose her personal life any more; reaches amicable settlement with ex-husband Kelsey

K-Dash Considering Pressing Charges Against Flour Bomber

Is Miley Cyrus Engaged?

“Hunger Games” Grosses $214 Million On Opening Weekend

Panicked “Jersey Shore” Producers Looking To Phase Out Snooki, “The Situation”

Justin Bieber Wants To Be Your “Boyfriend”

FX Eyes Adaptation Of “Fargo” As Series

Angelina Jolie Indifferent To “Leg-Bombing” Meme

Madge Too Hot For YouTube

Tori Spelling Pregnant



FOREIGNERS
The Spanish Link In Cracking The Enigma Code
Official: PRC To Attempt Persuading Norks Not To Launch Satellite
Senegal’s President Concedes Defeat In Parliamentary Polls
Pope Benedict Wins Over Mexico; Next Stop Cuba
No Major Damage After Quake Rocks Chile
US Pays “Assistance” to Kandahar Massacre Victims’ Families
Medvedev: UN Mission Last Chance To Avoid Civil War In Syria
Egypt’s Islamists Set To Dominate New Constitution
Iraq Locks Down Baghdad Before Arab League Summit



BLOGS & STUFF
American Thinker: “New” Black Panthers Same As The Old – Only Worse
Legal Insurrection: Spike Lee Didn’t “Do The Right Thing”
Volokh Conspiracy: The CIA’s Enigmatic “Roger”
Mary Eberstadt: Has The Sexual Revolution Been Good For Women? No.
NY Post: A GOP Grows In Brooklyn
Jihad Watch: Toulouse Murderer Had Ties To UK Jihadis
Weasel Zippers: Plouffe Says It’s “Irresponsible” and “Reckless” to Recognize That Obama Injected Race Into The Trayvon Martin Killing
Belmont Club: After The Gold Rush
Babalu: Paying The Price In Cuba
Riehl World View: Did The AP Tag Alleged Iraqi Hate Crime To Dick Cheney?

Category: Live at Five

Rule 5 Sunday: Bad

Posted on | March 25, 2012 | 22 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


A piece of administrivia this week: I must insert a reminder that while some of the links below are to quite tasteful and chaste pictures of attractive young women, many of the others are without question NSFW. Severely NSFW. So exercise discretion, and enjoy the links in privacy so as not to be embarrassed by your boss, children, fellow workers or S.O.’s negative reactions to exposed boobs and snooch. Keep calm and carry on, then.


Fishersville Mike reminds us that now is the time to Bring Kaley and the Pink Berets home, while the Rio Norte Line experiences Marx Madness with Elle McPherson and brings back a classic Cold War Wendy’s ad as a bonus. Randy’s Roundtable took its midweek break with Juliana Martins and Zoe Duchesne. Laughing Conservative is in the grip of Ratajkowski-mania again, while the Eye of Polyphemus falls on Milla Jovovich this week. Jake Finnegan’s Burkalesque Babe is Fiona Apple; the First Street Journal makes its rule 5 debut with the Karakal Brigade and some other attractive ladies in camo. Daily Irony draws our attention to Vespa promo girl Shi Yuwen, and Bring The HEAT, Bring The Stupid returns with Kaley Cuoco, while Reaganite Republican (with an assist from Maggie’s Notebook) goes with Elin Nordegren. Speaking of Maggie’s Notebook, here’s Estella Warren. Also, Troglopundit reminds us that it’s some race-car driver’s birthday. Elsewhere, Three Beers Later introduces us to Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, who indeed looks quite fetching in a fedora.


Soylent Green kicks off with a belated St. Paddy’s Day post, followed by some bonus Brooke, Katarin the Monday Motivationer, some equinoctal ecstasy, Kiwi hotness for Humpday, things found while looking for other things, a warning not to adjust the picture, Corset Friday Flambe, Miss Carbon Come 2012, Overnight Underboob, and Sunday Sunrise.


A View From The Beach rolls with Katie Holmes, blondes, litigious weathermen, and a cleavage ban in chess. Proof Positive submits Chrissy Teigan, vintage babe Anne Francis, and some Sex In Advertising. At Dustbury, it’s Holly Hunter and Katharine McPhee.


This week at The Camp of the Saints, it’s Vahina Gioconte, the Rule 5 News. and Kirsty Jane Gallacher.


El Opinador Compulsivo delivers this week with Olivia Wilde, Katarina Vasilissa, Katy Perry, Chriselle Almeida, a Pantera cover by the Butcher Babies, a naked biker with an unfortunate sticker, and from the “hot for teacher” department, Michela Roth.


The DaleyGator’s DaleyBabes this week are Claudia Jordan, Sae Mizuki, Reina Matsushima, Julia Stiles, Erika Ando, and Chisato Morishita.


Thanks to everyone for the lovely linkagery! Links for next week’s Rule 5 roundup are due in the Rule 5 Wombat mailbox no later than Saturday, March 31.

Category: Rule 5
« go back — keep looking »

    About

    This is an area on your website where you can add text. This will serve as an informative location on your website, where you can talk about your site.

    Subscribe to our feed

    Search

    Admin