Is Donald Trump Really Doing All That Well?

Image from source, the excellent NewsCorpse

Donald Trump continues to poll well ahead of his GOP competition, sometimes leading his nearest challenger by double digits. The punditry have gone from dismissing him as the joke he is, to treating him more seriously. Which shows just how quickly a political vibe can change, and how shallow the thinking of the Beltway media can be.

Listen, the Republican/conservative base is batshit crazy, we all know that, right? The extremes of any group have that tendency, and very few people would argue with the fact that the extreme has taken over the right in this country. So, capturing the top (bottom) 20-25% of conservatives should be easy-peasy for the nuttiest nutbar in the group. This is probably why so many of 2012's GOP group rose to the top briefly: so many of them were bonkers.

If the rest of the GOP field contained one, two or three other strong candidates, Trump could have the same support, and still be significantly behind in the polls. But since there are fifteen other candidates dividing those percentages, we have the illusion of a wide lead. And, naturally, the longer he has it, the stronger the illusion looks, eventually becoming sort of  a real deal, "conventional wisdom." It doesn't hurt when the candidate is as gaffe-proof as Donald Trump. So far, crazy statements about religion, veterans, race, and any other third-rail potential potholes that would sink most candidates does not dissuade Trump fans from waving his banner.

I think it's going to take a sifting out of the rest of the field to put a dent in The Donald. Or finally that One Big Gaffe that can't be shrugged off. Mike Huckabee--a prior competitor for lunacy, before Donald cornered the market--has probably made his One Big Gaffe with an ill-advised Holocaust reference. So, that field may be shrinking a bit already. I can't quite envision what Donald would have to do or say that would do that to him at this point. Maybe a Face in the Crowd open-mike moment would do it.

[Excerpt]

New Poll Shows 18% Of Republicans Are Ignorant Dupes With Severe Mental Decay
 
There is much being made about a new CNN poll that shows Donald Trump leading his GOP rivals in the race for the Republican nomination for president. However, there is less substance in these numbers than the media is pretending there is. What is astonishing is just how shallow the media analysis of these polls are. The ranking at which Trump finds himself can easily be explained by the clinical dementia of today’s Republican (Tea) Party. And despite these polls, Trump will never get the nomination or reside in the White House. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

Right Wing World: Perspective on President Obama, Vacations and Presidentin'

I knew that President Obama was going to have a tough row to hoe as President, and said so back then. I knew that the opposition would be unrelenting and unapologetic. It frankly amazes me that the American public can have such short historical memory, and even ponder voting GOP in the fall. It makes no kind of sense.

This GOP House of Representatives and minority Senate has been the least effective, and most obstructive Congress in American History. Their leaders are John Boner Boehner and Mitch McConnell. . .the bronze bomber and the sleepy tortoise. McConnell failed in his efforts to make Obama a one-term President, but has been just as intractable in doing anything whatsoever that might be something Obama wants to do--even if it was originally a Republican idea. In short, voting Republican because you're unhappy with the state of things MAKES NO SENSE.

Image from source, NewsCorpse

But look no further than the current Right Wing World freakouts about Obama golfing or Obama going on vacation to see the cognitive dissonance at work. It's only one of many examples where every president does something, Obama does it less, but Obama is the devil. It. Makes. No. Sense.

[Excerpt]

STFU About Obama’s Vacations Already And Remember Where Obama Was May 1, 2011
 
The incessant and ignorant fixation on when, where, and how often President Obama takes vacations is becoming surreal in its frequency and fervor. The President’s critics seem to be obsessed with the issue. Never mind that Obama has taken far fewer vacation days than his predecessors, or that there has never been any negative incident arising from his holidays, or that the presidency travels with the President wherever he goes, the compulsion to relentlessly attack this President is irresistible to the politicians and pundits on the right. And they are not above outright lying about it. . .

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Yes, Obama's Approval Rating Is Down. . .But Not as Much as Everyone Else

Amongst friends, I've openly pondered, why are President Obama's approval ratings so low? All things considered--and that would be the relentless and constant opposition from Republicans in and out of elected office--I think he's doing a pretty good job. I don't agree with everything he's done, and some of the stuff that sort of carried over from Bush? Yeah, I could do without a bunch of that. But on balance, I think he's been a pretty good president. Certainly better than anyone who ran against him.

 

Image from source, NewsCorpse

But I get it that Right Wing World hates him. Hates. Him. That would be somewhat understandable, if it was simply a response to his policies, but it's been like this from Day 1 (or earlier), and hasn't dissipated, it's only gotten worse. And they hate him even for things that they used to be for. It's transparent, naked hatred (and I don't know if you happened to notice, but he's black). So, anyway, I'd get it if his approval ratings were hovering around 50%. That would make sense. But in the 40s?

I'd chalk it up to a fickle, easily distracted, easily led, not particularly interested public, except for the fact that Obama's ratings are among the best of the rest of our elected officials! 'Course, people could still be disconnected and hate 'em all, I suppose. But before the Boehners and McConnells and the rest get too overjoyed about Obama's predicament, they should look at their own numbers. And before the completely sell their souls to the Tea Party, they should look to see who is at rock bottom.

[Excerpt]

GOPee Yew: What The Media Isn’t Telling You About Obama’s Poll Numbers

A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll (pdf) has some decidedly bad news for President Obama. The American people, according to this survey, are losing patience with the President and expressing it with low opinions of his job performance, foreign policy, and leadership. It is a distinct concern for him as his administration heads into its final two years. That said, the news isn’t all bad. But far be it for the media to put the results in context so that people get a balanced perspective of the nation’s mood. In addition to the floundering numbers, there are some areas that ought to produce some optimism for the President and those aligned with his policies. First among them is the fact that, while Obama’s numbers are nothing to write home about, his political rivals are doing so much worse that may want to run away from home. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

The Difference Between Conservative and Liberal Rich Donors

Well, I've had a combination of a busy week, and a general malaise over current events. You probably can tell, if you scroll through my recent posts that there aren't very many. Sorry about that, I'll try to get inspired. In the meantime, here's a great piece on a subject I've written a lot about: Rich donors, and the difference between right and left wing versions of them.

[Excerpt]

What’s The Difference Between Wealthy (Koch) Republicans And (Soros) Democrats?
 
The billionaire Koch brothers have been corrupting democracy for decades. Their labyrinthine web of front groups toil 24/7 to distort the facts on issues like climate change, voter suppression, gun control, and taxes. And if that collection of topics sounds familiar, it’s because the Kochs almost single-handedly created the Tea Party (with PR help from Fox News) to push their views on those subjects unto a gullible sector of the American populace. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

FOX "News" Uses Biased (Koch Brothers) Source in "Voter Fraud" Story

For years, conservatives have used George Soros, a liberal billionaire, as an all-purpose bogeyman, who is supposedly secretly funding myriad and varied progressive groups. Virtually every well-known liberal voice has been alleged to have Soros as a backer. But the right has a real sugar daddy. And if you follow the money, they really are behind a whole lot of seemingly "grass roots" and independent-sounding groups, like "Americans for Prosperity" and "FreedomWorks." The difference is, the Kochs--two of the richest people in the world--do all of this to further enrich themselves. And they don't stop with these groups, they've apparently inserted themselves into Right Wing World itself, at its hub: FOX "News."

[Excerpt]

Koch Brothers Front Group Feeds Fox News Phony Figures On Voter Fraud
 
A report by Fox News alleges that “Over 40,000 voters are registered in both Virginia and Maryland.” It’s a shocking statistic that stirs fears of massive election fraud that could sway the results of pivotal campaigns and upset the balance of power in Congress. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

Benghazi Update: "Scandal" Not a Scandal at All

Image from source, NewsCorpse

Did you happen to catch the fact that The New York Times kinda blew apart the FOX "News"/Right Wing World Benghazi "scandal?" Yep. And though the right will hold onto this anyway (as they do with most debunked stories they want to believe), at least you can read about it. And it's far more fun to do so via the delightfully snarky NewsCorpse.

[Excerpt]

New York Times Demolishes Benghazi Hoax – Fox News Freaks Out

After what was described as an “exhaustive investigation” the New York Times has published a report that thoroughly debunks right-wing accounts of attacks on the United States mission in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The story concludes that there was no direct Al Qaeda involvement and that many of the participants in the attack were motivated by an anti-Islam film, an explanation that Republicans and conservative media had dismissed. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

"Pants on Fire" Myths About ObamaCare

There's a bunch of 'em. . .

Source: The fantastic NewsCorpse.com

Right Wing World: Cheney and Palin and More, Oh My!

In my previous post, I ranted about the idiocy of presenting Dick Cheney (or countless others) on the Sunday political shows, and holding them out as some sort of authority on foreign policy. Or anything else. I left out John McCain and his swooning buddy, Lindsey Graham, both of who appear so often on those shows, they should be noted as the Senators from Meet the Press, rather than the states they allegedly represent. But my rant was just to let out steam. I should know by now that I am but a humble, hobbyist blogger, and that there are pros out there who do it better.

Image from source, NewsCorpse

But the nice thing is, I can share their work, and still feel like I did something! And oddly enough, it does make me feel better. This is from a great site that focuses mostly on FOX "News," but you can apply it across the board.

[Excerpt]

Fox News On Credibility: With Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin, And Stuttering Jesse Watters

Bizarro World is contemplating a lawsuit against Fox News for infringing on their patented methods of presenting a worldview that is wholly inconsistent with reality. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

Glenn Beck is Caught in a Conspiracy Theory Moebius Strip

So, according to Glenn Beck, there is a conspiracy afoot. See, his conspiracy theory is that the mainstream media is conspiring to make Beck out to be a conspiracy theorist. See, and the proof that this is happening, is that Beck--by revealing his conspiracy theory--is in fact a conspiracy theorist. But then, if Beck really is a conspiracy theorist, then. . .Oh, I'm lost now.

Epic suffering Beck image from NewsCorpse

[Excerpt]

Glenn Beck’s Latest Conspiracy Theory: The Media Is Conspiring To Label Him A Conspiracy Theorist

Before anyone asks — No, that headline is not from The Onion. And the best way to demonstrate the lunacy in Glenn Beck’s most recent harangue is to let Beck do it himself: “The media has a story line and an agenda, and they will get to it. And they certainly don’t want anybody to ever think that anything is ever planned. The media has their own agenda, and if the media has a storyline, it just writes it in. And currently the storyline is ‘conspiracy theorist. . .’"

Read the rest at: NewsCorpse

Scandal! Or, How to Over-hype a Scandal

Ugh. I'm really hoping that the scandal-ettes peter out this week. And not because I'm some lock-step Obama-bot. Because they're unrelentingly boring and overblown. The Benghazi one should be over and done with, beyond ensuring that such a thing is prevented in the future. The "scandal" was so bad that it got down to quibbling about talking points, and then the email that was based on turned out to be phony. Enough. I couldn't believe it was even still a point of discussion on the Sunday shows. Oh wait, of course it was. Psst! While you're all worried about Susan Rice having mislead the American public on Meet the Press and the rest, every Republican hyping these "scandals" has been misleading the American public on Meet the Press and the rest!

Image from source, NewsCorpse

The Tea Party/IRS one is still failing to even register on my give-a-shit-o-meter. Why does this one matter at all? The Tea Party was singled out for extra scrutiny? As well it should have been! For multiple reasons! And--oh my god--they didn't even get denied! WTF is the scandal here? It ought to be that purely political organizations have been granted tax exempt status in the first place.

Ugh. Again. And I don't know about the AP/Justice Department one. If it turns out laws were broken, charge someone. If it was legal but oogey, change the laws. But just please shut up, I don't care. Sorry if I need a little flash or sex or skullduggery in my scandals, but I'm bored ovah heah! But you know who's not? FOX "News" watchers. Because all of the above have been cranked to eleven, irrespective of the facts! That's why every tea bagger you hear calling in to the radio, or writing on the internet seems to be coming out of left right field. They think President Obama popped some popcorn, stripped to his boxers, watched the whole Benghazi affair on an IMAX 3D screen, and gleefully watched people die. Then, he got on the horn to Eric Holder, and to the IRS and said "I wanna fuck with the Tea Baggers. Oh, and the press too. And where is my UMBRELLA???"

[Excerpt]

Roger Ailes’ Limp Dictum: Keep Flinging Scandals Until Something Sticks

Last week has been described by many in the press as the worst week yet for the Obama presidency. It was a week that saw purported scandals hyped furiously by Fox News and other right-wing media. They almost cheerfully segued from Benghazi to the IRS to the Associated Press, and then looped back for more of the same. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

FOX "News" Hosts Blame America First

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September 11, 2001 is simultaneously a recent event in American history, and a very long time ago. And it is difficult to put yourself back into the mindset we had and lived with that day, and in the days, weeks, months and years that followed. While we got a little reminder this week with the events in Boston, there were marked differences.

Now, obviously, the events are not directly comparable. We don't know the motives of the two bombers, and we don't even know if they are tied to any particular movement, or if they are just a couple of assholes with their own agenda. The scale of the attack was also much smaller, and the loss of life much more restricted. But if 9/11 hadn't happened, think of how it would have hit us. But beyond the scale, there were differences in how people reacted.

C'mon, admit it. These Chicks took a lot of
undeserved shit.

After 9/11, there was no right, no left. There were no Republicans or Democrats. There may have been a few rogue contrarians, but they were in the extreme minority. Those of us who did not vote for and were no fans of Bush/Cheney held our tongues. For a long time. We may have muttered under our breath (and Bill Maher lost his job for saying something "too soon"), but the general consensus was that we were Americans first, and all else was secondary. This ultimately became opressive, as--I
think--partisan conservatives took this to be the new normal, and expected everyone to play along with their agenda from then on.

So, as people started to chafe at some of the Bush/Cheney policies, and the two wars (particularly Iraq), and many of the new perceived losses of freedom (Patriot Act, Torture, Guantanamo), dissent was met with swift and viscous condemnation. We were un-American. Unpatriotic. "Blame America firsters." People who criticized the Bush Administration were chastened for attacking America, during wartime. The Dixie Chicks weathered a wholly out-of-scale attack by conservatives after a mild insult of Bush one of them uttered on stage. Even as late as 2008, conservatives blasted Barack Obama for not being sufficiently patriotic, for not wearing a flag pin, for not (apparently) standing at attention for the National Anthem, and other things.

Nuge the stooge, conservative hero.

But these days, with Obama in the White House, none of those things matter at all. We are still at war, but there is no attack of the President, his administration, or even the entire government, that is out of bounds for conservatives. They can accuse him of being an un-American, evil, Marxist, socialist, Maoist, communist, homosexual, adulterous, Nazi, statist, Kenyan Muslim who has as his explicit agenda destroying America. Notable celebrities such as Ted Nugent--quite unlike the Dixie Chicks--can come this|close to threatening to assassinate the President, and still draw air, but no condemnation from the right. And after an attack on this country as happened this week, the right is ready and eager to blame the government and the President for it. And then of course, there is FOX "News."

[Excerpt]

Fox News Hosts Join The ‘Blame America’ Firsters

Shortly after the attacks on 9/11, a stunned nation struggled to explain how such noxious hatred could have formed and congealed into the heinous plot that took the lives of so many innocent people. In a statement that still ranks amongst the most feeble-minded insults to America’s intelligence, George W. Bush proclaimed that “they hate us for our freedom. . .”

Read more at: NewsCorpse 

FOX "News" Makes You Stupid?

Image from source, NewsCorpse

Oh don't look so surprised. People might mistake you for a FOX "News" viewer!

[Excerpt]

Study Confirms That Fox News Makes You Stupid



Yet another study has been released that proves that watching Fox News is detrimental to your intelligence. World Public Opinion, a project managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, conducted a survey of American voters that shows that Fox News viewers are significantly more misinformed than consumers of news from other sources. What’s more, the study shows that greater exposure to Fox News increases misinformation. . .
 
Read more at: NewsCorpse


Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

More Tea Party Madness

Image from source, NewsCorpse

While we're on the subject, here's another analysis of the tea party. Or rather, one of my favorite bloggers' take on another story. I didn't want to take credit for finding this when NewsCorpse is where I found it. Plus, you'll probably like their other stuff too.

[Excerpt]

Newsweek Nails Tea Party Constitution Worship



This may be the best Conventional Media article of the year: How Tea Partiers Get the Constitution Wrong. It was written by Andrew Romano for Newsweek and is a fairly comprehensive look at how the Tea Party sanctifies the Constitution while simultaneously basking in their ignorance of it. It is worth reading in its entirety. . .
 
Read more at: NewsCorpse
 

FOX "News" Parent Company Gives Big Bucks to GOP

Image from source, NewsCorpse

I run this blog as a hobby, mostly by myself (and am grateful for the occasional help I get from friends). But there are times when--even after three years of blogging--that I realize I'm an amateur really.  I was going to write a post about NewsCorp, the parent company of FOX "News" donating a million bucks to a GOP outfit.  Then I read the post excerpted below, and realized that I couldn't put it better.

[Excerpt]

Fair And Balanced Fox News Funds GOP

A report from Business Week reveals that Rupert Murdoch is keen on electing Republican governors. His News Corp donated a million dollars to the Republican Governors Association in June.


This is a significant contribution to a partisan electoral committee. There are 37 governorships on the ballot this year. Democrats currently hold a majority of state houses, Republicans hope reverse that. And since this is census year, the control of state governments can have a huge impact on the make up of Congress for the next decade by managing the redistricting process. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

The Real Reason Bill O'Reilly Quit His Radio Show

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I already reported on this story, but simply could not resist the image in this article. The writing is pretty good too!

[Excerpt]

The Real Reason Bill O’Reilly Bailed On His Radio Show

“It is with great regret that I’ve come to the decision to leave the Radio Factor, but with the success of the O’Reilly Factor, I can no longer give both TV and radio the time they deserve.”

TV and radio must have done something very bad to deserve any time at all from Bill O’Reilly. More likely it is O’Reilly who has been bad. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse