Mainstream media struggles with new president, lacks appropriate label

With President Bush's departure, Democrats will need a new scapegoat. This photo was taken by Chris Greenberg during Bush's final term. The Bush administration provided a wealth of photos and information for media outside the official press corps on the White House website. Those materials are no longer on the website, as best I can tell.President Barack Obama promised transparency during his campaign, but already some media are complaining about briefings by anonymous officials and lack of access to Obama’s re-swearing. What do we call mainstream media now they’re no longer mainstream?

Mainstream media. Traditional media. Establishment media. Often when I write a column, I grapple with decisions about what to call media representative of national networks and long-time print publications like The New York Times. Even Google and other web-based companies have entered that progressive circle, with splash pages offering news headlines from around the world, in exactly the same manner wire services traditionally did. Ironically Google has at times run stories from political advocacy blog directories as straight news.

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Why do Democrats in Congress get free media pass?

A number of Democrats in Congress have received a free ride despite behavior that many of us consider unethical perhaps even illegal. As a taxpayer, I’m pretty disgusted with the double standard for ethics. Why do Democratic senators and representatives get a complete pass from media? Maybe it's because traditional journalism really is dead. There are a number of questionable situations involving senators and representatives, but no one's asking questions and many of the most questionable culprits are keeping key committee assignments.

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After Democrats attack Joe the Plumber, who's next? Wanda the Waitress.

Updated on Friday, October 17, 2008 at 5:36PM by Kay B. Day, Editor

Updated on Friday, October 17, 2008 at 5:46PM by Kay B. Day, Editor

If you ask me, Joe the Plumber should win the Pulitzer. He did the job mass media has steadfastly refused to do. He actually had the nerve to ask Sen. Barack Obama, who came into his neighborhood one afternoon when Joe was tossing the football with his kid, a tax question. What happened next? McCain mentioned Joe and the next thing you know, everybody from the Associated Press to ABC’s Diane Sawyer is grilling the guy. That’s what Joe got for exercising his freedom of speech rights. Wonder when media will get around to grilling the Democratic plants in the YouTube debate? But the main problem with mass media right now is a complete refusal to ask the Democratic Party hard questions. Rarely do they get asked any questions, and the truth is, if Democrats get that supermajority they're lusting after, Joe will pay, Wanda will pay and unless you're in the welfare income range, you will pay in one way or another.

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Shameful—Congress refuses hearings on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae

During the Presidential Debate at Belmont University (Tenn.), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac the “catalyst” for the economic meltdown. It’s my opinion McCain is right and Congress is abandoning its duty in investigating these Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs). I believe Congress is doing that purely for political purposes—otherwise why would they start hearings with corporations before cleaning up the US government body that created this problem in the first place? And not much has changed; it's amazing lenders haven't learned a thing. Watch the video at the end of this post and a light bulb should go off in even the most basic brains.

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Fey as Palin doesn't come close to hilarious SNL bailout skit

**See followup below. Apparently SNL bowed to liberal pressures to take down the video satirizing Democratic members of Congress and President George W. Bush. So much for liberal support for freedom of speech. Now you see why I am so critical of Democratic supporters about that issue. They only believe in freedom of speech if it's beneficial to them. ***

On Saturday Night Live yesterday, Tina Fey did her Sarah Palin, but it really wasn't very funny; SNL writers missed so many opportunities to skewer Joe Biden in the Vice Presidential Debate skit. The Palin-Biden skit just wasn't well-written.  But where the writers zinged it was in the bailout video, the one we should all be talking about. Frankly, I've tried hard to find a person facing foreclosure. I've quizzed people in the grocery, at the gas pumps, and just the other day at the ATM where I finally struck gold. The woman I was chatting with told me she did know a couple who'd had to file bankruptcy because of their mortgage.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said. "Did they get to keep their home?"

"No! They're buying another one for about $300,000," she said, adding that she was shocked.

On Friday I received a newsletter from my bank. The header to one story said, "Fannie Mae Offers Solutions for 'Underwater' Home Loans." 'Underwater' is bankspeak for a mortgage that exceeds the value of  the property. The bank is now offering those with a Fannie Mae-backed mortgage a new program that allows borrowers to refinance up to 120 percent of the property's current value. Do you think maybe this is what Gov. Sarah Palin was brave enough to allude to in her debate response when she said the word, 'responsibility?" She is the only politician I've heard who's even mentioned this.

The SNL video is hilarious. The show rarely comes close to its glory days, but this video skewering Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank and President George W. Bush makes me remember what a cutting edge show once did. As for Fey, she's gotten tiresome. Maybe she could think about doing Sen. Robert Byrd? All she'd have to do is put on a white wig and fall asleep on the Senate floor while she's standing up there giving a speech.

Update on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 12:16AM by Kay B. Day, Editor

I've often said liberals want freedom of speech as long as they're slamming others they don't agree with.

Saturday Night Live has pulled the video that satirized Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, George Bush and George Soros.

Apparently, the show is relying on Fey's impression of Gov. Palin to carry them through.

I think it would be a great idea to write the sponsors of the show. I don't plan to buy a single product or service from anyone sponsoring SNL.

I'd do the same thing if the show bowed to conservative pressure. I'm kind of like that when it comes to freedom of speech.

Economic proposal smackdown creates Super Bowl of US politics

Thursday night, key Democratic leaders spoke on C-Span about the “rescue” (aka “bailout”)  proposals. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) looked and sounded exhausted. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appeared to be short of breath. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) did his usual meandering , and lateraled a few criticisms at Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) took his turn, cheerleading fellow Dems and insinuating McCain had put forth alternative plans. A flag should’ve been thrown at Dodd because McCain didn’t put forth any plans. These leaders were followed by a group of House Republicans who basically copped an attitude—because they can. Republicans are taking a cautious tack and this should come as no surprise. The basic creed of the GOP goes directly against government bailouts. And in the middle of all this, the Dems come forth with a new stimulus package totalling $56 billion on top of the $700 billion.

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Obama brand’s weakest link—4 more years of Pelosi, Reid and company

Sen. Barack Obama set up his campaign brand on the premise of change, a time-proven theme used by almost every other candidate in every other race on earth. Why else would you elect a first-time senator to the presidency? Why did we elect President George W. Bush or Bill Clinton? John F. Kennedy?  In a word, change. Stroll backwards through speeches by past presidents and wannabes. Change is the mantra, stated or subliminal, for any politician who wants to win. Whether the candidate can deliver change is another matter entirely. Remember (see video below) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's promises for "change"?

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