Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Selective editing and news-slanting doesn't just happen on Fox News. MSNBC does it too.

There's something about watching a news event live, as its happening, for yourself; and then watching the coverage of that event, where your impressions of the event and the Anchors do not match.

I watched the President's CNBC Town Hall (I should have, after all I posted it on this site). I was actually pretty impressed. The President engaged with some angry voters, told them what was going on, what was happening and abou the choices they have to make in November.

But that's not what I saw on Keith, and that actually wound up pissing me off.

The story (or rather the headlines) on Countdown, in the New York Times, and of course, the Huffington Post (even though they were initially impressed), was about the angry Left confronting Obama over not having done enough.

Well, not exactly.

(First, the Huffington Post story reads as Obama: Reforms, Economy Are 'Moving In The Right Direction' but as always, the Headline on the front page, you know the thing that makes you click read as: Middle-Class American To Obama: 'I'm Exhausted Of Defending You'.  Sam Stein wrote the first story that was impressed with the Town Hall.  Two other guys wrote the later one.)

There were three questions along this vein: one from a CFO of a Veterans Organization, one from a Law School Student, and one from a Small Business Owner in Pennslyvania. Two of the questions were first and foremost about the economy.

The way I heard it, the CFO was basically saying: I'm not feeling the recovery, tired of trying to explain things, what have you done and why haven't you done more.

The Law Student was basically saying: I went to Law School for a better life. I'm not feeling the recovery, losing faith in change, and I'm not sure the American Dream is going to be there for me if I do find a job.

The Small Business Owner flat out asked why wasn't the President's Economic message getting out. You're losing the sound bite war, I recall him saying.

In every case, as he always does, the President calmly answered their questions. He listed out Programs and Legislation the Administration have done that could help the CFO and her family in the future. He tried to assure the Law Student that they were tackling the long term issues that are going to make a difference in his future.

Among all that, the President talked taxes, and ripped on a Hedge Fund Manager, all good stuff...

...but it didn't make Keith.

Instead we had a story about the President's disconnect with his Liberal base, which I'm sure gave Keith all kinds of jollies.

So do me a favor. Go and watch the hour long CNBC Town Hall for yourself, and then watch this segment from Countdown, and see if you don't feel the disconnect yourself.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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