More information = good.

If only more news outlets would tell their audiences when the news has been shaped by their sources we’d be in much better shape (ie- not in Iraq)

Left by Preston on September 2nd, 2007 at 9:48 pm

Katie said nothing about the troops. Maybe if you read what she said without trying to spin it at the same time you’d realize that. She was not referring to the troops in the field but the commanders and such that plan these photo ops.

Left by Arguman on September 2nd, 2007 at 11:53 pm

Thanks, but no thanks, Katie.
When I want to know what’s happening in Iraq, I’ll go to the best sources, like Michael Yon, Pat Dollard, Bill Roggio, and Michael J. Totten.
She had to try and do something for those ratings.

Left by no2liberals on September 3rd, 2007 at 1:07 am

Once again, N2L: More information is good. Even with her sorry ratings I’d venture at least ten - probably 100- times as many people watch Couric than read all of those other sources- so the best we can hope for is for Couric to be better.

As I mentioned earlier, one of the ways to be better if for journalists to be up front about their sources and their stories. If CBS only gets access to limited locations and selected troops they should say so. If a story on George Bush’s drinking and driving record comes out the journalists should reveal where this information came from. Part of the problem with journalism is the lack of transparency into the process

Left by Preston on September 3rd, 2007 at 6:38 am

Quite agree Preston.

One must have a wide spectrum of informative representation of any situation to be able to make a reasonable and valid opinion.

To only watch what your own bias agenda allows you to agree with is pointless.

And she’s fit!

Jonny

Left by Jon on September 3rd, 2007 at 6:46 am

Well i wish we had transparency in journalism and politics, but you know that’s not going to happen. The big 3, abc, nbc, cbs are not going to preface things with who the info came from and what their slant is. We all have biases, no such things as bias free. that’s why I agree, we should listen to all spectrum’s. I actually like to listen to my local liberal radio program from time to time. it gives me a straight plug-in to their thinking. it helps me understand why they think the way they do, and how twisted and hateful some of their theories are. Everyone knows the mainstream news outlets have a liberal slant, its blatant. No one gets to the top of that game without being a good liberal.
In a perfect world 10 mins would be for liberal views, 10 mins for conservative, and 10 mins for 3rd party views…..but like all things the people in control will not allow that. why should they willingly hand over their power to other points of view? and I agree people are turning more and more to the Internet for news..and more importantly have their voices heard….just like this

Left by Marc on September 3rd, 2007 at 9:53 am

Preston, I agree with you that more info is needed, that she has a larger audience, and they should disclose their sources.
One good example came the other day, when AP announced that according to “their sources” a very large number of Iraqi citizens were killed in August. The Brookings Institute pdf hasn’t been updated since the end of July, but the number they site for July is much higher than the one sited by AP, and the website Iraqi Body Count, which is difficult to interpret, doesn’t show as high a count as AP’s. So where are they getting their info, and why should we believe them? Now, if one of these groups would say “taken from officially recorded Iraqi government death certificates,” I would be inclined to take notice.
As for Katie, I think she was stating the obvious, as there was no way she, her network, or the military was going to take a chance with her safety, and drop her off in say Diyala province or Basra, wearing an outfit other than a big black “baggie.” That’s why I will rely on embeds for accurate info, and share those sources with all that I know.

Left by no2liberals on September 3rd, 2007 at 10:52 am

but like all things the people in control will not allow that. why should they willingly hand over their power to other points of view
Marc- Who do you think the ‘people in control’ are? What interests do they have? How on earth could these interests be construed as ‘liberal’?

N2L:
I’ve been hearing a lot of debate about recent casualty numbers as well- specifically that the military was stating that there had been declines without being open about their methodology. Once again, transparency would help.
Of course, everone is gearing up for the “September Deadline” and whether or not the Surge has reduced violence. Of course, the goal of the surge was to facilitate political advances- which by most accounts have not occured- yet our “Liberal Media” will focus on body counts, just as the Pentagon is leading them to do.

Left by Preston on September 3rd, 2007 at 3:34 pm

By the way, Marc, I’d love to hear more about these theories:

it helps me understand why they think the way they do, and how twisted and hateful some of their theories are.

Left by Preston on September 3rd, 2007 at 3:36 pm

specifically that the military was stating that there had been declines without being open about their methodology.

Cute.

Left by no2liberals on September 3rd, 2007 at 8:38 pm

Very quickly Preston if possible, long weekend now over…well on one local admittedly liberal radio station, trust me they even say that in the promo spots, they have Hispanic hour, African American hour, native American hour, womans issue hour, etc. you get the idea. when I listen at lunch sometimes to these “targeted audience” shows a lot of the callers will openly spout hate for “the man” and say things that no conservative would dare say at risk of being arrested. Preston there is a lot of hate on the left my friend. It seems a lot of the callers and the hosts too seem to be victims of this and that, and it always seems to be someone else’s fault or some external force holding them back. As to the twisted theories, some on the left think 911 was a government plot…how twisted is that..??? friggin twisted I would say. Or the theory that the damns in New Orleans were brought down by the government on purpose…another twisted theory. I know injustice exists, it exists everywhere, always has and always will. It just seems so many on the left have forgotten how to just get on with the business of moving forward. yes life is hard, yes its unfair, but damn why not use that anger and energy to change your life for the better. why whine and wallow in it??? it’s really not rocket science, in this country if you play by the rules, stay in school, off drugs, don’t have 13 kids before your 18, work hard, nothing can stop you from ultimately achieving a nice comfortable life. It seems to me some people actually don’t believe that anymore. and that’s the problem!!…that’s all for now, tired.

Left by Marc on September 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 pm

You’ve got a stronger stomache than me to listen to political radio. Of course you cite ideas (9/11, Katrina) that have no political support!

The equivilent would be to have tarred President Eisenhower with right wing, John Birch Society radio stations warning of ‘one world government’. (Alas, their followers are now appointed to be representatives to the UN by the President)

I think the lesson is that many people- on both the left and right- who are not doing well look for answers whereever they can find them and sometimes will attribute near-superpowers to the political forces they believe are holding them down. Perhaps the phrase ‘political correctness’ rings a bell…

Left by Preston on September 4th, 2007 at 7:17 am

Nice come back. and I would agree except PC HAS taken it’s hold in almost everything we do and say. I don’t believe it is imaginary. You and I both know the journalistic world is dominated with PC talk.

I understand why, a story reads better if it has heart and shows the little man beating the big machine. Journalism by nature has always had a liberal slant. its always been about the little guy winning, that makes good reading. but we have taken that nice concept and put in on steroids to where everything not in the majority is good and what’s in the majority bad…race, religion, culture, education, language, this war on terror, immigration, etc…it applies to all of thid…We can’t talk openly for fear of lawsuits, even amongst friends or co-workers now you have to watch what you say, no joking about anymore even if all involved are OK with it. can’t demand we would like to have a common culture and language, that is seen as non-inclusive. can’t demand our schools and hospitals turn away people that have zero rights and are illegal for fear of lawsuits and being seen as hard hearted. we can’t even muster the will to build a few hundred miles of fence to keep out illegals for fear of how it will look to the world. while we are the only contry in the world that allows anchor babies.

mexico even has shoot to kill orders on it’s southern border, so they don’t even live by the PC gibberish they sling at us day and night…everything foreign and exotic is seen as cool and hip, while plain ol bland American ideas, culture and its ways are seen as uncool and no longer relevant to the new world diversity montra..everything has to be all inclusive or it just not seen as intelligent or enlightened..one world government is the finish line we are running to for some unknown reason..heck why even have borders anymore?? really, what is the point.?? they mean nothing..all of this is a load of bollocks.!

If you can’t tell I don’t like PC, I think it is thought control and the opposite of healthy. it does not hold me back, I work and do what ever I want. but I sure am tired of pushing 1 for english. and when I see PC on TV, read it in papers, hear it on the radio, I just think “wow” the thought police are at it again and in full force.

Left by Marc on September 4th, 2007 at 10:33 am

Marc:

Political Correctness is a strawman for more issues than I could list.

Half of what passes for ‘political correctness’ used to simply be called ‘good manners’.

Left by Preston on September 4th, 2007 at 10:03 pm

Preston I agree with you to a degree about the manners part. but when we have to have foot baths for Muslims, transgendered bathrooms in mid sized places of business, removing all christian symbols from society and law making institutions, not making English official language, searching everyone at airports instead of profiling the odds on perpetrators, not having any congressmen responding to the leader of Mexico’s statement “where there is a mexican, there is mexico” for fear of looking racist, not changing the 14th amendment to stop anchor babies, fighting the war on terrorism with kid gloves, not as we should which is to win…etc, on & on I could go for days…this is not what use to pass for manners.!!..this behavior is politically correct suicide. and it has pervaded all aspects of our lives. I am sorry so many are blind to it. that only tells me the PC agenda is working and in another generation that’s all anyone will ever know. scary, like mind numbed automatons…thinking the way big brother wants us to think. yikes even scared myself with this one.

Left by Marc on September 5th, 2007 at 12:30 pm

Marc- I think you lost me. I’ve never heard about foot baths or transgendered bathrooms. I’m going to boldly say that they don’t pose a great threat to the Republic.

Regarding Christian symbols on government buildings: I don’t know how you can read the 1st and 14th Amendments and conclude that this is Constitutional- politically correct or not: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

Regarding racial profiling: Richard Reid and the London bombers (my favorite band!) were not Arab. Do you propose that Muslims wear a Yellow crescent on an armband or should we instead encourage police and airport screeners to look for indications of suspiscious behavior that are independent of race?

In short- I don’t believe ‘political correctness’ is a uniform movement affecting this country. Yes, we are discouraged from saying ‘cripple’ or ‘nigger’. Yes, we should not assume that a girl wants to be a nurse and a boy wants to be a doctor. Yes, it’s a mistake to believe that all Muslims are conspiring to overthow the United States. But these weren’t imposed to stick it to the ‘good folks’ they are simply based on a concept that people should be judged as individuals not by prejudices we have against various social classes.

Left by Preston on September 5th, 2007 at 9:19 pm

Preston we are not going to see eye to eye on this. Of course none of these issues in and of themselves pose any threat to our republic..but when you take the weight of them all together, it most assudurdly is making an impact on society. It’s all around us. You mean you can’t see the affect of PC on society? really? you are an intelligent person, I know are aware of this. You might be OK with it and not think it’s a bad thing, but you must be joking if you think PC thinking has not seeped into almost every crack of society. To anyone who has open eyes and is plugged in its like a neon sign at night on a desert road.

Also I can assure you the foot baths for Muslims & transgendered bathrooms exist. My wifes company has one of these bathrooms, I thought she was joking but unfortunatly she was not. do a little research, and find out.

This kind of stuff is all over the place, look around. Yes I hear you, you are not threatened by it, it not a big deal to you..but there are many who can’t stand what is going on. to these people PC is another phrase for the crumbling of standards. the lowering of the bar within society.

And how does a bible or writings from the scripture on courtroom walls establish any relegion? how does that work? does someone see that writing and immediately go crazy and start establishing religions? no. last time I checked there has not been the establishment of a religion in quite some time. no, what I think these kinds of things remind the people who work in court houses of, is that their power comes from a higher place..that they are answerable ultimately to something greater than themselves. but most liberals hate that concept, its threatening and just plain fairy tale stories to them. so they impose THEIR beleifs on the rest of us and have all connection with god removed. even though this country functioned VERY well for 200 years with all the religious references firmly in place…how do explain that.?? umm does not sound very tolerant or diverse to me.! liberals are only tolerant of things they think are right. if someone else beleive differently, well then time to get out the bulldozers and sharpen the pencils and lets all re-write history. to heck with what came before, they must have been dirty illiterates with no enlightened PC thinking? 6000 years of human history was all wrong? gosh we are so much more enlightened today with our PC ways and agenda. no, I think PC it’s just another form of societal control, from what you can say, write, publish, books to read, beleive in, energy to use, cars to drive, people to profile, cultural differences, race relations, even national pride has become a disgusting thing. now that is sad my friend.

Left by Marc on September 6th, 2007 at 12:57 pm

You’re right that we’re probably not going to end in agreement- but that never stopped a blogger!

I think PC it’s just another form of societal control, from what you can say, write, publish, books to read, beleive in, energy to use, cars to drive, people to profile, cultural differences, race relations, even national pride has become a disgusting thing. now that is sad my friend.

But the anti-pc crowd also has opinions on these issues- you are simply asserting that your idealized memory of the way the world was in 1952 should have been continued today. There is no unifying theory that holds together global warming and the prohibition against sexual harrassment other than the fact that some conservatives feel that their priviledges have been curtailed.

And how does a bible or writings from the scripture on courtroom walls establish any relegion?

What’s the point of it if it doesn’t? Why did Congressman Ellison’s use of a Koran at his private swearing-in ceremony cause a furor among the right wing except for the priviledged status of Christianity in government.

Honestly, do I care? Not really. Personally, I think organizations like the ACLU should ignore statues of the Ten Commandments and keep their powder dry for fights against, say, the end of habeas corpus.

this country functioned VERY well for 200 years with all the religious references firmly in place…how do explain that.??

The 14th Amendment. Up until the Civil War Amendments the Bill of Rights did not apply to states and localities. Since then, the Court has slowly extended these rights to provide protection against actions by State government as well as the Federal government.

Left by Preston on September 7th, 2007 at 6:44 am

Once again here is media wanting you see what they want. I did a one-year tour in Iraq, and I can tell you that is how life goes on. There could be a shooting or a roadside bomb one day, then the next it’s back to normal. Depending on the time frame Miss Couric went to Iraq, they’re not going to leave a bloody scene for some newsperson to report on. Sleep well, Katie. I got your back!

Left by SSG on April 13th, 2008 at 9:31 am