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23 Oct 2010 15:58

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Politics: NPR realizes Juan Williams’ firing not handled very well

  • I got the impression that [management] felt they had acted rashly and without deliberation. When [Schiller] made the psychiatrist crack, it just made matters much, much worse.
  • An NPR employee • Discussing the feeling they and many of the other staffers had about Juan Williams’ firing earlier this week. In the wake of the firing, which president Vivian Schiller even admitted was poorly-handled, the radio network is in fear that conservatives will choose not to donate to member stations, or worse, that Republicans in Congress will use the situation as an excuse to cut federal funding to member stations, which are much more reliant on it than the mothership. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 6 Comments • Permalink

22 Oct 2010 23:25

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Politics: Democratic fundraising: Small contributions, big overall haul

  • $17million amount raised for Democrats by the DNC in September
  • 90% portion of which came in amounts of $200 or less source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Oct 2010 23:13

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Politics, U.S.: Old Karl Rove, meet New Karl Rove

  • Things that weaken the parties and place the outcome of elections in the hands of billionaires who can write checks and political consultants who can get themselves hired by billionaires who write the checks, give me some concern.
  • Karl Rove in 2004 • Denouncing the rise of independent 527 groups and their influence on that year’s election. In March of this year, Rove founded his own 527 group, American Crossroads, to fund conservative candidates. In June, he co-founded an offshoot group that allows its donors to remain anonymous. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Oct 2010 16:01

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Politics: New Mexico gubernatorial debate discusses “big fat boners”

  • Just a hunch: She said “big fat boners,” but we’re sure she meant “big fat bonuses.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Oct 2010 13:59

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Politics: Clarence Thomas’ ex-girlfriend: Anita Hill was telling the truth

  • He was always actively watching the women he worked with to see if they could be potential partners. It was a hobby of his.
  • Clarence Thomas’ former girlfriend, Lillian McEwen • Suggesting that the Supreme Court justice perjured himself on the stand during his contentious 1991 Senate hearing. McEwen stayed quiet throughout her career, because she was afraid that coming forward would hurt her professionally. But now she’s retired. And now she has a memoir she’s shopping to publishers about her successful career and her relationship with Thomas. She stayed mum about her relationship with Thomas, but the whole thing about Thomas’ wife Virginia cold-calling Anita Hill convinced her to speak out. Among the highlights was an admission that “he was obsessed with porn.” Why is all this crazy Clarence Thomas stuff coming out 19 years after he became a justice? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Oct 2010 10:51

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Politics: Do Texas voting machines have a Green Party-favoring glitch?

  • You would think that electronic voting machines wouldn’t be so hard to screw up, but as this Texas guy here proves, it’s not the case. He tried to vote for the Republicans straight ticket and he got the Green Party instead. Some, however, are suggesting this clip is fake. Look at the position of his thumb and judge for yourself. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Oct 2010 17:31

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Politics: Three OTHER questionable things Juan Williams said on Fox News

  • Juan Williams is heading to Fox News full-time. In a quick turnaround reminiscent of Dave Weigel’s new gigs at MSNBC and Slate, Williams, who’s been on Fox News in a commentator’s role since 1997, reportedly has a new $2 million contract with the network. This added attention should help him transition nicely. But, while we defended his right to make his comments earlier today, it’s good to point out that he’s had a history of making questionable comments on Fox News that bled over into his NPR work – some of which are much harder to defend, considering the work he did for public radio. Some examples:
  • one Williams said NPR forced him to decline an interview with George W. Bush. “I was stunned by the decision to turn their backs on him and to turn their backs on me.”
  • two Williams, a regular guest on Bill O’Reilly, often defended the host in cases such as the George Tiller incident: “Let me just say, they’re going after you.”
  • three He suggested last year that Michelle Obama “has this Stokely-Carmichael-in-a-designer-dress thing going.” Damn. Now that’s a fireable offense, if you ask us. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

21 Oct 2010 13:44

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Politics: NPR’s firing of Juan Williams pretty much a huge mess

  • It’s not a bigoted statement. I said what I meant to say, that it’s an honest experience. … I have a moment of anxiety, of fear, given what happened on 9/11.
  • NPR news analyst Juan Williams • Defending his comments on Muslims that got him fired from NPR. He made this comment on Fox News today – and he made his earlier comment (that “people who are in Muslim garb” at the airport make him “nervous”) on “The O’Reilly Factor.” NPR has been getting some harsh rebukes from the right about all this, and we’re going to say, they’re deserved to some degree. It’s obvious what he meant – he still has some lingering post-9/11 fears, even if they’re a bit misguided – and we don’t think they were anywhere near as bad as the comments Rick Sanchez made that got him fired. Sure, they were questionable, but how many people share Williams’ opinion on this? If anything, he’s reflecting a view that isn’t uncommon (as proven by the whole “Ground Zero Mosque” drama), even if it is straight-up racial profiling. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 4 Comments • Permalink

21 Oct 2010 11:14

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Politics: Is Obama avoiding temple visit so he doesn’t look like a Muslim?

  • problem Obama is facing a lot of criticism suggesting that he’s Muslim, even though he’s not by a long shot. One in five Americans think he is, though.
  • crisis He canceled a trip to a city in India, possibly because he’d visit a temple that requires mandatory headgear – a.k.a. ammo for hatahz.
  • but … Some people in the city of Amritsar say he’d be OK to visit the Sikh Golden Temple wearing just a baseball cap. Go Yankees! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Oct 2010 07:42

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Politics: Crossdressing Korean bassist: Pawn in Meg Whitman’s campaign

  • And let this be a lesson to political campaigns: If you miss a character on a bit.ly URL, you might not get what you want. Meg Whitman’s press secretary lost a character in her tweet, pulling this entertaining video instead of the rah-rah endorsement that Whitman got from some police group. Sure, it happens to everyone, but it’s usually not as entertaining as this. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink
 
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