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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Dems Are Getting Beat Up By The Cable News Channels Talking Heads.....
Why is it that the Repugs always seem to outsmart the Dems?
I keep hearing that if this was the Obama Administration facing Congressional Testimony that this would all play out differently. I'm gonna scream if I hear that one more time.
Over the last 2 1/2 years we've watched this all go down in real time and know that this administration and the Repugs are as guilty as sin. We've seen them break laws right in front of us. However, when we hear opening statements like the one that Lewandowski gave today - it comes off as being credible. And the questioning by the Repugs of Lewandowski supports his credibility. It seems apparent that this has all been strategized and pre-arranged. The Repugs and Lewandowski came in prepared. Prepared to obstruct and obfuscate.
The Repugs always pull off an 'Eddie Haskell' and claim innocence when being confronted by Mrs. Cleaver (the Dems).
I feel so helpless when i watch this going on and wonder why we're not as adept as the Repugs when dealing with such situations? We should have Trump and the Repugs 'dead to rights' on their 'obstruction' and 'collusion' and the continuing obstruction to their original obstruction.
It's no wonder why the 'deplorables' believe them.
I'm tired of hearing that the Dems don't resort to the same tactics as the Repugs - because we're better than that.
Well look where being better than that is getting us.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)turn the Cable Noise off.
tableturner
(1,682 posts)Democrats bringing a knife to a knife fight!
lame54
(35,290 posts)Draw the law in the sand
Shut them down
Don't take their crap
These arent answers or strategies
Everybody rips the dems but then offer no real solutions
How do they deal with these guys when their in lock-step
Trump has the presidency the courts the DOJ the senate
Dems are a small piece of this pie
Help them out by giving them a detailed plan
Everybody seems to know how to get it done don't bother to share their sure fire plan
KPN
(15,645 posts)the courts, DOJ and the Senate because they stole it/them. We play by the rules?
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)global1
(25,247 posts)put your head in the sand - just turn it off. Nothing will ever be accomplished if we just sit back and take the lies and obstruction by the Repugs and just turn the 'cable noise' off so we don't have to deal with it or confront it.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)with either reality or journalism as it is neither.
The purpose of the talking heads is to fill airtime between ads for drugs we never knew we needed.
You can "enjoy" it and be as "engaged and informed" as you wish by them, but my blood pressure is much better and amazingly I still keep up with what is going on in the world.
apnu
(8,756 posts)Cable "News" is designed to keep eyeballs on the screen so they can see ads. That's the primary goal of each and every TV channel. 24 hours News channels are no different.
Also the talking heads are at the mercy of whatever producers are calling the shots behind the scenes. They live and die by their bosses. The producers, in turn are beholden to ownership in some media conglomerate or some 1% person who's majority share holder. They lean on the producers for a certain product, producers lean on talking heads for a certain product.
Doesn't matter if the viewer politically agrees with the show or not, all talking heads, including Rachel Maddow, are first and foremost there to entertain you enough to hang around through the commercials.
hunter
(38,311 posts)Broadcast television too.
Television news and opinion is worthless.
Once you quit traditional television it soon becomes utterly intolerable, most especially the talking news heads and commercials.
It's possible that nobody but old people watch traditional television anymore. My adult children don't. My nephews and nieces don't. They don't have cable or satellite or antennas in their homes.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)not every night but when I do have a chance. Beyond that it is mostly news from the internet or NPR when driving.
hlthe2b
(102,267 posts)I am pinning today's hopes on the possibility that Netanyahu is defeated. That might make it bearable.
Bonx
(2,053 posts)Saint PeLSU
(24 posts)I mean she goes into detail just how much Trump and republiclans get away with, while we play tiddly winks. I'll be honest I think this country is pretty much done. Even if we took control of the house, white house, and the senate every last department in government has been compromised and will take decades to fix
Laurian
(2,593 posts)I just called and left a message at Nadlers office telling him how irritated and disappointed I am. He needs to use all the power he has and not be such a whimp.
They need to step up to the plate or get lost.
lame54
(35,290 posts)Please somebody tell me
Everybody seems to know exactly what to do for a sure win
Why keep it secret?
tableturner
(1,682 posts)Big monetary fines, use inherent contempt to lock them up, filing the lawsuits as soon as possible instead of going slowly.....simply put, they should fight with all the weapons they have, and they should do that as intensely as is legally allowed!
Why do we just let them beat us? They have been rolling over us. They totally beat the hell out of us with their Mueller Report fraudulent rollout. They almost always do.
How about this: Reverse the roles of the two parties. Think about what the GOP would do, then follow that formula, minus any outright illegalities.
PAST TIME TO FIGHT!
lame54
(35,290 posts)Is that just a myth that everybody wants to believe
Can't recall a time when that's happened
triron
(22,003 posts)It was last used around 1930.
lame54
(35,290 posts)tableturner
(1,682 posts)It's not just that.....we need in general to fight furiously to save our democracy! When they found one minor crime unrelated to governing by a Democratic president they were ferociously attacking over almost nothing. They were foaming at the mouth to ferociously attack when they were hoping to find just one little illegal act by Hillary.
But here we are, with democracy at stake, with massive criminality and graft, and we are fighting according to Marques of Queensbury rules! Heck, we let Reagan and Bush get away with Iran/Contra, but they went after Clinton over sex.
Why, why, why?
Edit: changed a colloquialism.
Response to lame54 (Reply #34)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)She refused to appear before the grand jury and the judge ordered her jailed.
evertonfc
(1,713 posts)Stop watching. 99% of America isn't. Work, school, soccer, watching paint dry.... Don't let this shit consume you
global1
(25,247 posts)this is why we're being outsmarted and outplayed by the Repugs - if you don't like the answers - just turn it off.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)It really isn't news, it is Noise.
unblock
(52,221 posts)they are not objective and they make minimal efforts to be grounded in reality or norms. the only "facts" they care about is "this person *said* that". that lets them pretend they have no responsibility to vet the truth of the statement itself, because they vetted that the person *said* it.
cases such as this, they're giving republicans (at least) equal standing and credibility, turning it (as with most controversies) into sports matches, into he said, she said.
little mention of the blatant irony of having an uncooperative witness in an obstruction case.
in terms of planning, note that it's *vastly* more difficult to build a criminal case, or even a compelling lay case, against someone, than it is to evade responsibility and come up with excuses, especially if the media won't challenge you.
every 5-year old kid is adept at evading responsibility and making up excuses. it takes much more to build a case.
global1
(25,247 posts)the next Dem up to do the questioning should take the initiative to state the facts and set the record straight when these Repugs are trying to be cute by twisting the truth.
unblock
(52,221 posts)first, you have to be extremely knowledgeable and fluent in the facts.
second, you decides whether you want to devote some of your limited time to fact-checking these incessant liars instead of pressing forward with your agenda.
all in an environment where the witness, your republican colleagues, and the media are at best not helping you and mostly are actively opposing you.
NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)since January - it hasn't been 2 1/2 years.
still, Nadler is an idiot if he didn't know what Lewandowski was going to do. He should have been prepared to lock the guy up
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Naivety. They sounded so proud that they got Lewandowski before the hearing. Yet between his boasting about how great trump is and repukes ranting about "why the hell are we going over this again?"...what good would a savvy person think we'd get? Although someone said we have to get this all in the public record?
Cirque du So-What
(25,938 posts)I would lose my fucking mind.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)been shot down in hostile territory. Best wishes finding your way back.
Everyone needs to take a lesson. We shouldnt be losing people like this.
malaise
(268,993 posts)hang on.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)In that. Are they on break?
FBaggins
(26,735 posts)He extracted a couple of tacit admissions that Lewandowski lied to reporters once or twice.
malaise
(268,993 posts)Nailed him from his own book
chowder66
(9,068 posts)Jim Sciutto
@jimsciutto
Ignore the manufactured drama in the #Lewandowski hearing and focus on him confirming, as the Mueller report established, that President Trump asked him to tell the Attorney General to rein in the Russia probe.
Link to tweet
JaneQPublic
(7,113 posts)...while GOPers are dirty streetfighters who believe no rules apply to them.
Just a reminder of how well Lewandowski follows rules of civility and etiquette, NYT article from 2016, "Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trumps Campaign Manager, Is Charged With Battery":
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/us/politics/trump-campaign-manager-corey-lewandowski.html
Remember what Bill Clinton said: "When people are insecure, they'd rather have somebody who is strong and wrong than someone who's weak and right." Guess which one the Dems are.
Response to global1 (Original post)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Thanks for the clear-eyed take on this
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)was deliberate! They DO NOT want to read anything. It creates a sound bite. Much more effective if he (and Mueller too) would read. And he gave it away when he said " you let Mueller do it". In fact, if you notice, he says, "if that's what the report says." It's a way to subtly distance himself.
Thanks Rep Swallwell!
Response to Laura PourMeADrink (Reply #31)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)never betray trump. But then Cohen did. So there's that. Hope they hold him in contempt.
Response to Laura PourMeADrink (Reply #43)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)reasoned voices. They didn't pile on but you could tell they honestly wanted to get the truth.
rockfordfile
(8,702 posts)"And the questioning by the Repugs of Lewandowski supports his credibility" No it doesn't. How? Right-wingers questioning another right-winger?
Lewandowski has never had any credibility. Americans see the crooks and the more they obstruct the worst for the un-American Republicans.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)and everyone beats up on the Democrats.
Nice.
BumRushDaShow
(128,964 posts)Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Skittles
(153,160 posts)they have to be twice as good to be considered half as good
elocs
(22,573 posts)who insist they will fight by Marquess of Queensberry rules and get their asses handed to them.
This is why Republicans view Democrats with contempt.
Grasswire2
(13,569 posts)People who want very badly for Dems to succeed in protecting the Constitution and holding Republicans accountable.
Dems should have been prepared for Lewandowski to be a thug.
BumRushDaShow
(128,964 posts)and further obstruction by withholding documents from Mueller. - info discovered by Ted Lieu this afternoon.. all while the keyboard warriors were having vapors.
FBaggins
(26,735 posts)They might vote to make a criminal referral... but it isn't going anywhere.
BumRushDaShow
(128,964 posts)But it's something that can be presented to the courts - and notably with respect to gaining access to those other documents that were apparently created that weren't turned over to Mueller. And if he destroyed them then... more obstruction due to the destruction of "official documents" in violation of the Presidential Records Act.
FBaggins
(26,735 posts)They can go straight to the courts on civil contempt charges... but perjury is a crime and has to be prosecuted by the DOJ.
BumRushDaShow
(128,964 posts)that if Democrats take back the WH, then...
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)the whole Impeachment thing. The impatience is palpable. Time for some out-of-the-box thinking.
Response to Grasswire2 (Reply #41)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,369 posts)This is the corporate media, after all, and they LOVE Republicans, no matter what.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)and insist that the media has a liberal bias.
Kurt V.
(5,624 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,287 posts)the highest rated cable news channel is being watched by less than 1% of the population.
MadDAsHell
(2,067 posts)Let's be real: ethics aside (and most politicians care FAR more about their own careers and livelihood than anything as silly as ethics), why WOULDN'T you lie if there's a 99.99% chance there is no penalty?
And that's what history tells us: as a politician, whether during campaigns or under oath, there is a 99.99% chance your lies have no consequences for you whatsoever.
Plus, there isn't much a leg to stand on with Lois Lerner and Eric Holder defying subpoenas just a few years ago, similarly with no consequences.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)Care to provide some meaningful information?
What cable channels?
What talking heads?
pansypoo53219
(20,976 posts)dansolo
(5,376 posts)Why are you blaming the Democrats when the media is the problem here. If everything is so obvious, then the question should be why is the media not pointing it out?