Notice how the media spends all it's time critiquing how the Democrats respond to the GOP madness

[StarfishSaver]

but rarely if ever call out the Republicans for creating the madness?

The Republicans behaved like damned fools yesterday and, contrary to the media narrative, the Democrats handled them as well as they could considering it's virtually impossible to rein in anyone who doesn't play by the rules and over whom you have no power or jurisdiction.

The media - and some Democrats here and elsewhere - keep attacking the Democrats for not getting "tougher" on the Republicans, for not doing more to stop their foolishness. But what exactly are they supposed to do within the parameters of the power they have?

Most of the answers I've heard to these questions treat this venue as if it's a courtroom with Nadler as the presiding judge. If that were the case, yes, Nadler could crack the whip and shut these fools down in an instant. But it's not and he isn't and he can't. these are all Members of Congress, his peers, over whom he has very little control, over them, even as chair of the committee. He can't hold them in contempt, fine them or throw them in jail.

So when analyzing these proceedings, the media needs to report on them as they are, not as they think they should be. they need to stop expecting the Democrats to do the impossible. And they need to start holding the Republicans accountable for their behavior

[Baltimike]

1. The "liberal media" has been the CONSERVATIVE PRESS all along. nt

[GusBob]

2. How do you fight back against howling monkeys flinging their crap?

Lies and monkey shit is all you get from the GOP. The media eats it up because it sells

But you got folks out there falling for KGB memes on Facebook and Twitter

What do you bring to this fight? truth and logic bore the media

[Newest Reality]

3. Who owns it?

Any guesses?

[SharonAnn]

43. It's like women being criticized for how the respond to men's agression.

“What did you do to cause this violence?”

[BarbD]

4. It's frustrating

trying to be calmly reasonable to screaming unreasonable people.

[mcar]

5. The so-called liberal media attacks Dems at every turn

and lets Rs get away with murder.

I have yet to see any media outlet question or criticize Mitch McConnell, but they are happy to say that "Congress" isn't getting anything done.

[MFGsunny]

6. K & R ... + 1,000,000

Can I have an Aaaaaamen?

[NoMoreRepugs]

7. Thanks for the accurate synopsis of the current reality

that exists in the media.

[global1]

8. But If The Shoe Were On The Other Foot?.....

I detest hearing this line (shoe on the other foot). I hesitate actually using it in this post.

But would the Repugs put up with such antics if it came from the Dems?

What would the media say? What would the Repugs do?

Would they sit back and just take such treatment from the Dems or such treatment from a person that was being questioned? Would the Repugs put up with such arrogance and insolence from such a person being questioned?

Lewandowski was being a smart-ass. He was making a mockery of the testimony. He was plugging his books. He was shooting back questions to the questioners. He was laughing at them under his breath. I even saw his lawyer laugh when Corey shot back with a smart-ass crack at a Dem questioner.

This drives me up the wall that the Dems just sit back and take such treatment.

I don't think if the shoe were on the other foot that the Repugs would put up with such insolence.

[StarfishSaver]

15. The Republicans talk a lot of ish

But when push came to shove and they were dealing with a witness they thought was a smartass - a witness they and their audience despised (Eric Holder) - the most they did was eventually vote to hold him in contempt, it was never prosecuted, and that was the end of that.

[c-rational]

9. Well said! nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

10. I'm too old and slow to learn Russian ...

We need the Committee to educate voters. To do that, they have to grab the attention of the press and tv. If that means some showboating, then just do it.

I understand they have to flesh out the record for the whole House, but the record is already rich. It's the public that needs to be filled in.

[Sogo]

11. Bravo.

Well said....

[Johnny2X2X]

12. The entire media now fallikng in line with Trump

It's getting scary.

[gordianot]

13. This new world is decidedly not "brave".

I attribute the fault to the human species and possibly natural selection.

[CaptainTruth]

14. Agreed. I get frustrated by folks who say Dems (or specifically Pelosi) ...

...are failing to do their jobs & "stop Trump." They don't seem to realize that impeachment in the House followed by acquittal in the Senate doesn't "stop" anyone or anything. Yes Trump deserves it, but that won't stop him.

I've seen some folks get so insistent about this I've had to ask them to explain exactly what they're advocating, because there are no legal means that will do what they insist must be done ... are they advocating physical violence? That concerns me, as it should concern everyone.

[karin_sj]

16. It's really infuriating

Last night I watched Don Lemon take a Democratic member of the judiciary (I forget his name) to task for the Democrats being weak and ineffective. He kept interrupting him and saving all his criticism for the Democrats. I sure wish Lemon would have saved some of his outrage and diatribe for the obnoxious, lying criminal smugly sitting there who was actively obstructing justice and engaging in a cover up, instead of just lambasting the Democrats.

Lemon could have commented on the behavior of the criminal "president" and his toady attorney general as well. But no, it's all about attacking the Democrats who are trying to defend our country from these criminals.

I finally had to change channels in disgust.

[cutroot]

17. Solution: Stop watching them

[ooky]

25. Too obvious cutroot.

[leftstreet]

18. Meh. The Democrats made the mistake of televising it

Most of the answers I've heard to these questions treat this venue as if it's a courtroom with Nadler as the presiding judge. If that were the case, yes, Nadler could crack the whip and shut these fools down in an instant. But it's not and he isn't and he can't. these are all Members of Congress, his peers, over whom he has very little control, over them, even as chair of the committee. He can't hold them in contempt, fine them or throw them in jail.

You are correct.

So why bother showing something that highlights that powerlessness?

Wait til they can grab the headlines with arrests, indictments, etc

Once again, Democrats are great at policy but suck at politics

[StarfishSaver]

21. Like most hearings, this hearing was open to the media and public

And it was the media's decision to put it on television, not the Democrats'.

And I'm old enough to remember some people here having absolute fits a few months ago at the thought that Mueller's testimony would be take in a closed session.

[leftstreet]

22. It shouldn't have been

That's all I'm saying

[StarfishSaver]

23. Do you think all of the impeachment hearings should be closed to the public?

Whether a hearing is open or closed isn't determined by whether or not it will make the Democrats look good, so on what grounds do you believe the hearings should be closed?

[leftstreet]

24. LOL I hope this wasn't an "impeachment hearing"

Of course impeachment hearings should be open to the public

The hearing they just had really wasn't worth having, was it

[StarfishSaver]

26. It was n imoeachment hearing, but so we don't get stuck in your semantic games, I'll rephrase the q

Do you think all Judiciary Committee hearings should be closed to the public and, if so, on what basis and if not, which ones should be closed and why?

[leftstreet]

27. I'm sure it'll all be fine

Nadler will go for contempt with Lewanwhatever and the headlines will completely turn around, showcasing the Dems' strength, aggressive tactics, and seriousness about holding up the rule of law

No way the media will be able to ignore that

[StarfishSaver]

28. Care to answer my question?

You said yesterday's hearing should not have been televised. Do you think Judiciary Committee hearings should be held in closed session?

[leftstreet]

29. Sorry, I thought you agreed with me

reading comprehension - my bad

1)The hearing in question shouldn't have been held at all

2)If held, it should have been televised only on the food network or something

[StarfishSaver]

30. Why do you think the hearing shouldn't have been held?

The Committee doesn't decide who's gets to broadcast a public hearing.

[leftstreet]

31. oh, okay n/t

[Laura PourMeADrink]

41. Roflmao...only on the Food Network

[lunatica]

19. Reposted from an earlier response I made to a thread about this

Regarding the media’s double standard re Democrats and Republicans.

Lately I’ve come to my own conclusion that the media are trying to reconcile their forecasting skills in the present atmosphere of what they desperately need to consider normal, everyday politics. The Republicans have managed to blow up the entire concept of what’s normal politics and what anyone can expect of them.

They’ve changed the narrative regarding their decency and righteousness vis a vis political goals and ‘duties’. So the pundits have been forced to accept the fundamental and obvious greed as a Republican quality as if it’s a normal thing. But paradoxically they still hold Democrats to the old political mores. It almost seems they’re desperate to keep Democrats stuck in restricted bygone moral behavior even as they concede carte blanche to the Republicans. They’re desperate to hold the Democrats feet to the fire in a time when the Republicans are given a blind pass for creating the fire.

It’s strange times indeed. Pundits have no idea how times are changing, though I suspect they know that the changes are happening. It’s the same situation for all of us. We don’t know what normal is anymore. We’re all living in the middle of a slippery slope. We’re living in a time where right and wrong have taken precedent for us while chaos has taken over for them.

Maybe this is our modern Civil War and maybe we’re right in the middle of it.

[Magoo48]

20. The corporate media is an important cog in the madness machine.

I haven’t watched in years. I get my news from Democracy Now and selected spots on the web, including DU.

[dlk]

32. We Need More Twitter Threads with Videos of Republican Crass Obstruction and Irrationality

The mainstream media has repeatedly let the American people down by doing such a poor job of reporting Republican malfeasance. We can only hope to counter it by posting tweets and videos of their bullying and misconduct.

[GeorgeGist]

33. I might expect leadership to...

SPEAK UP.

[JI7]

34. many are led around easily by the media. like they are on a leash

most people don't sit around watching cable news and following every single little thing they squawk about all day .

i told people they should use the congressional recess to find info on where members stood on impeachment or anything else related. but there was no interest in that. better to be led around by msm and react to their every little bit of gossip.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

35. It's like

Democrats are trying to act like responsible parents and Republicans are acting like bratty children. But the media (and all the other pundits) just want to sit on the sidelines and tut-tut the Democrats for not being able to easily or effectively control the Republicans' misbehavior. Some of our pundits do basically the same thing- but argue instead that Democrats should act like bratty kids too in order to get something done.

[StarfishSaver]

36. So true!

The way we shake our heads and judge the mother with the toddler throwing the temper tantrum in the middle of Target, wondering why she doesn't get control of her child ...

I used to do that - until the day I ended up on the receiving end of those stares when MY child fell out in the middle of Target.

[ffr]

37. No, I haven't. I just watched the testimony and left it at that. Corey tanked!

He admitted he's a liar and only loyal to two things, tRump and God. That sums it up for me. This guy is what he is, a loyal liar, a grifter and untrustworthy. Plus he handed the committee confirmation that tRump obstructed justice, a win-win!

Link to tweet

*** BOOM!! *** Ex-GOP Rep Says Corey Lewandowski Just Gave Dems The First Article Of Impeachment
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212472439



Why, are the talking heads saying something different to sway public opinion, like they did to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 General Election? Would they do that again just for ratings?

[rickyhall]

38. Hello... Corporate Media...

[wallyworld2]

39. Well

yes

[wallyworld2]

40. This half hour segment from yesterdays hearing should be the topic, not the stonewalling

WATCH: Full exchange between Corey Lewandowski and House Judiciary Counsel Barry Berke

[Aussie105]

42. The media are taunting the Dems.

They are too scared to tackle the insanity of Trump, or maybe there is so much of it, they don't know where to start.

The media is saying: Well Dems, Trumpism is now the Norm, if you don't like it, do something about it! But we are going to criticise you all the way! If you do nothing, we will criticise you, if you do something we will say - too late, too weak, poor effort!

It's a cowardly thing to do. But it is easy, and it draws an audience.

Russian and Nth Korean media are the same.