CNN's New Boss: Progressives "Don't Get Too Worked up About Anything"

[Robbien]

NEW YORK, NY -- April 12 -- Over the years, media owners and editors have come up with different explanations for the lack of left or progressive voices across the media landscape. We're told those ideas are unpopular with the public, for example, or that leftists aren't as engaging or likeable as, say, Sean Hannity.

The new CNN President Jonathan Klein offered another theory during an appearance on PBS's Charlie Rose Show on March 25: Progressives aren't angry enough. When Rose asked if there could ever be a successful progressive version of Fox News Channel, Klein thought not. He explained that while Fox was tapping into a brand of "mostly angry white men" conservatism, "a quote/unquote, 'progressive' or liberal network probably couldn't reach the same sort of an audience, because liberals tend to like to sample a lot of opinions. They pride themselves on that. And you know, they don't get too worked up about anything. And they're pretty morally relativistic. And so, you know, they allow for a lot of that stuff."

Does Klein really think progressives don't get too worked up about anything? If he does, that might be because he's watching too much CNN, where centrists are often booked to stand in for bona fide progressives.

. . .

Presenting a skewed political dialogue that underrepresents progressive points of view is bad enough; but Klein's explanation that progressives simply don't get "worked up" makes no sense whatsoever.

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0412-11.htm

ACTION:
Tell CNN President Jonathan Klein that the notion that progressives don't get "worked up" is wrong-- and that if he'd allow genuine progressives on his network more often, he'd know that.

CONTACT:
CNN President
Jonathan Klein
Phone: [phone]

[expatriot]

1. There's someone who has never been on DU! n/t

[Tigress DEM]

49. So we should burn swastika's on their front lawns?

[GarySeven]

64. Too many liberals would burn question marks on people's lawns

Then sit down in a circle, hold hands, and talk about their "feelings."

Until we get it through our heads that the Conservative Dominionists who infest the Republican Party are willing to do ANYTHING to achieve their goal, no matter what, then we are sitting ducks. For God's sake, these people MURDER civil rights leaders; they MURDER abortion providers; they MURDER gays and minorities - and now they sanction the ASSASSINATION of federal judges. Singing kumba-yah around the campfire won't save us from the most pernicious threat our republic has ever faced.

[mistertrickster]

92. I used to think the "kumbayah around the campfire" was just a right-wing

stereotype, but I think it has an unfortunate kernal of truth.

Liberals tend to be so individualistic that sometimes it cam become "all about me." I've got these white American friends--vegetarians, Eastern mystics, etc.--who stand aloof from politics because it's all "maya" or illusion.

Almost as bad are all these "meet-ups" I go to where everybody sits and bitches and we never get to a game plan.

This is very unhelpful when you're trying to effect change in society.

We've got to organize and mobilize.

That's the only way.

[JohnnyBoots]

96. I agree we need

more liberals/Dems willing to throw a punch in the face of tyranny rather than a fit over piddly-shit that doesn't really effect anything in the big picture. If we keep worrying about the minutia and not call shennanigans on the GOP for every dirty deed they do, and explain it to the public who may not have a fascination with politics, then what remains of our country will be gone in the blink of an eye.

[Clark Bayh 2008]

100. We don't need to get angry... we need likable, celeb candidates

The celebs that talk a good game need to start to give up some
of their time & run for office. Celebrity liberals are happy
to mouth off but do they actually ever run for office?

Ballots are still more effective than bullets.

[JohnnyBoots]

101. Who's on your top ten list?

[Dr Fate]

114. Baldwin, Clooney, Sheen, (Jon Bon Jovi?)etc. etc

If AR-Nuld can do it, anyone can!!!

[xchrom]

2. i took my morally relativistic, not angry white ass

and stopped watching cnn.

i watch no msm.

[Rockerdem]

3. I hate to admit it but hes right

I look at the evidence. We are in the middle of a national meltdown and progressives seem to be lying back, taking it. Look at the last anti-war marches. Sparsely attended, relative to the stakes involved.

Think back to the single thing that got us going with fervor in the last 3 months. Its almost embarrassing say it: Gannon. With all the HUGE issues at risk, we went off on a bender over something not very big in the whole scheme of things. Klein, if he is monitoring this site, would probably stick to his guns.

[Robbien]

5. The right wing has a very effective machine

through Christian organizations and/or faith based funding. Every time anything is written or aired which does not agree with their conservative little agenda, hundreds of letters, emails and calls flood the media.

[mondo joe]

6. Not just that. Progressives by definition tend to consider other opinions

and push for fairness.

Cons don't give a fuck about any of that - they just want to demolish their enemies.

It's a considerable thing, that purity of mission.

[Tux]

15. New terms

We should use these when possible.

Con = Conservative

Pro = Progressive

Language means everything.

[Rockerdem]

9. It must be their hard heads . . .

. . . but they dont seem to get demoralized as easy. They stay on message until it would bore smarter people.

For example, I look at the gasoline crisis. Progressive people of little or modest income should be targeting and storming, en masse, stations owned by the big oil companies. They should be telling the chains to eat their product, instead of meeking watching their meager earnings go down the tubes. Yet, nothing. They just take it.

[OzarkDem]

25. Agree

Dems have to reinvent the wheel every time an issue arises that requires more than sending an email.

[MGKrebs]

8. I don't know...

I think there are plenty of angry leftists/progressives. It's just that the conservatives have been able to- hell, made a point to- get their angry factions all pointing in roughly the same direction.

On our side, we have angry environmentalists, health care advocates, civil rights activists, and many more. But my perception is that these groups, historically, fight for their cause but don't take a broader political position. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the Dem Party leadership has not embraced these "angry" parts of our end of the spectrum. We're busy being centrist, and the other side is whipping their minions into a frenzy by making every single issue a monumental struggle between GOoD and dEVIL.

[RaleighNCDUer]

105. I think you're right, and my take on it is that it is a matter of

education. That is, progressives take their positions because they are informed on the issues, while cons take their stands based of a pre-packaged 'moral' stance, and information be damned.

The problem with that is the cons can accept their proper stance by just being told what it is. Progressives base their stance on being educated and well-informed. But in this information-saturated world, it is difficult to be really well informed about more than a couple things. For instance, there are those who are incensed about violations of constitutional law being committed by the cons -- they know the ins and outs of constitutional law, but have a layman's knowledge, at best, of the effects of environmental degradation. They may be able to relate to surface arguments, and may be able to understand facets of environmental law, but they are hesitant to take a strong stand because it is not their field. Likewise, the environmentalist may be well versed on the ramifications of global warming or vanishing aquifers, but not know Marbury from Madison. Therefore, there is a wall between the pros who argue constitutional law and those who argue environmental preservation and protection, despite both being under attack by the same enemy.

And I admit, I don't know how to address that.

[uberotto]

14. It's a matter of perspective...

Sure, not many showed up to attend the recent War protest. Doesn't mean that we aren't still angry. It's just that the protests have been going on pretty much non stop for two and a half years. People are getting tired.

But now compare the "sparse" progressive crowds at the latest protests with the "massive" demonstrations by all those Angry Conservatives before the war started. If you remember, those Angry Conservative crowds would sometimes grow to be as large as 15 to 20 people.

Always remember, just because someone's not yelling at you doesn't mean they're not planning on punching you in the face the first chance they get.

And as for Gannon not being "big in the whole scheme of things". You're right, sort of. It seems that every month there is a new scandal coming from the Bush administration, but there is never any coverage of them by the main stream media. Their reasoning is that no one is interested, the stories are too dry and boring. There is no jazzed-up angle. So when Gannon came along, everyone said "Here's another scandal, this one has Prostitution and probably even a little oral sex involved, what's your excuse now?".

So it wasn't that Gannon was a big deal. It was that Gannon had all the elements that the main stream media seems to want before covering a story. When the main stream media again ignored the story, progressives became very upset. Not so much about Gannon, as about the lack of interest by the media in Yet Another Scandal (YAS). Gannon was much like this story, we screamed, we yelled, we got angry and still the MSM ignored us.

[Rockerdem]

63. The problem with "Gannon" was that it was small spuds

1. First, though, the present war protests are w-a-y too small for the importance of the cause. There should be hundreds of thousands in each large city. This is something we should really be putting most of our energies into for the next few months.

2. The reason why "Gannon" was never covered much outside of KO and a few others was that there was never a connection made to people of real importance. Even if some deputy press secretary ends up being responsible for the ploy, thats not enough horsepower to create interest. If a solid, sleazy link is established to a MAJOR player in the admin, the cable channels will run with it. But it had better happen pretty soon. Its becoming very stale.

[Tigress DEM]

139. 765+ protests in the US - some between 1000-4000 got no real press

I worked on a protest thread. Got results from all over, there were many, many protests, but not much news coverage in mainstream.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1672321#1672572

Still, only in Brussels Belgium were there 100,000+ and they were also protesting their workers rights issues.

[CatWoman]

140. yet that handful of asshole loons in Florida

that invaded Schiavo's hospice got wall to wall covering.

Wer'e talking about less than 100 people here.

[Tigress DEM]

142. A repug puts up new wallpaper and gets more media coverage than...

1,000+ people protesting the War. Go figure.

[UpInArms]

17. how would you know if there were a major protest

in this country?

The revolution will not be televised.

When there were millions in the streets prior to the war, they were labeled as a "focus group".

"Who cares what you think" GWB Philadelphia 7/4/01

[Tigress DEM]

50. Not really, because it's an overstatement of our problem.

We have the moral right to go ballistic and march en-masse onto the White House lawn and DEMAND our country back, but we BELIEVE in the Process so much and in PEACEFUL means of solution that they are thumbing their noses at us, like nasty teenage hotshots challenging an old sensai to battle and calling him a coward because he doesn't break their necks out right as he easily could.

The DEMS have moral character, we don't just talk about it. We believe in doing the right thing and although we've all done our share of falling short of the glory of God, neither do we have the RAGE and Insanity of the repubs, because we believe that the TRUTH itself will set us free if we only find the means to get it OUT there to the public.

We don't believe that just because we are used to our own collective shit that it doesn't stink. We understand that we are imperfect.

We don't have to create a fantasy island and rig elections to win because we know who really won. But other than outright day and night protest I don't know how much more we can do to prove that we care.

[Dr Fate]

83. No- that does not explain why there are no Pro-DEM shows.

Who is the resident Cable TV Liberal comedian opposite Dennis Miller?

Who is the former DEM congressman with his own show- like Scarborough?

Who is the Liberal version of O'Reilly?

Which TV host openly opposed the war in the beginning- as opposed to openly supporting it like so many did?

You are wrong and your analysis does not adress the issue.

[redqueen]

106. Thank you. And consider Phil Donahue

had the highest rated show on MSNBC before they axed him because they didn't want anyone questioning the fearless leader during a time of war.

Idiots.

I HATE that people here are buying into these LIES!

:grr:

[Dr Fate]

108. You are very welcome- and great point about Mr. Donohue-who was RIGHT

While the GOP/media had it wrong.

[redqueen]

111. And they STILL haven't put him back on.

Cowards.

[Tigress DEM]

141. Thanks for the personal attack.

"You are wrong and your analysis does not adress* the issue" *spellcheck much?


Just because the media is being co-opted by those who hold the purse strings to keep Democratic representation in the mainstream media looking like HANNITY and colmes doesn't mean WE don't have stong opinions or the ability to express them.

We don't behave like baboons on crack, so I guess we aren't interesting enough for mainstream media.

[calimary]

109. He's absolutely correct. When all we get, representing our side, is

a pathetic milquetoast like Donna Brazile, or Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution - AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH! Let me tell you about an email exchange I had with Michael O'Hanlon. I wrote him after a pathetically milquetoast appearance he made on CNN, I think it was, taking the "left" side against some blonde twinkie whose name I forget, who was representing the "right." She had LOTS of zingers and while she didn't get all loud and red-faced, she still interrupted, butted in, bullied him every time he tried to get a word in edgewise, AND HE ALLOWED IT! He not only did NOT fight back and fight her for mike/camera time, MORE THAN HALF of his comments were along the lines of: "well, I agree with my opponent that..." or "well, my opponent has a good point there..."

I emailed him about it. To get on his good side (and get him actually to read my email), I put in the subject line something like "Good presentation you made on CNN today" or some such baloney. Then, my first point (to keep his attention) was to compliment him on the way he dressed for the oncamera presentation. THEN, I got to my point, outlined above.

Do you know what his response was?

He said he thought it was important to show how well our side can "get along" because too much contentiousness and disagreement just isn't a good thing, and presents our side as divisive.

CRIMINY!!!!! Thinking like that has gotten us to where we are today.

Thinking like that has earned us poll after poll, and voter comment after voter comment, that basically says they don't see any difference between the two parties, so what difference does it make who you vote for? One is just as good as another. HOW MANY PEOPLE have you heard, apathetically smarming that "oh, they're all the same..."? THIS is why!!!!!! HOW MANY PEOPLE have you heard, apathetically smarming that "oh, the Democrats aren't any different than the republi-CONS..."? THIS IS WHY!!!!!!

Plus, how on EARTH are we going to fire up the voters, give the undecideds something solid to grab onto, or take a stand people can even repeat back to us after they hear it, if we don't get out there, get forceful, and get in-yer-face back at the bad guys?!?!??! After all, one of bush's pet phrases during last year's campaign was "you may not agree with me, but you know where I stand." And what did we have? ZILCH. SQUAT. NADA. NONE of the undecideds knew where we stood, and those in the enemy camp who might be even slightly wavering had NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL to woo them over from the Dark Side. What we did have, unfortunately, was a lot of "I voted for the 87 million before I voted against it" - which was bad enough all by itself, without the bad guys using that soundbite over and over and over and over to drive the point home in every frickin' campaign commercial they could get on the air.

You sow milquetoast seeds in the field, you get milquetoast crops.

[Dr Fate]

113. No- he is incorrect and so are you.

The hosts of Air America are not milquetoast at all- so why cant CNN give a show or more appearances to someone like Al, Malloy or Ed Shultz?

Your analysis only backs up his excuses- CNN and cant constantly book these "milktoast" DEMS on one hand, and then on the other complain that they are not angry enough.

Who was stopping CNN from booking Mike Moore, Howard Dean or Rhandi Rhodes, for example- he claims that is what he wants- more "worked up" guests- so why not book them instead of this milktoast guy??

[calimary]

135. Frankly, I don't see the dispute here. My analysis was to illustrate

a complaint, based on what I've observed, not a buttressing of his argument.

For the life of me, I don't know what's EVER stopped them from inviting a Michael Moore, a Howard Dean, a Mike Malloy, or a Maxine Waters, or many others in the talent pool who are now established and incredibly viable. I've seen Howard Dean on occasionally, Randi Rhodes and Ed Schultz each on ONCE - and I'm not even sure if that was on CNN or MSNBC.

I'm with you, Dr Fate - we've got lots of articulate, interesting, and even fiery, combative progressives available to speak for us. Al Franken isn't necessarily fiery, per se, but he's so damned engaging and clever that he still counts, bigtime.

[Anakin Skywalker]

4. I Get Very F***ing Worked Up

over some things. I just prefer not to scream and shout like that man-child Sean Hannity. I think Jonathan Klein is trying to get on the @$$hole List.

[housewolf]

7. Soooo.... Hmmmm... "getting worked up"

Perhaps that one line explains CNN's basic philosophy ... Is it his contention that programming that "gets people worked up" is the ONLY (or even MAIN) programming that is viable? Or valuable? Or profitable? Or interesting? Or watchable? Or enjoyable?

Or does he see it as his the role of his network (or even CNN's job) to "work people up?"

This is very curious. I'd don't see the issue as one of progressives not getting worked up but rather what he sees as CNN's role.

[Tigress DEM]

53. Hard to be worked up about C*ee N*o N*ews when your TV is off.

[EVDebs]

10. CNN has never fully recovered from the "CNN and PsyOps" scandal

www.counterpunch.org/cnnpsyops.html

Sounds like Klein is just digging the hole a bit further...

Also, do you think the media M$M could EVER have a fair and balanced discussion of their whoring for the CIA ? Operation Mockingbird...Nah, didn't think so.

[chalky]

11. Successful progressive version of Fox News Channel?

"When Rose asked if there could ever be a successful progressive version of Fox News Channel, Klein thought not."

Didn't they say the same thing about Air America?

[OzarkDem]

27. Or early version of Crossfire?

When Crossfire was an hour long and actual news started making its way out on the airwaves. CNN rushed to change its time slot to late afternoon and cut it in half.

[dave29]

12. So what makes news depends on how angry people are.

I see it so clearly now.

[Tigress DEM]

55. Let's get pisssinated!

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[ixion]

13. hmmmm... he obviously hasn't checked my blood pressure these past few

years. :grr: :banghead: :grr: :banghead:

[SmileMaker]

16. Has he listened to Mike Malloy rave about how much he

HATES these people lately?

[Zorra]

20. OK, I owe you a coke.

;-)

[Zorra]

18. Well then, apparently Mike Malloy needs to go MSM TV primetime.

Up to the challenge, Mr. Klein?

Put your money where your mouth is.

[Mountainman]

19. I've noticed that there are very few leaders and a whole lot of followers

in TV land.

No one wants to be the guinea pig. The see one successful show and they all copy it hoping to share in the success. That is one reason that all the cable "news" shows are copying faux news.

There is a market out there which is us. We would watch as much as we come here to DU if the message was something we wanted to hear.

So often we are told that we have to be like wingnuts to get anywhere. That is bullshit. We don't have to turn our backs on women's issues or on gays or get angry.

We are here and if the media wants our attention they will come to us. My guess they will in time. Maybe sooner than later.

When I listen to wingnut radio lately they are attacking each other and whining about the success the Dems are having blocking their agenda even though we are not in power.

[Tigress DEM]

56. Cool! Wingnuts are whining about DEMS blocking their agenda.

Thier agenda is so bad :spank: it should be spanked, not just blocked.

[Kimber Scott]

21. So, basically, it really is about pandering, not the truth.

I'm glad to see someone admit it.

[hvn_nbr_2]

22. Maybe we should give him a taste of worked up progressives.

[GOPBasher]

23. Ummmmm, did he sleep in a cave during the war protests? n/t

[OzarkDem]

24. Let's see how worked up he gets

when we start boycotting his sponsors. Sounds to me like he issued a challenge, I think we should take him up on it.

Recall, a similar boycott worked against the vulgar pigboy.

[Dr Fate]

34. WUDAC: "Worked Up Democrats Against CNN"

I like your idea- someone with the know-how should start a website- we need to stay on this liars ass about this-

I'd like to get DEMS involved.

[LdyGuique]

26. tsk tsk -- do we have to go to repug school to learn to talk out of

our asses?

Just because progressives are known for attempting to view all sides, they are to be discriminated against?

Ha! Lou Dobbs has become a major outlet for many progressives and moderates over his constant drumbeat over Outsourcing America. His "Broken Borders" is highly anti-Administration. The nightly polls consistently show vote counts in the 90 percent range for issues that are anti-Administration. While Lou frequently has guests from the RW, he's always got a ready voice for Progressives.

Now, it's true that many Progressives are not part of the anti-illegal immigration movement, but there are progressives who are quite concerned about security issues and the constant flood of illegal immigrants who are flooding over the border and who are gravely impacting many cities' schools, and health and human services.

CNN should look to its own Lou Dobbs if it wants to see what the truth of this might be.

[Daphne08]

82. I like Lou Dobbs. He's not afraid to speak his mind!

[havocmom]

28. Memo to Jonathan Klein: take your fingers out of your ears, open your

eyes and stop shouting "LA LA LA LA LA LA" in the stupid effort to not hear us. You hear us and we all know it. Come up with some other pissy excuse for the one sided drivil CNN broadcasts, like maybe Corporate Propaganda is what you are really in the business of.



#@!)%*#)$*!@$&!_@$U%#($%#()$ dipshit liar.

[realFedUp]

98. I second that motion....

You'd have to be deaf, dumb or blind (no offense
to those who really are and are more aware than
Mr. Klein) to not know that the progressives in
this country which by the way make up half of
the country think the leadership and media have
a bias, an agenda and more interest in making
money than presenting the truth.

I don't watch CNN anymore and if catching
those FAUX viewers is more important than
telling the truth, then your continuing
ratings loss will bring no emotions here.

[ray of light]

29. MAKE CALLS PLEASE and get RID OF THE NEOCONS

Ok...I called them and told them it's been 8 months since I've listened to any of their networks, so perhaps they should think twice about their biased broadcasting.


Let's get rid of these neoCONs so we can get the real democratic people elected and get rid of the propaganda!!! Too bad they stole the election or Kerry would have dismantled their propaganda networks. That's why they cheat and lie.
http://www.democracycellproject.net

[redqueen]

110. Yes, please, don't just rant here... CALL! n/t

[ray of light]

123. Ranting? Sorry, didn't mean to rant...just the voice of desparation!

[redqueen]

130. Oops sorry... I didn't mean you personally.

I was talking to everyone on the thread who was disgusted by his comments.

:)

[ray of light]

124. What does n/t mean?

[redqueen]

131. It means "no text" as in... no text follows this subject line.

Welcome to DU, btw.

:hi:

[ray of light]

133. Thank you.

Thanks for the explanation on both posts. I did not want to overstay my welcome so quickly! (Thanks for welcoming me too.)

I guess I posted in caps because I am one of these people who feel that the more protests we make, letters we write, then we can let the "power brokers" know we're on to them and are not going to shut up and sit quietly while they take away our democracy.

Have you seen http://www.democracycellproject. com

Its site can work very well (interactively) with this site because it's trying to involve people from their own living rooms and their own communities and not wait for word from above to "organize".

Thanks again for your nice responses to me.

[redqueen]

134. My pleasure.

:)

Thank you for the link... I hadn't heard of that site before.

[calimary]

136. I second that!

This should be a two-step process:

1) See/read it here first and get fired up.

2) Then, go do something about it.

[redqueen]

138. Hey... is your list on Demopedia?

Guess I could look that up... but... it's a kick for the thead anyway. :)

[Jade Fox]

30. If we do show our anger....

right-wing pundits leap to the fore to proclaim us people driven mad by
our hatred of Bush, ad nauseum.

[Tigress DEM]

61. Well, if we'll be criticized no matter what we do... why play nice?

:kick:

[JohnnyBoots]

97. You can't play nice in a street fight, break a bottle and stab the F@ckers

[Dr Fate]

31. When we DO get "worked up" they call us "bitter partisans"

So sick of the lying media.

[Dr Fate]

32. has this liar ever heard of Babs Boxer, Rhandi Rhodes or Mike Malloy?

If he needs Liberals who get "worked up"- it should not be too hard to find.

He is obviously lying or lazy or both.

[Tigress DEM]

62. "lying or lazy or both" I vote both.

:kick:

[Mr_Spock]

33. Sorry, stopped watching CNN - those sorry ass Faux copiers

They will not get a second of my viewing time until they decide to change management...

[Dr Fate]

35. The Dean Scream.

When Dean got "worked up" CNN ridiculed him.

SICK OF LIES.

[Tigress DEM]

60. Yeah and Fags were bad until GannonGate.

Then they were quiet about that for awhile and then they were mad about it again.

Like WMD - these people are like Cybil - and I'm not talking Shepard either.

Multiple personalities - each one to cope with the smallest segment of reality they can view from their tight a**ed perspective and then another one pops up to deal with another conflicting viewpoint, but each portion has no clue about what is really going on.

Scary.

What drugs are the repugs on anyway?

[KoKo]

36. Puke Klien Apologia...setting himself up to fail with wrong direction...

but HEY...he will make millions watching our country go down the tubes..but it doesn't matter...the perks are great...for him, and others
:D...Townhouses in the best places in US and Europe...the best food prepared by chef's who know how to avoid "Mad Cow"...the finest "Spring Water" so he and his step children avoid toxins and skiiing and "fun and sun" in the best Resorts.

He and his many wives and children from previous marriages will just find it all so "KICKY!"

[Dr Fate]

38. I thought all DEMs were "Bush Haters"- now he says "not angry enough"

SICK OF LIES.

[Dr Fate]

37. Give Mike Moore his own TV show then. He gets worked up, right?

???

[bvar22]

47. Michael Moore's OWN news show!

I love it. He would pull down some ratings!

[Dr Fate]

54. Oh- but wait- he's is "not angry enough"

Dont you ever notice how he SMILES sometimes???

[patricia92243]

39. And they're pretty morally relativistic - what does that mean?

[bvar22]

45. It is an undeserved diss of Liberals....

...who are Tolerant of others and believe that god gave everyone a conscience to determine right and wrong. Liberals don't need Druggy Limbaugh , Slanthead Hannity, Rev Dobson, Santorum, Delay, or bush* to tell us what to believe, so we sometimes disagree.

As a Liberal, I am enough of an adult to let other's decide their own morality for themselves without judgement from me as long as it doesn't violate our laws. I resent being called morally relativistic..I am not!

[Tigress DEM]

58. relativistic - adjective (ie: we think about morals relativistically)

Relativistic

adj 1: relating or subject to the special or the general theory of relativity; "relativistic quantum mechanics"; "relativistic increase in mass"; "radiation from relativistic particles" 2: of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of relativism.

IE:
We think we all should just "get along" instead of "judge others so we look better in comparison".

Because relativism acknowledges that a theory, especially in ethics or aesthetics, that conceptions of truth and moral values are not absolute but are relative to the persons or groups holding them.

How else can anyone think if they see the world as it is? If people who claim to be Christian's murder in the name of God and Country, I would say they are pretty much out of touch with reality, and I think that makes me proud to be relativistic, because it means my head is in the right place and not up my a**.

But more importantly, relativism means that we understand that there are effects that relate to what we as individuals do. Just as there is a relation to time distortion as speed increases beyond light, there is moral distortion when one goes past the light and claims to be God's best friend when indeed one is living in the darkness of one's own anal cavity.

[bvar22]

40. Less than a year ago, the CorpoMedia talking point....

...was that Liberals were TOO ANGRY and HATED bUSH* TOO MUCH!!!!

ALL the Media outlets were in TOTAL agreement about that assessment of the Left!!

Unlike most of America, I am CURSED with a memory!


ON EDIT: Have I told you how much I HATE THESE FUCKS!!!!

Please visit this link:
I HATE REPUBLICANS!!!

[DemBeans]

41. well, well, well

Perhaps he didn't watch his own CNN coverage of the Democratic National Convention, but the CNN memo was definitely passed out to their anchors. They reminded every Democrat - in a panicky, hysterical way - they could find that the DNC didn't want any "Bush bashing". God forbid we show anger over the rape of our country!! Woodruff and Blitzer in particular almost jumped out of their seats to lecture with bared teeth about the prohibition on "Bush bashing".

So, which is it, Klein? We show anger and you set your pit bulls on us, then smugly proclaim that we don't get angry enough. It's enough to make your head spin.

[peacetalksforall]

42. Are there so many angry white men that 100% of cable and network

corporations cater to them? FOX, CNN, NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC - all five for some angry white men. He is full of brown stuff.

[Robeson]

43. Corporate News Network, aka, CNN, has nothing to say....

...that I want to hear.

[rocktivity]

44. Still making excuses for staying on the "Fox Lite" tip, huh?

Who does he think he's kidding? Even as we speak, Paula Zahn is talking with
a) Hillary Clinton
b) Barbara Boxer
c) Jane Fonda

Klein probably been warned by the Bush empire that any attempts to go left will result in a loss of access, advertisers, and who knows what else. You want "worked up" liberals? Keep doing what you're doing.

:headbang:
rocknation

[atommom]

46. Someone should send him this nice rant, currently on our Greatest

Page:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1720058&mesg_id=1720058

:applause:

[bling bling]

48. I don't get worked up about news from CNN. Ever.

Because I no longer watch CNN. Ever.

And the reason I don't watch it anymore was because I got tired of getting worked up over it.

I don't want to view life through an angry, hateful filter just so that CNN will cater their news to my liking. Screw 'em. I've got the internet.

[Robeson]

51. Agree.

[Tigress DEM]

65. Truth to that as well.

But when they tell blatent lies about us, we have a right to tell them to put their idiotic opinions where the sun doesn't shine, as soon as they remove their heads from said hidey hole.

Audible pop heard round the world if it ever happens.

[gordianot]

52. They want you to get really worked up so they can take names.

:tinfoilhat:

[Tigress DEM]

59. Well, I'm on every other list... might as well.

:mad:

[yorkiemommie1]

57. emailed them

and told them JUST how mad I am.

[nolabels]

66. Well Johnny I guess we all should just call it a day then

Btw, someone should tell Johnny to turn the lights out at his network when he goes home :hi:

[RaleighNCDUer]

107. The lights have been out for years. nt

[Jack Rabbit]

67. Nah, I don't get too worked up about what passes for news on television

Image from Kill Your Television

[chomskysright]

68. I fucking called: COMMENT LINE: 404 827 1500

[Dr Fate]

118. Thanx- calling now. n/t

n/t

[chomskysright]

69. KLEIN E MAIL: [e-mail]

[chomskysright]

71. My letter to Klein & other CNN people (USE AS YOU LIKE)

RE: Mr. Klein's comment: "Progressives aren't angry enough. When Rose asked if there could ever be a successful progressive version of Fox News Channel, Klein thought not. "
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2489



Dear Mr. Klein:

If you would like to see very angry progressives with some very well-educated ideas, I recommend the following (this is merely a small sampling, sir):

www.democraticunderground.com (indeed, you are on there now): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1389695&mesg_id=1389695&page=


OR
www.smirkingchimp.com


OR
buzzflash.com
Ex-Intel Chief Blasts Bolton at Hearing
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=663304
Thrice-Married Adulterer, Philanderer and Unrelenting Liar, Newt Gingrich, Gets Support from GOP Hypocritic Faithful for Presidential Run
http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/041205/newt.html


OR
Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens for Legitimate Government
12 April 2005
http://www.legitgov.org/
All links to articles as summarized below are available here:
http://legitgov.org/index.html#breaking_news

U.S. Has No Exit Strategy for Iraq, Rumsfeld Says --The U.S. has no exit strategy or timetable for withdrawing its forces from Iraq and a pull-out depends on the readiness of the Iraqi Security Forces, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said.

OR
Progressive Democrats of America" <[e-mail]>


OR
[e-mail]
GIVE IT BACK, GEORGE
Did Wyly Coyotes' Ill-Gotten Loot Buy White House?


OR
Peace, Earth & Justice News -- http://PEJ.org
A project of the non-profit Prometheus Institute.

OR
- -
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
From: "uruknet.info" <[e-mail]>

Let them eat bombs
The doubling of child malnutrition in Iraq is baffling
Terry Jones, The Guardian
A report to the UN human rights commission in Geneva has concluded that Iraqi children were actually better off under Saddam Hussein than they are now.
This, of course, comes as a bitter blow for all those of us who, like George Bush and Tony Blair, honestly believe that children thrive best when we drop bombs on them from a great height, destroy their cities and blow up hospitals, schools and power stations...

Read the full article / Leggi l'articolo completo: www.uruknet.info/?p=11042


OR:
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT FROM VETERANS FOR PEACE:
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/impeachment/violations.doc


GIVE US THE NEWS, BOTH SIDES, MR. KLEIN AND THEN MAYBE WE WILL THEN TUNE BACK IN TO CNN

[yorkiemommie1]

116. thanks for the email address

i emailed him. too.

[Dr Fate]

119. That email adress does not seem to be working. n/t

n/t

[Cha]

70. Oh yeah...I can see where he is

headed!

Did cnn even report on the thousands out in the street in San Francisco protesting against arnie the groper..so that he had to forget about gutting their pensions?

Maybe it's because cnn doesn't report on Progessives getting worked up that he thinks it doesn't HAPPEN?!

[Dr Fate]

74. Those folks are just "moral relativists."

Apparently on some days they are against the war, and on somedays they say its not so bad, if you look at in context.

:)

[w4rma]

72. I'm sure he'd like to *think* that. But it's not true.

Also note that Air America is doing just fine.

[cosmicdot]

73. maybe he should ask us folks for a pool of names to call

or to give their own shows ... ... he's obviously standing in an ankle-high samo-samo name pool ... he needs to diversify ... just to call the DLC for a spokesmodel just doesn't cut it ...


I nominate, for example, Jim Hightower.

[democracyindanger]

75. To be fair

I'd kick Klein's ass and not break a sweat. So he's sort of right.

[zann725]

76. Apparently Klein hasn't listened to Air America...OR heard of it.

n/t

[Dr Fate]

77. No- he is lying- CNN has ran stories about Air America...

...mostly about how it was going to flop.

So, we know that he knows of "angry" liberals who "get worked up."

He is just flat out lying again.

[AgadorSparticus]

78. with such cluelessness at the helm, it's no wonder CNN has been

tanking of late. Not angry enough...there will never be an audience for progressive views...the entire country is more conservative than that....liberal views don't sell....blah blah blah blah

I have just 2 words for Klein: you wish. Wake up buddy!

[Dr Fate]

79. It proves that he is lying for Bush.

All of his reasons are known to be BS to anyone in the media business-

EVERYONE in the media buisiness knows about the Air America success story.

[AgadorSparticus]

85. you're right. it isn't stupid. it's cunning and deceitful.

[Daphne08]

80. Oh Yeah??? I'm so worked up right now I can't sleep!

[Dr Fate]

81. We need to do somthing about this bimbo.

I think we need to pressure DEM leaders to start talking about media bias more- like this instance.

We need to send this outrageous story to Democrats in office and demand it be adressed.

I wish the DEMS had not ignored the Gannon story, which would have been a great springboard for the issue of media bias as well...

WORKED UP? Let me on their stupid shows- I'll get REAL worked up for them.

[Voltaire99]

84. Ours is the last laugh: latest media numbers show MSM in big trouble.

Fuck Mr. Klein and his pointless broadcast. As recent numbers show, the MSM is facing a serious crisis with a dwindling number of stooges for its product.

Smart readers have moved online. (Pat yourself on the back.) Over the next decade, traditional media are going to reshape themselves for the groundlings--religious nuts, right wingers, know-nothings, sensationalists.

Figures here:

http://longtail.typepad.com/the_long_tail/2005/04/media_meltdown.html

[depakid]

86. This guy's so clueless- it's hilarious

I like the fact that he's running CNN, because he's going to run them into the ground- where they belong. Just watch- he's going to make one bad busines decision after another.

[tsuki]

87. I read on DU that Falafel News Network has 2 million viewers and

CNN has 775,000 viewers. Seems to me that these are low numbers. And looking at CNN, even the Fundies here are getting tired of Jackson, Jackson, Jackson. And the Pope, don't get them started about the Papists.

It seems to me that CNN has no viewers. But, I'm sure that Klein has a nice golden parachute, and isn't that what really matters.

[candy331]

88. Saw "Frontline" last night and Karl Rove is said to find the angry

point for voters and the strong point of opponents and then he attacks, attacks, attacks the strong point. Well, if a person needs to stay angry all the damn time then eventually that emotion will lead to sickness and death. That is just dangerous just as a boiling pot cannot boil forever sooner or later it will run out of steam, but of course if the top is taking off a boiling pot(Dems, progressives) it will run out of steam sooner than later.



Of Course no one mentioned last night on 'Frontline' that to attack, attack, attack the strong points of a person much mud has to be slung, slime and innuendo with outright lies being told to accomplish it.

[baldguy]

89. yea, right.

I seem to remember a million "worked up" people right on their doorstep.

[rocktivity]

95. These pics gives me an idea

Let's do a march/rally accusing them of being rightwing shills and and see if they cover it!

:headbang:
rocknation

[daydreamer]

90. But Daily Show and Bill Maher are doing very well

[mistertrickster]

91. F**K THE POLITE TONE--I think that's exactly what CNN executive

Mr. Dumbshit is saying is wrong, "we don't get worked up enough."

[erpowers]

93. They Don't?

How about Howard Dean and all of his supporters? They got really worked up about a large amount of things. I contend that the real problem with liberal getting worked up about things is that when they do get worked up about things they get bashed for doing so. Liberals get worked up about many things.

[morffin]

94. R. Rhodes.......Mike Malloy

these two put more emotion and facts into one broadscast than CNN puts out in a week.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

99. Progressives do get worked up enough to turn off CNN's BS.

They haven't figured it out yet that the further right they drift the lower their ratings fall. They are not going to beat Fox by being Fox-lite but they keep trying. Between Fox-lite and tabloid exploitation reporting (all Pope/Shivo, all the time) his ship is sinking like a rock.

[PurgedVoter]

102. Our strengths are called weakness, our good is called evil.

Neocon and New Democrat propaganda tell us we need to be moderate, strident and united. They tell us to abandon our true strengths. Our strengths are great strengths, we think, we care, we apologize when wrong, we change and we grow. When they say "wishy-washy," they are saying "Thinking and Learning is Bad." When they say "Democrats need to unite," They mean "Democrats should support the Democrats that are just like Republicans." Liberals discuss and think, Conservatives order and obey. One means freedom the other says freedom.

[goodboy]

103. this is why I need a TV or radio talk show. (nt)

[Javaman]

104. I'm made as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!!!

How was that? do I qualify for my own show? LOL

[redqueen]

112. Well I just called and told him how wrong he was.

millions demonstrating
Air America doing great

If you want angry liberals, put Mike Malloy or Randi Rhodes on the air!

Hope he gets TONS of messages like these.

Don't just bitch here... CALL!

[Dr Fate]

115. So did I. n/t

n/t

[Dr Fate]

117. KICK- too important. n/t

n/t

[DirtyDawg]

120. If Ted Turner were still alive...

...and in charge down there, Mr. Klein would be 'toast'. The trouble with Ted is that he got worked up about everything, including some of the wrong ones.

[HannibalBarca]

121. Sean Hannity is......

...likeable????????????????

[surrey405]

122. He may be right..but i know how to fix it.

Honestly guys...look at it clearly...how many people know about DU? I mean, look at it, the people we represent dont even have internet at home. We are for the masses and he is right when he says we do not have a voice because like other totalitarian govts the opposition is literally no voice and everytime never exists...its a good thing Bush hasnt run after LIberals, otherwise under his Secret Service (his version of Cheka and NKVD) we would be crushed...just look at the issue in the art gallery. our voice is being taken away from us...i propose something...
if anyone wants to do sometihng...i say lets start with planned and organized student protests at universities...that is a start for people to hear us...I am at the Univ. of Texas at Austin and the goddamn arsees are trying to make a Bush Library at this campus...i need people to organize and help each other...please reply to this and leave me with your contact info if you are all interested...i want to start this and this is a genuine plea...all DU's i want you to listen..if we want to do something...we have to go out of the underground all planned and organized and strike with mass protests so our voices are echoed on O'Reilly and he can get worked up...then we willl...in huge numbers...Lets do it...ONCE AND FOR ALL..STOP CONSERVATIVES FROM TAKING OUR VOICES

[FighttheFuture]

125. Guess he hasn't heard Mike Malloy or Randi Rhodes...!

Needs to clean out his ears and listen!

[eyepaddle]

126. What a load of horseshit.

I'd be flabbergasted if he was just that stupid. You know he's WELL aware of how angry we are, and this is word for word what they said about AirAmerica--he's just hoping people will believe it if he stays on message.

In closing, mr Klein: Fuck You.

[eyepaddle]

127. postscript

Just called 'em up and left a message. Even managed to leave out the profanity.....they still got an angry earful.

[Strawman]

128. maybe it's this

our simmering righteous anger doesn't quite have that rabid loony edge to it that wingnut anger does. maybe that's why we never seem as angry. I certainly don't aspire to that. I also think there's alot of transference of personal anger onto liberals and others they identify as enemies in alot of wingnut anger that isn't there in most liberals. But don't mistake the fact that we're not fuckin nuts for a lack or anger or concern, Mr. Klein.

[Solly Mack]

129. Klein - you swinging, clinging dingle-berry on a yak's ass

I want news...not a soap opera. NEWS...not yet another "trial of the century" every other week...

News isn't meant to be entertainment or a soapbox of rants and tirades against whatever is bugging the paid mouth piece that day...

Oh, I get worked up...about things that matter...CNN doesn't matter.They've made themselves irrelevant.

Now, if they want to do what they consider news from the back of one of those overgrown trucks at some Monster Truck Rally...I'll certainly tune in and I'll even cheer... for the anchors to fall off.

[adigal]

132. I left him a voice mail yesterday

and I told him I get worked up about missing 52 warnings of al Queda attacks, lies about WMDs, torture of prisoners, lack of health insurance for 45 million Americans, and a huge deficit. I told him that I think his station is morally relativistic because instead of discussing these issues, they are focused on Schiavo, the Pope (for a week!), Scott Petersen and Charles and Camilla, none of which have much to do with an ordinary American's life.

I also told him he was right in one instance: I don't get too worked up about who people sleep with in the privacy of their own bedrooms.

[ProfessorGAC]

137. "Morally Relativistic"? Proves He's Dumber Than Dirt

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MORAL RELATIVISM!

It's a term of auto-redundancy! All morality is rooted in the relative situation. Hence, the fundies say the 10 Commandments says "Thou Shalt Not Murder" instead of "Thou Shalt Not Kill". The difference is in the relative circumstances revolving around the act.

Even the fundie position proves it to be true. This is a made up term, by people who have no idea about which they speak. And Klein thinks it means something.

This equation solves to Klein Is A Moron.
The Professor

[Marthe48]

143. Letter I sent out 2 days ago

Jonathan Klein
CNN
One CNN Center
Atlanta GA 30303

Dear Mr. Klein,

I'm taking a few minutes to assure you that Progressives do too get worked up about things -- but there are so many things to be concerned about or angry about, its hard not to blow a fuse.

The difference between Conservatives and Liberals is content. If you listen to a Republican speak, it is talking points, blah, blah blah. If you listen to a liberal speak, there are ideas, a subject is laid out, there is a discussion. I stopped listening and watching any television news and instead have found radio web sites that give me information so I can better understand why I loathe the conservatives and their bungling ham-handed control of my country.

Here is a list of things I am angry about in relation to the last several years:

The Supreme Court decision in 2000: did any news media actually meet with any of the 600+ lawyers and law professors who said that what the Supreme Court did was illegal? Did any media actually look at the numbers in Florida or examine the voting fraud and intimidation in at least 20 other states? Gore won the popular vote. But all I hear on TV news is that he lost--he didn't lose. In order for me to remember the truth, I made a password I use daily that reminds me Gore won.

Black Box Voting: you can call it a conspiracy theory. It isn't. Not only did Gore win 2000, but Cleland won his re-election in 2002 and Kerry won 2004. Why don't mainstream media cover the investigations that private citizens are conducting? Last week, a group of statisticians from universities all over the country published a report that the chances of the exit polls being so wrong were a million to one. Those people are laying their careers on the line for their country--why are all the media outlets ignoring this entire story? As long as Americans vote on machines created and programmed by Republican partisans and there is no verifiable voter receipt, the government will be ruled by these self-serving bumbling and cruel losers who couldn't win a fair election. By the way, the programmer in Florida passed a lie detector test about Feeney asking him to create a crooked program for voting fraud.

Women's Rights: We own our bodies. Anybody who is sane would know that abortion is the last resort for people who must choose it. My husband has a huge amount of tools. He doesn't use all of them all the time, but he is glad he has a certain tool if he needs it.

Social Programs getting cut so we can continue to kill and maim citizens of sovereign nations: other nations with less wealth than the US have social programs set up that help the unfortunate among them to have a decent standard of living. You'd think that the richest country in the world would have the decency to take care of its unfortunate, but no, the controlling factors are busily stripping away any safety net for anyone who isn't rich. I talk to people every week who are making decisions on which purchase is the most vital. I see people who are desperate, who have lost a living-wage job and I see people who are exhausted because they are working 3 jobs just to pay the rent. But the rich bastards who are setting policy could care less. They don't see the problem, I'm pretty sure they don't read any email or letters about the problem, and even if they are aware of the heartbreak and despair they are creating, they don't care. They seem a lot more interested in spending money to kill people.

Invading Iraq: I'm a 52 yr. old private citizen. Why did I know Bush was lying about the weapons of mass destruction, and the majority of representatives believed him? How often is it reported that along with 1500+ Americans dead, another 200+ "coalition" forces dead, there are 15,000+ Afghani dead, 100,000+ Iraqi dead and uncounted numbers of maimed, scarred, ruined for life victims because of Bush's huge murderous lie? It's really hard to live angry and ashamed of my country. Every day now and for how long into the future?

Environment: over 70% of the American people do not want drilling in the Arctic National Wilderness Refuge, yet the controlling majority of the citizen's representatives voted against the will of the people and drilling will commence. Delay told people in a closed-door meeting that it wasn't just the ANWR they want to get their filthy stinking hands on, but this decision will open up all federal land for whatever pillaging corporations want. I notice that the rich people who make these decisions own homes surrounded by trees, meadows, unspoiled views while the rest of us are slowly engulfed in blacktop and strip malls, with less and less unspoiled public land to retreat to.

Energy: One scientific report after another confirms that the world is at peak oil. Other nations are developing hybrid cars, alternate sources of power, such as solar and wind, making plans for a future without dependence on oil as the driving force of economies and national well being. But not the US. We get advertising hype to buy Hummers so we can 'win' in a traffic mishap. We get consolidated schools, malls away from city centers, a whole life totally reliant on getting from A to B using a car. When our country should be in the vanguard of developing dependable, stable alternatives to this energy nightmare, the main focus is on the oil fat cats getting the last dime from exploiting this planet. Just like the auto executives in the 1970's--there was a clear need for smaller, more gas efficient vehicles, but many of the top executives of the Big Three were close to retirement, so they lived for the moment and left their companies to deal with the impact of Japanese and other foreign vehicles on our markets and energy crisis. Are all-powerful people so mindlessly selfish and shortsighted? Or is it just the unfortunate clump we have in control right now? I read about 20 quotes from Republican representatives in 2000 when the gas prices went up. They ripped Clinton a new one, by golly. Many of the same voices are still in Washington, but their silence is deafening as the prices climb past the previous record highs. I hope gas goes to 3 or 4 dollars a gallon. When I get in my car, I think each time how many bodies a gallon am I getting? I don't drive much anymore, I can't stand thinking about all the death.

Education: I guess the plan here is to create generations of Eloi available for the powerful to gorge upon. An uneducated population is a controllable population.
I'm glad there are so many natural educators in the world. Until we get killed off, as middle classes sometimes do, we will be able to pass along our knowledge to one person at a time.

Scandals: Jeff Gannon, Halliburton, Delay, Executive orders allowing covert assassination of foreign leaders, yellow cake, Valerie Plame, Bush's private and business connections to the bin Laden family (these from a 15 second brainstorming session).

September 11th, 2001: it is so telling that private groups are trying to get to the bottom of the events of that day. I watch films of building imploding. I bought In Plane Sight, but I haven't watched it yet. I'm not sure if I can, but at least I have it in my possession, just in case my horrifying thoughts are the awful truth.

I wake up every day angry and anxious. Until the last few years, I saw my country as a helpful big brother to the people on this planet. Now, I see my country as the abusive bully who is hurtful because he is bigger than anyone else. In my mind, I am cheering on any efforts to stop the lust for power emanating from Washington. I pray for the victims of US torture, and I pray for forgiveness and deliverance because I am an American. As long as Bush and his cohorts think they have a mandate, as long as mainstream media ignores, buries, spins, silences the huge amount of information that proves he DOESN'T, you are on his side and you have to live with the consequences--the death toll, the anguish, the destruction -- all the things that are being done that can't be undone, ever.
Yeah, we get worked up.

Martha Robbins

[Jamastiene]

144. Obviously, he has not met

yours truly. He'd see someone get worked up in a hurry. Maybe we just need to find out how conservatives are getting their way and pitch the same sort of targeted temper tantrums they pitch when they are inconvenienced by other people asking for some basic civil rights. Maybe we can show them worked up...