As "Game Change" week concludes I have to ask WHO THE HELL DID SUSKIND P-OFF?

[underpants]

Last Sunday I was going to post "Here comes 'Game Change' week" but my internet connection melted down (squirrels at through the wire-seriously) as it was obvious that the DC/NY media were going to feast on this book by two of their own. Frank Rich accurately details today how it meant almost nothing to anyone out side of that axis. Basically it was a tabloid feature about the inner workings of the cheerleader and student body government set's self-important gossip.

But what was most striking was the juxtaposition of the attention paid to a third stringer like Halperin and the accurate chronicler of the Bush administration --Ron Suskind. (NOTE- I haven't read the Woodward books)

Suskind had first person contact with the most inner circle of the White House operations namely Paul O'Neill in "The Price of Loyalty". He also wrote an entire precise history and analysis of the bizarre overriding policy (the only one they had) of the Bush years in "The One Percent Doctrine" -which was the answer Palin couldn't come up with when Charlie Gibson accidentally made her a running joke within 30 seconds of the cameras and microphones being turned on. In these two books Suskind illustrates everything anyone could need to know about a sitting Presidency and almost no attention was paid to them. We were allowed in to not only the "since 9/11" world of these dangerous clowns but the PRE-9/11 INactions of the deadly clown car they basically weren't driving.

Let me add that "The Dark Side" by Jane Mayer is as detailed as Suskind's work on Addington/Yoo/Flanagan playing MadLibs with the US Constitution.

I am sure that Suskind is doing well but his place in journalism history compared to a 500 page rumor rag like "Game Change" is more telling that what was in his books. I guess he paid the price for loyalty.

Isn't it odd that every time a Dem is elected President (actually elected) tabloid fare comes out of the supposed higher realm of the DC/NY media establishment ("Primary Colors" and now "Game Change")? I am sure a movie will follow this one too.

[stray cat]

1. Maybe if more people cared about informing themselves of facts

vs looking for simplet factoids that fit their established views and polictical beliefs?

[underpants]

3. Degree

I guess we are all guilty of this to some degree. Part of that is the lack of alternative and laziness.

Monday morning I actually caught Morning Joe and on top of Joe (and Mika cheerleading two of their own having written this book) was Buchanan, one liberal-enough writer (forgot his name), and Andrew "Cheeseburger" Card. I actually laughed out loud ...and turned on Phineas and Ferb so my daughter could watch something constructive with her breakfast.

[existentialist]

2. As someone who actually read Suskind's The Price of Loyalty

I am also proud to be the first to have recommended this thread.

[underpants]

5. I didn't read Suskind's third book of set

but let's not forget that Suskind's letter from Diulio coined "Mayberry Machavellians" (although it is never attributed to Suskind) and tells you everything we needed to know about what was coming.

[dkf]

4. Tabloid is right.

Looks like they sacrificed their confidentiality agreements to spread their low level gossip. I hope it bites them in the butt.

[blm]

6. The big difference is that Suskind and Kitty Kelley released their books BEFORE election day 2004

when corpmedia paycheck collectors were still charged with protecting Bush for their paymasters who needed Bush to stay in office for the favorable media rulings they expected......and got.

BTW...alot of people have it wrong about Game Change...people need to research the authors more deeply. Halperin family has long ties to Clintons and even further with Kissinger (who Clinton protected bigtime in the 90s, esp on Iraqgate). In fact, Halperin's book about 2004 was neck deep in praise for Clintons and Bush while repeating the most blatant lies and attacks on Gore and Kerry.

[underpants]

7. Okay

thanks for the background info

Halperin is one of my least favorite. The "Something about Mary" photoshop thing was repulsive IMHO. His smirkiness is offsetting too IMHO.

[Me.]

8. Don't Forget

About the time Halperin portrayed Obama as a dirty rat on the Time's web-site and which was taken down almost as fast as it was put up/

[JDPriestly]

9. The Price of Loyalty was just excellent. One of the best books on the Bush era

and what ultimately caused the Bush administration to fall flat on its face. Everything was regimented.]

Obama has gone to the opposite extreme.

[UTUSN]

10. K&R #10 for, thanks for the thoughtful (full of thought) post. n/t

[Zen Democrat]

11. No it's not odd. The "Media" in toto gives Republicans a pass and crucifies Dems.

I've noticed it blatantly since Jimmy Carter. Ford was the saint taking over from Nixon and "our national nightmare was over." As soon as Carter was elected the press corps tried to make their Watergate bones on Jimmy. The people who missed Watergate, intentionally or not, were rabid to find something on Carter, even to the extent of Carter aides going to Studio 54 in NY where there was "cocaine present." Like that was some fu*king illumination. Everything from making fun of Carter looking exhausted after a marathon-type run, and he saw a UFO years earlier in Georgia, and the "killer rabbit" in the Georgia river. It was all tabloid, all inconsequential, but the media worked, embellished it, exaggerated it 24/7 to humiliate and discredit President Carter. Not to mention "malaise" -- which he NEVER said!

The media was ALL OVER Clinton's sex life and enough said about that insane impeachment posse.

Now it's Obama's turn in the tub and nothing is too small to try to exploit negatively.

Notice that during the biggest scandal of the 20th century ... BCCI - October Surprise - Iran/Contra ... the media tried to turn Ollie North into a national hero over that one. Reagan got a pass, Bush was ridiculously out of the loop. Nothing was challenged.

The recent history on Bush/Cheney needs no furthur explanation.

So, hell yes there's a double standard. And the double standard includes any "liberal" media you can find on your TV, because there is no "liberal" media on your TV.

[underpants]

13. "Malaise"

Carter never said "malaise" but it is now considered an accurate fact of history

I think Buchanan was actually involved with convincing the easily convincable that they just heard a word that wasn't said

[blm]

14. You got that right....BCCI was the BIGGEST illegal operation of the 20th century and its fallout is

still causing this nation and the world a great deal of pain. Some of BCCI's outstanding matters ended up at our doorstep on 9-11, 2001.

[spanone]

12. love how the media 'dissected' that book

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: