Jim Stillman
Randy InmanI made a promise. . . darn it.
October 26th 2007 23:31
A few days ago I promised a writer of many posts on this site that I gave up; I would no longer try and engage her in any sort of dialogue because all it accomplished was my being denigrated as a person who cannot read, will not think and is devoid of values – in other words, a liberal! When I came across a posting that suggested a cookie company had conspired to attack Christmas, a charge that had been debunked by everyone as a falsehood, I could not resist answering. I was, quite accurately, called out for breaking my promise.
And now, to my utter shame, I rise to the bait of inaccurate statements
Where did this bit of news come from? Is it true that the mainstream press, by which she means NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN and, indeed, everyone but Fox News, ignored the posthumous awarding of the Medal of Honor? Because if that were true, it would be inexcusable, regardless of one’s opinion regarding the war in Iraq.
The “story” that the major networks failed to report on the ceremony in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy was created by Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor on Fox. On October 25th, 2007, Fox News’ Jane Hall rebuked O’Reilly, saying,
O'Reilly responded, "OK, Jane, you can stop talking now. The segment's over."
Well, Mr. O’Reilly, you just cannot make assertions out of the air and then shut the world up. At one point, O’Reilly claimed he was complaining about the cable networks, agreeing that the regular newscasts did cover the story. Even so, both MSNBC and CNN aired numerous reports on the ceremony throughout the day on October 22, the day it was awarded. MSNBC reported on Murphy at least five times -- including broadcasting the award ceremony live -- and CNN covered the Murphy story on at least seven distinct occasions.
What’s the moral of this story – besides that I have, again, broken my promise? It is that one must check and recheck sources, especially when the story sounds “strange”. Thus the story about Mrs. Fields attacking Christmas came from a fund-raising effort by a right wing group and this story about not respecting a war hero came from the imagination of Bill O’Reilly. An imagination that even the news people at Fox find flawed!
“Uh... Jim...? Are you related to John Kerry or Hillary Clinton? You said on another of my blogs today that you would "no longer" attempt to "debate" with me. And here you are. Trouble making up your mind, or what?”
“Recently, a Navy Seal, also with the last name of Murphy, was awarded the Medal of Honor for a similar act of courage. He went into the line of fire to call for help, made the call and died from enemy fire. President Bush gave the Medal to Murphy's family and thanked them for their hero. Funny how little mainstream press the ceremony got, isn't it? Funny how a hero died to save others and is being ignored, don't ya think?”
Where did this bit of news come from? Is it true that the mainstream press, by which she means NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN and, indeed, everyone but Fox News, ignored the posthumous awarding of the Medal of Honor? Because if that were true, it would be inexcusable, regardless of one’s opinion regarding the war in Iraq.
The “story” that the major networks failed to report on the ceremony in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy was created by Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor on Fox. On October 25th, 2007, Fox News’ Jane Hall rebuked O’Reilly, saying,
"I've got to tell you, CNN covered this at 7 o'clock. MSNBC covered it live. You all covered it live. CNN covered it multiple times." Hall added, "I don't think it's fair to say what you're trying to say about cable. It's not true," and later stated, "They must have covered it 10 times during the day, Bill."
O'Reilly responded, "OK, Jane, you can stop talking now. The segment's over."
Well, Mr. O’Reilly, you just cannot make assertions out of the air and then shut the world up. At one point, O’Reilly claimed he was complaining about the cable networks, agreeing that the regular newscasts did cover the story. Even so, both MSNBC and CNN aired numerous reports on the ceremony throughout the day on October 22, the day it was awarded. MSNBC reported on Murphy at least five times -- including broadcasting the award ceremony live -- and CNN covered the Murphy story on at least seven distinct occasions.
What’s the moral of this story – besides that I have, again, broken my promise? It is that one must check and recheck sources, especially when the story sounds “strange”. Thus the story about Mrs. Fields attacking Christmas came from a fund-raising effort by a right wing group and this story about not respecting a war hero came from the imagination of Bill O’Reilly. An imagination that even the news people at Fox find flawed!
| 67 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Don't you find it strange how someone who proudly says that she doesn't get her news from any other source except fox news make a claim that only fox news reported this? How the hell would she know? Oh right, fox news told her. But fox news lied. Will she ever know that? Nope, she can't, she only watches fox!
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Don't torment people with reliable evidence and plausible logic. That is just cruel.
This story like so many echoed in blogs are usually baseless inflamitory rhetoric aimed to the emotions of the feeble minded.
The feeble minded echo it assuming that everyone is more stupid than they are.
As if no one can check out things when they are hooked upto the internet.
Doh!
Comment by Jim Stillman
Opinions of a curmudgeon
Political Certainty
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
It's like 'ok so thats your opinion, heres mine' ... 'I don't awnt your opinion, your opinion is just empty rhetoric, the american people are tired of your empty rhetroic'.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
lies, falsehoods, half-truths, etc...are the bread and butter of the far right, rationality and logic their foe. To them, "news" needs to be about reinforcing their views, for it to be subjective is for it to be "liberal." For them, absolutes are the imperative, and those absolutes cannot allow themselves to be looked upon with logic.
Comment by Lester Caudill
Comment by Jim Stillman
Opinions of a curmudgeon
Political Certainty
As it happens, I go to a gym nearly every morning and, while on the treadmill, watch Fox News. I do not have that much problem with Fox; my real issues are with Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter. Ms Coulter is anti-Semitic, cruel and without the redeeming virtue of intelligence.
The two issues that I tried to raise with Ms Bradish (but could not) regarded the Mrs. Fields’ Christmas story that had been pushed not by Fox but by the American Family Association and Bill O’Reilly’s assertion that the other cable networks had failed to cover the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Lt. Michael Murphy. When a Fox employee called O’Reilly on this he not only dismissed her but continued to repeat the discredited story for days.
You and I view current events differently; that is not a bad thing so long as we do not equate the differences as making us illiterate, irrational and unpatriotic! I have been called all of these!
And yes, I wish the ratings for the mainstream media (OK, you call it “liberal”) were higher and I wish fewer people got their news exclusively from Fox. I, personally, read both liberal and strongly conservative publications on-line because I get a better perspective.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Despite extensive coverage of Medal of Honor ceremony by CNN and MSNBC, O'Reilly said they "are not going to report stories that reflect well on the American military"
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by Lester Caudill
Jim anyone would have to be stupid not to know that both parties, play on half truths, rumors, and down right dirty politics. There is no saints in Politics, and it would be hard for anyone play the game and not get dirty.
This country is ready to split down the middle because politics has polarized the two sides. You can't even carry on a civil conversation anymore without some getting to the point of name calling or worse wanting to fight.
Comment by Jim Stillman
Opinions of a curmudgeon
Political Certainty
Comment by Lester Caudill
If I could find a Democrat that stood on the right of the issues that mean so much to me I would vote for them. I don't care about parties just issues that has been deeply embedded in my person.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
And Jim, it's a privelege to associate with you, reputation be damned! (although I think mine is probably more notorious than yours) keep up the good work!
Comment by Lester Caudill
Because I stand for different Ideals than you doesn't make me better or worse than you. I respect your opinions, but I feel they are wrong but you have a right to be wrong, God gave us a choice to be believe or not to believe.