I want to say something about the media. Alan and Joe complain about it incessantly, and they're wrong about much of it, but not all of it. I worked in the news media for 25 years or so, at one small and two major newspapers, and I was also a reporter in the Army in the 60s. First off, there is no one thing you can call "media." The "social media" is dominated politically by right-wingers -- I can't even think of a left-wing social media guy, although I'm sure there are some. TV is a fairly even break nationally -- Fox conservative, CNN and MSNBC liberal, though given the rankings, overall the viewership probably tips toward conservative, as Fox rankings are higher than either of the other two. In terms of newspapers, there are three national papers -- the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. MOST OF THE NEWS in all three papers is non-political and quite straight-forward. Politically, the NYT and WAPO are liberal, the WSJ is conservative. All three papers have people of opposite political viewpoints writing columns.
But, here is where it's hard to take either Alan or Joe seriously -- Trump lies, openly and outrageously. Even Fox sometimes will call him on it. The WSJ does. And of course, the NYT, WAPO, CNN and MSNBC call him on it. But because they're liberal, and call him on it, doesn't mean that they're wrong or lying. The fact is, Trump does it all the time -- he's on any number of videos saying things that he later denies ever saying. It's not just about the virus, it'd about everything. He lies about golf, and it's thoroughly documented.
Does Joe Biden lie? I don't know, probably, but I haven't even paid that much attention to him yet. I'm sure Obama lied, the Bushes lied, we know Bill and Hillary Clinton lied as a matter of routine. As a guy who is moderately (very moderately) liberal, I have no problem saying that about either Obama or the Clintons. What baffles some of us (if I can speak for them) is how apparently intelligent people can defend everything that Trump says, when it's so obvious that he's a pathological liar. He lies about things that he doesn't even have to lie about.
Then there's the quality of the argument. I say Trump lies, and the answer is, "Well, Biden lies." That's not an answer, that's an evasion. Biden's not the President. If I say "Trump lies," I'd like just one of those big Trump supporters to say either, "No, he doesn't, and here's where you're wrong," or "Sure, he's a pathological liar, but I like him on his cultural and economic policies."
But they don't say that. They turn away from the obvious fact that Trump is a buffoon, and most often defend him with "fake news" or "the mainstream media lies." How the mainstream media can be lying when they show a video in which Trump says X, and then another one where he denied ever saying X, simply doesn't compute. And they do it all the time.
I have no problem with serious conservatives, and even tend to agree with them on economic and financial issues, though not so much on cultural issues. Trump isn't a conservative, he's a con man. The media wouldn't be doing its job if they simply didn't point that out.
IMHO.
When did you retire John?
In that article I posted, it said 2008 was the beginning of the media becoming concentrated and biased. No offense, but if you retired prior to 2008, you personal experience is meaningless to the overall discussion.
And, Joe Biden does lie. He lies all of the time. That is why his past presidential campaign went up in smoke. He has lied this campaign cyclce, many times, but the media does not call him out on it. They wont even investigate a sexual assault allegation against him that is much more credibly than Blasey Ford's. This is an obvious bias, and the fact that you said it should not be investigated shows you too are biased.
I do have to applaud AOC for saying that it should be talked about. After she said this, every single Dem I knew admonished her for it on social with comments like, "do you want Trump to win?" You guys act like you have a greater amount of integrity, but you dont. Instead of doing what you said we should during the Kavanaught hearings, believe all women, you are going out of your way to ignore Tara Reid.
Last, let me say that I do not defend everything Trump says. He is not the smartest person on the planet. But he is a hell of lot smarter, or should I say right more often, then those whom have been power for the last 30 years, including good Ol' Joe Biden. So, I'd still take Trump over Biden any day.
