11
Nov
2014
MSNBC Drives Up Price of Softballs With Interview of Jonathan Gruber on “Stupidity” Remark
I’m sure if Arthur Laffer or Stephen Moore got caught on video saying American voters were stupid, that MSNBC would have an interview saying, “Your position is nuanced though right?”
Check this out, it’s astonishing how in-the-tank for Obama some of our outlets are. Yes, Fox hates Obama, but the love from MSNBC is just as absurd. At least Fox doesn’t pretend to be unbiased, they openly refer to themselves as a “conservative” (sic) platform.
Last thing: Technically, Gruber didn’t repudiate his remarks. He regrets having made them. He also clarified that he was at an academic conference. That strikes me as funny. “C’mon, I was speaking to other PhDs. Of course we think Americans are stupid!”
“At least Fox doesn’t pretend to be unbiased, they openly refer to themselves as a “conservative” (sic) platform.” Bob, I think it’s the exact opposite. MSNBC has been open about its progressive slant, with its “Lean Forward” slogan and its “Some things are better left said” advertising campaign. It’s Fox News that has the slogan “Fair and Balanced”. And Ronan Farrow Daily is an news/opinion program.
I don’t watch Fox news. However, a friend tells me the actual news is fair and balanced. It’s the talking head shows that are conservative.
I suppose where you stand depends on where you sit, but from my perspective the actual news on Fox News is biased as well, in the selection of stories to cover, the selection of guests, the treatment of guests, etc.
You mean targeting a market right?
What kinds of stories can a news program show on a daily basis that every individual wants to watch? It is impossible, IMO.
I don’t think targeting one’s programs to a market implies ideological bias on the part of the news, but rather on the part of how consumers group themselves up as markets.
Keshav, first, I actually never watched MSNBC even when I had a TV, so you could be right about that: I am more thinking of the major networks and CNN presenting themselves as “the news.” And as far as Fox’s “fair and balanced,” what they mean is, “We will give you both sides, unlike the rest of the media.” I realize that might sound like a ludicrous thing for me to say, but I’m trying to get across that Fox at least openly says, “There are biases in news coverage,” whereas the other major networks make it look like they’re objectively reporting the facts with no agenda.
I would have watched the bit live, but didn’t want to double MSNBC’s audience.
Called it!
http://consultingbyrpm.com/blog/2014/11/gruber-is-ok-with-non-transparency-because-americans-are-stupid-and-he-wanted-bill-to-pass.html#comment-1251673
Why people that get banned come back just to continue acting childish is beyond me. You’d think they would have a little more self respect.
But, yeah, MSNBC is extremely painful to watch. Well, I can’t really stomach any of the news networks on tv. Absolutely horrible, all of them.
Bob, I had a different take on this than you. It’s obvious that Ronan was sympathetic to Gruber and didn’t disapprove of what Gruber said. But his question was a nice, gentle way to get Gruber to admit that he still “owned” the point he made. So it looked like a softball but it was really a change-up.
I think it’s fair to say that Americans — and all humans for that matter — are ignorant. That’s better than calling them stupid simply because they don’t want to immerse themselves in policy debates of which they have little control. Gruber has simply revealed what Robert Michels argued in his book _Political Parties_ (1911): democracy is an oligarchy. Of course social democrats and Keynesians are for “the people” and “believe” in democracy, but they know very well that Gruber & Co. rule. The patina of democracy and meaningless voting helps disguise elite rule.