Brian Stelter has an always interesting show on CNN on Sunday mornings, where he discusses the media. He is not a “both sides” commentator.
Watch this powerful analysis of the “mass “”radicalization” promoted by Trump and his baseless conspiracy theories. Trump allies talk about martial law, overturning the election, seizing voting machines.
Bottom line: Our democracy was known for years as highly stable. No more. We are in trouble.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2020/12/20/stelter-commentary-radicalization-in-media-rs-vpx.cnn
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Dirty Laundry……Don Henley
I make my living off the evening news
Just give me something
Something I can use
People love it when you lose
They love dirty laundry
Well, I coulda been an actor
But I wound up here
I just have to look good
I don’t have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear
Give us dirty laundry
We got the bubble headed
Bleached blonde
Comes on at five
She can tell you ’bout the plane crash
With a gleam in her eye
It’s interesting when people die
Give us dirty laundry
Can we film the operation
Is the head dead yet
You know the boys in the newsroom
Got a running bet
Get the widow on the set
We need dirty laundry
You don’t really need to find out
What’s going on
You don’t really want to know
Just how far it’s gone
Just leave well enough alone
Eat your dirty laundry
Dirty little secrets
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers
In everybody’s pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry
We can do the innuendo
We can dance and sing
When it’s said and done
We haven’t told you a thing
We all know that crap is king
Give us dirty laundry
I deleted out the “kick’em when their up, kick’em when their down” song lines. The point being is that this has been going on for a very long time. No one can really tell what is real or what is fiction, what is truth or exaggeration.
LikeLike
It’s worse now than ever. Not the same.
LikeLike
I agree. This is has not been going on for a long time. That is an easy way to dismiss the significance of the ubiquitous and purposefully deceitful use of the internet, and some media organizations in creating fantasy worlds where conspiracies are treated as if trustworthy. Trump is deranged and many who follow him think they know all they need to know if he and his supporters keep up the daily infusions of lies.
LikeLike
Diane It took us and the Press way too long to realize it wasn’t Democrats against Republicans, or liberalism against conservativism, but rather Trump + Republicans against democracy and the U.S. Constitution. CBK
LikeLike
It can take less than 7 days to radicalize someone (Stockholm Syndrome). The entire country has been “radicalized” by the MSM over a long period of time….from both sides. Pretty people on TV are easier to watch and listen to and are seen as “trust worthy”. I skew Dem and will sometimes watch CNN, but after listening to pretty boy Chris Cuomo ranting the Dem talking point of the day, I will turn him off after 15 -20 mins and decompress. Tucker Carlson is a pretty boy Fox News “host” (actor) and it would be easy to be sucked in if not for my own beliefs based on facts. The only ones I believe are Anderson Cooper, Chris Wallace and Wolf Blitzer since they are true investigative reporters. People now don’t know the difference between op-eds/pieces and true investigative reporting….they believe what the pretty people are paid to spin…..and airing dirty laundry makes more money than the actual truth.
We’ve had 4 tumultuous years to see what has been happening gradually since the Reagan years. The crazy National Enquirer folks have been taking over.
LikeLike
LisaM,
I don’t particularly like Chris Cuomo (and I despise his brother). So I am no expert as I don’t watch him enough.
However, does he actually push blatant falsehoods? There is spinning news, and there is blatantly trying to deceive people into believing facts that aren’t true, and I think there is a difference.
LikeLiked by 1 person
NYC Chris Cuomo has been wrong about some things, and incomplete about others. But he has also hit the nail on the head (dumb cliche’ but appropriate) many other times. And when he has been wrong and been proven so, he is not afraid to say so. I rest my case. I also like Rachel Maddow who does some excellent in-depth research and follow-up, has notable specialists on her show, and is quite incisive about her questions.
None have been perfectly on-target all of the time. So what? CBK
LikeLiked by 1 person
Vlad got his money’s worth from his significant investment in Donnie.
LikeLike
With this insanity going on and with divided government, the country has become ungovernable. Look at the stimulus bill–months and months and months to respond to a present crisis.
LikeLike
Here’s an interesting lawsuit to watch play out. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/20/business/media/smartmatic-lawsuit-fox-news-newsmax-oan.html?smid=tw-share
LikeLike
The Trump coalition, including a) his base base, b) his immediate circle of toadies, and c) the Representatives and Senators who have coddled him in their cowardice. is interesting in this respect: It has no single agenda of its own. It defines itself ONLY in opposition to those who hate Trump. If it were to gain complete ascendancy, it would rapidly disintegrate into warring factions.
LikeLike
Trump has no principles whatsoever, except a) the primacy of himself and b) knee-jerk antipathy for that which is not Trump (blacks, foreigners, poor people, etc). So, he’s a kind of blank slate on which a wide variety of right-wing kooks can write whatever they want. To Barr, he represents the fascist imperial presidency. To Miller, he represents White Supremacy. To McConnell, he presents an opportunity to pillage the poor to further engorge the rich. To Evangelicals, he means the end of abortion. To bikers, he means something vague about the freedom to do what you d—d well please. And so on.
LikeLike
Here’s the very real danger that the US faces–that a slicker, smarter, more articulate but equally amoral Trump will leverage the base he’s built in order to create an overtly fascist party in the United States. Yeah, Trump is a wannabe fascist, but he’s too stupid to formulate an ideology. Too busy sitting in the residence eating cheeseburgers and listening for his own name on Fox News.
LikeLike
One of the most bizarre parts of the Trump phenomenon is that he is considered by so many in his base to be some sort of working-class hero. Truly crazy, that. He detests such people.
LikeLike
Trump respects only those who are rich enough to join one of his clubs.
LikeLike
Bob Barr must be disappointed . . . probably has a picture of Goebbels on his bedroom wall. cbk
LikeLike
Many a person has made the mistake of thinking that they could use Trump to achieve their ends–e.g., Barr and his desire for an imperial presidency. But the only one who can actually control Trump is Vlad, who has the goods on him.
LikeLike
Bob It could be the simple issue of allowing Trump to build a hotel in Moscow. CBK
LikeLike
The radicalized Always Trumpers that might start a civil war are not going to go away and far too many of them are never going to change the way they think.
As much as I do not want this to happen, maybe a Civil War started by the radicalized Always Tumpers would be a good thing in the end. Between the maskless radicalized Always Trumpers and a shooting war, when it was over, there wouldn’t be many of those radicalized Trumpers left due to the virus and the bullets and bombs.
But how many rational Americans willing to fight to save the U.S. Constitution would have to die to end radicalized Loyalist Trumpism?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeh – it’s different now!
McCarthy and McVeigh did not have social media and there were only 3 television networks.
Nixon and Gore didn’t file 50 law suits and spew lies after they lost.
Aids was tragically ignored because of ignorance and homophobia, not disputing science and denouncing doctors.
Kent State and the ’68 convention aside, tear gassing and baton attacks and water hosing protesters were not endorsed by (‘good people on both sides’) Presidents or network broadcasters.
Protesters on both sides of the bridge were most likely not armed or openly carrying AK-47s… and one side was not eagerly awaiting the “go ahead” tweet.
None of the above were egged on to do the wrong thing by States’ Attorneys General and over 200 elected federal Congressmen … and women
Add to the mix today…
When elected officials fear the president, are loyal only to the president and not their constituents, and refuse to denounce what they know is dangerous and criminal all around them…
When faith leaders step on the Constitution, the Commandments, and their own principles and beliefs…
When billionaires and corporate interests spend $60 million to support the president after he loses and election…
…Democracy gets the ultimate test and is hanging on by a thread
Our history is nowhere close to being all rosy and all “WE the people” and kumbaya; but today’s nightmares are exacerbated by those who genuinely want dictatorial, autocratic governing to legalize and justify and enact their warped version of America.
Yeh – today’s events aren’t historical outliers. Radicalization is mainstreamed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remember when almost everyone watched Walter Cronkite or McNeill-Lehrer and trusted them?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, & Edward R. Murrow. A different world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
. . . yes, and the Press knew that “loose lips sink ships.” CBK
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course, Edward R. Murrow and Dan Rather and Bill Moyers. There was also an ABC broadcaster whose names can’t remember. John….
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Radicalization is mainstream”
Before recent times, religious leaders refrained from political activity out of fear of loss of tax exempt status. Now, state Catholic Conferences, conservative Catholic organizations, the USCCB, and evangelicals recognize there will be no enforcement so, they opened the flood gates of their involvement in the public square aided financially by rich libertarians.
The religion of men like Rev. Warnock is attacked, then, the conservative religious hide behind a cover of outrage claiming, “anti-white Christian and anti-Catholic bias”. The conservative religious leaders make their sheep believe its God’s mandate that they impose their will on all Americans.
Leonard Leo’s Federalist Society judges stand ready.
LikeLike
Stelter has a point, for sure. But I wonder if he is not insulated—as a CNN commentator—in the bubble of CNN/ MSNBC/ Fox [& now NewsMax?]. QAnon et al conspiracy theories get traction on social media [how many Americans get their news from FB etc?], then get repeated w/megaphone—yes on Fox & NewsMax—but equally on CNN & MSNBC, which just love to repeat it all while smacking their heads! I for one would like to see those liberally-leaning stations invest in investigative reporting instead of splitting hairs on who’s said the most wackjob thing today. If I have to get a TV news injection [as opposed to perusing Google Newsfeed] I certainly don’t go to them. BBC shares some of these tendencies, but at least their coverage is well-rounded by int’l news, which puts US tempests back in their teapot. Or I can wait till evening for NPR Newshour, which dials the tone back pretty well.
My standby is CSPAN Wash Jnl (daily 7-10am). They cover 2 or 3 major topics daily, interspersed w/ general news coverage from lib & conserv print media, & the topics are open to call-in citizen commentary. The calls are mostly from retired, very ordinary people, & I’m happy to report that fewer than 1 in 10 are trying to spread nutjob conspiracy theories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
bethree5 “. . . but equally on CNN & MSNBC, which just love to repeat it all while smacking their heads! I for one would like to see those liberally-leaning stations invest in investigative reporting instead of splitting hairs on who’s said the most wackjob thing today.””
I call that a gross mischaracterization. CBK
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are we teachers doing anything wrong?
LikeLike
Can they time travel?
In 1996, average age of Rep. and Dem. voters was about the same.
“Significant recent change- GOP voters, 25% are 65 and older, 13% under 30. Dem. voters, 23% and 19% respectively. (Pew 6-2-2020 “Changing composition of the electorate.”
LikeLike
Up to Diane, 12/21: John Chancellor? John Cameron Swayze?
Also, who can forget Chet Huntley & David Brinkley?
Movie suggestion: Good Night & Good Luck(2005)–David Straithairn plays Edward R. Murrow–EXCELLENT!! The film deals w/Murrow’s dedication in “exposing the atrocities being committed by Sen Jos. McCarthy’s Senate ‘investigation'” & his CBS news team, “despite pressure from CBS’ corporate sponsors to desist.” But, of course, they didn’t, McC was brought down, & the world was as it should be, in large part, thanks to honest & dedicated & real journalists. 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, & nominated for 6 Oscars & other film awards. Straithairn did win the 2006 AARP “Movies for Grownups”
Award for “Breakaway Accomplishment.”
MUST be seen!
LikeLike
Yes! John Chancellor. Huntley and Brinkley. No one thought they were twisting the news to benefit a political party or those in power.
LikeLike
Also–excellent news coverage, interviews, analysis on Democracy Now! which can be seen on most PNS stations or can be accessed online at democracynow.org
LikeLike
That was PBS, not PNS, of course. Amy Goodman is the best (a warrant was issued for her arrest, as to her “participation in a ‘riot'” while she was reporting & conducting interviews in 2016. A No.Dakota judge threw out the charges. The footage obtained showed that peaceful protesters were set upon by dogs & were pepper sprayed interviewing the Dakota Pipeline Protest–something that, of course, the American public should NOT see.
&–just a reminder–this was October, 2016…before it45.
LikeLike