John King Criticizes Democracy for America for Running Ads Against Democrats
By Heather Sunday Jul 19, 2009 5:00pm
On CNN's State of the Union, John King is shocked, shocked I tell you that liberal groups would want to take out ads against "centrist" Democrats for taking money from the health care industry and not supporting true health care reform.
King: So Donna, what is happening? You know, we had an election in November. What we thought we got was united government, a Democrat in the White House, a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate. Instead it seems that we just have a different kind of divided government. You have a Democratic President that's fighting with wings of his own party in congress, including, this is from Democracy for America. It's an email. It's a liberal organization. It is now sending an email to its supporters essentially saying send us money so that we can "run tough ads pressuring Democratic Senators who've taken millions of dollars from the health and insurance interests while standing in the way of one of President Obama's top priorities".
So now you have Democrats raising money to attack Democrats, at a time Republicans sense a political opening here. What is wrong?
Brazile: Well, first of all, the Republican party is trying to figure out who is leading them and what their charge is. I think there's a very vigorous and healthy debate taking place inside the Democratic party...
King: Including running ads against them though. Accusing them of taking money from health insurance companies?
Brazile: John I...
King: I mean, they all raise money, but they're essentially saying they're being bought to block President Obama.
If John King were doing his job, he'd be pointing out the conflicts of interest to the public rather than acting shocked that someone else is.
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The last thing we need is for the Democratic party to learn nothing from the Republicans and start valuing solidarity and purity of party over actual policy and philosophy. We do not want the Democratic party to become a vehicle designed only to perpetuate the power of the elected officials without regard for the well-being of the voter. We've had decades of that already.
but just note why the Blue Dogs and others are whining for .. because they are corporate whores .. not because of anything altruistic
But when ordinary American citizens decide to lobby them then it's...
"Oh my God!!! How dare the American People try to sway THEIR CONGRESS PERSONS!!!"
Unreal.
our country MUST have publicly financed elections. It ought to be written into the Constitution. This Legal Bribery of OUR Representatives is only one of the root causes of our nearly implacable problems. But outlawing it, or at least controlling it, and instituting Publicly financed elections would be a very good start in restoring our Republic.
not one of the congress critters would vote it , doesnt pay as well .
I think we have a one party system, not 2 ever since the DLC (who elected them???) neutered the democrates, and ol' Rahm is still at it. This new 'centerist' thingie is a product of DLC.
The point of a group supporting a cause, and not a party, is that you support that cause. If the party who said they were going to support your cause doesn't, you take them to task. If you want someone to support your cause who has similar views, you approach them, or those who can influence them. You don't just fall in line because the Party is doing one thing and you want something else.
This isn't about guaranteed political ideologies...if everyone's agreeing with each other and helping each other, there's no need to rock the boat, no need to bring in any kind of change. No new voices can get in, and the same people just keep saying the same things.
It's like he expects all the groups affiliated with an ideology to just, AGREE with the party in power that "represents" that ideology, and work with them to keep the status quo....
Then again, eight years of that can make you think that's the way things are supposed to run. *facepalm*
Sharlet's book on the Christianist group The Family. I've decided that it would be a good idea to keep a list of the Blue Dogs that have embraced this scary group.
One name has come up so far: Sen. Bill Nelson.
If I'm going to support Democrats, the last thing I want is for them to embrace this truly screwed up group, not to mention the health insurance agency and other groups that are greedily interfering with our futures and quality of life.
insurance industry. It's sickening.
it may be.
Nelson & Nelson...
Yes, I was in the process of analyzing Mr. Nelson and "The Family" and Mr. Nelson who seems to be a sell-out on health-care reform. After tempered review, I realized the difference. [Bill] from "The Family" fame, seems, with my limited knowledge, to be oddly copacetic. Whereas [Ben], in my opinion seems to be the problem with his Blue-dog position(s). I just thought I'd point this out, in case you may have made the same mistake, as I'd originally made.
Ben → http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id...
Bill → http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id...
Health-care:
Ben → http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0JirEIqI5M (0:45)
Bill → http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TOPOqVbIC8 (1:26)
Thanks for your time.
I think ol' Hilly is one of them, so maybe keep on eye on all pols.
should be at the top of progressive/liberal Democrats list for removal from office through elections. Blue America can probably help with that.
"King: I mean, they all raise money, but they're essentially saying they're being bought to block President Obama."
Um, yes? Helloooooo John King. Health "care" corporations give 100's of thousands of dollars to these people, and they do it for a reason. Why do you imagine?
We ARE saying these senators are being bought to block President Obama's single payer initiative.
I would love to hear your explanation of why they are giving that money to these very bought and paid for senators. You. Putz.
the single-payer option. Take that where it goes. And I not only hear you, I share your anger.
King's positions as well as his questions all begin from the right so when someone like Donna Brazile points him out to be wrong he changes the topic. King is clearly whoring for the Sunday morning Fox crowd.
These Orwellean assholes actually think corporate fascism is democracy. They are so detatched from reality, that anyone outside the politburo is viewed as some sort of sub-human to be ignored.
Which is why I have ignored all of these Sunday shows for years.
Corporate propaganda folks. Nothing else to see, please move along.
As a Progressive who loves to slap Conservative and Centrist Demos in line, what I say about John King is "Screw Him".
Imagine, Democrats are running ads about other supposed "Democrats" who seem more interested in keeping the healthcare system we have, which isn't a system at all but a joke, and John King thinks it shouldn't be pointed out.
Is this guy David Gregory in disguise?
it would be the first time. Fixed it.
Whenever I see this shill he makes me think he has pictures of somebody doing something they shouldn't be doing. Like maybe with a goat.
O/T ,
Fitter ?
How is questioning his journalistic skills off topic?
sorry , my question was to you , im in the trades .
Pipefitter out of STL. Loafing. How about you?
worked as a pipefitter in the shipyards for yrs , moved on to areospace , chemical , food processing egt , nuclear , dod , washing windows , cleaning toilets , not much call nowadays for someone with 45 yrs in the trades .
Put the GOP in charge for 8 years and the economy goes to shit. Happened with Reagan, and Bush and it will happen the next time all the morons with short memories and attention spans have another election close enough for them to steal. Thank God all the rich are being taken care of. Otherwise the American might die of stavation.
you cracked me up.
I don't think John King has anything do with stuff that is not on his giant touchscreen.
See post above.
As soon as I saw that Ron Wyden and Mary Landrieu were joining in an effort to delay the health care bill, I immediately smelled a rat. I looked up who their principal contributors are on OpenSecrets.Org and guess what, they are heavily into the health care denial industry's dole. So, for their 30 pieces of silver, Wyden and Landrieu are completely willing to sell their own Party, their President, and the entire country up the health care
And John King wants to know why the DFA is picking on people like that? Is he really that clueless? Or is he just another corporatist tool?
my feelings on health " care " are a given . However I keep getting this nagging feeling that this is but a smoke screen , there is way to much going on ie: 2 wars , bailouts , not bringing bushco to trial , tent cities , no jobs , etc .
Seems BO can get a job as a speech writer anytime , all we need is someone with a spine to do the right thing for a change that we need .
One has to wonder if we are witnessing the collapse of the American empire. Sure seems that way.
Gazillions of dollars for war? Check.
Bail-outs for banks? No problem.
Prosecutions of war crimes? Sorry, suckers!
Health care for everyone? Again, you lose!
What happened to the once great USA? Did it ever exist?
I had that same feeling, except about a year or so into Iraq.
Me too, spinn. I hear ya.
is what I've tried (and come back) to figure out and contest for many years now. Once lived in France, married, with everything going for me- a truly beautiful - and highly underestimated here- "way of life". Came back years ago, hoping to affect, or at least hope for, what seemed would be a naturally progressive change within a capitalistic, though socially regressive, system. Am bout ready to give it all up now, and return now to somewhere where individual sanity is valued above all else!
was a life long trucker ( my birth certifcate list my dads occupation as , get this TRUCK MAN ) he started driving about 1931-2 thereabouts , joined the teamesters ( and had a 3 digit # ) , one day we where shooting the breeze and we were talking J. Hoffa , pop said sure he was a crook , but he always left something for the little guy .
Did it ever exist yes , long ago , the big question is will it ever exist again .
..since Reagan, for sure, possibly since Nixon.
The real news is that it's necessary for these ads to be run in the first place. Psst, John, here's a clue for you, follow the money. Moron. Find out who these "centrists" really see as their constituents are. It ain't the voters who put them in office.
Corporate MSM propaganda approach:
Only 70-80% of the people want this to pass.
So lets act like there is some big debate going on.
I have gone from anger to amusement. The people in this country are so fucking stupid it is astonishing. Everyday I hear people I have known for years (and were economically destroyed by Bush and the GOP) bitch and scream and complain about how bad the country is.
And almost every single one of them voted for John McCain. The only democrats they like are the bluedogs, and they hate the liberals who are trying to pass the legislation they actually want.
America is basically an asylum for the politically sadistic.
"The people in this country are so fucking stupid it is astonishing" , you sure have that one right policy left , that's why I do not hold out any hope that things will change and get better . Gross ignorance and absolute stupidity will be our downfall , it's obvious that we are SOL .
Being from Baton Rouge- won't you speak out and become militant enough to counter Ms. Mary Landrieu and her misalignment with the corporate ( mainly medical) strongholds who have contributed so mightly to her campaigns? Dammitt!!
her mouth ( which is rare) because whenever they start talking she clams up. She never never gets her point accross. They say something ridiculous and she agrees .. then oops, they're out of time. with friends like her who needs enemies. They put her on because she's ALWAYS ineffective. Then she sits quietly while "Las Vegas Bill" spews his BS. Out gunned every single time she's on .
The first thing the dems need to do is cut the poor communicators from the team...
They could make it out of Welcome Mats so that after the GOP shills are done wiping their feet on her it will clean up real nice. She is the definition of useless.
King: I mean, they all raise money, but they're essentially saying they're being bought to block President Obama.
Duh , you picked up on that huh Swifty ? Damn , is King the best CNN could do ? Pathetic ! instead of feigning shock or amazement this useless fart in the wind ought to be reporting the fact that those trying to stop Obama and healthcare reform are in fact up for sale whores and that they are being bought off . No wonder the country is going to hell .
Well, actually, I guess I do. The way Republicans do it, they move like a herd. Democrats don't. But for some reason Republicans still get to control the framework, so when Democrats disagree with Democrats, somehow it's shocking.
It's both a strength and a weakness, I think. But it shouldn't really come as a surprise.
Yes- and most likely, accurate
The Traitorcons are bought and paid for buy the MultiNationals. Our enemies, following their ideology to it's logical end, don't have to beat us militarily. They could, through their insane Free Market theory, buy us out.
However, so-called "Centrist Dems" should be called what they really are, Corporate Dems.
John King, please. Who gave him his own time. It's laughable. He really has no clue, does he?
What a douchebag
Does he think that every Dem votes with Obama? Does he not know what is happening? Is it that hard to understand that some Dems are blocking Obama?
Seem to me that King should be fired immediately for stupidity.
"Yes John, Democrats ARE being bought to block President Obama, could you tell me why you don't find that fact newsworthy?"
That's a 6 second response. Who is this person? Why the fuck is she on TV stuttering a response?
Not only is the bribery of Blue Dogs not "newsworthy," to John King, it is merely an "assertion."
If just one of these two had done a little bit of research, they could have related the specific amounts that each of these "moderate" people in Congress receive from health insurance companies.
"Fox would hire me in a minute. And believe it or not, CNN would, too."
-Michael Savage
I gotta admit, when they were in charge, they kept their people in line. The spineless "leaders" in the party can't even get all the Dems to vote together on things in the freakin' Democratic platform!
It starts in the White House. If Reid could be so easily cowed by the Cons when they were in charge, why can't he do the same for a Dem president? And I thought Emanual was supposed to be the head-cracker for the administration. Well, I say get to crakin' already!!! They need to reign people in or we can kiss 2010 good-bye.
God, I hate my party sometimes.
What opening?
Does any one want to listen to any more republican lunacy on anything?
Gingrich, palin,mittens,mccain, mcconell,sessions,bush/chenny for christ sake?
The only opening the republicans sense is the one in there head when they open their mouths.
republicanism is a mental illness!
This is after all the part of Lincoln. The problem isn't Republicans, but rather the Conservative economic, social and diplomatic policies that have really screwed the pooch (insert pun here).
Conservatism has failed the American people, while making tons of money and granted loads of power to its masters.
I can't wait to see his reaction when those democrats who are corrupt start getting their butts kicked starting in the next elections. It seems to me that these jokers need to be reminded of who they work for and why they have been put in office. I think they've forgeotten that they are only the hired help, and nothing more.
And he thinks his opinion matters why?
shorter john whatshisname: "Oh Noes!! The Democratic party isn't all sticking together like the repubobstructionist party do to screw the hell out of working Americans. What the hell is wrong with them?"
And he thinks his opinion matters why?
shorter john whatshisname: "Oh Noes!! The Democratic party isn't all sticking together like the repubobstructionist party do to screw the hell out of working Americans. What the hell is wrong with them?"
And he thinks his opinion matters why?
shorter john whatshisname: "Oh Noes!! The Democratic party isn't all sticking together like the repubobstructionist party do to screw the h*ll out of working Americans. What the h*ll is wrong with them?"
blanking comments is messing with me! It said my comment didn't post and to try again. So I did. Then it did it again. So I tried again. Now my coment is here 3 times. blankity blank blank technology. ;-)
they need an ambulance tell them to call their lobbyist! When they need a doctor tell them to call the Ceo. If they ever need surgery tell them to call their broker.
The Constitution gives everyone the right to lobby congress but not one place in there does it say anything about having to pay the highest bribes for the desired outcome.
WE pay their salary, their expense account bills, their travel expenses, their health insurance, their aides who do their work for them, their fancy restaurant meals and everything in between. It's the Be All and End All, ULTIMATE government DOLE while they sit up their on their golden thrones fighting for the RIGHT of insurance company millionaires/billionaires to continue issuing DEATH SENTENCES for PROFIT!
Heck of a job Congress!!!
petition Congress. That's not the same as lobbying. If the bribers were held to petitioning, then the acts that count as lobbying would be all handled by public hearings, and public hearings only, in which opposing points of view would be taken and considered. The bribes would be considered grounds for impeachment of any member who accepted them (..."treason, bribery, high crimes and misdemeanors"...). The Constitution also says nothing about closed door deals from which the publiuc is excluded.
I've a hunch that the Founders would have considered most of today's politicians to be dishonorable and irredeemably corrupt criminals who deserved to be shunned by honorable and polite society.
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