ABC

The big F.U. that corporate media execs gave to the American people and, more importantly, U.S. soldiers. Jessica Yellin told Anderson Cooper last night the following:

Yellin: I think the press corps dropped the ball in the beginning when the lead up to war began, uh the press corps was under enormous pressure from corporate executives, frankly, to make sure that this was a war that was presented in a way that was consistent with the patriotic fever in the nation and the President’s high approval ratings and my own experience at the White House was that the higher the President’s approval ratings, the more pressure I had from news executives, and I was not at this network at the time, but the more pressure I had from these executives to put on positive stories about the President. I think over time….

The video is available at Crooks and Liars.

As Glenn Greenwald puts it:

Yellin's admission is but the latest in a growing mountain of evidence demonstrating that corporate executives forced their news reporters to propagandize in favor of the Bush administration and the war, and censored stories that were critical of the Government. Katie Couric yesterday said that threats from the White House and accusations of being unpatriotic coerced the media into suppressing its questioning of the war. But last September, Couric revealed even more specifically the type of pressure that was put on her by NBC executives to refrain from criticizing the administration, after she conducted a "tough interview" with Condoleezza Rice:

We have been suffering a crisis in democracy here in the old U.S.A., and now the evidence is mounting against those who created this crisis. Congress needs to start acting on it, not for political gain, but because this nation deserves it.

Glenn Greenwald has

Man this hits last night's debate spot on.

Last night's debate wasn't about policy, it was about politics. America was the big loser in last night's debate - no matter what party you belong to. I think it also exposed a big gaping hole in another part of our election system that needs repairs - debates.

Debates have become nothing but a ratings game for networks that thrive on reality shows, which work to embarrass people the most. That should not be the case. Debates should be carried as part of the networks agreement to air public service, in return for use of our airwaves. ABC was clear yesterday this was not their view when they said no one could use video clips of the debate for twelve hours after it aired.

What we need is a new law written in that there will be X number of debates during primaries and X number of debates during the general. These debates will be carried on the network station, and can not be used as a ratings game. A commission should be formed to oversee the moderators action and the production of these debates.

Debates are the only chance a majority of Americans get to actually see the candidates in action. What Obama's preacher said years ago won't affect his policy, nor will questions of if Hillary actually landed in Bosnia under sniper fire. Four years ago bringing up Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter was taboo, even when the big issue was gay marriage. Now anything goes?

I know some Republicans are loving what they saw last night. I wonder how they would respond if the same thing happened to McCain. What if ABC holds a debate between Obama and McCain and an exchange like this happened:

Gibson: Senator McCain - there has been reports that you gave information to our enemies, in exchange for better treatment, when you were held captive during the Vietnam war.

McCain: That is absolutely false Charlie.

Gibson: Are you sure Senator? You didn't turn on America to save yourself from discomfort?

McCain: I have the medical records to prove the abuse I endured.

Gibson: But others endured more abuse, Senator. Are those people more patriotic than you? How can we be sure you didn't turn over state secrets to get better care?

That alone would Republicans over the edge, and if it was a general election debate, I wouldn't be shocked to here ABC ask it after last nights autracity.

I also think the candidates should pledge to not do anymore debates on ABC after the joke last night. Show ABC that we hold America's democracy and process more dear than some reality show.  If our founding fathers would have seen what happened last night, they would have surrendered to the British.

Sticking with their National Enquirer style questioning, I can't believe the moderators didn't ask this:

"Recently our own Brian Ross uncovered some disturbing details about your time as First Lady, Senator Clinton. In his investigation he found out that you were in the White House on the day your husband, Former President Bill Clinton, was receiving oral sex from an intern, Monica Lewinsky. How did you not know that was happening? Did you hear a slurping noise and suspect your husband was enjoying a Tootsie-Roll Pop?"

I mean it would have rated right up there with all the other crap they asked.

I been watching this debate on ABC and it is by far the worse ever. First half was no policy questions at all - just made up controversies by the media. ABC, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos should be publicly flogged for it. I think it's also weird that Stephanopoulos is a moderator. He was a big wig in the Clinton administration. That can be construed as biased in either direction.