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« The Story That Keeps on Going | Main | A Glimpse Into Oliver Willis's Future » February 16, 2005
Will There Be Flu-Blogging? (UPDATED AGAIN)
Posted by Bill No, there will not. UPDATE: I lied. We interrupt our feverish intermission to note this silly crusade for Brit Hume's downfall. Appetite apparently whetted by felling the mighty Gannon, the most powerful elements of port side of the blogosphere want a high profile scalp of their very own to counterbalance Rather and Jordan. Note how the bloggers in question jump straight to demanding a resignation over an offense of rather subjective proportions (a misrepresentation of a single quote), rather than kicking off the effort by demanding a retraction or clarification (Admittedly, some rightward bloggers prematurely jumped to this tactic with CNN). If truncation or distortion of quotes were inherently fireable offenses, the ranks of journalism would be thin indeed - Maureen Dowd would certainly be a foundation-spackled sales clerk at a Macy's perfume counter by now. And this analysis gives the plaintiffs the benefit of the doubt that Hume committed an egregious misrepresentation. Villanous Company and Confederate Yankee have posts examining and contradicting the merit of the charges (I'm tabling final analysis and judgment until this bug clears up and I stop hallucinating that Donald Rumsfeld is standing at my bedside wearing a purple chiffon gown and cooing a soothing soliloquy about "known unknowns"). But to be blunt - and certainly using the context of a Hewitt or Powerline at their most zealous - these bloggers remind me of spiteful, dissonant and vaguely amusing children. Their form is off, their case isn't particularly strong and the exhortations smack of outraged histrionics as an outlet for desperate jealousy of their efficacious counterparts on the other side of the ideological 'sphere. I'm positive that there are some highly legitimate targets that will afford lefty bloggers the opportunity to make an impressive impact,* but their form and stated goal in this case strikes me as overblown. Odds of success for a resignation or firing? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say "zero." And the leap to that tactic, for this offense, may have even sabotaged any chance of acquiring a quick retraction or clarification, something that FOX has been willing to do in the past.
UPDATE: Kevin Drum opines that Hume did misquote FDR, but quite sensibly avoids demanding the FOX anchor's pelt. (Via IP) UPDATE: Thanks to Bluemerle (I think) - I told you! Such talent. Posted by Bill at February 16, 2005 10:23 AM | TrackBack (10) CommentsSo you're saying there's a chance!? Posted by: Beck *Ahem* Posted by: Sharp as a Marble get well soon, hope it's only the 24-hour kind. Posted by: tee bee Where's the Bush blame? Lefties say he's responsible for everything else; does he get a pass on the flu? Posted by: Retread Ah, Bill - hope you get better soon. I've got a sinus infection, myself, so I know you must feel miserable. Oh, well, this too shall pass! Posted by: Romeocat Don't be alarmed when you hear uncredentialed knocking at the door - I'm sending over a gnome to Should fix you right up. Get well soon. Posted by: SarahW Wow, Bill, first I have to go through a 'frisk' to even leave a comment on your site, and then YOU get to decide whether it is printed? Let me guess, you are doing your blog readers a 'service' with all the security? Hummm, if only the WH had bothered with such 'security'. Oh, I get it, you're working on getting a job in the new 'prostitute less' WH -- good luck! Sorry to hear you're not feeling well....not. Was it because, hummm, maybe you and Jeff G. were up trolling and then spooning each other into the wee hours of the morning?? Come on, Bill, come out to your readers!! >> Nice Bill: Getting your buddy Jeff G to come over and play! Did you call him or IM him? I just rolled over and woke him up. And spoon me. It's cold in here. Posted by: ImpeachBush And, Retread (perfect name for a bobblehead Reich member), Bush doesn't get a 'pass' on the flu vaccines, or anything else to do with our health care system. I know, I know, we have a war to finance you say!! Where are your priorities, you're not patriotic!! Oh and don't forget...you probably spit on soldiers! As I was not able to get my flu shot this year, nor were my parents in their 50's, because of the Bush Administration's incompetence....I wish you nothing but a slow and painful recovery, Bill. Oh, and if you and Jeff G. (is that Gannon, Guckert, ???) haven't heard, there is this really aggressive, drug resistant strain of HIV/AIDS now out there...the two of you may want to check into that as well. Not saying that you would have cheated on each other...we on the 'liberal left' all know you monogamous your Reich's are....serial monogamy and the divorce rate of Bush voters, hey, now there is a story for you, Bill! Have fun with this, freepers! Bill will either NOT post it (chickenhawk), or he will so you can play all day and tear me apart. And because Bill requires my email address, I can’t wait to get your email! My phone number is also listed, btw…love those calls from you lunatics as well. Posted by: ImpeachBush Wow, Impeach. Had a little too much Nyquil? So nice to see that the Bush=Hitler thing is still going strong with you. And nice to see you've covered your bases so well: either it won't get posted for nefarious reasons or it will get posted for nefarious reasons. And Bill, isn't your "no flu-blogging" blog actually a flu-blog? Posted by: rbj ImpeachBush is so stereotypical, I'm guessing someone is trying their hand at hard-hitting satire. On the other hand, I live in an ultra-liberal Colorado ski-town where this kind of mindless pap passes as conventional wisdom. I wouldn't expect ImpeachBush to get too much response from his faux rant except rolled eyeballs. Bill - Hope you get better soon. Good remedy: 32oz tumbler, 2 icecubes and 2 fingers of orange juice. Fill remainder of glass to the top with vodka. I seem to remember it helps every time. Cheers. Posted by: JWebb I think ImpeachBush is under the mistaken impression that we here in Hitlerland take anything s/he says seriously. No. We're just waiting for the day that we can stuff human dross like her/him into big ovens powered by Halliburton oil. Thanks for the email address, though. Should make finding you easy. Posted by: Jeff G I think Impeach must have the flu ... he/she sounds feverish. Posted by: carin Feel better, Bill. I've been sick off and on since New Year's Day, although the first two weeks of this year were definitely the worst. Posted by: Lornkanaga then YOU get to decide whether it is printed wow. that means that my scribblings are sort of official. see, the censorship of the reich isn't all bad. all of a sudden, I feel important and validated, even if it's by a chimperor nazi. that is, if this sees the light of day... crossing my fingers as I hit post! Posted by: tee bee Get better soon, Bill... wife, kids and I all have it now. Totally sucks. Remember kids, starve a troll, feed a fever - or is it feed a troll, starve a fever? I can't see through the snot on my screen... Posted by: OneDrummer Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but I'm on day 10 here, and only noticing a slight improvement. Go through a gallon or more of water a day to keep your fluids up or you'll feel much worse. Posted by: Pat Curley 'morning, Bill. hope you're getting some rest. catch you later. Posted by: tee bee Yay, Typekey let me in. Get well soon Bill. Posted by: gail Hot tea spiked with Jack Daniels works wonders..:) Get well soon. Posted by: Bucky Katt Thanks. Now I have it too Posted by: beautifulatrocities I knew you people were all in one room somewhere! "fluid communication of the blogosphere" my backside. anyway, glad you're feeling well enough to put this up. I thought the Brit Hume stuff was a joke; but there's blood in the water, and we know too well what "screw 'em" Zunigas thinks about the blood of the unrighteous. Posted by: tee bee Foundation-spackled, hee hee. Posted by: Joe R. the Unabrewer Uh, Bill... After seeing the nice words, Cassandra (from Villainous Company) and I came over to bring you some chicken noodle soup, but we dropped it and ran, becuase well, that Rumsfeld in your room, in the ball gown?... He ain't no hallucination. And he shouldn't go strapless. ;) Posted by: C.Y. Kos is worse than I imagined. I read the quotes, and it looks to me like Kos is the one doing the misrepresenting. I sure hope Kos has influence... Posted by: handy Oh my FDR's grandson! Now Brit's really in trouble. Maybe Al Franken's third cousin will come beat him up. BTW Drum is the one misrepresenting things. He suggests that because the third principle wasn't enacted that FDR didn't care about it too much (which is of course why he said it in the first place, you know, being accostomed to say things like that he didn't care about). Maybe he can get Shirley McClain to channel FDR's newphew's ghost to find out the real scoop. Posted by: Barry Dauphin FDR: Voluntary contributory annuities, by which individual initiative can increase the annual amounts received in old age How is this not a private investment account. voluntary = private ?? No ?? annuities = investment ?? No ?? Hume selected quotes to support his premise: FDR planned to include voluntary/private investment/annuities Drawing some other inference from Humes selected quotes and alleging that implication to Hume without quoting his stated premise is invalid and dishonest. Posted by: boris As you know, you have the flu with the Rummy you have. He's not the Rummy you might want or wish to have at a later time. IOW, have another whiskey or four, or Run for your very life! Posted by: SarahW Old news, but private property means Bill can decide who can and who can't speak here. Hope you feel better soon. I've been coughing for the last week, and can't seem to kick this. Posted by: Zach Let me get this straight, they're demanding Hume be fired over dowdification? Posted by: Dishman "Maybe he can get Shirley McClain to channel FDR's newphew's ghost to find out the real scoop." Or just get Hillary to channel Eleanor. Between the "Glimse Into Olivers Willi's Future" Posted by: Bucky Katt "As I was not able to get my flu shot this year, nor were my parents in their 50's" Your parents waited until their late forties to have you? Posted by: Angus Jung Not a bad shot, Angus. But insults that require the reader to do simple arithmatic have a limited audience. |
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