So, what was teh point?

[Name Withheld]

The point was never *just* Beck.

The point is: Idiots who use these techniques to divide the nation.

We've gotten some great attention. It's time now to start moving on and finding others that use these same idiotic techniques.

Who would you like to suggest? Can you link to some examples of their unethical fearmongering?

Left or right doesn't matter. It's extremism that's tearing our nation apart.

[I Said]

I think keeping it with Beck is good, but if it were to spread:

Steve Doocy
Sean Hannity
Laura Ingraham

They use this tactic far more then anyone else I can think of right now.

[JiveKata]

The Savage Wiener. The guy certainly gives Beck a run for his money in the crazy-paranoid-utterly full of shit department.

[KeyboardGato]

I am so for this.

I'm going to just do a list of possible people, right and left.

Right:
Sean Hannity (Fox News)
Lou Dobbs (CNN)
Bill O'Reily (Fox News)
Michelle Malkin (Commentator/Author)
Tucker Carlson (Commentator)
Steve Doocy (Fox News) <--holy shit this one would be fun
Andrew Napolitano (Fox News)
Dick Morris (Fox News/Author/Political Consultant)
David Horrowitz (Author/Fox News)
Kevin James (Radio)
Rush Limbaugh (Radio)
John Ziegler (Radio/Commentator)
Mike "Savage" Wiener (Radio/Author)

Left:
Keith Olbermann (MSNBC)
Ed Schultz (Radio/MSNBC)
Randi Rhodes (Radio)

Just made this list to make it easier to have a focus for us when searching for stuff. I'll be posting evidence on any of these people after I find some sufficient clips.

PS: Also found out that I watch and listen to a lot more radical conservative stuff than what mirrors my own political thoughts (hence the short Left list.) Never noticed how much I love to scream "That's bullshit!" to my radio or TV.

[Name Withheld]

I think keeping it with Beck is good, but if it were to spread:

Just a quick reply as I just returned... This is going to be true - no letting up on Beck -- an expansion to others.

Sure Beck was a "conservative" target - but don't hold back on liberals who pull this shit.

I'm of the opinion that - it's okay to praise people for things they do well - but we need to call bullshit when we find bullshit.

Thanks for an awesome start to the second chapter - but don't worry, we're still not done with the first one.

[FocusOnBeck]

I agree that other offenders should be targeted but I think it is too soon to move beyond Beck. This message has a chance to get lost if the target list is expanded. Beck is one of the worst offenders but more importantly he is one of the most controversial commentators out there right now; we can all probably agree that a "Laura Ingram raped and murdered..." or even a "Sean Hannity raped and murdered..." would not get nearly the same play this has gotten. Further, Beck is psychologically and emotionally unbalanced. Staying focused on him, and even ratcheting up the pressure in one way or another, may result in him (over)reacting in a way that will draw yet more attention to this 'journalistic' technique - his lawyering up over a parody site is just one indication of this.

Find ways to get this website out there in the consciousness of the internets even more than it already is and find ways to increase the pressure on Beck to deny these very disturbing rumors before turning your attention elsewhere.

[Oprahs_Minge]

Joe Wilson, South Carolina Representative and all around douchbag

[MoBama]

 

[TuckerCarlson]

Nancy Grace must die.  Seriously, she makes Glenn look sane.  Just saying...

[Janus_Grayden]

Let's not forget good, old Rush.  Not a television personality, but I do think it's oddly suspicious that he doesn't have an alibi for the 9/11/01 attacks...

[Mr. Cabron]

The media has failed the public but we have failed them by not putting their feet to the fire over their betrayal of the public trust.

BS is BS, Fear-mongering  is Fearmongering.

I'm all for kicking them hard.

Nancy Grace,Dobbs may be the most annoying people on earth.

[Curiosity]

I agree that other offenders should be targeted but I think it is too soon to move beyond Beck. This message has a chance to get lost if the target list is expanded. Beck is one of the worst offenders but more importantly he is one of the most controversial commentators out there right now; we can all probably agree that a "Laura Ingram raped and murdered..." or even a "Sean Hannity raped and murdered..." would not get nearly the same play this has gotten. Further, Beck is psychologically and emotionally unbalanced. Staying focused on him, and even ratcheting up the pressure in one way or another, may result in him (over)reacting in a way that will draw yet more attention to this 'journalistic' technique - his lawyering up over a parody site is just one indication of this. Find ways to get this website out there in the consciousness of the internets even more than it already is and find ways to increase the pressure on Beck to deny these very disturbing rumors before turning your attention elsewhere.

As so deservedly it would be for others, due to their inability to actually be accountable and responsible and not hide behind the "I'm a commentator, not a journalist" excuse like Beck claims - even though they are on a "news" station - I would have to agree that spreading out too soon would only thin and negate the message. It will seem more as if we are doing it for the lulz rather than for a legitimate reason.

But then again, should we spread out in a limited fashion and perhaps select someone that is NOT right-wing, then it might make it clearer to people that this isn’t about “the left attacking the right”, as many currently perceive it.

I won’t relist people because everyone one I would have said is already noted (except I would even throw on that woman that hosts with Cooper for her sheer idiotic loaded questioning she always does.. if I could even remember her name. lol )

I wouldn't list Maddow. I had only started to watch her show and past clips recently, but from the clips I have seen, unlike every other pundit, she can actually have a civil interview with people of different political views and seems to point out on-air when she makes factual errors. Plus she doesn't yell. Or cry. Or summons God or whatever garbage the others do to add sensationalism in substitute for facts.

[Mr. Cabron]

So we need specific evidence of douchebaggery, yellow journalism or dirty tricks?
Sounds good
How do we validate?

[Voodoo]

I agree that other offenders should be targeted but I think it is too soon to move beyond Beck. This message has a chance to get lost if the target list is expanded. Beck is one of the worst offenders but more importantly he is one of the most controversial commentators out there right now; we can all probably agree that a "Laura Ingram raped and murdered..." or even a "Sean Hannity raped and murdered..." would not get nearly the same play this has gotten. Further, Beck is psychologically and emotionally unbalanced. Staying focused on him, and even ratcheting up the pressure in one way or another, may result in him (over)reacting in a way that will draw yet more attention to this 'journalistic' technique - his lawyering up over a parody site is just one indication of this.

Find ways to get this website out there in the consciousness of the internets even more than it already is and find ways to increase the pressure on Beck to deny these very disturbing rumors before turning your attention elsewhere.

I think ratcheting up the pressure on him is a wonderful way to continue. What about calling in to one of his radio and/or TV shows, initially posing as a fanboy/girl to get past the screener(s) and then busting the question on national TV! We have all seen how he reacts to any type of criticism or even a dissenting opinion. He'd blow a friggin' gasket! A little Google Fu turns up a number of sites dedicated to changing the caller ID of the phone you are calling from...turning that payphone into...say...the White House, or the hallowed halls of Congress or whatever. There is one down side I can see to this is and that is that I am going to be watching his show RELIGIOUSLY now to see how or if he responds to this rumor. Better get plenty O' Pepto on hand...

I also agree with FocusOnBeck that we should target other offenders but move slowly. I am reminded of focusing sunlight through a magnifying glass...you have to keep the lens still and steady for a while. However, once the decision is made to add another target to the queue I would personally love to see Bill O' squirm, or Rush in the crosshairs or Ann Coulter - Oh GOD Light that bitch up, but that's just my bias. Curiosity and rape_is_bad are both correct when they say that we should also select someone who is NOT right-wing or any extremist who spews their filth or engages in these tactics.

Mmm Mmm MMMMmm! Sweet Dreams tonight!

[Curiosity]

So we need specific evidence of douchebaggery, yellow journalism or dirty tricks?
Sounds good
How do we validate?

well for everyone listed here, that wouldn't be too hard to collect and mimic (like that is being done for Beck.) In my first viewing of Nancy grace ever last week it only took a mere 5 minutes before inducing nausea.

[KeyboardGato]

Well Nancy Grace mainly focuses on criminal cases. Is that what we're going for? I think its similar to covering celeb news since public opinion has little impact on policy in those cases. Now, political commentators, that's a different issue.

That said, goddamn Nancy Grace is torture to watch.

[rape_is_bad]

I love the idea of developing a website that will seek out extremist who spew their filth over any sort of media medium.  All of us know that an open dialogue is paramount to our government.  All these extremist do is work up their audiences and further constrict the dialogue.

I think a website that had a BS watch; something that would point out any pundit that tries these dirty tactics.  We should also try to promote open dialogue and debate as much as possible.  There could be user editorials where regular people can comment on current topics at hand, I know I'd love to write about the public educational process... especially in the wake of the Obama school speech.

[KeyboardGato]

Well, they have MediaMatters but a dedicated website to using their tactics constantly is not a bad idea. It could be the eventual evolution of something like GB1990.

I think we honestly have a good point and tactic here. I'd like to see how it evolves and how it could be implemented in the future once it catches on even more.

[Thomas Pain]

Rachel Maddow has never, to my viewing, tried to distort facts. She's clearly liberal, but she never reports on rumor.

[KeyboardGato]

Rachel Maddow has never, to my viewing, tried to distort facts. She's clearly liberal, but she never reports on rumor.

I do agree. The only commentary show that actually has proved to be good and worthwhile. Then again, I am a self-admitted liberal.

[Curiosity]

And the thing about Maddow is that she gets good ratings, which goes to show that they DON'T need those tactics to pull in viewers.


(I didn't know Nancy's shtick was only criminal cases as I couldn't even stomach one episode of the stuff she was spewing out of her mouth.)

[KeyboardGato]

(I didn't know Nancy's shtick was only criminal cases as I couldn't even stomach one episode of the stuff she was spewing out of her mouth.)

Thanks to alcohol (I'm trying to model the image of a patriot after all, right?) I've made it through several Nancy Grace shows. They're as trivial as can be. I don't think she's worth the attention.

[Curiosity]

yeah, I agree. there are much more important people that are doing nothing but closing down any meaningful dialogue.

but speaking of Olbermann.. For those that didn't see it, here is a really good parody of him done by ben Affleck on SNL. It is like the longest skit ever - 8 minutes, but worth every minute, imo.

http://www.break.com/usercontent/2008/11/SNL-Skewers-Keith-Olbermann-598554.html

[ra-ra-raw]

Rachel Maddow has never, to my viewing, tried to distort facts. She's clearly liberal, but she never reports on rumor.

This clip has Maddow reporting on reporting on rumor.
It is Rachel Maddow connecting with someone on the right trying to bring media political discourse out of the gutter.
It relates to what has been going on here.
The blogger being  interviewed is one of the most reasonable right voices I have heard in a while, although at the end he tries to pull some strange
attempt to leverage Rachel into a position she refuses to go in.
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/worldnetdaily-rnc-and-mainstreaming forgot the link

[Sulu_Peppers]

Beck needs to be the main focus for now.  Most of the discussion about Beck's tactics have been still under the radar; once Uncle Bob in Fargo has some awareness of this, then move on.  A shotgun approach at this point will diminish the initial impact this tactic has had.  In fact, it could appear that Beck's trademark infringement case had a chilling effect on this running commentary.