Washington (CNN) - Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-Rhode Island, blasted national reporters Wednesday for focusing on trivialities instead of the war in Afghanistan.
While delivering a speech, Kennedy spotted only a handful of reporters sitting in the press gallery overlooking the House floor. But because House floor debates are televised, reporters often monitor the proceedings from their desks outside the chamber where they can more easily take notes and work on computers.
From CNN Politics
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He's right. The news today has become all about ratings, not real news. The news media today has made a nobody like Palin into a celebrity because they constantly report on every little thing she does because they know people love a good train wreck.
I'd like to see journalism get back to the basics; reporting real news, digging into the truth and not worrying about ratings but making a real committment to the american people to deliver truth not rumours.
Now he knows how the media treat Sarah Palin. Leno used a laugh track. NBC says not true. Sarah used Canada's state run health care. Wrong again. Todd and Sarah are getting a devorce. Still waiting on that one. Todd and Sarah embezzeled to build their home. Slanderous lie. The smear machine continues.
Faux News may be in the vanguard of the end of real journalism. Blogs, rumormongers, liars, self-promoters, people with obvious agendas are crowding out objective reporting. Why read a newspaper when you can follow unedited, unsourced Twitterings and Facebook pronouncements. Newsrooms are losing staff as newspapers face declining public literacy. It is disappointing. The millenial generation will be not only poorer financially than their parents, but less well-informed. We have another 20 years or so of influence by the "greatest generation" and the "boomers" before the great hope of Jefferson and Adams will vanish entirely.
For those agreeing, why are you getting your news where 2 of the 5 most popular stories pertain to the Oscars. I would think you would want to spend your time over at C-Span.org.
Kennedy is absolutely right. This was the first House debate on the costly war in Afghanistan in the past 8 years, and next to nothing about it appears in any of the print or electronic media. On the other hand we are flooded with nonsensical stories about a creature called "Jihad Jane". Why not let the American people know what Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich had to say? Who's afraid of the truth?
What's despicable is the Democratic Party who pushed an inexperienced, socialistic, President upon this nation under the guise of "change" because of the candidate's race rather than his qualifications. The Kennedy legacy of promoting entitlements from big government at the cost of the middle class falls in line and is expanded by Obama's agenda of pushing left wing ideas that have tried and failed years ago in other countries. The Obama administration is now imploding and our country is stuck with this President thanks to the misguided Democrats who are led by the likes of Nancy Pelosi as she flies around at the taxpayers expense while they criticize the auto maker execs for flying to Washington to appear for hearing. Health care socialism doesn't work,m ask the people in Italy, Canada, or Great Britain. Mr. Kennedy should put more effort into reviewing his party's broken promise to the American people than his hysterical rant (speech) blaming the press.
The media is only out for gossip (Rep. or Dem.) – might as well read The Star! They should certainly be ashamed of what their "news reporting" has come to.
Huh folks....there's C-Span tune into that if you want to watch these clowns at work.
I agree with Rep, Kennedy. Real issues are not shown or talked about. Everyone is looking for their daily "National Enquirer" moment and important information Americans should know and care about is barely mentioned, if at all.
Media who don't report the news should not be allowed to use it in their broadcasts. We all know FOX is not news. It is lies and windbags entertaining their ignorant followers. It should be called FOX Entertainment and Conspiracy Network.
Where is Walter Cronkite when you need him??? That was NEWS every night!
The media attacking Bush (about subjective things) = Top notch journalism.
The media calling out Obama (about a boatload of tangible things) = Piling on and unfair.
Gotta love it!!
November: Please, PLEASE hurry up and get here!!!!!!!!
The media often slants the news in favor of sensationalism; as they say, thats what sells newspapers and they do have a profit margin to look after. They are not above pushing a lie either. Maybe corrected
later, maybe not. Depends on the drift. So, whats new. I wonder why I even wrote this obvious stuff !
This man is absolutely right, why does the media focus on those stupid tea party people, the Massi debacle, and of course Sarah Palin, we want to know what is going on with our soldiers who are dying for our freedom.
Is this posted because his name is Kennedy or because he is criticizing the media?
What does he expect, anyway. There's no wow factor in a Democrat talking about the war in Afghanistan like there is in Reese Witherspoon visiting the Capitol. Doesn't she look good in the picture of her and Wolf Blitzer? Much better than Patrick Kennedy.
The really ironic thing: There were probably more press corps members present than there were members of Congress to hear his little tirade...
I totally agree with him. The media with their slipshod investigation and opinionating are doing more to bring this country down than the politicians although they are a close second. CNN is now sharing the honors with Fox but almost all are bad. Strictly a ratings war and they act like attack dogs rather than journalists. Fire the pundits and start reporting the facts, not your opinion.
Very sharp words that needed to be said.
Despicable is way too generous of a compliment for CNN and the rest of the press. The media gets a lower approval rating than Congress, Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzo and Failin' Palin combined.
Maybe because the lazy media lies twice as much with a multitude of resources available to aid them in telling the truth?
But then, where would all the false controversy and race to the bottom for ratings come from?
I do not know about the press corp in general but the Fox Channel seems to thrive on blantant lying, arrogance, hypocrisy, and any other extreme right wing crappola.
Well, the national media do focus on trivialities and inanities. 24-hour cable is to blame. And CNN is among the absolute worst about it. Trivial and Inane should be in the name somewhere. Fox News wannabes. Go just a little bit further to the right and I'm sure you'll accomplish your goal, CNN.
Kennedys must be up to something and want the press to focus elsewhere,did someone named Kennedy drive someone off a bridge lately?Or rape someone lately?
They must all be in France,covering the antichrist.
All of this criticism of the media is a complete and utter joke. What Kennedy should have done is called out the real problem. It's all of us!!! Why do you think the media prints what they print and shows what they show? Because we all watch it. I wonder how many people on this blog are blasting the media but have clicked on the exact same links about Massa, Jihad Jane, etc. You know you did. So, how about looking in the mirror and doing your part, because when people quit reading it, the media will quit covering it.
Yes, for years the press let the fascist that is the Republican party go totally nuts. They were un-checked in destroying our economy, our military, our morals, national integrity, civil liberties, etc., etc.
The press stood by afraid to be called/labeled un-Patriotic, a complete failure. Now they think suck up to the tea-baggers, religious finatics, and neo-cons without asking and FOLLOWING UP with real questions. The corporate press sucks. And Fox is nothing more than the propoganda of neo-cons and fascists to the point you can't even consider them "press".
THANK YOU REP KENNEDY!
YOU ARE 100000000% RIGHT!
The Media is FAILING IN ITS DUTY to keep us informed as to the FACTS.
Patrick Kennedy totally rocks! Scott D. Kenan