Thread: Jan Brewer vs. Shoe-Tossing Journalist

January 31, 2012
Brent Bozell


The photograph of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer pointing a finger at President Obama on the tarmac at the Phoenix airport brought out the worst in amateur psychoanalysis from our media elite. No one had an audio tape or videotape of what was said, but just the finger-pointing image somehow was definitive evidence of profound disrespect.

These same journalists were not only unfazed, but actually downright amused back in 2008, when an Iraqi journalist in Baghdad threw two shoes at President Bush’s head. That man, they said, was an “instant hero.” Over and over, they replayed the footage, each time laughing just a bit harder.

Ah, but this is Obama, and no pointing of any kind is allowed. Outrage, you hear? Outrage!

It was an outrage contest. NBC anchor Brian Williams seemed the most offended. "Who have you ever seen talking to the president like this?....The governor of Arizona with her finger in the face of the President of the United States! You don't see that often -- or maybe ever." The story that followed included angry MSNBC host Martin Bashir: "I think this is unprecedented!...I don't know of any other instance when someone has been this disrespectful to the president."

Worst ever? Unprecedented? Williams clearly doesn’t feel the need to do any research before making historical claims. He not only left out the Iraqi shoe-tosser in his historical ignorance. He left out...himself.

In 2006, Williams conducted a very hostile interview with President Bush, in which one could isolate a screen image of Williams pointing an accusatory finger at Bush. Believe it or not, after slapping Bush around about whether he was too “patrician” to understand his mishandling of the response to Hurricane Katrina, Williams was pestering (or mocking) Bush for reading the French philosopher Albert Camus.

Williams clearly couldn’t believe Bush had the brain power to tackle it, and pointed his finger as he challenged Bush to explain how he was misunderstood. He then threw at him “Still not watchin’ television, huh?” “I watch a good baseball game,” Bush snapped back.

Disrespect was the name of Brian’s game.

On CBS, anchorman Scott Pelley brought in Bob Schieffer to compete with Williams in the Obama-lover outrage. He told Schieffer “it seems like it’s not a Democratic or Republican issue but a question of how the office of the President is treated.” Schieffer complained, “this is just another sign of the growing incivility and really vulgarity of our modern American politics in campaigns.” He, too, had complete amnesia. “I can never recall a President stepping off Air Force One, which is itself a symbol of the presidency in American democracy, and being subjected to such public rudeness. I think really we’re a better people than this little incident illustrates.”

So let’s look at CBS at the end of 2008, only about three years ago. Reporter Elizabeth Palmer quoted Munthazar al-Zaidi’s shoe-tossing words at Bush – “This is your goodbye kiss, you dog!” She added that “By showing the kind of contempt formerly reserved for Saddam Hussein to President Bush, al-Zaidi's become an instant hero.” Palmer snidely concluded "al-Zaidi should do jail time, said the Iraqi bloggers, because he missed." Then-anchor Katie Couric failed to muster any outrage at the disrespect, even if, as Pelley claimed, “it’s not a Democratic or Republican issue but a question of how the President is treated.”

In The New York Times, reporter Helene Cooper found potential political gain for Obama after the Brewer conflict. “Hispanic leaders said that what is being dubbed by some as the ‘dustup in the desert’ could play in the president’s favor given the unfavorable view many Hispanics have of the governor for her advocacy of tough immigration measures.”

By contrast, the Times asserted the Bush shoe-tossing in 2008 only underlined how dramatically unpopular Bush was in the Middle East for all the mayhem he imposed. “The Iraqi who threw both of his at President Bush, with widely admired aim, were embraced around the Arab world on Monday as symbols of rage at a still unpopular war,” wrote Times reporters Timothy Williams and Abeer Mohammed at the time. They found the “instantly mythic moment” had “provided a rare moment of unity in a region often at odds with itself.”

Liberal journalists can insult a governor for challenging Obama, even after they enthusiastically channeled praise for shoe-throwing at Bush’s head. What they can’t plausibly do is claim that they have a firm grip on historical facts, or any shred of a record of nonpartisan respect for presidents.


Bozell Column: Jan Brewer vs. Shoe-Tossing Journalist | NewsBusters.org

How about Obama bowing to foreign leaders. To me that was the ultimate picture. I did not see anyone running to analyze it. I think Gov. Brewer was making a point, not disrespecting Obama.

Liberal blather.

Here is another one. I really enjoy reading Brent Bozell's exposure of liberal bias.

Politico's Jonathan Martin Mocks Conservative Florida Voters as the 'Cracker Counties'

By: Scott Whitlock
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 4:54 PM EST


Politico reporter Jonathan Martin on Tuesday mocked the "cracker counties" of Florida's conservative Panhandle. Talking to Daily Rundown host Chuck Todd, he derided, "Chuck, a lot of the counties in the Panhandle, in north Florida, the cracker counties, if you will...more resemble Georgia and Alabama than they do Florida."
MSNBC anchor Chuck Todd appeared indifferent to this attack, agreeing, "right." That area of Florida, of course, is where fellow MSNBC host Joe Scarborough represented when he was a member of Congress.

http://www.mrctv.org/videos/politico...acker-counties

Martin's insult came as he was trying to explain how North Florida could be instructive for future, southern primaries: "I think the other reason why north Florida is going to be fascinating to watch tonight is because it's going to give us a sense of what's ahead in March, when this primary does move to the deep south states."

Some have asserted that Martin meant the word "cracker" as a reference to native Floridians and not in a racial way. However, the Politico reporter wasn't on local Florida TV and the rest of the country sees the term as an insult.

The context of the comment came while talking about conservative Southerners. To repeat, Martin claimed that Florida is "going to give us a sense of what's ahead in March, when this primary does move to the Deep South states."

Certainly, the use of the N-word, or some derivative, would not so easily be explained away.

A transcript of the January 31st Daily Rundown exchange can be found below:

9:21

CHUCK TODD: But Jonathan, going back to Gingrich, he doesn't seem to have a strategy in Florida. It's been odd. It's been all messaging, but I haven't seen an overly played Georgia card, for instance, in Jacksonville.


JONATHAN MARTIN (Politico): No. Look, I think the problem that Newt has had here is the problem that he had in Iowa, the attacks on him have gotten into his head and that has sort of consumed his entire focus. And Romney folks knew that, and that's what the goal was entirely, as Jeff and Jim Rutenberg reported on Sunday, was to get in Newt's head, and it's worked effectively here. Look, we saw Newt yesterday here in Tampa. It's hard to discern a message, besides the fact that he's angry towards Romney. And, obviously, that's not terribly effective. He does have an element of strong message, which is pitting himself as the leader of this insurgent movement against the establishment. The challenge is, he can't just drive that message. He sort of scatter shot all about. Chuck, one last thing on the map, though, if I could. I think the other reason why north Florida is going to be fascinating to watch tonight is because it's going to give us a sense of what's ahead in March, when this primary does move to the deep south states, because as you know, Chuck, a lot of the counties in the panhandle, in north Florida, the cracker counties, if you will-

TODD: Right.

MARTIN: -more resemble Georgia and Alabama than they do Florida. So, it's going to be interesting to see if Romney can really show some signs of strength in and around places like Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
Media Research Center

After what Obama has done to Brewer and her state she had a right to point a finger in his face, you can bet he was disrespecting her AGAIN. I admire Brewer she has been through an enormous amount of Obama created crap.

The media (and come to think of it, the government) in this country is a JOKE and makes me want to throw UP! Their arrogance and double standards knows no bounds.

This is all funny to me. There was a time when classes were given to women on how to bridge the "old boy network". Too much power was given to men in management. One class I remember was called "Taking Charge". It is the tactics that I learned in this class that I saw Gov. Brewer using. She was controlling the situation by being in his space, his comfort zone. By using her finger she brought his height control of towering over her down to the level of her finger. Very smart woman!

I like Jan Brewer she is a real strong woman and very patriotic. Her state is lucky to have her. I think she would make a good president.

I think she was very polite.

That is a great picture.

Dictator
and Thief with his
Idea of America.
"Not on Our Watch"