It seems that Fox News just had a little treat for us.  While gloating that the mainstream media hadn’t covered the Van Jones ‘scandal’ a picture was flashed of all the Obama czars, the National Anthem of the Soviet Union was played.  Fox News has hit a new low. 

In the first place, I would hardly describe the Van Jones situation as a scandal.  He had some questionable ideas, hardly unique,  that most people aren’t comfortable with.  Secondly, he is gone from government service.  He will probably be more problem to those who considered him a problem as a free agent.  He isn’t exactly a rabbity little government worker who will take his wrist slapping and go away.  I expect we will hear a great deal more out of Mr. Van Jones.

And finally, does Fox News have no shame?  The National Anthem of the Soviet Union?  How not so subtle. 

Fox needs to remember that the term ‘czar’ was first trotted (there’s that rascally word again)
out to refer to an appointed government official in a Time Magazine article in December 1973. It referred to William E. Simon who was appointment as the head of the Federal Energy Administration. William Bennett was also appointed as a Drug Czar under President George Bush 41.
 
I didn’t hear rhe National Anthem of the Soviet Union being played for William Bennett. The ‘Czars’ are special advisors. Nothing more nothing less. No music is needed.

Getting riled up over Fox News is just a waste of time. It is what it is. Back to that scorpion and fox parable again. This week though, the theme is Great White Sharks. They just do what they do.

 

23 Thoughts to “All the Great White Sharks aren’t at Cape Cod”

  1. Emma

    I’ve never liked the “czar” concept–nothing more than political favors doled out to friends, and bypassing normal vetting processes. And it’s a stupid term for these folks. Why not just call it the political patronage that it really is?

  2. Moon-howler

    Or call them specialists?

    I was just reading about Charles Lindbergh, speaking of political patronage. He was in so tight with the government, yet he believed in eugenics and also had received the Iron Cross from Germany. Henry Ford had also but he gave his back when the war in Europe started. Lindbergh didn’t return his. He was seen as a Nazi sympathizer during the 30’s. In Lindbergh’s case, he was an expert in flight but he had some rather questionable ideas.

    Many political jobs are plum jobs and many are held by those not qualified in all administrations. I see it as routine. Not good, but certainly not abnormal from other administrations.

  3. Bill Wartham

    Look, you state, “I would hardly describe the Van Jones situation as a scandal. He had some questionable ideas, hardly unique, that most people aren’t comfortable with.”

    What you may not be considering is this: how did Van Jones, a self admitted Communist, get AN APPOINTMENT INTO THE WHITE HOUSE AND HOW DID HE MAKE IT THROUGH THE VETTING PROCESS? Come on man, forget Democrat and Republican for one minute—a communist was working in the White House supposedly working for ALL of the people. While on the taxpayer dime, he is by name criticizing 1/3 of this nation’s population by using inappropriate language against Republicans? You cannot spin this dude, it is what it is. The guy thought he was untouchable and above reproach. The mainstream media did fail to cover this for the last few weeks of the ordeal. Clearly, you have never had a security clearance or worked in a sensitive area for the Government. You really have no clue how offensive it is that the Obama Administration placed this guy into the White House. He was a communist man….a communist. What don’t you get?

  4. An Ordinary Joe

    Originally, the term czar used in US government was a public relations thing. It meant that all of the authority was being vested in one person who would go across all lines of the bureaucracy and forment a singular approach. So the original use of it, and the use put to Mr. Bennett was to show the President’s confidence in one person to “run” the show for that issue.

    Unfortunately, it has been used by many for other purposes and since it is terribly overused, it should just be dropped.

  5. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    It’s going to get worse for you, I fear. Fox is right in exposing the single greatest threat to our nation, especially when it controls two houses of government. Focus on the word czar if you like, but the real work that needs to be done won’t be derailed by such distractions.

  6. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    Oh, and BTW, not that what I think matters, but I just browsed through Obama’s speech to kids tomorrow. It’s really a great speech, and I feel bad for any parents that choose to hold their kids out. I said from the beginning that I wouldn’t do that (if the decision were mine). Credit where it’s due, Obama’s speech is excellent from what I read.

  7. Moon-howler

    Slow, not sure what you are saying. I don’t care about the word ‘czar.’ I do not like the music of the Soviet Union being played any more than I like seeing the president (any administration) burned in effigy or a mustached Obama. I think it is horribly offensive and a disgrace that a cable channel would do something that distasteful.

    I agree about the speech for the first day of school. I just posted it, even though it is long. It was even better than I expected.

  8. Emma

    I agree it’s an excellent speech. Posted that but then the whole thread disappeared. Anyway, agree it is probably the most unifying and presidentia speech he has given yet.

  9. Emma

    “presidential” that is.

  10. Moon-howler

    I took it down because of technical difficulties. Sorry about that.

    I posted a link and an excerpt.

    Sorry the whole thing vaporized. Length issue.

  11. Moon-howler

    Slow, Fox does what they do. They have a following. Unfortunately, I have discovered from watching day after day over many years, that they simply spin and put their own interpretations on things.

    Actually it is an interesting study in social phenomena and how opinion is shaped. Good looking women, cleavage, short skirts and conservative political opinion.

    It is what it is. Of course, now some dingbat is telling America that Cape Cod is the setting of the Jaws. Could have fooled me.

  12. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    @Moon-howler
    Well, most of the filming for the movie was in that vicinity. I thought Amity was supposed to be New York, but I could be wrong….where was Amity? I don’t have my copy of Jaws right next to me (which is a whole other mystery in itself).

  13. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    Moon-howler :
    Slow, Fox does what they do. They have a following. Unfortunately, I have discovered from watching day after day over many years, that they simply spin and put their own interpretations on things.

    Yeah, same with CNN and MSNBC, ABC News, CBS News and NBC. Problem is we’ve got one channel to watch, lefties got all the others. Let us have our one channel.

  14. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    Short skirts, cleavage, and conservative political opinion. GOD, it’s good to be an American! You make me want to have a beer, and I don’t drink!

  15. Moon-howler

    It was Amity, Long Island, I believe.

    Do you really feel that the 11 o’clock local news is leftie?

    I don’t see cnn as leftie either.

    My point has always been, regardless of various polls, most people are pretty much middle of the road and not wrapped around either pole.

    Slow, maybe you should start, just beer though. And when you put ‘just letting you have your one channel’ that way, it is funny. But when that station deliberately misleads people, then it is just dead wrong. Everyone will live if they think Jaws was Cape Cod. Thinking that the president is being subversive is quite another thing.

  16. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    OK, playing the Soviet National Anthem is pretty lame. This is much closer to being true:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItHtOqh2Yk0

  17. Moon-howler

    Bill Whartham, welcome.

    Were you as outraged when President Bush called the NYTimes reporter the same thing? He thought the mic was off. Were you as outraged when Vice President Cheney told Senator Leahy to f*ck himself?

    The differences I can see are Jones wasn’t an elected official and he wasn’t working for the federal government when he did it. He made his statement about specific Republicans before he took his federal assignment. All three were rude, but I simply didn’t care. I have wanted to do the same thing. I just didn’t get caught.

  18. Moon-howler

    Way off topic but it doesn’t fit into a post thread: Carbonite, a back up service, is terrific. Once it is set up, it goes on auto-pilot. It is less trouble than even anti virus software. Using it could save hours of agony.

    Only one word to the wise: if you expect serious difficulties, pay up front. During the 2 week trial period, music and email isn’t backed up. Kim Komando advertises it and it sure saved my bacon. I did fall victim to the trial period.

  19. ShellyB

    Forget about “Great White Sharks,” M-H. What about the “Great White Hope?” Did you hear about that one? Some Republican Congresswoman said at a town hall that the Republicans are looking for a “great white hope” to challenge Obama. I admire her honesty. But how disgusting that our country has come to this.

  20. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    ShellyB :
    Forget about “Great White Sharks,” M-H. What about the “Great White Hope?” Did you hear about that one? Some Republican Congresswoman said at a town hall that the Republicans are looking for a “great white hope” to challenge Obama. I admire her honesty. But how disgusting that our country has come to this.

    Ohhhh, a common expression we can take to be racism!!! Does that excite you?

  21. Moon-howler

    which congresswoman actually said that?

  22. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    Lynn Jenkins (R) Kansas. Poor choice of words. It’s a boxing thing, and I doubt she meant caucasian. It’s a little like Obama’s “Special Olympics” bowling. Oh, wait, that’s OK, right?

  23. Moon-howler

    Yea, that is a poor choice of words, as was the special olymics bowling remark.

    Here are the enotes if anyone is interested:
    http://www.enotes.com/great-white

    I haven’t heard anyone howl over the union proposal. Not even sure what all is involved. Being in right to work state, (and liking it), union messages always fall short on my brain.

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