Showing posts with label bias. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bias. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Gov. Sarah Palin: more of fans’ admiration & detractors’ condescension

11/18/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


A year after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s devastating defeat in the vice-presidential race, the beauteous Republican conservative who stands against abortion and “death panels” in healthcare commands stronger attention these days. She is a visible advocate for the disabled and a supporter of drilling fuel in the US territory to be energy sufficient.

But the condescension of her political enemies who make fun of the former beauty queen-governor as a dumb incoherent public figure, is ever strong. They continue to punch on her tearing the benign soul of those who watch her derided in public.

Perhaps part envy and part dread for the political impact of the views she espouses, Palin has been a continuing magnet of fascination and vilification. Even her daughters (as in case of TV host David Letterman making fun of them in a late night comedy show) aren't spared. For being openly religiously conservative, liberal feminists do not appreciate her.

Her popular book “Going Rogue: An American Life,” a instant current best seller has the Associated Press (AP) scrambling to seek for errors assigned 11 of its staff. Their review concluded the autobiography of the self-confessed hockeymom showed indications of a campaign manifesto. The news media is strict on Palin's written work. But they were not strict enough to check the accuracy of the recent books by Pres. Barack Obama, Sen. Ted Kennedy, vice-president Joe Biden, and autobiographies by Bill or Hillary Clinton.

Gov. Palin reacted to the media saying:

"Imagine that," the post read. "11 AP reporters dedicating time and resources to tearing up the book, instead of using the time and resources to 'fact check' what's going on with Sheik Mohammed's trial, Pelosi's health care takeover costs, Hasan's associations, etc. Amazing…."

They're obsessed with trying to discredit her," said Adrienne Ross, New York state organizer for the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee. "Because she's a conservative woman, they make fun of her accent, comment about her looks. She doesn't come in the package they want her to come in."---ForxNews.com (11/17/0, Shaffer, R.)

Yes, there are more important issues roiling the country than Sarah. Political observers see how the journalists and celebrities have treated her with unusual unfairness. In a Newsweek cover this week, she is shown in a “sexist” pose smiling in red tops, shorts, and sneakers which the magazine defended as the “most interesting” picture there is for a Palin cover.

The unfazed Alaskan ex-governor seems to ride the tide well--- bringing along attention for her populist wit, her ideas, and gaining more critics and fans on the side. Without much of political campaign she is accused of, Palin is now dubbed as a "minor Evita," in reference to the commandingly (in)famous Evita Peron of Argentina who in her time blazed through politics "beyond expectation." (Photo Credit: Newsweek) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Genealogists trace Gov. Sarah Palin's family tree & Brigitte Bardot whips her" Posted by mesiamd at 10/09/2008

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PostHeaderIcon After the banks, housing sector & the auto industry, a bailout of newspapers?

9/22/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


After the costly bailouts of banks, the housing sector, and the auto industry Barack Obama is considering another bail out---this time, the ailing newspaper industry. Without much help given to ordinary people, the president is likely to think of helping the newspapers, the machinery that helped him get elected.

The media have worked doubly hard, at the expense of its credibility to prop up Obama, hence, in part, the bias that lead to the newspapers' dramatic slide in readership. In the last election, tabloids highly favored the Democrats over the Republicans. Is it incidental then that Sen. Ben Cardin, a democrat of Md has introduced a bill to help these cash-strapped newspapers?


”Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) has introduced S. 673, the so-called "Newspaper Revitalization Act," that would give outlets tax deals if they were to restructure as 501(c)(3) corporations. That bill has so far attracted one cosponsor, Cardin's Maryland colleague Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D).”---- The Hill (09/20/09, O’ Brien, M.)

Many readers have shunned away buying newspapers nowadays, causing a precipitous decline in their revenue. The explosion of fast communication in the internet has displaced most tabloid readers.

Even if Obama thinks that newspapers are "critical to the health of our democracy," he is concerned where reports, particularly in political blogs are going. The bailout of tabloids is part of a string of government controls that recently include the redesigning of the student aid fund and the revamp of healthcare.

Frustrated and tired of the bailouts which preferentially favor interest groups and political allies, the idea of helping out newsprints on the edge of bankruptcy only give credence to more government interference over people’s lives in a way that many think bends to socialism.

Newspapers have been instrumental in Obama’s glossed over persona and his coming into power as president. Now an instrument of slick propaganda, newspapers in democratic societies must be detached and separate from the government. They employ less people and do marginal help to shore up the economy. (Photo Credit: Photoburst) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Muslim religious bias behind the killing of pigs in Egypt?

5/05/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
In Egypt where 90% adhere to the Muslim religion, the consumption of porcine meat is forbidden. Muslims believe pigs are unclean and many don’t eat pork. That’s why it is easy for the government to order the slaughter of 300,000 pigs, many of which are raised by the poor 10% Coptic Christian minority in the country.

Christians condemn the government action which threatens to decimate the hog industry which supplies about 30% of the country’s meat consumption. So far about 700 pigs have been killed and irate hog raisers engaged the police with rocks and bottles to protest in Cairo.

Adel Hammouda, the chief editor of the weekly al-Fagr and a Muslim, picked up on the religious implication of the pig slaughter when he wrote in his column: "They found in this black epidemic their golden opportunity to wage their religious war against Christianity, hiding behind the pigs." ---- AP (05/06/09, Michael, M)



Allegation of religious bias cropped up after the Egyptian government ordered the killing of pigs as a preventive measure against the spread of the swine flu. The action was considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as unnecessary since there is no convincing evidence that these hogs harbor the H1N1 flu virus.

Certainly, the lines which divide health decisions, politics and religion are thin. The Egyptian government must be rational in deciding on health policies which put certain groups in society at a disadvantage. There is no convincing reason to justify the singling out of Egypt’s Christians who raise pigs as their source of food. The killing of their hogs must stop. (Photo Credit: Peggy Collins) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Caroline Kennedy & Sarah Palin: a “class” difference in media treatment?

1/10/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
As the day NY Gov. David A. Patterson will pick Sen. Hillary Clinton’s replacement draws near, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, the well-connected and wealthy contender for the senate post stands as the most influential.

It’s Caroline Kennedy, who else?

By name recognition alone, the only surviving daughter of Pres. John F. Kennedy carries her impeccable familial history, her friendship with incoming President Barack Obama, and strong connections to those in Capitol Hill. Having lived a sheltered life with little experience in public service, these are Caroline’s major assets. That’s why before she appeared for interview on television last month, her supporters scrambled to project her as qualified. Yes, but how qualified is she in comparison with the other candidates? She has been a successful mom with a law degree from Columbia. She has taken the post of president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, has been a member of the JFK Profile in Courage Award Committee, serves as director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and vice-chairwoman of NYC’s Fund for Public Schools. Are these enough to get her the senate post?

The public seemed unimpressed with Caroline. She didn’t have the glow of the Kennedy the American people expected to see in her. She wasn’t compelling enough to make the public feel she could be the right senate representative for the regular New Yorkers. When interviewed, Caroline appeared less attached to the position she desired; her projected “fund of knowledge” and manner of speech (including that bothersome “you know” habit) seemed worse than what Gov. Sarah Palin was criticized for in her failed bid as a Republican VP candidate in the last election.

Bias, Double Standard & Media Malpractice

If media treatment had been fair between Caroline and Sarah, the former could have been scrutinized and made fun of more than the latter. From questions about her private life as a Kennedy to the comical exploitation of her limitations as a person the jesters in a late-night TV comedy would have wanted them laid in the open. Arrogant humor at Kennedy's expense---something equal or greater than what Sarah endured with condescending CBS anchor Katie Couric and comedienne Tina Fey who got an award for her Palin impersonations.

Perhaps because of “class” difference and hypocrisy, the mainstream media have been kind to urbane Caroline, but not so to rural Sarah. Like the precious gem from the Camelot jewel box, the New York lady incites awe and nobody talks against her perceived high carats in the political scene. Sarah is quick to notice. Americans have been anxious to see whether the Kennedy heiress will grab the senate position on basic merits or by the magic of the her name.

"I've been interested to see how Caroline Kennedy will be handled and if she will be handled with kid gloves or if she will be under such a microscope…It's going to be interesting to see how that plays out."----Gov. Sarah Palin (Source: CBS News 01/9/08, Conroy, S); YahooNews (01/09/09, Gromley, M)

With Caroline as a comparison, Sarah was right in raising the questions of media bias and exploitation which misled and undermined public trust. She recalled how she was unfairly vetted, trivialized, vilified, and insulted by the liberal media. At one point, because of her conservative views, even her motherhood was questioned. The warped media insinuated her disabled innocent Trig afflicted with Trisomy 21 (Mongolism) wasn't her son she steadfastly rescued from abortion. Her eldest daughter’s pregnancy was played out as salacious gossip item in media circuits. The liberal media dug into her privacy with rapacity unparalleled with what they did with other candidates.

Sarah Palin was correct in pointing double standard by news organizations which “respected Barack Obama's declaration that his family was off-limits for coverage”--- The courtesy wasn't accorded her, yet now generously given to Caroline. It’s hard to imagine that this disdainful journalistic disparity has happened in USA, but it’s true. Anyone can look and judge for oneself what goes on out there. (Photo Credits: byphoto240779; rhilton4u)=0=


RELATED BLOG: "Caroline Kennedy eyes Hillary Clinton’s post as NY senator" Posted by mesiamd at 12/16/2008



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PostHeaderIcon On Filipino’s support for McCain: “This goes deeper than ignorance.”

10/24/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
“Seventy (70) countries, two billion world citizens prefer Obama 4 to 1. Except Georgia and....the Philippines! It seems the majority Republican sentiments in this group are reflective of our origins. So what do we have in common with Georgia aside from being a small, poor and war torn country? Could it be the Catholic Conscience voter...?

This was announced on CNN last night. I have never in my entire life felt so ASHAMED to be a Filipino. For this goes deeper than ignorance which can be cured. A nation of bigoted fools is hopeless... ‘---A FilAm Liberal Democrat (FLD)

I got the above blistering statements in my email from an egroup on Oct 22, 2008. I missed seeing that CNN show, but if true, FLD sounded exactly like first-lady wannabee Michelle Obama when she expressed scorn for her country early on in the campaign, only to be blunted by restraint to talk more about it.

Overtly secular, FLD can be accused of condescension for denouncing the “ignorance” of Filipinos who come from a "bigoted nation of fools." Antipathy and intolerance roil against those who don't share the media-backed liberal view of the democrats. I know FLD as a learned doctor who prescribes cure for Filipinos. Although her view is part of freedom’s guaranteed perks, it made me ponder why, to my surprise, many kababayans would prefer McCain over Obama. Sharing with you my humble opinion on this issue before the US Presidential Election day in an article to follow...to be continued...Abangan! (Photo Credit: byatis547)=0=

UPDATE: The continuation can be found on my blog dated October 30, 2008 entitled "Win or lose, after the election we go shopping." AFM
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PostHeaderIcon Media bias &/or conflict of interest?

10/02/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
Gwen Ifill of PBS (Channel 13) has drawn sharp criticisms from concervatives for accepting the job of a moderator during the vice presidential debate of Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin slated on Friday, October 2, 2008. The veteran black anchorwoman didn’t reveal ahead of time that she has a pro-Obama book entitled “'The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama” coming out in January 2008 in time for the next presidential inauguration.

This raises the question of media bias, objectivity, and conflict of interest that are at the root of the weakening media credibility. In this age of political partisanship, the American public believes the selection of reliable debate moderators must be done with care.

If Obama wins the election, Ifill will have high financial stakes on the sale of her book. With no shortage of people capable to preside in the debate, Iffil, the contending political parties, and the American public will be better served if she withdraws. It will clear doubts surrounding her suitability as the moderator. =0=
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