msnbc upset because transparent obama not so transparent after all
By American Girl in Italy on June 16, 2009 at 4:01 PM in Current Affairs
MSNBC finally realizes that President Obama is not so translucent after all. The funny thing is that msnbc couldn’t see through Obama all along. Now, they are complaining because the President they helped get elected, pined over, and well, hell, got all tingly over, won’t share his WH visitors list with them.
It seems msnbc asked the White House for the list of all visitors to the White House since January 20, and Obama chose to stick to the Bush way of doing things.
The Obama administration is fighting to block access to names of visitors to the White House, taking up the Bush administration argument that a president doesn’t have to reveal who comes calling to influence policy decisions.
Despite President Barack Obama’s pledge to introduce a new era of transparency to Washington, and despite two rulings by a federal judge that the records are public, the Secret Service has denied msnbc.com’s request for the names of all White House visitors from Jan. 20 to the present. It also denied a narrower request by the nonpartisan watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which sought logs of visits by executives of coal companies.
CREW says it will file a lawsuit Tuesday against the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service. (Updated: Here’s a copy of CREW’s complaint.)
I wonder who they are hiding? Some of Obama’s old buddies from Chicago? Maybe some of his relatives? That could be a long list.
“We are deeply disappointed,” said CREW attorney Anne L. Weismann, “that the Obama administration is following the same anti-transparency policy as the Bush administration when it comes to White House visitor records. Refusing to let the public know who visits the White House is not the action of a pro-transparency, pro-accountability administration.”
Groups that advocate open government have argued that it’s vital to know the names of White House visitors, who may have an outsized influence on policy matters.
This seems like a direct reversal of his promise to be more transparent, no? His transparency statement, from the WH web site:
My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.
Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset. My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use. Executive departments and agencies should harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public feedback to identify information of greatest use to the public.
Under Obama’s new transparency policy, shouldn’t we, the people, know who has a hand in influencing policy, or who is pressuring the government for their own special interests?
In late January and again in May, the Obama administration had opportunities to change course, when it filed papers in the appeals court, but stuck with the Bush position.
“It’s great that President Obama made this commitment to transparency,” attorney Weismann said. “But now you need to make good on it.”
(Release: November 13)
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MSNBO- face it! You’ve been punked!!!
Dumbazzes, every last one of them!
Also hoodwinked and bamboozled.
So is this BHO’s latest Amos N Andy routine?
It is a really hollow sense of victory…
but tough s$$t for msnbc and ALL of their compadres
I’m sure such a list would give us insight into who is really making policy behind the scenes, which will help us understand exactly what agenda is being put into place while the media runs around talking about obama’s date nights!
Early on, I distinctly remember seeing a picture of the meeting obama had with the heads of the banking and financial heads at the WH and saw sitting at the table Mayor Richard Daley! What the heck was he doing there and, more important, why?
Believe me, obama is going to prove to be worse than bush and our worst nightmare.
“the media runs around talking about Obama’s date”
you won’t believe what was on the evening news with Brian Williams tonight: it seems while John Harwood was interviewing Teh Prez there was a fly bothering the O, they had an entire segment about how persistent the fly was…
I kid you not (I wish I was)lol
Did you notice how it finally crawled into his ear and disappeared? . . .
No I didn’t. I have to confess: I don’t actually watch the news on NBC (hubby does), I just happened to be in the room at that precise moment and heard it. It seemed to fit the opinion I have of the whole MSM: ridiculous and inept.
Didn’t his snake-like tongue lash out to catch the fly???
Then you have this:
ABC TURNS OVER NEWS PROGRAMMING TO THE WHITE HOUSE
here are two Americas. One is drinking the Kool-aid, mainlining the kool-aid, kool-aid on the IV. And the other half is searching, working, choosing who edits their news.
The former watch the Obamas frolic in the White House, dance with Ellen Degeneres, play with that weird looking dog, enable future gulag-type living. If this doesn’t whack them over the head with the 2×4, then they’re lost. This makes Pravda look independent.
ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE Abc WHITE HOUSE Drudge report (hat tip Rut)
On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care — a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm!
Highlights on the agenda:
ABCNEWS anchor Charlie Gibson will deliver WORLD NEWS from the Blue Room of the White House.
The network plans a primetime special — ‘Prescription for America’ — originating from the East Room, exclude opposing voices on the debate.
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/
Was not Charlie Gibson the one who did that hatchet job on Sarah Palin? Guess he is getting his pay check by this orchestrated show. I for one will not watch it.
yep.
Well Gee Whiz MSNBC, guess you did!
(Sara in Italy, you’ve been really prolific lately with well-written cutting-edge stories, and I want to thank you. NQ is lucky to have you posting articles!)
thanks ooooooooowaaaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaaaa :OD
very very kind of you.
That goes double for me, American Girl in Italy!
Keep up the great work.
oh stop, i am drowning in love! :OD
(just kidding, don’t stop! hehe)
same old stuff.different day.
i,m still waiting for my pony.
Nice work, AGI. So funny to hear MSNBC now comparing BO to Bush, instead of all the R’s.
To quote RRRA “I told you so”. I was chased from a few blogs, when I wasn’t threatened with death, for pointing out that no one could possibly keep all of the promises Obama made. At least not to the degree he made them.
I’m not at all surprised. Let’s see the government has purchased controlling interest in some businesses.
Some in the news media will now report out of the WH.
The marriage of business, media, and the government is some form of government. But it’s not a democratic republic. Not even close.
WALL STREET
Obama to propose strict new regulation of financial industry
Michael Sohn / Associated Press
President Obama is expected to unveil a plan that would give the government new powers to seize key companies whose failure jeopardizes the financial system.
The plan would give the government new powers to seize key companies whose failure jeopardizes the financial system, as well as creation of a watchdog agency to look out for consumers’ interests.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-financial-regs16-2009jun16,0,4262249.story
This is the ‘talk the talk’ part. As usual, there won’t be any ‘walk the walk’. Any legislation will be the usual Obama sellout to big money.
People have been throwing the socialist word around, but that isn’t it. Our system is a hybridized system with elements of social engineering, but mainly now with emerging government business partnerships. For years this just looked like lobbying and standard corruption, as if that weren’t bad enough. But we soon are going to see the “F” bomb flying around… No, not Samuel L. Jackson’s “F” bomb, but instead Fascism. If only we were turning socialist. This is why the new Bush is the same as the old Bush. This is why the media is now in the business of “selecting” Presidents.
Yep, Doc. It’s always been the specter of the “F” word that has scared me about the “O” word’s cult of charismatic personality. He reminds me too much of the “H” word. Too much adulation and adoration akin to worship. Too many big crowds, too many oohs and aahs. Too many disciples who will do just about anything to advance his agenda. Scary.
Great job, AGII — and how can anyone in these news organizations look at themselves in the mirror. They are all truly an embarrassment — what is even more embarrassing is that they have the audacity to be surprised now.
At least the Iranians have the guts to hit the streets, which is where we should be.
I so agree…
the American people are beginning to wake up to their nasty reality…
and once this reality really smacks them in the face, and they can no longer exists in their state of denial…then…
all bets are off…
When we do, it will be something between Tiananmen Square and Waco.
Except at the barricades there will be more of us in wheelchairs, pushing walkers, and wheeling oxygen bottles . . . But the young will start to come around too . . .
HARP: Isn’t it sad? Even the Mexicans marched in the streets for days when they believed their presidential election had been corrupted.
Harp,hit the streets by attending a Tea(Transparency,Ethics,and Accounting)Party,and let your representatives know what your concerns are. The only way to get results is to let them know they will be voted out ASAP if they don’t act to stop the wasteful spending which will lead to higher taxes, and unsustainable debt. MSNBC might be there too!
I think they are pissed over the ABC deal, those tingle up MSNBC legs are starting to bite
But…but…they really, really believed he would respect them in the morning!
To use a phrase from a Stephen King novel…”SSDD” (Same Sh*t, Different Day)
HAha, I already read the Dailykooks diaries on this when I saw this story earlier today. I’ll translate so you don’t have to read the evil orange:
Apologists: Some people just like to nit-pick on Obama. So quit harshing out on the One and worry about more important things, like Sarah Palin’s daughters and Cheney’s terrorist hit wish…
Non-Apologists: Wow, I’m getting disappointed with our Messiah didn’t see that one coming…
Very funny, Mr. Boogaloo! Thanks for providing us the condensed version so we don’t have to visit DK in person.
Well, I did visit the Kos and the level of discontent on all the issues discussed here at NQ is out in the open. The Far Left is losing patience with the Obama Adminstration on all fronts: financial, human rights, civil rights, environmental, the war continuation, etc., etc.–the general lack of audacity or change. In fact, Obama is being labeled Bush-lite.
Yes, there are some who are still in the hopey-dopey trance but many diary responses are filled with bitter disappointment.
So . . . five months later and the koolaide is finally wearing off. Get those mental health facilities manned and ready. It’s going to be a long, hot summer!!
Fools!
Well, aren’t they just a little slow on the uptake?!!
Just a bit, Political, considering most at NQ knew where this was going to go all along. The man lied and wiggled his way through a primary and general election, refused to release simple documentation, had the thinnest resume possible and left no real footprint on his past policy/issue stands. The one thing he did have was a number of highly questionable associates and financiers. Those people are quite happy.
The mystery man. Made him all the more alluring. Besides, he’s so kool, particualrly in sunglasses.
But somehow his supporters believed that this was of small import. Everything would be so-o-o-o different once he took the WH. Well, guess what? Past is prelude. All that vagueness and ambiguity is coming back to bite the Obamatrons in the ass. Transparent? Hah. Keeping promises? Haha. Competent on economic issues? Hahaha. The philospher king, man of peace? We’re still in Iraq and in Afghanistan the last time I checked, and we’re going to be there for a very long time.
The thing that angers me the most? We all have suffer for the Obamatron delusion.
Yeah, so slow on the uptake. But we all go down together. Sucks!
you said it, peggy sue.
Now we know how Obama changed his mind on the Coal Industry and Mountain Top Removal permits. Those must have been some juicy meetings with those Coal Execs.
What’s he hiding on that WH visitor list? Could it be his friends like Wright and Ayers? MSNBC must be very upset with their One when ABC became his new especial friend. Maybe someone will get so jealous now that they’ll start digging up the dirt like how about that L.A.Times videotape, we could start with that.
Hell….we can`t even get a list of the people on AF1 when they strafed New York.
We are entitled to nothing…no names, no lists..nada…
We are the the suppliers of the cash, that enable these crazy narcissists to play out their power fantasies
on the world stage…
we are nothing more than the saps who work and pay the taxes that fund them..
in the process we are mere pawns that are used and abused…
and that is the raw reality…
“We are entitled to nothing” - word. government is the master, we are the subjects. we answer to the gov’t, not it to us. quite backwards, isn’t it?
Excellent comment, chris. I humbly suggest the following modification: “Our children and grandchildren are the unwitting suppliers of the IOU’s that enable these crazy narcissists to play out their power fantasies.”
Your extensions are quite accurate…
That is a very good point. Maybe we should all quit our jobs and start up a barter system. Take away their funding. Unemployment numbers at 99% (there’d always be someone too afraid to join a protest) might just get Odrama unelected for the next time!
When did George Soros come to dinner? Or maybe the cigarette or other substance delivery boy?
What happened to MO’s little idea that the White House is also our house?
I’m going to steal Liberal Rapture’s tagline:
“We knew Obama was a fraud long before it was cool . . .”
Welcome to the party, MSNBC. You and the Obamatrons have been played for suckers. And we all get to suffer for your foolishness.
Unreal!
she changed her mind..hopey chagey.ya know.
Shades of Dick Cheney.
MSNBC got what they deserve……msnbc thrown under the bus!! Now maybe they’ll start reporting the
Obama lies without the tingling feeling up their leg.
But, I know they won’t, as they got their orders
from NBC to be good to Narcissist Obama.
And this, Obamaphiles, is what is known as bamboozling, hoodwinking, you know, the ol’ Okey-doke!!
Palm Tree: Too right!
Dear MSNBC: Duh.
Earlier I commented that I believe it is counter productive to take an extreme side on any issue because there is never any resolution just as that song said ” singin songs and carrying signs mostly say hoorah for our side.”
In the runup to the election this site became very pro-Hillary actually it was more anti Obama.
Now after the REpukes are out of business I find it hard to understand why this site is still so anti-Obama.
Certainly he hasnt done everything right. In fact I will be the first to admit that I am not pleased with a lot of things he has done or is doing like he
topic of this thread is about.
I am very disgusted with the whole bank bailout, the bad way the auto industry was treated and last but not least we are still in Iraq and it looks like we will be there a long time.
I also think we are going to end up in Afghanistan the same way the former USSR did.
I dont like the apparent “business as usual” as far as the Isreali/Palestine situation is.
So I can understand why ppl are upset but why waste so much time on all the things he has that you dont like. Isnt there anything he has done that is good? Would you really rather have John McCain as President?
Or dare I say this is STILL just a pro Hillary site and a lot of you are bitter because she didnt get the nomination and are taking it out on Obama?
Am I wrong? As Frasier Crane would say “Im listening”
Bill: can you people not understand trampling on the democratic process? What difference if it’s Bush or Obama et. al? A tyrant is still a tyrant. Start rationalizing that, and the country is lost.
You are damn f*cking straight I’d rather have John Mccain as my President!!!!
There is no way he’d be wasting all this money and he sure as sh*t wouldn’t have to have taxpayer paid date nights or be off spreading America hate around the world. He wouldn’t need his ego stroked every single God damn minute of every God damned day like that fraud in office. John McCain actually loves this country and would die for it if he had to. Obama hates us all and he hates all that America stands for. I have no idea why dumb shits like yourself wanted a friggin’ America hater in the White House and why you want to sit on your ass and watch him destroy our American freedoms. You should go f*cking live in Iran since you think stolen Primaries and elections are fine! I despise Obama and campaigned for McCain and to this day I’d be more than proud to call John Mccain my President, but Obama??? I am so embarrassed and ashamed and will not call him my President, not now and not ever!
Well I certainly stirred up a lot of emotions with my post.
I guess I could agree with you if you would give me some examples of all the things you accuse Obama of being. Of course if you are a Republican who would never vote for a Democrat I can understand how you feel.
I do agree that he is wasting a lot of money but I guess I would ask you what should he have done with the “economic crisis” orchestrated and carried out by the previous administration?
I voted for Hillary, then McCain.
The dems lost this lifelong democrat in 2008. i highly doubt I will ever vote for a democrat again. They are racists, sexists and a corrupt band of corrupt Chicago thugs now!
Bill, as a lifelong Dem, I voted for McCain because my party gave me no other choice. And frankly, the argument that koolaide drinkers spin: “well, he’s better than Bush” is incredibly lame since Bush&Company was the worst administration of my living memory [and that includes Jimmy Carter, who I voted for and at the very least meant well, which isn't saying much since his results as President were so incredibly bad].
And as far as the primary debacle, you’re damn right I’m bitter because the Dems decided to turn itself in Republican-lite with election fraud and blatant sexist attacks.
Right now? I hate both parties and I will never vote straight ticket again. I’ll vote for decent candidates, regardless of party, period.
Fool me once but you won’t fool me again.
I’m even sorrier than before that McCain lost after seeing Obama in action. McCain can’t stand Bush and differed with him in substantive ways. We’d have more change with McCain than we’re getting with the Big Promise Breaker.
I agree, Patience. I really tossed and turned making the decision but ultimately decided that John McCain had proved himself an honorable man, an absolute patriot and had enough of an independent streak, the sort of thing that “real” leaders must have to actually lead. I didn’t agree with McCain on all issues but I agreed enough. We ended up losing two fine opportunities: Hillary Clinton or John McCain steering us through the next 4 years.
Instead, we ended up with a mirage, an empty hope and even emptier promise.
My thoughts and process, exactly.
Me too. And when I see Mc Cain being interviewed, he looks happy, he sounds smart and reasonable, and he still has that aura of wisdom. First Hillary, them him…we was robbed!
Oh Bill *doing the Obama scratch* you gota be kidding me!
Sir, you just listed just about every big thing the President has on his agenda, and then mentioned how he is doing it in a way you don’t like — never mind his disastrous behavior re DADT/DOMA, signing statements, proposing preventive detention, promising transparency and doing everything but…
I would like to ask you what you find so engaging about him. Certainly, I would rather have had Hillary as president. We know this. Bitter? No. I am just incredulous after seeing that this man has told so many lies about what his campaign was and who he was and people still wonder why we are not jumping on the bandwagon.
I would have settled for McCain as President too — Obama derided McCain and belittled him then wound up being proved wrong on several counts. Believe me, I want the President to succeed because I want our country to succeed, but I will not sip the koolaid just to make somebody feel better. He has all but one news network doing that for him.
We have no fourth estate left in this country — I keep wondering who else is getting out of the clown car — even Bill Maher, his groupie, is complaining about him. Somebody has to hold the Pres.’ and Congress’ feet to the fire.
Tell me, since you don’t like a lot that he is doing either - if we all act like sychophants, how will it get any better? He’ll just assume he can keep doing things YOU and WE don’t like.
Hope that clarifies the butter.
Ani,
I can’t even say that “I want him to succeed because I want our country to succeed.”
After he has: broken so many campaign promises, looted our treasury, forced an emergency bailout bill that no-one even read, took over auto manufactures, argued for DADT and DOMA, compared gay marriages to incest, bowed before the Saudi King and barely tipped his head to the Queen of England, comes down hard on Israel but barely challenges the worst practices of “the Muslim world”, retains immature and sexist staffers, and generally moves to limit our freedoms and consolidate executive power and privilege,—sorry, I don’t want the man to succeed any more.
I want the American people to rise up and get him out of office.
Scout,
I completely get your point. I too am very upset, but since the great odds are that he will be IN office no matter what, I’d rather we speak up, exercise our right to protest and get some new people elected in the midterms.
Bill: oh, yah. And if we are bitter about Obama it’s because he STOLE THE NOMINATION. Get it? You people were so full of kool-aid, you missed the part where he never won the nomination, he took it by fraud and corruption. Maybe you also missed the vitriolic slander he spewed against both Clintons–fellow Democrats? If you like that kind of candidate that’s your problem. Can’t stand The Fraud.
It’s astonishing that any responsible American adult that follows O’s activities can still support this dangerous fraud. This Dem did her homework and proudly voted for McCain. I appreciate Hillary and her noble fight against the disgraceful onslaught of O, the DNC, the MSM, etc., which finally forced me to scrutinize the candidates to the extent that I did.
TEST
My keyboard is shorting due to the tears I am crying for MSNBC.
Did you all hear about BHO swatting a fly during an interview? Yep, he learned how to do that in Kenya.
Different issues come up when Obama wins the election. How Obama got elected was a controversial issues to some American citizen. How Obama Got Elected is also the title of a documentary by John Ziegler, whose film purports that he was elected because the mainstream media was mean to Sarah Palin. It has been suggested that Obama was elected was via a process called voting – which has not occurred to Mr. Ziegler, who isn’t famed for intellectual prowess – and on a recent interview with Contessa Brewer on MSNBC, his microphone was cut due to his refusal to not act like an idiot. Many would give big cash advances to make How Obama Got Elected to go away and Ziegler to shut up.
Poor Bill Keyes…
“I am very disgusted with the whole bank bailout”
*SMACK*
“the bad way the auto industry was treated”
*SMACK*
“we are still in Iraq and it looks like we will be there a long time”
*SMACK*
“I also think we are going to end up in Afghanistan the same way the former USSR did.”
*SMACK*
“I don’t like the apparent “business as usual” as far as the Isreali/Palestine situation is.”
*SMACK*
Jesus Bill, how many times do you have to get smacked around before you leave this relationship? We are PUMAs because we don’t LIKE being abused.
But to each their own…
[...] MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow is finding out that President Obama is not such an advocate of gay rights, after all. The funny thing is that Rachel couldn’t see through Obama all along. Now, she is complaining because the President msnbc helped get elected, pined over, and well, hell, got all tingly over, defended the Defense of Marriage Act. (I’m having a deja vu…) [...]
Remember, this is from the same guy who will niether produce a valid birth certificate (even if you think that’s a non-issue) nor would release his academic records from his college days. But no… that didn’t signal he would not be transparent in governing!
In internet lingo, the msnbc crowd got pwned (owned).