The Stonecipher Report

More FOX “Fictionalized” News…

The Right-Wing Cable "News" Channel Apparently Edits Applause From Troops Out of Coverage of President Obama’s Speech at West Point; Just the Latest Example of Their Lies When it Comes to Facts Beyond Their Narrow Purview…

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

May 25, 2010

Why am I not surprised at this? Why am I NEVER surprised when FOX News does crap like this?

Here’s the info: As noticed by Michael Moore (and Tweeted to his followers), in FOX’s coverage of the speech that President Barack Obama gave at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, they apparently edited it (or, at best, used a version that did ended up NOT reflecting the actual response following his statements) so that, after the Commander-in-Chief told his newest troops that he hopes to end the armed conflict in Iraq soon, the enthusiastic applause that cadets gave was not heard. In their version, the President pauses and looks around awkwardly to silence after saying that. (Although, I suppose to FOX’s credit, they did not sarcastically add the sound of crickets chirping to replace the actual cheers…) [Video embedded at the end of this piece…]

Moving Ahead on Healthcare? Learning Curve Completed? Signs Look Good…

Post-"Summit," Obama and the Dems Appear Ready to Push on Reform Bills; Remember: "Elections Have Consequences"

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Feb. 27, 2010

It was somewhat amazing to watch the – mainly – partisanly split reactions to last week’s (very public and televised) healthcare reform "Summit" meeting between President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders from both parties.

A big win for the Prez…smart leadership…reasonable compromises, but ready to move ahead – these were the sorts of messages that left-leaning news sources and opinion-meisters shared. However, on the other hand: A gold medal victory for the Republicans…time to start over…taking a principled stand against bigger, more costlier government – those were the interpretations from the right side of broadcasting, print, and e-media. Uh…did both sides watch the same event?

Sarah Palin WROTE a Book? We Doubt That She Actually Even READ It…

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Nov. 17, 2009

With the Sarah Palin book hitting bookstores today, I thought I’d share my subscription-e-mail column – from the free "And, in the News…" updates I send out twice a week – on the topic from Monday. So, it is included below…and, FYI, another couple of good, appropriate, and variously analytical pieces on the media blur of Miss Wasilla and her pretend-authored book are one by Max Blumenthal on The Nation Magazine’s website and The Atlantic’s Andrew Sullivan (the gay neo-con who experienced an Obama awakening – and was quite the Palin critic – in ’08) live-blogging his reactions, rebuttals, and disputing of basic truths during Palin’s appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Some good stuff... 

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And, in the News...#197

November 16, 2009

Political Soap Box: First, "My Pet Goat," Now "Going Rogue" -- Uh, Republicans Don't Seem to Have Much Luck With Books, Do They?

Even though the piece-of-crap, rewriting-history, quickie book Sarah Palin agreed to claim she wrote -- the idiotically-titled "Going Rogue" (I mean, what does she think she is, some sort of freakin' conservative pirate?) -- has not officially hit bookstore shelves yet (it is due out widely [today]), plenty of political insiders have grabbed their early copies of it and are lashing out at its contents AND the alleged author, the former Miss Wasilla and early-quitting previous Governor of the so-so State of Alaska...

WHO IS CRAZIER??? Sarah Palin vs. Michele Bachmann

 

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Oct. 15, 2009

  

  

Hey, it’s time once again to sort out a couple of loose public wingnuts to see just which one is looser and nuttier. Yep, it’s the return of The Stonecipher Report’s popular (and oh-so-sarcastic) feature: WHO IS CRAZIER???

We use this fun feature to occasionally take a look at a couple of semi-outrageous, at-least-somewhat-connected figures in the public eye, comparing and contrasting them, their words, and their behavior until we can determine just which one of them is the nuttier, more insane, and just plain crazier individual. As you would expect, we’ll be plucking examples from the world of politics…but also from media, pop culture, sports – whatever floats to the surface of obvious madness. Party labels, network, publication, or team affiliations, or even poll or box office numbers won’t necessarily matter – if they seem unhinged, we’ll call them on it…

So, for the latest fun-fest with this sharpened-rhetorical-daggers-ready feature, let’s take a current look at a pair of prominent female GOP politicians (past and present public officeholders) and try to determine just WHO IS CRAZIER – Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann???

One Year On – My First Anniversary at The Stonecipher Report

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Aug. 27, 2009

Hey, not to be TOO self-congratulatory, but yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the first appearance of my work here on The Stonecipher Report!

Much has gone on since I responded to head honcho Tyler "Ripp Stonecipher" Rippeteau’s ad (on Craigslist) seeking local political writers for his site…I am now his site’s semi-official "Political Director" (a la the much admired wonk coverage of the ’08 election for NBC and MSNBC by Chuck Todd) and Tyler’s co-host of The Stonecipher Report radio show (available on Chicago’s WHPK, 88.5 FM or online via whpk.org) (plug, plug!) – as well as a friend now to the all-around good guy who runs this site.

Apparently, it Was “TIME” For Them to Be in the Tank For Palin…

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

July 18, 2009

So, you either open your mailbox (you dwindling number of still-subscribers) or pick up a copy at a newsstand (you also-rarer-than-used-to-be purchaser of the mag), and there, on the July 20, 2009 issue of TIME Magazine, you find a cover with a pic of Sarah Palin – wearing tight tan cords, sandals, and a casual black blouse – standing on a dock and staring off to the side, pretend-thoughtfully, under the headline, "The Renegade." Uh-oh, you may think – WTF is going on here?

Special Transcript From Last Week’s Radio Show – “Ask Billy Jeff"

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

June 22, 2009

In case you may have missed this last week, we had a special "guest" on The Stonecipher Report radio show…(BTW, we’ll be back on today, available over the air or via the Internet...on Monday, June 22, from 3:00 - 4:00 PM Chicago time on WHPK-FM, 88.5 FM…and, of course, you can also hear us online at WHPK.org, streaming live from 1:00 - 2:00 PM on the West Coast, 4:00-5:00 PM on the East Coast (just click the "Listen" tab or the "We are STREAMING" window on the station's website)).

...So, here’s a very special transcript of the fascinating interview I did on Tuesday with "Billy Jeff," a very famous political man of the ‘90s (and beyond) whose voice you would all find familiar (as long as the impression didn’t fail TOO much)…Enjoy!

I’m a Politician…Get Me IN There!

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

June 12, 2009

Note: This piece is cross-posted at Eyes on Obama

So – in case you forgot how we got here – Federal Judge James B. Zagel ruled that disgraced (and removed-from-office) Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was NOT allowed to leave the country to participate in NBC’s jungle-survivor reality show "I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!" in Costa Rica. Oh, man – were we disappointed…if nothing else, we at least wanted to see what a few styling-product-less days in a steamy jungle would do to the famous Blago helmet-o’-hair.

Instead, of course, B-Rod’s wife Patti apparently managed to barely qualify as some sort of a "celebrity" (along with "The Hills’" Spencer and Heidi, washed-up original "supermodel" Janice Dickinson, Stephen and Daniel Baldwin, and others)…and so SHE headed off to represent the family on the show instead – AND to work to pull in some appearance dough for them.

Taking Out the Trash of Friday Political News…

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

May 29, 2009

Note: This piece is cross-posted at Eyes on Obama

Hey, and I always thought Friday was supposed to be a sort of political "take out the trash" day, with potential news items getting buried by the impending arrival of the much-waited-for weekend, especially now, during the hot-movie, time-off-of-work-and-school, baseball-games-PLUS-basketball-and-hockey-playoffs, pleasant-weather weeks…But I’ve been busy surfing online today, and turned up a number of interesting recent political news stories that I thought you all might appreciate.

…So let’s take a peeky-boo at what’s going on in the halls of US politics this late-May Friday, shall we?

It's Time to Work Together - Letter to John McCain

Dear Mr. McCain,

The nature of a political campaign often brings out the worst in us.  This campaign, no doubt, has had it's ugly and nasty moments, but it hasn't been nearly as bad as it could have been.

Back in 2000, while you ran against George W. Bush, I became a fan of yours and now that this election has come to an end, I would like to be able to be a fan once again.

This nation has a huge mess to clean up, and although the Democrats have earned control of the Executive and the Legislative branches, we can't afford to do it the way George W. Bush and the Republicans did it when they won control of both back in 2000.

When Bush first took office, he ruled with a surprising arrogance for a guy who barely squeaked into the White House via a 5-4 Supreme Court decision.  He refused to even speak with Democratic Congressional leaders for the first several months of his Administration. 

That divisiveness is not going to work this time, and although the Democrats will be running the show in Washington, we need to have the Republicans on board.  Sure there needs to be a healthy debate, and the loyal opposition should keep the Dems in check, but this country needs some sense of unity at the end of the day.  Compromise will be key to getting us out of the mess we're in.

With that in mind, Mr. McCain, I'm going to forget the negative campaign ads, the misguided attacks of your surrogates and all the name calling.  Instead, as we move forward, when I reflect on who you are and who we'll need you to be in the coming days, months and years, I'll remember this moment from the campaign:

You're a decent and good guy when your handlers aren't around Senator McCain, I haven't forgotten that and I hope that you haven't either.

Sincerely,

Stonecipher