Comments on: U.S. conservative talk radio: little fondness for Kennedy legacy http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/ Tracking U.S. politics Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:13:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: ben http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-396963 ben Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:31:45 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-396963 To bensdemise: I did my homework and it appears that my gut recollection regarding the uncritical coverage in the two weeks following Reagan's death was exactly right. An exhaustive analysis of media coverage by Fairness and Accuracy in the Media shows that the mainstream media tiptoed around any potential landmines of Reagan's legacy including the support of Right Wing governments in Central America in spite of their murdering of tens of thousands of their own citizens, his silence during the early part of the AIDS epidemic, his honoring of Nazi soldiers, his involvement in trading arms for hostages (which his mind, if not his heart, admitted to on TV), his passing on of huge deficits (doubling the existing deficit) to future generations, etc. All of these things were given a pass in the mainstream news by former friends--including the media elite reporters themselves. Compare this to round table discussions on Fox on Kennedy's legacy accompanied by video reminders of Chappaquiddic and the lack of reticence of any of the networks to mix criticism along with praise of Kennedy. Clearly, Reagan's death was politicized (Nancy wanted to support stem cell research) just as Kennedy's was regarding health care. Reagan supporters also jumped at the chance to mythologize his life, and ensured a glowing and uncritical legacy in the American mind. And what's the counter evidence? Mike Malloy and Alex Bennett and an article in the Huffington Post? If you want to be honest, provide a link and explain how these guys (never heard of them) are representative of the mainstream media (e.g., ABC NEWS, CNN, FOX) echo chamber that represents what most Americans actually hear or read on a given news story. Here's my link to some people who actually did extensive research on this point. http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Ronald_Reagan/Reagan_Myth_Lives_On.html To bensdemise:
I did my homework and it appears that my gut recollection regarding the uncritical coverage in the two weeks following Reagan’s death was exactly right.

An exhaustive analysis of media coverage by Fairness and Accuracy in the Media shows that the mainstream media tiptoed around any potential landmines of Reagan’s legacy including the support of Right Wing governments in Central America in spite of their murdering of tens of thousands of their own citizens, his silence during the early part of the AIDS epidemic, his honoring of Nazi soldiers, his involvement in trading arms for hostages (which his mind, if not his heart, admitted to on TV), his passing on of huge deficits (doubling the existing deficit) to future generations, etc. All of these things were given a pass in the mainstream news by former friends–including the media elite reporters themselves.

Compare this to round table discussions on Fox on Kennedy’s legacy accompanied by video reminders of Chappaquiddic and the lack of reticence of any of the networks to mix criticism along with praise of Kennedy.

Clearly, Reagan’s death was politicized (Nancy wanted to support stem cell research) just as Kennedy’s was regarding health care. Reagan supporters also jumped at the chance to mythologize his life, and ensured a glowing and uncritical legacy in the American mind.

And what’s the counter evidence? Mike Malloy and Alex Bennett and an article in the Huffington Post? If you want to be honest, provide a link and explain how these guys (never heard of them) are representative of the mainstream media (e.g., ABC NEWS, CNN, FOX) echo chamber that represents what most Americans actually hear or read on a given news story.

Here’s my link to some people who actually did extensive research on this point.
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Ronald _Reagan/Reagan_Myth_Lives_On.html

]]> By: Ellie http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-396363 Ellie Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:53:18 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-396363 I am with John Paul that "this country has become wad of ungovernable, proudly ignorant, hateful, hostile, venemous mouthbreathers who actually believe they are christians". What ever happened to intelligent debate and meeting in the middle? What ever happened to truth and plain old doing what is right? I am with John Paul that “this country has become wad of ungovernable, proudly ignorant, hateful, hostile, venemous mouthbreathers who actually believe they are christians”. What ever happened to intelligent debate and meeting in the middle? What ever happened to truth and plain old doing what is right?

]]> By: john http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395990 john Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:45:15 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395990 Ted Kennedy as a champion of the little guy? What hypocrisy, Ted Kennedy was a champion of any cause which would keep him firmly in office and would be the first to do a 180 degree turn if required to keep himself seated. The character of the man was in clear public display on the morning after Chappaquidick. We as Americans will continue to pay dearly for the damagaging bills chaampioned by ol Teddy. What about the thousands of voices stilled by the abortion doctors, another cause "Championed" by Teddy. He will not be missed. Ted Kennedy as a champion of the little guy? What hypocrisy, Ted Kennedy was a champion of any cause which would keep him firmly in office and would be the first to do a 180 degree turn if required to keep himself seated. The character of the man was in clear public display on the morning after Chappaquidick. We as Americans will continue to pay dearly for the damagaging bills chaampioned by ol Teddy. What about the thousands of voices stilled by the abortion doctors, another cause “Championed” by Teddy. He will not be missed.

]]> By: Stormin Norman in AZ http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395953 Stormin Norman in AZ Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:29:44 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395953 Dear Jason: Yes, you are guessing, and you guess as you do because it serves your purpose of using a dead 28-year old woman as a prop, a club, with which to bash a dead Ted Kennedy, forty years on. You don't know anything about what apologies Ted Kennedy made or did not make to the poor woman's family, only that he didn't apologize adequately to *you*, whoever you are and whatever your standing in the matter is/was. Probably none, based on your 'guessing' comment; *my* guess is you weren't even close to being born yet in 1969, as your judgmental post has the ring of youthful and indignant self-righteousness. Despite your closing sentence telling us all how we should approach it, there are millions -- that's a number followed by six zeroes -- who will forever carry fond memories of Ted Kennedy and feel gratitude toward the man. Some people are reluctant to reduce a 77-year life to the events of one awful night. Go figure, Jason. Dear Jason: Yes, you are guessing, and you guess as you do because it serves your purpose of using a dead 28-year old woman as a prop, a club, with which to bash a dead Ted Kennedy, forty years on. You don’t know anything about what apologies Ted Kennedy made or did not make to the poor woman’s family, only that he didn’t apologize adequately to *you*, whoever you are and whatever your standing in the matter is/was. Probably none, based on your ‘guessing’ comment; *my* guess is you weren’t even close to being born yet in 1969, as your judgmental post has the ring of youthful and indignant self-righteousness. Despite your closing sentence telling us all how we should approach it, there are millions — that’s a number followed by six zeroes — who will forever carry fond memories of Ted Kennedy and feel gratitude toward the man. Some people are reluctant to reduce a 77-year life to the events of one awful night. Go figure, Jason.

]]> By: Jason http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395942 Jason Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:47:39 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395942 I am guessing that the friends and family of Mary Jo Kopechne have little fondness for the Kennedy legacy. He caused the death of a 28 year old woman in Chappaquiddick and he never apologized for it, in fact he acted like he was some kind of victim for driving while intoxicated and going off a bridge into the water where he escaped, but didn't call for help to try and rescue Mary Jo. He is not a man who deserves our fond memories. I am guessing that the friends and family of Mary Jo Kopechne have little fondness for the Kennedy legacy. He caused the death of a 28 year old woman in Chappaquiddick and he never apologized for it, in fact he acted like he was some kind of victim for driving while intoxicated and going off a bridge into the water where he escaped, but didn’t call for help to try and rescue Mary Jo. He is not a man who deserves our fond memories.

]]> By: Stormin Norman in AZ http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395937 Stormin Norman in AZ Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:58:07 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395937 Ted Kennedy was a rich guy who didn't need to work yet he got up every day and went to work for nearly 50 years to help the little guy. Ted Kennedy supported a woman's legal right to an abortion yet was part of a family that's produced scads and scads of kids. Ted Kennedy was supposedly this horrible human being but the teetotaling Mormon Sen. Orrin Hatch absolutely loved the man. Rush Limbaugh is a rich guy who gets up every day and goes to work for the $50 million dollars he gets paid yearly to convince little guys to support rich guys. Haven't seen many kids from the Limbaugh clan. Don't know any screaming liberal, Senator or not, who loves Rush Limbaugh, the human being. Wake up and smell the hateful snow job from the Right, folks. And if you believe in redemption, give Ted some credit and some respect; stop being so ruthlessly petty. Because in the end, Teddy Boy turned out to be a pretty amazing man who touched an incredible number of people with his kindness, his thoughtfulness, his compassion, his decency. It took a while, but he sure got there. RIP EMK. Thanks for not giving up. Ted Kennedy was a rich guy who didn’t need to work yet he got up every day and went to work for nearly 50 years to help the little guy. Ted Kennedy supported a woman’s legal right to an abortion yet was part of a family that’s produced scads and scads of kids. Ted Kennedy was supposedly this horrible human being but the teetotaling Mormon Sen. Orrin Hatch absolutely loved the man.
Rush Limbaugh is a rich guy who gets up every day and goes to work for the $50 million dollars he gets paid yearly to convince little guys to support rich guys. Haven’t seen many kids from the Limbaugh clan. Don’t know any screaming liberal, Senator or not, who loves Rush Limbaugh, the human being.
Wake up and smell the hateful snow job from the Right, folks. And if you believe in redemption, give Ted some credit and some respect; stop being so ruthlessly petty. Because in the end, Teddy Boy turned out to be a pretty amazing man who touched an incredible number of people with his kindness, his thoughtfulness, his compassion, his decency. It took a while, but he sure got there. RIP EMK. Thanks for not giving up.

]]> By: Peter K http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395896 Peter K Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:15:17 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395896 Rush is an example of why the rest of the world view Americans as stupid, arrogant, deliberately rude, and condescending. "SHAME ON YOU" for your incendiary remarks against Ted Kennedy. Do you need help remembering that you were an admitted Oxycontin addict who plea-bargained his way out of a drug conviction, who mocks the less fortunate, who was detained on a Dominican Republic vacation for carrying Viagra without a prescription? It would be nice to see Rush bouts of intergity and courage that lasted more than three hours daily! Rush is an example of why the rest of the world view Americans as stupid, arrogant, deliberately rude, and condescending. “SHAME ON YOU” for your incendiary remarks against Ted Kennedy. Do you need help remembering that you were an admitted Oxycontin addict who plea-bargained his way out of a drug conviction, who mocks the less fortunate, who was detained on a Dominican Republic vacation for carrying Viagra without a prescription?
It would be nice to see Rush bouts of intergity and courage that lasted more than three hours daily!

]]> By: Fred Jones http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395894 Fred Jones Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:47:54 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395894 Legacy, you mean the legacy of self-indulgence, affairs, and lets not forget Chappaquiddick. I wonder if Mary Jane feels so nostalgic. Yeah for Rush, he says what thinks and tells it like it is. Put the cool-aid down and do your own research about what kind of man Kennedy really was. Don't take Rush's word for it. Legacy, you mean the legacy of self-indulgence, affairs, and lets not forget Chappaquiddick. I wonder if Mary Jane feels so nostalgic. Yeah for Rush, he says what thinks and tells it like it is. Put the cool-aid down and do your own research about what kind of man Kennedy really was. Don’t take Rush’s word for it.

]]> By: glasshoe1 http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395867 glasshoe1 Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:22:19 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395867 Yeah for the legacy of Ted Kennedy! The bashers and the hashers of the far right are so busy with their bad mouths that they have no time for doing good or really caring about any thing other than lining their own pockets, for grandiose self indulgence. Yeah for the legacy of Ted Kennedy!
The bashers and the hashers of the far right are so busy with their bad mouths that they have no time for doing good or really caring about any thing other than lining their own pockets, for grandiose self indulgence.

]]> By: jon http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2009/08/26/us-conservative-talk-radio-little-fondness-for-kennedy-legacy/comment-page-2/#comment-395866 jon Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:55:00 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/?p=19428#comment-395866 As for Kennedy..WGAF? Obviously not most of you. It looks like highschool mudslinging over somones grave. As for Kennedy..WGAF? Obviously not most of you. It looks like highschool mudslinging over somones grave.

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