Our brilliant press: this would be funny if it weren’t so sad

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

A hilarious example of press bias against Palin occurred last Friday on “The Diane Rehm Show,” a production of Washington’s WAMU-FM. The exchange between hostess Rehm, caller Tom of Norwich, Vt., and Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne begins at about 46:10 of the “10:00 News Roundup”:

Quote:

Tom: I just wonder why not more has been made of the statement by Palin during the debate last night that “Maliki and the Talabani”–this is a quote from the transcript–”also in working with us are knowing again that we are getting closer and closer to the point of victory.” The Talibani obviously are our absolute enemy and have been since 9/11; Maliki, our central ally in Iraq. This to me is a tremendous blunder, revealing a very superficial familiarity with these sorts of terms.

Rehm: Thanks for calling, Tom. . . . E.J.?

Dionne: I think that “superficial” is absolutely the right word for the knowledge or the lack of knowledge Palin showed yesterday. I’m glad the caller raised that one, and I suspect there is going to be a scouring of that transcript for exactly that sort of gaffe. That has echoes of some of the stuff she said to Katie Couric.

There would have to be some mighty ferocious scouring to find a gaffe here other than Tom’s (who can be excused) and Dionne’s (who cannot). Even a lowly blogger like me knows the difference between Talabani and the Taliban. As does Sarah Palin.

But evidently the news that Talabani is the President of Iraq hasn’t yet penetrated the infinitely superior and deep brain of the sagacious WaPo journalist Dionne. Maybe his excuse is that he’s been listening too much to foreign policy expert Senator Biden, he of “France and the US kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon” fame.

STUNNINGLY stupid...

Palin's talking about the President of Iraq (Talibani) and someone (A Washington Post columnist!) believes that Palin was talking about the Taliban...

And the columnist believe the gaffe is Palin's and not his own...

L.P. Farnsworth · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 06:02 PM

That's hilarious.

I listen to NPR regularly, and Dianne Rehms, and there is even worse ignorance out there. The callers are almost invariably better informed than the guests on any given topic. I wonder why htese shows don't just get the names of some of the callers and have them as guests; it would make for much better shows than having these 'journalists' on, certainly much more informative.

Spencer Collins · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 08:42 PM

Too dam funny..

saltwn · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

Our brilliant press: this would be funny if it weren’t so sad

STUNNINGLY stupid...

Palin's talking about the President of Iraq (Talibani) and someone (A Washington Post columnist!) believes that Palin was talking about the Taliban...

And the columnist believe the gaffe is Palin's and not his own...

If the quote is correct she said the Talibani, which would denote an entity not a person.
If she was talking about Talibani, then her communication skills are still off, because her audience (the American people who tuned in) is probably unaware of the difference and also thinks it was either a blunder or her unique way of pronouncing "Taliban".
Yes her knowledge of foreign affairs in the Middle east is superficial. Can we all agree on that and move on?

cnredd · #5 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

If the quote is correct she said the Talibani, which would denote an entity not a person.
If she was talking about Talibani, then her communication skills are still off, because her audience (the American people who tuned in) is probably unaware of the difference and also thinks it was either a blunder or her unique way of pronouncing "Taliban".
Yes her knowledge of foreign affairs in the Middle east is superficial. Can we all agree on that and move on?

The quote if far from correct...There is no "the" whatsoever...

Here's C-Span's roundup of the Palin/Biden debate clips (wish I could directly link to the video)...

Search for "white flag of surrender" and you'll see the clip (mentioned as being spokden at 9:42 PM...It's the fifth clip they have of the VP debate)...

Quote:

We’ll know when we’re finished in Iraq when the Iraqi government can govern its people and when the Iraqi security forces can secure its people. And our commanders on the ground will tell us when those conditions have been met. And Maliki and Talabani also, in working with us, are knowing, again, that we’re getting closer and closer to that point, that victory that’s within sight. - Sarah Palin

First, the caller lied, by saying it was part of the transcript...This was either one out of ignorance or intentionally to fan the flames, but in either case, one would think a Washington Post columnist should be able to pick that up...EJ believed the caller's accusation and took it as gospel, compounding the fact that he didn't immediately question it based on the Iraqi president's name being 1 letter off from a group of terrorists...

If Palin said "Taliban" while meaning "Talibani", that would be a gaffe along the same lines as saying "Osama" instead of "Obama"...

But that didn't happen...this was the opposite...Palin had it CORRECT the whole time and the response was done with ignorance...

saltwn · #6 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 05:00 AM

You won this one, redd! I looked up the name, and it took me awhile because this is all over the net!
I'm afraid the "perception" is out there that she's another Dan Quale (who did spell potatoes correctly), and in presentation, perception is everything.
I admit I didn't know who Talibani was either.

cnredd · #7 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

You won this one, redd! I looked up the name, and it took me awhile because this is all over the net!
I'm afraid the "perception" is out there that she's another Dan Quale (who did spell potatoes correctly), and in presentation, perception is everything.
I admit I didn't know who Talibani was either.

But there's the thing...

The perception was CREATED by the press and Obama's minions...AND even Obama's campaign itself! (Refusing to call her a governor and mocked her being mayor of a smalltown)...

Did she make gaffes?...

Did she say something wrong?...

Did she spell something or name a foreign leader incorrectly?..

There is nothing in the last 5 weeks that started this perception...It's 100% fabricated to destroy her...

BTW - All of the things I asked earlier in this post about what Palin?...

Obama has done them...repeatedly...

Who gets the pass?...

saltwn · #8 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

But there's the thing...

The perception was CREATED by the press and Obama's minions...AND even Obama's campaign itself! (Refusing to call her a governor and mocked her being mayor of a smalltown)...

Did she make gaffes?...

Did she say something wrong?...

Did she spell something or name a foreign leader incorrectly?..

There is nothing in the last 5 weeks that started this perception...It's 100% fabricated to destroy her...

BTW - All of the things I asked earlier in this post about what Palin?...

Obama has done them...repeatedly...

Who gets the pass?...

Hhmm... I don't know if this is an Obama conspiracy or not...

Quote:

Did Sarah Palin seriously say 'Talibani' in the debate? - Yahoo! Answers Did Sarah Palin seriously say 'Talibani' in the debate?
Or am I going crazy?

I won't quote this one: Yahoo! Message Boards - Visa Inc. - Palin says Maliki & Talibani !!!!

Quote:

*** "what's a talibani"
***okay, her answers tended to have little, if anything, to do with the question that was asked (here's an idea for the networks, keep the question posed at the bottom of the screen so that viewers are reminded that they're not answering it), she was mistaken on who the commander in afghanistan is, kept pronouncing it "nuculer", often failed to speak in complete sentences and did a fair number of other things that I couldn't stand, but dear god people (and i've been seeing this in a number of places), please don't criticize her ignorance if you don't know that talibani is a person.
***I'm glad that ______ explained what a "talibani" is. I'm just glad Palin got the name right. I think she said it to prove she can pronounce foreigners' names. But, she sounded like Bush with "nukular" and the "they hate our freedom" nonsense.Gothamist: St. Louis Showdown: Biden and Palin Debate

tristanrobin · #9 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 06:58 AM

gee - that's much worse than being called a racist Muslim terrorist!

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