While President Barack Obama continues to assure the public that he is protecting privacy and the press, his Administration continues to do precisely the opposite in court with comprehensive attacks on civil liberties. A good example is the continued abuse of two-time Pulitzer prize winner and New York Times investigative reporter and author James Risen. Risen continues to be threatened by the Justice Department with arrest because he is protecting the identity of his sources. Risen spoke this weekend and observed simply that “Obama hates the press.”
Risen spoke at a journalism conference at Colby College in Waterville where he was awarded the annual Elijah Parish Lovejoy award for journalism. The Obama Administration has continued a scorched Earth campaign against reporters and whistleblowers. Risen was targeted after he wrote about a failed CIA operation to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Democrats who decried such actions under Bush have largely remained silent in the face of a far worse record under Obama.
Risen dismissed the army of apologists who deflect criticism of Obama in his campaign against the press: “I don’t think any of this would be happening under the Obama administration if Obama didn’t want to do it. I think Obama hates the press. I think he doesn’t like the press and he hates leaks.”
He also criticized Holder as someone selected due to his loyalty and ability to protect Obama from direct criticism, an issue that I discussed recently in a column.
Risen reflects a growing view among many reporters (that parallels a similar view among civil libertarians) of Obama. Indeed, I just had dinner with two leading reporters who have been staunch supporters of Obama but now view him in similar terms. Much like Nixon, Obama and his subordinates seem to blame the media for scandals as well as whistleblowers. They treat the problem as not the abuses of power or failed programs but the disclosure of such failings. It is more than just a Nixonian “shoot the messenger” approach. They want to kill the message itself.
Source: Central Maine
Max:
“It’s a bygone era.
Maybe when Americans fall in love with Broadway shows on film again.”
That’s why I love classic movies – the film noir as well as the glamour movies, musicals, and the classic Westerns. They all had their own niche and style.
Jill and Max – that’s sad when a caucus stifles discussion, and doesn’t really want to hear about the issues. I think it’s pretty common in politics.
Hillary is keeping her head down, the Clinton Library released many documents[heavily redacted] about the Lewinsky scandal. Keith Olbermann wrote an ass kissing mail to Bubba. Psycho Keith is now on ESPN 8, “The Ocho.”
http://youtu.be/pcSlowAhvUk
Paul C.
It’s a bygone era.
Maybe when Americans fall in love with Broadway shows on film again.
I’d like to see Music Man redone with Popstars…
Max-1 – you cannot beat Robert Preston as The Music Man. We both know it. 😉
Barking
Paul C.
Yep, the movie was chit.
I prefer staged theater… er, theatre…
Max-1 – that is a movie I would not mind being redone. 🙂
Max-1 – South Pacific is a great musical but a horrible movie. They tinted each song a different color. I don’t know what idiot thought of that but I hope he was sent to teach piano at some grade school.
Party LOYALISTS react to squelch dissent from within the ranks.
This truly ranks of partisan ideologies ripping the fabric of trust and respect to real Governance by the people. Ironies of irony is that it is the people doing the bidding of the Power Elites and Governmental Officials.
Witness the campaigns ahead and watch for the universal chants of “USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!” The next time someone speaks out of line, dares challenge the political figure on stage or launch a protest.
We don’t need big Government squelching free speech when the citizens are quite capable to do THAT bidding… We’ve been carefully taught how to hate.
http://youtu.be/HnY-Ft7F9eo
Jill
I had that same experience in ’08. In Wa. State we caucus in our districts and in mine, I was the only Kuchinich supporter of our gayborhood and of the 30 or so people, they were almost evenly split Clinton/Obama. I asked if I could address issues. I was told no, shut up and represent either Clinton or Obama. I guess they saw a minority figure and exercised their prerogative to be a majority of idiots… And squelch dissent.
Max-1 – I am surprised the Obama people had not already gotten rid of the Clinton people. They did that at several sites. Clearly, democracy is not in action during a caucus for the Democratic nominee.
I knew he wasn’t all bad.
Jill, perhaps that is because you seem to focus your criticisms on Democrats, often neglecting to mention Republicans who have engaged in similar or worse abuses.
I agree with Justice Holmes.
At an ostensibly public book discussion consisting mainly of highly educated Democrats, I was told that I could not criticize Obama or any other Democrat before the election. Another person actually waved me to shut up, while others wouldn’t speak to me. This came after they were criticizing all Republicans for being against our civil rights. When I pointed out that this was not completely correct and that the president himself was against our civil rights, the response was STFU.
We have a real problem in the US. We have a president who does hate to hear from a non-conforming press members and we have Democratic citizens who entirely agree with him that no one may criticize “their” president and party.
This willingness to silence the press and others is quite dangerous when a president is attempting to strip the civil rights of so many people. But the most dangerous thing is when citizens willingly join forces to silence others. This is what ultimately allows our civil rights to be forfeit. It takes the active acquiescence of many citizens to the powerful, to enable the powerful to take from us what is not theirs to take.
“The 80’s want their foreign policy back.” “I disagree that we need a Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq.” “Iraq is the greatest accomplishment of this Presidency.” “I was elected to end wars, not fight them.”
Stop blaming Bush every time Obama makes a misstep. Obama is responsible for his own actions, and for the results of those actions. Bush is responsible for his.
“I have a phone and a pen.”
“ISIL is neither Islamic nor a state.”
“ISIS is JV.”
“There is not even a smidgeon of corruption in the IRS.”
“When I am President, the oceans will stop rising.”
It is just unbelievable when Obama complains about his treatment by the press. No president that I am aware of has been so coddled by the press.
If he doesn’t like how the press covers him, how would he have survived with the media’s handling of Bush?