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The Spectacle Blog
How does one explain this kind of media malfeasance?
CNN's Howard Kurtz went on at length insisting that Sean Hannity's use of the term "Bearded Marxist" (the title of an article written by Delaware Democrat and Senate nominee Chris Coons) "was a joke, a clear and obvious joke. That's also a good description of those who are passing off this ancient article as evidence of some communist past."
In other words, Hannity was a joke for bringing this up.
Alas, it seems the joke is on Kurtz and CNN.
If Coons' article were a joke, then in fact his years since Amherst would surely have seen him continue heading in the direction of conservatism, free-markets etc. But not only did Coons continue down his far-left path, he now brags about it. As noted here in this space -- and discussed on Hannity's radio show -- Coons has made much of the values he absorbed while getting a Master's at Yale Divinity School. In an interview just this month.
And a look at the Yale Divinity School curriculum, assigned reading and teachers reveals a seriously left-wing fantasy world of religion as Black Liberation Theory, socialism, and Marxism -- not to mention the more exotic courses on Witchcraft and Queer Worship etc., etc.
Remember here. As the commercial once went: "This is CNN." And CNN, after one report on Coons' views, seems to have dropped the ball. Is there a CNN reporter out there pounding on the doors of the Coons campaign asking where the list of Coons' YDS courses is? Who were his teachers? What did he read to get his degree from YDS?
No. CNN is as quiet on this as Coons suddenly is himself.
Are we asking this question here? Yes. Has The American Spectator repeatedly contacted Coons' campaign for an explanation? Yes. Six times yes. Has Sean Hannity asked these questions? Yes. On both his radio show and on Fox News. As the person who investigated this story and wrote it up -- I wound up on the Hannity radio show to discuss it in detail.
In short -- this small episode with Howie Kurtz goes right to the root of the reason CNN president Jon Klein just lost his job. CNN can't get the job done. Why? Good question. Bias? Is it that they just hate Christine O'Donnell and her conservatism so much over there at CNN they are simply refusing to follow through on an important story involving her opponent -- a story that completely contradicts a solitary interview Coons did with CNN? Or is it something else? The energy is at Fox and CNN no longer cares? Who knows. In the meantime over 2.6 million people are watching Hannity on Fox News at night while a bare 600,000 are watching CNN in the same time slot.
There is a reason for this. There is a reason people realize they have to get their news from Fox and talk radio. These are the places viewers will get to the truth of what's going on in the world.
We report. You decide, as they say.
Obviously millions of Americans have decided -- and that's why Howie Kurtz is upset and can't -- or won't -- get his Hannity facts straight.
Will there be an apology forthcoming from Kurtz or CNN? Will CNN start digging into Coons background at Yale Divinity School? Will CNN connect the dots between Coons' much ballyhooed Yale Divinity School values and the lack of jobs in Delaware?
What do you think?
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More Blog Posts by Jeffrey Lord
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/09/29/howie-kurtz-and-cnn-red-faced
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Howard Kurtz| 9.29.10 @ 2:07PM
Jeffrey. I am trying to keep the mask in place by describing the bearded marxist title as a "joke.' It doesn't help when you expose me like this.
chris lynch| 9.29.10 @ 8:34PM
It is obviously a joke.
"My friends now joke…about Kenya..takes a clean-shaven, clear-thinking American..sends back bearded Marxists."
Teflon93| 9.29.10 @ 2:50PM
kurtz tr. v.
1. To provide cover for one's superiors or ideological fellow-travelers through deliberately selective reporting in such a way as to offer a defense against ignoring damaging and inconvenient facts while maintaining that said facts are of minor importance compared to the motivations or foibles of those calling attention to them.
2. To pretend to be a media critic while embedding one's proboscis as deeply up the backside of mainstream media bigwigs as would be possible without being biologically characterized as a symbiote.
"[T]he Post has Kurtzed Eason's Fables into the appearance of a witch hunt...." (Captain's Quarters)
NOchingo| 9.29.10 @ 3:56PM
Leftists like "chingo" believe the truth is hyperpartisan; they shrink from it like vampires shrink from the light.
Crawl back under your rock, cockroach.
chingo| 9.29.10 @ 3:23PM
Personally I think Fox News/Hannity/this web site is full of shit and terrible hyperpartisan journalism. Anything coming from them should be taken with many grains of salt. Same thing goes with MSNBC.
bob alou| 9.29.10 @ 3:41PM
Oh Chingo thanks for the timely warning. I was just marching mindlessly to the edge of lemming point when I read your post. You are so wise.
chris| 9.29.10 @ 3:42PM
chingo if you take the time and put in the effort you will discover Hannity,Rush,Glenn Beck Mark Levin etc. and fox news are a hell of alot closer to facts then MS-LSD...I know I have taken the time and I prefer c-span were I get the skinny in there own words no getting around that,once you jump in the rat hole all you get is more and more certain that we the people have been played by these state-ist in government and the media for 80 plus years with occasional exception most of the issue's cannot be explained with history, perspective, and factual information in a 2 minute news clip by Katy Cuoric etc etc and they are in the bag totally with the Punks,,word from Detroit
Teflon93| 9.29.10 @ 3:47PM
You went into the "Don't give a crap" bucket right after I saw "Personally I think...."
Linda O| 9.29.10 @ 3:24PM
Investigative reporting has gone the way of the dodo bird. It's too bad. There are lots of mysteries and lots of evil to expose if only they were willing to search for it. CNN - Communist News Network.
Patriot| 9.29.10 @ 3:53PM
The LameStream Media are comprised of Leftists and their ideology trumps all.
They sacrifice God, family and country on the altar of Marxism. They must be vanquished or they will destroy us--and there's not much time.
Oldefarte| 9.29.10 @ 4:30PM
No doubt the old label for CNN was/is accurate............that it stands for CLINTON NEWS NETWORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nate| 9.29.10 @ 7:38PM
Mr. Lord,
Good grief. This obsession with college seminars and college papers is a little ridiculous.
Coons is likely to VOTE in the Senate on matters of national interest. Why not deal with the issues.
Should the government increase the deficit by 700 billion dollars to give millionaires and billionaires a tax cut?
If Republicans are serious about the deficit, what government programs will they CUT and when, and when will they go on television and say so? Specifically. How much will they cut? And when?
Not how much would YOU cut. How much will Boehner go on television and promise to cut, and how will those cuts help the deficit while getting done what government needs to get done?
It's called POLITICS.
It's fun. Give it a try.
We know college professors are liberal and a little goofy in their course titles; we know college students write foolish essays. We know, already.
Now what?
You're a smart guy. Let's hear it.
Chris Lynch| 9.29.10 @ 8:37PM
Dear Nate,
Thank you for respectfully embarrassing Jeff Lord's ridiculous investigations, conclusion, innuendo and name-calling; and for suggesting a more productive line of inquiry.
What a sad state of affairs the Republican Party has become.
Interested Conservative| 9.29.10 @ 9:26PM
Yes - let's talk about Christine O'Donnell's high school dates!
SoCon| 9.29.10 @ 10:01PM
Yes, Chris, the Republican Party is in such sad shape that come November they are going to take the House and probably the Senate from you sad- sack Fascist Liberals.
You want to discuss investigations? Take it up with Rep. Darrell Issa, soon to be Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Committee when Republicans take over the House. Have we got investigations for you corruptocrats.
Now, that's an embarrassment of riches!
albert constantine jr.| 9.29.10 @ 9:09PM
I find it curious that in 2010, Chris Coons is reported to have stated in a interview with Yale Divinity School that he wanted to bring those values to the Senate, but that Delaware voters shouldn't be interested in exploring exactly what those values are and what they represent. On the other hand, Christine O'Donnell announces in 1999 that she dabbled in witchcraft by dating a teenage creep with a satanic fixation over a decade before, and this qualifies to the left as a current position.
Perhaps I can offer a more issue oriented critique. In 2004, Chris Coons campaigned for County Executive claiming that he wouldn't raise taxes. After being elected, he raised taxes. I now pay about $50 more per month. Someone with a Masters Degree in Ethics might be able to debate the conundrum of how seriously one might evaluate his pre-election pledges in light of his proven performance.
Yosemeti Sam| 9.30.10 @ 1:36AM
He, he, O'Donnell is - IN!
This Coons character can pound his hammer - and swing his sickle - elsewhere!
RedneckWhiteskinBluecollar| 9.30.10 @ 9:43AM
Dear Chingo,
I do wish people would get their idioms straight. What does it mean when we say, "take it with a grain of salt?" It means that there is so little meat, or truth, in someone's statement, that only one single grain of salt is enough to season it. Get it?
Therefore you don't strengthen, you weaken the expression when you say, "take it with many grains of salt."
Please try to learn correct English usage. It can make a difference in your understanding of what's going on in the world. I suggest you read Orwell, "Politics and the English Language."
Regards,
RWB
Michael Doane| 10.2.10 @ 10:29AM
If you haven't figured out that Sean Hannity is a self-interested money-machine, you may need help knowing where the sun rises and sets. Great American, indeed.