That's why we call them "Fox lite".

Ah, that "liberal media" again. CNN finally gets rid of Glenn Beck and then invites these conservative boneheads on for an hour-long, unchallenged, Obama bashing session. Sheesh- I'll be glad when this election is over.

Down with the MSM. Anymore I cannot stand to watch MSM. Not because they are SOOOOOOOOOOOO liberal, but because they buy the BS stuff that they are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO liberal and therefore overcorrect. The MSM has rolled over on not covering the real atrocities of the McCain campaign. The pundits most of the time are guys off the street. If these talking heads on tv are experts well then so am I. Maybe I could get a TV gig.

NPR did the same thing a few months ago. But theirs was a week long series. I was wondering if the next week would see a left leaning counterpoint. Nope. Just a week of conservative gasbags.

Maybe you're misunderestimating the CNN listener. This might be just the thing to drive CNN viewers toward Obama. People watching both MSNBC and Fox pretty much state their position by the choice. With CNN this may be less so. Considering that the right has pretty consistently felt McCain didn't reach far enough in their direction, this sort of program might represent a last straw. - ted

The media is totally liberal. Remember Dan Rather's "fake but accurate" memos. That thoroughly proves my point. Morons. Heh.

Hmmm. Laying the groundwork for reviving the fairness doctrine, I see.

I'd lay even money on all the different factions snipping at blaming each other for the upcoming loss.

Perhaps they're getting an hour because it has the potential to be pretty compelling programming - i.e. watching the Republicans kicking down the poles holding up their Big Tent.

*fingers crossed*

"Laying the groundwork for reviving the Fairness Doctrine"

You betcha. I mean the right is always complaining about the 'liberal media' so we have to bring back the Fairness Doctrine to make sure the right gets its point of view heard. Who could be against fairness?

I guess I'm envisioning something different. I might even watch this circular firing squad. I rather doubt these guys are going to sit around for an hour talking about how great their worldview has worked out. In fact, don't be too surprised if it yields a few Eagleburger/Durbenstein moments.

I'm not sure this is even legal under the Fairness Doctrine.

[...] as far as I can tell, the right will get an hour, and the left will get nothing. -- Benen

The left doesn't need a free hour of air time. Repubs vote on the 4th and Dems on the 5th, remember? So, Repubs need to be informed before they vote. Dems would have been informed like that too, a day later, except that, by Nov 5th, we'll all know whom the Repubs have chosen as our president, obviating the necessity of the Nov 5th elections. So, a program informing the left or even presenting the left's perspective is not necessary.

Q.E.D.

but if they give equal time to the left it just proves CNN is librul!!!!one!

It's more of this 'false balance' that some of MSM feel compelled to participate in. CNN in particular, despite Campbell Brown's piece to the contrary, seems eager to create this air of balance.

This time, however, it's because Obama has amassed so much campaign financing that CNN feels a duty to give McCain and Republicans equal air time for free. Larry King already devoted an entire show to McCain in response to the Obamercial.

I'm sure there was some victim-minded Republican stratagist on the phone with CNN, crying about how unfair it is that millions of average Americans have given millions of dollars to Obama and Democrats this campaign cycle, while they're left with nothing but bread crumbs to advertise with.

So who do we write to?

The only thing that's surprising about this is that Steve Benen is surprised by it.

CNN -- and the rest of the corporate-owned mass media -- has long and consistently worked in close collaboration with the Republican Party and the openly partisan right-wing extremist media to propagandize the American people on behalf of the ruthless, rapacious class warfare of America's Ultra-Rich Ruling Class, Inc. against everyone else, and has consistently favored right-wing voices and narratives over "centrist" and left-wing narratives and voices.

CNN's vicious, malicious and dishonest attacks on ACORN were a far more egregious, and serious, example of that than some stupid "conservative" gab-fest.

Larry King already devoted an entire show to McCain in response to the Obamercial.

From what I've seen, this Larry King show has yielded more gaffes shown to more people than the original show. And his is the show you go to for confessing an affair or some other embarrassing thing, because he is so unchallenging.

For the past two years, CNN has systematically been hiring Conservative pundits. With Wolff Blitzer on 3 hours, you get a sickening dose of right wing blather, followed by an overbearing hour of Lou Dobbs. At one point, they stopped having Paul Begala and James Carville on all-together.The excuse CNN used was that they were too Liberal, too extreme. The public came undone. Poor Donna Brazile was all alone to fight for the left. The fact that she was not asked to leave also spoke volumes. One can never accuse CNN of being principled. They are too covetess of Fox's numbers for principles.....

CNN, the Conservative News Network, generally does a pretty good job of avoiding being as blatantly obvious about their bias compared to Fox, but sometimes their views do become obvious.

Are CNN's ratings dropping as rapidly as Fox's?

You'd think the pundits and their overlords would have some marketing skills. If the market shifts in capitalism, the products are supposed to shift to match. Since the pundits are entertainers, not bastions of truth, their skits need to change or they need to find new jobs.

Steve:

Why dont you include a phone number for your readers to call CNN?

Thanks!

Forgive me if somebody has mentioned this, but we should all head over to the CNN site to let them know we feel about this.

Here's the link to the CNN feedback form.

CNN has just realized there are a tremendous amount of tax breaks for it should McCain win with the help of the free air time for his right wing pundits! -Kevo

Who the fuck is going to be watching cnn for an hour on sat aft/eve with a bunch of bloviating gasbags spewing the bankrupt philosophy that's brought us to this glorious moment in history?

The show is to be aired at 5 et on a sat. Well, just what audience are they targeting? All the young college age voters will be at a football game, preparing to go to a football game, or taking a nap before they go and get their party on. Men will be watching the football games on tv. That leaves women...are the repugs still going after those HRC voters????

It's quite a liberal media.
Thank God for that. Think how unfair and unbalanced it would be if it was a conservative media.

Two points

1) This is the same network that wouldn't SELL a HALF hour of time to Obama on the grounds that it would be partisan? But they are GIVING a FULL hour to the right wing?

2) OTOH, this will probably backfire on Republicans, and perhaps even CNN management knows this. First, not many people watch at that time slot. Second, the people they have on are far out the mainstream, so any swing voters who do watch them are more likely to be pushed towards Obama as a result.

Maybe you're misunderestimating the CNN listener.

Hey, I resemble that.

Speak out, but don't complain here. Go directly to the source:

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?103

I just did.

NPR last weekend did coverage of a hard-bitten group still griping about Clinton having lost the primary, and citing alleged dirty tricks by the Obama campaign. Very one-sided, and totally gratuitous at this very late date. An undisguised hit piece against Obama.

Today on the Boston NPR station a prolonged discussion about what the GOP has to do to resurrect itself in Massachusetts. Strictly Rethug talking points and no hint of balance. Pure propaganda.

NPR - Nice Polite Republicans. Be sure to contribute at their next begathon. When pigs fly.

That's it...it's done. They have bastardized Christianity. Turned it into something it's unaware founder would disassociate himself from. Christ was never into politics except to say "give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God that which is God's"...now translates into give God unto Caesar.

If CNN does give an hour to the right 3 days before the election it will do more to bring back the fairness doctrine than any number of debates. Using our national airwaves that belong not to CNN( they only rent space based on regulations they agree to) but to the people, to campaign for a chosen side should bring them multiple law suits...I hope so. These fanatics want Christian Caesars to rule over our democracy like Kings...the very ones that would crucify a Christ. More Camelback bullshit and the famous "cone of silence". Hypocrisy at its greatest. If Bipartisanship means allowing these lunatics to continue to destroy our democracy it's time dems faced up to total partisan rule till the sick are healed.

So, to summarize, CNN is giving the right an hour of programming, three days before the election, handing the reins to a televangelist's pundit, who wants to take advantage of "witnessing opportunities" in the mainstream media, so viewers can hear what the right thinks of the election ...

Rich, white people have more money and vote Republican. Nice advertising demographic in these trouble times.

What's hard to understand?

You betcha. I mean the right is always complaining about the 'liberal media' so we have to bring back the Fairness Doctrine to make sure the right gets its point of view heard. Who could be against fairness?
Posted by: James G on October 31, 2008 at 4:16 PM | PERMALINK

Best point I've heard all day! Right on dude, gosh darnit! ;)

on the other hand, can you imagine who they would pick to be on a "View From The Left" show? shudder. maybe we're better off.

CNN is going to rerun the View from the Right again on Sunday!!!

Maybe it'll be sponsored by McCain's 'Desperation' fragrance.

Thanks for the links to the CNN post