The videos that could pose a problem for McCain

May 7, 2008

Over the weekend, the NYT’s Frank Rich raised a few eyebrows when he highlighted the disconnect in the media between Obama’s relationship with his controversial former pastor (Jeremiah Wright) and McCain’s relationship with a crazed televangelist (John Hagee). Rich’s point was both provocative and persuasive — that the media obsesses over Wright and gives McCain a pass on Hagee because of race. “A sonorous white preacher spouting venom just doesn’t have the telegenic zing of a theatrical black man,” Rich said.

NBC News’ Tim Russert appeared on Don Imus’ talk show yesterday, and explained why the black preacher’s remarks receive wall-to-wall coverage, while the white preacher’s remarks are largely ignored. (via FDL)

IMUS: Big stretch for Frank Rich to suggest that Rev. Hagee, that somehow McCain has the same relationship with him as Obama had with Rev. Wright but he did run it up the flag pole yesterday, didn’t he.

RUSSERT: He sure did. There’s been a lot of chatter on that, you know, about Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson’s comments after September 11th. If there was video of Hagee, it makes all the difference in the world….

At first blush, Russert’s point sounds compelling. Television is obviously a visual medium, and people tend to respond more to images than text. (The Abu Ghraib torture had been reported on before it became an international scandal, but few took notice until there were pictures.) Seeing Wright say “God damn America” from his pulpit generates an emotional response, far more than reading about Hagee calling the Roman Catholic Church, among other things, “the great whore.”

But therein lies the problem with Russert’s defense for the media giving McCain a pass: there’s all kinds of video of Hagee, and it still hasn’t made all the difference in the world.

This one, for example, features McCain’s buddy comparing the Catholic Church to the Nazis.

“If there was video of Hagee, it makes all the difference in the world.” Does the DC bureau chief of NBC News not realize that videos like these have been making the rounds for months? The Frank Rich column that Russert was talking about mentioned this in the first paragraph.

And there’s also video on Rod Parsley, a crazed televangelist touted as a “spiritual guide” for McCain.

And there’s also a video of Jerry Falwell, a prominent McCain ally before his death a year ago, blaming 9/11 on Americans.

To hear Russert tell it, Wright has drawn scrutiny because of the available video, while the radical preachers in McCain’s life are ignored because of the lack of videos.

No wonder the media hasn’t been even-handed; major media personalities like Russert don’t even realize these videos exist.

liberal media

  • “No wonder the media hasn’t been even-handed; major media personalities like Russert don’t even realize these videos exist.”

    Oh, I think they do. They just choose to ignore them. To not do so would affect their paychecks.

  • I think this says it all about the MSM.

    Jim Rutenberg
    NY Times 5-7-08

    “The Drudge Report, the online news billboard that is the home page to many political reporters in Washington and news producers in New York.”

  • Far be it from me to agree with Imus, but the key difference is that Hagee wasn’t John McCain’s pastor for 20 years. Seriously, folks, when there’s real media bias to be denounced, I’m one of the first people to denounce it, but this is silly. The two relationships just aren’t comparable.

    (And to be extra clear: 1.) I’m an Obama supporter, and 2.) I don’t give a rat’s ass about Jeremiah Wright’s remarks. It just irritates me to see our side making false claims of media malfeasance.)

  • Just a note. I think the Wright videos were released for sale at about the time of the brouhaha, thus making it by some technicality “news”. So Hagee needs some new videos, maybe a greatest hits package.

  • Nobody is going to go after the white fundamentalists, unless they like being attacked by a hoarde of idiots who would otherwise be buying worthless crap from your advertisers.

    Timmeh is a fat media whore, I don’t know anyone with a brain who thinks that he will risk his plush gig to kick a hornet’s nest.

  • Of course it’s not the same thing. McCain actively sought out and coveted the endorsements of these right-wing nut jobs, while Obama actively distanced himself from Wright. So, in McCain’s case, it’s much worse.

  • “A sonorous white preacher spouting venom just doesn’t have the telegenic zing of a theatrical black man,” (Emphasis added.)

    That says it all.

  • “Far be it from me to agree with Imus, but the key difference is that Hagee wasn’t John McCain’s pastor for 20 years”

    McCain actively sought out Hagee’s endorsement. He personally invited the radio talk show host who made the “Barack Hussein” comment to introduce him. He has a close relationship with white supremacist Richar Quinn. To me that washes out Obama attending a church with a firey pastor.

  • I think Toast’s point is off the mark. McCain actively pursued the endorsement of Hagee, seeking to be embraced by his neolithic flock come November. Remember also that McCain has gotten a pass on a whole host of associations that would be unpleasant to deal with if we’re gonna play the guilt-by-association game. The S&L fiasco, Liddy, very cozy relationships with a slew of lobbyists, and w for that matter.

    I think the Wright problem is that it’s part and parcel of a broader narrative of what’s good for the goose isn’t good for the gander. That’s the problem.

  • These comments really support the notion that the MSM is very lazy. Maybe someone needs to splice Hagee’s videos together (a la Wright) with just the really offensive stuff and maybe conclude with McCain thanking him for the honor of his endorsement–then, put it on youtube. Apparently, the media has to be led completely.

  • There is audio of Hagee from NPR’s Fresh Air reasserting the Katrina was God’s punishment for homosexuality…

    I know it requires engaging only ears and brain rather than eyes, but…

    —

    Toast is right that the relationships are different. Apples and oranges, but both are fruit.

    McCain has a specific strategy to solicit and embrace guys like Hagee to bolster his political goals. Obama has a personal relationship he’s tried to square with his political goals.

  • I would edit these more so you have the really outrageous statements in small sound-bites. A lot of the Parsley material (unfortunately) would not be found on the “Wright level.”

  • Regarding Toast’s reasonable comments and the reasonable response that McCain actively sought out Hagee’s endorsement, we should also note that McCain used the word “nonsense” something like 9 times when talking about Hagee’s New Orleans comments.

    Parsley is more dangerous, though. His comment that America was founded to destroy Islam is eerily similar to McCain’s Middle East policies.

  • The fact is that ABC news sent a reporter to Chicago to purposefully buy the videos of Wright ..actually bought the video tapes that were on sale. Sent the fucking reporter with the obvious agenda to find ‘something’ that the CORPORATE MEDIA could then try to destroy Obama with …. those are the fucking facts. And just look when they then did all the while totally fucking ignoring McBush’s SPIRITUAL GUIDES whom he purposefully sought out for their endorsement .. and, yep, there are plenty of fucking videos available of both of these ‘religious’ freaks ….

  • I think we should all email Timmah the clips of Hagee and Parsley, lets see if they get any play next month. i would actually prefer to wait until September but it may take 3 months of bombardment to get them to move off their fat a$$e$

  • The problem with going after McCain’s Wright is that it just legitimizes what the media did with the Wright issue. The question is what did they do?

    1. Pretend that guilt by association is legitimate.
    2. Pretend to always have more questions about the situation.
    3. Pretend that all questions are valid.
    4. Rationalize debate because “some voters still not satisfied”.
    5. Question the response and the timing of the response.
    6. Repeat the same thing on each news show.
    7. Employ lame ‘supporters’ or ‘democrat’ consultants
    8. Employ rabid, hysterical, defenders of American culture (Repubes)
    9. Dig up old arguments and use them like they are new.

  • The Corporate Media’s job at this point is to pump up the establishment candidate (McCain). He represents the status-quo. Since most of them are owned by large corporations, it’s in their interests to keep things as they are now. So naturally he’s going to get a free pass from them.

    While the outsider/grassroots-supported candidate (Obama) who represents changes gets the most resistance and scrutiny.

    The problem is, McCain isn’t such a great candidate – many elements of the right-wing don’t like him. The Republican Party knows this. One only has to look at the money/donation trail during the primaries to see he wasn’t their first choice. But their first choice didn’t resonate with their base, so they are stuck.

    And as we learned in 2006, not-so-great candidates who really stick their foot in their mouth and find it repeated online (remember ‘macaca’?), can be tripped up with voters, who see it for what it is. This isn’t to imply that McCain is some sort of bigot, but it’s clear many of his ‘gaffes’ about Iran/Iraq/economy are being shielded from the American public.

    The Corporate Media won’t be able to help him once he trips on his own failed messages, against a challenger whose own message and theme resonates with many people.

  • I have to agree with the Saint and the Mule.

    Wright brought Obama to God. Hagee brought Texas to McCan’t.

    The latter is worse, lot’s worse, as grounds for voluntary association with a hatefilled racist.

  • Mr. Benen says Russert’s excuse for not covering Hagee is invalid because there is plenty of video of Hagee making extreme, intemperate remarks. What Mr. Benen does not tell you, however, is that in none of the video he links to is Hagee black.

  • Can you say, “white racism?” It’s been running America and the Colonies for more than three hundred and eighty some years. Maybe “It’s time for a change.” (Ike Eisenhower’s theme back in 1952.)

  • I honestly think it’s good these videos aren’t getting much play (yet).

    I think that Obama is being hit with all of these smears right now because Republicans don’t want him to be the nominee, so they are expending their ammunition early. When it comes down to November, most of these Wright videos, etc, just won’t have the emotional pull they had when they first came out.

    If Democrats are smart, they will push the McCain religious nut videos nearer to the general election to give an extra push against these Republican extremists and their candidates. It would follow the general anti-Republican wind that the last 8 years have given the Democratic party.

    Of course I’m probably giving the Democratic party leaders and the media too much credit with this… better early than never.

  • One thing that has really surprised me is how big a cheerleader the Drudge Report has become for Obama.

    I can understand his dislike for Hillary and probably McCain, but the way he is doing things (positioning Obama well even against McCain) it really seems like he truly likes and supports Obama. Is it because blog / online readers are much more likely to be Obama and Paul supporters than McCain / Hillary?

    I am not sure whether Obama will suddenly become the enemy after HIllary is out of the picture, but I have the strange feeling based on his consistent Obama cheerleading/spin and the extent to which he does it that he will actually support a Democrat all the way to November.

    Am I being naive? I’ve been reading the Drudge Report for a long time and I think I can pick up his spin direction pretty well by now.

    I’ve done google searches for “Drudge loves Obama” and came up with one real hit… very mysterious.

  • I am also waiting for the Corporate News Media to cover the real Cindy McCain. The one who went on national television to admit to being a junkie & thief. Any bets that that will ever be covered?

  • Of course it’s not the same thing. McCain actively sought out and coveted the endorsements of these right-wing nut jobs, while Obama actively distanced himself from Wright. So, in McCain’s case, it’s much worse.

    Exactly.

    Obama knew Wright as a pastor and a pastor alone, and distanced himself — from his very campaign announcement — from Wright’s other views. Even though the political views weren’t what tied the men together, Obama has been forced to reject and denounce Wright’s political views over and over again.

    Meanwhile, McCain sought out Hagee because of his political influence, because of his credibility with like-minded conservative evangelicals on the far, far right. He’s of a different denomination and has sought no religious leadership from the man. It’s purely a political alliance.

  • I am also waiting for the Corporate News Media to cover the real Cindy McCain. The one who went on national television to admit to being a junkie & thief. Any bets that that will ever be covered?

    Ohhhh, I’m sure they wouldn’t cover that story if it were Obama’s wife, either. Just positive about that. Hardly anyone would know about it and there’d be the sense that she was off-limits.

    Uh huh.

  • These guys are par for the course as far as Republican supporters go. They are anti-liberal and a little nutty, but not blatantly anti-American.

    Falwell was a pain in the ass, but he never said, “God Damn America” in public.

    Hagee might think Catholics aren’t Christians (as do a bunch of other fundamentalists), but I doubt he ever plotted to bomb anyone.

    I don’t think you’ll ever find Islamists telling the press, “We like Mr. McCain.”

  • Tim Russet- what a potato-head. Imus’ demographic is AARP members- people who forgot what change is, but will find out the hard way when they have to swap out their Depends.

  • Bill, maybe somebody should be checking for McCain links to Francis Schaeffer (founder of the Religious Right), who often advocated violent overthrow of the U.S. government.

  • “Hagee might think Catholics aren’t Christians (as do a bunch of other fundamentalists), but I doubt he ever plotted to bomb anyone.”

    Falwell was a bigot, thief and a liar wearing the chausable of a man of God, Robertson was calling for political assasination. These are spiritual leaders? Hypocrites all!

    Just search YouTube for Hagee and watch this nutjob in action, with his charts and graphs and erroneous interpretations. The moment you start pointing the finger at other people for your own faults and sins, you walk off the path of righteuosness. They (White megachurch ministers) are more insidious because their portly, bespectacled caucasian demeanor and Southern genteel accents belie a body of corruption from within. Wright is direct, live, in the face pull no punches guy. People are afraid of that, mostly, white people. Had YouTube existed, would Moses’s handing down of the 10 Commandments been given the same treatment?

  • These are too long! They need to be edited into very, very brief sound bites. But to be honest, Parsley is a much more careful speaker than Wright. Still, I want this looped over and over and over:

    Man your battlestations!
    Ready your weapons!
    I came to incite a riot!
    Man your battlestations!
    Ready your weapons!
    Lock and load!

  • Big stretch for Frank Rich to suggest that Rev. Hagee, that somehow McCain has the same relationship with him as Obama had with Rev. Wright

    Yeah, Imus, McCain actively sought Hagee’s endorsement.

    Tool.

  • Posting once again the wise words of Bill Moyers:

    Behold the double standard: John McCain sought out the endorsement of John Hagee, the war-mongering Catholic-bashing Texas preacher who said the people of New Orleans got what they deserved for their sins. But no one suggests McCain shares Hagee’s delusions, or thinks AIDS is God’s punishment for homosexuality. Pat Robertson called for the assassination of a foreign head of state and asked God to remove Supreme Court justices, yet he remains a force in the Republican religious right. After 9/11 Jerry Falwell said the attack was God’s judgment on America for having been driven out of our schools and the public square, but when McCain goes after the endorsement of the preacher he once condemned as an agent of intolerance, the press gives him a pass.

    Jon Stewart recently played a tape from the Nixon White House in which Billy Graham talks in the oval office about how he has friends who are Jewish, but he knows in his heart that they are undermining America. This is crazy; this is wrong — white preachers are given leeway in politics that others aren’t.

    Which means it is all about race, isn’t it? Wright’s offensive opinions and inflammatory appearances are judged differently. He doesn’t fire a shot in anger, put a noose around anyone’s neck, call for insurrection, or plant a bomb in a church with children in Sunday school. What he does is to speak his mind in a language and style that unsettle some people, and says some things so outlandish and ill-advised that he finally leaves Obama no choice but to end their friendship. We are often exposed us to the corroding acid of the politics of personal destruction, but I’ve never seen anything like this ? this wrenching break between pastor and parishioner before our very eyes. Both men no doubt will carry the grief to their graves. All the rest of us should hang our heads in shame for letting it come to this in America, where the gluttony of the non-stop media grinder consumes us all and prevents an honest conversation on race. It is the price we are paying for failing to heed the great historian Jacob Burckhardt, who said “beware the terrible simplifiers”.

  • Toast…McCain like Lieberman and Tom DeLay are part of and spomsor as well as promote the Hagee organization known as Christians in Support of Israel whose mission is to bring about Armageddon. At that conference Lieberman called Hagee the modern day Moses and McCain fully supported this and sought Hagee’s endorsement. He is just as involved with Hagee as Obama is with Wright. Attending the same church for 20yrs with the same preacher does not mean he is your spiritual counselor. It merely means he is the preacher of the church you attend. It is entirely appropriate to show the involvement and pandering of McCain with this crazy minister Hagee, who was invited to attend foreign policy meetings at the WH to give counsel. That makes the relationship between Hagee and McCain serious as far as how it affects his run for office.

    btw…Hitler never said he wasn’t doing anything the Catholic church hasn’t been doing for centuries etc…Hagee lied and just made that up never suspecting anyone would ever call him on it. Hagee has been trying to get us into a war in the middle east for years, Wright has been trying to lead us away from one. Obama never sought after Wright’s endorsement…McCain sought after Hagee’s endorsement which shows his endorsement of Hagee. Big difference. McCain even spoke at Liberty U…there’s no end to his pandering.

  • Did you actually pay attention to Rod Parsley’s tape? He’s hardly a “crazed evangelist.” Modern-day prophet is more like it.

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