A Fair Fight?

I want to shed some "lyte" on balance. The MSM continues to pursue a mythical balanced approach when reporting stories. Networks like CNN feel compelled to present both sides of a story, a laudable goal, but it made harder when one side is not equal to the other.

For example, the MSM is all over itself presenting President Obama's speech to the Judge Advocates Group at the National Archives and former Vice-President Dick Cheney's speech to the American Enterprise Institute as mano on mano battle about enhanced interoggation techniques and Guantanamo. It is not. Cheney is simply no match for Obama. Cheney's speech, peppered with references to 9/11, was the same old rehash of the tired argument that the ends justify the means. Obama, once again, took a more nuanced approach, reiterating his call for the closing of Guantanamo. He understands that there is no easy way out of the legal and moral quagmire created by the previous administration. Cheney continues to hammer away at the false premise that it is okay to lock up people indefinitely as long as you have really good reason. Which you can't share because it would compromise our national security.

Cheney again demonstrated the complete lack of irony that is now a Republican party hallmark when he blasted the New York Times for leaking details about our torture program. He took issue with the newspaper for outing the program, conveniently forgetting that it was his right-hand man, Scooter Libby, who actually outed a CIA operative and her entire covert operation. All in the name of justifying an unnecessary invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation. Oh! And he tried once again to tie Saddam Hussein to 9/11. Can't blame a guy for trying.

Another stunning example of false parity took place on Lou Dobbs. He pitted Michelle Bachman against Barney Frank. I think Frank should have been a gentleman and bowed out, saying he doesn't get into battles of wit against unarmed people. But that's not how it played out. Instead, Frank schooled her big time. Bachman tried unsuccessfully to attach an amendment a House bill, banning any organization with "a history of indictments" from receiving government funds. This was aimed at ACORN, the organization that Republicans love to hate. Frank deftly countered her by pointing out 1) an amendment was attached that stipulated that any organization that was convicted of voter fraud could not receive funding, and 2) ACORN was funded year after year by the Bush administration and nobody said a thing about it then. Poor Michelle was so outmanned, Dobbs tried to step in and Barney smacked him down too.

I am tired of competence and facts having to do battle against feelings and ideology. Come on Republicans, get some game. I love a fair fight.