Death of the Media
Remember yesterday we told you about No Labels, the allegedly political-party-neutral Political Party? Me neither!
One of the things that bugged me about the announcement of their formation is that they have raised a cool $1M but are not saying where it came from (Thanks, Supreme Court). Anyway last night on the Twitter, David Gergen made the following twit, er, tweet:
…so sensing an opportunity, I replied:
A while later…
…to which I replied:
…and later that evening Gergen sent me a private message (DM) so that it did not appear in everyone’s Twitter stream:
Somewhere in there, I sent him a thank-you for replying to me. I’m always polite.
But here’s the thing: these are famous people involved in No Labels, and many of them are allegedly journalists, some are politicians, and all of them are pundits of one stripe or another. They have mighty soap boxes on which to stand (David Brooks is one of the most read columnist in the world — The Chinese government reads his columns to try to understand the US, as sad as that is — and his columns get republished there), so why do they need a separate organization?
Now then, wouldn’t you think that because their group is allegedly about rising above partisan politics that they would see the value in being transparent about where they are getting their money? As journalists, shouldn’t they be shining a light on it instead of obscuring it?
Hey, I’m not a journalist, I’m just a gross blogger who tells fart jokes, a Cheetohs stained wretch in my mother’s basement or something. But why is no one asking this question except for the snarky kids?
Mock Paper Scissors 
Atrios had a great lyric to “Imagine” on twitter… “imagine there are no parties, it’s easy if you try, only joe below us, above us only bayh.”
I laughed..
LikeLike
Looks to me like the “No Labels” party has a label: “The Slush Fund party” Thank’s for pointing out yet again that you are more of a journalist than David Gergen.
LikeLike
See, you’re smart enough to see that the powers that be are full of shit.
The next step is to get smart enough to realize that they get away with it because people are stupid and/or don’t care.
It’s not that conspiracy just hasn’t been uncovered. It’s that is just doesn’t matter that it exists.
LikeLike
Nutella –
Welcome to MPS, it is good to have you with us.
I get it that most people don’t care, and I understand cynicism; I just wish that journalists–the 4th branch of government–were not entirely co-opted by corporations and political ideology. This thing seems so shabby to me. I mean, clearly it is Bloomberg’s money, so why not just say it?
Rgds,
Tengrain
LikeLike
I want my own Party….. Birthday Party, Stag Party, Tupperware Party,….this could be a new career move for me. Thanks for the info.
PS Do you think I need a PayPal account?
LikeLike
I know I’m thankful for the supremes in that people like this group start their own party with just some cash some one had laying around. Is this a great country or what?
We are doomed and thanks T for the attempt. Just more F*%*$$$ criminals at the gate.
In the latest o/demodog give away, do the 99ers get more $$$$$$? What about the people that drop off this months ago?
LikeLike
Probably for the same reason that they’re all piling on Julian Assange, rather than acting to promote transparency, like the NYT did forty-odd years ago with the “Pentagon Papers”: these days, for the MSM, it’s all about being on the side of the Power Elite, right or wrong. That’s where the money is, and they all hang out in the same crowd, anyway.
I mean, you KNOW “No Labels” is some kind of Astroturf group. Probably something cobbled together by Karl Rove, to promote “bipartisanhsip,” Republican-style…
LikeLike
Love it Tengrain! Absolutely love it.
Yes indeed, No Labels is nothing more than a new paycheck to hacks like Gergan and DFB. Whatever they’re selling, I’m against it. If they can’t be upfront with who pays for their freight, then why bother.
And if they think Manchin is the Bees Knees…. then ‘nuf said.
RP
LikeLike
Retired Patriot –
Welcome to MPS, it is good to have you with us.
Yeah, so what is the point of this? Is it just more centrist BS with a nice new bow tied on top?
Rgds,
Tengrain
LikeLike
Whatever it is, it ain’t there to help us. bet on it.
LikeLike
they could have taken the million bucks and paid for all those transplant patients in arizona instead of wasting it on this self-serving bullshit.
LikeLike
I can’t help but think of Lippmann and Chomsky. Manufacturing consent. The filter of conspiratorial group think is that if it gives you an advantage take it; you won’t get caught because there is cover being laid down at Country Club Holiday parties. Remember the bigger the conspiracy the harder it is to believe it is serving evil. These guys should really stop twittering, their crack is showing.
LikeLike
This too, shall pass.
LikeLike
“No Labels, which is a 504(c)4 organizaton and requires donors to report contributions to the IRS, …” An anxious constituency awaits the concluding independent clause. Maybe I missed something; what did he say, exactly?
LikeLike
Gadzooks –
Welcome to MPS, it is good to have you with us.
What Gergen said is that he’s not telling, and if we want to know, we can plow through everyone’s tax return, ourselves, to find out.
Rgds,
Tengrain
LikeLike
Rising above partisan politics is one thing, rising above lobbyists is just crazy talk !
LikeLike