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Trump Threatens News Media And First Amendment: Alarming Development!

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Donald Trump has been critical of news media for years, due to their reporting of his antics and illegalities and immoralities.

But recently, he has indicated his intention to shut down critical news media if he is returned to the Oval Office.

This threat to the First Amendment and freedom of the press is highly alarming, and no decent person should think that it is acceptable that he could go ahead and try to shut down the press, both print and cable!

Trump has issued threats against such reputable sources as the NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NPR and PBS among others.

In his world, only right wing media, such as FOX NEWS CHANNEL would exist, and yet even that network has come under attack from him during his Presidential campaign.

If Donald Trump is returned to the White House, the nation will be in the grips of an authoritarian Fascist regime, so it cannot be allowed to occur!

Renowned Journalist Dan Rather Reaches Age 90!

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Renowned journalist Dan Rather, who became one of the “Big Three” Evening News anchors at CBS News, alongside Peter Jennings at ABC News and Tom Brokaw at NBC News from the 1980s to 2005, today reached the age of 90.

Still active, and often interviewed on CNN and MSNBC, Rather first came to notice in covering the aftermath of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, where he was a CBS correspondent at the time.

He would cover the White House for CBS News in the later 1960s and 1970s, and was most noticed for his challenges to President Richard Nixon.

Rather was elevated to the anchor position upon the retirement of Walter Cronkite in 1981, and became the center of right wing attacks, which continue even in 2021.

Rather was forced out of his CBS News anchor position in 2005 in a controversy over George W. Bush’s National Guard service, but in his so called “retirement” years, he has remained noticed in hosting radio shows, and commenting regularly on Twitter.

Rather also has won Emmy and Peabody Awards, and is the author of numerous books.

Happy 25th Anniversary For MSNBC: A True Treasure!

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Today marks a quarter century of an exceptional news source, MSNBC, which began on July 15, 1996.

It started as a partnership between Microsoft and NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation).

It is one of the two major cable channels, alongside CNN (Cable News Network) to be committed to promote facts and truth, and the battle for facts and truth is a constantly evolving battle, due to the rivalry of Fox News Channel, which has spent its entire history since October 1996 to promote distortion, lies, and evade the truth.

It is hard to imagine news coverage in 2021 without appreciating the people and the coverage of news that MSNBC offers. It has enriched all viewers and readers, and is an indispensable source alongside CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and many other online sources listed on this website, all on the right side of the page!

So congratulations to MSNBC in its constant battle against the forces of evil that are out there in the media world!

A Massive Loss With The Passing Of Brilliant Journalist Cokie Roberts

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It was a total shock when the news came two days ago that NPR and ABC journalist Cokie Roberts had died of breast cancer at the age of 75.

This author and blogger loved Cokie Roberts, her reporting, her personality, her humanity, her decency, and to imagine her dying at an age when many others still thrive, was hard to take emotionally.

Roberts was one of the earliest female journalists, and a major contributor to the success of National Public Radio. She was on the Sunday morning news show on ABC for decades, and made the news much more palatable.

She was a creature of Washington, DC and the political establishment, as her father and mother, Hale Boggs and Lindy Boggs, were important figures in the House of Representatives.

She also published six books about women in American history, and was someone you knew you could rely on for accuracy and honesty in commentary.

She also warned us of the danger of Donald Trump, and she was so right on that, with Trump unable to say anything nice about her after her death, because everything is always all about himself, the malignant narcissist.

At the same time, Barack Obama and George W. Bush had commendable statements about Cokie Roberts, as both are men of dignity and class, whether or not one agrees with either President’s personality or policies.

Rest in Peace, Cokie Roberts, as you have made a major contribution to American journalism, and the equality and advancement of women, and the progressive cause!

Good Fortune That Many Watergate Scandal Journalists And Investigators Are Still Alive And Able To Assist With Insight Into Trump Scandals

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It has been 45 years since the Watergate Scandal started to erupt, leading to the resignation of Richard Nixon 43 years ago.

Now that we are in the most dangerous constitutional crisis since Watergate, and actually more dangerous than that one was, it is good that many Watergate Scandal journalists and investigators are still alive, and able to assist with their insights and expertise into the Donald Trump scandals.

It is encouraging that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who exposed the facts about the Watergate break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, are still actively engaged in pursuing the truth.

Also, Dan Rather, formerly the CBS News anchor from 1981-2005, and Ted Koppel of ABC News and “Nightline”, are both still pursuing the facts, and providing their brilliant analysis on what they see as more concerning than even the Nixon scandals.

Several individuals who helped in the prosecution case. led by Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworksi, 35 years ago, also are still alive and well, and able to give their expertise on comparing Watergate to the Trump scandals, with the general conclusion that this present scandal is more dangerous, constitutionally, than what Nixon represented.

Most observers believe that were Nixon alive today, he would be shocked at what Donald Trump has said and done, wondering how he has been able to accomplish so much in his corruption, and how he must be held accountable for his transgressions.

Donald Trump Promoting Long Term Racism And Nativism In Children: What A Tumultuous Future For America!

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The saddest and most tragic effect of the Donald Trump candidacy for President is how he is promoting long term racism and nativism in children, which guarantees a long term tumultuous future for American race relations.

White children are taunting their Hispanic-Latino and Muslim school mates,that they will be deported and barred from America, and that is cannon fodder for the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups to recruit teenagers and young men and women in their 20s to incite racial violence and persecution over the long haul.

A third grade boy in North Carolina has written, as part of a class assignment, to Donald Trump, deploring his racism, nativism, and other prejudiced statements, that harm children, and shows a very perceptive young man who is ashamed of what Trump is doing as an adult, who is supposed to be a role model, but is anything but that.

It is infuriating that Trump accused Cokie Roberts, the PBS journalist formerly with ABC News,  who was on Morning Joe this morning, of being “nasty”, by bringing up the effect Trump is having on children.  And for Trump to claim he has not “heard” or “seen” that, is aggravating, as just because he, personally, has not heard or seen it, is just an indication of how ignorant he is, and his attempt to deny reality as a result!

Trump is already damaging America in a long term manner, long after he leaves the scene, and that is a sin beyond redemption!

Scott Walker, The New “Glamour Boy” Of The GOP: A Lightweight Candidate For President!

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The new “glamour boy” of the Republican Party, being touted by many observers, is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who wowed many at the Iowa Conservative Conference, hosted by Tea Party Congressman Steve King.

Walker is a favorite of the Koch Brothers, who helped Walker to survive the recall attempt in 2012, and helped him win the gubernatorial race in 2014.

Since this third victory in four years, Scott Walker has been very cocky, arrogant and egotistical, bragging about having had three victories for Governor in four years, and how he is the “new face” that the Republican Party needs to win the Presidency.

The argument is that he can carry the Midwest and gain his home state for the Republicans, a claim that no serious political analyst believes to be true.

YES, a Governor who is Republican can win many states, but winning a Presidential election is something very different!

Walker has zero foreign policy expertise and knowledge, and demonstrated it on ABC’s This Week, in an interview with Martha Radditz. He showed the same lack of knowledge and smarts as former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin showed in 2008.

Walker has done great damage to labor; to education; to health care for the poor and disadvantaged; and is being investigated for his connections to Tea Party and outside corporate interests.

Walker has taken the state of Robert LaFollette, Sr.; Robert LaFollette, Jr.; William Proxmire; Gaylord Nelson; Patrick Lucey; and Russ Feingold, and brought corruption and undermining of good government to the Badger State.

For that, he cannot be forgiven, and the goal must be to undermine his potential front runner status, mostly coming about as a “fresh face”, instead of retreads, such as Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Mike Huckabbee; and more extreme right wingers, including Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Bobby Jindal.

Scott Walker is bad news, and he is starting to be exposed for the phony he is, and the lack of intellect that he clearly demonstrates!

Cocky, Arrogant, Smug, Smirker Bill Kristol Gets Comeuppance On THIS WEEK On ABC News!

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Bill Kristol, publisher of The Weekly Standard, one of the leading conservative journals of opinion, and a leading Neoconservative, who advocated intervention in Iraq a decade ago, is always willing to promote US military intervention all over the world, as long as he does not, himself, have skin in the game.

A true “chicken hawk,” Kristol is one of the most obnoxious of all necons, being extremely cocky, arrogant, smug, and a smirker with an attitude that he knows it all. Watching him makes one wish he could wipe the smirk off his face!

On ABC’s THIS WEEK on Sunday, Kristol finally got his comeuppance, when Katrina Vanden Heuvel, the publisher of The Nation,which is one of the leading progressive-liberal journals of opinion, and Matthew Dowd, who was an aide to President George W. Bush, both went on the attack against Kristol and other necons, and effectively shut him up, although it is clear Kristol does not wish to listen or to learn, as he has all the answers, with his intellectual snobbery!

Vanden Heuvel suggested that if Kristol really believed in further military intervention in the Middle East, that he enlist in the military, and put his own skin in the game, to which Kristol had no answer.

It is amazing how many necons, including the most infamous, former Vice President Dick Cheney, never served in the military, but are only too willing to send the sons and daughters of others to war!

The Disgraceful Franklin Graham And Ralph Reed

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Franklin Graham is disgraceful as the supposed successor of his dad, the Reverend Billy Graham, who is now 95 years of age.

Franklin Graham is extremely anti Islamic, labeling everyone in the faith as a potential terrorist, and unwilling to work toward reconciliation with the vast number of Muslims who are NOT terrorists, millions of them living in the United States, and facing discrimination that is undeserved.

Additionally, Franklin Graham is extremely anti gay, and applauds Russian leader Vladamir Putin on his nation’s anti gay legislation, failing to understand that gays are being threatened and victimized in ways similar to what happened to them in Nazi Germany. He has absolutely no tolerance or willingness to give gays and lesbians the equal rights in law and social treatment that all Americans are supposed to be guaranteed under the Bill of Rights!

It was good to see ABC News journalist Cokie Roberts challenge Graham on THIS WEEK this past Sunday, and she also did a service by exposing the hypocrisy of Ralph Reed, formerly of the Christian Coalition of Pat Robertson, and now of the Faith And Freedom Coalition, who claimed that gays are not fit to be parents, and that they harm children by adoption, when there is absolutely no such evidence. Reed is a nasty man, a person of doubtful ethical character himself, having engaged in political finance scandals, and demonstrating very right wing views tinged with religious hypocrisy toward women, as well as gays and lesbians.

Graham and Reed are two religious activists worthy of condemnation by those who believe in fairness and justice!

The Kansas Nebraska Act (1854) Compared To ObamaCare? George Will And Michael Barone Lose ALL Credibility!

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Conservative columnists are starting to lose their sanity, and two of those are George Will and Michael Barone.

Will has always been seen as an “intelligent” conservative, who used to be on ABC News, but is now on Fox News Channel, which may explain his loss of intellect recently!, Michael Barone has published, on an even year basis for the past 42 years, the great research work, THE ALMANAC OF AMERICAN POLITICS, of which this author owns all 22 volumes proudly. But Barone, also on Fox News Channel often, is also writing ridiculously lately on many issues.

Both of these gentlemen, who should know better, are comparing ObamaCare to the Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854, calling ObamaCare the biggest disaster since that infamous law which allowed the expansion of slavery into the territories. The Kansas Nebraska Act destroyed the Whig Party, created the Republican Party, and helped to provoke civil war in Kansas, which eventually led to the Civil War.

How could anyone, supposedly intelligent, compare a law which promoted expansion of slavery to one providing basic health care to tens of millions of Americans who have not had access to health care which has caused the death of millions over decades unnecessarily?

It is obscene that anyone could make such comparisons, but this is the silly, reckless season of total demagoguery.

And this includes the esteemed African American surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Carson, who is now seeking political ambitions, and has the gall to compare ObamaCare to slavery! How can he expect to be taken seriously, and in so doing, he is condemning millions of poor people, white and minority, to the continuation of inferior health care access, or none at all!

These three gentlemen need to realize they lose all creditability when they state ridiculous, asinine statements such as the above, and need to apologize, but will they? The answer is NO, as they all benefit economically by their demagogic statements! What a disgrace!