Come on MSM – Do Your Job!
by Mike on Apr.30, 2009, under Political
I know the MSM is in the tank for President Obama. But can we at least get a little skepticism – just a little? Time after time, the President will make outlandish statements (some might/have called these lies) and he is rarely, if ever challenged on these.
In his press conference last night, President Obama stated we didn’t need to use enhanced interrogation techniques, which he called torture,
“because we could have gotten this information in other ways, in ways that were consistent with our values, in ways that were consistent with who we are.”
And this statement was not challenged! If you read the enhanced interrogation technique memos the Obama Administration released, you will see the interrogation of key terrorists was performed methodically with the pressure increased through the use of increasingly harsher techniques. Mark Thiessen has written an excellent piece concerning the interrogation of Khalid Sheik Mohammed and Abu Zubaydah:
Consider the Justice Department memo of May 30, 2005. It notes that “the CIA believes ‘the intelligence acquired from these interrogations has been a key reason why al-Qaida has failed to launch a spectacular attack in the West since 11 September 2001.’ … In particular, the CIA believes that it would have been unable to obtain critical information from numerous detainees, including (Khalid Sheik Mohammed) and Abu Zubaydah, without these enhanced techniques.” The memo continues: “Before the CIA used enhanced techniques … KSM resisted giving any answers to questions about future attacks, simply noting, ‘Soon you will find out.’ ” Once the techniques were applied, “interrogations have led to specific, actionable intelligence, as well as a general increase in the amount of intelligence regarding al-Qaida and its affiliates.”
It is clear that the enhanced techniques were the key to obtaining “specific, actionable intelligence”. That said, how can the President claim that “we could have gotten this information in other ways”? Does he have kinder, gentler interrogation techniques he can demonstrate are equally effective? Why didn’t anyone at the press conference challenge this statement?
Secondly, the President stated that there have already been “150,000 jobs created or saved”. This is an incredible canard. It is impossible to prove how many jobs were “saved”. As we have heard many times, you can not prove a negative. Hey Mr. Businessman, how many folks did you not fire? I fill out lots of government census reports which deal with employment and payroll, and none of them ask how many jobs were “saved”. Why didn’t anyone at the press conference challenge this statement?
Finally, he claimed that all the folks who refinanced their mortgages because interest rates are low have effectively received a “tax cut”. Again, another canard which went unchallenged. Mortgage rates are low because home sales have fallen dramatically over the last few months, resulting in very low demand for new loans. Accordingly, I ask again, why didn’t anyone at the press conference challenge this statement?
However, this ruse of the President’s may very instructive. Keep in mind, that the while campaigning, Senator Obama promised that 95% of the population would not have their taxes raised. If he can claim that mortgage refinance savings are effectively a “tax cut” will he make the same correlation when “electricity prices will necessarily skyrocket” under his cap and trade plan? Will he admit to violating his campaign pledge by “raising taxes” on everyone via higher energy prices directly attributable to his legislation? My assumption is that he will not.
It is no wonder that people are leaving the MSM in droves and seeking other sources of news.
