Topic: Ron Paul
Russert Waterboards Ron Paul The Geneva Conventions never imagined the kind of torture that Tim Russert uses on his guests. The Ron Paul hatchet job was worse than others.by William Westmiller
(libertarian)
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Every candidate dreads an appearance on Meet the Press, because Tim Russert has no interest in an honest interview. Aside from coddling John McCain, candidates are assaulted with every flimsy allegation and innuendo that has ever been made against them by opponents. The sole object is to make his victims squirm, mumble, confess, and prostrate themselves to Russert’s hatchet job. It wouldn’t be allowed at Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo prisons. When Ron Paul appeared, he withstood the waterboarding gracefully and with supreme heroism.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with presenting a guest with the allegations, however frivolous. It allows them to respond, correct the record, and present their actual positions and principles. That can’t be done in twenty seconds. It was worse than the broadcast debates, where candidates at least had thirty seconds to respond.
Russert came to the interrogation with 61 "questions," many of them longer than the time allowed for the response. The appearance lasted for just over 33 minutes, but 11 minutes were taken by Russert to present distortions, minimal-context quotes, and to argue with the candidate over the answers. His torture support crew dredged out characterizations of Paul’s positions from 29 years ago, hearsay from fired employees, quibbles over constitutional law, and fabricated contradictions for Russert’s "mutilate the candidate" segment. Russert had no interest in the answers and cut off or interrupted most responses after a few seconds. The longest answer that Paul was allowed ran 1:06 and the average time for a reply was under twenty seconds.
Paul wasn’t singled out. Russert had attacked Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and others with the same approach, but none of those encounters were as malicious and disrespectful as the Ron Paul interrogation. Those who watched the show, hoping to get a better understanding of Paul’s positions, were denied any opportunity to hear any substantive explanation. As a reality show, it was more revolting than any "Survivor" challenge or "Fear Factor" episode. More vicious than a "Mortal Combat" video game. This purported news show should be renamed "Meet The Slasher."
The views expressed in this
article are those of William Westmiller only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. William Westmiller is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Posted By: Louis Nardozi
Date: 2007-12-23 16:40:05
Tim Russert is really something. He investigates OTHER people back to what they said 20 years ago, but does Mr. Russert disclose his OWN conflicts of interest? No, instead he silently plans his character assassination attempt without letting anyone know he has a dog in the fight. Well, you kind of have to expect that type of hatchet job from someone who in bed with the status quo. I did my OWN little fact checking expedition and found the advertisers for Meet The Press.
GE lists 824 items regarding defense contracts on their website for 2007. http://www.ge.com/search/index.jsp
Boeing lists 72,200 items regarding defense. http://tinyurl.com/2nm5y8
Fidelity Investments - tax and 401k services, need I say more?
Hummer - child company of AM General the company that makes all the HMMWV's for the Army
UBS - Another banking company, certainly they have nothing to fear from Dr. Paul, right?
Toyota - makes cars which are CURRENTLY cheaper to make in Japan (and then assemble here).
Aleve - you think Bayer Pharmaceuticals has a reason to fear Ron Paul - who wants to allow young adults to opt out of SS and Medicare and is vehemently opposed to socialized medicine?
ABE - (shill for coal companies) do they have nothing to fear from Ron Paul's desire to deregulate nuclear power so we have safe, clean unlimited power?
CVS - A Pharmacy whose bread and butter is insurance and Medicare. Dr. Paul wants to remove the incentives for hospitals to overbill us.
Xerox - another defense contractor. Here's a link to their defense contracts of 2006. http://tinyurl.com/2wjzbb
MasterCard - Huge banking coop.
Why didn't Mr. Russert let us know that he had a HUGE conflict of interest BEFORE THIS SEGMENT AIRED? When half of your advertisers are in defense, the other half split between banking and Big Pharma doesn't that constitute NEWS? I mean, Mr. Russert dug back 20 years or more on Dr. Paul to try to find "dirt". Why not look in your own mirror? I find the FACT the Mr. Russert did NOT disclose this relationship highly disturbing.
And as a result of this interview we learn that Ron Paul blatantly lied on national television.
Halfway through Russert asked him about a 3rd party run. Paul demurred and said he'd been a Republican all his life. Russert asked him what about the Libertarian Party. Paul responded that was "only 1 year."
In actuality Ron Paul was a member of the Libertarian Party for 10 years, possibly 11, from 1986 til 1995/96.
Posted By: Michael McDonnough
Date: 2007-12-23 18:44:31
Dondero,
Is it true that before you were fired from Ron Paul's staff that you were in fact sleeping on the couch at the office and that as a result of some offending odor that the couch took on that it had to be taken out and burned? I read it in a statement below another of your Ron Paul slander drive by posts and wondered if that was just a rumor if it there was some fact to that statement.
The same message also said that you beat your wife and she left you for it and that you married a mail order bride from the orient. Can you comment on that statement. Is there any truth to that or is it just a fabrication?
Russert brought out the best in Ron Paul. Russert tried to make Ron Paul look bad and he hit a brick wall and ended up making Ron Paul look good. I especially liked the part about the civil war.
Dondero: "... In actuality Ron Paul was a member of the Libertarian Party for 10 years ..."
For those 10 years, the LP was a membership organization. You could be registered in any party and still be an LP "member" by paying dues. Ron may have paid dues for more than one year, but he was required to affiliate with the GOP when he ran in the 1996 Texas congressional primary.
Eric Dondero,
Quit acting like a scorned woman and get on with your life.
While I don't think Ron Paul is perfect he offers much more than the other pandering warmongers. Get a therapist and get over getting canned.
Dondero, why waste time with your posts. YOU ARE A LOSER. We all know where you are coming from. We don't buy your garbage or your ad hominem attacks. Please center yourself find the truth and move on.
"And as a result of this interview we learn that Ron Paul blatantly lied on national television. Halfway through Russert asked him about a 3rd party run. Paul demurred and said he'd been a Republican all his life. Russert asked him what about the Libertarian Party. Paul responded that was "only 1 year." In actuality Ron Paul was a member of the Libertarian Party for 10 years, possibly 11, from 1986 til 1995/96."
most likely not a lie rather than just him saying he ran for office as a libertarian for 1 year. actually man, your right HE'S TOTALLY TRYING TO COVER THIS UP! COS YOU KNOW THIS COULD REALL Y HURT HIM!! lol yea right.
I love ron paul and was a little disappointed with the interview and thought russert was really bashing him but after watching it, i watched his interview with giuliani and romney and he was just as hard on them. The only difference is that Ron Paul handled the questions decisively better with no flip flopping...
I too was disappointed with the overall interview. Don't get me wrong, compared to Guiliani and Romney, Paul did great. I told a lot of people that don't research on the internet to watch him. I wish he'd of had more time getting his great message across clearly to wake up more people to what is really going on and what is at stake for not only us but our children's children.
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