This is what propaganda looks like:

Over at the Fox Nation (set up to appeal to Fox News viewers), there is this large-text headline on their main page:

Media Inflamed Over Romney's Innocent 'Unemployed' Joke, But Totally Ignore Obama's Callous 'Shovel-Ready' Joke

Delving into the story, we read: (emp add)

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is taking flak from Democrats after telling a group of out-of-work Floridians "I'm also unemployed."

The former Massachusetts governor and multimillionaire made the comment Thursday at a Tampa coffee shop. He told the group that he did have his eye on one particular job.

Romney was criticizing President Barack Obama's economic performance, calling it the worst since President Jimmy Carter's in the 1970s.

Democrats were quick to pounce on Romney's comment. Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said he is out of touch with the average American and that being unemployed isn't a joke. Wasserman Schultz chairs the Democratic National Committee. (...)

President Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness met today in Durham, NC at Cree Inc., a company that manufactures energy-efficient LED lighting. One of the Council's recommendations to President Obama was to streamline the federal permit process for construction and infrastructure projects. It was explained to Obama that the permitting process can delay projects for "months to years ... and in many cases even cause projects to be abandoned ... I'm sure that when you implemented the Recovery Act your staff briefed you on many of these challenges." At this point, Obama smiled and interjected, "Shovel-ready was not as ... uh .. shovel-ready as we expected." The Council, led by GE's Jeffrey Immelt, erupted in laughter.

Two points:

• The media was not inflamed. If anyone, and it's a stretch to say she was 'inflamed", it was Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee.
  
  
• Obama's "joke" was not callous. It barely met the criteria for being a joke. Callous is saying: "There are no shovel-ready jobs, so people should use their shovels to dig their own graves." Or something like that.

But, facts aside, Fox Nation wants you to believe that "the media" is out to get Republicans, and that Obama is a cold-hearted dude. No wonder there is such polarization in our politics these days. Much of it courtesy of Rupert Murdoch.


posted by Quiddity at 6/17/2011 05:21:00 AM