MSNBC has quoted us on an article, based on my Thursday post on the topic. This article was actually released Thursday night, but I have not honestly had time to link it until now. It’s actually a pretty balanced article, on the whole. But I never know ahead of time when contacted by a reporter whether it’s something looking for some balance, or whether it’s going to be a hack job. Unfortunately, when it’s MSNBC, my gut tells me hack job. In this case that wasn’t the case.
No doubt MAIG is going to try to drive that 1.5 million number as hard and far as they can. The question is whether any politicians will buy it. Regardless of whether it’s real grassroots or not, it’s likely MAIG has accomplished more here than the Brady Organization has, even in the past.
“I never know ahead of time when contacted by a reporter whether it’s something looking for some balance, or whether it’s going to be a hack job.”
You have to worry not only about the reporter(s), but the editors upstairs from them. In my time I have had reporters call me back after interviewing me, and apologize for what editors did to their story; in one case a reporter sent me the original copy of what was submitted, to compare to what went to print. It wasn’t the same thing at all; it went from balanced and generally favorable to a hack-job.
In this case you fared pretty well at both levels, it would appear. Congratulations!
“The NRA and special interests have been schoolyard bullies,†Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told reporters after a press conference Thursday with Newtown family members in the Capitol.
Them: Give me your lunch money or I’ll have someone else punch you in the face!
Us: No, it’s my lunch money and you have no right to take it.
Them: Well, give me a quarter then.
Us: Piss off!
Them: You’re such a bully!
Those comments on MSNBC… Couldn’t be more hostile if they were jidhadists burning US flag and chanting “Death to America”
When I start seeing MAIG stickers on cars, then I’ll believe that they have a grassroots movement.
This. +1000
Agreed 100%!
I’m sure tons of urban dwellers are sending in checks and get MAIG stickers to put on their Prius.
I hope I’m not the only person disturbed by Blumenthal’s quote: “We lost the first vote, but we’re going to win the last vote.â€
The fact that he thinks there’s going to be a “last vote” is concerning. If they pass anything, it’ll get challenged, and there will be votes on whether to repeal it.
The only way there’s a “last vote” is if the Republic fails.
Perhaps that’s Bloomberg’s end-game. Remove arms from the people, “destroy” them by giving them to his “bodyguard” army, and then declare himself Emperor Over All. Who needs votes, when you have Bloomberg running things?
While we’ve all thought that he wants to be President, I think we were wrong. His fat, salt, and soda bans should tell us that “President” isn’t sufficient…but “Emperor Bloomberg”, coronated on the 20th of “Bloombury”, has a nice ring to Mayor Bloomberg…
Dick Blumenthal should never be mentioned without noting that he built his soi-disant “public service” career on entirely fabricated claims of Vietnam heroism. He must have meant Little Vietnam somewhere in Queens or something. He was never within 5,000 miles of the actual country.
Don’t take my word for it. Google “Blumenthal Vietnam.” Every time I see his supercilious sneer, I think of the guy who went in his place and wound up on the Wall, with Blumenthal laughing at him — and stealing his valor. He may be the single most contemptible man in politics today, which is really saying something.
Sebastian is much more tolerant of these guys than I. It’s true that Smyth seems to have quoted him accurately, a small miracle from any reporter, and he even mentioned that getting on Der Bloomführer’s list requires a click, not a cent, so good on him. But seriously, “gun law reform groups” for the bansters? I guess that’s the JournoList-issued euphemism du jour.