Rand Paul tries to get Abby Martin fired

[Mark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osg0RYAP2cs

Abby Martin hosts RT's Breaking the Set .

[Selene]

Presuming that Rand Paul was refusing to engage as it appears in the video, it saddens me because I had thought highly of him.

[Mark]

If he was in a hurry he might have wanted to avoid anwering in a sound-bight what he thought required a lot of time.

What's disgusting -- and shows that the above was not what was on his mind -- is his trying to destroy Abby Martin's career for no good reason. Destroy is not too strong a word.

This is one more black mark against Rand Paul to add to a growing list:

1. Pretending Feinstein's bill regarding the NDAA did anything to amend it.

2. Pretending his TSA bills did anything to end the TSA.

3. Endorsing Romney for President.

4. [added] Voting for sanctions against Iran.

5. Trying to destroy a young and talented (not to mention cute) reporter merely for asking a question he didn't want to answer.

[Selene]

If he was in a hurry he might have wanted to avoid anwering in a sound-bight what he thought required a lot of time.

What's disgusting -- and shows that the above was not what was on his mind -- is his trying to destroy Abby Martin's career for no good reason. Destroy is not too strong a word.

This is one more black mark against Rand Paul to add to a growing list:

1. Pretending Feinstein's bill regarding the NDAA did anything to amend it.

2. Pretending his TSA bills did anything to end the TSA.

3. Endorsing Romney for President.

4. Trying to destroy a young and talented (not to mention cute) reporter merely for asking a question he didn't want to answer.

Agreed. Very troubling. Endorsing Romney I can live with, the rest I can't.

And she is not only cute, she is extremely hot especially the outfit with the tie.

[Brant Gaede]

I tried to fire Obama.

--Brant

destroy his career

[Brant Gaede]

I stopped watching the video after +5 minutes when they kept repeating themselves. It wasn't clear to me what Rand Paul was trying to do as opposed or compared to what the Senate media relations whatever people were trying to do. So, a representative of the most powerful political force in the country--Big Media--gets swatted by is primary lackey. I don't care. Obviously they know how to fight back. I bet she gets promoted. As for RP, it sounds like typical arrogance on the part of many physicians who look in the mirror every morning and see a god looking back. That said, I may be wrong about this particular one.

--Brant

[BaalChatzaf]

That's it! Our politicians live every day in office surrounded by mirrors and their ears are exposed to the nattering of the Echo Chamber.

These pitiful creatures are quickly cut off from connection with human beings and have only themselves for company.

I have a solution: National Humiliation Day.

One day per year is designated so that all elected officials and those appointed with the approval of the Senate must stand naked on a platform while citizens not employed by government are permitted to throw mud, fecal material and light bags filled with urine at them. No rocks, heaver or sharp stuff now. Just messy poo. Any government official who will not stand up on National Humiliation Day is forthwith and immediately discharged from office and may never hold office again. This will put our governors in vivid connection with the people that they dis-serve and abuse

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Reidy]

I watched about a minute's worth. I thought these people were cranks, but they turned out to be a front for the Russian government: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abby_Martin (not that the two are incompatible). You've damaged your credibility.

[Mark]

Brant,

RT cannot rightly be described as "big media," it’s not in the same league as what you see on cable. I hope Abby Martin does well at RT or wherever she goes, she deserves to do well.

I'd bet that Ron Paul having been pickled in the corridors of power is the reason for his arrogance and viciousness, not his having worked as a physician.

[Mark]

Reidy,

Front? Do you know what RT stands for?

Cato people have appeared on RT, Gerald Celente, etc.

[william.scherk]

Russia Today, Russia Today, Russia Today ... is this well-funded international channel a 'big media' concern?

Depends on whose ox is being gored, I suppose. And it hardly matters just how big they are, if their programming is trustworthy, and their journalists do a straight-up job.

I find that the saddest thing about RT is their pool of 'analysts' -- chosen for their attitude towards the US government, and not for their bona fides or expertise.

Thus, many Americans are featured on RT, carrying the Kremlin's water. And in some of the cases of USA 'analysts' offering their opinions, the Americans are on the fringes of reliable, trustworthy reporting -- or beyond, from the Nutterzone.

So, you get Webster Tarpley (and all manner of similar 9/11 wackaloons) and Jim Stachowiak and Stephen Lendman, and Tony Cartalucci, and Sharmine Narwani, and Jesse Ventura, and you get oddities like 'b' of Moon of Alabama. You even get the king of unsubstantiated nonsense, Alex Jones -- lots and lots of Alex Jones.

http://youtu.be/EbCtHQsOXe8

I would say that in the leagues of international English-language 'news' channels, RT is in the top ten for viewership, with the big boys being BBC, France24 dominant with large audiences, and RT in the second tier behind Al Jazeera English among the lesser lights. PressTV has been removed from European satellites.

It pays to watch RT, mind. Their slavish devotion to Kremlin policy tells you a lot about the Russian attitute to the USA. That some folks get 'used' in a way to promote Soviet-style perspectives is not really at issue (and some of them are not 'used' whatsoever, but parrot the RT line without prompting: Mahdi Nazemroaya, Lizzie Phelan, Thierry Meyssan).

What struck me about the endless story via webcam upthread were a couple of facts. The lady and gentleman (and camera person) did have press credentials, and were on their way to the media availability they intented to cover. On their way they spotted Rand Paul, and decided to get some questions asked. He wasn't into them that much. They were later contacted (and the RT lady took a meeting) with the media controllers on Capitol Hill.

And then nothing happened except a long, boring, self-regarding 'report' by a self-satisfied, smirking duo who made the story entirely about themselves.

Such a credit to the actual meat on the bones of press freedom in America (and in Canada, where RT roams freely) and in the UK (which has an RT London bureau) that RT merrily spins its fables and offers its bill of goods.

The only thing missing from Russia Today's programming is an actual critical look at Russia today ... but it is still an excellent resource for exploring the nutterzone.

Edited December 23, 2012 by william.scherk

[Mark]

Though Alex Jones' voice and manner might appall a more refined intellect, many of his ideas are sound. He supported Ron Paul for example.

I rather like Jesse Ventura though at times he's a showman. I only know "Moon of Alabama" through the blog, which occasionally publishes some good articles. I don't know the other people you mentioned.

The only RT shows I watch are

Breaking the Set with Abby Martin

and

Capital Account with Lauren Lyster

They're almost always worth the time.

As far as viewership goes RT is not in the same league as Fox News.

RT -- Russia Today -- is not a "front" for Russia, it's "up front" about being a Russian outlet.

I can't follow the wholesale trashing of everything that comes out of RT. Like all news outlets it must be used critically and you do need to keep the Russian aspect in mind. Though Russia is no longer the Soviet Union, most of the county’s leadership are former Soviet party members, and in business the country has a culture of corruption.

American mainstream media is so incredibly bad, especially as it parrots U.S. propaganda, so much so that RT's problematic origin is a minor worry in comparison. It’s grist for the mill, and so far I like the above two shows.