Bully boy Rahm puts screws on media execs
Howard Kurtz at the Washington Post sheds a little light on how Rahm F’n Emanuel leaned on network news executives to carry President Obama’s health care news conference. It’s the Chicago way.
In the days before President Obama’s last news conference, as the networks weighed whether to give up a chunk of their precious prime time, Rahm Emanuel went straight to the top.
Rather than calling ABC, the White House chief of staff phoned Bob Iger, chief executive of parent company Disney. Instead of contacting NBC, Emanuel went to Jeffrey Immelt, the chief executive of General Electric. He also spoke with Les Moonves, the chief executive of CBS Corp., the company spun off from Viacom.
Whether this amounted to undue pressure or plain old Chicago arm-twisting, Emanuel got results: the fourth hour of lucrative network time for his boss in six months. But network executives have been privately complaining to White House officials that they cannot afford to keep airing these sessions in the economic downturn.
The networks “absolutely” feel pressured, says Paul Friedman, CBS’s senior vice president: “It’s an enormous financial cost when the president replaces one of those prime-time hours. The news divisions also have mixed feelings about whether they are being used.”
Naw! You think!?
And no, this is not how the previous administration operated:
Tensions have been building behind the scenes. Some television executives say the Bush administration informally floated possible news conference dates in advance, while Obama officials basically notify the networks of their plans. Such an approach prompted calls between White House officials and the top executives at each network, and a meeting between Gibbs and the Washington bureau chiefs.
Buyer’s remorse. It’s what’s for breakfast.
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Trackbacks
- The Chicago Way In Action « The Underground Conservative
- It’s good to be the King The One [Darleen Click]
- Obama’s ‘Chief’ Gives Networks ‘An Offer They Can’t Refuse’
- Bloodthirsty Liberal » Nice Network Ya Got Here
- Rahm Emanuel puts screws on media execs « POLITISITE: Politics from the RIGHT Side of the WEB
- BizzyBlog
- It's The Chicago Way.... - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!
- Re-runs In Prime Time – Folks Growing Weary Of The “Tickle Me Elmo” No-News Conferences. « Ztower
- Liberal MSM Headlines: Obama’s Effectiveness on Economy Crumbling, More Americans Negative on His Spending… Colin Powell Wrong about Taxpayers Wanting “Big Government” « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- Jon Stewart: That’s Great, Obama… Now Fix the Economy! (video) « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- FOX Says ‘No’ - First to Decline Obama’s Request to Hog All Major TV Networks during Prime-time for 100th-Day Address « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- Remember when the Obama administration terrorized New York? « Jim Blazsik
- Those Jokes About Having A State-Run Media? « Tai-Chi Policy
- Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Rahm | Support Your Local Gunfighter
- FNC’s Baier Highlights How Mainstream Media Ignored Van Jones | linkthe.com
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It is a complete waste of time and money for bho to be on prime time. Very few people watch. Bho is on tv EVERY day with some news alert and I for one am sick of him!
L
Get that bum off of my TV . . . he’s on more than a test pattern.
And yet not a discouraging word from any of these Koolaid drinkers. It’s almost like the news media has adopted the ‘use me abuse me, make me like it, mind set.
The MSM help elect this empty suit, now they get to pay the price. Tough. I hope he makes a speech a week at their expense. Of course, I won’t watch them, but hey, tough again.
Even though he looks as nasty as he probably is, I still have a hard time imagining a former ballet dancer as the White House “enforcer”. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College no less. No football player he.
Each day that passes, Obama is losing support for his socialism plan. And his ratings are dropping. Do you think he could possibly take a hint, from all this? Or is Obama’s goal of socialism more important than the will of the people? Particularly the people that elected that jerk into office.
I’m just waiting for someone of strong character in the business world to come forward and tell Obama and his yelping poodle Rahm where to get off. I promise you Barry & Rahm will look notoriously ridiculous when they run across someone they can’t manipulate.
Rahm Emanuel is a wanker.
Slightly off topic, but:
Not like this is any surprise.
Cognitive Dissonance at the networks
Let’s pray the voters get it in time for the next few elections
I have just been informed that there is an Obama Joker poster popping up in LA — this is just too good to pass up – anyone know where we can get hold of, lots and lots lol -
They did not just adopt it. The mind set is a central part of the whole culture of dependency. Reflexively dependent people always choose abusers and then rationalize the abuse.
Then they blame Bush.
Soon there will be loudspeakers in every neighborhood across America by which Obama can drone on for hours lecturing to “his people.” This man and his administration must go.
A bit off topic, but speaking of “buyer’s remorse”…what do you think the middle class of this great country will do when they find out that their taxes WILL be raised? Remember the MAIN promise of Obama’s campaign? No tax increases for 95% of the American People!! Anyone earning less than $200,000 will actually see a tax decrease! I heard that talking point over and over ad nauseum during the campaign and early in this administration. Now…it is not said any more and in fact, this weekend, 3 people admitted on talk shows that the taxes will probably be raised on those folks as well. I suggest that someone put together a video of dozens of people giving that talking point as an answer in every debate they were in. It was disingenuous then and now it turns out it was an outright lie.
So perhaps now MSM will wake up and smell the coffee?
I hope they put “the empty suit” on TV seven days a week. The more he’s on the more people wake up and his polls go down. I don’t think ACORN will be able to save him the in the next election.
Rahm Emanuel is a little piss ant. He is known as a bully in Washington because in Washington little douche bags like him get to make the rules that impact the lives of others. In the real world he would get his ass kicked down Main street.
He is an elitist from childhood. Read his profile. He’s a private school kid who’s parents were into political activisim. He’s a Chicago style politician who loves to work in bribes and kickbacks. He’s a crook just like Obama. A ballet dancing sherry drinking little prick with an inferiority complex. A little Hitler clone.
The crap he pulls in the political world would lead to a beat down anywhere else in the country and rightly so.
Just like a woman in an abusive relationship. They keep coming back for more abuse.
Why have they forgotten they live in America and the Govt can’t take away their freedom of speech?
Given that they ignore the stench of corruption oozing from every corner of this administration, I doubt they will detect the smell of the coffee over the smell of sewage.
Even though I think Obama is at heart a fascist and totalitarian who’s very happy with his newfound ability to play the thug at a national level, the fact remains there are checks on his power. FOX doesn’t carry his infomercials on their entertainment channel and hasn’t suffered any serious repercussions for it. As clumsy as this administration is, I don’t see them going after the other networks with the FCC or IRS. If they had that power, they’d have done it to FOX by now.
What’s really stopping the other networks from telling Emanuel to jump in the lake? Has he threatened to expose their collusion during the campaigns? Are they just wimps?
Excellent points.
I had the same contempt for Clinton when he was in office…and still do.
His weasely twisting of words and phrases just showed him for the poor example for a president (purposely did not capitalize) that he was.
He, and likely today’s crop of socialists, would likely be the kid who took your, let’s say, pen, or mp3 player, or book, or whatever.
You confront the kid on the school playground, or on the sidewalk in front of the school, or anywhere.
You ask him if he has your book.
He says no.
You later find out that he indeed took your book.
You confront him again, and tell him he lied to you.
He gives the smart-ass answer that he didn’t lie to you, because you hadn’t asked him if he took your book – which he did; you had asked him if he had your book – which he did not have on him at the time you asked.
So, he tells you that he didn’t lie to you.
Whereupon, you smack him “good”, which he deserves.
The Democrat Party is a criminal enterprise.
Serves the TV stations right. They practically forced this guy on us, so I have no sympathy for them.
The media execs, possibly.After all, they’re responsible for a bottom line to present to stockholders, affiliates and advertisers. As to the individuals who populate the news and entertainment media-never.They exist in a uni-think hive. They are Obama and he is them.They have the same world view and share the same statist, collectivist mentality and they’ll promote , defend and cover for him at every turn.
How high do the turds have to float before the state run media wanna-bees figure it out? The stench oozing out of the Obama Administration is enough to gag a dead horse.
During FDR’s Fascism, Ford was one of the large companies who would heel, and nearly got put out of business by thugs setting fires, burning their factories and blocking roads because of it.
When you consider starting right after the Civil War, for over a 100 years the KKK was the Democrat party’s terror wing, it makes sense they will do it again.
This is great!
Problems in this country are just getting started and the “BO” king is already using up his media welcome, let the O-lini tactics continue its going to take a lot of media regret to get them back to a job performance window that includes objective integrity.
#15-ThatSamIAm—now tell us what you really think. Crooks one and all. A$$ kicking soon to come–we hope.
Every time Obama has a televised conference, his poll numbers drop and the network ratings drop. Sounds like a win-win to me.
American Thinker has the Obama Joker poster story.
MM,
I see above where Kurtz spoke pf ABC, NBC and CBS Executives. Did Rahm call Rupert Murdoch? Fox, the network, won the night overall in the ratings and you now that really has to bug the so called big three Execs.
How much you want to bet that Prompterbama will set another Press Conference or oval Office speech as soon as Congress gets back from recess? He will need to speak with America one more time before Congress decides our future with Obamacare and Crap and tax. The networks might not want to cancel a night during their fall programming roll-out.
Rahm, I think your administration has cried wolf once too many times. No one is listening!
Everything you need to know about Rahmbo.
His parents were born in Israel.
He is cheerfully helping his boss end restrictions on weapons technology to Syria, and putting pressure on Israel while having nothing but effusive praise for hard line Islamic states.
Pat Buchanan implies American Jews have dual loyalties. Rahm has no loyalties, except maybe to his Marxist leader.
the test pattern is better….I mute him and/or change the channel whenever he shows his pugly face…
CJ said:
The other caption should be
” Are we having fun yet”
Actually, can someone please explain this problem to me?
Unless improper threats were used, I don’t blame Rahm for trying. I blame GE and Disney management for feeling any pressure (if they did). Secondly, I blame the news chiefs for caving to pressure from parent company management (if they did).
Mixed feelings? These idiots are being led down the garden path by The B.O.’s minister of propaganda and they have “mixed feelings?” I guess in the Liberal Dictionary “mixed feelings” means “we’re pi$$ed of at this brain dead excuse for a national leader but we don’t want to be called racists.”
Not to worry, The B.O. will just bail them out!
Unattributed — a sure sign that it’s spin.
Errah, why don’t they just air this propaganda during Oprah’s or Ellen’s airtime and ask/have either of them pay for the other three broadcast channels. You could put it on during bed wetter’s show and the man girl that follows on PMSNBC but we all know no one watches that channel especially if QVC is having a snuggy or jewelry special at the same time.
It is more likely the story was floated to falsely show the broadcast ‘news’ is not just a propaganda wing of the Obama Party.
“We’re really objective. Rahm MADE us do it.”
Does this apply in all cases? Like when the NYT does it repeatedly? I’ll bet you drink the liberal kool-aid when that happens.
You also missed this, you retard.
Unattributed my a$$.
Now you know why we think your posts are a joke.
* Most scientists believe in global warming.
* A majority of people want universal health care
You never back up any of your assertions and then you post this you hypocrite!
Your attributes: moronic, transparent hypocrite, servile, shallow, stupid, pea-brained, Aspergerish, buffoonish, cowardly… I could go on at length, but you get the idea.
lgm–LAUGHABLE GREAT MOMENTS.
When is that Kool Aid going to start tasting bitter?
A little “BUYERS REMORSE” is good for the soul… TV EXECS are learning the best lesson of their lives… ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES… How unique!!!
I’m not normally one given to defending lgm.
I however find myself in this case needing to stick up for his moment of lucid thought.
lgm is absolutely correct that unattributed comments reported are worth little. He deserves credit for this small step in rational thought.
Unfortunately (for him) the next paragraph was attributed and to some degree substantiated the gist of the unattributed quotes.
“The news divisions also have mixed feelings about whether they are being used.”
Sounds like they have something similar to battered wife syndrome.
Thanks for the info, Michelle.
1) The mainstream media helped elect Barrack Hussein Obama (Peace be unto Him. Praise His Holy Name. Prostrate yourself before Him in humble submission. Kiss His Holy Feet in Worship and Adoration. Spread the word of the Messiah’s presence, Love, Compassion, and Blessings. Serve Him. Devote yourself to Him at all times, with every moment, in thought, word, and deed. Accept Him as your Savior and He will save you from eternal Damnation. He will heal you of your infirmities. Give Him your worries, your fears, your burdens, and He will give you Peace. Give thanks unto Him, for He is the giver of Prosperity and all Grace and Blessings – /sarcasm off).
Now the media want to complain about how much money they lose promoting “Him” in their prime time slots for his propaganda sessions!
Boo hoo!
2) Rahm Emanuel has taught us all a lession in getting things done.
Go for the big cheese. Don’t deal with the little people. Push hard. Be relentless until you get what you want.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this method works to get an auto manufacturer to give you a new automobile, free of charge, or to get a doctor, and a hospital, to give you full, Grade A medical care, free of charge, and a bank to give you money, free of charge.
I have seen people use tactics similar to Rahm Emanuel’s. I found them annoying and I did not like what they were doing, yet they got results and were elevated above others.
3) Is Obama obsessed with appearing on television and being worshipped by the masses?
I have a great idea…everytime the Obummer administration wants primetime from ABC, the top dogs (Obummer, cabinet secretaries, chief of staff, etc), they have to run the obsticle course on the game show “Wipeout”. Watching those idiots splash in the mud would be a great virtual tar and feathering.
TheJoker
RogersUmp said:
Not sure how others feel but me, this is such a statement and also silent to boot. This is perfect, others around the ole office say the same – I have plenty of places to post these.
I know this is off topic, but it may be very important to have this investigated.
I do not know the history or any details, but I found this link posted by a blogger on Breitbart (Lady liberty August 3rd, 2009 – 3:05 am ):
Obamba’s Kenya Birth Certificate Found
The Breitbart thread:
Obama Explains How His Health Care Plan Will ‘Eliminate’ Private Insurance
He can twist arms to get BHO on the air, but he can’t force people to watch those pathetically over scripted, time wasting snow jobs. I keep hearing how brilliant BHO is and yet he can’t seem to talk off the top of his head. Bush and Palin are “stupid” but neither needs a tightly scripted conference. If we all knew the true Obama, he would not have been elected to anything.
Oooh, Rahm might hit somebody with his dancing shoes.
Immelt, who now has an office in the west wing, or at least a hot-line directly to his personal lines.
Didn’t obama ‘hire’ him? ..as a czar or something like that.
Who the *bleep* watches network stations anymore, anyway? My TV is way up there in the cable news and rerun stations, if it’s on at all. Gimme a good rerun of, “Law and Order”, “CSI”, “Andy Griffith” or “The Cosby Show” over a new episode of, “How I met your Mother” ANY ol’ day.
I have no problem dissing Obama’s thugs, but please don’t ridicule ballet dancers. Ballet dancers are some of the strongest atheletes in the world and it’s much more difficult to combine strength with artistry than the brut strength of football.
In leg strength contests at school, my 105lb daughter beats the football players every time.
And contrary to popular, ignorant American believe, most male ballet dancers are NOT gay.
That’s not saying that Rahm Emanuel isn’t a sissy boy same as Obama, but don’t disparage ballet dancers to say it.
They are good atheletes, but let’s just say he’d make a better cellmate than a guy named Tattoo.
This is another example of the statism we’re heading toward. If you like having the government control your TV programming rather than making the choice yourself from a variety of free market options, then you’ll love Obamacare, Cap and Trade, and all the other big government programs democrats are anxious to shove down our throats.
Not according to all (about six) of the female ballet dancers that I know.
But that’s not really the point. The point was that most ballet dancers (gay or not) aren’t known for their thugishness. Is that an ignorant American perception?
Rahm is bound and determined to take the major network news outlets down to the sewer with the Obama Administration. All I have to say about that is…
SOMEBODY PULL THE CHAIN!
*WOOSH*
Here is a link to a site that has the picture. You could probably print it out from there.
I wonder if the Three Stooges from Viacom, GE and Disney woke up with horses’ heads in their beds the next morning.
Of course, you can find the part of the horse that wasn’t wanted in The Godfather all over Crapitol Hill.
No, they woke up with their ballet shoes – and the toes had been cut out…
lgm, Bush’s press conferences didn’t get much mainstream attention, at least not that often. Obama’s conferences do, and often. Hey, if it’s good enough for Larry Summers…
Whoo, I’m a little dizzy after that.
They deserve each other, you remember the old saying, when you lie down with dogs you will get up with fleas.
That Rahm Emanuel is a very scary guy.
lol I read somwhere that somone sold all their tv’s because all they ever saw on them was Obama.
how true too.