When the USSC in December of 2000 stopped the counting of the votes in Florida, effectively handing the White House to the loser, Bush supporters told us, "Get over it." Shortly after taking office, Bush took a vacation, ignored a memo warning him of bin Laden plans to strike inside the US, and the nation watched in horror as over 3000 were murdered on 9/11.
"Get over it."
Then, Bush told us he'd hit "the trifecta," and he trumped up a bogus war against Iraq -- sending over 4000 of our troops to die over weapons of mass destruction that didn't exist.
"Get over it."
Where was our Washington press corps during all of this? They played along with Bush the whole time. They played along during the press war against Gore in 1999 and 2000. They played along during the recount in Florida. They played along when the recount commissioned by the press found that Gore had won in Florida -- lying to us -- and helpfully explaining how Bush had "won" if we don't count all the votes.
"Get over it."
They played along in Bush's build up to war, revising history -- telling us in 2002 that Saddam had "kicked out" UN inspectors from Iraq -- after reporting to us in 1998, that it was the UN who ordered the inspectors out of Iraq.
"Get over it."
Then, comes the swift-boating of Kerry in 2004. The press knew the swift-boaters lied, but they played along anyway. After all, Kerry was too "French," and he might even undo the big tax breaks the millionaire press pundits enjoyed under Bush.
"Get over it."
Now comes the primary of 2008. The press plays along, helpfully explaining to us that McCain is a "straight-shooter" and a "maverick." Don't worry about his flip-flops or about his gaffes.
"Get over it."
CNN tells us what a "gracious" and well "intended" guy Obama is -- ignoring his campaign's playing the race card in their effort to defeat Clinton. The press pretended instead, that it was Clinton who played the race card.
"Get over it."
The press decided the outcome in 2000, and they decided the outcome of the Democratic primary in 2008.
'At the same time, says Lowry, "the press hates Hillary. There's real glee over the prospect of being done with the Clintons."' - Source - Howard Kurtz, Media Reporter, Washington Post
“Am I feeling bitter? You bet. Not because Hillary Clinton seems more likely than not to lose — I can live with that pretty easily — but because of how she's likely to lose. Because the press doesn't like her.” – Kevin Drum, Washington Monthly
"More than six years ago, long before Hillary Clinton began running for president, the Philadelphia Inquirer magazine reported that, according to an MSNBC colleague, Matthews had said of Clinton: "I hate her. I hate her. All that she stands for.""
‘’The media's apparent belief that it is acceptable to say any damn thing they want, true or false, as long as they say it about the Clintons, has become known as the "Clinton Rules of Journalism."’’
"Get over it."
Well, no. I won't get over it. I didn't get over it in 2000; I didn't get over it in 2004, and I'm not going to get over it in 2008 either. The press destroyed Gore's chances in 2000, just as they destroyed Kerry's in 2004, and Clinton's in 2008; and I fear that they'll also turn on Obama and destroy his chances later this year after they "get over" the "thrill" that French-kissing him now sends up their collective leg.
"It's part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often." - Chris Matthews - February 13, 2008
Boys and girls, is this the kind of reporting we want deciding the future of our nation? Not for me. I, for one will not "Get over it."
