Danny Glover's blog

Cross-posted at Accuracy In Media

If a revolution happens and no reporters cover it, will it make a sound? That's a good question because an anti-tax revolution as American as they come is under way, and the country's top newsmen could care less.

Anti-tax protests have been sprouting like spring flowers from sea to shining sea the past couple of weeks. Inspired by the "Chicago Tea Party" rant of CNBC business analyst Rick Santelli, taxpayers have rallied in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, among other locales. A national "Tax Day Tea Party" of coordinated rallies is planned for April 15.

But if you only get your news from the mainstream media, you probably wouldn't know the protests ever happened. Most major news outlets have provided zero coverage of any of the individual events or the grassroots movement as a whole. The conservative-leaning Internet startup Pajamas TV is the only outlet consistently covering the protests, which totaled nearly 30 by PJTV's count after last weekend.

Readers who know of the gatherings are beginning to ask questions. Hence this defense from the Los Angeles Times for its failure to cover a protest focused not on the national level but in California:

We all agree that the tax issue is extremely important. That's why, in the last few weeks alone, the Times has run more than 30 stories about the tax and budget proposals being pushed by the Legislature and the governor. That's also why we ran a tax chart so you could see how much the new taxes would cost you. ...

Between now and the May 19 election, we plan extensive coverage of both sides of the campaign over the ballot initiatives. We'll explain the issues, tell readers what both sides are saying, figure out where the money is coming from to pay for the campaigns on both sides and show people what's at stake. What we're not likely to do is cover a lot of individual rallies -- from either side. That's not a political thing. We don't cover a lot of government-worker rallies in favor of tax hikes, either.

To the extent that the Times maintains a consistent policy on covering rallies, that is a reasonable news judgment. But choosing not to cover individual rallies is quite different from blissful ignorance about the taxpayer unrest at the root of the protests. The ongoing reluctance of the establishment press to cover the grassroots revolt against tax-and-spend government is looking more and more like dereliction of journalistic duty.

The time-honored media tradition of trend stories is abused too often, but sometimes a trend is real and demands reporting. The tea parties and the anger that underlies them -- an anger increasingly being voiced by celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg and Jim Cramer, too -- are in the latter category.

As I've watched the movement materialize and my journalistic colleagues sit on their hands the past few weeks, my mind has drifted to the government-funded cartoon series "Liberty's Kids," which my wife and I just finished watching with our kids.

Apprentice journalists James and Sarah, the Ben Franklin proteges and stars of the show (who amazingly never age), are driven by passion to tell every story they can about the American Revolution unfolding before them. They have different viewpoints -- James the colonial and Sarah the British loyalist -- but both embrace the privilege they have been given to write the first draft of history. They give no quarter to doubters, naysayers and cynics.

True, James and Sarah are just cartoon characters, and the creators of the sometimes-politically-correct series had the benefit of hindsight in portraying the young journalists. But I can't help but think that if they were around today, they would be covering the modern-day equivalent of the Boston Tea Party.

Their real-life counterparts, on the other hand, have become too jaded and cynical to think anyone could get that upset about taxes.

[Cross-posted at my personal blog, The Enlightened Redneck]

My stint this year as the executive producer of Eyeblast.tv confirmed what I suspected before I began the job -- that conservatives are way behind the online video curve. But I was also pleasantly surprised to see some top-notch video work by conservatives, both amateur and professional.

Here are my picks for the Top 10 Conservative Videos of 2008 and why I chose them:

10) I Am Sarah Palin: Top female, conservative bloggers took a stand for Sarah Palin amid sexist media coverage of the Republican vice-presidential candidate. The video showcased the right's online superstars and their creativity.

9) Children Sing Hymns To Obama: California parents who supported Obama gathered their children in a home to sing praises to "The One." Negative publicity about the incident, including video parodies like this one, prompted the user to yank the video from YouTube. Other worshipful videos suffered the same fate later in the campaign.

8) Just Tell Us The Truth: This four-minute compilation of clips drew a clear distinction between the views about life expressed by Barack Obama, John McCain and Sarah Palin. It was one of several compelling videos about abortion, a topic largely ignored by the media during the presidential race.

7) Hillary Clinton's Bosnia Lie: When Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton "misspoke" about being under sniper fire while in Bosnia as first lady, the press accepted it at face value. But Rich Noyes of the Media Research Center smelled a lie and found the CBS clip that exposed it. He showed conservatives how to do the investigative work that liberal journalists won't. Clinton's lie became a major story in the Democratic primary because of the clip, which also inspired a much-watched parody.

6) Obama's Passion For Spreading The Wealth: A anonymous producer known to the online world as Naked Emperor News unearthed multiple audio and video clips that revealed the radical views of Obama, including this one about redistributing wealth. Like the Bosnia video, Naked Emperor News' grassroots opposition research provided the kind of scrutiny Obama should have faced from the mainstream media and proved that conservatives can be the media. If you can't beat 'em, bypass 'em.

5) Exposing Planned Parenthood (Episode 1, Episode 2): These are the first of two videos in the "Mona Lisa Project" being produced by Live Action Films. The investigative videos expose the illegal and unethical practices of Planned Parenthood counselors. Students for Life of America has produced similar videos. All of them are noteworthy not only for what they reveal but because YouTube has banned several of them as "inappropriate content."

4) Not Wallet: In a video titled "Not Alex," the liberal extremists at MoveOn.org manipulatively used a baby and distorted McCain's words to criticize his views on the Iraq war. A conservative blogger answered with this "Not Wallet" parody, which effectively used the same 30-second ad format and theme of MoveOn's ad to turn the discussion toward Barack Obama's pro-tax economic views.

3) Burning Down The House: When conservatives create videos that strike a chord with the public, they often become the target for copyright-infringement "takedown notices" at YouTube. That's what happened to this video about the financial crisis and what caused it. The mash-up showed people that liberals are really to blame for the current housing crisis. David All of techRepublican landed an exclusive interview with the video's creator after the copyright controversy.

2) Joe The Plumber's American Dream: Conservatives may not be great at creating original content, but they know a good clip when they see one and work relentlessly to make people notice. American voters definitely noticed Joe (The Plumber) Wurzelbacher. This is the clip that started the Joe the Plumber phenomenon and helped expose Obama for the spread-the-wealth radical he is. McCain arguably would have been defeated more soundly by Obama had this video not become a centerpiece of discussion late in the campaign.

1) Dear Mr. Obama: The power in this video comes from the personal experience of the veteran who made it. He practiced the message of sacrifice that Obama preached. The video earned 13 million views on YouTube, was mentioned as the top Obama-related video by a liberal publication, The Nation, and finished second to "Yes We Can" among election-related videos.

On Inauguration Day 1961, John F. Kennedy admonished Americans, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Too many voters will have none of that talk today. They want as much as they can get from the government for as little as they can give.

Peggy Joseph, a Barack Obama supporter, is but one recent example. She acknowledged to a reporter at a recent Obama rally that she is helping Obama because she expects a big return on her voting investment -- in the form of car and mortgage payments and who knows what else.

But Tito (The Builder) Munoz did the math and said on "Hannity & Colmes" that he doesn't want the 96 cents an hour he might gain from the government in exchange for his vote. He also realizes that government handouts are designed to keep the little guy little and coming back to the government for more.

Watch Peggy Joseph and Tito The Builder debate in a mash-up at Eyeblast.tv.

Cross-posted at Video Done Right

I'm sitting here watching the vice-presidential debate with my wife, who lists "all politicians are evil" as her political views on Facebook, and she just made the observation in the headline.

It's true and obvious from this debate: Even Sen. Joe Biden, who desperately wants to be vice president, can't resist Sarah Palin's folksy ways.

Barack Obama's campaign team, celebrated in political technology circles for its online innovations, took a high-tech jab at John McCain earlier this month with an ad that blasted the Republican presidential candidate over his limited computer use.

The ad quickly backfired thanks to some basic Internet sleuthing that showed McCain rarely uses a computer or e-mail because of the bodily injuries he suffered while in a Vietnam War prison for five years. Now Obama's ad is the subject of counterattack.

A group called Citizens for Open and Responsive Government created an ad that scolds Obama for his cheapshot. The ad notes that even Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, called the ad "terrible" in an interview with CBS' Katie Couric.

The new ad features retired Army Lt. Col. Mike Fairhead, who also can't use a computer because of war injuries. "Mr. Obama, why do you attack Sen. McCain because of his disability?" Fairhead asks in the ad.

Cross-posted at Video Done Right

Tennessee Democrat Bob Clement served in Congress from 1988 to 2003. Historians will decide what legacy he achieved during that time, but here’s a new video to help them.

It is the first episode in “Porkbusters On Patrol,” the kind of project made for pork-hating Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin. It is a networked journalism series announced by Eyeblast.tv and the bipartisan Porkbusters coalition this summer. Subscribe to our Porkbusters channel for future episodes.

We’re still looking for Porkbusters across the country to produce video reports. Search the 2008 “Pig Book” of Citizens Against Government Waste for ideas from your area, and send your e-mail pitches to me: dglover-at-eyeblast-dot-tv.

If you want to join our army of citizen reporters but don’t have a camera, you can get one free in exchange for your work. Just request a Flip video camera when you e-mail your story ideas.
 

I thought techies of the left were a bit self-absorbed three months ago when they proclaimed John McCain unqualified for the presidency because he doesn't use a computer regularly. Now Barack Obama is looking downright foolish for having taken his cues from them.

The right side of the blogosphere is abuzz with criticism of Obama for creating an attack ad that ridicules McCain for figuratively being stuck in 1982, the year he was first elected to Congress. "He admits he still doesn't know how to use a computer," the ad says. "He can't send an e-mail."

The ad echoed the criticism that surfaced at the Personal Democracy Forum in June. Conference organizer Micah Sifry elevated the debate over McCain's tech credentials to the status of "breaking news" with a headline that mocked a McCain staffer for saying "McCain Is Aware Of The Internet."

PDF's sister site, techPresident, followed up with a poll asking the question that only geeks would think is on the edge of every voter's tongue: "Does a connected world need a connected [president of the United States]?" The "yes" response was a predictably high 61 percent, but the high-tech outrage against McCain never made it into the mainstream.

Until Obama decided to cast his own vote against McCain's technological shortcomings, that is. Now plenty of people are talking about whether it matters that McCain uses a computer regularly -- and the tide is decidely against the netroots/Obama view.

Even the liberal blog The Plank asked, "Which voters exactly are going to be outraged by the fact that McCain doesn't know how to use a computer?"

Over the past month, John McCain's online shop has churned out video after video aimed at Barack Obama. Most are television ads, while others were made just for the Internet. All of them have hit their mark dead center.

Let's go to the tape for a recap:

-- July 21, "Pump": Asks who is to blame for higher gas prices and answers the question with background voices chanting "Obama! Obama!" The kicker: "Don't hope for more energy; vote for it."

-- July 26, "Troops": Criticizes Obama foreign affairs and defense policy record and blasts him for playing basketball while abroad but not visiting U.S. troops when cameras were banned. The kicker: "John McCain is always there for our troops."

-- July 30, "Celeb": Calls Obama "the biggest celebrity in the world," comparing him with Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, but suggests he isn't ready to lead. The kicker: "Higher taxes, more foreign oil -- that's the real Obama."

-- Aug. 1, "The One": Internet video that mocks the messianic feel of the Obama campaign and Obama's own grandiose statements about being "a symbol of America returning to our best traditions." Moses imagery included. A sequel posted online Aug. 21 took a similar satirical approach to the Democratic convention.

-- Aug. 12, "Fan Club": A faux invitation to join the Obama fan club, with "amazing" perks that include higher taxes. The kicker: "We know he doesn't have much experience and isn't ready to lead. But that doesn't mean he isn't dreamy!"

And then came this flurry of ads over the past few days, right as Democrats gathered in Denver to nominate Obama:

-- Aug. 22, "Higher": Portrays Obama as a celebrity who doesn't understand the impact that new taxes have on the family budget. The kicker: "He's ready to raise your taxes -- but not ready to lead."

-- Aug. 22, "Joe Biden On Barack Obama": Resurrected Biden's criticisms of Obama right as word broke that Biden was Obama's pick for vice president -- and the praise that Biden bestowed on McCain. Great Obama reaction visual.

-- Aug. 22, "Passed Over": Accuses Obama of not picking Hillary Clinton as his vice president because she spoke the truth about him in the Democratic primary. The kicker: "The truth hurt, and Obama didn't like it."

-- Aug. 22, "3 AM": Borrows Clinton's much-discussed ad footage that suggests Obama lacks the experience to lead in an emergency. The kicker: "Hillary's right."

-- Aug. 22, "Debra": Loyal Clinton supporter vows to vote for McCain and tells other Democrats it's OK to do the same. The kicker: "Now [McCain's] the one with the experience and judgment."

-- Aug. 26, "Tiny": Highlights Obama's rhetoric downplaying the threat that Iran poses to the United States and Israel. The kicker: "Obama, dangerously unprepared to be president."

The latest Internet video was released yesterday. Dubbed "Remote Control," it shows scenes of dangers in the world as leading Democrats criticize Obama's foreign policy views and as Obama professes himself to be "a believer in knowing what you're doing." The ad is getting rave reviews.

Each video is powerful of its own right for different reasons -- the appeals to popular culture, the background chants of "O-ba-ma, O-ba-ma," the perfect timing, and the use of Obama's own words and those of his allies. But the videos are even more powerful as a package.

They are driving home a central theme -- that Obama isn't "ready to lead." Because he isn't ready to lead, the ads say, Americans can expect less national security, higher taxes, a continuing energy crisis, and a dangerous obsession with celebrity over substance.

The power of that message is evident in the polls: They tightened as the videos were released, and the traditional convention bounce has been slow to bounce Obama's way this week.

Obama's campaign hasn't exactly been silent as McCain's online machine churned out its videos. The Obama team, in fact, produced far more videos during the past month, and some of them have been equally good.

Obama has attacked McCain as a Washington insider, an economic ignoramus, an ally of the rich and powerful, and a yes man to President Bush. Obama has targeted narrowly focused issue ads at potential swing states. And his staff has fact-checked McCain's ads.

Like McCain, Obama also has been quick to pull the online video trigger for maximum impact. When McCain couldn't answer a reporter's question about how many homes he owns, Obama's team immediately released an ad titled "Seven" that pegs McCain as out of touch with the common man because he owns seven homes worth $13 million.

The ad closes with a picture of the White House and this message: "And here's one house America can't afford to let John McCain move into." A companion Obama Web video, meanwhile, asked Philadelphians on the street how many homes they would have to own before they lost track.

But McCain's online videos have packed more punch, created more buzz and forced the Obama campaign to play defense with counter-attacks. Even when Obama scored points after the flap over McCain's multiple homes, McCain quickly answered with an ad that turned the conversation to Obama's wealth and ethics.

And today, McCain took the high road, releasing an ad where he congratulates Obama for becoming the first black man nominated as a presidential candidate.

"Weirdly, McCain seems to have taken a lead in the rapid-delivery YouTube department," Instapundit Glenn Reynolds concluded after McCain released his "Remote Control" video. "I wouldn't have predicted that. The Obama stuff, meanwhile remains in this vein. It's well-produced and star-studded, but it's not hitting the key points."

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Barack Obama takes center stage in Denver tonight to accept the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. That makes today a great time to reflect on what Obama's campaign of hope and change hath wrought.

So here, for your viewing pleasure, is a compilation of Obama's greatest rhetorical hits from the past 19 months. I've limited this special package to 10 tracks and five minutes, but there surely are more that could have been included. Share your favorites in the comments.

The 10 tracks from this collection are:

1. Farewell To Arms -- Obama's plan to dismantle U.S. defenses
2. Loveable Rogues -- An open invitation for talks with global thugs
3. Bomb Iran -- Maybe, depending on what day you ask
4. Baby Be Gone -- No one wants to be "punished" with babies
5. Workin' 9 to 5 -- Tough questions are "above my pay grade"
6. The Gospel Of Barack -- The gay marriage Sermon on the Mount
7. Take The Race Bait -- Typical dollar bills ... and white people
8. Bitter -- The guns 'n Bibles crowd
9. Jeremiah Was An Albatross -- Tossed under the bus with Grandma
10. A Gaffe A Minute -- Fallen heroes in the 57 states of America.
 

Barack Obama took the Democratic Party by storm at its national convention four years ago, but one high-profile blogger was unimpressed. Here is what Matt Stoller, now of Open Left, wrote at The Blogging Of The President on Monday of the 2004 convention:

Barack Obama came in a gave a little speech to the bloggers at the Blogger breakfast. To be honest, I don't get the big deal. I've seen him speak a few times. He seems very charismatic, but I have yet to cross that bridge with him where I feel like he's saying anything really interesting or useful. He's a lot like [John] Edwards -- charismatic and demographically useful for the Democrats. But is there there there?

For that insightful bit of truth-telling, which National Journal's Technology Daily broke from the convention while I was its managing editor, Stoller was unceremoniously dumped by the Democratic National Convention Committee from his volunteer slot as the convention's "blog community coordinator."

Maybe that's why Obama passed over Hillary Clinton as his running mate without even vetting her as a potential vice president. Like Stoller and millions of Americans not smitten like the media, Clinton was unimpressed with Obama until he bested her in the Democratic race.

"I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House," she said during the primary. "I know Senator [John] McCain has a lifetime of experienc [to bring] to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he gave in 2002."